On Computers

What a bummer. My Windows 10 PC can’t handle the free upgrade to Windows 11. To find out if yours can, type “PC Health Check,” in the Windows search bar in the lower left of your screen. When the app comes up, click it. Though my PC sailed through every other requirement on the list, its Intel Core i7 processor didn’t make it. That’s odd, because there’s a whole bunch of Intel Core i3 and i5 processors that do meet Microsoft’s criteria, though they’re much slower than my i7. The higher the number, the faster the processor. But even if your PC qualifies for the free upgrade, you’ll still have to wait until 2022 —  unless you sign up for […]

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Filed under: apps, Internuts, social networks, Windows | Comments Off on THE NEW WINDOWS 11

I had no idea that there were so many things I should have turned off in Windows 10.  CNET gave me a list. The worst one is the ability of every app to run in the background, even when you don’t have it open. An app you don’t even care about could be installing updates and sending you notifications, among other actions, hogging your bandwidth and slowing down your computer. To turn it off, type “background apps” in the Windows search bar in the lower left of your screen. When it comes up, toggle the master switch to the off position.  Next on the list: Did you know you have a Microsoft ID, tied to your account, that is given […]

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Filed under: art, facebook, social networks, troubleshooting, Windows | Comments Off on TWEAKING WINDOWS 10

I never dreamt it would be possible to read the time and room temperature on my ceiling. Then a friend gave me a gadget for doing just that. The Ambient Weather “RC 84-27 Clearview Radio-Controlled Projection Clock,” $15 on Amazon, has a miniature radio receiver that gets the world’s most accurate time from the official U.S. atomic clock in Fort Collins, Colorado. It even turns daylight savings time off or on. The best part is the mini projector inside. That’s what beams both the time and the room temperature up high. Works great in the dark. When I’m wondering if it’s time to get up, or if it’s warm enough to get out from under the covers, I can glance […]

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Filed under: Amazon, business, gadgets, health, trends, troubleshooting | Comments Off on PROJECTING TIME AND WEATHER ON THE CEILING

I never thought I’d want music coming out of my glasses. Then Anker sent me their “Soundcore Frames.” Sweet. I love being able to hear all the sounds swirling around me while listening to music on my walk, including birds chirping, friends talking or cars coming. I wish others would wear the Frames too. At my old apartment building, which is 95% students, I’d have to wait while they pulled out their earbuds whenever I started a conversation in the elevator. With the Frames, they would be able to hear me easily.  Setup is minimal.  Connect the Frames to your phone wirelessly by going into Bluetooth settings on your phone, and you’re done. They’ll turn on automatically when you put […]

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Filed under: art, gadgets, music, security, spam, video | Comments Off on MUSICAL FRAMES

The daily weather report on my Android phone screen disappeared. No one had a clue on how to fix it. So I added a weather widget. Widgets are little marvels. They show info without you having to tap anything. There are widgets for weather, stocks, music, photos, etc. Here’s how to set them up. First, make room on your phone’s home screen by touching and dragging excess icons to a free area on another page. On an Android phone, you’ll want to hold your finger on the clear spot for a few seconds until a menu pops up with the word “Widgets.”  On an iPhone, touch and hold an empty area until the apps jiggle, then tap the plus sign, […]

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Filed under: apps, books, graphics, kids | Comments Off on WONDERFUL WIDGETS