How to Update Kodi on Amazon Fire Stick

Kodi’s developers frequently release new updates for the app. There has been an average of one update every two months since February 2017. Because there are so many releases, it’s vital to keep your Kodi app up to date on every device.

Unlock the list of "Essential Amazon Fire Stick TV Channels" now!

This will sign you up to our newsletter

Enter your Email

Read our privacy policy

Failure to do so could see you missing out on new features and leave you exposed to security flaws. So if you’re running Kodi on your Amazon Fire Stick, you need to keep it updated. But how?

Annoyingly, you won’t find Kodi in the Fire Stick’s app store, so you will have to perform the upgrade manually. With that in mind, here’s how to update Kodi on a Fire Stick.

How to Update Kodi on Amazon Fire Stick

If you want to update your version of Kodi to the latest release, just follow the simple step-by-step instructions below.

(Note: Before beginning the process, head to Settings > My Fire TV > Developer Options and make sure you have turned on Apps From Unknown Sources.

1. Download an app called Downloader from the Amazon Appstore.
2. Long-press the Home button.
3. Launch Downloader.
4. In the box below Enter the URL of the website you want to load or the file you want to download, type https://ift.tt/1q1qItl and select Go.
5. Use the remote to select Android.
6. Choose either the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Kodi. First-generation Fire sticks have 32-bit CPUs; the newer ones have 64-bit.
7. Choose the Release version of the app. Nightly builds are more likely to contain bugs.
8. Wait for the APK file to download.
9. When complete, Downloader will automatically attempt to install it.
10. On the on-screen pop-up, click on Install.

You will now have the latest version of Kodi running on your Amazon Fire Stick. All of your content and settings should have been retained.

Now you’re all set to start watching movies on Kodi, and you can use these legal Kodi add-ons for free movies to do so!

And if you need any more help with Kodi, our Kodi setup guide for beginners should provide answers to your questions.

Read the full article: How to Update Kodi on Amazon Fire Stick

Read Full Article

How to Clean the Dust From Your Noisy PS4

If you’ve had a PlayStation 4 for a while, chances are it’s running a lot louder than it did when you bought it. Like most devices, dust tends to build up over time inside the system.

To keep your PS4 running at its best, it’s wise to clean your system every once in a while. To quiet it down and remove all that nasty dust buildup, follow our guide to cleaning your PS4.

Warning: Take Care Cleaning Your PS4

While this is a relatively straightforward process, you should still take care when performing this. We cannot be held responsible for any damage you may do to your system. You may want to make sure you’ve backed up your saved data before proceeding just in case.

With that out of the way, let’s look at how to clean your PS4.

Step 0: What You’ll Need for Cleaning a PS4

PS4 cleaning is a relatively simply job, but does require a few materials:

• A TR9 Torx security bit screwdriver. The PS4 uses T9 security screws. A T8 screwdriver may work, but you should use a T9 for best results. Make sure you get a screwdriver with a security bit, which has a tiny hole in the center.
  • If you don’t have one, you can get a T9 security screwdriver for cheap on eBay. If you already have a Torx set or computer opening toolkit, it probably has the bit you need.
• A standard Phillips-head screwdriver. There are a few screws inside the PS4 that require this screwdriver to remove. A smaller screwdriver will work best here.
• A knife or other sharp object. You’ll want this to peel off the stickers covering the PS4’s rear screws.
• A can of compressed air. You’ll need this to blow out the dust. You can purchase these online or at stores like Walmart.

For a more efficient cleaning, you may also want to use these optional materials:

• Cotton swabs and/or cotton balls. If you’d like, you can use these to help you remove some of the dust. A cotton swab also helps you keep the fan from spinning. If you want to go above and beyond, try making some cleaning putty and using that instead.
• A flashlight. It can be tough to see where the dust hides; a flashlight makes it easier to spot.
• A paper towel or piece of tape to hold the screws. You don’t want tiny screws to go missing, so it’s good idea to have somewhere to keep them. When removing the screws, you may want to place them in the same pattern you removed them, so you know which goes where.
• A cleaning brush or old toothbrush. Dust caked onto the PS4’s fan is difficult to remove since the blade gaps are so small. A brush can scrape off whatever the canned air can’t clear out.

Note that if you have an original model PS4, opening your console and cleaning it will void your warranty (which is valid for one year after purchase). However, you can remove the cover from the Slim and Pro models without voiding the warranty. Chances are that if you’ve had your PS4 for long enough that dust buildup is an issue, your warranty has probably expired anyway.

We’ll show steps for the original PS4 for this guide (since it’s the one I have, and the most complicated). At the end, we’ll mention the differences for the other models.

Step 1: Shut Down and Unplug Everything

Before you start cleaning your PS4, make sure the console is turned off. If you see an orange light, then it’s in Rest Mode (a low-power state) and you’ll need to shut it down fully.

Turn your console on, then press and hold the PlayStation button on your controller to open the Quick Menu. Head to Power > Turn Off PS4. Wait until all lights on your PS4 turn off, then unplug the power cable, HDMI cord, and anything else connected to it (like USB devices).

Bring your PS4 to a place where you have some room to work. Since you’ll be removing screws, you should have a safe place to set them.

Like when building a PC, you should take care not to build up static electricity. Don’t work on a static-prone surface, such as a shaggy carpet, and try to only touch the plastic components when cleaning.

Step 2: Remove the Back Stickers and Screws

Now that you’ve got your PS4 ready to work, turn it around so the back is facing you, then flip it upside-down. You’ll see three stickers along the “top” (which is really the bottom of the system, in line with the port for the power cable) that you must remove.

Note that if you’re using the slightly revamped model of the original PS4, you’ll only see one sticker and screw here in the middle.

