Month: October 2017

Google Pixel 2: 10 awesome tips and tricks

Google’s Pixel 2 is one of the few Android phones that actually looks better after you turn it on. From the functionally elegant Pixel Launcher to the stock Oreo icons, there’s a lot to like about the Pixel 2 Android experience. It’s smart, stylish, and sophisticated, and it’s the No. 1 reason to spend hundreds of dollars on one.

As good as it looks, Android on the Pixel is just as customizable as it is on any other phone. The Pixel 2 features all sorts of little tweaks and tune-ups, so check out these 10 tips and tricks that will unlock its full potential.

Pick a live wallpaper

Last year’s Pixel brought Live Earth wallpapers that gave your home screen a cool three-dimensional feel, but this year’s live wallpapers go beyond parallax effects. Simply press down on your home screen and tap the Wallpapers icon to find them. Inside the Living universe tab you’ll find a series of wallpapers that are like mini-movies on your home screen. The movement is subtle (such as waves crashing against the shore in Lagos), but it adds a bit of surprise and delight to what was already a gorgeous array of photos.

Furthermore, there’s a set of “Come alive” wallpapers that feature interactive designs. Some let you manipulative shapes with your fingers, while others provide flashes of color when touched. Mind you, they will all have some impact on your battery life, but they’re so cool, it might be worth it.

Bring back double-tap to check and lift to check

This year’s Pixel brings an always-on ambient display, and we couldn’t be happier. But if you’re not into it, Google hasn’t completely abandoned the old way of doing things. Inside the Ambient display settings (Settings > Display > Advanced > Ambient display), there will be two toggles beneath “Always on:” Double-tap to check phone and Lift to check phone.

The double-tap option will light up the screen when you double-tap on the ambient display (or illuminates the ambient display if it’s not set to always be on). The lift-to-check toggle turns on the ambient display when you raise your handset, like before. However, it works only if the always-on display is turned off, so you’ll have to choose.

Turn on vivid colors

The Pixel 2 doesn’t offer the kind of color customization that the Galaxy Note 8 or LG V30 do, but there is one tweak you can make. Inside the Advanced menu’s Display settings, you’ll find a Vivid colors toggle, which will change the display profile to give your display a little more pop.

Show the battery percentage

It’s always been impossible to tell exactly how much battery you have left by viewing the tiny icon in the status bar. With Android Oreo on the Pixel 2, Google lets you add the precise battery percentage next to the icon, so you can know exactly when battery saver is about to turn on (or brag to your friends about how long it lasts). Just head over to the settings and flip on the Battery percentage switch.

Use the power button to end a call

The Android Accessibility settings include all sorts of useful tricks for vision-impaired Pixel 2 users, but there’s one option we can all benefit from: Power button ends call. Flip this switch and you can press the power button to end a call—especially handy if one hand isn’t free.

View the home screen in landscape mode

Most Android phones need to be in portrait mode when looking at the home screen, making for some awkward fumbling when running landscape apps. But that’s not the case with the Pixel 2. Inside the Home Settings (which can be accessed by pressing down on the screen and tapping the gear icon), you’ll see an Allow Home screen rotation toggle. Toggle it on, and your icons and widgets will rotate when you turn your phone. One caveat: You’ll lose your Google search bar when in landscape mode.

Customize the At A Glance widget

Google has supercharged the Pixel Launcher’s new top-of-the-screen widget with the addition of calendar events and traffic information alongside the weather and date. But if you don’t want all that information, you can easily change it. Just long-press on the widget to bring up the Preferences menu. From there, you’ll be able to turn off calendar events and traffic updates.

Get rid of the Google app screen

Swipe all the way to the right on your Pixel 2 and you’ll get to the Google app, which is basically a feed of news, sports, weather, and other relevant information. But it doesn’t have to be there. Head into the Home Settings (again, by pressing firmly on the home screen), and you’ll see a Display Google app toggle. Turn it off, and the screen will disappear from your phone.

Show Now Playing on the lock screen

One of the coolest features of the new Pixel phones is Now Playing, which offers the ability to identify any song it hears without needing to ask Google Assistant or launch Shazam. It’s not an app, it’s a setting, and you can find it all the way at the bottom of  Advanced in the Sound settings. Inside is where you’ll find the most important toggle of all: Show on lock screen. Turn this on, and you’ll be able to identify any song that’s playing within speakershot of your Pixel 2 just by glancing at the bottom of the lock screen.

Turn off Active Edge

We might not have needed another way to summon Google Assistant, but Google gave it to us anyway in the form of Active Edge. Like the HTC U11, you can squeeze the sides of your Pixel to launch Google Assistant. Unlike the U11, you can’t customize the squeeze to launch another app. If that’s a deal-breaker, you can switch off Active Edge in the Settings app. But it’s not so easy to find. Go to Apps & notifications > Advanced > Default apps > Assist & voice input > Active Edge. Then it’s just a matter of flipping the Squeeze for Assistant toggle.

Hands-on: The ZTE Axon M is the first smartphone with a foldable screen

ZTE isn’t a smartphone brand you’d associate with “firsts.” The Chinese company is known more for its affordable, mid-tier Android devices, its Axon series being the marquee product in the U.S. But ZTE’s new Axon M has a very different story to tell this time around. Rather than announce a flagship that competes head-to-head with the masses, ZTE is attempting to launch a whole new category of device: the foldable smartphone.

Unlike its predecessor, the Axon 7, the AT&T-exclusive Axon M features two 5.2-inch 1080p displays on either side of its hinged chassis that open to create a larger 6.8-inch tablet-style device. The idea of a foldable smartphone isn’t a new concept, as it’s been long rumored that Samsung would be first to market with such a device. Alas, ZTE has that honor, and while the Axon M isn’t likely to set the bar for this type of device, it’s good to see an Android manufacturer try its hand at something completely different.

