Most people will leave just the Windows Action Center alone and let it do its jobs. However, with some simple configuration, you can get it to work more efficiently (and less annoyingly). This article show you how to make effective use of the Windows Action Center.

Opening the Windows Action Center

In Windows 7 and Windows 8, Action Center works quietly in the background. It keeps on running as a service (WSCSVC Windows Security Center) and alerts the users from the system tray. It will show a white flag in the system tray when there is an alert available.

If you are using Windows 8, you can simply search for “Action Center”.

Alternatively, you can open the Windows Action Center from the Control Panel under “System and Security”.

You can also open Action Center using the shell command. Just run the following command through run dialog:

shell:::{BB64F8A7-BEE7-4E1A-AB8D-7D8273F7FDB6}

This can be useful for software developers who want to open the Action Center right from their programs.

Disabling the Action Center Notification

The Action Center doesn’t work well all the times. Sometimes, it can display the wrong information. For example, if you have installed an antivirus which is not detected by Action Center, it will display an alert (saying that you are not protected) even though you have the latest updated protection installed in your computer. In this case, you can configure the Action Center so that it does not alert you for that specific item.

To turn off or disable Windows Action Center completely:

1. Open Action Center.

2. In the pane on the left, click “Change Action Center settings”.

3. Uncheck all the items, or specific items that you want disabled.

4. Click Ok.

One thing to note is that this doesn’t prevent the icon from showing up in the system tray. To remove the icon:

1. Open Group Policy Editor (Run -> gpedit.msc)

2. Go to “User Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar”.

3. In the right hand pane, find and enable “Remove the Action Center icon”.

This will prevent the Action Center system tray icon from appearing again.

Finally, you will need to disable the Security Center service from Windows Services in order to make sure that Action Center is not taking any resources if it’s not running.

Using Action Center to your advantage

Unless you are connected to a corporate network, it is not recommended to turn off the Windows Action Center. However, there are some settings that you can tweak to make sure your computer is running smoothly.

Automatic maintenance

Automatic maintenance includes tasks like software updates, security scanning and system diagnostics. By default, automatic maintenance runs at 3 AM daily. If your computer is not running all the time, you should set the automatic maintenance to run when your system is running. This will make sure that all the maintenance tasks are run properly, and the Action Center will notify you of any problems in a timely manner. To change the automatic maintenance schedule, do the following:

Go to Action Center and click on Maintenance tab. This will open the maintenance tasks. Click on “Automatic Maintenance” to change the settings.

Adjust User Account Control

User Account Control notifies the users of any programs that are making changes to important parts of the computer.

By default, User Account Control is set to notifying only when apps try to make changes to the computer. It will dim the Desktop and display a warning dialog. This can be annoying, but can be adjusted accordingly.

To make appropriate changes, go to Action Center and select “Change User Account Control settings” from the pane on the left. Move the slider to whatever setting you are comfortable with. Just make sure that you are not turning it off, as this will make your computer vulnerable to spyware and other malware. One thing though, don’t over-reliable on the UAC protect your computer, as it can give you a false security.

Trust This PC

In Windows 8, Microsoft has given an option to connect and log in with your Microsoft account instead of the local Windows account. Using the Microsoft account, you can make your PC trustworthy in the eyes of Microsoft. This will make sure that all the user credentials for apps, websites and networks are synchronized in the cloud using SkyDrive. After synchronization, you will be able to use the same saved user credentials if you log in to another Windows computer using your Microsoft ID.

 Conclusion

Windows Action Center can help to monitor your computer and make sure that it is running smoothly without any security threats and other problems. Understanding the use of Action Center and tweaking it a little bit will make you understand your system better, leading to you being able to resolve issues in a timely manner.

Have you ever played with the Action Center? Do you even know its existence?

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How Non-EXE Viruses Work

First of all, a file doesn’t have to have the EXE extension to execute. Screensaver (SCR) and batch (BAT) files are good examples of this, and you’ll find plenty of viruses with this extension to this day.

Besides executable files, you can also have a virus that manipulates the program that opens it, like malicious Windows Help (CHM) files. A CHM virus will open the Windows Help program and use some of its features to harm your computer. Depending on how complex the program is, a virus can even collect information from your computer and send it home without any sign of wrongdoing. Every virus needs some form of access to the Windows application programming interface (API). Some programs offer some level of access (like Microsoft Word) and can really put your computer at risk.

1. Word Macro Viruses

One of the most common types of a typical viruses is the Microsoft Word macro virus. It’s grown to a level in which even Microsoft warns about them in its own site. One of the biggest attacks came from a macro virus known as W97M/Melissa.A. This particular virus would deliver itself in an email that contains a Word document attachment. Once the virus executed in Microsoft Word 97/2000, it would first send itself from your computer to all your email contacts. After that, the virus writes itself into your normal template (normal.dot) so that every document you start within Word would be infected. Although most viruses are dangerous, this particular macro virus posed a very small threat. Another variant of the virus (Melissa.V) actually destroys Excel documents after searching for them.

To protect yourself from viruses like these, it’d be wise to disable macros. The most recent versions of MS Word already do this for you and ask if you’d like to enable macros when you open such a document. The threat presented by these viruses shouldn’t be underestimated, though.

2. PDF Viruses

In the year 2001, a new kind of virus was discovered hidden within PDF files. Adobe’s Reader application allows PDFs to run embedded executable files, meaning that there’s a vast amount of potential with this. As far as carnage is concerned, this type of virus can rip your system (and privacy) to shreds. Another type of PDF virus also runs an embedded script, which can also wreak havoc on your system.

One such virus, known only by the name of “Peachy,” entertained you with a game and then ran a VBScript file once you won. The PDF document would then send copies of itself to your Outlook contacts.

The threat of these viruses has been minimized by Outlook’s upgrade in 2002 which detected any external attempt to grab its contact list. The program will warn you when an external source tries to get a hold of email addresses. The best way to defend yourself against PDF viruses is to put them under scrutiny (such as uploading them to VirusTotal) and heeding any warnings from Outlook when unauthorized scripts try to access its contact list.

The Threat Continues

Technology is evolving rapidly. Although PDF and Word macro viruses aren’t as threatening as they used to be, you shouldn’t breathe a sigh of relief just yet. Other viruses will take its place. The best thing you can do is make sure you exercise a certain degree of prudence when opening files sent to you via email. If you have any questions, pop them in the comments section!

