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14 December 2018
7 Useful Ways to Reuse an Old Router: Don’t Throw It Away!
If your ISP has sent you a new router, or you simply fancy upgrading your current router, you’ll run into a problem.
What should you do with the old router?
In the case of switching your ISP, you’ll often be asked to return the older device. But if you have a spare router kicking around the place, here are several ways you can reuse it.
1. Build a Wireless Repeater
What if your Wi-Fi network doesn’t extend across the full range of your home? Although you might opt for powerline Ethernet adapters, adding a second router into the mix is a good alternative.
This means connecting the old router to your new wireless network, using the Wi-Fi signal. It can then share access to the Wi-Fi network, giving greater coverage. Although there may be some latency issues, overall this is a quick and easy way to extend your wireless network.
It has various uses, from giving better Wi-Fi access to a remote part of the house, to letting you stream video to your tablet while you’re in the garden.
Our guide to extending the range of your home network explains how a wireless repeater works, and its benefits.
2. Guest Wi-Fi Connection
If you have people regularly dropping in and using your wireless internet, why not give them their own network?
This is like the wireless repeater project, but with a twist. The router connects to your existing, password-protected network, but gives password-free access to new devices. This will use the guest network feature of your old router, which will by default prevent guests accessing other devices on your network.
If this level of security isn’t enough, check the firewall settings on the main router to adjust.
3. Cheap Internet Radio Streamer
Want to enjoy your favorite radio stations on the internet? Some routers can be configured to play internet radio, if you’re prepared to install the OpenWrt or DD-WRT custom router firmware.
Some other software is also required, and you’ll need a USB soundcard to output audio.
While this isn’t an easy build, and plenty of other internet radio options are available, this is still a great project. It gives you an insight into the power of custom firmware, as well as an appreciation of how music is streamed across the internet.
However, if you want to do this without the fuss, our Raspberry Pi smart streaming speaker project is a good option.
4. Use the Router as a Cheap Network Switch
Most routers don’t have more than six Ethernet ports. With the increase in wireless technology around the home, this figure might even be as low as four. But with a clear need for devices to be connected over Ethernet, you might run out of ports.
For example, home appliance monitoring devices, TV decoders with smart TV functionality, games consoles, and more might have no wireless networking. They need a physical connection to your network, and that means Ethernet.
If you run out of Ethernet ports, you can add more with a network switch. This is basically the Ethernet version of a mains power bar, with the additional ports plugged into one port on the router.
Your old router typically has four or more ports, so connecting will instantly increase the number of ports available. Remember to power up the old router. You should also disable wireless networking on the old router, to avoid conflicts.
5. Turn Your Router Into a Wireless Bridge
What if your new router is wireless only? Perhaps the ISP doesn’t offer a router with Ethernet ports, or maybe you use a 4G internet provider. Either way, if you need to connect Ethernet devices to your home network, a wireless bridge is the answer.
While inexpensive, an old router can be repurposed as a wireless bridge.
This works a little like a wireless repeater, but rather than share the Wi-Fi connection, the wireless bridge offers Ethernet. The old router is connected to an existing Wi-Fi network, and its Ethernet ports used to connect devices to.
See our guide to using a router as a wireless bridge for a full explanation.
6. Build a Smart Home Hub
Some routers ship with some useful additional ports. In some cases, this might be a USB port, which makes flashing OpenWRT or DD-WRT router firmware easy.
Other devices might come with a serial port, and these routers can be repurposed as a home automation server.
Basically, the router runs a web server that you connect to with your browser. This might be on a PC, or for convenience, through your smartphone. This Instructables explains how to use this with an Arduino hooked up to the router, and some RF-controlled power switches, to create a basic smart home setup.
While easier options are available, you might use this to get a better understanding of home automation.
7. Convert Your Router Into a NAS Drive
Looking for a way to store your data on a single storage device and access it from anywhere in your home? You need Network Attached Storage (NAS), which is basically a hard disk drive that is attached to your network.
While NAS devices are affordable enough, with an old router hanging around, you can save money. Note that this is limited to routers that can run custom firmware (like DD-WRT) and a spare USB port, and routers that let you browse the contents of any connected USB devices.
Without USB, there’s no way to attach the hard disk drive or USB flash storage.
Once set up, your custom-built NAS should give you instant access to your important data from anywhere in the house, using any device.
Your Old Router Isn’t So Old After All!
Don’t let that old router clutter up your drawer any longer. We’ve identified seven ways you can reuse it:
- Guest Wi-Fi connection
- Wireless repeater
- Cheap internet radio
- Use the router as a network switch
- Adapt it as a wireless bridge
- Build a smart home hub
- Convert your router into a NAS
These are all great ways to repurpose an old router, and even if your router is really old and misses some key modern wireless networking features, you can still use it as a switch, or even a guest network.
If none of this works, however, it might be time to consider selling or recycling the device. See our tips for reusing old hardware for more.
Read the full article: 7 Useful Ways to Reuse an Old Router: Don’t Throw It Away!
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6 Changes Windows Users Need to Accept to When Switching to Linux
Making the jump from Windows to Linux isn’t always a walk in the park for long-time Windows users. That isn’t the say the experience isn’t a great one. It’s just that there are certain things you take for granted in Windows that are quite different in Linux.
Some major differences include the need to become comfortable with the command line, a different approach to handling peripherals, and the need to switch to a new family of applications.
The following are six of the most common things Windows users struggle with when they switch over to using a Linux distribution.
1. Using the Command Line
Most Windows users are able to get by very easily without using the Windows command prompt for nearly everything they do. Installing software, adding new devices, and even configuring the Windows OS itself can be accomplished through pointing and clicking.
