TechByter Worldwide (formerly Technology Corner) with Bill Blinn

Windows 10 shares information about your computer with Microsoft. There are good reasons for Microsoft to want the data and good reasons for you to allow it, but maybe you don't want to share the information. It's possible to disable the sharing if you know where to look and a small utility provides an easy way to review and change the settings. In Short Circuits: Some tech writers advise against using password managers, but I see them as the best way to create and maintain passwords that are unique and complex. Let's consider the opposing points of view. Most Windows 10 computers have "Fast Start" enabled. You might want to turn that feature off. I'll explain why and how. In Spare Parts (only on the website): A Chinese woman who was detained at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago club was found to have lots of electronic gear and malware on a thumb drive. She'll be arraigned on Monday. • Like drones or not, they're here to stay and public safety agencies -- fire and police departments -- are finding good ways to use them. • An on-line service says it can help people deal with anxiety, eating disorders, and smoking.

Which is better: Adobe Lightroom or Photoshop? The answer to that question is "it depends." Mainly it depends on what you need to do, but that's not all. We'll try to sort out which is the right option to use and when. In Short Circuits: The operators of the electric grid and other utilities are under nearly constant attack. So far, most of the attacks have been limited to the IT network, but critical infrastructure is at risk. If you've noticed that sometimes the Windows File Explorer takes far too much time to reveal all of the files in a folder, let's find out why and what can be done to fix the problem. In Spare Parts (only on the website): The time is coming when you'll approach a fast-food restaurant's drive-up window and be greeted by name. • A company that helps people find lower-cost auto insurance on-line has used their technology to create a list of the 25 cities that have the highest rates of drivers with drunk driving convictions.

Removing unwanted key functions from the keyboard can be accomplished with a Registry Edit, but there's a better option for those who fear touching the Registry. And for those who do edit the Registry, there's a non-Microsoft editor with some clever tricks. In Short Circuits: Asus has moved to correct a problem with their Live Update application that was used to push malware to hundreds of thousands of computers. We'll take a look at some of the most persistent high-tech myths. Artists who use a sketch pad to start a project and then have to transfer the art manually to a computer will be happy with a paper notebook that connects to Adobe Illustrator. In Spare Parts (only on the website): If you'd like to share less information on-line when you're shopping or sending emails, a service called Blur may help. • The Information Security Forum releases an assessment each year; the latest edition predicts some serious problems in the next 2 years.

You've doubtless heard of the dark web and may consider it to be a place to avoid because illegal activity takes place there, but there's good to be found, too. After all, The Onion Router was a project undertaken by the US Navy in the 1990s. In Short Circuits: Merchants of angst are predicting that GPS systems will fail on 6 April. They will do no such thing, but older GPS devices might be a bit confused on that day. What happens if a Windows update causes problems for your computer? Uninstalling the update is relatively easy, but you'll want to avoid having it be reinstalled. That's relatively easy, too. In Spare Parts (only on the website): IBM owns The Weather Company and says that system updates will lead to more accurate and faster reporting of conditions as well as more reliable forecasts. • Facial recognition is a big deal, but one British company is using machine learning to obscure faces in videos.

If your computer is a few years old and you'd like it to be faster, the right change may no longer be to add RAM. Instead, maybe it's time to consider a solid-state disk drive. In Short Circuits: Now would be a really good time to confirm that your browser is fully up to date. That's true for any browser, but this week it's particularly true for Chrome. Microsoft is beginning to bad-mouth its own Office suite in an attempt to convert users to Office 365. The scourge of Robocalls continues to worsen, primarily because of inaction by the Federal Communications Commission, so we have to be vigilant about calls we receive. In most cases, it's not difficult to identify scam calls. In Spare Parts (only on the website): When you need to share a file, Firefox Share from Mozilla is ready to help even if you don't use Firefox. • Avast says your computer is in danger and, although they overstate the threat, a threat does exist. • Adobe's update to its experience design application (XD) this month includes a lot of worthwhile features.

Brave is a browser that promises faster and more secure operation. It seems to follow through on both promises, but there are some features that infuriate newspaper and magazine publishers. In Short Circuits: Flat maps have been lying to us and technology can be used to eliminate the lies by more accurately representing the land masses of the globe on flat monitor surfaces. Microsoft wants to get rid of passwords and has taken some steps toward doing that, but it won't happen soon. The National League of Cities says that more than 40 cities in the United States have pilot projects or are considering pilot projects for self-driving vehicles so that they can evaluate positive and negative outcomes. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Kroger says that a second of its divisions will stop accepting Visa credit cards. • The federal government has lots of websites with millions of users even though they receive barely passing grades for usability.

In podcast 631, we took a look at some blunt changes to the "toast" notifications that Windows 10 serves. If you'd like finer-grained control, I'll explain how to get it this week, along with some other tips and tweaks that can change how Windows works. In Short Circuits: It's been 30 years since Tim Berners-Lee proposed what would become the WorldWide Web (now just "web") and the European Organization for Nuclear Research has made it possible to see what the work-in-process looked like. Fenando Stalin says I should open a file that explains how $1850 for "my uncle" will be delivered. Do you think I opened that message? A day later, several scam messages appeared and they all seemed to use the same goofy template. This makes spotting phonies easier. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Those who once owned high-end audio gear may have had VU meters on their amps. Now you can add some old-school VU meters to your computer. • IBM and SEAT have announced an application that will help city dwellers know about their daily transportation options: From cars and scooters to bikes and public transit.

