Microsoft’s Half-a-Week to Shine

It’s a good thing for Microsoft that the tech world was pretty quiet this week, at least for news anyway. Because yesterday, today, and tomorrow was the Microsoft Build Conference in San Francisco. Now, this conference is mainly for independent developers who make applications for the Windows environment.

And right now, Microsoft needs these people badly if they are to succeed with all they have planned. And, they just may have hit a home run. One of their big announcements was the release of coding applications that can take iOS and Android applications and easily convert them for Windows Phone. As you may know, the Windows Phone is a minor player in the smartphone world…at approximately 5% of the user base. Of course, Android and Apple own that universe right now, but Microsoft wants to be a bigger player.

The biggest complaint against Windows Phone is its lack of available application. This latest move by Microsoft may just change that. It is a big mountain for Microsoft to climb to become a player…and frankly I am not sure it is possible at this late stage. It will just take a lot of time.

For us consumers, there was not a lot of news. The biggest story is that Microsoft has finally given their new Web browser a name. It was called Project Spartan…now the new and permanent name is “Edge.” It will be part of the new Windows 10 when it releases later this summer. You can read this and other important bits from the Build Conference in our first story.

And speaking of Windows 10, I got a new Evaluation Build today, and sure enough, Spartan is now called Edge. As I have said here before, I like the Spartan…oops…Edge browser. It is simple and very fast.  As you might expect, every new evaluation build brings new features and you can read about this latest batch in story #3.

Microsoft has big, big plans for the future of Windows, and hopefully they can pull them off. More good information follows, so have a go at it! - JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

All the Important Stuff Microsoft Announced at Build 2015

On Wednesday, Microsoft held its (mostly boring!) developer keynote at Build 2015. If you’re not a developer, your eyes might gloss over during the presentation, but there are still some cool features normal users might find interesting.

Microsoft: Windows 10 will be on 1 billion devices in two to three years

The 1 billion figure encompasses all kinds of devices that will be able to run the OS in some flavor, including desktops, PCs, laptops, tablets, Windows Phones, Xbox One, Surface Hub conferencing systems, HoloLens, and various Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

Microsoft releases Windows 10 build 10074

On the first day of its Build developers' conference, Microsoft has released a new preview of Windows 10, the third new version in 30 days. Here's what's inside.

Cut the cord and leave cable TV behind

Millions of consumers are now cutting the cord that provides television services while keeping the one that provides broadband internet. Replace traditional broadcasting with video streaming and downloading services so you can access the same television programs you love via the web.

The Best Private Roku Channels, and How to Install Them

As if the Roku didn’t have enough channels already, there’s a decent selection of “private” channels you won’t find in the channel store. Here are some of the best private channels worth checking out.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

30 Free & Beautiful Resume Templates To Download

"Making an impressively designed resume from scratch may be a bit of a challenge, especially if you don’t do design for a living. But if you want to give your resume a visually stimulating edge, grab any of these resume templates.

How to Manage Tasks With Evernote

There are a ton of tools that strive to help organize life and maintain productivity. The solution is finding the system that works best for you.

Google launches Chrome extension to thwart phishing on its accounts

Password Alert is a Chrome extension that will warn you if you're about to enter your password in a fake Google account page.

How to free up Google Drive space

Need more space in your Gmail inbox? Time to clear out Google Drive.

Spring cleaning: Should you use a cloud storage service to back up your PC?

Cloud storage or cloud backup -- which is better for backing up your stuff? PS: There are several good firms that can do this besides those mentioned in the article, such as BackBlaze.

 

Mobile Computing

Want a refund for AT&T's sneaky charges? The deadline is Friday

Mobile subscribers face a May 1 deadline to get reimbursed for "cramming" -- charges for third-party services without consent of a subscriber -- on AT&T phone bills.

Google Now Android app cards

Earlier this year, Google revealed plans take its popular Google Now mobile assistant to the next level by letting third-party apps generate Google Now cards. Google announced that another 70 Android apps can now deliver Google Now cards to your feed.

