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10 Changes to Office 2013

o13Takeaway: Ten popular tools and options that are unseen or removed from Office 2013.

Office 2013 has made minor adjustments and changes to the new cloud-based suite.

Creating from Existing

nfeIn previous versions of Office it was simple to create a new document from an existing one.  This would allow changes without changing the original.

Using Office 2013, the button “New From Existing” is gone;  there is a section under the File Tab for Recent Documents.

Outlook – Activities

aThere was an option to add a Contact’s Activities in older versions of Office.  For Office 2013, Activities option is replaced by Outlook Social Connection.

Word – Show Mark-Up

smFor Office 2013, the Show Markup drop-down, located in the Review Tab and Tracking Section for older versions, is removed but you can add it to your Quick Access Toolbar.

Backstage Exit

cawIn previous versions, “Exit” on the File Tab would allow you to exit all open documents in one click.  In Office 2013, you can right click the program on your task bar and select “Close all windows” or add “Exit” to your Quick Access Toolbar.

Picture Manager

pmcaUnlike previous versions of Office, Clip Art Organizer and Picture Manager are no longer available.  Clip Art Organizer is replaced with Insert Media Dialog Box.  Picture Manager is replaced with Windows Photo Gallery.

Access – PivotTables & PivotCharts

pcv ptvFor Office 2013, PivotTable and PivotChart are no longer tools in Access;  only Excel 2013 provides the PivotTable and PivotChart. 

Access – Upsizing Wizard

ssutIn previous versions of Access, it was simple to add an Access database to SQL Servers.

Using The Upsizing Wizard to migrate all or some objects to SQL Servers is no longer available with Access in Office 2013.

Excel – Workspace

swsWorkspace files save the layout you have selected.  When you open a saved Workspace Files they are displayed in that layout.

Excel 2013 you can open a Workspace file but you can not save layouts as Workspace files or add it to the Quick Access Toolbar. 

Outlook – Journal

ojJournal tool in Outlook helps you manage your productivity and time spent on projects.  This tool will no longer be available for Office 2013 and will not be replaced by another tool.

Outlook – To-Do Bar

tobThe Pinned Peek feature is replacing the traditional To-Do Bar in Outlook for Office 2013.  The Pinned Peak feature is not as detailed as the To-Do Bar, for example you can only view appointments for one day .  

 

 

10 Cool Tech Features for Your Next PC

Takeaway: Impressive new technologies are revolutionizing PC performance, but should you buy now or wait for more improvements? These details will help you decide.

It’s an exciting time for PC enthusiasts. I can’t remember a period when so many existing technologies were being upgraded to the next generation and new technologies were being introduced. Even non-enthusiasts need to know about the changes that are happening to the desktop PC.

But knowing when to upgrade your PC to the latest and greatest can be a difficult decision. Should you buy now or wait for the even more advanced technology that has been promised by the likes of Intel, AMD, and others? For power users, and a lot of IT professionals fall into this category, waiting for a specific technology can have a huge impact on their future productivity and ultimate success. I will list 10 PC-based technologies that are either new or soon to be released and leave it to you whether it is “got to have” or “can do without” technology.

Note: Release schedules, specifications, and prices are subject to change prior to formal release. Use this information as a guideline only.

Extra info: This article is available as a PDF download that includes 11 tables containing additional details on availability, configuration, and technical specifications.

1: USB 3.0

USB devices are ubiquitous, so it’s only natural to want to know more about the successor to USB 2.0. USB 3.0 increases the effective data transfer rate by a factor of more than six — a huge improvement over USB 2.0. It also provides more power than USB 2.0 when devices need it, 4.5 Watts versus 2.5 Watts, respectively, and less when they don’t. USB 3.0 is available now as a chip added to the motherboard or via an add-in card. AMD supports USB 3.0 natively and Intel has announced plans to support USB 3.0 in its 7-series Panther Point chipsets.

Additional resources

  • 10 things you should know about USB 2.0 and 3.0 (TechRepublic)
  • USB 3.0 (Wikipedia)

2: Intel Thunderbolt

Intel, along with Apple, has developed a technology to compete with USB called Thunderbolt — although Intel prefers to think of Thunderbolt as coexisting with USB. Originally codenamed “Light Peak” and making use of optical cables, Thunderbolt is copper-based, allowing for 10 watts of power over the copper. Thunderbolt combines PCI Express and DisplayPort protocols into one shared interface.

There is quite a bit of confusion about the total bandwidth of a Thunderbolt port. According to this Intel Technology Brief, “A Thunderbolt connector is capable of providing two full-duplex channels. Each channel provides bi-directional 10Gbps of bandwidth.” That is 20Gb/s upstream and 20Gb/s downstream. So why is Thunderbolt advertised at 10Gb/s or “only” twice the speed of USB 3.0? An Intel spokesman explained it this way in PC Magazine: “So in summation you have potential for up to 20Gb/s upstream AND 20Gb/s downstream, but any single device maxes out at 10Gb/s (you don’t ‘combine’ the two channels).”

Of course, most consumer storage devices don’t come anywhere near the 10Gb/s data rate, but that is changing with the faster SSDs and flash drives now being produced. Also, up to seven total devices can be daisy-chained to use the remaining 20Gb/s per direction total bandwidth. One or two of these can be high resolution DisplayPort v1.1a displays.

This speed comes at a price, though. A 2.0 meter copper-based Thunderbolt cable costs $49.00 USD, the cost due primarily to the Gennum GN2033 controllers and other electronics built into each end of the cable that performs the data moving and multiplexing magic. You also have to add the cost of the Thunderbolt controllers needed on both the host and peripheral device.

Expect Thunderbolt to be supported on Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors but don’t count on it being available on the 7-series Panther Point chipsets due out in March of 2012. There are limitations I won’t bore you with here, but they are listed in this article, along with other Thunderbolt details.

Thunderbolt using optical cable, also known as 50G Silicon Photonics Link (PDF), continues to be in the works and may appear as early as 2012. According to Dave Salvator of Intel, “Current supported data rate is two channels at 10Gbps bi-directional each.” Thunderbolt ports accept either copper or optical cables.

Additional resources

  • Thunderbolt Technology: The Transformational PC I/O (Intel)
  • Thunderbolt Web site (Intel)
  • Thunderbolt (interface) (Wikipedia)
  • Introducing Thunderbolt (Apple)

3: Serial ATA International Organization: Serial ATA Revision 3.0

That long name is the formal specification name of the follow-on to SATA Revision 2.0. SATA Revision 3.0 or SATA 6Gb/s doubles the effective data transfer rate of SATA Revision 2.0. Looking further out, the SATA Revision 3.2 specification is due by the end of 2011 that creates the SATA Express standard. SATA Express combines SATA software infrastructure and PCI Express to enable 8Gb/s using PCIe 2.0 or 16Gb/s using PCIe 3.0. Both SATA Revision 3.0 and SATA Express are intended to accommodate the increasing data speeds of sold-state and hybrid drives.

