Some geeks of my vintage have a nostalgic fondness for trackballs, but I never managed to form such an association. Instead, I’ve been pretty much a dedicated mouse user since the mouse first became an option. But Logitech’s MX Ergo wireless trackball has changed all that – and I’m not sure I’ll ever go back. The new trackball has some highlight features including… Read More
It’s time to get rid of your News Feed. Facebook is a sum of many parts, including Messenger, Events, Games, and a whole lot more. The News Feed is more a distraction than anything else. Here’s how (and why) you can delete it. Why You Should Kill Your News Feed When it first started, the News Feed was actually pretty nice. You got to know what your close friends or family was up to, since you don’t actually call each other every day. And you followed your favorite bands or news organizations to get updates. But over time, the News...
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If you’re feeling swamped by too many emails in your inbox, you’re not alone. Everyone wants your attention and your inbox is their target. The good news is, Gmail offers easy tools to shut out spam. Keep reading to learn about clever Gmail tricks that will help you regain control of your inbox. 1. Automatically Send Emails to Desired Folders Gmail lets you apply rules to incoming emails. Then, they go where you want them to without your intervention. Create and use filters to designate how Gmail should organize received messages. You can apply filters to any message in your...
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Do you use both a Mac and a Windows PC? Getting tired of switching between the two? Well, now you don’t have to, at least for small tasks. Maybe you need to use Windows for something but you want access to your text messages, contacts, and notes on your Mac at the same time. You can log in to your iCloud account in a browser, but that’s not quite the same thing. You can’t send or receive text messages using iCloud, though iOS 11 is going to finally sync your messages across your iOS and Mac devices. You can share...
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A new app called Pokémon Playhouse from the Pokémon Company, released this week, is bringing Pikachu and friends to preschoolers. Unlike the augmented reality game Pokémon Go, a collaboration between Niantic and Nintendo by way of the Pokémon Company, this latest game is not focused on capturing Pokémon, battling and raids. Instead, it’s filled with activities appropriate for… Read More
Do you need a Linux machine about as big as a few quarters? Man, have I got something for you. It’s called the BeagleBoard PocketBeagle and it’s the smallest Linux computer you can buy for $25. I’m a huge fan of single-board computers for one simple reason: in my childhood, the technology that enables these things simply didn’t exist. Further, a little kit like this… Read More
How do you keep your data safe when in public? Do you connect to public Wi-Fi signals? Do you check your online banking? How about sensitive work or business documents? The fact of the matter is that when you’re out and about, using your smartphone, you’re vulnerable to a number of common attacks. A VPN goes someway to protecting your data while on the move. Of course, some are better than others, offering better protection for mobile devices. I’m going to show you how to setup almost any VPN on your smartphone using OpenVPN Connect. What Is OpenVPN? OpenVPN is...
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PicMonkey, one of the most popular online photo-editing suites around, has rendered its free offerings absolutely pointless. You can still edit photos for free, spending hours crafting a visual masterpiece, but to actually save your creation you’ll have to pay. Which is ridiculous. There is a lot of competition in the photo editing space. There’s the big names such as Photoshop and GIMP, plus a ton of smaller, more niche alternatives. PicMonkey is one of the best known online options, and it has been steadily growing since its launch in 2012. It’s thought to be profitable too. Making the Free...
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Meet Bob. Bob has read a few magazine articles about wireless gadgets, and occasionally browses the Smart Home section on the MakeUseOf website. Now, he’s smitten. He loves the idea of a smart home and dreams about living in a fully automated house. But there’s a problem: Bob isn’t technologically savvy. He’s not sure how to go about putting the theory into practice inside his own abode. He doesn’t want to waste money, and he doesn’t want to accidentally follow bad advice. Bob needs some help. He could start by reading our A-Z of smart home jargon, but he needs...
Read the full article: Looking for Smart Home Inspiration? 10 Resources to Check Out Now
If you’re using Android, you probably have Google Photos on your phone or tablet. You might even have it on your iPhone or iPad. But are you using it? And if you are, could you be ignoring some of its most useful features? One of the best things it packs is Google Photos Assistant, a built-in virtual assistant that can help with all of the app’s capabilities and keep an eye on your storage. Here’s all you need to know about what Google Photos Assistant can do for you. Why You Need Google Photos Assistant First things first: Google Photos...
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Our verdict of the Ulefone T1:With decent cameras, solid battery life, and relatively low price, the Ulefone T1 might be a good option for some consumers. But for others, the low-quality screen, weak speakers, and lacklustre software might be a deterrent.610 We're giving away an Ulefone T1. Keep reading to find out how to win!One of the biggest drawbacks of budget Android devices tends to be the cameras. Cameras are expensive, and downgrading to lower-quality cameras is an easy way to keep the price down on smartphones. But what if you want the power of a solid camera in a...
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No. There will always be a measure of risk when “investing” in Bitcoin, Ethereum, or any other form of cryptocurrency. However, that risk can be managed. In this article, we’ll cover the fundamental points you need to know in order to make a risk-managed investment in cryptocurrency. However, do NOT mistake “risk-managed” for “safe” because they are NOT the same thing. Keep reading to find out why. How Crypto Investments Work As with all physical and virtual items, digital coins are subject to supply and demand. At any given moment, there are people who have coins and want to sell...
