The Blender 2.8 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Windows

Blender is one of the best free 3D modeling programs available for anyone who wants to create computer graphics. It’s polished and powerful, going so far as to outshine quite a few paid alternatives.

If you use this highly recommended piece of open-source software for 3D modeling, texturing, animation, and more on your Windows PC, why not give your workflow a leg-up by becoming familiar with the most useful Blender keyboard shortcuts? You can discover them in our cheat sheet below.

We have grouped the shortcuts into logical sections like Navigation, Modeling, Rigging, Animation, Rendering, and so on to make it easy to find specific shortcuts.

Keep in mind that keyboard shortcuts vary from one Blender version to another. The ones below are applicable to version 2.8 of Blender on Windows.

FREE DOWNLOAD: This cheat sheet is available as a downloadable PDF from our distribution partner, TradePub. You will have to complete a short form to access it for the first time only. Download Blender 2.8 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Windows.

Blender 2.8 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Windows

Shortcut	Action
Basics
Shift + A	Add object/node
X OR Delete	Delete
F3	Search for function
G	Move
S	Scale
R	Rotate
R + X/Y/Z	Rotate along global axis
R + XX/YY/ZZ	Rotate along local axis
Double press R	Free rotate with trackball
Shift (hold)	Precise movement
Ctrl (hold)	Incremental movement
Shift + D	Duplicate
Alt + D	Duplicate linked
H	Hide
Alt + H	Unhide all
Shift + H	Hide all except selected
D (hold) + ¹LMB (drag)	Annotate
D (hold) + ¹RMB (drag)	Erase annotation
Q	Quick favorites
Window Shortcuts
T	Toolbar
N	Properties bar
Ctrl + Space	Maximize area (but keep toolbar)
Ctrl + Alt + Space	Fullscreen area
Ctrl + Alt + Q	Quad view
Alt + Z	Toggle X-Ray view
NumPad 7	Top view
NumPad 1	Front view
NumPad 3	Right view
Ctrl + NumPad 3	Left view
NumPad ,	Center selected
Shift + ^	Walk navigation
Change Windows
Shift + F2	Movie Clip
Shift + F3	Nodes
Shift + F4	Python Console
Shift + F5	3D Viewport
Shift + F6	Graph
Shift + F7	Properties
Shift + F8	Video Sequencer
Shift + F9	Outliner
Shift + F10	UV/Image
Shift + F11	Text
Shift + F12	Dope Sheet
General Selections
¹LMB	Select
A	Select all
Alt + A OR Double press A	Deselect all
B OR ¹LMB (drag)	Marquee box select
C	Circle select
Ctrl + ¹RMB	Lasso select
Ctrl + i	Invert selection
Shift + L	Select linked
Shift + G	Select similar
Alt + ¹LMB	Select from many
Navigation
¹MMB	Orbit
Shift + ¹MMB	Pan
Scroll OR Ctrl + ¹MMB	Zoom in/out
Shift + ~	Fly
Object Mode
Ctrl + Tab	Open pie menu
Tab	Edit OR Object mode toggle
Ctrl + M then X/Y/Z (OR ¹MMB(drag)	Mirror
Ctrl + P	Set parent (last selected)
Alt + P	Clear parent
Shift + Tab	Toggle snapping
Alt + G	Reset position
Alt + R	Reset rotation
Alt + S	Reset scale
Ctrl + A	Apply location / scale / rotation
Ctrl + J	Join selected objects
Ctrl + L	Copy attributes to new objects
Ctrl + 0/1/2/3/4/5	Add subdivision level
Alt + B	Mask view to region OR Clear mask
Shift + C	Center 3D cursor
M	Move active object to collection
Ctrl + Alt + NumPad 0	Move active camera to view
Ctrl + NumPad 0	Set as active camera
Selection in Edit Mode
Ctrl + L	Select connected mesh
L	Select connected mesh under cursor
Alt + ¹LMB	Select edge loop
Ctrl + Alt + ¹RMB	Select edge ring
1	Vertex select mode
2	Edge select mode
3	Face select mode
Ctrl + Shift + M	Mirror current selection
Ctrl +/-	Grow/Shrink image
Ctrl + E	Edge crease
Curve Editing
E OR Ctrl + ¹RMB	Add new handle
V	Change handle type
Ctrl + X	Delete but maintain connection
Alt + C	Close curve
Ctrl + T	Tilt
Alt + T	Clear tilt
Modeling
E	Extrude
i	Inset
Ctrl + B	Bevel
Ctrl + Shift + B	Bevel vertices
Ctrl + R	Loopcut
G,G	Vertex/Edge Slide
K	Knife
F	Fill face
Ctrl + Shift + Alt + S	Shear
Shift + W	Bend
Y	Split
V	Rip
Alt + V	Rip fill
Alt + M	Merge
Shift + N	Recalculate normals
Ctrl + Shift + N	Invert normals
O	Proportional editing on/off
Shift + O	Proportional falloff type
P	Separate to new object
Texturing
U	Unwrap
Ctrl + E	Mark seam
UV Editor
L (under cursor) OR Ctrl + L	Select island
V	Stitch
Shift + W	Weld
P	Pin
Alt + P	Unpin
Shift + P	Select pinned
Image Editor
N	Properties, Scopes, Slots and Metadata
1 (NumPad)	View at 100%
Shift + Home	View to fit
J	Next render slot
Alt + J	Previous render slot
1-8	Select render slot
Alt + S	Save image
Shift + S	Save image as
Image Editor (Paint)
Alt + N	Create new blank image
Alt + O	Open image
N	Brush properties
F	Brush size
Shift + F	Brush strength
S	Sample color
X	Flip brush colors
Nodes
Ctrl + ¹RMB (drag)	Cut connection
F	Connect selected
N	Properties
Ctrl + X	Delete selected but maintain connection
Ctrl + Shift + D	Duplicate selected and maintain connection
M	Mute selected
Ctrl + G	Group selected
Ctrl + Alt + G	Ungroup selected
Tab	Enter/Exit group (Toggle)
Ctrl + J	Frame selected nodes
Ctrl + H	Show/Hide inactive nodes
Compositor
Alt + ¹MMB	Move backdrop
V / Alt + V	Zoom backdrop
N	Properties and performance
Sculpting
Shift + Space	Brush image
F	Brush size
Shift + F	Brush strength
Ctrl + F	Brush angle
R	Angle control
E	Stroke control
B	Mask (box)
M	Mask (brush)
Alt + M	Clear mask
Ctrl + i	Invert mask
H	Hide (box)
Rendering
F12	Render
Ctrl + F12	Render animation
Ctrl + F11	Playback rendered animation
Ctrl + B	Set render region
Ctrl + Alt + B	Reset render region
Animation (General)
Space	Play/Pause playback
Ctrl + Shift + Space	Reverse play
Alt + Scroll	Scroll through frames
Left/Right Arrow	Next/Previous frame
Shift + Left/Right Arrow	First/Last frame
Up/Down Arrow	Jump to keyframe
I	Add keyframe
Alt + i	Delete keyframe
Animation (Dopesheet)
Ctrl + Tab	Toggle Dopesheet
Ctrl + T	Toggle frames/seconds
Home OR NumPad .	Zoom to fit active keyframes
T	Set keyframe interpolation
V	Set keyframe handle type
Shift + E	Set keyframe extrapolation
Ctrl + M	Mirror keyframes
P then ¹LMB (drag)	Set preview range
Ctrl + Alt + P	Auto set preview range
Alt + P	Clear preview
M	Marker
Ctrl + M	Rename marker
Ctrl + B	Bind selected camera to selected marker
[ / ]	Select keyframes before/after current frame
Ctrl + K	Select all keyframes on current frame
Graph Editor
Ctrl + ¹RMB	Add keyframe at cursor
N	Properties and modifiers
Tab	Lock selected channel
Rigging (Armatures)
E	Add new bone
Shift + D	Duplicate bone
Shift + W	Bone settings
Ctrl + R	Roll
Alt + R	Clear roll
Shift + N	Recalculate roll
Ctrl + Alt + A	Align bone
Alt + F	Switch bone direction
Alt + M	Merge bones
Ctrl + X	Dissolve bones
Y	Split
P	Separate
] and [	Scroll hierarchy
Posing Mode
i	Add keyframe
Alt + G	Clear location
Alt + R	Clear rotation
Alt + S	Clear scale
Ctrl + A	Apply pose
Alt + P	Propagate pose
Ctrl + E	Push pose from breakdown
Alt + E	Relax pose to breakdown
Shift + E	Pose Breakdowner tool
Ctrl + C	Copy pose
¹LMB = Left Mouse Button MMB = Middle Mouse Button RMB = Right Mouse Button

