tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55262396086695279252024-03-19T16:02:54.624-04:00Tech MagazineKeep up with the latest in technology and get the best of digital reviews, news, and the best tech advice — all at dearJulius.comJulius Choudhuryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05998874811140593033noreply@blogger.comBlogger822125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-85172256478922408922024-01-12T18:58:00.002-05:002024-01-12T18:59:46.223-05:00Why Writers Shouldn't Rely Entirely On AI Writing Tools<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Why Writers Shouldn't Rely Entirely On AI Writing Tools" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizpPMyb-S8rdTpErmHeeMfqL3srtjasRMfi52FOayDB9QDSSeC-pHAHIaVVPSbwmXFEC4u3Z6Q8CVywyO5qhsjdguN-rqbAAVMEGzzfKzXkCHATxz8igu2WeWqrDq8fLEM364HjiVOXEVtyl7hAFbIRJXss8Dy_lvDw1pkykKMpQ7P2eGzLqW8c6o3j4k/s16000/ai-writing-tool.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">AI writing tools can never replace human creativity. Photo: Freepik</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;">
<p style="text-align: left;">
By <b><author>Saba Murtaz</author></b>
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Depending on how we use
<a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search/label/AI" target="_blank">AI</a>,
it has the potential to both enhance and threaten our creativity. Generative
AI's ability to quickly generate new text, images, and audio has shaken the
creative world.
</p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/08/5-tips-to-halt-doomscrolling.html">5 Tips To Halt Doomscrolling</a></b></i></p><p style="text-align: left;"><i><br /></i></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
In the
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Writers_Guild_of_America_strike" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Writers Guild of America strike</a>, a key point is that AI be used only as a research tool, not to replace its
members.
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Moreover, AI models like GPT-4 can produce human-like text based on given
prompts, which have been used to create everything from poems to news
articles. While AI-generated content cannot replace human creativity, it can
enhance it by providing a starting point or offering new perspectives.
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
However, the fact cannot be ignored that AI-generated content often lacks the
depth and emotion of something created by a human. Even then, it's hard to
make a living in creativity when there's AI around.
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
Here are some reasons why one must not solely depend on AI tools for writing:
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Lack of Human Touch</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">
While AI content tools can produce content faster and cheaper, they lack the
creativity that comes with human writing. The content they create may be
technically correct but lacks emotional intelligence. They cannot generate
unique ideas or add a personal touch that makes the content engaging. AI
writing tools cannot capture the audience's emotions or the sentiment of the
content.
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Limited Vocabulary and Tone Deafness</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">
The main problems with using <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/04/this-ai-powered-wearable-can-help-you-sleep-better.html">AI tools</a> in writing are their inability to
understand the tone and their limited vocabulary. Tone expresses the author's
attitude and perspective in writing. But today's AI systems cannot accurately
distinguish between different tones. Also, AI tools repeat certain words that
make the text boring and sometimes incomprehensible to the reader. As a
result, flat and dry content is created that fails to establish an emotional
connection with readers.
</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Inaccurate Grammar and Syntax</h3>
<p style="text-align: left;">
AI writing tools do a good job of spotting errors, but not great. They can
identify basic grammar and spelling mistakes but face difficulties with
complex sentence structure and syntax. This makes the writing of poor quality,
thereby losing reader-acceptability.
</p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/06/correct-siris-pronunciation.html">How to Correct Siri's Pronunciation of Names</a></b></i></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">
AI writing tools can assist and enhance the writing process but cannot fully
replace human intelligence. Writers need to embrace AI tools as aids rather
than relying entirely on them.
</p>
</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-1182107063510013282023-06-18T03:23:00.005-04:002023-06-18T04:08:56.854-04:007 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcjiEywuBcmSXhNbXI0c-CVF9qQQgoLLj0NJUxxlqEd32SpgvgzaO3CGvzmV0KsYSrGjUfoFnImHju8ERqwecSybf6YRY862MIzz1Mmo5JVaZf-SQ9ohNGHupgjdYIS_sCaCZoMMJzr8NTjFDClowR25mc3VAApJwKr9cJgTD37-PXO0HGhXS0PSXB/s16000/Microsoft-Outlook.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Microsoft Outlook can boost your productivity. Photo: Freepik</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>By <b><author>Saba Murtaz</author></b></p>
<p><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search/label/Microsoft" target="_blank">Microsoft</a> Outlook is a potent email and data management program that boosts
productivity. Whether you use Outlook for business or for personal use,
learning a few tips and techniques will greatly improve how quickly you
navigate and make use of its many features.
