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Tutorials, articles and recommendations about apps and programs that people use on their computers, smartphones, smartwatches, and other gadgets.

tutorial How to Use Windows Defender in Windows 8 & Windows 8.1

How to Use Windows Defender in Windows 8 & Windows 8.1

Guess what Windows 8 & Windows 8.1 users: when you're using Microsoft's newest operating system you don't need to install virus protection... Oh god, we sound like those Mac elitists, don't we? Well, we aren't saying this due to an over-confidence in virus coders lack of interest in a comparatively small market share. We're saying this because Windows 8 & Windows 8.1 have a
tutorial How to Set AutoPlay Defaults for Media & Devices in Windows 8.1

How to Set AutoPlay Defaults for Media & Devices in Windows 8.1

In Windows 8.1 you can also set the AutoPlay settings for your media and devices, directly from PC Settings. There you have access to almost the same customization options found in the Control Panel. This tutorial shares where to find the AutoPlay settings and how to fiddle with them. Where to Find the AutoPlay Settings in PC Settings? Open PC Settings. Then, click
tutorial How to Set How Much Data Tiles Use in Windows 8.1

How to Set How Much Data Tiles Use in Windows 8.1

If you are a tablet user with Windows 8.1 and you have a poor data plan, then you will want to limit how much data is used by the operating system, including the tiles. Depending on the apps you have installed and what updates they display on their tiles, they might end up consuming a lot of data. Luckily, Windows 8.1 provides a way
tutorial Introducing Windows 8.1: How Does Search Work & How to Use It?

Introducing Windows 8.1: How Does Search Work & How to Use It?

Search in Windows 8.1 has been completely redeveloped. It is so different from Windows 8 and Windows 7 that some users might have trouble understanding how it works. That's why I decided to create this complete guide on Search, filled with screenshots and examples. As you will see, the integration of Bing into Windows 8.1 is both very powerful and scary. Here's how it
tutorial 4+ Free Tools for Making Remote Connections from Macs to Windows PCs

4+ Free Tools for Making Remote Connections from Macs to Windows PCs

When I was asked to update our 2010 article about connecting remotely to a PC from a Mac, I thought it would be a fairly simple task. However, since that article was written, Microsoft has dropped support for their Remote Desktop Connection software for Macs. While there are anecdotal reports of it working on OS X Lion, it definitely will not work on OS
tutorial How to Use Special Characters in Windows with Character Map

How to Use Special Characters in Windows with Character Map

What do you do when you have to insert special characters that can't be found on your keyboard? You use the Character Map tool found both in Windows 7 and Windows 8. It allows you to insert scientific notations, mathematical operators, currency symbols and characters from languages like Japanese Hiragana , Katakana, Korean Hanji and others. In this tutorial, I will show how to
tutorial How to Schedule a Virus Scan with Windows 8's Built-In Antivirus

How to Schedule a Virus Scan with Windows 8's Built-In Antivirus

If you've spent any time looking at Windows 8's Defender interface, you've likely noticed that it doesn't include any options for scheduling a scan. While Windows Defender provides most of it's protection in real-time, if you're like us, you'll want a back-up scan occurring regularly. Though the user interface does in fact omit a simple way to schedule a scan, this option exists within
tutorial Introducing Windows 8: The Complete Guide to the Messaging App

Introducing Windows 8: The Complete Guide to the Messaging App

Chatting has become a very large part daily computer usage for many people. Whether messaging on Facebook or with a chat client, you've likely spent a significant amount of time messaging with friends back and forth. Using separate clients to chat with contacts can get annoying, so Windows 8 has taken a step to try and make it easier. The Messaging app allows you
tutorial Introducing Windows 8: How to Configure Mail App Accounts

Introducing Windows 8: How to Configure Mail App Accounts

When adding accounts to the Windows 8 Mail app, most of the account settings are configured automatically. For most providers all you'll need to do is enter your email address and password to get the account configured, synced and functional. While this is preferable to many users, some would rather take a firmer hand with their account configurations. If you fall into this group,