Tuesday, 15 March 2016

How to Train Cortana and Use in Microsoft Edge : Ultimate Guide to "Cortana"

       Digital Assistant of Windows 10 "Cortana" can  perform serious tasks for you. For example, it can create calendar appointments, show you your schedule for the next day or week, and even move calendar appointments for you. 



Using Cortana saves tedious typing and instead of entering notes using the keyboard, just tell Cortana to take a note and then speak it. Instead of searching for the Alarms app and manually creating alarms, tell Cortana to set it. Cortana is available on Windows phones. This means alarms, calendars and reminders created on your PC are available even when your computer is switched off.

  • Train Cortana

     Cortana provides quick response to voice commands. Whatever you want to search, just speak to cortana and it will display the specified results. But it will be difficult for cortana if the room is full of people or more than one person. Even if television is turned on or music is playing. So it will be a better solution that Cortana recognize a specific person's voice.    
     There’s also the possibility that a mischievous person might shout “Delete all files!” Would Cortana do it? It’s best not to try it, just in case! It is best if Cortana ignores what everyone else in the room is saying and responds only to your specific voice commands.

  •  Cortana's Response to Your Specific Voice Commands


1- Click in the Cortana search box on the taskbar, then click the Notebook icon on 
      the left. 
2- Click Settings and turn on the switch next to ‘Let Cortana respond to “Hey 
      Cortana!”Underneath is ‘Respond best’ and the choice is ‘Anyone’ or ‘To me’.
3- First you must click the ‘Learn my voice’ button. After doing this, you will be asked 
     to read out loud a few sentences of text and Cortana will listen and learn your voice.
4- Afterwards you can select ‘To me’ and Cortana will be able to differentiate between 
        your voice and others.


  •  Say “Hey, Cortana!”

        If you make heavy use of Cortana to search for things and perform actions using voice commands, you can get the digital assistant to constantly listen. This saves having to click the microphone button at the right of the search box. 
1- Click in Cortana’s search box, click the Notebook icon on the left.
2- Click Settings, and set the switch under Hey Cortana to On. 
3- Now you can just say “Hey, Cortana!” to wake Cortana and issue commands 
       and searches.

  • Ask Cortana "What is this Song"

Cortana is much more fun than you thought. Sometimes when a great song is playing on the radio you might wonder what it is. Who is the artist? What album is that? Cortana can listen and then tell you exactly what it is. Just follow these steps:
1- Click the microphone button in the Cortana box in the taskbar or say    “Hey, Cortana!” 
2- Say “What is this song?” Cortana listens for about 20 seconds and then tells you 
      the  artist, album and track.

  • Search with Cortana in Microsoft Edge


Microsoft Edge is the brand new browser of Windows 10. Although Internet Explorer 11 is also available in Windows 10 but Edge has some Extra powerful features. Windows 10 enables you to use Cortana in Microsoft Edge. Cortana  is the best way to search the web in a quick manner. This feature, which works only with the Edge web browser, is a great way to look up unfamiliar words, phrases, definitions and so on.

1- Write in the "Search bar" in taskbar or use microphone to tell Cortana what do you
       want to search. 
2- Click and drag over a word or phrase on a web page in Edge to select it. Right click 
        it and choose Ask Cortana. A panel opens on the right-hand side with results 
        from Cortana’s search. Windows.  


Monday, 14 March 2016

How to check Weather Forcast Using Cortana:Ultimate Guide to "Cortana"

      Microsoft has introduced a new major feature "Cortana" in Windows 10. Cortana is an exciting new digital personal assistant that can carry out your commands, perform a variety of actions, and generally save you from boring typing at the keyboard. You just say what you want and Cortana does it, whether it is setting an alarm, looking up information on the internet, or getting driving directions from one place to another. You can Train Cortana and Use Cortana in Microsoft Edge to help you in browsing the internet.



  • Get weather forecasts With Cortana

Wake up Cortana


1- Click the microphone icon at the right side of the search box in the taskbar to make Cortana listen.


2- Anything you now say will be analysed and Cortana will respond appropriately.





