Latest in Windows

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so a video must be priceless - and there are times when a video is more convenient and effective than simple words. A screencast, also known as a video screen capture, is a recording of your computer screen outputted in video format. It can include the audio sounds from your computer, or a voiceover using a microphone, or both. It might seem like a difficult task, but screencasting is surprisingly easy thanks to the software available.
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Logging into your Windows 8 computers with a Microsoft account enables access to the Windows Store and other Modern apps, but it's also used to sync Windows 8 settings with the Cloud. Your settings will be synced between all your Windows 8 computers and tablets, or backed up with your Microsoft account. Syncing is enabled by default. However, you can choose to disable sync entirely or sync only certain types of settings between your computers and tablets.
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While we patiently wait for Apple to catch up with Google, Rdio, and Spotify and bring a music streaming subscription service to iTunes, there are still numerous ways we can get more out of the popular jukebox. While some users complain that iTunes has gotten a little bloated, I personally don't find that to be true. The recent 11.0.3 update of iTunes brings back even more cover art features, playlist functions and some other tips we haven't covered before that you may find useful.
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Is Windows 8 a failure? People who dislike Windows 8 generally say it is. But has Windows 8 really failed in the marketplace, or do we just think Windows 8 has failed? One thing's for sure: Windows 8 definitely hasn't succeeded in the short term. However, Microsoft is playing the long game with Windows 8 -- they're laying the groundwork for future success. Whether they'll succeed is unclear, but Windows 8 hasn't failed yet -- it's preparing for the battle to come.
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Not too long ago, I found myself impressed by the sleek functionality of GOM Audio for Windows. It turns out that GOM has its own free video player as well - GOM Media Player - and I knew I just had to check it out. I wanted to see if GOM could match the big players like VLC in performance and quality. GOM Media Player originates from South Korea and is the number one media player in that country. Join me as I explore this powerful piece of software to see what it can do.
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When it comes to burning and ripping CDs and DVDs, there are a lot of free tools for creating and mounting discs. A lot of them are even pretty good and get the job done, but they can be hard to learn, have confusing interfaces, and sometimes botch up an otherwise normal operation. Ashampoo Burning Studio 12 is a professional solution that focuses on a shallow learning curve and ease of use. We're giving away 10 copies of Burning Studio 12 worth a total of $500 for FREE! Keep reading to see how you can take advantage of this sweet, sweet offer.
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Regular television sets are a thing of the past. These days, if you set out to get a new TV, it'll likely be a smart TV. That TV will be 'smart' the same way your smartphone is - it's connected and it's extendable. Just like your smartphone, a lot of new televisions tune in to a sizable application ecosystem, adding the imaginings of third-party developers to your television's standard feature set.
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Sometimes you don’t really know what you want until you’re holding it in your hands. There are not-so-resource-intensive music players out there that are bland and there are monster RAM hogs that provide tons of eye candy and aesthetic pleasure. What if you want something in the middle of the road? Oh, hello Clementine! I recently stumbled across this music player and let me tell you: it offers the best of both worlds and there’s no other music player like it.
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If you aren't already backing up your important files, you should be. Whether it be by manual copying files over to multiple hard drives or using a system like Apple's Time Capsule, it's very necessary to keep your files in more than one place. Why? Simply put, hard drives break. Sometimes they break for no reason, too. It's always best to be prepared. You may be wondering what exactly you should back up. Fortunately, that's what this entire article is about!
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To tile or not to tile? One of the most divisive elements of Windows 8 is the Start screen's tiles. These square or rectangle-shaped buttons are effectively shortcuts to launching apps, and are often displaying additional data about the app they represent. This makes them vital, whatever you might think of them, and far superior to shortcut tiles. There are several very easy to use apps and utilities that can be used to create aesthetic and functional Windows 8 Start screen tiles.
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The Windows 8 sales figures have been solid so far, but the criticism from users hasn't stopped since day one. Thankfully a major update, titled Windows 8.1 (formerly codenamed Windows Blue), is being released by the end of 2013. No one is yet sure what changes Windows 8.1 will bring, but we thought it was a good idea to seek your thoughts on the subject ahead of time.
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An outline is nothing but a hierarchical breakdown of what you plan to write or create. Arranged according to levels of importance and flow, and marked by numbers, roman numerals, headings-subheadings, indentations, or any other format. Think of them as breadcrumbs for creative inspiration.
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As the push towards web apps has evolved, we're now met with two powerful cloud solutions -- SkyDrive and Google Drive. These two options offer all the tools needed for file synchronization and office productivity. However, while both of them can be great, only one of them can be the best solution for office productivity. In order to objectively evaluate which solution is more ideal, we will take a close look at both. Who shall be the winner?
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Using the Windows desktop involves managing windows. Some people may use full-screen windows, but power users know that the key to being productive is having multiple windows visible at a time, whether you're using multiple monitors or the side-by-side Aero Snap feature in Windows. Sadly, the Windows desktop still lacks many useful window-management features. However, you can get many great new Windows desktop features by installing third-party utilities.
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Malware remains a potential threat for many PC owners. Here at MakeUseOf, we’ve been helping to combat that threat by offering several anti-malware apps free of charge through our Rewards Program. One of those apps has a sequel. IObit Malware Fighter 2 is a major overhaul of the company’s anti-malware app. It adds a variety of features that update the software for modern times, including cloud security and full Windows 8 support. Let’s see how IObit’s new app stacks up.
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