The middle one has a special warranty sticker that damages itself when you remove it. The other two are a bit thicker and might require a bit of extra work. Use your knife or another pointy tool to peel back a corner of the stickers, then they should come off easily. Be careful not to scratch your system while you remove them.

Set them aside if you want to re-apply them later, or throw them out if you don’t care. Once you’ve removed the stickers, use your TR9 screwdriver to remove the screws underneath. They’re short, so they shouldn’t require much effort. Take care not to strip them, and set them aside in a safe place.

Step 3: Take Off the PS4 Cover

Now that you’ve removed the screws(s) holding the cover in place, you can pop it off. Start at the back (facing you) and lightly pull up on the edges. Don’t use a ton of force; as you work your way around the PS4, the cover should come free. Tug it up and remove it.

At this point, you can look at the cover you just removed and clean any dust inside. Your compressed air will make short work of it; this is also a good place to use a cotton ball to dab it out. After cleaning it, set the cover aside for now.

Back on the system, you can now see the fan, which is a good indicator of how dusty your system is. However, there’s one more component to remove first.

Step 4: Remove the Power Supply

You’re nearly there! Now you just need to remove the power supply so you can gain access to the heat sink and perform the most thorough cleaning. There are five screws holding the PSU in place. Three of them use the same TR9 security screws as the back cover, and the other two are standard Phillips head screws.

With the PSU on your side and the fan in the upper-right corner, the two Phillips head screws are closest to you on the far left and right of the PSU. Use your TR9 screwdriver to remove the other three screws.

Note that if you’re using the slightly revamped model of the original PS4, you’ll see one screw in a different location here. The T9 screw in the upper-left of the below photo will be a few inches above the T9 screw at the bottom instead.

The Phillips screws are longer than the others and are a bit tougher to remove, so you may need to slide your knife or another thin object under the clips to pull them up. Take care when doing this so you don’t bend the clips.

Now you can remove the PSU. There’s a cable connecting it to the motherboard underneath, which you don’t need to remove and don’t want to accidentally unplug. Carefully grab the PSU by both sides and lift it up evenly. It may take a bit of wiggling to come free.

Once you’ve got it lifted up, gently “flip” it over the left side so it rests carefully while staying plugged in.

Step 5: Blow the Dust Out of Your PS4

Finally, you have access to the heat sink and fan. Now we can explain how to clean your PS4’s fan and remove dust deep in the system.

Take your can of compressed air and insert the straw (if it has one) for more focused cleaning. Spray a few blasts of air away from your PS4 first, in case there’s any liquid in the tip.

Now, use your canned air to blow short bursts of air all around your PS4, getting rid of the dust. Make sure to check the corners for hidden dust (the flashlight can help here), and take care to blow it out of the system instead of further in. You can also use your cotton swabs or cotton balls to help you remove any dust the air won’t reach.

Focus especially on the fan, heat sink, and outside edges of your PS4 when looking for built-up dust, as these are common locations for it.

Note a few important warnings when using canned air:

• Never, ever hold the can upside-down. This will force the liquid inside the can out and could damage your PS4.
• Do not spray compressed air directly into the fan. Spinning the PS4’s fan at an extreme speed could damage the circuitry. Before you blow air near the fan, make sure you’re either holding it with a finger or have jammed it with a cotton swab.
• Use compressed air in ventilated areas only. Canned air can bother your skin and other body parts, and it’s dangerous to breathe it in for an extended time.
• Spray in bursts. Holding a steady spray of air will quickly cool the can, making it difficult for you to handle.

Step 6: Reassemble the PS4

Once you’re satisfied with your work cleaning out your PS4, it’s time to put everything back together in reverse order.

First, carefully “flip” the power supply over and put it back in its spot. You’ll notice two prongs in the bottom-left corner; make sure those line up with the gap in the PSU.

Replace the five screws holding it in place. Remember that the two on the bottom-left and bottom-right are the longer Phillips head screws with clips. The other three are security screws.

Next, snap the cover back into place. Start from the front of the system (make sure you have don’t have the cover backwards). Lightly press down all around the edges to the system to make sure it’s secure. When done, it shouldn’t wiggle.

Now, replace the TR9 screws on the back of the PS4. Take care when screwing them back in not to damage them. If you decided to keep the sticker(s), replace them now. The warranty sticker will appear scratched; this is by design.

Now your PS4 is all cleaned out and back together, but there’s an additional spot you might want to check quickly.

Step 7: Clean Your PS4’s HDD Bay (Optional)

The PS4 has a separate compartment for the hard drive that may or may not have built up dust. It’s not vital to check, but it’s worth taking a moment while you have your system out.

To access it, lightly press and slide the shiny part of your PS4 (on the left when looking at it from the front) straight out to the left. This will remove the cover, allowing you to access the HDD bay.

A simple Phillips head screw adorned with the PlayStation button icons holds it in place. You can remove the HDD if you like and clean out any dust in this area. Then just slide the HDD back in, replace the screw, and slide the cover on.

Step 8: Perform a Database Rebuild (Optional)

Now you can replace your PS4 and plug all your cables back in.

One last step isn’t strictly necessary, but since you’ve just cleaned out your PS4’s hardware, it’s a good time to optimize its software performance too.

The PS4 includes a utility called Rebuild Database that optimizes all the data on your drive. It’s essentially like defragmenting your computer. If you’ve had your PS4 long enough to build up significant dust, chances are it could benefit from this operation too.

To access it, shut down your PS4 (fully, so it’s not in Rest Mode). Once it’s off, press and hold the Power button on the front of the console (the top button). You’ll hear one beep right away; continue holding it until you hear a second beep. This boots the PS4 into Safe Mode.

Connect your controller to the PS4 with a micro-USB cable, then press the PlayStation button to sync it. Select the Rebuild Database option and confirm the operation. Your PS4 will then perform the process.

The system says this could take some time depending on how much data you have. However, it didn’t take more than 15 minutes or so for me with nearly 2TB of data on my hard drive. Once it completes, you’ll be back at your home screen.

