Windows 8 useful tips and tricks

1. Open from the lock screen

Windows 8 opens on its lock screen, it looks good but unfortunately displays nothing about what to do next. It’s all very straightforward . Just tap on the keyboard space bar, spin the mouse wheel or swipe upwards on a touch screen to reveal a regular login screen with the user name you created during installation. Enter your password to begin.

2. Handle basic navigation

Windows 8 interface is all with colourful tiles and touch-friendly application. And if you’re using a tablet then it’ll all be very simple: just swipe left or right on the touch screen to scroll, and tap any app tile that you want to open. On a regular desktop PC, you might alternatively spin the mouse wheel to scroll backwards and forwards.

You can also use the keyboard to. Press the Windows logo key to return to the Start screen; mouse right-click (or swipe down on touch screen ) apps you don’t need and select Unpin to remove them; and drag and drop the other tiles around to arange them as you like. Press the Home or End keys to jump from one end of your Start screen to the other, for instance, use the cursor keys to select a particular tile, hit Enter to select it.

3. Use the quick access menu

Right-click with mouse in the bottom-left corner ( or hold down the Windows logo key and press X ) for a text menu that provides easy access to lots of useful features and applets:Control Panel, Explorer, Device Manager, the Search dialog and many more. Download the Win+X Windows 8 Menu Editor  and you’ll be able for further customization of the list with programs.

4. Group applications

The Start screen apps are initially displayed in a random order, but if you’d prefer a more organised life style then it’s easy to sort them into custom groups.

You might drag Contacts ( People), Calendar, Messaging and Mail over to the left-hand side, for instance, to form a separate ‘Office’ or ‘Contacts‘ group. Click the ‘minus’ icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to zoom out and you’ll now find that you can drag and drop the new group (or any other group ) around as a block.

Right-click within the block ( still zoomed out ) and you’ll also be able to named the group, which – if you go on to add another 10 or 20 apps to your Start screen – will make it much easier to find the tools and apps you need.

5. Make easier access

If there’s an application you use frequently then you don’t have to access it with the search system. Pin it to the Start screen and it’ll be available with one click.

Start by typing name of your application ( just one part of the named for example ). To access Control Panel, type ‘Control’. Right-click the ‘Control Panel’ tile on the Apps Search screen, and click ‘Pin to Start’. If you are using a touchscreen, press and hold the apps icon, then flick down and then select ‘Pin to Start’.

Now press the Windows key, scroll to the right and you’ll see the Control Panel tile at the end. Drag and drop this tile over to the left somewhere if you’d like it to make more easily visible and accessible, then click the tile icon to open the desktop along with the Control Panel window, and press the Windows key to return you to the Start screen when you are done.

6. Find your applications

The Win+X menu is useful, but there is no substitutions for the good old Start menu, as it doesn’t provide access to your applications. To find this, hold down the Windows logo key and press Q , or either mouse right-click an empty part of the Start screen or swipe your finger up from the bottom of the touchscreen and select ‘All Apps’ to reveal a scrolling list of all installed applications. Browse to the tiles to find application that you need and click the app to launch it.

7. Shut down the Windows 8

To shutdown Windows 8 , just move the mouse cursor to the bottom right corner of the screen, click the Settings icon – or just hold down the Windows logo key and press I – and you’ll see a power button. Click on it and choose ‘Shut Down’ or ‘Restart’.

Some of the tricks available in previous versions of Windows still apply. Press good old Ctrl+Alt+Del, for example, click the power button in the bottom right corner and you’ll be presented with the same ‘Shut Down’ and ‘Restart’ options. If you’re on the desktop computer, press Alt+F4 and you’ll be able to choose ‘Shut Down’, ‘Restart’, ‘Sign Out’ or ‘Switch User’ options.

Windows 7: Tips & Tricks

Tips and Tricks for Microsoft’s operating system, Windows 7

Microsoft brings many innovations and improvements, however small things are the ones that sell the product.In the few pages that follow we will make review exactly those small and tiny things that make you love the Windows 7.

