Here some cool tips and tricks to get more out of Windows 10

From the time, Microsoft launched its new operating system Windows 10 on July 29, it has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. While some complained about the security issues, some said that it is little better than Windows 8. However, not all of the things in Windows 10 are bad.

Here are some tips and tricks for those who have recently purchased a computer with Windows 10 or have upgraded, that will help you save time and make the operating system more effective and user-friendly.

Use Cortana

You can ask Cortana anything, and you will get your answer. For example, you can ask Cortana question about the weather, the age of your favorite celebrity or the events coming up on your calendar. Cortana, a digital personal assistant not only finds files and launch apps, but can be also used to type in requests for Cortana.

To send emails, you need to simply type in “Send an email to <NAME> about <SUBJECT> and then you can set alarms or reminders as well. You also do not have to open a separate app to do so. You can save a lot of your time, as you can do almost anything with Cortana by just requesting or asking it something.

Get a Longer Battery Life

Are you aware that there is a battery saver mode that will start when the AC power is unplugged? There are some things that you can do to make your battery life last longer. All you need to do is, go to “Start” and then “Settings”, click on “System” and “Battery Saver”. This will allow you to see what apps on your computer are consuming the most battery power. You can then add apps to the list of exclusions, which means that when the battery is low, Windows 10 will restrict those apps. This can really help you when you have very low battery power.

Increase Monitor Size

Windows 10 has an in-built function for a virtual Desktop, which makes it very simple to control the open apps that you have on your computer. All you need to do is to keep moving these open apps to their own Desktop, until you have to access them. In order to see the three Desktops that are the default, press [Windows] + [Tab] and you will be able to get a summary of the open apps on each of the three Desktops. To see the contents, all you need to do is keep the mouse pointer over one of the Desktops at the bottom of the screen.

You can also drag the apps from one Desktop to another Desktop, and then add more Desktops by clicking on “New Desktop”. This is very helpful for those who work from home and who require a lot of windows and apps to be opened at the same time. For instance, if you are looking at multiple types of documents at the same time, or browser apps and Excel or Word. You can also switch easily between the Desktops by pressing [Windows] + [Ctrl].

Using the Hidden Start Menu

With Windows 10, Microsoft brought back the Start Menu. The best feature about the Start Menu is that you can customize in a number of ways. Every one is aware of the left click, but you can now also right-click the Start Menu too. If you right-click on the Start button, it will allow you to access a range of shortcuts that are basically for the more complicated parts of Windows. Just use the right-click option on the Start Menu, if you want to access these advanced parts promptly.

Record Videos of Apps

Use the in-built app Game DVR for taking screenshots and recording videos. Meant for taking screenshots of videos games, Game DVR can be used with any open app and can make screenshots or record any types of videos of anything that you may have opened in Windows 10. It is very simple to use and helpful when you are looking to make a video for a family member or friend on your computer. You can access it through the shortcut by using [Windows] + [G]. However, it might not work through shortcut all the time.

Change File Explorer’s opening folder

In Windows 10, File Explorer opens with Quick Access selected. Old-school Windows users might prefer to start in This PC (previously known as My Computer), which includes the six standard data folders in your user profile as well as any local drives and removable media such as USB drives.

No problem. On the ribbon, open the View tab, click Options, Change folder and search options, and then choose one of these two options.

Use the expanded Send To menu

Yes, you can right-click a file or folder (or multiple items, for that matter) and use the Send To menu to do a few interesting things, like move or copy the selection to your Documents folder, create a compressed file (in .zip format), or send the selection as an email attachment.

Customize the Send To menu

Speaking of the Send To menu, you can make it much more useful by adding and removing the options on the default (short) menu. They’re just shortcuts, but good luck finding them, because they’re buried in a folder hidden deep within your user profile.

To get to that folder, open the Run box (Windows key+R), typeshell:sendto, and then press Enter.

First order of business: delete the Fax Recipient shortcut. After that, you can add shortcuts to favorite folders (local and network). You can also add shortcuts to programs. Adding a shortcut to Notepad or another text editor makes it much easier to quickly edit any file, for example. Ditto for pictures and your favorite image editor.