Ditch your phone's default calendar for one of these apps

Let's face it, the calendar app that came with your phone isn't always the best choice for managing your schedule. Replace it with one of these pretty and helpful alternatives.

Apple's plan to improve the iPhone camera: add another one

Apple is always exploring ways to improve the iPhone camera, and the latest report suggests doubling down on the sensor is the next step

Here's how Microsoft hopes to get Android and iOS phone apps into its Windows 10 Store

Microsoft is enabling Android and iOS apps to come to Windows 10 phones. Here's how this will work.

Survey Says: The Apple Watch is Ho-Hum

After reading and listening to tech experts explore the ins and outs of Apple’s latest tech product, almost to a man (or woman) they say the Apple watch is nice but not worth the money. It is a bit slow to load and run apps, finding the right app is confusing, it must be recharged daily, and who wants to read the news on a 1” screen.  And, of course, you must own the latest iPhone to use the watch.

Personally, even though I own an iPhone, I have no desire to own one of these watches. The bands for the watch go from $100 to $250 (not counting the gold ones). And this watch is the first iteration of a product that will be obsolete in no time. Still, they have managed to sell somewhere between a 1 and 2 million of them already. Face it, this watch is not very useful, but it makes a great fashion statement for those who care about such things.

And after looking at Apple’s latest earning reports and profits, (another record high, thanks mainly to the iPhone) the sales and profits for the watch division will never be more than a drop in the bucket. Just because someone is an Apple fan, it doesn’t mean they have to buy everything Apple makes.

There is more news here along with tips and tricks, so I hope  there is something here that will be of help to your tech needs. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

T-Mobile adds 1.8 million customers in Q1, becomes threat to wireless giants

T-Mobile continues to add customers at a rapid clip and most likely has become the No. 3 carrier in the U.S. At what point does T-Mobile start worrying Verizon and AT&T?

The Problem with Apple Watch in a Nutshell

What amazes me most about Apple Watch is the free press Apple gets for creating something with so many problems

Consumer groups dance on the grave of Comcast-Time Warner Cable deal

Consumer groups are cheering the news that Comcast abandoned its proposed US$45 billion acquisition of fellow cable and broadband provider Time Warner Cable, saying it’s good for customers and demonstrates the power of Internet activism.

Windows 10's New Mail: Is It Outlook or Isn't It?

Just what is it that we’re looking at: a part of the free upgrade that Microsoft promises Windows 10 will be? Or a peek into a more full-featured package that users may yet be prompted to purchase?

Bill Gates 15 predictions in 1999

In 1999, Bill Gates wrote a book titled “Business @ the Speed of Thought.” In the book, Gates makes 15 bold predictions that at the time might have sounded outrageous. His forecasts turned out to be “eerily prescient.”

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

Intel Compute Stick Review & Rating

A PC you can fit into the palm of your hand? That's been a pipe dream for most computer manufacturers. But it looks like Intel is setting up to change the technology landscape with its Compute Stick 

Why Does Emptying Disk Space Speed Up Computers?

Good question. Find out the surprising answer.

3 tips for easier migration to a new browser

Switching between browsers never used to be a big deal, but that's just not the case anymore. We customize these programs with extensions, sync open tabs to our mobile devices, and, if you're using Chrome, run apps like they're native to the desktop.

Stop your flash drive from yelling about fake problems every time you plug it in

So you go through the motions, scan the stupid drive, fix it, and everything’s fine. Then the next time you connect it to your PC, there’s that darn message again.

How to install a new graphics card

Few upgrades add as much punch to your PC as installing a new graphics card. It can transform your PC from a system that chokes on lightweight games into a monster that churns through even the most visually punishing titles with ease.

 

Mobil Computing

Send Maps directions in Chrome to your Android phone

In a hurry to get somewhere but need directions? Now you can send the directions to your Android phone before you even leave home or the office.

