6 Free Windows Task Manager Alternatives

September 10, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Task Manager is one of the most useful tools in Windows. It is the program you turn to when you want to review the performance of your PC, speed up a slow computer, optimize your boot speed or even save battery power.

It’s a control panel, if ever there was one!

However, like many other built-in Windows tools, there are alternatives available that either offer a more streamlined experience or an expanded feature set. This makes these programs ideal for power users that want more than what the default tool in the operating system offers.

We take a look at 6 of the best free Windows Task Manager alternatives, and see how they stack up against the Microsoft solution.

Wise System Monitor

Pretty much your best bet if you want a modern task manager that comes with a stylish UI and makes performance monitoring accessible. System Monitor has that sleek, inviting look and feel, which even the new and improved Task Manager in Windows can’t offer.

A smart design brings together all the tools you need — making the utility feel comprehensive.

A nicely tabbed interface has the options divided into dedicated panels. Each process displays a large icon, while information like processor usage and to data sent and received is given plenty of room. This means that unlike other programs, you don’t have to squint and scroll to see what’s going on.

There are two tick boxes at the bottom that can be used to filter out Windows or Internet processes. And killing any process is simply a matter of locating the small down arrow and choosing End Process. It is also possible to view detailed information or block network access for a process.

The program continues to monitor processes in the background as long as it is on. And while Wise System Monitor is very easy to navigate, the Windows Task Manager does things a bit better by categorizing Apps and Background processes, which makes management easier.

Stylish UI
Lightweight operation
Hardware and OS information
Does not categorize apps and background processes
Lacks some advanced options
Developer: WiseCleaner
Download: Wise System Monitor
★★★★★

System Explorer

If you have been using Task Manager regularly over the years, you will feel right at home with System Explorer and its old school layout. It displays a continually shifting list of processes, much like the default Windows tool.

Navigation is simple using the tabs spread across the top and these can be easily customized to your liking. You can add or remove 14 additional categories here, from Autoruns to Drivers and Security Info to Networking.

Hover over the icon in the notification area and the program reveals pretty much everything you might want to know. Some of these details are also visible at the bottom of the main window. There is an ample amount of information on display — suitable for beginners and advanced users alike.

Perhaps the best feature is the ability to click and drag to select window, where System Explorer highlights the process onscreen. Killing, suspending, restarting or prioritizing that process is as easy as a button press.

One feature that sets this program apart is its built-in Security Scan option that reviews and shows potentially threatening processes. Overall, this is a beast of a program that is sure to delight power users with its plethora of options and powerful capabilities.

Familiar, powerful
Offer security scanning
Clunky, if customizable, interface
Developer: Mister Group
Download: System Explorer
★★★★☆

Process Explorer

A longtime favorite of many, Process Explorer is not all that different from System Explorer. Just like that program, this one comes with extras like a Crosshair tool and virus scanning option. Its interface is also rather busy, but that has got more to do with its classic roots than anything else.

The main screen offers little direction on what to do and where to go.

And while ease of use may not be its immediate strength, Process Explorer squeezes all pertinent information into the main window. This helps increase efficiency for power users but at the expense of you really having to drill down to see all the details.

If you are after something stylish and usable like Wise System Monitor, you’ll not find it here. What you’ll find is a sheer volume of data on display, with each column being color coded, as well as the option to add new ones and change fonts and colors.

One unique feature here is the ability to check the digital signatures of any executable file you are running. Also handy is the option of killing an entire process tree at once.

Familiar user interface
Tons of visible data
Confusing navigation
Developer: Mark Russinovich
Download: Process Explorer
★★★★☆

Process Hacker

Think of this as a more refined alternative of Process Explorer, with a better look but fewer features. One handy option here is the ability to scroll to new processes — this makes system monitoring a breeze for power users and professionals.

Four tabs display the Processes, Services, Network and Disk options.

You can also view load time and load reasons for process modules on Windows 8 and above. For example, if a long running process like Explorer.exe develops a problem, you have the option of sorting its modules by load time to get a clue about the cause of the issue.

Right-clicking a service provides helpful options like opening the key of a process in the Regedit, or opening its file location on the disk.

Good use of colors and icons throughout the window means you can be up and running in a snap. But at the end of the day there are better and more powerful choices available. There are programs that do more than Process Hacker, despite not looking as good.

Clean, usable UI
Shows load time and load reasons
Not as powerful for advanced users
Developer: Wen Jia Liu
Download: Process Hacker
★★★★☆

WinUtilities Process Security

More than just a task manager, WinUtilities Process Security bills itself as a packaged solution for all basic Windows utilities. You will find disk cleanup, registry backup and even an uninstall manager packed into a single program.

In terms of UI, this program certainly feels like last decade.

But at least, it does a good enough job of putting everything in front of you to manage. One very handy function in this program is that it displays the security level of every process running, and it works perfectly fine to provide you with hints on shady applications.

The program lists details like CPU, memory and page file usage on the left side, while the main window provides you with access to information and properties of the running processes on your system. You can also end processes, set priority and generate reports from here.

Neatly designed
Displays security details of processes
Shows hardware insights on the left
Old fashioned UI makes usage cumbersome
Comes as part of a suite
Developer: YL Computing
Download: WinUtilities Process Security
★★★★☆

Daphne

With a fancy name like Daphne, you would expect a stellar program. Well, the truth is, this application may not be stunning, but its real appeal is its ability to kill processes politely. That is to say, it tells programs to quit after they are finished doing their task.

It is also possible to kill processes in bulk.

And that familiar Crosshair option over a window is also available that lets you decide whether to end, hide or change size of an application. The ability to set transparency for windows or set any to be always on top is also on offer.

There may not be enough here for a full and dedicated Task Manger replacement, but as the first open source alternative, Daphne is worth a look for its power and simplicity. The UI may need some time getting used to, but at the very least all the options are neatly tucked away in menus.

Good for killing processes quietly
Tons of additional management options
Ancient UI
Developer: DRK
Download: Daphne
★★★☆☆

How To Run Windows Software On Android

September 3, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

The impossible is now possible! Well, almost. Technology has advanced to levels where you can run some of your favorite Windows software on an Android device. And vice versa.

Both Windows and Android remain very different operating systems — one is designed for PCs while the other has its roots in mobile devices. The architecture for desktop and laptop computers is notably different to smartphone and tablets, and nowhere else is this more evident in the applications that are available for these two platforms.

Programs made for Windows don’t run on Android, and apps written for Android don’t work on Windows. Or at least, that is how it is supposed to be.

But some enterprising developers have found a way to run some of your favorite Windows programs on the Android operating system. We take a look at how you can too, in this short guide.

Run Windows Software on Android

You may not be aware, but Android is based on Linux — very much like how distributions like Ubuntu and Red Hat are. However, Google has designed its mobile OS a world away from these desktop Linux flavors, focusing instead on the touch and mobile side of things.