In many cases, like adding new devices, the experience is plug-and-play, and the user doesn’t even have to do anything.
Meanwhile, in most Linux distros users might need to learn the command line interface (CLI), but doing so is much easier than you might think.
Linux distros also offer a useful package manager that lets you install an impressive assortment of powerful applications. This experience is largely like the Windows experience where you just click on the app you want and it’ll be installed automatically for you.
However, on Windows, if you can’t find the application you need, you have to go to the store (or online) and buy it.
In the case of Linux, you just research the app you need online, find the installation name of the app, and just run a simple “sudo apt install” command to find and install that software (for free).
Other typical uses for the CLI in Linux include:
- Quickly checking system information and statistics
- Reconfiguring the system (changing things like display refresh rate)
- Scheduling system commands or tasks
- Creating, searching, or manipulating files and folders
- Network management
- Installing peripheral drivers and software
Solution: Becoming comfortable with commands available in the Linux CLI isn’t a steep learning curve, and it can greatly enhance your Linux experience.
If you want to dive in and start learning common Linux commands, have a read through these most-used Linux commands.
2. Configuring Peripherals
Another area where long-time Windows users often find a stumbling block is when it’s time to install new hardware or configuring printer connections.
This is because at times the Linux approach to setting up drivers enters into the “manual” realm where you’re running CLI commands to troubleshoot and set things up.
In Windows, setting up a printer is extremely simple. It’s usually just a matter of going through a wizard that uses default Windows drivers included with the OS.
The problem in Windows is that when a printer driver fails, you’re left trying to find which Control Panel area shows you the right port or device error to troubleshoot your printer problems.
Solution: In Linux, while the existing printer drivers that come with a distro may not work with your printer, troubleshooting problems is much easier. Several Linux commands allow you to easily connect to the printer and configure communications manually.
Again, learning CLI commands can make your Linux experience much more flexible and easier to troubleshoot than Windows.Run into trouble? Check our guide to setting up a printer in Linux.
3. Configuring Internal Components
In addition to configuring new peripherals, installing new hardware inside your Linux computer follows the same approach as with printers.
In Windows, when a new graphics or network card doesn’t work, troubleshooting the problem can turn into a nightmare. Finding the right hardware so you can see the error, and then figuring out how to fix it, is almost impossible for a regular user.
Solution: In Linux, things in this area are getting easier, as new Linux distros (or updated ones) come prepackaged with support for many more internal components.
And when things go wrong, Linux provides you with a lot more power to set things right.
For example, to configuring a new network card in Linux, you have the power (with simple CLI commands) to:
- Add entries to /etc/network/interfaces to configure the card address and netmask.
- Set up DNS configuration in etc/resolv.conf.
- Test the interfaces with ip or ifconfig commands.
- Set up firewall rules to allow traffic.
This all may sound complicated, but the commands are very simple to learn and let you fix problems with your devices a lot faster than hunting and clicking through countless settings in Windows.
4. Windows Software Is Not Available
Even though Linux desktop distros are becoming more popular than ever before, it’s still a Windows world. That means that the vast majority of software out there is written to work on Windows, and there aren’t always versions available for Linux.
A classic example of this are Microsoft Office products like Word or Excel.
Solution: It may not be quite the “Windows world” as one might think. Windows software is costly. With Linux, there are almost always free replacement applications that are as good or better.
One example of this is LibreOffice as a replacement for Microsoft Office. Meanwhile, anyone who has used GIMP knows that the Linux alternatives certainly give Photoshop a run for its money.
The key, if you’re a long-time Windows user switching to Linux, is to do your research. Windows software isn’t always the best just because there’s a price tag attached. In the Linux world, you’ll quickly discover that open source alternatives are pretty impressive.
But if you’re dead set on using those Windows apps, a powerful Linux tool called Wine is available to make many Windows applications work just fine on a Linux distro. That means Linux gives you everything you need from your Windows experience, plus a whole lot more.
5. “Limited” Gaming Options
A long-running assumption for years has been that there are many more popular games available for Windows than for Linux. The fear of this limitation makes Windows-based gamers wary about making the big leap over into the Linux world.
These days, that fear is completely unfounded.
Solution: You can now run Steam on Linux, so just about any game you can buy to play on Windows, you can play on your Linux workstation. If you install PlayOnLinux, you can even install and run games that are designed to run only on Windows.
This fact alone should make most gamers sprint to use Linux immediately.
Why? Because Linux distros consume far less resources than Windows. This leaves more resources available for an exciting, fast-paced gaming experience!
6. Customizing Desktop Themes
Customizing your desktop theme in Windows is as simple as opening up Themes in System Settings, and tweaking things like the desktop background, color settings, the mouse cursor, or applying purchased themes from the Windows store.
Many Windows users think that customizing Linux distro themes are more complicated, or impossible.
Solution: Customizing themes on Linux distros is getting much easier. Most distros now incorporate easy GUIs to customize everything you can tweak in Windows.
Even better, you can go beyond those basic settings by learning some simple theme-based CLI commands. These let you manually change the appearance of individual items like icons, fonts, window settings, and much more.
There are actually a lot of things you can customize in many Linux distros that you can’t customize in Windows.
And in most cases, Linux distros come with an existing theme that’s already more aesthetically pleasing than Windows.
Switching to Linux Isn’t Painful
Even just a few years ago, making the transition to Linux distro for daily computer use was not enjoyable. It was tricky persuading hardware to work properly, and connecting to your home network would require endless of patience.
Thankfully, the developers of most popular Linux distros have made tremendous strides in making their OS handle a much larger family of peripherals and system components.
