Friday 29 September 2017

How to clean your PC

How to clean your keyboard

PC keyboards are relatively easy to clean. Disconnect yours and turn it upside down over a bin or a surface that's easy to wipe clean. Give it a few taps and be prepared for biscuit crumbs, eye lashes and other undesirable things to fall out.

As with the PC base unit, use a damp cloth to wipe dust and dirt off. Anti-bacterial sprays shouldn't damage plastic keys, but always test on a small area first. Don't drench the keyboard with liquid or you risk destroying it. Instead, spray the cleaner onto your cloth - not directly onto the keyboard.

Laptop keyboards aren't quite as simple to clean as PC versions. First, turn the computer off, and remove the battery if possible. With the screen fully open, turn the laptop upside down and gently tap the dust and dirt into a bin or onto a surface.

If there's a problem with an individual key, perhaps because a large crumb is under it, you might be able to carefully prise off the key with your fingernail. Most laptop keys simply clip on, but never force a key or you risk breaking the clips or scissor mechanism.

How to clean your computer mouse

Gone are the days of the ball-mouse - all use an optical sensor of some description now. Dust and dirt can easily build up over the sensor and cause tracking problems, so use a damp cloth to clean the entire bottom surface of your mouse.

The top is where you'll leave grease and germs, so it's wise to use an anti-bacterial spray. As before, check on an inconspicuous area first and spray onto the cloth, not the mouse.

If you don't want to risk any damage to your PC, keyboard or mouse, use a cleaner designed for electronic equipment.

How to clean your screen

You can use Muc-off, or simply a damp cloth, to clean most PC screens (and TVs too), whether they have a matt or glossy finish. You can spray directly on to a screen, but don't let drops run down into the casing at the bottom.

A micro-fibre cloth is ideal for cleaning a screen as it helps to avoid streaks and is effective at removing dust and fingerprints. Use a damp micro-fibre cloth if marks are hard to shift, but be careful not to press hard on a PC screen as you can easily damage the LCD panel.

The rest of the monitor can be cleaned the same way as a PC tower or mouse, using an anti-bacterial spray if you prefer. As ever, don't spray any liquids directly onto the casing, as it could damage the electronics inside.

How to clean a smartphone or tablet

Touchscreens tend to be the most frequently cleaned component, since an accumulation of fingerprints obscures the image and feels nasty. However, it's crucial to use the correct cleaning products in order to avoid damaging your delicate electronics.

Most touchscreens these days have an oleophobic coating - literally 'oil fear' - which allows them to repel fingerprints. Such coatings aren't amazingly successful, but they are easily damaged by harsh cleaning agents such as ammonia, alcohol and other solvents.

For this reason, all you need to remove grease and dirt from your screen is a micro-fibre cloth. You can pick these up in a supermarket or online for next to nothing. Micro-fibre cloths are better than other material because the tiny, split fibres lift the dirt and retain it, as well as absorbing liquid. This means they don't leave lint on your screen, or simply spread the dirt around. You can dampen a micro-fibre cloth with water if the screen is particularly dirty.

When cleaning, use a circular motion rather than linear to a give an even finish and avoid the risk of long scratches if a large piece of dirt gets caught up in the cloth. You'll find that a micro-fibre cloth will also effectively clean the rest of your device, including metal and plastic parts.

For ports and connectors, use a dry brush - a small paint brush is ideal - to gently remove dirt. Don't use a can of compressed air, as the force is likely to damage the delicate components.

If grime is stuck in the speaker or microphone grilles, it can be tricky to remove. You could try using your vacuum cleaner, but use caution. Another technique is to use a pin to clear individual holes in the grille.
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How to change Windows 10 startup programs

Viewing startup programs using Task Manager

You can change startup programs in Task Manager. To launch it, simultaneously press Ctrl + Shift + Esc. Or, right-click on the taskbar at the bottom of the desktop and choose Task Manager from the menu that appears.

Another way in Windows 10 is to right-click the Start Menu icon and choose Task Manager.

When the utility is first launched it will default to the programs that are currently running on your system. To access the information you need move the cursor down to the bottom left corner where it says More details. Click on this.

Now you’ll see a wealth of information displayed, including background processes and the resources that they are currently using.

To find the startup items click on the tab along the top that is marked Start-up.

This displays a list of everything that can load when you turn on your machine.

It’s important to note the Status column, as not everything on the list is actually enabled. If an item it marked as Disabled then you can ignore it as it will not load in the startup sequence.

To simplify matters click on the Status column so that it sorts the items into groups of enabled and disabled apps.

Removing startup programs using Task Manager

If you see any apps that you don’t want as part of your startup sequence then it is very easy to remove them.

Simply right click on the relevant app, then select the Disable option from the pop up menu.

The app will remain in the list, but will no longer launch automatically when you turn on your machine. To enable it again just right click on it and select Enable.

Remember that you’ll need to reboot your machine for these processes to take effect.
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Thursday 28 September 2017

ANDROID 8.0 OREO: LATEST NEWS AND FEATURES

Power saving thanks to Android O

To protect users' battery life and performance, Google has put automatic limits on app background activities in Android O. These background limits will specifically include implicit broadcasts, background services and location updates. For users, this means less energy consumption, and ultimately, longer battery life.

Android O makes it easier to find the apps that consume the most battery power. Usually Facebook or WhatsApp end up in the list. But only with Android O can you see if the apps have been draining your battery with background activities, or whether they are only using battery life when you're in the app.

