The 10 Best Wireless Routers | PCMag.com

The 10 Best Wireless Routers | PCMag.com: "When testing routers in the lab, I look at a couple of key features: throughput speeds, how well the device keeps decent throughput as I move the wireless client farther from it, how easy or difficult the router is to set up, its manageability, feature set, and pricing. The ten routers that follow strike the best balance among all our criteria."



'via Blog this'

5 Things You Need to Do Immediately After Plugging In Your New Router — www.howtogeek.com

5 Things You Need to Do Immediately After Plugging In Your New Router — www.howtogeek.com: "Routers are such an infrequently replaced component of your home network that it’s easy to forget how you had things previously configured and what settings are too important to not overlook. Read on as we highlight the first five things you need to do right after powering up your new router."



'via Blog this'

The 10 Best Wireless Routers | PCMag.com

The 10 Best Wireless Routers | PCMag.com: "A wireless router is the hub of your home or business network. In a nutshell, a router delivers a single Internet connection to other devices on the network through either wired Ethernet or wireless connectivity. Routers also often provide additional capabilities, such as USB ports for attaching an external drive or printer and then sharing those devices on a network; built-in firewalls to protect against Internet threats from invading a network; and services such as UPnP and DLNA to allow streaming multimedia content throughout the network."



'via Blog this'

With Paper, Facebook just blew its own iPhone app out of the water — www.theverge.com

With Paper, Facebook just blew its own iPhone app out of the water — www.theverge.com: "This morning, Facebook is announcing a new standalone iPhone app called Paper. Contrary to earlier rumors, it's much more than just a news-reading app — it's a complete reimagining of Facebook itself. Once you've used it, you may never want to open the standard Facebook app again. It may not replicated every feature of Facebook's main app, but it does fulfill the majority of people's needs. Simply put, it's much, much better."



'via Blog this'

Which Internet Browser Will Make Your Battery Last Longer? — www.7tutorials.com

Which Internet Browser Will Make Your Battery Last Longer? — www.7tutorials.com: "If you are a mobile user with a Windows 8.1 laptop or tablet, you may want to know which Internet browser to use so that you get the maximum battery time possible. To learn which browser uses the least battery power, I have compared all the major browsers on three separate Windows devices: an old laptop, a very new tablet and a powerful hybrid device. All with Windows 8.1 installed."



'via Blog this'

How to Remove The Hidden Personal Information Microsoft Office Adds to Your Documents — www.howtogeek.com

How to Remove The Hidden Personal Information Microsoft Office Adds to Your Documents — www.howtogeek.com: "Microsoft Office saves hidden metadata in your Office documents, including how long you’ve been working on them, the name of everyone who’s worked on the document, when the document was created, and even previous versions of the document."



'via Blog this'

How to Block an Application or .EXE from Running in Windows — www.howtogeek.com

How to Block an Application or .EXE from Running in Windows — www.howtogeek.com: "While doing some cleaning up on a test computer around the office, we realized that we’ve never written about how to block an application from running using a registry hack. It’s easy, so here you go."



'via Blog this'

What is the Malicious Software Removal Tool and Do I Need It? — www.howtogeek.com

What is the Malicious Software Removal Tool and Do I Need It? — www.howtogeek.com: "Once a month, a new version of the Malicious Software Removal tool appears in Windows Update. This tool removes some malware from Windows systems, particularly ones without antivirus programs installed.

Bear in mind that this tool is no substitute for a solid antivirus program. It doesn’t run automatically in the background and only detects a few specific and widespread types of malware."



'via Blog this'

9 Things to Do When You First Get an iPhone — www.howtogeek.com

9 Things to Do When You First Get an iPhone — www.howtogeek.com: "You just got an iPhone, now what?  The amount of things to setup can be overwhelming for first-time users, but How-to Geek is here to guide you through the essential steps required to get your iPhone up and running"



'via Blog this'

Could humidity power join the list of renewable energy sources? — www.gizmag.com

Could humidity power join the list of renewable energy sources? — www.gizmag.com: "Ozgur Sahin, Ph.D., believes that water evaporation is the largest power source in nature. In an effort to demonstrate the potential of this untapped resource, Sahin and his fellow researchers have created prototype electrical generators with rubber sheets that move in response to changes in humidity thanks to a coating of bacterial spores."



'via Blog this'

Under the microscope: Nexus 5 vs. iPhone 5s — www.gizmag.com

Under the microscope: Nexus 5 vs. iPhone 5s — www.gizmag.com: "The last time we took a look at the Nexus 5 and iPhone 5s, we ran through a simple comparison of their specs and features. But now that we've had some extended hands-on time with both handsets, we thought it was worth revisiting the decision. Read on, as Gizmag goes hands-on to compare the LG/Google Nexus 5 and Apple iPhone 5s."



'via Blog this'

Ask HTG: Why Is Windows Reporting This Folder Is Too Long to Copy? — www.howtogeek.com

Ask HTG: Why Is Windows Reporting This Folder Is Too Long to Copy? — www.howtogeek.com: "If you work with Windows long enough, especially with folders and files that have long names, you’ll run into a bizarre error: Windows will report that the folder path or file name is too long to move to a new destination or even delete. What’s the deal?"



'via Blog this'

Spot a phishing e-mail in 2014 — howto.cnet.com

Spot a phishing e-mail in 2014 — howto.cnet.com: "The subject line of the e-mail referenced "your Apple ID." The body mentioned my credit card and how it had just been "updated." A quick scan of the rest caused momentary alarm. My credit card? I didn't make any changes to my credit card or my Apple account."



'via Blog this'

A Look Back at 30 Years of the Mac — www.pcmag.com

A Look Back at 30 Years of the Mac — www.pcmag.com: "In the early 1980s, the home computer and business PC revolutions were already in full swing. Apple set the template with the Apple II in 1977, while competitors Radio Shack, Atari, and Commodore followed suit. Meanwhile, in 1981 IBM introduced an artificially crippled, open-architecture, 16-bit machine called the IBM PC, which when combined with Lotus 1-2-3, took off in popularity in business environments large and small."



'via Blog this'

HTG Explains: What’s the Difference Between Ad-Hoc and Infrastructure Mode? — www.howtogeek.com

HTG Explains: What’s the Difference Between Ad-Hoc and Infrastructure Mode? — www.howtogeek.com: "Not all Wi-Fi networks are created equal. Wi-Fi access points can function in either “ad-hoc” or “infrastructure” mode, and many WI-Fi-enabled devices can only connect to infrastructure-mode networks, not ad-hoc ones."



'via Blog this'

The 100 Best iPhone Apps | PCMag.com

The 100 Best iPhone Apps | PCMag.com: "How stale are the apps on your iPhone? If you're in need of some new apps for the new year, this list of the 100 best iPhone apps can certainly point you in the right direction. From tried-and-true favorites to new releases, the apps that made this list of the 100 best cover all the bases.
Here at PCMag and our sister site AppScout, my colleagues and I test hundreds of mobile apps each year, writing reviews and sharing helpful tips when we find excellent apps that will improve your mobile phone experience, or just make life easier. (We also do our best to flag the duds.)"



'via Blog this'

How to Delete Accounts From Any Website | PCMag.com

How to Delete Accounts From Any Website | PCMag.com: "The words "I wish I could quit you" take on a whole new meaning when you want out of a relationship with an Internet service. Sure, you once thought you and Facebook or Amazon or Netflix would be together forever, but terms of service change, end-user license agreements mature, and, well, you're just not in the same place anymore."



