5 Sites and Extensions to Tweak YouTube for a Better Experience

YouTube is awesome. It’s the best video-streaming website for general purpose videos, and it’s choc-a-bloc full of great features. But with a few tweaks, it can be even better.

The many problems with YouTube are well documented, from a comments section that often draws trolls and miscreants, to more benign annoyances like the cluttered and distracting interface. Most of these can be solved with the use of extensions and add-ons for a browser. Some of them require third-party websites, but it’s still easy to do.

1. Healthy Productive YouTube (Web): Remove Distractions, Focus on Good Content

YouTube can be a major source of distraction and an endless rabbit-hole in which you keep finding new things to watch. Healthy Productive YouTube is a simple userscript that seeks to fix that problem.

Userscripts are an easy option to customize how a website appears to you. You can use Stylish to install Healthy Productive YouTube in your browser. The script removes the “Trending” tab from the homepage and replaces it with content that you already subscribe to and want more of.

Similarly, it removes distractions like recommended videos, “Watch Next”, and the comments section, so that you are simply watching the video you came to watch, and don’t get involved in an argument with a stranger on the internet.

Download: Healthy Productive YouTube (Free)

2. Tune by Google (Chrome): AI to Remove Toxic Comments

Google’s experimental think-tank Jigsaw released a new tool to combat the rise of toxic comments on the internet. Tune is a Chrome extension that promises to make comments more productive and positive.

Tune uses Perspective, a machine-learning tool that “reads” comments and figures out how they might affect the conversation. You can set Tune to show it all, blaring, loud, medium, low, or hide it all. In the settings, you can choose to filter only toxic comments or try the “experimental” filter which filters comments that are profane, sexually explicit, insulting, or identity attacks.

Tune works on more than just YouTube, and takes a little while to work on each page. After a video page loads, wait about 10 seconds before you scroll down to check the comments. Tune will have spruced things up by then.

The extension also works for several other comments-based sites on the internet, including Reddit, Facebook, and Twitter.

Download: Tune for Chrome (free)

3. Mirror The Video (Web): Flip Any Video Horizontally

YouTube is excellent for all kinds of demonstrative tutorials, whether it’s learning how to dance or someone showing you exercises. Mirror The Video makes these better by flipping the video horizontally.

What you see from a person’s demonstration on screen can be difficult to follow, since it’s an inverse image. When they are facing you and go right, you instinctively go left. A simple flip of the video will have them say “right” and mean your right.

Mirror The Video works fast to flip any YouTube clip. Simply change the “youtube.com” part of the video to “mirrorthevideo.com” and the app will take care of the rest.

4. Yout-ube (Web): Make Any Video Full-Screen, Ad-Free, and Repeat

YouTube has a lot of non-skippable ads that show up at the beginning, end, or even sometimes in the middle of a video. If you’d rather not have your experience ruined by these, just add a dash between the letters “t” and “u” in the URL, and press enter.

Yout-ube takes any video and turns it into a full-screen video without ads, and on endless repeat. Yout-ube also works with videos banned in your region, so you can use it as an effective bypass

The endless repeat part might not be particularly useful all the time, but if you have a clip that you need to keep showing for the duration of an event, this would be a quick and easy way to do it.

If you like this, you should also check out other awesome YouTube URL tricks.

5. Bookmark It (Chrome, Firefox): Add Bookmarks Within Videos

YouTube plays host to long videos, including full-length TV episodes, documentaries, and even full movies that you can watch legally and for free. Bookmark It lets you add bookmarks within the video, along with notes, so that you can quickly jump to that point.

After you install the extension and sign up, while watching any video, press “b” and add a note. The moment you press Enter, it’ll be automatically saved and the video resumes playing too. It’s perhaps the smoothest and most seamless way of saving points in a video, while still enjoying your viewing experience.

You can check out these bookmarks later on any browser, as Bookmark It syncs across computers by using your Google login.

Download: Bookmark It for Chrome | Firefox (Free)

The Best YouTube Extensions

These add-ons, web apps, and extensions are all about quick tweaks to make YouTube better. If you like these, there are a whole bunch more that you should check out.

Extensions and add-ons are the easiest way to make YouTube behave just the way you want it to. You will find a fix to almost every common problem, such as not having videos autoplay as soon as you open them, or pause videos when you switch to a new tab. You can install individual extensions for them, or all-in-one solutions.

Start with this list of the best Chrome extensions for YouTube, and then search the Chrome Web Store for any other aspects you want to tweak.

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Vine reboot Byte begins beta testing

Twitter shut down Dom Hoffman’s app Vine, giving away the short-form video goldmine to China’s TikTok. Now a year and half since Hoffman announced he’d reimagine the app as V2 then scrapped that name, his follow-up to Vine called Byte has finally sent out the first 100 invites to its closed beta. Byte will let users record or upload short, looped vertical videos to what’s currently a reverse-chronological feed.

the byte beta we’ve been running with friends and family *feels* exactly like the vine friends and family beta, down to the weird but appealing randomness of the videos. that’ll change as we expand, but it’s a pretty good sign pic.twitter.com/rBbQrNtTJ7

— dom hofmann (@dhof) April 22, 2019

It will be a long uphill climb for Byte given TikTok’s massive popularity. But if it differentiates by focusing less on lip syncing and teen non-sense so it’s less alienating to an older audience, there might be room for a homegrown competitor in short-form video entertainment.

Hoffman tells TechCrunch that he’s emboldened by the off-the-cuff nature of the beta community, which he believes proves the app is compelling even before lots of creative and funny video makers join. He says his top priority is doing right by creators so they’ll be lined up to give Byte a shot when it officially launches even if they could get more views elsewhere.

For now, Hoffman plans to keep running beta tests, adding and subtracting features for a trial by fire to see what works and what’s unnecessary. The current version is just camera recordings with no uploads, and just a feed with Likes and comments but no account following. Upcoming iterations from his seven-person team will test video uploads and profiles.

One reassuring point is that Hoffman is well aware that TikTok’s epic rise has changed the landscape. He admits that Byte can’t win with the exact same playbook Vine did when it faced an open field, and it must bring something unique. Hoffman tells me he’s a big fan of TikTok, and sees it as one evolutionary step past Vine, but not in the same direction as his new app

Does the world need Vine back if TikTok already has over 500 million active users? We’ll soon find out of Hoffman can take a Byte of that market.

It’s time to pay serious attention to TikTok

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Vine reboot Byte begins beta testing

Twitter shut down Dom Hoffman’s app Vine, giving away the short-form video goldmine to China’s TikTok. Now a year and half since Hoffman announced he’d reimagine the app as V2 then scrapped that name, his follow-up to Vine called Byte has finally sent out the first 100 invites to its closed beta. Byte will let users record or upload short, looped vertical videos to what’s currently a reverse-chronological feed.

the byte beta we’ve been running with friends and family *feels* exactly like the vine friends and family beta, down to the weird but appealing randomness of the videos. that’ll change as we expand, but it’s a pretty good sign pic.twitter.com/rBbQrNtTJ7

— dom hofmann (@dhof) April 22, 2019

It will be a long uphill climb for Byte given TikTok’s massive popularity. But if it differentiates by focusing less on lip syncing and teen non-sense so it’s less alienating to an older audience, there might be room for a homegrown competitor in short-form video entertainment.

