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This update, previously referred to as Windows 8.1 Update 1 and Windows 8 Spring Update, is free for all Windows 8 owners. If you’re running Windows 8.1, you must install this update to receive security patches that were released after April 8, 2014. The update includes a number of user interface changes, especially for those using Windows with a keyboard and/or a mouse. For basic OS information, like system requirements, see our Windows 8 article....

What Is Windows Defender? Windows Defender offers real-time protection against various threats, such as adware, spyware, and viruses. It operates quickly and uses few system resources, allowing you to continue with other tasks while a scan runs. The application can help protect your computer from many rogue programs online and those inadvertently downloaded via email. Navigating Defender The interface is basic, with a few panels (depending on the Windows version) on the left....

Among other things, registry backups are created automatically, you can schedule cleanings, and program updates are performed in place. More About Wise Registry Cleaner 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista are said to be supported. Windows XP users can use the portable version only. You can set it to clean the registry on a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule Options are available for automatically cleaning when the computer isn’t in use (is idle) or when you first log on In Settings > Auto Run, you can create a “Clean with 1-click” icon....

The program installs Presentation, Spreadsheets, and Writer—these can be used to replace Microsoft PowerPoint, Excel, and Word, respectively. You can download it for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android. WPS Office File Formats WPS Office fully supports the following file types, which means you can open and save back to these formats: As you can see, popular Microsoft Office file formats, such as DOCX, PPTX, and XLSX, can also be used in this program....

What Is a WVX File? A file with the WVX file extension is a Windows Media Video Redirector file. Microsoft also refers to this format as a Windows Media metafile playlist. It functions as a shortcut, so it references WMA, WMV, WAX, and other Windows Media files. WVX files are used to store the location of media files. When opened in a compatible program, the referenced files will start to play just as if you’d manually queued them yourself....

“There’s a large carbon footprint associated with shipping things to and from customers,” online clothing retailer Richard Clews told Lifewire via email. “Between this and the extra expense online retailers have to take on to process returns, I don’t think it’s right to buy something just to send it back later.” Return to Sender Online shopping is extremely convenient, especially if you work from home. With next-day or same-day delivery, it’s almost as good as walking to the store and trying something out in person....

“Say” is a Terminal command that directs the Mac to speak anything you type after it. Try it out by launching Terminal (Finder > Applications > Utilities), and then typing the following into the command line: This command will direct your Mac to speak the word “hello” or whatever else you type after the initial “say” command. You can also specify which voice your Mac should use when it speaks using the -v attribute....

This switch allows a stereo receiver to connect to an extra set of speakers. These speakers are placed in the back of the room for room-filling sound or in another room for convenient listening without setting up an additional system. From the A/B Speaker Switch to Zone 2 Although an A/B speaker switch adds flexibility, you can only listen to the same source that is playing in the main room....

How to Place Calls on Your iPad Using FaceTime The easiest way to make phone calls with your iPad is by using the video conferencing software called FaceTime. It comes with your iPad and uses your Apple ID to place phone calls to anyone who also has an Apple ID, which is anyone who owns an iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or Mac computer. These calls are free, so even if you’re using your iPhone, you won’t be using your minutes....

Twitter recently confirmed that it intends to increase the price of Twitter Blue from $2.99 per month to $4.99 per month starting in October. That’s a notable bump, and no new features are being added. And even those already there are underwhelming according to subscribers and people observing the social space. “The initial introduction of Twitter’s subscription concept Twitter Blue hasn’t been solidified as a success by users, yet the platform announced an upcoming increase in price,” social media consultant Katie McKiever told Lifewire via direct message....

Google recently introduced Gboard, its popular smartphone keyboard for Wear OS, marking the first major app launch the smartwatch operating system had seen in years. On top of that, Google reassured Android fans that the OS is still very much alive, going so far as to tease that new features are in the works. Despite these promises, experts say the biggest thing holding back Wear OS is its fragmented user experience....

Accessibility has long been an important topic of discussion in the tech industry, with many users advocating for better accessibility options every day. Now, Zoom is taking another step forward and will offer automatic closed captioning to all free accounts by the end of the year. Experts say this is a step in the right direction, especially with so many relying on the service for their jobs and online learning....

What Is Apple Private Relay? iCloud Private Relay is a privacy-centric feature of iCloud+ that works similarly to a VPN to hide a device’s IP address and browsing behavior from those who want to access it, such as advertisers. Private Relay works on the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, and Mac. It requires iOS 15, iPadOS 15, or macOS Monterey, or higher. It also requires an iCloud+ account, which is the name for any paid iCloud account....

The retail giant is looking to change that perception, however, with the launch of Ikea Kreativ’s Scene Scanner, as announced in an official company blog post. This virtual design tool uses nifty AI-enhanced tech to allow consumers to try furniture items before committing to a purchase. How does it work? Download and install the Ikea iOS app and scan your room using the built-in analyzer. You can erase any item of furniture from the scan and replace it with something from the Ikea catalog....

Import a Movie Into iMovie If you’ve already imported the movie you want to use for your trailer, select it from the Library. If you haven’t, complete the following steps: Select a Template You can choose from 29 iMovie templates (or genres), including Action, Adventure, Blockbuster, Documentary, Friendship, Romance, Romantic Comedy, Sports, Spy, Supernatural, and Travel. There are also some more esoteric choices, such as Bollywood, Coming of Age, Film Noir, Indie, and Retro....

Instagram is said to be working on a separate platform geared toward kids under 13 as a way to better incorporate the generation that has grown up online. With many parents wary about their kids visiting social media sites at such young ages these days, experts say the key to allaying those fears will be kid-centric platforms featuring built-in safeguards. “Like anything online, it’s going to have to be pretty moderated, and parental controls are going to have to be important,” Alley Dezenhouse-Kelner, the clinical director of Magnificent Minds, told Lifewire in a phone interview....

Apple’s super-simple-but-effective Translate app arrived on the iPhone with iOS 14. In iOS 15, it will come to the iPad, along with a radical addition: Conversation mode. This lets two people converse in different languages. You tap the microphone button and say something. That’s it. The app transcribes and translates your words, then Siri reads the result. It’s both simple, and staggeringly useful. “That’s a huge gift to people who are traveling, working with people who speak in a different tongue, or just wanting to learn something new,” cybersecurity analyst Eric Florence told Lifewire via email....

Apple announced iOS 15 and detailed many of its features Monday during the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). While the company went over several of the additions to the updated operating system, there just wasn’t enough time to cover all of them. One that managed to slip under the radar is the introduction of an authenticator, similar to Authy or Google Authenticator. MacRumors reports that the included authenticator system will allow iOS users to generate verification codes for their various accounts directly from the iPhone’s Settings app....

How to Tell If Battle.net Is Down If you think the Blizzard Battle.net servers are down for everyone, try these steps to check: If no one else is reporting issues with Battle.net, then the problem likely lies with your PC or ISP. While you’re on Twitter, check the Blizzard Customer Support Twitter account for updates on whether Battle.net is down. If you can’t open Twitter either, and other popular sites like Google or YouTube are also down, then the problem is likely to be on your end or with your ISP....

2007 and the Best Seller E-Book Using those economics, it’s easy to see why many people, especially heavy readers, were excited about the growing potential of e-readers. Not only could they cart a library around with them, but they could save a ton of money while doing so. Then again, things aren’t quite so simple. The Price Gap Between Books and E-Books Narrows Garage Sales vs. Free Classics Free Reading Software Upgrading Your E-Reader Hardware Finally, there is upgrading to factor in....