How To Search In Windows 8 Store [Quick Tip]

By Leave a Comment

Continuing my journey with Windows 8, I stumbled across several hurdles such as how to shutdown Windows 8, or hibernate Windows 8 etc. One of the crucial feature of Windows 8 is its Windows store. It consists of cool apps for Windows 8, similar to iTunes and Google Play. Only little problem here, no obvious option to search for an app inside the store. In this quick tutorial we’ll see how to search in Windows 8 store.

Step 1:

When you are in Windows Store, hover the mouse to the top right or bottom right corner of the screen to access the settings menu. Click on the search icon:

Windows 8 Search

Step 2:

When it gives you the option to search, type the keywords for the app you are looking for. As you start typing, Windows starts suggesting what app you might be looking for. In the picture below, I was looking for Evernote and I got several suggestions:

Windows 8 Search

In fact you can search the Windows store from anywhere. When you perform a search, by default it looks in the list of installed apps. But it also has the option to redefine search for Windows Store. Choice is yours.

How To Enable Hibernation In Windows 8

By Leave a Comment

Previously we discussed how to shutdown Windows 8. By default the power button in Windows 8 has only three options, Sleep, Shut Down and Restart. Long time Windows users might remember the good old “hibernation” option in previous versions of Windows. Lets see how can we enable the hibernation option in Windows 8 power button.

Step 1:

Press Windows + I to bring the settings options and then click on Control Panel:

Windows 8 Control Panel Power Settings

Step 2:

In control panel go to Power Options. You can reach it via Hardware and Sound option in control panel:

Windows 8 Control Panel Power Settings

In Power Options, click on Change what the power buttons do:

Windows 8 Control Panel Power Settings

Step 3:

In here, click on Change settings that are currently available:

Windows 8 Control Panel Power Settings

Step 4:

Scroll down to the bottom to see the options in Shutdown settings. Check Hibernation button to include it in power button option. Save changes:

Windows 8 Control Panel Power Settings

That’s it. No need for a reboot. Next time you click on the power button you will see the hibernation option there. Enjoy :)

How To Free Up Space By Deleting Previous Windows Installation

By 1 Comment

bleach bit logo clean driveWhen I first installed Windows 8, the first thing I wondered was how to shutdown Windows 8. Anyways, that was a quite easy. While exploring Windows 8, I found that my C Drive is pretty much full. I have a 100 GB space allotted for C drive and I did not expect it to be full. As you know, a full C drive leads to a slower computing experience, it was my foremast task to clean up the C Drive.

As I see later, my C Drive was full thanks to previous Windows installations. I had previously upgraded Windows 7 to Windows 8 Consumer preview and thus it was taking lots of space (almost 50 GB, can you believe it?). Lets see how you can clean up your C Drive to free up some space on your computer.

Step 1:

Search for Disk Space in Metro. To do that use the Windows key (the one with Windows sign on it) and start typing disk space. Click on Settings from right column to redefine your search. And then choose Free up disk space by deleting unnecessary files to open the disk clean up tool.

Windows Settings

Step 2:

In the disk clean up tool, you won’t see the option to delete the files from previous Windows versions. To see this option, click on the Clean up system files.

Windows 8 clean Up

Step 3:

Choose the drive where you install Windows. Usually its C drive.

Windows 8 clean Up

Step 4:

It will take some time to scan your system for removable files. Just wait here for some times.

Windows 8 clean Up

Step 5:

Now it will show you the option of deleting previous Windows installations and temporary Windows installation files. The previous Windows installation will delete all your documents, pictures, music etc that might be present there. So make sure that you have backed up all the things. In case you are not sure, you can check Windows.old folder in C drive to see what it is going to delete.

 Windows 8 clean Up

That’s it. Click on OK to delete the previous installation of Windows. You will have much more free space now on your C drive for a smoother Windows 8 experience.

How To Turn Off, Shut Down Or Restart Windows 8 Easily

By 5 Comments

Power Button LogoThe all new fancy and glassy looking Windows 8 may give you a little bit of trouble with its redefined interface. And the first thing you will notice is that the famous ‘start’ button is missing and so is the option of turn off and restart. In this quick tutorial we’ll see how to turn off, shut down or restart Windows 8 in two clicks.

How To Shut Down Windows 8:

Step 1:

Move the cursor to top right or bottom right of the screen. The launcher will come up. Click on Settings from it.

