25 January 2018

Z-Wave for Smart Homes: Everything You Need to Know


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The number of wireless technologies that allow devices to talk to one another remotely has grown alongside the rising popularity of home automation products. Despite this, one of the oldest technologies, or languages, Z-Wave, remains a popular choice amongst product developers. In this article, you’ll learn more about the Z-Wave protocol and the smart home products that support it. What Is Z-Wave? Z-Wave is a wireless communication protocol developed by Zensys in 2001. Seven years later, Sigma Designs purchased the proprietary technology. Like similar technologies such as Zigbee, Z-Wave consists of a mesh network that uses low-energy radio waves for...

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These Noise-Canceling Earphones Actually Work


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A good set of noise-canceling headphones is easy to find. But earphones or earbuds are a little more challenging to get. Here’s your cheat sheet to buy the best noise-canceling earphones for your needs. Most earbuds have “passive noise cancellation” or “noise isolation,” meaning they block out noise by sealing the entire ear canal. But you’ll still be able to hear quite a bit, especially in loud environments like airplanes. What you need is a pair of active noise-canceling earphones. Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology adds a little more circuitry to your headphones. It includes a sensor and a microphone....

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Alphabet launches new cybersecurity company, Chronicle, out of its X moonshot factory


 Alphabet, the company you probably still wrongly refer to as “Google,” today announced the launch of Chronicle, new cybersecurity company that aims to give companies a better chance at detecting and fighting off hackers. Chronicle is graduating out of Alphabet’s X moonshot group and is now a stand-alone company under the Alphabet umbrella, just like Google. Stephen Gillett,… Read More
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Raspberry Pi Zero vs. Model A and B: What’s the Difference?


raspberry-pi-models

You’re interested in buying a Raspberry Pi, but as soon as you start looking, you run into a problem: why are there so many models? While all of the various Raspberry Pis can perform many of the same jobs, there are particular tasks that specific boards are more suited to. For instance, the Raspberry Pi Zero has a lower form factor than the others, so is often used in projects with limited space. Here’s what you need to know about each Raspberry Pi model, and what sort of project they’re best suited to. The 3 Flavors of Pi As you...

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How Facebook’s new way of classifying what you write may speed feature rollouts across the globe


 As Facebook’s scope continues to grow globally, the way it rolls out features has been complicated by the fact that there are more than 100 languages supported on the site. Building text boxes users can type status updates into isn’t that difficult, but as AI continues to drive everything, the challenges skyrocket for ensuring that its systems fully grasp what its users want. Read More
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24 January 2018

The Best Computer Security and Antivirus Tools


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Malware is on the rise. And phishing attacks. How about ransomware, data theft, and data breaches? Yup — all on the rise. Not only are cybersecurity attacks and vulnerabilities on the rise, but their impact also costs more, takes longer to recover from, and can be extremely damaging. With that bleak outlook in mind, it is high time for you to consider your system security. There are so many anti-this and anti-that programs out there it is difficult separating the security wheat from the cyber chaff. If you’re confused about security apps, you need this guide. If you don’t know...

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You Can Now Watch Plex in Virtual Reality


Plex has launched a new app called Plex VR. As the name suggests this brings support for virtual reality to Plex for the first time. Which means you can watch Plex in a virtual apartment or drive-in theater, and even invite your real friends along to share your virtual popcorn. Most of us haven’t got the space for a cinema room in our home, or the money to furnish it with a giant television set. Using a projector is one way of achieving similar results on a budget, but there’s also the virtual reality option… which can turn a small...

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This Is What Other People Ask Google


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While there are a variety of smart assistants on the market, Google Assistant is one of the most popular and freely available artificial intelligence (AI) assistants around. With the assistant embedded in smartphones, Google Home devices, and even third-party smart speakers, Google gets many questions and commands from people across the world. But which questions and commands are the most popular? While some are the typical run-of-the-mill commands, others are more unexpected or turn out to be fun Easter eggs. Some of the things people ask Google Assistant may even surprise you. We crunched the data to find out. Here...

