Archive for the ‘Fun Stuff’ Category

Here at Soluto we work hard, but we also have fun too. Take a look at how we’ve been spending the month of January – Pinata gatherings and yummy treats are only the tip of the iceberg: The Pinata - a gift from Eric Shmidt's Innovation Endeavors. The team gathers for a weekly demo to share our work, snack, and close the week on a high note. Ofer presents his work for the week to the team. Soluto-ites listen and learn from their fellow coworkers… so does our office dog, Speedy. Caught on camera! Michal, the office photographer, takes the spotlight. We cover all the food groups. A few laughs with a final recap. Solutons poised for action… …until next time.

You, our users, asked, and we delivered. We’re bringing you Soluto’s collector’s items – visuals that you can use on your PC to add some Soluto flare to it. Get our wallpaper for regular and wide screens, featuring visual highlights from the past year. We’ve got a wide variety, so you can change off whenever you want.

Plus, we're giving you some of our favorite avatars, Solutons that you can use to liven up your PC, or go even wilder and use a Soluton as an alternative to your Facebook photo. What are you waiting for? Give your PC the Soluto makeover it deserves. Enjoy, The Soluto Team  

Thanks for a great 2012. Here’s to 2013!  

The holidays are well under way and Alex, like many, has been looking forward to this season so he can spend time with his family. Like most go-to techies, Alex prefers coming home to see the people he cares about, rather than catching up their technology. Luckily, Alex has found a way to take care of his relatives’ PCs throughout the year with Soluto, so he can keep his Christmas time free. All year round, no matter where he is, Alex keeps an eye on his Dad’s PC for him. Alex updates, maintains and speeds up Dad’s PC with Soluto, making sure it’s in top shape so Dad can carry on with his business, tech-worry free. Alex admits Soluto helps quell his own worries too, if he's ever unsure about what to do. Being able to see what other Soluto users do in his situation helps to reassure Alex of the actions he’s taking. And if gaining self (tech) confidence wasn't enough, Alex has also acquired some more free time thanks to Soluto. Now he no longer has to hunt through Dad’s applications to find what’s weighing down his comp since Soluto shows Alex everything he needs to know so he can get straight to clearing up any messes and lightening Dad’s boot. Plus Dad isn’t the only one benefitting from Alex’s tech help. Soluto lets Alex simultaneously watch over his Dad’s machine, lend a hand with his boss’ computer, and make his own PC better too, all from one place. That means Dad’s happy, boss is happy, and Alex’s Christmas is free. So with the tech taken care of and out of the way, how will Alex spend the holidays? With his family, vacationing on Rottnest Island where they’ll relax, play board games, go fishing and, most of all he says, “eat, drink and be merry!” Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!  

Back in October, we welcomed Windows 8 to the world and wanted to help you enjoy the new OS to the fullest - on a Microsoft Surface tablet. We gave you 3 ways to win and now, after weeks of suspense, we are excited to finally introduce the Surface winners.   1. Soluto Giveaway Winner: Lars Recent university graduate, Lars, is a techie in every sense of the word. He spends his time reading computer science news, tinkering with home electronics, and staying up-to-date on all things tech. When it comes to computers, Lars is the go-to guy for family and friends. He helps them keep their PCs running well with the help of Soluto, as he eagerly awaits the first day of his first job since graduating. Good luck, Lars!     2. Facebook Winner: Debbie Loving mother and doting grandmother, Debbie loves spending time with her family. On any given day you can find Debbie at her computer keeping in touch with distant relatives online, or enjoying some crocheting and cross stitching too. Debbie is looking forward to the holidays so she can spend even more quality time with her family. Happy Holidays, Debbie!     3. Windows 8 Tips & Tricks Winner: Vladimir Vladimir is a skilled programmer who spends much of his time on his computer making useful programs for his school. But it’s not all about programming. Vladimir also finds time to play tennis, chess (virtually, that is), and, of course, study. After all, he is a straight A student. Well done! Check out Vladimir's winning Windows 8 tip on the Windows 8 Tips and Tricks page.     Thanks to everyone who participated and congrats to all the winners!  

In about a week, on December 13, the Soluto web service will celebrate its 1 year anniversary. We’ve come a long way since the launch of the web service. Since launching it, we’ve added new apps to the product, like Skype and Dropbox, and a bunch of new features too, including the ability to help someone else with their PC remotely, email notifications, Quick Question, and a Windows 8 section.

