Tag: Windows 8

Windows Emoji Keyboard

In this, my last post honoring World Emoji Day (promise), I showcase the emojis available with Windows Touch Keyboard.

In addition to the new emojis in GMail, and the hidden emojis in Skype, did you know that you can access emojis using Windows’ on-screen keyboard?

The on-screen keyboard (aka, Touch Keyboard), available to Windows desktop since versions 8, includes emoji characters similar to those used on iPhones and iPads.

emoji keyboard2

Accessing Emojis Using Windows Touch Keyboard

  1. In Desktop mode, RIGHT+CLICK on the taskbar, point to Toolbars and select Touch Keyboard. The Touch Keyboard icon TouchKeyboard Icon. now appears on the Taskbar.
  2. Click (or tap, if using a tablet) the Touch Keyboard icon to display an onscreen keyboard.
  3. Click the emoji key Emoji button_66 to display emojis.
    emojiKeyboard
  4. Click the desired emoji. That emoji is inserted at the current cursor position.

Press ‘X‘ to close the Touch Keyboard when done.

Cheers!

Additional reading:

Display Multiple Time Zones

Negotiating meeting schedules between time zones can be tricky. Here are two simple methods to help keep track of time in other regions:

Add Additional Time Zone to the Outlook Calendar

DualTimeZones

  1. In Outlook, click File, then select Options. The Outlook Options dialog appears.
  2. At left, select Calendar, then scroll down to the Time zones section.
  3. In the Label area type a brief description for the local time zone.
  4. Check Show a second time zone.
  5. In the second Label area, type a brief description for the second time zone.
  6. Select additional time zone from the second Time zone drop down.
  7. OK.
OutlookOptionsCalendar
Outlook Calendar Options

To Add Time zones to Windows Taskbar 

The windows taskbar has the ability to show two additional time zones.

TimeClocks
Windows 8 Time Display
  1. RIGHT + CLICK on time displayed in lower right corner of taskbar.
  2. Select Adjust date/time.
  3. Click Additional Clocks tab.
  4. Check Show this clock.
  5. For each additional time zone, check Show this clock, select time zone from the drop-down, then enter a name in the field below.
  6. OK.
Additional Clocks dialog
Additional Clocks dialog (CLICK to enlarge)

 

For additional multi-regional scheduling resources, visit the World Clock website. There you will find meeting calculators, daylight savings information and interactive maps.

Additional reading..

Cheers!

hɔuᴉnb

Happy Birthday, Windows

The year is 1985. Soviet leader Gorbachev meets with American President Reagan. Cocoa Cola unveils New Coke. Actor Rock Hudson dies of aids. Singer Madonna’s starts her first tour.

And on November 20, 1985, Microsoft releases Windows 1.0.

Unveiled in 1983, it would not be available for purchase until two years later. Arguably, that makes Windows 30 years old, but since many tricenarians, have a hard time with that milestone, we extend her two years grace..

Over time her share of sales and public favor has varied, as illustrated by this infographic.

Timeline: Windows Logo Evolution 

WindowsReleaseTimeline
(click to enlarge)

Going Retro

Like most twenty-somethings, the Windows logo has had her own experiments with style. Here’s a look back at fashions past.   

WinEvolution
animation by FORBiES

Flashback: notice how similar the current Windows 8 logo is to the original!

Sharing Win’s birthday:

Additional reading..

Cheers!

hɔuᴉnb

Comments and questions are always welcome!

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Windows & iOS Tricks & Treats

Trick or Treat! 

In honor of Halloween I am handing out treats and tricks! So reach in and fill your bag with this odd collection of operating system tips!

Windows 8 Trick or Treats

TRICK TREAT
Hold windowsLogoKey (the Windows key) and Press M Shows DESKTOP
(aka Minimize All)
Hold windowsLogoKey and press R Opens RUN dialog
Hold windowsLogoKey and press E Opens Explorer window
Hold windowsLogoKey and press C Slide COFFEE CUP HOLDER out
(aka CD Tray)*
Hold windowsLogoKey and press Print Screen CAPTURE & SAVE SCREEN
The screen shot is saved automatically to your Windows Pictures Library; no filename/folder prompt

*requires Windows 8.1SB (Starbucks edition).

iOS Trick or Treats

TRICK TREAT
With two fingers on the keyboard, pull outward (left & right) Splits single keyboard into two for easier typing
On the lock screen, swipe the notification left to right After inputting your password/pin, opens the item from the notification
Tap and hold Number button, swipe and select punctuation, then release Select punctuation without requiring a switch between Numerica and Text keyboards
While holding down the menu button (the main button below the screen), press the power/lock button Saves screenshot of the active screen to your camera roll

And in case you missed it:
Google Celebrates Halloween With a Spooky Interactive Doodle

hɔuᴉnb

Comments and questions are always welcome!

Windows 8.1-What’s new?

Give me back my Desktop and Start Button! 

Yes, we all complained, and millions of voices could not be silenced. Newer wasn’t necessarily better, so Windows 8.1 has returned some old features and improved some others. The desktop is now much easier to access (yay!), but the Return of the Start button, misses the mark. START is back, but only as a means to access the much maligned START screen (boo!).

Return of the DESKTOP

The only thing on my Windows 8 Start screen I ever used was the Desktop tile. So going from boot-up to START screen, and then clicking on Desktop was an extra and unappreciated step. Now, with 8.1, you can re-enable booting up with Desktop.

Windows81a

Additionally, you can

  • Share the Desktop background with the Start screen,
  • Control the Corner Navigation ‘aka: hotspopts’

To access, RIGHT + CLICK  on the Taskbar , and select Properties, Navigation.

Better SEARCH

With Windows 8.1 your Search includes not only your local drive and apps, but also your SkyDrive and web results. And speaking about SkyDrive, there is better integration and support for SkyDrive users.

Better CONTROL PANEL

The Windows 8 PC Settings was an abbreviated version of the familiar control panel. With limited settings available, To make a setting change one either had to search for it, or access the legacy windows Control Panel. Windows 8.1 has made more control panel applets accessible under Settings (although I still find it easier to use the search  option to locate the setting I am tweaking).

Easier TILING (aka ‘SNAP’)

The Windows 8 SNAP feature was (sorry) annoying, mostly in that you could not control the size of the windows you were tiling. Windows 8.1 improves this feature by allowing you to control the size of the tiled (oops, I mean SNAPPED) windows.

Additional articles to peruse:

Cheers!

hɔuᴉnb

Comments and questions are always welcome!

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

%d bloggers like this: