30 June 2017

Add Wi-Fi Controlled Lighting to Your Computer With NodeMCU


led-pc-case

Desktop PC towers have come a long way since the days of gray plastic towers hidden under desks. Alongside cases which fulfill different functions, PC cases have evolved a sense of aesthetics, with glass panels proudly showing off components, and strong futuristic designs taking center stage on any proud geek’s desk. LED installations are becoming ever more common. A simple 12v RGB strip can be bought for as little as $1 per meter and will light up the inside of a case (along with almost anything else) perfectly well. However, we want to do something a little more special than...

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New to Snapchat? These 10 Tips and Tricks Will Help You Out


snapchat-tips

Snapchat is a wonderful medium for sharing your life’s story with the world in 10-second bits. But if you’re a lurker, someone who uses Snapchat more as a source of entertainment, you know how confusing it can be to get around the app. It’s filled with features, but they’re not laid out in a logical manner. Some are straight up hidden behind the long press and swipe gestures. If you use Snapchat for viewing or creating content, these tips and tricks will improve your experience. 1. Enable Ghost Mode Snapchat records your location when you post a snap. Some features,...

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The Best VPN Services


best-vpn-service

The need for secure, anonymous connections to the Internet has increased considerably in the past few years, as more and more users come to realize the importance of not being seen and followed online. We’ve compiled a list of what we consider to be the best Virtual Private Network service providers — grouped by premium, free, and torrent-friendly. We’ll be updating the list regularly, so leave your feedback in the comments for services we should add (or even remove). These VPNs offer solutions that will mask your online presence to keep you safe. But remember, VPNs might not be as...

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How to Use a Fake IP Address & Mask Yourself Online


We’ve argued before that online anonymity is important. And, as the notion of privacy gets trampled on with each passing year, online privacy will only become more important. You’d be surprised by what someone can do with just your IP address. Which is why many people use fake IP addresses. To be clear, “fake IP address” is a bit of a misnomer that implies creating a new one out of thin air. That’s not possible. The best you can do is hide your IP address behind someone else’s already-existing IP address. This means you can’t truly be anonymous on the...

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Make Your Home Feel Like Star Trek With These Gadgets


startrek-smart-home

Over fifty years after it began, the future Star Trek imagined is happening — there are gadgets and tools readily available that can do almost everything Star Trek technology could do (and more). While you probably won’t be flying around in the USS Enterprise anytime soon, there are plenty of products available that can have you feeling like a member of the crew as you interact with your own home! For those of you who’ve ever dreamed of using holodecks, replicators, universal translators, or just having the lights turn on automatically when you get home, your time has come. These smart home devices may not...

Read the full article: Make Your Home Feel Like Star Trek With These Gadgets


These Are the Best Free Mac VPN Clients


best-mac-vpn

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are more popular than ever. They are an important weapon in the ongoing fight against cyber-snooping and can even unlock some geo-blocked apps and websites. Different VPN providers specialize in different areas; it can be difficult to choose the right supplier for your needs. But once you’ve selected your provider, you still have decisions to make. Specifically, how do you know which VPN client to use? Should you use your VPN provider’s proprietary app, or a flexible solution that can connect to several different services? If you’re not sure where to turn, keep reading for the best...

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Apple Pencil vs. Surface Pen: Stylus Over Substance?


surface-pen-apple-pencil

The lowly stylus has grown up. Two of the biggest tech giants — Apple and Microsoft — are currently doing battle over their respective pointing devices. Today we’ll take a look at the Apple Pencil and Microsoft Surface Pen, and what makes each stylus unique. It’s hard to disagree that the future of computing is mobile. Anyone who wants to use a stylus for sketching, drawing, note taking, and more has a difficult decision to make when it comes to purchasing a tablet. Apple and Microsoft each have unique stylus options that work on each respective platform: the iPad Pro and Surface lineup. Let’s take a look at...