Earlier updates thanks to Project Treble

With Project Treble, Android O will get a vendor interface. This means that Android will be more modular so that manufacturers can use the vendor interface to access the implementations from internal component vendors, such as Qualcomm and MediaTek, for example. This will allow Android updates to happen more easily, because the whole process can be done independently of these vendor implementations. The idea is to speed up updates from manufacturers by making the process more streamlined.

Apps and reboots are faster with Android O

Optimizations in the system should cut device restart time in half and dramatically increase app performance. This is evident from independent reports from XDA and Android Police.

Apps are better thanks to Google Play Protect and tougher enforcement of criteria

Google Play Protect is a background service that will optimize security on Android by analyzing the behavior of apps to detect malware, and remove it from your phone and from the Play Store.

Google is also increasing pressure on app developers to increase the performance and stability of their apps. If they fall in the bottom 25 percent, they are warned and then removed from the Play Store if there's no improvement.

Wi-Fi Aware (also known as Neighbor Awareness Networking or NAN)

Wi-Fi Aware (also known as Neighbor Awareness Networking or NAN): This function basically works so that devices with compatible hardware can communicate when they are close, via Wi-Fi Aware, without necessarily having to use the internet connection.

Autofill revolutionizes password management

Google is bringing a system-wide Autofill API to Android O, allowing all of your passwords to be managed in a central place. This will mean convenience and security when logging into apps and filling out forms, since there won't be any need to copy/paste usernames and passwords anymore.

Rescue Party

Another new Android 8.0 feature has been announced. Rescue Party will help prevent bootloops, one of the most dreaded mobile phone issues. When core system components are crashing over and over again, Android will notice and take steps to recover the device. As a final resort, it will reboot into Recovery Mode and give the option to factory reset the device. This feature will be enabled by default and doesn't require any special hardware, though it's only for phones running Android Oreo.
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Laptop won't turn on? How to fix a computer that won't boot

Expert tips on how to fix a PC or laptop that won't start up and boot into Windows.
If your laptop or PC won’t turn on, don’t panic. You might be able to fix it yourself for free by trying these five methods.
Here we'll explain the possible causes and how to try and fix a PC or laptop that won't boot up.
1. Check the power supply
Laptops
This is one of the most common problems. There are various things that can go wrong, from using the wrong laptop power supply (delivering the wrong voltage) to a blown fuse in the plug.
It might be that your power supply has simply failed. First, make sure the battery has some charge. If you’re not sure, and there’s no power indicator on the battery itself, then remove it entirely and just use the mains charger.
Double-check, too, that the charger is the right one for your laptop. Many laptops – especially from the same manufacturer – use the same size plug, and if you own more than one, it’s not too difficult to plug in the wrong power supply, which might provide a different voltage or not enough current.
Other gadgets may also use the same tips, such as a battery powered speaker, and are unlikely to use the same voltage as your laptop, which typically requires 16-20V.
Second, check the fuse in the plug. Use a screwdriver to remove the fuse and install one that’s known to be good. If you have a spare power cable that will plug into your power supply, this is a much quicker swap to test that it isn’t the fuse at fault.
Check over the wire itself, as power supplies get beaten up, especially if you carry them everywhere. Weak points are at the ends where it joins the black brick and at the plug which connects to the laptop. If you can see the coloured wires inside the black outer protection, it could be time to buy a new PSU.
PCs
PC power supplies can also be problematic. Few people have a spare they can install and test, so the first check is the fuse in the plug. There's also a fuse inside the PSU itself, but it will require you to remove it from your PC and then remove the metal case to check if that's the problem.
One of the most common PC power supply issues is that the PC will turn off unexpectedly rather than fail to boot up at all.
If the LED is on showing that power is reaching it, make sure your power button is properly connected and working.
You can short the appropriate motherboard pins together (check which ones in your motherboard manual) to eliminate the power button from the equation.
2. Check the screen
Laptops
Try disconnecting any external displays including projectors and monitors to make sure they're not stopping your laptop from booting into Windows.
If your computer's power LED lights up and you can hear the hard disk or fan(s) whirring, but there’s no image on the screen, then make the room dark and check that there isn’t a very faint image on the screen.
It’s easy to think a laptop isn’t booting when in fact, it’s the screen that’s the problem.
If there is a faint image – maybe the Windows logon screen – then it’s likely that your screen’s inverter has failed. This component changes the direct current (DC) coming from the battery or power supply to an alternating current required by the screen.
Replacing an inverter isn’t too difficult if you’re handy with a screwdriver, but it’s crucial you buy the right replacement part. As inverters aren’t exactly cheap, you can’t afford to get it wrong.
If your laptop appears to be booting fine, but there’s no image at all, the LCD panel could be at fault. Replacing a laptop screen is possible, but difficult, and screens can also be costly. If it’s an older laptop, it’s worth considering buying a new one.
PCs
There isn't much you can do to fix a broken PC monitor, but it's easy - or easier - to swap the power lead and video cable or even the whole monitor to see if that's the reason your PC won't boot.
3. Boot into Safe Mode
Even if you can’t boot into Windows, you might be able to get into safe mode. Press F8 as your laptop is starting up and you’ll get a menu offering to boot into Safe Mode.
If you can enter safe mode, you might be able to undo any changes that caused your laptop or PC to stop booting. You could try uninstalling any new programs that you recently installed, uninstall a driver that was recently updated, or create a new user account if the account is corrupt.
If you see an option to repair your computer, try this, but you will almost certainly need your Windows CD for this to work.
If you can’t get the drive going again, it’s time to start afresh with a new hard drive. Let's hope that you have a recent backup of your important files!