Yet, they all share a common kernel.

This is basically the central component that operating systems are built around. Android, obviously, lacks the libraries and software that you find in most versions of Linux, and this is the reason why it can’t run Linux software.

Windows has even less in common with Linux, because it runs on the Windows kernel.

That said, thanks in no small part to a program called WINE, it is possible to run Windows software on Linux. It is essentially an open source compatibility layer that runs these programs flawlessly as if they were running on a Windows computer. On top of that, WINE is also very easy to find your way around. It can be used as the default installer for these applications, saving you the hassle of configuring them yourself.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, WINE is a recursive acronym that stands for Wine Is Not an Emulator.

What programs can I run?

The latest version of the abovementioned program, WINE 3, includes an Android graphics driver that means you can run some Windows software on the Google mobile operating system. Understandably, this list is very short, and there are no guarantees that these programs work on all versions of Android.

But as long as your device has an ARM processor, it has a shot.

The trick is that you are only able to run Windows software that has been ported to Windows RT. Yes, this is the version of Windows that was dead ended a few years after it launched in 2012. Microsoft designed this to be used on tablets, but the market did not take to it. However, a handful of developers did port some programs over to this variant of the OS, recompiling them to work on Surface RT and other tablets.

The list of compatible programs is far from exhaustive, but several good ones are available, including the likes of Paint.net, Audacity, KeePass Portable and OpenTTD. It is also possible to get older games like Doom and Quack 2 up and running here.

Want to browse the full selection? This thread on the XDA Developers Forum houses the complete list, and you can easily download the programs from there too. Which is recommended, as they are more likely to work than the versions available on the official sites of the developers. So, spend some time on that thread and see what the menu is.

Installing WINE on your Android device

It is not simply possible to install WINE on your Android device from Google Play, meaning there are a few hoops you have to go through to get started. Before you begin, you must allow your phone or tablet to use apps from unknown sources. To do this, open Settings and then go to Security Options and activate the switch next to Unknown Sources.

You will be asked to accept the risks in the warning that pops up, but you are now ready to install WINE.

To do that, go to the WINE Download Server and grab the APK version of the app, which will begin to download. When it is finished, pull down the notifications menu and tap the download in the list to install it.

WINE will ask for permissions, which you will need to give. These include recording audio and reading and modifying the contents of your SD card. If you are happy to continue, press Install to progress with the installation. When it is complete, you can return to the Home Screen and press the WINE icon to launch the software.

Windows on Android

Setup is fine and fairly straightforward, but now the real fun begins! Since the virtual keyboard does not appear in the app, you may need to use an external keyboard to type in WINE. Likewise, an external mouse could come in handy too, as the onscreen buttons are likely to be very small, depending, of course, on the screen you are running it on. Large tablet users may get away with it, but those with smaller displays like smartphones will need to take care of these things.

If you have a keyboard or mouse lying around that you can use, then it is worth giving this project a go.

But buying extra peripherals until you have tried it out is not recommended. This is a remarkable experiment, but programs like Paint.net are not exactly ideal for running and using on a phone touchscreen. Just make sure you are aware of this. You may also encounter the occasional stability issue, where a program crashes or closes, but that is par for the course.

Running Windows programs on Android is exciting, a good way to impress others.

However, one thing is certain, you will not be throwing away your PC and running everything from your phone anytime soon!

How to Stay Anonymous Online

August 27, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

The web is a tricky place, getting trickier. If you are worried about leaking your identity online, then you are not alone. Millions of users share these concerns and take steps to stay anonymous on the Internet.

A little common sense and a few good tools go a long way here!

Online surveillance is not just a reality these days, it is a constant threat. Secret agents that track all your online activities, even in private mode on the latest web browsers can be an absolute menace. Besides that, there are still plenty of other legitimate reasons to hide your identity on the web.

We take a look at what you can do to accomplish this.

Go with a VPN

Without doubt, the first thing anyone would recommend to stay anonymous is to sign up with a VPN provider — a reputable one that is, preferably, located overseas. This is a solution that acts as an encrypted conduit for your online activities and ensures that your ISP and other snoopy organizations can’t monitor and trace what you are doing on the Internet.

When it comes to virtual private network providers, it pays to go with a paid premium solution. There are plenty of free ones available, and they are by no means illegitimate, but there have been horror stories of user data either accidentally leaking or deliberately sold to fund operations.

Yes, some VPN providers are known to do that, hence the importance of a reputable company.

To add to that, free providers have also been found to insert their own content into your traffic. For example, they may replace third-party ads with their own. And the worst part is that this is not always transparent.

You need a VPN service that is 100% on your side, always.

Do a little research, read up on user reviews and then choose to go with the most reliable and feature-rich option that is available. As long as you do your due diligence, a VPN will offer you a nice peace of mind by encrypting your network traffic, making it impossible to spy on you.

Of course, this also comes with an added benefit. Choosing a VPN provider in another country opens up the possibility of accessing content that may not be available in your location. Can’t go wrong with this!

The Tor affair

Tor is a multilayered approach to online privacy, and one of the best paths you can take to hide your online identity. The word itself stands for “The Onion Router”, appropriate because this is a service that routes your Internet traffic through multiple servers before it reaches its destination.

Nothing new here, of course, as that is how the Internet actually works. But what sets Tor apart is that it adds an encryption element to the deal, where each node that your data passes through decrypting a little more of the packet. This means that anyone that tries to intercept your data while in transit will not have a complete record of your activity.

If you want to give Tor a go, you can do so by visiting its website.

You can download a browser based on Firefox that will route all your traffic through the Tor network. If Chrome is more your thing, then you can also find several extensions in the Chrome Web Store. The only major downside to Tor, for the general user, is that its performance is understandably not very good. It is almost like going back to the dialup days of the 90s.

Modem memories.

But on the whole, Tor, just like a VPN, does a good job of concealing your location.

That said, it is not exactly foolproof in the sense that researchers have found a way to tear through the obfuscation and discovered ways to work out the origin of Tor packets. However, if you simply want to prevent your Internet activity from being reliably tracked, and can live with the dip in speed, its convoluted routing is worth a look.

Hide the fingerprints

Staying anonymous is more than just making sure your traffic is not intercepted. The websites you visit can also build an alarmingly detailed profile of your visits, interests and activities — this is particularly true for social networks like Facebook that follow you around.

It happens even when using supposedly private web browsers that don’t store cookies.

This is done by recognizing the device you use to connect, and recording the combination of your browser, memory, graphics hardware, screen resolution and all these minute system details. In other words, the distinctive hardware and configuration of your computer acts like a fingerprint, which these sites use to identify you every time you come back.

Unfortunately, there is not much you can do here, short of swapping out your hardware repeatedly to show these websites that you are a different person.

