Tech Lover 9

Modern day business is heavily dependent on strong communication channels that allow the processing and transportation of information to every member in the channel, every stakeholder in the process. This not only facilitates smooth working, timely response but also increases the levels of customer satisfaction by a large scale. The use of modern technological gadgets, updated systems, methods of communication have indeed made the job easier and more enjoyable. Every business firm that plans to stay in the game in the long run makes it a point to spend some of its hard earned money to facilitate communication because it is just not an expenditure but an investment made for the long run. Cloud computing, phone systems, emails, fax, VoIP service are some of the common technology processes that can be used by the businesses on a daily basis to overcome most of the communication barriers.

New and Improved Technology for Business Communication 

Communication pertaining to business needs to be accurate, timely, correct, legal, concise. It is highly important that the information conveyed is recorded properly, processed correctly and reaches the right person at the right time or else the business may suffer losses. This calls for high tech systems to ensure that the communication process is smooth. When we talk about business communication, it mostly concerns colleagues regarding interdepartmental exchange of information, or with customers who look up to you for information, service and sometimes even trouble shooting. Service providers for business communication technology can help you set up systems that ensure you have all the equipment that is required for smooth communication flow. This includes setting up internet services, cloud computing systems that let you make calls and receive them over the internet, fax, emails, voice mails etc.
Most businesses make good use of all the above to maintain a setup that is communication friendly to enable the passing of crucial information. This also enables you to process orders at a faster rate, or may be stay in touch with existing clients and allure future or prospective clients etc. This can not only save  a lot of time, money and effort it can also help bring in revenue. For example, online marketing today which is used by most companies that want to create a significant presence on the web make good use of such technology to reach its customers. Setting up emails, auto – responses, diverting calls to the right people, making calls to customers abroad or international clients etc. can all be handled with an effective and efficient communication system.

Communication Technology service providers and their economic plans 

Most technology service providers in the field of communication know and understand your requirements better than you do. They have the require expertise to help you know how you can improve efficiency and productivity in business with the help of technology. Companies like RingCentral for example has a wide range of customized and/ or predefined plans that you can select depending upon your organization whether large/ medium or small. For companies that are in their infant stage, this can be a boon. With flexible payment options you can even get monthly plans and see how it goes from there. These service providers make sure you are fully provided with the technology set up and given the required training to start using the service instantly.
In respect of installation, the service providers believe in time is money and hence they can get you started right away. With VoIP Calls especially all you need to do is get in touch with the experts and they can activate your systems in just a few hours. They also provide any kind of tech support that you might need in future. With communication technology service providers you can put your communication problems at ease and focus on expanding your business to wide horizons.

In these times of economic uncertainty, many will of course be looking for ways to save money wherever possible. Ironically however, it appears that some of the most expensive items such as smartphones and personal computers, are in fact becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Nobody is doubting that these pieces of technology can be very helpful and indeed enjoyable. However, there are ways to harness the functionality of these devices without spending a fortune. If you can disregard the current trends and focus purely on the operational merits of these devices, you can in fact save yourself a considerable amount of money.

Be Smart when selecting your Smartphone

The most popular smartphones currently on the market are undoubtedly the iPhone series and it is very easy to understand why. Since these devices first came on the market, they have not only revolutionised telephone technology, but they have drastically altered the way we communicate and interact with our environment. However, many of the functions that made the iPhone such a powerful and revolutionary device in 2007 – email and internet, a personal organiser, a touchscreen operating system, colour games and an mp3 player – are now readily available on many of the lower priced smartphones. The Sony Xperia Tipo, HTC Desire C and Samsung Galaxy S3 Mini are fantastic value for money, offering all of the functions of the iPhone for only a fraction of the cost. Admittedly they may not look as attractive as the iPhone, but how much is an aesthetically pleasing mobile phone really worth?

Go Low Cost with your Computer

Much in the same way as the iPhone has dominated the global smartphone market, so have the iMac and MacBook Pro done likewise in the realm of desktop and laptop computers. And again it is understandable. After all, when it comes to style and functionality, Apple consistently deliver very attractive and alluring products. Nonetheless, if you are less concerned with how your computer looks, and more worried about what is does, then you can without a doubt drastically cut the amount you need to budget for your next computer purchase. Obviously there are disadvantages to not having the most up to date operating system, but none of these cannot be overcome. For example, those who opt for a laptop which does not have massive storage space can easily acquire a large external hard drive for very little. Likewise if you are a gamer and require a more advanced graphics card, one of these can easily be installed in a less expensive computer. Finally, if your require a high definition display for your desktop, these can easily be purchased and configured to work with your low cost computer. Relatively speaking, these low cost computer parts will allow you to have a functioning computer which does not eat into your budget. SCH Trade UK have a wide range of low cost used and refurbished computer parts available to buy online.

