Microsoft’s Future Decoded conference will be back in London in late October

Microsoft announced today that Future Decoded, its main event in the UK will return to the ExCel London from October 31 through November 1. Last year’s conference was quite a success with more than 12,000 guests and 38 keynote speakers including Panos Panay, now Chief Product Officer at Microsoft and Lorraine Bardeen, General Manager, Mixed Reality Workplace

“The Microsoft UK headline event has grown from strength to strength over the last few years, and this year we have continued the growth of the event with ambitious plans – with two full days of inspiring content designed for business decision makers as well as many exciting experiences across the event alongside some fantastic customer stories,” Microsoft wrote in a blog post.

As you may recall, Future Decoded is where Panos Panay officially announced the Surface Pro with LTE last year. It’s still not clear if the Chief Product Officer will be back in London in October, but we do expect to see the exec on stage to unveil new Surface products later this year. Whether this will be for iterative updates to existing Surface products, the recently announced Surface Hub 2 or the rumored new 10-inch Surface tablets remains to be seen.

10 Best Windows 10/11 Travel Apps [Download]

Your Windows 8, Windows 10 tablet can be your travel companion if you download and install the best travel apps on it; read below to discover 10 of the best we have gathered

Summer is the period during which most of us take our vacations and we all know that for a holiday to turn out exactly how we dreamed it would, we must plan a lot ahead. That involves researching for airplanes, hotels, finding information about the currency of the country we’re headed to, finding the most interesting places to visit and so on.

Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows RT users might hold an advantage over their peers as they can find in the Windows App Store some really useful apps that can help them plan the perfect trip. Here is a list of essential travel apps you shouldn’t miss:

10 best Windows 10 travel apps you shouldn’t miss

TripAdvisor [Free]

Probably the most popular app at the moment, TripAdvisor Universal App for Windows 10. This app can be used to look-up a hotel or location and when searching for a location, a list of hotels, restaurants, attractions and guides will be displayed for you.

When looking for he best hotel for you, you will see which places won the Travelers’ Choice award. You can also compare airfares and find great deals straight from within the TripAdvisor app.

  • Read also: Bloatware? Windows 10 Devices to Have TripAdvisor App Pre-installed

XE Currency [Free]

xe xurrency best windows 8 travel app

This is a very handy application for those who are going out of the country and need to exchange money after they arrived at the location. The program can help you convert different currency and showcases the latest currency charts and rates.

Another important thing about XE Currency is that you are able to save the last rates that are relevant to you and the go back and check them even if you don’t have an Internet connection available. After all you might be shopping or dining.


WorldMate [Free]

world mate best windows 8 travel app

This is a very complex app that will help you plan your trip step by step, so there will be no need to request the help of a travel agency. All you need to do to get professional trip management is forward one of your travel confirmation emails (hotel, plane ticket) to the WorldMate team at [email protected]. They will handle the rest. Each trip you have booked will appear in different charms, the biggest of them being the one nearing.

When accessing a certain trip charm you get to see the itinerary per day. That includes the hour your plane takes off, the hour you land, the hotel you are staying and so on. WorldMate can even identify your friends in the area and display them in the trip screen. The app will help you plan your route in the city you are visiting and offer the ability to share your trips with your loved one via Facebook.

[Update] This ap has no longer received support in Microsoft Store.


4th at Square [$1.99]

4th at square best windows 8 travel app

This little app is the equivalent of Foursquare but compatible with the Windows 8, Windows 10 and Windows RT interface. 4th at Square is a bit of a game and a social app too. Users can earn points by checking into as many locations as they can. Typing in your location will give you a list of all the near-by places of interests ranging from restaurants to museum, parks and art centers.

Most importantly the app features an Explore option which allows you to look for places based on your interests. So just search for whatever appeals to you. For example, if you search for “burritos” you will get a list of restaurants and fast food that offer such a food variety in their menu.

[Update] Latest version has fixed compatibility with Foursquare’s recent API changes. Tap list fixes and the photos are shown in a Flipview for venues.


Living Social [Free]

living social best windows 8 travel app

Living Social will appeal for travelers on a budget. The app will locate the best dining deals and cheap holiday offers. Browse through all categories (Beauty/Health, Retail, Entertainment, Travel) to find the best prices available. The purchases can be made in-app and the vouchers printed or not? If you have a tablet, you can bring it to the place that offers the discount and you’re served. Hurry up!

[Update] Latest version release has added support for Facebook login and optimized the ordering of local vs. national deals.


Translator Free [Free]

translator free best windows 8 travel apps

Going in a foreign country and want to impress the local folk with your knowledge of the language? Translator Free is a super easy to use application that allows you to translate phrases, sentences and even whole paragraphs in 35 different languages. Just type in one box the words in your native language and the translation appears in the box below. Translator Free features Google language translation service algorithms.

[Update] This app has no longer received support in Microsoft Store.


neuTravel Companion [Free]

windows 8 travel app neutravel

NeuTravel Companion is the most complete app we have seen until now. It features every functionality we have been detailing so far. With this app you can have a clear view or the reservations you have, plan your activities, routes, convert currencies, translate words and phrases and even play the country’s specific music.

[Update] Developers have announced that they will focus on features for Windows 10 and will no longer offer support for Windows 8.


Railways Enquiry [Free]

windows 8 travel app railways enquiry

For those that prefer to travel by train, this particular app will prove to be very hand.  Railways Enquiry offers information about train schedules, fares, availability and station details. More than that, the app will be able to display your train routes, courtesy of Bing maps, so you will always know where you’re going.


Museums of the World [Free]

windows 8 travel app museums of the world

For those passionate about culture, this is an app you shouldn’t miss. Take a sneak peak of thousand museums located across the world, and set up your itinerary. The app works in concert with Bing Maps and GPS and can locate the art establishments and give directions of how to get there.

Each museum features a presentation that features the museum’s opening hours, entry fee and so on. The app is updated daily, so you can be sure the information is accurate.

[Update] The app had recently a major UI change. Check it out!


Skyscanner [Free]

skyscanner windows 8 travel app

For those choosing to travel by plane, Skyscanner is an easy way to locate a cheap flight fast. The app’s algorithm allows the user to search the combined database of 1,000 airlines and to pick out the cheapest. The application is available in over 20 languages.


Restaurants & Pubs [Free]

restaurants and pubs windows 8 travel app

The food-minded travelers, this will prove to be a very useful app. Just enter the address you are currently located at (could be the hotel you’re staying at, or the museum you have just visited) and the app will display pubs, restaurants and cafés located in the vicinity. The establishments will be placed on the map, so you can find your way as quick as possible.

[Update] This app has no longer received support in Microsoft Store.

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Redesigned 1Password app for Windows is out with Windows Hello support

Popular password manager 1Password has just released a new version of its Windows app that has been rewritten from scratch (via The Verge). Indeed, the new version 7.0 is ” the fastest, most secure, and most versatile version” of 1Password for Windows according to the developers, and it also introduces Windows Hello support for unlocking 1Password with your face or fingerprint.

Some of the other new elements introduced to the Windows app in this latest release include a redesigned sidebar and a pop-out window for an easy look at saved passwords. There are also new lock screen animations, new fonts and icons, support for assistive technologies and new languages and regions. Other notable features are below, with the full changelog available here.

  • Search power-ups — use `file:`, `tag:`, or `title:` in the search box to find things faster and easier than ever before.
  • Nested tags — add tags within tags (using `/`) and 1Password will break them down into groups for better organization.
  • 2FA integration — 1Password can now scan your screen for a one-time password QR code to save it to your Login items.
  • Super-speedy — the main app and mini now work as one, and with an all new local database, 1Password 7 is unbelievably fast.

You can try out 1Password for free for 30 days and then subscribe for $2.99 a month, or $4.99 a month for a family plan. There are also separate pricing for teams, business, and enterprises. Learn more and download by checking out the 1Password website here.

CCleaner is Compatible With Windows 8.1, 10

CCleaner updates bring the much-needed suppport for Windows 8.1, 10 devices. Being one of the best system optimization tools on the market, CCleaner keeps up with improving its features.

The latest version of CCleaner v5.43.6522 brings a new privacy policy : Users can disable third-party data sharing, so even when you are using the free version you have the option to decline sharing usage data with third parties for analytics purposes.

The compatibility issues have been on solved by the developers over the time passed, keeping up the work with every Windows Update. If you are starting fresh with this tool, we suggest you head on to the review and find out How to clean your Windows 10, 8 or 7 PC with CCleaner [review].

If you encounter problems with installing CCleaner after Windows upgrade or the feature update, check our article Fix: CCleaner Installer doesn’t work in Windows 10.

Previous versions added support for Windows 10, 8.1

Constant update is essential for every software, and developers from Piriform did not settle with updating this registry cleaner. Back in 2016, version 5.22 added full support for Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

Along with the portable version came the final version 5.08 when CCleaner was ready for Windows 10. You can read the full article: CCleaner Gets Updated with Windows 10 Support & Improved Microsoft Edge Cache Cleaning.

ccleaner compatible with windows 10

CCleaner was there to offer support for Windows 8.1

If you missed the news, then we are here to report it for you – your favorite PC cleaning tool CCleaner, has been updated to get full support for Windows 8.1. Piriform has finally updated CCleaner for Windows 8.1, so you can clean all those unwanted files. Also, since we know how many old Windows 8 folder we create, CCleaner 4.07 can now also clean up old Windows installation folders.

Relased on 24 Oct 2013, CCleaner v4.07.4369 comes with the following changes, besides Windows 8.1 support:

  • Added Internet Explorer 11 Release Preview for Windows 7 compatibility.
  • Added old Windows installation folder cleaning.
  • Improved Internet Explorer history cleaning.
  • Added Baidu Spark browser cleaning.
  • Improved debug mode notification.
  • Added ABBYY FineReader 11.0, Corel PaintShop Pro X6 and Nero Burning Rom 2021 cleaning.
  • Improved WinZip, Java, UltraEdit, Macromedia Shockwave 10 and 11, Photodex ProShow Producer and RealPlayer SP cleaning.
  • Minor GUI improvements.
  • Minor bug fixes

To optimize your Windows 8.1 PC, tablet or hybrid, you can also use GlaryUtilities, which has also been updated to get Windows 8.1 support. If you’re looking to clean your Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 registry, then you can follow our evergreen guide on this.

Skype Crashes in Windows 8.1: Microsoft Releases Patch to Fix the Issue

Skype patch for Windows 8.1 released by Microsoft to fix the crash bug that was affecting numerous users
skype crash windows 8.1 fixThese Windows 8.1 issues don’t seem to have a clear end, but at least some of them are being taken care of. Such is the case with the reported Skype crashes and “not opening” errors with Windows 8.1. Microsoft has finally released a fix that so far is working for all those that have reported Skype crashing in Windows 8.1.

Here are some of the most common issues the users have reported with Skype on Windows 8.1:

After upgrading to Windows 8.1 this evening, everything else seems to work fine except Skype.  When I open Skype it starts to load for a few seconds then disappears and I am automatically back at my Start Screen. If I swipe from the left hand side Skype is still running, but again it shows for a few seconds then disappears. All I see is the fullscreen pale blue background with the Skype logo before it disappears, in other words, the app never fully loads. I have tried uninstalling it, restarting my laptop, then reinstalling it from the Windows Store, but it still does the same thing.

Somebody is complaining about various other Skype errors in Windows 8.1:

I just updated to Windows 8.1 and whenever I try to enter the app through the start menu, It starts to show the cirular thinking icon like it is loading, then just closes to the start menu screen.    When I put my mouse on the top left corner, you can still see that the skype app seems to be open, but if you click on it again, it repeats itself, showing the initial skype app loading screen, then goes back to the start screen.

