20 Handy Gadgets For Your Windows 7 Desktop

As you all know, Gadget feature was introduced with Vista and has been improved in Windows 7.  There are hundreds of free gadgets available for the latest version of Windows, but there are very few that are very useful.

By default, Windows 7 offers several handy gadgets like such as Currency, Feed headlines, Weather, and Calendar. If you are bored or not satisfied with these gadgets, here is a list of useful gadgets for your Windows 7 desktop.

1. Q’s Drive Info:

Download

2. Alarm Clock:

Download

3. iPhone Battery Meter:

Download

4. System Volume:

Download

5. Network meter:

Download

6. Launch Control:

Download

7. Search Google , Bing, Yahoo:

Download

8.  Auto Shutdown:

Download

9. Talking Clock:

Download

10. Tweetz:

Download

11. Drive Buddy: Insert/eject your CD/DVD drive quickly.

Download

12. Adsensor:

Download

13. Language Translator:

Download

14. Outlook Info:

Download

15. Beaker CPU Meter:

Download

16. Toggle Hidden Files: Toggle between show/hide hidden files.

Download

17. Notebook Info:

Download

18. 9 skin battery meter:

Download

19. Wifi Monitor:

Download

20. Minimize: Use this to quickly minimize and restore windows.

Download

Note: These are third-party gadgets. To install a gadget, download and then double-click on the gadget to see the gadget start working.

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How to boot in Safe Mode or access the Recovery mode in Windows 8

Learn the four ways in which you can boot Windows 8 in Safe Mode or access the Recovery mode.

Safe Mode in Windows is a troubleshooting mode that loads a limited set of device drivers and some others Windows processes, just enough to run the operating system. This allows users to diagnose many hardware and software problems that may occur and apply the corresponding fixes. Even though, Windows 8 comes a new built-in tools to fix problems such as, System Refresh and Restore, and System repair; Safe Mode still necessary for a variety of troubleshooting procedures and is not included as a quick option.

Did you realize that hitting F8 on Windows 8 Consumer Preview won’t bring up the “Safe Mode” menu, like in previous versions of Windows, or access to the Windows 8 “Recovery” mode to troubleshoot problems? What’s up with that, right? Let’s just get this out in the open, F8 doesn’t do anything anymore on Windows 8, now you should use the Shift+F8 keyboard shortcut at boot instead to bring the Recovery mode to access the “advanced repair options”.

So, how do you enable Safe Mode in Windows 8? Because Microsoft has buried this option even more for the next version of Windows — possible reason being that the new Recovery mode may help the average users better –, you are going to need to do some steps before you can access these advanced options.

Now with this new version of Windows, you can access Safe Mode in at least four different ways:

#1 ACCESSING SAFE MODE FROM BOOT

The easiest would be by restarting the PC and at boot press and hold Shift+F8 to bring the Recovery mode, click See advanced repair options, and continue with step 3 in “#2 Booting in Safe Mode within Windows 8″.

#2 BOOTING IN SAFE MODE WITHIN WINDOWS 8

1Move the mouse pointer to the top-right or bottom-right of the screen to bring up theCharms Bar, click Settings, and then click More PC settings.



2In PC settings navigate to General, scroll-down and under the Advanced startup, and click Restart now. This will bring the new “Advanced Options” graphical user interface menu.

3From here, click Troubleshoot to access Refresh or reset your PC, or use advanced tools.



4Then click the Advanced options.

Quick Tip: From the new Recovery mode you can also access to the new Windows 8 recovery options: Refresh your PC: If your PC isn’t running well, you can refresh it without losing your files. Reset your PC: If you want to remove all of your files, you can reset your PC completely. Advanced options: If your PC is having trouble, you can use: System Restore, System Image, Recovery, Automatic Repair, Command Prompt, Windows Startup Settings (a.k.a Safe Mode menu).

5Now click Windows Start Settings.

6Finally, click Restart. Now when the computer reboots again, you’ll be presented with the“Advanced Boot Options” page from where you can select Safe Mode option.

#3 BOOTING IN SAFE MODE WITHIN WINDOWS 8 FROM THE SYSTEM CONFIGURATION

Alternatively to the steps shown before, you can boot your computer into Safe Mode by modifying the Windows 8 boot loader.

1Bring up the Run command with the +R keyboard shortcut, type msconfig and clickOK.

2Navigate to the Boot tab, and under Boot options, click on Safe boot. Then click Applyand OK.



