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‘Trust This Computer’ Alert Not Showing Up on iPhone? Here’s the Fix

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'Trust This Computer' Alert Not Showing Up on iPhone? Here's a Fix

Whenever an iPhone or iPad is connected to a computer for the first time, a popup appears on the screen asking users whether they trust the computer. And, they need to trust the computer to allow it to sync with the iOS device, access its photos, contacts, and even create backups. From what I have experienced, the trust settings work reliably most of the time – barring a few rare hiccups. Unfortunately, some iDevice users have reported that “Trust This Computer” alert is not showing up on their iPhone. As a result, they aren’t able to sync their devices with the computer. If the issue has traveled to you as well, you are at the right place to sort it out.

Fix “Trust This Computer” Alert Not Showing Up Issue on iPhone and iPad

So, how are we going to fix this problem? Good question. Let’s break it down first up!

What’s the Workaround?

Well, we will first try out a simple yet effective solution that often clicks in troubleshooting such common hiccups. If that fails, we will reboot the trust setting. In most cases, it can get the job done. Even if that doesn’t come to rescue you, we have some other reliable hacks to get over the line. So, needless to worry about the problem. Having said, let’s get into the troubleshooting mode, shall we?

1. Force Restart Your Device

The hard reset has often worked for me in fixing the “Trust This Computer” popup not appearing problem. So, I’m going to bank on this reliable troubleshooter to click this time as well.

First off, disconnect your device from the computer and then force restart your mobile device.

  • On the iPhone/iPad with Face ID: Press and release the volume up button, press and release the volume down button. In the end, hold down the side button for about 10 seconds until the Apple logo appears on the screen.

iPhone with Face ID

  • On iPhone/iPad with Touch ID: You need to hold down the Home and sleep/wake buttons at once for about 10 seconds to force restart your device.

iPhone with Touch ID

After your device has restarted, connect it to the computer again. Now, enter the passcode to unlock your device. Next, wait for a few seconds for the “Trust This Computer” message to appear. If it pops up, you are ready to go. If it doesn’t, head over to other solutions.

2. Reset Trust Settings

Another trick that has proved reliable in resolving this issue is resetting the trust setting. For those unfamiliar, it’s the part of “Reset Location & Privacy settings” and works effectively in putting trust settings to factory default.

Rest Trust Settings

Head over to Settings app -> General -> Reset -> Reset Location & Privacy. Next, enter your passcode and hit Reset Settings again. Next up, try to connect your device to the computer to see if you have found success or not.

3. Reset Network Settings

If the above two solutions didn’t work, try resetting the network settings. Keep in mind, it will remove all the existing Wi-Fi networks and passwords, VPN and APN settings along with cellular settings. Yeah, it’s a radical solution and not many may want to go for it. But I would recommend you not to miss it out as it has a very good track record of fixing this problem.

Open Settings app -> General -> Reset. Now, tap on Reset Network Settings and confirm.

Reset Networking Settings

Note:

  • Just in case you have downloaded iTunes for Windows from the Microsoft Store, ensure that iTunes Mobile Device Helper is enabled as a startup item.
  • Click on the Start button and choose Settings. Then, click on Apps and select Startup. Now, ensure that the iTunes Mobile Device Helper is turned on. 

4. Update Your Mac/iTunes for Windows

If the problem is yet to be sorted out, the outdated version of macOS or iTunes may be at fault. Miscellaneous issues tend to often crop up when using the old versions of the software. Therefore, the software update would be the right way to go.

To update your Mac: Click on the Apple menu at the top left corner of the screen and choose System Preferences. Now, click on the Software Update pane and then follow the usual steps to upgrade to the latest macOS version.

Update software on your Mac

Update iTunes downloaded from the Microsoft Store: iTunes installed from the Microsoft Store is updated automatically whenever a new version arrives. Besides, you also have the option to check for updates through the Microsoft Store.

Update iTunes downloaded from Apple’s website: Launch iTunes -> Help menu -> Check for Updates. Now, follow the usual process to update iTunes.

Troubleshoot the Trust This Computer Alert on Your iPhone or iPad

So, these are some of the helpful solutions to fix this issue. I hope you have found success after trying them out and are able to sync your iOS device to the computer without any issue. By the way, which one of them clicked for you? Do share your feedback with us in the comments. Recently, we covered quite a few helpful troubleshooting guides like fixing AirDrop not working problem, iMessage not syncing with iCloud and AutoFill passwords issues. Check them out if you need help.


How to Install Chrome OS on PC in 2020

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Install Chrome OS on PC

While Chrome OS is not as feature-packed as Windows 10, this new operating system by Google is certainly much more efficient and lightweight. And due to its super-light nature, it brings back older PCs to life which can’t seem to operate heavy Windows operations anymore. So in this article, I bring you a simple guide on how to install Chrome OS on PC. The installation process is quite easy and straightforward. I am sure your Windows PC is going to get a new lease of life with Chrome OS. Now having said all of that, let’s go ahead and learn how to make your Windows PC similar to a Chromebook.

Install Chrome OS on PC in 2020

Here, we are going to show detailed steps on how to install Chrome OS on PC. We will be using Neverware’s free CloudReady OS which is built from the Chromium source, just like Chrome OS is built by Google from the same Chromium source. The only difference is that you won’t get Play Store support with CloudReady so there is that. Nevertheless, there is Linux support on CloudReady so you should definitely take advantage of Linux apps on Chrome OS. Now on that note, let’s go ahead and learn about the steps.

Note: If your PC or laptop has an AMD graphics card then you might have a problem installing Chrome OS. Nevertheless, go ahead and install Chrome OS to check if it works on your PC.

1. First of all, open the official page of Neverware to download the Chrome OS file. Here, scroll down and click on “Download USB Maker” under the Windows section. It’s a one-stop tool for downloading Chrome OS and creating a bootable USB drive. After that, connect a USB pen drive to your PC.

a

2. Next, run the downloaded USB Maker and choose the architecture of the PC on which you will install Chrome OS. You can find the architecture by navigating to My Computer -> Right-click and open Properties. Here, “System Type” will mention either your PC is built on 64-bit or 32-bit architecture.

Note: If you are unable to find the architecture and the PC is quite old then assume that it’s a 32-bit machine. However, all the new PCs– mostly after 2017– are built on the 64-bit architecture.

Install Chrome OS on PC 6

3. Now, choose your pen drive and click on the “Next” button. It will start downloading the file and after that, it will automatically create a bootable USB drive. The file size is just 1GB so it won’t take much time downloading it.

chrome os running on windows

4. After the USB drive is ready, click on the “Finish” button. Now, turn off your PC and then turn on again. The moment you power on the PC, start pressing the dedicated boot key continuously. Here are the boot keys for various laptops and PCs based on their PC manufacturers.

boot key
Source: Neverware

5. Your PC should show a Boot Option Menu. Choose your USB drive and it will finally open the CloudReady screen. In case it does not, search for the BIOS key on the internet for your PC and then start pressing it while booting up. On the BIOS menu, move the boot order preference of the USB drive to 1. Now, restart your PC and this time it should boot into CloudReady screen.

Install Chrome OS on PC

6. After a while, it will show the setup screen. Here, click on the time menu at the bottom-right corner and select “Install OS”.

Note: If you want to test out Chrome OS without installing it, then click on “Let’s Go” and add your Google account. The OS will run through the USB drive and will save all changes in your pen drive without affecting the hard drive.

chromebook

7. Now, click on “Install CloudReady” to proceed ahead. Keep in mind, CloudReady has stopped its support for dual-booting so you can’t have Windows and Chrome OS side by side. So, if you go ahead with the installation, your hard drive will be completely wiped including your personal files. In that case, back up your Windows PC before installing Chrome OS.

Install Chrome OS on PC 4

8. Again, it will ask for your final permission. Click on “Erase Hard Drive and Install CloudReady” to finally install Chrome OS on your PC.

chromebook

9. After the installation, your PC will completely shut down. Now, remove the pen drive and power on your PC. This time it will boot directly into the setup screen. Now, go ahead and add your Google account to get started. Enjoy Chrome OS on your Windows computer!

Install Chrome OS on PC 2

Install Chrome OS on Old PC and Bring It Back to Life

So that was our look into how to install Chrome OS on PC and old laptops. As you can see, the installation process is fairly easy and does not require much expertise. All you have to do is download the USB Maker and boot your PC through the pen drive. Nevertheless, in case you face any problem while installing Chrome OS on your Windows computer, do comment down below and let us know. We will surely try to help you out. Also, once you are done installing Chrome OS, go through our article on Chrome OS tips and tricks and a guide to enable Linux on Chrome OS.