You, our users, have been the best part of making the web app great, and as we approach this Soluto milestone we’d like to thank you for returning and staying active in Soluto. We hope you continue to enjoy using Soluto to keep your PC working great and to help others with their PCs too. We’d also like to take this time to ask you, our users: how are we doing? Drop us a line and let us know if there’s anything you’d like to see in Soluto, or if you have any questions or feedback about using Soluto. We always love to hear from you. Happy 1 year (and many more), for you and us. The Soluto Team

We’d like to take this opportunity to wish our American users and friends a Happy Thanksgiving. While not everyone in the world celebrates the holiday, Thanksgiving is a good time for us all to stop and appreciate what we have. The Soluto team would like to take this opportunity to thank you for continuing to use our service. We appreciate your support and will continue our mission of making technology better for everyone.

Thanksgiving also marks the official start of the holiday season. Soluto has quite a few treats in store for the upcoming month, so stay tuned for some holiday goodies that will make the next month a lot of fun. As we usher in this holiday season, we’d like to make a general wish for peace – we hope that this time will be a peaceful one for people everywhere. The Soluto Team

In case you haven’t heard, Windows 8 is finally out and it’s very different from anything you've seen before with Windows. It looks different, acts different and even feels different. While some have embraced the changes with open arms, others are having a little more trouble getting used to the new OS, which still has a ways to go before it wins everybody over. Christopher is among those finding it hard to adapt, here’s his story. Off to a good start, Christopher installed Windows 8 in what he described as a pretty smooth and easy process. Then, when Christopher tried to start using the new system - well, we’ll let him tell you what happened: “When I started trying out the new UI, my first thought was ‘I need a touchscreen to use this’, it just doesn't feel right with a mouse. After a while of tinkering and playing around I was pleasantly surprised with how full my battery still was...the battery time is amazing. That is definitely a big plus. But the real problems for me started when I tried working productively. I study Computer Science and so I have to work with IDEs (integrated development environments) and the browser and consoles and (the list goes on).... Eventually I arranged all the windows on my screen and started working. ‘Oh I need to open that PDF’ BAAAM! Fullscreen reader app on metro UI. Okay, getting back to the Desktop. ‘I need to move that window’ BAAAM! Charms bar in my way. After I had given up working productively I tried shutting down. Many people might not know this but it’s not very intuitive to do this in Windows 8." Well that’s quite a list of frustrations. So what’s the bottom line for Christopher? “Windows 8 feels schizophrenic and unfinished. You have to search a lot for your settings and the two UIs mix together but not completely. I really hope Microsoft improves this in Windows 8 and doesn't wait for Windows 9.” Can you relate to Christopher’s experience?  Or have you had a completely different experience of Windows 8?  Tell us what Windows 8 has been like for you and we’ll share your story with the world. If, like Christopher, you’re finding it a bit hard to get used to Windows 8, Soluto can help you bring back your Classic Desktop and Start menu so you can restore some of the familiar comforts of your previous Windows. Sticking to Windows 7, XP or Vista for now? Soluto can help you enjoy a faster boot and better PC experience no matter what version of Windows you’re using.

At barely a week old, Windows 8 has already won some people over. Although not everyone is an immediate fan of the new OS, Jeffrey thinks it is “definitely a step up from Windows 7”. Jeffrey has been using Windows 8 for several weeks now, and enjoying the faster boot up and new Start screen.  However Jeffrey acknowledges that the interface is not very intuitive and it did take some to get used to, but encouragingly he adds that the Modern UI “is actually pretty good once you get the hang of it”. So don’t give up too soon - you might really like it once you learn the ropes. What’s Jeffrey’s takeaway? “Overall I am satisfied with my experience with Windows 8 and I hope everyone else can get the same experience I got”. We hope so too Jeffrey. But for those of you finding it a bit more difficult to adapt to Windows 8’s new look, Soluto can help you get used to it by bringing back your Classic Desktop and Start menu so you can enjoy your new OS with the traditional Windows features you know and love. Not sold on Windows 8 quite yet? No worries, you can still enjoy a faster boot and better PC experience with Soluto too. So, do you agree with Jeffrey? Tell us how your experience with Windows 8 has been so far and we’ll share it with the world.

Halloween is usually all about mischief, scares, candy, and of course trick or treat. This Halloween, Soluto invites you to play Tricks for Treats instead. In between trick or treating, dressing up, and bobbing for apples, take a minute or two to leave your most savvy Windows 8 trick(s) for your chance to win a real treat: A Microsoft Surface.

Here’s what to do: post your trick on the Tips and Tricks Contest forum, share it with your friends on Twitter and Facebook, and get them to vote it up. The post with the most votes wins a Microsoft Surface, and 10 runners-up get an exclusive Windows 8 Soluto t-shirt. Click here for the full contest guidelines. Just think of it as an alternative to trying to fill up your pillowcase full of candy. It’s Soluto’s way of saying Happy Halloween.