Chrome
Windows 10 Tip: How To Make PDFs Open In Acrobat
One of the first things everyone does with a new Windows 10 computer is install basic programs and utilities and set defaults so files open in the right program. This is a quick note for people who want to use Acrobat DC or Acrobat Reader to open PDFs, using “Set your default programs” in Control Panel. […] continued
Read moreSurface Laptops And Lessons About Desperation
Next month Microsoft will begin selling Surface Laptops, elegant and sexy, Microsoft’s first Surface devices with a traditional clamshell design. You’ll be tempted to buy one, but in the end you won’t. Almost no one will buy them. Microsoft will sell some Surface Laptops, of course, but sales volume will be insignificant – no shame but no bragging rights. […] continued
Read moreWindows 10 S Will Be Microsoft’s Next Failure
Microsoft made two big announcements this week at an education-themed press event. They’re related in a couple of ways. One common element is that Microsoft will fail at both of the new ventures it announced. I think each one is deeply flawed.
The two announcements:
• Microsoft will soon release Windows 10 S, a new version of Windows 10. […] continued
Read moreWindows 10 Cloud & Device Independence
On May 2 Microsoft will announce a new generation of Windows for low-cost computers targeted at education. Information has leaked about some parts of that announcement and tech journalists are speculating about what it might mean. There is one thing that has not been discussed and it is crucial to the success or failure of the new venture. […] continued
Read moreHow To Close A Hijacked Web Browser
If your computer displays a message while you are browsing the Internet claiming that you have been hacked or infected with a virus, it is a lie by criminals.
Your computer is not infected with anything and you did nothing wrong.
Do not call the 800 number for “tech support.”
You are calling criminals who will lie to you. […] continued
Read moreSpecial! Windows 10! Now With More Ads! Unlimited Time Offer!
Desperation is not pretty.
Microsoft has successful cloud and enterprise divisions, but it is obviously true that some divisions of Microsoft are in a long-term decline.
• Windows is still the dominant computer operating system, but desktop PC sales are in a permanent downward spiral.
• There’s a real danger that Chromebooks will begin to steal volume laptop sales later this year. […] continued
Read moreSecurity Warning: Be Suspicious Of Everything (Including Fonts)
If you see the above message – “The HoeflerText font wasn’t found” – it is a lie. If you click on the “Update” button and run the executable named “Chrome_font.exe” or “Chrome Font v7.5.1.exe”, you will install malware on your computer, most likely ransomware that could take down your entire company. […] continued
Read moreTales Of The Unknown, Volume 17: Chrome Remote Desktop
Google Chrome is a web browser. I kind of vaguely knew that it could do other cool tricks.
I stumbled on a pretty amazing Chrome app that I’ve been overlooking for five years. Sometimes it seems like Google is having all the fun with new technology.
With Chrome Remote Desktop, you can control a Windows or Mac computer remotely from almost any other device: another Windows or Mac computer, a Chromebook, an iPhone or iPad, or an Android phone or tablet. […] continued
Read moreChromebooks Will Change The World (Someday. Not Today.)
Chromebooks are poised to change the world. Delicately balanced. Teetering on the edge. Any day now, they’re going to take off. Whoosh! Any day now.
Not today.
Chromebooks are low-cost laptops that run Google’s ChromeOS instead of Windows. ChromeOS is basically the Chrome web browser taught a few new tricks and dressed up so it works with laptop hardware. […] continued
Read moreGoogle Chrome Gives You That Syncing Feeling
This is a tip that is basic, elementary, beginner level. Unless you don’t know it, in which case this will help you feel centered and peaceful – slightly radiant, really.
Google Chrome syncs open tabs, bookmarks, and browsing history to all your devices.
That’s it. Doesn’t sound like much, does it? […] continued
Read moreMicrosoft Edge Sinks Into Irrelevance
People spent more time browsing the web on their phones than on their PCs in October, according to StatCounter. Think about that for a second. It’s another remarkable statistic. More than half of the time spent online globally now happens on phones! What an extraordinary shift in a few years. […] continued
Read moreChromebooks Gain But Google Isn’t Talking
Chromebook sales are steadily increasing. In the third quarter, Windows PC sales were down 5.7% and Mac PC sales plummeted by 13%, while Chromebooks dominated back to school shopping and continued their long-term climb. Chromebooks now outsell Macs in the US. Part of that is because Apple has allowed its Mac lineup to languish; Mac sales will revive when new models are finally introduced this fall. […] continued
Read moreYou Might Not Want To Know How Much Google Knows About You
You have a vague idea that Google knows a lot about you.
You’re right.
Google has nothing to hide. It’s prepared to show you everything it has collected about you.
Are you sure you want to know? It’s a bit . . . creepy.
A few months ago Google created a tool named “My Activity” that gathers all its personal information about you into one place. […] continued
Read moreGoogle Chrome Steps Up With Improved Battery Life, Material Design
As we move quickly into a post-Microsoft world, Google Chrome is the program where we spend most of our time on our computers. Last week Chrome was updated in a couple of small but significant ways, with a cleaner look based on Google’s “material design” aesthetic, speed improvements, and improved battery life and reduced power consumption, especially important on laptops. […] continued
Read moreSecurity Tip: Hover Over Links Before You Click
When you hover over a link in Outlook or a web browser, a small window pops up to show you where the link really goes. If the real link doesn’t match the sender or doesn’t match what you expect, assume it is poisoned and don’t click it.
This is a basic security requirement for using a PC. […] continued
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