Except for Queued TRIM Command, SATA Revision 3.1 includes features primarily for non-PC devices.

Additional resources

  • Fast Just Got Faster:  SATA 6Gb/s (The Serial ATA International Organization [PDF])
  • SATA-IO Releases Revision 3.1 Specification (The Serial ATA International Organization [PDF])
  • SATA revision 3.0 (SATA 6 Gbit/s) (Wikipedia)

4: PCI Express 3.0

PCI Express 3.0 is the next generation standard for the Peripheral Component Interconnect Express, or PCIe. For average PC users, this means that their graphics cards and other extreme I/O add-in cards will be able to transfer data at twice the rate of PCIe 2.0.

PCI Express 3.0 uses a more efficient method of data encoding, 128b/130b, with a 1.5385% overhead versus the 20% overhead of 8b/10b used in the PCIe 2.0 specification. This allows for a doubling of the effective transfer rate even though the total bandwidth increases only 60% from 5GT/s to 8GT/s. Tom’s Hardware is reporting that the first three Sandy Bridge-E processors scheduled for release in November 2011 will have PCIe 3.0 capability but without the PCIe 3.0 certification.

Additional resources

  • PCI Express 3.0 (Wikipedia)
  • PCI Express 3.0 Frequently Asked Questions (PCI-SIG)

5: SSDs & SSD Toolbox

SSDs promise huge increases in performance over the most common bottleneck in a personal computer system, data access to and from hard drives. SSDs are approaching and even exceeding 500MB/s sequential read and write rates. But there are plenty of cons that come with that speedy SSD. SSDs have small capacities and are still expensive compared to hard disk drives. While they are available and have been for quite a while now, the technology is going through birthing pains, as exemplified by the continued compatibility issues with the SandForce SF-2200 series of controllers (see below).

Firmware issues continue to appear, though as in the case of the Intel “Addresses Bad Context 13x Error,” firmware updates to remediate the issue are available. SSDs require a different mindset than with traditional hard disk drives. To maximize life and performance, users need to be educated about defragmentation, Hibernation, AHCI and TRIM and Page File.

The Intel Solid-State Drive Toolbox (PDF) monitors and manages Intel’s SSDs and adds new features. These features include the Intel SSD Optimizer TRIM function, System Configuration Tuner, Secure Erase, access to the SMART data, and running diagnostics to check for read or write errors. OCZ offers a toolbox for their SSDs, and Samsung provides the SSD Magician Tool. SSD Tweaker optimizes Windows for your SSD, and a free version is available.

Additional resources

  • Solid-state drive (Wikipedia)
  • Intel SSD Toolbox Questions and Answers (Intel [PDF])

6: SandForce DuraClass SSD controllers

SandForce has developed a controller for SSDs that adds these DuraClass technology features to the base SSD drive:

  • Five-year expected life using inexpensive MLC flash memory
  • SATA 6Gb/s Interface
  • DuraWrite — Reduces write amplification to 0.5 (typical)
  • SandForce RAISE technology
  • (Redundant Array of Independent Silicon Elements) – Provides RAID-like redundant protection for single SSD computers
  • Automatic AES-128 encryption (SF-1000)
  • Automatic AES-256 encryption (SF-2000)
  • Currently available

Look for the SandForce DRIVEN logo when specing out an SSD or check out this list of SSDs that use the SandForce DuraClass Controllers. Before purchase, be aware that some users have reported problems (including some BSODs) with the SF-2200 controllers. SandForce continues to look into the issue and new firmware updates are in test now.

Additional resources

  • SandForce (Home page)
  • SandForce (Wikipedia)

7: AMD Bulldozer

Power users have been anxiously awaiting the details of AMD’s Bulldozer processors. The desktop processor models are called AMD FX and were officially launched on October 12, 2011. This is not your secretary’s processor — the full AMD FX lineup of CPUs is unlocked. Four models are available at the initial launch, one 4-core model, one 6-core model, and two 8-core models. The processors, codenamed Zambezi, have a 32nm die size. High-end FX models will ship with a sealed liquid cooling system made by Asetek, pictured here, though they will initially be limited to specific markets and not available at launch. Availability of the liquid cooling system in the U.S. is still to be determined.

Before you get too excited, you need to fully understand the exact meaning of a Bulldozer “core.” The Bulldozer microarchitecture employs one module with “two tightly-linked processor cores” that share a fetch, decode, and 256-bit floating-point units and 2MB of L2 memory cache. For example, four Bulldozer modules provide the eight “cores” of the FX-8000 series processors. Testing by AnandTech and Tom’s Hardware of an FX-8150 processor shows that single-threaded performance is similar to that of the Intel Core i5-2500K. Performance is better with higher workloads and multi-threaded applications that can utilize more of its eight “cores.”

Additional resources

  • AMD FX Processors (AMD)
  • AMD Hot Chips Bulldozer & Bobcat Presentation (SlideShare)
  • AMD “Bulldozer” Interactive Series – Introduction (YouTube)
  • Bulldozer (processor) (Wikipedia)

8: Intel Sandy Bridge-E

The next generation of Sandy Bridge processors is dubbed Sandy Bridge-E, with the E meaning Enthusiast. Unlike AMD, which delayed the release of its nex- generation processors, rumors are that the release date of three of the Sandy Bridge-E processors has been pushed up to November 2011. Performance increases of 12% to 65% are expected, compared to similar processors. While the Sandy Bridge-E processors will be built using the 32nm production process, the follow-on processor series, codenamed Ivy Bridge, which is expected in March 2012, will use the 22nm process.

It’s a little confusing, but the Sandy Bridge-E processers will use the new LGA 2011 socket and the X79 Patsburg chipset. The Ivy Bridge processors will use the existing LGA 1155 socket plus the existing 6-series Cougar Point chipset or the yet-to-be-released 7-series Panther Point chipset. As mentioned above, one advantage of the 7-series Panther Point chipset is that it will have native USB 3.0 support.

Like AMD, X-bit labs is reporting that top Sandy Bridge-E models will ship with a new liquid cooling system. The RTS2011C liquid-cooling system looks remarkably like the AMD cooler, which may be more than coincidental, since both are supposedly built by Asetek. This cooling solution will also be sold separately, which is of note since Sandy Bridge-E processors may ship without a cooler.