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How to Send and Receive Text Messages on an Android Tablet


send-receive-text-messages

Just the other day, I was reading an ebook on my tablet when I heard a chime from my phone — I’d received a text message. But I was on my couch, my phone was on my desk, and I was feeling lazy. So I began to wonder: wouldn’t it be great if I could sync the text messages on my phone to my tablet so I’d never find myself in this position again? And as it turns out, yes, it is possible. Syncing Text Messages Between Tablet and Phone All you need is a free app called MySMS (on...

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The Best Linux Operating Systems


best-linux-distros

A remarkable number of Linux operating systems (“distributions”) are available, each offering different benefits. So much so that the proliferation options makes it difficult to choose at times. Need lightweight? Want something just for gaming? Perhaps a multimedia-focused distro? They’re all available. We’ve compiled this regularly updated list of the best Linux operating systems available. Use the menu below to find a Linux distribution to suit your specific needs. Check out more specific distros: New to Linux | General |Multimedia Production/Creative | Educational | Raspberry Pi Distros | Lightweight/Minimal | Video Gaming | Security and Recovery | Business New To Linux Ubuntu Ubuntu is a Debian-based distro, and as...

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The Brick Phone Makes a Lukewarm Comeback: Nokia 3310 Review


When Finnish mobile phone manufacturer Nokia released the 3310 model back in The Year 2000, even they were likely caught off guard by just how phenomenally popular it would go on to be. Between its release and eventual discontinuation in 2005, Nokia sold a staggering 126 million units of their most durable and iconic phone. However, that was before Nokia fell victim to a dramatic reversal of fortunes. After years of declining sales and the rise of the smartphone, Nokia threw their lot in with Microsoft’s Windows Phone OS. Nokia’s phone division was eventually swallowed up by Microsoft in 2014....

Read the full article: The Brick Phone Makes a Lukewarm Comeback: Nokia 3310 Review


17 Essential Terms Every Photoshop Beginner Needs to Know


essential-photoshop-terms

Technology is a wonderful thing. It has opened many creative activities that were previously only for a privileged few. One thing that isn’t so great is the amount of terminology that comes with it. Photoshop is one of the most well-respected photography editing tools for a reason: it’s brilliant. It does, however, come with a steep learning curve, especially with terminology. Don’t worry though, we’re here to help you sort your blend modes from your layer masks and RAW files. 1. Blending Mode Setting a blending mode controls how the image you are working on is affected by the paint...

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This Site Tells You How Much Money You’ve Ever Earned


Money, money, money. Whether you can’t get enough of it or just want to use what you have wisely, it’s hard to go through an average day without thinking or talking about it. Statistics and data are useful in many spheres, but particularly so with money. If you live in the U.S. and want to see how much money you’ve made in your entire life, there’s an easy way to do so. Visit the Social Security Administration’s Account page to get started. You’ll need to create an account if you haven’t done so before, or log in to an existing...

Read the full article: This Site Tells You How Much Money You’ve Ever Earned


How to Save Battery in iOS With This “Low Power Mode” Trick


When iOS 9 came out last year, a few great battery saving tricks came with it. One of these best features is low power mode. While your phone will prompt you to turn low power mode on once your battery hits 20 percent, there’s no reason to wait that long. Rather than delve into your Settings app, you can easily toggle it on and off with one command. Using Voice Commands You can turn low battery mode on and off by asking Siri. Just say, “Hey Siri, turn on low power mode.” To turn low power mode off, you’ll have to manually...

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This Site Shows Exactly How a Photo Was Edited in Lightroom


Think you can’t shoot like the photographers on 500px and National Geographic? Or master a complicated tool like Adobe Lightroom? Well, think again. There are many online photography sites and tools that can help you get there. Pixel Peeper is a nice web app that lays bare the secrets behind great photos. It breaks down a shot into each individual edit applied using Adobe Lightroom. Upload a JPEG and the site displays each adjustment made with Lightroom. To develop your own skills, you can study these edits and try to “reverse engineer” a photo with similar settings. It looks impressive....