Fix Skype crashing and not opening issues in Windows 8.1

For some users, installing  .NET framework 3.5 from the “Add windows features” did the trick, but now that Microsoft has an official fix, you should install the update. The patch is called “Skype Windows Store app crashes in Windows 8.1 and in Windows Server 2012 R2″ and has the following symptom: “When you start the Skype Windows Store app in Windows 8.1 or in Windows Server 2012 R2, the app immediately crashes, and Windows returns to the Start screen”.

windows 8.1 skype patchMicrosoft is saying that Skype issues on Windows 8.1 occur when the device has an Intel(R) HD Graphics 3000 (Sandy Bridge) graphics device. If you have set up Windows Update to download and install updates on Windows 8.1 automatically, then you probably already have it installed. If not, you can follow these manual download links from the Microsoft Download Center:

You will need to restart your Windows 8.1 system so that the update will take place. Let us know in the comments section if this has solved your Skype issues in Windows 8.1. You will identify the Skype Windows 8.1 patch in Windows Update if you choose to install updates on your own with this code – KB2902892.

You can read more articles on this topic, as many users have reported issues with Skype on Windows 8.1 and Windows 10. Here are some of them, we recently covered so you can check them out:

 

FIX: Lenovo Yoga 13 touchpad issues in Windows 10/11

Some users of the IdeaPad Yoga 13 Convertible ultrabook reported issues with the touchpad after the Windows 10, 8.1 upgrade. Check out this guide to find out how you can fix the problem.

Some Lenovo users have started complaining on Lenovo’s support forums that they are experiencing Yoga 13 touchpad woes with Windows 8.1. The IdeaPad Yoga 13 Convertible is an impressive ultrabook, that can be considered one of the best products to make use of Windows 8’s unifying experience for both desktop and touch users.

The touchpad might not seem like a vital functionality of this ultrabook as it also has a more than capable touchscreens, but it is pretty hard for some users to let go of the good ol’ pointer feel. A frustrated Lenovo user has shared this on the forums:

I have completely lost functionality behind two-finger tap. Normally I had that set for right click, but it does nothing now. I can two finger scroll, Windows 8 gestures still work, but two finger tap does not. I completely uninstalled the touchpad from the device manager, and deleted the drivers, and attempted to re-install, but it still doesn’t work. If I go into the touchpad settings, and then go to device settings, and go to clicking, two-finger click, it is set for “Secondary Click (Context Menu, Special Drag)”.

How can I fix Lenovo Yoga 13 touchpad issues?

  1. Download the latest Lenovo drivers
  2. Tweak your Registry
  3. Enable your touchpad (ELAN)
  4. Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

1. Download the latest Lenovo drivers

In the end, the OP managed to solve most of his touchpad issues by downloading the update Lenovo drivers for Windows 8.1. He had to perform a complete uninstall of the mouse driver and synaptics, and run the upgrade to the new drivers after that. However, he still didn’t manage to mak two finger click work. We are also reaching out to Lenovo hoping that they will release a fix for this small, but annoying issue.


2. Tweak your Registry

Update: thanks to our helpful commenter Francis, we’re suggesting the following fix:

“Run the registry editor (regedit)
Go to key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareSynapticsSynTPDefaults
Here create a new key as a DWORD and name it as ‘HasBothButtonFeature’ without the quotes and set the value to 1.
Log off and Log on again

You can also enable 2 finger tap or 3 finger tap to middle or right click

This is a per-user registry setting

Run the registry editor (regedit)
Go to key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareSynapticsSynTPTouchPadPS2
Edit the 2FingerTapAction or 3FingerTapAction
Change the value to “2” for right click
Change the value to “4” for middle click
Log off and Log on again

If you use the 3 finger tap action, you may need to do the following or the mouse pointer will freeze when you 3 finger tap. It seems to affect the latest versions of the Synaptics driver.

Run the registry editor (regedit)
Go to key: HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareSynapticsSynTPTouchPadPS2
Edit 3FingerTapPluginID and clear the SynTP string
Change the value of 3FingerTapPluginActionID to “0”


3. Enable your touchpad (ELAN)

  1. Go to Settings > Devices > go to Touchpad
  2. Scroll down to Additional Settings
  3. The touchpad window should now open > go to the ELAN tab (or Device Settings)
  4. Select your device > Enable.

4. Run the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter

If the issue persists, you may want to run Windows 10‘s built-in troubleshooter. Since this problem is related to a hardware component, you’re going to select the Hardware and Devices troubleshooter.

  1. Go to Settings > Update > Update & Security > Troubleshoot
  2. Go to ‘Find and fix other problems‘ > run the troubleshooter.

windows 10 hardware troubleshooter

Let us know if this does the trick for you!

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Set alarm in Windows 10/11, 8 with the Alarm Clock app

Wake up always on time with this Windows 8, 10 Alarm Clock app. Check out this post to learn how to use it and where you can download it from.

Waking up in the morning is a nightmare for the vast majority of us, and the humble alarm clock is a lifesaver. In the past years, the old alarm clock has been mostly replaced with our smartphones and mobile devices, and this is also true for Windows 8 and Windows 10 users.

Although the Windows Store has a number of Alarm Apps, we figured that functionality is more important than looks, and the app we picked was Alarm Clock by See Sharp Guys. Now, let’s see what this app is capable of.

Alarm Clock for Windows 10, 8

alarm-clock-windows-8

The app is one of the most simple ones we could find, offering pretty much any feature you would like. Also, it is freely downloadable from the Windows Store.

The app’s UI is very simple, having only a few settings that need to be done in order to set it up. Users benefit from 8 different clock interfaces, with different backgrounds, and if they wish, they can add their own background to the clock.

The alarm is simple to set up, allowing users to create repetitive alarms and they can also add any audio file as the alarm’s sound. This is a great feature that allows users of the app to wake up to the sounds of their favorite music.

set alarm clock windows 10

Also, there is the option to add a newsfeed to your clock, having to choose from a few services such as Yahoo! Weather, Sports or other services, or tech websites. The clock also features a 12 hour and 24-hour format and it shows seconds as well.

In the drawback zone, we can say that it does not allow users to set up more newsfeeds at the same time. It would be great if users could add weather as well as headlines on the same screen.

alarm clock app

Apart from this, the app is pretty well designed and it does its job pretty well. Its simple-to-use interface and easy-to-read clock make it a perfect nighttime companion, especially thanks to its night mode, where all other sounds except the alarm are disabled.

How to set the alarm

  1. Click on ‘My Alarm’ > a small windows will pop up allowing you to set your alarmmy alarm clock app
  2. Set your alarm and personalize the alarm sound > confirm the changes and that’s it.
personalize alarm clock app

If you want to spend a few more minutes in bed, you can also enable the Snooze button and custom-length it.

Alarm Clock features and improvements

Alarm Clock is a very reliable app that has been around for a few years now. Its developers update it constantly, adding bug fixes, new features, and improvements to the table.

In short, here’s what this app brings:

  • 8 different clock faces
  • Customizable backgrounds – you can select your own color or image
  • Customizable alarm sound
  • Integrated news feed – the app brings you the most important news of the day, so that you don’t have to scroll through tens of news items to see what moves the world
  • Live tile shows the next time the alarm will sound
  • Chimes every 15 minutes, ticking sounds and control of the seconds/day displays.
  • ‘Silent Night’ mode turns off all clock sounds during the night so that nothing disturbs your sleep.
  • You can turn down the brightness of the app using the dimming option

It is worth mentioning that the app also comes with ads. However, taking into account the fact that you can download it for free, that’s a necessary evil. You can turn off the ads for a small donation.

User reviews

The best way to tell if an app does what it says is to check user reviews. Alarm Clock has a 4-star rating on the Microsoft Store, and most users are satisfied with it.

Love this alarm. I can choose my own alarm tone to wake up to and can switch it every day. The only down fall is that the app has to be open for the alarm to go off. Other than that it is an amazing app.

Download Alarm Clock for Windows 10, Windows 8

If you don’t like the user interface of this app, you can install a different alarm clock app. There are plenty of apps that you can choose from in the Microsoft Store, such as:

FIX: Dell XPS 15 shutdown issues in Windows 10

Many Dell users have reported on forums that XPS 15 devices have shutdown problems in Windows 10, 8.1. Read this guide to learn how you can fix the problem.

xps 15 shutdown problem in windows 8.1

This is not a big and serious problem with Windows 10, 8.1, but it is one that one of my friends has and has asked me to cover, so more people can get to hear about it. User JDAllan confesses that he has had a lot of struggle especially with finding the right drivers for Windows 10, 8.1, but after that issue has been solved, he still has another small problem to take care of:

Whenever I restart or shutdown, the laptop seems to hang at the point where it is supposed to switch off or reset the power. It goes through the sequence of saying ‘shutting down‘ and the screen switches off as it’s supposed to, but the power light stubbornly stays on. If I leave it for about 5 minutes, it will eventually shut down or restart properly, but as I can’t be bothered waiting, I usually force it to switch off by holding the power button down.

It might seem like an innocent issue, but we all know that shutting down your laptop by “force”, holding the power button down – isn’t the best idea. He also observes that this hasn’t happened with his DELL XPS 15 laptop in Windows 10, 8.

How to fix shutdown issues on Dell XPS 15

  1. Remove video drivers
  2. Update your drivers
  3. Use sleep mode
  4. Use a shutdown command
  5. Disable Fast Startup

1. Remove video drivers

A potential solution would be to uninstall video drivers, update BIOS, then download again the chipset and video drivers. Also, after doing all this, a Windows update is recommended.

At the same time, it’s more suitable to perform this action using specialized tools created for drivers control, plus the process is completely automated for any driver action you need to accomplish.

2. Update your drivers

First, when you experience shutdown problems with your computer, assure that you have the latest drivers installed for your devices.

Instead of doing this manually and spending some time installing multiple drivers, we suggest using dedicated software that will automatically manage all your drivers.

You’re able to efficiently update and repair each driver by replacing the affected ones with new ones, available for your own PC.

⇒ Get Fortect Driver Updater

3. Use sleep mode

If you still can’t turn off your computer, try putting it in sleep mode first. Then wake it up and instead of just signing in, hit the Shutdown button.

4. Use a shutdown command

This workaround may seem a bit complicated at first, but follow the instructions below and you should be able to turn off your computer in no time.

  1. Go to Start > type ‘run’ > double click on the first result to launch Run
  2. Enter %SystemRoot%System32Shutdown.exe -s -t 00 -f and hit Enter
    Shutdown button not showing
  3. Your PC should shut down now.

5. Disable Fast Startup

Some users suggested that disabling Fast Startup fixed this problem. So, go to Control Panel > select Power Options > go to Choose what the power button does. Now, simply uncheck Turn on fast startup (recommended). 

Laptop won't shutdown with power button

Then go to Start > Power > hit the Shutdown button.

I have a friend who’s having the exact issue, as he also switched recently to Windows 10 on his Dell XPS 15. If you come across other fixes for this issue, you can list the troubleshooting steps in the comments below.

Task Manager Professional: Organize Your Day With This App

To manage tasks effectively, many rely on various applications, and one of those applications is Task Manager Professional.

This was a popular to-do application, and in today’s guide, we will go over its features and check if the software is still available for download.

What is a Task Manager Professional?

The app features a modest UI, with no over-the-head graphics (in fact, almost no graphics at all), but at the same time, what it might lack in appeal, it makes up in usefulness and speed.

Browsing the app is very fast, and the user interface is very responsive. Also, navigation throughout the app is pretty simple.

Task Manager Professional app

The only two menus that you have are positioned on the top and bottom of the screen, the upper menu serving as the navigation panel, while the bottom one features all the different options you would need to create or modify tasks: add, delete, modify a task, sort, filter, view mode or add to favorites.

The app is structured in 7 layers, each having its own contents:

  • Workspace
  • Projects
  • Tasks
  • Sub-Tasks
  • Tags
  • Favorites
  • Quick-Tasks

As you can see, it can cover all the bases, being perfect even for the most organized amongst us. It lets users plan their work in minute detail, each categorized with tags and importance.

Also, users can assign deadlines, notes, and other information on each entry, making it easier to keep to a schedule. Thanks to the app’s excellent design, and despite its numerous features, it still retains the ease of use of most other, more straightforward managers.

Task Manager Professional download app

Overall quality of the app is flawless, not having any areas that we can think of them as drawbacks. It seems that the developers have worked a lot on the app, taking into consideration the tiniest detail.

It’s battery of features, excellent and professional look and rock solid functionality make Task Manager Professional one of the best apps we’ve had the pleasure to test and review. We gladly recommend it!

