When you copy text into Microsoft Excel, it can occasionally come with characters you’d prefer to see removed, such as unnecessary spaces. Rather than remove these manually, you can use the TRIM function to do it for you. What Is the TRIM Function? TRIM is a very simple Microsoft Excel function that removes any extra spaces from a specific text string or from a cell containing text, leaving only a single space between words....
Netflix First-run episodes of Breaking Bad originally aired on the AMC cable network, but it was thanks to off-season viewing on Netflix that the show built up its dedicated following over the course of five seasons. All 62 episodes are still available to stream on Netflix ($8.99+ per month), along with the sequel movie El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie, which premiered as a Netflix original. Apple iTunes At iTunes, every season and episode of Breaking Bad is available for digital purchase ($2....
Windows 7 isn’t long for this world. On January 14, 2020, Microsoft ends “extended support” for Windows 7, and it will stop getting security updates. But there’s a way around it: Paying for “Extended Security Updates.” Normal Security Updates End on January 14, 2020 First released on October 22, 2009, Windows 7 is nearing its tenth anniversary. On January 14, 2020, Windows 7 will leave “extended support.” Microsoft will stop issuing routine security updates, and software developers will eventually stop supporting it with recent versions of their software....
You’re transferring files between two remote locations and the transmission is agonizingly slow. Is the local computer to blame? Read on as we dig into the nuances of file transfer. Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites. The Question SuperUser reader Cyborgcommand0 is curious if file transfers between remote hosts are slowed down by his local computer....
ZDNet reports that Microsoft is preparing to send reminders to anyone still using Windows 8.1, reminding them that support will end on January 10, 2023. After that point, Windows 8.1 won’t receive any more system updates, including critical security patches. The initial version of Windows 8 reached the end of mainstream support in 2016. Even though the operating system itself is reaching the end of its lifetime, and you should definitely plan an upgrade if you’re still on Windows 8....
Never download a driver-updating utility. Like PC-cleaning programs, they try to charge you money for a service you don’t need. They do this by scaring you with threats of blue screens and system problems. Even if a driver-updating tool worked perfectly and the company behind it didn’t seem unbelievably sleazy, they wouldn’t be worth your time — much less your money. Stay away. DriverUpdate.net Examined RELATED: PC Cleaning Apps are a Scam: Here’s Why (and How to Speed Up Your PC)...
Java was responsible for 91 percent of all computer compromises in 2013. Most people not only have the Java browser plug-in enabled — they’re using an out-of-date, vulnerable version. Hey, Oracle — it’s time to disable that plug-in by default. Oracle knows the situation is a disaster. They’ve given up on the Java plug-in’s security sandbox, originally designed to protect you from malicious Java applets. Java applets on the web get complete access to your system with the default settings....
Bloatware is still a big problem on new Windows 8 and 8.1 PCs. Some websites will tell you that you can easily get rid of manufacturer-installed bloatware with Windows 8’s Reset feature, but they’re generally wrong. This junk software often turns the process of powering on your new PC from what could be a delightful experience into a tedious slog, forcing you to spend hours cleaning up your new PC before you can enjoy it....
T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert and SpaceX Chief Engineer Elon Musk announced the partnership, which has the goal of supplanting T-Mobile’s cell service (provided by cell towers on the ground) with Starlink satellites orbiting in low Earth orbit. Starlink’s internet service is already a proven technology, though not without problems — including that it needs a ground-based dish antenna. T-Mobile is aiming for existing phones to use Starlink connections, without any modifications or extra antennas....
“Hi, I’m from Microsoft and we’ve noticed your computer has a lot of viruses.” This is how the Microsoft tech support scam starts. By the end, the victim has probably paid hundreds of dollars and had their computer infected. This cold-calling telephone scam has been going on since 2008, but shows no sign of going away. If you have any relatives who might fall for it, be sure to let them know Microsoft won’t actually call them....