'via Blog this'

Here’s what caused that massive Gmail outage

Here’s what caused that massive Gmail outage: "Google has responded to a widespread Gmail blackout Friday that disconnected as many as 42 million users for up to an hour. In a blog post, VP of Engineering Ben Traynor said that an internal software bug was behind the error.
"At 10:55 a.m. PST this morning, an internal system that generates configurations — essentially, information that tells other systems how to behave — encountered a software bug and generated an incorrect configuration," Traynor wrote. "The incorrect configuration was sent to live services over the next 15 minutes, caused users’ requests for their data to be ignored, and those services, in turn, generated errors.""



'via Blog this'

'Fastest ever' broadband speeds achieved in fibre test

'Fastest ever' broadband speeds achieved in fibre test: "The "fastest ever" broadband speeds have been achieved in a test that hit 1.4 terabits per second – enough to transmit 44 high-definition movies in just one second.

British Telecom (BT) and French networking equipment company Alcatel-Lucent conducted the test on the existing fibre network in London, with the hope of maximising the efficiency of the current infrastructure and avoiding costly upgrades."



'via Blog this'

Never forget anything ever again with these 11 phone tricks — www.techhive.com

Never forget anything ever again with these 11 phone tricks — www.techhive.com: "I’ll be the first to admit: “Use your smartphone to remind yourself of things” seems like a story that doesn’t need to be written. Of course you can use it to keep track of grocery lists, to-dos, reminders, and calendar entries. But I bet you didn’t know that there are gobs of other tricks for keeping track of things with your phone. Most of them don’t even require any apps—you can use your phone’s built-in features. Here are a few of our favorite ways to augment your forgetful biological brain with the synthetic brain in your pocket."



'via Blog this'

Which wireless carriers will follow T-Mobile's lead? — news.cnet.com

Which wireless carriers will follow T-Mobile's lead? — news.cnet.com: "There's no question that T-Mobile's UnCarrier strategy has shaken up the wireless market. But how long will it take for Verizon Wireless to respond to the pressure?

This is the question I answer in this edition of Ask Maggie. There's a good reason why Verizon has consistently had lower churn rates and higher customer addition rates than its competitors. But the tide may be turning for Big Red, as more and more customers are enticed by T-Mobile's lower prices and seemingly customer-friendly policies."



'via Blog this'

HTG Explains: How Do Spammers Get Your Email Address? — www.howtogeek.com

HTG Explains: How Do Spammers Get Your Email Address? — www.howtogeek.com: "Spam seems to arrive in every single email account we use, no matter how careful we are. How are spammers getting all our email addresses? And can we do anything to hide our email address from spammers?

Unfortunately, there’s not a lot you can do to prevent spammers from bombarding you with emails. There are some tips that will help protect you, but spammers will probably find your email address eventually."



'via Blog this'

How to Automatically Generate and Email Computer Statistics — www.howtogeek.com

How to Automatically Generate and Email Computer Statistics — www.howtogeek.com: "It’s important to check various log data and statistics on your server every day, but it grows to be tedious.  Wouldn’t it be nice to receive a single email with all the highlights each day, so you don’t even need to get on the server to check for problems?  This guide will show you how to configure automated emails on Linux and Windows."



'via Blog this'

Ergotron WorkFit-S Dual with Worksurface+ Review and Giveaway — www.makeuseof.com

Ergotron WorkFit-S Dual with Worksurface+ Review and Giveaway — www.makeuseof.com: "Your chair is killing you, or so recent studies would have you believe. Sure, you could just prop up your monitor on a box and work while standing, but eventually, you may want to sit back down again. This prompted a raft of sit-stand systems, that let you easily switch between sitting and standing."



'via Blog this'

Review: Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" — www.gizmag.com

Review: Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 8.9" — www.gizmag.com: "Two years ago, Amazon's first Kindle Fire was a popular tablet. But let's be honest: apart from a tempting price tag, it didn't really hold a candle to higher-end rivals like the iPad. Fast-forward to today, and Amazon has managed to merge budget pricing with hardware that, in some ways, is actually superior to its competitors from the high-rent district. Join Gizmag, as we review Amazon's best tablet to date, the Kindle Fire HDX 8.9"."



'via Blog this'

Another Streaming Dongle Emerges To Steal The Throne From Chromecast | Androidheadlines.com

Another Streaming Dongle Emerges To Steal The Throne From Chromecast | Androidheadlines.com: "Google’s Chromecast just might be the reigning King in living rooms when it comes to streaming dongles for your TV, but many other devices have started to emerge that could very easily give the Chromecast a run for its money. One such device that has yet to reach consumer hands is called the “Airtame” streaming Dongle, and it was actually a crowd funded project on indiegogo. We don’t know about you, but crowd funded projects are the best sometimes, because we get to see a lot of really cool ideas come to light, all because of the excitement garnered by the masses that would love to own said products. The Airtame, is a dongle that promises to bring all sorts of Chromecast like features, along with plenty that the Chromecast doesn’t yet itself possess. Its still very possible of course that we could see some of these features get updated into Google’s little wonder dongle before the Airtame reaches the hands of the backers and those who pre-ordered, which is scheduled to be sometime this may if all goes well."



'via Blog this'

Never forget anything ever again with these 11 phone tricks — www.techhive.com

Never forget anything ever again with these 11 phone tricks — www.techhive.com: "I’ll be the first to admit: “Use your smartphone to remind yourself of things” seems like a story that doesn’t need to be written. Of course you can use it to keep track of grocery lists, to-dos, reminders, and calendar entries. But I bet you didn’t know that there are gobs of other tricks for keeping track of things with your phone. Most of them don’t even require any apps—you can use your phone’s built-in features. Here are a few of our favorite ways to augment your forgetful biological brain with the synthetic brain in your pocket."



'via Blog this'

Social media lockdown: 4 privacy features you won't find in your settings — www.techhive.com

Social media lockdown: 4 privacy features you won't find in your settings — www.techhive.com: "You use a social network—at least one, maybe a few. Everyone does. You probably know all about your preferred network’s privacy settings, enough to make sure that the whole world doesn’t know your business. But if you’re paranoid—aren’t we all?—you can find ways to lock down your privacy that go above and beyond even two-factor authentication."



'via Blog this'

How to root the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX

How to root the 7-inch Kindle Fire HDX: "The Amazon Kindle Fire HDX is the latest in its line of tablets that run a forked and heavily customized version of Android 4.2 which Amazon calls Fire OS 3.0 "Mojito." But if you want to get more out of it, namely installing the full Google Play Store, you'll need to root the device. Here's a step-by-step guide to rooting your Fire HDX and some helpful tips if you run into any difficulties during the process."



'via Blog this'

How to Delete Accounts From Any Website | PCMag.com

How to Delete Accounts From Any Website | PCMag.com: "The words "I wish I could quit you" take on a whole new meaning when you want out of a relationship with an Internet service. Sure, you once thought you and Facebook or Amazon or Netflix would be together forever, but terms of service change, end-user license agreements mature, and, well, you're just not in the same place anymore."