Here’s a quick list of the main features that this app brings:

  • The app supports alert scheduling with Toast notifications
  • Quick-Tasks allows you to quickly create new tasks and manage your to-do lists
  • Full support for Share options
  • You can pin items as secondary tiles to your start page
  • The app is optimized for low-power ARM devices so that you won’t experience any lag
  • Task Manager Professional works offline as well
  • You can add multiple time-stamped notes on each task
  • Backup and recovery features are available as well, just in case
Note icon NOTE
This software has been discontinued and is no longer available for download from Microsoft Store.

What is a good Task Manager for Windows?

  • Todoist
  • Tick Tick
  • Get It Done
  • Any.do
  • Remember The Milk
  • Microsoft To-Do
  • Google Keep

To learn more about these applications, check our guide on the best to-do apps. If you’re looking for something different, our weekly planner software guide has some interesting apps to consider.

What task manager software do you use for your daily needs? Let us know in the comments below.

BootCamp Bluetooth Not Working: How to Fix it

Bluetooth is not working or can’t be recognized after some BootCamp users upgrade to Windows 10. This is a very annoying issue as it won’t find and pair your Bluetooth devices, such as the keyboard or a speaker. 

The problem is common and can be fixed with a series of quick solutions. Keep reading to find out what to do when the BootCamp Bluetooth stops working!

What can I do if BootCamp Bluetooth is not working?

1. Uninstall the MotionInJoy game driver

  1. Press Windows + R to open Run, type devmgmt.msc, and hit Enter. device manager
  2. Find the extra game driver MotionInJoy at the bottom of the list, right-click on it, and select Uninstall device.
  3. Again, click Uninstall in the confirmation prompt.
  4. Wait for a few minutes, or restart your system
  5. Now, open again the Device Manager and the Bluetooth Driver should be there.

If you can’t find the Bootcamp Bluetooth driver or it’s not working, often removing the MotionInJoy driver does the trick!

2. Reinstall the drivers

If the Bootcamp Bluetooth is still not working, try reinstalling the Apple drivers. Run BootCamp from the Mac side, and you should see a message inviting you to download new Windows drivers.

Download the Bootcamp Windows 10 Bluetooth drivers, and you should be good to go! In case you’re not sure how to perform this, it would be helpful to use dedicated driver update software applications.

3. Install Apple built-in Bluetooth driver

  1. Open the Device Manager, expand Bluetooth, right-click on Apple Broadcom Built-in Bluetooth, and select Update driver.update driver to fix bootcamp bluetooth not working
  2. Choose Browse my computer for drivers, and then click on Let me pick from a list of available drivers on my computer.
  3. Now, select Apple Inc. for Manufacturer and Apple Built-in Bluetooth, and click Next.
  4. Once the driver has been installed, you should see the Apple Built-in Bluetooth and Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator listed under Bluetooth Radios.
  5. You should now be able to set up your Bluetooth devices.

One user suggested that installing the Apple built-in Bluetooth driver fixed things when the Bootcamp Bluetooth is not working.

Before you leave, find out how to download the latest Bluetooth drivers in Windows.

For any queries or to share more solutions, drop a comment below.

AliPay Payments Supported in Windows Phone 10, 8 [Update]

As a technology journalist, I have to be aware of almost everything that’s happening in the tech world, not only in the Windows or Microsoft world. And many other colleagues of mine are quite aware that right now is the moment when China is becoming a more interesting market for tech companies that it used to be before. Just look at Apple’s numbers for 2012, China is now a very serious market.

China has the biggest number of mobile subscribers and it’s only natural that foreign companies come in China and try to develop their business. And Microsoft isn’t sleeping with regards to this. Recently, Microsoft has announced that they are going to support AliPay as payment method for Windows Phone 8 and so, even for Windows 10, Windows 8. This move is obvious – Redmond needs more traction from Chinese developers and they are willing to do what it takes to obtain it.

ali pay windows 8

Also, recently it was announced that AliPay has reported that in 2012, the amount of their mobile payments has increased by 550%! Yes, that’s right – five times more! Ballmer wasn’t sleeping and he probably instructed his subalterns to get to work. So, as a result, AliPay payments are now possible in Windows Phone 8.

Microsoft adds AliPay as payment option in Windows Phone 8, Windows 10

AliPay for Chinese folks is just like PayPal for Americans and Western Europeans – is a very comfortable method of paying online. But what’s unbelievable is the amount of users it has – almost 800 million. Probably this is what convinced Microsoft to adopt this spread payment option. With this move, Microsoft wants to encourage the app development in the Windows Phone store and also in the Windows 8 one, which  even now seems scarce to some.

alipay windows phone 8

Right now, AliPay users can also get a touch of Windows 10, Windows 8 through the Wndows 8 Xbox app, so technically, AliPay payments are also available for Windows 8. If this “experiment” proves to be a success, I think Microsoft will continue and will introduce AliPay as legit payment options for the entire Windows 8 store, as well. Microsoft boasts and say that they are the first large OS to support AliPay as official payment solution. Here’s what else Microsoft said in their announcement:

Needless to say, this is a significant opportunity to reach new users – a good reason to visit the Dev Center to cross-submit your app for the China market today and over the coming months localize or customize your app to increase its appeal to users in China. And if you’re a game developer, Windows Phone 8 now supports Xbox games in China.

Let’s hope that this will have the desired effect and will help developers earn money for their work. And with this occasion I also hope for Microsoft to make it possible to pay with PayPal in the Windows 8, Windows 10 Store.

UPDATE: AliPay Payments is no longer supported in the Microsoft Store. Currently, the Chinese store supports only three payment methods: MasterCard, Visa or Credit Card. If you own an English or US credit, MasterCard or Visa card, you can then buy the apps from the Microsoft UK/US Store.

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Play Minecraft in Windows 10/11, 8 with Blockworld app

Blockworld is an awesome look-alike app to play Minecraft in Windows 10, 8. If you want to learn more about this awesome app, check out the guide below.

Sadly, probably many of you know that sometimes it’s not that easy, if not, impossible to play the immensely popular Minecraft game in Windows 10, 8. Also, the official Minecraft game or app is nowhere to be found in the Windows Store, neither. We don’t know how more to wait until Minecraft‘s creator, Markus Persson, will decide to release an official Minecraft app or certify the game, so we’ll have to rely on other solutions.

minecraft windows 8

And by other solutions, I mean the Blockworld Minecraft-like game available only as an app from the Windows Store, so you can’t download it in desktop mode. Previously, Blockworld was released as a game for Xbox 360 title, being featured as an indie game. Developed by 2.0 Studios, a team of developers that has only another Windows 8 app, the game has been around since 2010, according to them, so this means they have no copyright conflicts with the original Minecraft game creator.

Nonetheless, if you have played Minecraft before, you will probably be stunned by the fact that Blockworld has the exact retro graphical look of Minecraft.When it was launched, the game was only $2.49, then its price went up to $4.99 later and now the game is available for $6.99, but this is also a 60% discount.

Blockworld mimics original Minecraft in Windows 8, 10

windows 8 minecraft

The creators behind Blockworld are betting on the fact that there aren’t too many other developers to have released such a loyal copy of Minecraft, therefore they can afford to price it a little higher. This Minecraft game will also work on your Windows RT device. Inside Blockworld, you get to explore deep arctic oceans, mountainous plains and other environments. As for building, you can test your Minecraft skills constructing villages, cities, monumental constructions and many others.

Having played in Blockworld for a few good days in trial mode, I can definitely say that this game deserves to be played by loyal Minecraft gamers. And thanks to the trial option, you can get to see if this is a true Minecraft gaming experience on Windows 8 or not. By the way, I already run the final version of Windows 8.1 and Windows 10 and I can confirm that Blockworld, this Minecraft-like game, is working with no issues for me.

You can also have a look at Discover+ app, another Windows 8 app that seems to be designed to bring the Minecraft game to Windows 8 and Windows RT users.

UPDATE: Minecraft is now available for download in the Microsoft Store. You can now play the original Minecraft game on your Windows 10 computer and enjoy the full game features.

Microsoft regularly updates the game, adding new game features and improvements for the best possible gameplay experience. If Minecraft is blocked in your region, you can install a dedicated VPN software in order to access the game.

Download Minecraft

Should you encounter any issues after installing Minecraft on your computer, check out the troubleshooting guides listed below:


Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7: How to fix it

Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7 occurs when you try to open content on your Xbox One console. The following error message comes when you try to open content on your Xbox One console: Error 80072EE7.

What this may mean is that the console couldn’t load the resource you tried to open. Typically, Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7 occurs when a network connection error prevents the name of the resource from resolving to an IP address.

If you’re getting Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7 on your console, here are some solutions you can use to resolve the issue.

FIX: Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7

  1. Check Xbox Live service status
  2. Test your Xbox connection
  3. Power cycle your console and network hardware
  4. Check for MAC filtering
  5. Change the wireless channel and width
  6. Check for low wireless signal

1. Check the Xbox Live service status

If you see any alerts here, wait until the service is up and running and try again later.

2. Test your Xbox connection

If you’re seeing Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7 when you run the Network Connection Test on your Xbox One console, rerun the Network Connection Test on your console to verify the specific error message you’re getting, follow these steps:

  1. Press the Xbox button to open the guide.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select All Settings.
  4. Select Network.
  5. Select Network settings. Any known outages will appear in the middle of the screen.
  6. On the right side of the Network settings screen, select Test network connection.

test network connection xbox one

If the connection test is successful, your console will connect to Xbox Live. If the connection test is not successful, the Network Connection Troubleshooter will try to identify the problem.

If you see more than 5-percent packet loss, try the solutions below.

— RELATED: How to fix Xbox One S 4K and HDR issues

3. Power cycle your console and network hardware

Unplug the power cable from the back of the router, modem, or gateway then restart your Xbox One console by doing this:

  • Open the Guide
  • Select Settings.
  • Select Restart console.
  • Select Yes to confirm. If you can’t access the guide, or if the console seems frozen, press and hold the Xbox button on the console for 10 seconds, until the console turns off. Touch the Xbox button on the console again to restart.
  • Plug the modem or gateway in first and wait for all the lights to return to their normal state.
  • Plug in the router and wait for all the lights to return to their normal state.
  • Test your Xbox Live connection.

4. Check for MAC filtering

MAC filtering can also cause Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7 and prevent your console from connecting to Xbox Live. If it is turned on, add your console’s MAC address to your router’s authorized list, or, turn off MAC filtering temporarily on your router to see if MAC filtering is causing the problem.

  • Get your console’s MAC address
  • On Xbox Home, navigate to the left until you reach Pins.
  • Select Settings.
  • Select Network.
  • Select Advanced Settings.advanced wi-fi settings xbox one
  • Write down your Wireless MAC address.
  • Add your console’s MAC address to your router’s list of authorized MAC addresses
  • Restart your router before then connect to Xbox Live.

— RELATED: Fix: Netflix not working on Xbox One

5. Change the wireless channel and width

A wireless router can broadcast on several different channels. If another nearby wireless network is broadcasting on the same channel, or if there is wireless interference from devices, you may experience poor signal strength from your wireless network causing Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7. To resolve this issue, try changing the channel on which your router broadcasts.

Note: Most wireless routers have a channel width of either 20 MHz or 40 MHz available as a configurable option. The Xbox One prefers a 20 MHz setting. To resolve your connection issue, first make sure that your wireless router is configured to broadcast on a 20 MHz setting.

After you change your wireless channel and width, test your Xbox Live connection.

6. Check for low wireless signal

A weak wireless signal can cause Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7. To do this:

  • Open Guide
  • Select Settings.
  • Select All Settings.
  • Select Network.
  • Select Network settings. Any known outages will appear in the middle of the screen.
  • Select Detailed network statistics.
  • Your wireless signal strength is indicated as a percentage on the Detailed network status A signal strength below 20% is considered low and may cause Xbox Sign in error 0x80072ee7. You can also try a wired connection to router, a direct-to-modem connection, or connect directly to your modem, then test your Xbox Live connection.

Let us know if any of these solutions helped by leaving a comment in the section below.