The “M” in the new Axon name refers to the device’s ability for “multitasking” and “multiple modes,” though it could also refer to its malleability. This is a device that folds into a smartphone, then out into a tablet-like shape, or into a tent (or A-frame) to create a double-sided display.

From the front, the Axon M looks like a regular smartphone, albeit one with a large hinge on its right side. It’s as dense as you’d expect from a device with two display panels, considerably thicker than svelte flagships like the Samsung Galaxy S8 or LG V30. The trade-off for the bulk is twice the screen real estate. Mind you, the two screens aren’t always on. The Axon M’s back display is disabled when it’s not in use— with the screen off it looks similar to any other standard glass back on a smartphone.

Other prototypes and mockups of foldable devices rely on the screen itself being foldable, and capable of expanding into one uninterrupted display. The Axon M does it differently: It uses two TFT LCD displays that are connected by a hinge. Think of it like using two side-by-side computer monitors; the same concept applies here—it’s up to you to choose how you want the two screens configured.

Besides the traditional phone configuration, using just the front-facing screen, there are three other modes for the Axon M, all of which are easily toggled from the navigation bar. There’s Extended Mode, which transforms the two displays into a single larger device for reading and browsing the web; Dual Mode, which treats each display distinctly, in order to run simultaneous apps; and Mirror Mode, which allows you to share content with a person sitting on the other side of the device when in tent mode. In my brief hands-on with the Axon M, I didn’t notice any tracking errors when I moved between the two screens in A mode (in both Candy Crush Saga and the Chrome browser). Likewise, the Axon M did fine in AB mode, even with the DirectTV streaming app using a significant amount of resources in one window; while the Mirror mode seemed to handle doubling up on a Netflix flick easily enough.

I’m slightly concerned about how the Axon M’s hardware will fare over time. Its 2.15GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 processor isn’t the latest chip on the market, although it is capable. Its 4GB of RAM should be enough for the Axon M’s multitasking needs, but 6GB of RAM would’ve helped futureproof things a bit. The big question, however, is whether the 3,180mAh battery will be sufficient enough for all that screen.

One camera is all you need

The Axon M boasts some of the latest flagship amenities, such as USB Type-C charging, Quick Charge 3.0, and 64GB of storage space with an additional expansion slot that supports up to 256GB. It also runs on Android 7.1.2 Nougat right out of the box, though it’s unclear when it will see its upgrade to 8.0 Oreo. And unlike some of the newer flagship phones, it still has a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Whereas most phones have a camera on each side of the phone, ZTE made the 20-megapixel front-facing camera the only shooter. The camera features Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF), a f/1.8 maximum aperture, and specialized modes like a Night Shot mode and a manual mode. If you want to shoot anything rear-facing, simply tap the same camera toggle featured in every version of the Android camera app, and then physically flip the phone over to use the other display as a viewfinder. To ZTE’s credit, it’s quite a transition, and it doesn’t seem any more or less user-friendly than the typical camera-switching mechanism. The benefit is that the high-megapixel camera is the front-facing shooter, too, so both selfies and Instagram Stories come out looking sharp.

Not entirely bezelless, but it’s foldable

ZTE has a user in mind for the foldable Axon M, though it’s not necessarily the early adopter. The Axon M is meant to help solve a pain point for those who often need access to a bigger screen but don’t want the hassle of packing along a tablet. A fold-out display with multiple screen modes could be the answer, but that’s only if you can get past the obvious separation between the two displays.

The Axon M will be exclusive to AT&T Next subscribers, for $24.17 per month on a 30 month contract. ZTE says the phone will be available in November, but does not specify a date.

Microsoft joins the VR battle with Windows Mixed Reality today

Microsoft is launching its own answer to virtual reality today, taking on HTC and Oculus in the process. Windows Mixed Reality will be available in the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update, and headsets are now available to buy. Here’s everything you need to know about Windows Mixed Reality.

WHAT IS WINDOWS MIXED REALITY?

While Microsoft has picked the “Mixed Reality” naming for its initial headsets, they’re only capable of virtual reality experiences right now. Microsoft’s range of headsets are similar to the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and many manufacturers are selling bundles that include touch controllers. The main difference between the Vive / Rift and Windows Mixed Reality is that the headsets do not require separate sensors.

Microsoft is offering movement tracking (six degrees of freedom) without the need for traditional external sensors placed throughout a room. Windows Mixed Reality headsets have cameras and sensors to track the motion controllers. This is great for plugging headsets into a laptop for taking VR to a friend’s house, but the lack of external sensors means Mixed Reality doesn’t do a good job of picking up movements in games where you place your hands behind your back.

Microsoft has picked the Windows Mixed Reality name because it believes the experiences of virtual reality and augmented reality (HoloLens) will eventually blend together. While the existing Windows Mixed Reality headsets don’t offer any augmented reality experiences or a passthrough mode like the Gear VR, more headsets will arrive in the future that are more capable.

HOW MUCH ARE WINDOWS MIXED REALITY HEADSETS?

Most of the main PC makers are creating Windows Mixed Reality headsets, and a number of them are available to purchase today. Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Samsung are all creating headsets, and the cheapest will be priced at $299. Not all will come bundled with wireless motion controllers, and not all are created equal with the same comfort and specs. We’ll have a guide to the best in the coming weeks, but here’s an overview of all the headsets available to purchase.

ACER WINDOWS MIXED REALITY HMD – $299, OR $399 WITH MOTION CONTROLLERS

Acer was the original developer headset for Windows Mixed Reality, and it’s also one of the more basic of the bunch at just $299. You get a resolution of 1440 x 1440 per eye, an LCD display, and a 95-degree field of view. It’s a combination of blue and black on the outside, and compact enough to place in a backpack.