'via Blog this'

▶ How to upgrade to a larger hard drive | PCWorld

▶ How to upgrade to a larger hard drive | PCWorld: "You can’t simply remove your old hard drive, then install a new one, and expect Windows to boot. You need to bring everything, including Windows itself, to the new drive. That’s not a difficult task, but it’s not an intuitive one, either."



'via Blog this'

▶ How to easily find drivers for Unknown Devices in Windows | PCWorld

▶ How to easily find drivers for Unknown Devices in Windows | PCWorld: "If you're mucking around with a new Windows installation, you're probably going to run into driver headaches.

No matter whether you're installing a fresh copy of Windows on a freshly built rig or simply upgrading your PC to a new version of Windows, the OS fails to properly identify all of the hardware connected to the system more often than not. I typically like to download drivers for all of the major components in a PC before I even begin an OS installation, but inevitably a motherboard will have an obscure controller on-board or the system will have a non-descript add-in card that Windows doesn’t recognize."



'via Blog this'

Chromebook power tips: How to work smarter online and offline | PCWorld

Chromebook power tips: How to work smarter online and offline | PCWorld: "Don’t let the “Scroogled”-spouting Pawn Stars guys fool you: Chromebooks aren’t useless hunks of plastic.

Google’s Chrome OS has matured into a functional operating system, and not just because Web browsers themselves are evolving into something spectacular. Beyond a desktop-class browser and other software improvements, Chromebooks offer a full keyboard, mouse support, and peripheral ports."



'via Blog this'

New mobile Chrome feature can cut your data usage by up to half — www.pcworld.com

New mobile Chrome feature can cut your data usage by up to half — www.pcworld.com: "Google is adding a feature to its Chrome mobile browser that can reduce data usage by up to 50 percent, which could avoid extra data charges from carriers.

The feature, which manages bandwidth and compresses data, will be in Chrome for Android and iOS, wrote Matt Welsh, a Google software engineer, on a company blog."



'via Blog this'

Google Drive gets an activity stream — www.pcworld.com

Google Drive gets an activity stream — www.pcworld.com: "Google took another step toward giving its Apps suite an enterprise social networking (ESN) component with the new activity stream feature for the Drive cloud storage piece.

Google said in a blog post that Drive’s activity stream is “a single, easy-to-view place to review every action taken on your files and folders.”"



'via Blog this'

How To Spot A Dangerous Email Attachment — www.makeuseof.com

How To Spot A Dangerous Email Attachment — www.makeuseof.com: "Emails can be dangerous. Reading the contents of an email should be safe if you have the latest security patches, but  email attachments can be harmful. Any type of file can be attached to an email, including .exe program files. Many email servers will perform virus scanning and remove potentially dangerous attachments, but you can’t rely on this. Look for the common warning signs so you can avoid viruses, worms, and Trojans."



'via Blog this'

The death of Windows XP will impact 95 percent of the world’s ATMs — www.theverge.com

The death of Windows XP will impact 95 percent of the world’s ATMs — www.theverge.com: "Microsoft’s 12-year-old Windows XP operating system powers 95 percent of the world’s automated teller machines, according to NCR, the largest ATM supplier in the US. While the idea of Windows powering ATMs may surprise consumers, XP runs in the background powering the software that bank customers interact with to withdraw money. An upcoming Windows XP support change from Microsoft means ATMs will need to be upgraded and modified throughout 2014"



'via Blog this'

How to Restart the Start Screen and Taskbar (Explorer.exe) in Windows 8.x — www.howtogeek.com

How to Restart the Start Screen and Taskbar (Explorer.exe) in Windows 8.x — www.howtogeek.com: "If your Taskbar, System Tray, or even the Start Screen starts acting up, you don’t have to power off or reboot your computer. You can usually just restart the Explorer process, and Windows 8.x makes that really easy.

Back in the Windows Vista or Windows 7 days, you could CTRL + SHIFT and then right-click on the taskbar to pull up a hidden option to close Explorer without loading Task Manager… but that doesn’t really help that much since you’ll have to re-open the process anyway."



'via Blog this'

How to Troubleshoot Wireless Router Problems — www.howtogeek.com

How to Troubleshoot Wireless Router Problems — www.howtogeek.com: "Are you having a problem with your Internet connection or Wi-Fi? Whatever the problem — from a flaky connection to Wi-Fi troubles or even no access to the Internet at all — some router troubleshooting could fix things."



'via Blog this'

Warning: Your Browser Extensions Are Spying On You — www.howtogeek.com

Warning: Your Browser Extensions Are Spying On You — www.howtogeek.com: "The internet exploded Friday with the news that Google Chrome extensions are being sold and injected with adware. But the little-known and much more important fact is that your extensions are spying on you and selling your browsing history to shady corporations. HTG investigates."



'via Blog this'

Beginner Geek: How to Connect a Laptop to a Television — www.howtogeek.com

Beginner Geek: How to Connect a Laptop to a Television — www.howtogeek.com: "Hooking up a desktop computer to a monitor is simple, you just plug it in and it works.  Connecting a laptop to a television should be just as easy, right?  Well, not always.  Read on as we explain several ways to hook up a laptop to your TV."



'via Blog this'

Why it’s time for the U.S. to get serious about its broadband problem — gigaom.com

Why it’s time for the U.S. to get serious about its broadband problem — gigaom.com: "A recent international ranking placing the United States 35th in bandwidth has generated another round of commentary about how our broadband offerings compare to others. Unmentioned was that a year earlier, the then FCC Chairman gave a speech advocating the need for much faster, gigabit broadband networks throughout the United States."

'via Blog this'

10 Things You Need to Know About Windows 8.1 — www.howtogeek.com

10 Things You Need to Know About Windows 8.1 — www.howtogeek.com: "Windows 8 was very different from Windows 7, but change is only speeding up — Windows 8.1 has seen quite a few changes since Windows 8. You’ll have new things to learn. whichever which version of Windows you’re upgrading from."

'via Blog this'

How to End and Prioritize Processes to Make Your Windows PC Run More Smoothly — www.howtogeek.com

How to End and Prioritize Processes to Make Your Windows PC Run More Smoothly — www.howtogeek.com: "What does every geek do when their computer starts to run slow or give them trouble?  They open the task manager and look at the running processes.  This guide will teach you what to look for and how to prioritize running processes to make your computer run more smoothly."

'via Blog this'

Aereo's Supreme Court battle may change how you watch TV | Internet & Media - CNET News

Aereo's Supreme Court battle may change how you watch TV | Internet & Media - CNET News: "A tiny startup you've probably never heard of is heading to the US Supreme Court, and it could change how the entire country watches TV.
The top court in the country on Friday agreed to hear the case pitting television broadcasters against Aereo, an online subscription service with arrays of miniature antennas that grab over-the-air programming, stream it online to paying members, and store it for them in a remote DVR."

'via Blog this'

How to Use the Chrome OS Desktop on Windows 8 (and Why It Exists)

How to Use the Chrome OS Desktop on Windows 8 (and Why It Exists): "Chrome 32 now offers a new feature on Windows 8: A full-screen, Chrome OS-style desktop mode. The Chrome app launcher can bring Chrome OS to the Windows desktop, but Chrome can now replace the Windows desktop entirely.

Rather than create native Windows 8 apps, Google is choosing to shoehorn the a Chromebook-style desktop into Windows 8. Of course, you can continue to use Chrome on the desktop just like before."

