Technology

What to Do if Your Laptop Has No Sound

Published

2 years ago

August 19, 2022

There’s nothing like cranking up some tunes to maintain your momentum going in the course of the workday. But when your laptop computer audio system aren’t working, it might actually kill your groove. It may be arduous to determine the problem; is it your headphones or may there be one thing unsuitable inside your pc? This is the way to troubleshoot your PC if you don’t get any sound.

Examine Your Quantity

This appears apparent, however I am unable to inform you what number of instances I’ve unintentionally muted my quantity, solely to slap my brow in exasperation later. Click on the speaker icon within the bottom-right nook of the Home windows 10 taskbar, and ensure your quantity is unmuted and turned up.

windows 11 volume

In Home windows 11, the Wi-Fi, quantity, and battery settings are discovered through a single button on the taskbar. Click on it, choose the quantity bar, and drag it to the proper to show up the sound; if you let go, it is best to hear a “ding.”

macos volume

Mac customers working macOS Massive Sur or later could have the sound controls hidden inside the Management Heart icon within the top-right nook of the display screen. Drag the Sound bar to the proper to make issues louder. For units working an older OS, there can be a person sound button as a substitute.

In case you have exterior audio system plugged in, be sure that they’re turned on and turned up, too. If you happen to hear a ding when the quantity is elevated, the app you are attempting to make use of could also be muted as a substitute. Be sure the music or video participant, or another app you are utilizing, is unmuted and turned up.

The identical goes for YouTube and different in-browser gamers—it is easy to mute them unintentionally, which might be irritating to diagnose later. Chrome customers, as an illustration, can click on the music word icon within the browser’s menu to manage audio enjoying from any tab.

Strive Some Headphones

headphones image

(Credit score: Zlata Ivleva)

If you happen to’re having bother together with your laptop computer’s built-in audio system, attempt connecting headphones or a set of audio system. If the sound works by them, you might need a {hardware} downside with the laptop computer’s built-in audio system.

You too can attempt connecting a pair of USB headphones (like a USB gaming headset) in case you have one thing like that helpful. These can bypass the default audio driver and point out the place the issue may lie, so it is value a shot.

Change Your Audio Gadget

windows sounds

It is doable your audio system are working simply high quality, however your pc is directing sound to the unsuitable output machine—that is particularly widespread in case you’ve plugged in a USB audio machine, or are plugged in to an exterior HDMI monitor that does not have audio system.

In Home windows 10, right-click the speaker icon within the taskbar and select Sounds. Choose the Playback tab and choose the machine you wish to use. If you happen to do not see it, attempt right-clicking and checking Present Disabled Gadgets. Choose the output machine you need and click on the Set Default button. In Home windows 11, go to Settings > System > Sound > All sound units and ensure the proper output machine is chosen.

macos sound settings

If you happen to’re a Mac consumer, go to System Preferences > Sound and choose the Output tab. Be sure the proper output machine is on the prime of the checklist. If it isn’t, choose the one you wish to use and ensure it seems above the road dividing the opposite choices.

Disable Audio Enhancements

sound properties

If you happen to’re having audio troubles, Microsoft recommends(Opens in a brand new window) disabling any audio enhancements that could be turned on. For these utilizing Home windows 11, head to Settings > System > Sound, then choose the present output machine and switch off issues like Improve audio and Spatial sound.

In Home windows 10, return to the identical Sound menu from the above part, and choose the audio machine you are attempting to make use of. Click on Properties and poke across the choices that seem. Be sure the proper supported codecs are checked, any enhancements are disabled, and that Unique Mode is unchecked within the Superior tab. Strive turning off any Spatial Sound enhancements as effectively.

After making modifications, attempt enjoying audio once more and see if any of these choices had been the reason for your troubles.

Set up or Replace Your Drivers

device manager

When unsure, if a chunk of PC {hardware} is not working, test the drivers.

