Touch Screen advice - DOs and DON'Ts

A device or gadget with a touch screen has a certain appeal that the non-touch screen devices will never have.  Something about being able to interact with the device in such a primitive, human-like manner has certainly been one of the main reasons behind its growing popularity, but with touch screens come lots of smudges and fingerprints.

In fact I find myself constantly cleaning my touch screens, call it an impulsion if you will, but I just prefer having them looking nice and clean (sure, I can simply not use them, but then why buy them in the first place?) and so if you're like me then i'm certain that you'd want to know how to clean them without damaging them.

1. Do read the manual your device came with
2. It is best to turn the screen/device off before beginning the cleaning process.  Some touch screens are so sensitive that you cleaning it while it's on could result in you selecting options and changing setting unintentionally. You will also be able to see the screen better when it's turned off.
3. Use a soft, lint-free cloth or a Microfiber cloth (if you can find one).  The piece of cloth that comes with your prescription glasses works great.
4. If you need to add moisture or liquid to the equation, be sure to moisten the cloth.  NEVER SPRAY LIQUID DIRECTLY ONTO YOUR SCREEN.

1. Do not use any ammonia-based cleaners or alcohol on your touch screen
2. Polyester and denim-like materials should not be used as cleaning cloths (anything abrasive for that matter should be avoided)
3. Never spray ANY liquid onto the touch screen 
4. Avoid applying too much pressure or pressing too hard on the screen, you may end up doing more harm than good.
5. Things like paper towels and bathroom tissue do not make the best cleaning "cloths"
6. Do not use spit (tempting though it may be at times) to clean your screen  it will only result in more grime building up on your screen.

Tech Myth - Incognito mode makes you invisible

Some time back I wrote an article on how you can conceal your web-browsing tracks by using the private browsing mode which is now built in to the three most popular browsers available on your personal computer namely Inprivate browsing on Microsoft Internet Explorer, Incognito on Google Chrome and Private browsing on Mozilla Firefox.

Since then several persons have approached me wanting to know if these modes will really "hide them" while they surf the Internet.  Simple answer, YES and NO.

While these modes WILL erase your browsing tracks or where you've been online from your local computer's hard drive, it does not make you invisible or anonymous.  They simply ensure that the usual histories and cookies that are normally stored on your local computer are erased after each session, your browsing tracks/history is still logged or recorded by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), by your work network administrator and/or the government (in some cases).

The bottom line is this, somebody will always be able to tell where you've been on the Internet so wherever you do decide to go while online it makes sense to keep that in mind.

NB:  You definitely will want to ensure that your protection software is up to scratch to protect from being spied on remotely via spyware software.

Microsoft Windows Phone 8 vs Microsoft Windows 8

So it's October 2012 (for a while still) and Microsoft has finally unleashed it two "new" operating systems on the World - Microsoft Windows 8 and Microsoft Windows Phone 8, but exactly what are they?  How are they different or similar for that matter?

First up Windows Phone 8 (code name Apollo):
This is the new, "next" generation/version of the Microsoft operating system for smartphones.  Unlike Windows mobile 6.x which felt more like a laptop/desktop OS, Windows Phone 8 is all about the smartphone and user-friendliness.

This OS is based on having "live-tiles" (formerly called the metro design) as your main interface where your apps are displayed as squares or rectangles (tiles) and can update themselves as often as you set them to or as they were designed to.

Of course Microsoft first introduced this user interface/concept (Windows Phone 7) in October 2010.  Since then there have been several incremental updates to the original 7.0 release (Mango, Tango) which has now led to it evolving into the bigger, better, "badder" Windows Phone 8.

Now in my opening sentence for this post I mentioned new in quotation marks ("new"), simply because in my mind I do not see Windows Phone 8 as a completely new OS, to me it is what Windows Phone 7 was intended to be from day one - it is the grown up, more mature and business-like version of it's earlier self.

