Office 365: Know your updates
Get the latest info on new features, bug fixes, and security updates for Office 365/Microsoft 365 for Windows as they roll out from Microsoft. Now updated for Version 2206 (Build 15330.20196), released on June 29, 2022 Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscribers get more frequent software updates than those who have purchased Office without a subscription, which means subscribers have access to the latest features, security patches, and bug fixes. But it can be hard to keep track of the…
How to access BIOS in Windows 10
The BIOS, or UEFI, is a powerful tool for configuring your PC’s hardware such as your RAM, CPU, motherboard, and more. It also has options that can increase the security of your PC. Here are a few different ways to access the BIOS. What Is the BIOS? The Basic Input-Output System (BIOS) is low-level software that is programmed onto your computer’s motherboard. When you turn on your computer, the BIOS initializes and tests all of the hardware in your PC…
Windows 11 Improves Menu, Taskbar
Windows 11’s taskbar is a giant step back in usability compared to Windows 10, and now Microsoft is starting to make improvements. A new update that’s currently being tested by Windows Insiders brings the clock and date back to the taskbar on secondary or multiple monitors. It’s a change that multiple monitor users will appreciate, as many have had to install third-party apps like ElevenClock just to get this basic functionality in Windows 11. I’ve not been shy about criticizing…
Fixing Windows 10 (and 11) in 4 steps
When Windows 10 gets wonky, try this series of repair techniques — in this order — to attempt to set things right. Sometimes a Windows 10 system starts misbehaving to the point where repair is needed. This often takes the form of worsening performance or stability, and can originate from damage to, loss of, or corruption of Windows system files typically found in the C:\Windows folder hierarchy. When that happens, users would be well advised to break out the following routine to…
Microsoft Launches new collaborative Office doc — Loop
Built on the Fluid Framework, Microsoft’s Loop app comes in response to offerings by start-ups such as Coda and Notion and their “all-in-one” collaborative documents. While it’s unlikely to supplant traditional Office docs for now, Loop previews a ‘post-Office’ world. Microsoft this week unveiled a new productivity application, Loop, that combines elements of documents, spreadsheets, and presentation apps in a single collaborative space. “The technology is effectively Microsoft’s vision for the future of Office, breaking down the rigid barriers between different…
How to check if your PC can run Windows 11
In late June, Microsoft announced Windows 11, noted that the upcoming OS would have more stringent hardware requirements than Windows 10, and released a utility named PC Health Check to permit users to assess the upgrade readiness of their PCs. Just four days later, however, Microsoft withdrew the tool from circulation, citing issues with its “level of detail or accuracy.” In other words, it was telling many users that their hardware couldn’t run Windows 11, but it wasn’t telling them why. To partially…
Zoom acquires cloud contact center Five9 for $14.7B
The popular videoconferencing firm may be looking to move beyond video with the purchase, which gives it a new way to expand services. Zoom yesterday announced plans buy cloud call center service provider Five9 in a $14.7 billion all-stock transaction. Subject to shareholder approval, the acquisition is expected to close in the first half of 2022. The acquisition could allow the company to hedge its video bets after 18 months of unprecedented growth as both companies and individual users turned to the…
How WordPress Sites Get Hacked: 5 Common Vulnerabilities & How to Prevent Them
WordPress is a popular free and open source content platform where users can choose different themes based on the user’s preference. This is an “open-source content management system written in PHP and paired with a MySQL or MariaDB database” (Wikipedia). A popular platform means that there is a higher chance of attackers hacking these WordPress sites. To help you understand where the weak spots are, here are the five common WordPress hacks and vulnerabilities that could put a WordPress site…