One thing every iPhone owner should do to stretch battery life

While better than it used to be, owners of iPhones -- especially frequent business travelers -- have to keep an eye on battery life. One simple setting can help the phone last longer.

The 15 Best Android Games

What if, instead of being productive, you'd rather waste a few minutes, race a few laps, or slay a few dragons? For that, you need games, and for you, we have a list of our favorites.

The file manager that Android forgot: How to find photos and other data on your device

Although Android has a perfectly fine file system, it doesn’t come with a file management tool. The solution, of course, is to download and install one.

11 killer Android features you aren’t using, but should

Android is stacked with so many tools and configuration options, we often overlook some of its most useful features. Sometimes they’re hiding in plain sight. Other times, they’re buried deep.

Some Big Surprises This Week in the News

Sometimes the tech news of the week is downright boring…but not this week. Just look at the headlines:

Google announces their own cell phone service…Comcast abandons its bid to acquire Time Warner…the Defense Department will start their own cyber attacks against those who attack the US digitally…and Microsoft releases a new Windows 10 Build AND word leaks out that the final version of Windows 10 will be available at the end of July. You can get the details below.

I personally am surprised, but not shocked the Google will now have its own cell phone service. As with all tech beginnings, it may not tempt you to switch for quite a while and they definitely won’t be supporting iPhones. But it will interesting to watch their development.

As for Windows 10, I downloaded their latest build 48 hours ago, so have not had a great deal of time to play with it. But I can tell you that the voice commands application (Cortana) works much better.

But the highlight of the new release is their built-in mail and calendar applications. I’ve tried them out and so far they work very well. In fact, they work so well I can no longer see any use for Outlook. One can see calendars from Google, Apple, and Outlook.com, which you cannot see in Outlook for either Windows or Apple. Bottom line is that Outlook is a mess, but that is a conversation for another day.

I wish the Mail app would use a unified inbox like Apple Mail where e-mail from every service shows up in one inbox. Once you have that, anything less is unacceptable.

As for the final Windows 10 release date, the CEO from AMD in an earnings call, let it slip that Windows 10 will start shipping in late July and early August. Whoops! I don’t think she was supposed to say that. Oh well.

There will be more Microsoft announcements next week from San Francisco as their annual “Build” conference gets underway. And Apple has promised to unveil some amazing new technology in June. Exciting times ahead.

I will get out of the way now and let you read the news and tech tips for computers and mobile devices. Enjoy your weekend. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

Google Launches Fi, a Low-Cost Cell Phone Service

Google has announced Project Fi, a new low-cost cell phone service that it is launching in the United States. Fi will ride on the backs of Sprint and T-Mobile and will seamlessly switch to Wi-Fi when available. But as you may expect, it comes with some serious limitations.

Comcast reportedly abandons acquisition of Time Warner Cable

The decision comes after recent reports that both the US Department of Justice and Federal Communications Commission were preparing to turn against the deal after months spent looking into what it would mean for competition.

House passes bill allowing corporations to share your data

The bill is designed to prevent future cyber attacks by allowing corporations to share information with each other and the government. As you might guess, civil liberties groups don't agree.

US will use cyberattacks to defend against threats

In a change of strategy, the military has decided to start respond to foreign threats with cyberattacks, Reuters reported after seeing a copy of the strategy.

Microsoft releases Next Windows 10 Technical Preview Build

Microsoft released Windows 10 Technical Preview Build 10061 on Wednesday afternoon with more substantive changes than the prior release, including new Mail and Calendar apps and a raft of improvements to the UI.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

OpenOffice development is looking grim as developers flock to LibreOffice

OpenOffice used to be the best free alternative to Microsoft's Office, but now it seems to be falling on hard times.

Best Free Online Applications and Services

This list of Best Free Online Applications and Services now includes 230 items in various categories. With these online or web apps and services, you do not need to download and install them into your computer for using them. Just use your browser.