Hoffman tells TechCrunch that he’s emboldened by the off-the-cuff nature of the beta community, which he believes proves the app is compelling even before lots of creative and funny video makers join. He says his top priority is doing right by creators so they’ll be lined up to give Byte a shot when it officially launches even if they could get more views elsewhere.

For now, Hoffman plans to keep running beta tests, adding and subtracting features for a trial by fire to see what works and what’s unnecessary. The current version is just camera recordings with no uploads, and just a feed with Likes and comments but no account following. Upcoming iterations from his seven-person team will test video uploads and profiles.

One reassuring point is that Hoffman is well aware that TikTok’s epic rise has changed the landscape. He admits that Byte can’t win with the exact same playbook Vine did when it faced an open field, and it must bring something unique. Hoffman tells me he’s a big fan of TikTok, and sees it as one evolutionary step past Vine, but not in the same direction as his new app

Does the world need Vine back if TikTok already has over 500 million active users? We’ll soon find out of Hoffman can take a Byte of that market.

It’s time to pay serious attention to TikTok

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Samsung Delays Galaxy Fold Launch Citing Need For “Further Improvements”

Samsung has decided that its upcoming Galaxy Fold smartphone isn’t quite ready for primetime just yet. The company has pushed back the release of the device, saying that early reviewers showed Samsung “how the device needs further improvements that could ensure the best possible user experience.”

What Happened?

Basically, Samsung thought its revolutionary Galaxy Fold was ready for the masses, but as it turns out, it wasn’t. You may have heard rumblings about the phone’s actually cracking a few days ago, and obviously, word of that got back to Samsung, which is ultimately what forced the company’s hand.

It appears that the issue with the device was two-fold. First, Samsung cites issues on the display that “showed that they could be associated with impact on the top and bottom exposed areas of the hinge.” So basically, if the device was physically impacted in a certain way, the screen could break, which is not surprising. However, based on early reviews, the impact wasn’t too forceful to break the phone.

But the issue appears to go further than that, as Samsung also noted that there “was also an instance where substances found inside the device affected the display performance.”

In the interim, Samsung plans to “take measures to strengthen the display protection.” This sounds like a necessary step, as the phone is extremely expensive and shouldn’t be breaking easily.

The company also plans to “enhance the guidance on care and use of the display including the protective layer so that our customers get the most out of their Galaxy Fold.” Essentially, it’s going to include documentation that’ll help buyers understand how to protect their device better. There’s a “screen protector” that isn’t actually a screen protector at all on the Fold (it’s a permanent protector), and removing it can cause an issue with the device.

Obviously, the Fold is using some pretty new technology, but we’re hopeful that the company can do more than just educate buyers and that it can actually fix the problem.

When Can You Get A Galaxy Fold?

Unfortunately, while Samsung was rather transparent in its reasons for delaying the Galaxy Fold, it wasn’t so open about when buyers will be able to get their hands on the device. Instead, the company simply said that it will announce a new release date in the “coming weeks.”

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Host Your Website for Cheap With Hostinger’s Huge Sale

Looking for somewhere to host your website without breaking your budget? These days, there are countless affordable web hosts, but they usually offer a very narrow group of features. They’re not much more than cheap web hosts to get your site online.

Therefore, we suggest you look at Hostinger. Along with hosting your site with a trio of affordable shared hosting price plans, Hostinger offers a solid set of almost-identical features across the three.

Hostinger’s Discounted Pricing Offer

Hostinger’s pricing plan is pitched for three types of customer: Single Shared Hosting ($7.99), Premium Shared Hosting ($11.95), and Business Shared Hosting ($15.95). However, Hostinger is currently running a massive discount on its packages. This means you could find a deep markdown on a new signup, with prices adjusted as follows:

• Single Shared Hosting: $0.80 ($38.40 for 48 months, a 90% savings)
• Premium Shared Hosting: $2.15 ($103.20 for 48 months, saving 82%)
• Business Shared Hosting: $3.45 ($165.60 for 48 months, saving you 78%)

These are clearly massive discounts, adjusted for initial 48-month signups, with the initial outlay fully refundable for up to 30 days. So if you aren’t thrilled with your purchase, you get your money back.

Hostinger’s Hosting Features

But it’s unlikely you’ll need to do that. Hostinger has a massive set of features you will want to look at, including some that your current host probably doesn’t offer. And if you’re new to hosting, Hostinger is a top choice. It features an easy-to-use control panel and automated installation scripts for most web applications (such as forums, online stores, blogs, etc.).

Although the Single Shared Hosting plan is ridiculously affordable, it may not suit you unless you’re a first-time webmaster. As such, you should seriously consider the Premium and Business hosting accounts if you’re looking for:

1. A new web host for multiple sites
2. A host that supports online stores and business-critical sites

Premium Shared Hosting offers hosting of unlimited web domains, unlimited email accounts, and unlimited bandwidth. The server space gives you twice the processing power of the cheaper plan, plus weekly backups for your data.

Considering the Business Shared Hosting plan? This gives you all of the above, plus daily backups, a free SSL certificate, and quadrupled processing speed compared with the single plan.

Plans also include unlimited SQL databases (required for dynamic websites), DNS management tools, and FTP support. There’s also the facility to add up to 100 subdomains and domain parking. Need to administer your site from the command line? Hostinger offers full SSH access to your hosting.

Superior Uptime and Support With Hostinger

If you’re considering signing up to Hostinger to host your website, you’ll benefit from a 99.9% uptime guarantee. This means that your site should never go offline due to downtime (server maintenance and other similar disruptions).

Meanwhile, if you should run into any problems migrating your website or once everything is up and running, Hostinger gives you 24/7 support, 365 days of the year, with all hosting packages.

In a sector where there is so much choice and many conflicting signals, Hostinger is a welcome beacon of quality. It’s ideal for anyone with a shared hosting budget. However, the company also provides VPS and cloud hosting solutions if that’s more what you’re looking for.

Head over to Hostinger to sign up today!

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Google Drops Pixel 3 Price By Half For Project Fi’s Birthday

Google is making it quite a bit easier on the wallet to get a Pixel 3 right now, as the company has reduced the cost of the phone by 50%. That’s a pretty massive discount on one of the best-rated Android phones on the market. And that discount applies to both the standard Pixel 3 and Pixel 3 XL.

Of Course, There’s a Catch

Obviously, Google isn’t offering this deal out of the kindness of its heart, and there is a small catch to get the lower price—you’ll need to be new or existing Google Fi user. As long as you’re interested in signing up for Google’s phone service, or you’re already on board with it, then you can get a really good phone at a ridiculously cheap price.

First, the standard Pixel 3 with 64GB of storage is on sale for $399. Normally, that phone sells for $799. If you need more storage, the 128GB version is currently listed for $449, discounted down from its $899 regular price.

