Newsletter Archives

• The Windows Start menu: Trials and tribulations

  Posted on September 13th, 2021 at 02:42 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  WINDOWS

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Don’t get me started: Windows 11 saddles us with yet another major change to the always vital but never quite right Start menu.

  Another version of Windows, another version of the Start menu. With Windows 11, Microsoft has unveiled its most dramatic change in years to a feature that’s always been a core part of Windows. Instead of the traditional vertical list of all the apps installed on your PC, we get a sparse, boxy window with links only to pinned and recommended apps. Getting to all your apps requires an additional step.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.35.0 (2021-09-13).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter AskWoody Plus Newsletter, History, Start menu, Windows

• Say hello to these new Windows 11 features

  Posted on August 16th, 2021 at 02:42 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  The next flavor of Windows kicks in several new features, some interesting and hopefully helpful, and others not so much.

  Just when you’ve gotten comfortable enough with Windows 10, Microsoft unveils a new edition of its core OS with fresh and supposedly improved features to figure out. Adapting to a new operating system is always a chore, and that promises to be true with Windows 11. But what new features does the next generation of Windows offer, and which ones might actually be worth the upgrade?

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.31.0 (2021-08-16).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows, Windows 11

• Windows 11 says good-bye to these familiar features

  Posted on July 19th, 2021 at 02:43 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Windows 11 jettisons a bunch of items from Windows 10. But which losses will cause the most pain among loyal Windows users?

  To paraphrase a famous biblical quote, “Microsoft giveth, and Microsoft taketh away.” And that’s certainly true with Windows 11. With this new version of Windows, the folks in Redmond have added a range of features including a new visual design, a new Start menu, a widgets pane, and a revamped Microsoft Store, as well as upcoming integration with Microsoft Teams and support for Android apps.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.27.0 (2021-07-19).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 11 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Windows 10, Windows 11

• Microsoft account or local account – which one should you choose?

  Posted on June 28th, 2021 at 02:41 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  MICROSOFT

  

  By Lance Whitney

  Which type of account should you use for your personal Windows 10 computer? That depends on your situation, though there are benefits and drawbacks to each.

  When you set up a Windows 10 PC for personal use, Microsoft makes you select which type of account you want to use to sign in. A Microsoft account will synchronize certain apps and settings across multiple devices and give you access to services beyond Windows. A local account provides an entryway solely to your current PC.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.24.0 (2021-06-28).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft AskWoody Plus Newsletter, local account, Microsoft Accounts, Windows 10

• How to control the security of your Microsoft Account

  Posted on May 31st, 2021 at 01:02 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  MICROSOFT

  

  By Lance Whitney

  You can view and tighten many of the security settings associated with your Microsoft account to better protect it from compromise.

  A Microsoft account not only serves as your login to Windows but also grants you access to Microsoft 365, OneDrive, Skype, and other key Microsoft apps and services. Due to the power of such an account, a hacker who gains access to your credentials or to any of your Windows devices could view sensitive information and even spoof your identity.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.20.0 (2021-05-31).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft, Microsoft Account

• How to control the privacy of your Microsoft account

  Posted on May 3rd, 2021 at 01:02 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  MICROSOFT

  

  By Lance Whitney

  You can review and manage a host of privacy settings and collected data for your Microsoft account via a dedicated account website.

  I know that some Windows users shy away from creating a Microsoft account because they’re concerned about the software giant siphoning up too much information about them. That’s certainly a valid concern. Like other tech companies, Microsoft will track many of your activities to “customize your experience” but also, sadly, to serve you targeted ads and other content.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.16.0 (2021-05-03).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Privacy AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Accounts, privacy

• How to customize and manage your Microsoft Account

  Posted on April 12th, 2021 at 01:08 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  ISSUE 18.13 • 2021-04-12

  MICROSOFT

  

  By Lance Whitney

  You can view and administer your subscriptions, devices, family members, rewards, and other aspects of your Microsoft account through a dedicated website.

  You have a Microsoft account that you use to sign in to Windows and possibly to other apps such as Outlook, Office 365, OneDrive, and Skype. But maybe there are aspects of your account that you’d like to tweak or at least review. Microsoft offers a website that serves up all the relevant details and settings on your account.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.13.0 (2021-04-12).
  This story also appears in the AskWoody Free Newsletter 18.13.F (2021-04-12).

