Techbyter Worldwide (formerly Technology Corner) With Bill Blinn

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You're using Linux right now because it's what runs the TechByter Worldwide website. But you probably aren't using Linux on your desktop or notebook computer. Linux may never take over the desktop market, but let's take a look anyway. In Short Circuits: People who are looking for a new notebook computer may forget to examine the list of ports on the computer, and that would be a mistake. • Adobe Max is back as an in-person event for 2022, but there are still options to attend some of the events online and for free. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Setting up a home network wasn't as easy as it is today and one listener asked for help with her frustrating system.

Although the cursor may seem unimportant when creating a video to illustrate a computer-based procedure, Camtasia 2022 clearly shows that to be false and includes ways to improve your videos by enhancing the cursor. In Short Circuits: A heavy-duty cable with two types of USB connectors on each end can replace a lot of standard cables. One version is less than 6 inches long, the other nearly 5 feet. • Do you use COBOL? Although many people consider it to be an antique, outmoded programming language that's no longer needed, it is still being used by airlines, banks, government agencies, and a lot of big businesses. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Even with "huge" 40GB drives in our 2002 computers, there was a need for more storage.

A single monitor was sufficient around the turn of the century, but that's no longer the case for enterprise users, and probably not for home users, either. In Short Circuits: DuckDuckGo is all about privacy and security, but there's more. Is it enough to justify dropping Google's search engine? If so, would you want to? • A clever utility called WhatRuns is for website developers, but it might be something any web user could benefit from. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): A proposed high-performance, low-power CPU dubbed "Crusoe" from Transmeta was running into headwinds in 2002.

Facebook gives users a way to keep in contact with friends and relatives, but it also can be intensely frustrating. An add-on application for browsers can tame the beast. In Short Circuits: Cameras in mobile phones have capabilities that often go well beyond what even an expensive camera can do, and apps give mobile users the ability to perform tasks that were once limited to computer-based digital photography programs. • Nearly 10 years after researcher Aaron Swartz committed suicide when he was charged, many say unfairly, with computer espionage, the Department of Justice has made changes in how it will handle future cases. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): A Bit of hope remained for Ventura Publisher as Corel prepared to release what would become the program's final version.

Microsoft OneNote improves every year and continues to be an indispensable tool for keeping track of varied and disparate bits of information. Even better, it's free for anyone to use on Windows, MacOS, Android, or IOS devices -- as well as on the web. In Short Circuits: Although SnagIt is what I consider the best screen capture application, there's ShareX for those who can't justify SnagIt's cost. The open-source application is surprisingly robust, but it runs only on Windows. • A listener asked if I had a list of applications and services that have received five-cat ratings. I didn't, but now I do -- even though the list goes back only to the start of 2017. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Burning DVDs was time consuming, expensive, and prone to failure in 2002. Now it's none of those.

Not losing computer files is important to me because replacing lost files would be difficult and, in many cases, impossible. That's why having a solid backup system is crucial. In Short Circuits: Scammers are out to steal your social media credentials. Modifying a few settings will help, but the best way to keep accounts safe involves a bit of suspicion and lot of common sense. • If you have more than one computer on your desk, you might find a mult-computer mouse to be a good investment. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Being able to use an office computer from home was still a relatively new concept in 2002, but it caught on fast.

Those who must create flyers, web graphics, and posters even though they have no training in graphic design can use free and low-cost online services to avoid creating laughable, poorly executed results. In Short Circuits: Anyone who watches videos on a computer should have the VideoLAN Client. It's a strong competitor, even for players that cost $50 or $100, and it can perform some actions that even expensive players can't. • When the speed of your internet connection is disappointing, check with your internet service provider, but don't overlook possible problems that are closer to home. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Adobe had just released version 2 of InDesign and it was clearly a huge challenge to Quark XPress.

Some scammers are smart enough to create legitimate looking ploys, but even well made scams are usually apparent following only a brief inspection. In Short Circuits: The Windows File Explorer can display thumbnail images of some file types, but not Photoshop files. This is an absurd shortcoming and there's an easy fix. • Is there a digital camera gathering dust around your house? The ubiquitous single-lens reflex camera seems to be nearing the end of its almost 100-year run. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): TechX NY was about to open. We didn't know it then, but the 2002 show was to be its final gasp. The number of participants dropped, the Javits Center wasn't close to being full, and some companies pulled out at the last minute.

I'd like to tell you about a couple of thumb drives that belong, if not in your pocket, at least on the desk with your computer. In Short Circuits: We'll look at expanding one of those thumb drives to make it even more useful with utilities that are helpful when there's a problem with the computer, or you just need information about the computer. • Belarc Advisor, which is free for home use, is the equivalent of an annual physical exam, X-ray, CAT scan, and psychiatric evaluation for your computer. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002, the electronics sector was being affected by the overall economic problems and Intel's sales were down significantly.

My wife and I decided to eliminate cable television about a year ago. We wanted to save money, but not lose content. So, did we succeed? In Short Circuits: Firefox isn't the force it once was, but there are good reasons for every computer user to have the browser installed even if it's not the primary browser. • Cheap thumb drives are everywhere. You'll pay just pennies per gigabyte, but are thumb drives still important? Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Criminals had figured out how to steal domain registrations and then sell them back to the owners.

If some company other than Adobe had created Lightroom Classic, Adobe would have to worry about the future of Photoshop. As it is, Lightroom, Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and some mobile apps from Adobe play exceedingly well together. In Short Circuits: Whether you love or loathe Windows 11, there are probably some annoyances you'd like to fix. Windows 11 Fixer 2.0 is a brilliant solution to many of the annoyances. • As handy as public Wi-Fi hotspots are, they can be dangerous. A few easy techniques can tilt the odds in our favor. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): "Stupid.com" had launched in 2002 and was offering for sale gifts that were decidedly unusual.

Facebook users seem to complain about the service frequently, but it's difficult to find a competing service that has all of Facebook's features. Perhaps it's impossible. In Short Circuits: Device drivers are essential. Without them, printers, mice, disc players, and keyboards would be nothing more than expensive paperweights. But device drivers are often the cause of problems, too. • The Windows 11 File Explorer sometimes stops responding. It' not a problem for everyone, but it is fairly common. The good news is that there's an easy fix. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): In 2002 I was looking at computer prices from 1982, so let's look back 40 years.

Digitizing film negatives by scanning them will almost always reveal dust spots and may reveal scratches. Fortunately, there's a way to reduce or eliminate these if your scanner and your scanning software support infra-red scanning. In Short Circuits: When you're nervous about installing a new application, the Windows Sandbox offers a way to test the new application without concern, but only with Windows Pro or Enterprise editions. • Adobe Premiere Pro is used by professionals to create full-length motion pictures, but it's also a great choice when you're working with digitized home video tapes. Twenty Years Ago (only on the website): Batteries have always been a problem with mobile devices. In 2002, technicians were looking for answers.