Virgin Media has recently embarked on a radical new path as a British Internet service provider. While many companies are attempting to provide gimmicks and special introductory offers to attract and keep customers, Virgin has instead directed its efforts toward the root of what Internet user’s desire: more speed.
If your ISP were to suddenly tell you that they were doubling your speed — for free — and that all you had to do is sit back and watch the packets roll in and out, you would probably think they were mad. Yet this is exactly what Virgin Media has done with its new broadband program. Customers on the S plan will find their speed more than doubled from 2 Mbps to 5 Mbps, while customers partaking of the M and L packages will find their 10 Mbps service has increased to 20 Mbps. XL customers will log on to discover a new maximum speed of 60 Mbps while their fellow Internet consumers will find their 50 Mbps maximum now upgraded to the old maximum of 100 Mbps. Finally, those customers on the fastest package will wake and turn their computers on to find a new surfing speed of 120 Mbps; by far the fastest in the U.K. Shockingly all of this comes at no increase in cost to the consumer, unless of course the consumer were to decide to upgrade their package to take advantage of the increased speed. In this case, package-specific fees would apply.
Now you might be saying that 120 Mbps is all fine and good, but what does that actually mean in terms of usage? From Virgin’s mouth (as it were) comes the following paraphrased explanation:
A 30 Mbps connection of broadband from Virgin Media would allow you to download a music album somewhere in the vicinity of 18 seconds while a TV show would require less than two minutes. A normal definition film would take five minutes to download at this speed, while an HD movie would take 20 minutes.
If you were to opt for the 60 Mbps package of broadband from Virgin Media, then, while at maximum speed, you would be able to download a standard music album in nine seconds while a TV show would take no more than a minute of your time. A standard definition film would only take two and a half minutes of your time, while those of the high definition variety would require 10 minutes worth of patience.
At the old maximum speed of 100 Mbps, your broadband from Virgin Media would allow you to download a full-length album in the course of a few blinks, six seconds. A television show moved from the Internet to your hard drive will take a mere half-minute. A movie would take longer to search for than to download at a minimal one and a half minutes, while a film of the high definition variety will take as much time to download as the inevitable preparatory two bags of microwave popcorn will to cook, a measly six minutes.
Sufficed to say, Virgin Media’s competition is less than thrilled with the implications of this expansion and the increased customer base it will inevitably attract. Virgin Media however shows no signs of ceasing to push the boundaries of their consumer offerings, nor the speed of those offerings.

Whether your business operates from a single PC, or your company has hundreds of desktops, you’ve faced the challenge of finding “everything you need, and nothing you don’t”. Buying the wrong computers at the wrong time (especially in bulk) can be a tremendously costly mistake; but all businesses are different, so it’s hard to nail down absolute rules. Here are a few thoughts that should guide you as you shop around for your next upgrade.

Don’t get more than you need

If your company is big enough to employ an IT staff, they probably have all sorts of suggestions (like a kid in a candy store), but only you can decide what your business really needs. If you do a lot of complex calculations (like statistical analysis or modeling), edit video or render 3D graphics, then top-of-the-line, current-generation processors and graphics cards are your best bet; but if your company only uses your computers for basic functions like email, presentations, and payment processing, you might even consider replacing some PCs with tablets. For a compromise option, check out a mid-range processor from Intel or AMD, with 6-8 gigs of memory and a built-in graphics card.
Also consider portability—while laptops may seem like the chic business accessory to have, it usually makes more financial sense to equip in-house employees with desktops. You can routinely find desktops with the same capabilities as a high-end laptop for half or even one-third the price—and they’re much easier to upgrade when they start to slow down.

Look beyond desktops and laptops

Many companies are changing how they look at computers in the work-place: offices that issued laptops in the past are switching to high-end tablets; they’re cheaper, much more portable, and customizable to a company’s needs.  If your company has a lot of employees that don’t do processor-intensive work, look into installing terminals.
Terminals are bare-bones computers that use a network interface and a centralized server to perform most functions like emailing or word processing. Terminals range from $200-$400, and while cheap, are very limited in their capabilities and require high-end servers and an IT staff to manage them. Terminals can save large companies money, but likely will be more hassle than they are worth for smaller businesses. Most companies will offer tech support with a purchase, so look into the quality and language training of their support staff to see if it will be beneficial for you or your employees.

Don’t skimp on security

Whether it comes in the form of employee or customer tampering, or corporate espionage, you’ll want to ensure whatever computer you get is as secure as possible. Investing in trusted anti-virus software will be essential, especially if you have multiple computers networked together. One infected computer could bring down your entire operation if you fail to make sure all your computers are virus-free. Internal security measures are also a good idea to protect especially sensitive programs like your budget software and payroll system. If you have mobile computers, like laptops or tablets, make sure you have bought software or apps that will allow you to remotely access them—and carefully train employees to password-protect and lock their devices.

Think ahead

When you’re looking at an upgrade, don’t just buy what you need for the moment—think about the expanding needs of your business, and the reliable advance of computing power over time. Hard drive space, for example, gets cheaper every day, and it’s modular, so you don’t need to worry about buying a lot up-front; but for things like processor power and RAM, an underequipped computer will only get worse. Crashes, lack of memory, and more will all be more common, and you’ll lack the flexibility to adopt new business software that outstrips your obsolete computers’ capacity. Downtime for a computer means potential downtime for your employees, so make sure they have something that will get their job done the way it needs to be done.

What are the latest techy gadgets that “wowed” you? There’s the touchscreen Smartphones, the tablets, wearable technology and now, an eyeglass and a watch. Is this for real? Google’s Glass Project is already underway with its high-tech eyeglasses. While the world anticipates the release of that unique gadget, there is another one that the world is waiting for—the Apple iWatch.
Who can even think about creating a watch capable of HD recording and Wi-Fi? Apple is surely pushing the envelopes on this one but no one really cares. It seems like whatever Apple releases, people buy it. Will it be the same scenario for the Apple iWatch?

