Review: Google Mail Lite brings Gmail to your desktop about Pokki

Gmail client Google Mail Lite takes email out of your browser and brings it with a twist to your desktop. This Pokki-based app is incredibly easy.

Gmail lites clear interface makes supports Gmail user friendly desktop, provided all Google mail features that you need at the moment.

The best part of having Gmail on your desktop is the real time notifications; These are in Pop-Up banners and small specialist badges, and to ensure that no e-Mail is going unnoticed. Google Mail Lite is located in the Windows system tray and click, you have access to all emails, including labels, played and sent emails. Several Gmail actions such as assigning labels, actor and unstarring, archiving, and, of course, read and write emails can be performed easily.

Google Mail Lite is almost perfect, but it is missing some important features: you can not attach files; There is no email spell checker; You cannot select which email address to send if you have several, and (the most painful) the search function does not work. However, Google Mail Lite is an excellent client for most of the features of Gmail and supports multiple users really sealed the deal.

Note: The download button on the product information page will download the software on your system.

Yaara is a foodie and horse lover biologist who enjoys as a geek as a full-time job.
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Taking Photos of Firefighters, Moving the Flash Off-Camera, Resizing vs. Cropping

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AppId is over the quota

Have a question about digital photography? Send it to me. I reply to as many as I can--though given the quantity of e-mails that I get, I can't promise a personal reply to each one. I round up the most interesting questions about once a month here in Digital Focus.

For more frequently asked questions, read my newsletters from January, February, and March.

I take photos of firefighters, which during the day is not a problem. But at night, the reflective strips on their uniforms reflect my flash, and resulting glare takes over the photo, ruining the shots. I have tried using a diffuser, but I still end up with the same mess. Is there some way around this?
--Karen Moran, Trafalgar, Indiana

I have a couple of suggestions, Karen. Your reflection problem stems from the fact that you're using an on-camera flash. It's similar to the red eye effect: The light from your flash hits the reflectors then bounces straight back at the camera, which causes the ugly glare you get in your photos. A diffuser won't solve the problem, since the light source is still very close to the lens. Consequently, the solution is to move or eliminate the flash.

If there's enough ambient light where you're shooting, try to turn off the flash and shoot using a very high ISO setting. Another approach is to move the light source off the camera so the light won't reflect right back into the lens. If you can mount your flash externally, such as on a handheld flash bracket, that might do the trick. You can get an inexpensive cable to connect the flash to the camera.

Can you tell me where I can find an off-camera TTL flash cord that will work with the new Fuji X PRO 1?
--Ed Dickau, Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

What a coincidence! This is exactly what Karen needs for her firefighter photos, Ed.

TTL flash cords--cables that connect your flash to your digital SLR or advanced point-and-shoot via the hot shoe--are fairly universal. Generally, TTL cables work with Canon, Fuji, Nikon, and Pentax cameras, to name but a few. So you can search for "TTL flash cable" in your browser and find a lot of options. For example, I found a TTL flash cable with a generous 30-foot cord for about $50 on Amazon.com.

I recently tried to resize a photo using my photo editor's Crop tool, but it didn't appear to change the dimensions of the photo to what I wanted. How do you resize a photo when you crop?
--Joseph Conrad, via the Internet

You've stumbled upon something that confuses a lot of people. Your photo editor's crop tool doesn't actually resize photos, even when you choose a preset dimension like 4 by 6 inches. Cropping lets you cut away the parts of the photo you don't want while you trim the photo to a new aspect ratio. This is handy because digital cameras don't take pictures in standard frame-ready proportions like 4-by-6 or 5-by-7 inches.

To actually reduce a photo to a specific pixel size, you need to use the resize tool. Take Adobe Photoshop Elements, for example. Start by using the Crop tool to recompose your photo and set the photo to the desired aspect ratio. Then choose Image, Size, Resize and dial in the exact number of pixels you want.

I recently took some great photos of my granddaughter, but deleted them from my camera's memory card by mistake. Is there any way to get them back?
--Cecilia Kane, Greensboro, North Carolina

All hope isn't lost, Cecilia. And don't feel too bad--I get this question more frequently than you might think.

There are a lot of data recovery programs available for download on the Internet, but it's getting very hard to find free ones that actually work as advertised. Consequently, these days I suggest you put your faith in either PhotoRescue Wizard or Digital Photo Recovery, both of which cost $25 and do a good job of finding deleted photos--as long as you haven't used the memory card very much since the accidental deletion.

If the photos are missing, not because of a slip of a finger on the Delete button, but because the memory card is corrupted, then I suggest you give CnW Recovery Software a try. You can try this program in demo mode for free to see if it can find your lost photos, then get a 30-day license for $20, which is handy for a one-time emergency. Last year I took a video of my daughter's performance in a school play, and due to a weird glitch my camera didn't save the file properly when I stopped recording. I successfully used CnW Recovery to get the video back in its entirety.

It's not always convenient for me to transfer photos using a memory card. Sometimes I want to send a picture via email. Given any particular JPEG, will there be any difference in quality between using a memory card or emailing the picture?
--John Walker, Kissimmee, Florida

That depends, John. If you manually add a photo to an email as an attachment (such as using the Attachment button in Gmail or dragging photos into a mail message in Microsoft Outlook) then the photo will arrive at its destination identical to the way it left your PC.