  AskWoody FREE Newsletter, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Windows 10 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Account

• How to set up and use a Microsoft account in Windows

  Posted on March 22nd, 2021 at 01:02 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  MICROSOFT ACCOUNTS

  

  By Lance Whitney

  A Microsoft account offers you a single sign-on method to log in to Windows on any computer.

  A Microsoft account is a quick and convenient way to use the same credentials to sign in to different Microsoft applications and services. This type of account can connect you to Office, Outlook, OneDrive, Skype, the Microsoft Store, and Xbox Live. A Microsoft account is required for you to access certain services such as Office on the Web and, more importantly for this series, OneDrive.

  Read the full story in the AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.11.0 (2021-03-22).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Windows 10 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Microsoft Account, Windows 10

• Using Microsoft OneDrive on your Android device

  Posted on March 1st, 2021 at 01:02 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  ONEDRIVE

  Using Microsoft OneDrive on your Android device

  By Lance Whitney

  You can access, view, and edit your synced OneDrive files from your Android phone or tablet.

  Microsoft OneDrive is an effective tool for backing up, syncing, and sharing documents and other files across your computers. But the program is also adept on a mobile device. In February, I covered the process for using OneDrive on an iPhone or iPad; now it’s time to see what it can do on an Android device.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.8.0 (2021-03-01).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365 Android, AskWoody Plus Newsletter, OneDrive

• Using OneDrive on your iPhone or iPad

  Posted on February 15th, 2021 at 01:15 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  ONEDRIVE

  Using OneDrive on your iPhone or iPad

  By Lance Whitney

  Using the OneDrive app on your Apple devices allows you to cross that great Apple/Microsoft divide.

  Microsoft OneDrive is a helpful tool for backing up and synchronizing your folders and files across your Windows computers. But it can also play a similar role on your mobile devices. With the OneDrive app for iOS/iPadOS, you can access, open, and share your online files. You can download files to your device to view them without being online. You can automatically upload photos and videos taken on your phone or tablet so they’re accessible from OneDrive. And you can even edit your files with the right mobile apps.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.6.0 (2021-02-15).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Windows 10 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, OneDrive, Windows 10

• Microsoft OneDrive: The basics

  Posted on February 1st, 2021 at 01:15 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  onedrive

  Microsoft OneDrive: The basics

  By Lance Whitney

  Want to be able to back up and synchronize your files with Microsoft OneDrive
  but aren’t sure where to start? Here’s a primer on getting started with OneDrive.

  Microsoft OneDrive is an effective tool for automatically backing up and synchronizing your documents, photos, and other files. By backing up your files to OneDrive in the cloud, you can recover them in case you accidentally delete or lose them. And by synchronizing your files, you ensure that they’re accessible from any computer or device running OneDrive.

  OneDrive is automatically included and accessible in Windows 10 and Windows 8.1. Those of you still running Windows 7 can manually download and install it. Beyond Windows, OneDrive is available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android, so you can access it from any computer or mobile device. I use OneDrive as my primary backup and synchronization service and find it very convenient and helpful.

  But OneDrive can be tricky to set up and configure initially, especially if you’re not familiar with its various settings and options. Let’s look at the basics of OneDrive to see how you can get started and use it most effectively.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 18.4.0 (2021-02-01).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365 AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Microsoft 365, Office 365, OneDrive

• Record and transcribe conversations directly into MS Word

  Posted on December 13th, 2020 at 21:00 Lance Whitney Comment on the AskWoody Lounge

  OFFICE

  By Lance Whitney

  So you recorded the audio from that important video meeting, and now you want to turn it into text.

  There’s no need to buy an expensive speech-to-text app. If you’re an Office 365 subscriber, Word for the Web now offers a quick and convenient option — Transcribe — for converting both live and pre-recorded conversations into a text-based record.

  Read the full story in AskWoody Plus Newsletter 17.49.0 (2020-12-14).

  AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Office AskWoody Plus Newsletter, Speech-to-text, Transcriptions Word for the Web