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| PC World - 19 Jul (PC World)This story was inspired by some unsolicited tech advice from the TSA.
Coming home from a recent vacation, my wife left her phone at airport security. After a frantic race back from the gate, we were able to get the phone back without issue, along with a tip from the agent who was holding onto it: Put an emergency contact on the lock screen, so whoever finds your phone knows who to call.
There are actually a bunch of ways to do this, which I’ll explain shortly. But the incident also brought to mind a broader point about how to deal with lost or stolen devices, both before and after the fact. If you have any trips coming up, it’s worth taking a few minutes to know your options.
This column first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s tech advice newsletter. Sign up to get more tech tips every week.
iPhone users: Set up Family Sharing
If you’re traveling with a partner and both of you have iPhones, setting up Family Sharing lets you use Apple’s Find My app to play a sound, enable “Lost Mode,” or remotely trigger a factory reset on the other person’s devices. (Family Sharing also has other benefits, like being able to share some subscriptions.)
Set it up under Settings > Your Name > Family Sharing, or view Apple’s documentation for more details.
Family Sharing alone does not share your device’s location with family members. If you want to do that, head to Settings > Your Name > Find My, then enable “Share My Location” and choose the family member you want to share with.
Get familiar with ‘Find My’
Apple, Google, and Microsoft all offer “Find My” utilities to help locate and remotely lock a lost device. Now’s a good time to make sure you’re using them.
Apple: The Find My app should be installed by default, but if not, you can grab it from the App Store. You can use the app to find iPhones, iPads, Macs, AirPods, Apple Watches, AirTags, and other devices connected to Apple’s Find My network. (There’s also a web version at at icloud.com/find, but you’ll need access to your phone or an other Apple device to get past the two-factor authentication prompt.)
Google: Install the Find My Device app from the Google Play Store, or use the web version. While you can’t view your partner’s devices this way, the app has a handy “Guest Mode” that anyone can temporarily log into. Use it to find Android devices, WearOS watches, earbuds with Fast Pair support, and other devices that support Google’s Find My Device network. Unfortunately, the app can’t track a lost Chromebook.
Microsoft: On your PC, head to Settings > Update & Security (in Windows 10) or Privacy & Security (in Windows 11), then select “Find My Device” and make sure it’s turned on. You can then use Microsoft’s Find My Device website to locate or lock down your laptop.
Enable lost mode
All three of the “Find My” tools above allow you to mark your device as lost. This prevents the device from being used until you sign back in, you can also set a custom message with contact information, so whoever finds the device can get it back to you. This feature is called “Lost” mode for Apple devices, “Secure Device” for Android, and “Lock” for Windows PCs.
Add emergency info
“Find My” apps may be useful once you’ve realized your phone has gone missing, but you can also add emergency contact info that anyone can proactively look up from your lock screen.
On iOS: Head to Settings > Emergency SOS > Set up Emergency Contacts in Health. Hit “Edit” and fill out the emergency contact field.
On Android: Varies by phone, but try looking under Settings > Safety & Emergency or About Phone > Emergency Information. On Samsung phones, you can also tap your name at the top of the Contacts app to fill out emergency contact info.
Once set up, whoever finds your phone can hit “Emergency” from the lock screen to find your alternative contact info.
Consider a lock screen contact
Unfortunately, emergency contact info is a bit buried on both iOS and Android, so someone who finds your phone may not know where to find it. Besides, you might prefer to list your own email address instead of someone else’s phone number as a recovery option, especially if you’re traveling abroad. For those reasons, consider putting an alternative contact directly on the lock screen itself:
On iOS: Set up a lock screen widget with customizable text, such as Lock Screen 16 or Any Text. Here’s a helpful step-by-step guide.
On Android: Varies by phone, but if you search for “Lock Screen” in Settings, you should find an option to add whatever text you like — no third-party apps needed.
Gone for good?
If you can’t get your device back and are worried about unauthorized access, you can use another device to remotely erase the lost one and sign out of your accounts. This is especially important on tablets or computers where you might not have set up a lock screen.
Google’s and Apple’s Find My apps offer an “Erase” function to wipe your devices from afar. Note that Apple says not to do this if you have an AppleCare+ plan with theft and loss coverage, as you’ll need to file a claim and get it approved before erasing the phone.
This Google web page lets you remotely log out of your account on any device, including Chromebooks.
The AppleID website lets you log out of your Apple account on any device, including non-Apple devices (such as Roku players where you signed into the Apple TV app).
Lastly, consider reporting the device’s IMEI number to the police, which may be necessary if you have theft and loss coverage. You can look up that information on the AppleID website, or by clicking the “i” next to your phone on Google’s Find My Device page.
Back up your data
Does your phone have any data that you’d miss if it disappeared forever? Consider this a friendly reminder to have a backup solution in place, at the very least for your photos. This, of course, is an article unto itself.
