Latest in Windows

The more I use my computer, the more I realize how much I take search for granted. How many times have you lost a pair of socks or misplaced your keys only to wish you could search for them and have the location spit back out to you? Fortunately, Windows (and most other operating systems) comes with a handy search feature. But on top of the default search feature, there are a number of third-party tools that claim to be better and faster.
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It won't be until you actually give digital sticky notes a try that you'll understand how useful and effective they are. I won't argue that physical sticky notes pressed around your desk or monitor is an unbeatable solution, but it also isn't the prettiest, fastest, or cleanest. If you use a desktop or laptop, sticky notes are especially useful because of how many applications offer to bring them right to your desktop.
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Do you ever feel like keeping all your software updated is too much of a hassle? OUTDATEfighter, created by FIGHTERtools, is a new program that allows you to scan for software and Windows updates, without leaving the program's window. That means no need to open a browser and manually download each program, like some other programs do.
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We sometimes forget with all the focus on Windows 8's new "Modern" interface, but Windows 8 has a variety of great desktop improvements. One of them is File History, a built-in backup feature that functions similarly to Apple's much-loved Time Machine. Enable File History and Windows will automatically back up your files to an external or network drive. You'll be able to restore previous versions from these backups.
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Securely store your passwords. Complete with encryption and a decent password generator – not to mention plugins for Chrome and Firefox – KeePass just might be the best password management system out there. If you read our password management guide you will know the importance of having diverse passwords. Sure, using one password for all of your online services is simple...until someone compromises one of your accounts.
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Free call and text platform Viber is coming to desktop with the release of a new client for Windows and Mac OS X. The new desktop version of Viber brings all calling and texting features to your PC or Mac, and adds some new ones such as video calling and desktop to desktop calls, which are currently still in beta. The announcement comes as part of the roll out of Viber 3.0, which includes major updates for the app's iOS, Android, and Blackberry versions as well.
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The mention of version control or revision control makes it seem like something for geeks. You will be surprised to know that version control systems have their place not only in academic writing but in anything that has to do with typing an alphabet on a document. As writers, we know the word draft. But draft is a mere rough sketch and it doesn't actually take us back in time to the incremental changes we make.
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Anything and everything is being plugged into the cloud as of late. It's no surprise at all that file storage solutions such as Dropbox and SugarSync have seen such huge success. Our mobile devices do a lot of cloud management behind the scenes, too. Our contacts sync to the cloud, our photos sync to the cloud, and much more. The cloud is a big deal on the mobile platform, but I don't want you to forget about the PC.
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You insert a DVD into your Windows 8 computer – you want to watch a movie. Nothing happens. You try opening Windows Media Player. It can't play the disk. What's going on with Windows 8 and DVDs? And for that matter, Blu-ray discs? You're not the first person to ask this, and you won't be the last. The answer, basically, is that Windows 8 cannot play DVDs or Blu-Ray disks out of the box.
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If you work in the IT department of a company that has an internal network, the odds are pretty good that you've had to make use of Remote Desktop once or twice. Remote Desktop is one of those utilities that, like many utilities, gets used a whole lot, but the extended features or little bits of functionality go unused for a long time. Even some veterans of remote desktop are sometimes surprised to discover that you can do something with it that they never realized.
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Ever since Vista, we Windows users have been pestered, bugged, annoyed, and tired of the User Account Control (UAC) prompt telling us a program is starting up that we intentionally launched. Sure, it has improved, but not to the extent that we've hoped. It still comes up for good and reputable programs like Geek Uninstaller, Everything, CCleaner, and others. So what do you do?
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I’m a big music junkie. If I’m sitting at my computer and there is no music coming out of the speakers, then it actually puts me on edge a bit and I end up unable to focus. Whether I’m reading, browsing, playing a game, or typing away at an article, I need music and I need to be able to control it comfortably. I’m therefore constantly on the prowl for the perfect music player. But here’s the thing: I’ve already been through all of the big name household programs.
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Quickly make an animated GIF of anything. GifCam is a free, portable app for Windows that provides you with a simple frame. Resize and position it, then hit record - everything that happens within that frame will be recorded. It's the easiest way to create your own GIF of just about anything — from desktop demonstrations to clips from any video, online or off. If you love creating GIFs, but wish the process was quicker, you need to check this app out.
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Have you ever needed to do computer artwork that involved more than simple crops and resizes? For a long time, your only real options were Paintshop Pro and Adobe Photoshop, although the rise of GIMP has provided users with a powerful free alternative. But in some cases, those tools are too powerful. What if you want something in the middle? That’s where Paint.NET comes in.
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What's up with user accounts in Windows 8? It's not complicated - Microsoft wants everyone to use an online account to sign into their desktop operating system. Sure, they offer an offline equivalent, but they also made a few features available only to online accounts – the entire app store, for example. It's clear Microsoft would rather you use an online account, regardless of what you yourself would prefer.
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