TechLife November 2021

Not only are we looking at ways to find those hard to find folks from our past, but we also run down the best ways to find old records in this issue, too. It’s a wealth of knowledge! Every now and then, I get the idea that I’m going to trace my family tree. I’ve a few data-points from other family that have tried, and I’ve taken one side back quite a ways, to medieval England. But the other side... that’s a bit tougher, as I really know little about them, or where to start looking for them. If you’ve ever found yourself in a similar situation, either with a whole branch like me, or just a stubborn MIA relative, this issue is for you. Not only are we looking at ways…

Secure-PDF Security toolbox for PDF files, including encryption and signing. The PDF format is used worldwide to distribute graphically processed documents. However, editing the documents is usually associated with high costs because good PDF editors are quite expensive. The cheaper alternatives on the other hand, lack the important functions to make PDFs secure, for example by encrypting, digitally signing or adding watermarks. Secure-PDF puts an end to this: Encrypt your own or other people’s PDF documents with up to 256 bit key strength (AES). Add a password to open it so that users can only view the encrypted document by entering the correct password. Secure-PDF can set watermarks as well as the owner information of a PDF document – even without previous knowledge of how to use PDF documents! Download link: www.techlife.net/ exclusives Ashampoo Undeleter Never again…

For the first time in the a-series phones, the Pixel 5a has dust and water resistance with an IP67 rating, which means it can be submerged in up to one metre of water for half an hour. If you’re thinking the Google Pixel 5a’s design hasn’t changed from the Google Pixel 4a, you’d be mostly right. The new phone looks nearly identical to the old; technically, it’s slightly taller and slightly narrower and slightly thicker, but nobody would be able to tell the difference between the models aside from the aforementioned new color and the Pixel 5a’s gray, ridged lock button (the 4a 5G only comes in a solid black colour with a flat gray lock button). The phone has a glass front with a punch-hole in the top-left corner. The back…

Now that Microsoft has announced the Windows 11 operating system will officially launch on October 5 this year, we were hoping that the lofty system requirements to run it would be adjusted. Unfortunately, it seems that Microsoft is actually doubling down. Members of the Windows Insider Program (Microsoft’s open software testing beta) running Windows 11 on hardware, which doesn’t meet the minimum requirements, are now receiving a message asking that they uninstall the new OS and return to using Windows 10. The message was published to Twitter by @BetaWiki, and reads “Your PC does not meet the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 11. Your device is not eligible to join the Windows Insider Program on Windows 11. Please install Windows 10 to participate in the Windows Insider Program in the Release Preview…

Ever since Apple made its own fancy custom CPU with its M1 chip, we’ve been starting to see rumors about other tech giants making their own silicon. First it was Microsoft, and now we hear that Google is looking to make its own processors for Chromebooks and tablets running Chrome OS. After revealing its own Tensor chipsets will power its upcoming Google Pixel 6 phones, it seems like Google is going to be using its tensor processing units (TPUs) in some upcoming chips for its laptops, according to a report from Nikkei Asia, though the company wouldn’t confirm that it’s actually happening. Though, given that it’s using the TPUs for its upcoming Pixel 6 smartphone, it’s not much of a stretch that Chromebooks could follow soon. The report claims that these rumored…

Samsung recently launched the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 3, but the company hasn’t forgotten about its older foldable phones, as it’s rolling out an update that adds a bunch of software features from the newer handsets. Dubbed One UI 3.1.1, this update is coming to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G, original Samsung Galaxy Z Flip, and original Samsung Galaxy Fold – so in other words all of Samsung’s older foldable phones, while the new models have this software already. One UI 3.1.1 includes a wealth of features, including Drag and Split, which lets you drag a link to open it on the same screen as the current window you’re viewing. That will be available for all of Samsung’s foldable phones. Then…