The beloved character from the Halo video games that Microsoft borrowed for its voice assistant will be around less than before. The company recently deactivated the Cortana service for Android and iOS devices. I would miss having Cortana around even if she wasn’t as useful for me as Master Chief. I love the idea of voice assistants, and it was a thrill hearing Cortana’s familiar tones rather than the more mechanical intonations of Siri or Alexa....
What Is Music Metadata? Music metadata is also referred to as ID3 tags, which are the containers that hold metadata information. These tags hold data such as a song’s title, artist, the album it came from, track number, genres, songwriter credits, and more. Metadata is at work whenever you search for a song on services like Spotify or Pandora, when a recommended song pops up for you, or when a record label pays an artist royalties, to name a few examples....
On paper, the iPhone is way ahead of the Switch. The screen is nicer, the processor is better, and the battery lasts longer. So what’s keeping it from being the ultimate pocket game machine? There are a few reasons. One is that it can’t play the same kinds of games, because it doesn’t have any buttons. Another is that you can’t get games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild on the iPhone....
Apple’s VP of software, Craig Federighi, told Reddit user Mateusz Buda that automatic iOS updates can take up to four weeks to roll out to all users, in part due to Apple’s caution. So, if it can take a month for essential security updates to arrive on your device, why bother with auto updates at all? “Without automatic updates, there’s a risk people might not opt-in for the updates at all—meaning their personal data (like logins, financial info, etc....
Malware, Viruses, and Antivirus Apps Although viruses, adware, Trojans, and spyware have unique elements, they all fall under the malware umbrella. To prevent infection and the resulting slowdown, consider installing an anti-malware app. For Windows and Linux users, an active anti-malware app that scans your laptop both in the background and on demand is a good choice. For Mac users, an on-demand malware scanner is sufficient, and because it doesn’t run continuously in the background, it doesn’t use as much memory....
Sometimes it’s good to have a bit of a signal boost when there are 100 other laptops competing for wireless signal. Having an external USB WiFi adapter with a dedicated antenna can help give you a leg up when trying to download notes or browse Wikipedia in the middle of a giant university lecture hall. That’s where the Wise Tiger WT-AC9006 comes in. This USB WiFi adapter could help give your used hand-me-down laptop a boost in wireless performance....
iFixit has discovered that attempts to replace the iPhone 13’s screen—a common smartphone repair—can completely disable FaceID. So unless your iPhone 13 is taken to an Apple store, a repair shop in Apple’s Independent Repair Providers network, or a shop with more advanced tools, you’re risking that functionality. The culprit is a small microcontroller chip paired with the phone’s screen, which has to be synced in order to work properly....
Since its release near the end of 2018, Red Dead Online has seen a varying degree of updates, but none have ever managed to scratch the itch that many players went into the game expecting. Unlike the story-packed single-player, which features bank robberies, stagecoach robberies, and other things you’d expect outlaws to do, Red Dead Online always shied away from those types of missions. Now, Rockstar is finally giving players a deeper look into the fading criminal world that ruled the West, and so far, it’s been an absolute blast to explore....
Is There a Text-to-Speech Option in Windows 10? The Windows 10 Text to Speech option is called Narrator. You have to turn this Ease of Access feature on from Settings or the Control Panel. Narrator is a screen reader designed for the visually impaired, but anyone can use it to give their eyes a rest. With the Text-to-Speech features, you can navigate Windows screens, apps, and web pages. For instance, the Text-to-Speech option can read entire web pages, spreadsheet tables and describe formatting attributes like font types and font colors to help you work with any content....
Electrical Wiring Ask your electrical contractor to run neutral wires to all junction boxes. Although most electricians do this as a matter of professional practice, making your preference known ensures you will always have a neutral wire available. Neutral wires are required for most powerline home automation devices. If you plan to install enhanced wall switches, dimmers, or keypads in the future, you want the neutral wires available, as these require a three-wire connection....