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What to do with an old PC

You can do plenty of things with an old PC besides sending it to the recycling centre. Let's take a look at a few ways you might reuse an old PC.

1. Convert it into a NAS or Home Server

If you're running a home network and have multiple users - you, your spouse, your kids - reuse as network-attached storage or even as an actual server may be just the ticket for an old system.

However, it's not just a matter of plugging an old PC into a network connection and starting it up. Most desktop systems aren't configured to be effective servers or storage systems. For one thing, they probably use too much power. You'll want to set BIOS power management to run cooling fans in quiet mode, if that option exists. You'll also need to set up the operating system so that it doesn't shut down at inconvenient times, yet run in a low-power state when it's not being actively used.

Bear in mind that you'll probably want to run your server 'headless' (that is, without a monitor), and sans keyboard and mouse as well. While you'll need a display and input devices for the initial setup, make sure the system will work properly without them. Having a scheduled reboot hang because the system halted during startup (it couldn't find a keyboard, perhaps) is annoying, to say the least.

Also, the operating system is likely not well suited for storage applications, particularly for multiple users. While Windows can function well as a storage repository for a couple of users, you'll want to take the time to create user accounts for each person who might need access. In some cases, you may want to set storage quotas.

2. Donate it to a local school

If your PC isn't too archaic, consider donating it to a local school or hospital. Even if it is way beyond its sell-by date it could go to a local school's computer lab (most schools have one) and be used as a test bed, to take apart and reassemble. Alternatively, local schools might use it for parts, although they may shy away from used gear, given the unknown pedigree or wear of older hardware.

If you donate it to a hospital or daycare centre, consider buying some low-cost educational software packages and preinstalling them before handing the system over. Also, as with selling a system, you'll want to remove all software that you've reinstalled on your new PC. And make sure to include all licence information for the software you're preinstalling on the old system.

3. Turn it into an experimental box

You've heard about this Linux thing, and maybe you'd like to give it a whirl. But the thought of trying to create a dual-boot system on your primary PC leaves you a little green around the gills. Now you can experiment to your heart's content on your old box.

Check out Ubuntu, the sexy Linux distro that geeks love to, well, love. The neat thing about Linux is all the built-in support for older hardware, so installation is usually easy. In fact, installing Ubuntu is sometimes simpler than installing Windows. And there's a wealth of free software for Linux just waiting to be tried out.

If you think you've got the tech savvy and a bent for tinkering, you might try creating a Hackintosh - a PC that can run MacOS. It can be done, but it does take a fair amount of effort. The main hackintosh site is a good place to start, but expect a long and somewhat bumpy trip. Oh, and you'll have to fork out for a legal copy of MacOS.

In addition, a number of true UNIX-based operating systems are available, ranging from FreeBSD or PC-BSD (based on the Berkeley UNIX version) to OpenSolaris, based on the Sun Microsystems version of UNIX.

4. Give it to a relative

I do this all the time. My brother-in-law has modest computing needs. So I'll often just hand over one of my two-year old PCs, though I'll usually drop in a mid-range or entry-level graphics card.

I don't generally recommend doing this with your kids, though - at least, not if your kids are like mine. They often need as much or more PC horsepower than I use on a regular basis (outside of gaming and photography, anyway). My older daughter is a dedicated photographer, and makes heavy use of Photoshop, while my younger daughter has become a pretty hardcore gamer.

Giving a system to family members can be fraught with peril, though. That's because you are now the go-to person for tech support. So you've been warned: Give a PC to a friend or relative, and you're now on call.

One thing you'll definitely want to do is completely erase the hard drive and reinstall the OS from scratch. If it's an off-the-shelf system from a major manufacturer, restoring it to its original condition from the restore partition or restore disc accomplishes the same thing.

5. Use it as a dedicated game server

Do you have a favourite multiplayer game? If so, check and see whether it's a game where you can host a server on a local computer - you might consider making your old system a dedicated game server. Most multiplayer games capable of playing online often support dedicated servers.

The great thing about many of these dedicated game servers is how little system horsepower they actually need.

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Wednesday 27 September 2017

10 tips to better your smartphone battery life

Smartphones have come a long way over the last few years when it comes to design, camera, or even processing power. However, we have not seen much breakthroughs when it comes to battery technology --which is critical today given that handsets come packed with mammoth sized displays, multiple sensors, and faster processors that take a toll on battery life.

While a number of smartphone makers offer 'Fast charging' and 'Power modes' to deal with the situation, a concrete solution is still nowhere to be seen.

That said, here we have listed out some lesser known tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your smartphone battery.

1/10 Turn off Vibration and Haptic feedback

We all like that mild vibrations while typing on the smartphone keyboard or while tapping the capacitive buttons, however they absorb a good amount of juice. Turning off the ‘Haptic feedback’ will help you save a good amount of battery because we spend a lot of time on typing throughout a day.

Besides, if you don’t really need to get notified by vibration, then turn it off as It actually takes more battery power to vibrate your phone than it does to ring it.