I decide to transfer my experience in previous work with Windows 7 but not in the form of a standard review of the operating system but rather in the form of tips and best practices (Tips & Tricks). In this way you may be able to help you out and show you how to use Windows 7 better, in other words, Microsoft will show you what you did to make you switch from your XP, Vista or any other operating system to Windows  7 .

Manage your windows in Windows 7

Windows 7 simplifies the management of documents and programs in a way that allows you to “pin” a window or manipulate the same size with one mouse maneuver or a simple keyboard with one click.

To set your window on one half of the screen, drag it left or right and the window will change its size tofit left or right half of your screen. To manipulate the vertical size of the window, you can drag the window to the top of the screen and the same increase, double click on the upper or lower limit of the window and it vertically will increase until its maximum width will remain the same.The above manipulation you can do using the keyboard:

[  = Windows button with the sign of the keyboard]

  + Left arrow hangs window on the left side of the screen

  + Arrow right hook window on the right side of the screen

  + Up arrow maximizes the active window

  + Down arrow to minimize the active window

  + Shift + up arrow maximizes the active window vertically

  + Shift + down arrow restores the active window in original size vertically.

These possibilities  whether they used with a mouse or keyboard  , it would be a lot easier if you have a need to compare the contents of two locations, so easy … Attach one location on the left and the second location on the right side of your screen (Windows 7 itself to tweak the size of the window) and there …. required contents side by side.

Aero view of your desktop

Completely new but definitely very interesting and probably much needed tool for instant view on your desktop. During the operation the user opens a bunch of windows so desktop is rarely seen, but at times you need something right out there so you want to view. Just go with the mouse in the lower right corner, immediately after the date and clock and all your open windows will become transparent, so your desktop is available. I get the same while pressing start typing.

  + Space.

Walking through the open windows

Of course you happened to have started a few text documents in MS Word, and you need time to time to see them (Alt + Tab window will open all possible), then press Ctrl (control) and mouse keep clicking on the icon the application in question (in our example Word) and Windows 7 will only roam between open instances Word. The windows will be opened in order in which they were first window opened.

Release of inactive windows

Many times it happens to our desktop is crowded with open windows, in addition to the active window in which you work from all sides protruding corner of the window, small or large windows and all it is sometimes одзима attention or annoys you. Cure in Windows 7 is simple, just press the    + Home and all the windows that are active at that time will be minimized. To restore just repeat the procedure.

Look clearly

With improved zoom tool in Windows 7, you can increase the different parts of the screen, very quickly and very easily. Zoom Tool in Windows 7 allows you to zoom in on any area of your screen, define the scale factor to increase and track and field mouse focus. Launch the “Magnifier” from the Start menu, and set the glass in a certain part of your screen. It will remain in that position, in relative proportion with the boundaries of your screen. Move the mouse cursor around and clearly see that the view to the desired portion of the screen increases.

You can also programming one of the buttons on your mouse (if your mouse software is compatible with Microsoft IntellPoint) to include or exclude Zoom Tool. Go to the Control Panel and click on “Hardware and Sounds”, then “Mouse” and select the “Buttons” tab and you get the option to program your mouse as you like.

Change the background

Windows 7 allows you to completely customize your desktop to suit each of the many moods that you possess all the new Shuffle feature for your desktop.You can set the background of your desktop to “walk” on your favorite photos and background to change as often as much as you want. 

To enable this feature right-click your mouse on your desktop and select “Personalize” then “Desktop Background” Select the folder where are your favorite photos and choose as you like.Tick ​​”Shuffle” box and select how often you want your wallpaper to change. Get a simple way that your background will always be new, fresh and interesting.

Clean desktop , Immediately!!

You always had the ability to automatically adjust your desktop using auto-arrange option that you get when you right-click your mouse on the background of your desktop and then selecting “Sort By”, now Windows 7 makes it even easier.