DELL VISOR – $349, OR $449 WITH MOTION CONTROLLERS

Dell’s Mixed Reality headset improves on Acer’s with more comfortable padding, and an improved 110-degree field of view. You still get the same resolution of 1440 x 1440 per eye and an LCD display, but you’re paying a little extra for a better design and more adjustability and comfort.

HP WINDOWS MIXED REALITY HEADSET – $449 WITH MOTION CONTROLLERS

HP’s headset is similar to Acer’s in terms of specs, but with a Tron-like design. HP is selling the headset as a bundle with the motion controllers for $449, although you can technically buy the development edition separately for $329. Just like Acer, it’s a resolution of 1440 x 1440 per eye, an LCD display, and 95-degree field of view.

LENOVO EXPLORER – $399 WITH MOTION CONTROLLERS

Lenovo’s Explorer headset is one of the lightest Windows Mixed Reality headsets available. While it has a resolution of 1440 x 1440 per eye, Lenovo has pushed the field of view to 105 degrees on the LCD displays. It’s one of the more affordable and comfortable Windows Mixed Reality headsets available.

SAMSUNG HMD ODYSSEY – $499 WITH MOTION CONTROLLERS

Samsung’s Windows Mixed Reality headset is one of the best ones available. While it’s not arriving until November 10th, it includes a better resolution of 1440 x 1600 per eye, 110-degree field of view, and an OMOLED display. Samsung has also built AKG headphones into the headset, making it a true Oculus Rift competitor. Samsung’s pricing does place it $100 above Oculus’ recently discounted Rift and Touch bundle, though.

WHAT PC DO I NEED FOR WINDOWS MIXED REALITY?

You won’t need a high-end gaming PC to use Windows Mixed Reality. Microsoft has kept the minimum specs low for basic apps and VR experiences, but for the top games you’ll need a more powerful PC. For the basics, you’ll need a PC with the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update installed, an Intel Core i5-7200U processor or better, 8GB of DDR3 RAM or better, 10GB of free disk space, an Intel HD Graphics 620 or DX12-capable GPU, and HDMI 1.4 or DisplayPort 1.2, as well as a USB 3 port and Bluetooth for the controllers. This basic spec will provide 60 frames per second performance, and for 90 fps you’ll need a PC capable of the Windows Mixed Reality Ultra spec.

Windows Mixed Reality Ultra PCs will need an Intel Core i5 4590 (fourth generation), quad core or better, 8GB of DDR3 RAM or better, 10GB of free disk space, and an Nvidia GTX 960/965M/1050 or AMD RX 460 or greater graphics card. You can check to see if your PC is compatible by installing the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update and running the Mixed Reality Portal app or by downloading Microsoft’s separate PC check app.

WHAT APPS AND GAMES CAN I USE IN WINDOWS MIXED REALITY?

Microsoft is using a virtual Cliffhouse as its portal for games, apps, and holograms in Windows Mixed Reality. The Cliffhouse will let you launch content, watch movies, and pin holograms in a virtual environment. Think of it as your virtual home. Microsoft is supporting apps and games from its Microsoft Store initially, which means you’ll be limited to what’s available for Windows 10. You can also run your desktop PC in the virtual environment, and access Microsoft Edge for web browsing.

VR Games like Arizona Sunshine and Superhot VR are available today, alongside a Halo Recruit VR experience. Apps like Littlstar and Sliver.TV are also part of Microsoft’s Mixed Reality launch. Most of the games will come with SteamVR support. Microsoft is working with Valve to support this in Windows Mixed Reality, but this won’t be available in beta until the end of the year. If you’re opting for Windows Mixed Reality right now, you’ll be limited to the Microsoft Store and Microsoft’s built-in Windows 10 apps for now.

Huawei’s Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro bring larger screens, better cameras, and bigger brains

Huawei already surpassed Apple earlier this year to become the second-largest overall smartphone maker (behind Samsung), but it hasn’t yet had a hit handset to rival the iPhone 7 or the Galaxy S8. With the launch of the Mate 10, Huawei is hoping to change that.

While the new phones look a lot like the flagships from Google, Samsung, and LG, there’s a key difference with the Mate 10: Huawei says it’s smarter than the average smartphone. Thanks to a new chip with a built-in neural processing unit (NPU), the Mate 10 can sense, analyze, and adapt to its surroundings, letting your phone work faster and last longer.

G’day, Mate! Huawei may be the second-largest phone maker in the world, but it has yet to break into the all-important U.S. market in a meaningful way. Last year’s Mate 9 with Amazon Alexa didn’t quite do the trick, but the smarts built into the Mate 10 could make the phone a hit with U.S. buyers. Huawei already makes world-class processors with its Kirin chips, and the Kirin 970’s NPU brings something new to the game. In a sea of shrinking bezels and top-notch cameras, it could be a difference-maker.

Screens with a view

Like last year, there are two versions of the new Mate phone, a regular model and a Pro model. But they’ve switched identities. With the Mate 9, the Pro had a home button, a smaller screen, and Quad HD resolution, but this year it’s the non-Pro model that has all those things: Along with a home button/fingerprint sensor on the front, the Mate 10 has a 5.9-inch Quad HD 2560×1440 LCD display, while its higher-end brother sports a 6-inch Full HD 2160×1080 AMOLED screen with a rear fingerprint sensor. If you can’t tell from the resolution, that’s a 16:9 for the Mate 10 and an 18:9 ratio for the Mate 10 Pro.

The screen isn’t the only difference between the two models. Both base models of the Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro come with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, but only the Pro model has an option with 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. Additionally, the Mate 10 Pro brings IP67 water resistance, but no headphone jack while the regular Mate 10 has a 3.5mm jack but you can’t get it wet.

Intelligent design

Otherwise, the two phones are very much the same. Most importantly, they both have the homegrown Kirin 970 processor, which Huawei says delivers 20 percent power efficiency over the previous processor. And that’s with the same 4,000mAh battery in both models, so the Mate 10s should easily power you through a full day of heavy use. However, even though both phones have glass backs, neither supports wireless charging.