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Jukebox Arcade for Windows 10/11, RT [Link & Review]

One basic feature of every operating system is its media player. It allows users to playback audio and video files and offer information on certain tracks, albums, or artists. Also, they allow the user to create playlists with their favorite music.

Windows Media Player is all well and good, but most of us feel the need for a better player with a nicer user interface and more features, and for desktop users, there are plenty to choose from. But for Windows 10, users are pretty limited regarding media players.

Not to say that there aren’t any. If do a quick search on the Microsoft Store, you will find quite a few such apps. Although the most known media players, such as Winamp and iTunes don’t have an official app yet, others can take their place.

One player that has potential is Jukebox Arcade, a free Windows 10 app that could achieve greatness with some work. Today we’ll be taking it through its passes, and we’ll see if it has what it takes.

Jukebox Arcade for Windows 10 [Review]

Jukebox-Arcade-for-windows-8-rt (4)

After only a few minutes using the app, I found that the interface has become familiar, and browsing throughout the app was simple and very snippy. The developers have done a great job making the app run smoothly, and changing menus has next to delay.

However, the design of the app does need a major once-over. This is the downside of having too many features: you end up with an interface that looks like everything was just thrown in and mixed up.

Unlike other apps, which have a more compact design and each element blends in with the rest, in Jukebox Arcade, everything is separate and seems glued together.

The controls are well placed at the bottom of the screen and are easily accessible. In terms of functionality, the app has pretty much everything you might want, with a few exceptions that would have made a huge difference.

For instance, there is no Delete button, and the rating buttons, shaped like hearts, are not to everyone’s liking.

Jukebox-Arcade-for-windows-8-rt (1)

One other feature that the app is missing is a manual file browser that allows the user to point to where the music files are. This option was replaced with an automatic media scanner that, to be honest, does not work pretty good.

The first time I tried the search option it found two tracks, but afterward, it couldn’t find anything else. Also, there are no options for creating playlists, organizing tracks in albums, etc.

Jukebox-Arcade-for-windows-8-rt (2)

There is an Auto-DJ button at the top of the app, and I cannot say what it does because every time I tried it the app instantly crashed. I think it will create a random playlist with the tracks in the media library.

One very nice addition to the app is the integration with last.fm, which pulls information about artists and tracks. Also, a good idea that the developers had was the YouTube integration which allows the user to search for videos of their tracks.

Jukebox-Arcade-for-windows-8-rt (3)

As you can see in the screenshot above, Jukebox Arcade provides you with information about the artists that you love. Listening to your favorite tracks lets you learn many interesting details about their personal and professional lives.

The latest Jukebox Arcade update brought new customization options for album artwork elements. Thanks to the same update, users can now adjust screen colors.

Jukebox Arcade has great potential, offering users great features. However, it needs a lot of work for the app to be a serious competitor to the other music players.

For starters, we’d like all the features that it currently has to work properly, as well as other organizing tools and the possibility to manually add music files from different locations.

Also, with an overhaul of the user interface, we could say that Jukebox Arcade could be a great Windows 10 music player.

Download Jukebox Arcade for Windows 10

Windows 10 Embedded ISO Download

In 2015, Windows 10 IoT Core was made available for commercial use and since 2017 it supports Intel’s full processor family. If you are looking to use Windows Embedded devices, we suggest you update to the latest versions.

Back in 2013, Microsoft announced that Windows Embedded 8 was available as well as the release dates for other Windows Embedded operating systems.  For those of you who don’t know what Windows Embedded is, think of all the industrial robots that put together cars, or retail point-and-service devices – many of these work on Windows Embedded, which in essence is a tailor-made version of Windows OS, designed especially for these devices.

Upgrade to Windows Embedded 10

For customers who already have a Windows 10 Enterprise license, the following table shows the upgrade path for different Windows Embedded devices.

upgrading Windows Embedded devices

The upgrade is not possible for other devices, which must be completely wiped and then reload Windows 10 Enterprise in order to run the new version properly from:

  • Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Enterprise
  • Windows Embedded 8.1 Industry Pro
  • Windows Embedded 8 Industry Enterprise
  • Windows Embedded 8 Industry Pro
  • Windows Embedded POSReady 7
  • Windows Embedded 8 Standard
  • Windows Embedded Standard 7
  • Windows Embedded Standard 7 Service Pack 1
  • Windows XP Embedded

What is Windows Embedded?

windows-embedded-8-available-download

Kevin Dallas, general manager of Windows Embedded at Microsoft explains how users can benefit from using Windows Embedded 8:

Edge devices connected and working in unison with an enterprise’s broader IT infrastructure unleash the potential of the Internet of Things by yielding the actionable data and operational intelligence that drive businesses forward. From the rich, familiar experience of Windows to integrated management, analytics and cloud platforms, Windows Embedded 8 coupled with the full breadth of Microsoft technologies for intelligent systems helps enterprises gain lasting competitive advantages in retail, manufacturing, healthcare and a variety of industries.

Windows Embedded 8 is a custom version of Windows 8 that works on any device that has the computing power, allowing it to be a part of the Internet of Things, a place where all non-traditional computing devices (any intelligent device that isn’t an actual computer) connect with each other. Windows Embedded 8 will also come in different versions, depending on the type of devices that will run it.

Availability of Windows Embedded 8 Operating Systems

For the moment, users can use the Windows Embedded Standard Edition or the more powerful Pro Edition and in the near future, we’ll see other products be released from the Windows Embedded Family. These two versions are generally available now, and they can be downloaded via the Microsoft Download Center.

OEMs and Businesses will be able to use different versions of Windows Embedded 8, depending on what type of application they need. For handheld devices, the Windows Embedded 8 Handheld SDK will be available later this year, which means that devices running it will be available at the end of 2013 or possibly in Q1 of 2014.

[UPDATE] For more information on how to upgrade and enable offline updates on Windows Embedded Handheld devices, see the official blog post.

Windows Embedded 8 Industry, which consists of the bulk of the Windows Embedded 8 platform is available from April 2nd, 2013 and it was implemented very soon in point-and-service systems, healthcare systems, and other manufacturing systems.

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Microsoft releases 17677 builds for Windows Server 2019 and the Windows 10 SDK

Following the release of the Windows 10 Insider build 17677 last week, Microsoft has just announced that 17677 builds for Windows Server 2019 and the Windows 10 SDK are now available for Insiders. For Windows Server users, this latest build is available for both Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server version 1809, which is the next semi-annual channel release.

In the blog post, Microsoft’s Brandon LeBlanc mentioned some improvements for the performance history feature of Storage Pages Direct as well as other changes to reduce Windows Server Core image size. As usual, Windows Insiders can download this build from the Windows Server Insider Preview download page.

As for the new Windows 10 SDK, the build 17677 introduces some important changes to the C/C++ ETW code generation of mc.exe (Message Compiler), but there are also some known issues to be aware of: Microsoft notes that enabling Developer Mode through the For Developers settings page is broken in this build, and Windows Device Portal is also unavailable. You can download this latest build from the developer section of the Windows Insider website, though you may want to skip this build if you need the aforementioned features.

Two Saints Row games, Toy Box Turbos added to Xbox One Backward Compatibility

Microsoft’s Major Nelson today announced the addition of three new games to the Xbox One Backward Compatibility catalog. The additions come just five days after the hit game Battlefield 1943 was added to the list, and brings the overall list of backward compatible Xbox 360 titles to just over 510 games.

First off there is Saints Row, the open world action-adventure video game which was originally released back in 2006. There is also Saints Row: Gat Out of Hell, which was released in 2015, and was the epilogue to Saints Row IV via a standalone expansion. Finally, there is Toybox Turbos, which racing video game developed and published by Codemasters originally released in 2014.

This is not the only Xbox themed story of the day since Microsoft also announced the Games with Gold titles for June 2018. As always, you can enjoy these Backward Compatible games on your Xbox by just inserting the disc into your system, or checking the “ready to install” section of your Xbox dashboard.

Windows Live Messenger for Windows 8, Windows 10: Where is it?

If you are looking for Windows Live Messenger in Windows 10, you will be disappointed to hear that it is no longer available.

If you’re like me, then you have a strange passion for old software or, to be more precise, for software that is now outdated. And such an example is the Windows Live Messenger, so with the appearance of Windows 10, Windows 8, this became obsolete.

This is very similar to what has happened with Outlook Express, another “oldie”, in Windows 7 and Windows 10, Windows 8. Those of you with a nostalgic feeling for Windows Live Messenger is probably looking for it on Google. Look no more.

Windows Live Messenger was shut down in 2013

The last time when I checked for Windows Live Messenger was on Microsoft‘s official website, on the Download Center. And guess what, it was still there, or, at least the search result was.

windows live messenger windows 8

Thus, when you click on it to download, the following message appears:

windows live messenger for windows 8

Windows Live Messenger is gone in Windows 10, Windows 8

The sad truth is that Microsoft is retiring Windows Live Messenger and some users have already been migrated to Skype since March 15th. So, the simple step is to embrace the Skype experience but we’re strongly suggesting you try the desktop version first, prior to the Windows Store one. We just didn’t like it that much. Thus, by the end of April 2013, Microsoft has completely phased out support for Windows Live Messenger, so if you’re looking for that “old” experience on Windows 10, Windows 8, it saddens me to say that it will be impossible.

merge accounts windows live messenger

This was the natural thing to happen, even before Microsoft had bought Skype for an immense amount of $8.5 billion. Windows Live Messenger wasn’t present by default in Windows 7, as you were only able to use it after installing or after using services from a different company. What will most likely follow is that Microsoft accounts will be linked to Skype names for a seamless transition. This is a quick explanation from a smart TheVerge commenter on the differences between Skype and Windows Live Messenger:

Skype was peer to peer, i.e. messages could be sent only when both parties were online. Messenger stored messages on MS servers but now both Skype is running on Messenger’s servers so that’s solved. Messenger was available from any computer, you only had to be logged into your Live account via any browser. Skype required desktop client which led to issues on Mac and Linux with bad updates or lack of updates.

Now that’s solved (well, will be this month or so) because Skype is coming to outlook.com. Basically, Skype was better at video calls, Messenger better at messaging. Now they are both the same thing so it should be the best thing ever. New Skype is a competitor to iChat, Google Voice and Google Talk all at once

Can we get it back?

Unfortunately, no, unless you are living in China, where it will still remain active. You can still try and install the IM+ app in the Windows Store, but from my own experience, syncing your contacts on Skype will actually prove to be pleasant, so don’t be afraid of doing it. If you encounter some issues, though, you can always voice your concern in the official forums.

[UPDATE] Microsoft introduced Skype instead of Windows Live Messenger, but users were not happy about the updates. Microsoft was focused on the corporate market and Skype was not user-friendly any longer. Even so, Microsoft forces Skype users to install the new version on May 25.

The good news is the traditional Skype app for desktop is once again available for download from the official Skype website and it’s listed as the ‘classic Skype’. Although, users are warned that some of its features may differ when using Windows 10 Anniversary Update or higher versions of the operating system.

What are your thoughts on this and which chat program is your favorite on Windows 10? Let us know in the comments below.

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Xbox One error 0x87e00064: Here’s how to fix it

Xbox One error 0x87e00064 usually occurs when a game is installed at the same time both from the Xbox Store and from the disc. In order to fix Xbox One error 0x87e00064, you can either install the game on a stable internet connection, install it from Xbox Store, and/or delete the cache and any related files saved to it that could have been corrupted for one reason or another.

FIX: Xbox One error 0x87e00064

  1. Install the game on a stable internet connection
  2. Install the game from Xbox Store
  3. Delete cache and save the file

1. Install the game on a stable internet connection

As mentioned, Xbox One error 0x87e00064 can happen when you install a game simultaneously from the Xbox Store and using a game disc. However, this can fail to happen especially when the internet connection is unstable or slow.

There are some disc installers for different games that require an internet connection so as to install the game completely and properly. Therefore, if your internet connection is problematic, the installation won’t be complete or it will fail altogether, because the required additional files cannot be downloaded successfully.

It is important to note, however, that some disc installers download the game updates only, so you need to install the game while your Xbox console is offline, or disconnected from the internet, and this can resolve Xbox One error 0x87e00064.

