How To Automatically Delete User Profiles that Haven’t Been Used for Centain Days in Windows 7

When it comes up cleaning up user profiles on Windows 7, you can either do it manually through System Properties, or use a tool called Delprof2. But here is a group policy setting that can automate the process.

Group policy name: Delete user profiles older than a specified number of days on system restart

Where to locate: Local Computer Policy -> Computer Configuration -> Administrative Templates -> System -> User Profile

Double click the setting, check the option Enabled, and pick a day from the list. OK to apply the settings.

Once the setting is enabled and is in place. All old user profiles saved on the computer that are older than the days specified in the group policy setting will be automatically deleted on system restart.

Not that you need to have local admin rights in order to perform this task. It’s a heck of very useful setting for those who need to maintain many workstations in a local network.

This useful group policy setting was first introduced in Vista, but on Vista, make sure you have the latest service pack installed before applying this setting.

MiniBin to Put the Recycle Bin into Windows System Tray

MiniBin is a free small utility that puts the Windows recycle bin to the system tray area for easy access. If going back all the way to the desktop to just clean up the recycle bin has bothered you this tool works perfectly for you.

If you are running this on Windows 7 machine, the bin will be automatically put in the system tray hiding in the notification area, once the program is installed and launched.

If you want it to be shown in the system tray all the time along with the clock and other icons, go to Taskbar and Start Menu properties (right click the empty space in taskbar and choose Properties), click Customize… button under Taskbar tab, and change "The free recycle bin.." dropdown to show icon and notification. Once you click ok, the recycle bin will show up like below.

There are also many themes to pick from Configuration page to have different type of icons to represent the look of the recycle bin. For example you can pick Mushroom to represent to have different color indicating how full the bin is.

The fill-level is determined by the option Maximum fill-level in Megabytes but changing the value here will NOT affect the real recycle bin. So don’t get confused here.

To empty the recycle bin directly from the tray, you can either right click the icon and chooseEmpty. Or, simply double-left-click the bin if the option is checked.

MiniBin runs on Windows 2000 up to Windows 8, and only depends on 4 Windows native libraries, "kernel32.dll", "user32.dll", "shell32.dll" and "wsock32.dll".

Windows 7 & 8 Quick Tip: Copy as Path

Here is a quick tip that can be very useful to save you time spending on browsing through your folders that you have been there before.

Holding down Shift key and right click on the file or folder you need to copy, and select Copy as Path. The full path to the file or folder will be automatically copied into your clipboard and ready to be Ctrl+V later on.

The trick works in Windows Explorer or the File Open dialog box from almost all application on both Windows 7 and 8, and applies to both file and folder.

Again, remember that you have to hold down the Shift key and right click on the file or folder you want to copy from.

Check Out Microsoft’s New Timeline on Facebook

Microsoft has just added more details to it’s Timeline on Facebook if you haven’t noticed. The timeline now features all major events since the start of 1975 when the company officially founded on April 4th of that year. Defiantly worth to check it out if you haven’t.

You don’t need to have a facebook account to view the timeline. It’s interesting that both Google and Apple has yet to update their fan page to the new timeline. (note: Apple doesn’t have an official fan page yet, even though they have iTunes and App Store being listed on Facebook)

If you are interested in the history of Microsoft, this is a great visual representation and quick summary of all the glorious events happened in the past. Who knows, if you are old enough, you might pick up some old time memories of the early days of technology. For those youngster who are curious about technology this is literary the road map that shows how far we’ve come since the early days.

The last but not the least, enjoy the Microsoft Timeline on Facebook

Click here to get it

Aomei Partition Assistant 4.0 Home Edition [Freeware]

Click here to download

Aomei Partition Assistant is another partition tool that lets you manage your hard drives andpartitions. It got some simple UI that lets you easily drag and slide to resize the partition size. Most of the feature of the free Home Edition duplicates the feature you have with your build-in Windows Partition manager, but there are some nice add-ons.