How to Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

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How to Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

High CPU usage is not a new issue on Windows computers as it has, for a long time, affected both Windows 10 and 7 users. Just recently, we covered how to fix high CPU usage after the KB4512941 update on Windows 10. And now users are complaining about a process called msmpeng.exe causing a high spike in CPU usage. The interesting part about this process is that it’s not a virus, but a system process handled by the native antivirus itself. So to understand the problem better, let’s go ahead and learn how to disable msmpeng.exe process which will eventually reduce the high CPU usage on Windows computers.

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

Before moving to the guide, let me clarify that Msmpeng.exe is not a virus. In fact, it’s an Antimalware Service Executable process that is run by the native antivirus, Windows Defender (now called Windows Security). Many users have pinned down the issue to a database file called mpenginedb.db which is used by Windows Defender for storing hash values. Due to some false identifiers, Windows Security keeps scanning all the data on the disk and rehashes them in the database file. As a result, the CPU usage spikes from 50% to 100%. So, we will have to delete the mpenginedb.db file to fix this issue.

Delete Mpengine.db File

1. Since Mpengine.db is a system file related to the antivirus, we can’t delete it normally. We will have to temporarily disable the antivirus and then only we can delete the file. So open Windows Security and go to “Virus and threat protection”. Here, click on “Manage Settings”.

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

2. After that, disable all the toggles under this section.

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

3. Now, press and hold the “Shift” button and restart your computer. It will boot to the Advanced Recovery Window.

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

4. Here, choose Troubleshoot -> Advanced Options -> Startup Settings -> Restart. After that, press the “4” number key to boot into Safe Mode.

safe mode

5. Once you are in the Safe Mode, search for “registry” in the Windows Search box. After that, click on “Run as administrator” in the right pane.

registry

6. Copy the below address and paste it in the Registry address bar and hit enter. You will be instantly taken to the Windows Defender folder.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

7. Right-click on “Windows Defender” and select New -> DWORD (32-bit) value. Name the file “DisableAntiSpyware” and click on the “Ok” button.

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

8. Now double-click on the file and change the value to 1. After that, click on the “Ok” button and restart your computer.

Disable Msmpeng.exe and Reduce High CPU Usage

9. This time, search for “Powershell” and open it as an Administrator.

powershell

10. After that, copy the command below and paste it on your PowerShell window. Following that, hit enter. This will delete the mpengine.db file from your PC.

Remove-Item 'C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows Defender\Scans\mpenginedb.db'

powershell

11. Now open the Registry again and delete the “DisableAntiSpyware” file. After that, restart your computer and Windows Security will start working again. And this time, you won’t see Msmpeng.exe causing any CPU spike. In case, you are still facing the same issue then either reinstall Windows or use a third-party antivirus, preferably Malwarebytes (Free, Pro version at $47.30/year).

Disable Msmpeng.exe on Your Windows PC

So that is how you can delete the mpengine.db file to bring down the high CPU usage. As I already said, the issue is with Windows Defender which scans the whole disk because of a false-positive result. While the process is a bit complex, you can definitely do it if you follow the guide step by step. Anyway, that is all from us. If you found the article helpful, do let us know in the comment section below. Also, if the issue still persists, try reinstalling Windows 10 from scratch.

Number of Mac Threats up 400 Percent, Surpass Windows PCs in 2019

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Malwarebytes recently released its 2020 State of Malware Report and it states that the number of threats on Mac endpoints surpassed Windows for the first time ever this past year.

On average, Mac threats showed a huge 400% increase, according to the security firm. In fact, Malwarebytes claims that the number of Mac threat detections rose from 4.8 in 2018 to 11 per endpoint in 2019. To put that in perspective, the firm points out that the number of threats per endpoint on Windows was 5.8 in 2019.

The top Mac threats include adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs). In case you are wondering, PUP largely refers to software that shows irrelevant ads, popups, and toolbars. Cleaning apps that promise to make your PC faster but end up consuming resources, which in turn impacts the overall performance are also considered to be PUPs.

“Macs differ drastically from Windows in terms of the types of threats seen. Where we found several different categories and families in our top detections of Windows threats that classify as traditional malware, especially those aimed at businesses, most Mac threats, and certainly the most prevalent ones of 2019, are families of adware and potentially unwanted programs (PUPs),” states the report.

NewTab Adware and PUP PCVARK top the list for Mac. The NewTab adware redirects search queries performed in the browser so that the malicious actors would earn affiliate revenue. It exists in the form of apps and Safari extensions. Take a look at the list of top detections on Mac below:

Top Mac detections malwarebytes
Credits: Malwarebytes

On the Windows side of things, adware, Trojan, RiskwareTool, HackTool, and CrackTool are the top detections in the consumer market while Adware, Trojan, RiskwareTool, Backdoor, and Hijacker top the list in the business market.

Judging by the harm caused by the nature of these threat detections, it appears like Windows still remains to be the most vulnerable, despite the increased number of threats on Mac. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.

How to Install ADB on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS

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How to Install ADB on Windows, macOS, Linux, and Chrome OS

Android Debugging Bridge (ADB), as the name suggests, is a command-line utility that allows developers to debug various parts of their applications. However, it is not restricted to just developers. If you want to access certain features of the Android platform that are not otherwise accessible, you too can use the ADB commands by installing ADB on your computer, be it Windows, macOS, Linux, or Chrome OS. Once you install it, there are numerous cool things that you can do with ADB on your Android device. Plus, there are various apps that require ADB permissions to work. So, if you have been confused about how to install and use ADB on Windows, macOS, Linux or Chrome OS, we have you covered.

Setup Your Android Device for ADB

Even if you install ADB on your computer, it is of no use unless you set up your Android device first to work with ADB. So in case you are not sure how to do that, follow the steps below to find out.

  • Open Settings on your Android device, and go to “About Phone”. Here, tap on “Build number” 7 times consecutively. Keep in mind, as Android devices have different skin, the ‘Build Numer’ page may be kept under some other pages.

Setup Your Android Device for ADB

  • This will enable “Developer options” on your Android device. Head over to “System” and then open Developer Options and enable “USB debugging”. Now, whenever you will connect your Android device to the computer, select the “File transfer (MTP)” mode. You are done on the device front. Now, the next step is to set up ADB on your computer.

Setup Your Android Device for ADB

Install ADB on Windows

Install ADB on Windows

  • Now head over to the extracted folder, and click on the address bar. Now, type “cmd” and hit enter. Instantly, a command prompt window will open up in the ADB directory.

install adb on windows

  • After that, connect your Android device to Windows PC and execute adb devices command.

install adb on windows

  • It will prompt a “USB debugging” prompt on your smartphone. Enable the “Always allow” checkbox and then tap on “Allow”.install adb on windows
  • Now, you should see your device’s serial number in the Command Prompt window. If it does not detect your device then run adb devices again and this time, it will definitely detect your device. Congratulations! ADB is now successfully installed on your Windows PC.

Install ADB on Windows

Install ADB on macOS

Here, we will take a slightly different path to install ADB on macOS. We will have to install Homebrew first on macOS and then we can install the Android platform-tools easily. Homebrew is an open-source package manager that installs the missing packages. So with all that said, here we begin.

  • First of all, open the Terminal on your Mac and execute the below command. It will install Homebrew on your Mac. During the installation, it might ask for your password. The whole installation will take about 10 mins.
ruby -e "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/master/install)"

install adb on macos

  • After that, install the ADB platform-tools from the below command.
brew cask install android-platform-tools

Install ADB on macOS

  • Now connect the Android device to your Mac and execute the adb devices command. You will receive a prompt on your Android device to allow USB debugging. So, just enable the checkbox and tap on “Allow”.

install adb on macos

  • You should now see the serial number of your device on Mac This signifies that ADB is successfully installed on your Mac.

install adb on macos

Install ADB on Linux

  • Download the ADB Platform Tools for Linux from Google’s official page and unzip the file to a suitable location like your home directory.
  • After that, open the Linux terminal and move to the extracted folder location. Execute the below command to move to the particular folder. Make sure to change the username to your actual Linux username.
cd /home/arjun/platform-tools

install adb on linux

  • Connect your Android device and run the adb devices command on the Linux terminal. On your Android device, check the box for “Always allow” and then tap on the “Ok” button.

install adb on linux

  • Finally, your Android device will show up on the Linux Terminal with the serial number. This is how you can install and set up ADB on Linux systems.