You can verify if your internet connection has a problem, by visiting a site like speedtest.net, and see your internet download and upload speeds. If the results of these two are lower than those of your internet service provider, check with your ISP. You can also install the game later when there is less internet traffic.

If your speeds are okay but you still get Xbox One error 0x87e00064, meaning the game failed to install, then there may be excess usage of your bandwidth from within the home or wherever you are.

If you’re using a Wi-Fi connection, check that your console is receiving a strong signal, or change to using a wired connection as this gives more stable internet than a wireless one. You can also leave your game installing overnight if it requires downloading a single large file.

2. Install the game from Xbox Store

Sometimes the game disc can be physically damaged causing Xbox One error 0x87e00064. In this case, you can install the game from the Xbox Store, and then use the game disc to play. To do this:

  • Go to Xbox Store.
  • Go to the Search bar.
  • Type in the name of the game
  • Install the game
  • Wait for the console to finish downloading and installing the game.
  • If the installation is complete, insert your game disc and play

— RELATED: How do I fix Xbox error code 80151103? Here’s the solution

3. Delete cache and save the file

If your game was not installed or uninstalled, Xbox One error 0x87e00064 may occur due to a cache or a game saved that is related to the game you are installing. Corrupted files that have been saved can also cause the error so in this case, delete all of these items.

To delete saved files, do the following:

  • Press the Guide button on your Xbox controller
  • Go to Settings Tab
  • Select System Settings.
  • Select a storage device.
  • Select Games and Apps.
  • Look for a corrupted game among the saved files.
  • Delete it if there is any.

To delete cache, do the following:

  • Press the Guide button on your Xbox controller.
  • Go to Settings Tab
  • Select System Settings
  • Select Storage.
  • Select any of the listed storage device
  • Press Y on the Xbox controller.
  • Select Clear System Cache.
  • If prompted to confirm the action, select Yes.
  • Turn off your Xbox console and then unplug it for at least 30 seconds to flush out the memory cache.
  • Turn the Xbox console on and install the game using the game disc.

Were you able to resolve Xbox One error 0x87e00064 using any of the solutions above? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Microsoft forces Windows 10 v1803 on PCs that blocked updates

Windows 10 Pro PCs with branch readiness set to Semi-Annual Channel are supposed to avoid installing Windows 10 version 1803. Microsoft doesn’t seem to care, and it’s rolling the OS version to the systems anyway, according to various reports so far. These systems are specifically designed to bypass the upgrade until it’s declared fit for business use.

This happened before with Windows 10 version 1709

Back in November 2017, Microsoft pushed lots of Windows 10 1703 customers with Current Branch for Business selected onto version 1709. After that, in January 2018, the tech giant pushed lots of Windows 10 1703 customers onto version 1709 even if they had the feature update deferrals set to 365 days. In March 2018, Microsoft pushed Windows 10 1703 customers onto version 1709 based on the fact that the company is allowed to do this if the telemetry is turned off on the system.

Microsoft did it again

The Semi-annual channel was formerly known as the Current branch for business, and the setting is supposed to delay updates until the company determines that the latest version of the OS is fit for paying business customers. Users who do not have the branch readiness set to this feature (including Windows 10 Home users who don’t have to ability to set branch readiness) are considered targets for the unpaid beta testing phase by Microsoft.

The company used to say that it takes four months to get the best final version of Windows 10 debugged to corporate standards. Currently, the delay’s length is a debated issue because it kept changing with each and every Windows 10 version.

For the moment, it’s not very clear whether systems that are upgraded to version 1803 of Windows 10 have their Diagnostic Data set to zero. Now, you have to use the wushowhide app to destroy the update before it gets installed.

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How do I fix max display brightness issues in Windows 10 v1803?

We’re not at all surprised to announce yet another issue triggered by the Windows 10 1803 upgrade. It seems that after installing the update, the display is set to maximum brightness and using the F keys in order to lower the brightness does nothing. The issue was observed and highlighted by a user who posted it on Microsoft’s forum.

Displays set to maximum brightness

Users said that they updated their laptops to Windows 10 version 1803 and right after that the display was set to maximum brightness. The user also notes that using the F keys to lower the brightness is useless and what’s even more annoying is that you are also unable to change the brightness in the display settings. The user noted that all essential drivers had been updated, so the lack of driver updates cannot be responsible for the problem.

How to fix max display brightness

A Microsoft representant responded to the user offering two available solutions. Here is the first one:

  • Click Device Manager
  • Expand Display adapters
  • Right-click the current display adapter
  • Click Propertiesfix maximum display brightness
  • Click Driver tab
  • Click Rollback driver if the option is available.

roll back display driver windows 10

The second solution in case the one described above does not work involves following the steps below:

  • Right-click the current display adapter
  • Click Uninstall
  • Check the box that says, “Delete the driver software for this device.”
  • Exit Device Manager
  • Restart

After this, you have to head over to Start – Settings – Update & Security. There you will have to Check for updates and install all the available updates that you can find. It seems that one of these solutions should definitely fix the problem, so make sure to follow the required steps if you bump into the same display brightness issue as well. Good luck!

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Microsoft bundles State of Decay 2 with new Xbox One X purchases for a limited time

State of Decay 2, the zombie survival game published by Microsoft Studios launched last week on Xbox One, and Microsoft is once again giving its latest exclusive a special treatment. Just like it did for PUBG and Sea of Thieves recently, the company is now offering a free digital copy of State of Decay 2 with new Xbox One X purchases, a limited-time offer that will last through Saturday, June 2.

State of Decay 2 is currently priced at $29.99, and it’s also free with Xbox Games Pass. It’s also enhanced for the Xbox One X with support for 4K graphics and HDR, but the game may not make the best use of the console’s 6 teraflops of power. Indeed, Digital Foundry’s recent technical analysis revealed that frame-rate was lower on the Xbox One X compared to the standard Xbox One models, with frequent dips below 30 FPS. The game also has its fair share of bugs, but hopefully this is something that developer Undead Labs will address with future patches.

State of Decay 2 may not be the most polished game Microsoft released in recent years, but it seems the survival game may be benefiting from the cult following the first episode enjoyed. Indeed, Microsoft announced last week that over one million people have been playing State of Decay 2 just two days after the game launched on Xbox One and Windows 10, which is really good for a game that didn’t have an AAA budget. Did you get the chance to play the game, and do you think it could drive Xbox One X sales this week? Let us know below.

Microsoft To-Do set to begin rolling out List sharing next month

After picking up subtasks support two months ago, Microsoft To-Do will soon let users share lists with friends or coworkers. As spotted by developer Tero Alhonen, Microsoft explained on the support page for the task manager app that List Sharing would roll out to all platforms in June, and you can see how it works in the image below.

Sharing a list with someone in Microsoft To-Do will require you to generate a link, just like you do for sharing files or folders with OneDrive. Users who get access to the shared list will be able to view and modify its content, but list owners will stay in control and be able to turn off the share link at any moment.

“This update will begin rolling out to Microsoft To-Do for iOS, Android, Windows 10 and the web in early June,” the company said on the support page, adding that all users should have it mid-June. List Sharing is currently the top-requested feature on the dedicated UserVoice website, ahead of Outlook Mail integration and Priority levels. Wunderlist, another task manager app from Microsoft had this feature for years, so it will be nice to see To-Do finally catch up next month.

What is Xbox sign in error 0x87DD0017 and how to fix it

Do you get the Xbox Sign in error 0x87DD0017 when you try to connect to Xbox Live, or even download your profile? This error is displayed as 0X87DD0017 and what it means is you may be experiencing network connectivity problems, with either your wired or wireless connection, or your ISP could have a problem.

To troubleshoot Xbox Sign in error 0x87DD0017, you can try any of the solutions below.

FIX: Xbox sign in error 0x87DD0017

  1. Run the Xbox speed test
  2. Disconnect third-party headsets
  3. Check for other wireless interference
  4. Power cycle your console and network hardware
  5. Change the wireless channel
  6. Check the wireless channel width
  7. Check for low wireless signal
  8. Change your firewall settings
  9. Enable perimeter network (also known as DMZ) functionality on your router
  10. Check with your Internet Service Provider
  11. Try a different cable or port
  12. Test a different cable

1. Run the Xbox speed test

Check the speed of your internet connection, then verify the speed of your Internet connection, by running a console speed test:

  • Press the Menubutton on the Xbox One controller.
  • Select Settings.
  • Select Network.
  • Select Detailed Network Statistics.detailed network statistics xbox one
  • The results should appear in a few moments.

Write down the download speed, upload speed, and ping from the speed test as it will be useful when you need to contact your ISP in case of poor streaming issues.

2. Disconnect third-party headsets

These can cause active interference because they broadcast on the same frequency as wireless routers. To find the problematic headset, do this:

  • Disconnect the power from the wireless headset.
  • Test your Xbox Live connection. If successful, your console will connect to Xbox Live.

— RELATED: The 7 Best Gaming Headsets for Windows 10

3. Check for other wireless interference

Devices such as microwaves, air conditioners, ovens, CRT televisions, baby monitors, other wireless networks, cordless phones, and wireless speakers, between your console and router, should be removed to minimize such interference. Other objects like glass, lead, copper piping, concrete, insulation, mirrors, gun safes, filing cabinets, tile, and plaster should be discarded. After this, test your Xbox Live connection.

4. Power cycle your console and network hardware

Unplug the power cable from the back of the router, modem, or gateway for 5 minutes, then restart your Xbox One console by doing this:

  • Press the Xbox button to open the guide.
  • Select Settings.
  • Select Restart console.
  • Select Yes to confirm. If you can’t access the guide, or if the console seems frozen, press and hold the Xbox button on the console for 10 seconds until the console turns off. After the console shuts down, touch the Xbox button on the console again to restart.
  • Plug the modem or gateway in first and wait for all the lights to return to their normal state.
  • Plug in the router and wait for all the lights to return to their normal state.
  • Test your Xbox Live connection. If successful, your console will connect to Xbox Live.

5. Change the wireless channel

A wireless router can broadcast on several different channels. If another nearby wireless network is broadcasting on the same channel, or if there is wireless interference from devices, you may experience poor signal strength from your wireless network.

— RELATED: Xbox Live Networking Service missing? Here are 9 ways to fix it

6. Check the wireless channel width

Most wireless routers have a channel width of either 20 MHz or 40 MHz available as a configurable option. The Xbox One console prefers a 20 MHz setting. To resolve your connection issue, first make sure that your wireless router is configured to broadcast on a 20 MHz setting, then test your Xbox Live connection.

7. Check for low wireless signal

  • Open Guide
  • Select Settings.
  • Select All Settings.
  • Select Network.
  • Select Network settings. Any known outages will appear in the middle of the screen.
  • Select Detailed network statistics.
  • Your wireless signal strength is indicated as a percentage on the Detailed network status A signal strength below 20% is considered low and may cause problems with your Xbox Live connection.

If your Wi-Fi signal is too weak, you may want to purchase a Wi-Fi repeater.

8. Change your firewall settings

Firewalls in your network hardware help secure your network by restricting information that travels between your devices and the Internet. You may experience connection issues if your firewall restricts necessary traffic which may be blocking your Xbox from connecting to Xbox Live. Some firewall settings, such as IP flood detection, can also cause connection issues.

9. Enable perimeter network (also known as DMZ) functionality on your router

This functionality removes restrictions to the Internet by moving your device to an area outside your network firewall. You should be able to connect to Xbox Live if you enable perimeter network functionality on your router. You can also check to see if the connection quality has improved by doing this:

  1. Press the Xbox button  to open the guide.
  2. Select Settings.
  3. Select All Settings.
  4. Select Network.
  5. Select Network settings. Any known outages will appear in the middle of the screen.
  6. Select Detailed network statistics.

Look for an increase in upload/download speed and a reduction in packet loss (0% packet loss is best).

You can also try a wired connection to the router, or a direct-to-modem connection.

— RELATED: Want to use a VPN on your Xbox One S? Here are 5 of our favorite

10. Check with your Internet Service Provider

You may need to contact your Internet service provider (ISP) to resolve Xbox Sign in error 0x87DD0017, in case you need to replace a defective modem, request a replacement modem, verify the settings on your modem, or check your connection speed.