Contributing Factors of the Concept

Apple’s decision to create the iWatch is not out of the blue. This decision was probably influenced by several things. For one, there is an increase in wearable technologies today and Apple wants to get several pieces in there.
If you’ve been to an Apple Store, you’d see that pass the iPhones, iPads and Macbooks, there are several wearable technologies being sold. Some are the iHealth wireless blood pressure wrist monitor, iBGStar blood glucose sensor, Scosche Rhythm heart rate monitor armband and many more. What makes these things worth the money is that they monitor your well-being.
Another factor that may have influenced Apple’s decision to pursue development of the iWatch is offering a wearable technology that is highly user-friendly. What you may notice among Apple users is that they love to use Apple gadgets once they get a hold of one. That’s because it is easier to sync files and data together. Thus, iWatch users can easily synch their fitness and health data to their iPads, iPhones or Macbooks with ease. And a lot of people are willing to pay good money for such convenience.

What We Know About the Apple iWatch

There is no question that Apple has been dominating in innovative tech ideas in the recent years. Despite the passing away of Steve Jobs, Apple was not slowing down with whatever they’re cooking in the kitchen. And there’s also no denying that no matter how innovative their products are, people respond to it greatly. And now, here comes a high-tech watch with features you’d never thought possible in a wristwatch.
The Apple iWatch features an 8 megapixel camera. You can take HD quality video recordings and photos from your wristwatch. Just reading that sentence back gives me goosebumps! The iWatch also has retina display or viewing pleasure. The iWatch can be used for Face Time, supports Google Maps, has iTunes and can run the usual applications seen in the iPhone and iTouch.
The other features include Wi-Fi Connectivity and Bluetooth 4.0. The watch is also capable of streaming music to your headphones or headset. The iWatch runs on a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. For memory, the iWatch offers 16 GB of internal storage. Further, the iWatch features a light sensor, accelerometer and a proximity sensor. How about the looks? The Apple iWatch comes with 8 wristbands so you can personalize your watch.
According to rumors, the iWatch will have instance access to messaging and can make and receive calls. Rumors also say that the iWatch features Siri, Apple’s intuitive voice assistant. For all these features, you have to fork out $199.
But with all this said, are you willing to purchase an Apple iWatch? There will be a long wait for this device to hit the shelves, approximately three years. I wonder, won’t there be better watches by that time? Anyhow, some people say that they are more likely to buy Google Glass over the Apple iWatch. But I’m sure, the Apple hardcore loyalists will surely get their hands on this one.

When you’re out of the office, you’ll see that there are more people using iPhones and other Smartphones compared to BlackBerrys. But despite the buzz around iPhones and other Apple products, you still swear by  your BlackBerry. Just like you, many small businesses are sticking to BlackBerry mobile phones. What are BlackBerry phones the chosen mobile phone for businesses?
Although the stock prices and market share for BlackBerry is not looking as great as those of Apple and Samsung’s, why are people still supporting BlackBerry phones? The basic answer is because it is simpler to use and performing business tasks such as typing emails is easier too. And despite the bad press for BlackBerrys, there is still 63 percent of workers in 200 U.S companies that choose to use the BlackBerry phone according to Visage.

Reasons Why Small Business Prefer BlackBerrys

• Easy Email

The best thing that BlackBerry users love about this phone is its easy email access and the speedy process. BlackBerry’s push email is so convenient and the email even arrives a few minutes earlier on a BlackBerry compared to an iPhone or Android-based mobile phone. The push email needs no extra steps to set up. Sending mass emails and receiving emails on a mobile phone has never been this easy.

• Security

With BlackBerry phones, you can have better security. BlackBerry phones have more security features compared to other mobile phones out there. BlackBerry will simply not accept any password. You might actually need your IT experts to make you a very complex password. Although Smartphones also has their own authentication features, they are easier to bypass.

• Simple

When it comes to using a business phone, people would prefer a no-frill and straight up mobile phone to use. The simplicity of the BlackBerry helps in completing business tasks more efficiently. The lack of complications makes it easy for users to access the applications they want quickly. No more flashy graphics and animated effects, users can get down to what they need to do and save time.
Further, the simplicity of BlackBerry phones is just perfect for business people. Some may think that it is about a generation gap between Smartphone users but in reality, business people have no use for the extra applications and services. And would rather not have those on their phones anyway.

• Easy Typing

The absence of a physical keyboard may look appealing but touchscreen keyboards are a pain to deal with especially if you’re in a hurry.  Many BlackBerry users are put off with the slow response time of touchscreen keyboards. This has something to do with a person’s finger size and once an error is made, the user has to redo the sentence or worse, get an erroneous auto-correct word. BlackBerry users swear by its effectiveness and fast keyboard response.

• BBM

BBM or BlackBerry Messenger is BlackBerry’s instant messaging client. This is very useful for workers in the company as well as the company vendors. It’s like sending a text to someone but using the BlackBerry internet connection instead of the carriers. Many BlackBerry users put their trust on BBM as it is another simple and efficient application to use.
Admittedly, the BlackBerry does lack in flashiness but its simplicity, fast performance and reliability make up for it. Truth is, BlackBerry users could care less about the colorful graphics, widgets and the sliding effects of Smartphones. What they are looking for is a dependable handheld device that is capable of handling their business task demands.
In this regard, the BlackBerry will continue to be the mobile phone for small businesses. Well, if they do want some of that Smartphone flashiness, they can always get one for personal use.