Get Next Week’s Weather Updates

1- Say “What is the forecast for next week?” and Cortana responds with next week’s forecast. 
2- It shows that Cortana understands concepts like ‘next week’ and that forecast is associated with weather.





Get the Weather Anywhere


1- Say “What is the weather in London?” and the weather and forecasts for the next few days are displayed.
2- Cortana clearly understands place names like major cities and countries around the world.






Sunday, 13 March 2016

How to Scan and Secure Windows 10 with Windows Defender

        Microsoft has always  provided strong security features in each version of Windows. Windows 10 also provides protection against threats. Windows 10 is the most secure yet, but that does not mean that you can forget security issues. Security features like Windows Defender and Windows Firewall must be enabled to boost the PCs protection. Now the question is, how to enable these features for maximum protection.
        Windows Defender is used to scan the disk for malware like viruses and spyware. Windows will remind you when you need to scan and reminder messages appear in Action Centre. Windows Firewall is a feature that prevents unauthorised access to your computer through the internet by hackers and malicious programs. It should be enabled and you will see a reminder if it isn’t, but it is a good idea to check. 
     Most popular Antivirus software e.g, Avast, AVG, Panda and Avira are highly recommended because they are more powerful than Windows Defender and Windows Firewall. As soon as you can you should consider buying a internet security suite from one of these or another vendor. Here is how to secure your PC.
  • Open Settings

1: Hold down the Windows key and press ‘I’ to open the Settings app. 
2: Type ‘defender’ into the search box and three Windows Defender results are found. 
3: Click the first one, Windows Defender settings.



  • Turn on Defender

If any  Antivirus software e.g, Avast, AVG, Panda and Avira is not installed on the system then the system rely on the windows defender. Real time protection and cloud based protection must be enabled.

                               


  • Additional Defender settings


Scroll down the settings and there is an option to add exclusions. Normally there are none, but you can click the link and check. Down at the bottom is a link to open Windows Defender.





  • Scan for problems


      It’s a good idea to scan the disk for viruses and spyware using Windows Defender at least once a week. If you don’t, then Windows will remind you to carry out this task with a message in Action Centre. 
      Windows Defender can be found on the Start>All apps menu, you can type the name into the taskbar search box and it can be accessed through the Control Panel. It is simple and effective, but not perfect (buy a security suite for more protection). Windows Update will occasionally scan the disk for viruses when updates are delivered to ensure the computer is as protected as possible.

  • Update Windows Defender

1: Open Windows Defender and select the Update tab. 
2: If it says the virus and spyware definitions are not up to date, click the Update definitions button and updates are downloaded from the internet

                           
  • Scan for the Malware

1: Select the Home tab to see the program status. 
2: Although protection is turned on, you must run Windows Defender every week and click the Scan now button.  
3: Usually just a quick scan will do.

                              

  • Scan Results

Scanning can take 20 minutes or more, but you can carry on using your computer will it runs. Afterwards it displays the results and it will clean up any suspected spyware or viruses.


     



Thursday, 10 March 2016

Powerfull Features of Windows 10





  • Virtual Desktops

         In Windows 8 start screen has dominated the desktop but in Windows 10, desktop is back. Virtual desktops let you use as many desktops as you want.  you can easily create new desktops or switch between existing ones. Now you can spread out your apps, and each one can be on a different desktop. 



  • Cortana Your Personal Digital Assistant


        Windows 10 provides a powerful feature "Cortana" for Ease of access. Windows 10 enables you to issue commands to your computer using Cortana. It can be manually activated when needed, or it will cleverly listen for the wake-up call “Hey, Cortana!” You can then ask it for information about pretty much anything, or ask for actions to be carried out.   
            Cortana can make appointments and place them in your calendar using voice commands, and it can even move an appointment to a different time altogether. It can remind you of events taking place so you don’t forget, and alarms can be set by stating when you want to be reminded or the alarm to be triggered. Notes can be created by telling Cortana to take a note. You can even ask what music is playing in the background, or ask Cortana to play specific music. 