This column first appeared in Advisorator, Jared’s tech advice newsletter. Sign up to get more tech tips every week.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | ITBrief - 19 Jul (ITBrief)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) As DDoS attacks escalate to unprecedented levels with `Web DDoS Tsunami,` firms must adopt proactive, adaptive cybersecurity methods or risk severe disruptions. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | RadioNZ - 19 Jul (RadioNZ)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) Violent clashes between students and police continue, while the capital of Dhaka is in the midst of a near-total internet blackout, with phone lines also down. Read...Newslink ©2024 to RadioNZ | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 19 Jul (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsVery thin and lightSharp, beautiful OLED displayGood CPU performanceLots of wired and wireless connectivityConsIt’s not much to look atShort battery lifeWeak speakersOur VerdictAcer’s Swift Edge 16’s low weight and good performance makes it a solid travel companion, though a small battery holds it back.
There’s no shortage of excellent 16-inch Windows laptops available in 2024, but the bulk of these laptops are, well, bulky. Acer’s Swift Edge 16 is among the few to deliver a 16-inch display in a laptop that weighs under three pounds, and it pairs a thin, light profile with good all-around performance and an affordable price tag. But keeping the price and weight low requires compromise and, in this case, it’s battery life that takes the hit.
Looking for more options? Check out PCWorld’s roundup of the best laptops available today.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Specs and features
The Acer Swift Edge 16 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U processor, which has eight cores and 16 threads. It’s paired with 16 GB of RAM and AMD’s integrated Radeon 780M graphics, which includes 12 graphics cores. The laptop also has a 16-inch OLED display with a stunning resolution of 3200×2000 pixels and a maximum refresh rate of 120 Hz.
CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 8840U
Memory: 16GB LPDDR5
Graphics/GPU: AMD Radeon 780M
Display: 16-inch OLED 3200×2000 120Hz refresh rate with HDR support
Storage: 1TB PCIe Gen 4 solid state drive
Webcam: 1440p with dual-mic array
Connectivity: 2x USB-C 4 with DisplayPort Alternate Mode and 65 watts Power Delivery, 2x USB-A 3.2 Gen 1, 1x HDMI 2.1, 1x microSD card reader, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack
Networking: Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.3
Biometrics: Fingerprint reader
Battery capacity: 54 watt-hours
Dimensions: 14.18 x 9.78 x 0.72 inches
Weight: 2.71 pounds
MSRP: $1,299.99
Acer currently sells just one configuration of the new Swift Edge 16, which is the configuration reviewed. It carried an MSRP of $1,300 at the time the system was tested. Though not a budget laptop, the Swift Edge 16’s price is reasonable considering the processor, OLED display, and other hardware that Acer includes. LG’s Gram 16 and SuperSlim laptops, though comparable in size and weight, are often more expensive with models starting around $1,400 (with less RAM and storage).
Acer Swift Edge 16: Design and build quality
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Acer Swift Edge 16 doesn’t make a great first impression out of the box. It’s a simple, matte black slate that lacks any detail, flair, or texture. There’s nothing wrong with the design, but shoppers craving a premium look will need to look elsewhere.
Build quality is a similar story. The laptop is built from magnesium-aluminum alloy, a strong yet light material frequently used by ultra-thin PC laptops. However, the alloy lacks the rigidity of brushed aluminum; in fact, it’s easy to mistake for plastic. The laptop’s lack of rigidity and heft makes it feel like an inexpensive, budget-oriented machine.
The magnesium-aluminum alloy does its job, however. The Swift Edge 16 weighs just 2.71 pounds and measures no thicker than 0.72 inches. Its weight is especially low for a 16-inch laptop; only LG Gram laptops are drastically lighter. It’s easy to forget the Acer is in a backpack once stowed, and picking up the laptop from an edge or corner is hardly a strain. That makes the Swift Edge 16 attractive if you travel often but also want a large display.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Keyboard, trackpad
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
An enjoyable keyboard and number pad stretches across the Acer Swift Edge 16’s interior. The layout is spacious, although some keys, such as the number pad keys, are slightly undersized. Key travel is lengthy and ends with definitive bottoming action that provides some tactile feedback. It’s not an amazing keyboard, but it’s surprisingly good for a thin, lightweight laptop.
The keyboard includes a backlight that’s extremely bright at its maximum setting, so visibility is never an issue. Acer also packs the usual array of function keys, including the new Copilot key, and a shortcut to open the Acer software which manages most laptop settings.
A responsive and large touchpad sits below the keyboard at an offset to the space bar, which means there’s less palm space on the left than on the right. The touchpad surface measures about five inches wide and three and a quarter inches deep. Though not as large as the touchpads found on premium competitors like a Dell XPS 16, it still provides plenty of room for activating multitask gestures, and is similar in size, or slightly larger than, the touchpads on price-competitive laptops like the Asus Vivobook 16 and Dell Inspiron 16.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Display, audio
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
Acer equips the Swift Edge 16 with a 16-inch OLED display with a resolution of 3200 x 2000 pixels, which works out to a pixel density of 235 pixels per inch. That beats not only 1080p laptop displays but also a 4K 27-inch or 32-inch monitor. You’ll only see a crisper picture if you pick up a laptop with a 4K display, but those are relatively uncommon and, at this size, 4K’s advantage is hard to notice in most situations.
Acer’s Swift Edge 16 is an affordable and alluring pick for people who want a 16-inch laptop with a beautiful display, yet also prefer a laptop that’s thin, light, and affordable.
