7 super-quick Windows 10 tricks you probably didn't know about

You might think you know all the Windows 10 tricks by now, but you're wrong -- partly because Microsoft is continuing to drop new builds (Build 10565 went out to Windows 10 Insiders on Monday), and partly because most of Windows 10's little tricks haven't been publicized.
Here are several ultra-fast tips that you probably didn't know about:

Minimize all windows except the active one

Grab the title bar of the window you want to remain open and move it back and forth quickly (shake it). After a couple of quick shakes, all other windows will minimize, leaving only the window you're shaking open.

Quickly open the properties menu

In the File Explorer, hold the Alt key and double-click a file, folder, or program shortcut to open that object's Properties menu.

New Windows key keyboard shortcuts

Win key + I opens the new Settings menu, Win key + A launches the new Action center, and Win key + X opens the "secret" Start menu.

Pin the Recycle Bin to the Start menu

Want your Recycle Bin to be conveniently located in your Start menu? Right-click the desktop icon and click Pin to Start. It will appear on the right side of your Start menu.

Background scrolling

In Windows 10, you can scroll any window -- even one that's not active (in front of the other windows). It's on by default, but if it's not working, go to Settings > Devices > Mouse & touchpad and toggle Scroll inactive windows when I hover over them to On. Then, simply place your mouse over an inactive window and use your scroll wheel to scroll.

Speed through the Start menu

In the All apps section of the Start menu, click the numbers or letters above each alphabetical section to open a "speed dial" jump list. Click a letter (or number) to jump to that section of the Start menu.

Control your Taskbar with keyboard shortcuts

If you've pinned programs on the Taskbar, you can quickly open them with the keyboard shortcut Win key + [Number key] (where the number key corresponds to the position of the program on the Taskbar). To cycle through the programs on your Taskbar (both pinned and open windows), Win key + T does the trick (tap "T" repeatedly to move through the programs).

 

 

 

 

August's new Smart Lock will integrate with HomeKit

One year after its entré into the lock industry, August announced the release of three new products: a new smart lock, a keypad and a smart cam. The second-generation August Smart Lock -- HomeKit-Enabled, will be available in the next four to eight weeks for $229, which roughly converted comes to £149 and AU$315. Although August will not concurrently release it internationally, they plan to offer the lock outside the US in the future.

This isn't just a redux of the original with new HomeKit compatibility, though. In response to problems with the old faceplate, the HomeKit-enabled Smart Lock will feature a magnetic grip to hold it in place more securely when you turn it. The company has made other small design changes, such as adding a new pattern to the grip of the lock and a new chrome indicator that shows lock/unlock status. The edges of the lock's body have also been smoothed and rounded a bit so it resembles the shape of a doorknob -- something August doubtless hopes will make it feel more familiar for new users.

August has assured us that the new HomeKit-compatible lock will work with older August devices, so if you have the original August Connect, then you will be able to remotely access your new HomeKit-compatible August lock. The one exception is where Siri is concerned: While you're in range for Bluetooth connection, you will be able to use Siri to control the lock, but once you're connected to your local Wi-Fi connection, Siri will only work if you have an Apple TV at home.

Right now, because Apple is not allowing any third-party products to work as bridging devices between Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (that is, the tech which facilitates the iCloud-to-Bluetooth communication that a Bluetooth lock needs), it looks like remote Siri functions will require an Apple TV for the foreseeable future. Even the August Connect can't get you there.

Tesla Unveils Autopilot System, but Don't Let Go of the Wheel

Newer Tesla Motors Model S sedans will be able to steer and park themselves under certain conditions starting Thursday, the carmaker said, although Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk cautioned that drivers should keep holding the steering wheel.

New "autopilot" features, designed for cars built after September 2014, will be available for customers in the United States, Tesla said. European and Asian owners must wait another week. Tesla will provide the features through an over-the-air upgrade.

Musk cautioned that autopilot functionality was in beta mode and full "hands-off" driving was not recommended.

"We're being especially cautious at this stage so we're advising drivers to keep their hands on the wheel just in case," Musk told reporters at the company's Silicon Valley headquarters. "Over time there will not be a need to have your hands on the wheel."