Built into the Kirin 970 processor is a dedicated neural processing unit. Similar to the embedded neural engine in Apple’s A11 Bionic chip, the Mate 10’s NPU will aid with machine learning and artificial intelligence. Thankfully, Huawei hasn’t introduced a new digital assistant like Samsung and HTC did. Instead, the smarts built into the Mate 10 are used to make the phone faster (up to 25 times) and more power efficient (up to 50 times) than relying exclusively on the CPU.

Around the back, the phones feature dual-camera setups packing a 20MP mono camera with a 12MP RGB one. Both lens have an impressive f/1.6 aperture, while the main camera has optical image stabilization. The NPU comes into play here with automatic image detection, which dynamicaly switches shooting modes depending on what you’re shooting. The selfie cam is a relatively pedestrian 8MP with a f/2.0 aperture, but it makes up for its specs by using AI smarts to quickly focus when taking group shots.

Oreo inside

The Mate 10 will be one of the first Android phones based on Oreo, and to mark the occasion, Huawei has jumped its EMUI skin to version 8 (from EMUI 5 on the Mate 9). The new OS’s main feature is a floating navigation dock that puts a virtual home button on the screen that can be moved anywhere, which is particularly useful on the home-button-less Mate 10 Pro. Another feature is one-tap split screen, which lets you run two apps side by side without needing to drag windows around.

Huawei also wants the Mate 10 to be a smart desktop companion. Just like the Galaxy S8 and Note 8 phones, you can hook up the the Mate 10 to a monitor to get a full desktop experience—except you don’t need to buy a dock to do it. Just plug a standard USB-C-to-HDMI or USB-C-to-USB-C cable from your phone to your monitor, and you’ll be able to use your Mate 10 like a mini computer, complete with multitasking, resizable windows, and Bluetooth mouse and keyboard support. You can even use your phone for other work while a video is playing on the large screen.

The Mate 10 will be available in brown, gold, pink gold, and black, while the Mate 10 Pro comes in blue, titanium gray, pink gold, and brown. There will also be a Porsche Edition that’s essentially a stylized Mate 10 Pro in a black case with a 256 GB drive and a vertical strip across the back. The Mate 10 will cost 699 euros and will be available in late October while the Mate 10 Pro will cost 799 euros and release in mid-November. U.S. pricing and availability have yet to be announced.

Windows 10 Fall Creators Update: the 10 best new features

Microsoft has been testing its latest Windows 10 Fall Creators Update over the past six months, and it’s now ready to roll out to existing machines today. While Microsoft’s “Creators Update” naming extends to this latest Windows 10 update, a lot of the features are new additions that will be used by all Windows users. Microsoft is officially launching its Windows Mixed Reality (VR) headsets with the Fall Creators Update, and it’s finally bringing its contact integration to the Windows 10 task bar.

Most of the improvements in the Fall Creators Update are minor, and some have even been delayed until a future update. Microsoft is also starting to tweak the overall look and feel of Windows 10 with its new Fluent Design in the Fall Creators Update. You’ll see some of those subtle changes and animations if you update your PC today, and more will be coming next year. I’ve been testing Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update for the past six months, and these are my favorite new features coming to Windows.

ONEDRIVE FILES ON-DEMAND

Microsoft is bringing back placeholder files for OneDrive with the Fall Creators Update. A new on-demand feature lets OneDrive pick out data from the cloud when it’s needed, without having to sync full files and folders to a device. OneDrive Files On-Demand will only download files when you need them, and File Explorer will show what files are available locally, or if they’ll need to be downloaded from the cloud. Apps can even sync files from OneDrive, and you’ll get a notification showing their download progress.

It’s a great improvement over the old method of having to sync entire folders for offline usage, and any files you open will now be automatically synced offline until you run out of disk space.

PEOPLE INTEGRATION

My People is Microsoft’s method of making the static Windows 10 task bar a little more personal. You can now pin friends, co-workers, or family members to the task bar, for quick access to contact details. You can even use Skype to call or message a contact from the task bar, and emoji and messages will pop up during conversations. The most useful part of this people integration is the ability to drag and drop things like pictures directly onto a contact and share them easily.

WINDOWS MIXED REALITY

Microsoft’s answer to virtual reality, Windows Mixed Reality, is now available with the Fall Creators Update. To use Mixed Reality you’ll need to purchase a separate headset from PC makers like Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, or Samsung. The setup process just involves launching the Mixed Reality Portal app, and most modern PCs will be capable of running basic apps in Mixed Reality. You’ll need a more powerful machine to access some of the more demanding games and experiences.

Microsoft has created a Cliff House home area where you can pin apps, games, and even holograms. It’s the main portal for launching everything you’ll need in VR, and you can also watch movies and TV shows from there. Right now there aren’t too many games, but SteamVR support will be available in beta by the end of the year.

FLUENT DESIGN CHANGES

Microsoft is ushering in a new design language with Windows 10, dubbed Fluent Design. The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update introduces some parts of Fluent Design, with subtle effects and animations. Microsoft’s Fluent Design System is designed to be the true successor to Microsoft’s Metro design, and will appear across apps and services on Windows, iOS, and Android. Microsoft is focusing on light, depth, motion, material, and scale for its Fluent Design, with animations that make the design feel like it’s moving during interactions in Windows.

Most of the new changes include subtle additions like blur effects, which is a type of design we saw back with Windows Vista. The Windows 10 Fall Creators Update also makes it easier to resize apps and windows, thanks to the design changes, and transparency in the Start menu now uses a subtle new acrylic design.