Some common tasks you can do with Aomei Partition Assistant is the ability to create/split and merge partitions. It can too resize or move partitions, but keep in mind even if you can drag the slide from the GUI doesn’t necessary mean you can  resize a new partition to the desired size. If your hard drive has a large percentage file defragmented it is best to defrag your hard drive first before doing any partition operations.

Disk and Partition Copy Tool

One of the useful feature is the ability to copy a partition or a disk to a new partition or disk. The build in wizard lets you to choose the source of the partition and the destination of the partition, it will then take care of the rest, you will end up having a mirrored copy of your original partition.

Other than that there isn’t a lot to complain about for a freeware. Go check it out if you are looking for an alternative partition manager.

Windows 8 How-To: Metro App Close and Shutdown

A metro app runs in one of three possible states, active, suspend, or performing some defined background activity like the Mail app. When an app is not on the screen, it’s either off or suspended in the background waiting to be waken up but will be forced to shut down if the system determines that more resources are needed.

So basically, you don’t need to worry about closing down the running Metro app. Simply press the Windows button to switch to Start Screen or go to the Switch menu to switch to another running app.

But if you insist, here are the easiest ways to completely shut down the full screen running app.

Using Keyboard

The easiest way is to use the old fashion Alt+F4. Once pressed, the current running app will be terminated immediately.

Use Mouse

Hold the top edge of the app and drag down to the bottom edge. It’s more like throwing the app to the bottom ground.

You can use your mouse to close the background app from the Switch Menu. Simply right click the app and click Close.

Use Touch Screen

Swipe your finger from the top bar to the bottom, much like using the Mouse, but be patient and swipe a bit slowly than usual.

Use Task Manager

It’s not the most efficient but certainly most powerful way to shut down an app. It’s guaranteed that an app will be closed completely.

Press Alt+Shift+Esc to bring up the Task Manager, find and select the app, and click End Task.

Wondershare PDF to Word Converter Free for Both Windows and Mac

For those who have been struggling finding a tool that beautifully converts a PDF document in Microsoft Word format without much copying pasting and reformatting, here comes Wondershare to the rescue.

Wondershare PDF to Word Converter is a free converting utility that converts PDF filesdirectly to the editable Microsoft Word docx format with all the original text, images, graphics, hyperlinks, layout and formatting exactly preserved.

As a tool that only does one thing, it has a fairly simple interface, with an Add file button at top and a big Convert button at the bottom. You only need 3 steps to convert one or up to 200 PDF files at one time.

Step 1: Import PDF files through Add Files button at the top.

Step 2: Select the output location at the bottom of the Window next to Convert button.

Step 3: Convert.

The converted files can be opened up directly from the Status column in the program.

Wondershare PDF to Word is compatible with both Windows 7, 32-bit and 64-bit, and Mac OS X. It also works on those encrypted PDF files that have printing, editing, and copying locked. But you still need to punch in the password for those password-protected PDFs.

The result from my testing is wonderful. It can easily be a favorite must-have tool in a business environment that uses Microsoft Word pretty much all the time.

Don’t believe the result from PDF to Word? Try it out yourself.

Click to download

FixBee to Defrag and Clean Up Disk in Windows

FixBee is a Free disk utility that defrags disk in Windows as well as clean up junk filesincluding temporary files and empty folders. It was designed to make your PC run stable and fast with an easy-to-use user interface.

Installation

Installation is fairly standard and straightforward. However, be careful of the adware that may be installed along with the program. Make sure select Custom during the installation, and uncheck the offer options.

Disk Optimizer

Tab Disk Optimizer in the program is for disk defragment. Select the disk partition you want to optimize and go Scan to analyze before doing the actual optimization. The scan process may take a while to finish depending on how big the partition is. It only took around 5 minutes on my 320G SATA hard drive on my laptop. The scan result will show the optimization score and will tell if an optimization is recommended.

System CleanUp

The second tab in the tool is where you clean up the junk files out of your system. It again scans your disk and do an analysis first before offering you the option to do the CleanUp.

You can select the disks to be included in the cleanup scanning process in the Settings tab, as well as the mode of cleaning junk files, whether going to the Recycle Bin or deleting permanently.

