allheart55 Cindy E

The Evolution of Windows Icons As the Windows operating system has evolved, so too have many of its icons. As Windows 7 comes on to the scene with new user interface features, I recently began looking back at the changes in the icons that we all click on every day. While I discovered that many icons have changed with each new version of Windows, I also discovered that many stayed the same over several different versions. In this gallery, I’ll take a look at some of the Windows icons that have evolved over the years. Keep in mind that rather than show every icon for each version, I’ll only show an icon when it changes. For example, the Calculator icon changed slightly from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95, but then remained the same until Windows XP. As such, I won’t include the Calculator icons for Windows 98 thru Windows ME. Likewise, if the Windows 7 icon is the same as the Windows Vista icon, I’ll only show the Vista icon. Source : http://www.techrepublic.com/pictures/the-evolution-of-windows-icons/1/

I agree, it is a handy little tool.

I don't believe that I get that anymore. At least I haven't seen it in a while.

iOS/Web: When you can't get to a web site, you can check if it's down for everyone. If it's a web service like Facebook or an ISP, Downdetector gives you a status report. This information saves you time waiting on hold, thinking it's something with your computer or Internet connection. If it's a reported outage on Downdetector, there's no point in calling tech support. A big outage might also explain why you have long hold times on tech support. Downdetector Source : http://lifehacker.com/downdetector-tells-you-if-a-web-service-or-isp-is-havin-1685045727

Microsoft is planning to distribute future Windows 10 updates using a peer-to-peer (P2P) protocol. While Microsoft has traditionally uses Windows Update to deliver OS and some application updates from a single source, the latest leaked build of Windows 10 reveals that the company is moving towards P2P. A new option allows Windows 10 users to enable "updates from more than one place," with the ability to download apps and OS updates from multiple sources to obtain them more quickly. Crowdsourcing updates Apps and OS updates can be downloaded from Microsoft and PCs on a local network, or a combination of local PCs, internet PCs, and Microsoft’s traditional Windows Update servers. It’s no surprise that Microsoft is moving towards this distribution model. The software maker acquired Pando Networks in 2013, the maker of a peer-to-peer file sharing technology that’s similar to BitTorrent. It’s not clear what technology Microsoft is using for its Windows 10 testing, but it’s reasonable to expect it has evolved from the Pando Networks acquisition. Microsoft has not yet officially announced its P2P plans, but the company is planning to release an official Windows 10 preview shortly that will likely include the new changes. While Microsoft’s changes could prompt security concerns over the validity of OS updates, it’s likely that the company has built in methods to prevent tampering and a means to verify update packages before they’re applied to Windows 10 systems. Source : http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/15/8218215/microsoft-windows-10-updates-p2p

Are you having the same problem if you try using a different browser, N3?

Earlier today we shared some leaked screenshots from build 10036 of the Windows 10 Technical Preview but now the folks over at WinBeta have published a 6 1/2 minute video showing off many of the changes in this build. If you are like me then seeing actual use and action makes it much easier to understand. Some of those changes that are detailed in the video include: - Updated Task View interface and new features including the numbering of the virtual desktops, the ability to drag open programs from one desktop to another and only open apps for each desktop are shown on the corresponding taskbar as open unlike in build 9926 however, this can be set back to the 9926 behavior if you want it - Transparency on Start Menu - No icons on Places locations at the top of the menu - Drop down menus from folders on the All Apps list - Windows Defender settings now in the PC Settings app - New WiFi flyout instead of being sent to the Network area of PC Settings to connect to a WiFi network including entering the network key - Windows Insiders can track feedback, missions completed and usage stats in the Insiders Hub Like I said earlier, the video is a great way to see these changes and personally it gets me excited about what is coming in the next build. So what do you think of the changes shown off in the video? Source : http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/windows-10-build-10036-changes-detailed-new-video

Thanks, Pete. Excellent read. I use Major Geeks frequently. I also always try and use the manufacturer's web site when at all possible.

You've got that right. I think it's awful.

