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Here's an example of a question we've heard several times recently: "Dear Infopackets team, I'm thinking of upgrading to Windows 8. The problem is that I've heard using it over multiple monitors can be difficult. I find using two monitors very ... useful because I can write and use the web at the same time without needing to keep switching back and forth. Can you give me any insight? George H." My response: Thanks for your email, George. Before I get to the way the new-look Windows 8 interface works with multiple monitors, let me just remind you that you can always switch to the ... (view more)

We recently received this question about pinning items to the Windows 8 desktop: "Dear Infopackets team, Last week, when complaining about having to sift through an extensive list of my preferred websites under the "Favorites" tab in Windows 8's ... Internet Explorer, one of my co-workers suggested that I start pinning these sites to my desktop. I went home to do some more research and stumbled upon a website called "Pinterest." Yes, I can upload my favorite websites, but it looks like everyone will be able to see my list if I decide to go this route. I really don't want to make this a ... (view more)

We recently received this letter from an Infopackets fan in Arizona: "Hi Infopackets squad, I'm interested in downgrading my new PC from Windows 8 Pro to Windows 7. I know that in order to do that, I need to disable something called Secure Boot. ... What is Secure Boot, and how do I disable it? Thanks for the help, Gail C." My response: Great question, Gail. We'll be running a feature story soon giving you more information about how to downgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 7. However, in this article we'll be focusing exclusively on the Secure Boot feature. Secure Boot Protects Systems from Malware ... (view more)

Microsoft has revealed a new video game technology that turns the space around a television set into an extension of the screen, completely altering the gaming experience for the people playing. During this year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las ... Vegas, Microsoft unveiled 'IllumiRoom.' It's a new technology that draws part of the room into the gaming experience and delivers additional game content. The 'IllumiRoom' technology relies on Microsoft's Xbox 360-based Kinect device and a projector. IllumiRoom uses the Kinect peripheral to capture the geometry of the gamer's surroundings and ... (view more)

This great question recently made its way to us from a frequent Infopackets reader: "Hi guys, I just purchased a Windows 8 PC. For the most part I'm enjoying the new OS. However, I noticed that Safe Mode is no longer available. I think this is an ... important feature and can't figure out why it would have been removed. Is there a way to bring it back? Thanks! Richard F." Our response: Yes, Richard, it is an important feature. There are many situations in which it's helpful to boot your computer into Safe Mode. So it's good to know you can do this in Windows 8. Actually, there are two ... (view more)

PhoXo 8.0 PhoXo is a free and powerful image editing software tool for Windows computers. It's tiny, fast, and easy to use, with high-powered features that include layering, undo, batch processing, and a wide variety of useful and powerful functions ... for selecting, cropping, painting, retouching, measuring image files. http:/www.phoxo.com Bytescout Screen Capturing Bytescout Screen Capturing software can record computerized video in the AVI format. It allows you to easily capture full screen video or select a specific field of vision. The screen recorder also supports audio recording. This ... (view more)

Google has formally confirmed a poorly kept secret: it's working on 'augmented reality spectacles': glasses that display computer-driven text or images on top of a view of the real world. However, there's no sign the company will release the ... spectacles for commercial use in the foreseeable future. Unlike 3D viewing spectacles, or those designed to simulate a giant screen, the Google glasses are relatively low-key. They are much like an ordinary spectacle frame without corrective lenses, but with a microphone and a tiny screen visible only to the wearer's right eye. (Source: google.com ) The ... (view more)

Microsoft has released additional details about its upcoming Internet Explorer 10 web browser. Once again, it appears users familiar with touchscreen devices are those most likely to enjoy the changes. Microsoft has revealed that Internet Explorer ... 10 is designed for the new Metro interface. Of the two different ways to use Windows 8, Metro is the one involving larger "tile" icons and a cleaner screen with less clutter, both of which are most helpful with touchscreens. Metro also lets users install or remove new software approved by Microsoft in a simple manner, much the same as today's ... (view more)

A new Samsung camera allows users to see photos on both the front and back of the screen, and upload images directly to the Internet. The Samsung DV300F is the newest of the firm's DualView cameras, and features built-in WiFi (wireless networking) ... capabilities. Samsung says pictures taken with the DV300F can be saved to the on-board microSD memory card and then easily transferred to a PC with an Auto Backup capability. In addition, both videos and photographs from the DV300F can be transferred directly to the web, including cloud storage services like Microsoft SkyDrive, as well as to ... (view more)

These days many people have flat-screen HDTVs (high definition televisions), whether it's in the plasma, LCD (liquid crystal display) or LED (light-emitting diode) format . But most of those fancy televisions are big power wasters, which is why the ... next wave in television innovation may involve energy-efficient TVs like Toshiba's new Regza 32BE3. Toshiba is hoping to set its new Regza TV apart by making it more efficient both when it is in stand-by mode (not on or off, but ready to jump into action) and when it's actually displaying a picture. Regza 32BE3 Uses No Power in Standby Mode You ... (view more)