Install ADB on Linux

Install ADB on Chrome OS

Before I move forward, let me clarify that your Chromebook should have Play Store support; Chrome OS should be on the Developer Channel and have Linux enabled on your machine. To move to Developer Channel, open Settings -> About Chrome OS -> Additional Details -> Change Channel to Dev. Now having said all of that, let’s learn how to install ADB on Chrome OS.

  • First off, open Settings and navigate to Linux -> Develop Android Apps -> Enable the toggle for ADB Debugging. Now, restart your Chromebook and an ADB prompt will come up after the reboot. Click on “Allow” and move to the next step.
  • Now, open the Linux Terminal from the app drawer and execute the below command to install the ADB platform tools. Further, press “Y” to allow the installation.
sudo apt-get install android-tools-adb

install adb on chrome os

  • After the installation, connect your Android device to Chromebook. You will get a prompt on your Chromebook about a USB device detection. Now, click on “Connect to Linux”.

install adb on chrome os

  • Back to Linux Terminal, execute the adb devices command and a prompt will appear on your Android device. Enable the checkbox for “Always allow” and then tap on the “Ok” button. Congratulations, you have successfully set up ADB on Chrome OS.

install adb on chrome os

  • If the Terminal shows “Permission Denied” or “Command Not Found” error then run the adb start-server command first and then try again with the adb devices command.

How to Use ADB on Windows, macOS, Linux and Chrome OS

After you have successfully installed ADB on your Windows PC, Mac, Linux system or Chromebook, using it is just a matter of executing various ADB commands in the Terminal. Just make sure that you have connected your Android device to your computer while USB debugging is enabled. After this, you can try different commands and experience Android a whole lot differently. To help you get started, given below are a few of the most commonly used ADB commands.

Install ADB on Windows, macOS, Linux and Chrome OS With Ease

ADB is a very useful utility for all Android programmers. Even if you are not one yourself, you now know how to set up ADB on your PC or Mac and use it with your Android device. And if you’re new to this, I’ve already listed some of the common ADB commands above. This allows you to experience Android like never before. Talking about ADB commands, which ones are your favorites? I would love to hear from you in the comments section below.

How to Securely Delete Files on Windows 10

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Alternate File Shredder feat.

In times when you need to delete sensitive information like your IDs, important office or personal documents that are stored in your computer or hard drive, a mere “Shift+Del” won’t help you. It is true that the “Shift+Del” removes the files and folders without putting them in the Recycle Bin, but are you sure that no one can recover them?

When you press “Shift+Del” for a file, the system does not immediately destroy the files. The Windows system, for instance, designates the space for the deleted file as available by changing just one character in the file table. However, if anyone uses a recovery tool before the system overwrites that space with a new file, he/she can recover the deleted files effortlessly.

Well, to completely destroy files and folders in Windows, this open-source tool can be of great help. The Alternate File Shredder is an open source software for windows that can securely “shred” files and folders. This software will delete the data without leaving a trace of it anywhere in the system.

How to Permanently Delete Files

So, all you need to do is download and install Alternate File Shredder (available for free). Now, once you have done that, you will see that the interface of the software is quite simple. It has a simple toolbar at the top of the window with some colourful icons. Now to use the software, follow the steps below:

AFS 1

  • Click on the icons with a “+” to add a file or a folder in the queue. You can also drag and drop files or folders in the UI.
  • You can see the details of the files such as the extension, date of creation and the size of the file at the right-hand side of the window.

AFS 2

  • If you add a file or a folder that you do not want to delete, just select the file by clicking it and then click the blue “-” icon from the toolbar to delete the file from the list.
  • Now, at the bottom, you can set the number of times the shredder should “shred” the data. You can also allow the program to write random data on that space after the deletion. You can choose what the system should do once the shredding process is complete.
  • When you are completely ready and absolutely sure about deleting the selected files, just hit the combination of “CTRL+D” to shred the files in the queue.

After your confirmation for the shredding process, the program will completely destroy the files, leaving no trace behind. A progress bar will show the status of the process. When the process completes, you can see the time it took to permanently shred the files. 

AFS 3

The software works like the physical shredding machines that are present in offices to shred important physical documents. This software works just like that. This means no recovery tool or software can recover the files that are “shredded”. 

This Alternate File Shredder is quite useful for those who use portable drives to store important and sensitive documents. So, in case of securely deleting files from USB drives and hard drives, this software can be genuinely helpful.

Microsoft Teasing a New Start Menu Without Live Tiles

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windows start feat

Recently, Microsoft kind of announced the death of “Live Tiles”, a feature that was introduced in the Windows Phone platform and later brought to the desktop iterations of Windows. Now, the company is reportedly considering new UI designs in Windows without the Live Tiles in mind.

Recently in a Windows Insider Podcast, a new Windows Start menu design was revealed by the company. This new design shows no trace of the Live Tiles in the Start Menu. Instead, the company is emphasizing on more flat icons with a clean look without the coloured blocks. The company is looking to decrease the “chaotic” colours and add more uniformity to the icons. According to Microsoft, less colours in the Start Menu will help users to locate apps more easily. This new design is part of the new “Fluent Design” UI language and Microsoft has explained all about it in their official website.

One of the icon designers, Mike LaJoie said, “The idea is to visually unify the Start menu, from a somewhat chaotic color, to something a bit more uniform,”

Now, the company has already unveiled Windows 10X for the Surface Neo and Surface Duo without the Live Tiles. However, the senior program manager in the Windows Insider Team, Brandon LeBlanc, has reassured that the live tiles are here to stay for those who love them. Although it seems that the company will still let go of the feature at some point in time in the future.

So, what do you think about getting rid of the Live Tiles from Windows? Are you happy? Are you sad? Either way, let us know down in the comments.

This Windows Concept Will Make You Realise How Bad Windows Currently Looks

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Windows concept feat.

Hey Windows users, do you think the Windows 10 design looks good? If yes, I’d recommend you to not watch this Windows concept video. Trust me, it’ll completely ruin your desktop experience by making you realise that the current UI of Windows does not actually look that good.

Created by concept designer June Caspe, the concept video is said to be his “personal project” to showcase a “beautiful, friendly and intuitive user interface for Windows”. And he did uphold these attributes in his concept.

The video starts by showing off the different segments in the taskbar or shall I say taskbars, in this context. The designer, in his concept, has categorised the taskbar by creating small fragmented segments containing the icons and the programs. So, unlike the current taskbar that has a uniform design and is a single bar at the bottom, this design shows that creating different segments for different categories can really give a cleaner look to the OS.

Next, it showcases the redesigned “Start Menu” which also carried the “fragmented section” design. Now, this Start menu contains static flat icons of the programs instead of the dynamic “Live Tiles” of the current menu. Now, the designer did not completely ditch the “Live Tiles” concept. Icon blocks like Spotify and what looks like a block of Tony Stark’s personal messaging program, animated to reveal more information when the user hovered the pointer over these icons.

Now, the concept showed the new “File Explorer” and I was blown away by the minimalism. The window carried a translucent design language and looked C-L-E-A-N with the dark theme on. And when the window maximised, Oh! it was SMOOTH. The animation made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I wish the windows in the current version had animations like this throughout the OS.

Going forward in the video, it went on to show the different segments of the taskbar with an in-depth view and the new “Action Center” is also shown in detail. Well, this also had the same “fragmented section” look with the bottom section containing two control bars to manipulate the sound and the brightness and three quick settings icons that include Night Light, Bluetooth and Location. There is also an “Expand” button to expand the bottom section. The upper section contained all the notifications categorised by apps and at the top, there are three buttons to show all notifications, clear notifications and manage the notification settings.

This is one of the best Windows concepts that I have seen in a while and I think the concept creator did an impressive job.


Apple Brings Support for ProRes RAW to Windows

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Unless you’re a video editor, or someone who works with video editors quite often, you probably don’t know what ProRes RAW is. Simply put, ProRes RAW is a codec created by Apple to encode RAW video files more efficiently while still maintaining the high-level of flexibility you would expect from RAW footage.

Up until now, ProRes RAW support was only available in macOS with Final Cut Pro, but now, Apple has finally decided to bring support for the codec to Windows as well.

The Cupertino giant has released the ProRes RAW software for 64-bit Windows computers as a beta, and currently it works with some beta Adobe applications including After Effects, Premiere Pro, Adobe Media Encoder, and Adobe Premiere Rush.

