Connect your PC to your HDTV, and control it from across the room

<div style="width:320px;min-height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img src="http://zapt4.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/0926-thumb-100053123-large.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:320px;max-width:100%"></div> <div style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048281/connect-your-pc-to-your-hdtv-and-control-it-from-across-the-room.html" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px" target="_blank"></a></div> <h1 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><em style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:1.45em;font-size:14px">Rao asked me for the best way to connect a PC to an HDTV, and, once connected, how best to use it.</em><br> </h1><span><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Even in these days of Internet-capable HDTVs and set-top boxes, you still occasionally need to connect a PC to your television. You may have an Internet-capapble smart TV, a connected Blu-ray player or game console, and a dedicated streaming machine like a Roku, Chromecast, or Apple TV. But inevitably, at some point, you're going to want to watch streaming content from a Web site that none of your devices support. And you will want to watch it kicked back in an easy chair or with friends. That calls for a real television.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">So eventually, you'l need a way to connect your PC to your HDTV--and a way to control the PC from across the room.</p><img alt="" border="0" height="94" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/google_chromecast-100047361-large-100049191-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> And yes, I know that a Chromecast can send virtually any Web-based video stream from a Windows PC to an HDTV. But in my experience--assuming you're not using a Chromecast-supported service like Netflix or Youtube--the experience is well below that of connecting your PC directly to the television as described below.</p> <br><img alt="" border="0" height="55" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-hdmi-100053122-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If your PC has an HDMI port, you're in luck. The modern default in HDTV connectivity, HDMI sends the best possible picture and sound from your computer to your television in one convenient cable.</p><img alt="" border="0" height="42" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-displayport-100053121-orig.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="100"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If your PC lacks an HDMI port, perhaps it has a DisplayPort. Like HDMI, DisplayPort carries high-quality images and sound. To my knowledge, no HDTVs come with DisplayPorts, but you can buy a DisplayPort-HDMI adapter for about $20.</p> <a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-dvi-100053119-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="63" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-dvi-100053119-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> But what if your PC has neither? Then, look for a DVI port (arguably the silliest-looking port ever designed). As with DisplayPort, you can buy a cheap adapter that will still send over a very good video signal.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> The problem is that it only sends a video signal. You have to find another way to handle the audio. If your HDTV has an HDMI port with an analog audio feed associated with it, you're in luck. Otherwise, you'll need to find another way to play the audio. This could be through your surround sound receiver, or with a pair of cheap computer speakers.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="51" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-vga-100053120-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Finally, if your PC only offers old-fashioned VGA, your HDTV probably does, too. Check your TV's manual to see what resolution your computer should be set to for best results.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Like DVI, VGA is video-only. The same solutions apply here as above, although you're more likely to find an analog audio input associated with your VGA connection than with HDMI.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> So how do you control your computer from across the room? You could buy a PC remote control, but frankly, I just use a wireless mouse. They're cheaper, and you already know how to control Windows with it.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If you want to stream HD video from a PC, Blu-ray player, or other source from one room to another room in your house—and be able to control that source from the other room—check out this TechHive review of IOGear's new <a href="http://www.techhive.com/article/2048780/iogear-wireless-5x2-hd-matrix-review-a-great-way-to-stream-hd-video-without-wires.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">Wireless 5x2 HD Matrix</a>.</p> </span>

Connect your PC to your HDTV, and control it from across the room

Rao asked me for the best way to connect a PC to an HDTV, and, once connected, how best to use it. Even in these days of Interne...

Read more »