  • Start Menu is Back
            
                                

         In Windows 8,Start menu was replaced by Start Screen. Windows 10 has brought back Start Menu with new features. The screen that welcomes you when the computer is switched on is the desktop, and in the corner of the screen is the Start menu. This time its much better with great functionalities. Its much different than that Windows XP, Vista and 7 users had. If you have used an old version of Windows you will find familiar features, like the ‘All apps’ menu and recently used applications. If you have just switched from Windows 8 then the tiles will be familiar. 
         The Start menu has something for everyone and is customizable. For example, you can expand it and fill it with tiles for your favourite apps, or you can shrink it and remove tiles, leaving the menu. Most users will find a blend of the two is the best option, with the menus for occasionally used applications and a collection of tiles for their favourite apps.

  • New Powerful Browser "Microsoft Edge"

                                     

          Microsoft Edge is a brand new web browser that is exclusive to Windows 10 and it has some exciting features. For example, it enables you to highlight text on a page and use Cortana to find further information. It enables you to mark up web pages by drawing on them, perhaps to highlight parts and then to share them with friends. Pages can be added to a reading list and then read later. It’s great!

The Fastest Version of Windows "Windows 10"




            Windows 10 starts faster than ever and it provides much more powerful features. The Windows desktop has been a feature of the operating system since the earliest days, and everyone loved it because there was so much great software for it. It was familiar and easy to use, and whether you wanted to work on your computer or just use it for entertainment, there was a desktop application that enabled you to do it.

                     Easy Guide for Windows 10
            
Microsoft has chosen the best features of previous versions of  Windows and combined them to provide the best and amazing Windows 10. It contains the task bar but with new  new features, such as the search box and Cortana; the Action Center and virtual desktops. 


  • Windows 10 is Absolutely Free

Every person is wondering whether Windows 10 is free for everyone or not. Here is the great news.If you are running a fully registered, legal copy of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 then Windows 10 is indeed free of charge. You can also use Windows Update to download and install Windows 10, and it will remain free until 29 July 2016. After that date has passed, you may be charged for a full copy or upgrade. Those who are running an older version of Windows, such as XP or Vista, they cannot upgrade and they must buy a full copy of Windows 10.

  • Before Upgrading to Windows 10

If you have some important data in your system then its a good idea to backup your files before upgrading to Windows 10. Store all of your files in any USB Flash Drive. Copy all the files in the Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos folders and all other files that you want to keep. A fresh install will wipe the disk drive and erase everything, but your files can be copied back afterwards. An upgrade keeps all of your files, but a backup is still useful.

  • Softwares Installed on System

A very important question is that what happens to those software which are already installed on the system. If you are running Windows XP or Vista then the disk drive will be erased and all of your software will be removed. It is not possible to keep the old software on the computer, so be prepared to install fresh copies of your favourite programs afterwards. If you are running Windows 7 or 8.1 and upgrade to Windows 10, your software will not be removed. Most software is compatible with the latest version of Windows and should work just fine.

                               

  • Recover to Old Version

If you upgraded from Windows 7 or 8.1 then it is possible to uninstall Windows 10. Go to Start>Settings>Update & security>Recovery. An option to return to the previous version of Windows will be available for about a month after upgrading. But if you have upgraded from Windows Vista or XP, then It is not possible to return to uninstall Windows 10 unless you have created a full backup of the disk drive in a system image. Manufacturers’ restore discs could be used to restore the original factory state.

  • Things Windows 10 Don't Have

Several features have been removed from Windows 10, but either they were not used very much and you will not miss them, or there are alternatives that you can use instead.For example, Windows Media Centre is no longer in Windows. Movies and TV shows can be played in the new Films & TV app, and music can be played in Groove. Windows 7 supported desktop gadgets, but they were never very popular, so they have been left out of Windows 10.

Friday, 4 March 2016

10 Most Powerfull features of Automating your Android Phone



            Android platform is constantly evolving from the past few years. Over the course of these years, the industry’s leading Smartphone manufacturers lounched their latest powerfull and attractive smartphones in the market. Android is adding many powerful features to compete with modern marketing trends. Here are ten most powerful features about automating any Android phone.