If you’re a Windows user and a video editor (or enthusiast) who uses any of these Adobe beta applications mentioned above, you can check out the new ProRes RAW and ProRes RAW HQ support in Windows by simply downloading the ProRes RAW software released by Apple. According to a support page from the company, “When you store a clip in the ProRes RAW format rather than in a proprietary camera raw format, you get more control over the processing of the image, including demosaicing, linear-to-log conversions, and custom LUTs.” Clearly, ProRes RAW can offer considerable benefits to video editors who want a high-level of control over their footage.

Download the ProRes RAW software (Apple)

10 Best Free Backup Software for Windows

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How to Uninstall Windows 10 S from your PC

Most people who’ve used computers for any length of time know only too well that hard drive failures are a routine affair, and unfortunately, they often come without any prior warnings. We have all fallen victims to temperamental hard drives at some stage of our lives, and it always seems to come at the most ill-opportune moment. If you’ve already suffered because of a failed hard drive (or two), you know the importance of protecting yourself from such eventuality by backing up your important data, so I don’t really need to preach to the choir.

If, however, you’re still not backing up all the important documents, media and other files from your computer, this is as good a time as any to start looking for a good, free backup software, so that you’re well-prepared when your hard disk or SSD decides to finally give up on you. Backing up the data also comes as a lifesaver in case you fall victim to ransomware, and with news about WannaCry, Petya 2.0 (NotPetya) and NemucodAES in the air, what better way to protect yourself against cyber-criminals than to keep your data all backed up, so that even if things do go horribly wrong, your data will still be safe and secured. With all that in mind, we’ve prepared a list of the 10 best free backup software for Windows.

Note: I tried out these free backup software on Windows 10, but almost all of them should work on older Windows computers. Also, all the following software are free backup solutions and their free versions should be good enough for most people but we have also talked about their premium features.

Best Free Backup Software for Windows in 2020

1. Macrium Reflect

Macrium Reflect is arguably one of the best backup software for Windows right now. It has an endless list of features to the point that you might feel overwhelmed. Yes, the software is a bit complex to use and designed primarily for professionals, but general users can also utilize this tool for creating a complete backup of their Windows PC. With Macrium Reflect, you can create a full backup image, clone a disk, set scheduled backup and do a lot more. Macrium Reflect has both free and paid versions, but the free tool comes with all the essential features including Differential backup, unlike many programs that don’t offer scheduled backups in the free version.

1. Macrium Reflect

In case you are unaware, there are three types of backup methods generally found on most backup tools: Full, Differential, and Incremental backup. Full backup means it will simply copy everything on your PC including the OS. It’s a time-consuming process and takes up huge disk space. You can use this backup method if you are moving to a new PC. However, if you intend to create a scheduled backup system for your PC to an external hard drive then go with Differential or Incremental backup. On Differential backup, a Full image backup takes place and then it stores all the changes since the first Full image backup. This process takes less time to back up your data and is also easy to restore, however, after a week or two, you should create a full image backup to keep the size of differential backup small.

Coming to Incremental backup, it also creates a Full backup first, but only stores the changes that have occurred since the last incremental backup. As a result, the incremental backup remains very small and the backup process takes almost no time. Further, you will not have to do a Full backup periodically which saves even more time. However, while restoring, this process takes too much time since you will have to restore incremental backups of each cycle. So to put it straight, Macrium Reflect has all three options, but with the free version, you will get Full and Differential backup features so that is pretty good. To learn more about the setup process, go through our detailed article on how to create a backup on Windows using Macrium Reflect.

Download (Free, Premium versions start at $69.95)

2. EaseUS Todo Backup

EaseUS Todo Backup is one the most feature-rich and easy to use backup utilities on Windows, and once you’ve used it for a while, it’s not difficult to see why. Similar to Macrium Reflect, EaseUS Todo Backup comes in three different flavors (full, differential and incremental) and the imaging actually comes with an option to create a Linux-based boot disc that should come in really handy should the worst comes to pass. While the software allows users to schedule and perform custom backups anytime, by default, it performs a full backup each week, and differential backups every half an hour in case it detects any change in the system. For added security, the software allows you to encrypt the full system images that can be compressed at a fairly high level so as to occupy less space on the disk.

2. EASUS Todo Backup

EaseUS Todo Backup allows users to even backup Android devices. You can also split large disk images into smaller segments, and set passwords to protect your data from being spied on by any unauthorized person. Another cool feature is the Image Reserve option that allows users to delete or merge old system images to help save drive space. However, the single best feature of EaseUS Todo Backup is the ability to clone the system disk to migrate your Windows installation to another HDD or SSD. That’s a feature which is fairly common for most backup utilities, but only in their premium, paid versions. However, unlike most of them, EaseUS offers this essential feature in its free version, which makes it my personal favorite free backup software on Windows.

Download (Free, Premium versions start at $29.95)

3. Acronis True Image

Acronis True Image is another advanced backup tool for Windows which offers secure backup through AI and many other smart features. Unlike other backup software, Acronis True Image brings both local and cloud storage using its personal backup solution. As for backup methods, you can mirror system images, clone disks to removable storage, create recovery drives and more. Acronis also offers all three backup systems i.e. Full, Differential, and Incremental so you are sorted on this front. However, keep in mind, Acronis True Image does not have a free version, but offers a free trial for 30 days. So, if you want to clone or mirror a full system image then you can comfortably take advantage of Acronis True Image within the trial period.

3. Acronis True Image

Apart from that, the best part about Acronis True Image is that it offers complete cyber protection against malware, ransomware, and crypto-jacking. The company claims that it uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) to safeguard your data, apps, and systems. Since the software also offers cloud storage, you can access your files from anywhere. It also allows you to remotely manage your backup through any device. Overall, I would say if you are looking for a complete backup solution for Windows then Acronis True Image is an excellent choice. The only downside is that it does not offer a free version and you won’t be able to schedule backups for more than a month. But other than that, Acronis True Images stands head and shoulder above the competition.

Download (Free Trial for 30 days [No card required], Premium version starts at $34.99)

4. AOMEI Backupper Standard

AOMEI Backupper Standard is yet another great backup software for Windows that comes with all the features you’d expect in a free backup program. You can copy files, folders and entire partitions either manually or at scheduled intervals. Like other backup tools in the list, AOMEI also offers you the option to perform incremental and differential backups, which means once you’re done with the full backup the first time, the amount of time taken to do your subsequent backups reduce significantly. The software also offers password protection and full encryption, and has is the ability to mount a backed-up image as a virtual local drive, which allows users to explore the image just like a standard Windows installation.

4. AOMEI Backupper Standard

You can also create full system images with AOMEI Backupper Standard, but you can’t clone the system partition for migration to other drives. As is the case with most backup software, those features are available only in the Professional and higher versions that cost $49.95 and above.

Download (Free, Premium versions start at $49.95)

5. Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Free

Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Free is a fairly long name for what was originally released a couple of years ago as Veeam Endpoint Backup Free. Unlike most of the other utilities on this list that are meant for the home user, Veeam is mostly known for its enterprise solutions. However, the company offers a free version of Veeam Agent for home users and it’s one of the most uncomplicated backup software out there. Within seconds, you can create a task for System and Drive back up and it will start doing its job.

5. Veeam Agent for Microsoft Windows Free

Apart from that, you can use Veeam Agent for Windows servers, workstations and devices running in the public cloud. It fully supports Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 but doesn’t officially support anything older than Windows 7 (SP1) or Windows Server 2008 (SP1). It is one of the most well-known solutions in the market today if you’re looking for a free backup of your servers running on for VMware and Hyper-V. However, it offers much more functionality than that. It can create a full backup of VMs and restore everything including files, folders, and settings. It also allows users to migrate between the hosts even if you do not officially use vMotion or Storage vMotion. Simply put, if you want a simple backup software for Windows 10 that is free and works reliably well then Veeam Agent is an apt choice.

Download (Free, Premium version pricing available on request)

6. Genie Timeline

Genie Timeline easily has one of the most user-friendly interfaces among all the programs listed here on the list. It can back up files and folders to a network drive from your local computer, but you can also choose to backup to a local disk if you want. Like AOMEI, it allows you to exclude file types that you don’t want to backup, and you can also manually edit out individual files and folders from your backup list. The one interesting aspect that makes the program stand out from its competitors is an iOS app that allows you to monitor a backup-in-progress from your iPhone or iPad.

6. Genie Timeline

However, even though the free version of Genie Timeline comes with some novel features, it misses out on some standard features that you’d expect from a free backup program. You can’t schedule backups according to your preference, which is an absolutely essential feature that most other free utilities have, but this one doesn’t. You also don’t get encryption in the free version of Genie Timeline. If you need any of these features, you’ll need to pay for either the Home version that starts at $39.95 or the Pro version that starts at $59.95.