The OLED display also has a maximum refresh rate of 120Hz, which is always great to see. In addition to better motion fluidity and clarity in PC games, the higher refresh rate offers a more responsive experience on the Windows desktop compared to a 60Hz refresh rate. It is a subtle difference but noticeable, especially if you go back to a 60Hz display after using the Swift Edge 16’s 120Hz OLED display.
Acer also benefits from the usual strengths of OLED. The display has an excellent contrast ratio, extremely wide color gamut, and great color accuracy. It looks vibrant, crisp, and immersive across a wide range of content, from photo editing to PC games. HDR is supported, too, and while HDR brightness isn’t outstanding, it does deliver a slight boost to detail and immersion.
While the display is excellent, it doesn’t provide Acer much edge against its competition. OLED displays are now widely available, and most deliver similar benefits. The Swift Edge 16 is affordable for a laptop with a 16-inch OLED display, but the Asus Vivobook Pro 16 isn’t much more expensive (though, to be fair, it’s much heavier than the Acer Swift Edge 16).Audio quality is disappointing. The Acer’s built-in speakers deliver passable volume at their maximum setting, but turning the volume up that high can severely muddy the mid-range when playing music or watching an action movie. External speakers or headphones are recommended.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Webcam, microphone, biometrics
A 1440p webcam is nestled in the Acer Swift Edge 16’s top bezel. It delivers good sharpness and color for a laptop webcam, which will help you look your best on video calls. With that said, it can still struggle to find an appropriate level of exposure in especially bright or dark rooms. The microphone is similarly capable, picking up crisp dialogue with minimal to modest background noise.
Biometric login is available through a fingerprint reader integrated into the power button. It works well enough but, like other fingerprint readers, it can be fooled if your finger is even slightly damp or dirty—so keep your hand out of that Cheetos bag.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Connectivity
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Acer Swift Edge 16 packs a good mix of future-proof and legacy connectivity.
It has two USB-C 4 ports, both which support DisplayPort Alternate Mode and up to 65 watts of Power Delivery. They can be used to charge the laptop and/or connect a monitor over USB-C or DisplayPort (with an adapter). Acer also ships the laptop with a small 65-watt power adapter for charging the laptop. The USB-C port’s versatility is convenient while traveling. You can pack a single 65-watt USB-C adapter for your laptop, phone, and other devices.
USB-C is paired with two USB-A ports, so it’s possible to connect a wired keyboard and mouse at once. Dedicated video-out is provided by HDMI 2.1, and the laptop also has a microSD card reader with support for cards up to 512GB in size. Ethernet is the only physical connectivity notably absent, but that’s also true for most laptops of similar weight and size.
Acer’s wireless connectivity is excellent, as the laptop supports both Wi-Fi 7 (the latest version of the Wi-Fi standard) and Bluetooth 5.3. This should futureproof the Acer’s wireless connectivity, since Wi-Fi 7 was just released. It also makes the loss of physical Ethernet a bit less painful, since Wi-Fi 7 can exceed Gigabit Ethernet speeds in optimal conditions (though keep in mind you’ll need a Wi-Fi 7 router, too).
Acer Swift Edge 16: Performance
The Acer Swift 16 Edge has an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U processor with eight cores, sixteen threads, and a maximum boost clock of 5.1GHz. It has performed well in our prior tests of other laptops, and has potentially strong integrated graphics in the form of AMD’s Radeon 780M. The Swift 16 Edge’s overall performance is strong, though it doesn’t stand out from the crowd.
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
Acer’s laptop gets off to a tepid start in PCMark 10, a general synthetic benchmark that tests multiple elements of system performance. It returns a score of 6,563 which, though respectable, falls a tad behind other recent AMD Ryzen 7 and Intel Core Ultra systems. The older LG Gram SuperSlim, which we reviewed with an older Intel Core i7-1360P processor, is the only laptop that falls way behind the pack.
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
Cinebench R20, a multi-threaded CPU benchmark, produces a reasonable but uninspired result on the Swift Edge 16. It’s not much slower than the competition, but does fall behind overall. That’s difficult to justify: the Acer is inexpensive, but the Dell Inspiron 16 is even more affordable.
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
Handbrake continues the Swift Edge 16’s trend of acceptable but modest results. It required more than 26 minutes to grind through a test encoding a two-hour-long movie from MP4 to MKV format, which is slower than the laptops chosen for comparison. In truth, the difference is slim enough that it wouldn’t be a real-world problem, but it’s still a loss for the Acer.
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
The Ryzen 7 8840U packs an AMD Radeon 780M with 12 graphics cores. It sounds good on paper, but Swift Edge 16 achieved a mediocre Time Spy score. That’s acceptable if you just want to play older 3D titles or games with generally less demanding graphics, but it’s not going to hold up in modern AAA titles.
The Swift Edge 16’s result also lands it significantly behind some competitors with Intel Arc and AMD Radeon 780M graphics. The Dell Inspiron 16 2-in-1 with Intel Arc integrated graphics was over 40 percent quicker in this test. That’s a big gap.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Battery life
Acer’s decision to keep the Swift Edge 16’s weight well below three pounds makes it easy to pick up and toss in a bag, but also limits battery life. The Swift Edge 16 has a small 54 watt-hour battery that drains more quickly than I’d like.