Schedule

Both defragment and cleanup can be set to run automatically based on the schedule you set in Settings tab. This actually can prove to be quite handy for someone who don’t like spend time on the regular maintenance work.

Overall, FixBee can be a useful tool to keep your PC clean and stable. But if you have SSD in your system, defragment is NOT recommended, but cleanup is still good to use.

Windows 8 How-To: Set Up VPN Connection

VPN is a widely adopted network protocol especially in business environment that provideremote office or user a secure and encrypted access to a central organization network. It’s a fairly complicated technology that requires both ends to follow the same method and setup in order to build the communication channel.

This how-to tutorial uses the built-in network setup in Windows 8 to create a VPN connectionthat connects to the remote VPN server built in Windows Server technology, namely Routing and Remote Access (RRAS). The steps described in this post is quite similar to the way in Windows 7, with only a few changes mostly because of the Metro UI.

To set up:

1. Open Network and Sharing Center.

You can open it from Control Panel or search “Network" from Settings Search panel (Win+W).

2. Go to Set up a new connection or network

3. Choose Connect to a workplace, and click Next.

4. Click the first option Use my Internet connection (VPN).

5. Type in the Internet address, either a valid domain or IP address of the remote server, and a name you want to name this connection.

6. Click Create and Done. You can now safely close the Network and Sharing Center.

To use the VPN connection:

Press Win + I (letter i) or click Settings from Charms menu to open up the Settings panel, click the network icon at the bottom part of the panel to open up the Network Connection side panel.

You will see the created VPN connection listed there. Simply click or tap it and Connect.

How to change the properties of the VPN connection

Right click the VPN connection from the Network Panel shown as above, and choose Properties.

Or, open the Properties of the connection from Network Connections, which you can open through Change adapter settings from the left panel of Network and Sharing Center. Through Network Connections window, you can launch, rename, delete, and change settings of the connection.

There are a lot of settings you can change but they all depend on the settings on the remoteVPN server. Settings have to be matched in order to build the connection. We will be covering more in the future once we have more chances playing with the new VPN server in Windows Server 8.

Hope this tutorial helps in some way to make your life easier.

LTE and HSPA+ BlackBerry PlayBook passes through FCC testing

 The LTE and HSPA+ BlackBerry PlayBook models have cleared the FCC testing. RIM has promised PlayBook with HSPA+ support last year, looks like the previous rumors of 3G PlayBook launch in April might be true. In addition to the 3G HSPA+ version, the LTE version has also passed the FCC testing. Looking at the bands the LTE version of the tablet might head to the AT&T and Verizon in the US or big three Canadian carriers. According to to previous rumor, the 3G HSPA+ BlackBerry PlayBook  might feature 1.5GHz dual-core TI OMAP processor and NFC support while retaining most of the other specs from the Wi-Fi version 

Archos G10 XS Android tablet teased

 Archos has posted a new teaser video of the their upcoming G10 xs tablet on their YouTube page. They have also revealed some details about the tablet in the press Conference in Paris. They plan to launch 3 new range of tablets in 2012 . Arnova tablets starting from 50EUR(capacitive ones from 70EUR), Archos elements with Google certification and Archos G10 xs range with keyboard dock. The Archos G10 xs range of tablets would be  just 7.6mm thick and comes with keyboard dock. It would be 11mm thick with keyboard attached. There are no details about the Arnova and Archos elements tablets. Here is the Archos G10 xs teaser video from their official YouTube channel httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4ixn6h_gfg The Gen10 xs tablets will be selling at 200 to 400 EUR (~US$260-US$520) price range . The Gen10 tablets is expected to be available in September. Source: Arctablet, Ubergizmo 

Micromax Booklet running Android ICS gets priced

 Micromax Booklet running Android ICS has surfaced in online store, Homeshop18 priced at Rs. 7,999. This tablet has 7-inch capacitive multi-touch display and runs on Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.3. According to Homeshop18 it would have 0.3MP front facing camera, 512MB RAM, 4GB Internal memory, Wi-Fi, microSD card support, 3G (via USB Dongle) and A10 processor. The image indicates that the tablet would come with USB OTG and HDMI support. The tablet is out of stock, with no expected release date on the site but we are hoping something official soon. Hope we can see some high-end tablets from Micromax soon. via: AndroidOS.in 