But that's not always the case. For example, if you right-click a photo in Windows and choose Send to… Mail Recipient, Windows will offer to compress the photo for you. If you choose any option other than Original Size, the photo will be smaller and compressed differently, so there will be an obvious quality difference.

Also, I should also point out that if you use Apple iTunes to copy photos to your new iPad, you might also run into some unexpected quality changes. This surprising result was uncovered by my PCWorld colleague Melissa Perenson. Based on my own experiments, I agree that iTunes appears to slightly increase color saturation and resave JPEGs at a lower quality level, which results in some loss of color detail and image quality.

Get published, get famous! Each week, we select our favorite reader-submitted photo based on creativity, originality, and technique.

Great news! For a limited time (from March 1 till August 31, 2012), Hot Pic of the Week winners will receive one free downloadable copy of Corel PaintShop Pro X4.

Here's how to enter: Send us your photograph in JPEG format, at a resolution no higher than 800 by 600 pixels. Entries at higher resolutions will be immediately disqualified. If necessary, use an image editing program to reduce the file size of your image before e-mailing it to us. Include the title of your photo along with a short description and how you photographed it. Don't forget to send your name, e-mail address, and postal address. Before entering, please read the full description of the contest rules and regulations.

This week's Hot Pic: "Canada Goose on Ice" by Eric Hoar, Springvale, Maine

Eric says: "This image of a Canada Goose hanging out on a patch of ice in the Mousam River in Sanford, Maine, is actually a panorama. I made it by combining two photos."

Eric shot this with his Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8.

This week's runner-up: "APBA Race" by Ron Knapik, Amsterdam, New York

Ron says he shot this on film using a Canon SLR, and scanned the resulting photo. He shot it from a patrol boat on the Mohawk River in Alplaus, New York.

To see last month's winners, visit our March Hot Pics slide show. Visit the Hot Pics Flickr gallery to browse past winners.

Have a digital photo question? E-mail me your comments, questions, and suggestions about the newsletter itself. And be sure to sign up to have Digital Focus e-mailed to you each week.

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Review: Wunderlist for Pokki brings the to-do list (not the bloat) to your PC

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AppId is over the quota

Renowned to-do list application Wunderlist is available for multiple platforms, including both Web and mobile. While you can get Wunderlist for Windows, the installation file alone is over 20MB, and this is before you even begin the installation. With Wunderlist for Pokki, there is no installation—once you have app platform (and excellent Windows 8 launcher) Pokki installed, you can start using Wunderlist less than a minute after deciding you want to.

Wunderlist fans will recognize the elegant simplicity of the Pokki edition.

If you're a Wunderlist user, the Pokki version of the app will look very familiar, with every feature you've come to expect from other versions of Wunderlist. After logging into your account, you can start adding scheduled tasks and to-do items, with or without a date, placing them in your own custom lists. Wunderlist for Pokki comes with several useful keyboard shortcuts for easy browsing which you can easily learn by pressing "H." In fact, not only can you access your slick to-do list with one mouse click, you can easily access most of its features without having to click that mouse again.

As with other Pokki apps, Wunderlist comes with tray badge notifications for overdue tasks, which will keep reminding you of the things you haven't done. With its customizable backgrounds, super-easy browsing and automatic mobile syncing, Wunderlist will make you want to get things done.

Note: The Download button on the Product Information page will download the software to your system.

Yaara is a foodie, horse-lover, and biologist who enjoys being a geek as a full-time job.
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PowerPoint 2013 comments: facilitate cooperation presentations

Presentations are often a group effort. Sometimes they gemeinschaftliches-real - as bears in each. On other occasions, there is a person who can lead the charge, while others check and advise. In both cases the ability to communicate and specific feedback in the presentation, frame, can significantly improve the experience of cooperation and the quality of the content.

Comments are not new to PowerPoint-in previous versions, you could add a comment. But were in different ways, which significantly improves the communication with others, much more intuitive and conversational comments. In other words, comments are simple add, display and manage and are therefore more effective. In addition you can thanks to the PowerPoint web app, now get the feedback from virtually anyone.

You can add a comment to a slide over the tab, check on the PowerPoint Ribbon in the comments group.

The new comment will be shown in the new comments, where you can begin to type in your comment. To simply know it, which refers to comment to make on what part of each new comment is associated with a comment note will be displayed top left on the slide. You can move the note by pulling it, and visually map the comment with a particular area or shape on the slide.

Once you add in your comment in the comments field, is it a friendly time stamp (recent comments show how recently they, were added in contrast to a certain date) accompanied. There is even a picture of the person and their presence information (available in a call, etc.). The presence information is included for enterprise customers who use Lync server or services and Skype for the home user who Office associated with your Skype account.

They can your comments simply by clicking or tapping on the text of the comment edit or delete them with the X in the upper right corner of a comment.

The new comment goes not just to leave comments for others, but also offers you the possibility, have rich conversations right where it does not matter she meisten-- in the context of the content, you are talking about. You can easily respond to the comment by entering in the field of response . The thread will be easy to build in the area of comments clearly emerge, who replied to whom and when. The comment reference is updated to display multiple comments on the same subject.

One of the advantages of the comment area is that there are certain at one point all the comments for a film-have shows not every comment individually to open. You can also initiate new comments there answers on existing and quickly skim the feedback in the comments in the entire presentation. Use easy to go and continue buttons back in the comment field of a comment to the next.

Mach you worry you about that many comments in a slide. A comment and a hint are visually connected: If the respective comment will the mouse pointer over a comment tip, highlighted in the area s comment. and umgekehrt-- if you have your mouse over a highlighted comment in the comment section that is relevant commentary note on the slide.

