Saturday, April 30, 2016

Assessing simplified tablets designed for tech-challenged seniors

Q: I'm interested in getting my 78-year-old mother a tablet for video calls and email but want to get one that's super simple to use. What can you recommend? — Shopping Around

A: There are several different ways you can go about getting your mom a simplified tablet that's easy for her to use. Depending on how much help she needs and how much you're willing to spend, here are some different options to consider.

Simplify a tablet

If you or your mom already has a tablet, but it's too difficult for her to use, you can install a free senior-friendly software application on it like Oscar Senior (oscarsenior.com), which works on Apple iPads and Android tablets.

This app will change the appearance and performance of your tablet into a simplified device with big understandable icons to only commonly used features (video calls, photos, instant messages, Internet, news, weather, reminders, contacts, etc.) for easy navigation, with no clutter. It even offers remote access capabilities so you can gain access to your mom's tablet from your smartphone, so you can see what she sees, and help her if she gets stuck.

Limited tech skills

If you're interested in purchasing your mom a new tablet that's specifically designed for seniors, you have options here too, depending on how simple it needs to be.

For seniors with some, but limited, computer/tablet skills, there's AARP's RealPad, which is an Android Intel tablet with a 7.85-inch touchscreen that provides a simplified home page with large text icons to frequently used functions. It also comes with 24/7 phone support, and a "Real QuickFix" tool that connects users to technology support agents over the Internet who can access the tablet and fix problems. Available at AARPrealpad.org for only $60, AARP recently announced that the RealPad will be discontinued when inventory sells out in a few months, but they will continue offering customer/technical support throughout the life of the product.

No tech skills

If your mother is completely unfamiliar with technology, two simpler options are the grandPad and Claris Companion.

GrandPad is a 7-inch touchscreen Android tablet that is designed for seniors, ages 75 and older. It comes with a stylus, charging stand and Verizon 4G LTE built-in so it works anywhere within the Verizon network — home Wi-Fi is not necessary.

This tablet provides a simplified menu of big colorful icons and large text, to only essential features, giving your mom clutter-free, one-touch access to make phone calls and video calls, send voice emails, view photos and videos, listen to personalized music, check the weather, play games and more. But, to simplify usage and avoid confusion, it does not offer Web browsing.

GrandPad also has a "Help" button that offers 24/7 phone/tablet remote assistance to help your mom with any facet of her tablet, and it provides damage and theft insurance so if your mom breaks or loses her tablet it will be replaced at no additional cost. Available at grandPad.net or call 800-704-9412, a grandPad leases for $60 per month or $53 a month if you pay one year in advance.

Another good option to check out is the Claris Companion (ClarisCompanion.com, 866-284-4939), which offers Wi-Fi and 4G tablets that costs $549 and $649 respectively, plus a $29 and $49 monthly subscription fee.

These tablets are designed specifically for elderly seniors living at home so their family can connect with them socially via video calls, email, text messages and photos. It also gives caregivers the ability to receive alerts and monitor compliance with medications, treatments, and important appointments.

Claris Companions are 10-inch Android tablets that have big buttons and text to only essential functions. They come in a thick bamboo frame, with a charging stand that prop them up, and can be customized to fit your mom's needs and abilities. Claris also offers a lower cost tablet option for $349 and an Android app for $29.


Source: Assessing simplified tablets designed for tech-challenged seniors

Friday, April 29, 2016

IDC: tablets continue to fall, detachables continue to rise

It's a good news, bad news thing for tablet makers, depending on which kind of tablets they're banking on. As long predicted by market analyst IDC, tablet shipment shares continue to tank in year on year numbers. That said, that is mostly for the traditional slate tablets. Behind the scenes, however, a new breed of detachable, 2-in-1 hybrids are actually experiencing triple digit growth year on year, which could make them the salvation and new trend of the tablet market.

Microsoft is largely credited for giving birth to this new segment of the tablet market with its Surface Pro line. However, Apple may have just one upped it with its iPad Pro, both the 12.9 and the newer 9.7 inch variants. At least in the short term. Long term, Apple will have to address concerns about the high price point and, more importantly, iOS' ability to deliver a near-PC experience. The same price consideration is also affecting reception of the newest players in this segment, Huawei and Samsung, who have just launched their Mate Book and TabPro S, respectively.

With detachables seen as the high end tablet segment, traditional "slate" type tablets have become equated with low to mid range tiers. For vendors like Amazon, whose budget tablets are meant more to attract subscribers to its services, that is probably good news. But for OEMs who actually rely on the profits from tablet sales, it doesn't bode well.

Speaking of Amazon, IDC's numbers show an interesting but skewed tally. Out of the top 5 tablet vendors, it is one of two that saw an increase in shipments, up by 5,421.7%. That is not a clerical error. IDC claims that this unbelievably large number was due to them not counting the newly launched 6-inch Fire tablet in the first quarter of 2015. Apple still retains the lead in the tablet segment with Samsung not far behind. IDC notes that the Korean OEM represents perhaps the last breed of premium slate-type tablets. Lenovo can't seem to catch a break, losing much in this segment and being edged out of the Top 5 PC vendors this quarter as well. Huawei, on the other hand, enters the top 5 this year.

IDC predicts that detachables will see an even bigger rise in the months to come as PC sales, that is desktops and laptops, continue to fall. Buyers will opt to replace their aging PCs with these multi-form portables. While good for tablet makers, it presents a new problem for the already beleaguered PC makers, as OEMs once focused solely on mobile devices start churning out convertibles in a grab for the new market.

SOURCE: IDC


Source: IDC: tablets continue to fall, detachables continue to rise

Thursday, April 28, 2016

Joby launches GripTight PRO Tablet for bigger tablets

Joby is more popular for its mobile accessories specifically the GripTight series. We've tried the GripTight Auto Vent Clip, GripTight Stand for phablet, and the latest premium smartphone mount solutions. This time, the GripTight PRO Tablet is ready to be an answer to the usual problem of looking for a stand or backrest for your heavy tablet. This PRO version is a more robust and reliable mount for your tablet.

You may have seen something similar but this one features stainless steel plates that will lock a device securely in landscape or portrait mode. It can support all tablets in a fixed position without having to switch back or without having to remove the tablet.

Aside from the GripTight PRO Tablet Mount, there's also the GripTight GorillaPod PRO Tablet. It's just a combination of the GorillaPod and GripTight PRO, making it as an ultimate stand for your tablet. You can choose to use it to serve as a mobile workstation, hack from the backseat of a car, or enjoy chatting hands-free with family and friends.

The GripTight PRO Tablet is ideal for tablets with 7- to 10-inch screens. You can use it to lock mount a tablet in any orientation. Price tag reads $69.96.