3 easy steps anyone can take now to back up a PC

First I'll give you six great reasons to back up your PC. Next, I'll give you an easy, three-item checklist for backing up said PC.

How to defend yourself from ransomware

Despite the CryptoLocker headlines, ransomware is still a growing threat to both individual PC users and small-to-medium businesses. Though our malware defenses have improved, ransomware authors are finding new ways to infect our systems. Fortunately, we have options and solutions.

How to Add Wi-Fi to a Desktop Computer

The benefits of Wi-Fi are tough to ignore. With Wi-Fi, you can position your desktop computer anywhere you want in your home or office, as long as there’s a power outlet nearby. You can then connect it to your router without running an Ethernet cable.

Mobile Computing

How to enable Twitter's new Highlight feature on Android

Make sure you never miss an important tweet or conversation, by enabling Highlight alerts.

How to get emoji symbols on your Android phone

iOS has emoji built-in...but wait, so does Android!

How to Buy a Cell Phone

With hundreds of handsets to choose from, it can be tough to find the right one. Our ultimate guide gives you all you need to know to dial up the perfect mobile phone.

How to Reverse Tether an iPhone or iPad to Your PC or Mac

Standard “tethering” involves connecting your phone, tablet, or other device to your smartphone, sharing your smartphone’s mobile data connection with your other devices. But you may sometimes want to get your iPhone or iPad online via your PC or Mac.

List Of 38 Apple iOS 8 Features Every Apple Fan Should Know About

A complete roundup of the best new features of iOS8. Do you own an iPhone or and iPad? You will be surprised as some of the best features you do not know about

It’s Patch Tuesday…That’s Not Why I’m Excited

No…I am excited because Adobe has finally released the newest version of Lightroom. If you buy it on-line or in a store, it is called Lightroom 6. If you subscribed to Adobe’s Creative Cloud, it is called Lightroom CC…to match the Photoshop CC name. FYI: Creative Cloud for Photographers is only $10 a month…besides Lightroom, you also get Photoshop CC.

Frankly, that is an incredible deal. It also gives you the Lightroom apps for you cell phone and tablet…both IOS and Android. Those apps are not available if you buy Lightroom 6 without the subscription. The subscription also gives you updates to the latest features automatically.

I am not doing an Adobe commercial here. But if you are a serious photographer, you should think about a subscription.

In other news, there is now a roadmap on how computers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 will receive the free update to Windows 10 (Story #1). It looks like they will begin rolling out in late July and early August. The updates will be staggered to prevent server overload. So start thinking now about Windows 10. Based on what I have seen so far, I think you will like it.

As usual, there is more good info here, so I will stop talking now and let you read on. -JRC 

 

Tech News and Opinions

Get Windows 10: Microsoft's hidden roadmap for the biggest software upgrade in history

Beginning this summer, Microsoft will begin offering free Windows 10 upgrades to hundreds of millions of PCs. A recent Windows Update contains details about how the Get Windows 10 (GWX) program will work.

This month's second Patch Tuesday brings 34 Windows updates, all optional

The bad news: Microsoft just released 34 updates for Windows. The good news? They're all optional, none are security-related, and most fix issues you're unlikely to ever encounter. Here's a full list of what you'll see in Windows Update.

How to Watch Watch Downloaded or Ripped Video Files on Your Roku

Your Roku can do more than just stream from the web. Use it to watch video files you’ve downloaded or ripped yourself, or even play your personal music collection. You can do this with a USB drive or over the local network.

Google rolling out Chrome OS update now

Google announced that it is pushing out a big software update to Chrome OS computers that will add several new features to Chromebook computers.

Yahoo renews Microsoft search partnership with some changes

Bing will still power most of Yahoo's search results.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

The Art of Windows file search

At first glance, Windows’ search tool seems simple but underpowered. You open up Windows Explorer (File Explorer in Windows 8), type a word in the search field, and files containing that word appear. But there’s really much more to it than that.