Following the death of their young daughter, an Illinois family couldn’t bear the thought of following through with a long-planned spring break trip, so they asked American Airlines to refund the ticket purchased in their daughter’s name. While airlines have varying policies regarding refunds and deaths, the family says they were shocked when the airline refused the refund. NBC Chicago reports that the family applied for a refund through the airline’s online system after deciding that the planned vacation would be too painful just five months after their daughter’s death. But the family’s grief turned to disbelief earlier this week when American Airlines sent a fairly unsympathetic letter denying the refund request, saying the appeal didn’t meet the company’s exception requirements for non-refundable tickets. “On behalf of American Airlines, please accept our sincere condolences,” the letter states. “After reviewing the documentation submitted, it has been determined the request does not meet our exception requirements. The ticket purchased is non-refundable so we cannot offer a refund, issue a travel voucher, or transfer this ticket to another person." "The ticket will remain valid in our system for one year from the original date of issue, at which time it will expire and all value will be lost. The unused non-refundable ticket may be applied to future travel within that year as long as all travel is completed prior to the expiration date. As a one-time courtesy, authorization was documented in your reservation to waive the change fee assessed when a non-refundable ticket is changed. When you are ready to rebook your travel, just call our Reservations Center at 1-800-433-7300 and refer the agent to the ticket number mentioned above. Your new ticket will be subject to any additional collection, if necessary, as governed by the applicable fares and fare rules in effect at that time.” Like with other airlines, American has final discretion when it comes to reimbursing tickets for extenuating circumstances. However, the airline’s policy outlines several exceptions that qualify for repayment of ticket prices, including the “death of the passenger, immediate family member, or traveling companion.” Shortly after receiving the letter, the young girl’s mother posted the story on social media, where it received hundreds of comments, including one on Twitter from the airline. NBC Chicago reports that late Tuesday the family received a bit of good news when American Airlines backtracked on their previous stance and refunded the ticket. “We extend our deepest sympathies to the Cantrell family on the loss of their daughter,” a spokesperson tells NBC Chicago. “We fully refunded [her] ticket last night and apologized to [the family] for not doing so immediately when she first contacted us.” Despite the airline’s apology, the ordeal seems to have certainly colored the family’s impression of the company. “I know that I would never write this to someone,” the family’s 13-year-old daughter tells NBC Chicago. “I don’t know how someone could send this to another family. I would never want to be treated that way and I would hope no one would ever treat anyone else that way.” Airline Refused to Refund Ticket After Daughter’s Death, Family Says [NBC Chicago]

According to the article most of the marriages are arranged, anyway.

Although we do not know when the next build of the Windows 10 Technical Preview is due to be delivered for Windows Insiders the usual leaks of later builds continue thanks to Windows screenshot leaker Wzor. In this set of screenshots you can see what is happening in build 10036 of Windows 10. The speculation by many is that this could be the next build to make it onto the machines of Windows Insiders through the Fast ring but there is no way to be 100% positive that will be the case. All is quiet on the Microsoft front so far this morning. Of note in these screenshots: - transparent Start Menu in both small and full screen versions and some small UI tweaks on the various screens. - conspicuously absent from any of the screenshots is any evidence of Project Spartan which is expected in the next build of Windows 10. Source : http://winsupersite.com/windows-10/gallery-windows-10-build-10036-screenshots#slide-0-field_images-50921

There’s a reason advertisers love Google so much. The company is better than any other when it comes to collecting information about you, its users, and then using that information to serve targeted advertisements on the websites you visit. In Google’s case, the trade-off is that you get to use all of its amazing software and all of its great services for free — how evil! Of course, Google isn’t the only company that uses your browsing history and other private data to sell ads. We now spend a tremendous amount of time on our smartphones, and this makes mobile the new frontier for data collection. After all, the things we do on our phones often paint a much better picture of our wants and needs for advertisers. As a result, all major smartphone platforms including Android, iPhone and more have ways of tracking what we do and using that info for advertisers. Thankfully, it’s relatively easy to opt out of much of the ad tracking that goes on behind the scenes, and we’re going to tell you exactly what you need to do. iPhone and iPad Open the Settings app Scroll down and tap Privacy Scroll to the bottom and tap Advertising Next to Limit Ad Tracking, slide the toggle to the right to enable this feature Underneath the Limit Ad Tracking option, tap Reset Advertising Identifier… and then tap Reset Identifier on the pop-up (this will sever any ties between your device and any profiles you may already have with advertisers) Android Open the Google Settings app in your app drawer (not Android’s main Settings app) Tap Opt out of interest-based ads and confirm Tap Reset advertising ID Windows Phone Unlike iOS and Android devices, the easiest way to opt out of ad tracking on Windows Phone devices is to visit this page from your computer: http://choice.microsoft.com/en-US/opt-out Make sure you’re signed into your Microsoft account and then in the second box labeled “Personalized ads wherever I use my Microsoft account,” click the Off option. Source : https://www.yahoo.com/tech/s/stop-cell-phone-companies-secretly-selling-advertisers-132620831.html

I've had the beta Cortana on my Windows phone for a few months now. I really like it.

I had four numbers calling me constantly sometimes up to 8 times a day. There was never anyone on the other line when I would answer. I finally had T-Mobile block all four numbers but first I had to prove what an annoyance they were.