GripTight PRO Tablet

GripTight PRO Tablet GoPro 2

SOURCE: JOBY

Story Timeline
  • Joby GripTight Stands for phablets now available
  • Joby GripTight series brings you premium smartphone mount solutions 
  • Tags: Android, android tablet, GoPro, Tablet


    Source: Joby launches GripTight PRO Tablet for bigger tablets

    Samsung Surface Pro 4 Most Known Issues and Their Fixes

    Microsoft has developed a Windows tablet line with high end specs and which includes additional accessories, such as a keyboard and stylus. The Surface Pro 4 is 2-in-1 tablet as powerful as a laptop and it runs on Windows 10, but no matter how awesome it is, this tablet has its own issues and some users have complained about major problems, but which haven't affected all models. In this article, we'll tell you about the most common problems and how they can be fixed.

    Problems That Appear When Connecting To An External Monitor

    Some users complained that when they connected their Surface Pro 4 to an external monitor, applications did not scale properly, or text appeared bully or the monitor turned on and off. One of the solutions is to check if you've bought the right adapter, because if it's not compatible with your external monitor, then it will never work. Also, you should check the configuration of the external monitor or to restart your tablet and try to connect it again.

    Screen Flashes When Watching Videos With Edge Browser

    This has been a problem since the Surface Pro 4 has been released and Microsoft has released an update to fix this bug, but some users are still having this issue. Experts recommend disabling the Hyper-V visual feature by opening the Command Prompt and typing exe /Online / Disable-Feature:Microsoft:Hyper-V. Also, when watching videos with Edge, it's important to head to Internet Properties > Advanced and select "User software rendering instead of GPU rendering." Internet Properties can be found by typing inetcpl.cpl in the "search the web and Windows" bar located next to the Start button.

    Problems With The Surface Pen

    Sometimes, the Surface pen freezes and doesn't register input on the screen, for a few seconds. In worse cases, the pencil doesn't work at all with the device, especially with the version with an i5 processor backed by 8GB of RAM and which has 256GB of storage. When this happens, users should press the right-click button on the barrel of the Surface Pen until it will function normally again, or to move the pen away from the display and then move it back towards it. If this doesn't work, reboot the tablet or unpair and pair the pencil back.

    Problems With Windows Hello

    This is a feature used to log into the device by scanning the users' eyes. However, Windows Hello may not work always as it should, as it fails to recognize the owner and the only thing that can be done is to head to "sign-in options" from the Settings menu and Account settings and select the re-calibrate option for improving recognition.


    Source: Samsung Surface Pro 4 Most Known Issues and Their Fixes

    Wednesday, April 27, 2016

    Mac + iPad revenue nosedives, adds to Apple's woes

    Although weaker iPhone sales were certainly the biggest contributor to Apple's downturn in the March quarter, the Mac and iPad also failed to hold up their ends, an analyst contended today.

    "The trend line in Mac sales has been worsening consistently over the past year, and [the growth rate] has now been below zero for the past two quarters," said Jan Dawson, principal analyst at Jackdaw Research, in an analysis posted to the firm's website Wednesday. "That's significant, because for a time the Mac was offsetting shrinkage from the iPad, such that combined revenues from the two were rising or steady. Now that this aggregate number is also in the red, the declining iPhone sales just exacerbate the problem."

    Dawson blamed the Mac -- which had its worst quarter in three and a half years -- but the iPad also contributed to the weaker revenue.

    iPad unit sales contracted for the ninth straight quarter, and the tenth time in the last 11, falling to 10.2 million, down from 12.6 million in same period of 2015. That was a year-over-year decline of 19%.

    Revenue from the iPad was also down 19%, falling to $4.4 billion, more than $1 billion off 2015's March quarter.

    The problem, as Dawson pointed out, was that the Mac had been taking up the slack from the iPad, and that that was not the case this time around.

    When the revenue of iPad and Mac were combined, it was clear that the pair's production was at a near-record low.

    For the March quarter, iPad + Mac revenue totaled $9.5 billion, down 14% from the year prior. More importantly, it was the smallest number in five years, when in the March quarter of 2011 -- less than a year after the iPad's introduction -- the two lines generated $7.8 billion.

    Charting a rolling four-quarter average -- to smooth out seasonality spikes, particularly the large fourth-quarter the iPad traditionally enjoys -- illustrated the same downward trend. For the four quarters ending March 31, 2016, iPad + Mac averaged $11.3 billion every three months, or 10% off the four quarters that ended March 31, 2015.

    The $11.3 billion in average revenue was the smallest since the March quarter of 2011, when only the Mac was bringing in dollars, and off 22% from the pair's peak of $14.6 billion in Q1 2013. Not surprisingly, that quarter was the last during which the iPad grew revenue by more than 50% over the previous year's same period.

    While Dawson was cautiously optimistic that the Mac's fortunes would revive -- like Ezra Gottheil of Technology Business Research, he noted that most models have not been refreshed for a year or more -- and contended that the iPad's rate of decline had dwindled in three of the last four quarters, Apple executives gave little indication they expect a quick turnaround.

    On Tuesday during Apples' earnings call with Wall Street, Luca Maestri, the company's CFO, told analysts to expect "seasonal sequential declines in ... iPad sales and a sequential increase in Mac sales," for the June quarter.

    In other words, Apple believes it will sell fewer than 10.2 million iPads in the stretch ending June 30, and somewhere north of 4 million Macs. In the June 2015 quarter, Apple sold 10.9 million iPads and 4.8 million Macs.

    To match the iPad + Mac revenue number for last year -- $10.6 billion in the June 2015 quarter -- Apple would have to boost the latest quarter's total by 11%.

    With iPad sales expected to be down -- again -- that seems unlikely, no matter how the Mac does.

    ipad mac revenueData: Apple

    The combined revenue of the iPad and Mac lines dropped to the lowest level in five years as the Mac, which had been taking up slack from the slumping iPad, also brought in fewer dollars.

    This story, "Mac + iPad revenue nosedives, adds to Apple's woes" was originally published by Computerworld.


    Source: Mac + iPad revenue nosedives, adds to Apple's woes

    Tuesday, April 26, 2016

    Outcomes of immunotherapy tablet for house dust mite allergy-related asthma

    The addition of a house dust mite (HDM) sublingual allergen immunotherapy (SLIT) tablet to maintenance medications improved time to first moderate or severe asthma exacerbation during a period of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) reduction among adults with HDM allergy-related asthma not well controlled by ICS, according to a study appearing in the April 26 issue of JAMA.

    Bronchial asthma is a serious global health problem with increasing prevalence in many countries. House dust mite sensitization is present in up to 50 percent of patients with asthma, and exposure to HDM allergen has been related to asthma severity. The HDM SLIT tablet is a potential novel treatment option for HDM allergy-related asthma. In this study by J. Christian Virchow, M.D., of the University of Rostock, Germany, and coauthors, 834 adults with HDM allergy-related asthma not well controlled by ICS or combination products, and with HDM allergy-related rhinitis, were randomly assigned to once-daily treatment with placebo (n = 277) or HDM SLIT tablet (different dosage groups, n = 275 or n = 282) in addition to ICS and the short-acting beta2-agonist salbutamol. Efficacy was assessed during the last 6 months of the trial when ICS was reduced by 50 percent for 3 months and then completely withdrawn for 3 months. The study was conducted in 109 European trial sites.