WASHINGTON: Scientists believe that a revolutionary new implant that can help restore memory in people who suffered a stroke or brain injury could start human trials in the next two years.
Researchers from the University of Southern California and North Carolina's Wake Forest University, among others , believe they will see a memory device being implanted in human volunteers within two years and it may be made available to patients in five to 10 years.
"I never thought I'd see this in my lifetime," said Ted Berger , professor of biomedical engineering at the USC in Los Angeles . The scientists believe they have cracked how longterm memories are stored and retrieved and how to replicate this process in brains that are damaged, particularly by stroke or localized injury.
Berger said they record a memory being made in an undamaged area of the brain, then use that data to predict what a damaged area "downstream" should be doing. Electrodes are then used to stimulate the damaged area to replicate the action of the undamaged cells.
They focus on the hippocampus , where short-term memories become long-term ones. Berger has looked at how electrical signals travel through neurons to form longterm memories and has mimiced these movements using electronics. The team's experiments on rats and monkeys have shown that certain brain functions can be replaced with signals via electrodes.
"We're probably looking at devices in the five to 10 year range for human patients," said Rob Hampson, associate professor of physiology and pharmacology at Wake Forest University.
Berger also believes in the future drugs and implants could be used together to treat early dementia. Drugs could be used to enhance the action of cells that surround the most damaged areas, and the team's memory implant could be used to replace lost cells in the centre of the damaged area.

It may be politically incorrect to take prints but printers are here to stay. In fact, printing technology has advanced by leaps and bounds revolutionizing the two broad categories of printers: inkjet and laser.

Micro Piezo inkjet technology, developed and patented by Epson, uses a highly sophisticated combination of paper handling mechanisms and image-processing technologies centred around a special printhead. Interestingly, this high-precision process has been derived from Epson's experiences in making quartz watches.

At its core is the piezoelectric material, like ceramic or crystal, that bends, stretches, expands or vibrates when a small electric charge is applied to it. In an Epson printer, each piezoelectric element is paired with a vibration plate to form a set.
The contracting element moves the vibration plate creating an inkjet mechanically with no need to heat the ink. Each printhead contains densely arranged rows of these sets, with each of them firing precisely the right amount of ink at precisely the right place at very high speed.

Ultimate control
Seiko Epson President Minoru Usui, who was in Bangalore recently, said the Micro Piezo technology has revolutionized the industry, enabling users to precisely control and determine the flow, quantity and impact of the ink drop. Usui is one of the top engineers who worked on the technology in the eighties, to bring out a printer that would outdo thermal and laser printers in terms of quality and cost-efficiency.

Usui listed the main advantages of Micro Piezo technology. One, since no heat is generated, it can be used with a variety of inks and media from ordinary paper to outdoor posters. Secondly, in this technology, only the ink cartridge needs to be replaced, and not the printhead; unlike in normal cases, where the cartridge comes along with the printhead.

Inkjets outdo lasers
Now, inkjets outdo laser printers for businesses who have to print large volumes of documents. Usui said the M-series products consume less power, 12W, against 360W by mono laser printers. It runs on normal UPS avoiding the need for a high-power battery backup. The cost per print is lower as well: 12 paise, as against 40 paise with cheap refill toner or Rs 2 with an original toner.
Nitin Hiranandani, director, Printing Systems, HP, India, says their new range of business inkjets offer laser-like performance and advanced features like scanning and copying, network connectivity, ePrint, and auto-duplex giving the businesses a wide option.

Print from cloud
Wi-Fi printing and cloud printing in inkjet and laser categories are new trends. Says Alok Bharadwaj, executive VP, Canon India, "Consumers are shifting from notebooks /desktops to portable devices. Canon Pixma Wi-Fi printers offer seamless connectivity to such devices. Consumers can print from remote locations  using Wi-Fi and cloud printing technology."

Pixma supports Google Cloud Print which enables Gmail messages, file attachments and select Google Docs to be sent to the printer from any computer or smartphone, regardless of location.

Bharadwaj says print revolution is impacting book printing trends as well. "Whenever a retailer needs books, they are printed from the computer, packed and despatched. This form of digital printing signals the shift from offset printing to our kind of printing."

People are also interested in making 3D figures, he says. "Canon launched a printer which prints figures and one can fold it as per the lines and make a 3D figure. This we call creative family, entertainment printing."

Standalone printers
Another new trend is printers functioning as standalone devices capable of running their own applications. It enables users to print out photos from websites directly without a computer. Says Hiranandani, "An application like HP Printable for Facebook photos allows users to easily print any of their photos straight from their Facebook account. There are HP Printables in categories like education , family, entertainment, puzzles , travel, recipes and productivity."

WASHINGTON: Facebook's controversial app Bang With Friends, launched in January this year, has no privacy settings to keep the user's interests, activities and likes private.

Bang With Friends is an app with which one can find out who all from their friend list is open for 'banging' and once the other person responds to the selection made by one user, the site sends a confirmation and the rest of the decision lies with the sender.