Read the full article: This Site Shows Exactly How a Photo Was Edited in Lightroom


5 Best Blog Sites Other Than WordPress and Blogger


These are the two big names in the online blogging world, and beyond. But, WordPress and Blogger aren’t the only blogging platforms out there – several other platforms offer features and capabilities that challenge the two blogging giants. When it comes to WordPress, “well-established” is an understatement. A 2016 statistic suggests that WordPress powers 27% of the entire internet! However, it is now far from a simple blogging platform – instead, it’s a diverse powerhouse ready to accomplish almost anything you ask of it. While this is great for many users, the options may overwhelm those who simply want to write a...

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The Best Linux Software


best-linux-soft

Updated by Bertel King, Jr. on June 22nd 2017 You’ve made the switch from Windows or Mac OS X, and now you’re looking for applications to install. Or maybe you’re a long-time Linux user who’s keeping an eye out for what’s new. Either way, you’ve come to the right place. You’ve already picked a Linux distro and have settled on a desktop environment. Those are the big choices that determine what software you start with and what will run best on your machine. But now it’s time to delve through your distro’s app repositories to see what’s worth installing. Most of the...

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Solving the “Read Only” External Hard Drive Problem on Your Mac


Plugging in a USB hard drive and finding out you cannot write to it is frustrating, but easy to fix. In the newer versions of macOS, you do not even get an error message. Even though the Mac has had a resurgence, Apple users still end up being second class citizens to peripherals makers (just ask anyone who likes mechanical keyboards). So if you are stuck with one of these drives the following steps can get you working. Why is This an Issue? NTFS is the proprietary file system that Microsoft started using back in the NT days. They released it to consumers...

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Download Windows XP for Free and Legally, Straight From Microsoft


windows-xp-stays

The years have rolled by and Windows XP is now an antiquated and unsupported operating system (OS). But just because Microsoft no longer provides support, that doesn’t mean there aren’t reasons to revisit Windows XP. They might be work related, or maybe you miss XP and want to take a stroll down memory lane? Well, the death bell may have tolled, but there is still a way of installing Windows XP, using a download provided by Microsoft. It is absolutely true — you can still download Windows XP. Microsoft knows that web developers always have a need to test their...

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What Is A CPU and What Does It Do?


Acronyms are the tech world’s favourite way to make interesting technology sound incredibly confusing. When hunting out a new PC or Laptop, the specifications will mention the type of CPU you can expect to find in the shiny new device. Frustratingly, they almost always fail to tell you why that’s so important. When faced with decisions between AMD and Intel, dual or quad-core, or i3 vs. i7, it can be hard to tell what the difference is and why it matters. Knowing which is best for you can be difficult, but we’re here to help you out. What Is A...

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Know When to Use Which File Format: PNG vs. JPG, DOC vs. PDF, MP3 vs. FLAC


When you save a file on your computer, do you notice the few letters in the drop-down box below the name field? These are file extensions, and define which format your file saves as. Rarely is there a single format for one type of file, so you might be confused on how they differ and which are best to use. Let’s compare two of the most popular file types each for images, documents, and audio files. Understanding the main differences between these major file types will help you decide which one to use in the future. Know Your File Formats Most...

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It’s Now Even Easier to Share Google Photos With Friends


What’s the point in shooting gorgeous photographs unless you’re going to show them off to others? Photos are made for sharing, which is why Google is making it easier than ever to share those captured moments with others. And all you need is the latest version of Google Photos. Google Photos is quickly becoming an essential app. If you take a lot of photographs with your smartphone, which most of us do these days, it makes the whole process more convenient. And now, with the latest update rolling out, it’s easier to share your photos with friends and family. Google...

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29 June 2017

Cut Back on Smartphone Usage With These 7 Apps


cut-smartphone-usage

Smartphones are simultaneously one of the best and worst technological advances of the 21st century. As the old saying goes: “You can’t live with them, you can’t live without them.” Most people spend too much time staring down at their phone screen. Sure, it might be convenient to read the news while you’re on the bus commuting to work, but using it during a family meal at a nice restaurant? That might be going too far. If you’re one of the millions of people who would like to cut down on smartphone usage, it would help if you could see...