Even though millions of Americans are on the federal Do Not Call list to limit unwanted telemarketing calls, and even though it’s illegal for anyone to make a commercial prerecorded robocall to a consumer who hasn’t given their express consent to receive such calls, the problem persists and is getting worse, with no cure-all solution in the offing. During a panel discussion on robocalling this morning at the Consumer Federation of America’s Consumer Assembly in D.C., the Federal Trade Commission’s Lois Greisman explained that the number of telemarketing complaints has been “skyrocketing” in recent years, with the FTC receiving anywhere from 250,000 to 300,000 complaints per month, with robocalls responsible for around 60% of those complaints. “If this were a disease, it would be an epidemic,” noted panel moderator Susan Grant, Director of Consumer Protection for the CFA. Our Consumers Union colleague Delara Derakhshani pointed out that many robocalls go beyond mere annoyances, with the callers pitching questionable products and services. The technological developments that have brought down the cost of making a phone call for consumers has had the unfortunate effect of lowering the bar for entry into telemarketing, said Greisman. Kevin Rupy of phone industry trade group USTelecom echoed that sentiment, saying that while the connection of the Internet to the phone networks has allowed for great telecom competition through VoIP services, it’s also made it much easier for robocallers to flood your phone with unwanted calls. And the ability of telemarketers to easily spoof caller ID information to hide their phone number makes it difficult for regulators and law enforcement to track down the source. Kristi Thompson of the FCC explained that it can take her anywhere from five to ten subpoenas to trace a single robocall back to its origin — and that’s only if the information is still there. With AT&T alone processing 3 billion phone records each day, phone service providers can’t be expected to hold on to all their records indefinitely. Thompson says that if she hits a point in the subpoena daisy chain where the data has been deleted, “I’m sunk.” Putting aside technological reasons for the continued growth of these annoying calls, Aaron Foss, whose Nomorobo call-blocking service won the FTC’s first robocall-related competition, summed up robocallers’ real motive. “The reason robocalls are still made is because they work,” explained Foss. “They’re getting money. They’re usually scams, taking advantage of older people.” Could the telecom industry do more to keep robocalls from reaching consumers? Rupy pointed out that there are options for consumers, like Verizon’s Do Not Disturb feature that allows you to block all incoming calls except for certain whitelisted numbers. But as Foss noted, this sort of service may prevent you from receiving legitimate calls that aren’t on that list, and wanted to know why it’s being left to consumers to solve this issue. “The onus right now is on the consumer to navigate these complex problems,” added Derakhshani. “The options are limited in their capability to block calls and they cost money. Consumers are being forced to pay for tools to block calls they shouldn’t be receiving in the first place.” Rupy countered that the problem with widespread deployment of a robocall-blocking technology is that too many legitimate calls would get flagged incorrectly. He pointed to one study showing that 2% of blacklisted numbers are actually false positives. Applied to that 3 billion AT&T calls per day, you’re looking at 60 million erroneously blocked calls each day. “I’m not knocking on the solutions,” explained Rupy, “I’m saying we need to take a multi-pronged approach. There have to be numerous tools in the basket.” He said that the telecom industry is working on ways to make caller ID more secure so that consumers can be certain the number that pops up is accurate. However, caller ID spoofing is not illegal and has legitimate uses — for example, victims of abuse trying to hide their identity — that prevent the government from outlawing it outright. Source : http://consumerist.com/2015/03/12/why-do-robocalls-continue-in-an-age-of-do-not-call-and-strict-telemarketing-rules/

Microsoft is planning to bring its Cortana digital assistant to iOS and Android as a standalone app. While the software maker has previously confirmed Cortana would come to additional operating systems, Reuters reports that the standalone app will be available on phones and tablets running iOS and Android. Microsoft is currently building Cortana into Windows 10, which is set to debut later this year, and it’s likely that the digital assistant will make its way on to Android and iOS alongside its PC expansion. Microsoft is working on a new version of Cortana for later this year In an interview with Reuters, Microsoft’s Eric Horvitz, managing director of Microsoft Research, reveals that the company is planning a bigger roll out of Cortana later this year. "This kind of technology, which can read and understand email, will play a central role in the next roll out of Cortana, which we are working on now for the fall time frame," says Horvitz. Microsoft is currently developing a more advanced version of Cortana, codenamed project Einstein, that pulls data from artificial intelligence. While there’s not many details on Einstein from Reuters’ report, it appears to be an effort to improve the awareness of Cortana and its ability to automate even more tasks. Microsoft’s move to bring Cortana to iOS and Android won’t surprise many. The software maker has consistently shown that it’s willing to bring its best Windows features to rival platforms in an overall effort to improve its services and apps. While Cortana is a standout feature for Windows Phone, and soon Windows 10, the small amount of consumers using it won’t help Microsoft’s goal of improving its digital assistant with machine learning techniques and bringing its services and apps to all smartphone and tablet owners. It’s a natural part of Microsoft’s continued transformation to return to its software roots with its apps and services running on every device. Source : http://www.theverge.com/2015/3/13/8207361/microsoft-cortana-ios-android

We're actually already having video conversations right now. My son calls me every day at lunchtime so that he can "Facetime" with his 3 year old and 6 month old daughters. :thumbsup:

Hi Lina, I am so happy that you are finally here. Words cannot express! Welcome, welcome, welcome! You're going to like it here, I promise.

I don't know how I feel about this. I have to question, how old were the children? Where in the world do the parents keep their credit or debit cards that the kids were able to so easily access them. Yesterday, my three year old granddaughter used the TV remote and somehow managed to order a high def movie. She didn't rent it, she purchased it. (You don't need a credit card for this.) I blame myself for not having parental controls on the remote.