According to a blog post published on June 30, the social media giant is now offering users the option of making physical security keys their sole method of two-factor authentication (2FA)—a move that could help make accounts more secure while eliminating the previous requirement for weaker backup methods. Still, experts warn that every method of 2FA comes with tradeoffs. “The problem is that none of these [authentication methods] are really as absolute as people think they are,” Joseph Steinberg, a 25-year cybersecurity expert and author of several books including Cybersecurity for Dummies, told Lifewire by phone....
WhatsApp appears to be working on an update that will allow users to choose their quality before sharing media with friends and family. While many likely won’t notice the changes, experts say the ability to send higher-quality images could be especially beneficial for creatives. “I think for people who are heavy users of messaging apps from a professional point of view—whether it’s social media managers, graphic designers, creatives, reporters, journalists, all of those sorts of groups—this will be a helpful addition,” Matt Navarra, social media consultant and industry commentator, told Lifewire in a WhatsApp audio message....
What Is an IDX File? A file with the .IDX file extension might be a movie subtitle file used to display subtitle text on videos. Sometimes referred to as a VobSub file, it’s always accompanied by a SUB file (which contains the actual images that include the subtitle text)—it describes where and when to show the images. Other IDX files are used for navigation points of interest, but they have nothing to do with the subtitle format....
Streaming transmits data—usually audio and video but, increasingly, other kinds as well—as a continuous flow, which allows the recipients to watch or listen almost immediately without having to wait for a download to complete. Overall, streaming is the quickest means of accessing internet-based content. When you stream something, you can start using the content before the entire file downloads. Play a song on Apple Music or Spotify, for instance, and you can click Play to start listening almost immediately....
The number of new iPhone models to choose from has been increasing each year. During its September 2021 event, Apple released four handsets within its iPhone 13 range. This included the entry-level iPhone 13 mini, the iPhone 13, the iPhone 13 Pro, and the flagship iPhone 13 Pro Max. Each phone has been designed to appeal to a different type of user, and they come in a range of sizes and prices....
According to Bloomberg’s Apple-whisperer Mark Gurman, these direct payments will also allow people to take contactless payments from regular credit cards, too, just by tapping or waving them near an iPhone. Imagine shopping at a flea market and being able to pay by card. In theory, anyone with an iPhone might accept credit card payments, from food trucks to homeless magazine vendors. But unlike the now almost-universal Apple Pay, this new scheme already has some competition....
It could be that the entire service is down or it might mean that there’s a problem with your computer. It can sometimes be difficult to know whether there’s a GoDaddy outage or if the problem is just with you, but there are usually some key signs that it’s one or the other. How to Tell If GoDaddy Is Down If you think GoDaddy is down for everyone, try these steps:...
HDMI cables have evolved over the generations, but today even the most capable of them are backward compatible and barely more expensive than their predecessors. That means there’s little point in restricting yourself, especially if you’re looking to connect mainstream consumer devices to a consumer display, like a TV. There are some different HDMI cables out there, though, which can affect your setup. HDMI Cable Types In the past, there were multiple categories of HDMI cables....
What Makes a PC ‘VR-Ready’? Two popular VR headset makers, Oculus and HTC/Valve, have provided recommended minimum-required PC specifications (Oculus) that provide a decent VR experience. Going below these specs might result in dropped frames, motion tracking lag, and other unpleasantries that might cause VR sickness in some people, and might end up ruining your overall VR experience. Minimum VR Baseline Specifications The main reason published VR minimum specs are important is because they give VR developers something to target as a benchmark to test against their apps and games....
The TVs come in a variety of models based on size, but all share similar features, LG revealed. The C2 series will have 48-, 55-, 65-, 77-, and 83-inch models, while the G2 series will have 55-, 65-, 77-, 83-, and 97-inch models. Each display will house LG’s new α9 Gen 5 processor, support NVIDIA’s GeForce NOW subscription service, and run webOS 22, enabling new customization options. The aforementioned α9 Gen5 processor uses a deep-learning algorithm to create a high-quality image and comes with AI Sound Pro to create virtual 7....