Worse yet, this fingerprinting data is usually not limited to a single website. It is shared and sold, meaning even the sites that you have never visited before can identify and track you as you move around the web. Ever seen a sneaky ad following you from one website to another? Even when you are not accepting cookies? You are not alone.

One way to reduce your exposure to fingerprinting is to disable JavaScript, as many servers utilize this platform to gather their data. Sadly, this also stops many websites from functioning correctly.

You can also try and look for browser extensions that help with blocking specific fingerprint techniques. Online tracking is serious business, and unfortunately not anything that is going away anytime soon, what with all the players involved in this space.

But every small step helps.

Tips to stay anonymous online

It may sound like the quest for online privacy is hopeless. And by some metrics it is. But the average user, if he wants to stay away from snoopy eyes, can put in some effort and maintain a degree of privacy and protect himself online.

This involves not just technical measures and using services like Tor or a VPN, but also good usage habits that make it difficult for others to pinpoint you.

For starters, sign up for a reputable, paid VPN and use that all the time. For added peace of mind, get a router that has VPN capabilities built in. This way you can protect your entire home. Of course, this protection will go away when you use a mobile connection.

Install the Tor browser as well, and keep it handy for when you want to pad up your protection.

It’s a good idea to set up a small computer purely for browsing — an inexpensive Raspberry Pi is ideal for this casual use. You can wipe it off and start fresh whenever you want, all it will take is a few minutes and all tracking data from the device will be removed.

Be wary of installing extensions, as they can easily compromise your anonymity. Since they run locally, these browser addons and plugins can pass information about your computer to other parties. That said, the HTTPS Everywhere extension is a great way to ensure that your device always connect securely to servers. It is available for Chrome, Firefox and Opera, on Windows and Android.

Goes without saying, you should never follow web links in your email client or in PDF files that you downloaded off the web.

If you are a cloud user, and want to protect your privacy, look into a service that lets you upload your data and secure it by encrypting it. This obviously means that you will need to keep your key someplace secure and never lose it, because otherwise there will be no way to recover your backed-up data.

And finally, switching to and using a search engine like DuckDuckGo as opposed to Google and Bing is also a sensible way of protecting your privacy. That is because it neither stores nor shares any information about you at all.

What Is Blockchain? An Introduction

August 27, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Blockchain may seem like just another buzzword, but this is a technology that has been decades in the making. At its simplest, this is a revolution in the landscape of information collection and management.

Think of it as a database that that exists as multiple nodes — all of which are distributed, transparent, secure and immutable. In other words, they can’t be tampered with. And that has all got to do with the fact that there is no central authority in charge of this network.

But the blockchain technology goes beyond the applications of simple data collection. It has the potential to change the way the world transacts, both in the personal and business spheres. Its promise to bring a completely new level of trust to our world has the capacity to disrupt all businesses and industries from inside out.

Let’s take a look at blockchains, and the technology that powers these remarkable creations.

What is blockchain?

Blockchain can be defined as a shared digital ledger that is constantly updated with appended blocks of transactions from members. All without the need of a central certifying authority to oversee and manage proceedings.

This ledger has all kinds of uses — from transferring funds to settling trades, authentication and authorization to voting and digital rights management. Organizations can also build blockchain powered platforms to gather actionable data from users and devices for use in IoT and artificial intelligence scenarios.

Not many people are aware of this, but blockchain is actually a subcategory of another technology that is known as DLT, or a distributed ledger. Different variations of the concept exist like the Tangle, Hashgraph and Nano, though the plain old blockchain is the most popular by far.

Goes without saying that understanding the full implications of DLT is something far in the future. But its advantages are already evident, in how it streamlines complex market processes. This is what gives blockchain it well justified hype.

The making of a block

Now, you may be wondering blockchains may be complex technologies, but that could not be further from the truth. Their concept couldn’t be simpler. This is a space that revolves around blocks, which are simply sets of transactions that have happened at the same time.

Obviously, there is more to this than this modest definition above, but that is it in a nutshell.

The idea here is to store data and information in a way that can’t be altered or modified. And that happens when blocks are generated, grouped together and linked with each other like a chain. Hence the name blockchain. Only the first block of a blockchain, known as the Genesis block, does not link to any blocks that proceed it.

So, what happens when someone requests a transaction?

It is quickly broadcasted to the nodes, which you can say is a network of computers that validate both the status of the user and the transaction. Once verified, the transaction is then combined with other transactions that are on the network, and they form a block of data to be recorded on the ledger. The block is also broadcasted to everyone in the network, they approve the transaction as valid and then add that new block of data to the existing blockchain, which is now permanent and unalterable.

The data portion of the block contains the information that is to be stored in the ledger, and this can be anything from simple records to contracts, money or any other type of digital asset, information on the customer or their financial or medical records — you name it.

This is how transparent record of transactions on the network is created, which can then be utilized in a variety of unique and innovative ways. And if anyone tries to tamper with the transaction data stored on the blockchain, the entire hash sequence will need to be recomputed.

Which is what makes blockchain immutable and highly secure.

Types of Blockchain

Like any new technology, people started to use blockchain for a number of different purposes. The technology itself is divided into three main categories, each one offering a solution to a unique set of problems, a degree of control and access.

These are:

Public blockchain is the original creation, a platform that everyone can access and transact on. Bitcoin is its most popular implementation. Miners play a big role on public blockchains, they are the ones that verify and add transactions to the blockchain by solving encryption challenges.
Hybrid blockchain is a distributed ledger where preselected nodes control proceedings. This is also widely known as a consortium blockchain, in how organizations that operate the nodes must sign every block for it to be valid. A hybrid blockchain may grant rights to read the data to the general public, or restrict it to selected participants.
Private blockchain, as the name implies, is a fully privileged solution. Write permissions are centralized to one entity, but read permissions can be public, if need be.

As you can imagine, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum are public blockchains, both of them open source, in fact. This means anyone can view the records and transactions conducted on the platform at any given time.

Enterprise use cases normally involve choosing any of these three types of blockchains, whatever that ideally fits their needs and requirements.

The Blockchain Network

Like any network ecosystem, there are various participants in a blockchain network that each play a role in its operation. Participants like nodes and users are the most immediately visible, but you will also find regulators, developers, network operators and certificate authorities in this list.

Let’s take a look at what constitutes a blockchain network, and what the roles of these participants are:

User: An obvious one. This is a participant that has permission to join the blockchain network and conduct transactions with other participants.
Regulator: User that has special permissions to oversee network transactions. Regulators are usually prohibited from conducting transactions on the blockchain.
Developer: Programmers that code up applications and smart contracts for the blockchain.
Network operator: Entities with the authority to create, manage and monitor the blockchain network.
Processing platforms: Computer systems that connect with the blockchain and augment processing. They are used to initiate requests.
Data sources: Traditional data systems that define communication and data transfer on the blockchain. They essentially influence the behavior of smart contracts that are programmed into a blockchain network.
Certificate authority: An authority that issues and manages different certificates required to run a permissioned blockchain.

