Mouse gone in Windows 10

You're using Windows 10 with your laptop and suddenly you can't see and move the mouse with your touchpad anymore. Here's a way out.

A first attempt would be to just reboot your computer, even though it's unlikely to work. Another idea is to plug in a USB mouse, unplug it and hope that the touchpad is now working.

If that also doesn`t work go to the control panel or Settings. Select 'Mouse' (or 'Mouse & Touchpad'). Go to the Mouse properties ('additional mouse options').

Select the ELAN tab (maybe called differently on another laptop, this was on a Lenovo one) and enable the device which should be disabled at that point.

I also experienced similar issues with Windows 8 and it could be solved in more or less the same way. This issue can occur from time to time.

Is LINE better than WhatsApp?

(c) LINE (c) WhatsApp

LINE is a messenger and especially in Japan often used. But is it better than the even more popular WhatsApp? Here's what I found out.

Recently, I wanted to know how the messenger works and if LINE has some things better solved than WhatsApp. Interestingly, there're a few things.

But from the beginning: I downloaded LINE from Google Play Store and after starting I could already see who from my phone contacts also has this app installed. Quite WhatsApp-like. The chat itself is as easy as it should be.

The emojis are in comparison to WhatsApp really different. The emoji list starts with white-colored heads, but there are also some of the already known yellow faces. LINE also has more animal-referring emojis. So basically it's different. In addition LINE has stickers (bigger, moving icons) like you may know from Facebook, which WhatsApp hasn't included.

Like in WhatsApp there are also free calls included, but LINE already has the video call feature. Video calls are expected to be added in WhatsApp in the future, but in terms of that LINE lies ahead by now.

I also saw that there's a PC version for LINE. With an email verification - which includes a few exchanges of numbers to make the connection more secure - it's also possible to login on your computer. It's somehow reminiscent to the classic ICQ. A real messenger software installed on your PC.

And everytime you connect with your PC your phone gets a message. So in case of an inauthorized usage you'll be informed. And your phone don't have to be online to use LINE on your PC. Unlike WhatsApp Web where your phone needs permanent Internet connection to be used.

The whole identification with your email address is something WhatsApp also needs in the future. Also in this point is see that LINE is ahead.

Another interesting feature in LINE is the included timeline - something we all know from Facebook and that's something WhatsApp doesn't have. Anyway, it gives LINE users the opportunity to share content with anyone they want from their list. Ok, WhatsApp has broadcast messages and the profile status - the last one LINE also has - but it's a entirely different way to share a message. In the privacy settings you can also decide which one of your friends is allowed to see it and who not. I wouldn't say WhatsApp should have that but it's an interesting approach.

Also interesting is the 'KEEP' feature: LINE offers every user 1 GB of cloud space to save pictures, messages and so on. So you can touch a message and chose 'Save to Keep' in order to move it into the cloud. Same as WhatsApp LINE has also the search option to find special messages with keywords.

Additionally LINE has also included a coins system in order to purchase more stickers or even games and apps.

So let's take a look at this overview to see the important points:

Where LINE is better 

- video calls included
- login with email address or ID (not just phone number)
- a PC software version and the phone doesn't need to be online 

Where WhatsAPP is better 

- no in-app purchases

Where both can improve 

- a better chat backup as an HTML, not just a colorless text file

Conclusion

Comparing to WhatsApp LINE has a few features which the worlds no.1 messenger doesn't have yet. But I expect these to be added to WhatsApp soon - especially video calls. A possible email verification is also on my wish list. Same as independent usage from other devices.

The only advantage I see in WhatsApp is that there are no in-app purchases. Even the subscription has been changed to 'forever free'. Else it's worth to mention that WhatsApp has more than a billion users and LINE just around 220 million, but it only looks less in comparison. It's still a lot. Else, they're pretty equal in my view.

But there's one thing where I see both can improve: The chat backup and export. Both WhatsApp and LINE only have an export option as a colorless text file. I'd like to have an HTML like with in 'MyPhoneExplorer'. That tool made it possible with SMS exports in a nice website file.

But anyway. It's worth to test and use LINE, but you just need someone to communicate with. You usually find more WhatsApp  than LINE users, but in Asia it seems easier. Just give it a go and you'll see.

Facebook Live for everyone - My first viewer impressions

(c) Facebook

After Facebook launched its live video feature for everyone it's interesting to see how people are using it. A first impression...

The first time a noticed the new live feature was a few months ago when popular people were using it to communicate with their fans.

For example the Formula One vice world champion Nico Rosberg used it to have a Q&A with his followers which were using the comment section to ask their questions. I found it was a quite interesting way too reach a lot of people.

Basically a live stream is nothing new in the Internet, but an interesting feature for social media. YouTube also has this feature of course, but on Facebook it makes a difference - especially for usual people.

Many people don't have a YouTube channel and are just using it passively - it's more likely they have a Facebook account. So the audience is different and the kind of recorded videos are also different. More natural and uncut. You can see that especially when you take a look for who is using the live feature at the moment.

To do that you can now see 'Live map' listed under 'Apps' in Facebook. Following that you can see a world map with blue points. Every point means there is a live broadcast right now. I clicked on various points just to find out what people want to show to the world, here's an overview:

• A Korean girl singing Japanese songs but she only showed half of her face
• A Russian driving with his car
• two people in Alaska playing with a little snake in a bathtub
• pupil in Chile discussing in school class
• a band playing in a bar
• two guys sitting in the office working in California
• a DJ mixing music on his laptop in Portugal
• Greece girls listening to music
• a concert in Spain
• people using a Shisha at the Canaries
• a German girl eating cookies
• girls chilling and playing with their hair on Hawaii
• a guy walking through the streets of Melbourne
• a sunset on Tenerife with guitar music in the background
• people eating in Tokyo

And this could have been continued endlessly. So entirely different things, but it's surely interesting to follow - not everything, but it gave me a basic impression about this 'new way of watching videos'. I mean everyone can have 'his own TV station' to have a worldwide broadcast just by using a phone. And it's really easy to use.

It's an interesting development and there's way more to follow. Facebook will expand its features way more. I only need to say 'VR'...

Ways to make screenshots in Windows without extra tools

The possibilities of making screenshots in Windows have increased over the last decade. Of course there are some extra tools doing the same job - but what can Windows do on its own?

I'll show you three possible ways to accomplish that: A classic way, an included tool and a new fast key combination.

1. The 'Print' key and Paint
That's more or less the oldest trick to make screenshots in Windows. You press the 'Print' key on your keyboard and go to 'mspaint', right-click 'Paste' and the screenshot is within the file and you just need to save. Instead of Paint you can use other software of course - even Word. With pressing 'Alt' + 'Print' you copy just the windows in front to the clipboard.

2. Snipping Tool
Since Windows Vista Microsoft has included another way to make screenshots. With the Snipping Tool you are able to decide which part of the screen you want to take a screenshot from. Since Windows 10 the tool got an additional feature: It's possible now to make screenshots with a previously set time delay.

3. "Windows" key plus "Print" key
That's the one I would bet many of you didn't know. Since Windows 8 you can press the 'Windows' key plus the 'Print' key and a screenshot will be saved as a *.png file in the following directory: \Pictures\Screenshots. That's definitely the fastest possible way Windows can offer.