</p><br /><p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/03/ten-tools-to-help-you-spend-less-time-on-email.html">Ten Tools to Help You Spend Less Time on Email</a>
</b></i></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Organize Your Inbox with Folders</h3>
<p>
One of the first steps towards an organized Outlook experience is creating
folders. Folders allow you to organize email messages, calendars, contacts,
and tasks.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Right-click on your Mail, Contacts, Tasks, or Calendar, select "<b>New Folder /
New Calendar</b>," and give it a meaningful name.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Then, simply drag and drop relevant emails or tasks into the appropriate
folders, keeping you organized and improving your overall productivity.
</li></ul><p></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Take Advantage of Rules</h3>
<p>
Using rules, you can move, flag, and react to email messages automatically.
Also, you can play noises, organize messages into folders, or display new item
notifications. Your email workflow will become more organized and prioritized
as a result. The simplest and most popular rule to set up is one that allows
you to move an item from a specific sender or with specific wording in the
subject line to another folder. You can create this rule straight from a
message you've previously received.
</p>
<p><br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Right-click on a message from your inbox or another email folder and select
<b>Rules</b>.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Select an option from the list. The outlook suggests creating a rule based on
the sender and recipients. Select Create Rule to see more options.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>In the <b>Create Rule</b> dialog box click one or more of the first three checkboxes.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
If you want the rule to transfer a message to a folder, check the Move item to
folder box in the Do the following section, choose the folder in the Select
Folder dialog that appears, and then click <b>OK </b>to save your rule.</li></ul>
<br /><p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/06/stop-spam-texts-from-invading-inbox.html">How to Stop Spam Texts from Invading Your Inbox</a>
</b></i></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Utilize Quick Steps</h3>
<p>
Quick Steps helps you quickly manage your mailbox with multiple actions on
emails with a single click. For example, you can create a Quick Step that
marks an email as read, moves it to a designated folder, and sends a reply.
This feature saves time and reduces repetitive tasks. You can customize the
Quick Steps included with Outlook and create your own to make a Quick Steps
gallery of mail actions that you take most often.</p><p><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity" border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKlp5TzBlGlPs8-Np9crfw-roofyniJOuoYVh-i5oPzf7C5wGwZDhpiTNHk7RF8YnumFA7BB2gH3gNgmDOaWzFHYdCQfOPDEpnXxcYrwO869NPj-WzMIAeiASck4iLfkMsGyD9g5MwNeOrWWhlXyq2rEiBiUpLvoQuBvcCn09ZJcNtVEQ9AWamDTIY/s16000/Quick-Steps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Quick Steps" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Ⓒ Provided by Microsoft</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Select "<b>Home</b>" from Mail.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Select the Create <b>New Quick Step</b> option from the
<b>Quick Steps</b> group in the gallery.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Give a name for the new <b>Quick Step</b> in the Name box.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
To choose an icon click the icon button next to the Name field, then select
<b>OK</b>.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Select the <b>Quick Step</b> you wish to perform from the Actions menu. For
any more actions, choose <b>Add Action</b>.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To assign a keyboard shortcut, choose it in the Shortcut key box.</li></ul><p></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Use Keyboard Shortcuts</h3>
<p>
Outlook keyboard shortcuts can help you manage your email far more
efficiently. Instead of depending solely on your mouse, learn widely used
keyboard shortcuts such as "<b>Ctrl + N</b>" to create a new message or
calendar event., "<b>Ctrl + R</b>" to reply, and "<b>Ctrl + Enter</b>" to
send.
<a href="https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/keyboard-shortcuts-for-outlook-3cdeb221-7ae5-4c1d-8c1d-9e63216c1efd" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Keyboard shortcuts</a>
that Outlook provides can speed up your productivity and help you save time.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Schedule Emails for Later Delivery</h3>
<p>
Instant email delivery isn't always the best option. Perhaps you want to avoid
disturbing someone during non-working hours, or you just need to delay the
email until an appropriate time. Outlook can help you delay the delivery of
individual messages.</p><p><br /></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Select the More options arrow from the Tags group in the Ribbon while drafting
a message.
</li></ul><p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity" border="0" data-original-height="143" data-original-width="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4u6AxzIIiYZoYUX7y2Q0svAWIgHwdLgiFMoRkG7JkXqvMSYaZAtPSMeskbJnb8ex0Kp-8_9McbRPYEgjhhEDEBAs5mcgTVoXX7mNsdYnuseI_qgpABTkkx7F3bAsxeTEUo4PSTQgCyiMRhhFdWXUb4VgX7gswqkQd8fRfYvAhKKZrL0jdqnhlSibv/s16000/Schedule-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Schedule Emails" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Ⓒ Provided by Microsoft</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
It's likely that you have the simplified ribbon if you don't see these
options: Select the Options tab on the ribbon, then choose
<b>More commands</b> > <b>Delay Delivery</b>.