MICROSOFT EDGE IMPROVEMENTS

Microsoft’s Edge browser is getting a lot of improvements in the Fall Creators Update. The software maker is bringing back pinned sites on the task bar, allowing you to pin your favorite site (The Verge) to the task bar for quick access. There’s also a new full-screen mode (F11) that lets you use most of your monitor to fully display a website fully. PDFs and EPUB ebooks are also getting some nice additions: you can now annotate ebooks, and even use ink with a stylus on them; PDFs are getting annotation support and improved viewing and navigation.

PEN AND TOUCH IMPROVEMENTS

If you’re a Microsoft Surface owner, then the Fall Creators Update will improve the touch and inking features. Microsoft has added a new touch keyboard with text prediction, and quicker access to emoji. There’s even a one-handed touch keyboard and shape writing so you can swipe over keys to type (just like Windows Phone). Microsoft has also added a dictation button so you can speak to type, or even use voice commands to navigate around Windows 10.

NEW EMOJI AND A USEFUL SHORTCUT

Everyone loves emoji and Microsoft is making sure it got the latest Unicode updates in Windows 10 Fall Creators Update. New additions include dinosaurs, genies, fairies, and even zombies in time for Halloween. They’re all available in a really neat new emoji panel. You can summon the emoji panel by using Win + period or semicolon as a keyboard shortcut. The panel also supports searching for emoji, so it’s the perfect way to quickly send that ideal response during a conversation.

CORTANA IMPROVEMENTS

Cortana will now display call notifications if you’re using an Android phone. The digital assistant will sync notifications if you have Cortana installed on an Android device, and it gives you the ability to text a person if you’re busy on your PC, or decline the call. Microsoft has also moved Cortana’s settings into the main settings part of Windows 10. Cortana can now even lock, sign out, shut down, or restart your PC with voice commands.

HEADPHONE AND SOUND IMPROVEMENTS

If you use headphones a lot with your Windows 10 PC, then they’ll be a lot easier to manage with the Fall Creators Update. You can now right-click on the sound icon in the notification area and enable Windows Sonic, a spatial sound feature that supports surround sound and Dolby Atmos. The new volume mixer also supports the ability to control individual app volume for Universal Windows Apps, which is useful if you want to play music from Groove Music or Microsoft Edge in the background at slightly lower than the system volume for gaming.

TASK MANAGER GPU TRACKING AND DPI IMPROVEMENTS

If you’re a PC gamer, then Microsoft is adding a nice addition for tracking GPU performance. Task Manager now has a new GPU option in the performance tab that shows GPU utilization and memory usage. Processes are also now grouped in the main Task Manager interface, making it easier to control them.

Microsoft is also addressing the issue of blurry apps when you use a monitor with a laptop, or a second screen. If you have a high DPI display like a 4K monitor, you’ll no longer have to log out to fix blurry desktop apps. It’s a good improvement that will fix most desktop apps and the majority of DPI complaints, but you might find some older apps will still run blurry at times.

What to Do with a Broken Laptop

Even If Your Laptop Is Broken, You Can Still Make Clever Use of the Other Parts.

When your laptop is busted and it’s beyond repair–or you just don’t want to pay to fix it–all hope is not lost. Even if you can’t sell the laptop as is, there are still things you can do other to either breathe new life into the laptop or salvage as much as you can. Here are a few ideas for making the most of that broken computer

Most of these suggestions require a little DIY spirit and elbow grease, but they’re better than tossing the laptop in the trash.

You’ll save money, too, by repurposing a laptop or its parts, making your investment go farther.

Turn It into a PC-in-a-Keyboard

If the main computer parts (processor, hard drive, etc.) are fine but just the LCD, hinge, keyboard, or other external parts are broken, you can take the guts out of the laptop, put it into a standard desktop keyboard, and hook that keyboard to a monitor. The MacBook Air Project shows how you can do this with a MacBook Air, but the concept is the same for any laptop: In the end, your laptop becomes a desktop PC, except its case isn’t a tower or a cube but your keyboard. [via Gizmodo]

Turn the Display into a Standalone Monitor

Additional monitors can boost your productivity, so if your laptop screen still works but the rest of the laptop doesn’t (or you have an old laptop with a perfectly good screen), use it as another monitor for your other computer. Instructables user augustoerico provides step-by-step directions for using the LCD as a second monitor.

It involves detaching the LCD panel and attaching it to a controller board, which you can buy or build yourself if you’re handy.

Salvage the Hard Drive as an External Hard Drive

If the hard drive still works but the laptop is otherwise unusable, take the drive out of the laptop and use it as an external hard drive.

It’s a good thing to try even if you’re not sure if the laptop drive still functions. There are lots of  external hard drive enclosures that fit the typical 2.5″ laptop drive; I really like the Vantec NexStar hard drive enclosures because they’re sturdy, well designed, and affordable. Just make sure you know what kind of connection (SATA, IDE, etc.) your laptop drive needs and find the case that matches.

Sell the Other Parts

If worse comes to worst. you can always just sell the parts of your laptop–the memory, screen, power adapter, and even the motherboard–or the laptop itself with a note that it’s broken and for parts only. You might be surprised how many people need and buy old computer parts. Just remember to wipe the hard drive if you can or remove the hard drive and destroy it. (See About.com’sSupport site for directions.)

If worse comes to worst, you should be able to donate or recycle the old laptop (and other electronics) and get rid of it with a clear conscience.

How to Clean Your Laptop

When was the last time you cleaned your laptop? Yeah, we thought so. This simple computer maintenance task doesn’t just get rid of accumulated dirt and dust–it keeps your laptop running in tip top shape.

Laptop Parts to Clean

The five general parts of the laptop you should keep clean are  the case, the LCD screen, the laptop keyboard (and touchpad), the ports, and the cooling vents.

You can also open up your laptop to expose and clean its cooling system (the fan and heat sink), but only attempt that if you’re comfortable opening up your laptop.

Cleaning the cooling system can help solve laptop overheating problems and related symptoms like your laptop freezing or having issues shutting down.

As always, defer to your laptop manufacturer’s manual for the recommended procedure for laptop cleaning.

