Technology

How to zoom in and out on PC

Published

2 weeks ago

April 19, 2024

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Have you ever found yourself squinting at your computer screen to decipher tiny text or make out the details of an image? Well, you’re not alone.

Fortunately, there’s a nifty trick that can save your eyes: zooming in. It’s a simple yet effective way to enhance your browsing experience, whether you’re working, shopping or just surfing the web.

If you want to zoom in and out on browser text on a Mac, we’ve got those step-by-step instructions here.

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A man on a PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to use the keyboard to zoom in and out on a PC

Let’s start with the basics. If you need a quick zoom in or out on your browser window on your PC, here’s how to do it.

Just hold down one of the Control keys and press the Plus (+) or Minus (-) key to zoom in and out, respectively.

10 TIPS TO SPEED UP YOUR PC’S PERFORMANCE

Using the keyboard to zoom in and out on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: FIRST THINGS TO DO IF YOU GOT A NEW PC

How to use your mouse wheel to zoom in and out on a PC

Prefer using your mouse to zoom in and out? No problem.

Hold down Control again, but this time, use your mouse wheel.
Scroll up to zoom in and down to zoom out. This method gives you the same control as the keyboard method, with a twist of your wrist.

Using the keyboard and the mouse to zoom in and out on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: 10 TIPS TO SPEED UP YOUR PC’S PERFORMANCE

The Magnifier: Beyond the browser

Sometimes, you need to see more than just the browser text on your PC.

For full-screen magnification, hold down the Windows button and press the Plus (+) key.

Using the Magnifier tool to zoom in and out on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

This will open the Magnifier tool.

Using the Magnifier tool to zoom in and out on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

The Magnifier Tool allows you to zoom in and out by pressing the Plus (+) or Minus (-).

Using the Magnifier tool to zoom in and out on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

You can also move your cursor to the edges of the screen to navigate around.

Using the Magnifier tool to zoom in and out on PC (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

When you’re done, simply click the X on the window to exit zoom mode.

Click the X to exit zoom mode (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: HOW TO TIDY UP YOUR DESKTOP ON A PC OR MAC

Kurt’s key takeaways

Zooming in on your computer screen is more than just a trick; it’s a way to adapt technology to your needs. Whether it’s for accessibility or comfort, the ability to zoom in and out with ease ensures that everything you need to see is within view. So the next time you’re struggling to read that small print or want a closer look at a web page, remember these simple shortcuts.

See my Best Laptops for 2024 here.

How important is it for you to have control over visual elements like size, contrast and layout when using various devices, and how does this affect your choice of technology? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Technology

Apple’s earnings show that, yeah, it’s really time for some new iPads

Published

19 mins ago

May 2, 2024

Press Room

Apple’s earnings show that, yeah, it’s really time for some new iPads

Less than a week ahead of its much-anticipated iPad hardware event, Apple shared its Q2 2024 earnings today, and the numbers paint a predictable picture for the increasingly dated tablet line. iPad revenue fell substantially yet again (by 17 percent year over year) amid the longest-ever wait for new models — something Apple is days away from finally rectifying. At the same time, iPhone sales tapered off a bit (down 10 percent), while the company’s services business remains the star of the show. It was up 14 percent compared to the year-ago quarter.

Apple also released its Vision Pro headset during this quarter, but CEO Tim Cook didn’t offer any indication of how things are going. “During the quarter, we were thrilled to launch Apple Vision Pro and to show the world the potential that spatial computing unlocks,” he said in this afternoon’s press release.

This is the last earnings report before Apple’s WWDC conference in June; that’s where the company will reveal its approach to bringing generative AI software features to iOS, macOS, iPadOS, and its other platforms. “We believe in the transformative power and promise of AI, and we believe we have advantages that will differentiate us in this new era,” Cook said on the earnings call with analysts.

Apple is said to be exploring potential partnerships with Google and OpenAI. The initial wave of AI features is expected to run on-device, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has reported, which could help them work faster while adhering to Apple’s privacy standards.

But before all that, Apple is expected to announce new iPad Pros (with OLED displays for the first time) and revamped iPad Airs this coming Tuesday — with a bevy of new accessories to go with the long-awaited devices. The Verge will be covering the virtual event live as it happens, so you’ll want to join us next Tuesday morning to get the full scoop.

Technology

AI expert: ChatGPT prompts you’ll wish you knew sooner

Published

35 mins ago

May 2, 2024

Press Room

AI expert: ChatGPT prompts you’ll wish you knew sooner

ChatGPT has changed my life — and yours, even if you don’t use it as much as I do.

You’ve probably noticed the new AI search bar in all the Meta apps, including Facebook and Instagram. It won’t be long before all your most-used apps and services integrate chatbots. (Yes, I’m sure the folks at Google are quaking in their search boots.)

Win an iPhone 15 worth $799! I’m giving one away to someone who tries my free daily tech newsletter. Enter to win now while you’re thinking about it.