You will want to wait before purchasing a Sandy Bridge-E processor if you are interested in using hardware accelerated virtualization. Rumors are that the C1 stepping revision has a problem with VT-d, Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O, which will be fixed in the C2 stepping.

Additional resources

  • Intel Core i7-3960X (Sandy Bridge-E) And X79 Platform Preview (Tom’s Hardware)
  • LGA 2011 and Sandy Bridge-E News from IDF 2011 (X-bit labs)

9: DDR4 SDRAM

With publication of the DDR4 SDRAM standard not expected until mid-2012, don’t expect to see DDR4 memory in desktops anytime soon. Availability is confusing since a presentation by the JEDEC director at MemCon 2010 suggested 2015. But BeHardware.com claims that Hynix plans to begin mass production of DDR4 SDRAM in the second half of 2102. Regardless of DDR4 memory module production dates, supporting processors and chipsets may lag well behind — late 2013 is projected for AMD. Unless you are willing to wait until then, your next PC will contain DDR3 SDRAM memory. There is some good news for those wanting faster SDRAM in the near future. The FlyingSuicide Web site is reporting that Sandy Bridge-E processors will officially support DDR3 speeds up to 2133MHz. X-bit labs is reporting that Ivy Bridge processors will support DDR3 memory operating at 2800MHz, even though DDR3 memory at these speeds is not yet available. Either of these would be a great interim solution while waiting for DDR4, assuming of course that the rumors turn out to be accurate.

DDR4 is expected to use a point-to-point approach instead of dual- and triple-channel architecture, though JEDEC has not formally announced that it will be in the final spec. According to JDEC, “The DDR4 standard will be implemented with 3D support from the start.” This means that memory can be stacked using technologies like Through-Silicon Via (TSV). The voltage is expected to eventually decrease from 1.2V to 1.05V.

Additional resources

  • DDR4 SDRAM (Wikipedia)
  • JEDEC Announces Key Attributes of Upcoming DDR4 Standard (JEDEC)
  • DDR4: What we can Expect (bit-tech)

10: Microsoft Windows 8

The major change in Windows 8 begins with the UI, called the Metro UI. A new start screen with Live Tiles replaces shortcut icons. A touch screen monitor will obviously be required if you want to use the new interface with your fingers instead of a mouse. The hints so far are of a UI more befitting a tablet than a personal computer. Yes, you almost certainly will be able to turn off the Metro UI in the final release, but why upgrade to Windows 8 just to turn off its biggest selling feature? It is still too early to tell what other new features will be available that will increase productivity and make for a better user experience on a PC. Windows 8 is expected to support USB 3.0, but as of this time there is no definite news whether Thunderbolt will also be supported. With Thunderbolt coming to the PC in 2012, Microsoft would be remiss to overlook it.

Many questions remain as to whether Windows 8 will be a success on a desktop PC in the workplace:

  • Will users adopt the new interface — with or without a touch screen monitor?
  • Will employers invest in more expensive touch screen monitors?
  • Will Windows 8 be more productive?
  • Will reaching out to touch a monitor eight hours a day cause physiological pain or even harm?

Until more is known, expect businesses to take a cautious, even skeptical approach to Windows 8. Decide for yourself if you like the new interface- – preview Windows 8 by downloading the Windows Developer Preview, a pre-beta version for developers but available to everyone.

Additional resources

  • Windows 8 (Wikipedia)
  • Previewing “Windows 8? (Microsoft)
  • Windows 8 features explained: What’s new and how it works (Digital Trends)
  • Windows 8 features we know about so far (TechRepublic)
  • Building robust USB 3.0 support (Microsoft)

The bottom line

It’s taken 30 years, but I finally have a system that is fast enough for my needs. My Foxconn BlackOps, Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 with RAID 10 system will more than suffice. Which leads to the obvious question: How much of this technology do you really need? The core wars between AMD and Intel continue, but realistically, how many of those Bulldozer “cores” can you keep busy in a world of single-threaded apps? Other technologies, like USB 3.0, Thunderbolt, SATA Revision 3.0, PCIe 3.0, SSDs, and SandForce promise immediate performance gains. Of course, needs vary, and whatever new technology you include in that next PC should be based on your individual needs.

With all of the buzz about the latest tablet or smart phone, the PC is still the workhorse for most cubicle residents. No matter how careful you are future-proofing your next personal computer, there will always be newer technologies on the horizon. But the next six months look like a great time to upgrade that relic sitting on your desktop you used to call a PC and get the bulk of the new technologies. Happy shopping!

Author’s note: I would like to thank SandForce, Intel, and AMD for their help with this article.

 

Windows 10: 5 Reasons Not to Upgrade

From privacy to compatibility and control, these are the reasons why you might want to give the upgrade to Windows 10 a miss.

getwindows10

At the end of this month Windows 10 will, at least for now, cease to be available as a free upgrade to Windows 7 and 8 users.

Microsoft is engaged in a final push to get users to upgrade, stressing the new OS introduces fresh features to Windows and overhauls its design. However, is Windows 10 right for you? Here are some of the reasons you might not want to upgrade.

1. You’re worried about privacy

By default Windows 10 collects more data than many users are comfortable with. This includes information about how Windows and Windows apps are used, what you type, your contacts, your location, calendar appointments and more. If the virtual assistant Cortana is enabled, this data extends to web browsing history, voice commands and even more information about your activity.

Users of Home and Pro versions of Windows 10 can only reduce this data collection to the “Basic” level. On this setting, Windows 10 collects information about security settings, quality-related info (such as crashes and hangs), and application compatibility. Microsoft describes this information as being essential for maintaining and improving the quality of Windows 10 and says that only “anonymous identifiers” are transmitted.

However, questions remain about the information that Windows 10 sends back to Microsoft, even when you turn the data gathering settings down a minimum. Tech website Arstechnica found that even with the virtual assistant Cortana disabled, Windows 10 sends a request to www.bing.com that appears to contain a random machine ID that persists across reboots. Similarly, even when Microsoft OneDrive cloud storage was disabled and Windows 10 was not tied to a Microsoft account, the OS still seemed to be sending information to a server connected to OneDrive. While Microsoft stressed there is no query or search data being sent, Arstechnica queried the inclusion of a machine ID.

ZDNet’s Ed Bott has said the very basic telemetry data collected by Microsoft is anonymized and doesn’t reveal anything more than very high-level information along the lines of an unidentified Windows 10 user ran a particular app for half an hour.

However, for some users, even the gathering of anonymized usage data is more than they’re willing to put up with.