Materials

You’ll need the following things to clean your laptop (click on the links to compare prices and buy them online):

  • l Isopropyl alcohol, available at drugstores and supermarkets. Because it evaporates quickly and doesn’t leave a residue, isopropyl alcohol is safe to use on electronic equipment and LCD displays. Not safe to use: ammonia, tap water, mineral water, and household window cleaners.
  • l Distilled or purified water or bottled water. Avoid tap water, which can leave permanent mineral spots.
  • l Can of compressed air, also commonly available at many types of stores.
  • l Lint-free cloth, like the kind used for cleaning eyeglasses. In a pinch, you can use a soft, 100% cotton cloth. Do not use: paper towels, facial tissues, or scratchy or abrasive cloths.

Prepare to Clean

  • l Make sure the computer is off and unplugged, and remove the battery.
  • l Make a 1:1 cleaning solution using the water and alcohol.
  • l Dampen the cloth with the cleaning solution–it should be slightly moistened rather than very wet. Also, never spray anything directly on the computer; the liquid should go on the cloth first.

Clean the Laptop Case

Use the damp cloth to wipe down the exterior of the laptop. This will help you make it look brand-new again. Then open the lid and wipe the areas around your keyboard.

Clean the LCD Screen

Clean the display using the same cloth or a newly moistened one if the original is too grimy (again, don’t spray any solution directly on the screen). Use gentle circular motions or wipe the screen from left to right, top to bottom.

Clean the Keyboard and Touchpad

Use a can of compressed air to loosen and remove dirt, crumbs, and everything else that may be stuck in the keys. Alternately, you can turn the laptop over and gently shake out any loose debris, running your fingers over the keys to aid the process.

If you have stuck keys or a very dirty keyboard (due to spilled drinks, for example), you can also remove the individual keys and wipe beneath them with a cotton swab dipped in the cleaning solution. Be sure you check your laptop manual to make sure the keys can be removed for cleaning, and, of course, put them back the right way.

Some laptops have drains built into the keyboard tray. If yours is like that, you can pour distilled water into the keyboard and let it air-dry. Check your manual to be sure.

Finally, use the damp cloth to wipe the keys and the touchpad.

Clean the Ports and Cooling Vents

Use the can of compressed air to clean the case openings: the ports and cooling vents. Spray from an angle so the debris is blown away from the computer, rather than into it.

Also, be careful when spraying the fans, because if you spray too hard liquid may get in the fan blades. To prevent the fans from over spinning while you’re blowing the air on them (which can damage the fans), place a cotton swab or toothpick between the fan blades to hold them in place.

Last But Not Least

Make sure your laptop is completely dry before turning it on.

Why Your Android Smartphone or Tablet is Running Slow

Yes, we’ve become spoiled. We carry around devices that grant access to most of the world’s knowledge, that provide entertainment and a surprising amount of computing power, and yet if that device doesn’t pop right up with answers, we become quite frustrated. But sometimes it is good to be spoiled, which is why we’re going to go over some reasons why your Android smartphone or tablet may be running slow and provide some solutions to make it run much faster.

The Quick Solution: Close Out of Apps

Mobile operating systems like Android and Apple’s iOS do a good job of managing resources, but having a lot of apps open can still cause some slow downs. The first thing to try is simple closing out of the apps you are no longer using. You can close apps by tapping the task button, which is usually a square button either at the bottom of the display or just below the screen. This will bring up all of the most recent apps in a cascading style down the screen. Simply swipe up or down to move through the list and tap the X button in the upper right corner of each window to close the app.

Reboot the Device

If closing down apps doesn’t cure the problem, a quick reboot should do the trick. It’s a common mistake to think suspending the device by pressing the button on the side is actually powering off your Android smartphone or tablet. You will actually need to press this button for several seconds until a menu pops up offering you the choice to “Power off”, or on some devices, “Restart”.

After Android powers down, wait a few seconds and then press the button again to power it back on again. This is basically a cleaning process that will refresh the memory and reload the operating system, which should cure most problems.

Check Your Internet Speed

If your Android tablet or smartphone is still running slow after rebooting it, you might need to upgrade it, especially if it is several years old.

But before we go down that route, there are a number of different options we can try to clear up the problem. And the first option might come from an unlikely source: the Internet.

We do a lot of Internet-related tasks on our tablets and smartphones. We browse the web, check Email, find out what everyone is up to on Facebook, etc. And if our connection to the web is slow, our device will seem slow.

You can download the Ookla Speedtest app from the Google Play store to check the speed of your connection. The first thing to look at is your Ping time. This measure how long it takes to send a piece of information to the server and back and can be just as important as bandwidth. Anything under 100 milliseconds (ms) should be fine, with under 50ms being preferable. If you are over 200ms, you will experience noticeable delays.

Your download speed (bandwidth) should be at least 5 megabytes-per-second (Mbps) to stream video, and at least 8 Mbps is preferable to ensure a smooth experience. Many providers now offer anywhere from 20 Mbps to 80 or more. If you are under 5 Mbps, you will definitely want to check with your provider about upgrading.

The distance to your router can also cause issues. If your Internet is running slow, try moving closer to the router and checking the speed.

If you are getting slow speeds but believe it should be faster, you can try rebooting the router. Much like your tablet or smartphone, a reboot can allow the router to have a fresh start, which can help it run faster.

Disable Widgets

We’ve closed out of apps, rebooted and check the Internet connection. It’s now time to take a look at widgets, those helpful mini-apps that can sometimes eat up too many resources. A few widgets like a clock or Chrome bookmarks can be great additions to your home screen, but remember, every widget is running in real time when you are using your device.

If you’ve installed a number of widgets, try cutting back by disabling a few.

You can remove a widget by pressing your finger down on the widget and holding it down until it move with your finger. A “Remove” section should appear on the home screen. Simply drag the widget to the remove section and drop it. If no remove section appears, try dragging the widget off the screen and dropping it, a process that works with some older devices.