If you want a larger phone, you can get the 64GB Pixel 3 XL for $449. The 128GB version of that phone is currently $499. Those devices normally sell for $899 and $999 respectively.

How Long is the Deal Available?

Because this deal is all about celebrating the anniversary of Google Fi, it’s only available for the duration of April 22, 2019. That means you’ll have to order your device by midnight PST today if you want to get the huge savings.

Also, in order to get this deal, you’ll need to activate your device on Google Fi within 30 days of shipping, which stands to reason since Google is attempting to attract new users to its service with this deal. You’ll also need to make sure you activate the phone on the same account that purchases it. If you don’t do both of those, Google will automatically charge the Google Payments account to match the normal price.

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The 10 Best Ways to Read Comics Online for Free

Marvel and DC have gained a lot of new fans with their increased cinematic presence, meaning a boost to the comic book industry as a whole.

Unfortunately, visiting your local comic book store can prove expensive. Single issues typically cost $3.99, with milestone issues and variants costing even more.

Thankfully, you can save some money by using these sites to read comics online for free. No matter what kind of comics you’re into, you should find them on one of these sites.

1. Marvel Unlimited

Let’s start by going straight to one of the big publishers.

If you’re looking to read comics online you probably know Marvel Unlimited as a paid-for service, and this is largely true. With a monthly or annual subscription, you get access to over 25,000 comics.

However, Unlimited offers a taster of series, also giving you the chance to try out its smart panel interface. There’s a good mix of big-name characters and lesser-known heroes so you can explore the Marvel Universe. Of course, you’ll see a lot of Issues 1s, but keep checking because it further features entire miniseries for you to enjoy.

2. DC Kids

DC is sometimes criticized for lacking the humor and accessibility Marvel is known for. You’ll certainly get this impression if you watch Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy or Tim Burton’s early 1990s Batman films.

However, the company’s animations are much loved and heralded. DC Kids is an extension of that, giving youngsters a good entry-point into comics.

There’s not a vast array of issues on offer, but it includes episodic releases like Shadow of Sin Tzu and premiere issues of Tiny Titans, Super Friends, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. If you’re trying to introduce the next generation to the medium, this is a perfect place to start reading comics online.

3. ComiXology

If you want to read comics online, ComiXology is tough to beat. It’s primarily an online comic shop (and one of the best apps for digital comics), so most issues cost money. But there’s a large, frequently updated collection of free issues available as well.

In addition to Marvel, DC, Dark Horse, and other industry giants, you’ll find manga, independent releases, and issues from smaller publishers. If you find a series you like, you’ll probably have to pay for the rest of it. But the mobile app provides a great reading experience, so it may be worth the money.

4. DriveThru Comics

You won’t find the big two here: Marvel and DC are absent from the list of publishers on DriveThru.

However, there’s a large collection of books with a variety of comics that span genres and styles. And you will find Marvel and DC’s bigger competitors, like Valiant Comics, Top Cow, and Aspen Comics.

Most first issues are free, and if you like the series, you can buy subsequent issues from the store. Many of those that aren’t free are available on a pay-what-you-want basis.

The filters in the search menu on DriveThru can be used to browse genres, formats, publishers, and prices. Use them to narrow down the selection of comics and start exploring. It’s hard to know what you’ll find here, but DriveThru is always a good place to read free comics online.

5. Amazon Best Sellers

You might not think of Amazon as a good bet for finding free comic books. But there’s a surprising amount of free content available if you know where to look. A good place to start is the Comics and Graphic Novels Best Sellers list. Click Top 100 Free to see the most popular free titles available for download.

You can also filter the list by genre on the left of the screen, helping you find the comics you’re interested in. The list is updated hourly, so check back regularly for new titles.

6. Digital Comic Museum

If you’d like to see the genesis of the comic book medium, check out the Digital Comic Museum. You can spend days reading free comic books from the Golden Age (1930s-1950s). The titles and characters may not be familiar—though Captain Marvel (now more widely known as Shazam) does show up—but you can see how the Golden Age books had a strong influence on today’s works.

If you’re looking for modern comic books, you won’t find any here. Nonetheless, it’s fun to browse through some of the classic titles from 60 years ago and see how the artwork and storytelling have changed. Today’s publishers stand on the shoulders of giants.

7. Comic Book Plus

Established in 2006, Comic Book Plus takes a similar stance to the Digital Comic Museum, showcasing Golden and Silver Age comics that are in the public domain.

Except this site goes above and beyond the call of duty. It’s an archive celebrating the whole genre, meaning it includes a number of features you won’t find elsewhere. There are sections devoted to fanzines, pulp fiction, non-English comics, newspapers and magazines, adverts, booklets, public information posters, and even coloring books.

Comic Book Plus is a great resource for comic book fans, graphic designers, and historians. Once you start exploring, it’s incredibly difficult to stop.

8. GoComics

Not all comics feature superheroes. Comics are a part of everyday life—such is evident from the number of humor strips you can find in newspapers. GoComics is your #1 resource for syndicated strips.

There are two subscription options: free and paid-for. Fortunately, the former is all you really need (although, of course, we encourage readers to support the service). GoComics offers a massive catalog including lesser-known cartoons and popular names like Peanuts, Dilbert, and Calvin and Hobbes.

There’s even three categories for our favorite Monday-hating cat: Garfield, Garfield Classics, and Garfield Without Garfield.

9. ElfQuest

Elfquest is an award-winning independent comic that has been running since the late 1970s. Every issue released before 2014 is available for free on its website. If you like sprawling fantasy worlds, this is for you. There are several series available that detail the adventures of different characters and story arcs.

The series has now concluded with the Final Quest story arc, which can be purchased from Dark Horse. The publisher has also released the complete ElfQuest series in collected editions. But you can get a good head-start on the series by reading the rest of the comics online for free.

10. The Internet Archive

The Internet Archive has thousands of free graphic novels and comics listed. There aren’t many mainstream issues here, but you can find some gems, especially if you enjoy manga. Unfortunately, this repository can be very difficult to navigate.

Due to the huge amount of material and inconsistent labelling, searching for the name of a specific comic or character is your best bet.

Nonetheless, if you’re just getting into comic books and you want to see what’s available outside the mainstream, scrolling through the The Internet Archive and clicking on a few random comics is a good tactic.

Start Reading Comics Online for Free Now!

The sites listed above all let you read comics online for free. And they will allow you to revisit your favorites, explore the works of different publishers and creative teams, and get a glimpse into the past to see what the Golden Age of comics was like. All for free.

Comics are enjoying a resurgence, and you can take full advantage of this if you know the best comic book websites to visit.

Image Credits: Evart/Shutterstock

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The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Wrong: How to Really Master a Skill

How many hours does it take to master a skill? Well, if you read Malcolm Gladwell’s bestselling book Outliers, you’ll remember that “10,000 hours is the magic number of greatness.” This 10-000 Hour Rule is a heavily cited pedagogy in the world of lifelong learning. But I have some good news!

It turns out that this is not what the research shows. Put differently: For any skill you’re trying to master, you can become extremely proficient in much less time than Gladwell suggests. Keep reading to find out how.