Now Windows 8
This is a brand new OS for tablets, laptops and desktop computers, but it is not a completely new concept either.  This operating systems has borrowed heavily from Windows Phone 7 or 8 (based on how you look at it).  It is all about tiles, live tiles for that matter and although you can get the user interface to bear some resemblance to the earlier Windows versions (like XP, Vista or 7) it was designed to be different, more touch and user friendly and a whole lot more fun.

Unfortunately, unlike it's predecessors, Windows 8 was not designed to be installed on old legacy hardware without compromising its beauty, power and flare.  On laptops for instance, not having a multi-touch trackpad will rob you of experiencing the OS as it should be experienced and though having a touch screen is not a must, it definitely will add to the element of fun and productivity.

NB: I must admit it took me a while to find the shut down button on Windows 8 the first time I used the operating system, but that did not make me love it any less.

Microsoft Windows Safe Mode Explained

Safe Mode starts a Microsoft Windows-based computer with a limited set of programs and device drivers.

It is a special way for Windows to load with just the bare essentials when there is a system-critical problem that interferes with the normal operation of the computer's operating system (OS).

Safe mode is useful for troubleshooting problems which may occur after installing a new program or loading a new piece of hardware or device driver.  Consider the following:

1. If a problem does not reappear when you boot/start in safe mode, you can eliminate the default settings and basic device drivers as possible causes. 
2. If a recently installed or updated program, piece of hardware, or driver prevents Windows from running correctly, you can start your computer in safe mode and then remove the program that is causing the problem.

So how do you access safe mode?

1. If your computer has a single operating system installed, press and hold the F8 key as your computer restarts.  You MUST press F8 BEFORE the Windows logo appears.  If the Windows logo appears, you will need to try again by waiting until the Windows logon prompt appears, and then shutting down and restarting your computer or performing a hard restart (pressing the restart button on the computer or holding down the power button until the computer goes off).
2. If your computer has more than one operating system, use the arrow keys on your keyboard to highlight the OS you want to start in safe mode, and then press F8.

The different Safe Modes:

1. Safe mode - this loads only the very basic files and device drivers (mouse, monitor, keyboard, mass storage, basic video, default system services, but no network connections).
2. Safe Mode with Networking - this loads all of the safe mode files and drivers as well as the Windows essential services and drivers needed to start networking/LAN.
3. Safe Mode with Command Prompt - this loads exactly the same files and drivers as safe mode except that a command prompt (DOS Prompt) is started instead of the graphical user interface (GUI).
4. Last Known Good Configuration - this mode starts your computer using the registry information that was saved at the last proper shutdown.  It's like a "fast restore".

NB: When your computer is booting into Safe Mode you will see lots of files being displayed on your monitor along with a temporary sort of freeze - this is normal for Safe Mode.

All about Google Chromebook - Should you buy one?

"Built for everyday use and perfect for sharing with others (if you really have to)...Finally, a hassle-free computer. No annoying updates. Nothing complicated to learn. No expensive software to buy. Starts in seconds. And comes with all your favorite Google apps."  This is how Google introduces it new Samsung-built Chromebook.

So what exactly is a Chromebook?

Well, it is a laptop which runs Google Chrome Operating System - NOT ANDROID!  (The Chromebook is currently in its third generation as of October, 2012)

Unlike other "regular" Microsoft Windows or IOS based laptop, a Chromebook is designed to be used MOSTLY while connected to the Internet.  It means that while a regular laptop relies heavily on applications/programs that are installed and stored on it's local hard drive, the Chromebook relies heavily on web-based apps and services.

PROs:

1. Very affordable
2. Boots in under 10 seconds
3. Very light/portable
4. Very attractive - at least the ones that I have seen
5. You have lots of apps to choose from
6. You get 100GB of Google Drive cloud storage for 2 years - i'm not sure what happens after that.

CONs:

1. The Chromebook is Internet-access dependent even though the newer models are able to do several things offline and sync when you are connected later.  Now this is the real bummer, especially if you live in an area which experiences poor Internet service.  
2. Limited on-board storage space - presently 16GB at most is whats available
3. You're not going to be able to install the same programs you would install on a Windows-based system
4. Most of your work will be in "the cloud".  Something most persons are not yet comfortable with.