WHAT IS CHATGPT?

Don’t wait to get comfortable with AI. Try out a few of these prompts and flex your chatbot muscles. You’ll see just how easy they are to use.

To save you time

Recently, I uploaded a commercial building’s rent roll, profit and loss statement, and comps for the area. I asked ChatGPT to analyze the data and see if it’s a good investment.

Sure, I know how to do that math myself, but it would have taken 30 minutes. No joke, it took me longer to upload the documents than it did for ChatGPT to come up with the answers — about 30 seconds.

Known as a versatile time-saver, ChatGPT is capable of facilitating a wide array of tasks. (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

The best part is it laid out the calculations and reasoning, so I could analyze them myself and double-check its work. If you don’t get that with your answer, you can always ask something like, “How did you make that decision?” or “Tell me how you got that answer.”

To make a decision when you can’t

There’s a term for this: Decision fatigue. Sometimes, you’ve had to pick so many things in one week that you just can’t do it again. Try these:

“I’m having three friends over for dinner tomorrow. One is a vegetarian, and one is allergic to peanuts. What should I make for dinner?”
“My mother-in-law is asking for my help choosing a destination for a family vacation. Last year, we went to Rosemary Beach in Florida, and everyone complained the water was too warm. We live in Houston, and no one wants to fly more than five hours. Can you give me some options?”

To help you do something complex

Say you’re an HR manager and must create an employee guide from scratch. That’s a heck of a lot of work, and you’d likely end up heading to a search engine to see where to begin. A chatbot can do that, too, and even create an outline for you.

MORE DOCTORS USE CHATGPT TO HELP WITH BUSY WORKLOADS, BUT IS AI A RELIABLE ASSISTANT?

This bears emphasis: Do not use an LLM chatbot to create legal documents or anything that really needs a lawyer or other professional’s touch. But as a starting place? Absolutely.

To be an impartial third party

You’re arguing with a friend, your spouse, or a relative. Or maybe you’re in a contentious situation with someone professionally. Before you text or type an angry reply, consult someone without emotion attached to the situation: your chatbot of choice.

Here’s a prompt idea: “My roommate and I are arguing because she keeps leaving her dirty dishes in the sink for days, even though they’re attracting bugs. How can I respectfully make the point that I need her to stop this?”

To analyze information

This is an AI sweet spot. The technology excels at finding patterns and pointing them out. Here are a couple of examples to get started:

“Here’s a 20-page legal document. Summarize the main points for me.”

ChatGPT can be a useful tool for the quick processing and synthesis of information. (Frank Rumpenhorst/picture alliance via Getty Images)

“These are customer reviews. Break them into percentages by negative, neutral and positive.” Like that, you have valuable data and don’t have to spend time parsing it yourself.

To help you find the right words

Say you’re hiring a contractor to build a nice new website for your small business. The problem is you don’t “speak” website and aren’t sure where to begin. AI to the rescue. Find some sites you like — the ones you see and think, “Wow, I want one like this!”

Put all those URLs into your favorite chatbot and ask it for a detailed description of their shared elements and overall design. This can help you communicate what you want much more eloquently.

To do the boring tasks for you

You’re going on vacation. Use your last bit of willpower to finish the work you need to. AI can write your out-of-office email. Remember, the more detail and direction you give, the better.

HERE’S HOW AI WILL EMPOWER CITIZENS AND ENHANCE LIBERTY

“Write an out-of-office email” will give you bland (or totally unusable) results. Try something like: “Write an out-of-office email letting my contacts know I’ll be back to work on Monday. I will have limited access to email and will respond by next Wednesday.”

You’ll get something more polished, professional and conversational than you would have whipped up on your own.

To brainstorm things to do

Let’s stick with the vacation example. Your big trip is in two weeks and you have no clue what to do with the kids in the city you’re visiting. Before you make the travel blog rounds, try a chatbot.

“I’m going on vacation to San Diego with my husband and 11-year-old twins. What are some fun, interesting things I can take everyone to do? I’d like a mix of free and affordable activities. My kids are picky eaters and really enjoy being outside.”

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Technology

I Saw the TV Glow is a tribute to the transformative power of fandom

Published

7 hours ago

May 2, 2024

Press Room

I Saw the TV Glow is a tribute to the transformative power of fandom

Discovering and latching on to pieces of art that touch you in profound, formative ways is a beautiful part of growing up in a world that’s so thoroughly saturated with mass media. In their first film, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, writer / director Jane Schoenbrun turned that facet of childhood into an intimate coming-of-age horror about creating one’s identity on the internet.

But with their second feature, A24’s I Saw the TV Glow, Schoenbrun cultivates that idea into an even more unsettling, moving narrative by framing obsessive fandom as both a blessing and a curse. Whereas We’re All Going to the World’s Fair was a snapshot of life in the age of modern social media, I Saw the TV Glow is an exploration of what it felt like to be an outcast teenager in the ’90s — a time when young fans of sci-fi and fantasy often had to find each other by chance.

