🗞Adobe plans to make Photoshop on the web free to everyone
The company is now testing the free version in Canada, where users are able to access Photoshop on the web through a free Adobe account. Adobe describes the service as “freemium” and eventually plans to gate off some features that will be exclusive to paying subscribers. Enough tools will be freely available to perform what Adobe considers to be Photoshop’s core functions.“We want to make [Photoshop] more accessible and easier for more people to try it out and experience the product,” says Maria Yap, Adobe’s VP of digital imaging.Adobe first released its web version of Photoshop in October, delivering a simplified version of the app that could be used to handle basic edits. Layers and core editing tools made the jump, but the service didn’t come anywhere close to including the app’s full breadth of features.
TIPS AND TRICKS
The company is now testing the free version in Canada, where users are able to access Photoshop on the web through a free Adobe account. Adobe describes the service as “freemium” and eventually plans to gate off some features that will be exclusive to paying subscribers. Enough tools will be freely available to perform what Adobe considers to be Photoshop’s core functions.“We want to make [Photoshop] more accessible and easier for more people to try it out and experience the product,” says Maria Yap, Adobe’s VP of digital imaging.Adobe first released its web version of Photoshop in October, delivering a simplified version of the app that could be used to handle basic edits. Layers and core editing tools made the jump, but the service didn’t come anywhere close to including the app’s full breadth of features.
TIPS AND TRICKS
💡Note that many but not all programs follow this parameter, particularly Microsoft programs like Word or Outlook don't, which is annoying. There are a few alternatives that go beyond copying and pasting in Notepad: 1) Ctrl + Alt + V will show a 'paste special' dialog box. 2) Ctrl + Spacebar will remove formatting in already pasted text. 3) Download Puretext and choose a hotkey to always paste plain text with it.
TIPS AND TRICKS
TIPS AND TRICKS
🗞Samsung launches Samsung Wallet to help you store your cards, digital keys, IDs and more
Samsung Wallet will give users quick access to their payment, loyalty and memberships cards and more. It also integrates with Samsung Blockchain Wallet to enable users to monitor their digital asset portfolio by checking the value of cryptocurrencies. The company notes that Samsung Wallet also includes Samsung Pass functionality that securely stores passwords and verifies users’ identities with their biometric data to log into apps and services.The mobile wallet can also be used to store important documentation, such as your proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Later this year, Samsung Wallet will start to support official IDs, such as mobile driver licenses and student IDs from select institutions.Samsung Wallet also integrates with SmartThings to support digital automobile keys on select BMW, Genesis and Hyundai models. The integration will allow users to lock and unlock their cars, start engines and more.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Samsung Wallet will give users quick access to their payment, loyalty and memberships cards and more. It also integrates with Samsung Blockchain Wallet to enable users to monitor their digital asset portfolio by checking the value of cryptocurrencies. The company notes that Samsung Wallet also includes Samsung Pass functionality that securely stores passwords and verifies users’ identities with their biometric data to log into apps and services.The mobile wallet can also be used to store important documentation, such as your proof of COVID-19 vaccination. Later this year, Samsung Wallet will start to support official IDs, such as mobile driver licenses and student IDs from select institutions.Samsung Wallet also integrates with SmartThings to support digital automobile keys on select BMW, Genesis and Hyundai models. The integration will allow users to lock and unlock their cars, start engines and more.
TIPS AND TRICKS
💡Delete an entire word Instead of deleting a single letter, pressing Ctrl + Backspace will delete the entire word behind the cursor. This makes deleting text quicker if you screw up a whole word.
TIPS AND TRICKS
TIPS AND TRICKS
🗞Instagram Tests a TikTok-Like Full-Screen Main Feed
The latest iteration of the full-screen design keeps the tabs at the bottom of the page and features add post, activity, and messaging icons on the top right corner. While Zuckerberg points to the changes as part of a broader initiative to rely on AI-driven recommendations, the feed layout is heavily reminiscent of TikTok‘s. Zuckerberg previously stated that the company will be focusing on young users and Reels, and with Meta‘s Facebook revamp announcement also in mind, Meta is working hard to compete with its booming social media rival.