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Amazon just launched a new version of the Fire HD 10 tablet with some neat improvements. Its low price (displayed below) makes it a compelling buy. But before you add it to your cart, there are a few things you should know. All-New Fire HD 10 Tablet with Alexa Hands-Free, 10.1" 1080p Full HD Display, 32 GB, Black All-New Fire HD 10 Tablet with Alexa Hands-Free, 10.1" 1080p Full HD Display, 32 GB, Black Brilliant 10.1" 1080p Full HD display (1920 x 1200), up to 1.8 GHZ quad-core processor, 2 GB RAM, and up to 10 hours of battery life...
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Browsing in private or incognito mode on your computer can come in pretty handy. While there are some ways you can still be tracked, it’s a great way to check for price discrimination, see how pages look to the public, and escape the internet bubble based on your browsing history. If you’d rather stick to private browsing all the time, most popular browsers make it easy to always open your browser in incognito mode. Chrome (Windows) If you always want to open Chrome in private mode, it’s not as simple as checking a box. Instead, you’re going to have to do the...
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If you’ve done some digging into the filesystem on your Windows computer, you may have come across the AppData folder. It’s hidden by default so most users won’t see it or have a reason to access it. Short for Application Data, many programs store their data in this directory. While essential installation files are kept in the Program Files folder, AppData stores the settings that you’ve personalized for your account. You can take a look at it if you want, though it’s not particularly interesting. Open a File Explorer window and enter the following into the address bar: C:\Users\USERNAME\AppData When you...
Read the full article: What’s the Difference Between AppData Roaming and Local?
Sometimes, PowerPoint feels like the forgotten brother of the Microsoft Office suite. Its usefulness is hard to argue against, but people generally seem more interested in tips for Word and tips for Excel. Let’s change all that by looking at something a surprisingly small number of individuals know how to do: change the size of your slides. Of course, there’s nothing worse than poorly sized slides in a presentation. They look annoying, and they can quickly lay waste to the most meticulously planned exhibition. Keep reading to find out more. Change Slide Aspect Ratio in PowerPoint PowerPoint makes it easy...
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Usually you’d be in the right to hate a toolbar that clutters up the screen estate of your desktop. But this time it’s a handshake between Microsoft and Apple’s macOS Sierra for the sake of productivity. So why not give the My Workspace Office 365 Tool for Mac a chance? Get a Jump on Your Productivity The My Workspace tool is a tool that sits in the System Tray on your Mac and drops down to reveal recent events that are part of the Office suite. For instance, see a list of recent files you are working, the latest calendar events and appointments,...
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You want your website to look awesome, but your web development skills are lacking? Don’t despair! You don’t have to know CSS or PHP to build a fancy site. Some good old HTML and knowing how to copy-and-paste will do. We have compiled 7 free HTML effect templates. They will enhance the functionality and user experience of your site, while not breaking the bank. And they may contain some CSS and PHP too. Maybe one of these is what you’ve been looking for. 1. Parallax Effect You have probably seen the Parallax Effect in fancy-magazine-style online articles. As you scroll down a...
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Lyft and Budweiser have teamed up together to help stop people drunk driving. Budweiser is offering 150,000 free Lyft rides between now and the end of the year, the idea being that if you’re getting a Lyft you’re not driving in an inebriated state. Whether you’ve drunk Budweiser or not. Most people reading this will go out for a few drinks with friends at least once over the holiday season. It’s the done thing, especially over the holidays. However, unless you have that one friend who doesn’t mind staying sober while everyone else around them is getting wasted, you’ll need...
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Shopping may be turning into an increasingly virtual experience, with people buying goods online and through apps, but there is no denying the power of a physical in-store experience — a lesson that Microsoft is taking to heart. Today the company announced that it would be opening a new flagship store in London in Regent Street near Oxford Circus — just a stone’s (or an… Read More
Election meddling is Facebook’s next adversary, and it’s got a plan to attack it just like it did with fake news. Solutions to both these scourges come too late to prevent tampering that may have aided Donald Trump winning the presidency. But at least Facebook is owning up to the problem, working with the government, and starting to self-regulate. Here’s the 9-point plan… Read More
As Congressional investigations into Russia’s role in manipulating the election for U.S. president deepens, tech companies are assuming a more central role in the inquiries. Both Twitter and Facebook are stepping up their efforts to cooperate with Congressional investigations into Russian interference with last year’s presidential election. Read More
Smart home products such as automatic lights and movement sensors often require a hub to operate. These networking devices take many forms and are among the most popular smart home products on their own. Some, like Amazon Echo and Google Home, also serve as wireless speakers. Others, like Apple HomeKit or Samsung SmartThings, run mostly in the background, but are essential nonetheless. While these big names might be the ones you’re familiar with, they aren’t the only hubs available. Lowes, the big box home improvement chain has one called Iris. There’s also the Wink Connected Home Hub and Harmony Hub....
Read the full article: 7 Smart Home Hubs You’ve Never Heard of Before
ipsy, a subscription service that delivers a collection of products to its users every month, has spent the last six years building up a community with millions of people obsessed with beauty products. And now that the company has more than 3 million subscribers — with a $10 per month subscription cost — it’s ready to get a little bit more aggressive by getting directly… Read More
When you installed Windows, did you consciously manage the storage space on your hard drive? Is Windows slow because it’s running out of space? Or do you have too little room for backups, while the system partition has many GBs to spare? It may be time to reorganize the free space on your hard drive. Whether you’re trying to install an additional OS, managing multiple storage devices, or expanding your storage space, read on to demystify storage management in Windows 10. Partitions and Volumes: An Overview The difference between partitions and volumes can be confusing. But the terminology is important,...
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