How to a take a screenshot on a PC with Windows 7, 8, or 10

We could spend all day arguing the merits of a good screen-capture utility. They’re quick and efficient, often providing a simple way to take a JPG snapshot of an application window or your entire display in a matter of seconds, without the need to download any external software. Perhaps you need to send a screenshot to tech support, email an image to a friend, or, if you’re like us, capture a screenshot for an awesome how-to guide about how to take a screenshot on a PC!

More: Before you resort to MS Paint or piracy, give these free image-editing tools a shot

No matter the reason, Windows features several built-in utilities for capturing and saving screenshots, and they’re only a few keyboard clicks away. All four methods covered in this guide are free, straightforward, and work fantastically on most PCs. Let’s take a look.

Using the default keyboard shortcuts

Taking a screenshot is simple, regardless of which version of Windows you’re running. There are only a few steps — assuming you haven’t fiddled with the default keyboard controls — and you should already have access to all the image-editing software you need.

Step 1: Capture the image — Assuming the area you want to capture is displayed on your screen, press the Print Screen (often shortened to “PrtScn”) key, typically located in the upper-right corner of your keyboard, to capture a screenshot of your entire display. Alternatively, press Alt + Print Screen to capture a screenshot of the active window. If you’re on a laptop, you may need to press Fn + Print Screen if your laptop has another feature assigned to that particular key.

There will be no noise or any other indication the screenshot was taken, but the resulting image will be saved as a PNG file to your clipboard. If using Windows 8 or 10, click the Windows Key + Print Screen to automatically save a full-screen screenshot within the Screenshots folder of your picture directory.

Alternatively, if you have Dropbox installed, the screenshot will be automatically deposited in your Dropbox directory, under Screenshots.

Step 2: Open Paint — Click the Start menu, navigate to the Windows Accessories folder — or the Accessories folder, if using Windows 7 — and click Paint. The icon depicts a painting palette with a brush on the right side, but it will vary slightly depending on your operating system.

In Windows 8, press the Windows key to open the start screen. Afterward, click the down arrow in the bottom left, press Ctrl + Tab, or swipe downward from the center of the display to access the Apps View. From there, select Paint.

In Windows 10, you can open the Start menu, go to All Apps, and scroll through the alphabetical list until you find Paint.

All three versions also include Windows Search, which can be used to find Paint by searching for — you guessed it — Paint!

Step 3: Paste the screenshot — Once open, click the Paste button in the upper-left corner of the program, choose Edit then Paste, or press Ctrl + V on the keyboard to paste your screenshot. Again, the exact navigation and wordage will vary slightly from OS to OS, but the keyboard shortcut will remain the same.

Step 4: Save the screenshot — Perform any edits you want, such as cropping the image to a specified area, and click the main File option in the top-left corner. Afterward, select Save as, title the new file, choose a save location, and select your desired file format from the drop-down menu. For most purposes, JPG will do fine, but a variety of other formats are available to choose from such as PNG, BMP, GIF, and others. Click the gray Save button in the bottom right-hand corner when finished.

Stay warm in even the coldest weather with this heated jacket from Ravean

Why it matters to you

While most jackets rely on bulk to keep you warm, the Ravean includes a healthy dose of technology to add to its heating capabilities.

You’ll never cringe again at the words “winter is coming.” At least, not because you’ll be cold. It’s all thanks to the new Ravean Down 2.0 jacket, otherwise known as the last jacket you’ll ever need. Rather than waiting for your outerwear to warm you up, you’ll now be able to slip into a preheated cocoon of warmth, which comes with back, chest, glove, and pocket warmers, gloves with heated fingers, hydrophobic down, a water-resistant shell coating, a heated option, and yes, the ability to control it all from a remote. Because this is the 21st century, not the Seven Kingdoms.

The newer version of the Ravean heated jacket (yes, there was a 1.0 version before this) comes in both men’s and women’s styles, and promises to keep you warm in temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit. How does it do it? The coats are actually battery powered, with battery pockets located under each arm so that they’re out of your way and effectively unnoticeable. And with double the amount of battery, you’ll be able to withstand double the time in the cold. That’s not the only technology integrated into the Ravean, however. Your jacket comes with a new controller that lets you decide when to heat your chest, your head, or your fingertips. It’ll also tell you how much battery you’ve got left.

More: Can’t carry your GoPro case? Wear it instead with a limited-edition ski jacket

And even though these are meant to be heavy-duty jackets, they’re not heavy. Weighing in at just 150 grams, they’ll go wherever you go — you can roll them up and pack them for even your longest, most remote trips. And if you’re traveling somewhere without power, your jacket can double as a charger for your phone.