For drivers, "We're very clearly saying this is not a case of abdicating responsibility," Musk said. "That will come at some point in the future but ... this is still early days."

Instructions to owners say "autosteer is a hands-on feature. You must keep your hands on the steering wheel at all times."

Tesla, which this month unveiled its Model X SUV, has been the U.S. pioneer in luxury electric cars charged by batteries. Its expertise in software has made it a leader in self-driving features, which more traditional carmakers have been slower to develop.

Musk estimated that within three years, cars will be able to drive "from your driveway to work without you touching anything," but regulatory approval could take years.

He said regulators would need data showing that self-driving cars work.
Teslas already on the road will help the autopilot constantly improve and become more reliable, he said.

"The whole Tesla fleet acts like a network. When one car learns something they all learn it," he said. "As ... more people enable autopilot, the information about how to drive is uploaded to the network. Each driver is effectively an expert trainer in how the autopilot should work."

Wi-Fi: A Silent Killer That Kills Us Slowly

Wi-Fi: a wireless network in which you can connect to many devices without the use of cables. Nowadays Wi-Fi is found everywhere. The mobiles phones benefit mostly from it, and the companies which make them have specific instructions for the services so they do not damage our health.

Wi-Fi: a silent killer that kills us slowly

Our wireless devices like phones and tablets use routers to connect online. The router emits WLAN signals – electromagnetic waves that can cause a lot of damage. We ignore this fact because we practically have no knowledge of it. Given time, these signals harm the body. A study conducted by the British Health Agency has proven that routers hinder the growth of people and plants.

Consequences of Wi-Fi exposure:

• chronic fatigue
• pain in the ears
• lack of concentration
• frequent strong headaches
• sleep issues

We can’t live without technology – that’s a fact. But we need to learn how to protect ourselves from its harmful effects. Here we have some advice on how to use the router safely or at least lower the potential damage.
How to protect children from electromagnetic waves

• Disconnect Wi-Fi programs before bedtime
• Turn off Wi-Fi when it is not used
• Replace your home wireless phones with cable ones
• Avoid router in the kitchen and bedroom

- See more at: http://www.weeklyhealthylife.com/wi-fi-a-silent-killer-that-kills-us-slowly/#sthash.uPXEF4FR.dpuf

Consequences of Wi-Fi exposure:

•     chronic fatigue
•     pain in the ears
•     lack of concentration
•     frequent strong headaches
•     sleep issues

We can’t live without technology – that’s a fact. But we need to learn how to protect ourselves from its harmful effects. Here we have some advice on how to use the router safely or at least lower the potential damage.

How to protect children from electromagnetic waves

•     Disconnect Wi-Fi programs before bedtime
•     Turn off Wi-Fi when it is not used
•     Replace your home wireless phones with cable ones
•     Avoid router in the kitchen and bedroom

Wi-Fi: a wireless network in which you can connect to many devices without the use of cables. Nowadays Wi-Fi is found everywhere. The mobiles phones benefit mostly from it, and the companies which make them have specific instructions for the services so they do not damage our health.
Wi-Fi: a silent killer that kills us slowly
Our wireless devices like phones and tablets use routers to connect online. The router emits WLAN signals – electromagnetic waves that can cause a lot of damage. We ignore this fact because we practically have no knowledge of it. Given time, these signals harm the body. A study conducted by the British Health Agency has proven that routers hinder the growth of people and plants.
- See more at: http://www.weeklyhealthylife.com/wi-fi-a-silent-killer-that-kills-us-slowly/#sthash.uPXEF4FR.dpuf

Lock that will open by Blue Tooth

Fuz Designs Noke
How can the trusty padlock possibly be improved? With Bluetooth, of course! The Fuz Designs Noke will connect to your Android or iOS device via Bluetooth 4.0 to lock, unlock and securely share access with trusted individuals. You'll be able to set a Morse code–style tap code that you enter by pressing down on the lock's shank in case your phone isn't handy, or if the Noke's battery dies.

 

Microsoft Surface Book vs. MacBook

Which Surface makes the most sense for you? Here's how they stack up against one another, and against the Apple competition.