The post 2 Unexpected File Types Where Computer Viruses Can Exist (And They Are Not .EXE) appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Using Phrozensoft VirusTotal Uploader

To get started, go to the Phrozensoft homepage and download the installer. The installation process is simple and hardly takes a minute. Launch the application and you will find three different tabs: Upload Process, Awaiting Results and Available Results.

Under the “Upload Process” tab, it will show you the upload progress of the files. In “Awaiting Results” tab, it will show the files that have been uploaded to VirusTotal. After the file is scanned by VirusTotal, the results will be shown in the last tab.

When you double click on the files in the “Available Results” tab, a new window will open showing you the list of antivirus programs that were used to scan the files along with other basic information such as program version and the date when the virus definitions were updated.

Phrozensoft VirusTotal Uploader also comes with a widget where you can drag and drop files onto it. If you need to scan files regularly, you will find the widget to be a handy tool.

Another really useful feature of the program is that you can scan all the running processes using VirusTotal as well. Click on the “Process” option from the main screen, and it will show you all the processes that are running in the background. To scan any process, just check it and click on Submit. It will scan the process, and the results will be shown in the Results tab.

Apart from the running process, you can also scan startup programs, services and active network connections.

Conclusion

If you are an active user of VirusTotal, this Phrozensoft VirusTotal Uploader app will definitely be a handy tool for you. Not only does it save you the trouble to upload the files manually, you can also use it to upload multiple files at once, and save you tons of time in the process. Check it out and I am sure you won’t regret it.

Phrozensoft VirusTotal Uploader

The post Scan Files for Viruses Directly From The Desktop appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Downloading and installing

WinAero Librarian is available for Windows 7 and 8. Once you download the archive from WinAero’s web site and unzip it, you’ll see that it contains Windows 7 and Windows 8 versions. This allows you to open only the version you need and run its program to get started.

There is also a folder for Cool Libraries Icons within the archive; this can be used as a way to change the default library icons from WinAero Librarian. Wherever you decide to house the WinAero Librarian folder, store this icons folder in it, to be used later.

Creating a new library

WinAero Librarian utilizes a simple user interface.

In order to create a new library, click the “Star Icon.”

Name your new library anything you want, then click “OK.”

Clicking “Change Icon” will let you pick a new icon to represent the library. This is where the new folder of icons comes in handy.

If you click on “Browse,” you can navigate to where you stored the icon folder and choose a more exciting icon for the library.

If you want to change the type of library you’ve created, click “Library type.”

You can choose from a drop-down menu what type of library you’re creating or just leave the library as a generic one. For the most part, it no longer matters in Windows what type of library you create because you can link multiple locations to it.

From the New library window, you can click “Add” to add folders and locations to the library for easy access. There is no limit to what you link to your library.

Modifying existing libraries

If you right-click on any library from WinAero Librarian, you can click on “Change” to modify it.

For the default Windows libraries that it ships with, you cannot change the names, but you can change the icons, type and what folders link to it.

You can also delete the default libraries as you see fit by right-clicking the one you want to remove from Windows.

Other features of WinAero Librarian

WinAero Librarian also allows you to view the old-fashioned library locations where you can add or remove folders as necessary.

The only difference in using this versus Librarian’s interface is that with WinAero, Windows will show you whether or not a folder is public. This can be useful when working with a shared library.

Another useful feature of WinAero comes through viewing your libraries as a XML file.

If you need to import/export library structure from one Windows PC to another, you can use this information to do just that with WinAero Librarian.

Save the Notepad file as something unique, then transfer that file to another Windows PC using WinAero Librarian. Open up the XML file associated with the library you want to mimic the same settings. Copy and paste the Notepad file contents into it, then Save the XML file.

Conclusion

Windows always seems to give users the bare minimum when it comes to customizing the operating system. However, using tools like WinAero Librarian will give you more control over your Windows libraries.

The post Manage Your Windows Libraries with WinAero Librarian appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Setting up WebCopy

The first time you open WebCopy after downloading and installing it, click on “Tools,” then “Options” to take a look at its settings.

General, Copy and Notifications Options are all basic and require no real walkthrough.

Appearance Options, however, are a way for you to customize how the saved websites look. You can change the variable and fixed fonts as well as how the Sitemap created for your offline website looks and feels.

Saving a website

For the purpose of our walkthrough, we’ll be using Cyotek’s tutorial web site to show you how to get the most from WebCopy.

1. Enter in a URL in the Website field, then click “Copy Website.”

2. If everything goes smoothly, WebCopy will begin the process and save the website for offline viewing.

Depending on the website and hierarchy of how it’s designed, it’s possible that WebCopy may not be able to actually download it for offline use. If this occurs, the copy will be halted and you will see an announcement.

You will also be given the opportunity to look at the error logs to hopefully determine what the problem is. However, most likely there will not be much you can do on your end to correct it.

3. Once the website is finished downloading, there might still be errors detected, and you will still be alerted and allowed to go through the various results.

4. Click on the “Green Arrow” next to Save folder.

This will open the folder where you website has been downloaded, if you click on any of the web pages, it’ll open in your brows navigate through the site as you would normally.

WebCopy saves the layout, and by generating a sitemap of the web site, it can create a natural direction through the site as if visiting it in real time. This is where the real beauty of WebCopy comes into play.

5. Click on the “Floppy Disk” icon to save your new saved website.

Saving your website project allows you to come back to it, re-download components and use the website offline any time you need.

Working with the wesite panels

After you save websites for offline viewing, these results show you what was downloaded properly, what errors occurred, the background files downloaded to load your offline site and more. This can be a way to piece together what pages are missing, what changes have been made between fresh downloads of a single website and issues you might encounter when browsing a website offline.

The first panel you’ll work with is the Results. This will give you a breakdown of how WebCopy downloaded a website. You can see if a page was successfully downloaded, if an error occurred and other information.

The next panel you work with is the Errors. This will show you every error that occurred during the download, such as 404 errors.

The Sitemap panel gives you a look at how the sitemap organizes after the download.

The Skipped panel shows what pages were skipped in the website hierarchy during the download. In most instances, any domain linked outside the original domain you wanted to download offline will not actually download as part of the overall structure.

