Windows 10 update adds few new features
Users will not see Update immediately as the system gives them a month to decide if they want to abandon Windows 10 altogether
What is this giant Windows 10 update that my computer wants to install?
As part of its switch to Windows 10 as a “service” that automatically updates itself, Microsoft pushed out its Windows 10 November Update last month. In addition to the usual bug fixing that system upgrades typically address, the Windows 10 November Update (about three gigabytes in size) adds a few new features.
New additions include a Find My Device option in the Settings to help locate a missing tablet or computer on a map, Skype voice and video calling integration into the operating system and a setting that lets the device automatically adjust its clock to new time zones as you travel. Other new Personalisation controls let you add a new column of tiles in the Start Menu and adjust system colours.
According to reports, the update has not been entirely trouble-free. Issues have included the update stalling when the installation progress hits the 44 per cent mark; a post on a Microsoft forum suggests removing any installed Secure Digital memory cards as a workaround. Problems with default apps being changed or deleted have also been reported.
Microsoft also notes that if it has been less than 31 days since you upgraded your PC to Windows 10 in the first place, you will not see November Update immediately because the system gives you a month to decide if you want to abandon Windows 10 altogether to return to your previous version of the system.
Controlling Your Calendar
How do I make Google Calendar stop automatically adding events mentioned in my Gmail messages?
Gmail’s efforts to be helpful by adding events it gleans from your inbox (like flight information, meetings and confirmed dinner dates) is an attempt to save you time, but you do have the power to decline the unsolicited assistance. You can switch off the feature from either your desktop browser or the Google Calendar app on your mobile device, but Google warns that doing so removes all the past events added from Gmail.
On your computer, open Google Calendar and click the cog-shaped Settings icon in the top-right corner. From the menu that opens, select Settings. On the Calendar Settings screen, scroll to “Events from Gmail” and turn off the checkbox next to “Add automatically” before you click the Save button.
On a mobile device, tap open the Google Calendar icon, open the Menu icon in the top-left corner and select Settings. Choose “Events from Gmail” and flip the switch next to “Add events from Gmail” to the Off position.
Tip of the Week
The Siri-enabled remote control that comes with the fourth-generation Apple TV can do more than just search for programming content. While the “What did he just say?” command (which rewinds the last 15 seconds of video and flips on the subtitles for the replay) is often mentioned in reviews, Siri can also take over several functions formerly controlled by the remote’s navigational controls.
For example, you can press the Siri button while watching, and issue commands like “Play from the beginning,” “Pause this,” “Turn on closed captioning,” “Skip forward three minutes” and so on. When asked, Siri for the Apple TV can also grab weather forecasts and sports scores, just as it does for iPhones and iPads. Voice-controlled remotes from other streaming boxes (like those from Amazon, Google and Roku) can also perform searches and some commands when asked.