 To adjust your desktop according to your predefined settings simply press F5 and zadzhete typed. Immediately, I is aligned properly.

First impressions: Nokia Lumia 630

Nokia announced the new Lumia 630 on the sidelines of Microsoft's BUILD coference.

At its Build 2014 conference, Microsoft unveiled the next iteration of its mobile operating system, Windows Phone 8.1. The event also saw Nokia announce three new mobile phones that will run on the new OS — Lumia 630, Lumia 635 and Lumia 930. Windows Phone 8.1 brings a number of new features in order to catch up with Google's Android and Apple's iOS including a centralized notification tray which Microsoft calls Action Centre, voice assistant Cortana, tweaks to the home screen and updated native apps, among others.

Among the new Nokia Lumia phones, while Lumia 930 is the top model, Lumia 630 is a budget smartphone which will also feature a dual-sim option and Lumia 635 is the US version of the 630, with support for 4G LTE.



At a Microsoft event in Delhi where the company showcased its new Windows Phone 8.1 mobile operating system, we got a chance to spend some time with Lumia 630's dual-sim version that runs Windows Phone 8.1. Here's what we think about the new device.
Lumia 630 follows the same design philosophy that we've seen the company use in Lumia 620 and, to some extent, in Lumia 625. It sports a colourful, interchangeable polycarbonate back shell that wraps around the phone. The cover which will be available in black, white, green, orange and yellow colours, sports a matte finish. We'd love to see fresher designs from Nokia, even on budget and mid-range phones. Overall, materials used in the phone are of good quality and feel durable.



The right edge of the phone features the power and volume rocker keys, in the same colour as that of the shell. Strangely, a major omission in Lumia 635 is the camera shutter hardware key, which is available in Lumia 620 and 625 smartphones. This means that you'll only be able to activate the shutter through soft keys. Perhaps the focus is not so much on the camera (more on that later).

The right edge is barren, while the bottom edge features the micro-USB port and the 3.5mm headset jack sits at the top. The back features a 5MP auto-focus camera but there's no LED flash, which makes the phone useless for dark and low-light shots. It is worth pointing out that the phone's predecessor, Lumia 620 sports an LED flash.

Removing the cover reveals the two micro-sim card slots, a microSD card slot and the battery compartment. The phone comes with an 1850 mAh battery.

The front of the phone is dominated by its 4.5-inch 480 x 854p (FWVGA, 218ppi) ClearBack LCD display. Due to the low resolution, the screen doesn't really look rich and vibrant but it is decent enough considering it is a budget offering. The display has good viewing angles and comes with Gorilla Glass 3 protection to prevent minor scratches and bumps.

We also noticed the absence of capacitive touch keys below the display for navigation. The phone comes with onscreen soft keys for back, search and Home. This feature has been introduced with Windows Phone 8.1.

Unfortunately, Nokia has cut some corners and unlike Lumia 620, the Lumia 630 doesn't come with a front-facing camera. This means you won't be able to do Skype video chats even though Windows Phone 8.1 features better Skype integration and allows users to switch to Skype calls directly from voice calls.



Under the hood, Lumia 630 is powered by a 1.2GHz Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 processor and 512MB RAM. It comes with 8GB internal storage expandable up to 128GB via microSD card. During our brief use, we found navigating through the home screen and launching apps quite smooth. A Nokia India spokesperson told us that the OS has been optimized for all devices and the low RAM would not make a difference.

We still feel that Nokia should have shipped the phone with 1GB RAM as graphics-intensive games are initially available and optimized for Windows Phone devices with 1GB RAM. Developers do port their apps to 512MB devices but it takes time. The recently introduced Nokia Lumia 525 entry-level smartphone also comes with 1GB RAM.