Final Verdict:

Now I know you might be tempted to believe that because of the many pros as opposed to the fewer cons that I would strongly recommend the Chromebook, but you'd be wrong.  

In reality i'm going to have to agree with Google; The Chromebook "Looks like a laptop, feels like a laptop but…" it isn't quite the laptop you'd expect it to be.  Would I buy one?  NO.  To me it would make more sense to just go out and buy a Netbook and that not going to happen either.

Google Chrome Useful Tips - Definitions

By simple typing the word "define" in-front of the word you'd like to have defined (either in the Google Chrome search bar OR Google Chrome address bar) will allow Google Chrome to not only get you a definition,  but you'll also get synonyms and a spoken "how to pronounce it" option.

10 things to look for when buying a used laptop

Buying a new computer can be very frustrating because of all the different options and brands available, likewise buying a used one can be even more challenging.  You see you need to know what to check and look for to ensure that you do not end up wasting money on a piece of junk and that you get good value for your hard earned cash.

Here are ten (10) things you should check for:

1. Cracks and other physical imperfections - Breaks or noticeable nicks in the casing of the laptop are indications of it having been dropped.  This can very well mean there are other internal parts that might not be as good as they should be.  There is a difference between normal wear and tear and damage from abuse or falls.  You should also check and make sure that all screws are present and that the laptop casing fits together properly.
2. Input/output ports - Check the external video port, LAN, USB ports and whatever other connections the laptop comes with.  The ports should be firm and fully functional.  You should also check the web camera, WIFI and BlueTooth features where applicable.
3. Screen and hinge - A screen is an expensive component to replace so make sure the screen is in great condition with as few scratches as possible and no "dead-pixels" problem.  The hinge should be firm yet smooth in terms of feel.
4. Optical drive - Insert a disc into the drive and see how long it takes to read it.  You may want to try more than one type of disc.  Listen for any excessive noise or vibrations coming from the drive.
5. Hard drive - Most importantly here is ensuring that the hard drive does not have any disk error or bad sectors.  See here.  You may also want to ensure that the storage capacity of the hard drive is sufficient for your stuff - music, pics, documents etc..
6. Specs including RAM, CPU, GPU and Rating - 512 MB RAM for Windows XP is acceptable, but for Windows Vista and 7 you need at least 2GB if you're to avoid pulling your hair out.  A 64-bit CPU/Processor is also a good idea.  Pay attention to the graphics processor too, especially if you're going to be playing a few games and watching HD videos.  For information on the system rating you can check out this article.
7. Keyboard and touchpad - Ensure that the keyboard works and that the keys feel sturdy.  Pay attention to faded keys and/or missing keys.  The touchpad should be responsive and it's buttons sturdy and fully functional.
8. Battery life - For a device to be termed portable it has to have a functional battery.  Keep in mind though that a used laptop WILL NOT have the same kind of battery life you would get from a new one.  You do want a battery that keeps some sort of charge - the more the better. 
9. Software checks - Ensure that the operating systems boots properly, that you're not missing any system/hardware drivers and that programs launch with a certain level of ease and urgency.  If productivity and protection software are already installed it will save you having to "buy" them later.  Be mindful of software piracy.
10. Old vs new item's price - If it is cheaper to buy a new laptop then there is no point in going for a used one.  Compare the asking price of the used laptop against the going price for a new, better equipped one - spending a bit more up front can save you a "pretty penny" down the road.

Update: I should have also mentioned (under looking for physical imperfections) the importance of paying attention to the condition of the power adapter.  You do not want to buy a device with a faulty adapter, especially not one with a broken earth pin or with its wire having been joined.

Reduce appearance to improve performance

If your computer is running slow because of a limited amount of RAM/Memory you can give yourself a slight performance bump by scaling back or removing some of the "eye candy" that comes with your operating system (especially Windows Vista and 7) since these tend to hog system resources.