There are now GUIs available for easily configuring network interfaces. And with the growing collection of Linux-based applications that easily rival some of the best that Windows offers—the transition is nowhere as painful as it used to be.
In fact, I would say that exploring a modern Linux distro is an adventure that any long-time Windows user should try at least once. And if you’re thinking of getting started today, check our list of the best Linux distros.
Read the full article: 6 Changes Windows Users Need to Accept to When Switching to Linux
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This drone shrinks to fit
Researchers at the University of Zurich and EPFL have created a robot that shrinks to fit through gaps, a feature that could make it perfect for search and rescue missions. The researchers initially created a drone that could assess man-made gaps and squeeze through in seconds using only one camera. This extra feature – a scissor like system to shrink the drone in flight – makes it even more versatile and allows these drones to react to larger or smaller gaps in nature.
“The idea came up after we worked on quadrotor flight through narrow gaps,” said PhD candidate Davide Falanga. “The goal of our lab is to develop drones which can be in the future used in the aftermath of a disaster, as for example an earthquake, in order to enter building through small cracks or apertures in a collapsed building to look for survivors. Our previous approach required a very aggressive maneuver, therefore we looked into alternative solutions to accomplish a task as passing through a very narrow gap without having to fly at high speed. The solution we came up with is the foldable drone, a quadrotor which can change its shape to adapt to the task.”
The system measures the gap and changes its shape without outside processing, a feat that is quite exciting. All of the processing is done on board and it could be turned into an autonomous system if necessary. The team build the drone with off the shelf and 3D-printed parts.
“The main difference between conventional drones and our foldable drone is in the way the arms are connected to the body: each arm is connected through a servo motor, which can change the relative position between the main body and the arm. This allows the robot to literally fold the arms around the body, which means that potentially any morphology can be obtained. An adaptive controller is aware of the drone’s morphology and adapts to it in order to guarantee stable flight at all times, independently of the configuration,” said Falanga.
The team published a report on their findings in Robotics and Automation Letters. As IEEE notes, this is no flying drone dragon but it is a far simpler, cooler, and more effective product.
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Facebook bug exposed up to 6.8M users’ unposted photos to apps
Reset the “days since the last Facebook privacy scandal” counter, as a Facebook has just revealed a Photo API bug gave app developers too much access to the photos of up to 5.6 million users. The bug allowed apps users had approved to pull their timeline photos to also receive their Facebook Stories, Marketplace photos, and most worryingly, photos they’d uploaded to Facebook but never shared. Facebook says the bug ran for 12 days from September 13th to September 25th.
Facebook initially didn’t disclose when it discovered the bug, but in response to TechCrunch’s inquiry, a spokesperson says that it was discovered and fixed on September 25th. They say it took time for the company to investigate whch apps and people were impacted, and build and translate the warning notification it will send impacted users. The delay could put Facebook at risk of GDPR fines for not promptly disclosing the issue within 72 hours that can go up to 20 million pounds or 4 percent of annual global revenue.
Facebook provided merely a glib “We’re sorry this happened” in terms of an apology. It will provide tools next week for app developers to check if they were impacted and it will work with them to delete photos they shouldn’t have. The company plans to notify people it suspects may have been impacted by the bug via Facebook notification that will direct them to the Help Center where they’ll see if they used any apps impacted by the bug. It’s recommending users log into apps to check if they have wrongful photo access. Here’s a look at a mockup of warning notifcation users will see:
Facebook tells me the bug did not impact photos privately shared through Messenger. The bug wouldn’t have exposed photos users never uploaded to Facebook from their camera roll or computer. But photos users uploaded but either decided not to post, that got interrupted by connectivity issues, or that they otherwise never finished sharing could have winded up with app developers.
The privacy failure will further weaken confidence that Facebook is a reponsible steward for our private data. It follows Facebook’s massive security breach that allowed hackers to scrape 30 million people’s information back in September. There was also November’s bug allowing websites to read users’ Likes, October’s bug that mistakenly deleted people’s Live videos, and May’s bug that changed people’s status update composer privacy settings. It increasingly looks like the social network has gotten too big for the company to secure. Curiously, Facebook discovered the bug on September 25th, the same day as its 30 million user breach. Perhaps it kept a lid on the situation in hopes of not creating an even bigger scandal.
That it keeps photos you partially uploaded but never posted in the first place is creepy, but the fact that these could be exposed to third-party developers is truly unacceptable. And it seems Facebook is so tired of its failings that it couldn’t put forward even a seemingly heartfelt apology is telling. This company’s troubles are not only souring users on Facebook, but employees and the tech industry as large as well. CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Congress earlier this year that “We have a responsibility to protect your data, and if we can’t then we don’t deserve to serve you.” What does Facebook deserve at this point?
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Facebook Portal adds games and web browser amidst mediocre Amazon reviews
After receiving a flogging from privacy critics, Facebook is scrambling to make its smart display video chat screen Portal more attractive to buyers. Today Facebook is announcing the addition a of a web browser, plus some of Messenger’s Instant Games like Battleship, Draw Something, Sudoku, and Words With Friends. ABC News and CNN are adding content to Portal, which now also has a manual zoom mode for its auto-zooming smart camera so you can zero in on a particular thing in view. Facebook has also added new augmented reality Story Time tales, seasonal AR masks, in-call music sharing through iHeartRadio beyond Spotify and Pandora that already offer it, and nickname calling so you can say “Hey Portal, call Mom.”