Really useful by Our Editors

Click on the Begin Menu, kind “machine supervisor,” and press Enter to open the Management Panel. Scroll all the way down to Sound, Video and Sport Controllers and develop the menu to indicate all of the doable audio output units in your PC. If there is a yellow exclamation mark subsequent to any of them, that is an indication it’s possible you’ll must discover and set up its driver from the producer’s web site. If not, putting in the driving force is value a shot anyway.

You too can attempt uninstalling the driving force: right-click the one you are attempting to make use of—in my case, my laptop computer makes use of Realtek Audio—and select Uninstall Gadget. Reboot Home windows and it’ll try to re-install its generic drivers, which can deliver the audio system again to life.

Replace Your BIOS

uefi image

In uncommon cases, a {hardware} incompatibility, software program replace, or Home windows reinstallation may cause your sound to cease working, and it’s possible you’ll must tweak one thing within the BIOS. Reboot your pc and enter the BIOS/UEFI setup menu, often by urgent Delete, F2, or another key at startup.

First, be sure that your sound card is enabled within the BIOS, because it may have gotten disabled in some unspecified time in the future. If that does not assist, test what BIOS or UEFI model you are utilizing, and evaluate it to the most recent model in your laptop computer producer’s web site.

In case your producer has launched a brand new model not too long ago, it could be value updating. Simply remember to learn the directions and proceed fastidiously, as a BIOS replace also can break issues if achieved improperly.

Restore the Audio system

laptop speaker

(Credit score: Zlata Ivleva)

If you cannot appear to repair the issue in software program, there’s an opportunity the audio system themselves are damaged, or a cable has come unfastened inside your PC. If you could find a restore handbook to your PC, do not be afraid to crack it open and see what’s what.

You too can name within the professionals. Both ship it in to the producer for repairs if it is below guarantee, or discover a native store that may diagnose the issue for you. With a bit of luck, you may be jamming once more very quickly.

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Technology

FTC says Amazon executives destroyed potential evidence by using apps like Signal

Published

2 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Press Room

FTC says Amazon executives destroyed potential evidence by using apps like Signal

Now, The Washington Post (which is owned by Amazon founder and former CEO Jeff Bezos) reports that Amazon is just one of several companies recently accused of turning to encrypted messaging apps like Signal that can permanently erase messages automatically.

This week’s filing includes screenshots of a Signal chat between two Amazon executives who said, “Are you feeling encrypted?” and proceeded to turn on disappearing messages.

2:23-cv-01495-JHC

Image: Federal Trade Commission et al v. Amazon.com Inc

The FTC’s lawyers say Bezos, current CEO Andy Jassy, general counsel David Zapolsky, former CEO of worldwide operations Dave Clark, and other execs are all Signal users. Bezos is identified in the document as “a heavy Signal user” who instructed others to use the app, although the 2018 hacking of his personal cellphone may be part of the reason for that.

And because Amazon didn’t instruct employees to preserve messages sent in the app until more than 15 months after it was notified of the investigation, the FTC argues, “It is highly likely that relevant information has been destroyed as a result of Amazon’s actions and inactions.”

The FTC lawyers are pursuing discovery into Amazon’s efforts to preserve documents so they can figure out just how much information might be missing. Despite requests last fall for relevant documents about what advice Amazon gave to employees about ephemeral apps, the FTC claims that Amazon has so far refused to produce much of what was requested. If the judge finds that Amazon was negligent in failing to preserve data tied to the case, it could face sanctions, and things could get worse if the judge finds the failures were intentional.

Technology

Lego is bringing summer vibes with K.K. Slider and new Animal Crossing sets

Published

9 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Press Room

Lego is bringing summer vibes with K.K. Slider and new Animal Crossing sets

Good news for those of us who love Animal Crossing and Legos. Starting August 1st, Lego is launching two new Animal Crossing sets and a minifig of one very special canine crooner.