Branded 'evilest app ever', this app's usage - presumed to be private - is not private after all. If a user has signed up for the app, another user can track their history of likes, interests and activities making it preposterous for some users.

There is no privacy setting to keep the user's activities hidden from the other users, which may include people from the friend list, who have signed up for this app.

With improvised privacy settings, the user can customise what is posted, who tags them, which pictures appear on timeline, etc. In case of Bang With Friends, no detail is left locked or visible to just the user, reported CBS News.

In order to increase its revenue, Facebook overlooked the privacy settings for this app. This means, those who have been cheating on their partners have online history that can be traced by others. One can easily trace which of their friend is using this app and what all 'likes' and interests have been.

To enable pirate Language in Facebook, simply login to your  Facebook account, click on the down arrow at the right of the top navigation bar, click on Account Settings, click on Edit at the right of the Language option, and in the Primary Language dropdown menu, select English(Pirate) located somewhere near the bottom and be the captain of your Pirate Ship.

Similarly, you can also turn Facebook upside down by selecting English(Upside Down) from the Languages dropdown. This will flip the entire Facebook interface but your status updates would still be "normal".

Status update via Bluetooth

Your age– Even if you didn't use your real age when you signed up for Facebook, it's pretty easy to figure out. Mentions of your high school reunion, your favorite bands (Hall and Oates reunion tour, anyone?) or your third-grade class photo (look at those bell bottoms!) will surely give you away. You'd never dream of putting your age on your resume, so why give a potential employer the chance to rule you out before even meeting you?

Your political beliefs– Anyone with a little common sense knows that talking politics at work is a bad idea, but anyone checking out your Facebook page could probably pretty easily figure out where you stand. Maybe you innocently "liked" a politician's Facebook page, made a donation to a political campaign or signed an online petition. Lately, it's very hard to predict when that information is going to pop up on your Facebook page. Worse yet, do you really want your boss reading your lunatic brother-in-law's survivalist rants or your cousin's "legalize marijuana" posts. I think not.

Your personal life– What's the point of putting on a power suit for work if everyone in your office can see photos of you in your pajamas on Christmas morning on your Facebook page? Do you really want anyone in your professional life to know that you've gained 30 pounds over the last five years (those wedding photos reveal a lot) or that your friends are chronically trying to fix you up with people? Too much personal information will make anyone look less than professional.

Your childhood– Yes, your Davy Crockett coonskin cap was adorable … when you were 8. And those photos your mom keeps posting of you as a kid in the bathtub are cute, too. And, while they're not exactly blackmail material, there's little doubt they'll help undermine your efforts to command much respect around the office.

Your religious beliefs – What you believe is no one else's business. But, that doesn't mean they won't hold it against you. If you've "liked" your church's Facebook page or are posting about the next B'nai B'rith bake sale, you might want to think again. It may not be right, but people will project their  opinions about religion on you whether you like it or not. Be sure you're ready to deal with it.

You work alliances – Even if you think you're good at playing office politics, odds are your Facebook page tells the real truth about who you like and who you don't.

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[[136446926442912]] = friendster
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[[100001755689032]] = Squirtle with shades (by Cristian Parra)
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[[332936966718584]] = Hello Kitty

this really works!!!

Facebook earns revenue from advertisements, but those ads and banners that keep popping up on your sidebar are annoying. There is no option to remove them or get rid of them through Facebook. Of course, Facebook doesn't want those ads removed, and there is no official guide or application to remove them. To get rid of ads generated by Facebook, you can download ad-blocking programs to clean up your browser page. If you have Firefox, you can download the Adblock Plus extension. Once installed, this popular add-on blocks the upload of ads that originate from certain advertisement sites. Another option for Firefox users is to download Greasemonkey, which enables users to customize their Webpage by blocking ads and banners, as well as other options.
When you click "like" on a product or page, Facebook can then use that information and your name and profile picture, to display targeted social ads on your friends' pages. Using personal information from your profile to target an audience raises privacy issues. Third-party advertisers can also use Facebook to promote their products by posting auto-generated advertisements, but they cannot access personal profile information. To opt out of being included in Facebook social advertisements, log on to your Facebook account, and click on Accounts at the upper right-hand corner of your home page. Select "Account settings" and then "Facebook ads." Select the "no one" option under "Ads shown by third-party applications." Scroll further down and click "no one" to opt out of social ads completely. To safeguard your privacy, be careful of third-party applications that you enable when you browse Facebook, as they may not be trustworthy.

As the local PC guru you're probably very used to friends and family asking for help with their computer problems, yet having no idea how to clearly describe what's going on. It's frustrating, but Microsoft feels your pain, and Windows 7 will include an excellent new solution in the Problem Steps Recorder.
When any app starts misbehaving under Windows 7 then all your friends need do is click Start, type PSR and press Enter, then click Start Record. If they then work through whatever they're doing then the Problem Steps Recorder will record every click and keypress, take screen grabs, and package everything up into a single zipped MHTML file when they're finished, ready for emailing to you. It's quick, easy and effective, and will save you hours of troubleshooting time.

Windows 7 finally introduces a feature that other operating systems have had for years - the ability to burn ISO images to CDs or DVDs. And it couldn't be much easier to use.

 Just double-click the ISO image, choose the drive with the blank disc,

 click Burn and watch as your disc is created.