Here how:

1. Click on Start
2. Right mouse click on Computer or My Computer
3. Select Properties
4. Select "Advanced system settings" 
5. Select the "Advanced" tab
6. Under Performance click on Settings
7. Select "Adjust for best performance"
8. Click Ok
9. Now reboot your system - remember the user interface WILL NOT look as nice, BUT the computer should be a bit more responsive/faster.

Know the Windows key in Windows 7

Windows Key + Left Key     = To dock the current Window left
Windows Key + Right Key  = To dock the current Window right
Windows Key + Up Key      = Maximize the current window
Windows Key + Down Key = Minimize the current window
Windows Key + L                = To lock your desktop/computer
Windows Key + Tab            = Cycles through open windows
Windows Key + Spacebar   = Makes all windows transparent


Update:  I forgot to include this very handy one:
Windows Key + D    = Minimize/Restore all open Windows

Windows 7 Keyboard Tip - Full-screen mode

According to what you're doing in Microsoft Windows 7 you can simply hit F11 to toggle (turn on and off) full-screen mode.

NB:  This method DOES NOT work for all applications

Keyboard Tip for Windows 7 - Accessing "Pinned to Taskbar" Apps

As you may very well be aware of, you can easily pin programs/applications to the Taskbar of your Microsoft Windows 7 computer (right-mouse click, Pin to Taskbar).

This allows you to launch your favorite applications much faster than if you had to find and launch them from the start menu.

Here's a keyboard trick for accessing these pinned applications:
Simply Press the Windows key + T, you can now use the left or right arrow key to select the app you want to launch then hit Enter to launch it.

Tech myth - A 64-bit Operating System is faster

Have you heard that having the 64-bit version of an operating system (OS) installed on your computer will make it run faster than the 32-bit version would allow it to?

Well, this is NOT TRUE, not in and of itself - other things have to be taken into consideration especially whether or not you have a 64-bit CPU.

You see although the 64-bit version of an OS will allow for better usage of a multi-core processor/CPU, unless you give it additional memory (RAM) and use 64-bit programs you may end up actually seeing a decrease in overall performance speed.

One of the main advantages of a 64-bit OS is that it allows you to have and use more RAM on your computer.  And even then, if the programs you're using are not designed to make the most of the 64-bit OS and 64-bit CPU then you may not see any benefits worth talking about especially since the 64-bit version of an OS will use up more of your hard drive space.

NB:  A computer that comes with a 64-bit OS installed and 2GB of RAM would have been better of with the 32-bit version unless you add more RAM.

More on 64-bit and 32-bit Operating Systems

Tech terms you may not know - Bricking

Bricking is a term used these days to describe an electronic device such as a tablet, smartphone, game console, digital camera, router etc. which as a result of a serious misconfiguration (or your bad luck...lol) ends up with a corrupted firmware or other hardware problems which causes it to no longer function.

“Bricking” essentially means that your device has turned into a expensive brick or paperweight.

A bricked device will not power on, boot up and/or function as it normally should.  That being said, most bricked devices cannot be fixed through "normal means", it often would require some hacking wizardry -   something that is beyond the realm of the "normal, common Joe".

So what causes a device to be bricked?
In most cases bricking is due to something going terribly wrong during the updating of the device's firmware and/or other low-level system software.  It can be a case where

1. the device's battery goes dead during the update process
2. the person accidentally unplugs the device before the operation completes
3. the computer being used to do the updating experiences some sort of problem

So what now?

Well, you can try the device's recovery mode (if it has one), contact the manufacturer or try your luck in the online forums.  

The bottom line is this - there is no guarantee your bricked device will ever work again which is why you should BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS PRECISELY when you decide to update firmware or system software on your expensive gadget/device.

NB:  You may sometimes hear persons talking about a "soft-brick", this is an improper use of the term.  For example, if you made a mistake while "jailbreaking" your iPhone, you can use the DFU mode (Device Firmware Update) to repair it which means the device was never really, technically bricked.

Help me to help you

Different persons have different needs and since this blog's intention is to offer assistance and information to persons wanting to become more tech-literate, then it would make sense to hear from you.

What you would like assistance or information on?