2. It might cause pain for older machines

Windows 10 can run on a computer with relatively modest specs, working on many older PCs that shipped with Windows 7. But just because you can run Windows 10 on paper, you may not be able to in practice.
While the Get Windows 10 app that schedules the upgrade from Windows 7 or 8.x should check your system compatibility, some users that pass this test complain the upgrade still fails or devices don’t work properly.

As Microsoft states: “The upgradability of a device includes factors beyond the system specification.”

Microsoft gives you the option to rollback your machine to its previous OS, but there are reports from multiple people who claim the upgrade left their machine virtually unusable. In these cases either the rollback feature didn’t work or it did work but the earlier OS is no longer stable, with previously working programs crashing.

f the upgrade process completes successfully, missing driver and firmware support has also caused difficulties for some Windows 10 users. Those affected cite problems such as monitors not working at their native resolution. Some of the Intel integrated graphics chips used in older laptops are also incompatible with Windows 10, though Windows 10 should warn of this fact.

These problems don’t seem to affect the majority of upgraders, but it’s worth being aware they exist, particularly if upgrading an older machine.

On a less serious level, upgrading to Windows 10 may not break your machine but it could mess with your settings. Microsoft has come under fire for Windows 10 changing users’ default settings in a number of areas, such as swapping the default browser to its own Microsoft Edge.

3. Less control over updates

Windows 10’s update process happens both more frequently and less obviously, with Windows Home and Pro users automatically receiving updates when they’re available.

Windows Home users have less control over how long they can postpone updates for, and less easily-available information about what changes these updates will make.

The lack of control that Home users have over when updates are applied led to a group of users petitioning Microsoft to let them delay and refuse these downloads. Their reasoning was that since forced updates can crash machines, for instance via bad firmware or driver updates, all users need control over how updates are applied.

Another core concern for some users when it comes to Windows 10’s frequent updates is the amount of data downloaded, with updates often weighing in at hundreds of megabytes. However, Windows 10 does allow users to block all but essential updates by toggling on ‘metered connection’ in the WiFi settings.

4. You don’t like the new look

As much as Windows 10 has won people over by bringing back elements of the classic Windows desktop and Start menu — anyone fresh from Windows 7 will need to adjust to Windows 10’s new look.

Unlike Windows 7, Windows 10’s Start Menu takes up far more room, thanks to a menu full of tiles that is bolted onto the side. While most users should be able to quickly adjust to these cosmetic and layout changes, other alterations may grate more. Perhaps the most controversial tweak to the Start Menu is theinclusion of adverts for apps in the Windows Store. These promoted apps are tiles that link to the Windows Store or to apps that have been automatically installed on your PC by Microsoft. With the latest Anniversary Update, the number of these promoted apps will double, from five to 10.

And while it can be argued that Windows 10 is arguably easier to navigate, with its search function built directly into the Taskbar, the new OS introduces some significant changes that may confuse new users.

Whereas Windows 7 allowed users to adjust their system settings using the Control Panel, Windows 10 has both the Control Panel and Settings pages — with some configuration options exclusive to one or the other. This mix and match approach has been described as disorientating by some users.

5. Missing features

Windows 10 may add many new features — the virtual assistant Cortana, the new Edge browser — but it also lacks some key elements of earlier Windows operating systems.

Perhaps the biggest omission are the placeholders for Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service. In Windows 8.1, placeholders, also called smart files, let users see all of the files stored in the OneDrive service, whether those files were stored on the device or not. This feature was removed from Windows 10.Microsoft appears to be working on reintroducing placeholders, although there is still uncertainty about when they will be brought back.

Windows Media Center, the software for TV, music and movie playback is also gone from Windows, so if you are particularly attached, and not willing to mess around with an unofficial version, you may want to pass on the upgrade.

Have questions?

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10 Killer Cheap Upgrades for Your PC

Looking to put more pep in your PC’s step? These surprisingly cheap PC upgrades and accessories do the trick without breaking the bank.

PCupgrades1

No need to break the bank

Sure, swanky new Surface Pros and $1,200 graphics cards may capture all the headlines, but on a practical level, the real story is that PCs aren’t cheap. But if your computer’s starting to feel pokey, there’s fortunately no reason to rush out a spend hundreds on a new one.

Investing small amounts in key new PC hardware can keep your computer running strong for years to come. These upgrades—most costing well under $100—breathe new life into slow machines. You just have to be strategic and make sure you’re putting your money in the best place for your particular system.

PCupgrades2

Speed up your PC with an SSD

Let’s start in the most obvious place. If your PC still runs with a mechanical hard drive, swapping it out with an SSD will make it feel like a whole new computer. SSDs inject face-melting speed into a PC, drastically improving boot times, file transfers, and overall system responsiveness.

A lot of PCs don’t have SSDs, for two reasons: Solid-state drives use to be extravagantly expensive, and computer makers often charge hefty mark-ups for upgrading to an SSD. Fortunately, SSD prices have plummeted in recent years. Superb models like theSamsung 850 EVO ($89.39 for 250GB on Amazon) and the OCZ Trion 150 ($45 for 120GB on Amazon) can be found for well under $100 online. If you find the storage capacities a bit too tight, you can always install the SSD as a boot drive alongside your current hard drive.

A word of warning about SSDs, and all the hardware discussed in this article: You can often find lower prices if you sift through Amazon or Newegg for no-name or lesser-known brands. But you’re gambling on reliability and support when you move away from established PC hardware makers. Stick with name brand gear unless you absolutely, positively can’t afford it.

PCupgrades3

Mass storage is dirt cheap

Good news if your available storage space is filled to the brim: Traditional hard drives are even cheaper than SSDs these days. A 1TB Western Digital Blue hard drive spinning at a speedy 7,200rpm will only set you back $50 on Amazon, while a 3TB WD Blue drive is just $90 on Amazon (albeit at a slower 5,400rpm).

Hybrid drives blend the best of both worlds, combining a large amount of traditional storage with a small, speedy flash storage cache. The drive monitors your oft-used files and keeps them on the cache, where they benefit from SSD-esque speeds. A Seagate 1TB hybrid drive goes for $85 on Amazon with an 8GB SSD cache, or $114 on Amazonwith a 32GB cache.

PCupgrades4

Add RAM for more multitasking

If your computer’s having trouble running multiple tasks simultaneously, low memory is a likely culprit. Two gigabytes of RAM is the absolute minimum modern Windows systems need to run smoothly, and even PCs with 4GB of memory can start to feel pokey if you’re running several programs, keep a dozen Chrome tabs open, or game with some background processes still running.

Fortunately, memory is dirt cheap. Picking up an 8GB memory kit from Corsair ($36 for 2x4GB kit on Amazon) or Kingston ($36 for 2x4GB kit on Amazon)—two reliable brands I’ve had nothing but success with personally—will set you back less than $5 per gigabyte.