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
IDG / Matthew Smith
I saw a little over seven and a half hours of battery life in PC World’s standard battery test, which loops a 4K file of the short film Tears of Steel. This is a light workload by modern standards, and the Swift Edge 16’s real-world battery life was equally unimpressive. I saw about six to seven hours of endurance while browsing the web and writing in Google Docs.
That’s not going to be enough if you want a laptop that can handle an eight-hour workday without needing to top off, and it’s less than what most 16-inch laptops offer. The recent release of Qualcomm-powered Copilot Plus PCs, which can exceed 20 hours in this test, makes slim battery life especially hard to accept.
Acer Swift Edge 16: Conclusion
Acer’s Swift Edge 16 is an affordable and alluring pick for people who want a 16-inch laptop with a beautiful display, yet also prefer a laptop that’s thin, light, and affordable. The Swift Edge 16 is generally less expensive than competitive Windows laptops that have similar hardware and a thin-and-light design.
However, Acer is forced to reduce the size of the battery to keep the laptop’s weight low, which leads to disappointing battery life: an especially notable problem now that Copilot Plus PCs with up to 20 hours of battery life are available. The Swift Edge 16’s performance is also a bit weak. In most cases it won’t be noticeably slower than its peers, but it fell behind in benchmarks.
If you can excuse that, though, the Swift Edge 16 is a less expensive alternative to featherweight competitors like the LG Gram.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 18 Jul (PC World)Quick Answer: What’s the best way to record video from any website?
Screen recording online is one of the most popular ways to access and download video or audio materials on a website, as you don’t need to download a program on a PC or Mac to achieve it. An online screen recorder is usually free and fully compatible with all kinds of websites through different web browsers. It’s also easy to handle.
Launch a web browser
Open the target website or specific web page
Click a Record button
Complete the recording task and save the recordings
Online resources you might want to capture include lectures, meetings, webinars, and live streams. For post-editing purposes or to effectively demonstrate feedback to clients, you may need to record a real-time screen with video and audio that can be showcased or reposted elsewhere. While online screen recording software is the most easily accessible method for achieving this, sometimes you will need to turn to a more advanced, powerful desktop screen recorder solution with built with video editing features.
Beware of any copyright restrictions with the media you wish to screen record, particularly if your purpose for that material reaches beyond personal use. Assuming all is above board, let’s dive in. The solutions we describe cover all platforms, including Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android.
Record all web videos through online screen recorder
Compatibility: All websites
Operational difficulty: Easy
Best for: Users who want to capture online videos from different browsers without third-party tools
If you want to record online streaming videos from YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, or Twitter, the most efficient way is to adopt a user-friendly and professional online screen recorder like the EaseUS online screen recorder.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
In short, this online screen recorder can exempt you from downloading third-party tools and provide better screen recording services. For example, it lets you capture video from websites without lag, watermark, or time restriction. Moreover, it can work on all browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Opera.
Record video from any website using desktop screen recorders
Compatibility: Windows 11/10/8.1/8/7 and macOS 10.13 and above
Operation difficulty: Easy
Best for: Both newcomers and professionals who need screen recording and video editing features on Windows and Mac
EaseUS RecExperts is an ideal screen recorder for computer users to screen record protected videos without a black screen on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Vimeo, Udemy, or Byjus. You can record videos from these websites with audio or system sound based on your needs. Its mute recording mode can also help you record videos from various websites in silence. If necessary, you can use it to only record audio from a website.
Meanwhile, it also provides other practical features for your video recording.
Provide the full-screen recording and selected region recording options
Release microphone noise reduction to reduce/remove the background noise
Offer video editing features like file-cutting to keep your targeted video clips
The following steps explain how to capture video from websites on PCs via EaseUS RecExperts.
Step 1. Install and launch EaseUS RecExperts. Select Full Screen or Region recording mode to manually set the size of your recording screen.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 2. The system sound is turned on by default. If needed, you can also open your webcam and microphone.
Step 3. Click REC to start recording; click Stop to end video recording. After recording, you can click Recordings to preview or edit your captured website video.
Capture website video for free via OBS
Compatibility: Support Windows, macOS, and Linux
Operational difficulty: Hard
Best for: Professionals with higher technical requirements
OBS Studio is another free and open-source software for screen recording and live streaming on Windows and Mac. It aims to help users record and blend audio and visual resources such as computer screens, cameras, and microphones. For example, many video creators may recreate videos from YouTube or other streaming platforms by recording them.
Although practical, its complicated operating steps can discourage newcomers from trying it. A beginner likely needs three to four hours to learn the basic settings and features.
Step 1. Run OBS Studio on your Windows. Click + at the bottom left corner of the screen, then click + under Sources.
Step 2. Select Display Capture, rename it, then click OK.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 3. After seeing another pop-up window, set the display area you want to capture video from websites. Click OK, then select Settings.
Step 4. Select Output > set a saved path. Then click Start Recording.
