TechByter Worldwide (formerly Technology Corner) with Bill Blinn

Version 22H2 of Windows 11 will catch your eye with numerous user interface enhancements, but the real reason to get the update sooner rather than later is the emphasis on security. In Short Circuits: Microsoft PowerToys adds some must-have features in version 6.2. If you haven't yet installed the free utility, these may be the extras that convince you. • Adobe is paying an enormous amount of cash and stock for a seven-year-old application called Figma. Twenty billion dollars. Wow. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, a company wanted people who had trailer hitches on their cars to shell out $30 for a lighted sign. It didn't work out well.

Desktop computers are smaller than they used to be. Tower boxes are shorter, but if you really want to save space, consider a notebook computer, possibly with a dock. Notebook systems cost more and desktop systems still have certain advantages, but the trend it toward smaller devices. In Short Circuits: LastPass reported a "security incident" in late August and doomsayers made a lot of noise. As it turned out, the intrusion wasn't a big deal and I'll explain why. • Windows 10 and Windows 11 apps are not installed in the usual Program Files and Program Files (x86) directories. Instead they're in a hidden directory inside the Windows directory. If you want to examine the directory, it can be challenging. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, thinking that the cat or dog could eat your computer was a bit of hyperbole, but today we have watches that are essentially computers. Maybe the cat couldn't eat it, but the dog might.

You're careful not to drop your notebook computer into the ocean or down a flight of stairs, but heat is the insidious destroyer of all electronic devices. In Short Circuits: Ordering groceries online with curbside pickup or home delivery made big advances during the worst months of the Covid pandemic. Growth has slowed, but not stopped. Big chains have gone all in, and smaller stores are struggling to stay in the game. • Windows updates interrupt us. Sometimes they annoy us. But if you're tempted to skip the updates, think again. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Having a device that could hold 64MB of data and yet was about the size of a pack of gum seemed amazing in 2002, and it was. Floppy disks were still around and you'd need a huge pocket to carry 64MB of data on floppies.

Maybe you love software as a service, but probably you don't. Regardless of your opinion or mine, it's the future and other industries are taking note. In Short Circuits: Microsoft is in the process of executing a nearly flawless flip-flop to correct problems created when they tried to force OneNote for Windows 10 on OneNote users. They relented following an outcry from fans of the standalone application and have now improved the standalone version and made it the primary OneNote application. • Low income households can receive a discount from the Federal Communications Commission for basic high-speed internet access. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, Corel released what would be the final version of Ventura Publisher, a star-crossed desktop typesetting application that was better than competing products but never quite caught on. Users had been waiting a long time for version 10.

Smart phones are ideal companions, but they're easy to lose and easy to steal. Taking preventive measures before something bad happens and preparing to deal with a missing device is well worth the relatively small amount of time required. In Short Circuits: We can't eliminate errors and stupidity, but we can ensure that we can recover from stupid events. What we need is something that will save our data when undo doesn't work or isn't available. • Say "Excel" and just about everyone will think "spreadsheet", "analysis", or "math". Certainly Excel is the right tool for calculations, budgets, and accounting, and even for creating a perpetual calendar. But Excel has some powerful text capabilities, too. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, Windows updates were often installed using a CD, but users had to pay for shipping. Some updates could be downloaded for free. Service Pack 1 weighed in at 40MB and Microsoft said that it corrected about 300 bugs.

Now that more people connect their computers to external sound systems, Windows needs a better way to modify its audio outputs. Fortunately, a couple of open-source applications are just what's needed. In Short Circuits: As good as Adobe Acrobat is for working with PDF documents, sometimes there's a better choice. You can obtain it for free. • Apple has ordered its employees to return to the office at least three days per week and, after enjoying two years of not commuting, many are pushing back. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, Walmart was offering astoundingly cheap computers, just $200. It wasn't exactly a powerhouse and it didn't exactly run Windows.

Mozilla's Thunderbird email client version 102 has been released with important user interface updates, security measures, and improved features. If you haven't looked at Thunderbird in the past few years, now would be an excellent time to do so. In Short Circuits: Teen usage of Facebook has dropped substantially in the past five years and even Meta recognizes that this is just the beginning of a precipitous decline. • Since the very beginning, Kindle devices have been unable to read EPUB files. Later this year, the Kindle Documents Service will be able to convert EPUB files to AZW3 so that users can load those books onto their Kindle. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, Apple released the first major upgrade for OSX, Jaguar. Version 10.0 was barely functional. Version 10.1 helped, but it wasn't until version 10.2 that the operating system began to show its capabilities.

Opinions: Always shoot in raw mode! Never shoot in raw mode! JPEG is just as good as raw! JPEG severely degrades photos! Both modes exist for a reason and it's not an always-or-never decision. Let's consider the advantages of each format. In Short Circuits: If you've ever tried to tell someone where you are when no street address is available, you'll immediately see the advantages of using the What Three Words app on your mobile phone. • When you've grown tired of Ccleaner's constant requests for a $30 annual upgrade, you could pay up or you could choose to use an open-source program. Let's consider that second option. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, home and small office computer users were beginning to learn about green screen technology that's commonly used in broadcast television and motion pictures.

One of the best things about digital photography is that individual images cost nothing, so even amateur photographers routinely amass tens of thousands of images. Excire Foto can help when you're looking for one specific image. In Short Circuits: When something goes wrong, don't panic. Until you're sure what's happening, the best action is often no action at all. As first responders say, "Be part of the solution, not part of the problem." Let's see how that applies with computers. • There are reasons for using third-party protective applications on Windows-based computers, but the built-in Windows Security along with protections that are included with most web browsers are sufficient for most users. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, we were beginning to contemplate not only editing video on our computers, but also the ability to make DVDs that could be played on standard TV disc players. The SCM Microsystems Dazzle DVD Creation Station was one of the players.

Smart watches aren't exactly new because they've been around in one form or another since 2004. Apple's introduction of a smart watch in 2015 gave the market a kick start, but only one fifth of US adults currently own one. Women are more likely to have a smart watch than men are. In Short Circuits: Many crypto-currencies have lost significant value in the past several months, but they still have worth. The US Federal Bureau of Investigation says 244 investors lost nearly $43 million worth of crypto-currency in the past six month. The scam has been traced back to a fraudulent app. • Most Wi-Fi routers can transmit signals in the 2.4GHz range and 5GHz range. Some of the newer devices also can communicate in the 60GHz range. Although channel selection is largely automatic in the higher-frequency bands, it's fully manual in the 2.4GHz range. Selecting the wrong channel can reduce your link speeds and those of your neighbors. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): I was excited about bargain prices for CompactFlash memory cards that were used by some camera manufacturers, but have virtually disappeared now in favor of memory cards that are physically smaller. Twenty years ago, CF cards were the primary choice and 2002's "bargain" prices are laughable now.