If you are wondering:

• Minimal is to enter to the safe mode.


• Alternate Shell is to enter to the safe mode, but with just the command prompt.


• Network is to enter to the safe mode with networking capabilities.

After you done choosing, click Apply and OK, and then test the new configuration by clicking theRestart button.

Then when the computer reboots it will automatically start in Safe Mode.

Important: If you don’t revert the System Configuration (msconfig), the computer will continue to boot in Safe Mode. To change back to the old settings, go to the Run command one more time, type mscsonfig, and under the Boot options, uncheck the Safe boot, then click Apply and OK, and click Restart one more time. Or do the next thing.

#3 BOOTING IN SAFE MODE BY TRIGGERING THE GRAPHICAL BOOT LOADER MENU

This last option is a little bit more advance for the average user, proceed with cation.

1To enable Safe Mode, open the Windows Command Prompt by typing cmd in the Start Screen, right-click it and select Run is an as administrator.

2In the Command Prompt type the following and press Enter:

bcdedit /enum /v

3Copy the “identifier” value, e.g {ab123-abcd-fffff…}, this will be from the Windows Boot Loader menu, where the description value is “Windows 8 Consumer Preview”.

4Now type the following command and press Enter:

bcdedit /copy YourIdentifierValueHere /d “Windows 8 Consumer Preview Safe Mode”

5Use the +R to bring up the Run command, type msconfig and click OK.

6  Navigate to the Boot tab, select Windows 8 Consumer Preview Safe Mode and under Boot options, click on Safe boot. Then click Apply and OK.



Then click Restart, and at boot you’ll have the option to either boot normally or boot into Safe Mode.

In this last process, what you’ve done is to add another entry to start Windows 8 in Save Mode (or Safe Mode) to the Windows boot loader menu, which will now be triggered when the computer restarts.

As you can see Microsoft seems to want users to move away of the Safe Mode to troubleshoot Windows, because now this options is so much buried than it was before, but there still plenty of ways to access it.

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How To Get Windows 8 For The Lowest Possible Price

Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system means change – with a capital “C” – for anyone interested in purchasing new PCs and laptops in the coming months.

The introduction of the Metro UI – now apparently known simply as “Windows 8” – has proved controversial. Designed primarily as a touch-based user interface, the tiles and hidden menus of the new Start screen and the relegation of the old Windows desktop seems to have dismayed many people.

However, Microsoft believe they are playing catch-up to Apple in the tablet computer and UI stakes. They’ve already announced the Windows 8-powered Surface tablet, and the whole touch interface aspect of Windows 8 is influenced by the touch-based changes Apple introduced in Mac OS X Lion.

Whether the mixed reviews of the preview releases of Windows 8 have influenced pricing or Microsoft are simply taking a leaf out of Apple’s book isn’t quite clear, but the price of a new copy of Windows 8 will be noticeably lower than a comparative copy of Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Indeed, there is a chance of purchasing Windows 8 for under $15!

The Apple Model

Have Microsoft based their new operating system pricing on the relatively low prices offered by Apple?

Mac OS X 10.8 costs just $19.99 when downloaded from the App Store (currently the only option) while the previous Mac OS X 10.7 was available for $24.99 on DVD.

This is in stark contrast to Windows 7; upon release, this popular operating system was a massive $154 for the Home Premium version!

It doesn’t look as though this is a one-off, either – the inclusion of the Microsoft Store in Windows 8 means that subsequent releases can be made available via download. Will users accept much higher prices for downloadable updates? It is unlikely, so it could be that future versions of Windows stay around the $39.99 upgrade price rather than the brand new disc option at $69.99.

Hmm, $39.99 doesn’t sound too bad, does it?

Upgrading from Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7

While not the lowest price on offer on this page, the prospect of getting a new copy of Windows for $39.99 is pretty tempting. Sure, it might have the touch-based user interface formerly known as Metro, but it also has a desktop view and full backward compatibility with Windows 7 applications.

Additionally, Windows 8 is designed to run apps – many of which are free – from the Microsoft Store.



So how do you get a copy of Windows 8 for $39.99? The secret is to already run a legal copy of Windows XP, Vista or 7 and use the upgrade path. There are three versions of the new OS: Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 RT. The latter is for ARM tablets, while the former has fewer features (but should be fine for the vast majority of users). As there were so many versions of Windows 7 (six main editions alone) this will make choosing a copy much easier.