The Files panel showcases everything that was downloaded to create your website offline, including HTML files, images, JavaScript applications and more.

Finally, the Missing panel will show you what downloaded in a current website copy that may not have been included in previous downloads.

These panels give you an overall picture of the website hierarchy which can be useful for creating rules to govern how a website is downloaded for offline use.

Utilizing rules for offline web site downloads

WebCopy lets you create a set of rules to apply when downloading a web site for offline use. For instance, you might not need the images from a website when viewing it.

1. Click “CTLR + R” to open the Rules Editor.

2. Under the “Rules Properties,” in the “Pattern” text box, type “\.jpg” or substitute whatever image type you want to exclude from your website downloads.

3. You can select what Options you want for the rule, in this case, we’ll click “Exclude.”

4. If we click “Enable this rule,” this will exclude all JPG images from downloading when you get a new copy of a website for use offline.

You can create a variety of rules for a particular website and save them all within the Project for use whenever you update your offline sites.

Conclusion

WebCopy gives you control over how you save websites for offline viewing. It’s an amazing utility for websites you visit frequently and would like to have available when you can’t get online.

The post Save Websites for Offline Viewing with WebCopy appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Back Up Your Personal Files

The most obvious files that should be backed up on a regular basis are personal files; the ones that are irreplaceable or will make you spend countless hours recovering. These files are mainly found in “C:\Users\[Username]“.

‘My’ Folders

This includes Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos – e.g. your office work or that novel you are writing, family photos and home movies and your entire music collection.

Your Desktop

Many people save files to their desktop instead of My Documents, but it’s just as important to back these up. They are located at “C:\Users\[username]\Desktop”

Your Email

If you are using an email application such as Outlook or Windows Live Mail on your computer, it is imperative to perform a period backup of your files.

Outlook stores all its data in PST files. This is sometimes stored in your My Documents folder under a subfolder called “Outlook Files;” however, it is also often stored in “C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook.” You can double-check your mail location by going to “Control Panel -> Mail -> Data Files” – any PST files will be listed and their location shown.

Windows Mail, on the other hand, also stores its information in the user AppData folder at “AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Mail” and also “AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows Live Contacts.”

AppData folders

These are located under “C:\Users\[username]\AppData”. If this file is backed up and your mail account is stored in the AppData folder, then you can potentially disregard the above note on mail backup, otherwise you may be backing up the same files twice. AppData stores a large amount of relevant user data and information. Things like Google Chrome of Mozilla Firefox profiles, game preferences, application preferences, etc.

Note: You cannot just copy the entire AppData profile when you reinstall Windows to recover from a hard drive crash – you need to be selective about what you restore.

Favorites

If you use Internet Explorer and have many bookmarks, you should also grab this folder. It’s located at C:\Users\[username]\Favorites

If you use another browser, such as Google Chrome, bookmarks are located in the AppData folder which has been previously covered.

Other folders

• Saved Games – If you play games that have a save functionality? They will end up here. – C:\users\[username\Saved Games
• Downloads - If you download many files via the browser and wanted to keep them, the default Downloads folder is located at C:\Users\[username]\Downloads
• Accounting Software – For some reason, Accounting software packages like to save their files in their install directory. If you use MYOB, Quickbooks or similar, they may save your accounting files in a location like “C:\Myob18″ or “C:\Quickbooks.” If that is the case, it’s best to grab these folders too!
• Other Users – Don’t forget about the other users’ users folders on your computer. Their stuff might need backing up too!

Files definitely not required

Unless you are imaging the system, you will not need any of the following:

• Windows Folder (C:\Windows)
• Program Files (C:\Program Files)
• Program Files x86 (C:\Program Files (x86))
• PerfLogs (C:\PerLogs)

Note: The reason Program Files do not need to be backed up is that just about all applications are useless unless installed from their original source. You cannot just copy an installed application folder and expect it to work – it has to install dependencies, update your registry and so on. You will be better off backing up the installer file of the application instead. If you want to be able to get your system back up and running without needing to reinstall applications, then you need to image your system – i.e. take a full snapshot of your hard drive.

Conclusion

If you follow the above guide, you should have everything backed up that you may need to recover from a hard drive crash. Also keep in mind that if you have created other directories in non-standard locations on your hard drive, you should back these up too. Please post in the comments below if you have any questions.

Image credit: External hard drive by BigStockPhoto

The post Files You Should Back Up to Help Recover From a Hard Drive Crash [Windows] appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Ensuring Your Antivirus Works

You’ve probably asked yourself the following question: How do I make sure that the new antivirus software I installed will actually detect threats? This creates a dilemma. You certainly can’t just infect your computer out of the blue. Viruses can damage your system in ways that may make your software respond unpredictably. Chances are you won’t destroy your computer, but it will certainly be a headache to get rid of a virus, and the process may take anywhere from five minutes to an hour to completely erase.

Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: Write your own little virus. The European Institute for Computer Antivirus Research (EICAR) has created a standard for antivirus developers. Virtually all antivirus programs recognize this little file created by EICAR as a virus. It’s called the EICAR standard anti-virus test file (EICAR test file, in short). The entire file is only 70 bytes long and, when executed, simply displays “EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!” on your screen. Harmless, right?

How do we create our own EICAR file? Let’s follow the steps I took:

1. Open up Notepad and type the following string into it:

X5O!P%@AP[4\PZX54(P^)7CC)7}$EICAR-STANDARD-ANTIVIRUS-TEST-FILE!$H+H*

2. Click “File,” then “Save As.” Then, select “All Files (*.*)” under “Save as type.”

3. As the file name, save it as “eicar.com”

You’re done! Now you have an official test file. If your antivirus is already telling you that you have a virus at this point, you can rest assured that the system is working perfectly.

Ignore any messages from your antivirus software (or disable the software entirely if you cannot possibly save the EICAR file to your computer). After that, try sending it to yourself as an attachment via email. This is useful in testing the antivirus’ capabilities in intercepting malicious messages.

Why doesn’t my antivirus software detect EICAR?

I’ve tested this on many antivirus platforms, and it turns out that Malwarebytes don’t pick up the EICAR test file. I did a little digging and found out that they “don’t have the time” to add such things to their databases since they’re busy trying to add more real viruses. It’s a noble goal, I suppose, but it wouldn’t take more than a few minutes to add such a signature. The test file is short specifically so that its signature would be easier to add to a database.