Microsoft's Virtual PC creates its virtual machine hard drives in VHD files, and Windows 7 can now mount these directly so you can access them in the host system. Click Start, type diskmgmt.msc and press Enter, then click Action > Attach VHD and choose the file you'd like to mount. It will then appear as a virtual drive in Explorer and can be accessed, copied or written just like any other drive.
Click Action > Create VHD and you can now create a new virtual drive of your own (right-click it, select Initialise Disk, and after it's set up right-click the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume to set this up). Again, you'll be left with a virtual drive that behaves just like any other, where you can drag and drop files, install programs, test partitioning software or do whatever you like. But it's actually just this VHD file on your real hard drive which you can easily back up or share with others. Right-click the disk (that's the left-hand label that says "Disk 2" or whatever) and select Detach VHD to remove it.
The command line DISKPART utility has also been upgraded with tools to detach a VHD file, and an EXPAND command to increase a virtual disk's maximum size. Don't play around with this unless you know what you're doing, though - it's all too easy to trash your system.

If you've downloaded Windows 7 (and even if you haven't) it's a good idea to create a system repair disc straight away in case you run into problems booting the OS later on. Click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again.

Tired of the kids installing dubious software or running applications you'd rather they left alone? AppLocker is a new Windows 7 feature that ensures users can only run the programs you specify. Don't worry, that's easier to set up than it sounds: you can create a rule to allow everything signed by a particular publisher, so choose Microsoft, say, and that one rule will let you run all signed Microsoft applications. Launch GPEDIT.MSC and go to Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Application Control Policies > AppLocker to get a feel for how this works.

At first glance the Windows 7 calculator looks just like Vista's version, but explore the Mode menu and you'll see powerful new Statistics and Programmer views. And if you're clueless about bitwise manipulation, then try the Options menu instead. This offers many different unit conversions (length, weight, volume and more), date calculations (how many days between two dates?), and spreadsheet-type templates to help you calculate vehicle mileage, mortgage rates and more.
Don't take any Windows 7 applet at face value, then - there are some very powerful new features hidden in the background. Be sure to explore every option in all Windows applets to ensure you don't miss anything important.

CALCULATE MORE: The new Calculator is packed with useful features and functionality

Windows 7 now provides a standard way to switch your display from one monitor to another, or a projector - just press Win+P or run DisplaySwitch.exe and choose your preferred display. (This will have no effect if you've only one display connected.)

If you have a laptop, you can use the efficiency calculator to get Windows 7 to generate loads of useful information about its power consumption. Used in the right way, this can help you make huge gains in terms of battery life and performance. To do this you must open a command prompt as an administrator by typing 'cmd' in Start Search, and when the cmd icon appears, right-click it and choose Run as administrator.
Then at the command line, just type in 'powercfg -energy' (without quotes) and hit Return, and Windows 7 will scan your system looking for ways to improve power efficiency. It will then publish the results in an HTML file, usually in the System32 folder. Just follow the path it gives you to find your report.

Using System Restore in previous versions of Windows has been something of a gamble. There's no way of telling which applications or drivers it might affect - you just have to try it and see.
Windows 7 is different. Right-click Computer, select Properties > System Protection > System Restore > Next, and choose the restore point you'd like to use. Click the new button to 'Scan for affected programs' and Windows will tell you which (if any) programs and drivers will be deleted or recovered by selecting this restore point. (Read our full Windows 7 System Restore tutorial.)

System administrators will appreciate the new command line tzutil.exe utility, which lets you set a PC's time zone from scripts. If you wanted to set a PC to Greenwich Mean Time, for instance, you'd use the command
tzutil /s "gmt standard time"
The command "tzutil /g" displays the current time zone, "tzutil /l" lists all possible time zones, and "tzutil /?" displays details on how the command works.

The colours you see on your screen will vary depending on your monitor, graphics cards settings, lighting and more, yet most people use the same default Windows colour profile. And that means a digital photo you think looks perfect might appear very poor to everybody else. Fortunately Windows 7 now provides a Display Colour Calibration Wizard that helps you properly set up your brightness, contrast and colour settings, and a ClearType tuner to ensure text is crisp and sharp. Click Start, type DCCW and press Enter to give it a try.

Installing Windows Live Essentials will get you the new versions of Mail, Movie Maker, Photo Gallery and others - great. Unfortunately it also includes other components that may be unnecessary, but if you like to keep a clean system then these can be quickly removed.
If you left the default "Set your search provider" option selected during installation, for instance, Windows Live will install Choice Guard, a tool to set your browser home page and search engine, and prevent other programs from changing them. If this causes problems later, or you just decide you don't need it, then Choice Guard may be removed by clicking Start, typing msiexec /x {F0E12BBA-AD66-4022-A453-A1C8A0C4D570} and pressing [Enter].
Windows Live Essentials also adds an ActiveX Control to help upload your files to Windows Live SkyDrive, as well as the Windows Live Sign-in Assistant, which makes it easier to manage and switch between multiple Windows Live accounts. If you're sure you'll never need either then remove them with the Control Panel "Uninstall a Program" applet.