Capture video from websites on Windows via Xbox Game Bar
Compatibility: Windows 10 and 11
Operational difficulty: Medium
Best for: Gamers who want to record games on Windows 10 and 11
Built into Windows 10 and 11, the Xbox Game Bar enables users to capture videos up to four hours long while playing PC games. The recorded website video can be exported in HD quality, but the recording region cannot be set. Refer to the steps below to finish the gameplay screen record on Windows 11/10.
Step 1. Press Windows + G to open the Xbox Game Bar. If your Game Bar is not showing up, press Win + I to open Windows Settings. Choose Gaming > Xbox Game Bar to enable this feature.
EaseUS
EaseUS
EaseUS
Step 2. Click Settings to adjust your recording parameters based on your needs.
Step 3. Return to the floating toolbar, then select Capture and click Start recording or press Win + Alt + R to begin your video recording process.
Step 4. You can enable or disable your microphone during the recording. Once you’ve done this, press Win + Alt + R to end the recording. You can click Show all captures to show all the accessible recordings.
Record video from website URLs on Mac via QuickTime
Compatibility: Only supports macOS
Operational difficulty: Medium
Best for: Apple users
QuickTime, developed by Apple, is a reliable tool that provides synced visuals, sound, video, text, and music. It can also function as a movie player, image viewer, audio player, and virtual reality (VR) application. This reliability makes QuickTime a secure tool for recording your screen, audio, face, or all three at the same time, ensuring you can create your content without any worries.
Here are the steps to record video from websites on a Mac using QuickTime.
Step 1. Launch QuickTime Player. Click File and select New Movie Recording.
Step 2. Select View > Float on top to ensure the camera window will appear on top of any other applications on your screen.
Step 3. Click File > New Screen Recording, then click the red Record button to begin recording.
Step 4. To exit the recording window, press Command-Control-Esc. If necessary, please go to QuickTime > Edit > Trim to remove your unwanted video parts.
Record Google Chrome via Screencastify
Compatibility: Only supports Google Chrome
Operational difficulty: Medium
Best for: Google users
Screencastify is Chrome’s most basic free screen recorder and interactive video platform. It allows Google users to become good communicators by recording, editing, and sharing movies from Chrome’s websites in seconds.
Step 1. Go to the Google Chrome Store to download the Screencastify extension.
Step 2. Click the Screencastify icon to open it. Select to record your Browser Tab, entire Desktop, or Webcam Only.
Step 3. Click Show more options to set additional settings for your website video recording.
Step 4. Click the blue Record button.
Record screen video on iPhone via an official screen recorder
Compatibility: Only supports Apple users
Operational difficulty: Medium
Best for: Apple users
If your iPhone runs iOS 11 or later, you do not need to use additional tools to capture video. You may quickly record video from websites on iPhone with audio using the built-in screen recorder.
Step 1. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open your Settings > Control Center.
Step 2. Click the Screen Recording icon. Tap Microphone > Start Recording. During the three-second countdown, quickly open the website video you want to record, it will automatically capture video from websites on your iPhone after the countdown.
Step 3. After recording, click on the red blob or bar at the top of the screen to stop recording. You can open your Photos to locate your recorded website video.
Record screen video on Android via AZ Screen Recorder
Compatibility: Only supports Android users
Operational difficulty: Medium
Best for: Android users
AZ Screen Recorder is a dependable, high-quality screen recorder with audio. With several capabilities, such as screen recording, screen capture, video editor, and live streaming, this screen recording tool allows you to produce and share gameplay videos, store video calls, and capture videos that cannot be downloaded from websites.
Step 1. After launching the AZ Screen Recorder app, you’ll see the options for recording, taking screenshots, live streaming, and so on.
Step 2. Click Record to start recording; click Stop to stop your recording.
Can you download a video from a website that doesn’t allow it?
Websites that use DRM make it challenging to capture or download videos. In this case, you need to seek help from professional third-party screen recording tools such as EaseUS RecExperts. With the help of this tool, recording protected videos from streaming websites or online web pages is simple. Any video downloaded in this way must be for personal use only.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 18 Jul (PC World)Everyone has to deal with File Explorer. It is, after all, the Windows feature you use to get around the file system, organize data, copy and move folders, access external drives, and more.
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Over the years, Windows File Explorer has gotten new features and improvements. Quick tools at the top and a redesigned left sidebar give you faster access to files and folders, especially in OneDrive.
Here are several tips for making the most of File Explorer and handling your Windows files and folders like a pro.
1. Open File Explorer with a keyboard shortcut
Foundry
Foundry
Foundry
There are several ways to open File Explorer, whether it’s through the Start menu, the Taskbar, or another way. You should use the method that you find most convenient—perhaps the keyboard shortcut?
You can open File Explorer by pressing Windows key + E on your keyboard. This brings you right to This PC for your convenience.
2. Use multiple tabs
Foundry
Foundry
Foundry
For some time now, File Explorer has been easier than ever to use thanks to the tabs feature. Just like in any modern web browser, you can open multiple locations in their own tabs at the same time.
Press the plus icon in the tabs bar at the top to create a new tab. You can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + T. To turn a tab into its own window, drag the tab outside of File Explorer.
3. Preview files on the fly
Foundry
Foundry
Foundry
File Explorer has improved its ability to preview files. You can now peek at an image or Microsoft Word document without launching an app.