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Apple to take on messaging rivals with launch of Business Chat


 Apple is preparing to roll out a new feature in iMessage that will allow consumers to chat directly with businesses through Apple’s messaging platform. The feature, called Business Chat, was announced last year at Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference, and will debut this spring with launch partners including Discover, Hilton, Lowe’s and Wells Fargo. The feature will… Read More

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Facebook to roll out global privacy settings hub — thanks to GDPR


 Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has said major privacy changes are coming to the platform later this year, as it prepares to comply with the European Union’s incoming data protection regulation. Read More
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How Jam Sessions and Google Calendar Can Increase Your Productivity


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Some productivity tips seemingly take so long to implement, you immediately feel discouraged by reading about them. Jam sessions are different. Maybe the only jam sessions you know about relate to musicians collaborating creatively and spontaneously. But there are jam sessions related to productivity too. Let us show you how you can add them to your day. What’s a Jam Session and How Does It Boost Productivity? For productivity purposes, a jam session is a designated block of time for solely focusing on priorities. The length of a jam session varies, but it’s typically between 60 and 90 minutes. Plan...

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The Best Smart Doorbells We Saw at CES 2018


It was over in a flash. The 2018 edition of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas drew to a conclusion on January 12 after four days of action. MakeUseOf was there for the duration; check out our videos over on YouTube if you’ve not already. Now that the stalls have been cleared away, and the initial excitement has worn off, it’s time to take a step back and have a closer look at what we saw. Sure, parts of this year’s show were a bit underwhelming, but we still fell in love with a robodog and were blown...

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ReactOS: The Open-Source Windows Clone You’ve Been Looking For?


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If you wish Windows was open source, you should look into ReactOS! Microsoft has made many strides towards being more open. This trend ranges from participation in industry groups to interoperability of its files and applications. Heck, it’s even released many of its own tools and applications as open source. But one area where it’s yet to budge is the Windows operating system (OS). As the combination of Windows and Office provide a large portion of Microsoft’s yearly revenue, it may be a while until we can download the OS code for ourselves. As a result, some intrepid community members...

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Qualcomm to appeal $1.23B fine from EU over LTE chip dominance in the iPhone


 Qualcomm’s longstanding dominance in LTE chipsets for smartphones, and specifically with Apple’s iPhone, is getting a major hit today. The European Commission today announced that it would be fining the company €997 million, or $1.23 billion, for abusing its market position between 2011 and 2016, related to its relationship with Apple. The figure works out to 4.9 percent of… Read More

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Mophie’s Powerstation AC is the only backup battery you’ll ever need


 Mophie’s been a solid, consistent maker of external batteries and backup power sources, but its new Powerstation AC just might top them all. The large, 22,000 mAh powerhouse has ample output options – including a crucial one that most backup batteries lack: a standard AC plug, just like you’d find in a wall in your home. The Powerstation AC also has a 30W USB-C port with… Read More

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Mophie’s Powerstation AC is the only backup battery you’ll ever need


 Mophie’s been a solid, consistent maker of external batteries and backup power sources, but its new Powerstation AC just might top them all. The large, 22,000 mAh powerhouse has ample output options – including a crucial one that most backup batteries lack: a standard AC plug, just like you’d find in a wall in your home. The Powerstation AC also has a 30W USB-C port with… Read More

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Apple wants to gather all your medical records in the Health app


 Apple announced a new health effort as part of iOS 11.3. The new Health Records section in the Health app lets you gather and view all your medical records. The company is partnering with hospitals and clinics. Apple released the first beta version of iOS 11.3 today. While the new version of iOS is going to remain in beta testing for a couple of months, it should be available as a free download… Read More

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Apple wants to gather all your medical records in the Health app


 Apple announced a new health effort as part of iOS 11.3. The new Health Records section in the Health app lets you gather and view all your medical records. The company is partnering with hospitals and clinics. Apple released the first beta version of iOS 11.3 today. While the new version of iOS is going to remain in beta testing for a couple of months, it should be available as a free download… Read More

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25 Cool DuckDuckGo Bangs That Make Google Search Look Slow


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You probably know that DuckDuckGo is famous for its focus on privacy. While Google has become the standard for search, it’s no secret that it tracks everything you do and more. Because of this, many people feel that you should quit using Google and use a search engine that respects your privacy. But using a less popular search engine doesn’t mean giving up cool features. In fact, DuckDuckGo packs in tons of cool tricks you won’t find on Google. One of its best are !bangs. What Are Bangs? !bangs are short commands you can type into DuckDuckGo to search another...

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Apple previews iOS 11.3’s new Animojis and battery service warnings


 More big news out of Apple this morning. The company’s offering up a preview of what’s to come in the latest version of its mobile operating system. The biggest updates here are coming to power management, its augmented reality platform ARKit, Animoji and the company’s Health app. You can check out a more in-depth preview of ARKit 1.5 over here. The new platform brings… Read More

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