By default Windows Live MovieMaker won't let you import files over a network, but a quick Registry tweak will change this. Run REGEDIT, browse to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows Live\Movie Maker, add a DWORD value called AllowNetworkFiles and set it to 1 to add network support

If you've old but important software that no longer runs under Windows 7, then you could try using XP Mode, a virtual copy of XP that runs in a window on your Windows 7 desktop. But there's a big potential problem, as XP Mode only works with systems that have hardware virtualisation (AMD-V or Intel VT) built-in and turned on. If you've a compatible CPU then this may just be a matter of enabling the option in your BIOS set-up program, however some high profile brands, including Sony Vaio, disable the setting for "security reasons". And that blocks XP Mode from working, too.
One solution has emerged, but it's a little risky, as essentially you'll have to alter a byte in your laptop firmware and hope this doesn't have any unexpected side-effects. Gulp. If you're feeling brave then take a look at the Feature Enable Blog for the details, but don't blame us if it goes wrong.
A safer approach might be to use VirtualBox, a virtualisation tool that doesn't insist on hardware support, but then you will need to find a licensed copy of XP (or whatever other Windows version your software requires) for its virtual machine.

Windows 7 includes a little-known new feature called Virtual Wi-Fi, which effectively turns your PC or laptop into a software-based router. Any other Wi-Fi-enabled devices within range - a desktop, laptop, an iPod perhaps - will "see" you as a new network and, once logged on, immediately be able to share your internet connection.
This will only work if your wireless adapter driver supports it, though, and not all do. Check with your adapter manufacturer and make sure you've installed the very latest drivers to give you the best chance.
Once you have driver support then the easiest approach is to get a network tool that can set up virtual Wi-Fi for you. Virtual Router (below) is free, easy to use and should have you sharing your internet connection very quickly.

If you don't mind working with the command line, though, maybe setting up some batch files or scripts, then it's not that difficult to set this up manually. See Turn your Windows 7 laptop into a wireless hotspot for more.

If an application locks up under a previous version of Windows then there was nothing you could do about it. A new Windows 7 option, however, can not only explain the problem, but may get your program working again without any loss of data.
When the lockup occurs, click Start, type RESMON and click the RESMON.EXE link to launch the Resource Monitor.
Find your frozen process in the CPU pane (it should be highlighted in red), right-click it and select Analyze Wait Chain.
If you see at least two processes in the list, then the lowest, at the end of the tree, is the one holding up your program. If it's not a vital Windows component, or anything else critical, then save any work in other open applications, check the box next to this process, click End Process, and your locked-up program will often spring back to life.

Windows 7 includes a new feature called the Fault Tolerant Help (FTH), a clever technology that looks out for unstable processes, detects those that may be crashing due to memory issues, and applies several real-time fixes to try and help. If these work, that's fine - if not, the fixes will be undone and they won't be applied to that process again.
While this is very good in theory, it can leave you confused as some applications crash, then start working (sometimes) for no apparent reason. So if you'd like to check if the FTH is running on your PC, launch REGEDIT, and go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\FTH - any program currently being protected by the FTH will be listed in the State key.
Experienced users may also try tweaking the FTH settings to catch more problems, and perhaps improve system stability. A post on Microsoft's Ask The Performance Team blog (bit.ly/d1JStu) explains what the various FTH Registry keys mean.

Windows 7's location-aware printing allows the operating system to automatically switch your default printer as you move from one network to another.
To set this up, first click Start, type Devices, and click the Devices and Printers link.
Select a printer and click Manage Default Printers (this is only visible on a mobile device, like a laptop - you won't see it on a PC).
Choose the "Change my default printer when I change networks" option, select a network, the default printer you'd like to use, and click Add.
Repeat the process for other networks available, and pick a default printer for each one.
And now, as you connect to a new network, Windows 7 will check this list and set the default printer to the one that you've defined.

Not so long ago, when you bought a PC with Windows 95 or 98 on it you received a disc along with it that you could use to reinstall the system if anything went wrong and you needed to replace the hard drive.

That all started to change with the launch of Windows XP, when rather than a disc you'd find simply a partition on the hard drive with the system files on it, from which you could create a recovery CD or rebuild the system directly.
This practice has continued with later versions of Windows and is compounded by the fact that many modern systems such as netbooks don't have a DVD drive to reload the system from. So what happens when you need to reinstall the system? We'll tell you.

Partitions and recovery discs

Most new systems prompt you to create a recovery disc the first time they're used, so if you've done so then you can boot from the disc and restore the system. Job done.
But a lot of people skip this step either because they don't have a blank disc to hand, their PC doesn't have an optical drive or they're just feeling lazy. If you skipped this, you won't therefore have a disc handy when things go wrong. But don't worry, that's why we've written this guide.

In most cases you can boot directly into the recovery partition via a hotkey sequence when the machine starts. How you do this varies between manufacturers, on Dell computers it's usually by pressing F12, for example, while some Lenovo systems have a special button on the keyboard. Your system documentation should tell you.

• Interview: 'This is the most ambitious thing we've done since Windows 95'

Whatever way you get there, booting to the recovery partition will give you a number of options. These vary according to the manufacturer but there are usually tools you can use to repair the system - by rebuilding the boot sector, for example, or setting it back to its factory state.

Finding install media

The problem with recovery partitions, of course, is that one of the most common causes of PC problems is a failed hard drive. This means that in most cases if the worst happens the recovery partition will have gone AWOL, along with the rest of your data.
In the past, with an XP or Vista system, this would have meant that unless you had access to a Windows install disc from somewhere else you'd have been stuck or have had to resort to the darker corners of the web or pay out money to the PC manufacturer for a recovery disc.
Now though, because so many modern systems come without discs, Windows 7 install media is available to download from Digital River. You will of course need access to another working PC to do the download. You'll need broadband too, since these are big files.