This doesn’t delete any of your data, but it does have a few minor consequences. The PS4 will show you Discover notifications again for basic tips you’ve probably already seen. Your Home screen won’t show your recently played games, so you’ll have to track them down manually once. And your PS4 will also check for game updates for games you haven’t played in a while.

Once you’ve done this, you should hopefully notice your PS4 runs a bit smoother in the menus.

How to Clean the PS4 Slim and PS4 Pro

To clean the fan on the PS4 Slim, you don’t need to remove the warranty sticker. It’s much easier to remove the cover, too. All you have to do is pull up on the left and right corners on the front of your system. Pull on the middle, then slide the cover back and it will come right off.

From here, you’ll be able to see the fan even though it’s obstructed by a cover. If your fan doesn’t look too dirty (a flashlight will help with this), you can spray some canned air into it and probably call it a day. Remember to use a cotton swab to prevent the fan from spinning.

For full cleaning, you’ll need to remove several screws from the cover and the power supply plate. Since we focused on the original PS4, please see the video below for PS4 Slim-specific instructions.

The PS4 Pro is similar, but it’s even simpler. Simply pull up on the front left and right corners to loosen the cover, then slide it back. You can see the fan as soon as you remove this, making basic cleaning quite easy.

Unfortunately, the heat sink is buried deep in the PS4 Pro, and requires disassembling almost the entire console. Thus, you should stick to cleaning the fan. Check the below video for more details.

Now Your PS4 Is All Clean

Now you know how to clean your PS4! You should notice it running much more quietly than it was before, especially if you’ve had the system for years. While you could clean even deeper into the system, this would require some potentially risky operations. It’s better to avoid damaging your system and stick to this basic cleaning.

In the future, take a brush, some compressed air, or cotton swab along the outside edges of your system to remove the dust once in a while. This should help prevent dust from building up inside so you don’t have to go through this process as often.

Some have recommended placing plastic bottle caps or similar small objects under the four corners of your console. This lifts it off the below surface and should help with air flow. Aside from this, make sure your PS4 has room to breathe (keep it out of enclosed spaces). Paired with this cleaning when needed, your PS4 should stay cool and quiet.

For more DIY PS4 advice, check out our guide on upgrading your PS4’s hard drive and how to transfer your PS4 data to a new system. If you followed this guide, show us your dusty PS4 pictures in the comments below!

Read the full article: How to Clean the Dust From Your Noisy PS4

Read Full Article

Facebook’s use of Onavo spyware faces questions in EU antitrust probe — report

Facebook’s use of the Onavo spyware VPN app it acquired in 2013 — and used to inform its 2014 purchase of the then rival WhatsApp messaging platform — is on the radar of Europe’s antitrust regulator, per a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reports that the Commission has requested a large volume of internal documents as part of a preliminary investigation into Facebook’s data practices which was announced in December.

The WSJ cites people familiar with the matter who told it the regulator’s enquiry is focused on allegations Facebook sought to identify and crush potential rivals and thereby stifle competition by leveraging its access to user data.

Facebook announced it was shutting down Onavo a year ago — in the face of rising controversial about its use of the VPN tool as a data-gathering business intelligence dragnet that’s both hostile to user privacy and raises major questions about anti-competitive practices.

As recently as 2018 Facebook was still actively pushing Onavo at users of its main social networking app — marketing it under a ‘Protect’ banner intended to convince users that the tool would help them protect their information.

In fact the VPN allowed Facebook to monitor their activity across third party apps — enabling the tech giant to spot emerging trends across the larger mobile ecosystem. (So, as we’ve said before, ‘Protect Facebook’s business’ would have been a more accurate label for the tool.)

By the end of 2018 further details about how Facebook had used Onavo as a key intelligence lever in major acquisitions emerged when a UK parliamentary committee obtained a cache of internal documents related to a US court case brought by a third party developer which filed suit alleging unfair treatment on its app platform.

UK parliamentarians concluded that Facebook used Onavo to conduct global surveys of the usage of mobile apps by customers, apparently without their knowledge — using the intel to assess not just how many people had downloaded apps but how often they used them, which in turn helped the tech giant to decide which companies to acquire and which to treat as a threat.

The parliamentary committee went on to call for competition and data protection authorities to investigate Facebook’s business practices.

So it’s not surprising that Europe’s competition commission should also be digging into how Facebook used Onavo. The Commission also been reviewing changes Facebook made to its developer APIs which affected what information it made available, per the WSJ’s sources.

Internal documents published by the UK parliament also highlighted developer access issues — such as Facebook’s practice of whitelisting certain favored developers’ access to user data, raising questions about user consent to the sharing of their data — as well as fairness vis-a-vis non-whitelisted developers.

According to the newspaper’s report the regulator has requested a wide array of internal Facebook documents as part of its preliminary investigation, including emails, chat logs and presentations. It says Facebook’s lawyers have pushed back — seeking to narrow the discovery process by arguing that the request for info is so broad it would produce millions of documents and could reveal Facebook employees’ personal data.

Some of the WSJ’s sources also told it the Commission has withdrawn the original order and intends to issue a narrower request.

We’ve reached out to Facebook and the competition regulator for comment.

Back in 2017 the European Commission fined Facebook $122M for providing incorrect or misleading information at the time of the WhatsApp acquisition. Facebook had given regulator assurances that user accounts could not be linked across the two services — which cleared the way for it to be allowed to acquire WhatsApp — only for the company to u-turn in 2016 by saying it would be linking user data.

In addition to investigating Facebook’s data practices over potential antitrust concerns, the EU’s competition regulator is also looking into Google’s data practices — announcing a preliminary probe in December.