    Among the 834 patients, 693 completed the study. The researchers found that either dosage of the HDM SLIT tablet significantly reduced the risk of a moderate or severe asthma exacerbation compared with placebo. Compared with placebo, there was also an increase in allergen-specific immunoglobulin G4 (lgG4; an antibody). However, there was no significant difference for change in the asthma control questionnaire or asthma quality-of-life questionnaire for either dose. There were no reports of severe systemic allergic reactions.

    "To our knowledge, this is the first controlled trial to show that adult patients with HDM allergy-related asthma who were not well controlled taking ICS can achieve an improvement in asthma control as measured by time to first asthma exacerbation with a sublingual tablet formulation of HDM allergen immunotherapy," the authors write.

    They add that further studies are needed to assess long-term efficacy and safety.

    Editorial: New Horizons in Allergen Immunotherapy

    "Rigorous studies of immunotherapy of all forms are clearly needed. The study by Virchow et al is a valuable contribution to the literature, especially given its focus on an important patient population with highly relevant end points," writes Robert A. Wood, M.D., of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, in an accompanying editorial.

    "The work should not end here, as there is still a great deal of room for refinement in the practice of immunotherapy. As research continues and these therapies enter clinical practice, the goal should be to optimize each patient's immunotherapy regimen and disease control, taking personal preferences into account, and ideally to develop additional patient profiling using specific biomarkers to further personalize the use of these treatment options."

    Story Source:

    The above post is reprinted from materials provided by The JAMA Network Journals. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.


    Source: Outcomes of immunotherapy tablet for house dust mite allergy-related asthma

    Unbelievable! Hyderabad school using tablets to teach two-year-old kids

    Picture for representation purpose only

    Hyderabad: Schools in Hyderabad have started using tablets to teach kids as young as - you won't believe – just two-years-old!

    As per a report in the Deccan Chronicle, while some schools in the Telangana capital have already started using the gadgets, others are keen too to follow suit.

    However, the move is being opposed by a section of parents who say the use of electronic gadgets for kids of such a tender age is not recommended.

    As per the report, a pre-school chain called Esperenza has made it compulsory for parents to buy tablets (available only from school) for their kids who are in play school or are studying in classes till UKG.

    Parents claim the the tablets which are being supplied by the school cost Rs 10,000.


    Source: Unbelievable! Hyderabad school using tablets to teach two-year-old kids

    Monday, April 25, 2016

    6 problems with the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and how to fix them

    Microsoft has done a great job in the development of their Windows tablet line, with every iteration going from strength to strength. Now in its fourth generation, Microsoft continues to further refine the device and include some interesting additions, such as the Surface Pen. Running the full version of Windows 10, the attachable keyboard also makes for a full laptop experience, which is fantastic for those for whom the primary purpose of picking up a tablet is productivity. If you're looking for a single device to cover all your large display tablet and laptop requirements, you should certainly give the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 a chance.

    However, as is the case with any modern smartphone, tablet, or laptop, the Surface Pro 4 is not without its issues. Which is why, we've rounded up some of the common issues that plague Surface Pro 4 owners, and offer potential solutions on how to fix them.

    Disclaimer: Not every Microsoft Pro 4 will suffer from these issues, and in most cases, users will likely not face any of the problems listed below. 

    Problem #1 – Issues with connecting to an external monitor

    Surface Pro 4 review

    A lot of people have faced issues with connecting their Surface Pro 4 to an external monitor, with the problems ranging from apps not scaling properly, text appearing blurry on the external monitor, and the monitor automatically and rapidly turning on and off, and acting up in other ways, when the tablet display turns off.

    Potential solutions:

  • Quite a few users have found these issues to occur because of compatibility problems with either the monitor or the adapter. You can find a list of recommended monitors and adapters here, as well as those that aren't compatible, and sticking to the fairly robust suggested list may be a good idea.
  •  This may be an issue related to the configuration of the external monitor, and is particularly seen with a few Dell monitors out there. To help resolve this issue, you can follow the steps outlined in the guide here.
  • The workaround with the scaling issue that has worked for people is simply rebooting the tablet. That isn't a great solution of course, but hopefully, a fix will make its way over soon.
  • Problem #2 – Screen flashing/flickering, especially when watching videos using Edge

    Microsoft-Surface-Pro-3-Review-4

    Many users have noticed an incessant flashing or flickering of the screen, particularly when watching videos while using the Edge browser.

    Potential solutions:

  • The flickering screen issue has been a problem since the launch of the Surface Pro 4, and Microsoft has sent out an official update to address this issue. However, quite a few users are still facing a problem even after the update, and in some odd cases, because of the update.
  • You can try disabling the Hyper-V visual feature. Open Command Prompt, and type exe /Online / Disable-Feature:Microsoft:Hyper-V , which should solve the problem.
  • In the case of the issue with watching videos while using Edge, go to Internet Properties – Advanced and select the first option, "User software rendering instead of GPU rendering." You can find Internet Properties by typing inetcpl.cpl in the "search the web and Windows" bar next to the Start button.
  • Problem #3 – Issues with the Surface Pen

    Surface Pro 4 review

    While the Surface Pen does work well for the most part, many users have found the stylus to freeze completely, with no input being registered on the screen, for quite a few seconds. In more extreme cases, some users had found the problem to progress to a point where the Surface Pen would not be working at all with their devices.

    Potential solutions:

  • This is another known issue, and is particularly prevalent with the i5/8GB/256GB version of the Surface Pro 4. A solution is in the works, and will be available to users via an official update.
  • Some users have found that when the Pen freezes, pressing the right-click button on the barrel of the Pen a few times makes it start functioning normally again. Others have found the switching apps, and switching back helps as well, while some solutions suggest moving the Pen away from the display by 1 foot or so, and move it back slowly towards the screen to have it re-engage.
  • Rebooting the device or un-pairing and pairing the Surface Pen again will also work.
  • Problem #4 – Windows Hello not working as expected

    Surface Pro 4 review

    Windows Hello is a facial recognition app that lets you log in to your device without the need for a PIN or password. Some users have found Windows Hello to stop working as expected after a while, failing to recognize the person.

    Potential solutions:

  • Go to "sign-in options," either by go to the Settings menu and Account settings, or by directly searching for sign-in options in the search bar. Here, you will find an option for improving recognition for Hello. All you have to do is choose the re-calibrate option, and follow the outlined steps.
  • Problem #5 – Touchscreen not responding

    Surface Pro 4 review

    Some users have found the touchscreen to not respond on occasion, while the attached keyboard continues to function normally. In other cases, the entire system seems to be frozen.

