The Acer Aspire R7 was an ambitious laptop/tablet hybrid that fell short in actual usability, despite an interesting experimental design.
When first reviewed in May 2013, this 15-inch laptop won praise for being reasonably priced and for its sturdy "Ezel" hinge, which allowed the screen to flip over backward or fold down like a tablet. Except that the tablet mode didn't fully fold down flat -- because of the curved hinge, it stayed propped up a bit on its
top edge. Add to that a touch pad that was
repositioned above the keyboard, and you had a hybrid that presented a lot of interesting ideas, but didn't always make a compelling argument for them.
As part of the last wave of new PC products we're likely to see in 2013, Acer now has an updated version of the Aspire R7. The external design remains the same, but there is a decent list of internal upgrades if you've been considering one of these.
First, the CPU has been updated to a newer Intel fourth-generation Core i5, a move many other laptops and hybrids have been making since the summer of 2013.
These newer CPUs offer similar performance, but much better battery life. As the original R7 ran for only four hours on our battery life tests, that could be a significant step in the right direction.
Also new is a digitizer-enabled touch screen, allowing you to use a sold-separately Acer active stylus ($49).
With a 15.6-inch 1,920x1,080-pixel screen, there's a case to be made for this as a large art canvas.
The $999 original Aspire R7 had 6GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive (with a small SSD cache), while the new version cuts the price to $899, and bumps those specs to 8GB of RAM and a 1TB HDD.
The revamped Acer Aspire R7 will be sold exclusively at Best Buy, starting in early December.
On Monday, Microsoft released a new Windows Phone 8 app called Office Remote. Office Remote turns your Windows Phone 8 into a presentation remote for a Windows 7 or Windows 8 PC, with Office 2013 and Bluetooth.
Office Remote currently supports PowerPoint, Excel, and Word. With this app you can perform actions such as jumping through slides, and using a remote laser pointer in PowerPoint. In Word and Excel, you can
navigate through documents and zoom in and out. If you want to set up your Windows Phone as an Office remote for your PC, here's how:
Step 1 : On your PC, download the Microsoft Office Remote PC Setup software from Microsoft's Web site and install it.
Step 2 : Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on your PC and Windows Phone 8, and that they're paired with each other.
Step 3 : On your PC, launch the Office document you want to access, then go to the Office Remote tab. Click on Office Remote, then select Turn On.
Step 4 : After you've installed Office Remote on your Windows Phone 8, open the app, then connect to your paired PC from the list. Once connected, you'll see your open document(s). Select one to interact with that document.
Once you've selected your document, you'll be able to navigate it with your Windows Phone 8.
The supported Functions will vary depending on the type of document you're working in.
• PowerPoint
- Jump to the next, previous, and last slide.
- View slide thumbnails and jump to a slide
- View speaker notes
- View presentation timer and slide numbers
- Laser pointer using touch on your phone.
• Excel
- Change worksheets by swiping
- Use Slicers, PivotTable, and Filters
- Jump to any named object in your workbook
- Move up or down the worksheet
- Change the zoom level
• Word
- Jump to headings
- Jump to comments
- Screen up/down
- Line up/down
- Change the zoom level
When Amazon unveiled the Kindle Fire HDX and second-generation Kindle Fire HD tablets back in September, both were equipped with a newly updated (and newly monikered) operating system: Fire OS 3.0. But plans
were already in the works for a 3.1 update that would add even more functionality.
That update has arrived, and Amazon plans to deliver it automatically, over the air, to compatible Kindles in the coming weeks. However, if you'd rather get it right
now, you can.
1. Make sure you have a compatible Kindle, and
make sure it's at least half charged. The OS 3.1 update is available for the second-generation Kindle Fire HD, the Kindle Fire HDX, and the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9.
2. On your PC, head to the Kindle Software
Updates page, then click the link for your particular model.
3. Scroll down a bit and click Download
Software Update 13.3.1. Make sure to take note of where you're saving that download. (Typically it'll land in a Downloads folder, but you may prefer to save it to, say, the Desktop for quicker access.)
4. Using your USB sync cable, connect your
Kindle Fire to your PC. Wait until it's detected, then open up File Explorer and click Kindle Drive. Navigate your way to the Internal Storage folder.
5. Locate the software update you downloaded
(it should have a .bin extension), then drag it to that Internal Storage folder. (Make sure you don't copy it to a subfolder, of which there are many.) After the file has been copied, which should take no more than a minute or two, you can disconnect your Kindle from your PC.