Hope you like the tricks given above. Please share you own tips and tricks in Windows 10 for the benefit of other readers.

Hard Drive Data Recovery

The first step in recovering from a data loss is to ascertain whether the loss is a result of a physical hard drive failure, i.e. broken hardware; or, a logical drive failure, i.e. corruption or loss of File System or data. This article identifies the symptoms of physical hard drive failure.

Symptoms of a Physical Hard Drive Failure

There are a number of warning factors that can alert you to a physical drive failure. These include:

Drive shows as "Not Initialized" in Windows Disk Management;
Drive not spinning (no power);
An excessively hot drive;
An abnormal ticking noise whilst the drive is reading data;
A loud clicking or grinding noise.
A Note Re. External USB Hard Drive Data Recovery

An external USB drive adds another layer of USB electronics between the hard disk and the computer. These USB components are also subject to failure. When dealing with a failed external drive, part of the diagnostic procedure is to remove the drive from its case and try an alternate connection.

1. Not Initialized in Windows Disk Management

Windows > Disk Management lists the physical drives recognized by the computer and the way in which the space on those drives is allocated. A "not initialized" error is a signal of a fundamental communication error. Usually an attempt to initialize a hardware failed drive will result in a low level "I/O" (Input / Output) error.

2. Drive Not Spinning (no power)

If a correctly powered drive is not spinning (i.e. it is silent) it can be an indication of a problem with the hard drive Printed Circuit Board (PCB). The PCB holds the electronics responsible for controlling the operation of the drive and its communication with the computer. It is possible to replace a printed circuit board, but this should only be undertaken by an experienced hard drive data recovery professional. It is essential that the replacement PCB not only be an identical make and model, but it must also hold the identical firmware to the original board.

hard drive data recovery
3. Excessively Hot Drive

A traditional (non Solid State) drive contains disks called 'platters'. These platters are coated with a magnetic substance and spin at high speed under an mechanical arm (the 'actuator' arm) that moves backwards and forwards over the surface of each platter. On the end of this metallic arm is a small copper wire. The computer sends a pulse through this wire which changes the state of the magnetic surface of a platter as it passes underneath. In this way the files that you store on your computer are encoded into the magnetic substance. The tolerances within a hard drive are finely calibrated. As with any mechanical moving parts, the friction in movement creates heat. A physical problem (or pending physical problem) may therefore present as an abnormally hot drive.

4. Abnormal Ticking Noise

In some instances a failing hard drive can present with an abnormal ticking noise whilst the disk is reading data. This can be a sign that the disk has bad sectors (the magnetic storage on that part of the drive is degraded). The noise is generated by the actuator arm returning to the same spot on the disk in multiple read attempts.

5. Loud Ticking or Grinding Noise

A more serious mechanical error is an abnormal loud clicking or a grinding noise. This is a serious issue as it is usually an indicator of significant mechanical failure. Continued use puts the platters containing the data at risk of permanent and irreversible damage. The drive should be powered down immediately.

Hard Drive Data Recovery

It may be possible on a degrading drive to successfully run data recovery software and retrieve data. Consideration should however be given to recovery techniques which will minimize drive access, for example, and MFT recovery rather than a block scan of the entire drive. It may also be prudent to attempt to acquire a sector by sector disk image of the problem media.

In more serious cases it is necessary to send the hard drive a hard drive data recovery service. Hardware data recovery is a more expensive path as technicians may need to disassemble the hard drive to recover the data. Hard drive data recovery is usually done in a 'clean room' as hard drives are sealed to avoid errors caused by dust or other particles. Hard drives are finely tuned machinery and it takes specialist equipment to read the platters from a physically damaged drive.

If you are sending your hard drive to a data recovery specialist then you should attempt to obtain an upfront estimate of fees (although you will rarely get one), ask that if you send your hard drive for quotation purposes will they send it back to you in the same condition if you choose not to use the service, and make sure you send it to a reputable company as you may only get one chance at hard drive data recovery.