Please list the areas you'll like me to touch on or the topics you'd like me to address in the comment section below OR you can email/message me.

If it is tech-based then I will try my best to provide you with the best answer/solution I can possibly offer.

The truth behind Windows 8 and the Surface Computer

Some time back I wrote an article titled The end of all things PC.  Of course, several of my tech friends disagreed with the article then, their reasoning being that other persons years ago would have said the same thing and to date nothing would have happened along those lines.
Now that might be true, but there was no Windows 8 or Surface computers then.

Many persons may not realize that the arrival of Microsoft Windows 8 and the Surface line of computers will herald the beginning of the end for the personal computer and OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) as we know it/them.  The fact that Microsoft has decided to create their own computer hardware should make that even more evident.

How so you ask?  Well for years now Microsoft has had to put up with OEMs delivering sub-par hardware to be used with their Windows operating system.  This of course allowed the OEMs to sell their computers for much less than Macs while maximizing profits at the expense of performance (which just happens to be one of the reasons persons use to justify their Mac purchase).

Microsoft has also had to facilitate driver-support for tens of thousands of different pieces of hardware which adds to the "bloated-ness" of the OS (remember Windows Vista?).  This "fragmentation" has led to an unholy marriage between hardware and OS which naturally affect the performance of the final products, something that Apple has been able to steer clear of.

So what has Microsoft decided to do?  They decided to try "the Apple approach".  They would create both the hardware (The Surface Computers) and software (Windows 8 for now).  This naturally can only result in a better marriage between hardware and OS (such as is seen on Mac computers) resulting in a better optimized computing experience.  It means we can also see a decrease in the level of support Microsoft will be giving to third part components makers i.e less drivers support.

This business model will most likely result in Microsoft being better able to compete with Apple, but it spells disaster for OEMs like HP, Asus, Dell, Acer etc., as well as the "DIY or Do It Yourself community".  This means from prototype to problems, customers/consumers will have to depend on Microsoft much as Apple fans have to depend on Apple.

Where does that leave the OEMs we have so come to love and respect?   I believe many of them will have to either embrace Linux (hooray for Ubuntu), create their own OS or bow out of the game.  Now, what are your thoughts on this matter?

How to copy or transfer your large files faster

Have you every had to transfer a large file or files from your computer to your flash drive or vice versa and found it to be taking an eternity to get across?

Well, I ran into a little program some time ago that does a really great job of getting your files across in fine style without taking up too much time....drum roll please....allow me to introduce you to TeraCopy for Microsoft Windows.

TeraCopy not only transfers your files faster, but will also allow you to pause and resume the file transfer (among other things).  It is also easy to set up and to use.  Oh, and there is a free version for non-commercial use that works perfectly.

And for those of you who are wondering, YES! I am using TeraCopy Pro 2.27.

How to set File Associations In Windows

If you're like me then it is possible that you may have installed several programs that do basically the same thing on your computer.  For example, I have VLC player, Media Player Classic and Windows Media Player all installed on my computer.

What do they do?  They play media files such as movies/videos and music.

Why have three players?  They handle certain files differently and so the experience differs based on the media file-type, size and attributes.

How do I get the computer to know which player it should use to open which file?  By setting the File Association.

Explanation and How to:

Whenever you try opening a file on your computer the Operating System checks the file extension (the letters at the end of the file name after the dot for instance, for the file Ice Age.avi, the extension is avi) to determine which of the installed programs on your computer should be used to open it.
This process normally works without requiring any input from the computer user.

So what is the problem?  Well, there are times when a file that was being opened by a certain program is no longer being opened by that program because you may have installed another program that figures it should be the one to open that particular file.  To fix this, you will need to set/change the file association back to what it was.

Here's how:

1. Find the file you want to set the Files Association for
2. Right-mouse click on the file
3. Go to Open with
4. Click on Choose default program...
5. Select the program from the recommended list or browse to the program you want to associate with that file type
6. Select "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file" option
7. Click OK and you're done

Create multiple profiles in Google Chrome

If you have more than one Google account (emails or otherwise) or if other persons apart from you use Google Chrome on your computer (with the same Windows Profile) then you may want to enable multiple profiles for the Google Chrome browser.