That about covers it.

Now, the big question is, who can be a member of the blockchain network? This depends upon the type of network in question, and the rules that are in place for it.

Public blockchains like Bitcoin, Ethereum and may other allow anyone to initiate a transaction with a simple press of a button. On the other hand, a retail company may restrict who gains access to its private blockchain, only allowing trusted suppliers and customers the ability to interact.

Smart contracts

Smart contracts are what make blockchains tick! These are automated mechanisms that add to the functionality of blockchains, extending it beyond simple buy and sell transactions. In many ways, these are the application layer of blockchain technology, embedded programs so to say.

They essentially take human judgement out of the equation in these networks, allowing blockchains complete automation. Smart contracts are simply a way of making verifiable decisions after predefined conditions are met — just like a vending machine that behaves algorithmically every time, all the time.

Blockchains can have smart contracts that connect with outside sources of data and information like weather, travel times, currency exchange rates, stocks, match schedules, even user authentication.

Once they gather the required data, smart contracts can execute the agreements that are programmed in, without user intervention and delays. Several noteworthy implementations of smart contracts are now available, the most popular of which is the Ethereum blockchain framework.

Blockchain use cases

With the technological details covered, we now get to the million-dollar question: What are some blockchain uses cases, and what makes this technology so promising for use in enterprise, commercial, government and even personal sectors?

Not only is the blockchain technology widely expected to disrupt existing industries, it is already leading to the creation of new types of companies that are using the power of distributed ledgers to gain an edge over competitors in a number of ways.

One of the biggest benefits blockchain provides is verification. It can be used to verify all kinds of credentials, from university degrees to employment history. A blockchain enabled identity solution can also automatically verify an individual for relevant third-parties.

Additional notable areas of interest are intellectual properties, licensing and establishing history of ownership. Blockchain based solutions offer provenance tracking and authentication for a variety of digital and physical goods, reassuring customers concerned about their source and quality.

Of course, enterprise use cases are wide and far ranging, and scenarios where blockchains are combined with budding new technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning and Internet of Things continue to excite and entice.

We’ll be taking a look at these in detail in a future article.

But there is no doubting the fact that this revolutionary new development helps solve a range of problems for businesses and users, customers and suppliers, enterprise and organizations.

8 Best Disk Defrag Software

August 20, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Although the advent of SSDs have meant that defragmentation is no longer a necessity for many PC users, disk defrag programs are still a crucial part of regular disk drive maintenance.

They are absolutely required to speed up boot and program loading times on traditional HDDs.

Defragmentation software work their magic by moving the fragments around your hard drive into what can be called a continuous stream. Meaning, instead of your large files and folder scattered around on the disk, they are placed together for faster access.

Running a defrag routine once a week is recommended — ideally in the background when you are not doing anything major on your PC. Windows comes with a fairly basic disk defragmenter utility out the box, though there is no shortage of alternate choices available. Many of these programs come with advanced features and options to schedule and finely tune your disk defragmentation.

We take a look at some of the best ones below.

Disk Defragmenter

The standard tool included in Windows is not bad, at least the one in versions Windows XP and up. While that one was slow and a tricky package overall, the utility included in Windows Vista and Windows 7 is a solid enough option.

One thing you will find is that this program lacks a good visual interface, meaning it can be a bit hard to know exactly what is going on during the whole process. However, the application is speedy, and provides relevant information both before and after the defragmentation.

Like all good utility programs, you can schedule the Disk Defragmenter tool to run daily, weekly or monthly. It also works on both internal and external hard drives. And even though newer, better options are now easily available, this one still does the job if you don’t want to, or can’t, download them.

Familiar UI
Speedy and through
Limited feature set
Lacks advanced options
Developer: Microsoft
Download:Disk Defragmenter
★★★★☆

Defraggler

Ask anyone for a disk defragmentation program, and Piriform Defraggler is always one of the first recommendations. With good reason, too. This is one of the best free defrag software out there, with a number of handy options.

It works on both internal and external drives, always a plus. Defraggler can run a boot time defrag to speed up your system booting. And the program even lets you defragment individual files and folders making it perfect for professionals and power users.

Defraggler also provides a nice visual representation of the action. Unfortunately, a few other programs have it beat in terms of speed. But overall, as far as capabilities go, this one is right up there at the top. If you will only download one program from the list, make it Defraggler.

Lightweight
Breezy operation
High on features
Can defrag both files and folders
No automatic updates on free version
Developer: Piriform
Download: Defraggler
★★★★★

Smart Defrag

Looking for a stylish little application to manage the fragments on your hard disk? This one fits the bill, and how. One of the finest disk defragmentation tools available on Windows, IObit Smart Defrag has a few new tricks up its proverbial sleeve.

Options include replacing the Windows Disk Defragmenter, prevent defragmentation of your chosen records and folders, defragging just the modern Windows 10 apps, and skipping defragging files that are over a specific size.

These finely tuned options aside, Smart Defrag is also great at scheduling an automatic defrag, and its boot time defrag does a good job of removing fragments from locked files. It also comes with a feature to remove junk files on your system to help speed up the deal.

Stylish user interface
Excellent support for SSDs
Boot and gaming optimizations
Ads on free version
Developer: IObit
Download: Smart Defrag
★★★★★

O&O Defrag

Funky name aside, O&O Defrag Free Edition offers a simple user interface that provides easy access to the more advanced options that are available here. You can analyze a drive, get a rundown of the content, and check it for errors before getting underway with the process.

In terms of scheduling, you and set it up to defrag your disk on a weekly basis, for example, or to begin a defrag process automatically when a screensaver pops up. An easy to understand wizard is also provided to setup scheduling or start the optimization process immediately.

Worth a mention that some features in the program are only available in the paid version of O&O Defrag. This can be annoying at times when you want to enable a setting. Still, with 8 defragmentation method and background monitoring of your defragmentation levels, this one is a capable piece.

Support for scheduled defrags
Simple, professional interface
Some features only limited to premium
Can’t exclude certain files from being defragged
Developer: O&O Software
Download: O&O Defrag
★★★★☆

Auslogics Disk Defrag

Coming from a land called Australia, this program keeps it straight and to the point. Auslogics Disk Defrag does an excellent job of rearranging the bits on your hard drives to maximize the free space and keep your system running in tip top shape.

Smartly, it will even move your system files to the fastest area of your hard drive. This gets everything in the right place, before the regularly scheduled programming. Disk Defrag can also be set to run on more than one drive at once, in case you have multiple disks laying around that need optimization.

Like Defraggler, the program will also show you a list of fragmented files instead of a vague fragmentation report so you can you better devise a plan of action. Auslogics offers this tool as both a regular installable program, but it can also be ported in a portable fashion for use on removable media.