2/10 Turn off “Always on” Google Hotword detection

Turning off Google’s Hotword detection will also improve your Android smartphone’s battery life. This prevents your phone from always ready to listen to your command to perform a search function. Below are the steps to turn it off.

l Go to Apps > Settings > Google Services > Search & Now > Voice.

l Click on ‘OK Google detection’

l Turn Off Always on

3/10 Reduce the screen brightness

If your smartphone boasts an AMOLED display, then applying Black coloured wallpapers will help you save battery life. This is because pixels that make the AMOLED displays only utlise battery power to illuminate light colours and don’t need any energy to show black colour. To simply put, the more dark or black pixels you have on your AMOLED display, the less power it consumes to illuminate them, thus saves the battery.

4/10 Customise which apps can use Location

Most of the apps that are installed on your smartphone (Android/iOS) constantly track your location. You might not want to turn it off while using Google Maps, Uber, sending location on WhatsApp, Tinder, etc. however keeping it on throughout the day while you don’t need location tracking will simply kill your smartphone battery. Turn it off while you are just using your handset for watching videos, sending e-mails, and apps where you don’t need location tracking.

5/10 Don’t miss on Android updates

Updating apps might seem to be a cumbersome task, but it actually helps in improving the overall smartphone performance and battery life. This is because developers keep updating apps to improve on battery and memory optimization. SO make sure your smartphone has the latest version of apps installed.

6/10 Turn on Airplane mode

This is not an everyday solution but can really help you cut battery usage. Turning on Airplane mode will cut you from the outside world but will allow your smartphone to last longer for multimedia apps such as videos, music player or games that don’t need any connectivity.

It can do wonders if you are travelling in a poor network zone where your smartphone antennas consume a lot of power to register on the available networks. Simply turn on the Airplane mode if you don’t want to receive any calls, messages or use internet.

7/10 Remove On-screen Widgets

Android operating system is all about widgets that offer tons of information on your smartphone displays. It is indeed a good thing to have everything on screen, however proves havoc for your smartphone battery. The battery has to supply continues power to make those widgets deliver latest updates from backend servers.

Delete the widgets that are placed to offer information not required throughout the day and still fetch data from internet such as weather apps, stock apps, scoreboards etc.

8/10Turn off Auto-sync

Apps such as Gmail, Twitter, calendar, etc. constantly refresh themselves to offer latest information. This is required if you just cannot afford to miss an important information but also takes a toll on battery life.

Go to Settings > Google account and turn off auto-sync for apps you don't need constantly updated.

9/10 Doze mode (Android Marshmallow users)

Doze mode is the latest addition to Android OS and works on devices running Android 6.0 Marshmallow. You don’t need to do anything to use the new Doze feature and basically there are no switches or settings to activate or deactivate it. However you can edit the apps that utilise the battery optimization feature from Settings menu. Doze mode simply works in background on Marshmallow devices and puts your phone in hibernation mode whenever it lies unused for a longer duration.

10/10 Check on GPS, Bluetooth, NFC

Last but not the least; check on Bluetooth, GPS, Wi-Fi, NFC and mobile data if you are not using them. Switch off the Wi-Fi if you are connected on Mobile data and vice versa. The NFC feature might get turn on if you restart your NFC enabled handset, s keep a check on it.

Besides, activate the low power mode on your smartphone if you are running low on battery.

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Google Is Doubling Down on Building Its Own Phones

By buying up HTC, Google is committing to the Pixel, and forging ahead into its past.

Google officially announced that it would buy HTC. For $1.1 billion, the search giant will be acquiring only only the Taiwan-based tech company, but also the engineering team that designed the terrific Google Pixel. That's right: Google is buying up the very folks who made its flagship phone.

This isn't a total surprise, since the Pixel went over quite well. But it is a little strange because, well, Google's been down this road of buying a company that makes Android phones before, and it changed its mind. Buying up HTC means Google's flagship Pixel phone is here to stay—and the decision might shake up the future of Android.

Unlike iPhones—which are pure Apple phones, designed chips-to-software by Tim Cook and company—the lineage of an Android phone is more complex. Google makes the Android software (to which your carrier adds its extra bloatware), but companies like Samsung and LG make the actual hardware and, accordingly, put their names on the phones. It's the Samsung Galaxy S8, after all.

This approach has its pros and cons. Google gets its software (apps and services it uses to sell ads) in front of hundreds of millions of people without having to worry about hardware. And there are hundreds of Android phones: big, small, cheap, expensive, good, bad, something for every conceivable taste. This distribution of labor and flexibility lead to an Android explosion, and Google's domination of the global market share.

It also means that Google doesn't have the soup-to-nuts control of its product. That power is part of the reason that for years now iPhones have been undeniably more polished than their Android competitors, and why now, even though Android is slicker than ever, it is woefully vulnerable to security problems. Apple can just send out iOS updates, but Google needs to work with is many hardware partners and phone carriers to make that happen. As a result, woefully few Android phones run the latest, safest version of the software. A truly Google phone, like the Pixel, can fix that.

Google has toyed with the premise before, having purchased Motorola in 2012. But difficult relationships with hardware partners prevented Google from doing anything too wild. It released only two (terrific) Google-backed Motorola phones before selling off the company (though hanging onto some extremely valuable patents) and returning to its "Nexus" program—a partnership between Google and rotating hardware partners to create an "ideal" Android phone.