Update to the Latest and Greatest Version of Android

Newer versions of the Android operating system can help out by providing fixes to security holes and correct issues with how resources like memory and storage space are optimized. If you’ve rebooted your device and checked your Internet speed with no luck, you should make sure you are running the latest and greatest version of the operating system.

  • First, launch the Settings app from the app page.
  • Scroll all the way to the bottom of the Settings and tap on “About smartphone” or “About tablet”.
  • Tap “System Upgrade”, which should be at the top of the screen. Your device will display whether or not you are on the latest version of Android and provide you with an upgrade button if needed.

Unfortunately, this can be an iterative process. Once you upgrade to a newer version of the operating system, you will want to go through those steps again to check if you have upgraded to the latest. You may need to step through several upgrades to get your operating system up to date. And while you wait for those updates to install, you can read up on some useful shortcuts for Android.

Remove Bloatware

Bloatware has become a major issue with Android, with different manufacturers adding sometimes up to a dozen or more apps to the standard ones that come with Android. If you have a Samsung smartphone or tablet, you may have a number of duplicate apps such as Samsung digital stores in addition to Google Play stores. And not all of these apps are harmless. Some may launch automatically when you boot up your device, using up memory and taking up CPU cycles.

Unfortunately, you probably won’t be able to outright uninstall these apps. But you can disable them. You can do this by launching the Settings app, tapping Apps and then tapping the app you want to disable. If it is an app you downloaded from the Google Play store, the button at the top will read “Uninstall” rather than “Disable”. If you are consistently having performance issues, it is a good idea to disable any apps that came with the device that you never use.

Disable Live Wallpaper

If you have a ‘live’ or animated wallpaper, it’s a good idea to switch to a static background if you are having performance issues. You can choose your wallpaper by opening the Settings app, choose Display and then tapping on Wallpaper. It’s better to use one of the default “Wallpapers” or a photo rather than choosing something from “Live Wallpapers”.

Clear the App Cache

Apps sometimes download graphics and other bits of data from the Internet to store on your device to increase speed, but sometimes, this ‘cache’ of data can actually hurt performance. The data cache can contain temporary files that are no longer used, or worse, corrupted files that can cause disruptive issues. If you are having issues with your smartphone or tablet, it can be a good idea to clear the cache. The unfortunate side effect is that you may be asked to log into apps again, and the first time you boot into the app, it may take a bit longer to load. But clearing out the cache can result in an overall improvement to performance.

  • First, launch the Settings App.
  • Scroll down and Choose Storage.
  • You should see “Cached data” or “App cache” in the list.
  • After you tap on “Cached data”, you will be prompted to clear the data for all apps. Choose OK.

Should You Worry About Freeing Up Storage Space?

Clearing up storage space is a common bit of advice for improving performance, but in reality, this will only improve performance if you are running very low on free space for your internal storage. You can check how much free space you have by opening the Settings app and tapping on Storage. If you have under 1 GB, you may want to delete apps you no longer to use to give the Android operating system a little more breathing room. Otherwise, this isn’t something you need to worry about.

Why You Should Try to Fix Your Computer Problem Yourself

Fixing Your Own PC Will Save You Money

Saving money is probably an obvious advantage of fixing your own computer.

Getting your computer serviced at a local shop will usually run you from $40 to $90 USD per hour or more. Some are less expensive but that’s not the norm.

Remote computer support options are typically cheaper but they can only help fix some software related problems and are useless in cases where hardware is to blame.

If you fix your computer problem yourself, you can completely avoid what might end up being a several hundred dollar bill.

No matter what your financial situation, free is a pretty good deal. That’s a lot of money you can save by investing some time in trying to fix it yourself.

You Don’t Need Expensive Tools to Fix Your Own Computer

Many people think that they have to buy lots of expensive diagnostic hardware and software to fix a computer.

This is absolutely not the case. Expensive tools do exist but they’re usually used to help computer repair services test or solve things quickly or in bulk.

Chances are you already have 95% of the physical tools you would ever need to fix any computer problem in your toolbox or garage.

Computer repair services also use many software diagnostic tools to determine what might be wrong with a computer but most of the very best ones they use are available for free online!

Also, while there are a number of reasons why owning a second computer, or at least having temporary access to one, could help a lot when you need to fix yours, it’s not always necessary.

Your “smaller” computer – aka your smartphone or tablet – is often a huge help, at very least as a research tool.

You’ll Probably Be Back Up and Running Faster

You might be thinking to yourself at this point that surely it’ll take days or weeks to learn enough to repair your own computer and that it won’t be worth the trouble. You need your computer working right now, right?

First of all, unless you’re lucky, after you drop your computer off at the repair shop you’ll likely be waiting at least an entire day, usually longer, before you’ll be able to pick it back up.

You are your only client when you’ve become the repair person yourself so my guess is that you can get on it a bit more quickly.

Secondly, you might be surprised to know that most common problems are solved by relatively simple steps. The more time you spend looking for solutions to computer problems online the more you’ll see that this is true.

Finally, and I really want to stress this one, you don’t need to learn to solve every computer problem to solve this computer problem. A knowledgeable computer repair person has a lot of experience and education and can solve a multitude of problems with ease.

You don’t need to reach this level of knowledge about repairing computers.

You need to solve your single problem as quickly as possible. Well written, easy to follow troubleshooting information online will get you that.

You Know More Than You Think

If you’re having trouble using the mouse, keyboard, or screw driver then you might have a problem repairing your computer. Otherwise, you’re only a step-by-step troubleshooting guide away from solving pretty much any computer problem you might see.

If you can think logically, follow instructions in order, and ask questions when you’re not sure about something or don’t understand, then you should feel confident enough to try to fix your own computer problems before you even think about paying someone else to.