Google Chrome update: How to access apps and recently closed tabs

<h1 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><br></h1><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:21px"><img alt="" border="0" height="120" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-apps-shortcut-100055685-orig.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="270"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Just last month I pointed out <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047485/three-handy-but-often-overlooked-google-chrome-features.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">three handy (but often-overlooked) Google Chrome features</a>, one of which was how to access tabs you've recently closed.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Today, Google rolled out a Chrome update that not only relocates that useful option, but also simplifies the browser's new-tab interface.</p><a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-other-apps-shortcut-100055687-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="430" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-other-apps-shortcut-100055687-medium.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="300"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Let's take a look. In the past, when you opened a new tab (either by pressing<strong>Ctrl-T</strong> or clicking the new-tab button), you'd see one of two pages: a collection of Chrome apps or a bunch of thumbnails for your most-visited sites.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">That was kind of a hassle, having to switch between the two. Now, everything is accessible from a single, more unified, page.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Specifically, when you open a new tab, you'll see the Google Search bar. Below that, your most-visited sites, again in thumbnail form.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As for apps, you can access them by clicking in either of two places. The first is the newly added apps shortcut that was added to your bookmarks bar. (If you don't use that bar, obviously you won't see it.) Clicking that shortcut reveals the old apps screen you're familiar with.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, if you merely want quick access to Google apps (Maps, YouTube, Gmail, etc.), you can click the little apps shortcut in the top-right corner of the new-tab page. That reveals a pop-down menu with nine of the most popular Google apps, with others available by clicking <em>More</em>.</p> <a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-recently-closed-100055686-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);outline:0px" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="293" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-recently-closed-100055686-medium.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="300"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Finally, Chrome's "Recently closed" menu, which used to reside in the bottom-right corner of the new-tab window, has been relocated to the Chrome menu--the little three-line icon at the far right of the address bar.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Click it, then mouse over <em>Recent Tabs</em>for a fly-out menu with your recently closed tabs and tabs from other devices. I'm not sure this is more convenient than the old setup, but it does make for a more unified, less scattered interface--and that I like.</p> </span>

Google Chrome update: How to access apps and recently closed tabs

Just last month I pointed out  three handy (but often-overlooked) Google Chrome features , one of which was how to access tabs you'v...

Read more »

Connect your PC to your HDTV, and control it from across the room

<div style="width:320px;min-height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img src="http://zapt4.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/0926-thumb-100053123-large.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:320px;max-width:100%"></div> <div style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2048281/connect-your-pc-to-your-hdtv-and-control-it-from-across-the-room.html" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px" target="_blank"></a></div> <h1 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><em style="font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:1.45em;font-size:14px">Rao asked me for the best way to connect a PC to an HDTV, and, once connected, how best to use it.</em><br> </h1><span><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Even in these days of Internet-capable HDTVs and set-top boxes, you still occasionally need to connect a PC to your television. You may have an Internet-capapble smart TV, a connected Blu-ray player or game console, and a dedicated streaming machine like a Roku, Chromecast, or Apple TV. But inevitably, at some point, you're going to want to watch streaming content from a Web site that none of your devices support. And you will want to watch it kicked back in an easy chair or with friends. That calls for a real television.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">So eventually, you'l need a way to connect your PC to your HDTV--and a way to control the PC from across the room.</p><img alt="" border="0" height="94" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/google_chromecast-100047361-large-100049191-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> And yes, I know that a Chromecast can send virtually any Web-based video stream from a Windows PC to an HDTV. But in my experience--assuming you're not using a Chromecast-supported service like Netflix or Youtube--the experience is well below that of connecting your PC directly to the television as described below.</p> <br><img alt="" border="0" height="55" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-hdmi-100053122-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If your PC has an HDMI port, you're in luck. The modern default in HDTV connectivity, HDMI sends the best possible picture and sound from your computer to your television in one convenient cable.</p><img alt="" border="0" height="42" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-displayport-100053121-orig.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="100"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If your PC lacks an HDMI port, perhaps it has a DisplayPort. Like HDMI, DisplayPort carries high-quality images and sound. To my knowledge, no HDTVs come with DisplayPorts, but you can buy a DisplayPort-HDMI adapter for about $20.</p> <a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-dvi-100053119-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="63" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-dvi-100053119-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> But what if your PC has neither? Then, look for a DVI port (arguably the silliest-looking port ever designed). As with DisplayPort, you can buy a cheap adapter that will still send over a very good video signal.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> The problem is that it only sends a video signal. You have to find another way to handle the audio. If your HDTV has an HDMI port with an analog audio feed associated with it, you're in luck. Otherwise, you'll need to find another way to play the audio. This could be through your surround sound receiver, or with a pair of cheap computer speakers.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="51" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/0926-vga-100053120-small.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="140"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Finally, if your PC only offers old-fashioned VGA, your HDTV probably does, too. Check your TV's manual to see what resolution your computer should be set to for best results.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Like DVI, VGA is video-only. The same solutions apply here as above, although you're more likely to find an analog audio input associated with your VGA connection than with HDMI.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> So how do you control your computer from across the room? You could buy a PC remote control, but frankly, I just use a wireless mouse. They're cheaper, and you already know how to control Windows with it.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> If you want to stream HD video from a PC, Blu-ray player, or other source from one room to another room in your house—and be able to control that source from the other room—check out this TechHive review of IOGear's new <a href="http://www.techhive.com/article/2048780/iogear-wireless-5x2-hd-matrix-review-a-great-way-to-stream-hd-video-without-wires.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">Wireless 5x2 HD Matrix</a>.</p> </span>

Connect your PC to your HDTV, and control it from across the room

Rao asked me for the best way to connect a PC to an HDTV, and, once connected, how best to use it. Even in these days of Interne...