Quick, easy install
Can set defrag priority
Defrags more than one drive simultaneously
No option to defrag free space
Inability to move file to the end of the disk
Developer: Auslogics
Download: Disk Defrag
★★★★☆

Disk SpeedUp

When it comes to appropriately named programs on this list, we have Disk SpeedUp. With a clean and crisp visual interface, and the ability to start a defragment process in just a couple of clicks, this software is one of the finest ones around.

Disk SpeedUp not only defragments your drives, it also arranges fragmented files consecutively. But the best part is that the program ensures that your new data has been correctly written to the drive, before overwriting old data. This allows you to easily pause the defrag process whenever you want.

Also built in is Disk Doctor, a module that checks the files and drives for errors and fixes them if it finds any. In addition to that, you also get a fairly good idea about the health and wear and tear experienced of your drive here, all of which is presented accurately. Good stuff.

Can finetune specific settings
Powerful scheduling options
Setup tries to install additional programs
Developer: Glarysoft
Download: Disk SpeedUp
★★★★☆

MyDefrag

Power users will love the power on offer here. MyDefrag can be as simple and as complex a program you can make it to be. It offers a lot of advanced features, all of which can be customized based on your needs.

The deal is that you will be loading and running scripts on your drives. Many of these scripts are included when you first install the program, and these include directives like analyzing a drive, defrag on a schedule, and consolidate the free space available on a disk.

Powers users and system administrators have the option of building their own scripts to customize how MyDefrag works. This makes it a worthwhile program for use in enterprise scenarios. The only notable downside is that this program has not been updated in a while, since May 2010.

Tons of features for power users
Support for scripts
Busy, complicated UI
Limited compatibility with newer Windows
Rarely updated
Developer: Markus Hörl
Download: MyDefrag
★★★☆☆

UltraDefrag

Another program that caters to both novices and advanced users, with powerful options at hand if you need to make specific changes to how the program runs. UltraDefrag offers a functional interface, with all the common functions that you would expect from a disk defragmentation tool.

You will find options like repairing, defragging and drive optimization on easy access using the menus, while advanced functionality is also available in the form of BAT files that you need to create. The UI, on the other hand, is simple and modern, with focus on the various commands.

UltraDefrag can be download as both an installable and potable version, for both 32-bit and 64-bit variants of Windows. In terms of speed, this came right around the middle of the pack — not the fastest program around, but one that still works at a respectable pace.

Open source
Support for boot time defrag
Old school UI
Scheduling can be confusing
Developer: UltraDefrag Development Team
Download: UltraDefrag
★★★☆☆

Complete Guide to Cleaning Up Your PC

August 20, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Often times, the problems with your PC have got nothing to do with Windows. Instead, it usually comes down to badly behaving applications that put files all over the place, or even malicious software that slow things down.

And that’s not even talking about pushy programs that take over your PC and insist that they get to run things their way all the time. Many of these programs circumvent your security settings. In cases like these, it becomes all the more important to detox your computer and prevent these intrusive programs from getting a foothold on your device again.

If you suspect your PC is acting up due to an application, or even malware, then this short guide helps you get rid of junkware to keep your system speedy and free of infections.

Check for malware

First things first. Step one of the decluttering process is checking your PC for malware and ensuring that it is free of viruses and other infections that slow down performance. For this, open your antivirus, make sure that its definitions are up to date, and then perform a full scan.

This will take time depending on the size and speed of your hard drive. But if infections are found, then follow the instructions to either quarantine or remove the malware. You will most likely be required to restart your device. Reboot when prompted and then run a scan again to verify the infection is gone.

Some infections can be stubborn, and if these types of threats are not removed after two or three attempts, then start your PC in Safe Mode to cripple them and completely remove this pesky variety of malware.

Even if your main antivirus tool comes up clean, it maybe worth getting a second opinion with other tools, just to be sure. A favorite is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware, which searches for a wider range of threats than most antimalware programs. It is also perfectly capable of handling potentially unwanted programs, even those that come with spyware or other privacy issues.

The free version is totally up to the task, while the premium version of Malwarebytes gets you real-time protection, which never hurts.

Remove ransomware

Ransomware is an exceptionally nasty type of virus that locks your PC or encrypts your files, demanding a ransom to get the unlock key. If you encounter ransomware, the most important thing to do is to not panic. An ideal scenario is you having an up to date backup of your files, in which case you can wipe the storage drive of your PC, reinstall Windows and live with a small data loss.

However, if you are locked out, the first thing to do is to make note of any demands like the Bitcoin wallet address, any contact details and the list of files that have been encrypted.

With that done, you should perform scans with the antimalware tools that you have installed on your device to get an idea of the underlying infection. Many vendors have special decryption tools available on their websites for certain types of ransomware threats — including Kaspersky and AVG. Trend Micro also has its Ransomware Screen Unlocker Tool that can be run in safe mode or prepared on another PC if your main one is not able to.

Get rid of PUPs

Most folks are blissfully unaware that they are running PUPs on their machines. Think of these Potentially Unwanted Programs as software, addons and files that inhabit a grey area. Most of these are installed alongside legit software, often for financial reasons where the developers bundle them up during installation of other free programs.

PUPs fall into a number of categories, ranging from software that attempt to install other applications, to programs that off your browser toolbars. Once installed, these cause issues by either changing your browser settings or homepage. If you install a lot of software, and are not particularly careful during the process, you may find your device riddled with a variety of applications and your browser sagging under the weight of multiple toolbars and search engines.

So, how to remove these annoying intruders?

If you have installed Malwarebytes Anti-Malware as suggested above, you are in good hands. Unlike your regular security software, Malwarebytes does a solid job of detecting programs with dubious reputation. It even goes ahead to clearly mark them as PUPs in the scan results.

Malwarebytes also offers AdwCleaner, which laser targets browser related items like toolbars, addons and search hijackers. It is a simple app that does not require you to install it before running, and is well worth a download to reclaim control of your browser.

One neat little program worth installing is Unchecky. It works silently in the background and if it recognizes that a dodgy program installer is deploying PUPs, it automatically unticks and deselects the options. Unchecky also popups up a warning message if you roll your mouse over any of these dangerous options during installation.

Banish bloatware

Most major manufacturers cram their PCs with an array of preloaded software — some of which is useful, most of it junk. Trial software, in particular, falls into this category. And worse yet, all this bloatware makes a return the moment you restore Windows on your device by following the instructions provided by your manufacturer.

While it is possible to manually wade through all this and remove these programs one by one, a better option is using a tool to root it all for you. The appropriately named The PC Decrapifier is what you need to uninstall a bunch of these bundled programs at once with minimum intervention. It filters the results into three categories, Recommended, Questionable and Everything Else. You can also see what software other users have chosen to remove, then remove what you feel has no place on your computer.