6. On your Kindle, swipe down from the top of
the screen, then tap Settings. Tap Device, then System Updates. Finally, tap Update. Wait a few minutes while the tablet reboots and installs the new OS.
That's it! Now you can enjoy the various fruits of Fire OS 3.1, including Goodreads integration, Second Screen viewing on select Samsung TVs and the PlayStation 3, mobile printing, and 1-Tap Archive to free up storage.
Taking the DMV written exam to obtain a driver license can be nerve-wracking, especially if you're a new driver. Drivers who are upgrading to a different class should already be familiar with many of the traffic
signs and laws, but newer drivers will need to study them to pass the written portion of the DMV driver test.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles has had a mobile app called "DMV Now" for the iPhone and Android, but until recently, didn't have anything available for tablets. Now, you can download the 2013 California Driver Handbook to your iPad via iBooks. The
interactive book is broken down into 21 chapters, which include videos, diagrams, photos, and practice
questions.
Though the interactive handbook isn't available on Android tablets or the Kindle Fire, you can still download the handbook in PDF form and read it on those devices. The online version of the handbook is also available to read using the Web browser of your choice.
When browsing the Web, you may wish to share what you are viewing with a friend or colleague by sending him or her an e-mail that references the page you are on.
This is most commonly done by copying and pasting a URL link to the Web page in an e-mail message, which may suffice for most purposes. Sometimes, however, the contents of a page may change, so you may want to preserve it as-is. If so, then you have several options
available to you in OS X's Mail and Safari (though not all options are exclusive to these programs).
• Screenshots
The first option is to simply take a screenshot of the page you are viewing. This can be done by expanding your browser window to encompass the contents of interest, and then pressing Shift-Command-4, or Control-Shift-Command-4, where the extra Control key
will save the resulting screenshot directly to the clipboard instead of as a file to disk. Either hotkey sequence will invoke the "selection screenshot," so your cursor will turn into a crosshair which you can use to click and drag to select a portion of the screen to save.
Or you can press the Space bar when you see the crosshair, and the cursor will turn into a camera. Hover this camera over your browser window (or any window), and when the window highlights, click it to take a screenshot of only that window.
Unfortunately, screenshots result in a static image, which limits interaction. Additionally, the image is limited by the resolution of your display, which may be too grainy if someone wishes to zoom in.
• Web archive
A second option is to save the current page as a Web archive. This will preserve the page's HTML, images, and other resources in a single file that can be loaded directly from disk in Safari. This option has the benefit of preserving the layout and structure of the page as- is, and makes it easily transferable to others, but the archive may not work well with content that automatically updates, or if there are plug-in requirements to view content.
To make a Web archive, simply choose "Save As" from the File menu in Safari, and the default file format for the document will be a Web archive. Once saved to disk, you can then drag it to a Mail message or otherwise add it as an attachment.
• PDF
A third option is to use the OS X services to create a PDF of the page you are viewing. This option will preserve the current page as-is, and also have the benefit that text is selectable, image quality is preserved, and embedded URL links will work.
There are two ways to save a page as a PDF.
The first is to use the print dialogue, where you can use the PDF menu to open the page in Preview (for further annotation and editing), save it, or directly embed it as an attachment in a new e-mail message.
The second option is built into Safari, and allows you to use the Share menu, or press Command-i, to capture the current page view and open an e-mail with the PDF embedded.
All of these approaches will eventually allow
you to send the PDF via e-mail to anyone.
• Embedded HTML
A final option is to embed the current page as HTML in an e-mail message. This approach takes more steps, but, like a Web archive, it often allows the page to be viewed exactly as-is, with links, menus, and other page elements working to at least show their contents.
Unlike the Web archive, however, this option allows the rendering to be done directly in the e-mail client instead of switching to the browser.
To do this, open a new blank Mail message, and then go to the desired Web page in Safari. Next, press Command-A in Safari to select everything (the page's contents will be highlighted blue). The click and drag the selection into the e-mail message window, or use the system's copy and paste functions, and it should embed in the e-mail message.
One benefit of this approach is that elements of the page can be edited and removed manually. For instance, if the page has an advertisement you would prefer to not include in your message, you can select it and press the Delete key to remove it. Some elements
may show a highlight with a small "X" at the top
corner, which, if clicked, will remove the entire
element.