Beyond 3D Modeling

Blender is used to create animated films, computer games, interactive apps, and more. With a combination of models created Blender and 3D printing techniques, you can even create exciting new objects right at home!

And did you know that Blender also doubles up as a video editor?

Read the full article: The Blender 2.8 Keyboard Shortcuts Cheat Sheet for Windows

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How to Switch Back to Classic Gmail If You Hate the Redesign

Do you want to go back to the old Gmail? While the new Gmail interface has many fans, you might consider an alternative design. Why? If you look around, you can see others take issue with the user interface, space allocation, fonts, and more.

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If you’ve never considered its design before or used classic Gmail, you might find yourself curious about trying it. Rather than simply settle for the basic functions because it’s there, you can experiment with it and decide if it makes you more productive.

While Google no longer allows a classic Gmail revert from within, here’s how to almost go back to classic Gmail.

How to Go Back to Classic Gmail

For anyone wanting to try Gmail’s classic view in comparison to the new Gmail interface, two routes exist.

You can either modify Gmail’s appearance or use extensions to emulate the classic view. Do note that both options function as workarounds, so you won’t ever get an official Gmail classic view.

With that in mind, the CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) extensions do an amazing job of replicating the past visual design. These serve as a great first stop without losing the full functionality of the new Gmail.

Use Extensions to Display Gmail’s Classic View

For those willing to try a small extension, your browser can help bring back the old Gmail feel. Right now, two extensions stand above the rest in terms of styling.

Each has slightly different installation routes, but both are pretty straightforward.

1. Agile Inbox’s Gmail Classic Theme

When it comes to looking for a useful workaround, you want it to be worth your time. Agile Inbox’s theme replicates ninety-percent of the classic Gmail interface. It’s a tiny, free download that helps bring back the readability, contrast, buttons, and menu style of the past version.

The only downside to this theme is its limited support. The theme only works with Google Chrome at this time. Still, if this doesn’t hinder you, the installation takes just a moment.

If you have any problems, just refresh your Gmail after downloading it. You can easily tell that the change back to classic Gmail has occurred if you’re using any labels as well.

Download: Gmail Classic/Old Theme by Agile Inbox (Free)

2. Andrew Powell’s Gmail Classic Theme (Google Chrome)

If you’re looking for a very straightforward return to classic Gmail, Andrew Powell’s theme does just that. On Google Chrome, you can simply download the extension and install it.

If you don’t see a change, refresh to make sure the changes have taken effect.

Download: Gmail Classic Theme (Free)

Andrew Powell’s Gmail Classic Theme (Mozilla Firefox and Opera)

The biggest advantage of Powell’s open-source code is that you can use it on other browsers too and go back to the old Gmail look. While no direct instructions for Safari, Edge, or Internet Explorer exist, Firefox and Opera users can alter the CSS with the Stylus extension that lets you tweak userstyles.