How to Fix a Slow iPad

Is your iPad running slow? Does it seem to get bogged down after a few hours? While this is more common with older iPads that don’t have the processing power of the new iPad Air line and iPad Pro tablets, even the newest iPad can bog down. There are multiple reasons why an iPad may begin running slow, including an app having issues or simply a slow Internet connection. Luckily, this is often easy to fix.

First: Quit Out of Your Current App

One common reason for an iPad to start chugging along is an issue with the app itself rather than the iPad. If you experience an app that is running slower than normal, it may sound logical to click the home button to close the app and then relaunch it. However, clicking the home button doesn’t actually close out of the app. It suspends the app, which basically keeps it frozen in the background.

Some apps even continue running in the background. These are commonly apps that stream music like Pandora, Spotify or the Music app that comes with the iPad.

If your problem is mainly with a single app, we’ll want to quit out of it using the task screen. This will properly shut the app down and purge it from memory, allowing you to launch a ‘fresh’ version of it. Please note that you can lose unsaved work by quitting out of the app. If it is currently working at a task, it can be best to wait until the app finishes the task before proceeding.

While in the task screen, it is a good idea to close out of any apps that are playing music. It is unlikely they are causing a problem, and even if the app is streaming the music from the Internet, it shouldn’t use up enough of your bandwidth to matter. However, closing out of the app won’t hurt and will ensure the app isn’t impacting anything.

To close the application, you need to bring up a list of all apps that are running in the background:

  1. Double-click the home button at the bottom of your iPad.

When you press it twice in quick succession, your most recent apps are shown as cascading windows across the screen. You can navigate through this screen by swiping from left-to-right or right-to-left. The active window will have its corresponding app icon above it.

To close an individual app:

  1. Hold your finger down on the active window.
  2. Without lifting your finger from the screen, swipe toward the top of the display.

This gesture resembles “flicking” the app off the iPad. Remember: you touch the app window, not the app icon.

Reboot the iPad

Closing apps won’t always do the trick. In this case, rebooting the iPad is the best recourse. This will flush everything from memory and give your iPad a clean start.

NOTE: Many people believe the iPad powers down when the Sleep/Wake button at the top of the iPad is pressed down or when the flap of their Smart Cover or Smart Case is close, but this only puts the iPad in suspend mode.

To reboot the iPad:

  1. Hold down the Sleep/Wake button until instructions appear telling you to slide a button to power off the iPad.
  2. When you slide the button, the tablet will shut down and the iPad’s screen will go completely dark.

Wait several seconds and then boot the iPad back up by holding down the sleep/wake button again. You will first see the Apple logo on the screen and your iPad should boot up shortly. Your iPad should run more quickly but, if it starts bogging down, keep in mind the apps that are running at the time. Sometimes, a single app can cause the iPad to perform poorly.

Check Your Wi-Fi Connection

It might not be your iPad that is running slow. It might be your Wi-Fi network.

You can check the Internet speed of your Wi-Fi network by using an app like Ookla’s Speedtest. This app will send data to a remote server and then send data back to the iPad, testing both upload and download speeds.

The average Wi-Fi network in the U.S. gets around 12 megabits-per-second (Mbps), although it is not uncommon to see speeds of 25+ Mbps. You probably won’t see much of a slowdown with your connection unless it gets around 6 Mbps or less. That’s around the amount of bandwidth it takes to stream movies and video.

If you are experiencing a problem with your Wi-Fi connection, try moving closer to your router.  If the speed increases, you may need to look into boosting your Wi-Fi range. This is common in larger buildings, but even a small house can have issues.

Make Sure You Are Running the Current Version of iOS

iOS is the operating system running on the iPad. While a major update sometimes will actually slow the iPad down a little, it is always a good idea to run the latest operating system. Not only will this ensure that you have the most recent performance tweaks, it also ensures that you have the latest fixes for any security issues.

You can check the version of iOS you are running by going into your Settings app, tapping General settings and tapping Software Update. If you are new to the iPad or iOS, here’s how to upgrade to the latest version of iOS.

Install an Ad Blocker

If you are primarily seeing a slow down while browsing the web in the Safari browser but your Internet speed isn’t slow, it may be more a symptom of which pages you are browsing than the iPad itself.

The more advertisements on a web page, the longer it will take to load. And if any one of those ads stalls out, you may be left waiting for the web page to pop up.

One solution to this is to install an ad blocker. These widgets enhance the Safari browser by disallowing ads to load on the web page. They make both for easier reading and faster loading. Sites like this one make money from ads, so this is a balance you have to wrestle with.

Turn Off Background App Refresh

This one could actually save you some battery life as well as keep your iPad lean and mean. Background App Refresh allows apps to refresh their content even when you aren’t using them. In this way, Facebook might reach out and retrieve posts to your wall or a news app may fetch the latest articles.

However, this uses a little bit of your processing speed and your Internet connection, so it could the iPad to run a little slower. This usually isn’t the main cause, but if you often find the iPad running slow (and especially if the battery drains quickly), you should turn off Background App Refresh.

To turn off Background App Refresh:

  1. Go to your iPad’s settings.
  2. Select General from the left-hand navigation menu.
  3. Tap Background App Refresh.
  4. Tap the on/off slider at the top of the screen.

If you’re still experiencing slow speeds, there is one more thing you can do.

Clear Storage Space

If you are running desperately low on storage space, clearing up a little extra elbow room for the iPad can sometimes improve performance. This can be accomplished by deleting apps that you no longer use, especially games that you don’t play anymore.

It’s easy to see which apps are using the most space on your iPad:

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Select General from the left-hand navigation menu.
  3. Tap Storage & iCloud usage.
  4. Tap Manage Storage (under the upper Storage section). This will show you which apps are using up the most storage.

You can also speed up Safari by deleting your cookies and web history, although this will cause you to log back into any websites that have saved your login information.