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Amazon is Blowing Out Logitech Stuff – How Good Are The Deals?


Today, we’re going to dig in and look at just good these Logitech deals are. Is it time to jump in? Logitech Deals Today, we’re going to dig in and look at all of the deals Amazon is offering on Logitech stuff today. We’re going to examine the actual quality of deals based on past price history, and we’ll rate whether or not you should get them today. Must buy: The lowest price ever and a deal that hasn’t been seen often. Good: At or close to the all-time low, but has been available at that price other times. Missable:...

Read the full article: Amazon is Blowing Out Logitech Stuff – How Good Are The Deals?


7 Advanced Android Hacks That Don’t Need Root


android-hacks-no-root

Rooting opens up your phone to a whole host of hacks and tweaks — but it can be a pain. Rooting can prevent some apps from working, and it risks exposing your phone to potential security problems. Fortunately, it isn’t a prerequisite for modding your phone. A surprising number of very powerful and popular hacks can be done on devices that have not been rooted. Read on while we take a look at the best of them. What You Need Even though you don’t need to be rooted, there are some technical aspects to these hacks. Some of them will need...

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Everything You Need to Know About Amazon Prime Day 2017


Amazon has announced the details of Prime Day 2017. This is the third annual Prime Day, and the previous two have seen Amazon cutting prices across the site. Prime Day is good for Amazon and good for Amazon Prime subscribers, and this year’s Prime Day is set to be the biggest one yet. For Prime Day 2017, Amazon is promising “hundreds of thousands of deals”. These deals aren’t just limited to Prime Day itself either, with some deals already having gone live at the time of writing. With that in mind we present everything you need to know about Amazon...

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8 Awesome Road Trip Planners for Your Next Adventure


road-trip-planners

Some people enjoy just jumping in the car and going where the road takes them. But others like to plan their road trip ahead of time. See your route, get directions, and add unique or fun stops along the way. If you are a planner getting ready for a road trip, long or short, these websites can help you map it all out perfectly. 1. Furkot Road Trip Planner For a full-featured planning tool, Furkot Road Trip Planner is a terrific site. You can get started quickly by entering just small amount of details like your starting and ending points and...

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5 Reasons Philips Hue Bulbs Are Overpriced and Pointless


philips-hue-bulbs-pointless

Didn’t you hear? Philips Hue light bulbs are all the rage. You can make them automatically turn on when you pull into your driveway, get them to glow in different colors if you’re hosting a party, and even color-wash your wall to match your TV’s output when you’re watching a movie. Sure, they’re all cool features… sort of. But none of them exclusively require a Philips Hue system to achieve. There are easier, cheaper, and more practical options available. In this article, I’m going to argue that Philips Hue smart lights are both overpriced and pointless. Keep reading to find...

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How to Quickly Add Cool Effects to Videos on Android


add-effects-video-android

You don’t have to be a tech genius to add some amazing effects to your videos. On Android, it’s as simple as installing an app and selecting what effect you want to add — like falling snow or lasers. To make your videos more fun, the following apps let you add effects, music, and stickers. There’s even an app that can make it look like your videos are coming from a security camera! You don’t need a full-fledged video editing app to do this. Below are some great apps simply for adding effects. VivaVideo Free Video Editor VivaVideo lets you add...

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Is Your Smart Home at Risk From Internet of Things Vulnerabilities?


iot-vulnerabilities

The Internet of Things holds a huge amount of promise. Every device we interact with networked in some capability, bringing cheap smart home technology to everyone. This is only one of the possibilities. Well, unfortunately, as exciting as a fully networked world sounds, the Internet of Things is consistently and woefully insecure. A group of Princeton University security researchers contend that the Internet of Things is so woefully insecure that even encrypted network traffic is easily recognizable. Is there substance to their claim, or is it another “standard” IoT hit-piece? Let’s take a look. Baked In The problem is that...