The jacket itself is protected by a rip guard shell and DWR water-resistant coating, and boasts hydrophobic down insulation and aluminum heat-reflecting lining. That means you’ll be able to keep the elements out while keeping the heat in.

If you’re looking to get your hands on one of these jackets, they’re available for pre-order on Indiegogo beginning at $169 for the jacket alone — the Ravean is actually something of a modular jacket, with the ability to add features like the hood and gloves. If you want the whole package, you’re looking at $275 — this will get you a pair of heated gloves, a 10,600mAh battery, a heated hood, and the jacket itself, of course.

So if you live in the tundra, this may just be an investment you want to make.

Your smartphone is the key to democracy

Get involved and stay informed. The device that’s already in your pocket is all you need.

Here’s the deal: You won’t enact change by simply posting news articles to Facebook and arguing with people on Twitter. That’s a waste of time. Instead, your best bet is to stay informed and encourage others to do the same. That’s incredibly easy to do with the smartphone you’re already equipped with.

It doesn’t matter which way you lean. The technology in your hand is constantly connected, so unless you’re living life in Airplane Mode, get yourself set up with the apps mentioned here and start paying attention to what’s happening to the world you live in.

Set up a news ticker

I don’t have much room on my 32GB Pixel XL — app sizes have really increased these days, haven’t they? — so I typically only have one news-centric app on me. Google News and Weather was revamped a while ago and it’s still my go-to for checking up on the day’s events. I like that I can choose my news sources, both by region and by source. And if I’m having a particularly busy day at work, the important news notifications keep me up to par on, you know, disasters. Like tornadoes.

Download Google News and Weather (free)

Stay privy to what’s going down

Countable is the only other app I allow to ping me as often as it does because there are things happening that I should know about. Those things — house and senate bills, to be specific — are voted on by people we’ve elected. You can tell them what you think about things with Countable, as well as dive into both sides of the argument. There’s also a sharing option if you want to rally friends to contact Congress, too.

Download Countable (free)

Tune in

Commuting to and from work can be a great time to edify yourself of global affairs? I use TuneIn to catch radio broadcasts from around my state, around the country, and around the world. I’ll tune in to WNYC to get a glimpse at what’s happening on the opposite coast and, since I’m bilingual, I’ll tune in to Romanian radio to hear what the pundits are chattering about overseas. TuneIn isn’t just for radio stations, either. You can also use it to listen to podcasts or books on tape.

Download TuneIn (free)

Your turn

How do you stay in the know with what’s happening in the world? Do you have any apps or services you like to use that keep you connected to what’s going on outside of your daily bubble? Let us know!

Surgical robot makes highly precise eye injection possible

For the first time ever, a team of eye surgeons were able to inject a thrombolytic drug directly into a patient’s retinal vein to dissolve a blood clot. It was a success despite the fact that the vein is as thin as human hair thanks to a surgical robot developed by researchers from KU Leuven, a university in Belgium. The condition they treated is called retinal vein occlusion, and it leads to reduced eyesight and blindness. At the moment, doctors can only suppress its effects with monthly eye injections, because the retinal vein itself is only around 0.1 millimeter wide. It’s just much too thin for manual injections when the drug has to be administered for 10 minutes straight.

Professor Peter Stalmans, an eye surgeon at University Hospitals Leuven, said:

“The current treatment for retinal vein occlusion costs society €32.000 per eye. This is a high price tag, considering that you’re only treating the side effects and that there is little more you can do than avoid reducing eyesight. The robotic device finally enables us to treat the cause of the thrombosis in the retina. I look forward to what is next: if we succeed, we will literally be able to make blind people see again.”

To address the issue, the researchers created a robot that can help a surgeon insert the needle precisely and then hold it perfectly still. They also designed the 0.03 millimeter needle, which is three times thinner than human hair, needed to inject the drug into the tiny vein. According to the university, the method successfully dissolved the blood clot and the patient is now doing well.

However, it’ll take some time before everyone else who has the condition can go through the same treatment: the surgery was merely part of the first phase of the method’s clinical trial. The surgeons have to replicate the procedure’s success on other patients and then study its effects in the trial’s second phase.

Source: KU Leuven

The Morning After: Weekend Edition

Letter from the Editor

A week into the Trump administration, and it seems that many of the president’s actions are courting disaster — at least if you’re a fan of open government or the environment. Meanwhile, Samsung appears to have recovered from its self-created catastrophe known as the Note 7. Chris Velazco recounted the sequence of events that led to the company’s apology for its flaming devices and — given this week’s glowing quarterly earnings report — painted a surprisingly rosy picture for the firm moving forward.