“Freemium” games, as they’re now collectively referred to, are a plague in app stores of all kinds, whether it’s Apple’s iTunes, Google Play, or even the Windows Store. Lampooned in the South Park episode “Freemium Isn’t Free”, games like Simpsons: Tapped Out were put on blast for actively and knowingly creating Skinner box scenarios wherein players could play a game for “free”, only to find that their ability to level up or add new items was locked under a paywall for in-game currencies....
While almost any Bluetooth speaker will be more rugged than a piece of home audio equipment, they’re not all created equal. If you intend to use your speaker outdoors, you’ll want a model that is at least somewhat waterproof. An IP67 or IPX4 rating is perfect for casual use. That said, if you’re going to be using your speaker outdoors more often than not, you might want to look for an even higher IP rating like IPX7....
Tremendous Influence In 1973, engineers at Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC) created a revolutionary computer called the Xerox Alto that pioneered the mouse-based graphical user interface (GUI), bitmapped graphics, local networking, laser printing, networked computer gaming, object-oriented software development, and much more. The Alto’s bitmapped display and paper-white portrait monitor made it an ideal platform for innovations in computer document preparation, including the first WYSIWYG (“what you see is what you get”) word processors that supported multiple fonts....
Most people probably don’t think of themselves as an “administrator” but if you have computers all using the same access point, then that’s what you are. It’s important to understand how to ensure the safety of children using computers on your network. Home network safety starts with the equipment you already have. How do you know what’s going on when someone else uses your computer? What kind of activities are occurring and what sort of websites are your clients accessing?...
YouTube has added a new way to share and watch videos: YouTube Premieres. Premieres are a mix between a live stream and a traditional YouTube video. You prerecord them, but then play those recordings live, with live chat and donations like standard live streams. Premieres announce what time they’re premiering on your channel, and show up in feeds before they go live, giving viewers the option to be reminded of them a few minutes prior....
A file with the .pdf file extension is a Portable Document Format (PDF) file. PDFs are typically used to distribute read-only documents that preserve the layout of a page. They’re commonly used for documents like user manuals, eBooks, application forms, and scanned documents, to name just a few. What is a PDF File? PDF was created by Adobe in the 1990s to achieve two things. The first is that people should be able to open the documents on any hardware or operating system, without needing to have the app used to create them—all you need is a PDF reader, and these days most web browsers fit the bill....
Super Retina Means OLED Apple has been using Retina to describe its high pixel density displays for over a decade. The term is marketing speak and means that you can’t distinguish individual pixels at a normal operating distance from the screen. All displays used on Apple’s iPhones, iPads, and Macs are now “Retina” quality or better. The term “Super Retina HD” was first used to describe a new type of display that debuted in the iPhone X....
Chances are those brands don’t exist outside of a Shopify storefront. They’re merely reselling low-quality Chinese goods at marked-up prices. Welcome to the murky world of dropshipping scams. Dropshipping Is Not a Scam, But Scammers Are Using Dropshipping A merchant that uses dropshipping is just a middleman. You place an order with that merchant, but another company—a manufacturer, retailer, or wholesaler—ships you the product. The merchant takes his cut and never has to handle the inventory....
You Have Traditional Incandescent Christmas Lights If you have traditional incandescent Christmas lights and they are flickering, you need to stop what you’re doing right now and unplug them before proceeding. Traditional lights don’t flicker when they are in good condition and plugged into a properly wired electrical system. If your traditional incandescent Christmas lights are flickering, that indicates there is a problem somewhere in the system. Individual wires somewhere in the strand might be frayed, and the flicker effect results from the line damage....
Apple’s iOS is nowhere near as vulnerable to malware as Windows is, but it’s not completely impervious. “Configuration profiles” are one possible way to infect an iPhone or iPad just by downloading a file and agreeing to a prompt. This vulnerability isn’t being exploited in the real world. It’s not something you should be particularly worried about, but it’s a reminder that no platform is completely secure. What is a Configuration Profile?...