TIPS AND TRICKS
The latest iteration of the full-screen design keeps the tabs at the bottom of the page and features add post, activity, and messaging icons on the top right corner. While Zuckerberg points to the changes as part of a broader initiative to rely on AI-driven recommendations, the feed layout is heavily reminiscent of TikTok‘s. Zuckerberg previously stated that the company will be focusing on young users and Reels, and with Meta‘s Facebook revamp announcement also in mind, Meta is working hard to compete with its booming social media rival.
TIPS AND TRICKS
💡Reduce the number of programs running at startup If your PC is taking too long to boot, it's probably because you have far too many programs running at startup. It's easy to reduce these and it will make your PC launch noticeably faster. Make sure you research what you are turning off as some processes might be needed by third party programs you have installed.
Windows: Open the task manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and head to the startup tab to configure what programs you want to launch with your system.
Windows 7 and prior: Open run (Windows key + R) and enter msconfig to access a window with a similar startup section.
macOS: Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Select your user and click on the Login Items tab. You can remove or hide startup applications from here.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Windows: Open the task manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) and head to the startup tab to configure what programs you want to launch with your system.
Windows 7 and prior: Open run (Windows key + R) and enter msconfig to access a window with a similar startup section.
macOS: Go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Select your user and click on the Login Items tab. You can remove or hide startup applications from here.
TIPS AND TRICKS
🗞WhatsApp Adds New Controls To Privacy And Group Calling Features
the new privacy-centric additions introduces additional layers to the existing features for your profile page and photo, status, and last seen information. Originally allowing you to choose between Everyone, My Contacts and Nobody, this privacy setting now lets you fine tune it further by only selecting certain individuals from your contacts list by selecting the new “My contacts except…” option.As a refresher, you can find this list as well as the newly added setting under Settings > Account > Privacy on WhatsApp. Once selected, you can then manually select people from your contacts that you do not wish to see all of the information mentioned earlier. However, do keep in mind that delisting someone from seeing your last seen status will also prevent you from seeing theirs which, in a way, is a fair tradeoff.Next up are the new controls added to the group calling feature on the platform.
TIPS AND TRICKS
the new privacy-centric additions introduces additional layers to the existing features for your profile page and photo, status, and last seen information. Originally allowing you to choose between Everyone, My Contacts and Nobody, this privacy setting now lets you fine tune it further by only selecting certain individuals from your contacts list by selecting the new “My contacts except…” option.As a refresher, you can find this list as well as the newly added setting under Settings > Account > Privacy on WhatsApp. Once selected, you can then manually select people from your contacts that you do not wish to see all of the information mentioned earlier. However, do keep in mind that delisting someone from seeing your last seen status will also prevent you from seeing theirs which, in a way, is a fair tradeoff.Next up are the new controls added to the group calling feature on the platform.
TIPS AND TRICKS
💡Move cursor to beginning of the next or previous word Moving the cursor around manually while typing is a great way to make your work take longer than it needs to. To speed up the process, move the cursor around with keyboard shortcuts. To move it to the beginning of the previous word, use Ctrl + Left Arrow. To move it to the beginning of the next word, use Ctrl + Right Arrow. In macOS you can accomplish the same using the Option key. To select words/paragraphs as you're going, hold Shift + Ctrl + Arrow (up or down will select entire bodies of text).
TIPS AND TRICKS
TIPS AND TRICKS
🗞WhatsApp emoji message reactions could be about to get much cooler
Reacting to a WhatsApp message is pretty great right now, giving people the chance to respond to a message without typing out text. That's great if you want to give a message a thumbs up, but what if there needs to be a little more nuance. That could soon be possible with WABetaInfo reporting that WhatsApp is ready to test allowing people to react using any emoji whatsoever.While the feature isn't yet ready for beta testers, let alone the version of WhatsApp that's in the App Store, it's clear it's something WhatsApp is working on and it'll give us all more ways to react to messages than ever before.The new system appears to give people the option to quickly select one of six emojis, just like we have now. But an additional button will unlock the full iOS 15 emoji picker, including a list of the most recently used ones.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Reacting to a WhatsApp message is pretty great right now, giving people the chance to respond to a message without typing out text. That's great if you want to give a message a thumbs up, but what if there needs to be a little more nuance. That could soon be possible with WABetaInfo reporting that WhatsApp is ready to test allowing people to react using any emoji whatsoever.While the feature isn't yet ready for beta testers, let alone the version of WhatsApp that's in the App Store, it's clear it's something WhatsApp is working on and it'll give us all more ways to react to messages than ever before.The new system appears to give people the option to quickly select one of six emojis, just like we have now. But an additional button will unlock the full iOS 15 emoji picker, including a list of the most recently used ones.