11. Try a different cable or port

Do you have another network cable? Try using one that’s known to work (temporarily use the network cable that your computer is using).

12. Test a different cable

Verify that the networking cable is working. To do this, follow these steps:

  1. Unplug the Ethernet cable from the Xbox and from the networking device (your modem, router, or gateway).
  2. Use a different network cable to connect your Xbox console and the networking device.
  3. Test your Xbox Live connection:

Did any of these solutions help fix Xbox Sign in error 0x87DD0017? Let us know by leaving a comment in the section below.

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Windows 10 news recap: Microsoft and Google reveal another variant of Spectre and Meltdown exploit, Acer adding Alexa to its PCs, and more

Welcome back to our Windows 10 news recap, where we go over the top stories of the past week in the world of Microsoft’s flagship operating system.

Microsoft, Google reveal fourth variant of Meltdown and Spectre exploit, Intel promises new security patches
It seems like a never-ending mess of exploits, but Microsoft and Google have revealed yet another variant of the Spectre and Meltdown exploit that has been discovered in Intel CPUs. Intel has promised new security patches for the latest findings.

Microsoft To-Do app now opens faster on Windows 10 devices
Some would expect a To-Do app to load fast, since it is supposed to improve productivity and help you remember things. In the latest update to the Microsoft To-Do app, the team have “substantially” increased the startup speed of the app on Windows 10 devices.
Project To-Do, Project Cheshire

Acer is rolling out Alexa to its PC lineup, starting with the Spin 3 and Spin 5 laptops this week
Amazon’s Alexa is moving into the world of Windows 10, creating a mystery as to what Cortana’s role will be in the future. PC manufacturer Acer has begun rolling out Alexa to some Windows 10 PCs in its lineup, and it’s starting with the Spin 3 and Spin 5 laptops.

Edge on Windows 10 April 2018 Update will make your battery last 14% longer than Chrome, Microsoft claims
Microsoft is again making bold claims about the battery effect of Microsoft Edge compared to Google’s Chrome web browser. In the April 2018 Update for Windows 10, Microsoft is claiming that Microsoft Edge allows the battery to last 14% longer than Chrome.

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Windows 10 news!

Microsoft news recap: Microsoft Launcher gets Microsoft Rewards integration, Microsoft shows support for user privacy as GDPR comes into force

Microsoft news recap is a weekly feature highlighting the top Microsoft news stories of the past week. Sit back, grab some coffee, and enjoy the read!

Xbox to sponsor first ever Special Olympics video gaming tournament
The Special Olympics will have its first ever video gaming tournament at the USA Games in Seattle, later this summer. Microsoft’s Xbox division will co-sponsor the tournament.

Microsoft Garage expands with new facility at NERD in Cambridge, Mass.
Microsoft has opened its seventh Microsoft Garage facility, this time in Cambridge, Massachusetts, at the New England Research & Development Center. The facility provides 15,000 square feet of space, great for presentations, workshops, and more.

As GDPR approaches, Microsoft emphasizes their support for user privacy
With the EU enriching privacy regulations with a stronger set of rules, Microsoft has reaffirmed its commitment to user privacy. Despite the regulations only covering companies who deal with EU citizens, Microsoft has said it will support GDPR worldwide for all of its users.

Microsoft Launcher updated with Microsoft Rewards integration, new Visual Search feature
Microsoft has released an update for its Android launcher, Microsoft Launcher, with integration to its rewards program, Microsoft Rewards, as well as adding a new visual search feature which will help recognise things and people in images.

Here is the changelog:

  • Microsoft Family: Parents with Microsoft Launcher can now view the last known location and activity report for their children across their Android phone, Windows PC and Xbox console! (Requires Android 4.4+ for parent devices and 5.0+ for child devices)
  • Search: Introducing Visual Search. Use the camera function through the Launcher Search bar to capture images and intelligently recognize celebrities, landmarks, items, apparel and more!
  • Microsoft Rewards (US only): Now Microsoft Rewards customers can see their Rewards balance in the Launcher Feed and earn points for using Bing Search through Microsoft Launcher;
  • Wallpaper: UX improvements and bug fixes;
  • UX improvements:
    support deeting documents through Documents card;
    welcome animation enhancements;
  • Improvements to folder naming experience
  • Additional crash/bug fixes

That’s it for this week. We’ll be back next week with more Microsoft news.

Windows 10 build 17677 causes GSOD errors and blocks apps

If you enrolled in the Windows Insider Program, you can now download and test Windows 10 build 17677 on your computer. This build release brings a series of interesting new features, as well as many bug fixes and improvements.

As usual, this build also brings issues of its own. After all, this is the main purpose of the Insider Program, isn’t it? We scoured Microsoft’s forum and identified two frequent build 17677 bugs that most Insiders complained about.

Windows 10 build 17677 issues

The first bug on the list is actually quite severe. Many Insiders reported that build 17677 is affected Green Screen of Death errors that block the build install process. It seems that the most frequent error code that appears on the screen is this one:

windows 10 build GSOD error

Fortunately, we do have a troubleshooting guide on how to fix MEMORY_MANAGEMENT errors. Follow the instructions available in the guide and do let us know if you managed to solve the problem.

The second issue concerns non-Microsoft apps. Insiders reported that non-Microsoft apps often fail to open. Sometimes, error 0xc0000005 appears on the screen as well.

Many non-Microsoft apps and app setups are erroring out with 0xc0000005 errors. This recurring after second full clean reinstall, and redownloading the build. SFC run, no violations. […] Avast Free Antivirus won’t run or reinstall. My VPN client won’t run or reinstall, utorrent and bit torrent won’t run or reinstall.

If Windows 10 build 17677 is too buggy for you, then the best solution is to simply use a previous OS version. You can also temporarily opt out of the Insider Program.

How has your Windows 10 build 17677 experience been so far? Comment below.

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What’s new in Windows 10 Insider build 17677?

Microsoft recently released Windows 10 Insider Preview Build 17677 (RS5) to Windows Insiders in the Fast ring besides users who decided to go with the Skip Ahead.

The official notes detail all improvements that are included in this build, and they target Microsoft Edge, Narrator, Kernel Debugging, Task Manager, PCs and more.

Microsoft Edge Improvements

There will be new and clearer Security and more menu so that it gets easier to find the options that users are looking for. The options will be organized in groups from now on.

You’ll also be able to see your top sites on the Jump List on the Windows taskbar or Start Menu. You can organize the tabs that you have set aside and this way, you will be able to remember what’s in each group when you’re coming back later. There are also some improvements targeting the download pane.

Narrator enhancements

There have been included selection command in the Narrator Scan Mode, and it now supports selecting content in Microsoft Edge, Word, Outlook, Mail, and most text surfaces. Microsoft also notes that there is a known issue in Edge where selecting forward gets stuck. The company says that they working on a fix.

Kernel debugging improvements

There has been added support for IPv6 to KDNET, and the payload size of packets is decreased to make room for larger headers required for IPv6.

Other improvements included in the update

There are also Task Manager Memory Reporting improvements and the main memory column in Task Manager Processes tab will not include memory used by the suspended UWP processes.

The Mobile Broadband LTE connectivity on Windows gets revamped, and Windows is transforming the networking stack after 20 years via the NetAdapter framework.

There are a lot of general improvements for PC as well, along with a bunch of known issues and you can check the detailed information provided by Microsoft in this blog post.

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Windows 10 v1803 battery life tests show Edge is better than Chrome

Chrome and Firefox have a considerably larger user base than Edge, but Microsoft’s flagship browser does have a genuine edge when it comes to battery efficiency. Now that the Windows April 2018 Update is rolling out, Microsoft has uploaded another YouTube video that includes an Edge vs. Chrome vs. Firefox battery efficiency experiment. Of course, that video highlights that laptop batteries run out less quickly for users browsing with Edge.

Microsoft uploaded a Windows 10 Fall Creators Update Edge battery life video at the beginning of 2018. That video included three Surface Books streaming the same HD videos in Firefox, Chrome and Edge. The 34 second video showed that Edge’s Surface Book lasts for 16 hours and 8 minutes. Chrome finished with a 13 hour, 31 minute time and Firefox clocked in at 9 hours, 52 minutes.

Windows 10 April 2018 Update battery life test

Microsoft was no doubt delighted with the outcome of that battery test, and has now repeated the same experiment for the Windows 10 April 2018 Update in May 2018. A new Microsoft Edge Experiment video shows that Edge still outdoes Chrome and Firefox for battery efficiency. Edge’s Surface laptop lasted 14 hours and 20 minutes when streaming video, which is actually a drop of an hour and 42 minutes on its previous time. However, Chrome clocked up 12:32:58 and Firefox lasted 7 hours and 15 minutes.

As such, Microsoft now brags that Edge lasts up to 98% longer than Firefox on laptops when streaming video. Furthermore, the software giant also proclaims that Edge’s battery efficiency beats Chrome by a margin of 14%. Although the gulf between Edge and Firefox has widened, Edge streamed video 19% longer than Chrome in the Fall Creators Update video.

However, both the experiments leave out a few other notable Windows browsers. It would be interesting to see how Edge stacks up against Opera when it comes to battery efficiency. In fact, a Microsoft 2016 battery efficiency experiment video did also include Opera. It showed that laptops running Edge lasted 17% longer than those running Opera. Although Opera did finish second in that video, and that browser is a curious omission from the latest YouTube clips.

Opera’s engineering team countered Microsoft’s claims that Edge is more battery efficient than Opera with its own laptop battery experiment in 2016. Opera Software carried out its experiment with its browser’s native power saving and ad blocker enabled. The publisher released a video that highlights laptops running Opera last longer with the browser’s battery saver on. A post on Opera blogs states that Opera Developer (39.0.2248.0) lasts 22% longer than Edge (25.10586.0.0) on Windows 10 laptops.

Those browser versions are a little outdated now, but Microsoft’s omission of Opera in its 2018 browser battery videos suggests that the software giant is somewhat more reluctant to compare Edge’s battery efficiency alongside Opera. Why might that be? A post on Opera blogs states, “If Microsoft really wants to prove that its browser performs better than others (in any regard), the company should be transparent about its methodology so that others can replicate it.”

However, a few less biased websites have also carried out their own browser battery life experiments. Those sites’ experiments have included Opera, Chrome and Firefox and highlight that Edge is the most battery efficient browser (of those four at least). Nevertheless, Vivaldi, Safari and Maxthon 5 are notable browsers still forgotten about in most of the battery efficiency tests!

So laptop batteries last than much longer when you browse in Edge. It might not be the fastest browser, but when it comes to battery efficiency Edge is hard to beat.

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Yahoo Messenger for Windows 10: Where are we?

If you are looking for a touch-ready Yahoo Messenger app in Windows 10, Windows 8, you will be disappointed. Still, the desktop Yahoo Messenger app for Windows 10 works flawlessly, just as before.

UPDATE – After quite a long while, Yahoo Messenger has seen a major update, as an effort to try and keep users from fleeing to competing services.

Yahoo Messenger is not dead and still living even with the appearance of Windows 10, unlike Windows Live Messenger, users of which migrated towards Skype, Microsoft’s new product for chat services. With more than 15 years in history, Yahoo Messenger remains one of the most used chat options across the entire world and is a direct competitor to the above-mentioned Skype, Google Talk, and other free messaging and chat software on Windows, Mac, and mobile devices.

For those looking for an awesome touch experience (imagine using Yahoo Messenger with your fingers only), unfortunately, there’s no such application in the Windows Store. Or, shall we say, there’s YET no such application. So, you’ll have to use desktop software. One of the reasons for this is perhaps the fact that the Windows 10, Windows 8 adoption is still picking up.

You can download Yahoo Messenger for Windows 10 from the official website. If somehow the download isn’t working, this is the direct download link to the file.