Uninstall the right way

One of the biggest causes of clutter are programs that leave traces of themselves behind — even when you uninstall them. These usually are in the form of leftover files and registry entries. The best way to avoid them is to try and source portable apps when you can. These applications are self-contained within their own folder, and you are done by simply deleting their folder.

Obviously, not every software is available in portable form, and a tool like IOBit Uninstaller comes really handy to scrub programs from your PC.

It will also work its magic on Microsoft Store apps, including those annoying ones that come preinstalled with Windows 10 these days like Candy Crush and Fallout Shelter. The program is neatly designed and does an excellent job of removing all traces of programs from your computer when you want to get rid of them. Definitely a better choice than the built-in uninstaller in the operating system — more powerful and one of the best ways to prevent the buildup of leftover files and other detritus on your PC.

Stay infection free

You have disinfected your computer and cleared off a load of junk that was installed over the years. Now is the perfect time to strengthen your security and keep the clutter from coming back, so you can keep enjoying your computing experience without being bogged down by unwanted software and useless files.

Threats to computers come in many shapes and forms — malware is a constantly evolving beast. The payloads have changed too. The key is how you protect against them.

While Windows Defender and the built-in firewall have come a long way in recent versions, splashing out on a feature-packed security suite is never a bad idea. Or you can mix and match your way around with free antimalware tools that do a decent enough job of keeping you and your machine safe.

Fact is, most threats are behavioral in nature and make their way onto your PC through trickery and deceit. Whether via fake emails that dupe you into clicking a link, or potentially unwanted programs bundled with genuine applications during installation. Scareware is also a menace, where websites and applications make false claims about security to con people into paying for the full version.

Identifying and removing these rogue offenders is not all that hard these days, what with free and powerful security applications. But the easier route is developing safe browsing and usage habits to prevent these unwanted installations from taking root on your PC.

A little care goes a long way in ensuring a streamlined and secure user experience.

How to Verify Your Apple ID Account

August 8, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Several readers report that they are unable to verify Apple ID because they did not receive the activation email that Apple sent to verify their email address.

Having an Apple ID is a must if you are using an Apple product. With an Apple ID, you buy apps, log in to your iCloud account or access Apple support and view your product information (along with many other things). If you do not have an Apple ID, creating an Apple ID is easy by visiting the My Apple ID website.

Contents [hide]

Apple ID Registration

During the registration process, Apple asks for your name, address, and email. After you complete this registration process, Apple sends a verification/activation link to the email address that you submitted during the registration process to verify that this address indeed belongs to you.

You are required to open that email and follow the instructions to activate your Apple ID; if you are unable to verify that Apple ID, you cannot use it.

If you haven’t received your activation email and failed to verify Apple ID or if your ID activation failed, try these tips

1. Apple sent the verification email, but this confirmation email was caught by your email’s spam or bulk mail filter. Check your spam, junk or bulk mail folders to see if the verification email is there
2. Next, ensure that your spam blocker is not filtering [email protected](you may add this email to your address book) and then request a new verification email (see below)
3. Turn OFF VPN, so it’s listed as Not Connected. Go to Settings > General > VPN (scroll down to near the bottom of the page)
4. Reset your network settings. Go to Settings>General>Reset>Reset Network Settings
  1. Restart after resetting network settings
5. Check that your Date & Time are correct. Settings. General > Date& Time
  1. Toggle Set Automatically OFF and then back ON or vice-verse
6. Toggle WiFi OFF and then back ON
  1. You may need to do this a few times
7. It is possible that your email provider may be having technical difficulties preventing you from receiving emails. This situation is especially true if you have a self-hosted email address like [email protected]. You may want to change your email or request a new verification email (see below).
8. You may have made a typo in the email provided. Check to ensure the email address is spelled correctly.

How to request a new verification email

Visit appleid.apple.com and then click “Manage your account” and enter your Apple ID and password. When you sign in, it will say:

“A verification email was previously sent to [your email address]. We can resend the verification email to the same address, or if this address is incorrect, you can change your Apple ID and email address.” You will also be able to see and change your Apple ID email here. If you want to change your email address, you can do so (see number 3 and four above). Then just click “send a verification email.”

Apple ID Verification keeps popping up?

Does your Mac, iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch keep getting a pop-up message asking you to enter the password for your Apple ID? Is this happening over and over again, no matter how many times you type in your password? A message says you need to Apple ID Verification and asks you to enter your password. So you enter the password. But whenever you restart your iDevice, that dang SAME MESSAGE pops up again. And it asks the same thing–Enter the Apple ID password. It a vicious cycle, and it really couldn’t be more annoying.

Tips for Verification Message Popping Up Repeatedly

Log out of iCloud on all devices including iDevices and Macs. Once logged out of everything, log back in
Try a cellular data connection instead of WiFi (turn WiFi OFF)
Add an email address to FaceTime and iMessage, if you don’t have one already set-up. Go to Settings > FaceTime > Add Email. For iMessage, go to Settings > Messages > Send & Receive > Add Email. Don’t just have a phone number associated with these services!
Go to settings>iTunes& App Store> Tap on Apple ID and sign out. Wait 20-30 seconds. Then sign back in with your Apple ID
Open iCloud, enter your Apple ID and pass, then and go to iCloud Settings (in drop-down menu underneath your Apple ID in the upper-left corner of your screen.) Find “My Devices.” Remove any Macs or iDevices you no longer own or use by clicking on the blue “x” icon.
Reset All Settings by going to Settings > General > Reset >Reset All Settings
- Any personalization is removed from app preferences etc.
Turn off Share Location. Go to Settings > iCloud > Share My Location >Toggle OFF
Free up some storage space (or purchase more) on iCloud if your iCloud account is almost full. A reader reports she opened up some storage space and the message disappeared!

Had this exact issue and fixed it by allowing mobile data usage in cellular settings. Pretty simple and worked for me!
This problem started for me when I changed my Apple ID e-mail address. I sorted it by going into Settings, Messages, Send & Receive where I found the Apple ID was still set to my old e-mail address. I also looked at FaceTime and found the same thing – updating both of these to my new Apple ID e-mail sorted it

Need to make changes to your Apple ID? You can manage it on your iPhone!

August 8, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Your iCloud account is used to keep your data stored in Apple’s cloud storage service. It’s also connected to your Apple ID, which is used to make online purchases using your iPhone and iPad. It’s easy to change your contact info, shipping address, and password for your Apple ID. Here’s how.

How to change your Apple ID from a third-party email address to an Apple domain address

If the email account you use on a daily basis is a @iCloud.com, @me.com, or @mac.com address, but your Apple ID is tied to a Google, Yahoo, or other email accounts that you never use anymore, you can fix this.

Note: Once you switch to an Apple domain Apple ID, you can’t switch back. So make sure your decision is final.