Shut Down Windows 8

Step 2:

When you click on the Settings, it will be moved to another pan where you’ll have several options such as Control Panel, Personalization, Wireless Settings etc. There you will find the good old Power button symbol (similar to the first picture in this article). You will recognize it in one go. Just click on it and you will be presented with three options:

  • Sleep
  • Shutdown
  • Restart

How to Shutdown and Restart Windows 8

Take your pick. Its neat and easy. Just two clicks and you’ll get to choose to shut down or restart Windows 8. Feel free to put your comments in the section below if you face troubles.

Tip:

You can use Windows 8 keyboard shortcut, Windows + I to bring this setting

This was the first ‘problem’ I faced after I figured out how to install Windows 8 without purchasing the license key again. More Windows 8 tricks are coming soon. Stay tuned by liking our Facebook page and subscribing to the blog. Enjoy Windows 8.

What Are The Differences Between Different Windows 8 Editions in DreamSpark

By Leave a Comment

Windows 8 New Fancy LogoIf you are a student or a staff of a university that partners in Microsoft’s DreamSpark program (formerly known as MSDN Academic Alliance, MSDNAA), you can get a wide variety of Microsoft products for free and the list includes Windows 8. When you go in to your account of DreamSpark to download Windows 8, you might be seeing not one but around ten Windows 8 options available. In this post, we’ll see what is the differences between different Windows 8 versions in DreamSpark.

  1. Microsoft Windows 8 with Apps 32-bit
  2. Microsoft Windows 8 with Apps 64-bit
  3. Microsoft Windows 8 Debug/Checked Build 32-bit
  4. Microsoft Windows 8 Debug/Checked Build 64-bit
  5. Microsoft Windows 8 SDK 32/64-bit
  6. Microsoft Windows 8 Symbols 32-bit
  7. Microsoft Windows 8 Symbols 64-bit
  8. Microsoft Windows 8 Symbols Debug/Checked Build 32-bit
  9. Microsoft Windows 8 Symbols Debug/Checked Build 64-bit
  10. Microsoft Windows 8 WDF Co-installer 32/64-bit
  11. Microsoft Windows 8 WDK 32/64-bit
  12. Microsoft Windows Hardware Certification Kit 32/64-bit

1 & 2:

If you are looking to install Windows 8 for normal, daily life computing purposes, these two are the real candidates. You can choose either of them depending upon the your processor. Read this to find whether your processor is 32 bit or 64 bit.

3 & 4:

The  is used for debugging device drivers. It contains run-time checks for error conditions and has run-time optimizations removed. 32 bit and 64 bit has the same concept as explained above.

5:

This is just the Software Development Kit for Windows 8. It is used for developing Windows 8 apps.

6 & 7:

These are just the Symbols for Windows 8., used for debugging purposes. They are of no use.

8 & 9:

Same as above, but checked again. These too are of no use.

10 & 11:

Used for driver development. WDF means the Windows Driver Foundation and WDK refers to the Windows Driver Kit.

12:

It is extensively used for hardware certification.

Source: Superuser.com

How To Re-Download And Install Windows 8 Without Purchasing It Again

By 1 Comment

Windows 8 New Fancy LogoWhen we last see how to install Windows 8 consumer preview, little we knew that we will have problems installing Windows 8. As you know, Microsoft has stressed on using Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant for upgrading to Windows 8 from earlier version of Windows. It comes as a surprise why Microsoft is so focused on “upgrade” rather than the famed “DVD installation”.

Anyways, when I decided to install (read upgrade to) Windows 8, I was presented with the infamous Upgrade Assistant that checked my system for compatibility with Windows 8. After I get the green signal from it, I proceeded with purchasing the Windows 8 key. Pretty easy, huh! I thought. The order details about the purchase along with the key was sent to my personal email-id.

It was around mid-night when I started downloading Windows 8. When I woke up the next morning, I found that the Windows 8 download failed automatically in the middle. Never mind, I said, I’ll do it again. And that is where the problem arise. When I ran the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant again, I was asked to purchase Windows 8 again. Now, this irked me. Hello Microsoft! I just fu*king bought it. Why should I buy it again. Duh!

And I am pretty much sure I am not alone. Web is filled with users who encountered problem with downloads such as access is denied, download failed after 100%, download failed in the middle etc.

In this tutorial we will see how to re-download Windows 8 setup files without purchasing it again. This will be helpful to all the people who could not complete the Windows 8 download and are now asked to purchase it again.