    Potential solutions:

  • A reboot of the system usually helps. If the keyboard is working, use the Windows key to open the Start menu, and use the Tab button to get to Power. Either shut down the device, give it a few minutes, and then press the power button to start, or just Restart the device from the Power options itself. If the entire system is frozen, press and hold the power button until the device shuts off, and after a few seconds, press the power button to restart the system.
  • Use the search bar and type "calibrate." Select the "calibrate the screen for touch or pen input" and check out the options available.
  • Problem #6 – Wi-Fi won't connect

    Surface Pro 4 review

    As is true for most other smartphones, tablets, or laptops out there, you may face some trouble with getting connected to a Wi-Fi network.

    Potential solutions:

  • Turn the device and the router off for at least ten seconds, then turn them back and retry the connection.
  • Download an app like "Wi-Fi Analyzer" from the Windows Store, to check how crowded your channel is, and switch to a better option.
  • Forget the Wi-Fi connection, and re-enter the details and try again. You can do so by going into Settings menu – Network & Internet – Wi-Fi – Manage Wi-Fi Settings, and at the bottom of the page is where you will find a list of known networks. Tap on the relevant name, and click on "Forget."
  • Make sure the router firmware is up to date.
  • In the Wi-Fi settings page, go to "Advanced Wi-Fi options," and make a note of your device MAC address, then make sure that it is allowed access in the router's MAC filter.
  • So there you have it for this roundup of some of the common problems faced by Microsoft Surface Pro 4 owners, and some potential solutions on how to fix them! We will continue to keep this updated, so do let us know in the comments section below if you run across any other issues.

    In the meantime, don't let these problems put you off from picking up the Surface Pro 4. In all likelihood, you won't com across any of them, and most of them can be fixed with software updates. Windows 10 is admittedly quite buggy, but Microsoft is working towards addressing all the problems, and the experience on this fantastic tablet-laptop hybrid is only bound to get better.

    Next: iPad Pro vs Surface Pro 4


    Source: 6 problems with the Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and how to fix them

    Bernie SandersĂ¢€™ Jewish Problem, and Ours

    Befitting his "revolutionary" campaign, Sen. Bernie Sanders uttered something revolutionary at the Brooklyn Democratic presidential debate in Brooklyn before his loss in the New York primary last week: He spoke up on behalf of the Palestinian people.

    "As somebody who is 100 percent pro-Israel," the Vermont socialist averred, "we are going to have to treat the Palestinian people with respect and dignity." Sanders added that Israel's response to Hamas rocket attacks in 2014 was "disproportionate," that "we are going to have to say that [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is not right all of the time," and took a swipe at his rival, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, scolding her for having "barely mentioned the Palestinians" in a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

    Within seconds, hosannas from the herd of independent minds poured forth. "Historic" declared The Huffington Post. "Bernie Sanders just shattered an American taboo on Israel," gushed Vox's Zack Beauchamp, whose knowledge of the Middle East is so voluminous as to include the imaginative, like the "bridge" connecting Gaza to the West Bank (which, naturally, Israel "limits traffic on.") "Bravo to Sanders for saying that Israel's assault on Gaza was disproportionate!" exclaimed Nicholas Kristof of the New York Times. "Truth in a campaign! Wonders never cease!"

    In reality, standing up for "Palestinians' humanity," as Beauchamp wrote, is as much a "taboo" as being in favor of healthy school lunches or cleaner air and water. To think otherwise, one would have to inhabit world where ABC, CBS, NBC, NPR, the Washington Post, the New York Times, the BBC, The Guardian, every major European broadcast network and newspaper, Vox, Salon, Slate, American academia, the United Nations, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Oxfam, and countless other media outlets and international institutions don't exist. George W. Bush, remember, was the first American president to call for the creation of a Palestinian state.

    But to a particular type of commentator, and a particular type of Jew, the relevance of Sanders' remarks lay not in what he said. Rather, it is the act of virtue-signaling—only we, the righteous Jews, as opposed to those cold-hearted tribalists, appreciate another people's suffering—that sends the proverbial thrill down the leg. Expressing approval for Sanders' supposedly heretical pabulum is simply an easy way to distinguish oneself from one's supposedly less sophisticated co-religionists.

    While Sanders' even-handedness on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is utterly banal, there is one sense in which his campaign is genuinely historic: He is the most successful Jewish presidential candidate in American history. But unlike Joe Lieberman, who was the first Jew to appear on a major party ticket in 2000, Jewishness—religious, cultural, political—is not something that Sanders likes to discuss. More often than not, it has been a source of awkward embarrassment, which he often tries to avoid by identifying himself as "Polish." In an interview last June, NPR's Diane Rehm asked Sanders to address his "dual citizenship with Israel." When Sanders informed Rehm that he is "an American citizen, period," the host protested that his name appeared on a "list" of American-Israeli dual nationals. (Rehm later apologized, though why she and her producer accepted as fact the assertions of neo-Nazis on the Internet has not been sufficiently explained.)

    Earlier this month, anti-Semitism again reared its ugly head in the form of a questioner who confronted Sanders at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. "As you know," the man asked, "the Zionist Jews—and I don't mean to offend anybody—they run the Federal Reserve, they run Wall Street, they run every campaign." Struggling to finish over the audience's loud booing (the only hopeful sign in an otherwise dispiriting moment of an already dispiriting campaign season), the man asked, "What is your affiliation to your Jewish community? That's all I'm asking."

    As my Tablet magazine colleague Yair Rosenberg noted, Sanders' answer was disappointing. Rather than use the outburst as an opportunity to rebuke blatant bigotry and leave it at that, Sanders thought it necessary to express his pro-Palestinian bona fides—so, you know, no one might think he was that kind of Jew. "Talking about Zionism and Israel," Sanders said, "I am a strong defender of Israel, but I also believe that we have got to pay attention to the needs of the Palestinian people." Of course, the questioner was not talking about the subtleties of the Middle East conflict when he alleged that "Zionist Jews" control everything from the nation's money supply to its political system. His use of "Zionist," as is so often the case when anti-Semites wish to disguise their anti-Semitism, was plainly conspiratorial.

    Bernie Sanders' campaign has illuminated the new rules that govern Jewish participation on the progressive left. One cannot simply be a Jew: One must be a Jew who loudly and proudly declaims his distance from Israel and the American Jewish "establishment" at every possible opportunity. And unlike every other member of the progressive coalition, Judaism and Jewish peoplehood must only be expressed through a universalist vision of "social justice" that emphatically proclaims that Jewish causes and rights are no more (or usually less) worthy than those of Black Lives Matter, the Palestinians, La Raza, etc., and which sees this self-abnegation as the price of entry—for Jews alone.

