Windows 11 has arrived!! (or will be coming to a computer near you)

You've heard about it. It's been in the tech news since June when Microsoft announce the latest version of Windows. 

Yes.... the folks over in Redmond did say Windows 10 was to be the last version of Windows as a "Windows As A Service" feature, but hey everybody likes "new and improved"!!

New and improved Windows 11 is.... and yet, in some ways it isn't. It's like a brand-new paint job on your 2010 sports car, the engine still runs decent, but it needs a tune-up. 

Windows 11 has a very sleek, clean look, but underneath there are still some bugs. 

Windows 11 Start Menu

One of the slickest options within Windows 11 is the Snap Layout. This enables individual windows to "snap" to a side or corner of your preference.

Granted, this was in previous versions of Windows, but slightly clumsy using the arrows on your keyboard and the "Windows" key.

The Taskbar icons are centered at the bottom as the default. If you like the old style at the bottom left you can change this within the Taskbar Settings. Right Click on the Taskbar to do this.

There are issues and bugs concerning this latest release of Windows. Many have to do with hardware, processor and printer issues.

This page describes many Windows 11 bugs.

Windows 11 known issues and notifications | Microsoft Docs

The biggest issue many have is with Windows slowing down AMD Ryzen processors. This is a known issue with the L3 cache on the processors. AMD has released a chipset driver update and Microsoft released an update to address the L3 cache issue.

*Follow directions closely concerning these updates and issues.

Personally, I have been using Windows 11 for about 3 weeks now and have had just a few minor issues. (Daylight Savings Time not updating was one issue)

So if you're looking to install Windows 11 on your system, review and check to make sure your hardware supports it. Do your homework, and backup your files before taking the plunge.

Here are Microsoft's requirements for windows 11.

Your device must be running Windows 10, version 2004 or later, to upgrade. Free updates are available through Windows Update in Settings>Update and Security.

* Processor1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster with 2 or more cores on a compatible 64-bit processor or System on a Chip (SoC).

* RAM4 gigabyte (GB).

* Storage64 GB or larger storage device Note: See below under “More information on storage space to keep Windows 11 up-to-date” for more details.

* System firmwareUEFI, Secure Boot capable. Check here for information on how your PC might be able to meet this requirement.

* TPMTrusted Platform Module (TPM) version 2.0. Check here for instructions on how your PC might be enabled to meet this requirement.

 

Microsoft also has a convenient program to check if your system is compatible. You can download it here. 

Tech News - Samsung Cloud Being Discontinued

Samsung offers Samsung Cloud, a mobile cloud storage service for owners that have a Samsung tablet or phone. However Samsung has announced some parts of this service will be discontinued.

Gallery Sync and My Files:
Both Gallery Sync and My Files are being retired. This means you won't be able to sync images and files to Samsung Cloud and any current images in your cloud storage will be deleted.

It's recommended you save any images or files which you have in Samsung Cloud , download them on a local device and backup to another Cloud/Backup site.

The changes to the service are being rolled out in two batches. For customers in the US, the services will stop working on April 1, 2021, and data will be deleted on June 30, 2021.

How to: Change Google Assistant Voice

Originally posted on 9/9/19

We're familiar with her help and we know her voice well. She helps with scheduling appointments on your calendar, set reminders, give directions to the nearest theaters.

But did you know you can change Google Assistants voice?
Sure....the default voice is nice and professional, but it would be nice to hear a different voice.

Google Assistant debuted in May of 2016 with just one voice. Now installed on over 400 million android devices "she" is available with 6 voices, including British and Australian.

1. Open the Google App
2. Tap 'More' in the lower right corner
3. Tap 'Settings'
4. Tap 'Google Assistant'
5. Tap 'Assistant' (The second column)
6. Tap 'Assistant Voice'

You can scroll thru the colors and each color has it's own subtle tones (male and female), inflections and pace. My preference is the Australian.

There's more on the descriptions of each voice over at Android Central.