Simply click on the View menu in the actions bar, then select Preview pane to open the preview pane. (Alternatively, use the Alt + P keyboard shortcut to toggle it.) Now, whenever you click on a file, it will appear as a thumbnail in the preview pane to the right.
4. More right-click menu options
When you right-click on a file or folder in the new File Explorer, a menu appears—but it’s shorter than you’d expect. Microsoft has cleaned it up, so finding what you need might require an extra click.
When you right-click on a file or folder, you can select Show more options to see the full original list of available actions.
5. Track your images using Gallery
Foundry
Foundry
Foundry
File Explorer has a new feature called Gallery, which tracks your Pictures folder plus various manually designated folders and shows all images from those folders in one convenient location. (You can also include phone photos if you set up camera roll backup.)
Click on Gallery in File Explorer’s left sidebar. After adding at least one folder to track, you’ll see your images displayed in reverse chronological order, with a timeline navigator on the right. Press the View button to change how the images are displayed.
6. Change images tracked in Gallery
By default, everything in the Pictures folder is displayed in Gallery, but this can be changed. You can remove Pictures from inclusion and/or you can add other folders to be included.
Open Gallery in File Explorer, then click the Collection menu in the actions bar. Click on Manage collection to see which folders are being tracked for Gallery and the option to add or remove folders.
7. Easily share files with others
Foundry
Foundry
Foundry
File Explorer has a Share tool that makes it easy to send files to others, whether via email, via certain apps, or directly to nearby devices. Simply right-click on a file and select Share in the menu.
In the Share window, you can search for people to email. Or you can select an app like Microsoft Teams. But we find it most convenient to use Nearby Sharing, which you have to turn on before you can use.
To do that, open Settings and navigate to System > Nearby sharing. Then, select between Off, My devices only, or Everyone nearby. You can also select where downloaded files go (when shared by others).
Learn more about how to use Nearby Sharing to transfer files because this is one of the best recent features in Windows!
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| ![](/n.gif) | | ITBrief - 18 Jul (ITBrief)![NZ Located](/pimages/nzsmall.gif) Progress has unveiled major enhancements to LoadMaster 360, its cloud-based unified application delivery platform, with a focus on advanced Web Application Firewall (WAF) features for better protection and performance. Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | ![](/n.gif) |
| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 18 Jul (PC World)Microsoft Designer’s AI art and editing capabilities are becoming more formally integrated into Windows and Microsoft’s services today, as they move into Photos, Word, and PowerPoint.
Designer is the next stage of Microsoft’s evolution of AI art, which began in 2022 with Bing Image Creator, migrated to the more advanced Dall-E 2 model, then became part of Microsoft Designer, the wonderful AI-powered design tool that debuted in 2022. Designer’s layout elements compete directly with Canva, but Microsoft isn’t confining the Designer elements to just the app. Instead, it’s applying them to several different applications within Windows and Microsoft 365.
The most simple integration is within Word and PowerPoint. You’ll need a Copilot Pro subscription, but if you have one, you’ll be able to use AI to generate a background for a PowerPoint slide or an integrated graphic inside of a Word document. This should all feel familiar. Before, you’ve pulled in images from the Web to fulfill these functions. Now, you can use AI as an option too. (Microsoft said that AI-generated banners will be coming soon within Word).
Designer can already be used to create greeting cards, one of the features Microsoft is highlighting. You’ll also be able to use Designer to create AI-generated “frames” for your art, plus stickers. Prompt templates (a sort of “Mad Libs” style suggestions with fill-in-the-blank elements) can be used, too. “Restyle image” can turn a photo into a painting or 3D art.
Microsoft Designer as an image editor.
Microsoft Designer as an image editor.Microsoft
Microsoft Designer as an image editor.Microsoft
Microsoft
Microsoft is also tapping (and branding) Designer within the Windows Photos app, too. You can already use Photos to remove backgrounds or make lighting adjustments. Photos allows you to “erase” objects by painting over them and removing with AI, though you have to do it manually.
It sounds like Microsoft will be using AI to automate this process a bit more. However, this sounds like it won’t be arriving on mainstream PCs quite yet, as the features will be released in preview for Windows Insiders in English, Spanish, German, Italian, or Portuguese-language regions. Russia, Belarus, and China are excluded.
Finally, Microsoft is launching Designer as an Android and iOS app, which will include generative AI features.
You’ll be able to restyle images within Microsoft Designer, too.
You’ll be able to restyle images within Microsoft Designer, too.Microsoft
You’ll be able to restyle images within Microsoft Designer, too.Microsoft
Microsoft
All of these AI capabilities are powered by “boosts,” which will be showcased as a small icon in the bottom of the Designer screen.
Designer comes with 15 daily boosts “to create or edit AI powered images faster.” Boosts are automatically used when creating images both in Designer and where Designer is integrated. When you run out of boosts, presumably your creations will take a bit longer. A Copilot Pro subscription will unlock 100 boosts per day, Microsoft said.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 17 Jul (PC World)Ergonomics are important for your health, but standing desks and comfortable office chairs can feel like expensive luxuries. At least, they typically do. But during Amazon Prime Day 2024, you can sometimes snag big discounts on wildly popular desk and chair models.