Note that while the operating system might be relatively cheap, the amount of time it takes for you to upgrade from Windows XP might not be. Vista and 7 can be easily upgraded, meaning that vital data and applications will be retained during the process (although anything you don’t wish to lose should be backed up, of course). For Windows XP users, however, backing up all vital data is necessary before installation of the new OS.

If you’re using Windows XP, the chances are that you’ve had your computer for five or six years. Upgrading for just under $40 therefore is an opportunity not to be missed!

Bought a Windows 7 PC Recently? No Problem!

Remarkably, $39.99 isn’t the cheapest option for purchasing Windows 8. If you are buying a Windows 7 computer before January 31st 2013, Microsoft will offer an upgrade for a super-low $14.99! It isn’t just any upgrade either – this option also offers Windows 8 Pro!

All you need to do to qualify is buy a new computer with a legal copy of Windows 7 preinstalled, head to Windows Upgrade Offer and register your details.

When the offer is available, Microsoft will then email purchase instructions and require payment, and you’ll then be able to download your copy of Windows 8 Pro for that super low price!

Use The Windows 8 Release Preview

If all of this seems a bit too much trouble and you’re not all that bothered about buying Windows 8 until you have got used to it, the Windows 8 Release Preview will be available to use until January 16, 2013.



This means that you have plenty of time to head to Microsoft’s download site and grab your copy of the preview which can be installed as an upgrade, as a dual-booted OS or as a virtual machine.

After all, what’s the point of spending money on an operating system as radically different as Windows 8 if you don’t like it? Try before you buy!

Conclusion

There are three ways in which you can get a copy of Windows 8 without breaking the bank. Whether you choose to take the upgrade path from your current version of Windows or you’re buying a new PC, laptop or hybrid tablet now and want to have the option to upgrade when the new OS is released or even if you want to try it for free first, there is an option to cover any budget.

What is most interesting about this whole Windows 8 upgrade scenario however is that is seems to signal a sea-change in pricing from Microsoft.

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Thinking Of Stealing Windows 8? Your Opinion Microsoft Probably Won’tMind

Stealing is wrong. Downloading software illegally, without paying for it, and then using it, is wrong. There are no two ways about it. That said, I can’t help but feel that some companies want you to break the law. Take Adobe for example, whose discriminatory international pricing scheme actively encourages piracy.

In truth, companies sometimes derive important advantages from users stealing their software — widespread adoption being just one example. And recently, I couldn’t help but notice a confluence of factors that made me feel that Microsoft really won’t be very sorry if you steal Windows 8. Here’s why:

A New Interface

Right now, Microsoft is doing everything in its power to get people to start using Windows 8. Whereas previous Windows updates enjoyed a lot of inertia, Microsoft’s new “Windows 8″ style interface is a radical break from the norm, and has garnered quite a bit of criticism. It’s so different, it’s not even clear how you can shut down your computer when using it. In other words, people are not clamoring to adopt this new system, and Microsoft has its work cut out for it before Windows 8 becomes the de-facto standard.

The success of Windows 8 eventually depends on one thing — will people adopt it, or not? Microsoft is betting a lot on the new-style interface, formerly known as Metro. It’s not just for Windows 8: Windows Phone 7 is using the same style interface, and Windows Phone 8 will even support some of the same apps that run on your PC. But for this ecosystem to really flourish, Microsoft needs many high-quality applications available — and these will only become available when the market is there. In other words, it is absolutely critical for Microsoft that people use Windows 8 — even more so than they buy it.

Introductory Pricing

This is why you can now get Windows 8 for as low as $15 — the lowest price Windows hasever been offered for. Granted, that’s an upgrade price — but even a brand-new Windows 8 installation will set you back a mere $69 until January 31, 2013. That’s when the price jumps to $199, a more traditional price point for Windows.

In other words, Microsoft is doing everything it can to get you to bite into Windows 8, except for giving it away for free. I’m not convinced that $15 and “free” is all that different for a company like Microsoft, especially when you realize it stands to make money off of you even if you pirate Windows 8.

The Windows 8 Store

This is the biggest point, really: With previous versions of Windows, Microsoft had everything to lose if you didn’t buy it. When you grab Windows 7 without paying anything, Microsoft won’t see a dime from you for years — you’re just enjoying Redmond’s hard work without givinganything back. With Windows 8, this is not so: The only way to install Windows 8 style apps (“Metro”) is using Microsoft’s new Windows 8 store. Sure — you may not install anything from the store for a month or two. Heck, you might even shun it for a whole year. But eventually, once Windows 8 sees widespread adoption, some amazing apps and games will pop up on that Store. And you’re going to want them. And you will shell out your hard-earned cash for them, just like you buy apps for your iPhone or Android.