Have you ever been reading an important e-
mail, studying some notes, or playing a
game, when a call interrupts you? Wouldn't
it be nice if you could quickly dismiss the
call without putting your current activity in
the background? That's exactly what Call
PopOut does for you.
Instead of interrupting, Call Pop Out puts
the incoming call in a tiny bubble, the same
way Facebook uses Chat Heads for new
messages. Ready to give it a look? Let's get
to it:
Step 1: Download a copy of "Call PopOut" for
your Android device. The app runs on
Android 2.2 and up.
Step 2: After installing, you'll want to open
the app and adjust the settings to your
liking.
You can choose to mute calls by tapping the
bubble, decide which apps (or all) will have
their alerts displayed in the bubble, as well
as the size and position of the bubble. Most
of the features are available in the free
version, save for minor things like the ability
to put the bubble up top or make it smaller.
Step 3: When a call homes in, just press and
hold on the picture to display the incoming
call menu. You can accept, hide the pop-up,
mute, or reject calls from the bubble.
When testing this app I noticed that it does
not play nicely nicely with apps that display
information during calls. So if you use
another app like Current Caller ID , you'll
have to pick between the two. The good
news is that Call PopOut has a disable
option, in case you don't want to use it all
the time.
Have you ever wanted to rip the audio from a
YouTube video? Now you can, just follow these
simple steps.
Steps:
1. Set up your computer's devices
appropriately in order to capture what is
called "computer playback"
• Open the Control Panel
• Click on Hardware and Sound and select
Sound.
• Click on the Recording tab.
• Disable the Microphone by right clicking
and selecting Disable. Right click on an open space in the window and select Show disabled devices. Stereo Mix should appear on the list of
devices.
Right click on Stereo Mix and select
Enable .
2. Open your browser and find the YouTube
video from which you wish to extract audio.
3. Open up Audacity and click record.
4. Play the YouTube video from which you wish
to extract audio.
5. Stop recording with Audacity once the
YouTube video has finished playing.
6. Save the recording in the format most
appropriate for your purposes. For most
people this is the WAV format.
• Click on File
• Click on Export
:: Tips :
• Adjust the window sizes of the browser used
to access YouTube and Audacity in order to
easily move between the applications Helpful?
• Make sure the YouTube video has fully
downloaded before you begin playing it to
avoid unwanted interruptions in your
recording.
Helpful?
With every new operating system comes a
fresh set of features that serve up
convenience...at the cost of your battery life.
In many cases, it's just not worth having
your phone die when you need it most.
If you're looking to get more juice out of
your phone's battery, or are one of the many
people with a Nexus 5 plagued by a possible
battery issue , change these settings.
• Use the new GPS feature
Many apps -- not just the mapping types --
have recently found a way to incorporate
location-tracking into their offerings. From
check-ins to finding "nearby" business, these
apps eat into your battery life as they work
to pinpoint your location.
KitKat attempts to solve this issue with a
new Battery Saving GPS mode, which
minimizes the number of reference points
used to find your location. Because it's still
pretty accurate, it's a good default choice.
To enable this mode, head to Settings >
Location > Mode, and enable Battery Saving.
Whenever you need super-precise tracking,
switch this setting back to High Accuracy.
Until then, enjoy the benefits of less strain
on your battery.
• "Not OK, Google"
On the one hand, be thankful your phone is
such a good listener. On the other hand, it's
not worth killing your battery life.
Thanks to the new, persistent Hotword
detection, you can say "OK, Google" from any
home screen (or within Google Now) to
prompt Google Search and Voice Actions.
That means, however, that your phone is
always listening, waiting for you to say those
magic words.
To turn that feature off, head to Google Now
> Settings > Voice, and disable Hotword
Detection.
• NFC when you need it
This one's a no-brainer, not new to KitKat,
and yet, I often find that people leave NFC
enabled -- even if they don't use it.
If you have an NFC-enabled phone (like the
Nexus 5), ensure it's on only when you need
it. For those who need to keep it enabled,
double-check to see that Android Beam is
disabled.
To adjust these settings, navigate to Settings
> More (under Wireless and Networks) > NFC.
Get out of sync
When add an account to your phone, Google
assumes you'd like to sync just about
everything. That includes Google Play
purchases, Google Keep, and even photos.
That last one is killer: photos. Each time you
snap a picture, Google uploads it to your
account to back it up. For those who use
their phone as their primary camera (that's
everyone, right?), this can seriously hurt your
battery life.