The “old” Yahoo Messenger in the new Windows 10

I have many friends that stopped using Yahoo Messenger and they think it’s an outdated product. Probably the reason for that is the fact that they have Gmail accounts and they don’t need it anymore. But I have so many other friends that still use this product and in order to stay in touch with them, I don’t delete it. Of course, the membership has decreased drastically, with many users flocking to Skype or more likely, Facebook.

yahoo messenger windows 8

One of the great things that I like about Yahoo Messenger for Windows 10 and not only is that you can send files up to 2GB. After Skype retired the chess game (I still don’t understand why), I turned my eyes again towards Yahoo thanks to its Games feature. What I didn’t like when installing Yahoo Messenger was that it took quite a while, compared to other similar software and it installed the Yahoo! Toolbar even if I instructed it not to do so!

An awesome feature is a full-screen video calling that indeed offers incredible pictures and sound, but that obviously depends on your webcam and microphone.

Many users who downloaded Yahoo Messenger on Windows 10 complained about install issues. More specifically, the install tool is not able to identify the Windows 10 bit version and users can’t access the messaging platform. As a quick workaround, you need to run Yahoo Messenger in compatibility mode.

  1. Go to the folder where you downloaded Yahoo Messenger
  2. Right-click on the program > go to Properties > select the Compatibility tab
  3. Now, check the box ‘Run this application in compatibility mode for …’ > select your Windows version (you may also choose Windows 7). This should fix it.

If you’ve been using Yahoo Messenger until now, then on Windows 10 the experience will remain exactly the same. The question remains, though – is this enough to keep you faithful to Yahoo?

Fotor Photo Editing App for Windows 10/11 [Review & Download]

So, you’ve got your shiny Windows 10 or Windows RT device and are now looking to enhance your touch and even desktop experience with some awesome applications.

And if you’ve got a nice photo collection on your device, then chances are you’ll want to play around with them, add some effects and fix some issues. Fotor is one such application that promises to help you out and actually praises you to be the best all-in-one photo editing application.

Fotor App for Windows 10: Photo Editing at Its Best

When opening the application, there are two big buttons: Open a photo and Collage. The “open a photo” button will allow you to edit whichever picture you want to. You’ll find there the “1-tap enhance” button – that’s like a quick way of improving your picture.

Just touch or click it, and your images will automatically be improved. With the Edit option, you can adjust the following parameters of your picture:

  • Brightness
  • Contrast
  • Saturation
  • Temp
  • Tint
  • Blur/Sharpen
fotor for windows 8

What I, and many other users would like to see is a button that would allow you to reset the changes to default. Next, cropping of images. The Crop button allows you to cut your image and choose the portion you’d like to take. It also comes with some preset cropping frames that you can use.

What impressed me about this app was the Effects tab where I found A LOT of nice effects that you can apply to your images.

So, if you’re that type of person who plays a lot with images, then you’ll find this feature very, very nice. And on a touch-enabled device, this is an absolute pleasure. So, go ahead and play around with the 5 effects: Classic, Lomo, B&W, Artistic, and Dark Corners.

Fotor for Windows 10 comes with a wide range of features

The next button, the Borders button, allows you to add a nice border to your picture. So, if you want to add an extra flavor to your picture, like using it in an electronic postcard, this nice feature should help you out.

Another creative feature that I didn’t really encounter on other photo editing apps for Windows 10 and not only, is the Tilt-Shift Mode. Basically, it will allow you to change your image’s focus as if you were to take the picture now. Somehow, for those who are aware, this is similar to what Lytro cameras do.

Next, the Text tab allows you to add text to your picture to customize it further. What I particularly liked about this feature was the Text template that allowed you to add a small shape around your text – really cool.

I didn’t like the poor diversity of fonts, and I didn’t frankly like none of them. More text and more artistically and classy drawn fonts will definitely add a lot of style to Fotor for Windows 10. And after you are all done, you can save your image in .jpeg, .bmp, .png, and .tiff formats.

Also, don’t forget about the Collage tab upon opening the application. It will allow you to play around with multiple pictures and make a beautiful collage. You can add here, as well, a border and modify its theme and color.

The software is also available for Android, iOS, and Mac. So, if you need to continue your photo editing work on another platform, Fotor is the right choice.

Furthermore, Fotor’s online collage tool gives you access to more than 80 collage templates and other exclusive content for only $8.99/month. Fotor also includes 22 unique backgrounds for collages.

The tool also features export options for social media websites and photo platforms like Flickr. In this manner, you can quickly share your photos with the world.

The Fotor app for Windows 10 is, and I’ll have to agree, one of the best apps for all-in-one photo editing so use it with all your confidence! Check out the gallery from above and try out the app in the Microsoft Store.

Fotor

Edit your photos beautifully with Fotor’s enhanced set of features.

Whoops! There was a Problem Previewing this Document [Fix]

One of the great things about Google Drive (GD) cloud storage is that it not only stores files but enables you to open (or preview) compatible formats.

However, some Google Drive users have stated that a “Whoops! There was a problem previewing this document” error message appears when they try to open files with the GD viewer.

Google Drive then displays a Download option for the file that doesn’t open. If you’ve encountered the same GD issue, here are a few potential resolutions for it.

Google Drive won’t preview document

  1. Convert the File to a Compatible Google Drive Viewer Format
  2. Compress or Split Up the File
  3. Open Google Drive in Another Browser
  4. Update Your Browser
  5. Clear Your Browser’s Cache
  6. Switch Off Browser Extensions
  7. Sign Out of Google Drive Account

1. Convert the File to a Compatible Google Drive Viewer Format

First, note that the Google Drive viewer is compatible with a relatively limited number of file formats. As such, it might be the case that you’re trying to open an incompatible file format in Google Drive.

You can, of course, open native Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms and Drawings formats in GD. However, GD doesn’t support that many third-party software file formats.

These are some of the audio, video, image, text, Adobe, and Microsoft Office formats you can open in Google Drive.

  • Audio: MP3, M4A, WAV and OGG
  • Microsoft Office: DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, and PPTX
  • Text: TXT
  • Image: JPEG, PNG, BMP, TIFF, WEBP and GIF
  • Video: WMV, AVI, MOV, OGG, MPEG, MPEG4 and FLV
  • Adobe: PDF, PSD and AI

You can convert incompatible presentation, document, and spreadsheet formats to native Google formats within GD. To do that, right-click the incompatible file within Google Drive and select the Open with option. Then select to open it with Sheets, Docs, or Slides.

That will create a second copy of the spreadsheet, document, or presentation in a compatible native format that you can preview in GD.

However, you’ll need to utilize a file converter web app to convert image, video and audio files to compatible formats. Check out the Online-Convert.com app with which you can convert files to a variety of alternative formats.

Open this page, select a target format from one of the drop-down menus and click Go to open the file conversion utility shown in the snapshot below. Then you can press the Choose and Convert buttons to convert a selected file.

2. Compress or Split Up the File

Note that Google Drive also has file size limits for documents and presentations. Thus, the GD viewer might not open documents and presentations that eclipse the file size restrictions. GD restricts Google Doc documents to 50 MB and  Slide presentation files to 100 MB.

As such, compressing or splitting a file up to reduce its file size might fix the Google Drive document preview error. You can split up a text document into two, or more, files with the software mentioned in this post.

To compress files, check out the WeCompress web app. That web app compresses PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and PDF file formats.

3. Open Google Drive in Another Browser

You might find that Google Drive previews files ok in an alternative browser. So, open the file in Google Drive with another compatible browser. Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Edge, and Safari are four browsers that you can utilize GD in.

4. Update Your Browser

Note that Google Drive compatibility is also limited to the two most updated versions of its supported browsers.

Thus, the Drive viewer might not open documents if your browser is not updated. You can update Chrome by pressing the Customize Google Chrome button, clicking Help, and selecting About Google Chrome. Chrome will then check for updates.

5. Clear Your Browser’s Cache

  1. First, press the Download button on the official website to save CCleaner‘s setup wizard.
  2. Open the setup wizard to install CCleaner.
  3. Open CCleaner and select Cleaner on the left of its window.
  4. Select the Internet Cache check box for your browser on the Windows or Applications tab.

Clearing corrupted browser caches can fix loading and formatting issues on sites. So it might also be worth clearing your browser cache when Google Drive doesn’t preview documents.

This is how you can clear caches for various browsers with the freeware CCleaner.

  1. Press the Analyze button to scan the browser cache.
  2. Then press the Run Cleaner button to clear the cache.

6. Switch Off Browser Extensions

The Google Drive file preview error might have something to do with browser extensions. To ensure that isn’t the case, switch off all your browser’s extensions. You can also disable extensions for various browsers with CCleaner.

Click Tools and Browser Plugins in CCleaner to open extension lists for your browsers as in the snapshot below. Then you can select multiple extensions thereby pressing the Ctrl key, and pressing the Disable button to switch them off.

7. Sign Out of your Google Drive Account

Some GD users have also confirmed that they’ve fixed the file preview error by signing out of their Google Drive accounts. Click the Google account button at the top right of GD and select the Sign out option. Then you can log back into Google Drive. GD might then preview your files as required.

Some of the above resolutions will probably fix the “Whoops! There was a problem previewing this document” error. Aside from those resolutions, switching anti-virus software and firewalls off might also resolve the Google Drive file preview issue.

What is the Max RAM for Each Windows 10 Edition

Windows 10 is a great operating system, but many users wonder what the maximum amount of RAM Windows 10 can handle.

Today, we will answer this and all other questions related to Windows 10 and RAM, so let’s get started, shall we?

What is the maximum amount of RAM for Windows 10?

The maximum that Windows 10 can support depends on the edition and architecture that you’re using. Here’s a quick overview of the maximum RAM that each edition can handle:

Version32-bit64-bit
Windows 10 Home4GB128GB
Windows 10 Education4GB128GB
Windows 10 Pro4GB2TB
Windows 10 Pro for Workstation4GB6TB
Windows 10 Enterprise4GB6TB

As you can see, all 32-bit editions are limited to 4GB of RAM, while for 64-bit versions the limit is 6TB.

Is there a limit to how much RAM I can add to my computer?

Yes, there are several limits to consider when adding additional RAM:

  1. Your operating system. Different editions of Windows can handle different amount of RAM.
  2. Number of RAM slots is also a limiting factor, so consider investing in larger RAM modules.
  3. Different motherboards have different RAM limits. Check your motherboard specification for correct information on RAM limit.

What happens if RAM is almost full?

  • Your PC will start slowing down since there’s no available RAM to allocate.
  • The computer will use virtual memory on your hard drive to compensate for RAM.
  • Disk usage will rise due to usage of virtual memory.
  • In some cases, certain applications might crash.

Why does my computer only use half its RAM?

  • Issues with your RAM module or motherboard slot.
  • The remaining RAM is allocated to your integrated graphics.
  • You’re using the 32-bit version of Windows.

We tackled this issue in our PC not using all RAM guide, so be sure to check it out for more information.

As you can see, different versions of Windows can handle different amounts of RAM, but keep in mind that your hardware also limits the maximum amount of RAM.

To learn more about your RAM, we have a great guide on how to check RAM type, so be sure not to miss it.

How much RAM do you use on your computer? Let us know in the comments section!

Create Various Beats With SoundPad For Windows 11

Passionate about music? Then you might want to try Soundpad app for Windows 11. The app is freely available from the Microsoft Store and works great on any touch screen device.

This isn’t the most advanced music production software, but will be perfect for beginners, so let’s see how it works and what it can do.

An in-depth look at SoundPad for Windows 11

As we’ve mentioned, the app is freely downloadable from the Microsoft Store, and one thing that we love about it is that even if it is free, there are no ads in the app that will annoy you.

The developers have really thought about the pleasure of the users, and we thank them for that.

sound-pad-for-windows-8 (2)

When you open the app, you will go directly into the mixing area, where you have all your tools to create your own custom beats.

Everything the app has to offer is on this single screen and might I say, very neatly designed. Starting from the left side, you will see all the volume rockers for each individual track, while on the opposite side, you will find the controls.

The user has at his disposal a volume control unit that allows him to mute all the channels at once or crank them up to full power.

It would have been nice to see a 50% volume button here also, or a custom volume button where the user can add in his own value, but nevertheless, handy.

Also, here, you can find the so-called Panic Button, which stops the sounds without interfering with the volume (essentially, a stop button).