Earlier today, we showed you how the new Microsoft Surface Pro 4 compares to the other two most hotly anticipated tablet computers coming to market: the Apple iPad Pro, and the Google Pixel C. We also threw in a MacBook Air for good measure.

That was a great comparison if you want a new tablet, and don't care which operating system it runs. But what if you're dead-set on a Windows laptop?

Well, that's what Microsoft's Surface is supposed to be all about: a tablet that can replace your laptop, thanks to a detachable keyboard. But as of today now there are four different Microsoft Surface computers on sale -- including the Surface Book, which looks like a laptop to begin with.

It can all be a little bit overwhelming. Maybe this chart can help?

Here, we're comparing the Microsoft Surface 3, the Surface Pro 3, the new Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, plus a 13-inch MacBook Pro for reference. And because Microsoft doesn't always include the keyboard in its size, weight and pricing calculations, we decided to add all of those to the chart so you know exactly what you're getting into.

Microsoft Surface Specs Comparison

 

	Surface 3	Surface Pro 3	Surface Pro 4	Surface Book	13-inch MacBook Pro
Starting price	$499	$799	$899	$1,499	$1,299
Price with keyboard	$630	$930	$1,030	$1,499	$1,299
Display	10.8-inch 1,920x1,280-pixel resolution	12-inch 2,160x1,440-pixel resolution	12.3-inch 2,736x1,824-pixel resolution	13.5-inch 3,000x2,000-pixel resolution	13.3-inch 2,560x1,600-pixel resolution
Pixel density	213	216	267	267	227
Dimensions (imperial)	10.52 x 7.36 x 0.34 inches	11.5 x 7.93 x 0.36 inches	11.50 x 7.93 x 0.33 inches	8.67 x 12.3 x 0.30 inches	12.35 x 8.62 x 0.71 inches
Dimensions (metric)	267 x 187 x 8.7mm	292.1 x 201.4 x 9.1mm	292.10 x 201.42 x 8.4mm	220.2 x 312.3 x 7.7mm	314 x 219 x 18mm
Weight	1.37 lbs. (622g)	1.76 lbs. (800g)	1.69 lbs. (766g) for Core M, 1.73 lbs. (786g) for Core i	1.6 lbs. (726g)	3.48 lbs. (1580g)
Thickness with keyboard	0.53 inches (13.5mm)	0.55 inches (14mm)	0.51 inches (13.1mm)	0.9 inches (22.8mm)	0.71 inches (18mm)
Weight with keyboard	1.95 lbs. (884g)	2.41 lbs. (1093g)	2.33 lbs. (1057g) for Core M, 2.37 lbs. (1075g) for Core i	3.48 lbs. (1579g)	3.48 lbs. (1580g)
Operating system	Windows 8.1 (free upgrade to Windows 10)	Windows 8.1 Pro (free upgrade to Windows 10)	Windows 10 Pro	Windows 10 Pro	OS X El Capitan
Processors	1.6GHz 4-core Intel Atom x7	Up to 5th-gen 1.7GHz 2-core Intel Core i7	Up to 6th-gen 2-core Intel Core i7	Up to 6th-gen 2-core Intel Core i7	Up to 5th-gen 3.1GHz 2-core Intel Core i7
Graphics	Intel HD	Up to Intel HD 5000	Up to Intel Iris 540	Intel HD 520 or Nvidia GeForce	Intel Iris 6100
Storage	64GB / 128GB	64GB / 128GB / 256GB / 512GB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB / 1TB	128GB / 256GB / 512GB
RAM	2GB / 4GB	4GB / 8GB	4GB / 8GB / 16GB	8GB / 16GB	8GB / 16GB
Battery	Up to 10 hours video playback	Up to 9 hours Web browsing	Up to 9 hours video playback	Up to 12 hours video playback	Up to 12 hours video playback
Networking	802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0, optional LTE	802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0	802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0	802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0	802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.0
Ports	1x USB 3.0, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x Micro USB (charging), 1 x headset jack	1x USB 3.0, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x Micro USB, 1 x headset jack, 1x charging port	1x USB 3.0, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x SurfaceConnect (charging and docking), 1 x headset jack	2x USB 3.0, 1x SD card reader, 1x Mini DisplayPort, 1x SurfaceConnect (charging and docking), 1x headset jack	2x USB 3.0, 2x Thunderbolt 2, 1x HDMI, 1x SD card reader, 1x headset jack, 1x MagSafe 2 (charging)
Cameras	3.5MP front, 8MP back	5MP front, 5MP back	5MP front, 8MP back, Windows Hello face authentication	5MP front, 8MP back	720p front webcam
Hinge	3-position	Freely positionable to 150 degrees	Freely positionable to 150 degrees	Freely positionable to 125 degrees, tablet reversible	Freely positionable to 135 degrees
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Extras	$49 stylus, $129 Type Cover	$49 stylus, $129 Type Cover	Included stylus, $129 Type Cover, $159 Type Cover with fingerprint sensor	Included keyboard dock with built-in Nvidia GPU ($1899 or higher models), included stylus	Force Touch trackpad