Nokia working on tablet confirms Marko Ahtisaari , Design Chief at Nokia

In an interview with Finnish newspaper Kauppalehti , Marko Ahtisaari has confirmed that Nokia is working on their own tablet computer. It would not be wrong to guess that the tablet computer would run on the upcoming Windows 8 operating system. Rumors already suggest that the tablet would include a 10.1" touch screen and would be powered by a dual core Qualcomm processor. Availability  is expected to coincide with the launch of Windows 8 and we can hope to see the tablet in action at Nokia World later this year. The tablet is expected to stand out from the thousands of tablets out there. We can expect great industrial design to be one of the key selling points 

Playbook to get Blackberry 10 post launch

Rob Orr , VP Product Management at RIM , confirmed that the next gen Blackberry 10 OS would be making its way to the Playbook eventually. The OS which is expected to be RIM's biggest attempt to regain their diminishing market share is expected to be rolled out later this year. “We’ve said publicly a number of times that our first BB10 handset will be available towards the end of 2012, and that’s still firmly the case.” said Orr. Post the initial handsets , the OS is expected to be rolled out to the Playbook which already runs QNX. RIM are expected to make use of their TAT acquisition to create a stunning UI for the platform 

Finnish F1 driver Heikki Kovalainen to sport Angry Birds helmet

http://www.fonearena.com/blog/47642/finnish-f1-driver-heikki-kovalainen-to-sport-angry-birds-helmet.html

F1 Driver Heikki Kovalainen has inked a deal with Rovio and as part of the merchandising and webgame partnership , will be sporting an Angry Birds helmet on the race track. The new helmet will make its debut at the weekend's inaugural Formula 1 race in Melbourne. “This is a great partnership on many levels,” said Heikki Kovalainen. “It’s the first time that I’ve partnered with a gaming company, and it fits with my larger focus on partnering with unique brands. As a Finn, I’m also happy to be backing a Finnish company on a global platform. Most importantly, I’m a big Angry Birds fan!” The merchandise line will be available later this year alongside the webgame which will include Angry Birds in a racing themed level.   

Manually update your HTC Vivid to ICS

There was this rumor going on yesterday that the HTC Vivid from AT&T is going to receive the much awaited Android 4.0 update, but AT&T officially announced that this update is still not ready to roll out, and will not be updating the devices today. But some Vivid users were successful in updating their devices manually, read more to figure out how. Some HTC Vivid users were able to manually pull the update from the AT&T servers by dialing *#*#682#*#*. I am sure AT&T would have figured this out by the time you read this post but, if you are lucky you will still be updated with the lates Android 4.0.3 version which comes with Sense 3.6.If you are not able to get the update then be patient as the update is ready to get out and you will be receiving it officially any time soon. If you can't wait and still want the update you can head over to the XDA thread over here and learn more about the update. Source: Android Police

http://www.fonearena.com/blog/47649/manually-update-your-htc-vivid-to-ics.html

Amazon updates Kindle app to 3.0, adds support for new iPad’s Retina display

There is not much time left for the commercial release of the New iPad from Apple, and Amazon has announced the release fo its Kindle app, which is among the many apps to be updated recently to support the new iPad's high resolution retina display. According to the What's new section, the library layout has also been changed, and now includes on cloud and on device view at the bottom, which will show you the books which you have on the cloud and maybe read it online or enable you to download it onto your device. Previously they had an Archive menu where you could see your book on Amazon server and download it. I think the current approach is way better though. Also as it is now compatible with the Retina display on the new iPad, it will be interesting to see how beautiful the app really will look. The books with graphics and illustrations will be great to be read on the retina display. So if you are looking forward to update this app or download it, you can hit up this link here. Source: AllthingsD

http://www.fonearena.com/blog/47660/amazon-updates-kindle-app-to-3-0-adds-support-for-new-ipads-retina-display.html