Read more »

Google Chrome update: How to access apps and recently closed tabs

<h1 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><br></h1><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;line-height:21px"><img alt="" border="0" height="120" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-apps-shortcut-100055685-orig.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="270"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Just last month I pointed out <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2047485/three-handy-but-often-overlooked-google-chrome-features.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">three handy (but often-overlooked) Google Chrome features</a>, one of which was how to access tabs you've recently closed.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Today, Google rolled out a Chrome update that not only relocates that useful option, but also simplifies the browser's new-tab interface.</p><a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-other-apps-shortcut-100055687-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="430" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-other-apps-shortcut-100055687-medium.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="300"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Let's take a look. In the past, when you opened a new tab (either by pressing<strong>Ctrl-T</strong> or clicking the new-tab button), you'd see one of two pages: a collection of Chrome apps or a bunch of thumbnails for your most-visited sites.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">That was kind of a hassle, having to switch between the two. Now, everything is accessible from a single, more unified, page.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Specifically, when you open a new tab, you'll see the Google Search bar. Below that, your most-visited sites, again in thumbnail form.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As for apps, you can access them by clicking in either of two places. The first is the newly added apps shortcut that was added to your bookmarks bar. (If you don't use that bar, obviously you won't see it.) Clicking that shortcut reveals the old apps screen you're familiar with.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, if you merely want quick access to Google apps (Maps, YouTube, Gmail, etc.), you can click the little apps shortcut in the top-right corner of the new-tab page. That reveals a pop-down menu with nine of the most popular Google apps, with others available by clicking <em>More</em>.</p> <a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-recently-closed-100055686-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(68,68,68);outline:0px" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="293" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/chrome-recently-closed-100055686-medium.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="300"></a><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Finally, Chrome's "Recently closed" menu, which used to reside in the bottom-right corner of the new-tab window, has been relocated to the Chrome menu--the little three-line icon at the far right of the address bar.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Click it, then mouse over <em>Recent Tabs</em>for a fly-out menu with your recently closed tabs and tabs from other devices. I'm not sure this is more convenient than the old setup, but it does make for a more unified, less scattered interface--and that I like.</p> </span>

Google Chrome update: How to access apps and recently closed tabs

Just last month I pointed out  three handy (but often-overlooked) Google Chrome features , one of which was how to access tabs you'v...

Read more »

How to take screenshots on an Android phone

<h1 style="font-family:ff-enzo-web,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><span style="line-height:1.7em;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px">You just made it to the top of the leaderboards in your favorite game and want to show off to your buddies. The problem is, most of them live far away and there's always the chance you'll be knocked off the board by some punk kid before you get a chance to brag about your exploits. The easiest way to flaunt your victory is to take a screenshot of your accomplishment and send it to your friends. There's just one problem: You have an Android phone and you don't know how to take a screenshot.</span><br> </h1><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;line-height:22px"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">While most people know how to take a screenshot on an iPhone (press the power and home buttons down at the same time), not everyone knows how to do the same on Android. To be fair, though, Android only recently got the ability to take screenshots without first having to plug your phone into your computer and running the Android SDK. If you have a phone running Android 4.0 or higher, taking screenshots is a snap.</p> <a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/screenshot_1-100051590-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank"><img align="" alt="" height="387" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/screenshot_1-100051590-large.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="580"></a>To take a screenshot on most Android phones, press and hold the power and volume down buttons.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> First, go to the screen that you want to capture an image of. Once there, press and hold the power and volume down buttons at the same time until your screen flashes. Once this happens you'll get a notification telling you that your screenshot is being saved. Your screenshot will appear in your phone's photo gallery app, and from there you can edit it or share it with whoever you want.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you have a Samsung phone, though, you have to do something slightly different: Instead of holding down the power and volume down buttons at the same time, you snap screenshots like you would on the iPhone and hold down the power and home buttons instead. The screen will still flash like it does on other Android phones and you'll still get a notification when the screenshot is saved to your gallery.</p> </span>

How to take screenshots on an Android phone

You just made it to the top of the leaderboards in your favorite game and want to show off to your buddies. The problem is, most of them liv...