Download (Free Trial for 30 days [No card required], Premium version starts at $39.95)

7. O&O DiskImage

O&O is known for making some of the best Windows tools which are easy to use and their latest product DiskImage is no different. If you want a consumer-friendly backup software that does not frighten you with endless options then go with O&O DiskImage. It allows you to create backups of all the drives in one click and you can also select certain folders and files. It also has an option to clone the system image which is great. Basically, you can move from one PC to another without having to change Registry, your Windows preferences, Services and more. Having said that, keep in mind, O&O DiskImage does not have a free version instead, it offers you a 30-day free trial period. So similar to Acronis True Image, you can use it for cloning disks, creating mirror images, imaging disk partition and more within the trial period.

7. O&O DiskImage

Other than that, O&O DiskImage offers an option to encrypt your backups to protect your data from unauthorized access. Furthermore, you can create Differential or Incremental backup if you choose to get the premium plan. Having said all of that, you can also create Windows-PE based recovery media which helps you boot your Windows backup as a bootable drive. All in all, O&O DiskImage is a powerful backup software for Windows and you should definitely give it a try.

Download (Free Trial for 30 days [No card required], Premium version starts at $49.95)

8. Paragon Backup and Recovery Community Edition

Paragon Backup and Recovery comes with much the same set of features as the ones above it on the list, but it does have a cool little trick up its sleeve unlike some of its competitors. The program allows users to save the backed-up images in a number of different file formats, including Microsoft PC Image file (VHD), VMWare Image file (VMDK) and of course, its own, proprietary PVHD image file. Like most other options on this list, you can compress the images and also split them up into smaller pieces to save disk space, and even exclude certain file types from your backup. Paragon doesn’t really lack in terms of features but comes with a fairly large installer that weighs in around 180MB, so do keep that in mind if you want to give this one a go.

8. Paragon Backup and Recovery Community Edition

Download (Free, Premium version starts at $79.95)

9. Clonezilla

If you want a free backup software for Windows to clone system images and disks then I would highly recommend the open-source tool, Clonezilla. It does not offer you the best UI experience, but it’s very reliable and you can clone hard disks of multiple file systems without even booting to the system. Yes, you need to create a bootable thumb drive to use Clonezilla, but it is extremely fast when it comes to cloning files, folders and system images from multiple hard drives. As for the Windows partition system, it supports both GPT and MBR so that is great. Clonezilla claims that it can simultaneously fetch data from more than 40 hard drive sources without any reduction in speed. To sum it up, if you are shifting to a new Windows computer or moving your files to a new HDD or SSD then use Clonezilla to your advantage. However, keep in mind, you can’t schedule backups with Clonezilla.

9. Clonezilla

Download (Free)

10. Native Windows Backup

If you are looking for a free backup software for Windows then why not use the native backup tool that ships with both Windows 10 and 7? The backup feature on Windows 10 is excellent as I have personally used it in the past. You can back up all your files, folders and drive to an external drive. And it’s not that Windows Backup does not come with essential features. You can customize when and how frequently you want to update the backup and what to do with the backups after a certain period of time. So if you want to use the native tool on Windows 10, open Windows Settings -> Update and Security and move to the Backup tab.

10. Native Windows Backup

Apart from that, you can also use the Backup and Restore utility that ships with both Windows 10 and 7. It’s the older way to backup your computer, but it offers full system mirroring which means, it will copy all your files, folders, drive and the operating system. So, if you are moving to a new PC, this handy tool can help you with the transition. You can find Backup and Restore in Control Panel under the System and Security menu.

Choose from these Free Backup Software for Windows

Unless you literally have nothing of note on your PC, backing up your computer is an essential part of your digital life, but many of us keep ignoring that until it’s too late. Personally, I used to use Acronis True Image many moons ago, and it helped me migrate my Windows 7 Pro installation from my 320GB 7200RPM HDD to an MLC Nand-based 250GB SSD. However, Acronis unfortunately doesn’t offer a free version of its backup and recovery software, so we couldn’t really put it on our list, seeing as this is strictly a compilation of the best free utilities.

That being the case, I’ll pick EASUS Todo Backup over all the others without so much as batting an eyelid, if only because it is the only free utility that will help you migrate your OS to another hard drive or SSD. So, do you use any of the free backup software mentioned above, or do you use something else that you think should have received a mention here? Do leave your comments or suggestions below, as we love hearing from you.

Chromebook vs Laptop: Which One to Buy

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Chromebook vs Laptop: Which One to Buy

Chromebook has emerged from its niche category and it’s no longer just for kids and students. OEMs are now making Chromebooks with powerful internals that would easily rival against the best laptops based on Windows and macOS. Further, Google recently announced Linux support and brought many UI improvements to make Chrome OS a desktop-class operating system. Keeping all the points in mind, it seems Chromebook is finally ready to face the competition. So in this article, we bring you a detailed analysis on the clash between Chromebook vs laptop. From performance to battery life and user interface, we have compared both Chromebook and laptop in a comprehensive manner. So without losing a moment, let’s find out who wins the battle of Chromebook vs laptop in 2020.

Chromebook vs Laptop: The Showdown

Since Chromebook is the unknown quantity in this comparison for most users, we have tried to explain its features in more detail. Also, we are using Windows as our main comparison tool, but most of these points remain valid even for other desktop operating systems. With that out of the way, let’s begin our showdown, shall we?

The Operating System

The prime difference between Chromebook and laptop lies in their operating system. To put it straight, Chromebook runs Chrome OS — a lightweight, Linux-based operating system developed by Google. And laptops mostly run Windows and macOS which are developed by Microsoft and Apple respectively. So how does Chrome OS fare against Windows and macOS in this battle of Chromebook vs laptop?

As I said, Chrome OS is a lightweight operating system and it’s very modular. In terms of storage size, it only takes up 4GB of space and the installation image is just 1GB. In contrast, Windows and macOS take up more than 15GB of disk space and the installation images are way above 4GB. Not to mention, Windows has more than 50 million lines of code whereas Chrome OS consists of less than 7 million lines of code.

the operating system

All these numbers indicate that Chrome OS has a very small footprint on the hardware resources and that reflects in its performance (more on this later). For now, we can infer that Chromebooks have very little resource overhead in comparison to laptops, mostly because of its lightweight operating system. However, there is a reason as to why Windows is so heavy and resource-intensive. If you want to play graphics-heavy games, do 3D modeling or create large document projects then Windows stands as a reliable platform. I have discussed the capabilities of both the operating systems in detail ahead so read on and you will get a better idea about both the ecosystems.

Chromebook vs Laptop: Hardware Need

Since Chromebook does not run on a demanding operating system, it does not need top-of-the-line hardware. You can actually run Chrome OS on any low-powered chipset without worrying about the performance. For example, you can comfortably use Chrome OS on Celeron or Pentium processors which, by the way, are not counted among the best chipsets, and can get fairly decent performance. Apart from that, Chrome OS is compatible with both Intel and ARM processors out-of-the-box. So in that way, Chromebooks are less resource-intensive and is also future-proof.

Chromebook vs Laptop: Hardware Need

Coming to laptops that run Windows and macOS, you need a capable processor to get the operating system running. As the OS is demanding, you need at least an Intel i3 to get a decent performance out of the laptop. This translates to more cost, but you can perform a multitude of tasks that Chrome OS inherently lacks (like video editing and gaming). Also, with a powerful processor in tow, you can run many desktop-class applications on Windows laptops without any worry. So to put it straight, for general tasks like browsing the web and watching videos, you don’t need a powerful processor, hence a Chromebook would suffice. However, on laptops, you will need a capable chipset to get started, but on the positive side, you will also have more horsepower by your side for resource-heavy applications.