Keep this in mind, as other antivirus solutions might ignore the EICAR file also. They’re free to do as they wish. It doesn’t make their software any less competent, but it would be nice if you had a way to test your software without having to actually get infected at one point.

Why Can’t I Open The EICAR Test File?

Are you running 64-bit Windows? If you are, the EICAR test file won’t open. This will not impact the antivirus software’s ability to detect it as a virus, though. If you didn’t copy and paste the code properly, or have otherwise not followed the instructions I provided to the letter, then you also will have problems running the COM file. After all, it’s practically a program in itself.

Questions?

If you have any questions about the process of making sure your antivirus software is working (I know there are perhaps some I didn’t conceive of yet), please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. I answer comments very quickly and always enjoy walking people through trouble spots.

The post How To Make Sure Your Antivirus Software Is Working appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

What Is Cloud Storage?

If you’re lost, let me explain cloud storage in a nutshell: Cloud storage lets you put your files on a central server where you can access them very easily through any device you own or operate. For example, you can add a PowerPoint presentation from your computer to your Dropbox account and then present it through a projector connected to your laptop which accesses the Dropbox account and opens the file directly. This is extremely advantageous in situations where you have to use a file interchangeably between devices. Google Drive actually comes with word processing capabilities as well!

What Advantages Do I Get Adding Cloud Storage To Office 2013?

When you add a third-party cloud storage service to Office 2013, you get to save documents directly to their servers. This way, you don’t have to upload them manually from your desktop. Just click “Save As” and then select your storage medium!

Adding A Cloud Storage Service To Office 2013

Since cloud services each have different ways of communicating with client computers, each is explained separately here.

Adding Dropbox

• Download the batch file containing a script for adding Dropbox as a service in Windows 7/8.
• Open the batch file (ignoring any warnings saying that it’s malicious) by right-clicking it, then clicking “Run As Administrator.” You should reach an interface like this:

• Press any key, as the batch file suggests.
• Type the location of your Dropbox folder on your hard drive. The default would be “C:\Users\*windows user name*\Dropbox.” Replace *windows user name* with the username you log in to Windows with.

The script will start working, provided you followed the instructions clearly.

Adding Google Drive

The process for adding Google Drive is mostly the same, except you have to download this batch file. Your default Google Drive directory will be the same path as the Dropbox one, except that “Dropbox” is “Google Drive,” of course! Remember to put quotation marks around the path you type if there are any spaces in it.

Once you’re done, it’s time to actually enable the services in Office 2013!

Setting Up The Cloud Storage Services

The following shows how to set up third-party cloud storage services to work with Office 2013:

• Click “File.”
• Click “Save As,” then “Add a place.”
• You’ll already see Dropbox and/or Google Drive in there, provided you followed the instructions correctly. Just click on them to be done.

Want More Cloud Services?

If you want to learn how to add other third-party cloud storage services in Office 2013, just comment below and I’ll consider covering them in another piece! If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask as well.

The post Adding Dropbox and Google Drive to Microsoft Office 2013 appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Downloading and using for first time

Windows App Boss can be downloaded from its CodePlex page. It doesn’t need to be installed, so you can start using it as soon as it’s finished downloading.

When you first start using Windows App Boss, it’ll take a few seconds to populate its database with the apps installed on your computer.

Once filled, you can see the name, version, publisher and family the app belongs to. This is often information that you don’t have access to when you install/uninstall Windows 8 apps.

Installing apps

Windows App Boss lets you install Windows Store apps as well as test-signed apps which may not have been approved yet by Microsoft to appear in the store.

Click “Install” in the top left corner to open the Advanced Package Installer.

This is the utility to use to install apps manually as opposed to doing it through the Windows Store. As always, be careful what you install in Windows 8 especially if you’re not familiar with the source.

You just have to add the package, add the dependencies and then select the right options before proceeding with the install. This is definitely for more advanced users but can be beneficial if you want to use an app not offered on the Windows Store, yet.

Working with apps

On the main screen, you can click on any app to get more information, open it or uninstall it.

Just click on an app, then click “Settings.”

You’ll be able to view the Settings.dat file for the app, which is something you can’t access from the app directly when launched. These are the background settings for the app and how it runs on Windows 8 and not the traditional app settings you’re used to tinkering with.

By clicking “Snap Shots,” you can actually take snapshots of the app’s state which can be useful for diagnosing problems or submitting bug reports to a developer to help improve an app.

You can even restore an app to a previous state by using this mini-restore tool.

Uninstalling apps

Uninstalling an app can also be done from the desktop in Windows App Boss. Just highlight an app and click “Uninstall.” A small pop-up window will appear and run through the basic uninstall process, the same way you would be uninstalling an app from the Start screen. There is no difference in uninstalling an app through Windows App Boss or the way Windows lets you from the Start screen.

Developer License management

Windows App Boss also lets you manage your Windows Developer License from its program as opposed to having to go through Power Shell to do it.

If you haven’t acquired a license before, you can start by doing that.

From there, you can manage, renew and remove the license as necessary while you work on apps for Windows 8.

Conclusion

Windows App Boss lets you work from the desktop and interact with apps in Windows 8 in ways Microsoft doesn’t. If you’re looking for more information on Windows 8 apps or even to develop your own, Windows App Boss is just one way to go about it. Let us know in the comments below if you have another preferred way.

The post How to Manage Windows 8 Apps Directly From the Desktop appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Thankfully, there is a way to paste content without retaining the original formatting; this feature is called “Paste Special.” It also provides some useful options when pasting images into a document. You can Paste Special by pressing “Ctrl + Alt + V” in the Microsoft Office suite and a number of other applications. This article will show you how Paste Special can be used in two of the most popular Office apps – Word & Excel. Please note that this guide is tailored to Microsoft Office 2010 and above.

Microsoft Word 2010 or Above

Copying text from webpage or email into Word Document

1. Once you have copied some text from a webpage to the clipboard (Ctrl + C), in a Word Document, navigate to Home and select the arrow below Paste – Paste Special (or press Ctrl + Alt + V).

2. The Paste Special dialog box will appear as below:

3. By default, the HTML format option is highlighted as we are copying text from a webpage. If we continued pasting with this option selected, the copied text would keep its html formatting and most likely look completely out of place in the document as per the image below.