</li></ul><p></p>
<p><br /></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Select the <b>Do not deliver before</b> checkbox under<b> Delivery options</b>, then click the desired delivery date and time.
</li></ul><p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity" border="0" data-original-height="94" data-original-width="431" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrhq3K1nhMFHAaITgYRF9opWFyJEqEsxjE1Tf_g9hDzCVO0GGxEnUTnLlWGKCU0xUEKYvuWyMoGqmYmhdwh6kMvUvlF4zdjlP0zLn0ViyTGpm5WxtxAZq51KiAHez8OiVe_tM1LgCYcgG1L63kC-4kZdCEg77DmSVb5Sv-TpoSBYKuRDDqoU8cK3Ep/s16000/Schedule-2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Delay Deliver" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Ⓒ Provided by Microsoft</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Click on <b>Close</b>.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Select Send after you're done writing your email.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
After you click Send, the message is stored in the Outbox folder until the
delivery window.
</li></ul><p></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Master Search and Filters</h3>
<p>
If your inbox is packed, finding particular emails might become time-consuming
work. The search and filtering features in Outlook can assist you in finding
what you need fast. </p><p><br /></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Use the search bar at the top of the Outlook window to search for messages
based on the sender's name, keywords, or other criteria. You can use quotation
marks around a phrase to search for words in that exact order. </li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Select <b>Filter Email</b> from the Find group in the Ribbon from any email
folder.
</li></ul><p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity" border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFLbaOcDcAirTKvoYEij5N4dK1J3mkc6Ro2beSF97BvqPXdPG1z88wVWRnHILnJjJT5ys2q4hzS7CheS8Z8wyXudY1L-XB380mOqt6zCkUddrm8U3675KHtij8EpaXI3xovpMVDgWfuyqMPipulOq4gOCMOpkhOeqBZnsTbJz734-vSrIsLapLcGnO/s16000/filter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Filter Emails" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Ⓒ Provided by Microsoft</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
After you select a filter, Outlook searches your mailbox using that filter. In
the search box, you will also see the filter's shorthand. For example, if you
wish to see all emails with attachments, pick Has Attachments or put
hasattachments:yes in the Search box.
</li></ul><p></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips to Boost Your Productivity" border="0" data-original-height="42" data-original-width="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCIrm7JsqMJ9OLXdAaMOrasf0SxImMgtCpVl5hmTEsOHG4ry-mSxPI52NztmT5ZnyBRO83hr3GmF7Lm3nW1Ibv5yZSIUfFc-2muwNdat1l6wIrUad3onPm3jf1-4SaerEVrJWO2uGtdkq0oeXLEpJlekr4Ba354rolFEUwlNyZnBsQZyqeLRgvrs3f/s16000/filter-1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Search Box" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: left;">Ⓒ Provided by Microsoft</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Click the Close Search button in the Search box, or choose
<b>Close Search</b> from the Search tab to clear the search filter and show
all items in the selected mail folder.
</li></ul><p></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Collaborate with Shared Calendars and Tasks</h3>
<p>
Outlook has collaboration tools that allow you to share calendars and tasks
with coworkers or team members. This makes scheduling, coordination, and task
management effortless.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Click <b>Calendar</b> > <b>Share Calendar</b>.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Pick a calendar to share.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Select <b>Add</b> after selecting the people you want to share your calendar.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Once you click <b>OK</b>, the newly added persons with the default permission
level will appear.</li></ul><p></p>
<p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Select a name, an access level, and then click <b>OK</b>.</li></ul><p></p>
<br /><p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2016/05/how-to-access-yandexmail-in-outlook-as.html">How to Access Yandex.Mail in Outlook as an IMAP Account</a>
</b></i></p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
With these seven essential Microsoft Outlook tips, you'll simplify your email
management, save time, and increase your overall productivity. Start putting
these tips into practice right away to make the most of Microsoft Outlook!