Read Full Article

What if the poor were part of city planning? | Smruti Jukur Johari

What if the poor were part of city planning? | Smruti Jukur Johari

Almost a billion people worldwide live in informal communities and slums, often without basic infrastructure like clean water, toilets or adequate roads. Urban planner Smruti Jukur Johari breaks down myths about these communities and shares examples of simple, common-sense solutions that arise when governments and architects work together with the residents themselves -- instead of around them.

Click the above link to download the TED talk.

Facebook’s use of Onavo spyware faces questions in EU antitrust probe — report

Facebook’s use of the Onavo spyware VPN app it acquired in 2013 — and used to inform its 2014 purchase of the then rival WhatsApp messaging platform — is on the radar of Europe’s antitrust regulator, per a report in the Wall Street Journal.

The newspaper reports that the Commission has requested a large volume of internal documents as part of a preliminary investigation into Facebook’s data practices which was announced in December.

The WSJ cites people familiar with the matter who told it the regulator’s enquiry is focused on allegations Facebook sought to identify and crush potential rivals and thereby stifle competition by leveraging its access to user data.

Facebook announced it was shutting down Onavo a year ago — in the face of rising controversial about its use of the VPN tool as a data-gathering business intelligence dragnet that’s both hostile to user privacy and raises major questions about anti-competitive practices.

As recently as 2018 Facebook was still actively pushing Onavo at users of its main social networking app — marketing it under a ‘Protect’ banner intended to convince users that the tool would help them protect their information.

In fact the VPN allowed Facebook to monitor their activity across third party apps — enabling the tech giant to spot emerging trends across the larger mobile ecosystem. (So, as we’ve said before, ‘Protect Facebook’s business’ would have been a more accurate label for the tool.)

By the end of 2018 further details about how Facebook had used Onavo as a key intelligence lever in major acquisitions emerged when a UK parliamentary committee obtained a cache of internal documents related to a US court case brought by a third party developer which filed suit alleging unfair treatment on its app platform.

UK parliamentarians concluded that Facebook used Onavo to conduct global surveys of the usage of mobile apps by customers, apparently without their knowledge — using the intel to assess not just how many people had downloaded apps but how often they used them, which in turn helped the tech giant to decide which companies to acquire and which to treat as a threat.

The parliamentary committee went on to call for competition and data protection authorities to investigate Facebook’s business practices.

So it’s not surprising that Europe’s competition commission should also be digging into how Facebook used Onavo. The Commission also been reviewing changes Facebook made to its developer APIs which affected what information it made available, per the WSJ’s sources.

Internal documents published by the UK parliament also highlighted developer access issues — such as Facebook’s practice of whitelisting certain favored developers’ access to user data, raising questions about user consent to the sharing of their data — as well as fairness vis-a-vis non-whitelisted developers.

According to the newspaper’s report the regulator has requested a wide array of internal Facebook documents as part of its preliminary investigation, including emails, chat logs and presentations. It says Facebook’s lawyers have pushed back — seeking to narrow the discovery process by arguing that the request for info is so broad it would produce millions of documents and could reveal Facebook employees’ personal data.

Some of the WSJ’s sources also told it the Commission has withdrawn the original order and intends to issue a narrower request.

We’ve reached out to Facebook and the competition regulator for comment.

Back in 2017 the European Commission fined Facebook $122M for providing incorrect or misleading information at the time of the WhatsApp acquisition. Facebook had given regulator assurances that user accounts could not be linked across the two services — which cleared the way for it to be allowed to acquire WhatsApp — only for the company to u-turn in 2016 by saying it would be linking user data.

In addition to investigating Facebook’s data practices over potential antitrust concerns, the EU’s competition regulator is also looking into Google’s data practices — announcing a preliminary probe in December.

Read Full Article

Now Write your Google Scripts using Modern JavaScript ES6

Google Apps Script has received a significant upgrade ever since it was first released to the public more than a decade ago. Apps Script now uses the V8 JavaScript Engine - it is the same runtime that is used inside the Google Chrome browser and the popular Node.js environment.

This essentially means:

• Developers can write code using modern JavaScript syntax like Arrow Functions, Classes, Array Destructuring, Template Literals and more.
• The V8 Engine is fast, powerful and continuously improving, It will likely improve the performance and memory utilization of your Google Scripts.
• Developers can use new JavaScript ES6 features like Symbols, Iterators, Generators, Promises, Maps, Sets and Proxies that weren’t available in the previous version of Google Apps Script.

Chrome V8 JavaScript Engine

Any new projects that you create inside the Google Apps Script editor automatically use the new V8 runtime.

If you would like to upgrade any old project to use V8, go to the Run menu and choose “Enable new Apps Script runtime powered by V8.” If you do not see this option yet, add a new runtimeVersion field in your project’s manifest file with the value of V8. You can set the value to DEPRECATED_ES5 to switch to the old version that uses the Mozilla’s Rhino JavaScript engine.

Tip: Type script.new in your browser to quickly create a new Google Apps Script project in your browser. (Source)

ES6 Modules - The Missing Part

ES6 introduced the concept of modules in JavaScript which allows developers to write reusable code that is also easier to refactor and maintain. You can break your program into separate files (modules) and then import them into other modules using import-export statements.

The new Google Apps Script environment doesn’t support ES6 modules.

The other big change is that functions become available based on the sequence of files in the script editor. Let me explain.

Say your Apps Script project has a lot of files and you have created two functions of the same name but they are located in different files. Apps Script won’t complain but when you can call this function, the one that is defined in the bottom-most file of the project will be invoked.

If you prefer the ease of working with ES6 Modules, the Apps Script Starter kit can help. You can write code locally inside Visual Studio Code, bundle the modules into a single file with Webpack and then push the bundle to the cloud automatically with Clasp.

The starter kit has also been updated to use the new V8 Runtime. Watch this YouTube video to learn how to develop with Google Scripts using the Starter Kit.