The 10,000 Hour Rule

In 2008, Malcolm Gladwell published his New York Times bestseller, Outliers. It’s within this book—based largely on the research of Anders Ericsson—that Gladwell frequently talks about the 10,000-Hour Rule, citing it as “the magic number of greatness.”

The book looks at a number of “outliers”, people who are extraordinarily proficient in certain subjects or skills. It then tries to break down what helped them to become outliers.

According to Gladwell, one common factor among these carefully selected individuals was the amount of time they practiced within their area of study. It appeared that only by reaching 10,000 hours of practice (that’s about 90 minutes per day for 20 years) could one become an outlier. To use another of Gladwell’s popular terms, 10,000 hours is the “Tipping-Point” of greatness. You can see him explaining this here:

In the years following the book’s publication, this 10,000-Hour Rule has become a platitude for almost anyone wanting to become highly proficient in any skill, at any point in their lives. This is despite increasing evidence showing that the 10,000-Hour Rule is largely inaccurate.

This inaccuracy is good news for any of us looking to become adept at a new skill. Where Gladwell’s rule promised us a massive undertaking to achieve proficiency, it could instead be much easier than you’ve been led to believe.

The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Wrong

Anders Ericsson is a Professor of Psychology at Florida State University. It’s on the back of his research on Deliberate Practice that Gladwell constructed his book and his 10,000-Hour Rule. Some people have misattributed this rule to Ericsson himself, which he sought to correct due to its misrepresentation of his actual findings.

Ericsson describes what could only be Gladwell’s work as:

“[A] popularized but simplistic view of our work, which suggests that anyone who has accumulated sufficient number of hours of practice in a given domain will automatically become an expert and a champion.”

Ericsson went on record clarifying that this is not what his research shows. Within that study, there was no magic number for greatness. 10,000 hours was not actually a number of hours reached, but an average of the time elites spent practicing. Some practiced for much less than 10,000 hours. Others for over 25,000 hours.

Additionally, Gladwell fails to adequately discriminate between the quantity of hours spent practicing, and the quality of that practice. This misses a huge portion of Ericsson’s findings, and seems to be the reason why Tim Ferriss scoffs at Gladwell’s 10,000 hour rule in this video.

Additionally, another of Ericsson’s studies looks at skills which can be mastered in “a minute fraction of the 10,000 hours estimated to be necessary to attain high levels of expert performance” by using very specific, deliberate methods of practice.

The takeaway is that practice may be important, but it’s far from the whole story. Gladwell has succumbed to survivor bias. By focusing on what the successful did to get to the top, he has failed to satisfactorily account for the multitudes who logged their 10,000+ hours, yet still failed to attain mastery.

To add more weight to this argument, another study in Intelligence journal attributed practice to only “about one-third of the reliable variance in performance in chess and music”. The largest meta-analysis in the field found that practice may be responsible for as little as 12% of mastery.

That means there’s far more to mastering a skill than just months or years of practice. Genetics and the amount of competition in a given area play some role, for sure. But science is also giving us glimpses into what else we can do to learn more efficiently.

Tactics for Learning Faster

In recent years there has been a flurry of interest in skill acquisition, and particularly rapid skill acquisition. Tim Ferriss penned The Four-Hour Chef—a 672-page behemoth—tackling this very subject.

Throughout his book Ferriss introduced millions of readers to the idea of meta-learning. That is, the learning about learning. Once we understand how our brain and body learn, we can create a far more efficient learning routine.

In fact, Ferriss, during a SXSWi presentation claimed:

This may or may not be an exaggeration, but what Ferriss is emphasizing here is the quality of practice over the quantity. Even if the real figure is two-years, not six-months (to become world-class in almost any skill) it’s a huge improvement on Gladwell’s disheartening 10,000-Hour Rule.

What’s more, studies in both science and psychology are repeatedly showing us new—or at least more nuanced—ways of learning. These refined tactics and strategies are able to help us become proficient, expert, masterful, or at least very good in a specific domain in a lot less time than we might suppose.

Let me give you just a few of these.

1. Create a Feedback Loop

By creating a feedback loop, you’re creating a way to more accurately spot your errors and identify potential improvements to your learning routine. One study conducted at Brunel University, UK explains:

“A feedback loop [provides]…the necessary information for adaptive measures to achieve the desired levels of teaching and learning objectives.”

Acquiring the necessary information to get to the desired objective is precisely what rapid skill acquisition is about. It’s about finding out exactly what you need to change to reach your goal more quickly.

For some skills, you’ll be able to track results and measurements yourself. One easy option is to collect progress data using Google Forms to provide you with feedback. You can then use this data to adjust your future approach.

For other skills, you might need feedback from elsewhere: a mastermind group, or critiquing groups such as these photography critiquing groups, for example.

There are similar communities and forums for virtually anything you want to study. The experts in each of these offer an invaluable feedback loop to help you keep improving.

2. Deliberate Practice

To go back to Anders Ericsson, much of his research has been focused on Deliberate Practice. The following video explains it well.

Deliberate Practice is seen by some as one of the most efficient ways to learn. That is, to focus very deliberately on the narrow sub-skills needed to make up an overall skill.

Based on his research on Deliberate Practice, Ericsson writes:

“The effects of mere experience [of performing a skill] differ greatly from those of Deliberate Practice, where individuals concentrate on actively trying to go beyond their current abilities.”

Unsurprisingly, Deliberate Practice is hard. Ericsson found that elite athletes, writers, and musicians could only sustain the concentration needed for Deliberate Practice for relatively short periods of time. Their concentration on very specific skills, and sub-skills, however, ensured they continued to improve and perform at the top of their game.

3. Become a Teacher

The idea of learning through teaching isn’t new. But after a certain amount of research, the National Training Laboratories felt confident enough to release The Learning Pyramid. This is a simple diagram showing the rough retention rates to be expected through various forms of teaching. The pyramid has its opponents, but for many, it remains a reliable guideline.

As you can see, passive learning approaches offer relatively low levels of retention. Unfortunately, this is what we often rely on when picking up a new skill, especially as adults.

Participatory methods, however, offer much more promise. “Group Discussions” (50% retention), as mentioned previously, could be fostered through mastermind groups or online critiques. “Practice by Doing” (75% retention) is where Deliberate Practice comes in. But with “Teaching Others” reportedly offering a 90% retention rate, we cannot ignore this strategy.

“If you can’t explain it to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself.” –Einstein

Whether you’re already proficient, or a complete novice here isn’t important. If you’re an expert looking to improve, you have a lot to teach. If you’re a novice, you can document and explain what you’re learning to others.

Deciding to become a teacher means thoroughly understanding a very specific area of study before being able pass on that knowledge others. This gives you the motivation and responsibility to really get to grips with a topic.

If you’re at an advanced level, you could use sites like Private Tutoring At Home to find tutoring gigs. If you wanted something with less responsibility, you could answer relevant questions on Quora, Reddit, or a relevant online forum.

Or if you want to keep things simple, start a WordPress blog to share your findings, methods, and results. If you don’t want to set up a blog, you can publish directly to Medium, or even start a YouTube channel to share what you’re learning

How Many Hours Does It Really Take?