Samsung To Launch First Foldable Smartphone Early Next Year






Samsung could be about to change the world of mobile phones forever - with a bendy screen which folds over.

The Korean phone giant, which already sells phones with curved screens, is said to be testing a device already, according to Samsung Mobile.

According to reports circulating on Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo, the gadget comes in two models with high-powered chips and a ‘wallet-like screen.

Samsung has previously teased the idea with various videos showing how a ‘bendable’ smartphone might work.

Its Korean rival LG has a phone with a flexible screen, which is designed to be tougher than ‘stiff-screened’ phones.

Nearly two years ago, Samsung wowed an audience in Las Vegas with a working mobile phone screen which could be rolled and unrolled like a sheet of paper.

The screen kept working as it was rolled and unrolled - and was built to be "virtually unbreakable", Samsung claimed.

Panasonic launches its first portable LCD projector with Intel Pro WiDi support

Panasonic has launched three new portable LCD projectors in its VW350 series – PT-VW350, PT-VW355N, PT-VX425 with Intel Pro WiDi (Wireless Display) technology. With the launch new projectors, Panasonic aims to capture 20 percent market share by the year 2016. These projectors are a clear departure from the previous projectors which were mainly targeted at education and corporate sector. The new projectors feature Intel WiDi support enabling wireless technology with enhanced security and improved usability. Panasonic’s new projectors support multiple device projection supporting Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices. Panasonic says the new LCD projectors are also the smallest and lightest in the 4,000 lumens brightness category and come with an HDMI input, monitor out and two D-sub inputs. The new projectors also feature a built-in 10W speaker
.

With the use of Panasonic’s wireless application available on Android, iOS and PC, screen projection from multiple PCs (up to 16 units) and simultaneous wireless transmission from one PC to multiple projectors are possible. The new projectors come with a lamp and filter replacement cycle of maximum 7,000 hours. “The introduction of the new range of LCD projectors reinstates our commitment towards meeting the evolving need of enterprises today. From wireless connectivity to light processing improvements, the new LCD projectors do not only incorporate new technological advancements but also enable easy maintenance and enhanced installation efficiency,” said Vishal Kanwal, Business Head – Projectors & Display, Panasonic India. The new VW350 series comes with horizontal, vertical and corner keystone correction and can fit in any room size. The new projectors are priced at Rs 79,000 for PT-VW350, Rs 1, 05,000 for PT-VX355N and Rs 79,000 for PT-VX425 model. 

Computer Maintenance Tips

Proper maintenance will keep a home computer running well. A few minutes spent on tests and updates can avert frustrating crashes and sluggish performance.

Follow these computer maintenance tips:

1.    Install antivirus security software and set up a regular sweep. Your computer may have come with a pre-installed antivirus system, but be sure you have one and it is set up to regularly search for and destroy malware on your machine. There are plenty of quality free programs such as Symantec Endpoint protection, Avast or Avira available if you need them, but no matter what, it is vital to protect your computer against viruses.

2.    Consistently back up stored data and create restore points. Be prepared for the worst by regularly backing up your files on the hard drive or an external hard drive to be extra safe. It is likely that your computer came with a program to create system restore points (System Restore on Windows computers and Time Machine on Macs) that save a complete version of your computer that you can return to later. This is very helpful if a virus has completely ruined your machine and you can’t find out how to get rid of it. You simply go back to before the virus was introduced. Be sure to set up the programs to automatically create regular restore points or you can install third party programs to do this as well.

3.    Keep your system and programs updated. Software developers regularly put out updates for everything from your operating system to programs you use regularly. These updates make sure your software is running top notch, but updates also regularly plug security holes so you will want to install updates as soon as you are notified of them to protect yourself against malicious viruses and spyware.

4.    Uninstall unused programs and files and regularly de-fragment your hard drive to keep your computer from slowing down. The more free space your computer has on the hard drive, the faster it will run so if you have old files you don’t need or old programs you don’t use, clear them out. You will also want to regularly do a disk cleanup to clear out junk files that get downloaded by your browser or temporary program files that take up space. Also, regularly de-fragmenting your hard drive will keep your computer running smoothly. Your computer likely has a tool you can use to set up a routine de-fragmentation.