Before you make the switch sign out of all your services that use your Apple ID. Here’s a list of the services you should sign out of on all of your iOS devices:

Apple.com
Apple Store app and the Apple online store
FaceTime
Find My iPhone
iCloud
iTunes
iBooks Store
App Store
Messages

Remember to sign out on all of your devices, including your iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

Once you’re signed out, you can change the email address associated with your Apple ID

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone.
Tap your Apple ID banner.
Tap Name, Phone Numbers, Email.
Tap Edit next to Reachable at.
Tap the Delete button next to your current Apple ID.
Tap Continue
Enter the new email address you want to associate with your Apple ID.
Tap Next.
Tap Confirm to confirm that you want to make the change.

Once changed, you’ll need to sign back into all of the services that use your Apple ID.

How to change your Apple ID contact info on iPhone and iPad

You can change your name, email address, phone number, or even your Apple ID picture right from your iPhone or iPad.

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap your Apple ID banner at the top.
Tap your Apple ID picture to change the photo. You can take a photo or choose one from your Photo library.
Tap Name, Phone Numbers, Email.
Change your Apple ID nickname, email address, phone number, or birthdate. Only change your Apple ID phone number if it is no longer being used for iMessages and FaceTime.

You can also remove a secondary email address or phone number that you can be reachable at through iMessages, FaceTime and Game Center. Tap Edit next to “Reachable At,” then remove an email address or phone number you don’t want to be used with your iCloud account or Apple ID.

How to change your Apple ID password on iPhone and iPad

It’s always a good idea to change your password on a regular basis. You don’t have to go to appleid.apple.com to change it. You can change your password right on your iPhone or iPad.

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap your Apple ID banner.
Tap Password & Security.
Tap Change Password to change your password.
Tap Edit next to “Trusted Phone Number” to change or add a new phone number to send your verification code to for two-factor authentication.

When you change your password, you’ll have to update this across all your devices that you are signed into your Apple ID with, so be sure to write it down for safe keeping.

How to change the security questions for your Apple ID

If you use two-step verification to add extra protection to keep your Apple ID secure, you’ll be asked to answer three questions that specifically relate to your personal life. If for any reason, you think your security questions aren’t safe enough, you can change them at appleid.apple.com.

Note: If you have two-factor authentication (not two-step verification) set up, you won’t see the option to create or change security questions.

Navigate to appleid.apple.com from a web browser.
Enter your Apple ID and password.
Click the arrow next to the password field.
Click on Change Questions under Security Questions in the Security section.
Click Security Question 1, 2, or 3 to change the question.
Enter the answer for each question into the answer field.
Click Continue when you are done.

Don’t forget the answers to these questions. You’ll need them to sign in to your Apple ID on a new device.

How to change shipping and payment info for your iCloud account and Apple ID on iPhone and iPad

If you move or get a new credit card number, you’ll want to change this information for your Apple ID so you can make online and iTunes purchases.

Launch the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
Tap your Apple ID banner.
Tap Payment & Shipping.
Tap your credit card under the Payment Method to change the registered information.
Tap your address under Shipping Address to change the registered shipping information.

This new payment and shipping information will be used for all Apple Pay purchases, as well as iTunes and App Store purchases.

Any questions?

Do you have any questions about changing your Apple ID information? Put them in the comments and we’ll help you out.

Blackstraw.ai Seeks to FastTrack AI Adoption with Smart Building Blocks

August 8, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

Atul Arya, CEO, and Founder of Blackstraw.Ai. The veteran machine learning pioneer most as of late at Nielsen is changing the AI space utilizing his certifiable experience of actualizing AI with speed in undertakings. Story by Jeff Orr of AI World.

Q: Hi Atul, would you be able to reveal to us more about Blackstraw and what it remains for?

A: The slogan we have in our organization is “Streamline AI”. Our vision is to quickly track AI reception in endeavors having use cases ready for expectation or where there is a complete need of applying to gain from old information to new information. We help assess the condition of information in undertakings and after that distinguish and execute vital objectives of associations that require AI. The key is to utilize AI just if AI is required and when a venture has an adequate volume of information backing it.

Q: Enterprises are surely searching for approaches to disentangle execution of AI-controlled arrangements. How has the learning at Nielsen persuaded you to begin Blackstraw?

A: Nielsen is a sensational organization that leads the space in which it works. By nature of the business it works in, Nielsen has utilized cases that need expectation and it is honored with organized information. As a pioneer of the Global Innovations group at Nielsen, I drove a portion of the trickiest business challenges utilizing AI. All the more critically, the experience has shown me that every one of the difficulties can be survived if there is a strong comprehension of the procedure, goal, and center to do it. I would like to utilize the experience I had at Nielsen towards a more extensive industry require.

Q: You said your slogan is “Streamline AI”. What are the best issues that standard endeavors get deadened by while defining their AI procedure?

A: The three zones that are most hazardous today in my view are: the “issue ID” issue, an ability hole to arrangement execution, and access to suitable AI building squares.

Q: Great, we should separate those exclusively. From the outside looking in, it appears glaringly evident that endeavors should just seek after the utilization of AI advancements when there is a real business case. It would be ideal if you expound.

A: The expression AI is comprehensively used to mean numerous things. As I would see it, on the off chance that you have a utilization situation where gaining from old information can be connected to new information, you have a decent utilize case to execute AI. Be that as it may, you have to take a gander at the volume and structure of information and have enough ROI to help the spend on building AI forms.

Q: Data researcher vocations are in an incredible request today. Does the ability hole exist because of a people deficiency issue or aptitudes and preparing one?

An: I call this the Artificial Talent hole issue. The systems that exist today have confused the specialty of tuning parameters to demonstrate creation to a point that simply the “highest point of the pyramid” information researchers can utilize the instruments adequately. This confinement can be enormously rearranged with the goal that a more extensive ability pool can utilize it.

Q: An assortment of information demonstrating systems are accessible for machine learning. What difficulties will undertakings experience when choosing what building squares to embracing?

A: This is something unique I learned while working at Nielsen. There are actually no marking or operational devices that can be effortlessly adjusted for business re-utilize. This is a typical issue crosswise over spaces. Before endeavors can design AI execution, organizations initially need to tune and change the toolbox. Furthermore, at exactly that point would they be able to start to approach answers for the business issue within reach.

Q: So, how does Blackstraw propose to address these endeavor challenges?

A: First, we begin with helping endeavors with utilize case recognizable proof; distinguishing circumstances where the forecast is required. This incorporates basically assessing the condition of information in the venture and after that setting the ROI and KPIs for the utilization case. Second, we are building a stage that gives brilliant AI building squares to the venture’s space and uses case. In particular, the building squares traverse naming toolboxes, a displaying module that is preoccupied, and an assessment and sending module. At last, organizations need to operationalize learning inside the association, which incorporates quality control, benchmark creation, and adequate KPI administration.

