‘An unspecified error has occurred’

December 6, 2024

💻 “An unspecified error has occurred”: That Windows message drives me nuts. Over the last few months, Windows 10 has grown in popularity, while Windows 11 has dropped in market share … despite Windows 10’s planned sunset on Oct. 25, 2025. Windows 10’s market share currently stands at 61.8%, compared to just 34.9% for Windows 11. No wonder folks are waiting to upgrade; about 240 million active PCs might not meet the new hardware requirements for Windows 11. Need a new system? Check out my three sweet laptop picks here!

Tags: laptop, market share, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows 10, Microsoft Windows 11

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Antivirus comparison: Which option is best for your PC or Mac?

If you browse the internet regularly, you can’t get around the fact that you need antivirus software. Viruses can pop up in unexpected places, and you want your device to be able to fight one off if it appears.

Dangerous malware making the rounds is what makes having antivirus software protecting you so critical. But what’s the best antivirus software for a Mac or Windows computer? Keep reading to see the best options.

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Hidden trackers invade your browser – How to delete them

Internet cookies have been around for the last 30 years. Blame them on a programmer at Netscape who figured out a way for websites to “remember” users. Today, there are a few different types of cookies.

A first-party cookie is stored in your browser when you visit a website. It keeps things like your account or login info and shopping cart so you don’t have to fill them in each time. We like those kinds of cookies.

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Try this, Mac friends: Hit Option + Cmd + L to quickly open your Downloads folder. If your browser is active, it’ll show your latest browser downloads. Nice.

Surveys that can make you a ton of cash (really!)

People always call the show and ask, “How do I make money with online surveys?” I tell them two things: First, you’ll probably earn gift cards instead of actual cash, and second, those gift cards could be worth $50 with the right sites.

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Smart small-biz freebie: Chasms has full user guides on everything from tablets to browsers and even gaming consoles. The best part? You can click through screenshots of the actual steps — a real lifesaver if you’re helping someone troubleshoot.

⌨️ Keyboard master: On a PC, press the Windows key + a number to launch or switch to the corresponding program on the taskbar. Pro tip: Click, hold down and drag a program to reorder.

Ho-ho-hope your packages arrive on time: Gmail’s package tracking now includes real-time updates. On your phone, tap Menu > Settings. Look for General settings (Android) or Data privacy (Apple) and toggle on Package tracking at the bottom.

💃 Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay are here: Show off (or shake your head in embarrassment at) your most-listened tunes of the year. For Wrapped, open Spotify on your phone or computer, then click the Wrapped tab at the top of the home page. For Replay, open the Apple Music app, and a slideshow will automatically pop up. On desktop, go to replay.music.apple.com.

Get sound alerts from your phone: Your phone can alert you to noisy things like barking dogs, crying kids or broken glass. Don’t rely on it to tell you if the baby is crying or to keep your dog safe, but it’s a nice fallback.

On iPhone: Go to Settings > Accessibility > toggle on Sound Recognition. Tap Sounds to customize.
On Android: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Notifications. Turn it on, then tap the cog icon to customize.

🌤️ Rise and shine: Have an Echo? Say, “Alexa, good morning.” Your speaker will provide a personalized briefing — weather, news and the day’s events on your calendar.

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