TIPS AND TRICKS
💡Emoji keyboard If you're addicted to using emoji, know desktop OS support them natively just like mobiles do. On Windows press the Windows Key + . (period) and on macOS Cmd + Control + Spacebar. An Emoji panel will appear so you can carry on as usual using all the expressions you want.
TIPS AND TRICKS
TIPS AND TRICKS
🗞Android 13 will get official support for exFAT after years of development hell
Android 13 will bring about the ability for a Pixel device to handle files larger than 4GB in disk memory for the first time. But the story of how the exFAT file format came to be supported on the Pixel 6 is one that has come together, piece by piece, over a long period.We have Mishaal Rahman, technical editor at Esper, to thank for walking down the garden path after he found that support for exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table) was only available on his Pixel 6 Pro after he moved it from Android 12L to the Android 13 Beta. Considering that exFAT support is available for Android versions running on version 5.10 or later of the Linux kernel and that Android 12L was on 5.10.81-android12-9 and that the beta was on 5.10.107-android13-4, something was out of place here.If you own a non-Google Android device and happen to use exFAT drives with it, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Android 13 will bring about the ability for a Pixel device to handle files larger than 4GB in disk memory for the first time. But the story of how the exFAT file format came to be supported on the Pixel 6 is one that has come together, piece by piece, over a long period.We have Mishaal Rahman, technical editor at Esper, to thank for walking down the garden path after he found that support for exFAT (Extensible File Allocation Table) was only available on his Pixel 6 Pro after he moved it from Android 12L to the Android 13 Beta. Considering that exFAT support is available for Android versions running on version 5.10 or later of the Linux kernel and that Android 12L was on 5.10.81-android12-9 and that the beta was on 5.10.107-android13-4, something was out of place here.If you own a non-Google Android device and happen to use exFAT drives with it, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about.
TIPS AND TRICKS
💡Making sub and superscript text If you need to make sub or superscript text (think exponents for superscript), press Ctrl + = for subscript and Ctrl + Shift + = for superscript
TIPS AND TRICKS
TIPS AND TRICKS
🗞Apple users might never do CAPTCHAs again thanks to iOS 16 feature
Apple detailed how the feature works in a WWDC session called “Replace CAPTCHAs with Private Access Token,” explaining:“Private Access Tokens are a powerful alternative that help you identify HTTP requests from legitimate devices and people without compromising their identity or personal information. We’ll show you how your app and server can take advantage of this tool to add confidence to your online transactions and preserve privacy.”Those curious about how this all works should check out the WWDC session here. In short, web servers can use a new HTTP authentication method called ‘PrivateToken’ to request access to a token that confirms the user passed an ‘attestation check’ — in other words, proof that the user is legitimate. Apple devices with Automatic Verification generate these tokens through a combination of details, such as information about your device and Apple ID.
TIPS AND TRICKS
Apple detailed how the feature works in a WWDC session called “Replace CAPTCHAs with Private Access Token,” explaining:“Private Access Tokens are a powerful alternative that help you identify HTTP requests from legitimate devices and people without compromising their identity or personal information. We’ll show you how your app and server can take advantage of this tool to add confidence to your online transactions and preserve privacy.”Those curious about how this all works should check out the WWDC session here. In short, web servers can use a new HTTP authentication method called ‘PrivateToken’ to request access to a token that confirms the user passed an ‘attestation check’ — in other words, proof that the user is legitimate. Apple devices with Automatic Verification generate these tokens through a combination of details, such as information about your device and Apple ID.
TIPS AND TRICKS