Learn Modern JavaScript ES6

Coming back to Javascript, I do have a few recommendations that will help improve your understanding of ECMAScript 6.

• Understanding ES6 - This online book covers all the new features that have been added to the JavaScript language since ES6.
• ES6 Udacity - A detailed video course that covers all aspects of ES6, complete with quizzes and doesn’t cost a penny.
• Exploring ES6 - Deep dive into the core features of ES6.
• Mozilla Docs - Once you are comfortable with the core concepts, this is the best reference site for ES6 with examples.
• If you prefer premium courses, check out the ones by Maximilian Schwarzmüller and Wes Bos.

Also see: The Best Online Teachers for Web Development

Google Maps adds more crowdsourced transit data and gets a new navigation bar

Google is updating Google Maps on Android and iOS with a revamped tab bar at the bottom, a new icon and a couple of new features. In particular, the company is putting more emphasis on user-generated content and recommendations.

At the bottom of the app, you now get five icons — Explore, Commute, Saved, Contribute and Updates. You could already save places and add more information to a Google Maps listing, but those features are now more visible. They’re no longer hidden in a side menu.

The Saved tab lets you easily access your saved places, lists and maps. You can also access the creepy timeline of all your past activity from the same menu now — you can disable location history in your Google account settings.

With the Contribute tab, you can see all your past contributions (reviews, photos, etc.) but also add content directly from that menu. In addition to reviews and photos, you can now directly suggest an edit and add a place from that menu instead of searching for a place and then adding or editing a place.

Finally, the Updates tab combines two existing features in a single view — a feed of recommendation (“For You”) as well messages from businesses. Google added the ability to message businesses in November 2018, but the inbox was a bit buried.

As for crowdsourced transit data, Google is expanding transit data beyond crowdedness reports. Google Maps prompts users to give more information about your bus or train ride at the end of the trip.

Users will now get prompts about the temperature, accessibility features and the presence of security cameras or security guards. In some regions, you’ll be able to say if there’s a women’s section. In Japan, Google Maps will offer you to pick a route with more carriages. Those features will roll out in March.

The company is also announcing some improvements to Live View, the feature that lets you see your route using augmented reality. For instance, you’ll be able to see a pin with your destination so that you get a better sense of where you should be headed.

Finally, Google is updating the Google Maps logo. It’s a more minimalistic Google-colored pin.

Read Full Article

Google Maps adds more crowdsourced transit data and gets a new navigation bar

Google is updating Google Maps on Android and iOS with a revamped tab bar at the bottom, a new icon and a couple of new features. In particular, the company is putting more emphasis on user-generated content and recommendations.

At the bottom of the app, you now get five icons — Explore, Commute, Saved, Contribute and Updates. You could already save places and add more information to a Google Maps listing, but those features are now more visible. They’re no longer hidden in a side menu.

The Saved tab lets you easily access your saved places, lists and maps. You can also access the creepy timeline of all your past activity from the same menu now — you can disable location history in your Google account settings.

With the Contribute tab, you can see all your past contributions (reviews, photos, etc.) but also add content directly from that menu. In addition to reviews and photos, you can now directly suggest an edit and add a place from that menu instead of searching for a place and then adding or editing a place.

Finally, the Updates tab combines two existing features in a single view — a feed of recommendation (“For You”) as well messages from businesses. Google added the ability to message businesses in November 2018, but the inbox was a bit buried.

As for crowdsourced transit data, Google is expanding transit data beyond crowdedness reports. Google Maps prompts users to give more information about your bus or train ride at the end of the trip.

Users will now get prompts about the temperature, accessibility features and the presence of security cameras or security guards. In some regions, you’ll be able to say if there’s a women’s section. In Japan, Google Maps will offer you to pick a route with more carriages. Those features will roll out in March.

The company is also announcing some improvements to Live View, the feature that lets you see your route using augmented reality. For instance, you’ll be able to see a pin with your destination so that you get a better sense of where you should be headed.

Finally, Google is updating the Google Maps logo. It’s a more minimalistic Google-colored pin.

Read Full Article

Qualcomm faces fresh competition scrutiny in Europe over RFFE chips for 5G

Qualcomm is facing fresh antitrust scrutiny from the European Commission, with the regulator raising questions about radio frequency front-end (RFFE) chips which can be used in 5G devices.

The chipmaker has been expanding into selling RFFE chips for 5G devices, per Reuters, encouraging buyers of its 5G modems to also buy its radio frequency front-end chips, rather than buying from other vendors and integrating their hardware with its 5G modem chips.

A European Commission spokeswomen confirmed the action, telling us: “We can confirm that the Commission has sent out questionnaires, as part of a preliminary investigation into the market for radio frequency front end.”

We’ve reached out to Qualcomm for comment.

The chipmaker disclosed the activity in its 10Q investor filing — where it writes that the regulator wrote to request information in early December: “notifying us that it is investigating whether we engaged in anti-competitive behavior in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) by leveraging our market position in 5G baseband processors in the RFFE space”.

Qualcomm says it’s in the process of responding to the request for information.

It’s not yet clear whether the investigation will move to a formal footing in future. “Our preliminary investigation is ongoing. We cannot comment on or predict its timing or outcome,” the EC spokeswoman told us.

“It is difficult to predict the outcome of this matter or what remedies, if any, may be imposed by the EC,” Qualcomm also writes in the investor filing, adding: “We believe that our business practices do not violate the EU competition rules.”

If a violation is found it also warns investors that the EC has the power to impose a fine of up to 10% of its annual revenues, and could also issue injunctive relief that prohibits or restricts certain business practices.

The preliminary probe of Qualcomm’s 5G modem business is by no means the first antitrust action the chip giant has faced in Europe.

Last summer Europe’s competition commission fined Qualcomm close to $270M — following a long-running antitrust investigation into whether it used predatory pricing when selling UMTS baseband chips, with the regulator concluding Qualcomm had used predatory pricing to force a competitor out of the market.

