Category: Software (Page 3 of 9)

Free Graphic Design Tools

December 20, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

If you’re looking to do a bit of design or layout yourself, you do not have to spend big bucks on subscription software. Adobe Indesign & Microsoft Publisher are not the only games in town. There are a lot of free graphic design tools for you to try. Check out these software and apps:

Canva, usable in your browser & available as a download for Windows, MacOS & mobile devices
Polotno Studio, usable in your browser
Adobe Express, usable in your browser, new expanded Beta released in 2023!
Lunacy, available as a download for Windows, MacOS & Linux
Microsoft Designer, coming soon in 2023, sign up for early access!

Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool

December 12, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 1 Comment

Here’s another freebie that can do a one-time virus scan on your Windows computer: the Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool. It’s similar to others I’ve mentioned (ADWCleaner, Norton Power Eraser, and McAfee Stinger), and I can recommend it if you want a second or third opinion on how clean your computer is.

Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool can be downloaded from this site. Install the downloaded file and run its scan. Remove anything it finds, or simply close it if it reports nothing suspicious was found. This tool will not interfere with your full-time antivirus.

Microsoft Power Toys

December 6, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Microsoft offers a batch of extra tools and utilities for anyone to add to their Windows computers. These “Power Toys” come bundled together as a single free download, and you can get them here or from the Microsoft Store.

Some of these tools are basic while others are for advanced users, so breeze through the list to see if any of them appeal to you. I especially like remapping keys on my keyboard with the Keyboard Manager toy…

McAfee Stinger

November 10, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

There are a variety of one-time scan tools available for free, that will check your system for baddies. I’ve previously blogged about ADWCleaner and Norton Power Eraser, and now I should mention McAfee Stinger.

McAfee Stinger is a quick scan for your PC that can detect and remove a specific set of viruses and trojans. If you have reason to think you’re infected, you can download Stinger and use it anytime. It won’t conflict with your full-time antivirus, and it won’t try to sell you anything.

Most modern Windows computers are 64-bit, so use the download for “x64 systems”. You would only use the first Download option for very old, 32-bit computers.

DALL-E

October 3, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

DALL-E is a groundbreaking AI tool that is now open for the general public to use. Made by OpenAI, DALL-E uses artificial general intelligence to create things in stunningly human ways. And in almost no time at all. New users can sign up at the OpenAI website for free.

Creations

Most notably, DALL-E can create a photo or piece of art based on a typed description. Your imagination is the limit, you can ask it for a “bengal cat eating a banana” or “the grand canyon with a rainbow overhead”, and see what AI can create within seconds.

These people do not exist, they were made up by DALL-E

DALL-E also offers a “playground” where it can write something for you. You may type in any kind of writing prompt or topic, and in seconds, the AGI will churn out a very fluent chunk of English text.

In seconds, DALL-E composed a short speech that would take a human half an hour or more.

Caveats

If you experiment with DALL-E, you may notice some creepiness with the images it devises. Keep in mind that this is a work in progress, and also that the AGI is programmed to avoid making human faces that resemble real people. It won’t create anything that looks like you or the President or your favorite celebrity.

OpenAI does restrict this tool from creating objectionable content. Check out their content policy if you have any questions or concerns.

Even if you don’t aim to use this tool, it does have ramifications for our future. While OpenAI is closely supervising and limiting how their tech is used, I do worry about its misuse. I can see how DALL-E and similar tools might contribute to the Era of Deepfakes, if not properly policed. And the writing tool could be abused, but I don’t know what to call it yet. Whatever the term, it’s adjacent to plagiarism.

As you peruse the internet, stay dubious, my friends.

Disable Hardware Acceleration – A Common Browser Fix

August 2, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Sometimes a web browser will start acting poorly, lagging as you scroll or refusing to play videos on social media sites. When this happens, you may tempted to blame your ISP. But if other websites and speed tests behave normally, then the ISP is off the hook and we need to look elsewhere.

Often what causes this browser-lagginess is an odd conflict between the computer’s graphics drivers and the web browser. Maybe we could call it a software allergy. In any case, what you can try is to turn off the “Hardware Acceleration” option inside your browser. Once it’s off, restart your browser (or the whole computer) and retry the problematic websites. They may work much better then!

Here’s how to turn this option off for:

Google Chrome

Click the 3-dots button in the upper-right corner and then click Settings.

On the left, click System.

In the middle, toggle Off the option labeled Use hardware acceleration when available.

Mozilla Firefox

Click the hamburger menu in the upper-right corner and then click Settings.

Scroll to the bottom, looking for the section labelled Performance.

Uncheck the box for Use recommended performance settings.

Uncheck the box for Use hardware acceleration when available.

Microsoft Edge

Click the 3-dots button in the upper-right corner and then click Settings.

On the left, click System and performance.

In the middle, toggle Off the option labeled Use hardware acceleration when available.

Antivirus for Very Old Computers

July 27, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Many people continue to use vintage computers, running operating systems that are past their end-of-support date. While I recommend that these users upgrade to something modern and more secure, I understand when they stick with their classic machines. I don’t judge.