Google speeds up data transfers with Quick UDP Internet connections

Google is always looking to get information faster to people browsing the web and after nearly two years of experimentation, one of its new protocols is paying off in Chrome.

Ten Apps I Use Every Day to Help My Productivity

These pieces of softare are mostly multiplatform, which is important because I use both Mac OS and Windows regularly. Some are even free!

Flower Identification App

LikeThat Garden: Flower Identification is a free (yay!) app in the iTunes store that lets you snap (or upload) a pic and in a moment, they’ll tell you what it is.

Free eBooks And Audiobooks To Read Online Or Download

There are well over a million free ebooks and audiobooks at the sites listed within these pages. To the best of the writer's knowledge, all of the websites listed here offer only content that they are legally entitled to transfer to you and safe for downloads.

 

Mobile Computing

Give your iPhone or iPad a storage boost

The iPhone and iPad are wildly popular devices, but if you're one of those people who likes to carry a lot of data with them, you've probably at one time or another hit a storage limit. Here's how you can add more storage to your iPhone or iPad quickly and easily.

10 iPhone Apps You Need To Replace Today

The iPhone comes with a handful of stock apps right out of the box. A handful of them are pretty good, but there are plenty of third-party options that are perhaps better than some of the stock apps on the iPhone.

Google's Chrome just got better on your iPhone or iPad

These three new features might have you considering to use Chrome instead of Safari on your iOS device for faster browsing and easier navigation.

Office Lens for Android and iOS turns your phone into a scanner

Microsoft has just released Office Lens in both finished form for iOS and a preview for Android, letting you use your device of choice to turn photos into usable documents.

Google's Android Wear software will let you leave your phone at home (if there's Wi-Fi)

The search giant announces a handful of new features, including new capabilities that make a watch run independent of a phone.

Cloud Backup Firm Pulls 5,000 Seagate Drives

The above headline and following story explains why I never buy Seagate drives. I stick with Western Digital and have never been disappointed. Sometime ago, I ran a story showing that Seagate drives have the highest failure rates among cloud storage companies. They were higher than anyone, but not like like this latest batch…47% is over the top. Trust me, stick with WD.

I told you last time I had more Apple updates for you, at least for me. If you remember, I bought the 27” Apple iMac 5K Retina computer at the end of last year. A couple of weeks ago, while still suffering the affects of my nasal infection, I went to the local Apple store with a friend to check out their new Force Touch Trackpad…introduced with the new MacBook computer that just went on sale last week. And while I could not see that computer, Apple did put the trackpad on a new version of the MacBook Pro, along with a faster processor and faster SSD drive…and they were there on display.

I went to see it because one on-line company took $250 off of the MacBook Pro without the new track pad. To make a long story short, the Apple Store employee, after seeing the $250 sale ad, gave me a great discount and I walked out of the store with the latest and greatest MacBook Pro with Retina Screen. I truly did not intend to buy a laptop that day, but I did anyway. And I must say, I really like it and use it. PS: Great battery life…9-13 hours.

In case you didn’t hear about the Force Touch Trackpad, its another piece of great Apple engineering. The trackpad has no moving parts, but when you push down on it, you feel the click as if it did. Push even harder, and you will feel a double click.

Force sensors detect how much pressure you’re applying, and the new Taptic Engine provides a click sensation when you press anywhere on the surface. It fools your brain into thinking it felt a click. Turn off the power and you feel nothing. There are no moving parts!

So now I own a PC and a MAC desktop, and Windows 8.1 Laptop and a MacBook laptop. What’s a nerd to do?

Some interesting news and tips in this edition so have a gander and I hope you find something good to help out your computing life. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinions

Backblaze pulls thousands of Seagates drive out of service

Backblaze, the excellent cloud backup provider, pulled almost 5,000 3TB Seagate drives out of service after the annual failure rate reached a startling 47 percent. Here is why you should think twice about buying a Seagate drive.