It seems that Sony could take some notes from Samsung’s focus on making amends to consumers. Sean Buckley isn’t a fan of the PlayStation Store’s wallet payment system and its five dollar minimum charge. So, this week he gave Sony some very pointed advice on how it should better serve its customers.

And finally, while Samsung’s future was looking good for the first time in months, Christopher Trout went to the Adult Entertainment Expo to see an X-rated hologram and discover what’s next for porn. What he found was an industry in the midst of a comeback, powered by VR and mobile livestreaming.

‘Just get in and drive’2017 Chevy Bolt review

After getting behind the wheel of GM’s new EV, Roberto Baldwin declares it “regardless of drivetrain… a wonderful four-door hatchback.” It’s spacious, nimble and — with a price under $30k after tax credits — affordable. He logged about 216 real-world miles on a charge, compared to the 238-mile range, while zipping around Bay Area highways. Sure, you could wait for a Model 3, but the Bolt is rolling out right now.

Can a machine really be as powerful as a human brain?The Future IRL: Our Jetsons future has arrived

On our debut episode of The Future IRL, host Kerry Davis shows how fictional scenarios from The Jetsons and 2001: A Space Odyssey are coming true right now with self-driving cars and AI. New episodes are coming twice every month, we hope you enjoy the ride.

It nearly lives up to the originalDell XPS 13 2-in-1 review

Dell’s bezel-starved XPS lineup has long been a leader in the laptop PC market, and now it has a convertible version. It turns out the 2-in-1 edition doesn’t lose much by swapping in the new hinge, although you may have to trade a few points in benchmarks for extra flexibility. It also loses old-school USB ports but its keyboard is still comfortable and the touchpad is among the best Devindra’s experienced on a Windows laptop.

Dong Nguyen returns‘Flappy Bird’ creator releases a new game: ‘Ninja Spinki Challenges!!’

In 2013, Dong Nguyen’s frustrating indie title Flappy Bird shot up app store charts before he pulled it. Now, the developer is back with his eighth game that spreads its familiar 8-bit art style across six minigames. The ad-supported games are available for free now on Android and iOS.

It’s real.Google, Facebook react to Trump’s immigration executive order

Friday evening, Donald Trump signed an executive order ostensibly aimed at fighting terrorism. Referencing 9/11 repeatedly, it put a 90-day ban on immigration for citizens of seven Muslim nations — and failed to include any countries the hijackers actually came from. It’s being implemented as you read this, potentially cutting off US residents who hold H-1B visas or green cards from those countries who are currently outside the US.

Sundar Pichai sent an internal memo recalling affected Google employees, while Mark Zuckerberg publicly expressed his “concern” over the move. The situation is still developing, and we will update over the weekend as more information becomes available.

But wait, there’s more…

• First hydrogen metal created on Earth draws critical doubt
• Amazon pushes Star Trek future with new Alexa wake word: Computer
• The Engadget Podcast Ep 26: The Sounds of Science
• Right to Repair bills introduced in five states
• D-Wave has its first customer for a $15 million quantum computer
• Why is Sprint throwing a reported $200 million at Tidal?
• Square Enix is making an ‘Avengers’ game for Marvel

The Morning After is a new daily newsletter from Engadget designed to help you fight off FOMO. Who knows what you’ll miss if you don’t subscribe.

Google reacts to Trump immigration order by recalling staff

The President’s latest executive order could spell bad news for the tech industry that’s known for hiring overseas talents under a working visa. In fact, Google chief Sundar Pichai has just issued a memo to employees overseas, urging them to fly back to the US ASAP or risk not being able to get into the country at all. “It’s painful to see the personal cost of this executive order on our colleagues,” he wrote in the memo. According to Bloomberg, the employees in question work in the US but are abroad either on business or for a vacation. A lot of them tried to get back into the country before the President signed on the dotted line, but not everyone made it back in time.

Trump’s executive order bans almost all citizens from Iran, Sudan, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the US for 90 days. The administration considers the first three to be sponsors of terrorism, while the last three are “countries of concern.” It will spend the next 90 days assessing whether their governments are asking enough info from visa applicants to give the US enough background data to assess whether they pose a terrorism risk.

New York Daily News reported that green card and valid visa holders were already blocked from boarding flights to the US as soon as a few hours after the order was signed. Since the Google employees from those countries are definitely at risk of being blocked from flying back, the tech titan asked them to reach out to the company’s security, travel, and immigration teams for assistance. “No one is really sure whether a green card holder from these seven countries can return to the US now,” immigration lawyer Ava Benach told Bloomberg. “It’s fairly clear that an H-1B visa holder can’t.”