Google's latest move to hire the HTC team responsible for the Pixel represents a renewed, serious push at creating the mythical "iPhone of Android." But such a project will now encounter world that's totally changed. With its voice-assistant "Bixby" and a growing suite of exclusive apps, Google's most formidable hardware partner, Samsung, is increasingly striking it out on its own, shifting users away from the Google services the search giant uses to make money even while it sticks with Android at the core. Meanwhile, the Pixel will push its users deeper and deeper into Google's web, offering things like limitless Google Photos storage, and all-important security updates that come as quickly as possible.

Practically, Google's purchase of the HTC doesn't mean a whole lot in the short term. Those folks have been working on Google hardware exclusively for years. But it does mean that the Pixel is likely here to stay as just one of the many arms of Google's growing hardware Kraken.

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8 Essential Tips To Keep Your Phone's Battery Healthy

1. Yes, you can leave your phone plugged in overnight.

It is not the end of the world if you don't unplug your phone the second that it is charged. That charger is smarter than you give it credit for. Leaving your phone on the charger all night (or all day) is far better for your battery than running it down and charging it up.

2. Charge a little bit whenever you can.

Lithium-ion batteries don't respond well to being charged all the way up and then run all the way down. They take much better to little bits of charge here and there.

3. Yes, you can leave your laptop plugged in all the time.

Don't worry about overcharging the batteries in your gadgets, and especially don't worry about overcharging your laptop. What we just said about phones applies here, too. And on and on top of that, many laptops (most, in fact) are smart enough to cut the battery out of the charging equation entirely once it's full. The battery just sits there patiently until you need it or until it needs another little shock to top it off.

4. But maybe pop out your laptop battery while it's on the charger, if you can.

The biggest danger to your laptop battery—and your phone battery and your tablet battery—isn't overcharging, but heat. And with that in mind, it might be wise to pop out your laptop battery while you're plugged into the wall, if you can.

5. Keep your batteries cool.

Speaking of temperature, make sure you don't leave your phone in a hot car all day. Or place it on top of your gaming PC. Or use it in a sauna. Try to avoid wireless charging if you can, because the waste-heat those chargers generate will also bake your battery. Also, beware of quick chargers. While your phone and charger are generally smart enough to minimize damage from high-voltage chargers, a lot of power super fast can generate extra heat. And if you have to store a gadget or its battery for a while, do it in a cool dry place.

6. Store batteries with a little bit of charge.

If you're storing batteries, you give them about a half a charge first. They'll slowly lose their charge over time, and if it drops into the true-zero danger zone, your battery will automatically trip its safety circuit and kill itself for real before it can become unstable.

7. Maybe go replaceable if you can.

If you're borderline insane about your battery life, consider opting for gadgets that have removable batteries when you can. For one thing, there's no faster way to "charge" a gadget than by swapping in a fully charged battery. And if you can't avoid these bad battery practices, at least you can start fresh by buying a fresh battery.

8. Don't let your battery rule your life.

If you follow the most basic rules of thumb—don't go all the way from full to empty if you can avoid it and minimize the exposure to heat as best you can—you'll be fine. It's easy to obsess over battery care, to let charging superstitions metastasize into obsessive ritual. But just remember two things:

1. Your gadgets and their batteries are designed to keep you from ruining them. Lithium-ion batteries today are better, smarter, and more resilient than the nickel-metal hydrides of yesteryear.

2. Your batteries are going to die. No amount of obsessive care will save you from having to deal with a less capable battery a few years from now.

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Tuesday 26 September 2017

How to factory reset Windows PC, laptop or tablet

Restoring your computer or tablet to the state it came out of the factory can be handy for a number of different reasons. Perhaps you're having problems with performance, it's picked up a virus, or you simply want to sell it on and remove all your programs, files, passwords, and other sensitive information.

If your device is just running slowly, you might only need our guide to speeding up Windows, but for more serious performance problems, a full reset might be in order.

It's a little more difficult than a smartphone or a tablet but we'll show you how to do it step by step. The process is slightly different depending on which version of Windows you have, because Windows 10 handles factory resets differently to previous versions, so we've split this guide up accordingly.

How to factory reset a Windows 10 computer or tablet

In Windows 10 the process is pretty easy, thanks to a built-in tool for resetting a PC. Open the Start menu and select Settings (the cog wheel). Now type 'reset' in the search bar and select 'Reset this PC' on the left when the results appear.

Under the Recovery section of Update & Security you can now hit 'Get started' to begin the process. During this you can select if you would like to keep files or do a full reset.

The process is identical for a Windows 10 tablet, because the operating system is almost identical across computers and tablets.

How to factory reset a Windows 7 or 8 computer

Factory resetting a computer running an older version of Windows is a little trickier, because there's no reset tool built into the operating system.

Some computers come with recovery discs, which is a fairly easy way of performing a factory reset - you can just insert the disc and follow the instructions. Just remember to back up your files first!

Windows 8 computers will sometimes have a recovery application which is launched from within Windows, rather than from a disc, so check your app menu.

If you didn't get any discs in the box, and don't have a preinstalled recovery app, then there's a good chance your PC or laptop has a recovery partition instead.

This is a hidden part of the hard drive which safely stores a complete copy of Windows, drivers and extra programs. You can use it return your computer to the exact state it was in the first day you had it - and it will perform just the same, too.

Backup any data which you wish to keep before performing a factory reset. You will probably want to copy everything from your user folders, including documents, photos, music and videos. The factory reset will delete all these along with any programs you've installed since you got your laptop.