</p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-12014812452027107352023-02-02T08:03:00.001-05:002023-02-02T08:04:14.168-05:005 Ways Companies Can Grow Business Using Google Analytics
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Grow Business Using Google Analytics" border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLvsCpkIHmI-pQu7_OsSW9yP4glH9UyF5Gqxb58HA5aLJji7QWDGHhyjUBqe9Ze_hlf6_CjuYkcfYKi2WVsVIkBj6lXeFV5xC4-zF28aHVZllZm1OVP2AbnQ6FnpQmOZmtvMz6h6dtEpxHGzY6SIvx1EZ784l-pmpzwhr3SUaaMRHrw2sI6u9K_Gy66g/s16000/Google-Analytics.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Forbes</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>By <b>Michael Fox</b>, Forbes</p>
<p>
As a business owner, you might have heard about — or are already using —
Google Analytics. Today, millions of businesses use <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=Google+Analytics">Google Analytics</a>. If you
are one of them, it is necessary to know how you can maximize this tool.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">First, What is Google Analytics?</h3>
<p>
Google Analytics helps businesses get a better grasp of their website. It also
helps evaluate and measure how marketing, content and products are performing
relative to user engagement. This tool collects data and sorts it into useful
information.
</p>
<p>
In October 2020, Google announced a major upgrade in the system with Google
Analytics 4. Traditional Google or Universal Analytics won’t be going
anywhere, but in this iteration, new properties were introduced.
</p>
<p>
The biggest difference between the two versions is their measurement models.
With Universal Analytics, measurements include pages, events, e-commerce and
social interaction hits. In Google Analytics 4, these interactions will fall
under one category: events. In other words, all interactions in Universal
Analytics will be converted as an event in Google Analytics 4.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
As a business owner, thinking of ways to scale and improve your operations may
be exhausting. Fortunately, advanced tools like this can help make scaling a
business easier.
</p><p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2023/01/blur-out-your-house-on-google-maps.html">Why You Should Blur Out Your House on Google Maps</a></b></i></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">Ways Google Analytics Impacts Your Business</h2>
<p>
Let’s talk about five ways your business can maximize some of Google
Analytics’ features:
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Insights to Help Improve ROI</h3>
<p>
Google Analytics provides businesses with tools that help measure trends. For
example, showing business owners if there are specific products on their
website that are suddenly gaining traction.
</p>
<p>
Further, Google Analytics can help businesses predict clients’ behavior. For
example, the rate of customer churn in a specific period. This tool is able to
provide data that can help you allocate the necessary funding to retain your
customers. These kinds of insights can help you create better marketing
strategies and other business-related plans. These features create a clearer
path for you to achieve a return on investment.
</p>
<p>
For Google Analytics 4, measurements include both website and app. So, data is
a combination of two integral parts of your operations. It is now also able to
include data from your <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=YouTube">YouTube</a> account alongside other channels. This way, you
have a more comprehensive view of your marketing efforts.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Better Understanding of Client Behavior</h3>
<p>
The upgrade has a more customer-centric approach in measurement. This includes
user IDs that aid in tracking behavior with regards to your business. The new
version is capable of providing information about your client’s life cycle in
interacting with your channels. Since they are given unique user IDs, you can
track their behavior individually — from the acquisition stage to retention.
</p>
<p>
This is important as consumer behavior is rapidly changing. Being able to get
ahead by making real-time decisions based on true data is essential. Track
which channels are effective in customer acquisitions, and keep a pulse on
data regarding engagement with your products. This, in turn, can aid business
entities to pave plans for better customer retention.
</p>
<p>
In my experience, this change has been one of the most useful as it can help
businesses create a more personalized approach. In the older version, business
owners were only given platform-centric data, which didn’t help much in regard
to targeted marketing.
</p><p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/06/stop-spam-texts-from-invading-inbox.html">How to Stop Spam Texts from Invading Your Inbox</a></b></i></p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Targeted Marketing</h3>
<p>
Google Analytics offers a comprehensive set of features that can help you
scale how you manage your digital marketing efforts. The data collected by
this tool can be managed in different ways. One is using these sets of data
for ad personalization, which plays a great role in marketing. <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=Google">Google</a> gives
you the option to set up personalized ads relevant to the geographical data
collected from your clients.
</p>
<p>
For example, say you have gathered a useful amount of first-party data from a
specific state. You can use this set of data to create an audience for your
next ads. This data will aid you in placing ads that will yield sure returns
as it is targeted to an already interested market.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Search Engine Optimization (SEO)</h3>
<p>
At this point, you probably know or have an idea of what SEO is. It is one of
the most highly effective digital marketing efforts today. Google Analytics
contributes to making this even more efficient and effective in helping you
grow as a business. The tool gives insights regarding the pages of your
website that are gaining a relative number of visitors and your
best-performing pages. This can help you strategize on what kind of content to
invest in and how you allocate your efforts accordingly.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Creating Innovative Business Ideas</h3>
<p>
To make sure your business grows, you need to introduce new ideas that set you
apart from your competitors. However, coming up with ideas is one story, but
having ideas that are worthwhile is another. So, how do you introduce new
things that are worthwhile? By basing them on data and facts.