Read more »

How to take screenshots on an Android phone

<h1 style="font-family:ff-enzo-web,sans-serif;margin:0px 0px 12px;line-height:1.13;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:25px;font-weight:500"><span style="line-height:1.7em;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px">You just made it to the top of the leaderboards in your favorite game and want to show off to your buddies. The problem is, most of them live far away and there's always the chance you'll be knocked off the board by some punk kid before you get a chance to brag about your exploits. The easiest way to flaunt your victory is to take a screenshot of your accomplishment and send it to your friends. There's just one problem: You have an Android phone and you don't know how to take a screenshot.</span><br> </h1><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:16px;line-height:22px"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">While most people know how to take a screenshot on an iPhone (press the power and home buttons down at the same time), not everyone knows how to do the same on Android. To be fair, though, Android only recently got the ability to take screenshots without first having to plug your phone into your computer and running the Android SDK. If you have a phone running Android 4.0 or higher, taking screenshots is a snap.</p> <a href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/screenshot_1-100051590-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank"><img align="" alt="" height="387" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/screenshot_1-100051590-large.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="580"></a>To take a screenshot on most Android phones, press and hold the power and volume down buttons.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> First, go to the screen that you want to capture an image of. Once there, press and hold the power and volume down buttons at the same time until your screen flashes. Once this happens you'll get a notification telling you that your screenshot is being saved. Your screenshot will appear in your phone's photo gallery app, and from there you can edit it or share it with whoever you want.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you have a Samsung phone, though, you have to do something slightly different: Instead of holding down the power and volume down buttons at the same time, you snap screenshots like you would on the iPhone and hold down the power and home buttons instead. The screen will still flash like it does on other Android phones and you'll still get a notification when the screenshot is saved to your gallery.</p> </span>

How to take screenshots on an Android phone

You just made it to the top of the leaderboards in your favorite game and want to show off to your buddies. The problem is, most of them liv...

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Convert text to image, and image to text

<p><img src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/08/0829-thumb-100049651-large.jpg"><br></p> <p>Double-click any word in this paragraph. Your browser will select the word, and you'll be able to copy and paste it into your word processor or email program. But try double-clicking a word in the picture above (or in any of the other pictures in this article). It doesn't work. In the digital world, there's a big difference between real text and an image that looks like text--even if it's not always obvious to the user. Fortunately, there are ways to turn either one into the other.</p> <p>Let's start with turning text into a bitmapped image like a .jpg or .png.</p> <p>This is extremely simple if you're using Microsoft Word. Select the text you want "photographed," and press <i>CTRL-c</i> to copy it to the clipboard. Open Paint, the free image editor that comes with Windows. Press <i>CTRL-v</i> to paste the text as an image, and save the file. (My thanks to ElfBane for bringing up this trick in the original <a href="http://forums.pcworld.com/index.php?showtopic=157622">forum discussion</a>.)</p> <p><img src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/0829-snipping-tool-100049648-orig.jpg"></p> <p>Unfortunately, this trick doesn't work with every word processor. In fact, in my experience, it only works with Word. If you're writing in another program, you can use Windows' Snipping Tool to grab any portion of the screen and save it as an image file.</p> <p>Or, if your version of Windows pre-dates the Snipping Tool, simply press your keyboard's <i>Print Screen </i>key, then open Paint (or any other image editor) and paste the image. This captures the entire screen, so you'll probably want to crop the image to just show the text.</p> <p>Going the other way--grabbing text out of an image-- requires optical character recognition (OCR) software. But that doesn't mean it needs a scanner.</p> <p>If you have Microsoft's OneNote, which comes with recent versions of Office, you've already got OCR software. Copy the image, then paste it into OneNote. Next, right-click the image in OneNote and select <b>Copy Text from Picture. </b>The text, as text, will move to your clipboard, where you can paste it anywhere.</p> <p><img src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/0829-onenote-100049652-orig.jpg"></p> <p>If you don't have OneNote, you can use the Web service <a href="http://www.free-ocr.com/">Free OCR</a>. You simply upload the image file (maximum size: 2MB), do the Captcha to prove you're human, and click <b>Send file. </b>The text will appear in a frame, from which you can copy it and paste it anywhere</p>

Convert text to image, and image to text

Double-click any word in this paragraph. Your browser will select the word, and you'll be able to copy and paste it into your word pro...