Simply follow the steps below to get the old Gmail running on your browser:

1. Download and install Stylus for Firefox or Opera.
2. On your browser’s toolbar, press the Stylus button.
3. Press the Manage button.
4. Under Filters, press Write new style.
5. At the top, you’ll see Enter a name in a red textbox. Type in Gmail Classic.
6. To the right, you’ll see an area called Code 1. You’ll copy the code from gmail.css.
7. Click line 1 and hold down the Shift key. While holding the Shift key, scroll down to line 568 and click again to select the rest.
8. Three dots will appear in a box next to line 1. Click it and press Copy line. You can also copy using your typical keyboard shortcuts.
9. Return to the Code 1 text area and paste the gmail.css contents.
10. Beneath the text area, press the + button next to Applies to Everything.
11. In the drop-down menu, select URLs on the domain.
12. Enter mail.google.com in the text box.
13. In the top left, press Save.
14. Try using your classic Gmail view!

Unlike the Google Chrome extensions, your Gmail shouldn’t require any potential refreshes. If you need to disable the style later, press the Stylus button and click the Turn all styles off checkbox. If you have more than one style on Stylus, you can select Manage and manually uncheck the Gmail Classic style.

How to Go Back to Classic Gmail Without Extensions

If you don’t want to use extensions, you can tweak the new Gmail interface to resemble the old Gmail. As a manual workaround, it serves as a trade-off for those with too many add-ons already.

Change Display Density

One of the biggest reoccurring complaints about the new Gmail interface involves email spacing. If you’re dealing with many emails at a time, you can remove excess spacing to keep more emails on screen.

To change the spacing of Gmail’s new interface, do the following:

1. Open Gmail.com in any browser.
2. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Display density.
4. Choose Comfortable or Compact.
5. Click OK.

Disable Hover Actions

To save screen space, you can disable archive, delete, mark as read, and snooze commands when hovering over emails. You can turn this option on or off via Gmail’s settings:

1. Open Gmail.com in any browser.
2. Click the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Select Settings.
4. Under the General tab, scroll down to Hover actions.
5. Choose Disable hover actions.
6. Scroll down and click Save Changes.
7. Gmail will reload, and the commands will disappear.

After the two changes, you can see a decent space difference. If you still have reservations, you might also want to consider fixing common Gmail annoyances with free extensions and apps.

Going Back to Old Gmail: Is It Worth It?

Whether you prefer classic Gmail or the new interface, these options allow you to adjust and try different visual styles. Rather than choose one option, consider these extensions and tweaks for the kind of work you do in your inbox. While Google clearly felt its old Gmail variant had to go, nothing truly leaves the internet forever.

If you want options to improve your Gmail experience, make sure you’re using these powerful new Gmail features right now.

Read the full article: How to Switch Back to Classic Gmail If You Hate the Redesign

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China nears completion of its GPS competitor, increasing the potential for Internet balkanization

On Friday, China announced that it would complete its competitor to the U.S.-operated global positioning system network by the first half of next year, increasing the pace of its decoupling from U.S. technologies.

China’s Beidou network of satellites — named after the “Big Dipper” constellation — will be the first service to compete with the U.S. Air Force’s global positioning system and already has a potentially massive user base since over 70% of Chinese smartphones are now ready to use its positioning services, according to a report in the Nikkei Asian Review.

The Beidou network is integral to China’s longterm plans to dominate the next generation of telecommunications services and — coupled with China’s advances in fifth-generation wireless communications technology — represents as significant challenge to the U.S. hegemony over telecommunications infrastructure.

China plans to launch the final two satellites needed to make the Beidou system operational by June 2020, according to a statement from the project’s director, Ran Chengqi quoted by The Associated Press.

Envisioning a system where China’s global positioning system and fifth generation wireless networking technologies work in tandem, China could command a lion’s share of the market for new telecommunications services.

A test of how these technologies could work in tandem is being developed in Wuhan, where both 5G and Beidou’s mapping technologies will be used to create an autonomous vehicle testbed on a 28 kilometer stretch of road.

Beidou already has 120 partners signed up to work with the service — all linked to agreements made under China’s expanding Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, according to Nikkei.

Chinese smartphone manufacturers accounted for over 40% of sales worldwide as of the second quarter of 2019, the latest data from Counterpoint Research shows.

China’s GPS href="https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-45471959"> rolled out in phases beginning with a domestic service launched in 2000 and a regional service for Asia Pacific coming online in 2012.

By 2020 the nation’s network of 35 satellites will exceed the U.S. system that’s currently in place.

“There is certainly an aspect of this that is about expanding influence, but part of it is likely also about economic security,” Alexandra Stickings, from the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies, told the BBC last year. “The main advantage of having your own system is security of access, in the sense that you are not relying on another country to provide it. The US could deny users access over certain areas, for example in times of conflict.”

Space is an area of strategic importance for the Chinese government. The country has already achieved significant milestones including quantum communications powered by its space capabilities and the first human exploration of the far side of the moon. And current plans are in place for China to send a probe to Mars in 2020 as it prepares to complete a space station by 2022.

It’s against this backdrop of increasing activity in space — even as tensions mount terrestrially — that the U.S. created the latest branch of its armed forces under the moniker of the Space Force.

Citing Chinese state media, the Nikkei Times reported that the value of goods and services tied to Beidou will reach $57 billion by 2020. The figure itself is nebulous, but points to the kind of economic power Beijing hopes to yield through the new satellite positioning service.

The development of these alternative internet realities matters a great deal.