4. Instead, select the “Unformatted text” option to remove the html formatting and set it to the default settings in the document.

Copying images from webpage or email to Word Document

1. If you are compiling images into a document from the Internet or email, an issue can arise where the image copied is a large file. For example, images embedded in email attachments are usually bmp (bitmap) files, which are one of the largest quality image files available. To lessen the quality of the graphics, Paste Special can be utilised. The Paste Special dialogue box should give you the following options:

2. Instead of copying the image in its html format as highlighted above, selecting another type of image format such as GIF, PNG or JPEG ensures that the graphic size of the image is reduced. As a result, the overall file size of your document shrinks, which is very useful if emailing the document.

Microsoft Excel 2010 or Above

For those of us who regularly mess around in spreadsheets, Paste Special can be a big productivity boon. A few Excel-specific Paste Special techniques are shown below.

Transposing Data

1. A fairly common data cleanup issue in Excel is the transposing of data. For example, to make the columns of our data into rows, highlight the original data and press “Ctrl + C”.

2. Navigate to an empty data area of your spreadsheet and press “Ctrl + Alt + V”. As Paste Special opens, click Transpose.

3. A transposed copy of the table will now appear in the spreadsheet.

Auto Calculations

Paste Special can be applied when needed to perform simple calculations such as multiply, subtraction or addition across multiple cells at the same time. In the example, we need to subtract 20 from values in B3-B10.

1, In an empty cell, type in the value 20 and press CTRL + C

2. Highlight cells B3-B10 and press CTRL + ALT + V. In the Paste Special dialog box, select Subtract under the Operation heading. Click OK.

3. Cells A1-A20 now have 20 subtracted from their total values.

3. Formatting of graphs

If you need to showcase multiple charts, then it is important that the colour, font, and scales are uniform throughout. However, styling each chart to match could get extremely tedious. Thankfully, Paste Special comes in handy again.

In the example below, we want to convert the Vegetable Tally graph to look like the Fruit Tally pie chart.

1. Select the pie chart and press Ctrl + C. Select the bar graph and enter Ctrl + Alt + V.

2. When the Paste Special dialog box opens, select Formats.

3. The Vegetable Tally bar graph has now been formatted to resemble a pie chart like Fruit Tally.

Conclusion

As the examples above illustrate, Paste Special can deliver some great productivity improvements. Complicated or repetitive formatting tasks, particularly in excel spreadsheets, can be resolved with a simple click of the button in most cases. While we mention only its usage in Microsoft Office, it can also be used in many different applications, including Gmail. We suggest giving it a try the next time you copy text from the Internet to a word document. Please post in the comments below if you have any questions.

Image credit: Paste Copy Paste Copy

The post Making Good Use of “Paste Special” in Office Suite appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Downloading and running Windows Menu Plus

Download Windows Menu Plus from MooO’s web site. Windows Menu Plus doesn’t need to be installed; click on the EXE file you downloaded to start.

Working with Windows Menu Plus’ options

1. From the notifications area in your taskbar, “Right-click” the Windows Menu Plus icon.

2. Ensure “Turn On” is checked.

This will activate Windows Menu Plus, and as long as it’s running in the background, you’ll be able to take advantage of everything it has to offer.

3. Open the same menu and click “Show/Hide.”

This will allow you to customize what you want to see when you click on a Windows app title bar. Check each item you want to add, and it’ll be added when you right-click on title bars from now on.

4. Clicking Language will let you change the default language Windows Menu Plus runs in.

This will also change the language for the additional functions you added through Windows Menu Plus.

5. Back at the main Windows Menu Plus context menu, click “Start on System Boot.”

In order to get the most from Windows Menu Plus, you want to ensure it starts on boot. This will keep the options you’ve selected running instead of you forgetting to start it when you log in to Windows.

Also, if Windows Menu Plus stops booting on startup, despite this being checked, you can open its Task Scheduler entry to help troubleshoot the issue.

6. One more time from the menu, click “About.”

This will give you various information on Windows Menu Plus, including the current version you’re using along with information online for using the program on your PC.

Using Windows Menu Plus

Keep in mind that some programs won’t let you utilize Windows Menu Plus for security reasons. If you right-click a window and nothing pops up, this is something that’s been blocked by the developer or Windows.

For this example, we’re using the Windows Calculator, and when we refer to a number, you can head back to this image to see what area we’re talking about.

In area one, you can keep the window on top, maximize the window if available and change its transparency.

Transparency can be changed from 0% to 100% depending on how light you want the window or app to be.

In area two you can kill the app’s process, change its priority and even free unused memory it may be eating up in Windows.

Click “Process Priority.”

Process Priority will allow you to change how the app utilizes CPU, cache memory and RAM. For most cases, you shouldn’t need to change the priority process of anything in Windows unless you believe a program is utilizing too many or too few resources.

If you click “Free Unused Memory,” Windows Menu Plus will cycle your cached memory to release memory the app is utilizing and doesn’t need. This can help improve your overall computer performance.

In area three, you can find this program in its own folder or get additional information on the program.

You are given a variety of information on the program with this option, from how long it’s been running, to how much memory it’s using and even how it writes to your hard drive. This can be useful to find out version information or even if the program is eating memory.

In the final area, four, you can create a tray icon for any app with Windows Menu Plus even if it doesn’t normally offer this option for quick and easy access.

Conclusion

Windows Menu Plus has enough options for any computer user to find it useful in some capacity. If you’re looking for additional functionality from right-clicking your apps, Windows Menu Plus is the solution. If you’ve used it, comment below to let us know what you think of its uses.

The post Add Extra Useful Menu to App Window With Windows Menu Plus appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

How to use the Windows 8 Reliability Monitor

1. Begin searching for “Reliability Monitor” from the Start screen in Windows 8.

2. Click on “Settings,” then on “View reliability history” to open the Reliability Monitor.

The first time you open the in Windows 8 Reliability Monitor, it will take a few minutes depending on how long you’ve been using the PC.

By default, the Reliability Monitor will open showing you the days of the current month and issues that popped up on each day.