Thanks to recent improvements to the PowerPoint web app, comments are now also supports full of it. In Edit view, you can add new comments to existing answers and enjoy the comments pane in the PowerPoint web app .

Just to see the comments, don't even have to editing view-go can range as open in the reading view comments .

Improvements to the PowerPoint web app comment the addition which means that you can questions of everyone for feedback, even if they have not the latest PowerPoint installed. If you the presentation on SkyDrive or SharePoint * store, it's easy to share directly in the behind the scenes (file > parts > people) by you their email addresses and assign Edit permissions.

Happy commenting!

Valley Krzypow

* 2013 SharePoint and SharePoint provide online sharing with people outside of your organization, but have the correct positioning and permissions can be defined by your IT Manager.

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Review: IFTTT connects social media, photo and other Web services

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AppId is over the quota

Think of social media—and the Web in general, really—as a game of dominoes: One action creates an entire range of reactions. That's what makes it so powerful...and so time-consuming, especially for those people who are trying to update a constant stream of information on multiple social media accounts. But IFTTT tries to make this easier by allowing you to link Web services, so doing something on one triggers the rest. It is a free service that's a lot like its name: a little bit confusing until you understand just how simple and useful it is.

IFTTT (it's pronounced like "gift" without the "g") stands for If This Then That. And that basically describes what IFTTT does: when one thing happens, IFTTT lets you create an automatic reaction. You could, for example, use IFTTT so that you'll receive a text message whenever someone posts a picture of you on Facebook. Or to receive an email if the weather forecast calls for rain. Or automatically save a copy of a photo to Dropbox whenever one is posted to Instagram.

IFTTT's neat, clean interface makes the service easy to use.

To use IFTTT, you simply create a free account with your email address. Then, you can get started building IFTTT recipes. IFTTT works on the basis of channels, which are what it calls the basic building blocks of its recipes. Channels are things like Facebook, Evernote, Email, Weather, Buffer, Craigslist, and more—there are 59 channels currently available.

To create a recipe, you select the first channel and then the trigger (the "this" part of IFTTT). Once the channel is selected, IFTTT displays applicable triggers. When I selected Etsy as my channel, available triggers were things like "new purchased item" or "new item in shop."

After selecting the trigger, you select the channel and the action (the "that"). The same 59 channels are available as the action channels; once you select one, you activate (if it's not already active) and then choose the action from the available choices.

Once you select the channel and the action, you can customize it using what IFTTT calls Ingredients. These ingredients are pieces of data from the trigger. For Etsy, the ingredients could be the Etsy URL and the price. For Facebook, the ingredients could be a photo caption and the image source. You use these ingredients to customize the resulting action, such as sending a text message or email, or posting a status update to Facebook.

IFTTT lets you customize any messages it sends or posts by adding "ingredients," which can be a bit confusing.

Once all the pieces are in place, you can save your recipe by giving it a name. Recipes can be kept private or shared with the entire IFTTT community—and IFTTT does have plenty of shared recipes to give you ideas or the building blocks for creating your own. (When you share a recipe, you're not sharing access to your personal data; anyone who accesses the recipe only gets the basic steps, and then fills in their own personal data to make it work for them.) When you select a channel, you'll have to give IFTTT access to your account, which usually involves either linking accounts or granting certain permissions. This process was simple and painless with all of the channels I tested.

Using IFTTT is actually a lot easier than explaining it, though the service is definitely not perfect. I was, for example, slightly disappointed with the result of one of my recipes. I set up a recipe where I would get a text message whenever a photo of me was tagged on Facebook. I set the action channel—the text message I'd receive—to include ingredients like caption, image source, upload date, and uploaded by. I was hoping to receive a detailed message with the photo and all of the data I'd requested. Instead, I got a link to view the photo online (not on Facebook)—and only the photo, not any of the other info I'd requested. The message format makes sense (given that it was an SMS, not MMS), but that SMS still could have included the additional details about the photo that I'd requested.

I was more impressed with my other IFTTT recipes, though, and I was definitely amused by some of the shared recipes available on the site. One user created a recipe that will alert him via SMS if the CDC reports a zombie outbreak, while another user created one that automatically uploads any photo he posts to Facebook to Picasa, too.  These two recipes sum up the appeal of IFTTT: it's fun and pretty darn useful, too.

Note: The Download button on the Product Information page takes you to the vendor's site, where you can use this Web-based software.

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Which keyboard shortcuts should we add next to Web Excel?

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Dieser Beitrag wird Ihnen von Daniel Stein, Program Manager in der Excel-Mannschaft geholt.

Strg + Bild-auf, STRG + F, SHIFT + TAB: Tastenkombinationen können Sie Arbeit in Excel zu rationalisieren und sehen aus wie ein Zauberer in einer Tabellenkalkulation.

Wir planen derzeit die nächste Runde der Tastenkombinationen Excel Web hinzu und würde gerne Ihre Meinung hören. Lassen Sie uns wissen Sie Ihre Favoritenverknüpfungen desktop Excel durch diese Umfrageausfüllen.

--Daniel Stein, Excel-Programm-Manager

P.S. Möchten Sie Ihre eigenen Umfragen wie diese machen? Lesen Sie mehr über Excel Web-Umfragen hier.

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Windows 8 uptake slows for third straight month

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AppId is over the quota
Computerworld - Windows 8's uptake pace slowed in February for the third straight month, an analytics company said today.