As explained, Gladwell’s 10,000-Hour Rule is based on very unstable foundations. Luckily for us, the alternative is far more preferable.

By paying close attention to how you structure your practice time, introducing feedback loops, deliberate practice, and an aspect of teaching into your learning methods, you can become highly proficient at most skills in far less time than you might otherwise think.

Read the full article: The 10,000 Hour Rule Is Wrong: How to Really Master a Skill

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How to Handle a Copyright Infringement Notice From Your ISP

Until recently, I’d never actually met anyone that had received a copyright infringement letter for downloading films on the internet. Their Internet Service Provider contacted them directly, informing that they would be taken them to court unless they agree to pay a set fine.

My friend was culpable and not wanting to risk a court appearance as well as a large fine, settled with his ISP and the copyright holder.

Receiving a copyright infringement notice is worrying. What happens if you receive a copyright notice? How does your ISP know about your copyright infringement?

“We Are Writing to Inform You…”

“We are writing to inform you that [your ISP] recently received notification from a copyright owner of a copyright violation that appears to involve [your ISP account]. The work(s) identified by the copyright owner in its complaint are listed below.

We are contacting you because our records indicate that the internet Protocol (IP) address provided to us by the copyright owner was assigned to your service on the date and time identified by the copyright owner.”

A letter containing those words is usually a precursor for a series of negative events. Copyright infringement is a serious crime that ISPs have a duty to investigate. After all, their network is the focal point of the copyright infringement.

Your ISP is tracking your every movement online. They can see the sites you visit, when you visit them, how long you lurk there, and more. Your ISP can also see your download activity, including any peer-to-peer services (torrenting, for instance), which they will link directly to your IP address.

“Please note that we have not provided any of your private information to the copyright holder at this time. [ISP] will not provide your identifying information without a lawful subpoena or other lawful process. However, upon receipt of a lawful subpoena or other lawful process [your ISP] will release your information to the copyright owner.”

Your ISP might not release your details immediately. The vast majority of ISPs release a warning similar to this after receiving a notice of copyright infringement. However, as the infringement warning states, if the ISP receives a lawful request, they have to comply. It is the law.

You cannot simply change your ISP to escape a copyright infringement notification, either. You might get a clean slate with a new ISP. But unless you are changing your address, and in reality, your name, that copyright infringement record will follow you around. As with many things relating to the law, it is difficult to run from your problems.

What Is Copyright Infringement?

When a studio releases a film or a musician releases an album into the public realm, the vast majority of the time, this content features copyright protection. It isn’t just music or films. Photographs, paintings, books, articles, podcasts, and countless other types of content carry copyright.

Copyright is a legal right that protects work, granting the original content creator exclusive rights over the ownership and distribution of the work. Copyright can and does expire. Most major copyright holders extend the copyright of important works to maintain their control over their original content (or over copyright purchased from other creators).

When you receive a copyright infringement notice from your ISP, it will contain the exact copyright allegedly broken on your network.

For instance, a Comcast notice of claim of copyright infringement will feature an email subject line such as “Notice of Action under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).” The email body explains Comcast’s obligation to notify the network user (you) that a copyright owner has found an infringement on your network.

The email will also list the copyright infringing work, usually using the exact file name, the infringing IP address, the infringement type (e.g., P2P, illegal stream, etc.), and the reporting copyright owner.

The following Comcast DMCA notice was sent after the original poster downloaded the original World of Warcraft 1.12 Client using a torrent program:

A copyright infringement notification one of my viewers received after downloading the Nostalrius/Elysium Vanilla WoW Client

Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/8TA2oPHUse

— Zack (@Asmongold) January 5, 2017

Of course, it isn’t just Comcast that send DMCA takedown notices. ISPs are compelled by law to send the notice, regardless of their “stance” on pirating. Word to the wise, ISPs stance on pirating isn’t good.

The Google Fiber DMCA copyright infringement varies, depending on the “amount” of copyright infringement. However, the Google Fiber DMCA usually reads “Notice of Unauthorized Use of Copyrights Owned by [insert copyright owner].” Like the Comcast DMCA email, it instructs the network owner as to the copyright infringing work, the IP address, and so on.

Copyright infringement emails and letters from Verizon, Bell, Rogers, and other U.S.A. ISPs all follow a similar pattern.

AMC Issues DMCA Threats Regarding The Walking Dead

Copyright infringement isn’t always obvious, either. For instance, Season Six of AMC’s The Walking Dead finished on a massive cliff-hanger. Understandably, during the off-season, fan sites began speculating as to the outcome of the cliff-hanger (I’m trying hard not to include any spoilers here!).

However, AMC threated The Walking Dead fan site, The Spoiling Dead with legal action. If during their speculation regarding the cliff hanger they hit upon the correct outcome for the return to Season Seven, “AMC says they will sue us . . . Their stance is that making such a prediction would be considered copyright infringement.”

Game of Thrones IP-Echelon DMCA Notices

Certain titles attract higher levels of pirating. In recent years, Game of Thrones copyright owner, HBO, has sent tens of thousands of copyright infringement notices as fans pirate the latest Game of Thrones series. HBO teamed up with the anti-piracy company, IP-Echelon, to serve and enforce the copyright infringement notices.

However, HBO also took another step to reducing the amount of Game of Thrones pirating taking place. Instead of restricting Game of Thrones to cable-only, it first added each series to its on-demand streaming service, followed by allowing an Amazon Prime channel add-on subscription (albeit at a steep price of $14.99 per month). The result was less piracy, more engagement, and potentially a happier audience.

How to Avoid Copyright Infringement?

Once you receive a copyright infringement letter or email, you are on a list. (Aren’t we all on a list somewhere?) While you might not be able to have your name removed from that list, you can certainly ensure no additional copyright infringements appear alongside your name and IP address.

What measures can you take to make sure that there are no copyright infringements on your home network?

1. Stop All the Downloading (of Illegal Content)

It should go without saying… but stop downloading illegal content through illicit sources. If you are unsure what the copyright status of a file is, it is best not to download. Instead, you can head to the U.S. Copyright Office website and complete a search for whatever the file, film, album, or content is.

My tip is to use a keyword, rather than the exact file name.

The rise of Android-based Kodi boxes and other streaming services further complicate matters. Kodi boxes are sold openly in shops and online, but the streaming apps available on those boxes may well use copyrighted materials. Dan Price explains if it is legal to own and use a Kodi box.

2. Talk to Your Housemates About Copyright Infringement

If you are certain it was not you downloading the latest episode of Game of Thrones, go and chat to your family, housemates, or anyone with access to your internet connection. Hopefully, you can have an honest conversation about the issue of pirating illegal content, as well as the potential repercussions.

(You could show them a few legal download alternatives, too.)

3. Check the Letter for Details, Watch Out for Scams

If you meet a wall of silence, head back to the email or letter and check for details. Copyright infringement enforcement letters list the infringing content, including the file name and download method. If you see the file is the latest Kendrick Lamar album, chances are it wasn’t Great Aunt Ethel (but if she did, props to her).