    Bernie Sanders' campaign has illuminated the new rules that govern Jewish participation on the progressive left. One cannot simply be a Jew: One must be a Jew who loudly and proudly declaims his distance from Israel and the American Jewish "establishment" at every possible opportunity.

    The Sanders campaign is important as a space in which the left's universalistic pretensions are coming into conflict with the particularistic concerns of Jewish nationalism—as many on the left single out Israel for opprobrium and demand that their Jewish comrades do the same. English novelist Howard Jacobson ridiculed " 'As a Jew' Jews" as those who invoke their ethnic identity solely to criticize Israel and their ethno-religious brethren. It is a species hardly unique to the Jewish tribe, but one that is certainly louder—and the recipient of more disproportionate and fawning media coverage—than any other genus of self-styled ethnic dissenter, a type that when found in other communities is generally ridiculed as an Uncle Tom or a puppet of the patriarchy.

    Sanders' snub of the bipartisan AIPAC conference (he was the only presidential candidate not to address its nearly 20,000 members) was a defining mark of this tendency. So too was its hiring of a Jewish outreach director, Simone Zimmerman, whose key qualification for the job of liaising with American Jewry was antagonizing her fellow Jews. When it was revealed that Zimmerman had attacked Clinton's AIPAC speech as "racist and orientalist," called on Hillel to provide a platform for anti-Zionists and other supporters of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, and authored an expletive-laden Facebook tirade condemning Netanyahu as an "asshole" who had "sanctioned the murder of over 2,000 people," the Sanders campaign suspended her. Rushing to Zimmerman's defense was the chameleon-like Peter Beinart (Rhodes Scholar, Marshall "declined"), who, having grown tired of being a leading liberal hawk shape-shifted into a left-wing critic of America n imperial hubris, now bears the burden of being the self-appointed conscience of American Jewry. He told the Times that Zimmerman's suspension amounted to "the American Jewish community eating its own"; Beinart elaborated that, "She cares deeply and wants to make [the Jewish community] live up to its own stated ideals." If only American Jews were as conscientious and caring as Peter Beinart and Simone Zimmerman.

    A more revealing aspect of the Sanders phenomenon concerned his notorious interview with the Daily News editorial board, in which he incorrectly asserted that 10,000 civilians had been killed in the 2014 Gaza War. After Sanders consulted with the Anti-Defamation League, his campaign revised the number down to the United Nations estimate of some 1,500 civilians (Israel maintains the number of innocents killed is substantially lower). The questioning of casualty figures, however, is beside the point, because to Sanders and his supporters, the number doesn't matter. Even five hundred or one hundred Palestinians killed by Israel in Gaza—in the midst of a racist war started by a genocidal terrorist organization—would have been "disproportionate."

    Which in turn brings up a very important point: If the numbers are irrelevant, and the need for moral outrage is not based on the quantity of the dead, then what is it based on, exactly? Why are Bernie Sanders and his Jewish surrogates not permanently outraged by the nearly half a million dead civilians in Syria? The answer, apparently, is that there exists a special kind of math in which even one dead Palestinian—killed unintentionally by Israeli forces in the midst of an ethically justified, defensive war provoked by its adversary—is proof of some horrible moral outrage committed not by the Palestinians but by Israel. Meanwhile, these selfsame critics have little or nothing to say about the incessant American drone strikes, dramatically intensified by a president they idolize, which have killed far more innocent people than the Israeli Defense Forces, never mind the atrocities committed by Russia, China, Iran, Syria, Egypt, and practically every other country on the planet.< /p>

    Last month, the Village Voice published a cover story titled, "The Heresy and Evangelism of Bernie Sanders," which explicitly put forth the sociologically accurate if hardly morally binding proposition that, to be good leftists, Jews must denounce Israel. The article's author, Jesse Alexander Myerson, correctly complained about a dichotomy of "good and bad Jews" that, for centuries, was inflicted upon Jews by the governments under which they lived. In the 20th century, "bad Jews" were socialists, who carried the virus of Bolshevism with them wherever they traveled. "Good Jews" were Zionists, directing their utopian desires abroad, to Palestine, and later, Israel. Over time, Myerson argues, Jews themselves began to internalize this form of discrimination, casting out of their own community those Jews who opposed Zionism. "The internationalism of the prewar American Jewry was supplanted by nationalism," he writes with dismay. "Our egalitarian commitment was r eplaced by exceptionalism. Our agitation against war was undermined by ceaseless colonialism in Palestine. Jews have been instructed that the cluster bombs and night patrols blanketing the Holy Land are necessary to preserve our heritage."

    To combat this unfair, externally imposed fissure, Myerson essentially argues for adopting its opposite: that is, Jews should embrace socialism and reject Zionism. And in Sanders, Myerson sees a candidate who, whatever his perfunctory laudations to Israel's right of self-defense, is an avatar of a new, post-tribal Jewish identity. Myerson's argument lacks any nuance, ignoring entirely the left-wing Zionist tradition that founded the state of Israel and exists to this day. Yet what's most revealing about Myerson's article is that only Jews are expected to give up their particularist concerns. Myerson would never contemplate asking Black Lives Matter activists to shut up and stop complaining about police brutality, or gays to stop whining about religious liberty laws. Yet that is essentially what he and other leftists are asking of Jews: put aside your concerns qua Jews, because you are standing in the way of the people's revolution. Speaking of the enduring need for a Jew ish State, drawing attention to anti-Semitic incitement on college campuses—all this is special pleading.

    This is not a new phenomenon for Jews on the left, who have always had to balance their commitment to cosmopolitan principles with their communal concerns. But it seems to be the case that the scales are tipping on the side of post-national universalism, and that it is becoming ever more exclusionary of Zionism. For many left-wing Jews, distancing oneself from Israel and the American Jewish majority has become a marker of enlightenment and urbanity not unlike the way German Jews looked down upon shtetl Ostjuden from Poland and Russia. Contemporary Western liberal Jewish criticism of Israel's "right wing drift" also has an unspoken racial component, as the vast majority of American Jews are of Ashkenazi descent while more than half of Israeli Jews are of Sephardi or Mizrahi lineage. And so the tension that long existed (and to some extent, still exists) between the old, Ashkenazi Israeli elite and the dispossessed Mizrachim is now being grafted onto the American-Israeli relat ionship—with the "good leftist" in the role of the racist Ashkenazi snobs.

    Bernie Sanders and his Jewish devotees can distance themselves from Israel and Zionism all they want. But as has always been the case, it will make no difference to the people they are trying to please, who continue to reduce them to a single factor of their identity which in their minds has attained the totalizing force of an epithet: Jew.

    ***

    Like this article? Sign up for our Daily Digest to get Tablet Magazine's new content in your inbox each morning.


