Author: By J. D. BIERSDORFER

Companies have rushed to create patches for Meltdown and Spectre — two new major security vulnerabilities — but not everything has gone smoothly.

Companies have rushed to create patches for Meltdown and Spectre — two new major security vulnerabilities — but not everything has gone smoothly.

If Google Hangouts keeps adding the wrong dialing codes, check your settings to see where the software thinks you are.

Common sense and software can keep your system safer from security threats.

You can synchronize your Google Contacts to an iOS device with just a few taps.

Mobile scanning apps are convenient, but if you have reams of paper to digitize, dedicated scanning hardware may streamline the task.

You can edit Apple’s Live Photos and pick a new favorite frame in the sequence as the “key” image.

Even if you do not have Google Photos set to back up every picture automatically, you can upload selected images for your friends to see.

The alternative open-source operating system can handle common computing chores, runs on most PC hardware and has a low, low price of “free.”

Apple recently removed the app-management function in its iTunes desktop software, but has tricks for arranging icons right on a phone or tablet.