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Macs switched over to Intel processors years ago, but it is still a huge headache to run OS X on a PC. Read on as we explore the technical hurdles in installing Apple’s OS on a PC framework. 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 Braiam wants to know what the technical obstacles that prevent normal computer users from installing OS X on their PCs are:...

Stare at a list of monitor resolutions long enough and you might notice a pattern: many of the vertical resolutions, especially those of gaming or multimedia displays, are multiples of 360 (720, 1080, 1440, etc.) But why exactly is this the case? Is it arbitrary or is there something more at work? 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....

Why Automatic TPM Support Matters Microsoft has decided to make TPM support a requirement for Windows 11. This caused a lot of confusion, as many people realized their computers didn’t have the option enabled in the BIOS. If the option was there, it was often labeled something like PTT or PSP fTPM, further adding to the confusion. Thankfully, many motherboard manufacturers are getting ready for Windows 11 by either adding an option to turn TPM on manually or, in the case of ASUS, turning it on automatically....

Chrome OS is based on desktop Linux, so a Chromebook’s hardware will definitely work well with Linux. A Chromebook can make a solid, cheap Linux laptop. If you plan on using your Chromebook for Linux, you shouldn’t just go pick up any Chromebook. From ARM vs. Intel hardware to storage space, there are some things you’ll need to keep in mind. ARM vs. x86 Software Compatibility RELATED: ARM vs. Intel: What It Means for Windows, Chromebook, and Android Software Compatibility...

Linux users often want to run Windows software on Linux, but Windows users may want to run Linux software, too. Whether you’re looking for a better development environment or powerful command-line tools, you can run Linux software without leaving Windows. There are many different options for running Linux software on Windows that doesn’t involve buying a new laptop to run the OS. It’s easier than running Windows software on Linux, as anyone can set up a virtual machine with a free Linux distribution — no need for software licenses....

The first time I took my camera tripod on an airplane as carry-on luggage I was terrified. Was airport security going to confiscate it? What about the airline staff at the boarding gate? Or at the door of the plane? Or the cabin crew member who gave me a hand to lift my bag to the luggage storage? Not one of them said a thing because—with some caveats—flying with your tripod is okay....

There are numerous applications which, when launched, result in a UAC (User Account Control) warning being displayed. There are reasons why this security measure is a good idea, but it can also be extremely irritating. ElevatedShortcut lets you create shortcuts that bypass the warning. In the past we have looked at how you can manually create shortcuts to avoid UAC prompts, and create shortcuts that allow applications to be run as administrator....

Change or Reset Your Connection The first thing to try is a different internet connection or a reset of your connection. Although both your device and the mail server may be fine, it’s possible that your local internet connection has developed an issue. Most connection issues to an Internet Service Provider (ISP) are resolved by disconnecting from it, waiting a few minutes, and then connecting again. Turn off your router and your modem (if they are separate devices) wait a minute or so and then turn everything on again....

Android allows you to create app shortcuts, but you can also create special shortcuts that link directly to screens within an app. For example, shortcuts could link to the Navigation screen in Maps or any screen in the Settings app. We’re using Android’s “activities” system for this. Activities are essentially screens within an app. For example, each pane in Android’s Settings app is a separate activity. The New Note and Compose Email screens in Evernote and Gmail are separate activities, too....

iPhones come with a cable that can connect your phone to your PC or Mac, but you don’t actually have to use it for that. You don’t even have to use the cable for charging if you buy into wireless charging (or just get a dock). The wireless, cable-free future isn’t quite here yet, but we’re not too far off. With a few quick adjustments, you can set all those wires aside today....

Apple Pay is shiny, new, and getting a lot of press. But Android users have had their own similar payment system for years: Google Wallet. Google Wallet isn’t limited to a small number of phones anymore. Goole Wallet usage is even increasing, which is no surprise. Mobile payments are getting more press and point-of-sale terminals that support contactless payments are popping up in more places. The Basics RELATED: What is NFC (Near Field Communication), and What Can I Use It For?...

While most people will never need to open a .lnk file to edit it, there may be rare occasions when it is necessary or desired. But how do you open and edit a shortcut file? Today’s SuperUser Q&A post has the answers. 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 Jez wants to know how to open ....

In batch scripts, changes to environment variables have a global impact to the current session by default. For PowerShell, the exact opposite is true because scopes are used to isolate a script’s modifications. Here, we’ll explore how scopes affect PowerShell scripts and how to work in and around them. What is a Scope? In PowerShell, a “scope” refers to the current environment in which a script or command shell is operating....

OS X’s Finder seems pretty simple by all outward appearances, but it’s actually got a lot of different parts that you have to know about to effectively use it. A good way to master the Finder is to take advantage of its preferences. The Finder isn’t too terribly different from file system browsers on other operating systems such as it Windows counterpart, File Explorer. At the very least you should be able to immediately use the Finder to find things – locations, files, applications, and anything else stored on your system....

Word has two different modes used for editing text – Insert mode and Overtype mode. Insert mode is the default and more commonly used mode. In Insert mode, text you type is inserted at the insertion point. However there may be times when you want to replace text as you type. Overtype mode accomplishes this by replacing whatever is to the right of the insertion point as you type....

Ever hear a quote or piece of dialog in a movie or favorite TV show and wish you could set it as a ringtone or notification on your smartphone? You can actually, with the free, open-source application Avidemux. Avidemux isn’t a ringtone-making app. It’s actually a pretty powerful video editor, that you can use to cut videos, add filters, transcode, and more. With the ringtone trick, however, we’ll be doing a modified version of a process we previously described on How-To Geek....

You can hide files on any operating system, but hidden files can be accessed by anyone with access to your PC or its storage. Encryption actually protects your files, preventing people from accessing them without your encryption key. Even if intelligence agencies could bypass this encryption — and we’re pretty sure they can’t — it’s still useful. Encryption can protect sensitive financial, business, and personal data from people with access to your hardware....

When you’re managing a public computer, you need a special kind of tool. You need a way to reset that computer back to a clean state every time it boots so no one can make any harmful changes. Commercial solutions like Deep Freeze offer this feature, and Microsoft once offered it via its Windows Steady State tool for Windows XP and Vista. However, Windows Steady State has been discontinued and doesn’t work with Windows 7....

RELATED: What’s New in Windows 10’s Creators Update Screens emit bright blue light that looks a lot like the sun, throwing off your body’s internal clock at night and preventing the secretion of melatonin, which causes you to become sleepy. Night Light makes your screen use dimmer, warmer colors at night, helping you sleep. That’s the theory that some studies have supported, although more research on the subject would certainly be helpful....

Apple’s iPhone and iPad interfaces are attractive, but they can also be difficult to see for some people—especially interface elements such as switches, which change color when activated. Luckily, there’s a way to add “1” and “0” on/off labels to all iOS and iPadOS switches to make them easier to see. Here’s how. First, open Settings on your iPhone or iPad. In Settings, tap “Accessibility.” In Accessibility, select “Display & Text Size....