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How to Set Up and Use Your Apple TV


setup-apple-tv

Wondering how to set up your new Apple TV? Unsure how to stream Netflix and download apps? Having trouble configuring custom DNS servers? Relax, we’re here to help. Here’s how to set up your Apple TV, what you can do with it, and what to do when things aren’t behaving as you’d expect. This guide is designed to provide a thorough walkthrough of the process, so you can get back to binge-watching your favorite movies and shows. 1. Setting Up Your Brand New Apple TV Once you’ve unboxed Apple’s shiny black box of tricks, the setup is relatively straightforward. In the box, you’ll find an Apple TV unit, a...

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The Right Way to Access UEFI Settings on Windows


When was the last time you accessed your UEFI menu? Perhaps you went in to troubleshoot a problem, or maybe you needed to adjust a gaming-related setting. Some folks may have never even been to that part of their computer. Next time you need to get into the UEFI (or maybe you’ll venture in for the first time), here’s a quick way to do it in Windows 10. Note that this won’t work for legacy BIOSes. If you bought or built your computer with Windows 8 or newer on it, chances are your computer uses UEFI, not a legacy BIOS. Open...

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How to Unlock the Hidden Developer Tab in Excel


excel-powerful-charts

By default, Excel’s Developer tab is hidden away in the program’s settings, but turning it on is just a few clicks away. The series of tools may be daunting at first, but grasping the way they work can save you a lot of time in the long run. To get the Developer tab to show up in Excel: Go to File > Options. Open the Customize Ribbon tab. On the right under Main Tabs, make sure that Developer is checked. Click OK. You should now see the Developer tab in your Excel menus. So what do you need the Developer...

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Reverse Image Search on Mobile Devices Is Easier Than You Think


Google’s Reverse Image Search is one of the best ways to discover the source for an image. Or an online profile of someone you are trying to get in touch with. Or the origin of a meme you love. It is an entirely new way to explore the web. I often use it to find related presentation templates or just better resolution versions of images, and the visual search is a huge help for these kinds of searches. How to Reverse Image Search (Desktop) There are four ways to do a Google reverse image search on a desktop: Click the...

Read the full article: Reverse Image Search on Mobile Devices Is Easier Than You Think


Your Most Popular Deals – June Edition [UK]


29 days have been and gone which means it’s time to look back on some of your favourite deals from the last month. This time around we bring you Logitech webcams, Anker’s wireless SoundBuds, and a book about our obsession with #selfies. Logitech C270 HD Webcam (Black) [20% Off] [CA] Logitech Webcam HD C270 Black, 960-001063 Logitech Webcam HD C270 Black, 960-001063 960-001063 Buy Now At Amazon $31.30 This offering from Logitech boasts a capability for 720p widescreen HD videos and recordings. The in-built microphone is designed to filter out background noise for clear audio. Perfect for summertime Skyping. Anker...

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8 MS Word Templates That Help You Brainstorm & Mind Map Your Ideas Quickly


A good resume template for Microsoft Word can help you get a job. But did you know that there are several other types of templates for Microsoft Word that can help you get any job done? For instance, let’s take a pressing problem that has you stumped right now. Microsoft Word can help you attack the dilemma with a good old-fashioned brainstorming session. Yes, whether you are alone or with a discussion group, use the hairsplitting power of mind maps and brainstorms to break any mental impasse. Allow us to scrounge the Microsoft Gallery for the best templates that will help...

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3 Things to Check When Your System Restore Is Not Working


windows-system-restore-issues

When your computer is running smoothly, we like to imagine that this is the way it will always be. Even though, in our heart-of-hearts, we know that isn’t going to be the case. And even if you’re a cautious user, problems can arise without warning. In those cases, System Restore is your friend. Lo, it can be your savior. System Restore has saved my bacon on multiple occasions. But what if System Restore has given up on you, too? Before you reach for the nearest Windows installation media, try these tips to see if we can coax System Restore back...