5.    Practice safe browsing habits to avoid viruses and phishing scams. Much of the malicious software that wrecks computers finds its way to your device through your own unknowing clicking. Protect yourself by always reading the web address before you click a link in a search result, never clicking through on a suspicious popup window, never giving out login information even if the requester claims to be from a reputable company and never opening an email or email attachment you are unsure of.

6.    Clean out dust and grime that accumulates outside and inside the machine. Built up dust can cause overheating and is to blame for lots of computer breakdowns. This is simple to avoid by regularly using a small vacuum to remove dust and then spray with compressed canned air. For tower-style desktops, you will want to remove the side panel to carefully clear the dust inside the tower every three to six months for optimum performance.

7.    Plug your desktop into a surge protector. Electric storms can irreparably damage sensitive components inside your computer. The simplest way to protect it from power surges is to plug it into a surge protector.

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Cortana public beta released for Android




Android users can now test out Microsoft's digital assistant Cortana after the company released a public beta version.
The app will differ slightly from Cortana in its native Windows environment - for example, launch phrase "Hey Cortana" is only available across Windows products for now, the company said.
US users can sign up for the program by visiting its link in the Google Play store, while UK customers will have to wait until it is rolled out across other markets. An iOS version will soon be made available.
Microsoft announced it was working on an advance version of Cortana for Android and iOS back in March, and has now integrated the assistant into its desktop offerings through the recently-released Windows 10.
Cortana was first revealed in April 2014 as Microsoft's answer to Apple's Siri and Google's Google Now voice-powered assistants. It made its UK debut in September last year with the launch of the Lumia 735 – the first smartphone to go on sale in Britain with the Windows Phone 8.1 operating system pre-installed.
The assistant has been designed to complete everyday mundane tasks, including creating reminders to notify you at specific times, make calls and search the internet.

Redback Systems

Changing your phone plan between different carriers is a mammoth task these days. All those requests, applications, and SIM card replacements are just too much. But, in near future, this could be a thing of past, and switching your carrier will be a lot easier. This may happen as Samsung and Apple are working to make the SIM card disappear.

Apple and Samsung are working with the GSM Association, the representative body of all cellphone makers across the world, to make a standard SIM card that will remain embedded in your phone. This will make switching between the carriers easy. This embedded SIM card is being called e-SIM.


The SIM cards being used today are provided your network service provider. It’s a small plastic piece that stores your phone number, data plan info and identifies your device to your service provider. The new e-SIM will allow your phone to switch between your service providers easily. As I’ve called it “the SIM card that will disappear”, this SIM will be out of your reach.

World’s two biggest names in the smartphone industry are in “advanced talks” about the launch of these e-SIM cards, according to the Financial Times. These standards are expected to be finalized in 2016.

BlackBerry Wants to Provide 9 Numbers on Single SIM



The GSM Association tells that e-SIM card is gaining a widespread support from the carrier community. It has already got the support of AT&T, Orange, Telefonica, Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat and Hutchison Whampoa.

Apple has been trying to make the SIM disappear for a long time, and it looks like this is it. The new e-SIM cards sound similar to Apple SIM, which was launched by the iPad maker earlier this year. It was available for the cellular version of iPad Air 2 and worked with multiple carriers.

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Microsoft’s Windows operating system have completed almost 30 years of successful run, with more and more features and user friendly user interface being added one after another

However Windows users still lack few of the features which they think should be enabled with their Windows OS. One of which is, feature which can enabled is to add “colors to folders” or to add different colors to different folders in Windows run PC.

You may think what is the use of “adding colors to Folder in Windows”, well colored folders looks more attractive and are easier to navigate.

While Microsoft does not provide any option to change colors of the folders in windows. few softwares available online may help you change colors of the folder as of your choice.

Here, in this article I will explain you a similar method which will help you to add different colors to folder in your Windows run PC.

How to Customize folders with different colors in Windows?

