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    Magnify your screen and more with PowerToys’ new ZoomIt tool – here’s how

    Screenshot by Lance Whitney/ZDNETLooking for a way to magnify your computer screen, either for yourself or for public presentations? A new PowerToys tool from Microsoft may be exactly what you need. Added to the latest version of PowerToys, ZoomIt can zoom in on the screen, let you write on it, and take a screenshot or recording of your current activity.Microsoft is touting ZoomIt as a tool for presentations and demos. By zooming in on specific areas of the screen, you can emphasize certain points or simply enlarge text and images for your audience. The writing and annotation features let you mark up the screen to highlight key elements. Also: How to clear the cache on your Windows 11 PC (and why it makes such a big difference)Beyond its worth as a presentation tool, ZoomIt can magnify the screen if you have trouble seeing or reading small print on a web page or document.ZoomIt was originally a Sysinternals tool. Recently, its source code was released, allowing it to be included in PowerToys. However, it will still be available as an external tool, updated, and offered by Sysinternals for anyone who’d rather use it as a standalone program.How does the PowerToys version of ZoomIt work and how can you use it? More

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    Save the date! Apple is set to change the way you send event invites – here’s what we know

    ZDNETIf you’re an iPhone user, pay attention — Apple is changing how you invite people to events.Also: How to clear your iPhone cache for a fresh (and faster) start in 2025According to noted Apple tipster Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is rolling out “a new way to invite people to parties, functions, and meetings.”Confetti: A new Apple app or feature?It’s not clear if this is an entirely new app or a new feature for an existing app, but it does seem like it will work with multiple apps.You can already send invitations to events with the built-in Apple Calendar app, but that involves creating an event and then inviting people by sending them the link. The new upcoming change, called Confetti internally, will streamline that process and likely add a few new features.Also: App fatigue is real: Users are downloading fewer apps than everA 9to5Mac report from last month explained that it will integrate with iCloud and work much like Facebook events. It will show a list of people invited and a list of people who have confirmed they’re coming. It will also reportedly work with other apps, saving you the step of inviting someone manually. That same report found references to “Apple Invites” in the iOS 18.2 beta, which could end up being the final name if it’s a standalone app.If this works like Google Calendar, allowing you to see if your invitation conflicts with someone’s schedule, it will be even more useful. If Apple limits full functionality to its own ecosystem, as it tends to do, the usefulness will decrease significantly. More

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    How I turned traditional Ubuntu Mate into a modern, minimal desktop – and you can too

    ZDNETI’m not one for traditional desktops. I prefer something with a more modern (and often minimalistic) aesthetic. But for those who are just dipping their toes into the Linux waters, something a bit more familiar might be required.Although Ubuntu Mate flips tradition on its head (with the main panel at the top), it couldn’t possibly be any easier to use. As soon as you log in, you’ll see a button at the top left of the screen clearly labeled “Menu.” That panel at the top functions exactly like the bottom panels you’re accustomed to. Also: The best Linux distributions for beginnersBefore we get into how I would suggest tweaking Ubuntu Mate, let’s talk about what’s new. What’s new, Mate? More

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    Microsoft 365 is dumping its VPN – try these alternatives instead

    SOPA Images / Contributor Microsoft 365 users who take advantage of the free VPN will soon have to find another way to secure their internet connections. In a new support document, Microsoft announced that the VPN included with the plan’s Microsoft Defender will be retired as of February 28, granting it just a few more […] More

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    6 Slack tips I swear by to turn a chaotic workspace into a well-oiled machine

    Drew Angerer/Getty Images I’ve been using Slack for years and have always found it to be a (mostly) efficient means of communicating and collaborating. Even though the “out-of-the-box” experience is fairly well thought out, there are ways you can make it even more effective. With just a few quick customizations, you can have Slack looking […] More