But if those computers are going to hit the internet, they do need antivirus. And as they age, it becomes more difficult to find an antivirus software that is willing to run on a much older OS. Below are some links to free antiviruses that are compatible with bygone OSes, like Vista and El Capitan.

Windows Computers

My favorite free antivirus for older PCs is Microsoft Security Essentials. But Microsoft pulled this from their sites, so use these links to get the 32-bit version or the 64-bit version . It will run on any XP, Vista or Win7 computer.

AVG still offers a free antivirus that works on XP and Vista and Windows 7.

You can also consider Avast Free Antivirus, which is equally compatible.

Apple Computers

There’s some debate on whether Macs need additional antivirus protection. For now, I’ll say: You are at greater risk if you’re using an out-of-date computer, so antivirus becomes more relevant if you’re not running the latest MacOS. If your MacOS is so old to be completely out of service, please get some antivirus ASAP.

AVG offers free antivirus for Macs here, and can install on MacOS 10.13 High Sierra or newer.

Avast offers free antivirus for Macs here, and can install on MacOS 10.11 El Capitan or newer.

The Google Dictionary Browser Extension

July 25, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 1 Comment

The Google Dictionary browser extension makes it easier than ever to learn word definitions. Once you’ve installed this freebie, you can simply double-click any plain-text word on the internet, and immediately see its definition.

I’m sure that this tool is going to save you many clicks and help keep up your reading comprehension. No more opening a second tab, just to go to Dictionary.com!

This extension is free to install into Google Chrome on any computer. And now that Microsoft Edge is built on Chromium, it should install in that browser, as well. Get it free here.

Free Apps for Identifying Plants

July 12, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 2 Comments

Wondering if that volunteer plant in your garden is a weed or not? Curious about that gorgeous tree at the park? Need to know if you’re looking at some Virginia Creeper or Poison Sumac? I know there’s some of you who won’t rest until you know the exact name of the mystery plant you’ve just spotted. And while it’s so easy to jump on social media to ask, it’s often easier and quicker to use free apps for identifying plants.

Powered by AI and plant photography catalogs, these free apps can identify plants for you immediately! Take a picture of a plant using the app, and you’ll get detailed info on the spot. There are many such apps, and here a few reputable ones:

Plant Net Plant Identification, for Android and iOS
PictureThis Plant Identifier, for Android and iOS
Leafsnap, for Android and iOS

There are also websites for this as well, like Pl@ntNet and Plant.id!

Update: there are similar apps for identifying mushrooms, as well:

Mushroom Identify, for Android
Mushroom Identificator, for iOS

If you use other free apps for identifying plants, please drop me a line about them. I’ll test them out and add them to this post!

Scanning Without a Scanner

June 16, 2022 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Not everyone owns a scanner. And sometimes, the scanner you have becomes difficult or impossible to use (I’m looking at you, HP). If you’re called upon to scan an important document or photo, you do not need a working scanner. You can create a great-looking scan with your smartphone or tablet.

Free PDF Scanning Apps

There are a variety of free apps you can download, that will repurpose your mobile device’s camera as a scanning tool. Using the app, you’ll scan with your device’s camera and create a PDF of whatever you point it at. As long as you have a decent camera and good lighting, this should work really well, even for full-page documents.

Right off the bat, I can recommend these apps:

Adobe Scan: for iOS and Android
Stack: for Android
SwiftScan: for iOS and Android

There are many more apps out there like these, too many for me to vet. Most are safe to use, but check the reviews before trying anything from a developer you’ve not heard of.

Free Photo Scanning Apps

If you’re scanning photos, you might want a photo scanning app, for higher quality scans and retouching tools. Google has you covered with their PhotoScan app, available for both iOS and Android.

Point your phone and this app at any photo, and it will take a series (5) of shots of your original. It then quickly stitches them all together, and makes a superior composite scan. The software eliminates shadows, shines and other defects along the way. I expect you’ll be impressed!

Google Drive

If you use Google Drive, you already have a scanning tool on your mobile device. Drive is ready to scan a document and immediately put it in the cloud for you.

Open Google Drive on your phone/tablet.
Tap the + button.
Tap Scan.
Take a picture of your original.
Use the on-screen tools to adjust, crop and rotate your scan.
Tap Save when you’re ready, and set the name and location for your newly scanned file.

Other Methods

Scanning from a smaller device may not work in all scenarios. Perhaps you have a 200-page document to process, or your flip-phone simply isn’t up to the task. Please know that in a pinch, Staples and some other office-supply stores may have a service counter, where you can walk up and pay for scanning services. It should be quick and inexpensive, if they have a professional-grade multi-function printer back there.

And if you foresee doing a lot of scanning, then you’ll want a long-term solution: Investing in a dedicated scanner. Most printers these days have an adequate scanner built-in, but for daily scanning and jobs involving dozens of pages, you’ll want something with more oomph. I can recommend Fujitsu’s ScanSnap scanners. They can often devour scan jobs at 20 pages per minute (or faster) and can be found at decent prices on Amazon.