Tools Required : Folder Colorizer

Supported Operating System : Windows 8/7/Vista/XP

Download the Folder Colorizer software from the above provided link, the product provides options to add colors to folders and comes from a trusted vendor so it will not harm your PC.

Download and install Folder Colorizer, if it asks to install Microsoft Dot Net 3.0 Framework. install it too.
While installing the software be cautious as it may ask to install several other tools to, disable those installs
After complete installation you may proceed with adding color to folders on your pc.
Right click any folder to which you want to add color.
After Right click select Colorizer Option from the menu.
Next select the color which you want to add to the folder.
the Color of the Folder will instantly change to selected color.

In partnership with the Indian tech device maker iBall, Microsoft has released the Splendo- a fully-functional and PC stick running on Windows 8.1 that can convert your TV into a fully functional PC and thus makes it a Smart TV.

Microsoft-backed iBall’s Splendo is priced just at $140 (Rs. 8,999) and it includes a wireless deskset including a keyboard and a mouse. All you have to do is to plug this device in the HDMI port of your TV and get a full-fledged Windows PC experience.
At its launch, Microsoft said: “The iBall Splendo is for people who love devices and want to be connected all the time using multiple form factors. These users are tech enthusiasts who love gadgets, have access to multiple TVs at home, love the Smart TV experience and use Windows for browsing, social networking and multimedia consumption

The iBall Splendo runs on the Intel Atom Quad-core processor with 2GB RAM and 32GB storage space. Apart from these, the other features include multi-channel digital audio, a micro SDXC slot, USB port, micro-USB port, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 and HD graphics. This device runs on a fanless design and comes bundled with a one-year warranty.

“The new era of exciting, easy to use, miniaturized and affordable devices is becoming the trend. iBall Splendo PC-On-Stick is one such device which will be useful for every home and office conference room providing different dimensions to use the PC as well as get great multimedia and internet experience by attaching it to the TV. A true convergence of technology for every age group and for every need,” said Sandeep Parasrampuria, Director iBall.

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Users prompted to install test Windows 10 version on exiting Windows system and have a say in its operations

Microsoft has recently started to prompt Windows 7 and Windows 8 users about the showing the capacity it has to upgrade to Windows 10, giving us an insight as to how the upgrade process may work.

The prompt which in sync with an earlier report points out that this free upgrade will be a limited time offer. It further asserts that if users don’t claim the free upgrade within a year, the offer will be cancelled and they will have to pay for the upgrade.

The soon-to-be-released Microsoft Windows 10, even though not yet completed is already pretty good; however, it still has bugs in it causing it to freeze up from time to time. It is expected to be released in late July, if it’s completed in a month or so from now and Windows 10 is almost undoubtedly going to be very good indeed.

Windows 10 is set to replace Microsoft Windows 8. As far as the Windows 8 goes, it hasn’t been able to set a very high bar for itself so much so that even an unfinished software that crashes and involves hours of work is preferable. Also, one should have paid attention to Microsoft’s advice and held onto launching Windows 8 a bit longer before it was made public.

If you have a touch-screen device, Windows 10 will have the charm bar gesture on the edge of the screen that will slide from right-to-left for notifications and settings bar, similar to what one would find on a mobile phone. Windows 10 has started to share these features with mobile phone operating systems, as Microsoft plans to operate more or less universally, irrespective of whether one is using a notebook PC, mobile phone or tablet.

Further, let’s take a look at “Settings”. With every new build, more and more are getting fashioned differently in the universal style, which is created to work just the same with your finger touch on the screen as well as with a keyboard and mouse.

With every build, the start menus and the task bar, too, are getting better where many features are work exactly the same way you expect them to when you click on them.

For example, when you click on the date and time on the task bar of Windows 10, a big friendly calendar pops up, exactly the way you always wanted that click to do. It seems like Microsoft has been listening to its customers and is allowing us take a decision as to how things should operate on its Windows 10.

However, it looks like Microsoft has been exactly doing this for some time. A major reason of these Windows 10 builds is to let Microsoft observe how people do things and make the final product to match, irrespective of how much damaged the Windows 10 maybe.