According to Net Applications, Windows 8's February usage share -- including what the firm labeled as "touch" for Windows 8 and Windows RT -- was 3% of all Windows PCs, up from January's 2.6%.

Windows 8's share increase in February was about four-tenths of a percentage point, smaller than January's gain, which in turn was smaller than either December's or November's.

The new operating system also fell further behind the pace set by Windows Vista in 2007: In its fourth month of availability, Vista powered approximately 4% of all Windows PCs. The full percentage point gap between Windows 8 and Vista was the largest so far in the tracking Computerworld has conducted.

This new trend bolsters the belief by many analysts that Windows 8 will have a very difficult time gaining traction because of a pair of factors: First, that users are put off by the dual-UI (user interface) approach of the OS, and second, that PC sales have been clobbered by a shift to tablets and smartphones, the vast majority of which run rivals' operating systems.

Windows 8's initial uptake trajectory also makes it more likely that the new operating system will be labeled as an even bigger flop than Vista, which was largely rejected by users, who stuck with the older XP until Windows 7 arrived.

The latter's uptake was a rocket ride compared to Windows 8's or Vista's: By the end of its fourth month on the market, Windows 7 had garnered a 9.7% share, more than three times Windows 8's.

Even the inclusion of touch, and Windows 8's ability to run on tablets, has not materially helped the OS. Net Applications' measurement of users running Windows 8 from the "Metro" UI increased by just two-hundredths of a percentage point last month, while that for Windows RT remained flat.

Microsoft may be looking at similar data, as this week the Windows group's director of communications, Christopher Flores, confirmed that the company would partner with OEMs to launch a second wave of promotions for Windows 8 hardware.

Last weekend, U.S. retailer Best Buy kicked off a two-week deal that discounted touch-enabled Windows 8 PCs by $100.

Net Applications also reported statistics on other editions of Windows.

Both Windows XP and Windows 7 returned to their usual trends, with XP losing half a percentage point to end February at 39% of all personal computers, or 42.6% of Windows-only machines. Meanwhile, Windows 7 gained under one-tenth of a point to climb to 44.6% of all PCs and 48.6% of all Windows PCs.

Windows XP has just over a year left in its tank. Microsoft plans to pull the support plug in April 2014, even if, as Net Applications' data hints, the 11-year-old operating system then powers more than 30% of all personal computers.

Net Applications measures operating system usage by tracking unique visitors to some 40,000 websites it monitors for clients.

Windows 8 uptake pace slowed for the third straight month, falling even further behind Vista's and Windows 7's early adoption. (Data: Net Applications.)

Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld. Follow Gregg on Twitter at  @gkeizer, on Google+ or subscribe to Gregg's RSS feed . His email address is gkeizer@computerworld.com.

See more by Gregg Keizer on Computerworld.com.

Read more about Windows in Computerworld's Windows Topic Center.

Small and midsize businesses are moving to the cloud to host their communications capabilities. Learn how enterprise-quality phone benefits, online management, conferencing, auto attendant, and ease of use are built into a system that is half the cost of a PBX.

Read now.

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Make fast work of finding photos with Lost Photos

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AppId is over the quota

We used to dig through drawers and shoeboxes to find old photos. But now we dig through digital archives, like email accounts. Lost Photos (free for Windows, $3 for Mac) is a handy application that makes dusting off your snapshots a breeze.

Lost Photos makes it easy to find photos buried in the depths of your email account.To use it, you simply install it, enter your email address and password, and let it go to work. Lost Photos can scan AOL, Gmail, Google Apps, iCloud/MobileMe, and Yahoo email accounts for—you guessed it—lost photos.

It sifts through all of the messages in your account, looking for any images. You can set it to ignore images received before a certain date, or images that are smaller than 8k in size (which are more likely to be logos and icons than actual photographs). You also can have it ignore GIFs, which may be animations rather than photos.

That's all you have to do: Lost Photos does the rest, locating the images and saving them to your hard drive.

Unfortunately, it saves them to a folder it creates on your C: drive, rather than letting you select the location or create a new folder for this purpose. And the application is subject to the bandwidth limits of your email provider: After locating almost 2,000 folders in my Gmail account in just a few hours, Lost Photos suggested that I pause it for 24 hours, so as not to cause any problems with my email provider's own limitations. This is only a suggestion, though, and you can choose to dismiss it if you're throwing caution to the wind.

Once your photos are located, you can browse them within Lost Photo's excellent interface. The application is streamlined and attractive, making it easy to use. You can browse through thumbnails, and can click on one to see a larger version of the photo. From here, you can post it to Facebook or Twitter, or share it via email. And once the photos are downloaded to your hard drive, you're free to do with them as you please.

Lost Photos isn't just a fun application, it's pretty useful, too.

—Liane Cassavoy

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Data Explorer brings Big Data connectivity to Excel 2013

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AppId is over the quota

Today we continue our series of BI related posts highlighting a recent announcement for a new add-in for Excel.

On February 27, we announced an early look at a future addition to our self-service line-up with Microsoft Data Explorer Preview for Excel.  Data Explorer enhances the self-service BI experience in Excel by simplifying data discovery and access to a broad range of public and enterprise data sources, enabling richer insights from data that has traditionally been difficult for users to get to. If you haven't seen it, check out the video below to see how Data Explorer enhances the BI experience.  