Performance

After understanding the difference between Chromebook and laptop in terms of the OS and hardware, we can now move to the performance front and find out who wins the battle between Chromebook vs laptop. Let me put it straight, Chromebooks perform far better than traditional laptops as far as general tasks are concerned. To give you a personal example, I use an i5-powered Chromebook and a similar-specced i5-powered Windows laptop and the performance difference is significant. After turning on the Chromebook, I am able to sign in within seconds whereas the Windows laptop takes considerable time to boot. Further, after sign-in, Chromebook is ready to perform whereas the Windows laptop takes some more time to start its services.

performance chromebook vs laptop

The difference in performance is understandable because Windows has been in existence for years and has added libraries for games, developer tools, recovery tools,  drivers, network utilities, support for third-party applications and innumerable other things. On the other hand, Chromebook does not have the burden of supporting so many things because it does not have support for native apps, games, special software or countless third-party utilities. We can say that Windows laptops are although slow, but complete machines and can be used by both professionals and general consumers. In contrast, Chromebooks have limited features for professionals, but a great machine for general users. When it comes to tasks like web browsing, photo editing, playing music, writing documents, drawing — which most of us do — then Chromebook outsmarts laptop by a huge margin.

laptop vs chromebook

User Interface and User Experience

Chromebook was first conceptualized in 2009 so the underlying operating system is quite modern in comparison to Windows laptops. You have a centered taskbar, an app launcher similar to what we have on smartphones, a quick setting panel and more. Basically, Chrome OS seems inspired by the smartphone interface, particularly by the Android design language. There is also a tablet mode, support for touchpad gestures, and a number of keyboard shortcuts to make UI navigation a breeze for you. Due to the mobile-driven UI, the operating system feels very snappy and responsive to use.

user interface

Apart from that, the positive result of following the smartphone design language is that you get a granular permission system similar to Android. It basically means that unlike Windows, apps & websites on Chromebook need your explicit permission to access local files, microphone, webcam, notifications, etc. However, the negative outcome of this approach is that some UI elements like menus, buttons, and controls have smaller target areas — as if they are designed to tap and not to click — which gives a feeling of an immature desktop OS. Similarly, the file manager is not as feature-packed as Windows laptops and many would be disappointed to find that you can’t operate anything on the desktop.

User Interface and User Experience

Having said that, the reason Chromebooks feel so responsive and snappy maybe because of this minimal approach. Sure, Windows laptops have tons of file explorer and UI customization features, but that is exactly why it feels sluggish — features packed to the brim, but of little use. So to conclude, in comparison to laptops, Chromebook falls short on some UI and file management features. However, the user experience remains solid because of the mobile-driven UI, gestures, tablet mode, notification, and permission controls.

Chromebook vs Laptop: App Support

If you are confused, whether to choose Chromebook or laptop then this section would help you pick one. Chromebooks primarily support web and Android apps. By web apps I mean, websites that work and behave more like an app with offline support. They are also called PWA (Progressive Web Apps). For example, Twitter, Pixlr, Spotify, Zoom, etc. — all offer web apps and they work absolutely great, often better than native apps found on Windows laptops. In fact, companies are increasingly moving towards web apps including Windows which has started hosting web apps on Microsoft Store.

Chromebook vs Laptop: App Support

In addition to that, you also have access to Android apps on Chromebook. And the best part is that Android apps are optimized to work in full-screen mode with mouse and keyboard support. You have access to many quality Android apps like Microsoft Word and drawing apps straight from the Play Store. However, keep in mind, some Android apps don’t offer the full set of desktop features on Chromebook (like Microsoft Word) as you would get on a Windows laptop. Apart from that, Google recently introduced Linux apps on Chromebooks. So in a nutshell, you can run apps from three ecosystems: Web, Android, and Linux. I use web apps for most of my work, but there is GIMP (Linux app) for photo editing and ProtonVPN (Android app) for VPN. And when I want to run a Windows program on Chromebook, I use the Linux app called Wine which works pretty well.

Chromebook vs Laptop: App Support

Coming to Windows laptops, there is not much to write home about app support. Since the platform has been in existence for the last four decades, laptops enjoy incredible support from developers all around the world. From basic photo-editing app to professional-grade software, laptops have wide support and you can get dedicated native apps and utilities for almost everything. Simply put, in terms of the diverse range of app support, laptops are far ahead than Chromebooks. Another big win for laptops is the app features. While the same apps may exist on both platforms, the apps on Windows device offer more features. Take Microsoft Word as an example. Since you can only use a mobile app or web app version of Word on Chromebooks, you are using a watered-down version of the app.

Having said that, Chromebooks have also improved a lot and there is everything available for a general user. Not to mention, with the Linux support in tow, Chromebooks have become a solid machine for developers too.

Gaming

In the gaming war between Chromebook vs laptop, there is simply no competition. Chromebooks are not the best machines and you should look at laptops for playing games, preferably a Windows laptop. There are some good Android games available on Chromebook and they run quite well, but again, you won’t find AAA titles and other popular games. Apart from that, with Linux support, you can install Steam on your Chromebook and play FPS games like CS: GO, but you will need higher storage and powerful processor. I did try installing a few games from Steam, but let’s say, it was not the best experience. The only silver-lining on Chromebook is cloud gaming service like Google Stadia, but so far, it hasn’t shown the promise that we expected. All in all, if you want the best gaming experience then opt for a Windows laptop over Chromebook.

gaming

Offline Support

Contrary to popular misconception, you can use Chromebooks even when you are offline. You can log in to your Chromebook, play downloaded songs and movies, use offline apps, continue writing documents and more. For instance, to use Pixlr (a photo editing website) while being offline, all you have to do is create a PWA of the website. Click on the “Install” button at the address bar and an app will be created. Now, you can use it even when you are offline. In case, a website does not have offline support, you can download its Android counterpart. For example, Office 365 does not have a PWA so you can download Microsoft Word or Excel from the Play Store which comes with offline support. Similarly, you can download Netflix shows and movies for offline viewing from its Android app on Chromebook. So similar to laptops, Chromebooks also work while being completely offline and there is nothing to worry about.

offline support

Voice Assistant

Many companies tried their hands on voice assistants, but Google Assistant still remains the reigning champion. And the best part is that Chromebooks now ship with Google Assistant support having a dedicated Assistant button on the keyboard. With Google Assistant on Chromebooks, you can ask questions, create a timer, play songs, set a reminder and everything will be synced to your Android smartphone. Similarly, all calendar notifications from your smartphone will be notified on your Chromebook. How awesome is that? In contrast, Cortana on Windows laptop is not as advanced and most of the time, it fails to recognize your voice instructions. I would say, in the Chromebook vs laptop battle, this time Chromebook records a thumping win.

voice assistant

Security

In terms of security, Chromebooks are considered one of the most secure devices and it’s party because of its update system. Google tightly controls the update mechanism on Chromebooks, unlike Windows laptops where the update system is plain horrible. Since Chromebooks are made for general users, Google has devised a seamless way to update the operating system. It works in such a way that users won’t even realize that their machine got updated. With something called a Seamless Update Mechanism, the update gets downloaded in the background and installed in a secondary partition. Now when you restart your Chromebook, the boot slot is switched and you get updated within seconds. So if you want a secure and no-frills machine, especially for general users that updates in a jiffy then I would recommend Chromebook over laptops any day.

update and security

Battery Life

As I said above, Chromebook is powered by a lightweight OS so there is no overhead, hence no strain put on the crucial resources. As a result, it translates to stellar battery life on Chromebook. I use Chromebook and Windows laptop side by side, and the former lasts me more than 10 hours of continuous usage on a single charge whereas the latter fizzles out in just 4 hours. I can say one thing for sure. If battery life is essential to you then pick a Chromebook over a laptop blindfolded. In terms of battery life, it’s even better than laptops running macOS as well.

battery life

Pricing

The final point that we need to discuss is the pricing. Since Chromebooks can run on older hardware, you can find quite capable Chromebooks starting at around $300. You can go even cheaper if you want to, but it’s at the $300 mark that you get the good stuff. On the other hand, buying a good Windows machine will cost you upwards of $500. The entry point for a macOS notebook is $999, so there’s no point in discussing it in the mix. The bottom line is that if you have budget constraints, you will be better off by buying a capable Chromebook than a trash-laptop for the same price.

The Verdict: Chromebook vs Laptop

To find out, whether Chromebook or laptop is suitable for you then you should begin with the objective first. What do you want to do on a computer? If you want to browse the web, write articles, create presentations, watch videos, edit photos, draw a sketch then Chromebook is a perfect pick and way better than traditional laptops. Performance, battery life, and security are top-notch on Chromebooks.

However, if you want a complete solution where you can do everything including gaming, video editing,  and can access professional software from the likes of Adobe and Autodesk, then laptops would be a suitable pick for you. But bear in mind, you would get everything on a laptop, but at the expense of excellent performance, stellar battery life and fast update.

Anyway, that is all from us. If you found the article helpful or have any questions for us then do comment down below and let us know. And if you have made up your mind to go ahead with a Chromebook then head over to our list of best Chromebooks to buy.

You Can Build Windows 98-Inspired UIs with the 98.css Library

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98.css feat.