This will allow you to sync and check the different accounts without having to log off from one first.  It will also enable different persons to reopen closed tabs or pages without discarding the other persons last actions/history among other things.

Here's how to create the multiple profiles:

1. Click on Customize and control Google Chrome (top right of Chrome browser)
2. Click on Settings
3. Go to the Users section
4. Add new user and you're done

You will immediately see a new Chrome browser window appear.  You can go ahead and enter the Google account particulars and start enjoying multiple profiles.

Switching between profiles is as easy as clicking on the profile icon in the top left corner of the browser and choosing the one you want to work with.

NB:  You can customize the different profiles and will even be able to sync each Google account and keep track of bookmarks separately.

For more information on creating multiple profiles in Google Chrome you can visit the Chromium Projects webpage.  There are pictures there to assist you in the setup process if you got lost trying to follow mines.

Password Protect Google Chrome

Google Chrome has been my browser of choice for quite some time now with one of the main reasons being its ability to sync and keep track of my "surfings" across multiple devices with the simple use of my Gmail login information.

Google Chrome is not just fast with a clean user interface, it is also convenient and practical.  I do not need to write down the website I stumbled on while sitting on the bus, I can bookmark it or simply just close it off and that information will be available to me on any computer I go to once I enter my Gmail particulars into Google Chrome.

Is this a good thing?  Yes, but with all the many things Google Chrome can do, save and sync (including your precious passwords) it creates a privacy issue where an individual using the came PC can have the same access you have to all your information should you forget to log out of Chrome when you're done surfing the Web.

Thankfully now, you can protect your privacy by password-protecting the entire Google Chrome browser.  All you need to do is download and install the Simple Startup Password add-on or extension for Google Chrome and then follow the steps below:

1. Click on Customize and control Google Chrome (top right corner of the browser)
2. Go to Tools
3. Extensions
4. Click on the Options link under Simple Startup Password
5. Enter you password of choice
6. Click Save and you're done

The next time you open or restart Google Chrome you will be asked to enter the password.  If the password entered is incorrect Chrome will close.

NB: There is NO PASSWORD REMINDER OPTION, so be sure to put things in place to ensure that the password is NOT FORGOTTEN.

Cheap, generic android tablets - Should you buy one?

When it comes to technology (in most cases) you tend to get what you pay for.

Simply put, if you pay top dollar then you expect to get a device/gadget that looks good, works smoothly and has a future beyond six months.  On the other hand, if you barely paid anything for your device then you can expect much trouble before too long and sadly, this is the case with most of cheap, generic, Chinese-branded, android knock-off tablets on the market today.

Let me hasten to say here, that there are exceptions to the whole "buy cheap get crap" statement (Nexus 7, Kindle Fire, Nook Color etc.), but by far and large you will end up getting what you paid for.

So exactly what are the problems with these generic, Chinese-branded knock-offs?

1. Poor performance - most of the ones I've handled at some point would lag or freeze up when you try getting them to do more than one thing at a time (multitask) and this is mainly because of the limited amount of memory/RAM (256MB) and the slow processors/CPU they come with.
2. Terrible battery life - with the exception of the one or two that might give you a five hours, most of them tend to require a recharge long before that if you were constantly using the device.  Then there is the unreliability of the battery - the software might say you have two (2) hours remaining and the silly thing will go dead in less than an hour.
3. Touchscreen woes - apart from the fact that most of these tablets come with resistive screens and it's unique problems, they tend to be very susceptible to scratches, and lack touch-responsiveness before too long.
4. You do not get access to Google Play Store (Android's home for apps or apps store).  It means you will either have to side-load the apps after getting them from heaven knows where or do without them.
5. Most things do not work as they should - be it Bluetooth  WiFi (especially WiFi) or some other port on the device, you will, before too long, start experiencing problems.
6. Limited storage space - most of them will give you either 2GB or 4GB of storage which is hardly enough space to save a few songs, a couple music videos and pictures after the operating system would have taken it's cut.