Nokia Lumia 610 to ship with WiFi hotspot functionality

 The most affordable Windows Phone from Nokia will ship with the Wi-Fi hotspot functionality on-board.  The other Windows Phones from Nokia such as the Lumia 710 and 800 do not have this functionality at this time and are expected to arrive as a software update at a later date. The product page for The Lumia 610 lists Internet sharing as one of the features. You can use the device as a WiFi hotspot for up to devices. I have seen this feature on the HTC Radar but little is known as to why Nokia left it out in the previous devices. Would you like to have this feature on your smartphone ? via Engadget 

10 Annoying People You See At The Gym

When I first signed up for a gym membership many years ago, I thought the worst thing I would encounter at the gym would be groups of workout warriors hogging all the good machines and generally being obnoxious douchebags. Boy, was I wrong. So wrong.

I love going to the gym, but there are aspects of it that are unbearable. More specifically, there are people at the gym who are so foul and despicable that I just can’t be around them. Some are sleazy and some are creepy. Others make me rage for reasons I can’t even put into words. One this is certain: they all qualify for my list of 10 annoying people you see at the gym.

Sticking with Your Morning Workouts

Whether you’ve always preferred morning exercise or you’ve decided to turn a new leaf with a healthier start to your day, you may run into difficulty around this time of year. After all, shorter days make for darker, cooler and more discouraging mornings.

It’s no surprise that so many people let their fitness aspirations fall to the foot of their warm and cozy beds come fall or winter, but you don’t have to be one of them. In fact, a helpful mantra and a few good tips can help you develop a morning exercise habit and keep you on track through the darker and colder months.

Prepare for the Morning

 The most important thing you can do is prepare for your morning. If you struggle with motivation in the am, the last thing you want to do is gather all of your things before you can get on with your workout — that will only stretch out the discomfort. Instead, lay out your clothing, accessories and shoes in plain view so you can step out of bed and into your garb. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the time and frustration this simple act can save.

Stay Close to Home

 Next, build a home exercise routine that can keep your interest. If you workout in your home or close by, you can save the time and energy that you would use to get to a gym. A run around the block or a couple of workout videos that you can alternate for living room workouts are good options. If you prefer biking but the weather is keeping you inside, consider investing in a bike trainer: this is a device that stabilizes your bicycle, essentially transforming it into a stationary bike until you can take it outside again.

Get Social

Join up with others for greater success. Have a friend who’s interested in getting into shape? Convince them to join you for morning workouts to help you commit. If you don’t have a fitness-minded friend close by, local running stores often have running groups that meet a few times a week. Before you knock group workouts, try one out: you may find different motivation techniques, such as conversing with fellow joggers, using the group to maintain a good pace or simplyexperiencing a new and interesting route that you wouldn’t normally use on your own.

Shocking Facts About Obesity

Obesity is reaching epidemic proportions in America. The numbers, quite simply, at stunning. It has been called the plague of the 21st Century and that title is fitting.

In the infographic below, we set aside the “political correctness” that often prevents a meaningful discussion about obesity and we get right to the facts that matter. We tell it like it is and don’t make any attempt to sugarcoat the disturbing trends that are well underway in this country. This is information that everyone needs to be aware of, but many are still in the dark.

Without further ado, let’s take a close look at the shocking facts about obesity.

Why Treats are Important for Fitness

It’s hard to argue that treats don’t make you fat, but I’d like to suggest that they also make you thin. This little fitness paradox is actually quite easy to explain when we look at the mental aspects of health and fitness instead of the physical rules that we have embedded into our routines.

First, let’s clarify one thing: the “treat” is a subjective term, and ideas on what makes a treat will certainly differ. One person’s candy bar may compare to another person’s bowl of berries, so it’s important that we acknowledge the relativity here. My point is that whatever your particular treat may be, it is in your best interest to keep eating it if you want to be fit.