    Source: Bernie Sanders' Jewish Problem, and Ours

    Sunday, April 24, 2016

    How to troubleshoot Windows update installation issues on Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and other tablets

    Are you experiencing issues while installing Surface or Windows updates on tablets such as Surface 3, Surface Pro, Pro 2, Pro 3, Pro 4 and Surface Book? During installation, the update might fail to install and you might get an error message or the device might freeze. These issues are quite common. There are a number of reasons behind the update failure; starting from incorrect date and time settings to lower battery.

    Mentioned below are a number of fixes, which will help troubleshoot the installation errors. One of the solutions is to run the Windows Update automatic troubleshooter, which resolves common update problems. If you continue to face issues, follow the steps below.

    If you have not set date and time correctly, it is highly likely that you will be encountered with Windows Update error 80072F8F while checking for updates on the Surface tablet. In some cases the update might not even install. Follow these steps to check and change the date and time settings:

  • Go to the Start menu from there Settings then Time & language
  • Change Set time automatically to Off
  • Under Change date and time, select Change, then select correct date and time according to your time zone and select Change
  • Turn Set time automatically back to On
  • Check the battery of your Surface tablet is properly charged. Make sure the Windows 10 device has at least 40% charge, before you go ahead with the installation. Note that the update might not install if the tablet does not have at least 40% charge.

    While installing the update if you experience Windows Update error 8024004Cor – if the battery of the Surface is not charged up to 40% – then remove and reinstall the battery driver.

  • Power on your Surface tablet
  • Select the searchbox in the task bar, enter device manager then select Device Manager
  • Select the arrow next to Batteries category
  • Double-click Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery and under the Driver tab, select Uninstall, finally click OK
  • Head over to the Start menu, select Power then Restart. Doing so will reinstall the battery driver
  • You may start the installation when the battery charges above 40% after reinstalling the driver.

    Restarting the Surface could also resolve issues with the installation. If the update stops and Windows does not restart, wait for about 20 minutes and then restart your device. Restarting the Surface could resolve a bunch of errors such as update error 80248007, update installation freezing for more than 20 minutes, update gets stuck at "Getting devices ready..." screen for more than 20 minutes, error message saying "Please wait while we install a system update", update history shows "pending restart" or the history says update failed. If you happen to see any of the error messages, do the following steps to restart the tablet.

  • Go to the start screen and select Power
  • Select Restart or Update and restart
  • To force shut down and restart the Surface do the following steps;
  • Press and hold the Power button on your Surface device for about 30 seconds
  • Wait until you see the Surface shuts down completely and then press the power button to turn it on again
  • When the Surface restarts, try to install the update again
  • If your Surface does not restart, then use the two-button shutdown and restart method. This process is applicable for Surface Pro and Surface Book only. Do not use this on Surface RT, Surface 2 or 3 tablets.

  • Head over to the Start and select Power then Shut down. If the Surface does not shut down normally, press and hold the Power button for about 30 seconds
  • Once the Surface turns off, press and hold the Volume up and power buttons together for about 15 seconds and then release them. The Surface logo should now appear on the screen, but continue holding the buttons for about 15 seconds
  • After releasing the buttons, wait for about 10 seconds
  • Press and release the power button again to turn on the Surface tablet
  • The above resolutions should fix the update problems on your Surface. In case the problem still exists, head over to Microsoft support site for help.


    Source: How to troubleshoot Windows update installation issues on Surface Pro 4, Surface Book and other tablets

    Saturday, April 23, 2016

    8 Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them

    Microsoft launched its Windows 10 upgrade nearly a year ago, bringing with it all sorts of changes and feature additions. There's a dedicated Tablet Mode for users who have touchscreens and want to interact with their apps and games more naturally. For regular PCs without touch, there's the Windows Store stuffed with apps that they can download and run alongside programs like iTunes. Windows 10 is a seriously robust update, almost nothing has gone unchanged.

    In the week since launch we've started to see and hear about more Windows 10 problems. Unlike the problems we saw last week, these issues aren't necessarily related to installing Windows 10. Instead, they're related to everyday use of Windows 10.

    new Windows 10 Problems (10)

    Read: 7 Windows 10 Upgrade Problems & How to Fix Them

    Here are some common Windows 10 problems we're hearing about from Windows 10 users right now and how to fix them.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Turn Tablet Mode On & Off

    If you have a Windows 2-in-1, you can find yourself dumped into the Desktop after the free Windows 10 upgrade finishes installing. That's not really normal as Windows 10 should notice there isn't a keyboard connected to your 2-in-1 and turn on Tablet Mode.

    new Windows 10 Problems (6)

    If you find yourself in the Desktop, but you're using touch, place your finger on the right edge of your display and slide it to the left to reveal the Acton Center. There's a button for opening the Action Center in your Taskbar too that looks like a message bubble. At the bottom of the Action Center turn Tablet Mode on.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – Open the On-Screen Keyboard Outside of Tablet Mode

    new Windows 10 Problems (11)

    Outside of Tablet Mode, Windows no longer opens the on-screen keyboard automatically. Unfortunately, there's no way to get the keyboard to react like it did in Windows 8 outside of Tablet Mode. You can manually open the keyboard though. Simply tap on the keyboard icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Check the Windows Store for Updated Apps

    If you're upgrading from Windows 7, the Windows Store is new and so are its apps. Click or tap on the Store Live Tile and explore it for new apps. If you're upgrading from Windows 8.1, you may have already installed Windows Store apps.

    With tons of changes and better support for mouse and keyboard users, old Windows Store apps do work in Windows 10, but not exceptionally well. To get the latest versions of your favorite apps you should check the Windows Store for updates.

    Click or tap on the Store icon, it looks like a white shopping bag. By default Microsoft has it pinned to the Taskbar. It's also in the Start Menu/Start Screen.

    Tap or click on the circular icon in the top-right corner of the Windows Store beside the search bar and select Downloads from the list.

    new-Windows-10-Problems-2-720x480

    Now click or tap on Check for Updates.

    new Windows 10 Problems (3)

    If you find yourself having to do this on a regular basis, your Windows 10 PC may have a problem. By default the Windows Store downloads app updates in the background, meaning you shouldn't need to check for updates unless there's an app update you want as soon as you hear about it or you've turned automatic updates off.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Record Video Games

    Windows 10 has Xbox Live integration included. Through the Xbox app users can track their Gamerscore chat with other PC games and capture screenshots and more to share over Xbox Live. It's that last feature that some people are having issues with.

    To take a picture or record video from a game open the title you'd like to record from. Windows 10 should automatically detect games, but if it doesn't, press the Windows Key on your keyboard and the G key at the same time. Now select what you'd like to do from the Gamesbar that appears in the bottom-middle area of your screen. If your device is robust enough you can record video, all Windows 10 users should be able to take screenshots.

    new Windows 10 Problems (5)

    Remember that only media recorded from games downloaded from the Windows Store can be uploaded to Xbox Live for sharing directly through the Xbox app.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Turn Off Notifications

    Windows 8 introduced notifications and Windows 10 makes bearable. The Action Center gives users one place to check their pending notifications. The Settings app gives users granular control over which of their apps sends alerts.