</p>
<p>
With the information Google Analytics provides, you can start implementing
upgrades and innovations. These changes can further help you have an edge over
other competitors.
</p>
<p>
Going over these data can help you devise actionable plans and reasonable
business goals. Take, for example, reports indicating that Reddit forums help
in customer acquisitions. Given this information, you can create marketing
strategies that are tailored to Reddit.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Takeaway</h3>
<p>
As a business owner, having control over your operations is important. This
control should always be data-driven and factual. This is to ensure that your
business decisions will bring valuable contributions to how you want your
business to grow.
</p>
<p>
With Google Analytics and all the services it offers, tracking digital
channels has been made easier and more efficient. Through this tool, you are
provided with accurate data that can be used to scale your business.
</p><p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/09/simple-tips-to-read-blocked-website.html">Simple Tips to Read a Blocked Website</a></b></i></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><strike>
How to Grow Business Using Google Analytics
</strike></h2>
<p>See more at <b><a href="https://www.forbes.com/" target="_blank">Forbes</a></b></p>
Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-24090393387581232702023-01-23T15:13:00.000-05:002023-01-23T15:13:36.106-05:00Is Cryptocurrency Nearing Extinction?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cryptocurrency: Is It On The Verge Of Extinction?" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5U9nRjC5BPl3ZoNeR1f7R1SPSeQFtuqKpGjrRdczzNbEGDOuHQaIi-1Cnyx2WT-S2RTIlO-Cj4zHh2CzjIdtOC8fFxFS2JMiGA0OK-fg3NP5r5PPuntJAaEXuKKxvpDA2lgS1T0vz2AwlNf9vBX0epwsnGaMY5g2Rv89rYazcCn7LZ-sZCuXof4ry6A/s16000/is-crypto-about-to-go-extin.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Nataliia Shulga/Al Jazeera</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>By <b>Charu Sudan Kasturi</b>, Al Jazeera</p>
<p>As the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals in the championship game of the National Football League last February, an unlikely set of players made a splash off the field, in living rooms across the United States.</p>
<p>On one of American television’s biggest nights, with 99 million viewers, the Super Bowl broadcast was punctuated by a series of <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=cryptocurrency">cryptocurrency</a> advertisements. Social media buzzed with talk of how digital tokens had come of age as they grabbed primetime slots previously dominated by mainstream giants like Coca-Cola and General Motors.</p>
<p>One of the advertisements that night had comedian Larry David playing a Luddite dismissing humankind’s biggest inventions – from the wheel to Edison’s lightbulb to, the commercial suggests, the FTX cryptocurrency exchange. Told that the platform is a “safe and easy way to get into crypto”, David’s character says: “Ehhh, I don’t think so – and I’m never wrong about this stuff.”</p>
<p>That advertisement hasn’t aged well.</p>
<p>With multiple big crypto firms collapsing in recent months, the sector that promised an alternative to the traditional global financial model now faces existential questions. In May last year, the TerraUSD and Luna coins crashed, losing almost all of their value overnight and wiping out $45bn from the crypto market in a day. Singapore-based crypto hedge fund Three Arrows Capital abruptly shut down. Crypto lenders Voyager Digital and Celsius Network – which had both loaned money to Three Arrows Capital – soon filed for bankruptcy.</p>
<p>And in November, FTX – the popular crypto trading platform in the Super Bowl advertisement – imploded. Its founder Sam Bankman-Fried was arrested in the Bahamas in December and has been charged with fraud. Bitcoin, the world’s best-known cryptocurrency, is today worth only a third of what it was at its peak in October 2021.</p>
<p>The FTX commercial with David ends with the tagline, “Don’t be like Larry.” Today, many of the 420 million people estimated to have invested in crypto might well be wishing they had been more like Larry.</p>
<p>So is crypto about to go extinct?</p>
<p>The short answer: As a concept, cryptocurrencies will probably survive, experts told Al Jazeera. But the sector will likely face increased regulation and an extended period of uncertainty. Many firms and currencies will perish. To stay alive, companies will face one challenge above all else: winning back customer trust.</p>