As you're surely noting right now, there are quiet a few differences here, most notably what's included in the box. The Surface Pro 4 now comes standard with the stylus, and the laptop-like
 Surface Book has both stylus and keyboard dock in the box. And while the detachable tablet portion of the Surface Book might be exceptionally thin and light for a Windows PC, it's the same weight and a good bit thicker than a 13-inch MacBook Pro as soon as you dock it.

(Never mind that Microsoft says the Surface Book has twice the performance of Apple's 13-inch laptop. It might if you buy the model with Nvidia GeForce graphics, which cost $1,899 and up.)

New credit cards aim to protect consumers, banks from hackers

US consumers are about to get a new defense against cybercrime. The armor will take the form of credit and debit cards with a built-in chip, which retailers must be able to read as of Thursday.

Short for EuroPay, MasterCard and Visa, EMV chips create a one-time-use code needed for each purchase, which makes stolen card numbers less valuable on the black market. Consumers may see slightly longer transaction times as in-store readers run the EMV cards, assuming merchants have set up the new payment terminals in time.

Industry watchers don't expect every merchant to meet Thursday's deadline, which was set last year by MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. Retailers do have an incentive to act quickly, though. Stores that don't have EMV-reading terminals will need to make good on in-store purchases made with counterfeit cards. ATMs and gas pumps will face the same liabilities in 2017.
The card companies wrote that rule after cybercriminals stole about 40 million credit and debit card numbers from the payment system of retailer Target during the 2013 holiday-shopping season. 

Currently, the banks that issue cards are on the hook for fraudulent charges.
There are two ways hackers steal sensitive information. They can use card skimmers to read a card's magnetic stripe at an ATM or gas pump. They can also penetrate retailers' corporate information systems, as they have with Target, Home Depot, Neiman Marcus and many others, to copy card numbers. Those stolen numbers can be used on fake cards to make fraudulent purchases. Two-thirds of fraudulent purchases inside stores are made with counterfeit cards, said Stephanie Ericksen, Visa's vice president of risk products. Authentic cards that were stolen account for the other third.

That's where these new chip cards can help. Because the chips send encrypted, one-time codes for each transaction, the cards are harder for fraudsters to read and duplicate, experts say. While the cards are just rolling out in the US, the technology isn't new. Europe started using cards with embedded chips in 2005. Apple Pay and Android Pay mobile payments work on the same underlying rules.

Despite the impending retailer deadline, many consumers still don't know about the new kinds of cards. In an August survey by electronic payments company ACI Worldwide, 59 percent of consumers reported they hadn't received credit cards with EMV chips. Only a third knew the United States is shifting toward chip readers. What's more, only 27 percent of merchants are prepared for the October deadline for card reader technology, according to a report released in mid-September by the Strawhecker Group, a consulting firm for the payments industry.

 Experts say the slow rollout could be due to the cost of new card-reading equipment. Merchants must weigh the expense of buying new payment systems and training employees on that gear against the unknown hit from fraudulent charges. Some may even consider their new liabilities the cost of doing business.

Consumers will need to adapt to the new system too, experts said.

"There may be some initial inconvenience at the point of sale," said TJ Horan, vice president of product management at FICO, which helps banks determine a consumer's credit risk.
Despite the increased security, industry watchers don't expect card fraud to disappear. Horan likens it to squeezing a water balloon: If you push fraud out of the system in one place, it will simply shift somewhere else.