China splits the internet while the U.S. dithers

As Eric Schmidt, the former chief executive officer of Google — and no stranger to the operations of Chinese technology companies —  noted last year at a private dinner (first reported by CNBC):

“[The] Chinese Internet is a greater percentage of the GDP of China, which is a big number, than the same percentage of the US, which is also a big number. If you think of China as like ‘Oh yeah, they’re good with the Internet,’ you’re missing the point. Globalization means that they get to play too. I think you’re going to see fantastic leadership in products and services from China. There’s a real danger that along with those products and services comes a different leadership regime from government, with censorship, controls, etc. Look at the way BRI works – their Belt and Road Initiative, which involves 60-ish countries – it’s perfectly possible those countries will begin to take on the infrastructure that China has with some loss of freedom.”

 

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Top 14 Sites for Online Coupons & Promotional Codes

Everyone loves saving money when doing some online shopping. While you can always try searching for a specific promo offer online, this doesn’t always work out. Chances are that you’ll end up filtering through several months’ worth of expired codes before finding something that actually works.

Want a better option for online bargain hunting? Try using these promo code websites dedicated to finding discounts and collecting coupons.

1. RetailMeNot

RetailMeNot is one of the best-known bargain hunting websites online. The site offers daily bargains for both online and in-store purchases in your region. The number of bargains can feel overwhelming, but you can always use the search feature to narrow your options. For example, you can search for specific products, your favorite store, or a nearby restaurant.

The site lets you know how many other users have used a certain coupon, and even allows you to submit any online coupons that RetailMeNot doesn’t have advertised. Simply submit a deal by clicking the Submit a Coupon link in the upper right corner of the website.

RetailMeNot is also available as an app for iOS and Android devices—this is helpful for when you’re looking for coupons while shopping in a brick and mortar store!

2. Rakuten

Rakuten is another great option for cashback coupon hunting. Plus, you can receive a $10 welcome bonus if you spend over $25 in your first 90 days of membership. Simply make your purchases using targeted links on the Rakuten website, and receive up to 10% cashback on top of your savings!

Since Rakuten partners with many large retailers, you’ll find Amazon, Macy’s, Groupon, and Walmart coupons. Because of Rakuten’s large reach, you’re sure to find a deal that meets your needs.

3. Savings.com

One of the ways Savings.com sets itself apart from other coupon code websites is through its organization methods. You can easily browse through multiple categories of coupons and deals, such as automotive, seasonal, travel, electronics, education, and more.

You can also filter specifically for grocery coupons, or limit your search to printable coupons that you can use in local stores.

4. Coupon Chief

Coupon Chief focuses extensively on online coupon codes and sale alerts, and this focus serves the site well. The intuitive interface has thousands of promo codes for websites and offers significant details on each deal. These details are key for making sure that you know how to use each coupon and don’t miss any of the important small print.

5. Groupon

Groupon is one of the most popular deals websites out there. However, you might have some concerns about Groupon’s safety and its ability to save you money. All in all, you just have to look out for any deals that seem too good to be true.

With that said, Groupon is a great place to find deals on fun experiences in your local area. Groupon attracts big-name clients, so the savings are often significant. Make sure to explore the different sections of Groupon’s website, including Things To Do, Goods, Hotels & Travel, and Coupons to see all the different savings available.

6. Price Blink

Price Blink isn’t just another deals website. Instead, it offers an online price comparison browser add-on that ensures you get the best deal without changing your shopping habits. If you’re comfortable with the possible privacy implications of an add-on like this, it’s worth a try!

No matter which site you shop on, Price Blink scans over 4,000 partnered merchants to see if there’s a lower price available on another site. If there is, an alert will appear that includes a link to the other website. Similarly, if a coupon appears, Price Blink will alert you with a coupon code notification.

This site is a great option if you’re a bit forgetful. You don’t need to hunt down deals before clicking purchase—if a deal is out there, Price Blink lets you know.

7. SmartSource

SmartSource offers two kinds of coupons—printable, and direct-to-card—that are primarily available on groceries and household products. For many, these coupons are the same as the coupons you may receive in your local newspaper. But, the online access to SmartSource’s database gives you the opportunity to print off multiple coupons, print off coupons for a different city, or to access the coupons if your paper goes missing.

These coupons are great for saving a few dollars on your everyday trips to the supermarket, or for stocking up on essentials.

8. Coupons.com

Coupons.com also offers printable coupons for household items and foodstuffs. However, the site also has a mobile app for iOS and Android for easy access to coupons on unexpected shopping trips. Some store loyalty cards are also compatible with Coupons.com, which can help you gain store reward points over time.

Also, a wide selection of online coupon codes is available under the Coupon Codes tab. Just press the plus sign icon on the bottom right of any coupon you might need. This saves all your coupons in a single file, making printing a breeze!

9. Hip2Save

Hip2Save began as a frugal living blog but later expanded into a couponing empire. This discount code site still has many blog entries, tips, and recommendations for coupon collectors. However, it now features links to useful coupons found all over the internet.

Experienced coupon users may not like the smaller number of coupon options. However, this makes the site a perfect fit for coupon beginners. The blog’s helpful approach ensures that all coupons are valid and useful.

10. Slickdeals

Slickdeals is a hub for amazing online deals and coupon codes. Some of the best deals are gathered in the Frontpage Slickdeals section. Here, you’ll find hand-picked and verified coupons from Slickdeal’s editors.

To make your couponing experience much simpler, you can also search for deals based on a specific product category or store. Each deal comes with an extensive amount of details, as well as a rating by Slickdeal’s users.

11. CouponCabin

Not only does CouponCabin have a huge selection of eBay, Old Navy, Best Buy, and Home Depot coupons, but it also has plenty of in-store and online coupons for dozens of other stores. Click on the site’s menu, and you can filter deals by free samples, free shipping, grocery stores, department stores, and printable coupons. This makes it much easier to find the type of coupons you’re looking for.