But the question remains who’s buying? Facebook is already discounting the 10-inch screen Portal and 15-inch Portal+. Formerly $100 off if you buy two, Facebook is still offering $50 off just one until Christmas Eve as part of a suspiciously long Black Friday Sale. That doesn’t signal this thing is flying off the shelves. We don’t have sales figures, but Portal has a 3.4 rating on Amazon while Portal+ has a 3.6 — both trailing the 4.2 rating of Amazon’s own Echo Shows 2. Users are griping about the lack of Amazon Video support for Ring doorbells, not receiving calls, and of course the privacy implications.
Personally, I’ve found Portal+ to be competent in the five weeks since launch. The big screen is great as a smart photo frame and video calls look great. But Alexa and Facebook’s own voice assistant have a tough time dividing up functionality, and sometimes I can’t get either to play a specific song on Spotify, pause or change volume, or other activities my Google Home has no trouble with. Facebook said it was hoping to add Google Assistant to Portal but there’s no progress on that front yet.
The browser will be a welcome addition, and allow Facebook to sidestep some of the issues around its thin app platform. While it recently added a Smart TV version of YouTube, now users can access lots of services without those developers having to commit to building something for Portal given its uncertain future.
The hope seems to be that mainstream users who aren’t glued to the tech press where Facebook is constantly skewered might be drawn in by these device’s flashy screens and the admittedly impressive auto-zooming camera. But to overcome the brand tax levied by all of Facebook’s privacy scandals, Portal must be near perfect. Without the native apps for popular video providers like Netflix and Hulu, consistent voice recognition, and more unique features missing from competing smart displays, the fear of Facebook’s surveillance may be outweighing people’s love for shiny new gadgets.
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Facebook Portal adds games and web browser amidst mediocre Amazon reviews
After receiving a flogging from privacy critics, Facebook is scrambling to make its smart display video chat screen Portal more attractive to buyers. Today Facebook is announcing the addition a of a web browser, plus some of Messenger’s Instant Games like Battleship, Draw Something, Sudoku, and Words With Friends. ABC News and CNN are adding content to Portal, which now also has a manual zoom mode for its auto-zooming smart camera so you can zero in on a particular thing in view. Facebook has also added new augmented reality Story Time tales, seasonal AR masks, in-call music sharing through iHeartRadio beyond Spotify and Pandora that already offer it, and nickname calling so you can say “Hey Portal, call Mom.”
But the question remains who’s buying? Facebook is already discounting the 10-inch screen Portal and 15-inch Portal+. Formerly $100 off if you buy two, Facebook is still offering $50 off just one until Christmas Eve as part of a suspiciously long Black Friday Sale. That doesn’t signal this thing is flying off the shelves. We don’t have sales figures, but Portal has a 3.4 rating on Amazon while Portal+ has a 3.6 — both trailing the 4.2 rating of Amazon’s own Echo Shows 2. Users are griping about the lack of Amazon Video support for Ring doorbells, not receiving calls, and of course the privacy implications.
Personally, I’ve found Portal+ to be competent in the five weeks since launch. The big screen is great as a smart photo frame and video calls look great. But Alexa and Facebook’s own voice assistant have a tough time dividing up functionality, and sometimes I can’t get either to play a specific song on Spotify, pause or change volume, or other activities my Google Home has no trouble with. Facebook said it was hoping to add Google Assistant to Portal but there’s no progress on that front yet.
The browser will be a welcome addition, and allow Facebook to sidestep some of the issues around its thin app platform. While it recently added a Smart TV version of YouTube, now users can access lots of services without those developers having to commit to building something for Portal given its uncertain future.
The hope seems to be that mainstream users who aren’t glued to the tech press where Facebook is constantly skewered might be drawn in by these device’s flashy screens and the admittedly impressive auto-zooming camera. But to overcome the brand tax levied by all of Facebook’s privacy scandals, Portal must be near perfect. Without the native apps for popular video providers like Netflix and Hulu, consistent voice recognition, and more unique features missing from competing smart displays, the fear of Facebook’s surveillance may be outweighing people’s love for shiny new gadgets.
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Jack Dorsey and Twitter ignored opportunity to meet with civic group on Myanmar issues
Responding to criticism from his recent trip to Myanmar, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey said he’s keen to learn about the country’s racial tension and human rights atrocities, but it has emerged that both he and Twitter’s public policy team ignored an opportunity to connect with a key civic group in the country.
A loose group of six companies in Myanmar has engaged with Facebook in a bid to help improve the situation around usage of its services in the country — often with frustrating results — and key members of that alliance, including Omidyar-backed accelerator firm Phandeeyar, contacted Dorsey via Twitter DM and emailed the company’s public policy contacts when they learned that the CEO was visiting Myanmar.
The plan was to arrange a forum to discuss the social media concerns in Myanmar to help Dorsey gain an understanding of life on the ground in one of the world’s fastest-growing internet markets.
“The Myanmar tech community was all excited, and wondering where he was going,” Jes Kaliebe Petersen, the Phandeeyar CEO, told TechCrunch in an interview. “We wondered: ‘Can we get him in a room, maybe at a public event, and talk about technology in Myanmar or social media, whatever he is happy with?'”
The DMs went unread. In a response to the email, a Twitter staff member told the group that Dorsey was visiting the country strictly on personal time with no plans for business. The Myanmar-based group responded with an offer to set up a remote, phone-based briefing for Twitter’s public policy team with the ultimate goal of getting information to Dorsey and key executives, but that email went unanswered.
When we contacted Twitter, a spokesperson initially pointed us to a tweet from Dorsey in which he said: “I had no conversations with the government or NGOs during my trip.”
However, within two hours of our inquiry, a member of Twitter’s team responded to the group’s email in an effort to restart the conversation and set up a phone meeting in January.