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Convert text to image, and image to text

<p><img src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/08/0829-thumb-100049651-large.jpg"><br></p> <p>Double-click any word in this paragraph. Your browser will select the word, and you'll be able to copy and paste it into your word processor or email program. But try double-clicking a word in the picture above (or in any of the other pictures in this article). It doesn't work. In the digital world, there's a big difference between real text and an image that looks like text--even if it's not always obvious to the user. Fortunately, there are ways to turn either one into the other.</p> <p>Let's start with turning text into a bitmapped image like a .jpg or .png.</p> <p>This is extremely simple if you're using Microsoft Word. Select the text you want "photographed," and press <i>CTRL-c</i> to copy it to the clipboard. Open Paint, the free image editor that comes with Windows. Press <i>CTRL-v</i> to paste the text as an image, and save the file. (My thanks to ElfBane for bringing up this trick in the original <a href="http://forums.pcworld.com/index.php?showtopic=157622">forum discussion</a>.)</p> <p><img src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/0829-snipping-tool-100049648-orig.jpg"></p> <p>Unfortunately, this trick doesn't work with every word processor. In fact, in my experience, it only works with Word. If you're writing in another program, you can use Windows' Snipping Tool to grab any portion of the screen and save it as an image file.</p> <p>Or, if your version of Windows pre-dates the Snipping Tool, simply press your keyboard's <i>Print Screen </i>key, then open Paint (or any other image editor) and paste the image. This captures the entire screen, so you'll probably want to crop the image to just show the text.</p> <p>Going the other way--grabbing text out of an image-- requires optical character recognition (OCR) software. But that doesn't mean it needs a scanner.</p> <p>If you have Microsoft's OneNote, which comes with recent versions of Office, you've already got OCR software. Copy the image, then paste it into OneNote. Next, right-click the image in OneNote and select <b>Copy Text from Picture. </b>The text, as text, will move to your clipboard, where you can paste it anywhere.</p> <p><img src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/08/0829-onenote-100049652-orig.jpg"></p> <p>If you don't have OneNote, you can use the Web service <a href="http://www.free-ocr.com/">Free OCR</a>. You simply upload the image file (maximum size: 2MB), do the Captcha to prove you're human, and click <b>Send file. </b>The text will appear in a frame, from which you can copy it and paste it anywhere</p>

Convert text to image, and image to text

Double-click any word in this paragraph. Your browser will select the word, and you'll be able to copy and paste it into your word pro...

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How to delete your Twitter account

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100056057 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt0.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/09/make_it_stahp-100056057-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.techhive.com/category/web-social" style="color:rgb(215,114,39);float:left;font-family:ff-enzo-web,sans-serif;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">There are a number of reasons why you might want to delete your Twitter account. Maybe you don't use it. Maybe you can't stand another hashtag. Maybe you</span><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/id/38036833/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/top-twitter-meltdowns-tirades-tantrums/#.UkXVx5Uhu5Y" style="line-height:1.7em;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(37,167,215)"> said something stupid</a><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> </span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">and have half the Internet mad at you ("Come on, it was only satire!"). Whatever the reason, nuking your Twitter account is an easy process that takes only a few mouse clicks.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">To start, visit <a href="https://twitter.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Twitter.com</a> and log in to your account. Once you're signed in, locate the settings menu—represented by a gear icon—and click it. Next, choose <em style>Settings</em> from the menu, and on the resulting page scroll to the bottom and select<em style>Deactivate my account</em>. Twitter will ask you to confirm that you really want to deactivate your account. If you do, click the <em style>Deactivate</em> button, and don't ever return to Twitter again.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="399" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/09/twitter_deactivation-100056056-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580">Twitter will ask you to confirm that you want to deactivate your account before you do the deed.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> What exactly does this action accomplish? Twitter will remove your profile and tweets from the site, and if someone tries to view your profile page, they'll get a message saying that your account doesn't exist. The company warns that "some content may be viewable ... for a few days after deactivation." Also, tweets and other content you posted to Twitter might still show up in search engines. As the saying goes, you can't ever really remove anything from the Internet.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you feel remorse after nuking your account, though, you have 30 days to change your mind: Twitter will retain your account and user data for that period, and all you need to do to reactivate your account is to visit Twitter.com and log in with your username and password</p> </span>

How to delete your Twitter account

There are a number of reasons why you might want to delete your Twitter account. Maybe you don't use it. Maybe you can't stand ano...

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