Two years ago the Commission also fined the chipmaker a full $1.23BN in another antitrust case related to its dominance in LTE chipsets for smartphones, and specifically related to its relationship with iPhone maker, Apple.

In both cases Qualcomm is appealing the decisions.

It is also battling a major competition case on its home turf: In 2017 the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed charges against Qualcomm — accusing it of using anticompetitive tactics in an attempt to maintain a monopoly in its chip business.

Last year a US court sided with the FTC, agreeing the chip giant had violated antitrust law — and warning that such behavior would likely continue, given Qualcomm’s key role in making modems for next-gen 5G cellular tech. But, again, Qualcomm has appealed — and the legal process is continuing, with a decision on the appeal possible this year.

Its investor filing notes it was granted a motion to expedite the appeal against the FTC in July — with a hearing scheduled for February 13, 2020.

Most recently, in August, the chipmaker won a partial stay against an earlier court decision that had required it to grant patent licenses to rivals and end its practice of requiring its chip customers sign a patent license before purchasing chips.

“We will continue to vigorously defend ourself in the foregoing matters. However, litigation and investigations are inherently uncertain, and we face difficulties in evaluating or estimating likely outcomes or ranges of possible loss in antitrust and trade regulation investigations in particular,” Qualcomm adds.

Read Full Article

Huawei files patent infringement lawsuits against Verizon Communications

Huawei has filed two patent infringement lawsuits against Verizon Communications in U.S. District Court.

The Chinese telecommunications equipment giant wants Verizon to compensate it for the use of technology it says are covered by 12 Huawei patents, including ones related to networking, security and video communications. Before the lawsuits were filed, Huawei claims it negotiated with Verizon in a series of meetings from February 2019 to January 21, but was unable to reach a license agreement.

(Disclosure: TechCrunch is owned by Verizon Media, a division of Verizon Communications).

Huawei technology is used by telecommunication companies around the world. In a press release about the lawsuits, it says it puts about 10% to 15% of its revenue into research and development each year, and has spent about $70 billion on R&D over the last decade, including about $15 billion in 2018 alone.

This resulted in Huawei receiving more than 80,000 patents around the world, including 10,000 in the U.S.

In its filings, Huawei claims Verizon has “profited greatly” from infringing on its patents, noting that Verizon Communication’s total revenue for its wireline division in 2018 was $29.8 billion.

Huawei maintains a close relationship with many other tech companies, including some competitors, through licenses. It says that it has received more than $1.4 billion in patent license fees since 2015 and in addition to providing access to its own technology, has also paid over $6 billion for licensing patents from other companies, with more than 100 license agreements signed with vendors in the U.S., Europe, Japan and South Korea.

In its press release, Huawei’s chief legal officer Song Liuping said “Verizon’s products and services have benefitted from patented technology that Huawei developed over many years of research and development.”

“For years now we have successfully negotiated patent license agreements with many companies. Unfortunately, when no agreement can be reached, we have no choice but to see a legal remedy,” Song added. “This is a common practice in the industry. Huawei is simply asking that Verizon respect Huawei’s investment in research and development by either paying for the use of our patents, or refraining from using them in its products and services.”

TechCrunch has contacted Verizon Communications for comment.

The patent infringement lawsuit is taking place against the backdrop of Huawei’s legal entanglements with the U.S. government, which claims it is a national security threat, a charge Huawei denies.

The Pentagon pushes back on Huawei ban in bid for ‘balance’

Huawei has been on a U.S. trade blacklist since the last May and is suing the government over what it says is an unconstitutional ban on the use of its products by federal agencies and contractors. Huawei’s technology is used by many telecom companies around the world, however, and its close ties with U.S. supply chains were underscored last month when the Defense and Treasury Departments reportedly put pressure on the Commerce Department over the ban.

Read Full Article

Become a Photoshop Expert With 5 In-Depth Video Courses for $25

If you are serious about photography or you want to start a career in design, it’s pretty important to know Photoshop CC. This powerful app can be daunting at first, but anyone can pick up image editing skills with the right training. The Essential Adobe Photoshop CC Bundle helps you do just that, with five beginner-friendly courses and 14 hours of video instruction. Right now, you can get the bundle for just $25 at MakeUseOf Deals.

Become a Photoshop Expert

From processing RAW photos to designing logos, there are many things you can do with Photoshop CC. This bundle helps you explore the potential of the software, with tutorials starting from scratch.

The training begins with a tour of the app, before you get acquainted with all the major features. Through hands-on videos, you discover how to make image adjustments, retouch photos, and work with vector tools.

You also learn tips and tricks used by creative pros, helping you complete projects faster. This training is a great starting point for any aspiring creative, and you can claim a certificate of completion to add to your résumé.

Five Courses for $25

Order now for $25 to get lifetime access to all five courses, worth $199.

Prices subject to change

Read the full article: Become a Photoshop Expert With 5 In-Depth Video Courses for $25

Read Full Article

Google Launches a Hub for the 2020 Oscars

Google has launched a dedicated hub for the 92nd Academy Awards, more commonly known as the 2020 Oscars. The hub is the perfect companion for anyone who’s interested in Hollywood. And you can reach it by searching “Oscars 2020” on your smartphone.

Unlock the "Top Google Search Keyboard Shortcuts" cheat sheet now!

This will sign you up to our newsletter

Enter your Email

Read our privacy policy

The hub gives you an overview of the event, lists of the nominees and last year’s winners, plus news, videos, and trending topics. It places everything you need to know about the 2020 Oscars in one place. Thus preventing you from clicking around different sites.

How to Find Google’s 2020 Oscars Hub

To trigger the hub on Google, just search “Oscars 2020” on your smartphone. The hub will appear at the top of the results, allowing you to learn all about the 92nd Academy Awards. The tab open by default will be Overview, which offers an overview of the event.