Microsoft launched Windows 98 back on June 15, 1998, and released it to the public 10 days later, on June 25. Since that time, we have a long way. Now, we have Windows 10, which is modern and much more cool looking. However, I still remember those grey, flat UI elements, the blocky-looking dialog boxes and the “Start” button with a pixelated Microsoft logo. Ah! Those were the days. If you still miss that retro design of one of the early versions of Windows, then check out the 98.css, which lets you build Windows 98-inspired UIs for any of your projects.

The 98.css is essentially a CSS library that contains the codes to build Windows 98 looking UI designs. Developers can access the library to add the Windows 98 interface designs to their own projects.

The library already contains some pre-sets for the Windows 98 a title bar, a drop-down menu, a textbox or a groupbox and even a window.

98.css UIs

Now, if you want to customise any of these interfaces, you can easily do it as the library does not contain any Javascript. It is just a CSS style on top of your HTML. So, this means that you can use the library with any of your preferred frontend frameworks.

Another perk of this library is that this project is licensed by MIT. So, this means that you can modify the interfaces as freely as you want to.

You can check out the 98.css on GitHub and if you have an upcoming project, maybe this you’d want to throw some old-school designs in there. Always remember, no matter how much we advance, “old” is just a “g” away from being “gold”!

How to Change the System Font in Windows 10

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Windows 10 font change feat.

Prior to the Windows 10 days, users could change the default font of the system pretty easily. For instance, in Windows 7, there is an option to change the font family in the “personalization” settings of the device. Since Windows 10 came to the scenario, Microsoft removed the option to change the system font with the above method. However, if you still want to change your boring default font to one of your choices, then follow this guide.

Now, unlike the method in Windows 7 or older versions, which was pretty easy, the method in Windows 10 involves tinkering with the Registry of the system. So, before you go ahead with this method, let me warn you that editing the Registry keys might damage your system in an irreversible way. So, to avoid that problem, I recommend you to back up your data or make a system restore point before you move ahead.

Steps to Change System Font in Windows 10

Now, that we are in the clear, follow me along with this guide.

1) First, go to “Settings” and open up “Personalization

2) On the left menu bar, click on “Fonts“. This will give you a list of fonts installed your PC or laptop.

3) Click on your preferred font family to open it up.

4) Now, open “Start” and launch the “Notepad” application.

5) Copy the below registry code and paste it on your text field.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
"Segoe UI (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"=""
"Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"=""

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]

"Segoe UI"="ENTER-NEW-FONT-NAME"

6) Now, in the place of “ENTER-NEW-FONT-NAME“, enter the exact name of the font that you opened in step 3 inside the quotes.

Font change 3

7) After the required change, click on “File” and choose “Save As“.

8) In the dialog box which appears, change the file type as “All Files” from the drop-down menu.

Font change 1

9) Give any name to your file with the “.reg” extension. For example, “change-windows10-font.reg”.

10) Click “Save

11) After it gets saved, right-click on the file and select the “Merge” option from the top.

12) Click “Yes” in the following dialog box.

13) Click “Yes” again.Font change 2

14) Restart your device for the change to take effect.

Now, after the restart of your device, the font of your system will change to your selected style. However, if at any point, you want to go back to your default font style – “Segoe UI”, just copy and paste the registry code below and repeat from step 7 to step 14.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Fonts]
"Segoe UI (TrueType)"="segoeui.ttf"
"Segoe UI Black (TrueType)"="seguibl.ttf"
"Segoe UI Black Italic (TrueType)"="seguibli.ttf"
"Segoe UI Bold (TrueType)"="segoeuib.ttf"
"Segoe UI Bold Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuiz.ttf"
"Segoe UI Emoji (TrueType)"="seguiemj.ttf"
"Segoe UI Historic (TrueType)"="seguihis.ttf"
"Segoe UI Italic (TrueType)"="segoeuii.ttf"
"Segoe UI Light (TrueType)"="segoeuil.ttf"
"Segoe UI Light Italic (TrueType)"="seguili.ttf"
"Segoe UI Semibold (TrueType)"="seguisb.ttf"
"Segoe UI Semibold Italic (TrueType)"="seguisbi.ttf"
"Segoe UI Semilight (TrueType)"="segoeuisl.ttf"
"Segoe UI Semilight Italic (TrueType)"="seguisli.ttf"
"Segoe UI Symbol (TrueType)"="seguisym.ttf"
"Segoe MDL2 Assets (TrueType)"="segmdl2.ttf"
"Segoe Print (TrueType)"="segoepr.ttf"
"Segoe Print Bold (TrueType)"="segoeprb.ttf"
"Segoe Script (TrueType)"="segoesc.ttf"
"Segoe Script Bold (TrueType)"="segoescb.ttf"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\FontSubstitutes]

"Segoe UI"=-

Now, I just want to give you a friendly suggestion. Do not choose a complicated font style for your system font as it might not give you the best results. Choose a simple font family.

I know that this is quite a task for a layman and the previous method to change the font was so much easier. However, I hope this guide helps you to personalise your device with your favourite font.

How to Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

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Install Chrome OS on PC

Chrome OS is surely not as feature-packed as Windows 10, but one can’t deny that it breathes a new life into old machines. In fact, I would go as far as to say that, if you are a general user then you should use Chrome OS over Windows 10 for its amazing performance and battery life. And with the Play Store support, you can now actually run Android apps on your PC. How cool is that? So in this article, we bring you a detailed guide on how to install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store support. The best part is that you will continue to receive updates directly from Google. In addition, you can also access Linux GUI apps on your PC so that is an added advantage. With all that said, let’s now go ahead and learn how to install Chrome OS on PC with Google Play Store support.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support in 2020

Before we start our tutorial, let’s get the requirements and downloads out of the way. Once you meet all the requirements and download the relevant files, the setup will go smoothly.

Requirements

  • UEFI boot support in the BIOS
  • Intel-based CPU and GPU (AMD CPUs are untested, hence have a low chance of working– more information below)
  • A USB flash drive with at least 16GB of storage space

Downloads

1. First off, download the Linux Mint Cinnamon image. Depending on your PC architecture, you can choose either 64-bit or 32-bit build.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

2. Next, download Rufus so that we can flash Linux Mint Cinnamon on the USB drive.

rufus

3. After that, download the official Chrome OS recovery image from here. Open the website and search for “rammus”. Now, click on the latest recovery image (right now it’s 80, but it may change in the future). Rammus is the recommended image for devices with 4th-gen Intel CPU and newer. However, if you have a 3rd-gen Intel CPU or older then download the latest image for “samus”. And if you have an AMD CPU then you can give a try by downloading the latest image for “grunt”.

rammus chrome os recovery image

4. Now, download the most important file: Brunch. It’s a framework built by a developer named sebanc so huge thanks to him for making this project possible. The framework creates a generic Chrome OS image from the official recovery image so it can be installed on any Windows PC. To download the file, look for the latest stable build and then click on “Assets”. Now, download the “tar.gz” file.

brunch

5. Finally, download the “install.sh” script which magically installs Chrome OS without manually typing the commands. The script has been written by Kedar Nimbalkar. To download it, press Ctrl + S and save the file.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

Now that we are done with downloads, let’s get into the steps, shall we?

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

Before moving to installation steps, I want to give a quick rundown as to how we will install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store support. First off, we will boot Linux Mint on our Windows computer, and from there, we can install Chrome OS on our PC. Keep in mind, this process will completely wipe your hard drive including personal files and folders. So create backup before you proceed. With that out of the way, let’s move to the steps.

  • Flash and Manage Files

1. Connect your USB flash drive and open Rufus. Next, click on the “Select” button and choose the Linux Mint Cinnamon image. Now, just click on “Start”. You will get a few prompts so click on “Yes” and “OK” to continue the flashing process.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

2. After Rufus is done with flashing, close it. Now, create a folder named “Chrome OS” on your desktop. Move the “install.sh” file to the “Chrome OS” folder.

Flash and Move the Files

3. Next, right-click on the Brunch file and choose “Extract to Brunch…”. All the files will be extracted in a folder on the desktop.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

4. Now, move all the extracted Brunch files to the same “Chrome OS” folder on the desktop.

Flash and Move the Files

5. Similarly, extract the official Chrome OS recovery image and you will get a folder on the desktop. Open it and rename the file to rammus_recovery.bin. If you have downloaded another image then rename it accordingly.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

6. Finally, move the “rammus_recovery.bin” file to the “Chrome OS” folder. By the end, you should have these 6 files inside the “Chrome OS” folder.