'via Blog this'

First-Time Shopper On Ebay? 5 Important Things You Need To Know

First-Time Shopper On Ebay? 5 Important Things You Need To Know: "Welcome to Ebay Shopping 101. You are the select few, chosen to be trained as sharp-shooting Ebay bidders, capable of finding the best deals and winning every auction. So pull up a chair and let’s get started.
Shopping on Ebay isn’t really like shopping on Amazon or any other shopping site. On most sites, you search for the product you like, find it, and if there are enough left, you buy it at the best fixed price you can find and then wait for it to arrive in the mail. On Ebay, not so much."

'via Blog this'

Kill your data dead with these tips and tools | PCWorld

Kill your data dead with these tips and tools | PCWorld: "There are lots of ways to obliterate sensitive data from of your drive: blast furnaces, degaussers (magnet field generators), sledgehammers, and secure-deletion software among them. These tools vary in effectiveness—especially as applied variously to hard drives, solid-state drives, and USB flash drives—and in the subsequent usability of the drive.

For the sake of argument (and a more interesting article), let’s assume you’d like to preserve your drive’s functionality. This rules out violence and degaussing, which, though wonderfully effective and perhaps therapeutic, will render a drive useless. Excluding those options leaves you with a choice between software and software-combined-with-firmware methods."

'via Blog this'

▶ How to rescue your PC from ransomware | PCWorld

▶ How to rescue your PC from ransomware | PCWorld: "With the nasty CryptoLocker malware making the rounds—encrypting its victims’ files, and then refusing to provide the unlock key unless a payment of $300 is made via Bitcoin or a prepaid cash voucher—ransomware is back in the spotlight.

You can remove many ransomware viruses without losing your files, but with some variants that isn’t the case. In the past I’ve discussed general steps for removing malware and viruses, but you need to apply some specific tips and tricks for ransomware. The process varies and depends on the type of invader. Some procedures involve a simple virus scan, while others require offline scans and advanced recovery of your files. I categorize ransomware into three varieties: scareware, lock-screen viruses, and the really nasty stuff."

'via Blog this'

Latest Chrome build brings all of Chrome OS to Windows 8 | PCWorld

Latest Chrome build brings all of Chrome OS to Windows 8 | PCWorld: "Google is now offering a way to get a Chrome OS PC for free: Just download Chrome on Windows 8 or 8.1. After first appearing the Chrome dev channel in October , the search giant officially added what is basically the Chrome OS interface to the modern UI version of Chrome on Windows 8."

'via Blog this'

▶ How to recover files after a malware attack | PCWorld

▶ How to recover files after a malware attack | PCWorld: "A malicious program infects your PC and makes your documents and other important files inaccessible, then it pops up a message demanding money to get the files back. You’ve got a ransomware infection, and that isn’t good.

How do you get the files back without paying for them? That’s simple: Restore them from a backup. That is, of course, if you’ve been backing up daily."

'via Blog this'

▶ Create a website the easy way | PCWorld

▶ Create a website the easy way | PCWorld: "As President Obama discovered last fall, building a good website can be a daunting task. But if you don’t require a lot of complex forms that share data with hundreds of insurance companies, it’s actually pretty simple.

If you don’t want to learn the technical complexities of modern Web design, or hire someone who has already learned it, find another option. Go with a do-it-yourself online service that provides the building blocks and then hosts the site for you. There will be some limitations on how much you can customize the site design, but the results will still look good and have all of the functionality you need."

'via Blog this'

The Best Tuneup Utilities | PCMag.com

The Best Tuneup Utilities | PCMag.com: "Remember how your PC sprinted like Usain Bolt when you first booted it up? Your computer can have that fresh-out-of-the-box performance once again after you run a pc tuneup utility.
What is a PC tuneup utility, you ask? It's an application designed to fix the wear and tear that computers suffer over time by repairing hard drive fragmentation, fixing the problematic Windows registry, and deleting useless and duplicate files. While all of the tools listed below perform these basic actions, a few stand out from the pack by implementing unique features."

'via Blog this'

How to Create a Search Shortcut on the Desktop in Windows 8.1

How to Create a Search Shortcut on the Desktop in Windows 8.1: "Do you do a lot of searching in Windows Explorer? You can make it quicker and easier for yourself with a custom shortcut on your Desktop. We’ll show you how to create a shortcut that opens Windows Explorer ready for you to begin a search.

Right-click in any empty space on the Desktop and select New | Shortcut from the popup menu."

'via Blog this'

How to Create a Search Shortcut on the Desktop in Windows 8.1

How to Create a Search Shortcut on the Desktop in Windows 8.1: "Do you do a lot of searching in Windows Explorer? You can make it quicker and easier for yourself with a custom shortcut on your Desktop. We’ll show you how to create a shortcut that opens Windows Explorer ready for you to begin a search.

Right-click in any empty space on the Desktop and select New | Shortcut from the popup menu."

'via Blog this'

Stupid Geek Tricks: How to Turn a Windows 8 PC Into a Chromebook

Stupid Geek Tricks: How to Turn a Windows 8 PC Into a Chromebook: "Do you prefer Google Chrome to Microsoft’s Windows 8 apps? Well, you’re in luck, even if you have a Windows 8 PC. You can swap the entire “Modern” environment for the Chrome OS desktop, hiding the Windows 8 interface entirely.

You can also use the Chrome desktop as just another app on Windows 8, swapping back and forth between other Windows 8 apps and the traditional desktop. That’s more practical, but where’s the fun in that?"

'via Blog this'

How to build the world's most amazing space telescope | The Verge

How to build the world's most amazing space telescope | The Verge: "The Hubble Telescope has given us astonishing images of distant stars, but despite its accomplishments, it has a limited view of the heavens. Scientists and engineers are hard at work on a larger, more powerful successor — the James Webb Space Telescope. Hubble has had an impressive run — it’s been used to detect clouds on distant planets, find evidence of planets with glass rain, and image a star near the end of its life — but the Webb will be able to do more. The researchers behind Webb hope to probe the early universe by gathering some of the earliest, most distant light. And engineers building the telescope have recently completed a major milestone: finishing and delivering the mirrors that will be pieced together for Webb’s huge primary mirror."

'via Blog this'

What is the Difference Between a Quick and Full Format?

What is the Difference Between a Quick and Full Format?: "Both types of formatting will get you on your way to setting up a new operating system, but is one version of formatting preferable to, or better than the other? What is the difference between the two? We explore the answer to those questions in today’s SuperUser Q&A post.

Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites."

'via Blog this'

So who has the superior wireless network, anyway? | Mobile - CNET News

So who has the superior wireless network, anyway? | Mobile - CNET News: "The wireless wars are heating up, so it's no wonder the claims of network superiority are flying out fast and furiously.
The latest touch point comes from a study just released from wireless testing firm RootMetrics, which compiled its results after extensive testing in 125 markets during the second half of 2013"

'via Blog this'

Apple to refund at least $32.5M for kids' in-app purchases | Apple - CNET News

Apple to refund at least $32.5M for kids' in-app purchases | Apple - CNET News: "Apple has to refund at least $32.5 million to customers in a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission over in-app purchases.
Announced Wednesday by the FTC, the agreement settles a complaint from the agency that Apple charged consumers millions of dollars over in-app purchases made by kids without parental consent. Under the agreement, Apple also must now change its billing methods to make sure it receives "express, informed consent" from users before it charges them for such purchases."