<p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://news.dearjulius.com/2018/06/here-why-bitcoin-is-falling-and-it-isn.html">Here's why bitcoin is falling — and it isn't just the Coinrail exchange hack</a></b></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cryptocurrency: Is It On The Verge Of Extinction?" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiC_BuEhRALugK5o8yJS7P1q-v-Jtkbue6Nbj8XhWEq0xZL04uwHPx7OhRU4IzECqRPbA8vtUjwiaOldQM-JTSCJ8ghuWf1tJ5lw35Aomtku0D4VB1e7Gb294nK9A1ww_AGb9gPnVkptpwYjupWLiSFFfMtFr9lWOSCrKea7X_7b8M18DI7KKo159OQA/s16000/Bitcoin.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="An advertisement for Bitcoin" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">An advertisement for Bitcoin on a street in Hong Kong, on February 17, 2022 ⒸKin Cheung/AP Photo</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>Crypto ‘ice age’</h3>
<p>Cryptocurrency trading platforms have traditionally drawn in customers with the promise of quick returns on investment. The offer: Park money in so-called crypto wallets – which are meant to function in a manner similar to savings bank accounts – and earn high interest rates, sometimes in double digits. For those who are distrustful of traditional finance, the opportunity to carry out transactions without worrying about a regulator as an intermediary is an added attraction.</p>
<p>But this allure dimmed once the US Federal Reserve and other major central banks around the world sharply raised interest rates through 2022, making more traditional investment options more lucrative than before. The US rate, for instance, shot up by more than 4 percentage points over the course of 2022.</p>
<p>Once TerraUSD and Luna went into freefall, a combination of safer alternatives and reduced trust in crypto led to a crisis that, according to experts, is far from over.</p>
<p>“I think we’ll see a lot more bad news before things start looking better for the sector,” Tim Leung, director of the computational finance and risk management programme at the University of Washington in Seattle told Al Jazeera.</p>
<p>With many potential customers now sceptical, crypto platforms will likely witness low trading volumes for a while, Leung said. The crypto sector likes to pride itself on its independence, but it depends on financing from traditional markets. How much of that funding will continue in the current climate is unclear, Leung suggested. With reduced trading and less funding, many smaller firms might go belly up, he warned.</p>
<p>Crypto mining companies, which generate virtual money – or coins – using energy-guzzling supercomputers, will suffer too, Leung said. Reduced demand for coins because of low trading volumes and high energy prices will squeeze the viability of their business model. “I see this phase lasting through 2023,” he said. “It’s more likely to be a crypto ice age rather than a crypto winter.”</p>
<p>The downturn isn’t surprising, suggested experts.</p>
<p>“This is a start-up industry with hundreds of firms and lots of innovation,” said David Yermack, professor of finance at New York University’s Stern School of Business. He told Al Jazeera he expects a chaotic period for cryptocurrencies in the foreseeable future but thinks that “ultimately best practices will emerge through competition”.</p>
<p>Governments around the world have signalled plans to step in to shield customers from that chaos. But regulators and analysts appear divided on how best to intervene.</p><p><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cryptocurrency: Is It On The Verge Of Extinction?" border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAi3Ugu9GKEXVxguCqbjgg-tV3IMVNnu6Wl4FYrY7jj-n9-xxSfPk5NGJSm5Q-eSsp3sdZMdOmUXAy-9kj5NyP-8jd0HoX24TbkRd26lh1oZM2De2RP7C5g_73DXcoXmRMM3gMggmOfbwUzj1iqU6Piuxx_7JPuQISbtY66yaOja0VWI3_YLMpDf563g/s16000/Gary-Gensler.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">US Securities and Exchange Commission Chairman Gary Gensler, speaking at a Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee hearing on September 14, 2021. Gensler has advocated using existing US laws on securities to regulate cryptocurrencies ⒸEvelyn Hockstein/Pool via AP</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>Old laws for new tech?</h3>
<p>Gary Gensler, chairman of the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), argued in September that existing laws are adequate for the crypto sector. In his view, he said, most cryptocurrencies are similar to traditional securities – tradable financial assets like stocks or bonds.</p>
<p>Hilary Allen, professor of law at American University in Washington, DC, agrees with that approach. Cryptocurrencies and trading platforms, she said, must meet the standards of governance that the SEC demands from old-school securities – including registering with the regulator and demonstrating transparency over assets – or be shut down.</p>
<p>Creating new rules for the crypto industry would be wrong, she said. “That would legitimise the idea that crypto, somehow, is unique, and can’t be expected to meet the same standards as mainstream financial assets,” Allen told Al Jazeera. “That’s a dangerous message to send.”</p>
<p>But many other experts disagree.</p>
<p>“There’s a fundamental difference between securities and currencies,” said Bruno Biais, a professor of finance at the HEC Paris business school. People invest in stocks or bonds based on the cash flow or assets of the company offering them, he said. They buy currency – whether a dollar, a euro or a crypto token – trusting that the coin or note will be accepted by others at a later date.</p>