Lumia 630 runs Windows Phone 8.1 and offers dual-sim capability. We quite like the dual-sim implementation as the phone allows users to have separate Messaging and Phone tiles for both sim cards. It even allows you to link the two and have integrated Messaging and Phone apps. Lumia 630 supports 3G only on the primary sim but the phone comes with smart dual sim enabling users to automatically forward calls to the sim which is in use for calls. The phone also includes 'SensorCore', low-power motion sensing for fitness apps.



The Action Centre is another highlight feature and on Lumia 630, it supports four customizable settings toggles including a camera toggle, in addition to notifications for apps.

The Start screen can now have a customized background with transparent tiles. We also tried the phone's Swype-like Word Flow keyboard that allows users to type by sliding a finger across keys, and found that it does make typing faster.

We'll have to say that the OS looks more feature complete than ever, however, we'll have to give it a spin to be able to give a detailed feedback.

Lumia 630's dual-sim variant has been priced at $169 (exclusive of taxes). It is expected to arrive in India in May. The pricing would be the key to the phone's success as Nokia has cut corners especially at the camera front. We would expect the phone to be priced in the Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 price range.

As new Microsoft CEO makes entrance, Sony mulls PC exit

Sony has been one of the top laptop players in the Windows market. But the Japanese company is now in talks to sell off the Vaio line.

The day Microsoft announced a new CEO, word came from Japan that Sony is trying to exit PCs.
Whatever Sony ultimately does, it's a clear signal one of the top brands doesn't see PCs running Microsoft software as an attractive market anymore.
"Sony's planned sale of its personal computer operations underscores how far this business has fallen in the eyes of Japanese and U.S. manufacturers," an editorial said in Japan's Nikkei on Wednesday.
Sony established the Vaio brand in 1996 when Microsoft and Windows 95 ruled the world. At Sony's peak, it shipped close to 900,000 units a year. In 2013, it's expected to ship fewer than 600,000 units, according to IDC estimates.

Not surprisingly, the impetus for the expected sale is financial. The company's consumer electronics operations -- of which the Vaio PC line is a part -- continues to operate in the red and it PC group is facing an operating loss, according to Japan-based reports.
Sony wouldn't be the first Japanese player to bow out of the PC business. NEC, once Japan's top domestic PC brand, handed over control of its PC business to Lenovo in 2011.
And even Lenovo, which is vying with Hewlett-Packard to be the No. 1 global PC maker, is putting increasing emphasis on smartphones these days, evidenced by its planned purchase of Motorola's handset business.
By selling the Vaio PC business, Sony intends to accelerate its shift to smartphones. And Microsoft has acknowledged this global shift in its own way with the purchase of Nokia's mobile devices unit.

10 Things to Know About Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s New CEO

Here are some key tidbits to mull over as he gets ready to take on what may be the single most challenging gig in the tech industry.

1. He was born in Hyderabad, India. And moved to the U.S. after graduating from Manipal University. That an immigrant will run this most American of companies is an inspiring story in itself.

2. He’s a longtime Microsoft insider. Nadella joined the company in 1992 from onetime Silicon Valley icon Sun Microsystems; he’s been a Microsoftie for well over half the company’s existence.

3. He’s an engineer. Unlike Steve Ballmer, who was an assistant product manager at Procter & Gamble before joining Microsoft in 1980, Nadella started out as a technologist. He holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Manipal University and a master’s in computer science from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

4. But also a business type. In addition to his technology-oriented degrees, he has a master’s in business administration from the University of Chicago.

5. He’s been promoted again and again. Among his other high-level positions before he was appointed executive vice president for the cloud and enterprise group last year: president of the server and tools business, senior VP of R&D for the online-services division, VP of the business division, senior VP of search, portal and advertising-platform group, VP of development for the business-solutions group, and general manager of consumer and commerce.