The Reliability Monitor breaks down events in the following ways:

• Application failures: This relates to any issues with applications, such as failed installs and failed updates
• Windows failures: This relates to any issues with Windows, such as failed updates, improper shutdown procedures
• Miscellaneous failures: This relates to any issues that can’t be classified into application or Windows failures, such as driver issues and hardware issues
• Warnings: This relates to any unsuccessful software, driver, Windows update or any critical events
• Information: This relates to any successful software, plugin or driver installs, along with others

3. Click “Weeks” to switch views.

Depending on the issue and how long it’s been going on, switching views can give you a clearer idea of what the overall pattern might be.

4. Click on “Any Day” on your Reliability Monitor.

This will open the specific details of issues Windows 8 had that day. You will be given a breakdown of what popped up, so you can go through and see what happened. This can be a way to see what the underlying issue might be so you can further troubleshoot and correct it.

On this day, there was a warning about Adobe Reader XI. Clicking on “View technical details” next to it to gets more information, since there was also confirmation that the alleged reconfiguration went right in the Informational events area.

In the Problem Details window, there is a date and time of the issue along with a technical description of it. This information is handy because most of the time you’ll be given the error code that went along with it. This is rarely given to you by the software or app in question. You can then open up Google and look to see what the error code means. You can also refer to the Windows Installer Error Messages to see what the error code means.

You can do this with any event that occurred in the Windows 8 Reliability Monitor to get details about what occurred to try and pinpoint what caused them.

In this example, there is a critical error that caused Windows 8 to shut down unexpectedly.

When we click on “Check for a solution,” we’re brought to a Microsoft database article on what could cause it to occur and how to prevent it.

Conclusion

When something seems off with your computer, checking the Windows 8 Reliability Monitor is one way to try and troubleshoot what may be causing the issue. System instability, functionality and even speed issues can be diagnosed by seeing what has been happening recently on your PC.

The post Troubleshoot Your PC Problems With the Reliability Monitor in Windows 8 appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

However, your TV is the not only thing that can be controlled remotely. Your computer can be controlled remotely too. Remote Desktop Connection is a feature in Windows operating system that allows you to control your computer from a different or isolated location. For example, you can control your computer at home while at work by using Remote Desktop Connection. In this guide, you will learn how to set up Remote Desktop Connection.

Enabling Remote Access

In order to set up Remote Desktop, you need to enable remote access. To do this, move the cursor to the bottom-left corner of the screen. Right-click and then select “System.” The next window will show you all of the basic specifications of your computer such as model number, CPU configuration, installed memory, etc.

Move the cursor to the left pane and select “Remote Settings.” Go under the “Remote Desktop” section and select “Allow Remote Connections to This Computer.”

By default, Windows restriction remote connection only to other computers with network level authentication. While this option is more secured, it limits who can remotely access your computer.

Allowing Remote Desktop through Firewall:

By default, Windows Firewall blocks Remote Desktop. Therefore, in order for Remote Desktop to work, you need to enable through Windows Firewall. To do this, right click the bottom-left corner of the screen and select “Run.” Type “Firewall.cpl” in the text field and click “OK.’

This will launch Windows Firewall. Go to the left pane and click “Allow and App or Feature through Windows Firewall.”

You will then see a list of devices that are disabled or enabled through Windows Firewall.  Click “Change Settings.” Scroll down and check “Remote Desktop” to allow remote access.

Accessing a Computer Remotely

Once you have enabled remote access, you can remotely connect to a computer. To do this, you need to run the Remote Desktop Connection application. Right-click the bottom left corner of the screen and click “Search.” Type “Remote” in the search field and select and “Remote Desktop Connection.” This will open the Remote Desktop application.

Enter the IP address or name of the computer and click “Connect.”

The disadvantages of Remote Desktop

While Remote Desktop Connection is indeed a useful feature, its functions are limited. For example, Remote Desktop is restricted to your local network.  What is more, you cannot use Remote Desktop to connect to professional or higher versions of Windows. To get around this issue, you can remotely access a computer through a virtual private network (VPN). Programs such as LogMeIn, GotoMyPC, and TeamViewer also allow you to do this.

Do you find any use for the Remote Desktop feature in Windows? Or do you prefer a third party software like TeamViewer to do the job?

The post Setting Up Remote Desktop in Windows 8 appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Download Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheatsheet

Can’t get enough of this? We have prepared a downloadable cheat sheet for you so you can access to it when you need it.

Download it here.

Image credit: Windows key

The post Useful List of Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcut + Cheatsheet Download appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

How to show network usage statistics

1. Head to your Windows 8 desktop.

2. Click on the “Internet Connection” icon in the taskbar.

3. “Right-click” your Internet connection.

A small menu will appear.

4. Click “Show estimated data usage.”

5. “Left-click” your Internet connection again.

A drop down menu will appear that will give you your estimated usage since Windows 8 started recording it. If you have never turned this on before, it’ll be since you installed Windows 8. You can reset the stats at any time by clicking “Reset.”

Windows 8 only gives you an estimate of usage. For more in-depth statistics, we will take a look at a Windows Store app that gives you more information.

Using the Network Usage app

You can download the Network Usage app from the Windows Store.

Once installed, Network Usage will breakdown your monthly and daily MBs sent and received on an Internet connection.

If you click on any month with data, you can see the breakdown daily of what was sent and received.

On days that have particularly high data usage, you can recall what you did that day to figure out ways to cut back on sending and receiving data.

Network Usage will keep records for all network connections you have utilized until you reset it. This includes networks you merely connected to once or your home network you stay connected to most of the time.

How to limit your network usage

If you are already using a metered connection, you may need to ensure you are not downloading over it. Depending on your data plan with your ISP, you may or may not have to worry about limiting your usage. Windows 8 has a built-in setting to help meter your own connection.

1. In order to do that, open the “Charms Bar.” Then click “Change PC Settings,” followed by “Devices” under PC settings.

2. Scroll down below your devices, and you will see the “Download over metered connections” option.

3. Ensure this is turned off.

This means you will never download software drivers, information, apps or updates when you have a metered network connection. This will help save bandwidth and keep your usage low when you cannot afford to go over.

Windows 8 lets you quickly go from ametered connection to a non-metered one through the network properties.

4. Open your network connection.

5. “Left-click” your Internet connection.

Keep in mind that only wireless connections can be metered in Windows 8. Wired connections cannot.

6. Click “Set as metered connection.”

The unwanted data that was configured above will no longer be downloaded.

You can toggle this on or off any time by following steps 4 through 6.