Target settles with MasterCard for $19M over data breach

The money will compensate financial institutions that had to cancel credit-card accounts and issue replacement cards with new account numbers following the 2013 data breach at the retail giant.

EU Formally Charges Google with Antitrust Violations

European Union competition commissioner formally accused Google of violating antitrust laws by abusing its dominance in Internet search. Additionally, the European Commission was investigating whether Google forces phone makers to favor its own services on the Android mobile OS.

Chromecast vs. Apple TV vs. Roku vs. Amazon Fire TV

Which has the most apps? Which has the coolest features? Which one is the best? The most popular media streamers all have their merits, so we'll help you decide which box is right for you.

Microsoft promises drastic cuts in disk space use for Windows 10

The increasing popularity of SSDs and flash-based storage have created a big problem for Windows, and that problem is getting worse as OEMs shrink storage on cheap tablets to save costs. To address the problem, Microsoft is making some radical changes in Windows 10.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

How to safely test file and image backups

Imagine this: You’ve lost important files, but when you go to restore them, you discover that your backups are completely unusable — and your next words are unprintable. Here’s how to ensure that your backup files are valid, complete, and usable.

The Best M.2 Solid-State Drives

SSDs are shrinking, thanks to the new "gumstick" M.2 format—and, in some cases, getting a lot faster. Here's how to buy one, with reviews of a half-dozen of the latest.

14 Google Calendar Tricks You're Probably Not Using

Take a look at 14 neat little tricks that you can do inside Google Calendar. There will definitely be some you didn't know.

5 ways to use Note Links, Evernote's secret weapon for getting organized

Note Links, available in the desktop version of Evernote, is a powerful way to impose structure on your unruly data dump. This function lets you hyperlink notes to each other so you can create relationships between them and link to notes from external applications for easy reference.

The Best Free Antivirus for 2015

Yes, Windows now comes with antivirus protection, but lab tests show that it's not enough. Don't worry, you don't have to pay to keep your PC safe.

 

Mobile Computing

50 Best Free iPhone Apps for 2015

Plenty of iPhone apps are worth paying for, but there are plenty of great free ones, too. Here are 50 of the best.

The Best Android Phones of 2015

Big, small, stock, or skinned, if you're in the market for a new smartphone, chances are there's an Android option to fit your fancy.

Lost Your Android Phone? Now You Can Just Google It

Google can help you find almost anything, but it’s no good if you’ve lost your smartphone – until today. The search engine now has the ability to look up your lost device directly from its homepage.

Android 5.1 Lollipop vs. Android 5.0 Lollipop: Everything You Need To Know

Android 5.1 Lollipop improves the overall stability, battery life and performance of Android devices compared to the previous release. Most of these changes are under the hood, but there are also several new features that Android 5.1 Lollipop brings.

How to opt out of Verizon's 'supercookie' tracking program

Here's what you can do to prevent Verizon from tracking your mobile activity.

Surprise!! I’m Not Dead

I know its been a long time since you’ve heard from me, but I am back. I’ve got a good excuse…I’ve been a pretty sick puppy. First came a very nasty cold and bronchitis, followed by the worst sinus infection in the history of mankind…four weeks of it before the meds started to clear it up.

The worst part was what it did to my brain. I could not concentrate or remember things and I couldn’t even look at a computer. During the time I was sick, I also had 20 straight days of company and had to do my best to entertain them. They come because March is the best month of the year in Tucson.

So it has taken a long time to recover…and I am almost there. The aftereffect was my ears filling with liquid so I could not hear worth a damn. But that is almost gone now, so I am slowly getting back in the saddle of a normal life.

I’m not sure you missed much by my absence. The big story lately has been the release of the Apple Watch. It went on sale last Friday and sold out in a couple of hours…or so Apple says. That seems to happen to them a lot. Anyway, I have no interest in one, but if you do, place your order now and sit back for two month until it is delivered. Educated estimates say they sold around one million watches this last weekend.