How to re-download Windows 8 setup files without purchasing it again:

Remember, that I mentioned that the purchase detail had been mailed to me? The idea is, you must have the “license key” to download the Windows 8 set-up files again. Make sure you have it with you.

Now, go to and download the Windows 8 Setup. Mind that it is not the same as Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant. You can find this link in the email sent to you:

Windows 8 License Key

Alternative:

If you don’t have the Windows 8 license key emailed to you, you can download the setup files from the Windows 8 Summary page. You have to provide information that you used while purchasing it such as your name, address etc. This will take you to your order summary. On this page you can find the license key. On the same page you can also find the link to download the setup files.

Windows 8 Order Summary

Once you have downloaded the Windows 8 Setup application (approximately 5 MB in size), you can run it to download the complete Windows 8 files.

Further troubleshoot:

If you have further troubles with a failed download, you may have to remove the existing “failed downloaded” files. For this, you have to delete the following folder:

C:\Users\USER_NAME\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WebSetup

Change the USER_NAME with your own user name. If you are not able to delete it because of “access denied” error, try restarting the computer.

I hope this article helped you in re-download and installing Windows 8 without purchasing it again. Cheers :)

Best Projects of CES 2013

By 1 Comment

Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is considered as one of the best tech event of the year and it’s time to look at the best projects of this year after passing an incredible week.

Razer Edge

razer edge

Razer announced Project Fiona (PC gaming tablet) back in CES 2012. This year, the company showed an almost complete version of that idea, the Razer Edge Pro gaming system. It’s a Windows 8 based gaming tablet with 10.1-inch screen that offers an Nvidia mobile graphics card and an Intel processor depending on the model you purchase. If you want the Edge, you will get a Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, Nvidia GT640M LE GPU and 64GB SSD. The Edge Pro offers Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and optional 128GB or 256GB SSD. To completely enjoy this gaming tablet, you have to spend an extra $249.99 to buy the Gamepad Controller. You can also buy the keyboard dock with illuminated keys for $199 and a docking station for $69 to extend its battery life.

Razer is planning to release the Razer Edge in the first quarter of this year for $999 and the Edge Pro for $1,299.

Project Shield

project_shield_v2b

No, you are not looking at a smartphone attached to a game controller. Its Nvidia’s new Android gaming handheld called Project Shield. Android gaming devices are nothing new nowadays but this one offers something special: users can also play PC games in this Android based gaming console. The device features Nvidia’s latest Tegra 4 chip to make sure users enjoy smooth gaming performance. You can access to your PC games via your home wireless network and then Tegra 4 will decode the high quality video and let you play your PC games smoothly. Moreover, you can use this gaming device just like any other Android smartphone or tablet for watching videos, enjoying music or browsing internet.

We don’t know much about the price yet but the device will be available in the second quarter of this year.

Tactus Morphing Touchscreen

tactile

If you are one of those touchscreen users who miss the feeling of a real keyboard, here is a good news for you! Tactus Technology displayed its morphing touchscreen technology that can actually turn a touch screen into a morphing physical keyboard. The company showed an early prototype of this technology back in June last year but now the company is ready with a 7-inch tablet fully-integrated with Tactus tactile touchscreen technology. Physical keys will rise up from the screen on demand and then disappear when it’s not required. However, users will be able to sense touch but not the sense of being pressed.

The project is still in prototype phase and the company is hoping to release the technology later this year.

HAPILABS HAPIfork

hapiforks

HAPILABS unveiled HAPIfork, the world’s first smart fork that can help you to bring a change in your eating behavior. This smartfork can monitor your eating habit and alert you if you are eating too fast. You can keep records of your eating behavior using the HAPILABS mobile app and then access the data from different devices.

The smart forks and spoons are expected to be available in April and will cost about $99 each.

Oculus Rift

oculus rift

Oculus Rift is another cool gaming gadget that offers a new way to enjoy video games. This virtual reality headset is very light and can make users feel like they are in a different world or in an alternate reality. It’s still a work in progress and now the company is selling it as a part of a developer kit for $300.

Samsung T9000

android fridge

Samsung unveiled a 32-cubic-feet Four-door refrigerator titled as “the home entertainer’s ultimate refrigerator”. Why are we talking about a refrigerator here? Because this refrigerator comes with a big LCD display and Android OS. Now you can enjoy social networking, playing games and Evernote integration right in your refrigerator. The company didn’t reveal its price and launch date yet.

