Microsoft PC Manager

Previously, I have blogged about and discouraged the use of “snake oil software”. These programs promise to work miracles on your computer, but are generally about as useful as the Close Door button in an elevator. But Microsoft has surprised me. They’ve devised a helpful system cleanup tool, containing 0% Snake Oil! Check out Microsoft … Read more

Microsoft Designer

Microsoft Designer is a new design app that you can use, for free, to create graphics, visual presentations and more. It’s comparable to Canva and other free design tools. Right now, Microsoft Designer is in preview mode and you can only get in by invite. But I put my email on the waitlist and was … Read more

Adobe Reader & Its Bundleware

If you’re installing Adobe Reader to handle your PDFs, you’ll want the free download for Adobe Acrobat Reader DC. But please be aware that even the renowned Adobe company tries to put extra apps on your computer when you get this software. If you are not careful, you’ll install Adobe Reader & its bundleware! It’s … Read more

Remote Control Scams in 2023

Remote control scams are alive and well in 2023. I blogged about this just a year ago, but this is important enough to go over again. A remote control scam is where someone is out to steal your money, and they use remote control software to get into your computer. Once they have access to … Read more

Software Deals Too Good to be True

If you’re looking to buy Microsoft Office software, you can expect to rent it for $70 or $100/yr, or you can buy it outright for $150, $250, or $440, depending on the version you need. Those are the direct-from-Microsoft prices. But if you search the web for better pricing, you’ll very quickly meet up with … Read more

A Scammer Locked My Computer!

Remote-control scammers are dreadful. They get inside your head and your computer, and do whatever it takes to get into your bank accounts. I really hope you can avoid being tricked by these awful people. But in case you find yourself in a jackpot with these jokers, I need to tell you about one of … Read more

Caffeine for Your Computer

Need to keep your computer awake? You could adjust your power and screensaver settings, to keep the computer from going into Sleep mode and showing the Lock screen. Or you might try Caffeine. Caffeine is a small program that you can toggle on and off easily. Its icon lives in your taskbar or menu bar. … Read more