January 25, 2013
For a long time now, Windows Explorer (the process on Windows that controls everything from the desktop to folder browsing) has had a poor reputation for being a clunky, slow, and arguably useless file navigator. More recent versions of Windows (namely 7) have improved upon it, but there are still a few options and features that are missing. Thanks to hobby programmers, there are a few options and tools that you can use.
Keep Reading »
January 24, 2013
Security and privacy are becoming more and more important to understand, yet it seems that the methods of understanding them hasn’t really followed. In addition, neither has the ability to easily manage your computer in a way to make it more secure and private. We have a lot of articles here on MakeUseOf that help you with that, however there is also a tool that makes this process much easier to do too.
Keep Reading »
January 23, 2013
Your CDs, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are rotting and optical discs as such are slowly disappearing from the market. ISO and other image file formats, however, are here to stay and are a good way to back up existing optical discs. Once the original disc has degraded beyond repair, you can burn its image backup to a new disc. Or you could give your discs and your wallet a break and just read the data directly from the hard drive. But how do you read ISO files?
Keep Reading »
January 23, 2013
Does your Windows 8 system look too bland with the default settings? You can customize it in a variety of ways, changing a variety of backgrounds and colors -- whether on the Start screen, lock screen, or desktop. Your Windows 8 system can be a subdued interface with dark colors and muted backgrounds, a tableau of bright colors and colorful flowers, or anything in between.
Keep Reading »
January 22, 2013
When was the last time you wanted to uninstall something from your computer? Was it easy to do? Could you find the program to uninstall in the Windows default uninstall tool? Could you even find where the uninstall tool in Windows is? I don’t mean that to insult your intelligence. But the fact is, finding it isn’t the easiest thing to do if you don’t know where to start. And even if you know how to uninstall a program with the native Windows tool, it isn’t always the best way.
Keep Reading »
January 21, 2013
Windows 8 has a number of features that can be annoying to experienced users of the traditional Windows desktop. From adding a Start menu to disabling the bulky ribbon, noisy live tiles, and unnecessary lock screen, you can easily fix a variety of problems you have with Windows 8. Some of these tricks will also help you master Windows 8 as it’s meant to be used.
Keep Reading »
January 17, 2013
Using a computer is not without its frustrations - things crash, load too slow, or behave in erratic ways. After all, a modern computer is a very complex beast. The final product we’re using represents co-operation and communication between hundreds of different hardware and software companies all trying to cram their ideas into a small box to make it better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.
Keep Reading »
January 17, 2013
Oh, great. Another blue screen, boot issue or frozen screen in Windows. Now you have to restart and lose most or all of the work you’d been trying to accomplish. It’s frustrating both because of the interruption and because the cause often isn’t clear. Crashes aren’t just a part of using Windows. The operating system is stable for many people, so if your PC consistently crashes there is most likely a reason.
Keep Reading »
January 17, 2013
Microsoft has a lot of work to do to come out of 2013 with a spring in its step. 2012 was not Redmond's year, and demand for Windows 8 can be described as lukewarm, with the uptake rate recently slipping behind Vista - a release many Windows users remember for all the wrong reasons. Here's why 2013 means so much to Redmond, Ballmer, and the PC collective.
Keep Reading »
January 16, 2013
Optical discs are not forever, but although they are losing significance, DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are still a great medium for long term backups, given you store them right and don't use them as your only backup method. In other words, do keep a backup of your optical discs. To burn discs, you need a versatile utility that masters all of these tasks.
Keep Reading »
January 16, 2013
The Windows registry can be scary at first glance. It’s a place where power users can change a wide variety of settings that aren’t exposed elsewhere. If you’re searching for how to change something in Windows, you’ll occasionally find articles telling you to edit the registry and change certain settings. These changes are often referred to as registry hacks or registry tweaks. If you need to edit the registry, don’t worry - making a few quick changes is easy.
Keep Reading »
January 15, 2013
When was the last time you actually shut down your computer before bed? I've had to ask myself the same thing, and I can't remember. When you're trying to save power and potentially preserve the lifespan of your system, it's something that you've got to consider. It doesn't have to be that way, and I'd like to introduce you to two applications that can change that.
Keep Reading »
January 14, 2013
It’s more than two decades since the first version of WinZip was released. From support for self-extracting archive files to AES-grade encryption, WinZip has gone through the cycle of changes. If you are using some other file compression alternative, download the WinZip trial. Even the trial version has enough features to keep you interested. But if you're interested in winning one of the 25 WinZip 17 Pro licenses for Windows that we have to give away this week valued at $1250, then read on!
Keep Reading »
January 12, 2013
Do you defrag your hard drive? If not, you should and you must understand the importance before you read on. There are some excellent articles on MakeUseOf which discuss defragmenting, but perhaps the best and most recent article is 3 Excellent Defrag Utilities & Why You Still Need to Defragment In 2012 by Tina. Smart Defrag wasn’t included in the "3 excellent defrag utilities" in her article, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t excellent.
Keep Reading »
January 11, 2013
In these heady days when everything seems to be cloud-based, is there still room for a lowly desktop note manager? I think there is, and we covered quite a few of these over the years - WikiPad, Zim, and more recently, ResophNotes. Today, it’s time to take a look at an oldie - a free, portable utility Treepad Lite. It’s a classic, but it received its most recent update back in 2009. Is that because the developer lost interest, or because at version 4.3, it’s just deemed "done"?
Keep Reading »