'via Blog this'

Why you should care about Net neutrality (FAQ) | Mobile - CNET News

Why you should care about Net neutrality (FAQ) | Mobile - CNET News: "The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday struck down rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission in 2010 meant to protect the openness of the Internet.
What does this ruling -- and the principles of Net neutrality that it affects -- mean to the average Internet user? While the legal arguments may seem complicated and arcane, the reality is that this court decision has the potential to alter the future of the Internet as we know it. Whether you think these changes will harm consumers or benefit them depends on whom you choose to believe in this ongoing debate."

'via Blog this'

This Portable USB Charger Battery Pack Can Also Jump Start Your Car

This Portable USB Charger Battery Pack Can Also Jump Start Your Car: "The other day we wrote a guide to help people choose a battery pack for recharging their mobile devices, but we never considered that some people might want to also use it as a jump starter for their car. Well, we came across one that can do just that."

'via Blog this'

How To Recover Lost Data From A Computer - News - Bubblews

How To Recover Lost Data From A Computer - News - Bubblews: "Computer files have a lot of importance to most of the people because it represents their whole life’s work and achievement. There are people who rely on their computers for almost everything, from their daily schedules, business and personal files to the record of their incomes and expenses. The possibility of losing their computer data is thus a horrifying thought for them."

'via Blog this'

Buying A New TV Or PC? Avoid Showroom Tricks That Cost You Money

Buying A New TV Or PC? Avoid Showroom Tricks That Cost You Money: "HDTV almost always looks worse at home because of the steps the stores go to in order to make their TVs look completely awesome.
This is achieved by positioning TVs in areas away from window reflections (in large retailers, somewhere at the back of the store) where the lighting can be subdued. The ultimate way to really show off a HDTV, however, is with a Blu-ray movie."

'via Blog this'

What is Apple's iCloud Keychain and how do I use it?

What is Apple's iCloud Keychain and how do I use it?: "Apple’s iCloud Keychain feature is the company's attempt to make a basic level of password management available in its iOS 7 mobile OS. It’s a convenient feature that keeps your account names, passwords, and credit card numbers stored in iCloud. Here's a look at what it is and how to use it."

'via Blog this'

USB 2.0 vs. USB 3.0: Should You Upgrade Your Flash Drives?

USB 2.0 vs. USB 3.0: Should You Upgrade Your Flash Drives?: "New computers have now been coming with USB 3.0 ports for years. But just how much faster is USB 3.0? Will you see a big speed improvement if you upgrade your old USB 2.0 flash drives?

USB 3.0 devices are backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ports. They’ll function normally, but only at USB 2.0 speeds. The only downside is that USB 3.0 devices are still a bit more expensive."

'via Blog this'

Learn How to Use Siri, the Handy iPhone Assistant

Learn How to Use Siri, the Handy iPhone Assistant: "Siri is the incredibly handy assistant that comes with iOS devices.  Through voice commands, you can get Siri to do almost anything that you could normally do on your phone or tablet yourself.  In this article, we’ll show how to put Siri to work to make your iOS experience easier and faster."

'via Blog this'

How can I track what programs come and go on my machine? – Ask Leo!

How can I track what programs come and go on my machine? – Ask Leo!: "Windows is constantly starting and stopping programs as part of its normal operations. You can see exactly what programs are being run using a Windows technique called process auditing."

'via Blog this'

The Best of CES 2014 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

The Best of CES 2014 | News & Opinion | PCMag.com: "Choosing the best products of CES 2014 was tougher than usual this year, thanks to the level of innovation on display. It's pretty settled at this point that people love their phones, tablets, computers, and big TVs, and we saw plenty of those. But it wasn't just more of the same. Thanks to trends at the show including wearables, cutting-edge display technology, 3D printers, robotic toys, and smart cars, the emerging product categories are truly exciting this time around."

'via Blog this'

How to cope with a slow computer - News - Bubblews

How to cope with a slow computer - News - Bubblews: " . Computer slow due to lack of memory .
The lack of RAM installed is common , and you may already mengetahuinya.Tingkatkan RAM your PC if you want to be faster , at least 1GB for class Pentium 4 with Windows XP OS ."

'via Blog this'

Beginner Geek: How to Configure Your Router

Beginner Geek: How to Configure Your Router: "If you have Internet access, you probably have a router — and your router has its own settings screens full of options. Everyone should know how to use their router’s web interface, if only to configure their Wi-Fi security settings.

Some of the options you may find on your router include parental controls, Internet connection time limits, and status pages that show you who’s connected to your Wi-Fi networks. These options are useful for managing your home network."

'via Blog this'

How to Reset Your iPhone or iPad’s Home Screen Layout

How to Reset Your iPhone or iPad’s Home Screen Layout: "After you’ve had your iDevice for a while, you’ll end up with a home screen completely confused and littered with apps and folders and you can’t find anything. Here’s how to reset to the default iOS screen so you can start over.

Note: This will not delete any applications that you’ve installed. It’s just going to move the icons around."

'via Blog this'

Matterform 3D to launch "affordable high-resolution 3D scanner"

Matterform 3D to launch "affordable high-resolution 3D scanner": "Matterform will launch its long-awaiting 3D scanner in February. According to Matterform, the scanner, first covered by Gizmag in April, is the first affordable and high-resolution device of its kind."

'via Blog this'

Sony SmartWatch 2 Review and Giveaway

Sony SmartWatch 2 Review and Giveaway: "Wearable technology has become a new term in recent months — the Google Glass (which we reviewed) is currently the most iconic project of this genre of technology, but it’s still quite a while until it’s ready for consumer hands. However, that doesn’t mean you’re currently out of luck. There are plenty of smartwatches which you can get your hands on right now, so why should you consider the Sony SmartWatch 2?"

'via Blog this'

Not Getting Android OS Updates? Here’s How Google Is Updating Your Device Anyway

Not Getting Android OS Updates? Here’s How Google Is Updating Your Device Anyway: "Android updates don’t matter anywhere near as much as they used to. Most Android devices don’t get timely operating system updates, but Google is updating more and more of the Android operating system in the background.

This is Google’s real plan for battling Android fragmentation: Update as much of the operating system and its apps as possible without going through device manufacturers or carriers. Older devices aren’t as outdated as they used to be."

'via Blog this'

How to Change Your Account Name on the Windows 8.x Start Screen — www.howtogeek.com

How to Change Your Account Name on the Windows 8.x Start Screen — www.howtogeek.com: "Windows has always displayed your username somewhere prominent — usually in the Start menu — and Windows 8 is no different. Call up the Start screen and you’ll see your name to the upper right of the screen. If you want to change the way your name appears here, it is not immediately obvious how to do so. Here’s how to go about it."

'via Blog this'

Not Just Another Notes App: Why You Should Use Google Keep

Not Just Another Notes App: Why You Should Use Google Keep: "When Google Keep launched, it never got the fanfare it deserved. The people that did review it compared it to all the wrong apps, like Evernote or Microsoft OneNote. That's a shame, because a surprisingly good note taking app went under the radar, underrated for coming up short against contenders it wasn't designed to face. It's about time to give Google Keep a fair shake, see where it shines, and how it fits in with the competition"

'via Blog this'

Want Better Streaming? Change Your Wi-Fi Channel!