You can find the following Windows 7 versions on Digital River:

• Windows 7 x86 Home Premium
• Windows 7 x86 Professional
• Windows 7 x86 Ultimate
• Windows 7 x64 Home Premium
• Windows 7 x64 Professional
• Windows 7 x64 Ultimate

Downloading like this has the added advantage that you get a version with the latest service pack rolled in, so you save time on doing updates once the install is done. Check the licence key label on your machine to ensure you get the right version of the OS for your system before you start to download.
If you're planning on breaking your new Windows 8 system, make sure you've created the recovery media, as downloads aren't currently available and it looks likely that Microsoft will charge for replacement media.

Running the install

Once you've downloaded the appropriate ISO file from Digital River you can burn it to a DVD to create an install disc. If your PC doesn't have a DVD drive, or even if it does and you'd rather not use it, you can create a bootable flash drive by downloading the USB/DVD download tool.
Armed with your newly created media you can boot the system and begin an install. A clean install of Windows 7 is pretty simple - most of the time you just need to keep clicking Next, and it should only take about an hour on most systems.

Make sure you have a note of your licence key handy - on laptops it's often written on a label underneath, making it hard to read and type in at the same time.

Because you've installed from full version media using an OEM key, you probably won't be able to activate Windows automatically afterwards. That's not a problem, you'll just have to use the telephone method. This will mean a few minutes dealing with an automated system, but it's a free call to get a code, then you'll be good to go.

Identifying hardware and finding drivers

While the Windows DVD provides enough to get the system going, you'll probably find that the screen resolution is wrong and some bits of more obscure hardware such as card readers and trackpads don't work correctly after a reinstall. This means you need to track down the right drivers.
If you received a driver disc with your PC, everything you need should be on there. If not, or if your driver disc is a few years old and you want to check for newer versions, you'll need to do a bit of detective work.

Open up Device Manager and right-click on a piece of unidentified hardware. Select Properties and on the Details tab choose Hardware IDs from the drop-down list. Make a note of the VEN and DEV numbers, take these to PCI Database and you can find out what the device is and who made it. Once you have this information it should be straightforward to track down and download drivers on the manufacturer's website.

If you're still struggling with some items of hardware try installing a program such as SlimDrivers, which will scan the system and find any missing or outdated drivers for you.

• Win+Home: Clear all but the active window.
• Win+Space: All windows become transparent so you can see through to the desktop.
• Win+Up arrow: Maximize the active window.
• Shift+Win+Up arrow: Maximize the active window vertically.
• Win+Down arrow: Minimize the window/Restore the window if it's maximized.
• Win+Left/Right arrows: Dock the window to each side of the monitor.
• Shift+Win+Left/Right arrows: Move the window to the monitor on the left or right.

• Drag window to the top: Maximize
• Drag window left/right: Dock the window to fill half of the screen.
• Shake window back/forth: Minimize everything but the current window.
• Double-Click Top Window Border (edge): Maximize window vertically.

Taskbar Shortcuts

• Win+number (1-9): Starts the application pinned to the taskbar in that position, or switches to that program.
• Shift+Win+number (1-9): Starts a new instance of the application pinned to the taskbar in that position.
• Ctrl+Win+number (1-9): Cycles through open windows for the application pinned to the taskbar in that position.
• Alt+Win+number (1-9): Opens the Jump List for the application pinned to the taskbar.
• Win+T: Focus and scroll through items on the taskbar.
• Win+B: Focuses the System Tray icons

In addition, you can interact with the taskbar using your mouse and a modifier key:

• Shift+Click on a taskbar button: Open a program or quickly open another instance of a program.
• Ctrl+Shift+Click on a taskbar button: Open a program as an administrator.
• Shift+Right-click on a taskbar button: Show the window menu for the program (like XP does).
• Shift+Right-click on a grouped taskbar button: Show the window menu for the group.
• Ctrl+Click on a grouped taskbar button: Cycle through the windows of the group.

More Useful Hotkeys You Should Know

• Ctrl+Shift+N: Creates a new folder in Windows Explorer.
• Alt+Up: Goes up a folder level in Windows Explorer.
• Alt+P: Toggles the preview pane in Windows Explorer.
• Shift+Right-Click on a file: Adds Copy as Path, which copies the path of a file to the clipboard.
• Shift+Right-Click on a file: Adds extra hidden items to the Send To menu.
• Shift+Right-Click on a folder: Adds Command Prompt Here, which lets you easily open a command prompt in that folder.
• Win+P: Adjust presentation settings for your display.
• Win+(+/-): Zoom in/out.
• Win+G: Cycle between the Windows Gadgets on your screen.
• Here are a few more (taken from the Windows Help files):
  Win+L: Lock your workstation
  Win+D: Display the desktop
  Win+Spacebar: Preview desktop
  Win+M: Minimize all windows
  Win+Shift+M: Maximize all windows
  Win+E: Open Computer
  Win+F: Search
  Win+R: Run dialog
  Win+Home: Minimize all but active window
  Win+G: cycle through gadget