With Data Explorer, users can now quickly and easily import data from a variety of sources, including Web, Excel, Text, Database and Azure. Access to non-traditional sources such as Active Directory, Facebook and big data solutions like Hadoop are now within the reach of any user.

Connecting directly to data from the web is easy and intuitive. Filtering and transforming your data can be done in just a few clicks and importing your final data into Excel is straightforward.  Given this is a preview, these features may appear differently in the future versions.

To learn more about how you can put these new capabilities to work for you, follow the links below.

Download the Add-in

Find out more

--Carlos Otero 

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Review: PerfectRegistry you want to speed up your PC

Running your PC not quite with the same speed as you once you may be looking for a solution. Something that can accelerate your PC quickly and easily. Raxco $20 PerfectRegistry aims to do just that: this low-cost application is designed to improve the overall performance of your PC by optimizing its registration. It is easy to use and can be very useful to some people, but PerfectRegistry is not a perfect solution for every PC.

PC registry is an important system file, where vast amounts of information are stored on your computer. Almost everything you do, if you are using Windows, is somewhere recorded in your register. Therefore, it can become confusing could get - and only your PC slow down. They clean up like a simple solution, but messing with your registry can be risky. Some registry cleaners can go too far, delete parts that you actually need, and impact on the performance of your PC in the wrong direction. But Raxco says that PerfectRegistry 2.0, not one of these products, pointing out that it already "well tested and used by thousands." And while everything not the wrong fix it with my PC was, it helped PerfectRegistry to clean up, and put them on the right path to faster performance.

PerfectRegistry attractive design helps to assess the integrity of your system at a quick glance.

Tried PerfectRegistry I was used to a Windows 7 Desktop, in recent years, hundreds of software programs test. Many of these titles have been installed and uninstalled several times, and - probably as a result - the system ran slowly and plunging down more often than it should be.

Raxco program is easy to use: when you him start, it starts for the first time, your PC automatically scans. If you have used it before, it shows the General system condition based on your last scan and can start a new search with a click of a button. Its interface is neat and attractive, and it shows you, what it is looking for scan.

PerfectRegistry of the first scan of my PC took a whopping 1257 registry error, I found the somewhat daunting - and a bit alarming. The error I not sure are organized into categories, but that their title am (System com similar to and ActiveX errors, related user errors and start and uninstall error) as clearly as they can be, to should explain. Each category has a graphic that shows the registry Zerstören level from low to high.

You can use the program a bit deeper digging; Click on each category, see the type and number of errors of that it found by subcategory. But even here, the subcategories are to be imprecisely named really useful. Shared files and two sub categories in the system category similar errors are deep, for example.

Fortunately, more information is available by clicking on the button "Error details" at the bottom of the screen. This connects you to a log of all errors found, file names, and information about the issue. This Protocol will be useful, savvy PC users, but will overwhelm someone else. I could leave local issues I'd deleted files and programs I would uninstall, but bugs makes also listed were written in Sanskrit. I would be a computer newbie, I would have run probably as soon as you by the PerfectRegistry.

Instead I decided to accept all of its updates, as recommended, mean crossing fingers that nothing would go wrong. I was relieved that the software will automatically create a system restore point before to fix anything so that you can undo the changes if necessary. As it turned out, but I don't have it needed. My PC is running since well - and dare I say a bit faster - because I used PerfectRegistry. It is not as good as new, but it runs a bit faster, and it is run and sleep far faster.

This program is not for everyone. But if you have a slow PC and know enough about them has an idea of what is wrong, PerfectRegistry could be the tool you need to it runs just a bit faster.

Note: The download button on the product information page takes you to the manufacturers website, where you will need to register to use the free demo of the software.

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Office 2013 now transferable

A few weeks ago, I created this blog to the new Office 2013 license terms clarify busy. Based on customer feedback, we have the Office 2013 retail license customers enable the software from one computer to another transfer changed. This means that customers can transfer Office 2013 on another computer, if your device does not or you get a new. Previously, customers could transfer only your Office 2013 software on a new device, if your PC is not under warranty.

While in a future version the license agreement Office 2013-software supplied with to be updated, it is change is effective immediately and applies to Office home and student 2013, Office home and business-2013 2013 of Office Professional, and the stand-alone-2013 Office applications. This transferability options match those in the Office 2010 retail license terms found. The updated text reads as follows:

Determination of transferability on the retail license terms of the software license agreement for Microsoft Office desktop application software 2013 updated:

Can I transfer the software to another computer or user? You may not transfer the software to another computer, that is yours, but not more than once every 90 days (except due to a hardware failure, in which case you previously transferred). If you transfer the software to another computer, it is "licensed computer." this other computer You must the software (together with the license) on a computer owned by someone else, if a) are the first licensed user of the software and b) the new user the terms of this agreement before the transfer is transferred. Each time you transfer the software to a new computer you must remove the software from the previous computer and retain no copies.

At Microsoft we strive, Office make the best product, working to help people and families get things done. A key ingredient in our recipe for success is listening to our customers and we are grateful for the feedback behind this change in the Licensing Office. Thank you very much.

-Jevon Fark, Office team

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Why, how and where to update your Windows 8 drivers

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AppId is over the quota

Has your computer's hardware started freaking out, freezing up or behaving in weird ways since you've made the jump to Windows 8? Don't lay blame at the feet of a mischievous gremlin. Instead, it’s much more likely that your devices simply aren't rocking the most up-to-date Windows 8-compatible drivers.