Microsoft is paying keen attention as to why a feature is not clicked and if it is clicked why people are coming out of that feature. It’s becoming increasingly obvious that Windows 10 is going to be an operating system for the people with every passing build.

Windows 10 Professional was recently priced at $150 on Newegg’s website. Once the users book their free copy, they will be notified later on when the update is ready for download. Once that’s done, the Windows 10 will be ready for use.

Finally Microsoft reveals the official Windows 10 system requirements. It has published the entire list of system requirements and they are similar to Windows 7 and 8.1.

We can even quietly upgrade Windows 7 and 8.1 to Windows 10 on your computer. You wouldn’t feel much difference on performance of the computer when upgrading to Window 10.

Here are the list of system requirements for Windows 10 on Desktop:

Processor: 1 GB or faster processor or SoC
Ram: 1 GB for 32-bit or 2GB for 64-bit
Storage Disk: 16GB for 32-bit OS or 20GB for 64-bit OS
Graphics: DirectX 9 or later with WDM 1.0 driver
Display: 800×600 pixels resolution or higher

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According to Canadian carrier Rogers, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and the S6 edge should get their Android 5.1 Lollipop update as early as next month. The carrier's official website mentions June as the estimated release date for the update, although the website also says that the dates are subject to change.

Over this past month, we've heard that Samsung is already working on updating its latest flagships to Android 5.1 Lollipop, and we've also heard that the update should come with a new Guest Mode feature, as well as the ability to snap RAW photos. This is the first time we're hearing about a potential release date for the update.

Since we can think of no reason why Rogers should get any priority in updating its versions of the Galaxy S6 and S6 edge to the latest Android version, this date should be a good estimate for a lot of other carriers across the globe as well.

While Android 5.1 Lollipop is not a major update over 5.0 Lollipop, Google seems to have solved many of the bugs that got introduced with the original version of Lollipop.

Guest Mode is a feature that stock Android 5.0 has had since day one, but Samsung did not include it in the Lollipop versions that the S6 and the S6 edge currently use. The ability to capture RAW photos is also baked in the stock version of 5.0 Lollipop. Some were disappointed that the Galaxy S6 series lacked this feature, especially since the MWC 2015 demo units came this must-have feature for mobile photography enthuziasts.

Many customers will appreciate it if Samsung also optimizes the battery life of its two flagships, although this could well turn out to be just wishful thinking.

Windows 10 may very well be Microsoft's last operating system, if recent reports are true. A Microsoft employee made the surprising revelation during a recent conference hosted by Microsoft.

Jerry Nixon revealed during Microsoft's Ignite Conference in Chicago that the company is no longer planning to develop new versions of the operating system anytime in the future.


"Right now we're releasing Windows 10 and because Windows 10 is the last version of Windows, we're all still working on Windows 10," he said.

The latest version of the operating system is slated for release in summer and as Nixon said, the company is preparing for this release. Earlier reports about the upcoming OS version also revealed how Windows is shifting from providing service rather than coming up with new versions every so often.

According to Nixon, the new philosophy behind Windows 10 is "Windows as a service" means that it will be pushing out updates regularly for Windows 10, improving on its services rather than introducing new versions of the OS.

Nixon's statements were later validated through a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson: "Recent comments at Ignite about Windows 10 are reflective of the way Windows will be delivered as a service bringing new innovations and updates in an ongoing manner, with continuous value for our consumer and business customers."

The spokesperson also emphasized how Windows 10 and further innovations will benefit users across multiple devices: "We aren't speaking to future branding at this time, but customers can be confident Windows 10 will remain up-to-date and power a variety of devices from PCs to phones to Surface Hub to HoloLens and Xbox. We look forward to a long future of Windows innovations."

In addition, Microsoft will be also be implementing a 24/7 update sequence, allowing users to choose whether they will get updates via slow or fast rollouts, meaning they can get updates in bundles or as soon as the update is released. Currently, the company is reportedly testing Windows 10 preview builds with a select group of users