Cookoo Watch

cookoo

We’ve seen smart watches before but Cookoo is slightly different. This smart watch can receive signals via Bluetooth from your cell phone and alert you for calls, calendar reminders, low battery and Facebook notifications. The phone runs for a year using a standard button-cell battery unlike other smart watches.

You can order this watch from Cookoo’s website for $130 or grab one from AT&T’s flagship store in Chicago. However, if you want to talk or check Facebook updates directly using your watches, this one is not for you.

Less Known Windows 8 Keyboard Shortcuts You Should Know

By 1 Comment

Windows 8 Shortcuts Tips TricksIf your job involves using your keyboard and PC (of course), you know how tiresome it can be working straight hours tapping on your keyboard. Thanks to a high speed internet, you have come across some keyboard shortcuts that can make your life simpler. Knowing keyboard shortcuts won’t only improve your speed in navigating your PC, it can also lessen wrist fatigue. Here are Windows 7 keyboard shortcuts that most people don’t know yet.

Shortcuts for Windows Explorer

These Windows 8 keyboard shortcuts are made for Windows Explorer which can help you minimize using your mouse or touchpad.

  • F10 opens the “File” menu in an open Windows Explorer.
  • F6 rotates within options in an open window. In Word and other Office applications, it will give shortcut keys for various options such as Save, Undo, Redo, Home, Insert, etc. In Windows Explorer, it will rotate within different options.
  • F3 selects the search bar on your Windows Explorer if you have one that’s already open. If you don’t have a Windows Explorer window open, it will open the explorer and highlights the search bar. It will open the search dialogue in order for you to search inside the program.
  • F2 lets you rename a folder or file.
  • Alt+Up will let you go up one folder level.
  • Alt+Enter lets you open a file’s properties.
  • Ctrl+Shift+N lets you create a new folder within your present directory.
  • Shift+F10 opens the “right click” option of a folder or file. It can be really helpful for improving speed particularly when you know which one you will choose. Press the underlined letter in each choice for speedier access.
  • Shift+Del lets you delete a file permanently.

Shortcuts for Global Windows

  • Alt+Space lets you launch the window system menu. This can be used for maximizing, minimizing, closing or moving the window. This can be really helpful for windows that do not respond to the Alt+F4 shortcut.
  • Alt+Esc is similar to Alt+Tab only it changes windows in the order that they were opened and is not in the same window preview.
  • Ctrl+Esc also lets you open the start menu just like your Windows key.
  • Ctrl+Shift+Esc lets you open the task manager without having to use Ctrl+Alt+Del.
  • Win+B lets you select the system tray.
  • Win+T will let you go through the programs in your taskbar. You can then open the program using Enter or Space.
  • Win+Home lets you minimize all programs excluding your current window.
  • Win+Up/Down lets you maximize and restore down your present window provided that it isn’t maximized yet.
  • Win+Pause/Break lets you open the system properties window.
  • Win+1, 2, 3, etc. will let you open each program according to its position in your taskbar. It is therefore helpful to place your most used programs near your task bar so that you can simply launch them one after the other. This shortcut is also applicable for Windows Vista (quick launch icons).
  • Win+Alt+1+2+3… will let you open the jump list for every program within your task bar. Then, you can use your arrows to choose which jump list option you want.

About The Author: Daphne enjoys writing on all things technical for . Her daily routine consists of drinking coffee, keeping up on the latest news in technology, as well as blogging and guest posting.

5 Questions Answered On Which Gadget To Buy This Festive Season iPhone 5, iPad mini or Microsoft surface?

By Leave a Comment

November and December are the months when people across globe celebrate festivals and make merry by buying electronics either for personal use or to gift to their loved ones. Since the market at present is flooded with endless goods and gadgets making a choice becomes very difficult. The brand, cost, features, operating system, usability and the purpose of buying such devices are all accountable to making the best possible decision. You have multipurpose smart phones, tablets, budget tablets, and OS specific gadgets to choose from (let’s leave laptops alone as of now!).