Lego teased the news on its X account, which shows K.K. Slider doing his thing and a brief glimpse of the two new sets. (Amusingly, Lego notes that the K.K. Slider minifigure does not actually move or sing. Bummer.) K.K. Slider is part of a fall-themed Town Hall set, which includes Isabelle and Audie. There’s also a small truck, snack stand, and some foliage to go along with K.K. Slider’s concert setup. The other set is of a Dodo Airlines airport, complete with a control tower, dock, and airplane. Granted, hordes of your turnip-hungry friends won’t be flying through this particular airport… but it does have minifigures of Wilbur and Tangy!

That said, we only have this short teaser to go off of. As of yet, there are no details on prices or the number of pieces yet. Lego and Nintendo first teamed up to offer five other Animal Crossing sets earlier in March, with prices between $14.99 to $74.99 and pieces ranging from 164 to 535.

Technology

AI-powered home security system strikes back with paintballs and tear gas

Published

9 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Press Room

AI-powered home security system strikes back with paintballs and tear gas

A company from Slovenia, called PaintCam, is shaking things up in the security world.

It has come up with this wild new gadget, the PaintCam Eve.

It’s not just another security camera watching over your house. This thing packs a punch with paintball and tear gas projectiles to really give intruders a surprise they won’t soon forget.

CLICK TO GET KURT’S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

How does the high-tech deterrent work?

The heart of Eve’s capability lies in its sophisticated computer vision technology. It can identify human faces and animals even in low-light conditions, distinguishing between friends and foes.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

The system, which comes in 3 models, Eve, Eve +, and Eve Pro, allows homeowners to categorize visitors via an app interface — making decisions about who is welcome and who is not. But the most intriguing feature? When Eve detects an intruder, it issues a stern warning, and if not heeded, it proceeds to launch paintballs or tear gas.

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

MORE: CREEPY TOOL LETS CRIMINAL HACKERS ACCESS YOUR HOME VIDEO CAMERAS

User control and responsibility

PaintCam does offer users a significant degree of control. The system alerts the homeowner when an unknown person is detected in the company of someone known, asking whether to “take the shot” or not.

This feature places a heavy responsibility on the user, turning home security into a more interactive and potentially morally complex activity. How users will navigate these choices, especially in high-pressure situations, is yet to be seen.

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

MORE: 6 BEST OUTDOOR SECURITY CAMERAS

Ethical and legal implications

While the prospect of a security camera that can “shoot” at intruders may sound appealing to some, it raises significant ethical and legal questions. The use of force, even non-lethal, by an autonomous system could lead to unintended consequences.

For instance, what happens if the system mistakenly identifies a neighbor or a child retrieving a lost toy as a threat? The legal ramifications of such scenarios remain unclear, making Eve a subject of debate among security experts and civil rights advocates alike.

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

MORE: SNEAKY LIGHTBULB SECURITY CAMERAS ARE THE NEXT BIG THING IN HOME SECURITY

Market potential and challenges

The global home security market is set to garner a market size of an estimated $106.3 billion by 2030, indicating a vast potential customer base for innovative products like Eve. However, its market success will depend not only on consumer interest but also on navigating the legal landscape and public perception challenges that such a confrontational device presents.

Eve security camera app. (PaintCam)

When will Eve be available?

PaintCam launched Eve with a Kickstarter campaign on Tuesday. At the time of publishing, the exact cost of the security device has not yet been disclosed. You can sign up for notifications about the product on PaintCam’s official website, as well as on the Kickstarter product page.

PaintCam’s commitment to proactive defense

The company posted this mission statement on its site:

“We offer innovative solutions that seamlessly integrate with your environment, establishing both passive presence and active deterrence. Our unwavering commitment is to make the world a safer place, not by fortifying intimidation strongholds, but by delivering intelligent, adaptable, and elegant security options.”

Kurt’s key takeaways

This innovation invites us to reflect on the nature of home security. Are we moving towards a future where our homes are not just passively protected but actively defended by machines? And at what point does the integration of such technology in our daily lives challenge our notions of privacy and safety? Only time will tell whether systems like Eve will become the new norm or remain a curious footnote in the evolution of home security technologies.

Considering the potential for mistakes, do you feel comfortable with the idea of a security system like PaintCam Eve that can autonomously deploy paintballs or tear gas? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.