Again let me be clear, it is possible to purchase a very cheap tablet that works great, but you WILL have to do the research first - read the reviews, pay attention to the complaints from persons who would have bought the device before and read the fine prints.

NB: It might make more sense to save a bit more and get a tablet that you'll be proud and happy owning than to spend less and end up regretting it.

You may also want to check out this post.

Resisitive vs Capacitive - Know your touchscreen

Maybe you have realized that your touchscreen device does not work quite the same way as your friend's, but do you know why?

Well, it can be because you're both using different touchscreen technology.

You see there are two types of touchscreens:
1. Resistive touchscreens  
2. Capacitive touchscreens

Resistive touchscreens work based on pressure - the screen is made up of several different layers of plastic.  As you apply pressure to the top-most layer (the part you can touch) it flexes onto the layer below allowing a circuit to be completed, this of course tell the device which part of the screen was pressed.

Pros:

• Cheaper to manufacture - as a result they are found on cheaper devices
• Resistive touchscreens are versatile - they can be operated with a finger, fingernail, stylus, pen, pencil etc.
• Can be used with handwriting recognition systems - being able to write with a stylus as you would with a pen on a sheet of paper
• Somewhat more accurate than capacitive touchscreens
• Does not "break" as easily as capactive screens' glass panels

Cons:

• There is little to no multi-touch support - this means that pinch-to-zoom is not something you can count on with this type of screen
• It is quite vulnerable to scratches - then again it is plastic
• Poor visibility in direct sunlight mostly due to the multiple layers reflecting light

Capacitive touchscreens do not rely on pressure, instead they are made of a glass panel coated with a transparent conductor which is able to sense the conductive properties of objects, such as the human finger (or toe...lol).  Because of the presence of glass as opposed to plastic, capacitive screens tend to used hardened or chemically treated glass such as the now famous Gorilla glass from Corning.

Pros:

• Supports multi-touch - the newer ones supporting up to ten-points multi-touch
• Excellent visibility even in direct sunlight
• Not easily scratched if you're lucky enough to have something like Gorilla Glass
• Highly sensitive to finger touch making it extremely easy to use
• Smoother response
• Glossy look and feel which makes it seem more expensive - oh yeah it is more expensive...lol

Cons:

• More expensive than Resistive touch screen
• Does not work with inanimate objects such as fingernails or pens
• The glass panel is more susceptible to breaking than resistive screens

Boot Windows 7 Faster

One of the reasons for Windows 8 booting faster than Windows 7 is because it has fewer extras enabled by default.

These extras include features/services such as Remote Differential Compression, XPS Services, Windows Gadget Platform among others that you’ll probably never use.

To disable these features in Windows 7 (which is completely safe to do by the way), follow the steps listed below:

1. Start
2. Control Panel
3. Programs
4. Click ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ (found at the top left of the window)
5. Remove the ticks/check marks from the boxes next to the options you do not want (make a note of them in case you decide to turn them back on later)
6. Click OK
7. Restart your computer - the computer will have to configure the changes you've made so check your speed from the second restart after making the changes. 

NB:  I did experience a slight increase as opposed to a significant increase in boot-performance on my computer, but that is due largely to the fact that my computer is already almost tweaked to its limit for performance.  
Please let me know what your experience is like in the comments section.

You can also check these links for more performance enhancing tweaks:

• Remove unwanted fonts
• Clean up your hard drive
• Defragmenting your drive
• Speed up shut down time
• Stop unwanted programs from starting

Tech myth - the more megapixels the better

Many persons including myself (at one point, long, long ago) were fooled into believing that the more megapixels your digital camera or smartphone camera has the better the quality of the picture you'd be getting from it.

Well this is not completely true.

Megapixels do matter when it comes to being able to "blow up" or enlarge the pictures you take without them getting all pixelated (seeing the little dots/squares that form the picture)or distorted, but aside from that the more important things to consider are the quality of the camera lens and the size of it's light sensor.