12. Wikibuy

Wikibuy offers a smarter way to shop on Amazon and plenty of other stores, both locally and online. This coupon code site lets you sort product deals by very specific categories, such as appliances, beauty, books, pet supplies, smartphones, and much more.

If you want to take full advantage of the money-saving opportunities Wikibuy has, link your credit or debit card, and use it at participating merchants. Wikibuy will reward you with credits that you can use towards gift cards. You can also opt to add Wikibuy to your browser to get alerts for deals as you shop.

13. The Krazy Coupon Lady

The Krazy Coupon Lady provides plenty of tips and tricks if you’re new to couponing, and has an entire community dedicated to users who have scored great deals. Luckily, this handy coupon site also gives you the tools to get started.

In addition to providing you with deals for various popular retailers, it has dozens of printable and mobile coupons for specific brands of makeup, groceries, and household goods.

14. Brad’s Deals

Brad’s Deals collects all the current deals online and relays them to its visitors. You’ll find everything from JCPenney coupons to discounts at Target. What makes Brad’s Deals stand out is that it’s not just limited to online shopping—the site is also dedicated to giving you the best deals on credit cards, travel, and even event tickets.

What About International Shoppers?

Shopping online can be frustrating living outside of the United States! Thankfully, there are also several great international coupon sites out there for individuals outside of the USA. Also, keep in mind that several major sites (such as Groupon and RetailMeNot) often have linked international websites for coupons in different countries.

Unfortunately, I can’t speak for every country in the world—so this section is limited to a shortlist of some English-language websites that you may find helpful.

If you’re Canadian, try Save.ca for grocery flyers or the Canadian version of Smart Source for everything else! If you’re in the UK, you may find Extreme Couponing UK or Wowcher helpful. Australians may enjoy Top Bargains, and those in New Zealand may like Cheapies or Cuponation.

Saving With Promo Offers Online

Online coupons may not solve all financial troubles, but they can certainly make a difference. Saving a few dollars on every transaction can help you save tons of cash over time.

While you clip coupons and apply promo codes, why not earn money for shopping as well? Make sure to use these cashback apps that pay you for shopping.

Read the full article: Top 14 Sites for Online Coupons & Promotional Codes

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Send Free Singing Birthday Telegrams by Phone With BirthdayDialer

Sometimes you need to send a birthday card to someone, but you’ve waited until the last minute and now you’re scrambling. Other times you’re on a budget and you didn’t realize how much birthday cards cost, or you didn’t realize how long it would take you to send a birthday card by mail.

How are you going to show your appreciation for someone’s birthday if you have no card on hand? Through ecards or services that allow you to send a happy birthday song via text.

Here are the best free birthday gram apps or websites with free trial options to wish someone a happy birthday.

1. BirthdayDialer.com

If you are looking for a special way to wish someone “Happy Birthday” check out BirthdayDialer.com. It allows you to send a cool singing birthday. While we have written about why unlisted phone numbers can be seen as scam calls, if you’re on familiar terms with the person you’re sending the call to, this might be an option.

BirthdayDialer allows you to send birthday songs to a cell phone for free. To send a birthday song to a cell phone, go to the website, choose the song you want to hear, then type in your friend’s phone number and name. Hit send.

Please note:

• The greeting that you send will have a short ad from BirthdayDialer’s sponsors.
• There’s an option to remove ads and customize messages by buying tokens.

While the messages from BirthdayDialer can be sent anywhere around the globe, the free version is limited to the US and Canada only.

2. 123Cards

Another option for sending birthday greetings online is through 123Cards, which gives you the ability to send a birthday “gram” free of charge if you use the seven-day free trial.

The trial is especially useful if you only want to send a single card, or if you’re not sure about the quality of 123Cards’ products.

Along with an easy-to-navigate website and a free trial option, 123Cards has a varied pricing plan for individual products. You can choose a premium option for a single large ecard with zero adds, or a smaller free option that has ads included.

123Card’ card categories range from humorous to romantic and are appropriate for all ages.

Please note:

• If you want the recipient of your ecard to open the card multiple times, you’ll need a premium ecard.
• If you think your recipient will only open the card once, then a free happy birthday gram that expires after a certain number of days is fine.
• However, if you’re on a free plan—and you go to check out a card—you might see a sign that says you can’t use that card. This is because the card is part of the premium collection, and only available to premium members.
• If you’re on a paid membership, there are no per-card charges. The ecards do not expire.

3. Smilebox

Smilebox is a slick, easy-to-use website that allows you to create free birthday cards for your family and friends. Its selling point is that it provides its users with customizable templates to create cards that are unique.

To make a card, pick a design and upload a photo to your card if you want. Change the fonts, colors, or music, then save the design. You can then share the card either by email or social media.

The only downside to this service? While free, there is no open trial. You’ll have to create an account to even try the service out.

4. American Greetings Ecards

American Greetings is another birthday ecard site that sports a slick design and an easy-to-use interface. Like the other happy birthday gram and ecard options on this list, they offer you a free trial before signing you up for the full subscription.

American Greetings’ card themes range from humorous to religious. If you’re curious about member benefits, you can read up on them in depth through that link. Essentially the membership option has several different tiers, and you can pay either yearly or monthly.

5. Open Me

Open Me is a website that offers adorable free ecards that you can customize for the birthdays of friends and family. The website works in a similar manner to Smilebox, and it’s just simple to use.

After you choose a card, you can adjust the text or put pictures on it, then send the card out via email. You have to register for a membership, but membership is free. If you’re a member, you can send however many cards you want.

When sending happy birthday grams, you can send them via Facebook or email. You can also delete existing custom cards that are in your library, or put your own photos on a blank card if you want.

Make sure you own the copyright to the images you’re using, however. Open Me specifically states in plain text that they take no responsibility for copyright violations.

6. Greetings Island

Greetings Island is a great website where you can print cards or send free ecards for upcoming birthdays.