Yes, a simple driver update might just fix your Windows 8 hardware woes.

The Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant does a decent job of identifying which parts and software in your rig need an update prior to installing Windows 8—and Microsoft's Windows Compatibility Center website offers the same feature for DIY types who prefer to search for specific programs and hardware—but many devices still fall through the cracks, and you'll need to manually update any drivers Microsoft can't snag itself. (Note that the process outlined below works for Windows 7, as well.)

Before you get your hands dirty, however, you should see if Windows Update has automatically checked for driver updates. Not all drivers are available through Windows Update, but many are and it’s the easiest way to proceed.

To check, open the Charms bar and select Settings. Then, choose Change PC Settings and navigate to the Windows Update settings menu. The only thing you can do here is click the Check for Updates Now button and see if it finds any. By default, Windows will install updates during your next scheduled maintenance—usually in the middle of the night—but you can force the updates to install post-haste by clicking on the link that tells you how many updates are ready to install.

Windows Update can be found in your PC settings.

If that doesn’t work, you will need to manually update the driver for your finicky hardware. To do that, you’ll have to use the trusty Device Manager. You’d be excused for thinking that the Device Manager would be found in the Devices tab of the Windows 8 settings menu, but it’s not quite that simple. Instead, you’ll have to launch it manually by returning to the Home screen and typing “Device Manager” then clicking on the Settings tab in the search menu. There you’ll see the Device Manager, which will launch in desktop mode. You can also scrounge for the Device Manager in Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Device Manager.

Finding the device manager is as easy as searching for "Device Manager."

Actually updating a driver is simple. Just find the device you would like to update, right-click on it, and select Update Driver Software. You’ll have the option to have Windows search for drivers for you, but if you’ve come this far it’s likely that you’ll want to choose the second option, which allows you to manually select a location where you’ve downloaded drivers for your misbehaving device.

Pointing Windows 8 towards a specific driver.

What’s that? You want to know where to snag a specific driver? In general, you’ll find them at the manufacturer for your particular device. Here’s an index of download locations for common hardware, arranged by product type—laptops, motherboards, peripherals, et cetera—for your convenience. Not every manufacturer offers drivers that are specifically called out as being made for Windows 8, but if a given piece of hardware is giving your troubles after upgrading, it's a good idea to make sure you're running the most up-to-date drivers available.

Use some common sense when it comes to driver updates, though. If your keyboard is working just fine, for instance, there’s really no need to spend the time tracking down and updated your driver and exposing yourself to the (small) risk that updating the driver will actually cause a problem.

If you’re using a laptop, and your problem isn’t with an external device such as a mouse or external hard disk, your first stop should be at the website of your laptop’s manufacturer. Laptop hardware is often specialized, and drivers for specific drill-down components (such as the hard drive) typically aren’t available on the component manufacturer’s site. If drivers aren’t available at the laptop manufacturer’s page, they should at least have the exact model number for each component in the system, which will make your search go faster.

If you have a desktop PC, your motherboard manufacturer’s site is an important stop. The motherboard’s chipset drivers may need to be updated, as might the drivers for integrated components such as the network interface, integrated sound or graphics, Bluetooth, or any pretty much anything else that’s listed as a “feature” of your motherboard. You can see the motherboard’s make and model number by physically opening up your computer and looking at it with your own two eyes, or by using a free software utility like CPU-Z.

When it comes to graphics cards the most important thing to have is the latest driver from AMD or Nvidia, which controls the actual graphics performance of the cards.

For features specific to your graphics card model—GPU monitors, overclocking utilities, and so on—check the website of your card's manufacturer.

You won’t often need to manually install a drive for an internal hard drive or SSD, as they’re managed by the motherboard’s SATA controller. If you’re having issues with your drive, or are looking for an update for any pack-in utilities that came with it, you can find them here:

Like hard drives, optical drives generally won’t need a driver update except for bundled applications and utilities.

Note that networking is usually handled by the motherboard network interface controller (or NIC), and in those cases the driver will be found on the motherboard manufacturer’s site. If you’ve installed a networking add-on card, however, you’ll find the drivers here.

Hope that helps, and happy driver updating!

Alex Castle is a freelance tech writer based in Honolulu, Hawaii. He specializes in Windows software, how-to articles, and PC peripherals.
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Which Windows 8 version is right for your small business?

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Regardless of whether your business is Fortune 500 big or mom-and-pop small, transitioning to a new operating system is a major endeavor—and a major headache. There's a reason why so many companies still use Windows XP, after all. So when you do bite the bullet, you want to make sure you're picking an operating system that meets all your needs.

But wait! The decision-making process isn't done once you've decided to transition your company to Microsoft's latest operating system. Like previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 comes in several editions. There’s the basic, straightforward Windows 8—similar to the Home edition in previous versions of Windows—as well as costlier Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise versions, both of which offer additional business-friendly features.

Which is right for your business? It all depends on your company's particular needs. Let's break down what each version of Windows 8 brings to the table.

The differences between the various Windows 8 editions go beyond their retail packaging.

Most small businesses will be fine running the standard version of Windows 8, which we covered in-depth in our official Windows 8 review. While the flashy visual overhaul may have given the OS a whole new look and feel, Windows 8's desktop mode is basically Windows 7 sans a Start button—along with several under-the-hood tweaks that improve the operating system's overall speed and responsiveness.