Here is a simple list of selected gadgets you might want to consider for your next buy followed by some guidelines on how to make your decision in the form of questions and answers:

  1. Apple’s – iPhone 5, iPad 3 and  iPad Mini
  2. Google’s- Endless Android mobile phones and  Nexus 7 Tablet
  3. Amazon’s- Kindle Fire HD
  4. Samsung’s- Galaxy Series Mobile Phones, Galaxy Tab and Galaxy Note
  5. Omnia’s W Phone
  6. Microsoft’s- Windows 8 Mobile Phones and Microsoft Surface
  7. Motorola’s- Xoom and Razr XT910 Phone
  8. Nokia’s- Lumia 800, E6 and 808 Pure View Phones
  9. Acer’s- Iconia Tab
  10. HTC’s- One X, Radar and One S Phones
  11. LG’s- Optimus 4X HD
  12. Sony’s- Tablet S
  13. Xperia S and Xperia Go Phones
  14. Black Berry’s- iberry Auxus AX02, Playbook Tablet and Bold Touch 9900
  15. Asus’s- Eee Pad Transformer TF101G and Eee Pad Slider

You have to keep several factors in mind or else you will end up buying on of the most useless gadgets of all time. It’s time to mind map and find answers to some of the common questions, here we go.

Q1- So the first question that arises is- Who is the big-boss of them all?
Is it Apple, Google, Amazon, Samsung, Microsoft, Acer, Sony or Motorola?

A-  As far as I believe, there is no such big-boss or maybe there is one! But that does not really matter. The best might not be the right fit for you. Yes, I mean it. The best of them all might be offering the most aspired device but that might actually be of little use for you and your needs.

Whether you are considering buying a product from one of these companies to fulfil your professional needs or you are buying one from a brand just for fun is what matters. Your needs must be in-line with the features offered by the device and the price you are paying for the gadget. More over it must be affordable for you and so you must literally try to get more for as little money as possible when it comes to economical buy!

Hence, all the guys mentioned above have something nice to offer in the range for what you are looking for. The ball is in your court now.

Q2- Which touch screen gadget serves you the best and add value to your money?

A-  First of all decide and be clear of what type of gadget you are interested in i.e. a smart phone or a tablet computer or a luxury touch screen device. For example- A smart phone with touch screen loaded with reasonable OS can be your best bet over choosing a tablet if you are looking for a gadget that meets your phone requirements as well as assist you with rich features like navigation, gaming, 3G accessibility, among other features you are looking for. You are getting everything you are aspiring to buy, you are getting all of them in one device and also you are paying little less than what you might pay for unwanted features by choosing a tablet against your requirements.

Q3- Which hardware and Operating System should I choose?

A-  There are two aspects of choosing the modern day’s touch screen devices. One is the hardware i.e. which handset or tablet brand should you go for and the other is the software namely the Operating System i.e. iOS, Android or Windows 8. iOS is specific to Apple devices only i.e. if you want iOS operating System then you ought go for Apple’s hardware. Whereas if you choose to buy devices with Android OS then you will have a range of choices as far as the hardware brand is concerned. Google, Samsung, HTC, etc all have smart phones and tablets with Android OS. Same is the case with Microsoft’s new Windows 8 OS.

Therefore it becomes crucial to decide on which Operating System you would like to go with so that you can choose the hardware wisely.

Q4- Are you buying a device for your personal use or for a small company that you run or for your family?

A-  Be very clear about whom is this device meant for and what age group people would be using the gadget. For example: Your tablet will perhaps be used by your wife and your kids if your option is to buy a tablet for your family. Kids these days are smart and even toddlers are not to be taken lightly when it comes to using touch screen gadgets. You are using it for fun and work, your wife would use it to browse the internet and play and your children would use it for education purpose and gaming.

So, the versatility and usability becomes the important part of your list of must have features. Likewise may be you need more prolific features if the device is meant for your personal use to meet your professional needs or something versatile would suit if the gadget is meant to be used by more than one person.

Q5- Finally, what is your budget?

A-  You have a list of features that a gadget must have for you to buy it but you have so little money to spend or you just don’t give a damn to how much it costs but you need the best you can get or maybe you are ready to stretch and your budget is flexible but are looking for something that adds value to your money. Whatever be your budget, the good news is most of you can own one device that fits you the best. Just be sure of how much you are ready to spend and what do you want for that much of money. It is also important to be ready with a list of things you may agree to compromise if need be so that you end up buying a device for the money you have.

Take an informed decision and be responsible for what you have decided. Whether you are paying less or more the truth is you are anyway paying a price. If you go for an economical gadget you may compromise on the product quality or features and if you are buying it for more money that’s it you have already paid a price with your bucks!

Do you have more tips to share, we are eager to hear them from you. Drop your tips and queries.