Want Better Streaming? Change Your Wi-Fi Channel!: "Video streaming is here to stay, but unfortunately, circa 2012 it's still much better in theory than in practice. Many if not most of us who choose to watch streamed movies on a TV rather than PC end up living with some pretty unpredictable experiences, to put it charitably. If you're one of those people that prefers to watch movies on your PC and have a good connection to good broadband, the streaming experience is usually pretty satisfying. For the rest of us that (would like to) enjoy streamed movies on a TV connected via Wi-Fi to our home network, there are problems that can really kill the mood."

'via Blog this'

We should be worrying about Google’s assimilation and consolidation, and here’s why — Tech News and Analysis

We should be worrying about Google’s assimilation and consolidation, and here’s why — Tech News and Analysis: "Google has caused quite the stir with its announcement of new integration between Gmail and its Google+ social network. In case you missed it, Google+ users will be able to email you even if they don’t know your email address. This new “feature” is of course opt-out rather than opt-in."

'via Blog this'

CBC News - Organic battery hailed as cheap renewable energy solution

CBC News - Organic battery hailed as cheap renewable energy solution: "A cheap rechargeable battery that harnesses energy by using the electrochemistry of organic molecules rather than metals is being touted by Harvard researchers as a breakthrough for renewable energy.

The Harvard team reports that the battery, which they say can be applied on a power-grid scale, uses naturally abundant and small organic compounds called quinones rather than electrocatalysts from costly precious metals such as platinum.

Bob McDonald: Organic batteries put clean-electricity future within sight"

'via Blog this'

Google+ Now Allows People to Email You; Learn How to Opt Out Here

Google+ Now Allows People to Email You; Learn How to Opt Out Here: "Google just announced a new feature where Google+ acts as a bridge between the social network and your personal email. Anyone who follows you on Google+ can now email you directly. If this sounds like a terrible thing (we certainly weren’t thrilled to hear it), read on to learn how to opt out."

'via Blog this'

Top Internet Searches of 2013—and 2014! | Men's Health

Top Internet Searches of 2013—and 2014! | Men's Health: "As we say goodbye to 2013, let’s take a moment to mull our year’s obsessions. There’s no better way to do that than to stroll through Google Zeitgeist, an annual data-dump of the people, places, and events that captured the world’s attention. This isn’t just top searches, mind you—Google breaks them down by category and provides full data visualizations for data in 70 countries and worldwide. (Check out the full 1,000-plus top-ten lists.)"

'via Blog this'

The iPhone habit: apps that help you keep your New Year's resolutions | Macworld

The iPhone habit: apps that help you keep your New Year's resolutions | Macworld: "With the new year upon us, a lot of us are looking at our habits—good ones we want to pick up and bad ones we want to give up. There is some science supporting the idea that, if you do something on a daily basis for a month (or two or three), it will become a habit and so be a lot easier to do regularly from then on."

'via Blog this'

The 17 CES gadgets you could actually buy this year - CNET

The 17 CES gadgets you could actually buy this year - CNET: "LAS VEGAS -- Though CES always lives up to its promise of delivering a huge showcase of new tech, many of the products on display never make it off the show floor and into retail stores. We call these products "vaporware," since after the masses leave Las Vegas, they tend to vaporize into the air like a puddle on a hot summer day. Fortunately, there is a selection of gadgets from the show that really will go on sale. Here's a few that we found this week."

'via Blog this'

Windows XP Version of Microsoft Security Essentials to be Discontinued

Windows XP Version of Microsoft Security Essentials to be Discontinued: "As the deadline for Windows XP’s ‘End of Life’ continues to grow closer, Microsoft has taken another step forward in cutting out support for the aging operating system. Starting April 8, the Windows XP version of Microsoft Security Essentials will also be discontinued in tandem with support for XP."

'via Blog this'

The 10 Best Gadgets of CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in 2014

The 10 Best Gadgets of CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in 2014: "This year’s CES unveiled a ton of new gadgets, but most of them aren’t that interesting. Here are the ones that we liked the best — just the most interesting gadgets and gear that we looked at."

'via Blog this'

Why Microsoft’s Scroogled Ads Are Wrong About Chromebooks

Why Microsoft’s Scroogled Ads Are Wrong About Chromebooks: "Microsoft’s Scroogled campaign is wrong about Chromebooks. Chromebooks definitely aren’t for everyone, but they’re not completely useless either. And Chromebooks have more in common with Microsoft’s vision than Microsoft wants to admit.

If the Scroogled advertisements feel like political attack ads, that’s because they basically are. They’re overseen by a man who had previously run political campaigns. Luckily for Google, the main message the ads convey is that Chromebooks exist."

'via Blog this'

How to Switch Tasks on the Start Screen in Windows 8.1

How to Switch Tasks on the Start Screen in Windows 8.1: "The Start, or Modern, screen doesn’t have a taskbar, so when you run Modern apps you might lose track of which apps are running. There are a few ways to check which Modern apps are running and switch among all running apps."

'via Blog this'

Your new PC needs these 22 free programs | PCWorld

Your new PC needs these 22 free programs | PCWorld: "More than a mere blank slate, a new PC is a fresh opportunity—a collection of components that, with the right software installed, could accomplish anything from balancing your household budget to helping to cure cancer."

'via Blog this'

How to Make a Secret Phone Cable Flash Drive

How to Make a Secret Phone Cable Flash Drive: "Do you have an unused mobile phone cable that you would love to do something fun and awesome with? Then why not turn it into a secret flash drive! Today’s video shows you what you need, and how to do it in just a few easy steps."

'via Blog this'

This Portable USB Charger Battery Pack Can Also Jump Start Your Car

This Portable USB Charger Battery Pack Can Also Jump Start Your Car: "The other day we wrote a guide to help people choose a battery pack for recharging their mobile devices, but we never considered that some people might want to also use it as a jump starter for their car. Well, we came across one that can do just that."

'via Blog this'

Is it Really Necessary to Add ‘www’ to Website URLs in Modern Browsers Now?

Is it Really Necessary to Add ‘www’ to Website URLs in Modern Browsers Now?: "When we visit a website using our favorite browser, we usually just type in the basic part of the URL and ‘arrive’ at the desired location without any problems. But have we reached a point where we can start omitting ‘www’ from the URLs for all websites now, or is it still necessary to add it in?"

'via Blog this'

Windows 8.1 update images pop up online | Microsoft - CNET News

Windows 8.1 update images pop up online | Microsoft - CNET News: "An update to Windows 8.1 reportedly planned for the spring is now showing off online via a series of leaked screenshots.
Served up by Russian Web site Wzor, the images show the same internal version number currently found in Windows 8.1 Pro (version 6.3.9600) but the full build number is intentionally blanked out. Assuming the images are accurate, that means the update won't carry with it Windows 8.2. But it won't be a simple service pack or collection of security updates, at least according to Wzor."

'via Blog this'

Not All Climate Experts Are Global Warming Alarmists | Political Outcast

Not All Climate Experts Are Global Warming Alarmists | Political Outcast: "In the 1970s, while a professor at Harvard, Lindzen disproved the then-accepted theory of how heat moves around the Earth’s atmosphere, winning numerous awards in the process. Before his 40th birthday, he was a member of the National Academy of Sciences. In the mid-1980s, he made the short move from Harvard to MIT, and he’s remained there ever since. Over the decades, he’s authored or coauthored some 200 peer-reviewed papers on climate."