Just be sure to get the right type of memory for your PC! RAM comes in all sorts of different packages. The easiest way to tell what type of RAM resides in your PC is to download the free, superb CPU-Z software, then open the Memory tab and look for the “type” option.

PCupgrades5

MAYBE upgrade your CPU

A pokey PC may be the result of an outdated processor. Unfortunately, replacing your CPU often means replacing your motherboard too, making the endeavor pretty pricey. But not always—especially if you have an AMD-powered system.

AMD’s AM3+ and FM2 motherboards have been powering AMD’s CPUs and APUs, respectively, since mid-2012. Since many prebuilt AMD systems sport modest processors, upgrading to a modern CPU can give your PC a shot in the arm. If you’re on FM3+, the new Athlon X4 860K ($75 on Amazon) is a solid entry-level quad-core processor for gaming, while the 8-core FX-8320E ($130 on Amazon) is a great step-up option and price-to-performance champion. If you have an FM2-based system with an AMD APU, the A10-7860K ($110 on Amazon) could be a solid upgrade, complete withintegrated graphics that let you get into e-sports games at modest frame rates.

Intel switches out its motherboards and socket types much more often, and its chips tend to be much more expensive. Replacing Intel chips aren’t really an affordable upgrade in most cases.

It’s important to make sure your new chip is compatible with your existing motherboard! Before you buy, fire up CPU-Z and search for the “Package” entry in the main CPU tab to see what sort of socket your motherboard packs.

PCupgrades6

Gaming doesn’t have to be expensive

Want to dip your toes into PC gaming? Despite what fearmongers may tell you, gaming doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg.

AMD’s Radeon RX 460 ($110 and up on Newegg) delivers great performance in e-sports games like League of Legends and Overwatch. It also lets you play modern games at a console-esque 30 frames per second with High graphics settings at 1080p, or up to 60fps at Medium settings. That’s damned good for a hair over $100. Even better: Many models pull their power directly from your motherboard, with no need for additional power connectors. That makes AMD’s budget card a great option for adding gaming capabilities to prebuilt “big box” PCs from the likes of HP and Dell, as they often pack modest power supplies that lack extra connectors.

Be careful though: Some of the more potent Radeon RX 460 models require extra 6-pin power connectors. You don’t want that if you don’t have one available—unless you want to buy a power supply, too. A 500 watt power supply from a reputable company doesn’t cost much, as evidenced by the EVGA 500 W1, which only costs $35 on Amazon.

PCupgrades7

Buy some canned air

No, seriously. If you haven’t cleaned out your PC in a year or more, mounds of dust and debris can be collected inside. Clogged fans and exhaust ports lead to overheating, which leads to your PC throttling back performance. Single containers of canned air can be relatively pricey; grab a four pack ($16.22 on Amazon) for a lower price and enough air to clean out your PC for years to come.

PCupgrades8

Improve your cooling, improve your performance

If your PC’s still running hot after blowing out the dust, the thermal paste coating the area where your CPU or GPU touches its cooler could be old, dry, and ineffective, especially if you’ve had the equipment for several years.

First, install SpeedFan and double check that your CPU or GPU is indeed overheating. If one (or both!) is, grab a syringe of thermal paste—Arctic Silver 5 ($7.43 on Amazon)—then use guides to installing a CPU cooler and refreshing your graphics card to help you apply new thermal paste after scraping off the old stuff.

Still running hot overall? Try adding a case fan or two. Case fans from reputable vendors are shockingly cheap ($7.91 from Cooler Master on Amazon, or $9 from NZXT on Amazon) and can be installed in mere minutes.

PCupgrades9

A better monitor

You spend most of your time interacting with your computer’s input and output devices, so it’s definitely worth investing in decent peripherals if you spend considerable time at your PC.

Start with your monitor. If you’re still using a lower-resolution display or (shudder) a fat CRT display, embracing a high-definition 1080p monitor will provide a huge step up in usability. It won’t break the bank either: You can buy a 1080p HP with a 21.5-inch IPS screen for just $100 on Amazon. IPS screens provide a much more vibrant image than the twisted-nematic panels found in most budget monitors.

Alternatively, if you’re a gamer with a Radeon graphics card, consider buying a monitor that supports AMD’s FreeSync technology. FreeSync synchronizes the refresh rate of your graphics card and display to eliminate stutter and screen tearing in games. While monitors with Nvidia’s competing G-Sync technology fetch steep price premiums, FreeSync adds minimal cost to a display. A 22-inch 1080p FreeSync display by ViewSonic costs just $110 on Amazon, for example.

PCupgrades10

Aural bliss

Treat your ears, too. The speakers that come bundled with prebuilt PCs tend to be utter garbage. While audio gear pricing can escalate to frightening levels, some of our favorite headsets will set you back less than a Benjamin.

If you’re a gamer, our favorite all-around gaming headset is the Kingston HyperX Cloud($67.93 on Amazon). The sound quality is second to none in this bracket, the build quality is superb, and it’s extremely comfortable—though its microphone is merely average.

Don’t need a mic? Music lovers will find a lot to love in the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro ($99.95 on Amazon), which I’ve personally been using for years now. The comfortably snug cans lack the extreme bass kick of, say, Beats or Monster headphones, but make up for it by delivering rich, accurate, and dynamic audio across the full sound spectrum. They’re beloved among Amazon buyers for a reason.

PCupgrades11

Enhance the parts you physically touch

If you’re used to crappy bundled PC keyboards, or laptop keyboards, upgrading to a mechanical keyboard will change your life. The well-reviewed Logitech G610 Orion withCherry MX Brown or Red switches only costs $90 on Amazon.That’s probably more than most people have spent on a keyboard before, but it’s cheap by mechanical standards. Once you’ve tried it, you won’t be able to go back to a rubber-dome board.

Likewise, investing in a decent mouse makes interacting with your PC that much more pleasant. The Razer DeathAdder ($42.69 on Amazon) is ostensibly a gaming mouse, but its ergonomic design and high DPI sensor help it feel good in your palm and generate nice, smooth cursor movements. I’ve been using one for more than five years now, and grimace whenever i’m forced to use a cheap mouse bundled with a prebuilt PC.

PCupgrades12

But first…

Speeding up your well-loved PC doesn’t actually have to cost any money. You’ll find a few tips repeated from here—seriously, buy an SSD—but for the most part, it focuses on no-cost software solutions for potentially boosting your computer’s performance. Try those before dropping dough on new gear!

Have questions?

