Windows 10 For FREE

You may have noticed a new small white icon that recently appeared in the bottom right corner of your computer.  If you click on this icon it will allow you to reserve your FREE Windows 10 upgrade. 

Microsoft announced this week that Windows 10 will be available to upgrade computers or tablets that currently have Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 on July 29^th of this year.

If you have Windows 7 you will find Windows 10 very familiar.  It provides you with better security, access to the Windows store apps and a new browser (Microsoft Edge).  Both Windows 7 and Windows 8 users will love having a new personal assistant named Cortana. 

So, reserve now.

Microsoft Office Available for free on Android and iOS.

Microsoft has now released a touch oriented FREE, for personal use, version of office,  for both the iPad and Android tablets.

For most of this winter, I have been recommending various Microsoft Office compatible alternatives for our Android and iOS users.  Hancom Office and Kingsoft (WPS) Office are among the variety of solutions to allow tablet users to create and use Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files.  You will have to download each app, Word, Excel and PowerPoint individually. 

If you are accessing this sight from your iPad you can get it here:

                 Word for iPad   

                 Excel for iPad

                 PowerPoint for iPad

                                                                               

From your Android tablet you can get it here:
                Word for Android
                Excel for Android
                PowerPoint for Android

Fixing your browser problems

Many of the folks I talk to and that have attended my classes complain about their Browser being stolen and their home page being changed.  They seen unable to deal with the problem.  Thanks to Google, if you use Google Chrome you can now easily fix this.  Does this sound familiar?

If so. go to this link,  Block Popups and unwanted changes to Chrome setting

Download the Software Removal Tool.  This should fix any problems you have with Google Chrome.

Chromecast - Casting your entire screen from a PC

During our Monday class I was asked if you can show a presentation on the screen using Chromecast.

The answer is yes and you can do much more as well.  Share a spreadsheet or document or just demo any Winodws application.  You do this by letting Google Chrome cast your entire screen, not just the browser window.

As promised, I am posting instructions on how to cast your entire screen from your PC to the Chromecast connected to your TV.

First, you have to launch Google Chrome.  If you don't see the Chromecast Extension Icon on the top right of the Chrome browser
This is what it looks like: If is is not there then:


 You must get the "Google Cast" extension by clicking on the 3 Bars Icon at the top right corner.

Select "Settings."  then click on "Extensions" and "Get more extensions" at the bottom of the screen. You will now have to search for "Google Cast" and install it.  You will see it downloading on the bottom left of the browser window.  When it completes the download double click on it and let it install.  You should now see the Chromecast icon in the top right corner of the Google Chrome browser.

Once the Casting Icon is there you can cast your entire PC screen, not just your browser.  Casting the Entire screen is a little tricky and not that obvious.

1.  Click on the Chromecast Icon and select the almost invisible "+" sign

2.  Now choose "Cast screen/window (experimental)"  

Now minimize your browser and run any application you like.

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 - Managing Disk Space

The Yoga Tablet 2 comes with 32GB of internal storage which was one of the biggest  concerns when I first purchased it.  The Micro SD slot would allow an additional 64GB of space but not for programs or apps.

When I purchased the tablet the available space after the Windows 8.1 was 20.7GB. I then installed driver updates from Lenovo and Windows 8.1 updates.  That left 18.4GB.

I then proceeded to install:
     1  Google Chrome, Chromecast - with apps, and Google Drive.  Chromecast, Miracast and DLNA all work beautifully.
     2.  WD MyCloud - we have our own cloud storage
     3.  Kingsoft Office - This is MS Office compatible but free and not as touch friendly.  The Yoga Tablet 2 comes with a free 1 year subscription of MS Office.  I chose not to use it.
     4.  Quicken 2015 - I can't get along without this.

So here is where we are - 14.9GB

I don't plan to put any data on C: - I moved that all off to the Micro SD - Documents, Pictures, Music and Videos and Downloads.  So  far, this is working very well.

I also set up a Homegroup to allow the easy transfer of data between our computers.

Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 - Initial Review

As I previously blogged, I purchased a Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 about 2 weeks ago and since, I have had the opportunity to really get into it.

The Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2 comes with 2GBs of Memory and only 32GBs of storage (the C: Drive.  I also has a Micro SD slot for up to another 64GB.  The entire specs can be found here: Lenovo Yoga Tablet 2

Starting off, when I first signed in to Windows 8.1 on the tablet, Microsoft downloaded all the store apps from my laptop.  Well, not really, they downloaded the app tile and when you click on it it will download the app. But it populated my Start Screen with the apps I use most.  Sweet!

I really like the touch and feel but was concerned that I wouldn't be able to do much with 32GB of storage.  I was pleasantly surprised when I complete installing the things I needed.  More about that later.

The fist thing I did was to check for updates at Lenovo Support site.  After commecting the Bluetooth keyboard, I downloaded and installed the BIOS update and all the new drivers.  Then I quick tried the camera - press the button and 2 seconds later you have a blurry picture but I didn't purchase it for the camera.

Next came the Micro SD Card.  I know it was outside the spec but I had purchased a 128GB Micro SD card from Amazon for $17. When I put it into the SD slot it appeared to work until I started copying files to it.  I copied a few movies.  Some were able to play and others just didn't work.  The format (MP4) seemed to change.  Now, I know you're thinking $17 for a Micro SD and you might be right but it also might be that it's specs show only 64GB is supported.  I put in a 32GB and so far it is working great.

That's it for now but more to come.

A New Lenovo Tablet 2

Yesterday, I was at a BestBuy in Springhill here in Florida.  I went to purchase a new Chromecast.  I wanted to use it to run a class here in Rock Crusher.  After picking it up I thought I’d stop by and look at the Windows Tablets.  I already have a Blackberry, 2 Android Tablets and an iPad but I thought I’d look anyway.

I took a look at pretty much all of them when I ran into this 10.1” Yoga Tablet 2.  This thing only has 2GB of memory and a 32GB eMMC  but it has an SD card slot and a quad cord Intel Atom processor.  It also comes with a matching magnetic Bluetooth keyboard/case and Windows 8.1.

It was very responsive and the only thing that concerned me was that it only had a 32GB eMMC.  The keyboard felt great to type on and the system was very responsive.  That surprised me because I was led to believe that the Atom processor was slow.

After about 15 minutes playing with it and at what looked like a great price - $370;  I couldn't resist – I bought it.

When I got it home I unpacked it and I have to say, Lenovo has great packaging.  I remove the tablet and keyboard and spent 2 hours charging them up.  A full review is my next job.  Now to set it up and play….