Regardless, the information in the copyright infringement letter or email will help you narrow down who is downloading what on your internet connection. Talk to them about safe downloading, copyright infringement, and alternative sources.

The other thing to consider is if your copyright infringement letter is a scam. Some copyright infringement notices also contain a notice of payment, causing people to panic and pay without considering if the letter is real.

For instance, scammers piggybacking on the HBO Game of Thrones IP-Echelon copyright infringement sent thousands of scam emails including a direct settlement fee of $150 for the alleged copyright infraction.

If you receive an email from IP-Echelon, Lionsgate, Rightscorp, CEG TEK, or any other copyright enforcement firm, don’t rush to pay. Do your research first.

4. Check Your Home Network for Intruders

If it really is no one in your household, even after you give the kids and Great Aunt Ethel the third degree, you should check your home network. Your first stop is your router. Your kids might not be pirating copyrighted material, but what if they gave the internet password to a friend?

How about a neighbor piggybacking on your internet, stealing your bandwidth and triggering the wrath of copyright holders?

Your router will show you any connections. Furthermore, some will even keep a log of recent connections. If there are more devices than you’re aware of, it is time to consider your options.

Use your web browser to access your router interface. The address varies by router, but many companies now print the default router address on the device. My connected device list looks like so:

I can account for all of those devices. If you cannot, you might have found your copyright infringing culprit. Unfortunately, finding out exactly which neighbor is piggybacking is a bit more difficult (and you might not want to cause a confrontation). In this case, your router will have some form of IP address or MAC address filtering or blocking that you can apply.

5. Virus Scan

The last tip is the good old virus or malware scan. While somewhat unlikely, there is a chance that a Trojan is exposing your hard drive to the internet, resulting in unauthorized file sharing. Unlikely, but possible. There are better things to do with remote access to someone’s computer than use it to download the Jumanji remake.

Use Legal Content Services to Avoid Copyright Infringement

I’m sure there are people out there that have never downloaded a copyright protected file in their entire life. I’m not going to lie: I’m not one of them. But as internet services become better, and cater to a massive range of useful things, the need to lurk potentially dangerous download sites to find obscure Indonesian drum and bass becomes less and less.

Furthermore, protecting yourself has become easier, too. MakeUseOf certainly does not advocate downloading copyrighted material. But a VPN is excellent for protecting your personal online privacy, downloading content or not.

Get three FREE months of ExpressVPN when you subscribe for a year.

Read the full article: How to Handle a Copyright Infringement Notice From Your ISP

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How to Hide Your Private Photos in Android Gallery

9 Thriving Twitter Communities All Geeks Should Join

Twitter is one of the biggest social media platforms out there. If you’ve been online for any length of time you’ve probably been urged by someone to set up an account.

“It’ll be useful!” they’ll say, but you’re not sure whether to believe them. However, Twitter is made up of a whole host of different communities, some of which are very geeky indeed.

In this article we explore some geeky Twitter communities that are currently thriving on the platform. And these could be the way into Twitter you’ve been looking for.

Note: If you’re completely new to the platform, it might be worth learning how to use Twitter before reading any further.

1. Science Twitter

Cold blast behind #WinterStormWesley may delay flooding in parts of the Plains, upper Midwest: https://t.co/nLBCybzMZP pic.twitter.com/mcGYmYy1Xt

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) April 11, 2019

Science Twitter was what introduced me to the idea that Twitter is a powerful tool to relay information. With scientists using the platform directly, you can get unfettered access to how our world works.

From simple weather reports to tracking hurricanes, from declining bee populations to rising oceans, Science Twitter can make you more conscious about the natural world. It can also help you act accordingly if a natural disaster is about to hit your area.

2. Book Twitter

Do you need a boost to your Camp project or want a few days to focus on a writing project? Join us for the #NaNoWriMoThon, a writing marathon running from April 10-14! We’ll have daily time- and community-based challenges for you, and a fundraising challenge to go along with it.

— NaNoWriMo (@NaNoWriMo) April 9, 2019

One of my favorite parts of Twitter is the creative writing and publishing sphere.

Book Twitter is built around an ecosystem designed to propagate a love of writing. It spans the gamut from readers and reviewers, to authors, agents, and publishing houses.

If you’re thinking of writing a novel and you’re looking for guidance, or you’re seeking community, Twitter is the perfect place to find it.

And if you need some Book Twitter accounts to follow to get you started we recommend PitchWars, Writer’s Digest, and NaNoWriMo.

3. News Twitter

Jockey suspended after extraordinary case of lead hidden in breeches https://t.co/37Cot88Gan

— The Guardian (@guardian) April 11, 2019

Breaking news is a double-edged sword. It’s great to stay updated on current events, but the constant feedback loop can also make you feel overwhelmed.

If you are looking to stay up-to-date on the news, Twitter can give you livestreams on political rallies and public hearings. It’s also a central hub for journalists and news organizations. They often tweet out links to articles on the subjects they are covering.

4. Space Twitter

In a historic feat by @EHTelescope & @NSF, a black hole image has been captured for the 1st time. Several of our missions observed the same black hole using different light wavelengths and collected data to understand the black hole's environment. Details: https://t.co/WOjLdY76ve pic.twitter.com/4PhH1bfHxc

— NASA (@NASA) April 10, 2019

Space Twitter is genuinely hopeful in its approach to science. It’s always looking towards a better future, sometimes literally.

From breaking info on the #EventHorizonTelescope—the first-ever photograph of a black hole—to the Hubble telescope account, you can find updates on the latest scientific research everytime you open Twitter.

NASA also gives out information on its latest projects, so you can follow humanity’s push towards the stars in real-time.

5. Movie Twitter

In 100 days, the king arrives. Watch the brand new trailer for #TheLionKing now. pic.twitter.com/BzqYksP2P3

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios) April 10, 2019

Movie Twitter is great for two things:

1. You can find companies releasing trailers and behind-the-scenes footage on upcoming films.
2. You can find people live-tweeting about movies as they watch them.

This up-to-the-minute reporting should be useful in helping you decide on whether the latest blockbuster is worth paying to see in theaters.

6. Technology Twitter

What Is a Kernel in Linux and How Do You Check Your Version? https://t.co/f1tQ2avtcL

— MakeUseOf (@MakeUseOf) April 11, 2019

Technology Twitter coincides with News Twitter a lot of the time, but it’s not exactly the same thing.

Filled with links on how-to articles and ongoing discussions over which new piece of technology is better, Twitter is the place to be if you don’t have time to skim through longer blog posts. This is especially true if you still want to stay informed on industry developments or data breaches.

Most tech blogs have a Twitter account linking back to their articles. As an example, here’s the MakeUseOf Twitter account. And you should follow us before you do anything else.

7. Star Wars Twitter

Breaking news in the galaxy! @AlanTudyk to return as K-2SO in the Cassian Andor live-action series for Disney+: https://t.co/m3vPvsjvgJ #DisneyPlus pic.twitter.com/XXmI7aSnFz

— Star Wars (@starwars) April 12, 2019

Star Wars Twitter is thriving, and growing, and somewhat unruly. But if you’re a fan of the Jedi or the Sith then Twitter is the best place to get updates on Star Wars events and releases. You can also connect with other Star Wars fans around the world.