I have more to tell you about my adventures in the Apple world, but will save that for an upcoming edition. Its all good.

Meanwhile, Microsoft keeps sending out updated technical previews for Windows 10. As you know, I run Windows 7 and 10 inside Parallels on my iMac. The latest preview included the first look at Project Spartan, the browser that will replace Internet Explorer. Although I have not played with it much, for reasons enumerated above, I like it. It is fast and easy to use.

I may have been to ill to update this blog, but I did keep up with tech world as best I could. So I hope you are glad that I am back. -JRC

 

Tech News and Opinion

Windows and Office get four Critical updates for Patch Tuesday

It's another Patch Tuesday, with this month's update including a slew of security fixes in a cumulative update for Internet Explorer. The most important patch on the list blocks an Office exploit that's already being used in "limited attacks" in the wild.

US declares cybercrime a 'national emergency', threatens sanctions against hackers, online espionage

An executive order authorizes a set of new sanctions against individuals or groups whose cyber attacks result in significant threats to US national security or economic health.

Premera Blue Cross hit by "sophisticated" hack, 11M affected

The multi-state health insurance company was attacked in January and is working with the FBI to determine the cause of the breach.

Here Comes Surface 3

Surface 3 is nothing less than a lower-cost Surface Pro 3. And that’s a good thing, as it will open up Microsoft’s “tablet that can replace your laptop” design to a much wider audience.

Windows 10 to launch 'this summer' with free upgrades even for pirated copies

Windows 10 is officially in the home stretch, with Microsoft's top Windows executive committing to a summer launch date and, in a surprise announcement, offering free upgrades on PCs running pirated editions of earlier Windows versions.

 

Computer Tips and Tricks

9 Tips for Faster Wi-Fi Streaming

What actions can you take to increase your Wi-Fi performance and get your streaming speed back up to par?

Changing names again: ‘Metro’ becomes ‘Windows’

An obscure notice that ‘Metro apps’ are now ‘Windows apps’ leaves more than a few Windows observers confused. Microsoft has a long history of bungled product branding, but its latest decision plumbs new depths.

The Best Antivirus for 2015

These days, there's no question that keeping your computer safe from malware and other threats should be a top priority. We've tested more than 30 premium AV packages to help you choose the one that's right to protect your PC.

Removing admin rights would ease 97 percent of critical Microsoft flaws

Almost every critical vulnerability in Microsoft software published in 2014 could have been mitigated simply by removing admin rights from users, UK security firm Avecto has calculated after studying Patch Tuesday advisories for the year.

9 compelling reasons to keep your old computer instead of upgrading

Few can withstand the siren song of the latest and greatest gear, the deep allure of a new and shiny gadget—but that doesn’t mean that tossing your old computer in the trash and picking up a fresh PC is necessarily a smart idea.

 

Mobile Computing

4 ways your Android device is tracking you (and how to stop it)

You also have the option of turning your history off—or, at the very least, you can take a peek at what's being saved. Read on for four ways your Android device is watching you.

Best free Android productivity apps and launchers

Since Android lets app makers do certain things that Apple prohibits, there are a few exclusive options that stand out.

Apple Releases Major Updates for Both Mac OS X and iOS8

It's apparently patch day at Apple, and the Cupertino company has loosed major updates for both Max OS X Yosemite and iOS 8 out into the wild. Here are the highlights of each.

The 100 Best Android Apps of 2015, So Far

This list covers everything you need, from comic books, to finance, to secure messaging services.

How to Share Your Smartphone’s Internet Connection: Hotspots and Tethering Explained

Practically all smartphones can tether, sharing their data connection with your other devices. You can do this over Wi-Fi, a USB cable, or Bluetooth — if your carrier lets you. You might have to pay extra.