That’s true this year as well, including a few sales on internet favorites. The prices have been holding through Prime Day so far, but don’t wait until the last second tonight (11:59pm Pacific) if you see something you like—deals can sell out.
Our list takes into account user reviews, technical specs, price trends over the last year, and our own experiences. PCWorld’s editors have spent years using home office setups, as well as corporate-grade gear. We know what corners you can cut to save some cash, and which ones are must-haves. The best models are often sold direct by their manufacturers, which is why you’ll see links to sites other than Amazon on this list.
Read on for all the current best deals on standing desks and office chairs, and check out our Prime Day 2024 deals hub for fantastic bargains in other tech categories.
First published on July 12, 2024. Last updated on July 17, 2024.
Prime Day 2024 deals on office chairs
Amazon Basics Classic Office Chair, Brown – $40 (54% off)
Sweetcrispy Crosslegged Desk Chair, Blue – $50 (33% off)
Amazon Basics Classic Office Chair, Black – $58 (31% off)
Amazon Basics Executive Office Chair, White – $63 (58% off)
Hon Ignition 2.0 Office Chair, Carolina Blue – $380 (17% off)
Staples Cartwright Task Chair, Black – $50 (58% off at Staples)
Herman Miller Aeron, assorted colors – $1,444 (20% off on HermanMiller.com)
Herman Miller Embody, assorted colors – $1,508 (20% off on HermanMiller.com)
Staples makes some very fine desk chairs—and while its more popular Hyken model isn’t quite back down to its lowest price yet, its lighter-use Cartwright Task Chair is ultra affordable right now. (Just be sure to have a second person on hand to ensure assembly goes smoothly.)
Social media’s favored style of desk chair is also on discount, for those who like to curl up or sit cross-legged while working. And though their prices may give you sticker shock, Herman Miller’s much-lauded, buy-it-for life Aeron and Embody models can be found on sale right now, too. Looking for something in between the budget models and the luxury ones? Check out the Hon Ignition 2.0, which is enjoying its biggest discount since its release.
Prime Day 2024 deals on standing desks
Vivo Electric Height Adjustable Corner desk, multiple colors – $298 (15% off)
Flexispot 48×24 sit-stand desk, Black – $120 (29% off)
Flexispot 48×30 dual-motor sit-stand desk, multiple colors – $200 (41% off)
Flexispot 55×28 dual-motor sit-stand desk, multiple colors – $350 (30% off)
Vari 48×24 Essential Electric Standing Desk, multiple colors – $263 (25% off on Vari.com)
Vari 54×26 Ergo Electric Standing Desk, multiple colors – $560 (20% off on Vari.com)
Uplift 48×30 standing desk, multiple colors – $570 (14% off on Uplift.com)
Flexispot is a popular brand on Amazon, and for good reason—their standing desks start at much lower prices than competitors. You’ll get nicer finishes for tabletop materials through more expensive rivals like Uplift and Vari (the latter of which is having sales on its thicker and thus sturdier tops), but if all you need is a basic surface, they get the job done.
More great Amazon Prime Day tech deals
Need more tech gear for work-from-home productivity—or pretty much any category of interest to computer users? Our editors have found the best Prime Day discounts.
Best Amazon tech deals across PCWorld’s top categories
PC computer deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Laptop deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Monitor deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
SSD and storage deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
USB flash drive deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Thunderbolt dock and USB-C hub deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
PC keyboard deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Battery charger deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Laptop bag and backpack deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Chromebook deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
iPad, Galaxy Tab and Kindle deals: Best of Prime Day 2024
Standing desks and office chairs FAQ
1.
What features should I look for in a standing desk?
We like dual motor standing desks with programmable controls—they’re a little more expensive, but moving the desk up and down is smoother. Their frames usually have a better build overall, too, making for less wobble during height adjustments and while in use.
Programmable controls means you can go back and forth between two or even three height positions with a single button press, which makes for much better quality of life. No need to wait and monitor the adjustment as it’s happening. (That might sound like not such a big deal, but if you do it multiple times a day over the course of the year, those seconds add up. Trust me on this one.)
2.
What makes for a good office chair?
This question can be tricky to answer, since what’s comfortable is a little different for everyone. Generally, you want enough support for your back so it doesn’t take on a hunched position, but not so much you can’t feel relaxed while sitting. You also ideally want to keep pressure off your lower back if you’ll be sitting for long periods—office chairs usually have seats shaped for this, rather than the flatter surfaces of kitchen and casual desk chairs.
Arm rests, head supports, and mesh fabric can also play a role in comfort, but you may want to try out those features on a sample chair that a friend owns or in a store to see if you need those features. The mesh is particularly good if you sweat or get warm.
Wheeled models are also useful for easily moving the chair—and you can upgrade the casters, as Reddit recommends for an even smoother experience.
3.
How do I know if I’m getting a good deal on standing desks or office chairs during Prime Day?
The deals we select are chosen not just for the product, but because their prices are among the lowest we’ve seen, especially given the pricing history over the last year.