“We’ve been in discussions with the group prior to your outreach,” a Twitter spokesperson told TechCrunch in a subsequent email exchange.
That statement is incorrect.
Still, on the bright side, it appears that the group may get an opportunity to brief Twitter on its concerns on social media usage in the country after all.
The micro-blogging service isn’t as well-used in Myanmar as Facebook, which has some 20 million monthly users and is practically the de facto internet, but there have been concerns in Myanmar. For one thing, there was been the development of a somewhat sinister bot army in Myanmar and other parts of Southeast Asia, while it remains a key platform for influencers and thought-leaders.
“[Dorsey is] the head of a social media company and, given the massive issues here in Myanmar, I think it’s irresponsible of him to not address that,” Petersen told TechCrunch.
“Twitter isn’t as widely used as Facebook but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have concerns happening with it,” he added. “As we’d tell Facebook or any large tech company with a prominent presence in Myanmar, it’s important to spend time on the ground like they’d do in any other market where they have a substantial presence.”
The UN has concluded that Facebook plays a “determining” role in accelerating ethnic violence in Myanmar. While Facebook has tried to address the issues, it hasn’t committed to opening an office in the country and it released a key report on the situation on the eve of the U.S. mid-term elections, a strategy that appeared designed to deflect attention from the findings. All of which suggests that it isn’t really serious about Myanmar.
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This $11 Course Helps You Master Microsoft Excel
From engineering to finance, there are countless jobs that involve working with spreadsheets, formulae and charts. Yet how many of us have really mastered these number-crunching skills? Microsoft Excel from Beginner to Advanced is a four-part course that brings you up to speed. Through 15 hours of tutorials, you learn the software inside out and earn certification. You can get the course now for $10.99 via MakeUseOf Deals.
In-Depth Training
For most people, Microsoft Excel is the spreadsheet software. It’s an app you open when you need to check the company rota or add up a few bills. But Excel is capable of so much more.
This training helps you unlock the full power of Excel and gain useful professional skills. The videos start from scratch, so you don’t need any previous experience — but you will find yourself making quick progress.
Along the way, you discover how to analyze large data sets and create effective visualizations. The training also shows you how to create and format spreadsheets, build dynamic reports using PivotTables, and automate daily tasks using macros and VBA.
These skills are vital if you plan to work in finance, sales, marketing, or science — although they will make any résumé stand out. To prove your knowledge, you can claim a certificate of completion at the end of this course.
15 Hours for $10.99
It’s worth $149.99, but you can grab this Excel training now for just $10.99 — and you can use code MERRY15 for an extra 15% off.
Read the full article: This $11 Course Helps You Master Microsoft Excel
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You Can Now Donate to Charity Through Google Play
Android users can now donate to a charitable organization using Google Play. This is the first time Google has offered users the chance to donate to charity through Google Play, and it has partnered with 10 worthy causes to kick things off.
Many of us donate to charity all year round, but the holidays give everyone an excuse to try a little harder. Google has stepped up to the plate by offering its platform as a way for generous donors to do their bit. And it makes the process easier than ever.
Google Play Is Feeling Charitable
In a blog post on The Keyword, Google says this is “in celebration of the holiday giving season”. It continues, “Making a donation on Google Play is quick, easy and 100% of your contributions go directly to the nonprofits you choose.”
The participating charities are the American Red Cross, charity: water, Doctors Without Borders USA, Girls Who Code, The International Rescue Committee, Room to Read, Save the Children, UNICEF, the World Food Program USA, and the World Wildlife Fund US.
Thanks to a new update from the @Google Play store, #TeamAndroid users can easily donate to their favorite charities, including World Food Program USA. #TechForGood #GiveBack https://t.co/izFz08MIum
— World Food Program USA (@WFPUSA) December 13, 2018
Donating is simple. On your Android device either go to play.google.com/donate or open the Play Store app and scroll down until you see the option to donate to the charity of your choice. You can donate using the funding method you have on file.
The option to donate money to charity through Google Play is available in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Germany, Great Britain, France, Spain, Italy, Taiwan, and Indonesia. The feature should show up on the Google Play app over the next few days.
Other Ways to Give Money to Charity
This is a good effort from Google, as it should encourage people who don’t normally give to charity to donate what they can. However, we hope this feature remains part of Google Play beyond the holidays, and that more nonprofits are invited to take part.
Thankfully there are plenty of other ways to donate to charity. We have previously written about online Christmas charities to donate to, apps and websites that can help you donate to charity, and some unusual ways to donate to charitable organizations.
Read the full article: You Can Now Donate to Charity Through Google Play
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Amazon Starts Selling the Google Chromecast Again
You can now buy a Google Chromecast from Amazon again. And while this may not seem very newsworthy, it’s the first sign of a thawing in the frosty relationship between Google and Amazon. Which could lead to better days for us poor consumers.
The Amazon and Google Tit-For-Tat
Amazon and Google haven’t been on each other’s Christmas card lists for years now. It all started in 2015 when Amazon pulled the Chromecast from its website. The reason being the Google Chromecast didn’t (and still doesn’t) support Amazon Prime Video.
In retaliation, Google blocked YouTube from working on Amazon’s Echo Show and Fire TV devices. And so two great tech companies have essentially been involved in a childish tit-for-tat. And the losers on both sides are, as usual, the consumers.
Amazon Tries to Win Google Over
Now, however, there’s the first sign that the two companies are willing to put their differences aside. Because Amazon is now selling the 3rd-generation Chromecast and Chromecast Ultra once more. Hell, they’re even available for Prime shipping.