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Underneath the Volume Control, you can find the Samples area, where you can add your own sounds to each of the 16 channels it has.

This is great for those who want to create unique sounds. By pressing the Change Samples button, you bring up the panel with all of the channels, and you can change any of them by clicking on it.

When you do this, the app opens the default file explorer and you have to browse for the sounds to replace the default ones.

At the bottom, you find the Metronome switch, which, when started, it continuously plays a generic drum sound. This can come in handy if you want a constant beat in your music.

The Sample Pads occupy the main portion of the window. This is where the magic happens. Each of these 16 pads has its own sound, and when you want to start creating music, all you have to do is start tapping or clicking on them.

To my surprise, there is no record function, which is quite a drawback if you ask me, as you cannot save any of the music you create.

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Overall, SoundPad for Windows 11 is a very nice way to have fun. If you enjoy making music, then you should give it a try.

Some features that we didn’t mention include:

  • The 10×6 Pad grid lets you launch up to 10 loops and sounds at a time
  • Preset Pack lets you remix songs that you’ve already created
  • The Edit Mode allows you to change your styles when you’re playing the session
  • Beat Synchronization automatically syncs your beat to the song.

⇒ Download Sound Pad for Windows 11

What are the requirements for Soundpad?

  • Available only on PC
  • Windows 8.1 or higher
  • Works on 32-bit, 64-bit, and ARM versions
  • 2 GB RAM

This is a great but simple app, and its features are limited compared to other premium apps. However, we have a guide on professional music software, so you might want to check it out and learn more.

If you already used SoundPad, do tell us more about your experience in the comments below.

Art Text for Windows 8, Windows 10 is Like WordArt at a New Level

If you want WordArt back in Windows 10, Windows 8, then you probably should be using Art Text as it is the most complete replica app that we managed to find so far in the Windows Store

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A few years ago, everyone was using the Office feature WordArt to create graphics for documents. While this feature was pretty basic, many loved it for its simplicity and nice designs. Nowadays, graphics programs have evolved a great deal, and for Windows 8, Windows 10 users the classic WordArt just won’t cut it anymore.

However, they have at their disposal a magnificent app that can take its place. Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8 is the way to go if you want to create gorgeous graphics and implement them in any of your projects, from documents to web pages and everything in between.

Using Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8: What features does it have?

For everyone that wants to use Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8, you can download it from the Windows Store. The developers offer users a demo version for testing out the features and for potential buyers to get of sense of what the app can do, and a paid version of the app for when you realize that the $4.99 price tag is a bargain for what you get in return. If you’re asking  yourself what that might be, well here it goes:

Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8 is a graphics design app that allows the user to create both simple and complex graphics very easy with the help of an array of tools. Think of it as a slimmed down version of Photoshop where you don’t need years of experience to draw a circle. The simple and intuitive user interface allows every user to use the app just like a pro, the only limit to what can be created would be each one’s imagination.

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When you first open the app, you are greeted by a page with the app’s name, which can be edited by using the provided tools. Think of it as a little tutorial or testing area where you can get a sense of what each tool does (and believe me, they are many). At the bottom of the window, you will see the menu from where you can access all the tools that the app provides. We’ll take a look at each of them in a few moments.

From the Windows 10, Windows 8 Settings charm, you can select the background color of the canvas, which is set by default to white and the Object Snap feature that allows users to accurately place objects on the canvas. On the menu at the bottom of the screen, you will see a list of different features. We’ll give you a quick walkthrough of what each of does.

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The first of them is “Fill” and what this does is it fills an object with a Color, Gradient, Image or a Shader (if you know a bit of Photoshop, these Shaders are the Styles). Each of these options has their own tweaks so users can adjust every element until you think it looks good.

This level of customization is rarely found in a similar app, which makes Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8 a wonderful graphics app.

The next button you will see on the menu is “Effects“. This is pretty self-explanatory, as it allows users to add certain effects to elements. These effects consist of Shadow, Glow and Stroke, and just like before, each of them allows the user to customize the effect as he sees fit.

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Moving on to the third feature, “Transform“, where users can warp the text in different directions, in order to create effects. This feature is very well known by those who used to use the old WordArt feature. Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8 gives users quite a few different styles they can choose from, making their text better integrated in the document.

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The “Edit” button is only used for changing different elements. For instance, when you select a text, by pressing Edit you have the possibility to change it or modify the font. Also, when it comes to other shapes, “Edit” allows you to swap them with other shapes if your design doesn’t benefit from them.

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The last button on the left side of the menu is “Add“. I don’t think there’s much explaining to do here: it allows you to add a text of a shape to your design. Also, if you don’t like the default shapes, Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8 also provides a tool for creating custom shapes. This tool can be found at the top of the Shapes panel.

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The other part of the menu has two more design-related button as well as the usual options that every document has: Zoom, Undo, Save, and Export. Keep in mind that the “Save” button saves your current progress, but it does not save the file to the disk. When you want to do this, you will have to use the “Export” button which opens a window where you can input the desired size of the picture and save it, or share it.

One thing to mention here is that even though the Share button exists when you click it, it opens the Share charm that alerts you of the app’s inability to share.

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The “Design” button is probably the best feature that Art Text for Windows 10, Windows 8 provides. By clicking it, you will be forwarded to a gallery of pre-designed graphics, neatly organized by category. There are all kinds of designs here, from logos to names, shapes or web buttons. Also, from here, users can upload their own designs if they want.

One thing I didn’t quite like was the somewhat poor optimization for computers. There are no scroll bars, so cycling through the designs is quite difficult. We hope the developers will address this issue in the following updates.

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The “Layers” option is the last design-related item on the menu. When you click it, it opens a menu on the top of the screen where users can manipulate each layer (element) individually. While this feature is not necessarily needed for simple designs, after you add multiple elements to your document, it will prove to be quite useful.

Also, it allows users to bring to the top or send to the back different elements. This tool is quite good when your design has overlapping layers. However, the same issue with scrolling is present here as with he Gallery.

Features of Art Text app

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Now that you know what each button from the menu does, we’ll make a final recap of what features Art Text offers its users.

  • Easy to use UI
  • Smooth and fast transition between menus and features throughout the app
  • Possibility to save projects in PNG, BMP, JPEG and TIFF formats
  • Over 100 Fully customizable templates
  • More than 130 Shading materials
  • A whopping 170+ Image textures
  • More than 110 vector icons and shapes added
  • 20 adjustable vector transformations

After working with Text Art for Windows 10, Windows 8 on a few projects, I do believe that its services are top notch and it is a must-have app for any graphics designer. Also, thanks to the fact that it is easy to use, regular users can take a swing at it and create breathtaking designs. I loved it and I recommend it to anyone to who wants to add a plus of style to their projects.

Saving documents with special characters in the name used to cause the app to crash. Finally, this has been solved by the developers and now works well. While there are still many other similar apps in the store, this one still stays on top by simply doing the job right.

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What are some of the best Windows 10/11 apps to install?

If you have recently updated to Windows 10, Windows 8.1, then you need to have a look at these optimized apps. If you installed Windows 10, Windows 8.1, then this means you are also looking for some of the best apps to make the most of it.

While not too much has changed that involves developers to update the apps, there are some functionalities that Windows 10, 8.1 come with and which some apps have taken advantage off. So, we’ve gathered the best Windows 10, Windows 8.1 apps for you to use right now and install on your device.

With the release of Windows 8.1, Windows 10 upgrade, almost all the apps in the Windows Store had been updated, updates that are available for those who have upgraded to 8.1. Also some new apps had appeared and new Windows features like the Start button and the options to boot to desktop and disable hot corners.

Let’s talk a bit about the major changes in Windows Store that happened with the Windows 8.1, Windows 10 upgrade and which brought some new Windows 8.1 apps for users everywhere.

Best new Windows 10, Windows 8.1 apps

The launch of Windows 10, Windows 8.1 was also seen as a good occasion for many developers to launch new apps that employed Windows 8.1′ new functionalities that we have described shortly before. While it’s impossible to find all the new Windows 8.1, Windows 10 apps, a help from our readers would also be appreciated.

 

1. Facebook

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Along with Windows 8.1, Windows 10 an official Facebook application has been, finally, released for the users of the new Windows upgrade. It meets users’ expectations being really fast and seeming identical to the webpage with all its features and its design. In the left pane there are settings, groups, favorite features which stays there whatever the menu you are on. The news feed in on the center and the chat with your friends’ availability on the left. The only new feature, this new application brings, is the addition of a Windows Start tile.

2. New Bing apps in Windows 8.1

Not only they integrated an improved Bing Smart Search, a more efficient search showing results from your device and online, but also they come with two more Bing apps: Food & Drink and Health & Fitness.

  • Food & Drink

This application offers a variety of recipes to satisfy your culinary desires. It is designed for use in the kitchen as it has a Hands-Free Cooking Mode using gestures in front of the camera, browsing through the recipe’s pages using gestures control in Windows 10, windows 8.1. It even offers you a Shopping List feature.

  • Health & Fitness

The app, offers you nutritional information about the food you eat, fitness tutorials and videos, 3D body maps and a symptom checker. So, those of you who were loking for a true health and fitness Windows 8 app, this is you pick. The Bing Health & Fitness application in Windows 10, Windows 8.1 contains three trackers, as well:

  • Diet Tracker helps you keep a food journal giving you reports on your weekly and monthly goals.
  • Health Tracker can be synched with HealthVault so you can keep focus on your medical information.
  • Exercise Tracker monitors your fitness progress over time.

UPDATE: Microsoft discontinued both apps in 2015.

3. More awesome new apps in Windows 10, Windows 8.1

As I said, it’s virtually impossible to bring together all the new apps and describe them thoroughly, so we have compiled below another list that will definitely help you find some of the most needed new apps in Windows 10, Windows 8.1. There aren’t too many news apps at the moment because developers have just started working on them, so expect more in the near future.

internet explorer 11 new app windows 8.1

Windows 10, 8.1 updated apps

Not all the apps have been updated to Windows 8.1 as they didn’t have, so we will feature here only some of the best apps that we have found to come with important updates. If you also know a Windows 8.1 updated app, do let us know below in the comments section and if it is worth it, we will definitely add it to the list.

1. Xbox Music

This music app has been redesigned and seems to include a lot of changes. The three layers, on the previous version, are now a single clear page with features like Collection, Streaming Radio, Playlists and Store. Xbox Music app is, now, more user oriented than Store oriented focusing on the music the user listens to and the spreadsheet views being replaced by a grid view of album and artist.

Update – Xbox Music has been renamed into Groove Music. Microsoft recently discontinued Groove Music as well but you can transfer all your music files to Spotify.

2. Mail in Windows 10, Windows 8.1

The mail app includes accounts from Outlook.com, Gmail, Yahoo! Exchange, AOL and any exchange Activesync or IMAP account in one single application. It is more integrated in Windows 8.1 and you can download attachments or preview documents without the closing of the app. There are some extra features for the Outlook.com users like two extra folders on the sidebar for newsletters and social updates, being able to triage e-mails using “Sweep”. In Windows 8.1, unlike Windows 8, you can choose where you want to make a search, in the current folder or in all folders.

Windows 8.1 allows a pair of apps to split the screen so now you can split any app, this being useful, for example, for Xbox games if you are sharing with the Desktop or Skype. Once you start get used to it, it can become a great system because the main problem is that new users find it difficult at first because Modern UI apps behave differently than traditional desktop apps.

For more information about the best email clients for Windows 10, check out this list.

3. More awesome updated apps in Windows 10, Windows 8.1

Just like you’ve seen above with some of the most important new Windows 8.1 apps being listed, we will do the same here. Find below an extensive list of some of the most important and useful applications updated to Windows 8.1. Many of these apps have been reviewed by us, so you will also get to know what they are all about, as well.

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After seeing so many new and updated apps for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, what is your personal favorite? If you ask me, I still remain a big fan of chess and checker games, but what I am definitely looking forward is an awesome football app. What about you?

Of course, listing all the Microsoft Store apps in this post is impossible. If you want to check out the best free apps that you can download on your computer, go to Microsoft’s Store page.

Radu Tyrsina has contributed to this article.

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