The other tabs to explore are Nominees (a list of the nominees), News (self-explanatory), Trending Now (the nominees that are trending), Last Year’s Winners (self-explanatory), Videos (on YouTube), and People Also Search For (similar subjects on Google).

As well as the 2020 Oscars hub on Google Search, Google has a number of other ways for movie fans to keep up to date with the 92nd Academy Awards. This includes discovering where to watch the Oscar-nominated films by Googling, “What to Watch”.

Deciding on which Oscar-nominated movies to watch before the winners are announced? Find all of this year’s nominees when you search “what to watch” ? https://t.co/4m8kQTF1nV pic.twitter.com/eeNRcSM2fp

— Google (@Google) February 5, 2020

As detailed in a post on The Keyword, you can also watch short-form videos from nominees, browse a Google Trends page dedicated to the 2020 Oscars, learn how to share GIFs from the event using Tenor, and ask the Google Assistant questions about the Oscars.

Further Reading for Fans of Filmmaking

The 92nd Academy Awards, hosted by John Cho and Issa Rae, are being held on Sunday, February 9th, 2020. Oscars will be presented in 24 different categories. These include Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best Original Screenplay.

Google’s 2020 Oscars hub is aimed at movie buffs who love Hollywood and the film industry. If that describes you then you here are some YouTube channels which analyze films and the art of filmmaking. All of which will help you understand the craft.

Read the full article: Google Launches a Hub for the 2020 Oscars

Read Full Article

How to Create a Custom List in Microsoft Excel

Do you frequently have to fill in the same sets of data into your Microsoft Excel spreadsheets? You can easily create a custom list in Excel. Then the next time you need it, let AutoFill do the heavy lifting.

Unlock the FREE "Essential Excel Formulas" cheat sheet now!

This will sign you up to our newsletter

Enter your Email

Read our privacy policy

Once you set up this Excel feature, you can quickly fill a range of cells with your own list items, like department names, clients, age ranges, and any other list you might need.

Let’s look at how you can create your own custom lists in Excel and how to use them with AutoFill.

How to Create a Custom List in Excel

You can use the custom list feature to create and store lists you use often. These lists can be used as headings for columns and rows or to populate dropdown lists for faster, more accurate data entry.

Create a custom list on Windows

1. Click the File tab.
2. Select Options on the left.
3. In the Excel Options dialog box, click Advanced.
4. Scroll down to the General section on the right and click Edit Custom Lists.

In the Custom lists box, you’ll see the predefined lists of days of the week and months of the year.

Create a custom list on Mac

1. Click Excel > Preferences from the menu bar.
2. Select Custom Lists.

Like on Windows, you’ll see built-in lists like abbreviated days of the week and months of year.

There are three ways you can create your own custom list in Excel on both Windows and Mac: enter your list directly, import worksheet cells, or import from a named cell range.

1. Enter Your List Directly

The first way to create your own custom list is to enter it directly on the Custom Lists dialog box. This is the easiest way if you have a short list not included on any of the worksheets in your workbook.

1. Make sure that New List is selected in the Custom lists box.
2. Type your list items into the List entries box, one item per line, and click Add.

You’ll then see that list display in the Custom lists box.

2. Import Cells From a Worksheet

The second way to create a custom list is to import them from cells in one of your worksheets. This method makes it simple to add a custom list that you already have in cells in your workbook.

1. Click the cell selector button on the Import list from cells box.
2. The Custom Lists dialog box shrinks down to just the Import list from cells box. Select the worksheet containing the list you want to import. Then, select the range of cells containing the items in the list and click the button on the right side of the Import list from cells box.
3. The Custom Lists dialog box expands again. You may notice that the title of the dialog box changes to Options. It’s still the same dialog box, though. Click Import to add the list items from the worksheet to the List entries box.

3. Import a List From a Named Cell Range

The third way to create a custom list is to import a list from a named range of cells. This method makes it easy to add them as custom lists available in any new or existing workbook.

1. Before opening the Custom Lists dialog box, enter each item in your list in a separate cell either in one column or one row in a spreadsheet.
2. Select the cells, enter a name for the range of selected cells in the Name Box, and press Enter.
3. Open the Custom Lists dialog box, enter an equal sign (=) followed by the name you assigned to the range of cells into the Import list from cells box. For example, we named our cell range Sides, so we entered =Sides.
4. Click Import.

Note: When you import a custom list from a named cell range on a worksheet, the list on the Custom Lists dialog box is not linked to the original list in the worksheet. So if you change the list on the worksheet, the custom list will not change and vice versa.

How to Use AutoFill in Excel

As you’ve seen when creating your own, Excel includes several built-in lists including days of the week. Let’s look at a simple example to see how AutoFill works.

Type Sunday into a cell and then put the cursor over the lower-right corner of the cell until it turns into a plus sign. Drag to the right and you’ll see that the cells will fill with the subsequent days of the week. Release when you finish with the cells you want to fill.

How does Excel know what to put in the cells? Since the days of the week is a predefined list, you can enter any of the list items in a cell and drag across or down to automatically fill in the rest. If you drag across more than six more cells for the days of the week, for example, Excel starts back at the beginning of the list.

After you create your own custom list, you can do the same thing to automatically fill adjacent cells with your list items.

3 Examples of Custom Excel Lists

There are many uses for custom lists in Excel, and we can’t cover all of them here. But, here are just a few examples of how you can use custom lists to make data entry easier and more efficient in Excel.

1. If you create spreadsheets with data for departments in your company, you can create a custom list containing the department names. For example, Accounting, HR, Marketing, Development, and Technical Support.
2. If you’re a teacher, you can create a custom list of all your student names. Then easily insert that list into a row or column for keeping track of information like grades or attendance.
3. If you track clothing inventory, you might want lists for sizes (S, M, L, XL, and XXL), styles (crew neck, V-neck, mock neck), and colors (Black, White, Gray, Blue, Red,). From these lists, you can quickly create consistent dropdown lists containing these options.