French software publisher DxO has updated PhotoLab 2, which was released late last year. Although its photo organizing tools are relatively weak, some special capabilities make it well worth considering -- either as a Lightroom plug-in or as a standalone application. In Short Circuits: At least eight apps slipped through Microsoft's security procedures to be featured in the Microsoft Store and these apps secretly use your computer to generate Monero cryptocurrency. If you're tired of being interrupted by all those pop-in messages that Microsoft calls "toast", there's a way to remove most of them so you can work without being bothered. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Wi-Fi router manufacturers are making more devices that operate on 3 bands so that mesh coverage will work throughout even extremely large houses. • Advances are being made in wide-area Wi-Fi systems that can bring fast service to less-populated areas where cable-based systems aren't economically feasible.

If you're tired of using sticky notes, losing track of the notes, and the forgetting to do something important, an application called Remember the Milk will remind you on desktop, notebook, or tablet computers as well as on Apple and Android mobile devices. In Short Circuits: It's easy to become complacent about security for mobile devices and that increases the danger. TechRepublic has some guidelines in a document you can download for free. Adobe's February monthly updates to Lightroom, Photoshop, and Camera Raw bring the cloud-based Lightroom more in line with Lightroom Classic and a new feature adds artificial intelligence to the demosaicing process to improve fine detail in photos. During the week of Valentine's Day, Fontself and Adobe released 5 free new typefaces based on scalable vector graphics. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Tesla acquires a battery maker that appears to have some technology that will improve batteries while reducing the cost. • Maybe you don't consider glass to be a high-tech commodity, but what about bendable glass?

Although photographs you take today are digital -- from a point-and-shoot camera, a digital SLR, or a smart phone -- you may still have boxes full of old negatives. There are ways to incorporate these old images into your stored digital images. In Short Circuits: Scammers are becoming smarter, but spotting phony messages is still easy most of the time. Let's consider one scam that looks legitimate at first glance, but takes only a few seconds to unmask. After being on the market for more than 3 years, Windows 10 has finally pulled ahead of Windows 7. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Pandora is now owned by SiriusXM and the company is looking at ways to exploit the combined platform for consumers, content creators, and advertisers. That last one is probably the most important. • Pantone's Color Matching System is the key to accurate color for publications, paints, plastics, and now weddings, too.

Sometimes getting rid of an application you no longer want calls for more than just the Windows Add and Remove Programs function. Fortunately there are several good uninstallers to choose from. In Short Circuits: If you're looking for a program to help with a specific task, Capterra might be worth looking at. The service provides free software reviews. Apple will probably fix the problem soon, but the FaceTime application currently allows callers to listen before you answer a call and, in some cases, turn on the camera. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Pianos used to be gigantic instruments and many still are, but electronic pianos that are no larger than the keyboard of full size pianos are often able to match the sound of traditional pianos. • Would you prefer to see your sports team go down in flames or have to call a plumber? The results of a survey may surprise you and, yes, there is a tenuous connection to technology here.

Thinking about a new computer? Selecting Windows, MacOS, or Linux is the first decision, but there are lots of others: Desktop, notebook, tablet, or convertible? How much CPU power? How much memory? We'll step through some of the choices. In Short Circuits: Once you've purchased a new computer, what will you do with the old one? Adding it to a landfill is the worst possible choice, but there are several good options. If you listen to music on a phone or tablet, there are ways to improve the sound. In Spare Parts (only on the website): On-line trust is fragile and organizations suffer when people have doubts about the security of their personal information. • Adobe Audition and its initial incarnation, Syntrillium Cool Edit, have been around for 25 years and the application continues to improve.

Getting more than you paid for is a welcome change from the usual and there are hundreds of free and low-cost applications that sometimes compete well with commercial programs. In Short Circuits: If you decide that you'd like to try some free applications, the next challenge is how to get theme. Two excellent resources exist. Every Windows computer has a Task Bar and there are ways to make it more useful. Let's consider a few of them. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Is the 10-year photo challenge on Facebook dangerous or just good fun? • Kroger is working with Microsoft to redefine the way we buy groceries.

A plain-text editor is an essential tool for programmers because it will have lots of built-in functions that make writing clean code easier, but even non-programmers can make good use of these programs when writing because they lack a word processor's capabilities. In Short Circuits: How do you find a misplaced smart phone? Most people just pick up another phone and call it, but what if you don't have another phone handy? There's a way to call your hiding phone without using a phone. Taking recommendations from those who provide computer support, even for large companies such as Microsoft, is something that needs to be done with care. Let's consider a case in which the recommendations made no sense. In Spare Parts (only on the website): The Consumer Electronics Show was held in Las Vegas this week, so we'll take a look at three trends. First, larger and more powerful Chromebooks. • Next, docking stations that compete with the computer manufacturers' docking stations. • And finally, Wi-Fi routers that are becoming more sophisticated as manufacturers build in improved security.

If you have tens of thousands of digital images on your computer, finding the one you want is probably a time-consuming procedure, but a plug-in for Adobe Lightroom uses artificial intelligence that lets users find images by describing them. And it works! In Short Circuits: Some users who installed the Windows 10 October release in October had problems so serious that Microsoft withdrew the update. Near the end of December, they released it again. Now it works right. There are no significant changes to the podcast for 2019, but the TechByter website has been rebuilt from scratch. In Spare Parts (only on the website): Because there's no way to make electricity move faster, speed gains are achieved by reducing the distance electricity must travel inside computers. This is measured in microns. • Monitor manufacturers will show off tremendously wide screens at the Consumer Electronics Show this week in Las Vegas. • The Linux Foundation continues to expand as one of the primary supporters of open-source software.