BRUCEB NEWS
New! Improved! Bruceb Favorites Gets A Glow-Up
I am inordinately proud of the Bruceb Favorites page, a lovingly curated directory of websites you already know how to reach. I’ve been maintaining it for nearly 30 years. In the last year it began to develop issues – slowing down a bit, occasional stumbles, receding hairline, losing its train of thought, hang on, those are my problems, but there’s overlap – links on the Favorites page had gone dead, the columns would occasionally stack vertically instead of horizontally, borders appeared and disappeared. At last the internet has…
The Last Windows 10 Tip Of The Year: How To Sign Out
It’s the end of the day. You’ve finished your work and you’re packing up. You can walk away as soon as you log off of the computer, which is running that new-fangled Windows 10 that’s all the rage in tech circles. Here’s a picture of the new Windows 10 Start menu on…
Windows 10 Tip: Find A Lost Laptop
A new feature quietly appeared in the Windows 10 November update: you can have your laptop send its location every few hours to Microsoft. If your laptop is lost or stolen, you can view the last location where it was online. Android phones, iPhones, and Macs have had…
Why Are PDFs Opening In The Edge Browser? And Other Windows 10 Default Annoyances
Microsoft needed to execute flawlessly on a number of things for Windows 10 to be an inarguable success. High on the list were two things: making the upgrade process smooth and uneventful; and creating the first impression that Windows 10 is both familiar and slightly…
OneDrive Update: Easier Setup In Windows 10, Plus The Mystery Of OneDrive For Business
Let’s get caught up on the latest news about OneDrive, Microsoft’s service for storing files online and syncing them to your computers and mobile devices. If you’re new to OneDrive, it’s a free service tied to your Microsoft account that’s similar to Dropbox. It…
Windows 10 Tip: How To Clean Up The Navigation Pane In File Explorer
When you open File Explorer in Windows 10, you see many things designed to make life simpler. There are so many, in fact, that the navigation pane on the left has become cluttered and confusing, exactly the opposite of what you need. Here are some tips about how to…
Danger! Alarm! Panic! The Bad Guys Step Up Their Attacks
The bad guys are working overtime. In the last few weeks, two of my clients were shut down for hours or days by viruses that arrived in email attachments. There have been countless near misses with look-alike messages that appear to be from Paypal or from banks,…
An Amazing iPhone App You’re Not Using (But You Should Be)
myEcho is an iPhone app that can take your dictation and insert it into any Windows program. It’s remarkably accurate, it’s easy to use, and, oh yes, it only costs $1.99. If you’ve spent any time trying to set up dictation in Windows, you might appreciate the…
How You Can Make This A Special Holiday Season
Every year at this time, all of us participate in a shared ritual, a rich tradition for families and loved ones, the heartwarming moments when we all sit at our computers and shop at Amazon. You can make this a special holiday for me if you start your shopping by…
The Best New Feature In Windows 10 Is . . . A Swipe
Many of you are finding your way around Windows 10 on your newly upgraded computers. It’s a blend of the best of Windows 7 and Windows 8, with some new features that show lots of promise: Cortana talks to you! The notification center sends messages to you! The Edge…
The Future For Quickbooks Is Cloudy
Previously: Intuit’s Plans For Quicken And Quickbooks Aren’t What You Expect Intuit wants you to use QuickBooks Online. It really wants you to use QuickBooks Online. It’s going to pressure you to give up the familiar desktop version of QuickBooks Pro that’s been…
Your Windows 10 Upgrade Is Ready
Microsoft has released its long-awaited major update for Windows 10. If you are going to upgrade, it’s now safer to do that. The update contains four months of bug fixes, driver improvements, and updates to improve the upgrade experience. Windows 10 is now closer to…
Intuit’s Plans For Quicken And Quickbooks Aren’t What You Expect
Quicken and Quickbooks are among our oldest friends on desktop computers. Millions of people use Quicken for their home finances. Most small businesses use Quickbooks as their accounting system. Changes are coming. Intuit is trying to sell Quicken. There’s no buyer…
Ten Ways To Make Windows 10 More Lovable
Finally! Next week, you’ll do your backups and you’ll upgrade to Windows 10 and everything will go smoothly and you’ll log in and everything will work perfectly and you’ll love it. It’s absolutely guaranteed – subject to my Standard Disclaimer, of course. Here…
Six Things You Must Do Before Upgrading To Windows 10
Windows 10 will get a major update soon, probably on November 10. The upgrade process has been battle tested by 120 million people. Windows 10 will be ready next week. Now it’s time for you to get ready. Sorry to be a nag, but there are six things you must do before…
Ten Annoying Things About Windows 10 (Part 2)
Previously: Part 1 – the first five annoying things I’m a big fan of Windows 10 but it’s not perfect. Here are five more things that make me a bit crazy. 6) Control Panel vs. Settings Microsoft introduced a modern-looking Settings panel in Windows 8 and…