    Open the Action Center and tap on Quiet Hours to silence all notifications regardless of whatever app they're coming from.

    new Windows 10 Problems (6)

    Click on All Settings, then System, then Notifications & Actions to analyze which apps have permissions to send you notifications.

    new Windows 10 Problems (7)

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Remove the Search Bar

    Microsoft integrated a Search area directly into the Windows 10 Taskbar. Besides offering integrated Bing searches, the Search bar holds the Cortana personal assistant.

    Read: How to Use Cortana in Windows 10

    You should at least try the feature, but if you prefer Google to Bing and have no plans to use Cortana, don't put up with the clutter. Remove the search bar by right-clicking on it if you have a mouse or tap and hold your finger on it if you have touch.

    new Windows 10 Problems (9)

    Select Hidden from the Cortana menu.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Clean Install Windows After Upgrading

    Many are recommending that you do a completely clean install of Windows 10 if you're having issues after the upgrade. Clean installs remove everything from your old installation – apps and all – so they're really a measure of last resort.

    Remember to back up everything app and program on your PC that you'd like to keep before resorting to this.

    Go to the Settings app and open Update & Recovery. Now open Recovery. Tap or click on the Get Started button near the Reset This PC option.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – Live Tiles Are Gone

    new Windows 10 Problems (10)

    When you're upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1, you may notice that all of your Live Tiles are gone. Unfortunately, this seems to be happening by design. There's no way to get your Live Tile layout back. You'll need to pin all of your favorite apps to the Start Menu/Start Screen again.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Adding Icons Back to the Desktop

    Windows 10 Problems (4)

    In Windows 10, lots of the icons that you're probably familiar with are missing. Microsoft has placed shortcuts on accessing Music, Video, Settings and more directly on the Start Screen instead. Don't fret though, you can bring these shortcuts back to your Desktop pretty easily.

    Go to the Desktop and right-click anywhere that there isn't an icon.

    Now tap or click on Personalize.

    Next tap or click on Themes from the menu on the left of the Settings app.

    Tap or click on the Desktop Icon settings in the menu.

    Now select which icons you'd like to add back to the Desktop and hit Ok.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Removing Adds from Start

    Windows 10 Problems (3)

    Microsoft is heavily promoting the Windows Store in Windows 10 with direct links to things the company thinks users will find interesting. These links sit in the Start area with links to your most used apps. You can turn these links off, thankfully.

    Go the the Settings app.

    Now tap or click on Personalization.

    Tap or click on Start.

    Now flip the switch beside "Occasionally show suggestions in Start."

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Turning Off Automatic App Updates

    To give you better control of what's happen on your device in the background, Microsoft now lets users stop automatic updates of apps from the Windows Store.

    Open the Store app.

    Tap or click on the User Account picture just beside the search box on the right side of the Store app.

    Select Settings from the drop-down menu.

    Flip the switch beside "Update apps automatically."

    From this point on, you'll need to manually update any apps that you've downloaded from the Windows Store.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Getting Back to Internet Explorer

    Windows 10 Problems (1)

    Microsoft may have removed any links to its old Internet Explorer browser, but that doesn't mean you can't access it at all. It's the only browser that's tested to work with some of the most important websites on the web. To find it, tap or click on the search bar within the Taskbar.

    Now type Internet Explorer and click on the shortcut in the pop-up menu.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Finding Replacement Apps

    How to turn off spell check in Windows 10 (1)

    At this point, Windows 10's app store is certainly better than the app store from Windows 8.1. At least, it's more organized. For Windows 10 to be truly successful, Microsoft will need to attract more app makers to its cause.

    If there's an app that you want that isn't available yet, go ahead and look around the Store for replacement apps made by third-party developers. There are replacements for Reddit, Twitter, Google Hangouts and YouTube.

    Read: 14 Windows 10 Apps: Alternatives for Gmail, YouTube & more

    Good luck with Windows 10.


    Source: 8 Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them

    Google beefs up security for Android OS but only 4% of users can get it

    Right now, there's only a small percentage of Android users who are running the latest (and most secure) operating system for their phones and tablets. And it's not their fault, actually. The problem lies with the developers of the OS, and the manufacturers and carriers of Android devices.

    According to a recent report by Google, around 70% of Android devices are running versions of KitKat that go as far back as KitKat 4.4. And that's critical because KitKat happens to be the last version of the operating system that Google still develops security updates for.

    What's shocking is that only 4.6% of Android users are using Android 6 Marshmallow, which is the only operating system that currently offers full-disk encryption and special app permissions that allow users to determine what information is shared with each app they download.

    At first, that might not sound all that alarming. But when you compare that to Apple - Android's largest competitor - 84% of Apple users have upgraded to the most current version of iOS 9.

    The problem is that there are so many versions of Android's operating systems out there, and that manufacturers and carriers of Android devices are able to choose which of those versions they'd like to develop their products around. In most cases, these manufacturers and carriers move on from other versions of the OS, and discontinue sending regular security patches to end users of the devices.

    If you have the most current version of Android 6 Marshmallow, getting the latest security patch should be easy. The latest changes should be pushed out to you during the regular updates provided by your carrier. But, if you don't have the most recent version of Marshmallow, you'll need to take alternative steps for securing your device. Read this article to learn six ways to secure your smartphone or tablet.

    More news you need to know about:

    Coming Soon: A smartphone battery that will never die

    Warning! This mutating ransomware attacks your Windows PC

    Apple's new Mac will blow your socks off - We've got all the specs

    Previous Happening Now Top Story: This Adobe Flash security hole doesn't have an easy fix - here's what to do

    Random Happening Now Warning: New virus targets smartphones


    Source: Google beefs up security for Android OS but only 4% of users can get it

    Friday, April 22, 2016

    8 Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them

    Microsoft launched its Windows 10 upgrade nearly a year ago, bringing with it all sorts of changes and feature additions. There's a dedicated Tablet Mode for users who have touchscreens and want to interact with their apps and games more naturally. For regular PCs without touch, there's the Windows Store stuffed with apps that they can download and run alongside programs like iTunes. Windows 10 is a seriously robust update, almost nothing has gone unchanged.