Create Your Own Custom Lists

The custom lists feature in Microsoft Excel allows you to easily and quickly customize your spreadsheets to fit your needs. Once you add a custom list to Excel, it’s available in all new and existing spreadsheets.

For more help with your next new workbook, take a look at these Excel document settings you should check.

Image Credit: albertyurolaits/Depositphotos

Read the full article: How to Create a Custom List in Microsoft Excel

Read Full Article

The 5 Best Free Dynamic DNS Providers

First off, what is a Dynamic DNS? A Dynamic DNS (DDNS or DynDNS) is a system of mapping domain names to IP addresses. This allows a single web address to point to a changing IP address, which is great for home users since IP addresses don’t always stay the same.

If you want to remote connect to your PC or set up a home web server, then a dynamic DNS is one of the easiest ways to set things up.

So what are the best free dynamic DNS options? Are they worth using? Here’s everything you need to know.

The Best Free Dynamic DNS Providers

DynDNS was always a top mention for free dynamic DNS services. But now that it’s gone, are there any good alternatives that have sprung up? Let’s look at five DNS providers who can be worthy contenders for setting up your home network.

1. Dynu

Dynu’s dynamic DNS service allows both top-level domains (using your own domain) and third-level domains (grabbing a subdomain on dynu.com). Top-level domains will work no matter which country the domain belongs to. Coupled with its convenience features, Dynu is easily the best free dynamic DNS service today.

The great thing is that Dynu makes setup easy by providing a Dynu Client that runs on your computer in the background. Any time your IP address changes, the client will automatically update Dynu so you don’t ever have to worry about being out of sync.

Free accounts can have up to 4 subdomains. Upgrade to a paid account for $9.99 per year to unlock 500 subdomains total and advanced Dynu features like unlimited web redirect, unlimited MX records, unlimited custom DNS records, DNSSEC, backup and restore, and much more.

2. afraid.org

Don’t let the strange name of afraid.org scare you away. This free dynamic DNS service—they also offer other kinds of free hosting as well—is easily one of the best free dynamic DNS services out there.

You get five free subdomains on afraid.org’s domain options. You can also use an unlimited number of your own domains if you want, plus 20 subdomains for each one. Account setup takes less than five minutes, DNS pointing is instant, and there are over 55,000 domains to choose from thanks to their shared domain pool. Free URL redirection is available as well.

Premium accounts, which start at $5 per month, get an additional 50 subdomains, a wildcard DNS, and three stealth flags to hide your domains from any kind of sharing mechanism through the service. If you pay for the higher premium options ($10, $25, $50) you can also increase your subdomain and stealth flags further. The $25 and $50 per month tiers offering professional branding too.

3. DuckDNS

DuckDNS is a free DDNS service built using Amazon’s AWS infrastructure. Their website is extremely basic, but that’s fine because dynamic DNS is such a simple service that it doesn’t really call for extravagance. DuckDNS is really one of the best free dynamic DNS providers.

That being said, the weak design of their website is indicative of what they offer: DuckDNS only does one thing and they focus all of their efforts on it. It makes sense once you realize that DuckDNS is only run by two software engineers (albeit engineers with a lot of industry experience).

What’s great is that they have a bunch of written tutorials that will help you get DuckDNS set up on a variety of platforms ranging from Windows, OS X, and Linux all the way to DD-WRT, Amazon EC2, and even Raspberry Pi.

Accounts can have up to five subdomains on duckdns.org. Plus, they keep as little of your data as possible and store all necessary details in a private database that will never be sold.

4. No-IP

No-IP was always one of DynDNS’s biggest competitors in the free dynamic DNS market (DynDNS launched 1998, No-IP launched 1999), and when DynDNS went down it was in a good position to take the crown. Unfortunately, it has slowly shifted toward becoming a premium service in the past few years.

Free users get three subdomains on a limited selection of domain name options. But these subdomains will never expire as long as you confirm activity every 30 days. You also get port forwarding and URL forwarding, which can be useful depending on your use case. It’s a pretty basic but robust package.

For $24.95 per year, you can upgrade to 25 subdomains on 80+ domain names options and eliminate the need to confirm activity to keep your subdomains. If you want to use your own domain, you’ll need to upgrade to the $29.95 per year package, which also bumps the subdomains total up to 50.

5. Securepoint DynDNS

While the Securepoint DynDNS website isn’t easy to navigate, their free dynamic DNS service is worth the effort. You’ll see what they offer right on the front page: free and secure dynamic DNS for absolutely free, even if you aren’t a Securepoint customer.

As a free user, you’ll be able to create up to 5 hosts using Securepoint DynDNS. And you have the option of 10 different domains as the base for your dynamic DNS addresses. Securepoint DynDNS uses an update token system for security (only the host who knows the update token can update dynamic DNS settings) and supports IPv6 addresses.

All in all, it’s a pretty simple service without any bells or whistles. Note that Securepoint is a German company, which won’t affect you in terms of the efficacy of dynamic DNS, but you’ll still have to navigate around some basic German.

Which Free Dynamic DNS Service Is Right for You?

If you ever want to set up some kind of server on the web using a home box, there’s a good chance you’ll have to deal with a dynamic IP address that could change at any moment. Just remember that a dynamic DNS allows you to use one single address that can point to you regardless of what your IP address actually is. (Need to know more? Check out our intro to DNS servers.)

There are plenty of options out there for a free dynamic DNS, so why not give one of these a try? And if you run into any issues, you may want to check out our guide to diagnosing home network problems.

Read the full article: The 5 Best Free Dynamic DNS Providers

Read Full Article