You’ve probably heard the deny/overindulge argument. It goes something like this: if you deny yourself your favourite (read: unhealthy) foods, you’re far more likely to relapse into a maniacal binge, losing all control over your better judgment and consuming far more calories than you had ever thought possible. Perhaps I’m exaggerating a wee bit, but that’s only to stress the prevalence of this point among fitness and diet sources. I personally agree with this theory, as I’ve found that the strength of a craving is so often related to how long it’s been since I’ve tasted that tempting treat.

On the other hand, there’s a psychological bent to the issue that is sometimes swept aside. The treats in every part of our life — diet, hobbies, work and fitness — are crucial to keep us reaching for more, to stay on that ambitious track that leads us to our greatest successes. If used correctly, the act of treating yourself to a desire, a day off or a frivolous purchase will balance your emotions and center your priorities so you can not only continue to move along, but enjoy that journey.

Treating oneself appropriately can be difficult for some people to follow; an imbalance can lead to depression on the one hand (not treating enough) and addiction one the other (treats become the only priority). However, by being honest with yourself, communicating with others for accountability and accepting the basic nutrition principles, you should be able to tell when a handful of chocolate chips is called for and when that big ice cream sunday simply cannot be justified. Moderation is not always natural, but it’s also not that hard to learn.

A treat will not only quell the physical craving you’re feeling, it will bolster that part of your mind and spirit that makes you push harder, enjoy the journey and keep a healthy and contented self image. Be wary of any radical meal plan that tells you to cut out treats or completely replace them with a “healthier” alternative; maybe one day your idea of a treat will evolve into something healthier, but in the meantime be sure to reward yourself when you deserve it. You’ll be more inclined to stay on a healthy track, both mentally and physically.

The Truth Behind Barefoot Running

It’s safe to say that barefoot, or minimalist, running is not just a passing trend. Once the first few runners slid their feet into those strange-looking foot gloves, a running revolution began, and now thousands of runners are singing the praises of the barefoot technique. But is this runaway phenomenon a case of fierce advertising or true improvement?

I know this sounds cynical, but I’m reluctant to trust a new product or new technique based on its “universal” benefits. Can this fundamental change in running be, as barefoot guru Christopher McDougall believes, good for every runner? Perhaps the argument for barefoot running is not as cut-and-dried as it first appears. Let’s take a closer look:

Claim: Barefoot running drastically reduces injuries, which is why pediatrists are opposed to it.

Fact: It’s unfair to label all podiatrists “anti-barefoot”, since some happily acknowledge the benefits of running without shoes. For instance, many experts agree that barefoot running strengthens some important muscles in the foot and ankle, muscles that conventional running shoes typically leave out of the exercise.

But there are some things about the cult of the barefoot runner that irk podiatrists, namely the practice of making sweeping generalizations. Sure, some runners have found relief and resilience through barefoot running, but others have certainly suffered from ailments like calf strain, tendonitis and plantar fasciitis. As podiatrist Craig Payne suggests on Podiatry Arena, take a look at forums online, and you’ll see that injuries, soreness and chronic complaints are equally common among barefoot advocates and running-shoe devotees.

Claim: When you run without shoes or with minimal footwear, your gait is more natural and therefore better for your body.

Fact: You won’t simply fall into the benefits of barefoot running — you need to train yourself properly if this technique is going to work for you. Training, or more accurrately, re-training your muscles will take some effort and can be frustrating: watch your posture, the tilt of your legs and torso, be sure to bend at the ankles, shorten your stride appropriately… there are many things to think about. Now, if you take the time to understand how you need to adjust your technique and why, you’ll likely escape the blunders that plague most novices.

And finally, the big one….

Claim: Barefoot running is better for everyone.

Fact: Why change my footwear or technique if I don’t have problems with the way I run now? If my muscles are in good shape, I don’t experience any chronic pain and I enjoy my runs with my current footwear, is it worth investing the pain, effort and money for something I don’t think I need? 

Maybe one day there will be conclusive studies supporting the universal benefits of barefoot running, but until then, don’t forget to listen to your own body and be comfortable in your fitness choices. After all, your personal health and comfort are crucial for an enjoyable active lifestyle that you can stick with.