Conclusion

Check with your ISP to see if you are on a metered data plan. You could be and may not even know it. If you are, the steps above can help give you an idea of what you are using each month, and you can take precautions to not go over your data allotment.

What methods do you use to monitor your network usage statistics in Windows 8? Let us know below in the comments section.

The post How to Monitor Your Network Usage in Windows 8 (And Prevent Paying For The Extra Bandwidth) appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

With two-factor authentication, when you sign in with your password, you’ll always need to enter an additional security code provided by that service. It can sometimes be a pain, but as they say, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Thankfully, Microsoft has recently added this feature to Windows Live; you can protect your account no matter where you are.

Here’s how to enable it:

1. Sign into your Microsoft account.

2. On the Security Info page, you will see a new option at the top: two-step verification. Click on the “set up two-step verification” link.

3. On the next page, click “next” after you’ve read their little spiel regarding two-step verification.

4. You’ll need to choose your preferred method for receiving your verification code. You can have Microsoft send you a text message, call you on the phone, or send you an email.

5. Click on “next” and you will receive a code via the method chosen in step number four; enter it into the text area.

6. After that, you’re all set. Two-step authentication will be turned on. From now on, each time you sign in you’ll need to get an additional security code before you can log into your account.

It’s important to know that some apps and devices don’t support security codes. In these cases, you’ll need to create an app password to sign in.

You can also use a mobile authenticator app to get security codes (great when you have no mobile phone coverage) and pair it with your Microsoft account. I’m using Google Authenticator for iOS, and it only took a minute to pair my Microsoft account with it, via a bar code scan.

Do you use a two-factor authentication app? Let us know in the comments area about your experiences setting it up.

The post How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication For Your Microsoft Account appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Installation

The installation process is fairly simple. The software is very quick to install and causes no issues. There are no hidden toolbars, no extra software, and nothing else that could be deemed conspicuous.

A First Look

After opening Password Recovery Bundle, it greets you with a simple interface.

The help file is extensive, but the software itself is self-explanatory and intuitive. The Windows Password button recovers passwords you use to log in to your operating system. “Recover From File” lets you recover passwords from Zip, RAR, PST, Reach-a-Mail, PDF, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SQL Server, and MS Access files.

The “Start Recovery” button shows you a lot of the magic it can do. A dialog will pop up showing you all the different passwords it can extrapolate. From top to bottom, the list is incredibly long, so we’ll split it up.

For instant messaging:

• MSN
• AIM
• Google Talk
• Trillian
• Miranda
• Paltalk
• MySpaceIM
• Digsby
• Gizmo5
• GAIM
• Pidgin
• Ipswitch Instant Messenger

For email:

• Outlook
• Outlook Express
• Windows Mail
• Windows Live Mail
• Eudora
• Incredimail
• Becky!
• Phoenix Mail
• Mozilla Thunderbird
• The Bat!
• Reach-a-Mail
• Pocomail
• Pegasus Mail

For FTP services:

• FileZilla
• CuteFTP
• SmartFTP
• FlashFXP
• WS_FTP
• CoreFTP
• FTP Control
• FTP Voyager
• FTP Commander
• FTP Navigator
• WebDrive FTP
• SecureFX
• AutoFTP
• 32bit FTP
• BulletProof FTP
• Far Manager FTP

It’s also compatible with these browsers:

• Internet Explorer
• Opera
• Firefox
• Safari
• Chrome
• SeaMonkey
• Flock

It also supports other miscellaneous programs, like:

• Ipswitch IMail Server
• Total Commander
• Camfrog
• EasyWebCam
• Dialup
• Remote Desktop
• VNC

Aside from all that, there is also an option to display installed product keys and reveal passwords that are hidden by asterisks. You can also reveal passwords in the Windows Cache.

Testing Password Recovery Bundle

Considering that there’s no way I can test absolutely everything here, I’m going to just randomly test stuff I actually have installed. I tried testing password retrieval for things that weren’t installed on the computer, and it got hung up a little bit before telling me that there are no passwords present.

After trying the same application again, there was no lag. It seems like the previous attempt was just a fluke.

Upon clicking the “Windows Password” button, I realize that it’s not going to just show me the password outright. If Microsoft would store your Windows password in such an easily accessible manner, anyone would be able to just hack into your system without a whole lot of effort. Instead, Password Recovery Bundle sets up a wizard where you can burn a password reset disc. You’ll have to boot with that disc and set a new password.

Let’s try recovering product keys:

It was quick and sweet. The software managed to pull up my PKs for my operating system, games I have installed, and Microsoft Office. Now, let’s try to get some passwords from Outlook:

It flawlessly got all of my passwords for each email account I had hooked up to Outlook. But notice how it heads each entry with “MS Outlook2002/2003/2007.” I’m using Outlook 2013. It’s a forgivable mistake of course, but something to address in a later version.

Speaking of next versions, I clicked the “Check for updates now” link, and it takes me to the product’s home page. The average consumer today expects their software to update automatically via its own interface rather than asking the person to browse the site for new versions. It’s a minor pet peeve, but something completely tolerable considering the extensive password recovery capabilities of Password Recovery Bundle.

By the way, I tested recovery on Pidgin and just as you’d expect, every password of mine is listed neatly under the account handle and protocol used for that account. This could be a dangerous tool in the wrong hands.

And speaking of dangerous, with tools like these, you have to watch out for the possibility of it sending your passwords to a server. You can rest assured that this application is safe, though. I hooked it to my own home-built tool that detects when applications connect to servers, and everything was dead silent the whole time. Password Recovery Bundle is completely safe to use.

To Sum It All Up…

Password Recovery Bundle is one of the best-conceived all-in-one rescue-me applications out there. It has a very extensive list of applications it’s compatible with. I can’t find one reason why any person would pass up the opportunity to get this and have the ability to recover passwords.

Giveaway

We have 10 license key for the Password Recovery Bundle Standard Edition (cost $29.95) to giveaway. Here is how you can participate:

Thank you for your participation. The contest is now closed.

Closing date: 1st May 2013.

Thanks to Top-password.com for the kind sponsorship. If you would like to sponsor a giveaway, do contact us here.

Image credit: young business man sitting at the desk by BigStockPhoto

The post Recover Passwords For Windows Apps With Password Recovery Bundle + Giveaway appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Download and install

Preme for Windows is available here. It is a quick install and Preme starts right away when it is complete.