Besides Pichai, Mark Zuckerberg also reacted to the immigration order, speaking out against “expanding the focus of law enforcement beyond people who are real threats.” As for Google, a spokesperson said the company is concerned that the order “could impose restrictions on Googlers and their families” and that it could “create barriers to bringing great talent to the US.” It promises to continue airing its views so that they reach the right leaders in Washington and elsewhere.

Source: Bloomberg

Google Arts & Culture iOS App Showcases Chinese New Year Exhibition ‘Arts of the New Moon’

Today marks the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year, and to celebrate the Year of the Rooster, Google has teamed up with 12 museums from Beijing to Washington to create a new online exhibition that can be visited through the Google Arts & Culture iOS app.

Across Asia and around the world, families are coming together, houses and neighborhoods are being dressed up in red and traditional lanterns are being hung. If you’re still wondering about what the fireworks are all about, Google Arts & Culture is here to help you learn more about this centuries-old tradition.

Titled ‘Arts of the New Moon’, the exhibition features rich video and interactive graphics to showcase a range of arts and crafts connected to the ancient tradition, taking in ancient calligraphy, contemporary painting, performing arts, woodblock prints, and more.

The app includes Google Cardboard-compatible VR portals to explore iconic places, like the Ge Garden in Yangzhou and the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan. Elsewhere, users can follow the zodiac animals across 1,000 years of art history, and kids can play New Year-themed games starring the Red Rooster.

Also to be found are interesting facts about the Lunar New Year, with a special lesson on how to give and accept a traditional red envelope.

The Google Arts & Culture app is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]

Tag: Google
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Apple iPhone 8 rumors and news

Apple’s iPhone 7S isn’t due until September, meaning the next top-of-the-line iPhone — reportedly called the iPhone 8 — isn’t supposed to arrive until 2017. But that hasn’t stopped legions of fans from fervently speculating.

It’ll reportedly launch alongside two cheaper, smaller iPhone models called the iPhone 7S and iPhone 7S Plus. However, it’s unclear if all three models will actually launch in September 2017, or what the naming conventions will be.

More: iPhone 7S and 7S Plus news and rumors

Here’s what we’ve learned so far about the iPhone 8.

 Battery: Wireless charging

Apple has long been rumored to be working on wireless charging for a future version of the iPhone, and while Energous CEO Steve Rizzone has hinted in the past that it has inked a deal with “one of the largest consumer electronic companies in the world,” a new investors note from Copperfield Research suggests that on the contrary Apple has no plans to use Energous’ WattUp wireless charging solution. What will it use instead? Its own self-built tech, apparently.

Copperfield Research came to the conclusion by studying patents filed by Apple between 2013 and now, many of which could be related to an in-house inductive charging solution — rather than a radio wave wireless charging option. Not only that, but a patent from 2011 sees Apple calling radio charging “very inefficient” and “not practical.” Of course, things may have changed between now and then, and the patent was filed before Apple signed its deal with Energous.

The news would make sense considering previous rumors — Energous has signed a deal with Dialog Semiconductor to supply hardware components. However, Apple is known to also be working with a company called Lite-On Semiconductor, a deal rumored to be for the hardware behind wireless charging.

In other words, there are a number of possibilities here — Apple could be working with two hardware providers for wireless charging, or it could only be working with Lite-On for its in-house tech.

Amazing LG Watch Style picture leak reveals Android Wear’s next smartwatch darling

LG could be preparing to launch two new smartwatches in partnership with Google, called the LG Watch Style and the LG Watch Sport. 

The names of these devices were first revealed by Evan Blass, who has now followed-up the name with high-quality images of LG Watch Style via his @evleaks Twitter account.

LG Watch Style, in silver (top) and rose gold (bottom) pic.twitter.com/JlHaq35bZ0

— Evan Blass (@evleaks) January 28, 2017

The images of the LG Watch Style match those previously shared by Techno Buffalo, giving us some confidence that these are indeed genuine.

The LG Watch Style appears to take a fashion approach to Android Wear, in counterpart to a chunkier Watch Sport which is equipped with more sensors, like GPS and heart rate monitor.

• LG Watch Sport and LG Watch Style: Release date, rumours and specs

The slick design of the LG Watch Style clearly shows of the button which is rumoured to work as a digital crown like the Apple Watch. The rear of the watch is free from connections, suggesting it used inductive charging and there appear to be quick release catches on the strap, so changes should be swift.

Previous rumours have suggested that the LG Watch Style would carry a 1.2-inch 360 x 360 pixel resolution display and that it would be launched alongside Google’s announcement of the release of Android Wear 2.0.

Certainly the LG Watch Style looks to offer a more fashionable and higher quality design than LG’s last fashion attempt, the LG Watch Urbane. 

The LG Watch Style is rumoured to be launched on 9 February 2017.