Uh-oh, your PC’s monitor went blank: Before you hold down the power button, hit Windows + Ctr + Shift + B. This tells your computer, “Hey, the display is messed up. Can you fix it?” In nerd-speak, it refreshes or resets your graphics driver.
4 tools to easily create and share memes
Memes and emojis express our thoughts and emotions in a way words just can’t. The perfect meme can elevate your mood or put a laugh on someone’s face when needed.
Millions of memes circulate on the internet, and you can grab quite a few good ones from social media. But you can’t always find the perfect one, even with so many choices.
Why not make it yourself? Get creative and use your pictures and perfectly crafted wit to make others laugh. Here are tools to create custom memes.
1. Canva
If you want to do more with your memes, Canva is for you. It’s a full-scale design studio for anything from Instagram posts to newsletters, including a meme generator.
RELATED: Wait, what’s THAT? 25 most popular emojis, explained
The platform has thousands of templates, stickers and elements to customize a meme. Canva is available online and as an app for Android and iOS devices. This meme generator gives you more options than other websites, especially if you want to design on your mobile phone.
It’s easy enough to get started. Simply head to the meme generator or search it in the toolbar:
- Find a template for your meme.
- Add graphics, stickers, or anything you want to customize.
- Save and share it!
Cost: Free or upgrade to premium for $12.99 a month.
Update alert! New Windows 10 and Windows 11 fixes live
Patch Tuesday is a common practice among tech companies, accumulating updates and releasing them on the second Tuesday of every month. This doesn’t mean we won’t see updates at other times.
Apple released iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Apple TV updates this past Tuesday. If you have an Apple device, you have an update waiting for you. Tap or click here for a breakdown of the updates and how to get them.
I’m a clover, not a fighter: A thrifty shopper found a $655 gaming graphics card in mint condition for just $8 at Goodwill. But don’t expect the same deal anytime soon; Goodwill usually flags high-ticket items to sell on their website instead. I’m stopping by the next Goodwill I see!
300,000-year-old face
Of our oldest human ancestor, revealed. A graphics expert 3D-scanned a skull to create a realistic render. Found in Morocco, the remains proved humans evolved 100,000 years earlier than we thought. Check out the pic of the handsome fellow here.
Access a million free, high-quality images for any project
Content is the backbone of the internet — and few pieces of content are more important than graphics. They allow us to share what we’re feeling without words, create an atmosphere and attract bigger audiences. Tap or click here to learn some basic photo editing tricks that make anyone’s amateur photos look pro.
Update Chrome! New security vulnerabilities put millions at risk
One of your first lines of defense against hacks, bugs and viruses is to keep your devices and software updated. Developers push updates and patches as they discover issues. Sometimes patches fix a flaw that is causing problems for users, and other times it’s a preemptive measure done before anything can be exploited.
Creating graphics? Try this free (yes, free!) app from Adobe
Whether you are an Android or iPhone user, many great apps can be added to your phone for many different purposes. Some apps can be helpful for those with a creative instinct and for those who enjoy expressing ideas. Need a logo? Tap or click here to customize and download one for free.
Tech how-to: 5 ways to share files too big to email
Our cameras take fabulous photos and videos. Our computers tackle data-packed spreadsheets. We can create detailed graphics that look incredible when blown up. But all of that comes with a drawback: huge files.
First, you need to make sure your computer, tablet or smartphone has enough storage to handle those files. Tap or click here for a quick trick to free up more space.
5 new Windows 10 features to try right now
Microsoft updates bring new features, security patches, updated drivers and bug fixes. That doesn’t mean they always go smoothly. Those same updates often leave Windows users frustrated or staring at the Blue Screen of Death.
Windows big October update: New features and how to download it
Microsoft has been busy this year. Since January, the company has released monthly Windows 10 updates — many of them with critical security enhancements or new features for Windows users to enjoy.
Unfortunately, not all of these updates have been smooth sailing for Microsoft. Several of them have been riddled with bugs and security issues of their own. Tap or click here to see what the latest set of patches from Microsoft broke for users.
Microsoft's new Flight Simulator: How to get it, cost, specs
If you’ve been hesitant to travel in recent months due to the pandemic but are missing the feeling of flying, we have good news for you. You will now have the option to hop on any flight path you want to and check out the world views while still staying socially distant.
5 ways to share files that are too big to email
We all have file-size problems. Our cameras now take fabulous photos and crisp videos. Our computers can tackle monstrous spreadsheets. But all of that comes with a drawback: really huge files. So what do you do when you want to send that pile of digital photos to grandma, but the file is too big to attach to an email? In this tip, I’m sharing five ways to handle it.
Tech tip: Use this free online tool to make simple graphics out of complex data
We all love sharing statistics and data on social media. After all, numbers can reveal some shocking truths about the world! There’s just one thing to remember: Most people will ignore your posts if you aren’t using attractive data visualization techniques.
PC vs. Mac: 10 of the biggest differences explained
Mac vs. Windows: the debate that’s raged since the 1980s. Whole commercial campaigns were put together around this very concept, claiming one was better than the other.
But what are the true, bias-free differences between Mac computers and Windows ones? Tap or click here to hear Kim’s take on Macs getting more attacks than Windows PCs.
Sneaky changes to Google search results being rolled back
Have you been on Google lately? If so, you probably noticed a strange difference in your search results: big icons next to every result on the page. It was part of Google’s brand new look, but not everyone was prepared for the change.