With V10 smartphone, LG aims to build a franchise to rival iPhone 6S Plus

LG's family tree of smartphones just gained another branch.

The South Korean electronics conglomerate on Thursday showed off the V10, a smartphone with a unique, secondary ticker screen atop the main display that shows commonly used apps, weather information and time. It also sports a pair of front-facing cameras for higher-quality selfie photos.
More important than any specific feature found on the V10 are LG's ambitions for the smartphone as the foundation of a new franchise. The company said it is already planning a sequel device next year and believes the larger screen will give consumers another premium alternative to the iPhone 6S Plus and Galaxy Note 5.

"This is the beginning of a new series," Ramchan Woo, vice president of product strategy for LG, said in a roundtable session with media.

The V10 with its 5.7-inch screen marks a more concerted effort by LG to build a competitive phablet, a category of larger handsets that look like a cross between a phone and a tablet. It's a market that has grown, thanks in part to Samsung and its Galaxy Note franchise. While Apple doesn't break out specific model sales, the addition of the iPhone 6 Plus with its 5.5-inch screen helped turned last year's generation of iPhones into the company's best-seller of all time.

LG is hoping for some of the interest in phablets to rub off on the company.

The brand challenge

Where Samsung and Apple both extended their well-known brands to their phablet lines, LG has opted to create a new brand altogether.

"I can't think of another major vendor with a flagship line and a premium materials line," said Ross Rubin, an analyst at Reticule Research.

LG executives debated whether to stick with the G brand, which it uses for its flagship G4 and its G

Flex 2 smartphones, or try something different, Woo said. It chose to go with V10 to create a product without ties to the rest of its portfolio. It also wanted a number that was higher than four (as in G4), Woo said in a follow-up interview.

Amazon to stop selling Google Chromecast, Apple TV

Amazon is banning sales of Apple and Google video-streaming devices on its site, in a potential effort to outmaneuver two main competitors.

The world's largest online retailer sent an email to its marketplace sellers, saying it will stop offering Apple TV and Google's Chromecast, according to a Bloomberg report. No new listings will be allowed and all inventory will be removed October 29.

An Amazon spokesperson said the change had to do with its Prime Video service, which isn't easily available on the Apple and Google devices.

"Over the last three years, Prime Video has become an important part of Prime," an Amazon spokesperson said Thursday in an email to CNET. "It's important that the streaming-media players we sell interact well with Prime Video in order to avoid customer confusion."

The new ban comes just ahead of the holiday season, when retailers make most of their money. In anticipation of all that purchasing, Apple and Google last month updated their video-streaming devices, as did Amazon, which makes a family of streaming gadgets under the moniker Fire TV.
Amazon's ban on Chromecasts is global and includes all Chromecast devices, including older-generation models, according to a personal familiar with the matter. Google's Nexus Player video-streaming box will also be removed from Amazon's site.

The move underscores Amazon's dedication to nurturing its homegrown hardware as well as its Prime $99-a-year premium membership program, even at the expense of e-commerce sales. Prime Video, Amazon's rival to Netflix, is an arm of Prime that lets members stream as much as they like from a set catalog of video. The company has been dedicating more resources to Prime Video, sealing deals for top content like HBO original series and funneling investment to its own TV shows, like Emmy-winning comedy "Transparent."

Banning the Google and Apple streaming-media devices means Amazon will be eliminating two of the most popular electronics in its online store. Google's Chromecast is routinely on Amazon's Top 10 ranking for best-selling electronics. On Thursday, it was No. 6 and the first non-Amazon device on the list. Apple TV is the 16th most popular device Amazon sells.

The Amazon spokesperson said Roku's streaming player, Microsoft's Xbox and Sony's PlayStation, along with Amazon's own Fire TV, "are excellent choices" -- referencing that these devices won't be affected by the change.

A representative for Apple didn't respond to a request for comment.
According to researcher eMarketer, connected game consoles -- like the Xbox and PlayStation -- have the most US connected-TV users, with nearly 52 million this year. Further down the list, Chromecast and Roku both have nearly 23 million users and Apple TV has about 18 million. 

Amazon's Fire TV didn't make the cut for being in the top six.