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The New Yahoo Mail Is Actually Rather Good


Yahoo Mail has been given a major makeover. It’s now cleaner, faster, and more able to compete with the likes of Gmail and Outlook. There’s also a new Yahoo Mail Pro option for people who are so deeply ensconced in the Yahoo ecosystem they’re willing to pay to be a part of it. The mugs. In recent years Yahoo has become known for a) its long-planned sell-off to Verizon, and b) a spate of data breaches which affected over 1 billion people. And yet Yahoo has now emerged from the gloom, with new owners and a very big point to...

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Switching from iPhone to Android? Here’s How to Move All Your Stuff


switch-iphone-android

So you’ve decided to switch to Android. I’m not here to make an argument for either side. I’m just here to help you jump ship with minimal damage and data loss. It’s 2017 and the last thing you want to do is put up a status on Facebook asking people to inbox you their phone numbers because you got a new phone and lost your contacts in transition. You don’t want to be that person. Similarly, you don’t want to lose the years of memories captured in your camera roll. If you follow the steps below, none of that will...

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Scan Documents on Your Phone with CamScanner for Android


The growth of smartphone photography has given rise to an unexpected consequence. We now use our cameras not just for preserving life’s most treasured moments, but also for snapping anything and everything we might need to refer to later. Gas receipts, maps, sale items in shops — you name it, we shoot it. Of course, being able to record these images is useful. But it’s also not entirely practical. If you need to send an official document to your bank or employer, you can’t snap an out-of-focus JPEG and hope they accept it. You need a full-feature scanner app on...

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28 June 2017

Why Encrypting Your Data Won’t Protect You From Ransomware


ransomware

No one wants to be a victim to cybercriminals. It’s why we’re so keen on encryption — indeed, the vast majority of people use encryption to some extent because locking your smartphone scrambles all your personal information. That’s exactly what encryption is: making your data unreadable without a special encryption key (i.e. a password). It’s the ultimate defense against cybercriminals, right? Unfortunately, no. There are far too many myths about encryption that you simply shouldn’t believe. For instance, it won’t protect you from ransomware. Here’s why. What Is Ransomware? Let’s start by running through exactly what ransomware is. That’ll expose...

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6 Deals You Can Get Right Now on Amazon [US/CA]


Today, you can save big on an outdoor blower, headphones, a Gorrillpod, a laptop, and much more. Check them out. US Deals GreenWorks G-MAX 40V 115MPH – 430 CFM Cordless Blower ($76.71, 55% Off) GreenWorks BA40L210 G-MAX 40V 115MPH - 430 CFM Cordless Brushless Blower, 2Ah Battery and Charger Included GreenWorks BA40L210 G-MAX 40V 115MPH - 430 CFM Cordless Brushless Blower, 2Ah Battery and Charger Included Jet fan design delivers 115 MPH and 430 CFM Buy Now At Amazon $76.71 If you’re looking for a rechargeable blower, this is the cheapest this GreenWorks model has ever been available for. Up...

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How to Restore Past Versions of Pages, Word, and Other Mac Documents


restore-past-versions

When you discover that you overwrote an important document, your first reaction is likely panic. But if you’re on a Mac, there are a few options you have for getting your earlier edits back. We’ll look at a few of them here, and then share a few suggestions for avoiding the problem in the first place. Let’s start with the easiest one. iWork: Revert to an Older Version If you’re still using Microsoft Office on your Mac, it might be time to switch to iWork. It has a number of advantages, but the most notable one for the current discussion is built-in versioning....

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Who Owns Your Data When You Are Dead?


data-own-after-death

When a 15-year-old German girl died, hit by a subway train, it was a tragedy. Her distraught parents turned to her online accounts for answers: was this an awful accident or was it a premeditated action? What was going on in her online life, and how was it affecting her every day? Those parents still do not know. The data and critically, the passwords, were the private property of the young girl. Not her parents. The ownership of data at the moment of death is a modern question. Whose hands does it fall into? Who has rights, and who can stake a...