1. Start up or reboot your laptop.

2. During the start-up process, hit the appropriate F key or key combination which we have listed below for your manufacturer.

3. You should see instructions on the screen explaining how to proceed. Different manufacturers use different software to restore the 'disk image' from the recovery partition, so we can't provide specific guidance. However, the process is almost always automatic once you've confirmed you definitely want to proceed.

It might be a case of waiting for 30 minutes for the job to happen in one go, but some systems restore Windows first, and then install drivers and programs automatically when Windows first boots. If that's the case, don't try to do anything until you see a message saying the restore has finished.

How to downgrade iOS 11

If you've upgraded to iOS 11 and got cold feet, it's possible to downgrade, but only if you're quick.

There are two main ways to do it, one of which requires you to have a backup and the other which - fortunately - doesn't. Here we'll explain how to downgrade iOS 11.

How to downgrade iOS: Method 1 - no backup needed*

* You may lose your text messages, but all other settings and apps will remain after the downgrade

1. Download the appropriate IPSW file for your iPhone or iPad.

2. Make sure iTunes on your computer is the latest version. If not, download and install it.

3. Connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer and then click on your device when it appears.

4. Under the Summary section, click the Check for Updates button while holding Shift (Windows) or Option (Mac).

5. Now navigate to and choose the IPSW file you downloaded.

6. Your device will be 'updated' to iOS 10.

As we said, the process will downgrade your phone or iPad without deleting all your stuff, but you will lose any text messages. So next time you upgrade, either make a full backup or don't upgrade!

How to downgrade iOS: Method 2 - using a backup you already have

Not unreasonably, Apple doesn't encourage downgrading to a previous version of iOS, but it is possible.

Currently Apple's servers are still signing iOS 10.3.3. You can't go back any further, unfortunately, which could be an issue if your most recent backup was made while running an older version of iOS (even version 10.3.2).

Let's be clear: you can only restore a backup which was made while your phone or tablet was running iOS 10.3.3.

Our Macworld UK colleagues have a great guide to how to back up an iPhone, here. The key thing is to make sure you always have an up-to-date full backup, which is why it's best to do a full password-protected backup via iTunes. You can also back up to iCloud to get a second chance of recovering your contacts, photos and other things.

Step 1.

To reinstall iOS 10 you need the relevant .ipsw file for your model of iPhone or iPad. Older versions won't work as they're not being 'signed' - or approved - by Apple's servers.

(Mac users, if the ipsw file is stored on your Mac hard drive you can find it by following the path youruserfolder/Library/iTunes/ and then within a folder called iPad Software Updates, iPhone Software Updates or iPad Software Updates.)

If you can't find the latest one on your Mac, or your a PC user, simply run a search for 'download ipsw' and select and download the appropriate file for your device. There are plenty of sites to choose from, including https://ipsw.me/ which helpfully tells you which versions are currently being signed.

Step 2.

Note: If you're reading this after the final version of iOS 11 is release to the public you will have only a short time to downgrade (in past years as little as one week after the initial release date - not the date on which you upgraded) before it becomes impossible without a jailbroken phone.

Disable the Find My iPhone/iPad feature on the device if you've enabled it. You'll find it in Settings > iCloud.

Plug in to your PC or Mac your iPhone or iPad. Launch iTunes. Click on your device in the iTunes interface and select Summary. Now hold down the Alt/Option key (Shift on a PC), and click the Restore iPhone button.

Now navigate to the IPSW file on your desktop and click Open. Your PC will now reinstall iOS 10.3.3 on your iPad or iPhone. Or it should...

Go into Recovery mode

If iTunes says you're already running the latest version of iOS on your device, you may need to use Recovery mode. Completely power off the device, plug one end of the syncing cable into your computer and hold down the Home button on the iPhone/iPad while you connect the cable to it. When the 'Connect to iTunes' screen appears, release the Home button.

Restore your backup

If you have managed to go back, you'll have a near-blank iPhone with none of your stuff on it. That's where the backup you made comes in.

In iTunes click the Restore iPhone... button and choose the appropriate backup. It may take an hour or so, but your phone will be back to the way it was when you made the backup.

If you have no backup, you'll have to sync music, videos and other content from iTunes or iCloud. You can then go to the App Store and download anything you've previously purchased after logging in with your Apple ID.

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How the Internet of Things is changing privacy

In a world where almost every device connects to the Internet, and life without the web is inconceivable, privacy is a luxury we can no longer afford. Wouldn’t it be great to be able to enjoy everything the Internet has to offer yet still enjoy some privacy?

Recent studies indicate that the sheer number of AI-enabled virtual assistants will surpass humanity by 2021. Wearables, smart-home devices and smart TVs are expanding their share rapidly amid the increasing diversity and versatility of AI. Four years from now, this group alone will count roughly 1.6 billion devices. But the proliferation of smart devices comes at a heavy cost – one we’ve been paying willingly, for the sake of their services: privacy & security.

Digital assistants like Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are constantly listening for user input, and learning, to deliver their invaluable contextual services. Biometric hardware like smart bracelets and smart watches store copious amounts of information about our physiology. Smart TV’s now come equipped with cameras. It only takes a piece of malware like Mirai to make one realize just how easy it is for hackers to grab control of these devices and peek into our private lives.