Q: You recognized one of the standard business challenges for AI is conquering the one-estimate fits-all execution approach. By commercializing a product stage, would you say you are not confining your market chance to those associations that fit your model and approach?

A: We at Blackstraw understand that customer information and smarts worked inside the customer environments require simple reconciliation to an AI toolbox for augmenting and speeding up ROI. Our stage is intended to incorporate into the customer’s biological community. Our one of a kind offering point is a conclusion to-end stage for keen AI usage. From naming to operationalization, we give an incorporated stack to AI selection that can be utilized crosswise over ventures and spaces.

Q: Companies keeping control of the fabricate versus purchase choices is imperative. Would you be able to share where Blackstraw is at regarding financing the organization and commercializing its stage and model?

A: Sure, Blackstraw is as of now self-supported and totally centered around stage improvement. We have associated accomplices that we work with to give administrations to customers. We are connecting with a bunch of organizations to approve our model. We hope to gain from these early adopters and repeat rapidly to a world-class stage.

Q: Best of luckiness! An endless number of ventures are attempted this AI travel. What guidance would you be able to give them?

A: While AI appears a generally new theme in meeting rooms and exchange distributions, there are a ton of people, organizations, and scholastic specialists that have quite a while of hands-on experimentation and business application encounter. These assets can slide your organization into conveying the advantages of machine learning. You don’t need to seek after AI alone.

Apple ID and iCloud ID Tips

July 23, 2018 by Techtly Leave a Comment

We’ll fundamentally be disclosing how to utilize Apple ID and iCloud with iOS in this tips page.

(This data was produced for the real iOS 5 discharge which changed iOS altogether. The data ought to be a decent beginning stage for more current iOS forms, however, a few points of interest may vary).

Mac iPads, iPods, and iPhones all utilization a working framework called iOS. iOS5 was the primary iOS to help Apple’s iCloud, evacuating the need to synchronize gadgets by means of USB links to a PC. You may in any case advantage from matching up through USB to a PC, yet iOS5 and iCloud give apparatuses so you don’t have to. We’ll allude to your iOS5 Device as an iPad for simplicity of utilizing these tips, yet it could be an iPhone, iPod, or future iOS5 gadget.

Apple ID

iOS5 utilizes an Apple ID in numerous areas. On the off chance that you are the main client of every one of your iOS gadgets, a solitary Apple ID will serve every one of your needs and play out the way iOS was expected to work. In the event that you are attempting to deal with a gadget or numerous gadgets for individual, work, family utilizes, you will need to know the accompanying about Apple IDs, how they work, and where to utilize them.

Essential Apple ID

The main Apple ID you’ll be requested to enter on an iOS5 gadget is the iClould Apple ID. We’ll call this the PRIMARY Apple ID. This ID is utilized for the iCloud elements of your iPad.

Synchronize my iPad to iCloud (Macintosh mail, contacts, timetables, Documents, and Data, and so forth.)

Discover my iPad

Reinforcement my iPad (application information, and so on.)

The Primary Apple ID is utilized to match up this information over the entirety of your iOS5 gadgets that utilization this ID. Every gadget is likewise moved down to this ID for future reestablish should you have to reset your gadget.

Auxiliary Apple IDs

Here is the place things get somewhat dubious and confounding. You can CHANGE, or utilize distinctive Apple IDs for iTunes Store, iMessage, FaceTime, iTunes home sharing, and Game Center.

Single clients think that it’s least demanding to utilize one single Apple ID for every one of the administrations, and data will be imparted to every one of your gadgets, keeping things straightforward.

Families or Work/Personal client can utilize one primary Apple ID for iCloud (reinforcement, synchronize, records) and an alternate one for iTunes Store, FaceTime, and so forth. This keeps the archives (business related) in the work account and the music, applications, and other stuff in the individual record for offering to family or keeping for future individual use on individual gadgets.

Case OF SETTING A SECONDARY APPLE ID FOR ITUNES

In the event that you are dealing with the gadget as a working gadget, you might need to utilize the iTunes Apple ID that you use for work application buys.

Go to Settings, at that point Store

Contact Apple ID to change the Apple ID being utilized right now on this gadget.

Note that you can switch this Apple ID forward and backward as required. Exchanging can get befuddling so attempt to stay with a solitary Apple ID and just enter other Apple ID passwords in the event that you are refreshing applications obtained utilizing an alternate Apple ID.

The case of setting a Secondary Apple ID for iMessage

like how you can change to an alternate Apple ID for iTunes buy, you can likewise utilize an auxiliary Apple ID for iMessage.

Go to Settings, at that point Messages

If not signed in: enter the Apple ID you wish to use for informing

On the off chance that signed in as of now and you need to change the Apple ID

Contact Receive At

Contact Apple ID:

Sign Out, at that point sign back in utilizing you’re favored Apple ID

Note on Secondary Apple ID for Find my iPad

In the event that you set up an iCloud account via the post office that isn’t your Primary Apple ID, you can utilize it for Find my iPad (found as a setup alternative just under iCoud accounts in the mail). Only ONE iCloud record might be utilized for Find my iPad – the setup will caution you about this being “exchanged”, not included.

More Information

Here is a portion of the best destinations clarifying Apple IDs and iCoud setups for family and double utilize frameworks: iCloud Tips

Wise System Monitor

System Explorer

Process Explorer

Process Hacker

WinUtilities Process Security

Daphne

Run Windows Software on Android

What programs can I run?

Installing WINE on your Android device

Windows on Android

Go with a VPN

The Tor affair

Hide the fingerprints

Tips to stay anonymous online

What is blockchain?

The making of a block

Types of Blockchain

The Blockchain Network

Smart contracts

Blockchain use cases

Disk Defragmenter

Defraggler

Smart Defrag

O&O Defrag

Auslogics Disk Defrag

Disk SpeedUp

MyDefrag

UltraDefrag

Check for malware

Remove ransomware

Get rid of PUPs

Banish bloatware

Uninstall the right way

Stay infection free

Related Articles

Apple ID Registration

If you haven’t received your activation email and failed to verify Apple ID or if your ID activation failed, try these tips

How to request a new verification email

Apple ID Verification keeps popping up?

Tips for Verification Message Popping Up Repeatedly

How to change your Apple ID from a third-party email address to an Apple domain address

How to change your Apple ID password on iPhone and iPad

How to change the security questions for your Apple ID

How to change shipping and payment info for your iCloud account and Apple ID on iPhone and iPad

Any questions?

We’ll fundamentally be disclosing how to utilize Apple ID and iCloud with iOS in this tips page.

Apple ID

Essential Apple ID

Auxiliary Apple IDs

Case OF SETTING A SECONDARY APPLE ID FOR ITUNES

The case of setting a Secondary Apple ID for iMessage

Note on Secondary Apple ID for Find my iPad

More Information