The catch is that Amazon Prime Video still isn’t available on the Chromecast. However, with Amazon having made the first move, perhaps an official app won’t be far behind. In the meantime there are a couple of ways to watch Prime Video using a Chromecast.
Consumers Should Be All That Matter
This is a positive move on Amazon’s part. However, it means very little unless Google reciprocates. Especially as the Chromecast is readily available from a number of other retailers, both online and offline. Including the Google Store.
What both companies need to realize is that the happiness of consumers should be all that matters. Which means selling the Chromecast on Amazon, having Prime Video working on the Chromecast, and having YouTube working on the Echo Show and Fire TV.
Read the full article: Amazon Starts Selling the Google Chromecast Again
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Google Maps now shows nearby Lime bikes and scooters in 13 cities
Google has partnered with Lime to show nearby bikes and scooters in 13 cities worldwide. If there’s a Lime vehicle available nearby, Google Maps will show you how long it will take to get to the vehicle, the estimated price of the ride and total journey time.
Similar to the Uber integration in Google Maps, tapping on Lime will open the Lime app. If you don’t have it installed, you’ll be directed to the Apple App or Google Play store.
This is now live in Auckland, New Zealand, Austin, Texas, Baltimore, Md., Brisbane, Australia, Dallas, Texas, Indianapolis, Ind., Los Angeles, Calif., San Diego, Calif., Oakland, Calif., San Jose, Calif., San Antonio, Texas, Scottsdale, Ariz. and Seattle, Wash. Google says additional cities are in the works.
In September, Lime hit 11.5 million bike and scooter rides after just 14 months in operation. Lime has raised $467 million in funding to date, with its most recent round coming in at $335 million. The round, led by GV, included participation from Uber.
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What Can You Buy With an Apple or iTunes Gift Card?
Snagged an Apple Store, iTunes, or Apple Music gift card? You might wonder exactly what you can buy with it.
It all depends on which gift card you’ve received. The good news is that Apple credit is often versatile and thus you can use it for all sorts of purchases, from apps and music to subscriptions and accessories.
Here’s a guide to what you can spend each gift card on. We also have a few recommendations for items you might want to pick up.
Which Apple Gift Card Do You Have?
There are three types of gift cards sold by Apple: iTunes, Apple Music, and Apple Store. These cards are only valid for redemption in the same country they were purchased in. So a US gift card will only work on the US iTunes Store, in a US retail location, or an online outlet.
You can use an iTunes gift card only for buying software, music, and other similar downloadable products. Think of it as credit for virtual products. iTunes gift cards credit the iTunes account associated with your Apple ID, and can be used for in-app purchases.
Apple Music gift cards are only valid to redeem an Apple Music subscription. These cards come in three and 12-month flavors. When the gift card runs out, your account will be charged as normal unless you turn off auto-renewal in your Apple Music settings.
An Apple Store gift card is only good on Apple’s website, over the phone, or in a physical retail location. You can redeem one for any purchase in-store, whether it’s Apple hardware, a third-party accessory, or boxed software. You can use it online or over the phone via the code on the back.
What Can You Buy With Apple Store Gift Cards?
You don’t need to “redeem” an Apple Store gift card—just spend it at a store like cash. Unless specified, there’s no expiry date on an Apple Store gift card.
Here are a few ideas for spending your store credit.
A New iPhone, iPad, or Mac
Even if your gift card doesn’t cover the cost of a new Apple gadget, you can use the balance towards any purchase. That means a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or other pricey Apple product will be cheaper if you use your Apple Store credit.
The iPhone XS and XS Max offer a performance leap over last year’s model. A new MacBook Pro is expensive, but a gift card can help make the price less eye-watering. You can also pick up the AirPods and Beats X wireless headphones at your local Apple Store.
If you’ve been considering a big purchase for a while, an Apple Store gift card might be the perfect excuse to go ahead with it.
Get an Apple Watch
The latest Apple watch is available in Wi-Fi and cellular versions, depending on your budget. Having Siri on your wrist is super-useful, and built-in GPS lets you track physical activity and workouts. Despite this, many are unsure when to pull the trigger and buy one.
Starting at $399, the Apple Watch Series 4 isn’t cheap. But it might not seem so expensive if you’ve got a nice discount courtesy of an Apple Store gift card. Maybe you’ve already got an Apple Watch, and want to buy a new band to replace your old one? You can use your gift card for that too.
If you’re on the fence, check out our Apple Watch Series 4 review.
Consider an Apple TV 4K
Looking for a media streamer, set-top box, or way to watch content from your iOS or macOS devices on your TV? Maybe you want to use AirPlay to send music to your digital receiver?
The latest Apple TV unit is 4K-ready, and so are many of your existing iTunes purchases. If you have a 4K TV, why not accessorize?
Starting at $179 for the 32GB model (which is plenty for most users), a new Apple TV is a great addition to your living room.
Or Buy Accessories
Apple stocks its stores not only with iPhones and Macs, but many first and third-party accessories too. This includes audio accessories like the Beats Studio3 wireless headphones and Bose SoundLink Micro speaker. You’ll also find also useful Mac accessories like the Magic TrackPad 2 and fancy MacBook stands.
Also for sale are game controllers like the SteelSeries Nimbus and PXN Speedy, which work with iOS, macOS, and tvOS (Apple TV) devices.
Other cheaper purchases include a huge selection of iPhone cases, rugged charger cables, flash drives designed specifically for iOS devices, USB battery chargers, and more.
Also Consider: AppleCare
If you recently received a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or similarly valuable piece of hardware, you can visit an Apple Store or go online and enroll in AppleCare. Best of all, you can use your gift card towards the purchase.