6. He’s currently responsible for a huge, largely invisible part of Microsoft’s business. Among the products Nadella heads up: Windows Azure, Windows Server, SQL Server, System Center and the software-development tools that are Microsoft’s original business, dating all the way back to 1975. Consumers have no reason to pay attention to these areas, but they’re thriving — a big reason why Microsoft just posted robust quarterly results despite the PC industry’s struggles and Windows Phone’s failure, so far, to make much of a dent in Google’s Android and Apple’s iOS.

7. He’s played a major role in Microsoft’s transition to the cloud. The company’s very name references the era of software for microcomputers. But Nadella is leading its efforts to be just as good at Web-based services as it ever was at PC software — a battle at least as important to the company’s future as anything involving phones or tablets.

8. He does have some consumer background. Though Nadella’s career has skewed toward the business side of Microsoft, he’s also worked on some offerings used by folks in their personal lives, like the Bing search engine.

9. It’s not your imagination — he does have a low profile. Nadella is not exactly a hermit — Quartz’s Leo Mirani interviewed him about Microsoft’s future in December, when Nadella was already known to be a leading CEO candidate — but his focus on unglamorous-but-important products for business use means he shows up at public events less often than colleagues like Joe Belfiore of the Windows Phone team. (Presumably that will now change.) He also seems to have lost interest in Twitter.

10. We don’t know anything about his master plan. The fact that he’s a Microsoft longtimer might indicate he’s less likely to immediately attempt to impose massive change on the company than an outsider would have been. Or maybe not. And his background in business tools may or may not say anything about the company’s interest moving forward in consumer offerings like its Xbox gaming-and-entertainment platform. Stay tuned for more thoughts once Nadella starts to outline his vision for public consumption — and don’t be too surprised if that doesn’t happen immediately.

Windows 8.1 update may be delayed until April

Microsoft's new ship target for its coming Windows 8.1 Update 1 may have shifted from March to April, according to sources.

I've heard from two of my sources in the past week that Microsoft's ship target for Windows 8.1 Update 1 has shifted from March 2014 to April 2014.
The idea remains to use Patch Tuesday to distribute the coming so-called "Spring" update via Windows Update, my sources said. If that is the case, Windows 8.1 Update 1 should be pushed to users on April 8, rather than March 11.

Windows 8.1 Update 1 is a collection of features and fixes for Windows 8.1. Most of the new features are aimed at making Windows 8.1 more palatable to those who prefer using a mouse to navigate the latest Windows release.

A leaked Windows 8.1 Update 1 test build (from mid-January) showed off a number of the expected new features, including the ability to pin Metro apps to the Desktop task bar; new right-clickable context-sensitive menus; and adding dedicated search and power buttons to the Start screen. A new Enterprise Mode for Internet Explorer 11 is also part of the leaked build, according to some who've downloaded it.

There were reports that Windows 8.1 Update 1 might change the default start-up experience so that the desktop, rather than the Metro Start screen became the default on all machines running Update 1. As I noted last week, I heard this is not Microsoft's plan. Those downloading the leaked Windows 8.1 Update 1 build from January noted that boot-to-desktop was not set as the default configuration.

Windows leaker WZor indicated on February 2 that a more likely scenario may be that boot to desktop will be installed by default on new PCs/devices without a touch screen. Users who are upgrading from Windows 8.1 to Windows 8.1 Update 1 who don't have boot to desktop set as their default already also won't see their settings change to boot to default, according to WZor.

I am not sure why the ship target for Update 1 has allegedly been pushed back a month, but have heard that the original March target was fairly ambitious. OEMs are still likely to get the Windows 8.1 Update 1 bits in early March for preloading on new PCs, my sources said.

Microsoft Xbox One

Officially, Microsoft’s Xbox One is a game console, but its aspirations go far beyond play. With built-in video calls via Skype, integration with cable and satellite TV boxes and an interface derived from Windows 8, it’s really a living-room PC. The most intriguing technology is built into the new Kinect sensor, which understands spoken commands, recognizes faces and can even measure your heart rate. Some aspects of the One are still rough around the edges, but it’s going to be fascinating to see where it goes.