Each card can be personalized with a basic template, and once complete, Greetings Island allows you to send these cards through email, Facebook, or WhatsApp. If you want to print the card from your home printer, Greetings Island lets you download the file to your computer.

To add to this good news, the site promises there are no hidden membership fees. You just have to make sure these cards you’re making are for personal use.

Send a Happy Birthday Song to a Cell Phone, Free!

While ecards and birthday messages sent over the phone are not always ideal—depending on who you’re sending the card to—they can definitely help you if you need a cheap, fast card for free.

Do you have so many birthdays to keep track of that you’re struggling to send cards or happy birthday dialers, even with these online options? Here’s how to sync Facebook and Google Calendars so you never forget a birthday.

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Can TSA Take Your Phone? Everything You Need to Know

Increased security at US airports has people worried about the security of their mobile devices. But can the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) take and search your phone?

Let’s explore if airport security can search your phone, and what to expect if they can.

Don’t Fear the TSA—Fear the CPB

First, let’s talk about who might be looking at your phone. TSA protects transportation systems: they scan your luggage, ensure your ticket is valid, and provide airport security. The only reason they might be interested in your phone is if it looks suspicious.

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), on the other hand, is a different story. This organization exists to “safeguard America’s borders, thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the Nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.”

In short, they want to keep terrorists out, as well as enforce agricultural laws and similar statutes that limit what people can bring into the country. As such, they’re going to be interested in your phone.

CBP Is Interested in Your Intentions

So why is CBP interested in your phone? Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Field Operations, John Wagner, puts it simply: “Electronic device searches are integral in some cases to determining an individual’s intentions upon entering the United States.”

The CBP says searching cell phones going through airport security is crucial in supporting investigations of national security. This includes child pornography, human trafficking, visa fraud, export violations, and intellectual property rights violations.

What sorts of things will the CBP look at if they decide to search your phone? Contacts, messages, social media accounts, photos, and apps are fair game. If a border agent suspects you might be coming into the country with ill intentions, they’re going to use any means they can to determine whether that suspicion is well-founded.

Exactly what contacts, messages, or apps might warrant a further investigation isn’t clear. It’s up to the border agent to decide whether you should be detained or denied entry.

Phone Searches and Seizures Are Rare

Image Credit: CBP

The most recent statistics on phone seizures come from the CBP website. They reported the searches they performed in 2016 and 2017, which includes 186 million and 189 million arrivals, respectively.

As we can see, the number of searches did almost double in the space of a year. Compared to the total amount of arrivals, however, this is still a minuscule amount of people and shows how rare these searches are.

Of course, there are many stories of people seemingly targeted for their ethnicity or home country for unreasonable searches. While rare, people that fit specific stereotypes can go through searches more often than others.

What CBP Can Do Isn’t Wholly Understood

Exactly what Customs and Border Protection can do with your phone isn’t always clear-cut. They can, for example, search it, and they can also copy the data for later perusal. They can’t keep the data for very long, and they’re required to delete it if it’s not related to a legal investigation.

In some states, agents need to have a reasonable suspicion of criminal wrongdoing to run a full forensic search on your phone, but not to quickly flip through your photos, messages, and so forth.

CBP also reserves the right to detain your phone for up to five days, though they can extend this duration. There are reports of some seizures lasting for weeks or months.

The legal rights of CBP are often contested and sometimes ill-defined. In general, though, they can look through your phone, hold it for closer inspection, and send it off for a full forensic examination. That examination could come up with things you’ve deleted or didn’t know were on your phone.

Unlocking Your Phone Isn’t Required, but Helpful

The extent of your rights when subject to search and seizure sees a lot of debate. There are Constitutional protections in place that prohibit unreasonable searches, but they’re often loosely interpreted at the border.

However, there are a few certain things. First of all, if you’re a U.S. citizen, you can’t be denied entry into the country for refusing to unlock your phone. That doesn’t mean they can’t detain you, though. You might find yourself facing a great deal of inconvenience if you don’t unlock your phone. Whether it’s worth it is up to you.

Non-citizens won’t find the same protection. The CBP can deny you entry if you don’t unlock your phone, and you don’t need to hail from a country considered hostile. A Canadian reporter was denied entry in November 2016 when he refused to unlock his phone to protect confidential sources.

This brings up an interesting point: can you refuse to unlock your device because you have legally privileged and confidential information? Journalists, doctors, and lawyers might consider this question.

Unfortunately, there’s no clear answer. CBP says it will tread carefully in these situations. Other organizations aren’t so happy with its implementation. You can always tell the agent that you have confidential, privileged information. But it might not get you anywhere.

The other legal option you have is to call a lawyer. It’s important to note that, while groups like the ACLU often recommend this, it’s going to make the border agent suspicious immediately.

You’re likely to spend a lot longer at the border, and it’s going to be an unpleasant fight. You also have to pay for that lawyer, as the government isn’t required to provide one like they are in a courtroom situation.

Protecting Yourself Is Good, but May Raise Suspicions

There are ways to defend your privacy at the border if you’re nervous about CBP searching your phone. However, these actions might raise the suspicions of border agents.

If you think of it from the CBP’s point of view, being a privacy advocate looks like you have something to hide. The motto “nothing to hide, nothing to fear” plays a role in surveillance, and the CBP may get interested as to why you’re keeping your information secret.

That said, if you want to keep their eyes off of your data, it’s a good idea not to have much data on your phone when you travel. Switching your SIM over to a burner phone is easy, and keeps all of your private information elsewhere.

You can also backup and wipe your phone before you travel. That way, CBP will only see a blank slate and can’t invade your privacy. When you come home, load the backup onto your phone and enjoy it as normal.

Fully encrypting your device will make copies less useful, and keeping sensitive documents and photos in the cloud instead of on your device makes them harder to get to.