If you’re striking out on your own, be sure to look at reviews, as well as Amazon’s AI summaries of user reviews—avoid anything with high return rates, or a known flaw. Also look for brands with not just high user reviews, but independent reviews online. Many standing desks are just rebranded models, and so too for cheaper desk chairs.
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| ![](/n.gif) | | PC World - 17 Jul (PC World)You get what you pay for. That’s what they always say, right? And while that can be true for many things, antivirus software is a little different.
There are reputable free antivirus solutions out there, most notably Windows Security that’s built into Windows 11. Maybe you don’t want to pay up for premium features. Or maybe you can’t afford to.
Is free antivirus good enough in 2024? Can you get away without paying for a full suite of antivirus tools and services? If so, what are the downsides and drawbacks that you need to be aware of?
Keep reading for the pros and cons of using free antivirus. Want to jump straight to the best free antivirus in 2024? Here are our favorites!
Pro: Free is free*
The main selling point of free antivirus software is that it’s… well, free. You don’t have to pay for it. You can have it right now!
Whether it’s Microsoft Defender and the other related security tools that come with Windows or the standalone applications by third-party companies like Avast, Malwarebytes, Avira, and BitDefender, you can benefit from additional protection without committing anything.
Considering the initial upfront costs of a new PC or laptop, plus any associated software you might need for work or school, not paying a subscription fee for computer security is pretty darn great.
*Free as in beer but not necessarily free as in speech. See below for one big drawback to using most “free” software.
Con: When you don’t pay for the product, you are the product
From free social media accounts to free product giveaways to free newsletters and websites, the prevailing maxim holds true: if you aren’t paying for the product, then you are the product.
Here’s what that means for antivirus software: companies can afford to give their software away free of charge because they’re almost certainly harvesting your data to be sold elsewhere.
With free antivirus, you can all but guarantee that developers are making their money back somehow. If they aren’t selling your data, then they’re likely advertising to you. Probably a bit of both.
There have been stories over the years of big names in the free antivirus space—like Avast and AVG—harvesting user data. Both companies, now owned by the same parent firm, were found in 2020 to be selling user data through a subsidiary, Jumpshot, including information like search habits and browsing history.
Then there’s the likes of Kaspersky, which has a free antivirus product that has been linked with Russian hacking efforts.
Pro: Free protection is usually enough
The modern Windows PC experience is much more secure than it was in the past. Windows 11 comes with a range of protective features that help safeguard your data and your personal information in a relatively comprehensive manner.
The combination of Microsoft Defender, Windows Firewall, SmartScreen, Secure Boot, and others are enough for most users if you practice good security habits. That means not visiting shady websites, not clicking links in emails and private messages, and not downloading random files.
Related: Is Windows 11’s built-in antivirus enough for normal users?
If you want additional protection, a free third-party antivirus can be used in conjunction with Microsoft Defender to provide multiple layers of security. As long as you keep your software up to date, you should be well-protected enough against the most common threats.
Jon Martindale / IDG
Jon Martindale / IDG
Jon Martindale / IDG
Con: You miss out on advanced features
Premium antivirus solutions do much more than just protect against run-of-the-mill viruses. Their anti-malware efforts incorporate machine learning and AI to track threats and pre-emptively block them.
Some also include advanced anti-ransomware and anti-phishing security, and some offer advanced identity protection with dark web monitoring to warn you if/when your data leaks or appears for sale somewhere.
Related: Common phishing scams you need to be aware of
A premium suite can also have family subscriptions with parental controls and support for multiple devices. That alone could be worth its weight in gold since even one person or one device that’s vulnerable to attack could compromise your whole network.
Pro: Easy, straightforward protection
As great as many of the advanced features in premium antivirus software can be, they aren’t always necessary—and for some users, they might be just complicated enough that you never end up using them anyway.
Perhaps you don’t need to protect multiples devices. Or you already have a secure cloud storage solution. Whatever your reasons, if you don’t need a comprehensive anti-malware solution, why pay for it?
Free antivirus solutions might try to upsell you to premium plans, but most are pretty simple to use. They don’t have tons of background processes bogging down your device and they don’t overwhelm with too many options. There’s value in that simplicity.
Cons: Lack of support
Free antivirus is a lot more hands-off than premium antivirus… and you’re expected to figure things out on your own, to some degree. There might be some support—perhaps in the form of a knowledgebase or forums—but it won’t be live and it certainly won’t be comprehensive.
Premium support phone lines and live chats are often only included as part of paid antivirus packages. If you aren’t paying, you aren’t going to get much time from a real person if something goes wrong.
Not that it’s likely for something to go awry, but in the slim chance it happens, just know you’ll be troubleshooting it yourself (or asking friendly forum members for help).
When to pay for premium antivirus
If you’re okay with simple, essential protection against the most common threats, and if you’re okay taking your own security into your own hands, and if you can troubleshoot when things don’t work, then you should be fine with just free antivirus apps.
But if you don’t like the idea of “being the product,” or if you want comprehensive protection with advanced features like anti-ransomware measures or identity theft tracking, or if you just want the peace of mind that comes with 24/7 live support, then pay for premium antivirus.
If that’s you, then let us help you get started with our picks for the best antivirus software worth paying for.
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