A key account to follow is Star Wars Official, and some good hashtags to keep in mind are #StarWars and #StarWarsCelebration.

8. Historical Twitter

More Geese For The Geese God. pic.twitter.com/eYTOHDuZsy

— The Museum of English Rural Life (@TheMERL) March 27, 2019

Historical Twitter—and the tongue-in-cheek, coffee-drinking academics that populate it—was not something I expected to find when I first joined the platform.

However, with their ability to share their research directly and a desire to talk about underrepresented aspects of history, academics have taken to Twitter with ease. It seems there’s now a “tweet thread” for every subject.

Do you want to know all about English rural life during the 20th Century? There’s an account for that. How about The Smithsonian Museum, which runs its own profile?

Historical tweets tend to go viral instead of being a constant item, so just keep an eye out for them. If you see historians talking about their areas of expertise, give them a follow too. It’s like getting a History Class 101 but without the boring stuff.

9. Job Hunting Twitter

Lucasfilm is #hiring in SF! We’re looking for an Assistant Digital Image Archivist. Interested? Apply now and #JointheForce: https://t.co/OR34moNh6C pic.twitter.com/Fv6bdcGYs9

— Lucasfilm Recruiting (@JoinTheForce) April 9, 2019

One thing that may shock you about Twitter is that it’s surprisingly good for finding jobs, especially for industries that require highly specific skill sets.

This ties into that whole “Twitter is good for networking” thing, and the power of it can’t be overstated.

If you’re a professional working in the online media or entertainment industries, Twitter can be a goldmine for postings. These posts either come from companies putting out a general call to apply, or individual hiring managers asking people to submit their resumes.

This direct contact allows you to touch base with the people who might be reading your resume. If not, it can connect you with the people who will then pass your resume on to those who can.

There’s a Twitter Community for Everyone

Twitter is a good platform for people who want to consume a large amount of information in a short space of time. This is especially true if you want your information delivered with the maximum amount of clarity.

From creative writing and science to news and current affairs, there’s a Twitter community for everyone. And by following the right people you can tailor your Twitter feed to see exactly what you want.

Are you still struggling with Twitter? Then you need these free tools that make Twitter even more useful.

Read the full article: 9 Thriving Twitter Communities All Geeks Should Join

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The 10 Best Legal Kodi Add-Ons for Free Movies

Kodi is one of the best ways to watch movies for free. And contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to break the law to watch movies for free on Kodi.

Sure, there are dozens of illegal Kodi movie add-ons out there. Often, they stream the latest Hollywood blockbusters just days after they come out in theaters. But why landing yourself in legal hot water when there are so many ways to watch free movies on Kodi without breaking the law?

With that in mind, here are the best legal Kodi add-ons for free movies.

1. Sony Crackle

Crackle has been a popular app among cord cutters for a while now. In recent years, Sony has been investing more money into Crackle, and as a result, the service is looking better than ever.

There are lots of ad-supported free movies to stream, as well as some TV shows and original content. Like Netflix, content is added and removed on a monthly basis.

Also like Netflix, the exact content available will vary depending on where you are based. In the U.S., Crackle has distribution agreements with 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Miramax, Universal Studios, and more.

2. Tubi TV

Tubi TV is another ad-supported movie add-on for Kodi that’s entirely free to use. Currently, the add-on boasts more than 12,000 movies and TV shows in its collection.

Ads appear during movies in mini-breaks, rather than just at the beginning or end of a video.

The quality of movies on offer is surprisingly robust. Tubi TV has partnerships in place with studios like Paramount Pictures, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Lionsgate.

The add-on is not available in the official Kodi repo. Instead, you need to grab it on GitHub and install it manually.

If you want to access all the content, you will need to use a reliable VPN so you can hop between different locations. Here at MakeUseOf, we recommend using either CyberGhost or ExpressVPN.

3. Popcornflix

Popcornflix is of no relation to the illegal P2P streaming app, Popcorn Time. Popcornflix is entirely legal and is part of Kodi’s official repo.

If you want to watch free movies on your Kodi app, Popcornflix is a must-have. It primarily offers independent feature films, though you’ll also find some original content and a few web shows.

At the time of writing, the service is only available in the United States and Canada, though the developers plan to roll out the app to other countries in the future.

4. FilmRise

FilmRise is a popular YouTube channel for people who want to watch free movies online, but did you know it’s also available as a Kodi add-on via the official repo?

As a company, FilmRise buys distribution rights for movies across all media—including theatrical releases.

Some recent releases that FilmRise has been responsible for include Manifesto (featuring Cate Blanchett) across North America, James Franco’s The Vault in the U.S., and A Love Story starring Nicolas Cage.

Most recently, FilmRise signed streaming deals with ITV Studios, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Warner Bros in January 2019, meaning the service’s movie catalog is now larger than it’s ever been.

5. SnagFilms

Like Popcornflix, SnagFilms is another Kodi add-on that specializes in offering free, ad-supported movies and documentaries from independent producers.

After launching back in 2008, the library has now grown to more than 5,000 videos. The jewels in the crown are the National Geographic documentary films. They include well-known titles such as Super Size Me, Kicking It, and Nanking.

6. Japanese Animated Film Classics

As you might have guessed from the name, Japanese Animated Film Classics is a website which specializes in cataloging and broadcasting old anime and other similar genres.

It features free anime movies from some of the greatest artists of the last 100 years, including Ikuo Oishi, Seitaro Kitayama, Junichi Kouchi, and Shigeji Ogino.

Any animated movies available on the organization’s website are also available in this add-on. You’ll be able to enjoy seminal works such as Old Man Goichi, The Donkey, Yoshichiro Salutes, Taro’s Train, and Kamishibai Kintaro.

There are more than 100 movies to enjoy in total.

7. British Council Film

British Council Film is a British equivalent of the Japanese Animated Film Classics organization.

It makes dozens of old British movies available for free. Specifically, the add-on provides access to the British Council Film Collection. Some are in black-and-white, while others are in color.

8. The Internet Archive

The Internet Archive is a well-known repository of free music, videos, and TV shows that are legally allowed to be distributed for free. There are more than 5,000 regular films and 3,000 short films.

The add-on provides access to the site’s catalog of content through the Kodi interface. Movies on offer include Night of the Living Dead, the original The Fast and the Furious from 1954, Jungle Book, and The House on Haunted Hill.

The add-on used to be available in the Kodi repo, but these days you need to download it from the SuperRepo repo. Open the site and go to Krypton > All to grab the ZIP file.

9. BIGSTAR Movies

BIGSTAR Movies offers one of the most extensive selections of legal free movies on Kodi.

On the main site, there’s a mix of free and premium content. Unfortunately, only the free content is available through the Kodi add-on; there is no facility for you to log into your premium portal.

BIGSTAR Movies is notable for its broad selection of movie categories. Not only is it a testament to the amount of content on the site, but it also makes it easy to find something you want to watch—and that’s always good news. The categories available cover everything from film-noir to westerns.