Though there are flashes of vibrant color in seventh grader Owen’s (Ian Foreman) memories from his younger years, his world has become a landscape of suburban beige and muted neons as I Saw the TV Glow introduces him in 1996 on the night of an election. With his school transformed into a polling place and filled with unfamiliar faces, it’s the last place he wants to be, especially with his mother, Brenda (Danielle Deadwyler), hovering over his shoulder. But as Owen wanders away to see what the halls of Void High look like at night when the dimmed lighting makes the building feel almost otherworldly, he unexpectedly comes across Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), a moody ninth grader with her face buried in a book.

Despite them both being loners in search of social connections, at first, the two awkward teens don’t seem like they’ll get along or share many common interests. But when Owen catches a glimpse of what Maddy’s reading — an episode guide for a YA horror / fantasy series called The Pink Opaque — his curiosity about the TV show sparks her passion for talking about it, and the two begin an unlikely, complicated friendship.

With We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, Schoenbrun created an unsettling and intense atmosphere of dread by situating its story largely in a single dark room and repeatedly cutting away to videos of people participating in the film’s mysterious, creepypasta-inspired web game. I Saw the TV Glow explores much more of the “real” world that a slightly older Owen (Justice Smith) and Maddy exist in outside of their bedrooms and the basement, where they’re able to covertly watch The Pink Opaque together for the first time.

But as the teens begin opening up about their everyday struggles — his father (Fred Durst) is emotionally abusive, and she isn’t safe in her own home — I Saw the TV Glow also dips into The Pink Opaque’s monster-of-the-week reality in a way that illustrates things about Owen and Maddy that neither of them are fully able to articulate. Though I Saw the TV Glow leads with a lo-fi ’90s aesthetic evocative of coming-of-age dramas like My So-Called Life and Freaks and Geeks, it’s through the Buffy the Vampire Slayer-like beats of The Pink Opaque that the film comes into its own as a story about queer people finding themselves in the age of pre-internet genre fandoms.

To everyone else, The Pink Opaque is just a cheesy show about two girls who meet at summer camp, discover they share a powerful psychic connection, and then use their bond to routinely defeat the forces of evil after going back home to their families on opposite sides of the county. But to Owen and Maddy, the show’s heroines Isabel (Helena Howard) and Tara (Lindsey Jordan) provide a much-needed escape from the monotony of their ordinary lives. The Pink Opaque resonates with the kids so profoundly that, with time, they start to question whether they might actually have a supernatural connection to it.

While there are initially distinct delineations between I Saw the TV Glow’s lo-fi reality and the phosphorescent world of The Pink Opaque, Schoenbrun blurs those boundaries to David Lynchian effect as the film follows Owen and Maddy through years of a secret friendship. As time pulls the two in different directions, the listlessness that dominates their lives takes on an unnerving, sinister quality. In fact, the two feel every bit as imperiled as Isabel and Tara do in the buildup to The Pink Opaque’s season five cliffhanger finale. And when Maddy’s house is engulfed in flames and she mysteriously disappears the same week The Pink Opaque is canceled, Owen can’t help but wonder whether there might be something to their suspicions about the show being much more than just a TV series.

In contrast to the film’s rich sonic palette that surges as musicians like Phoebe Bridgers and Haley Dahl make appearances as themselves, I Saw the TV Glow’s leads deliver restrained performances that show rather than tell you who Owen and Maddy are. They’re fans of a show that, at least to Owen, seems to become simpler in tone and something that’s really meant for children as the years go by. But they are also two people grappling with an existential dysphoria that The Pink Opaque helps them better understand. Even though the show can’t fix their problems, it gives them a framework of queer identity to project themselves into and a language to express the deep-seated emotions that make them feel so different from other people.

The more the film shifts into its psychological fantasy thriller mode, the harder it becomes to tell how firm a grasp Owen and Maddy have on what is real and what isn’t. But rather than making either character’s story feel like a puzzle you’re meant to solve, each instance of The Pink Opaque bleeding into reality instead illustrates what it can feel like to long for something that you think only exists in fiction on TV.

Even with its handful of distracting, fourth wall-breaking exposition dumps, I Saw the TV Glow is a spellbinding watch as a standalone movie that’s trying to capture the essence of being one of the weirdos. What’s most promising about the film, though, is how clearly it speaks to the ways in which Schoenbrun’s larger vision for their “Screen Trilogy” — which began with We’re All Going to the World’s Fair — has grown. The evolution of a filmmaker’s voice is not always reason enough to be intrigued by the prospect of what they might create next. But Schoenbrun seems to have the heat, and I Saw the TV Glow is a strong sign of even greater things to come.

I Saw the TV Glow also stars Amber Benson, Emma Portner, Kristina Esfandiari, Connor O’Malley, and Danny Tamberelli. The movie debuts in select theaters on May 3rd, and will have a wider theatrical release on May 17th.