1- Cleaning Your Cache



                                          

Cache memory of the Android smartphones can get full when you’ve been using a lot of memory consuming apps. This causes a prominent slowdown in performance. App Cache Cleaner from InfoLife LLC can be set up to remind you to clear your your cache once it hits a certain predefined level or even automatically clean it for you. Set it up to do a daily clean out when your phone is not in use. That is all what you have to do. Now relax and enjoy better performance without any hassle.

2- Set up battery saving


One of the best tasks to automate is one that minimises battery use when the juice starts getting low. When your battery gets below a certain percentage, you can tell Trigger to automatically reduce screen brightness and turn off Wi-Fi, helping your phone stay alive just that little bit longer. You don't even have to program it yourself. It's built into the app, so all you have to do is simply turn this
function and it’ll take care of itself

3- Create custom macros with MacroDroid


                                           

ArloSoft’s MacroDroid app lets you set up custom actions that are triggered whenever a particular set of circumstances is met. For example,you can get your phone to automatically upload the last photo you took to Facebook when you shake the handset. The free app is ad-supported and only lets you create five macros, but you can upgrade to the Pro version , which will give you unlimited freedom to set up your own macros.

4- Manage Complex Rules

                               

Atooma is packed with a bunch of ready-made smart actions or you can make your own, working along the principle of ‘if this happens, do that’. You can use it to program quite complex rules – it can handle up to five conditions(things that trigger the automated task) and five reactions(things that the automated task does) for every rule you set up. For example, you can get it to set your phone to be quiet if you get home from work after the kids have gone to bed


5- Use Cortana as your next personal assistant

                                 

Microsoft’s virtual personal assistant Cortana is now available on the Google Play store and can help you with a whole host of tasks. One of the great features is the ability to track flights and packages for you, saving you the hassle of logging on to or feeding data into a range of disparate tracking websites or apps. Plus Cortana can send you reminders, make appointments, send emails or texts and much more.

6- Make your own automation apps

If have a little bit knowledge about Tasker and you’d like to make your own automation apps, but don’t have the patience for extensive coding, then take a chance with Tasker App Factory. You will need the Tasker app in order to use it, but you can make, publish and sell your own automation apps. Be aware that it is a plugin rather than a standalone app so you may not need to do any coding, but knowing your way around Tasker is a must.

7- Enable location-based commands for ease of use

                                                      

Llama is a location-aware app from Kebab Apps that you can use to automate functions based on where you are. It uses phone masts to locate your position and, when you reach a certain place, it will action the task that you’ve automated. This means you can order your phone to be quiet when you arrive at work or automatically launch your music player when you get to the gym. However, accuracy is limited by the number of mobile phone masts that are in the area.



8- Silence alerts using Android Lollipop's Priority mode

You have left the volume up on your phone so that it can wake you up in the morning with an alarm, but then it spends all night ringing with each notification on your phone. Lolipop's priority mode tells it to shut up for the whole night. You can set the specific time when it has to ring and when not. So its the best app which can make you feel relaxed.You have left the volume up on your phone so that it can wake you up in the morning with an alarm, but then it spends all night ringing with each notification on your phone. Lolipop's priority mode tells it to shut up for the whole night. You can set the specific time when it has to ring and when not. So its the best app which can make you feel relaxed.

9- Send a text when you reach a specified location


If you’re driving and need to text someone to let them know you’re on your way, you don’t have to waste time pulling over to type out a message. Instead, use the Automated Device app from Daniel Herrero and set up a rule to get your device to automatically text them when you reach a given location. However, you’ll need to set this rule up carefully and  consider the locationthat you specify – you don’t want to automatically text your contacts every time you pass the corner shop

10- Update apps automatically


It’s an old app, it no longer has tech support and it has glitches when it comes to paid apps  but Changelog Droid can be incredibly fast for updating your apps automatically. It looks  for updates to the apps you have installed and lets you know when there are updates available for them. You can set it up to automatically update them, but we would  recommend you keep this functionality strictly for older and free apps to avoid errors