That's not to say the stock version of the OS skimps on new features. Windows 8 raises the bar on the security front, offering a multitude of core improvements, while the addition of file histories, improved multi-monitor support, native ISO and VHD mounting, amalgamated Storage Spaces, and a streamlined Task Manager make it easier to get things done on a day-to-day basis. From a direct productivity perspective, Windows 8 boots up, shuts down, and wakes from sleep faster than greased lightning, especially if your business has invested in solid-state drives.

Before you dive into any version of Windows 8, however, consider the potential training and support costs you might incur by adopting Microsoft's new-look operating system. The modern UI-style Start Screen is a radical shift from the traditional Windows desktop (which is just a live-tile click away), and usability experts say that  Windows 8's flat design and hidden controls are unintuitive for average users. We found the learning curve moderate at best, but you will need to invest some resources in educating your employees about Windows 8. If touchscreen support isn't a major concern, think hard about whether Windows 7 or Windows 8 would be a better fit for your business.

Windows 8 Pro costs more than Windows 8, but you receive some nifty new features in return. The ability to install the optional Windows 8 Media Center Pack for $10 probably won't appeal in a business setting, but other Windows 8 Pro additions are firmly business-friendly, albeit highly specific in nature. Here are the highlights:

Group policies: If you need 'em, you need Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise.

Domains and group policy. Does your business use a centrally administered network with a Windows Server domain and group policy? These features allow an organization to centrally manage a network, including user profiles and computer settings, from a single server. Many businesses rely on domains and group policies, and only computers running Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise can use them.

BitLocker and EFS. BitLocker makes a return in Windows 8. It’s a full-disk encryption solution that can encrypt entire hard drives, including your Windows system drive or even USB drives (with BitLocker To Go). Once you've encrypted a drive with BitLocker, anyone who powers on the computer or connects the USB drive will need to enter the encryption key, or the drive will remain locked and inaccessible—a useful feature if you’re dealing with sensitive customer information. Windows 8 Pro also packs support for Microsoft's encrypted file system (EFS) technology. Businesses that need Windows 8 Pro only for its encryption features can try using TrueCrypt, instead. It's a free, open-source encryption solution that works with all desktop versions of Windows.

The Windows 8 version of Hyper-V lacks the native Windows XP virtualization support found in Windows 7's version. Now you need a license key to run a Windows XP virtual machine.

Hyper-V. Hyper-V is an integrated virtualization solution that has made its way from Windows Server to Windows 8, although it's missing some of the Server edition's more exotic options. Basically, it's useful for running multiple virtualized servers on a single Windows system or for installing other guest operating systems within Windows 8 for software testing. If you’re not sure whether you need Hyper-V, you probably don’t.

Even if you need virtualization support, however, you don't necessarily need Hyper-V and Windows 8 Pro. VirtualBox, a free piece of virtual machine software, works on any Windows system. (You can also use VirtualBox to try Windows 8 for free.) VMware Workstation is another popular workplace virtualization product, although it isn’t free.

Remote Desktop hosting. While any Windows 8 PC can use Microsoft's Remote Desktop app to connect to a host computer, only Windows 8 Pro and Enterprise installations can be configured as a host PC and accessed from afar.

Most small or medium-size businesses won't need the advanced features found in Windows 8 Enterprise, which sports super-specialized tools that are more useful in large enterprise environments—hence the name. In fact, while Microsoft is happy to sell anyone copies of Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro, you’ll need to have at least five PCs in your business and you'll need to participate in Microsoft’s Volume Licensing program to receive access to Windows 8 Enterprise.

We've covered the biggest benefits of Windows 8 Enterprise in a separate post. One of the brightest highlights is Windows To Go, which allows employees to boot into a full, manageable, and BitLocker-encryptable version of Windows 8 Enterprise off of a USB thumb drive. It's a great solution to the conundrums posed by the BYOD trend, but most small businesses can likely get by without it.

Software limitations neuter the business potential of Windows RT tablets like the Surface RT.

Windows RT can't be purchased directly; it's only found preinstalled on ARM processor-powered Windows RT tablets such as the Microsoft Surface RT. Windows RT largely mimics Windows 8, but unlike its PC-focused counterparts, Windows RT cannot run traditional desktop programs. Instead, it can run only the Modern-UI-style Windows 8 apps found in the Windows Store, and while the Windows Store's app selection is improving, it's still generally lacking in both quantity and quality.

The inclusion of the Office Home and Student RT suite is a major boon for Windows RT tablets, but licensing technicalities stamp out its legal use in the workplace.

"As sold, Office Home & Student 2013 RT Preview and the final edition are not designed for commercial, nonprofit, or revenue-generating activities," explains the Office Home & Student RT FAQ page. "However, organizations who purchase commercial use rights or have a commercial license to Office 2013 suites can use Office Home & Student 2013 RT for commercial, nonprofit, or revenue-generating activities."

Major bummer. Be sure to keep those considerations in mind when you're choosing between Windows RT and Windows 8 tablets for your company. With full-fledged Windows 8 tablets like the Acer W510 and Dell Latitude 10 starting to show up for $500—roughly the same price as a Windows RT tablet—it's hard to recommend picking up a Windows RT tablet for your business.

Wikipedia/Wikimedia FoundationThe available upgrade paths from Windows 7 to Windows 8.