Like The Internet Archive add-on, it is available through the SuperRepo repo. Just go to Krypton > All to download the ZIP.

10. PlayStation Vue

We end with PlayStation Vue. It is one of the few web-based TV services to offer a Kodi app in the official repo.

Of course, the service is predominantly a live TV app. However, because it has DVR functionality, you can record movies as they air and watch them when you’re ready.

Unfortunately, PlayStation Vue isn’t free, with the entry-level access plan costing $44.99/month.

Other Things to Watch on Kodi

The legal Kodi add-ons we have introduced you to here should offer something for every film fanatic.

However, free movies are just one of the many things you can watch on Kodi. If you want more, here are the best Kodi add-ons to watch IPTV and the best Kodi add-ons you didn’t know you needed.

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What Is Spear Phishing? How to Spot and Avoid This Email Scam

If you’re knowledgeable about internet security, you’ve probably heard about phishing. You’ve undoubtedly received emails pretending to be from your bank or from Microsoft, asking you to send your password. Hopefully you know that you should never do that.

But there is a much more sophisticated version of this technique, called spear phishing. This is where an individual is the target of a very well-researched and personalized phishing campaign.

Even seasoned internet users can be tricked by spear phishing, so here’s how it works and how to stay safe from it.

How Spear Phishing Works

Spear phishing follows a well-known pattern. The phishers will begin by researching you and learning about the company you work for, your colleagues, and projects that you may be currently working on.

Then you’ll receive an email that appears to come from someone you know. As an example, it may reference a project you are working on or an issue you are dealing with. (Alternatively, it might reference a forthcoming event, or a mutual contact). In the email will be a link to a file you are instructed to download.

Often the file will be hosted by a service like Dropbox or Google Drive. When you go to the page hosting the file, you’ll be asked to enter your credentials. The log in site will look just like a legitimate Google or similar log in page.

But this page is actually being run by the scammer. When you enter your username and password, this information is sent to the scammer instead of logging you in. This can even work with two-factor authentication. When you enter your authentication code, this is sent to the scammer as well.

The scammer then has the username and password for your Google account or other important account. They can use this to access your other accounts too. Your security is totally compromised.

How Spear Phishers Make Their Messages Look Legit

Regular phishing emails are easy to spot if you know what to look for. But unlike the generic phishing emails that are sent out in bulk, a spear phishing attack is targeted to you specifically. The phishers use techniques to make their emails more convincing.

One common trick is for the phisher to buy a domain very similar to the real domain they want to fake a message from.

For example, if someone was trying to fake an email from makeuseof.com, they might buy the domain rnakeuseof.com. The r and n together look a lot like an m if you are reading quickly. If someone sent you a message from bob@rnakeuseof.com you might well think it was legit.

Alternatively, a phisher might use email spoofing to forge a fake email from someone you know.

The email messages will be well-written and professional, with no spelling or grammar mistakes. And phishers can be very cunning in the way they make the emails look urgent and important. They could fake an email from your boss or from the CEO of your company—someone you wouldn’t want to question.

Phishers may even do research to find out when one of your colleagues is away on a business trip. Then they’ll email you, pretending to be that colleague, as they know you won’t be speaking to them in person. There are lots of ways for a phisher to find out about your company and to use that information to trick you.

People Who Are Vulnerable to Spear Phishing

As spear phishing is a targeted attack which requires a lot of research, scammers choose their target carefully. Phishers will pick out a person in a company who has access to key systems, or target individuals with a high net worth or who can access large funds.

The people most at risk from spear phishing attacks are general employees in a business, or anyone using their computer at home. Senior people in a company such as those working in management, or people working in IT, will be more at risk from “whaling” which is a cyber attack on high-value targets.

How to Stay Safe From Spear Phishing

With spear phishing attacks being as sophisticated as they are, you need to be careful. Even an innocuous-sounding message from a trusted friend or colleague could turn out to be a phishing attack.

Fortunately there are some practical steps you can take to stay safe and reduce the likelihood that a phishing attack on you will succeed:

• Whenever you receive an email, double and triple check the sender address. You need to look carefully to make sure the address isn’t faked or inaccurate. Just because an email seems to come from someone you know, looks like a regular email from them (with their signature, company information, and so on) doesn’t mean it is necessarily legit.
• Be suspicious if the sender makes the request sound very urgent, especially if they’re asking you to do something you normally wouldn’t. For example, if within your company you typically share files over a network drive, but now someone asks you to urgently download a file from a Dropbox, this is a clue that something isn’t right.
• Confirm a request by phone if it’s out of the ordinary. The best way to defeat phishing is to pick up the phone and speak to the purported sender for yourself. If the request is genuine, it will only take a minute to confirm. If it’s not, you’ll have dodged a potentially harmful situation.
• Watch out for files linked in emails. Even something that you might assume would be safe, like an Excel or Word file can hide malicious software. Be extra careful if a linked file requires you to enable macros, as this is a common way to install malware on your device.

Watch Out for Sophisticated Spear Phishing Attacks

Spear phishing is a much more sophisticated version of traditional phishing attacks. It uses a great deal of research to target a particular individual, by faking email correspondence from one of their contacts.

These emails can look very convincing and instruct the recipient to download a file which contains malware, allowing the phisher to gain access to the target’s email account or other accounts.

Watch out for these emails which may look legit but can be a way to compromise your accounts. And while you’re here, learn about other phishing techniques to be aware of like vishing and smishing too.

Image Credit: yanlev/Depositphotos

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The new new web

Over the last five years, almost everything about web development has changed. Oh, the old tech still works, your WordPress and Ruby On Rails sites still function just fine — but they’re increasingly being supplanted by radical new approaches. The contents of your browser are being sliced, diced, rendered, and processed in wholly new ways nowadays, and the state of art is currently in serious flux. What follows is a brief tour of what I like to call the New New Web:

Table of Contents

1. Single-Page Apps
2. Headless CMSes
3. Static Site Generators
4. The JAMStack
5. Hosting and Serverlessness
6. Summary

---

1. Single-Page Apps

These have become so much the norm — our web projects at HappyFunCorp are almost always single-page apps nowadays — that it’s easy to forget how new and radical they were when they first emerged, in the days of jQuery running in pages dynamically built from templates on the server.

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Talk media and TED2019 key takeaways with TechCrunch’s Anthony Ha

Anthony just returned from Vancouver, where he was covering the TED2019 conference — a much-parodied gathering where VCs, executives and other bigwigs gather to exchange ideas.

This year, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey got the biggest headlines, but the questions raised in his onstage interview kept popping up throughout the week: How has social media warped our democracy? How can the big online platforms fight back against abuse and misinformation? And what is the Internet good for, anyway? Wednesday at 11:00 am PT, Anthony will recap the five-day event’s most interesting talks and provocative ideas with Extra Crunch members on a conference call.

Tune in to dig into what happened onstage and off and ask Anthony any and all things media.

To listen to this and all future conference calls, become a member of Extra Crunch. Learn more and try it for free.

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