Again, remember that these actions might raise the suspicions of border agents. That doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing—just remember that you’re making a trade-off.

Keeping Yourself Safe From Surveillance

So, can the TSA go through your phone? No, not unless they think it endangers the transportation system.

CBP, on the other hand, is a different story. They have extensive rights that are important for protecting the United States and its citizens. That doesn’t mean they always use them in ethical ways—but it does mean they’re unlikely to lose those rights anytime soon.

So it’s best to prepare yourself. Keep as little data as possible on your phone, encrypt it, and consider traveling with a burner. Expect to raise border agents’ suspicions, but know that they can’t deny you entry if you’re a citizen.

When you’re ready to protect yourself from surveillance fully, be sure to read about how to protect yourself from unethical and illegal spying.

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How to Erase Your Social Media Presence: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat

There are a various reasons why you might want to delete your social media accounts. You may miss the days of anonymity, you might want to reclaim your privacy from companies, or maybe you just aren’t interested in the platform any more.

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Whatever your reasons, there are several ways to delete your social media accounts. From traditional avenues to useful tools, here’s an in-depth look at how to delete your social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat.

Deleting Accounts Through the Platforms

All of the major social media sites allows you to deactivate or delete accounts. However, how easy this process is to complete depends on the site. In fact, BackgroundChecks.org provides a directory called JustDelete.Me that lists how easy or difficult it is to delete an account across different platforms.

Whether the negative effects of social media have got you down, or you just want to improve your online privacy, here’s how to delete your accounts on the major social media platforms…

How to Delete Facebook

Facebook provides two options for getting rid of your account and profile: by either deactivating it or deleting your account completely.

As the wording implies, the first option is an account deactivation and not technically a deletion. It leaves you the option to restore your account at a later date, meaning that your data is still stored somewhere.

To deactivate your Facebook account, go to Settings > Your Facebook Information and select Your Facebook Information. Choose Deactivation and Deletion and then select the option to Deactivate Account. Click the Continue to Account Deactivation button to launch the process.

Deactivating your account disables your profile and removes your name and photos from posts you’ve shared. Other people won’t be able to find your account when they search for it on Facebook. However, your name might still appear in posts from others. Your messages with others will likely also continue to exist.

Furthermore, your Messenger account stays active too—but you can deactivate Facebook Messenger separately.

The second option is permanently deleting your Facebook account. According to Facebook, this means your account cannot be restored. To delete your Facebook account permanently, go to Settings > Your Facebook Information and select Your Facebook Information. Choose Deactivation and Deletion and select the option to Delete Account. Then click on the Continue to account deletion button to proceed.

The process of deleting your data takes 90 days. This removes much of the same information that deactivating your account does, but removes this data permanently. You will also no longer be able to use Facebook Messenger. However, certain data, like messages in other people’s inboxes, cannot be deleted.

How to Delete Twitter

Deleting your account on Twitter requires you to first deactivate it. After 30 days, the account is deleted completely.

To delete your Twitter account, click on the menu icon with three dots to the left of your Twitter homepage and select the Settings and privacy option. At the bottom of this page, you will see the option to Deactivate your account.

Twitter will then take you to a confirmation menu. To confirm that you want to delete or deactivate your Twitter account, click Deactivate.

According to the company, your data will only be stored for 30 days. During this time you will be able to reactivate and restore your account. Once the 30-day period is complete, your data and account are permanently deleted.

How to Delete Instagram

Instagram lets you to either temporarily disable or permanently delete your account.

To disable your Instagram account, go to your Settings menu and select Edit Profile. At the bottom of the page, you will see a link to Temporarily disable my account.

This essentially hides your account and allows you to reactivate it at a later date.

To completely and permanently delete your Instagram account, you need to sign in on Instagram through your web browser and use the Delete Your Account request link. You will then need to re-enter your password. Finally, click on Permanently delete my account to remove your Instagram account from the platform.

This option removes your account permanently—with no option to reactivate or recover your account and photos.

How to Delete Snapchat

You can delete your Snapchat account using the Snapchat account portal. This webpage allows you to manage your data and apps, but more importantly, gives you the option to delete your account.

Simply open the webpage, log into Snapchat and select Delete My Account. This will take you to a page explaining the deactivation process. Like Twitter, once 30 days have passed, your account will be permanently deleted.

To confirm that you would like to delete your Snapchat account, you need to re-enter your username and password, then select Continue.

Websites That Help You Delete Social Media Accounts

There are certain websites dedicated to helping you delete your social media presence. From sites that send account deletion requests on your behalf to sites that give you instructions to delete accounts, here are some websites you can use…

Deseat.me

Deseat.me uses either your Google account or your Outlook account to generate a list of your online and social media accounts. It then gives you the option to sort through and delete these accounts.

A great aspect of the service is the sheer extent of what it covers. It will find accounts linked to your email that you have long forgotten about. It also identifies newsletters that you can choose to unsubscribe from.

However, Deseat.me requires access to your emails to do this, which can be a dealbreaker for many users. If you do choose to use the tool, we recommend immediately revoking access once you are done cleaning up your social media accounts. We would also not recommend using this service for email accounts with sensitive content.

When you select an account for deletion, Deseat.me generates a data removal request that it sends from your email address to the relevant platform.

The option to request removal is not available for all accounts. Deseat.me will note whether this option is unavailable and provide instructions for how to delete an account on the specific platform.

More Websites to Help Delete Your Social Media Accounts

If you don’t want to use a tool like Deseat.me, you can use sites like JustDelete.Me and AccountKiller.com.

These sites don’t require any permissions since they don’t access your specific accounts. Rather, they aggregate account deactivation links for various websites. You will need to search for specific sites relevant to you.

Are Some Social Media Profiles Impossible to Delete?