Consumers today are practically surrendering their privacy with each new dumb device they upgrade. Those who go to the trouble of reading the privacy policy / data collection policy for each smart device they use can be considered a minority. Or, to make them justice, an elite. A Pew Research study from 2014 revealed that half of online Americans didn’t even know what a privacy policy was.

Worse still, the cultural understanding of the “privacy policy” label among many consumers is that it “protects” your privacy, which couldn’t be farther from the truth.

“The general sense among marketers is that people understand that their data is being used, but we’ve found in our research that people don’t truly understand how data mining works,” according to Joseph Turow, who studies privacy at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication. “They may realize that one or two pieces of their information are being given out; what they don’t realize is that those one or two data points can be linked with other sources to uncover information they would have never given out in the first place.”

In other words, users are unaware that by giving away different pieces of information to different services, someone with access to that data can connect the dots and make a more complete profile of the user.

Experts warn that privacy challenges will, in fact, worsen as wearables, smart cars, smart home appliances and other members of the IoT family become linked together. Anticipating this trend, Bitdefender created BOX, a central hub that protects an entire household of connected devices, from smart TVs to Wi-Fi thermostats to gaming consoles.

As for smartphones, tablets and laptops, even connected on public networks they are secured as they were at home – protected from malware, data theft, fraud, phishing, spying and online threats. The iOS/Android BOX app keeps users informed on network events and offers access to parental controls. Users can push updates, locate lost devices, perform system tune-ups, even limit international data roaming or mobile plans.

IoT proliferation has the potential to infringe on basic human rights and Internet principles by collecting data with an unprecedented level of detail. Instead of crippling services for the sake of preserving our privacy, BOX works proactively to secure our data and enable smart devices to work as intended.

Monday 25 September 2017

How to protect your PC from CCleaner hack

How to ensure your PC is safe following an August CCleaner attack that affects 2.27 million users.

CCleaner has been hacked, it has emerged, putting some 2.27 million PC users at risk. CCleaner is a clean-up utility, so the last thing users would expect it to do is add malware to their computers.

The malware, which has been present in the software for the past month, sends various data such as the computer name, IP address, and lists of installed and active software and network adapters to a server in the US.

Piriform, the company behind CCleaner, is adamant that no sensitive data has been targeted, and confirms that it has now shut down this server before any known harm could be done.

How to protect your PC from the CCleaner hack

The good news is that Piriform has already fixed the vulnerability, taken down the server and, for those running the Cloud version (1.07.3191) of its software, the update has been automated.

However, those running the standard version will want to ensure they have updated to the latest version, particularly if they downloaded it in the past month.

The affected software is CCleaner 5.33.6162 (32-bit). Users should ensure they are running version 5.34 or higher.

You can download the latest version of CCleaner from Piriform's website.

If you would rather uninstall CCleaner from Windows 10 go to Start, Settings, System, Apps & Features, then find it in the list and select Uninstall.

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How to move to SD card on Android



We explain how to move apps to an SD card, and how to store files and photos on a memory card in an Android phone or tablet.

Many cheap Android phones come with a paltry 4 or 8GB of storage, and even 16GB isn't really enough for lots of apps, high-resolution photos and videos, plus a music library. Fortunately, the vast majority of Android phones have a memory card slot, into which you can slot an inexpensive microSD card.

What you need to know about microSD

Before you buy one, check what capacity your phone will support. Flagship phones tend to accommodate 128GB or higher, but many cheap Androids accept only 32GB. To be fair, 32GB will be enough for most people. We've tested and rated all the best microSD cards.

Once you've got the microSD card, it's easy to set things up so that it becomes the default place for new apps, photos, videos, music and more. You can switch the storage location within your camera settings or Google Play Music settings, for example. But what about the stuff already clogging up your phone's internal storage?

How to move apps to SD card

First, let's clear up something important: not all apps can be moved to microSD, and some phones won't let you move apps to SD at all. This means phones with just 4- or 8GB of internal storage can still run into problems even with a microSD card if you download and use a lot of apps.

Whether or not an app can be moved to microSD is down to the app developer and, sometimes, the phone manufacturer.

The Galaxy S8 is one of several phones that does allow you to move apps to SD, but you should note that those apps won't be available when you remove the SD card. The screenshots below have been taken on a Galaxy S8 and may look a little different to what you're seeing on your own phone, but the process should be largely the same.

To move an app to the SD card select it in the Settings > Apps menu, then tap on Storage. If you are able to move the app to SD you will see a 'Change' button next to Storage used: Internal shared storage.

Here we've selected BBC iPlayer, which was not preinstalled on the phone and can be moved (preinstalled apps often cannot be moved). Also note our screenshot of Bixby Voice, however, which lacks this Change button and therefore can't be moved.

To move an app to SD tap the Change button and select the SD card option in the pop-up menu. You'll see a screen offering to export the app, warning you that you shouldn't remove the SD card while this is in progress. Tap Move. The transfer will then take place.

It's worth pointing out that many free apps are available that offer to automate this process for you. If you're concerned about storage then adding yet another app probably isn't the best idea, but you can always uninstall it once it has done its job.

Move to SD card greyed out

In older versions of Android you may find the option to Move to SD card will be greyed out, as is the case with the Amazon Music app that is preinstalled on this EE Harrier Mini. These apps cannot be moved to microSD.