There are two ways to change this. Head to
settings and find your e-mail address under
Accounts. Tap the account name again to
access sync settings, where you can un-check
the items you don't want synced. Included
there is that "Google Photos" option.
Alternatively, head to the Gallery app >
Settings, and disable Google Photos Sync.
• Use the battery tool
If you still can't figure out why your battery
is draining, make use of the built in power
monitor, which displays the amount of power
each active app is using.
To access the battery tool, call up the
notification shade, tap the Quick Settings
icon, then hit the battery logo. Here, you'll
see a complete list of active apps. Take a
look around to see if any are consuming an
unusually high amount of power. Your
phone's display and networking processes
(like Wi-Fi) are unavoidable, but you might
find that an app you downloaded is a
battery hog.
If you identify a battery-sucking app you'd
like to shut down, tap it from the list, and
hit "force stop."
Want a quick and easy way to earn some Play
store credits by offering nothing but some
time and your opinions? Of course you do!
And Google wants your opinion, so it has
released an app called 'Google Opinion
Rewards' for Android users. The app is free
and only takes a few minutes to set up, with
the process requiring you to take a survey.
Your answers to the initial survey will be
used to customize the surveys you'll receive
on your device in the future.
According to Google Consumer Surveys
announcement on Google+, users of the app
can expect one survey a week. After giving
your honest opinion on the matters at hand,
your Play Store account will be credited with
a yet to be determined amount. Surveys can
range from multiple questions to simply
picking your preferred logo.
As an Android user, signing up for something
like this doesn't require much thought. In
the end I get money in exchange for offering
no more than my opinion, and I can do it all
directly from my device. Sign me up.
If you sign up and receive a paid survey,
comment below on your experience.
Windows 8 wasn't the greatest success for
Microsoft, but the much anticipated update,
Windows 8.1, is now available either
electronically or through traditional physical
discs in retail outlets. Here's a look at how to
get your Windows 8 system ready and the
process of upgrading to Windows 8.1 through
the electronic update now available in the
Windows Store.
• Prepare your Windows 8 system
Before jumping in to the upgrade there's a few
things you'll need to do before installing.
1. make sure you have all of the latest updates for your system via Windows Update. Even if you have your system set up to receive automatic updates, it's best to run it manually to ensure you have all of the latest ones.
2. Create a back up of all important documents,
pictures, videos, etc. You don't necessarily need
to create a system image, though it wouldn't
hurt, but make sure everything important is
backed up on an external drive, network location,
or DVDs. If you have File History set up, just run
it before proceeding with the update. If you
have a service like CrashPlan that's constantly
running in the background, you should be good
to go.
• Download and Install Windows 8.1
Now it's time to update and get your new
version of Windows. Hit the Windows Key to get
to the Start screen and select the Store tile.
Next click on the Update to Windows 8.1 for free
(you can't miss it, it's the first thing you'll see
in the store). The next screen will give you a
brief preview of what new features Windows 8.1 provides. Click Install.
Now just wait while the update is downloaded
and installed. This is a major update at around
3.5 GB for the 8.1 Pro edition, so the amount of time it takes to download will vary depending on
your connection speed and how busy Microsoft
servers are. However, you can continue to use
your system while this download it taking place.
If you have the option of a wired Ethernet
connection rather than Wi-Fi, I'd recommend
using it to provide a much more reliable
connection for faster download speeds and to
reduce the risk of getting disconnected during
the install. Also ensure you're connected to
mains power to avoid potential power problems.
When it's done, you'll receive a message that
your computer needs to be restarted. Finish up
any work you're doing and save it because from
this point until it's done, you can't user you
computer. It will restart several times while the 8.1 update is being installed.
You'll see a series of different screens showing
you what is going on during the installation.
You're almost finished. Agree to the software
terms of service.
There will be a few more screens displayed
letting you know what Windows is doing, like the one below, which is getting modern apps ready that were already installed.
Success! You're all done. You have the latest
version of Windows on your system and you start digging into the cool new features it has to offer.
• Wrapping Up
After installing the 8.1 update, I recommend
running Windows Update right away. There's
already updates for the final version, one of
which is the General Availability Rollup.
If you are running the 8.1 Preview version, when you update, you'll need to reinstall all of your modern apps and desktop programs. One nicety of the upgrade is your modern app tiles will display on the Start screen. Then all you need to do is click the tile to download them.
Finally, after you have Windows 8.1 set up and
ready to use
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