You see there comes a point where megapixels no longer matter which is why it is possible to have a camera with, for instance, a 8-megapixel rating that would take much better quality pictures than one that might have a 16-megapixel rating.

For precise, beautiful images megapixels alone will not be enough.  You need a good lens, big light sensor (which is absent in present smartphones...yeah Nokia we're waiting) and megapixels.  Shop wisely!

What about multi-core processors on smartphones you ask?  I'll be addressing that one some time later (smile).

Tech myths - refrigerated batteries

How many of you have heard this one?
"If you want your batteries to last longer you should store them in the refrigerator."

This is a myth.  This is NOT true, as a matter of fact storing your battering in the refrigerator may end up doing more harm since extreme heat or cold reduce their performance.  It is best to simply leave then in an area where they'll be:

1. at normal room temperature (68°F to 78°F or 20°C to 25°C) and
2. DRY!!

NB: It is perfectly normal for batteries to lose some of their charge while in storage (nickel-cadmium batteries lose the most), but placing them in the refrigerator will not stop this from happening.  You should also keep them from heat sources including having them sitting on a shelf in direct sunlight.  Heat kills batteries.

Here's what Energizer has to say on the issue.

Ten Internet Commandments

This may seem funny to some persons, but there are serious lessons in each of the commandments...(smile)

1. Thou shall not browse the Internet without first installing an antivirus program and ensuring that its definitions are up to date
2. Thou shall not purchase items that are advertised in pop-up ads or spam
3. Thou shall not be fooled into believing that thou art the millionth visitor to any website and have won thyself a million dollars
4. Thou shall not reply to any emails from Nigerians requesting your banking information
5. Thou shall not post thy email address, phone number or address on the internet, nor shall thou post anyone else's including thine sworn enemy
6. Thou shall not post thy children's pictures on the Internet
7. Thou shall not post private pictures of your ex, neighbor or even thine sworn enemy on the Internet
8. Thou shall not covet thy neighbor's credit card number or attempt to acquire it using deceptive means
9. Thou shall not enter thy credit card number without first seeing the tiny padlock icon on the address bar of your browser
10. Thou shall not use "password" as thy password, nor thy birthday, nor thy children's names or any other word or phrase that can be easily guessed

Dos and Don'ts of social media such as Facebook

There is nothing wrong with interacting with others via the Internet.  Social media is not evil.  Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google + among others should not be shunned, but embraced.
I know many persons may choose to disagree with these statements (and you can, if you so decide...no love lost), but your stand would not change the fact that once properly used, these social media can be of great benefits to us and our society.

Someone once said, "A tool in the hand of a fool becomes a weapon that brings about self-destruction"  and more and more these days we are seeing this become a reality as more and more persons destroy themselves by improperly using social media.

1. Embrace social media - sign-up, get an account and login
2. Use strong passwords
3. Be courteous
4. Respect others' opinions or point of view
5. Pay attention to how you present yourself - the pictures and comments you post should increase your worth, not cause you to lose your job or reputation
6. Pay attention to the privacy settings for the different websites - take time to read the different setting to ensure that you're not giving permission in cases where you would not want to give permission for the sharing of your personal information
7. Share your resources/expertise - social media is not about being selfish
8. Verify information before sharing or passing it along
9. Try and verify the identity of the persons requesting addition to your circle before adding them
10. Pay attention to the amount of time you spend using social media - you may realize you've been wasting a lot of time

1. Do not post your every movement - you'll be making it easy for kidnappers and thieves to hurt you
2. Do not put more information than what is absolutely necessary on your profile - ignoring this can lead to you being a victim of identity theft
3. Do not use inappropriate language - certain words are obscene even when used over the Internet
4. Do not use your employer's time to update your status or browse social media
5. Do not connect with everyone - quality is better than quantity.  Would you be increasing your worth by adding this person to your circle?
6. Do not upload anything that you would not want everyone to see
7. Do not take social media lightly - your actions can have very far-reaching consequences
8. Do not portray yourself as someone you're not after all thieves and other criminals do use social media too.