Format SD as internal storage

Note that some phones require you to set the SD card as internal storage first, before you can migrate any data. The HTC U11 is an example so you'll need to find the microSD card in the storage section of the settings menu and 'Format as internal'. The process will be similar on other phones.

How to move photos, video, music and files to SD


The easiest method of moving files to SD is browse to Settings > Storage on your Android phone or tablet, then look for an option to 'Transfer data to SD card'. Not all Android devices have this option, and if yours doesn't you'll need to manually move the files.

The second easiest way to quickly move photos, video, music and other files to a microSD card is to do so using a PC or Mac. Hook up the phone to your computer via a USB cable, then open a new window to browse its contents.

You should be able to see the phone's internal storage and SD card as two separate storage devices. We're using Android File Transfer on a Mac, which shows the Internal storage and SD card on separate tabs.

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How to speed up Windows and make your computer faster

If Windows seems sluggish, you can restore good performance using these simple techniques. Here's how to make your laptop or PC faster.

When you get a new laptop or PC, it always starts up and responds quickly. But as you install apps, games and fill up the hard drive with music, documents and photos it can slow down and even take minutes to start up. There are many things that can make Windows slow, but you should be able to restore most of its original speed without spending any money at all.

But if your laptop or PC has a traditional hard drive rather than a modern SSD, then it can be well worth spending some money and buying an SSD: it's still the single most effective performance upgrade for most people.

Regardless of your computer's hardware, there are various things you can do to speed up Windows, and here are our top tips.

Get rid of startup programs


Part of the reason well-used PCs take so long to start is because of all the applications and utilities you've installed. Many automatically run when Windows starts up, yet most of them don't need to and should only use up resources when you actually need to use them.

At the right side of the taskbar, click the upwards-facing arrow to display the notification icons. Each is a program that loads with Windows. Some are essential - antivirus software for example - but others may not be. Right-click each one and if there is a Settings menu, select it and turn off the option to start automatically with Windows.

Some programs, such as Google Drive, can be manually started when they are needed instead of running all the time.

To disable all the other programs and 'helpers' apps that start with Windows, press Windows+R, type msconfig and click Ok. Select the Services tab, tick ‘Hide all Microsoft services' and see what's left.

There may be services you can live without and clearing the tick box prevents them from running. For example, Firefox works perfectly well without the Mozilla Maintenance Service.

On the Startup tab (use Task Manager - right-click on the taskbar and choose Task Manager in Windows 8 and Windows 10 to find this) are lots of programs that start with Windows. Knowing what to disable isn't easy, but you can use Google to search for items and see if they are necessary, useful or neither of those.

Check for malware and other nasties


It’s advisable to run a system scan to ensure that there are no erroneous pieces of software causing harm and slowing down your machine. If you rely on Windows Defender for your security then you’ll need to go to the Start Menu>Settings>Update and Security>Windows Defender then in the right hand panel scroll down until you see Open Windows Defender.

Click this and then in the next window on the right hand side there are options to run a Quick, Full, or Custom scan. Make sure you won’t need your PC for a little while and opt for the Full version.

Then click on Scan now. If Windows finds anything untoward it will let you know and suggest ways to deal with the issue.

If you use another antivirus package, such as AVG, Norton, McAfee, or similar, you’ll need to launch the program and find the option to perform a system scan. They are usually very easy to discover.

Tame the visual effects


Windows 10 is quite a pretty operating system, with various animations used throughout. While these visual effects afford a sense of style they can also be a source of ponderance on machines that are a little older. Thankfully they are easy to turn off.

Open the Windows Start Menu and type advanced system settings and select the top result. In the window that appears there is a section marked Performance, with a button for Settings.

Click this and a list of the various visual effects will appear. You can either untick the ones you think might be problematic, or simply select the Adjust for best performance option at the top. Remember to click OK to save the changes.

Reinstall Windows


The ultimate speed-up technique is to reinstall Windows. This removes all unwanted software that slows down the PC, erases adware and other malware, clears out junk files and so on.

A Windows disc is needed for old versions of Windows, but Windows 8 and 10 have a built in Refresh option that makes the job easy. In Windows 8 bring up the Charms bar on the right side of the screen and click Settings, Change PC settings.

Click Update and recovery, then Recovery. Under Refresh your PC without affecting your files, click Get started.

In Windows 10, click the cog icon on the Start menu to bring up the new Settings app. Click Update & security, then choose Recovery from the menu on the left. You'll see the 'Reset this PC' option on the right.

Free up disk space

Your PC's hard disk slows down as it fills up and uninstalling software helps to free up space giving more room for Windows to work faster. Disk space can be freed up in various ways, and we've written a full guide to finding and deleting large and duplicate files.

You can delete files manually, or install a utility (we recommend some in that guide) to do a deeper search and make the job quicker and easier. There's a right way and a wrong way to use these programs, though.

Select just a few items and clean them, making sure the app backs up the changes. If the PC is working OK, go ahead and clean a few more items, but if it isn't, restore the backup. Do not clean everything in one go because if something goes wrong you won't know where the problem is.

Upgrade your hardware
All of the techniques discussed so far for speeding up the PC take you only so far. They restore the original PC's performance, but this may not be sufficient. An old PC might not be capable of running the latest game or other software you want to use. A five year old model will struggle with the latest games, apps and operating system. For this reason, a hardware upgrade may be required and this will boost the PC's performance beyond its original specification and narrow the gap between your current PC and the latest ones.

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