When active, it is contained within the taskbar for you to customize or turn on or off as you see fit.

Customizing

The first time you open Preme, it may seem overwhelming. Packed within its main window, you have the options to change each corner of an open window. Preme calls this the functional screen corner.

With a functional screen corner, you can create the following functional corners:

In this example, we have made the bottom left corner of our windows able to open the Task Switcher. So, when we hover over that corner of a window, the Task Switcher will pop open for us to use.

If you opt to use the “open any file” option in Preme, you can set a window corner to open a file. You simply pick the file you want to open and when you hover over that corner, Preme will open that for you.

You can add options to your title bars and buttons, too, for more options in how you interact with windows in how they scroll, move and close.

You can also adjust the time delay in the response of each corner so that you do not accidentally switch between or open something you do not want to. In order to do that, you want to click “Advanced.”

This opens additional options for each corner and settings in Preme.

For the time delay, simply move the sliders in each corner to your desired delay.

Blacklisting

You can also whitelist or blacklist apps, windows and more by clicking “Black list” next to the options you want to work with. This will ensure that certain windows, apps or programs are not affected by Preme’s options.

For example, when Preme is activated, you can opt to click “Esc” twice to close any open window. You can set up a blacklist for this option so that certain windows, apps or software are not affected by it.

Keyboard shortcuts

Preme lets you remap keyboard shortcuts in Windows. You can access this by clicking “Keyboard shortcuts.”

In order to do that, you need to know what keyboard shortcut you want to replace and input it first. Then, you can choose what you want that keyboard shortcut to do when Preme is activated. You can also disable a keyboard shortcut as well.

Conclusion

If you ever wanted to have more control over your windows on your PC, Preme is one of the best ways to do that. You can customize windows your way which makes your computer work for you and not the other way around.

The post How to Manage Application Windows More Efficiently With Preme [Windows] appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

Many users became accustomed to the bubble notifications that came with previous versions of Windows from the taskbar. In Windows 8, you can turn those off and on and can also disable toast notifications.

Disable

Before you start, you must be logged into the Administrator account for the computer.

1. From the desktop or Modern, open the Charms Bar by either hovering in the right-hand corner of the screen or using the “Windows Key + C” keyboard shortcut.

2. Click “Settings.”

3. Click “Change PC settings” to open the Windows 8 settings.

4. Migrate to the “Notifications” settings.

You can turn app notifications on or off, show app notifications on the lock screen or play sounds when you get notifications. These can all be shut off by default by clicking “Off” for Show app notifications. You can even tweak the notifications for specific apps you use.

This will also remove the ability to go back in with the above steps to enable them again. Also, this will only disable app notifications and not other toast-style notifications utilized by Windows 8.

Turning Off by Group Policy

The steps above work quickly enough for one account in Windows 8. If you want to do it for all users as administrator in Windows 8, you can do so through the Group Policy.

This will also be the steps you follow to turn them back on after disabling them. We will point out how to enable them again, too.

1. From the Start screen, search for “group policy.”

2. Click on “Settings” in the search window.

3. Click “Edit group policy.”

4. Head to User Configuration ->Administrative Templates -> Start Menu and Taskbar -> Notifications.

5. Double-click on “Turn off toast notifications.”

6. Click “Disabled,” then “Apply” and “OK.”

This will save your change in Group Policy settings to disable toast notifications.

7. Follow steps 4 through 6 for “Turn off toast notifications on lock screen.”

You have successfully turned off toast notifications for every user in Windows 8 on your PC.

After turning them off, as we mentioned above, you cannot go into the traditional settings for Windows 8 to turn them back on again. The Notifications settings will be gone. If you follow the above steps and Enable them both again, you will be able to see toast notifications again as well as disable them from the settings once more.

Conclusion

The biggest issue with toast notifications is that they only appear for certain tasks in Windows 8. From the desktop, you can still see the traditional bubble notifications that look out of place with the new sleek Modern UI. By turning off the toast notifications, you can deal with just one type of notifications in Windows 8.

The post How to Disable Toast Notifications in Windows 8 appeared first on Make Tech Easier.

1: Skype!

The application we all know to use an excessive amount of memory made a sleek comeback to the communications apps for Windows 8. Along the way, Skype’s been making some major improvements and updates that have transformed its application for good. No longer do you get the clunky Windows Desktop application that uses up well over 150 MB of your RAM on a decently busy day. You now get a fully-integrated Modern app for Windows 8!

As you look at the image above, one thing really stands out: The interface might be different, but it presents all the familiar Skype-y stuff we’re used to (e,g. your recent conversations, latest calls, and contacts). Everything is neatly organized in the full-screen environment. At this point, this is the cleanest app I’ve seen for a communications provider.

2: IM+

It’s time to move instant messaging into the 21st century. I’ve tried all sorts of instant messaging applications, and I confess that Pidgin has been my all-time favorite (although I’m sure you might know one or two better alternatives). As a consequence, I was immediately drawn to IM+. Its feature set is enormous and the quantity of instant messaging applications it supports are more than enough to satisfy the average user. There’s not much to say about IM+ except for the fact that it has a very beautiful interface. I will emphasize, however, on the fact that it may feel crowded for some.

Here’s what I mean by crowded:

As you may have already noticed, the window starts looking very busy when lots of contacts start occupying your screen real estate. It’s not entirely spacious, but it does its job and it does it well!

3: Meople

Oh, this one’s exciting! If you’ve ever used Meople, you’ll know just how useful an app from them would be. For those of you who haven’t tried out the service, it’s a combined social networking platform. What this means is that it will show you all of the activity within every major social network you participate in. This is like the mother ship of all social networking, the pinnacle where everything combines. In one single elegant interface, you get to check out your Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, YouTube, flickr, Groupon, Foursquare, Tumblr, VK, and Odnoklassniki accounts.

In their Windows 8 app, Meople didn’t disappoint. It manages to maintain the high quality of service with a beautiful interface at your fingertips without compromising on anything. You get the full nine yards here.

What Did You Think?

Do you use these communications app for Windows 8 or do you use similar apps that do the same thing? Speak up in the commenting area below!

The post Top 3 New Communications Apps for Windows 8 appeared first on Make Tech Easier.