The Windows taskbar is a bit like the command center for your computing experience. At its most basic level you can use it to quickly launch applications, and also to toggle between open programs with one click. One shortcoming of the native Windows taskbar, though, is in its support for multiple monitors. While there are some paid options available to remedy this, check out ZBar for a free solution. Read more
Today, 40Tech is pleased to present a guest post by Keith from Computer Repair Vancouver.
File extensions have become a mainstay in the current computing landscape. Those two or three letter codes that follow a file name allow you as well as your operating system to determine what type of file is being dealt with as well as which programs should be used to deal with it.
If you’re like me, you let your computer – and particularly your PC’s desktop – become a complete mess before you dive in to tidy it up. One way to speed up the cleaning process is by filing away all that mess. If you want a fast way to dump files into predetermined folders, take a look at FileMenu. FileMenu is simple in concept, but it is like the Swiss Army Knife of file management. Read more
One nice feature of Ubuntu, a slick Linux build, is the way that it handles application updates with a unified app. For a similar experience in Windows, try out FileHippo Update Checker. Once you install it, you can direct FileHippo Update Checker to scan your system, and return a list of apps on your system that need an update. It runs in seconds, and requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 (which it will download for you, if you don’t have it).
Update Checker isn’t quite as slick as Ubuntu’s solution, as it downloads each update separately, and requires you to install them. Ubuntu does this in a unified manner, with downloads and installs occurring right in the update app. Still, Update Checker can save you considerable time, as you won’t have to open multiple apps or check multiple sites for updates. Update Checker’s site does warn that it doesn’t check ALL apps, which is understandable considering the nearly endless number of Windows apps out there.
When I decided to hunt for a unified app updater, I did check out a couple of other alternatives, SUMo and Update Notifier. I scratched Update Notifier off of my list, as, best I can tell, its database doesn’t seem to be up to date. It told me that all the apps on my system were up to date, when they were not. I didn’t get past the installation screen of SUMo, as I noticed that it asked to install a “marketing research” app during the installation process. You can decline to install this app, but if you’re not paying attention, it would be easy to end up with some spyware on your system.
For these reasons, FileHippo’s app was the winner for me. If you know of any other solutions, let us know in the comments.
If you have a webcam, you can make logging in to your Windows PC super easy. Blink! lets you log into your account by simply looking into your webcam. You have to install Blink! on your system, and then it will load with Windows at startup. From there, it requires no action on your part. Sit in front of your computer, and Blink! uses facial recognition to verify your identity, and log you in.
Photo by Justin Moore.
While we had no way to test their claims, the developers of Blink! say that the app has no false positives. Still, if you place a premium on security, you may want to think twice before using it.
Blink does save your login history, so you can see a snapshot of everyone who successfully logs in to your PC. That alone makes it pretty handy.
Blink! is a free program that works on Windows 7 and Windows Vista. If you have a 64 bit system, make sure you follow the link on the Blink! site to the 64 bit version.
Would you trust a program like this?
Blink! [Luxand]