According to JustDeleteMe, there are some profiles that are impossible to delete. Luckily for social media users, none of these impossible sites are among the major public social media platforms. Most websites now support account deletion due to GDPR regulations and other privacy laws.

Netflix, for example, now lets users request earlier deletion of a canceled account via email. It now also automatically deletes accounts that have been canceled for over 10 months.

Other sites that previously didn’t include a delete option, such as Pinterest and Steam, have now also introduced this functionality.

How to Do a Social Media Detox

If deleting accounts permanently feels a bit too drastic, you can choose to take a break from social media instead. This helps you get away from the pressures and adverse effects of certain platforms without losing data that you’ll want to use again one day.

To find out how to do this effectively, take a look at our guide detailing how to do a social media detox.

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Can Android Data Be Recovered After a Factory Reset?

If you ever have serious problems with your Android device, or if you plan to sell it, you might need to perform a factory reset.

Here, we’ll teach you how to perform a factory reset on Android. We’ll also discuss how data can be recovered after a factory reset.

What Is a Factory Reset?

A factory reset is a process you perform on a device, such as a phone or tablet. It deletes all your personal data stored on the device and returns it original state it was in when it left the factory—hence the “factory” reset name.

You may also see a factory reset called “master reset” or “system restore.” Sometimes, people will refer colloquially to “wiping” a device, which usually means a factory reset.

Why Perform a Factory Reset?

There are a number of reasons you might want to perform a factory reset on your Android device. First, if you want to sell your device, you don’t want the buyer to have any access to your data. So you should always perform a factory reset before passing your device onto someone else.

Second, perhaps you’ve had your device for a while and it’s full of apps you don’t want. Since it’s performing slowly, performing a factory reset will reset everything back to a clean state and should make your device run faster. From there, you can reinstall only the apps you need.

Finally, if your device has run into some sort of software problem that you can’t fix, performing a factory reset will usually resolve the issue.

How to Factory Reset Your Android Device

Android comes with an option for performing a factory reset in its settings, so it’s easy to perform a factory reset.

Before you perform a reset, make sure that you have backed up all the important data on your Android device. You may also want to back up app settings, a list of your favorite apps, and media like photos, videos, and music.

Here’s how to perform a factory reset on Android:

1. Go to Settings in your Android device, which you’ll find in the app drawer.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the menu and select System.
3. Here, you’ll see a number of settings and an option to show more in the Advanced subheading. Tap on Advanced.
4. Now, select Reset options.
   

5. In this menu, you’ll see an option labeled Erase all data (factory reset). This is the option you want, so tap it.
6. You’ll see a confirmation page titled Erase all data (factory reset). This page warns you that going ahead will erase data from your device such as your Google account, system and app settings, downloaded apps, music, photos, and other user data.
   1. The screen also indicates which accounts you’re signed into on the device. This includes Google accounts as well as others like Telegram, Microsoft, and WhatsApp.
7. If you’re sure that you want to perform the reset, hit the Delete all data button at the bottom of this page.
   

8. The device will ask you to enter your PIN or password. Once you’ve done this, tap Next.
9. To confirm the deletion, tap Delete all.
10. This begins the factory reset process. Once your device has been reset, you can set it up as if it was a new device.

Can Data Be Recovered After a Factory Reset?

People often think that once they perform a factory reset, then their data is completely removed from the device and is no longer accessible. However, this isn’t necessarily the case.

It is possible to recover data after a factory reset. This can be beneficial if you’ve accidentally performed a reset and you want your data back. But it can be a problem if you performed the reset in order to protect your data.

Android Comes With Build-In Encryption to Protect Your Data

Years ago, Android devices were not encrypted by default. This meant that even after performing a factory reset, some data was still accessible on the device’s internal storage.

There are tools available that could connect to an already-reset device and extract deleted files, which could include personal data like contacts, texts, or photos. To protect your data, you needed to encrypt your device before factory resetting it.

However, since Android 6 Marshmallow, Android devices ship encrypted by default. This means that you don’t have to worry about people accessing your deleted data using forensic tools. Even if tools are able to extract deleted files from your device, these files are encrypted, so they can’t be read by anyone else. This is one of the many reasons having an encrypted smartphone is a good idea.

Cloud Backups Are Still Vulnerable

Image Credit: Faithie/Depositphotos

However, encryption doesn’t mean that your data is entirely gone. Most services now have some kind of cloud backup, where you user data is stored online. Your Google account, for example, may have synced data from your Android device.

This data can include app data, calendar, browser data (if you use Chrome), contacts, documents and other files stored in Google Drive or Docs, and your Gmail email data. If you need to restore this data, you can do so after a reset during the setup process.

This means that your data may still be vulnerable due to insecurities in cloud backups. To destroy your data completely, you’ll need to close all your accounts that use cloud backups.

How to Destroy Data on Your Android Device

If you want make certain that your data is not accessible after a factory reset, there are tools available that can overwrite the data on your device with garbage data. This ensures that your personal files are completely inaccessible. To do this, you can use an app such as Shreddit. This app will erase data from both internal and external storage on your device.

To use an erasing app, start by ensuring your device is encrypted. Download and run the shedding app, then perform a factory reset. This will completely wipe all data from your device. This is the best method if you plan to sell your device.

Perform a Factory Reset on Your Android Device

Using these steps, you can perform a factory reset on your Android device to delete the data from it. This can help to make your device run faster or deal with any nagging software problems. However, resetting your device will not necessarily delete all of your personal data.

If you plan to sell your device, you should take extra steps to protect your data before passing it on to someone else. Apps like Shreddit can destroy your data before you perform the reset to make sure no one can recover it.

A factory reset can be a useful way to deal with software problems on your Android device. But there are other methods to address problems too. For example, see our advice on ways to fix your Android phone or tablet if it won’t turn on.

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