And of course, whenever you buy something off the Store, Microsoft gets a 20%-30% cut of the proceeds, even if it’s not a Microsoft app you’re buying. So, for the first time in the history of Windows, Microsoft has a steady revenue stream off the OS that has nothing to do with initial purchase. Even if you steal Windows now, MS will still get your money later.

What Microsoft Should Have Done

They should have given it away for free. Really — I would not say the same about Windows 7, which has seen rave reviews during its run-up to release, all through its various leaked and released alpha, beta, and RC versions. But Windows 8 faces so many mixed reviews, and is oh so very important for Microsoft’s future, that MS should really have just given it away, at least for the first few months. It could have been like a one-time pardon for pirates: Stole Windows for years? We forgive you — this one’s on the house, now buy something from the Store.

Some would say this would have made the product seem too cheap and hurt its image — “it’s so bad, they’re giving it away.” That may be a fair point — so they should have given it away using a rebate into the Store. Buy Windows 8 for $30, get $30 in Store credit. Everybody wins: You get a brand-new OS practically for free, and MS sees adoption of its new Store, and gets your first few purchases. Once you have a good first experience and make your first purchase, you are much more likely to come back for more later.

By clinging to a traditional pricing model, Microsoft is shooting itself in the foot.

Again, Stealing Is Wrong

Finally, I must stress again: I’m not saying you should pirate Windows 8. In fact, I think you shouldn’t. Thanks to Microsoft’s very public release cycle, you’ve had ample opportunity to try Windows 8 out for free — and actually, you can still try it for free (albeit with many disadvantages). And $15, $30 or $69 is not much money to spend on an OS you will likely be using for quite a bit. That said, I think you can’t ignore the way Microsoft set things up, and the clear signals it is sending.

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Do You Have Many Friend On Facebook - We Ask You

The Internet has not only made the world a much smaller place, bringing us all together under one unifying cloud, it’s also changed the idea of friendship. What would once have been nothing but acquaintances are now listed as “friends” on social networks around the Web, and on Facebook in particular.

For this week’s Viva Tutorials poll, Yaara is asking whether social media is taking over your life. Go and vote now, you know you want to. Meanwhile, a few days ago Mark posted an infographic about Facebookalitis (or Internet Addiction Disorder to give the condition its full title). To put it bluntly, social media is taking over the lives of many people, and it’s time to find out whether you’re one of those people.

This Week’s Question…

How Many Facebook Friends Do You Have?

This is all about Facebook, though I’m sure we’ll take an in-depth look at other social networks in time. Whether you love it, hate it, or just mildly appreciate it, Facebook is the daddy of them all. With over 1 billion users (most real, some fake), one-sixth of the world’s population is now on Facebook. But how many of that 1 billion plus are you friends with?

Please don’t just post a number. Instead, tell us a little about what your Facebook friends list comprises. Are they mostly family and real friends that you also know offline? Or is there a higher percentage of people on your Facebook friends list who you know exclusively online; people who you have never met in real life and probably wouldn’t recognize were you ever to do so?

 

I’ll start the ball rolling by revealing I have 80 Facebook friends at the present time. Of which around 70 percent are online buddies who I have befriended over the years of working on the InterWebs. I keep a close eye on my Facebook friends list and add and delete people as they come in and out of my life. Now it’s your turn…

Drawing Conclusions

All comments will be digested to form conclusions in a follow-up post next week where we will detail what You Told Us. One reader will be chosen for the coveted ‘Comment Of The Week’, getting their name up in lights, the respect of other readers, and 150 Viva Tutorials points to use for Rewards or Giveaways (as long as they are registered when making said comment). What more motivation than that do you need to respond?

We Ask You is a weekly column dedicated to finding out the opinions of Viva Tutorials readers. The questions asked are usually open-ended and likely to start a conversation. Some are opinion-based, while others see you sharing tips and advice, or advocating tools and apps to fellow Viva Tutorials Readers. This column is nothing without you, as Viva Tutorials is nothing without you.

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8 New Tips and Tricks For Newbie Windows

Are you struggling to learn Windows 8? These eight top tips will help you grasp Microsoft's new OS quickly.