Flash and Move the Files

7. Now, move the “Chrome OS” folder to the USB drive on which you just flashed Linux Mint Cinnamon.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

  • Boot into Linux Mint Cinnamon

1. Plug the USB flash drive to the PC on which you want to install Chrome OS. If you are installing Chrome OS on the same PC then keep it plugged in.

2. Next, restart your PC and press the boot key continuously to boot into the BIOS. If you don’t know the boot key of your PC then you can find it from the below table.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

3. Once you have entered the BIOS, move to the “Boot” tab, and select “UEFI” from the Boot List Option.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

4. After that, move to the “Security” tab and disable “Secure Boot”. Keep in mind, every BIOS has its own interface so the menu placement might differ from one PC to another. Nevertheless, look for “UEFI” and “Secure Boot” under Security, Boot, or System Configuration tabs and makes the changes accordingly.

5. Finally, move to the “Exit” tab and choose “Exit Save Changes“. Immediately, after that, start pressing the boot key again. You will be asked to choose your boot device. Select the “USB drive” and hit enter.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

6. You will boot straight into Linux Mint Cinnamon. If you are prompted with a splash screen, choose the default option: “Start Linux Mint“.

Install Chrome OS on PC

  • Install Chrome OS on PC

1. Now that you have booted into Linux Mint, click on the network icon at the bottom-right corner and connect to WiFi or Ethernet. The Chrome OS installer will need an active internet connection to download some libraries and dependencies.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

2. After that, open the “Home” folder on the desktop and move to the “File System” tab.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

3. Here, click on the search button and type “Chrome OS” to find the folder that we moved earlier.

Install Chrome OS

4. Now, open it and right-click anywhere on the folder to open the Terminal. Here, type sudo sh install.sh and hit enter. It will start downloading some libraries and dependencies.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

5. After a while, it will ask if you want to continue with the installation. Keep in mind, this will completely wipe your whole hard drive. To proceed with the installation, type yes and hit enter. It will now start installing Chrome OS on your PC.

install chrome os on pc

6. After the installation is done, open on the start menu of Linux Mint located at the bottom-left corner and click on the “Turn off” button. Here, choose “Shut Down” to turn off your PC.

Install Chrome OS

7. Now, remove the USB flash drive and then turn on your Windows PC. This time, your PC will boot straight into full-fledged Chrome OS.

Note: Before logging your Google account, keep in mind, you are officially not allowed to run Chrome OS with Play Store support on non-certified machines. In some ways or the other, you might be violating Google’s terms and conditions. So, I would recommend you to sign in with a secondary Google account so that your primary account remains safe.

Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

8. Now, you can run Android apps straight from the Play Store on your PC, how awesome is that? Not to mention, the Android framework is based on Android 9 so you are quite updated too. Furthermore, you will continue to receive updates directly from Google.

Install Chrome OS

9. Apart from that, you can also set up Linux on your Windows-turned-Chrome OS machine. You can find the best Linux apps for Chrome OS from the linked article.

linux apps Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

Install Chrome OS on PC and Enjoy Android and Linux Apps

So that is how you can install Chrome OS on PC and get all the perks including Google Play Store and Linux support. I tested Chrome OS on my decently-specced Windows laptop (Intel i5) and it was simply flying without any hiccup. The performance difference was amazing, to say the least. To learn more about the advantage of Chromebooks over Windows laptops, you can go through our in-depth article. And in case, you have made your mind to stick with Chrome OS then make sure to take advantage of Linux apps. It’s pretty good and works like a charm. Also, if you miss Windows apps then you can use Wine to run Windows apps on Chrome OS. Anyway, that is all from us. If you are facing any problem while installing Chrome OS on your PC then comment down below and let us know. We will surely try to help you out.

How to Use Touch Up Appearance to Look Better on Zoom

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In the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak, video-conferencing led by Zoom has become the go-to tool for not only staying connected with friends and loved ones, but also collaborating with colleagues. The Zoom app boasts a range of highly user-friendly features that have put it slightly ahead of the curve against top rivals like Microsoft Teams and Hangouts Meet. Among its plethora of features, what has caught my eyes is the “Touch up my appearance” tool which retouches your video with a soft focus. In other words, it helps smooth out the skin on your face so you look nice during video-conferencing. If you find it cool, let me show you how you can use Touch up my appearance to look better in Zoom on your iPhone/iPad, Mac, and Windows PC.

Use Touch Up Appearance in Zoom on iOS, macOS, and Windows

Times when you feel a bit tired but don’t want it to show up on your face during video calling or just want to smoothen the face to appear fresh, Zoom’s visual filter can have a role to play. Thanks to the ability to enhance visual appearance in real-time, it looks in line with Snapchat or Instagram filters. This is an excellent tip for Zoom users who want to look good during online meetings.

Note: This feature is not available on Android as of now.

Use Touch Up Appearance On iOS

1. On your iPhone or iPad, launch the Zoom app and then tap on the Settings icon at the bottom right corner.

Open Zoom app

2. Now, tap on Meetings. 

Tap on Meeting

3. Next, tap on Touch Up My Appearance.

Touch Up My Appearance

4. Next up, turn on the switch next to “Touch Up My Appearance” to smooth out the skin tone on your face.

Enable Touch Up My Appearance in Zoom app on iOS

Use Touch Up Appearance On macOS or Windows

The steps are the same for both macOS and Windows apps. That’s why we’ve shown only macOS screenshots.

1. On your desktop, open the Zoom app.

Open Zoom app on your Mac

2. Now, click on the Settings icon at the top right corner.

Tap on Settings icon at the top right corner

3. Next, click on the Video option in the sidebar.

Click on Video option in the sidebar

Note: Alternately, start or join a meeting and then click on the arrow that appears next to the video icon. After that, select Video Settings. 

4. Finally, check the box to the left of Touch up my appearance in the video setting dialog.

Check the box next to Touch up my appearance

That’s it! Going forward, the Zoom app will display your video with the touch-up. It will remember the preference and automatically use it whenever you start a meeting or join one. If you ever decide to turn off touch up my appearance feature in Zoom on your mobile device or desktop, follow the same steps mentioned above and then uncheck the box in the end.

Use Touch Up My Appearance in Zoom to Look Better

So, that’s how you can use Zoom’s hidden visual filter to spruce up your appearance while video-conferencing. Well, this is just the tip of the iceberg as the popular video-conferencing tool has got several cool tips and tricks like the ability to set virtual background and sharing your computer’s screen up its sleeve. Thus, if you want to get the most out of it, do check them out. By the way, what’s your take on Zoom? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.


Microsoft Teasing a New Start Menu Without Live Tiles

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windows start feat

Recently, Microsoft kind of announced the death of “Live Tiles”, a feature that was introduced in the Windows Phone platform and later brought to the desktop iterations of Windows. Now, the company is reportedly considering new UI designs in Windows without the Live Tiles in mind. Recently in a Windows Insider Podcast, a new Windows […]

The article Microsoft Teasing a New Start Menu Without Live Tiles was first published on Beebom

This Windows Concept Will Make You Realise How Bad Windows Currently Looks

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Windows concept feat.

Hey Windows users, do you think the Windows 10 design looks good? If yes, I’d recommend you to not watch this Windows concept video. Trust me, it’ll completely ruin your desktop experience by making you realise that the current UI of Windows does not actually look that good. Created by concept designer June Caspe, the […]

The article This Windows Concept Will Make You Realise How Bad Windows Currently Looks was first published on Beebom

How to Change the System Font in Windows 10

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Windows 10 font change feat.

Prior to the Windows 10 days, users could change the default font of the system pretty easily. For instance, in Windows 7, there is an option to change the font family in the “personalization” settings of the device. Since Windows 10 came to the scenario, Microsoft removed the option to change the system font with […]

The article How to Change the System Font in Windows 10 was first published on Beebom

How to Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support

$
0
0

Install Chrome OS on PC

Chrome OS is surely not as feature-packed as Windows 10, but one can’t deny that it breathes a new life into old machines. In fact, I would go as far as to say that, if you are a general user then you should use Chrome OS over Windows 10 for its amazing performance and battery […]

The article How to Install Chrome OS on PC with Play Store Support was first published on Beebom

How to Use Touch Up Appearance to Look Better on Zoom

$
0
0

In the backdrop of the COVID-19 outbreak, video-conferencing led by Zoom has become the go-to tool for not only staying connected with friends and loved ones, but also collaborating with colleagues. The Zoom app boasts a range of highly user-friendly features that have put it slightly ahead of the curve against top rivals like Microsoft […]

The article How to Use Touch Up Appearance to Look Better on Zoom was first published on Beebom

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