While the exact policy and price differ depending on the device you buy it for, it’s a pretty worthwhile investment—particularly for iPhone owners.
What Can You Buy With iTunes Gift Cards?
To use an iTunes Gift card, you’ll first need to redeem it. Once you’ve redeemed the credit, it’s added to your iTunes account and can’t be transferred.
Any purchases you make will subtract from that balance. You can redeem iTunes credit using an iOS device, or via iTunes on a Mac or PC.
Redeem on an iPhone or iPad:
- Launch the App Store.
- Tap on your user icon in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Tap Redeem Gift Card or Code to redeem by scanning the barcode or entering your code manually.
Redeem via iTunes for Mac or Windows:
- Launch iTunes and choose Music, Apps, or Films from the dropdown in the top-left.
- Click on the Store tab and scroll to the bottom of the page.
- Under the Manage heading, click Redeem.
Buy iOS or tvOS Apps and Games
Perhaps the most common use for iTunes credit these days is to buy mobile apps and games. Considering the relatively low cost of items on the App Store, your credit will likely last you a while. As previously mentioned, you can make in-app purchases using iTunes credit too.
Looking for some fun games to buy?
- Hitman Sniper ($1) provides one of the best sniping experiences on iOS, complete with 150 missions to tackle.
- 2017’s Monument Valley 2 ($5) is still worth playing for its soothing illusionary puzzles.
- Million Onion Hotel ($4) is a frantic spin on the whack-a-mole theme, and it’s absolutely worth your time.
You may also want to use your credit to grab some genuinely useful apps.
- CARROT Weather ($5) is a hyper-local weather forecast bot that’s built on Easter eggs and snark.
- Tweetbot 5 ($5) is the best Twitter app you can buy.
- The original Facetune ($4) is an awesome app to tweak your selfies.
Buy Mac Apps and Games
iTunes credit also works on the Mac App Store. The apps you’ll find there are quite a bit more expensive than their mobile counterparts. But as they are more powerful, you can get real work done.
You might be able to get a nice discount on Apple’s pro-level video editor Final Cut Pro ($300) to bring it within your price range. If you’re looking for a good image editor but don’t fancy Adobe’s subscription model, Affinity Photo ($50) is modestly priced and sufficiently powerful.
We usually recommend you avoid buying games from the Mac App Store, but the selection has certainly grown over the last year or two.
Apple’s Mac game of the year is a moving puzzler with an excellent score called The Gardens Between ($15). Also worth your time is Mini Metro ($10), a fun strategy puzzler about managing public transportation infrastructure. The legendary Civilization VI ($60) is a good pick for strategy fans.
Music, Movies, and TV
You can also buy media on iTunes, which is all the service sold when it was established. It’s easy to buy albums from your favorite artists, or even use your iTunes credit towards an Apple Music subscription (just be aware of the automatic payments when the credit expires).
If you prefer, you can also buy or rent movies and TV programs; the latter is much cheaper. Once you’ve redeemed an iTunes gift card, you can also use it to buy content via your Apple TV.
Don’t Forget Books
If you use your iPhone or iPad as an e-reader, you can also use iTunes credit in the Apple Books store on either a mobile device or Mac computer. That includes graphic novels, nonfiction, and interactive books, but not necessarily audiobooks. (You can find those in the regular iTunes store, alongside music and TV.)
Spend Your Apple Credit Wisely
iTunes credit is one of the many ways to give the gift of entertainment, while an Apple Store gift card can bring an expensive new gadget within reach of your budget. The best aspect of Apple’s credit is that it’s so versatile. If you want to buy a few iPhone apps, rent a movie, and start an Apple Music subscription, go for it.
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The Most Downvoted Reddit Comments of All Time
If you follow the right subs, Reddit can be a wonderful place to hang out. Occasionally, however, a comment comes along that really irks the community.
A gamers’ rebellion, divisive political views, and internal subreddit dramas… Welcome to the most downvoted Reddit comments of all time.
15. /r/IAmA Employee Drama: -4,927 Points
In 2015, Reddit fired its internal Ask Me Anything (AmA) coordinator, Victoria Taylor. Taylor was widely credited with keeping the AmA format alive. Her controversial dismissal raised serious questions about Reddit’s relationship with its mods.
Dozens of high-profile subreddits, including /r/IAmA, /r/AskReddit, /r/gaming, /r/movies, /r/music, /r/videos, and /r/funny, “went private” in protest.
Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian (u/kn0thing), was downvoted nearly 5,000 times for his flippant response to the crisis.
14. Valve CEO in Paid Mod Storm: -5,157 Points
Valve added paid mods to its Steam Workshop in 2015. The idea was to reward mod creators for their work, but players were aghast that one of the fundamental pillars of PC gaming was suddenly behind a paywall.
The company’s CEO, Gabe Newell, did little to diffuse the situation when he appeared to suggest modders had always been driven by money.
Not long after the Reddit incident, Steam reversed its decision.
13. Copyrighting Reaction Videos: -5,891 Points
The Fine brothers run the Fine Bros Entertainment (FBE) YouTube channel. The channel’s most popular content is its award-winning REACT series.
In 2016, the brothers tried to license and trademark the REACT series. The community wasn’t impressed.
Benny and Rafi took to Reddit in an attempt to quell the anger. It didn’t go well, especially after it emerged they had filed a trademark for the word “React.”
12. A Mod Trolls /r/MildyInfuriating: – 6,058 Points
There’s not much backstory to this one. A mod on /r/MildlyInfuriating bizarrely trolled an unrelated post about YouTube deleting a user’s playlist without warning.
In our opinion, it’s a low effort trolling attempt. Nonetheless, it still racked up 6,076 downvotes.