 

Windows 8 includes many new features which give users the opportunity to use Windows in different ways. A new interface, and new ways to interact with your computer, as well as new shortcuts, new menus and an entirely new class of apps, are all waiting within the new OS. All of these features can be useful, that is, if you know how to use them. Learning these tricks is easier and more useful if you actually try them out, so grab your Windows 8 device and give it a go as we dive in and take a look at eight new tricks for Windows 8.

Search by category

Windows 7 included a search feature that was handy, but Windows 8 ups the ante by providing even better search functionality via the Windows 8 UI. It’s now possible to filter your search by apps, settings, or files. You can access the search function from any screen by placing your cursor in the upper right hand corner of your display. This will activate the “Charms” bar, which includes a magnifying glass for search. The result is familiar. Select a category and type in what you’re looking for.

It’s also possible to access search using hotkeys. Win + F will take you to Files, Win + W will take you to Settings, and Win + Q will take you to Apps.

Manipulate the Start screen

Windows populates the new user interface with tiles automatically, but, since every user is different, it may not pick the best apps for you. However, it is possible to un-pin and re-size tiles just by right-clicking on them. Want to modify multiple tiles? Simply right-click on them in succession to do so. Tiles can also be moved using the good ol’ drag-and-drop technique.

You’ll also notice that the tiles are placed in groups. To modify them, click on the minimize button in the lower right-hand corner (it’s very small, next to the scroll bar), and then right-click groups to add names or delete them.

What about pinning all-new apps or functons? For that, go to the Apps search page and find what you want to add to the Start menu. Right-click and then click Pin to Start. This only works for apps — not settings or files.

Tab through Windows 8 apps only

Alt + Tab is a classic shortcut for moving through different app windows quickly. Now it is being joined by a new hotkey: Win + Tab. Pressing these two together will bring up a new interface on the left-hand side of the screen that lets you move only through Windows 8 apps. It’s a nice way of multi-tasking when you are not in the classic desktop environment.

Gain context and snap windows

The top of a new Windows 8 app is an important part of the app interface. Once inside the app, placing the mouse cursor on the top of the screen will turn the cursor into a hand. Once that’s happened, you can right-click to open up a context menu that will provide a few useful options. It’s usually not much, but the specifics depend on the app.

Doing this also lets you use the new snap features in the Windows 8 interface. To activate this, left-click and drag downwards, and the window will shrink. Now, drag the window to the right or left and watch it automatically snap to that portion of the screen. You can use this to watch information in one Windows 8 app while primarily using another. This will continue to function in the desktop if you go to it after snapping a Windows 8 app to the left or right side of the screen.

Access settings quickly

Underneath the new interface, all of the old Windows 7 utilities are — for the most part — still there. That being said, you may not need to access them often due to a new PC settings interface. You can access setting by searching for “PC settings” or by pressing Win + I and the clicking the Change PC Settings link at the bottom. This new interface will let you handle basic settings pertaining to network connectivity, privacy, and currently-connected devices, among other things. This is often the fastest way to change basic settings.

That same Win + I menu can also be used to power off your computer or change screen brightness without having to open the Change PC Settings link.

Learn Ribbon and the Quick Access toolbar

Windows 8′s other big interface change is the addition of the Ribbon to Internet Explorer. The icon-driven UI replaces the text-menu interface of  the old version. However, it only sometimes appears by default. To summon it, you need to use the new option tabs at the top of Explorer (Home, Share, View, etc.). You also an click the tack icon at the upper right or you can use the Ctrl + F1 hotkey.

When Ribbon is not active you will see the slimmer Quick Access toolbar. It has only a few fuctions by default, but users can add more. To do this, open the Ribbon, right-click on an icon, and then click “add to Quick Access toolbar.”

Get to know your history

One of the best feature in Windows 8 is File History. It’s an automatic update service that  can back up information to a second drive and also lets you selectively restore data. First, however, you have to open and access it. To do this, search for File history in the  settings search. Open it, and then click the Turn On button. File History handles the rest.

If the drive you want to back up to is not selected you can change drives by clicking the “Select a drive” link on the left. You also can restore files by clicking the “Restore personal files” link.

Access system functions with an old-fashioned hotkey

Though Windows 8 tosses out the old Start button, it does add another menu that can be of use. The menu doesn’t have a particular name, but it’s accessed using the Win + X hotkey and it appears where Start used to be (the lower left hand side).

From this menu it’s possible to access a number of utilities like Control Panel, Task Manager, and the Device Manager. It’s an old-fashioned menu that uses a gray background with black text but it will appear in either the desktop environment or the new Windows 8 UI.

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