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Maximize Your Windows 7 Experience

If you’re one of the many business users who has not upgraded their computer to Windows 10, there are still resources to boost your experience. Here are 10 tips for getting the most out of the OS.

Windows 10 faced a controversial roll-out, with privacy concerns, bugs, and other issues plaguing many users. And as of August 2016, just 1% of business machines had upgraded to Windows 10, according to a study from Softchoice. Instead, 91% of the machines were operating with Windows 7—an 18% increase over the same period of time in 2015.

“It seems businesses don’t see an urgent need to move operating systems, so long as their cloud-based applications are still running fine on Windows 7,” Softchoice’s Microsoft director Craig McQueen wrote in a press release at the time. “In addition to the security benefits, I think once organizations grasp the user benefits—such as touch and Cortana—we will start to see a boost in adoption.”

While experts predict Windows 10 deployments will pick up this year, it’s important for those still using Windows 7 for business to get the most out of their machines. Here are 10  articles with Windows 7 tips that will help enterprise users operate the machines more effectively.

1. 10 ways to speed up Windows 7

While Windows 7 generally performs well, over time, the system can slow down and require some care to get it back up to speed. The OS also contains certain features that users can take advantage of to improve overall performance. Here, we outline 10 steps business users can take to enhance the performance of your Windows 7 system.

2. Use multiple monitors with Windows 7’s Remote Desktop Connection

Windows 7 allows users to connect to a remote computer and utilize the local system’s multiple monitors. Here is a step by step advice on how to configure and operate multiple monitors using Windows 7’s Remote Desktop Connection, as well as how to connect to and from Windows versions that do not support this feature.

3. Quick Tips: Flush the ARP cache in Windows 7

The Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) cache is an important part of IP networking on any OS, as it links Ethernet addressing to hardware addressing. Newly mapped addresses are saved in an ARP cache, which is usually fine, but can sometimes cause issues with internet connections and web page loading times. Here, are the necessary steps to clear the ARP cache, and how to manage it going forward.

4. 10+ Windows 7 services you may not need

While every version of Windows includes a core set of system services, business users can disable some that are not necessary in order to improve performance and security. In this article, we highlight 13 services that users can disable if they so choose on Windows 7 systems that will likely not have any impact on business operations, including IP Helper, offline files, and Network Access Protection.

5. 10 Windows 7 commands every administrator should know

IT staff who troubleshoot Windows 7 problems often have to dive into the command line. Here, are 10 fundamental Windows 7 commands that are useful for IT administrators, including System File Checker, File Signature Verification, and Driverquery.

6. Modifying the Windows 7 boot loader with the Boot Configuration Data Editor tool

In Windows Vista and later versions of Windows, the bootloader was moved from boot.ini to a utility called BCDEdit. This article walks users through how to modify the boot config data using this tool.

7. Change and customize Windows 7’s Logon screen wallpaper

Changing and customizing the Windows 7 Logon screen wallpaper is easy once you know the steps, as Microsoft built the ability to change the wallpaper right into the OS, as opposed to needing any third-party software. Here, we offer a tutorial on doing so.

8. Change the Processor Affinity setting in Windows 7 to gain a performance edge

Most applications have been designed for multi-core processors, and work with an OS to distribute their operations evenly across cores to enhance performance. However, you can sometimes achieve better overall performance from certain applications by configuring them to run on different processor cores, which Windows 7 allows via the Processor Affinity setting. In this article, we explain two ways to change the Processor Affinity setting in Windows 7.

9. Use Windows 7 Event Viewer to track down issues that cause slower boot times

Experiencing a slow Windows 7 boot time? You can use Windows 7’s Event View to investigate the source of the problem. The Event Viewer includes a category of event logs called Applications and Services Logs, which track key elements of the OS. Here, we explain how it is possible to find out how long it took to boot up your system every time, since the day Windows 7 was first installed, along with instances where boot time slowed down, all through these logs.

10. Tag your files for easier searches in Windows 7

This article, walks users through how to tag files to make them searchable via the Search filters built into Windows Explorer’s Search box in Windows 7. It’s possible to do this easily from many applications while saving a file. The ability to more easily find files is a boon for business users who want to enhance their productivity.

Have questions?

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Obsolete Tech You’re Still Using

Dial-up internet

Modem

The tech world moves fast, but not always as fast as you think. Obsolete technology has a tendency to hang on, and hang on strong. Here’s a list of 10 pieces of obsolete technology that are still alive and kicking, starting with a surprising one: dial-up internet.

Everyone remembers that screeching sound, followed by “You’ve got mail.”

The days of connecting to the internet with a 56K modem are over for most of us, but approximately three percent of Americans are holding out–that’s about 9.5 million people. Who are they–and do they know they could get online faster?

Image: iStock/Alexey Vedernikov

Dot matrix printers

Dot matrix printer

The use of dot matrix printers goes hand in hand with carbon-free, triplicate, continuous-feed paper. Both still have a use in the business world, which is why both have survived well past their point of obsolescence.

Image: iStock/sewer11

Fax machines

Fax machine

Find me a person who likes using a fax machine and I’ll show you someone who’s at least a bit insane.

Why the world still relies on paper faxes when digital scans are available is beyond my understanding. They aren’t more secure, they aren’t tamper-proof, and they’re just a waste of paper. Down with the fax!

Image: iStock/HSNPhotography

CRT screens

Several old video monitors

Encountering a CRT screen in the wild is kind of surprising, but it happens. They’re becoming harder and harder to find, and it’s nearly impossible to uncover a new one on the internet.

Maybe the next generation of youths will begin a CRT renaissance. After all, who doesn’t love vintage tech? For now, however, CRTs are just holding on in the dark corners of the world, silently (or buzzingly?) waiting for death.

Image: iStock/Sidney de Almeida

Floppy disks

Old diskettes

When it came out in May of this year that the Pentagon is still using floppy disks in computers that control nuclear ICBMs people laughed. When we then learned they were eight-inch floppy disks people were shocked.

If anyone would be using computer technology from the 1970s in 2016 it’s the government, right? What’s worse is that they spend billions a year operating and maintaining those systems. Let’s hope for a modern replacement before the outbreak of nuclear war.

Image: iStock/hroe

Cash registers

Old vintage cash register

The modern cash register is a bit more advanced than its early 20th century predecessor, but not by a lot. With the advent of iPads as POSes the cash register is facing extinction.

Some of the hippest, newest businesses are only armed with an iPad and a cash drawer, and those new systems are working great. Maybe in the next few years cash registers will be relegated to the same corners of the world where you now find CRTs.

Image: iStock/ivansmuk

Telegrams

Antique telegraph isolated.