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Everything You Need to Know About the NotPetya Ransomware


A nasty form of ransomware dubbed NotPetya is currently spreading around the world. The first reports emerged from Russia and the Ukraine, but NotPetya has now reached the U.S, the UK, Denmark, Poland, Italy, Germany, and France. In other words, it’s pretty much everywhere. Ransomware is a growing threat. Just a couple of months ago a strain called WannaCry crippled the British National Health Service for several days. And now NotPetya is infecting computers with relative impunity. So here’s everything you need to know about the NotPetya ransomware. All of Your Questions, Answered What Is Ransomware? For the uninitiated amongst...

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Take VR to the Next Level With These 3D Printable Accessories


vr-3d-printable-accessories

Immersion is the key to the best virtual reality experiences, so anything you can add that edges it closer to realism will make your experience exponentially better. I’ve talked before about using VR to take your Elite Dangerous experience to the next level, but today I wanted to take a look specifically at 3D printables. While we’re at it, we’re also going to see which accessories can help you store and organise all those VR bits and bobs, since you’ve already spent ludicrous amounts of money on the headset itself. Note: I’ve used an original Prusa i3 MK2 (which we declared...

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You’ve Screwed Up Facebook! How to Really Connect on Social Media


connect-social-media

Have we taken the “social” out of social media? When you ask people why they use social media, you’ll often get a familiar response: to keep up with family and friends. That’s a core function of the big social networks. We want to know what the people close to us are doing. But social media has become inundated with other things. You’re constantly being marketed to. Emoji are substituted for meaningful conversations. People’s political disagreements spin out of control. Carefully curated feeds make everyone look like they’re living a perfect life. If you just want to use social media to keep...

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Should You Buy a Wearable? 4 Reasons You Need a Smartwatch


smartwatch

A smartwatch is probably most aptly described by Wikipedia as “a computerized wristwatch with functionality that goes beyond timekeeping”. While the concept has been toyed with since the 70s, it is only in the past few years that it got a huge push. Pebble, one of the most successful Kickstarter projects at the time, got the ball rolling in 2012 with Google and Apple following two years later. But in 2017 it’s safe (and a bit sad) to say that the smartwatch buzz has died down. Pebble got sold to Fitbit amid financial troubles. Google’s Android Wear watches have largely...

Read the full article: Should You Buy a Wearable? 4 Reasons You Need a Smartwatch


10 eBay Scams To Be Aware Of


eBay is such a great idea, and I’ve had good experiences using the site, but the growing prevalence of scammers has turned it into a shady marketplace. I don’t feel safe on eBay and neither should you. But sometimes you don’t have a choice. As a buyer, some items can only be found on eBay, and as a seller, eBay might be the most profitable platform available to you. If you must use eBay, then you must be wary of scams. In this post, we’ll cover 10 common eBay scams: three when you’re buying, six when you’re selling, and one...

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10 of the World’s Most Famous Hackers & What Happened to Them


Not all hackers are bad. The good ones are called “white-hat hackers” and use hacking to improve computer security. The ones who are just having fun are called “gray-hat hackers.” But the malicious kind you’re thinking of? They’re called “black-hat hackers.” And they can cause a lot of harm, as history has shown. Here are some of the most infamous and nefarious “black hatters,” what they did to earn their reputations, and where they are today. 1. Kevin Mitnick The U.S. Department of Justice called him the “most wanted computer criminal in U.S. history” — that’s how notorious he was....

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Password Storage On a Keychain: Hideez Digital Key Review


Security problems stalk us day and night. Passwords dance through our minds, out of our ears, and often end up jotted on sticky notes. Password managers can help, as can devices that can securely unlock our phones, tablets and computers with a single click. Oh, and did you ever lose your keys? The Hideez Single Digital Key fulfills all three of these roles. Available for $49, this intriguingly small device sits neatly in your pocket, keys attached, ready to be used to unlock computers, doors, websites… anything you like, really. Well, that’s the intention. But does it work that way?...

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