    In the week since launch we've started to see and hear about more Windows 10 problems. Unlike the problems we saw last week, these issues aren't necessarily related to installing Windows 10. Instead, they're related to everyday use of Windows 10.

    new Windows 10 Problems (10)

    Read: 7 Windows 10 Upgrade Problems & How to Fix Them

    Here are some common Windows 10 problems we're hearing about from Windows 10 users right now and how to fix them.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Turn Tablet Mode On & Off

    If you have a Windows 2-in-1, you can find yourself dumped into the Desktop after the free Windows 10 upgrade finishes installing. That's not really normal as Windows 10 should notice there isn't a keyboard connected to your 2-in-1 and turn on Tablet Mode.

    new Windows 10 Problems (6)

    If you find yourself in the Desktop, but you're using touch, place your finger on the right edge of your display and slide it to the left to reveal the Acton Center. There's a button for opening the Action Center in your Taskbar too that looks like a message bubble. At the bottom of the Action Center turn Tablet Mode on.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – Open the On-Screen Keyboard Outside of Tablet Mode

    new Windows 10 Problems (11)

    Outside of Tablet Mode, Windows no longer opens the on-screen keyboard automatically. Unfortunately, there's no way to get the keyboard to react like it did in Windows 8 outside of Tablet Mode. You can manually open the keyboard though. Simply tap on the keyboard icon in the bottom-right corner of your screen.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Check the Windows Store for Updated Apps

    If you're upgrading from Windows 7, the Windows Store is new and so are its apps. Click or tap on the Store Live Tile and explore it for new apps. If you're upgrading from Windows 8.1, you may have already installed Windows Store apps.

    With tons of changes and better support for mouse and keyboard users, old Windows Store apps do work in Windows 10, but not exceptionally well. To get the latest versions of your favorite apps you should check the Windows Store for updates.

    Click or tap on the Store icon, it looks like a white shopping bag. By default Microsoft has it pinned to the Taskbar. It's also in the Start Menu/Start Screen.

    Tap or click on the circular icon in the top-right corner of the Windows Store beside the search bar and select Downloads from the list.

    new-Windows-10-Problems-2-720x480

    Now click or tap on Check for Updates.

    new Windows 10 Problems (3)

    If you find yourself having to do this on a regular basis, your Windows 10 PC may have a problem. By default the Windows Store downloads app updates in the background, meaning you shouldn't need to check for updates unless there's an app update you want as soon as you hear about it or you've turned automatic updates off.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Record Video Games

    Windows 10 has Xbox Live integration included. Through the Xbox app users can track their Gamerscore chat with other PC games and capture screenshots and more to share over Xbox Live. It's that last feature that some people are having issues with.

    To take a picture or record video from a game open the title you'd like to record from. Windows 10 should automatically detect games, but if it doesn't, press the Windows Key on your keyboard and the G key at the same time. Now select what you'd like to do from the Gamesbar that appears in the bottom-middle area of your screen. If your device is robust enough you can record video, all Windows 10 users should be able to take screenshots.

    new Windows 10 Problems (5)

    Remember that only media recorded from games downloaded from the Windows Store can be uploaded to Xbox Live for sharing directly through the Xbox app.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Turn Off Notifications

    Windows 8 introduced notifications and Windows 10 makes bearable. The Action Center gives users one place to check their pending notifications. The Settings app gives users granular control over which of their apps sends alerts.

    Open the Action Center and tap on Quiet Hours to silence all notifications regardless of whatever app they're coming from.

    new Windows 10 Problems (6)

    Click on All Settings, then System, then Notifications & Actions to analyze which apps have permissions to send you notifications.

    new Windows 10 Problems (7)

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Remove the Search Bar

    Microsoft integrated a Search area directly into the Windows 10 Taskbar. Besides offering integrated Bing searches, the Search bar holds the Cortana personal assistant.

    Read: How to Use Cortana in Windows 10

    You should at least try the feature, but if you prefer Google to Bing and have no plans to use Cortana, don't put up with the clutter. Remove the search bar by right-clicking on it if you have a mouse or tap and hold your finger on it if you have touch.

    new Windows 10 Problems (9)

    Select Hidden from the Cortana menu.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – How to Clean Install Windows After Upgrading

    Many are recommending that you do a completely clean install of Windows 10 if you're having issues after the upgrade. Clean installs remove everything from your old installation – apps and all – so they're really a measure of last resort.

    Remember to back up everything app and program on your PC that you'd like to keep before resorting to this.

    Go to the Settings app and open Update & Recovery. Now open Recovery. Tap or click on the Get Started button near the Reset This PC option.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them – Live Tiles Are Gone

    new Windows 10 Problems (10)

    When you're upgrading to Windows 10 from Windows 8.1, you may notice that all of your Live Tiles are gone. Unfortunately, this seems to be happening by design. There's no way to get your Live Tile layout back. You'll need to pin all of your favorite apps to the Start Menu/Start Screen again.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Adding Icons Back to the Desktop

    Windows 10 Problems (4)

    In Windows 10, lots of the icons that you're probably familiar with are missing. Microsoft has placed shortcuts on accessing Music, Video, Settings and more directly on the Start Screen instead. Don't fret though, you can bring these shortcuts back to your Desktop pretty easily.

    Go to the Desktop and right-click anywhere that there isn't an icon.

    Now tap or click on Personalize.

    Next tap or click on Themes from the menu on the left of the Settings app.

    Tap or click on the Desktop Icon settings in the menu.

    Now select which icons you'd like to add back to the Desktop and hit Ok.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Removing Adds from Start

    Windows 10 Problems (3)

    Microsoft is heavily promoting the Windows Store in Windows 10 with direct links to things the company thinks users will find interesting. These links sit in the Start area with links to your most used apps. You can turn these links off, thankfully.

    Go the the Settings app.

    Now tap or click on Personalization.

    Tap or click on Start.

    Now flip the switch beside "Occasionally show suggestions in Start."

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Turning Off Automatic App Updates

    To give you better control of what's happen on your device in the background, Microsoft now lets users stop automatic updates of apps from the Windows Store.

    Open the Store app.

    Tap or click on the User Account picture just beside the search box on the right side of the Store app.

    Select Settings from the drop-down menu.

    Flip the switch beside "Update apps automatically."

    From this point on, you'll need to manually update any apps that you've downloaded from the Windows Store.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Getting Back to Internet Explorer

    Windows 10 Problems (1)

    Microsoft may have removed any links to its old Internet Explorer browser, but that doesn't mean you can't access it at all. It's the only browser that's tested to work with some of the most important websites on the web. To find it, tap or click on the search bar within the Taskbar.

    Now type Internet Explorer and click on the shortcut in the pop-up menu.

    Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them: Finding Replacement Apps

    How to turn off spell check in Windows 10 (1)

    At this point, Windows 10's app store is certainly better than the app store from Windows 8.1. At least, it's more organized. For Windows 10 to be truly successful, Microsoft will need to attract more app makers to its cause.

    If there's an app that you want that isn't available yet, go ahead and look around the Store for replacement apps made by third-party developers. There are replacements for Reddit, Twitter, Google Hangouts and YouTube.

    Read: 14 Windows 10 Apps: Alternatives for Gmail, YouTube & more

    Good luck with Windows 10.


    Source: 8 Real Windows 10 Problems & How to Fix Them