'via Blog this'

Hands-on: Neptune Pine smartwatch

Hands-on: Neptune Pine smartwatch: "Every smartwatch we've used so far has played the role of companion device. They may allow you to leave your smartphone in your pocket a little more often, but they're still a ways off from letting you cut those smartphone strings altogether. At CES 2014, we just got some hands-on time with the Neptune Pine, a smartwatch that can actually replace your phone."

'via Blog this'

Garmin Dash Cam HD driving camera doubles as black box

Garmin Dash Cam HD driving camera doubles as black box: "At CES this week, GPS giant Garmin has added a new HD camera to its growing line. The Dash Cam mounts to any car's windshield, taking footage of the drive and acting as a data recorder in the event of a collision or other incident."

'via Blog this'

Why Browser Plug-Ins Are Going Away and What’s Replacing Them

Why Browser Plug-Ins Are Going Away and What’s Replacing Them: "Browser plug-ins are on their way out. Apple’s iOS has never supported plug-ins, Flash is long-discontinued for Android, and the new version of IE for Windows 8 doesn’t support most plug-ins. Chrome will soon be blocking traditional NPAPI browser plug-ins.

The web isn’t going in reverse and losing features. There’s a good reason browser plug-ins are going away, and the web will be better once they’re gone. Browser developers are integrating plug-in features into browsers themselves."

'via Blog this'

Yahoo Launches Slick News Digest App for iPhone

Yahoo Launches Slick News Digest App for iPhone: "It’s been a while since we’ve been impressed with anything Yahoo has to offer, but they’ve definitely been making a comeback lately. The Yahoo Weather app is beautiful and functional, and today at CES they announced a very interesting and visually impressive News Digest app for iPhone."

'via Blog this'

How to Create MP3 Files from Wikipedia Articles

How to Create MP3 Files from Wikipedia Articles: "We’ve previously written about how to convert Wikipedia articles (or collections of articles) to eBooks you can read on mobile devices. If you travel a lot, you may want to listen to Wikipedia articles. Pediaphon provides a way to do this."

'via Blog this'

What Happened When I Went Completely Offline For A Week

What Happened When I Went Completely Offline For A Week: "Any day now, some biologist will declare that the DNA of the average 21st-century person is organized not into chromosomes, but into IP addresses.
I, for one, won’t be shocked by any such announcement, because that’s the extent to which computers and the Internet seem to have taken over everyday living. Our lives now stand divided into two categories: online and offline. That we need a separate label to describe life without a computer/computer network is quite telling."

'via Blog this'

LG unveils world's first flexible OLED TV

LG unveils world's first flexible OLED TV: "OLED technology has already enabled LG and Samsung to produce TVs with curved displays, but now LG has gone one step further with the unveiling of an OLED TV with a changeable curvature. Revealed at CES, the TV is the latest salvo in the ongoing TV battle between the two Korean electronics giants"

'via Blog this'

5 Ways to Get Windows 7 On Your New PC

5 Ways to Get Windows 7 On Your New PC: "Yes, Windows 7 is still available. If you want a new PC and you also want Windows 7, you can probably get it. This is easiest for businesses, but even home users have ways to get Windows 7.

If you’re a home user, we wouldn’t recommend doing this. You’ll have to pay more and spend more time setting things up. Windows 8.1 isn’t as bad as Windows 8 was, and you can always install a start menu replacement."

'via Blog this'

How to Create eBooks from Wikipedia Articles

How to Create eBooks from Wikipedia Articles: "Wikipedia is a great source for all kinds of interesting information. In addition to reading articles online, you can also create custom eBooks out of Wikipedia articles that you can read on your mobile device without a data or Wi-Fi connection.

To create an eBook out of Wikipedia articles, find an article that interests you and click the Print/export link in the list of options on the left."

'via Blog this'

What mattered at CES 2014 -- Press day | CES In Depth - CNET Blogs

What mattered at CES 2014 -- Press day | CES In Depth - CNET Blogs: "The action kicked into high gear at CES today, with lots of companies taking the stage for formal press conferences and keynotes. We sort through the chaos so you don't have to."

'via Blog this'

Samsung 85-inch Bendable LED TV - Flat-panel TVs - CNET Reviews

Samsung 85-inch Bendable LED TV - Flat-panel TVs - CNET Reviews: "Your perceptions of TV are about to get bent.

Samsung is whole-hog into curved TVs at CES 2014, introducing two series of concave TVs you'll be able to buy this year.

But its new concept "bendable" TV takes it a step further. Press a button on the remote control and small servos behind the screen spring into action, bending the edges out into that soon-to-be-familiar curved shape. A second button-press and the process reverses, flattening the screen into the same shape as your current HDTV."

'via Blog this'

Vizio RS120 - Flat-panel TVs - CNET Reviews

Vizio RS120 - Flat-panel TVs - CNET Reviews: "LAS VEGAS -- TV makers routinely boast about picture quality, but when a claim like "Best TV in the World" comes from a company like Vizio -- best known for its bargain boob tubes -- it seems especially far-fetched.

The television in question is the Vizio Reference Series, new for 2014. The company is announcing 65- and 120-inch versions at CES 2014. The latter is the largest shipping TV announced this year, as far as I know, beating out Samsung's 110-inch S9."

'via Blog this'

100 Most Frequently Asked Help Desk Questions and Answers | Terminally Incoherent

100 Most Frequently Asked Help Desk Questions and Answers | Terminally Incoherent: "I have been working in IT for way to many years to be still considered a sane and well adjusted individual. After you spend a few years in this industry you realize that some questions asked by users keep recurring like bad dreams or glitches in the matrix."

'via Blog this'

Power Pillow charges your electronic devices while you relax

Power Pillow charges your electronic devices while you relax: "The Power Pillow is a new product that its creators are billing as the “world’s first pillow that recharges smart devices.” The truth is rather less interesting, with the Power Pillow being a soft housing for a battery pack that can charge your mobile devices when a wall socket either isn't available or not in close proximity."

'via Blog this'

How To Get Access to Experimental Features on Your Chromebook (or Just in Chrome)

How To Get Access to Experimental Features on Your Chromebook (or Just in Chrome): "Chromebooks default to the stable version of Chrome without any experimental features enabled. If you’re a geek, you can go out of your way to get the latest features before they roll out to everyone.

These tricks also work in similar ways in the Chrome browser on the desktop. Bear in mind that choosing to enable experimental features or using a more cutting-edge version of Chrome may result in crashes and other problems."

'via Blog this'

How to clean a TV screen | How To - CNET

How to clean a TV screen | How To - CNET: "Cleaning a TV screen seems easy. Windex, right? Wrong. Most modern HDTVs have special coatings on their surface that can be ruined by strong cleansers.
But at some point, every HDTV screen needs a good cleaning."

'via Blog this'

Thousands of visitors to yahoo.com hit with malware attack, researchers say

Thousands of visitors to yahoo.com hit with malware attack, researchers say: "Two Internet security firms have reported that Yahoo's advertising servers have been distributing malware to hundreds of thousands of users over the last few days. The attack appears to be the work of malicious parties who have hijacked Yahoo's advertising network for their own ends."

'via Blog this'

What Is a Computer Virus? - Tom's Guide

What Is a Computer Virus? - Tom's Guide: "
But what is a computer virus, exactly? And do we really need to worry about it?"