<p>Trying to fit an existing regulatory framework on cryptocurrencies without adapting it to new technology won’t work, said Christian Catalini, founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Cryptoeconomics Lab.</p>
<p>It won’t guarantee consumer protection, Catalini told Al Jazeera. “Worse, it may kill the innovation potential of the space without any meaningful benefit to the public,” he said.</p>
<p>Where most analysts do agree is that regulations for the sector must focus on one kind of cryptocurrency in particular: so-called stablecoins.</p>
<p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://news.dearjulius.com/2018/06/why-trading-in-bitcoin-or-other.html">Why trading in bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies is playing with fire</a></b></i></p><p><i><br /></i></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cryptocurrency: Is It On The Verge Of Extinction?" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiERDMbUV_BY5jKSpzJezHtsxyQdlZQSK1S_AiOCru4SjSDupFzlY2z2fm3ZjOdyA6koqD8EjVo2jbHf0nCGQEP9fGkgIP2SZ-8ralUCLmF_DMMy7EQ2JuyDJjp8YtNsoOD8TGrSD_coRNAAiFGZAGcXNPHyAlXMBxMrHnxqc-FH42uSHV7jKBcx7ZLqg/s16000/Tether.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="A smartphone with the Tether logo" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">A smartphone with the Tether logo is shown. Tether, the world’s most popular stablecoin, often trades more than Bitcoin ⒸFile: Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>Making ‘stablecoins’ stable</h3>
<p>Unlike tokens like Bitcoin, whose price can fluctuate wildly, the value of stablecoins is pegged to a regular currency, like the US dollar or other traditional assets like gold. For instance, each Tether coin, the world’s most popular stablecoin – which often trades even more than Bitcoin – is worth $1. That value stability positions stablecoins as tokens that, while still earning well through crypto wallets, are supposedly safer than other cryptocurrencies.</p>
<p>“The very term, ‘stablecoin’, conjures the image of a reliable currency that gives customers a false sense of security,” Biais told Al Jazeera. “The problem? Unlike regular currencies and banks, stablecoins are basically completely unregulated.”</p>
<p>So while in theory, those who own $100 worth of stablecoins should be able to redeem that amount whenever they want – as would be the case with a banknote – there’s no guarantee they’ll actually get that money back, said Biais.</p>
<p>The Financial Stability Board (FSB), a global advisory body set up by the G20 after the 2008 financial crisis, has been urging major economies to adopt regulations to ensure that stablecoins demonstrate their ability to pay customers back. In its October 2022 report, the FSB warned that many existing stablecoins “are issued by unregistered and unlicensed entities and do not have credible mechanisms to support their promise of price stability”.</p>
<p>While US regulators appear undecided on the need for new rules, many other nations and regions are moving towards laws specifically designed to govern the crypto sector and, in particular, stablecoins. These rules could help ensure that “good actors thrive, and bad actors disappear from the crypto ecosystem”, said Catalini.</p>
<p>The European Union’s new regulation, known as Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA), will require all crypto firms to register with authorities. Stablecoins will need to guarantee assets to pay customers back at any time. MiCA comes into force in 2024.</p>
<p>Japan passed a law last June under which only banks and other strictly regulated financial institutions can offer stablecoins. And the British government has proposed that the Financial Conduct Authority, the country’s top financial services regulator, would have oversight over crypto firms.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, India’s finance minister has said that crypto regulations would be a priority of the country’s G20 presidency in 2023. A global framework to regulate crypto is indeed essential, said Leung of the University of Washington, since many firms in the sector have a footprint across geographies.</p>
<p>But for any of this to help revive the industry, crypto firms will first need to regain the confidence of customers, said experts.</p><p><br /></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Cryptocurrency: Is It On The Verge Of Extinction?" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkcPqS0Lrb3xcCWyV3-37AKUpuacK_dYF6suj5rxf9rRFCu2ZL62X4f84y-yN_Iw4S5exozn_9cPj4hdUkbf5jO-apjaM_bo9_4JGXe97LC07IBKw0uFQxOGFJ15P24jqT6SSuCLmvBTlo1gflG37QDqCOSqu9SnU90Ss4QW6qOB2m3IQcLnOdVVduqA/s16000/Samuel-Bankman-Fried.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="FTX Trading founder Samuel Bankman-Fried" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">FTX Trading founder Samuel Bankman-Fried leaves a federal court in New York on January 3, 2023. He has been accused of fraud ⒸFile: Seth Wenig/AP Photo</td></tr></tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><h3>Matter of trust</h3>