While you're deciding which version of Windows 8 is right for your SMB, keep in mind that your current Windows 7 installation may constrain your Windows 8 upgrade path. The chart above comes from the surprisingly comprehensive Wikipedia entry on the various Windows 8 editions, which also includes a massive spreadsheet that visually details which features are available in which editions of the operating system. While it’s a bit light on information about the specific utilities, it's a very handy resource for comparing the feature sets of Windows RT and the various Windows 8 editions at a glance.

Brad Chacos spends the days jamming to Spotify, digging through desktop PCs and covering everything from BYOD tablets to DIY tesla coils.
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Chris Hoffman is a tech geek who's been writing about everything technology-related for years. When he's not writing about gadgets and software, he's probably using them in his spare time.
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Review: You can reset pocket to read items and to see if the time is ripe

The Internet is a distracting. Cat videos, recipes and interesting blog posts that all conspire to steal our focus, and we have been distracted by what we have decided, to do in the first place. Can a manner with this constant barrage of brain candy deal, by blocking out with procrastination containment applications such as cold Turkey. One other way is to save all these interesting distractions for later to your day in the know for sure, that you get to do this when the time is right. If this kind of distraction appeal to management to you, you'll like free Web-based service Pocket.

Bag sets the content that you later in a beautiful, have an easy to navigate grid saved.

Bag began as a service called Read It Later, that specialized in article store and later turned in a more general purpose service that can save videos and everything else. With the change in purpose and design came a change in the name, and Pocket was born.

The idea at the heart of the service is simple: you have a Pocket account, but many applications can plug into to store content for later. There are browser bookmarklets and extensions, but there are also many mobile apps this feature integrated store in your pocket with Flipboard and pulse are notable examples.

When you save a page for later with the Pocket bookmarklet, a simple overlay shows you that the page has been saved.

Save an article at a later date read takes only a moment. Bag not questions: it stores just the article, and you're done. Later, if you have time, you can access the Pocket Web app or use the mobile app pocket and read the articles that you have saved in your spare time. Bag improves also the reading experience by removing unnecessary formatting and make the article look nicer, much as readability .

With Pocket not like bookmarks content later read: If you create simple browser bookmarks (or save links on a social bookmarking service), they stay there once you're done reading them. This makes for a very messy bookmark collection, mixing temporary content which will visit, even with permanent bookmarks again will visit. With bag you get dedicated space for all these temporary links keep them separate from your permanent bookmarks; and since Pocket you simply mark links as can be seen, it is easier to prevent that it's crowded with clutter.

Pocket make formatted to read articles easier and better.

Case no revolutionary service, and it is not new. But it is very useful, especially if you are drawn to read the article and watch videos if you are actually really impossible to find.

Note: The download button on the product information page, reach the website of the manufacturer, where you can use the latest version of this Web-based software.

Endless tweaking his workflow for comfort and efficiency, is Erez of freelance writer on a mission, the easiest and coolest most effective software and websites to discover, make happen this morning.
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What are reviewers calling feature-rich, stunning, and game-changing? Office 365!

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AppId is over the quota

It's been said that "a dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." We're honored to see all of our sweat, determination, and hard work pay off with the great reviews that the new Office has garnered since Microsoft released Office 365 Home Premium to customers last month. 

Already, Office 365 is racking up the awards. PC Magazine gave Office 365 Home Premium its Editors' Choice award, saying "most of the changes are extremely positive." Likewise, ITProPortal gave Office 365 Home Premium its "Best Buy Award," saying it "trounces the competition from Google Docs."

Office 365: The best Office yet

Awards such as these echo the sentiment of Forrester Research. "Things like improved usability and a simplified user experience feel like a welcome return to Microsoft's roots as the great democratizer of technology it one was," the global research and advisory firm wrote in its recent report, Office 2013: A Breakthrough in Productivity.

They also reflect the responses of numerous other reviewers, who say they like what they see in the new Office. Katherine Boehret of the Wall Street Journal said "Microsoft has a winning program on its hands." Jason Parker of C/Net described Office 2013 as a "polished, integrated, cloud-friendly, and streamlined experience." And Serdar Yegulalp of InfoWorld called Office 2013 "the best Office yet."

Still other reviewers have used adjectives such as "feature-rich," "stunning," and "game-changing" to describe Office 365. Wrote Tom Warren of The Verge: "A new on-demand version of Office 2013 is available in Office 365 and it's nothing short of stunning." Beth Blecherman of TechMamas agreed: "The new Microsoft Office 365 Home Premium is out and quite simply, it is a game changer."And Dana Wollman of Engadget called Office 2013 "a top-notch product: fast, intuitive and feature-rich."

Touching the lives of more than 1 billion customers

As our customers' needs to create, communicate, and share information have evolved, we have too by making the familiar experience of Office available to everyone as a cloud subscription service.

The response has been truly gratifying.  Already, Office has touched the lives of over 1 billion people. And today, Office 365 is on track to become one of our fastest growing businesses in Microsoft history.

Having launched Office as a subscription service for consumers, we now look forward to making the new Office available to business customers worldwide. Join us at our virtual launch event on February 27 as we celebrate the availability of a major new release coming to Office 365 for businesses. If you are exploring cloud offerings, you do not want to miss this event.  You'll hear from Kurt DelBene, President of the Microsoft Office Division, about Microsoft's vision for productivity and the cloud. We'll demo new features in enterprise social and show how we've transformed the full Office experience you know into an always up-to-date service. Finally, you'll hear from the City of Chicago, Toyota, and Meals on Wheels about their move to the cloud with Office 365.  Register now!

Thank you for your business and for making the new Office such a success!

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