You can still send a telegram in 2016. It’s not cheap, either: $18.95 gets you 100 words that will be hand delivered within three to five business days.

Telegrams may have been advanced in 1844, but in 2016 it’s hard to see a practical use for them. Sure, it’s more personal for a stranger to hand deliver a letter than it is to send a faceless email, but with the speed of the modern postal service you can just send a handwritten letter in the same amount of time.

Image: iStock/Larasoul

Beepers

Pager is communication old.

I know a few doctors, and some of them still carry beepers. Cell phones replaced beepers for most of us, but the medical community is still hanging on. An estimated 85 percent of hospitals still using the old black boxes, and they have their reasons.

Pager signals are stronger than cellular, the batteries last for weeks, and satellites beam pages to multiple towers, guaranteeing doctors get notified in emergency situations. Beepers will probably go away someday, but not until we figure out how to improve cellular reception.

Image: iStock/koyjira

Magnetic tapes

Close up of vintage audio tape cassette, isolated on white

Believe it or not, the sale of audio cassettes is actually increasing. I don’t see a reason to use a cassette in the age of digital media, but apparently lots of people do.

In the business world the debate still rages over the relevancy of tape backups. Cheap cloud storage is raising the question of tape practicality, but it will likely be awhile before they’re gone completely.

Image: iStock/BigJoker

COBOL

tech10

The COmmon Business-Oriented Language was invented in 1959, and it has been in use ever since. More efficient programming languages have come and gone since COBOL entered the world, yet it is the one performing over 70 percent of global business transactions in 2016.

Image: National Museum of American History

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Windows 7 Remote Desktop Connection

In Windows 7 you can connect to a remote computer and take full advantage of your local system’s multiple monitors. Here’s how.

If you’re using multiple monitors on your system setup and you regularly connect to other systems via Remote Desktop, you know how frustrating it is to go from a multiple-monitor display to a single-monitor display for your remote connection. If so, you’ll definitely want to learn how you can take advantage of multiple monitors in Microsoft Windows 7’s Remote Desktop Connection.

However, before going any further it is important to understand right off the bat that multiple-monitors support in Windows 7’s Remote Desktop is available only on Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise. (It is also available in Windows Server 2008 R2.) Furthermore, both the local and remote systems must be running one of the supported versions. For example, Windows 7 Ultimate is running on the local and Windows 7 Enterprise is running on the remote.

As long as you have the proper configuration, Windows 7 provides you with real multiple-monitor support as opposed to the monitor-spanning feature that was introduced in the previous version of Remote Desktop Connection. This means that in Windows 7 you can use this feature to connect to a remote computer and take full advantage of your local system’s multiple monitors on your remote system.

In this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, we’ll describe Windows 7’s Remote Desktop support for multiple monitors and show you how to configure it for connecting to other Windows 7 systems. we’ll also show you how to use Remote Desktop’s monitor-spanning feature when connecting to, and from, Windows versions that do not support the multiple-monitors feature.

What’s the difference?

Before we get started, let’s take a moment to discuss the different types of Remote Desktop monitor configurations you can have when using a system with multiple monitors. In the standard type of connection, Remote Desktop displays the remote system in a window on one monitor. In a connection configured with the monitor-spanning feature, Remote Desktop displays the remote system in a window on one monitor but allows you to drag or span that window across multiple monitors. In a connection configured with the multiple-monitors feature, Remote Desktop makes the remote system behave as if it were physically connected to multiple monitors. Each of these configurations is illustrated in Figure A.

Figure A

There are three types of configurations you can use when using Remote Desktop on a system with multiple monitors.

Configuring a multiple-monitors connection

If you have the proper setup, configuring Windows 7’s Remote Desktop multiple-monitor feature is easy. To begin, Launch Remote Desktop Connection and select the system you want to connect to with multiple-monitor support from the Computer drop-down list. Then, click the Options button to expand the Remote Desktop Connection window so that you can see all the tabs. Next, choose the Display tab and select the Use All My Monitors for the Remote Session check box, as shown in Figure B. To complete the procedure, return to the General tab and click the Save button.

Figure B

Selecting the Use All My Monitors for the Remote Session check box is all that is needed to enable the multiple-monitor feature.

When you connect to the remote system, the remote system’s monitor will instantly fill your multiple monitors, just as if it were physically connected to the monitors.

Configuring a monitor-spanning connection

As mentioned, in a connection configured with the monitor-spanning feature, Remote Desktop allows you to drag or span the window across multiple monitors. However, there are a couple of caveats. First your multiple monitors must have the same screen resolution. Second, the monitors must be aligned, or positioned, side-by-side. Third, the combined screen resolution of your multiple monitors must be under 4096 x 2048.

To launch Remote Desktop Connection with monitor-spanning support, just click the Start button and type the following command in the Start Search box. (Alternatively, you can open a Command Prompt window and type the same command.)

Mstsc /span

When you do, you’ll see the standard Remote Desktop Connection dialog box, and you can launch the connection as you normally would. As soon as you make a connection, you’ll immediately see the desktop of the remote system spread across your multiple monitors. If you need to have access to both the local and remote desktops, you can reduce the size of the remote system’s desktop to only one monitor by clicking the Restore Down button on the Remote Desktop window. As a shortcut, you can also use the keystroke: [Ctrl][Alt][Break].

Once the window is on one monitor, you use click and drag to resize the window to completely cover a single monitor. Keep in mind that when you reduce the size of a spanned remote widow, it will display both horizontal and vertical scroll bars, as shown in Figure C, that you’ll have to use to see the entire screen. However, you can instantly span the window by clicking the Maximize button.

Figure C

When you resize the remote desktop’s spanned window, you’ll have to use scroll bars to view the entire screen.

Creating a shortcut

Of course, using a command line to launch your Remote Desktop connection isn’t the most convenient way to use the monitor-spanning feature. Chances are that you already have a Remote Desktop Connection RDP file saved on your desktop. If so, you can create a standard Windows shortcut that will incorporate both the special command line and your RDP file.

To begin, right-click anywhere on the desktop and then select New | Shortcut from the context menu. When you see the Create Shortcut wizard, just type mstsc /span and the path to the RDP file in the text box, as shown in Figure D. Be sure that you enclose the path to the RDP file in double quotes if the path has spaces in it. To continue, click Next and give the shortcut an appropriate name, such as Saturn – Remote Spanning, and then click Finish.

Figure D

You can create a standard Windows shortcut that will incorporate both the special command line and your RDP file.

You can now use this shortcut to launch your remote desktop connection and span the Remote Desktop window across all the available space on your multiple monitors. Of course, the spanned desktop won’t exactly behave like a multiple-monitor setup when you open multiple windows. As such you’ll have to use a little creative click-and-drag resizing to reposition the windows on the spanned desktop.