'via Blog this'

Glitter nail polish can protect your laptop's data (Wired UK)

Glitter nail polish can protect your laptop's data (Wired UK): "If you're traveling overseas, across borders or anywhere you're afraid your laptop or other equipment might be tampered with or examined, you've got a new secret weapon to improve security. Glitter nail polish.

Don't laugh. It works.

Security researchers Eric Michaud and Ryan Lackey, making a presentation at the Chaos Communication Congress on Monday, highlighted the power of nail polish -- along with metallic paints and even crappy stickers -- to help people know when their machines have been physically tampered with and potentially compromised."

'via Blog this'

5 Terrible Cellular Carrier Practices That Are Changing

5 Terrible Cellular Carrier Practices That Are Changing: "We’ve written about all the different ways cellular carriers are gouging you, from long, expensive contracts to $22,000 bills for roaming data. Believe it or not, some of these terrible practices are actually changing.

Some of these examples are from Canada. If you live in the US or elsewhere and are frustrated with your own cellular carriers, seeing what Canadian cellular carriers get away with will make you appreciate your own local carriers."

'via Blog this'

NTFS or FAT32: Choosing the Best File System for an Internal SSD Data Partition

NTFS or FAT32: Choosing the Best File System for an Internal SSD Data Partition: "When it comes to taking care of your SSD and valuable data, would it be better to use NTFS or FAT32 for the file system on an internal data partition? Today’s post looks at the ‘pros and cons’ of choosing the best file system to use.

Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites."

'via Blog this'

How to Reset the Windows 8.x Start Screen to the Default Tiles

How to Reset the Windows 8.x Start Screen to the Default Tiles: "If you are using Windows 8.x for any amount of time, you will quickly get to the point where your Start Screen becomes a giant mess of nonsense tiles. Want to reset them to default? It’s easy!

Just open up the Desktop view, pull up an Explorer window, and then paste the following into the address bar:"

'via Blog this'

5 Important Events That Changed Social Media This Year

5 Important Events That Changed Social Media This Year: "2013 saw a ton of significant changes to the social media landscape. Facebook introduced hashtags, in a clear bid to outdo its main competition. It also introduced the ability to properly search the social network with its Graph Search.
A year after Facebook, Twitter had its own big IPO moment, debuting at $26 and closing at $44.90 a share, on its first day trading day."

'via Blog this'

Flipagram Is About To Take Over Your Facebook News Feed - AllFacebook

Flipagram Is About To Take Over Your Facebook News Feed - AllFacebook: "If you’ve only just recovered from the Bitstrips epidemic, you might want to sit down, and not at your computer: The next big (albeit slightly less annoying) Facebook craze is coming. It’s called Flipagram, and it’s the latest chart-topper in the App Store."

'via Blog this'

How to digitize your paper documents

How to digitize your paper documents: "As New Year’s resolutions go, “going paperless” is a perennial Top 10 contender, somewhere between “lose weight” and “save money.” But if you’ve ever resolved to digitize your documents before, you've learned that talking about it is one thing. Actually doing it is a tricky proposition. If you’re like most people, you’re already comfortable with managing your incoming digital data; it’s the lingering paper that’s the problem. To be honest, you’ll probably never stop every last piece of paper from crossing your desk, so scanning it is essential."

'via Blog this'

My hard drive is making scary sounds

My hard drive is making scary sounds: "I would say yes. If your hard drive is making sounds it never made before, especially grinding or screeching noises, you have to assume that it won't be around for long. Any moment now, it could be as dead as Michael Palin's parrot."

'via Blog this'

TechHive Video | How to quickly calibrate your TV

TechHive Video | How to quickly calibrate your TV: "If you want to best picture from your HDTV, just follow these simple steps to quickly and easily calibrate it for an accurate picture."

'via Blog this'

Review: Sphero 2.0 is a brighter, faster, smartphone-controlled ball of fun | TechHive

Review: Sphero 2.0 is a brighter, faster, smartphone-controlled ball of fun | TechHive: "Robots are undeniably cool. But the humanoid kind—Johnny Five, say, or the T–800—can be complex, sometimes sarcastic, and potentially deadly. But you know what’s never accidentally assisted bank robbers or blown up anything? A friendly robot ball named Sphero."

'via Blog this'

Why are Computers Unable to Boot Instantly?

Why are Computers Unable to Boot Instantly?: "With the newer, more powerful hardware and improved operating systems that we have available to use these days, why does it still take as long as it does to fully boot a computer up each time?

Today’s Question & Answer session comes to us courtesy of SuperUser—a subdivision of Stack Exchange, a community-driven grouping of Q&A web sites."

'via Blog this'

Why Using a Public Wi-Fi Network Can Be Dangerous, Even When Accessing Encrypted Websites

Why Using a Public Wi-Fi Network Can Be Dangerous, Even When Accessing Encrypted Websites: "“Don’t do your online banking or anything sensitive on a public Wi-Fi network.” The advice is out there, but why can using a public Wi-Fi network actually be dangerous? And wouldn’t online banking be secure, as it’s encrypted?

There are a few big problems with using a public Wi-Fi network. The open nature of the network allows for snooping, the network could be full of compromised machines, or  — most worryingly — the hotspot itself could be malicious."

'via Blog this'

How to Download Windows 8.x and Create a Bootable DVD / USB (Legally)

How to Download Windows 8.x and Create a Bootable DVD / USB (Legally): "Over the years, readers have written in asking how to download Windows and make a bootable install disk, and we’ve always had to tell them that there isn’t a great way to do that. Microsoft has finally fixed this problem in Windows 8.x, and here is how to do it."

'via Blog this'

Netflix Testing New Monthly Streaming Options | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

Netflix Testing New Monthly Streaming Options | News & Opinion | PCMag.com: "Netflix is testing two new streaming options to help fill in the gaps between its current viewing plans.
Some new members are being greeted with the option (see below) to spend $7 per month for single-screen access, or $10 each month to share content among three screens—be it a TV, smartphone, or tablet."

'via Blog this'

Netgear Nighthawk review: One of the best 802.11ac routers you can buy | PCWorld

Netgear Nighthawk review: One of the best 802.11ac routers you can buy | PCWorld: "Netgear's Nighthawk 802.11ac router boasts a strong feature set, delivers exceptional range, and is reasonably priced. It's the best Wi-Fi router on the market, at least for now."

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D-Link DIR-868L 802.11ac Wi-Fi router review: Fast and surprisingly inexpensive | PCWorld

D-Link DIR-868L 802.11ac Wi-Fi router review: Fast and surprisingly inexpensive | PCWorld: "Don’t judge D-Link’s DIR-868L by its surprisingly low price tag. At the time of my review, it was street-priced a full $70 lower than the Asus RT-AC68U, even though it outperformed its competitor in several of my benchmark tests. Asus has a number of features the D-Link can’t match—but still, that’s a lot of cash."

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Bosch says the future is the Internet of Things - Computerworld

Bosch says the future is the Internet of Things - Computerworld: "Computerworld - Bosch, a company best known as a maker of appliances, including stoves, dishwashers, washing machines and coffee makers, is increasing its focus on the Internet of Things."

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Bosch says the future is the Internet of Things - Computerworld

Bosch says the future is the Internet of Things - Computerworld: "Computerworld - Bosch, a company best known as a maker of appliances, including stoves, dishwashers, washing machines and coffee makers, is increasing its focus on the Internet of Things."

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