11. Cat Brigading: -6,162 Points
“Brigading” refers to a Reddit phenomenon whereby users flood a post with upvotes or downvotes in order to skew a subreddit’s metrics. Typically, the voters are not part of the community in which the brigading takes place.
This is the first example of brigading on our list. The word “Cat” was downvoted 6,162 times. To rub salt into the wound, identical responses below picked up hundreds of upvotes.
10. /r/IAmA Employee Drama, Round Two: -7,264 Points
It’s a testament to the size of the Victoria Taylor sacking scandal that it provides the backdrop for another of the top 15 most downvoted Reddit comments ever.
This time it’s a post from Ellen Pao (u/ekjp) that falls under the spotlight. The divisive Pao had been CEO of Reddit for eight months at the time of the incident. Many believed her to be responsible for forcing Taylor out.
On 6th July 2015, she issued a half-baked apology on /r/sysadmin. A petition for her removal as CEO reached 200,000 signatures. Four days later, she was out of a job.
9. Permitting /r/The_Donald: -7,119 Points
Anyone who uses Reddit will be familiar with /r/The_Donald. The subreddit, which claims to be a forum for Trump supporters, allegedly promotes racism, hate speech, and other undesirable topics.
Many people have called for the subreddit to be shut down and banned, just like subs which have promoted similar content in the past.
However, Reddit’s management team has refused to budge. When Steve Huffman (u/spez) claimed that The_Donald’s declining engagement was more powerful than an outright ban, users castigated him.
8. “F***ing F****t”: -7,534 Points
This one’s not very pleasant, so we won’t dwell on it. Suffice to say that one /r/Atheist user wasn’t too impressed with a Christian pupil trying to get his teacher fired.
On a more interesting note, this is the oldest post on the list. It was made nine years ago.
7. A Mod Kills the Bad Luck Brian AMA: -8,905 Points
Bad Luck Brian—real name Kyle Craven—is an internet celebrity famous for his goofy yearbook photo.
You all know the photo:
The photo was posted on Reddit for the first time in 2012. Later that same year, Craven appeared on /r/IAmA to do a Q&A session about his new-found stardom.
One mod took exception and banned the post, blaming vague subreddit rules. People weren’t happy.
6. /r/IAmA Employee Drama, Round Three: – 10,526 Points
You thought you’d heard the last of the Victoria Taylor drama, didn’t you?
Alexis Ohanian makes a second entry on the list with the first comment to earn a five-digit number of downvotes.
In the midst of the growing crisis, one user asked the co-founder how he’d expected subreddits to react to the news of the Taylor sacking. It wasn’t an unreasonable question.
Ohanian’s response? “Popcorn tastes good.” Not a smart move, especially considering it was in exactly the same thread as his previous submission.
5. CEO Steve Huffman Edits Users’ Comments: -11,531 Points
Another Reddit CEO, another headline-generating controversy.
In 2016, Huffman admitted to editing Reddit users’ comments on /r/The_Donald. After a slew of negative and personally insulting messages on the controversial subreddit, Huffman replaced references to his username with references to the subreddit’s mod team.
His apology post on /r/announcements explained his reasoning, but his confession on /r/The_Donald was not well received.
4. Jill Stein vs. Nuclear Energy: -11,989 Points
Jill Stein is a qualified physician, but is more widely known as the face of the Green Party in the U.S. She ran for president in both 2012 and 2016.
In the build-up to the 2016 vote, she hosted an AMA event in a bid to connect with more voters.
One user asked about her on-the-record opposition to nuclear power. Stein argued it was dirty, dangerous, and obsolete.
A few experts quickly jumped on her claims, deconstructing them in a brutally analytical way.
3. League of Legends Death Wish: -18,910 Points
With two million subscribers, the League of Legends subreddit is an active place.
The community’s biggest controversy began on the League of Legends Discord server in October 2017. A staff member lashed out at a pro gamer, saying “Honestly… It’s fine, he [tyler1] will die from a coke overdose or testicular cancer from all the steroids… then we’ll be Gucci”.
Unsurprisingly, the community wasn’t impressed, and the staff member made matters worse with his initial response to the growing furor. The downvotes subsequently flowed.
2. Ask, and You Shall Receive: -23,395 Points
The League of Legends incident never held the number one spot; less than a month previously, this comment on /r/me_irl took the title.
Sadly, the backstory isn’t great for such a high-profile post—u/96Phoenix simply asked for downvotes. Some people enjoy that kind of thing.
1. EA’s Star Wars Battlefront II Backlash: -667,820 Points
No, that’s not a typo. The number one post has more than five times as many downvotes as other 14 entrants combined.
The reason? Disgust at EA’s decision to lock Luke and Vader behind 40 hours of game time in Star Wars: Battlefront II. If you wanted to unlock them sooner, you had to get your wallet out—despite the Deluxe version of the game costing $80.
EA argued the move was designed to provide “a sense of pride and accomplishment for unlocking different heroes.” Users were quick to disagree, insisting the entire debacle was driven by greed.
The news made headlines around the world; EA’s stock value dropped by $3 billion. And everybody hated EA for Star Wars: Battlefront II.
The company had no choice but to relent. It dropped the price of Vader and Luke by 75 percent. In March 2018, all heroes were made available to all users.
More Top Lists to Enjoy
So, there you have it, folks—a sorry tale of corporate greed, incapable CEOs, community in-fighting, and plain old stupidity.
For more cool countdowns, check out our list of the most popular artists on Spotify and the most-watched videos on YouTube.
Read the full article: The Most Downvoted Reddit Comments of All Time
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