Have questions?

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To read this article in its entirety click here.http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/use-multiple-monitors-with-windows-7s-remote-desktop-connection/

Emergency Fixes for Windows Server, VPN bugs

Microsoft has released emergency out-of-band (OOB) updates to address multiple issues caused by Windows Updates issued during the January 2022 Patch Tuesday.

January 2022 Patch Tuesday

This update addresses issues related to VPN connectivity, Windows Server Domain Controllers restarting, Virtual Machines start failures, and ReFS-formatted removable media failing to mount.

All OOB updates released are available for download on the Microsoft Update Catalog, and some of them can also be installed directly through Windows Update as optional updates. You will have to manually check for updates if you want to install the emergency fixes through Windows Update because they are optional updates and will not install automatically.

Windows 10 – KB5010793
Details Here

Option 1: Run Windows Update, KB5010793 will appear under optional download.

Option 2: Download the patch from there: Microsoft Update Catalog
Please download the matching Windows 10 Version.

Windows 11 – KB5010795 or KB5008353 (may vary based on Windows Edition)
Details Here

Option 1: Run Windows Update, KB5010795 will appear under optional download. Select and install.

Option 2: Download the patch from there: Microsoft Update Catalog

If you have any questions, please call us at (856) 745-9990.

 

Internet doesn’t work on Windows 10?

PPTP VPN Blocks Internet Connection on Windows 10

After setting up a PPTP VPN from new Windows 10 computer our team couldn’t get internet access.

So we tested to make sure it wasn’t just DNS playing up and pinged 8.8.8.8 but no good.

DNS settings

So we tested pinging my default gateway and that worked, so then we tested pinging the default gateway of the remote network that we were connected to via the VPN and that also worked.

So we figured it must have something to do with Windows 10 not allowing split tunnels by default.

Configure Split Tunnel In Windows 10 PPTP VPN

 

You must be connected to the PPTP VPN for the network settings below to be available, if you are not connected to the VPN from Windows 10 then the network settings will not work.

 

Go to network and sharing center, you can get here by right clicking the network icon on the taskbar and selecting “Open Network and Sharing center”

Network and Sharing center

Select “Change adapter settings”

Right click on the PPTP VPN connection and select properties

Select “Networking” on the top menu

Select “Internet Protocol Version 4(IPv4)” and click the “Properties” button

Another window will open, in this windows select “Advanced”

Tick the box that says “Use default gateway on remote network” and hit “OK”

 

IP settingsNow you will be able to browse the internet through the VPN on Windows 10.

Found a solution using Powershell (Run as administrator):

Get-VpnConnection
That will get you the name, and other info, of the vpn

then run

Set-VpnConnection -Name MY_VPN_NAME -SplitTunneling $true

replace MY_VPN_NAME with the name of your vpn connection.

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Simple steps to stay on top of your mobile data usage

Apps not required

Businessman in suit, jacket,shirt, tie, using his smart phone

Who said you needed to install something to control your mobile data use? Your iOS and Android devices come with all the tools you need to stay below your data cap. It takes a few taps to turn them on and configure them, which is exactly what we’re going to help you with.

Easy in Android

MobileDataUsage2

Tracking and limiting your data usage is easy on an Android device. There are a number of options available to stop yourself from going over the data limit.

The simplest solution is to activate two options under the Data Usage menu in your phone’s Settings app: Limit Mobile Data Usage and Alert Me About Data Usage. Toggle these two switches to on and your phone will turn off cell data once you reach a certain point, as well as warn you when you start getting close. Adjusting those thresholds is as simple as dragging a little line up or down.

Control data use per app

MobileDataUsage3

Scroll a bit further down in the Data Usage menu and you’ll find a list of apps sorted by how much mobile data they use. Click on one of those apps and you’ll see a few more options. Toggling Restrict Background Data on will stop the app from doing anything in the background, unless you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

App-specific options

MobileDataUsage4

Turning the Background Data Restriction on brings you face to face with a popup warning you that doing so might mess with the app’s performance. It also directs you to the View App Settings button, where you can change the settings right in the app.

In my experience going into the app hasn’t been necessary—just toggle the data restriction option on, but know that your weather, email, Twitter feed, and other apps that require a constant connection might not update without your telling them to (provided you’re not on Wi-Fi).

Other Android tips

MobileDataUsage-5

There are two other nifty things you can do on Android to save data: use the Chrome Data Saver and store frequently used Google Maps locations offline.

Chrome Data Saver is turned on by opening Settings in Chrome. Swipe down to the bottom of the menu and you’ll see Data Saver. Open that menu and turn it on—that’s it! Data Saver compresses incoming web traffic to save space, and it really doesn’t have that much effect on your experience.

Google Maps offline

MobileDataUsage6

Storing map data offline is a good idea whether you want to save data or not. It makes your commute smoother, and longer trips will never leave you without a map in unfamiliar territory. It’s easy to do, too.

Open the menu in Google Maps. You’ll see Offline Areas right in the first few options—that’s what you want to select. From there click the plus sign and you’ll see a map highlighted with a blue circle. Pinch to zoom in or out, tap download, and it will download anything inside the square.

Managing data on an iPhone

MobileDataUsage-7

iOS users aren’t nearly as fortunate as Android users when it comes to built-in data capping options. There are still a few ways to track and limit your data use, but if you’re hoping for an Android-like option that terminates data once you near your cap you’re out of luck.

Controlling background data

MobileDataUsage8

It’s simple to disable background app data in iOS. Open up the Settings app, and tap Cellular. Once you’re there, scroll down a bit and you’ll see a list of every single app you have installed. Tap to turn off the ones you want to stop from using cell data—that’s it!

App-specific options

MobileDataUsage-9

Disabling background use is one thing, but you can save even more data by tweaking options specifically to different apps. In the Settings app, scroll down a bit to see a list of all the apps you have installed. Tap one and you’ll see a list of app-specific options.

You can turn off cellular data for an app, background refresh, and location services, all which will eat up your data bit by bit.

Disable Wi-Fi Assist
MobileDataUsage-10

iOS devices have the option to hop to their cell networks when Wi-Fi signal is weak. Disabling this can save you a bit of data, but it’s all dependent on how often you have to deal with weak Wi-Fi.

You’ll find the toggle for Wi-Fi Assist at the bottom of the Cellular page.

Good luck saving that data

Mobile payment

Seven or eight gigs might seem like a lot, but constant travel, mobile gaming, and video streaming can eat that up before you know it. Hopefully some of these options will help save you megs and bucks!

Have questions?

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