24 July 2017

8 Simple Solutions for Common Home Automation Headaches


There are so many ways that technology can improve and enrich people’s lives, and yet it is far too common for people to hesitate before bringing this tech in their homes. In the business world, training usually gives people the confidence to move forwards with new technologies. But there’s rarely training available for home automation products! Instead, when things go wrong, it often seems easier to throw up your arms in defeat and to keep doing things the way that you always have. If you’re thinking about bringing smart technology into your home, consider this article your official training in basic smart home...

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Are Any Of Amazon’s Deals Of The Day Worth Getting Today?


For today only, Amazon is matching its all-time low on the Echo! It’s also offering deals on Bluetooth headphones and more. Rather than just list the deals (Amazon already does that), we analyze the value of the discount and the quality of the product. Here’s how we rate the deals to make it quick and easy for you to decide if they’re worth getting: 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. Decent: If you need one, it’s...

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How and Why to Make Your Own Camera Rig


Making movies on mirrorless cameras has become a wildly popular alternative to expensive cinema cameras or even DSLRs (and if you’re still using one, then find out why you should ditch that DSLR). Many people are making extraordinary films or online content for a fraction of the cost of “traditional” filmmaking tools. That said, consumer cameras are not without their flaws. Join me as I show you how to assemble your own camera rig, and why you might want to. What’s a Rig? The term “rig” is used quite a lot and can mean many different things. Generally, a rig...

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7 Windows Maintenance Mistakes You Should Never Make


Every Windows user knows that you need to perform regular maintenance to keep your computer running smoothly. But what needs to be done has changed with recent versions, especially with Windows 10. What should you do, and what are the big pitfalls to avoid? We’ll show you the biggest maintenance mistakes to avoid so you can streamline the process and get back to work. 1. Cleaning the Registry One of the biggest Windows cleaning myths has pervaded through the decades and still deludes people today. Many PC cleaning pieces of software, late-night TV commercials, and other shady sources claim that...

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Your Complete Guide to Living a 100% Free and Open Source Life


Windows and macOS are commercial, proprietary operating systems. Microsoft and Apple sell the OSes either directly to manufacturers or to end users like you and me. We can then use the systems, but we can’t see the code that makes them run. We call this closed source software. Most of the programs you run on Windows and macOS are also closed source, whether or not they cost you money. But some programs are free and open source. These are applications with source code that you’re free to view and modify as you wish. Why Source Code Matters I know what...

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5 Wi-Fi Hotspot Finders to Find Free Wi-Fi Spots Near You


It’s hard to be away from a Wi-Fi signal. Slower internet, data limits, no Spotify; it’s the stuff of nightmares. Luckily; it’s increasingly unlikely that you’ll be away from a Wi-Fi connection for long. In any metropolitan area, there’s an almost limitless supply of hotspots. Everything from Starbucks to Walmart offers free Wi-Fi. Sounds great, but how are you supposed to actually find the hotspots? It’s not like you can walk into every shop asking if they’ve got a Wi-Fi connection. You need some help. In this article, I’m going to introduce you to five of the top Wi-Fi hotspot...

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6 Chrome Extensions Every Student Should Use


Some students live on campus, all students live in their browsers. Since the role of social media — and the internet as a whole — has become more and more prevalent, there’s a concern that students waste more than they apply to their studies. An idle extension list is the devil’s playground. Most don’t realize the potential of Chrome extensions. With enough know-how, Chrome extensions can save hours of time and tons of mental willpower. Take it from an educator: you’ve got to use every tool at your disposal to go from student to studious. And here are the tools...

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Apple Pay Is Safer Than You Think: 5 Facts To Prove It


Mobile-based payment services are becoming more and more popular. There are a wealth of competing companies, all of whom offer ways to pay for products without you needing to whip out your wallet or purse. But how do they compare to traditional plastic cards regarding safety? Are you confident you won’t wake up one morning to find that a hacker has emptied your bank account? In this article, we’re going to use Apple Pay as a case study. What security features does it offer? What safeguards are in place? Let’s investigate. What Is Apple Pay? Before we start, let’s take...

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Why You Shouldn’t Buy an Amazon Fire Tablet for Your Kids


Amazon’s Fire 7 tablet (our review) and the child-focused Amazon Fire 7 Kids (they’re both the same device, separated only by a kid-proof case and different return policies) are popular devices for children. They make great gifts! Your first impression is of a device that can play games, music, audiobooks, and videos. The eight-hour battery is a bit of a bonus, too. However, as time goes on, you find yourself fixing annoying problems with the tablet, checking for solutions online, and regularly turning it off and back on again. Oh, and it probably lags too — a lot. And while this is happening, your...

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Can My Laptop, Monitor, Or TV Do 3D?


Updated by James Bruce on 07/24/2017 3DTV might be unofficially dead, but 3D movies are still alive and kicking — particularly with the latest resurgence of virtual reality. So we’re often asked: “Can I watch 3D movies on my computer?” The short answer is: sadly, no, you probably can’t. Read on to find out why you can’t — and what you need to buy to make it so that you can! Why You Probably Can’t View 3D on Your Monitor or Laptop It’s not about software, or your graphics card. You can’t just download a 3D video player. Instead, your display device is...

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Avoid This Email Forwarding Mistake in Outlook.com


If you use the new Outlook web app, you should know how to find and disable unauthorized forwarding. This occurs when someone has set up email filters to send your messages to another inbox without your knowledge. Someone having access to your email on its own is scary, but this forwarding is particularly harmful. If you don’t find out about the forwarding, someone could be reading all your messages without your knowledge. Password reset links, financial information, and personal notes are then all exposed to malicious people. Thankfully you can check for forwarding rules in your Outlook inbox. Sign in...

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8 Tips You Should Know Before Buying Your Next Digital Camera


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Regardless of what you have been told, there is no such thing as a “do-it-all” camera. If there was a one-size-fits-all camera, competition in the industry would suffer, seedy patents would be made, one company would monopolize everything, prices would skyrocket, their profits would fail, and eventually, we would no longer have cameras at all. At least that’s how I see it. It would suck. This is precisely why different cameras exist. Think of cameras as different tools. While all screwdrivers are tools, not all tools are screwdrivers. Even within the realm of screwdrivers, these tools come in different sizes...

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