<p>Many crypto enthusiasts will likely watch to see how big cases of fraud, such as the one involving FTX, play out, said Biais of HEC Paris. If they see justice, and if those who have lost money because of such scams get it back, that would help rebuild trust, he said.</p>
<p>Some experts, like Allen at American University, believe that crypto has little to meaningfully offer to the financial world in the future. “When you peel away the rhetoric, there really isn’t anything there that you can’t do using traditional finance instruments,” she said.</p>
<p>Others remain convinced that crypto, with its potential to enable peer-to-peer, decentralised financial exchanges, represents a transformational technology. “The technology is here to stay, even if a number of the initial projects in the crypto space are falling,” MIT’s Catalini said.</p>
<p>He described the moment as similar to the dot-com bubble that burst in the late 1990s when many early online firms went bust. Those – like Amazon – that survived or came up later are among “the internet giants of today”, he said.</p>
<p>Still, until the dust settles and reliable regulations come in, Leung at the University of Washington said it’s best to be cautious. “You don’t want to make decisions based on Super Bowl commercials,” he said. “This isn’t a game.”</p>
<p>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/04/elon-musks-internet-for-everyone-is-coming-very-soon.html">Elon Musk's Internet for Everyone Is Coming Very Soon</a></b></i></p>
<div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><p>See more at <b><a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/" target="_blank">Al Jazeera</a></b></p>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-15010724231765267372023-01-13T14:57:00.004-05:002023-01-14T19:01:51.384-05:00Why You Should Blur Out Your House on Google Maps<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;">
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<img alt="Why You Should Blur Out Your House on Google Maps" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguofA6gkaoyqYIJvy-1s9Kw4z6j_AwwBxo0cKz3_VHUnL33HvlWRo0vu3L20CZoZRgVGpoIM9LfG-F1fMhUUhGXDv-lEs0eE5F6AOU1-p2qgO_Phq0stcHbbjC-fUBhuLwNZ4xNlKa6my-9O1sI4i5cWQU6ryjdMfauLiSSM2fW6VSnD7x8sscJZreMg/s16000/blur-out-your-house.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" />
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Ⓒ Provided by Reader's Digest
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</table>
<p>By <b>Madison Zoey Vettorino</b>, Reader's Digest</p>
<p>
Have you ever searched for your home address on Google Maps? If so, you're
probably familiar with the eerie feeling of knowing that other people can find
an up-close photograph of your house so quickly. You're not alone if you're
uncomfortable with having your house on Google Maps. There are home security
and safety concerns associated with having images of your home shown on the
platform.
</p>
<p>
Luckily, there's a fix that can help. By deciding to blur out your house on
Google Maps (or hiding your home on <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=Google+Street+View">Google Street View</a>), you can ensure that
you and your family enjoy the privacy you deserve.
</p>
<p>
Read More:
<i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/10/google-maps-shows-critical-information-about-covid-19.html">Google Maps Shows Critical Information About COVID-19</a></b></i>
</p>
<br />
<h3>Why should you blur your house on Google Maps?</h3>
<p>
Privacy is one reason it's a good idea to blur out your house on Google Maps.
The main reason it's wise to do so is that burglars or stalkers can quickly
check out your home online and plot a way inside. Because Google Maps offers a
thorough look at your house, it's easy for people to understand your home
layout and figure out how they'd breach your privacy and enter your home.
</p>
<p>
Therefore, many families decide to blur out their house on Google Maps for
security reasons. If you have children, keeping your house safe is especially
important, as you don't want any criminals to enter your home when your kids
are there. You can also remove your home from Google Maps if you have a lot of
valuables or antiques inside.
</p>
<p>
Regardless of who or what you're trying to protect, removing the image of your
home from Google Maps is a solid idea for privacy purposes and doing so can
provide a greater sense of security.
</p>
<br />
<h3>How to blur your house on Google Maps</h3>
<p>
Now that you know why deciding to blur out your house on
<a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=Google+Maps">Google Maps</a> is
a wise plan, let's discuss how you can do it. Don't worry, it's not too
difficult.
</p>
<p></p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>
<b>Open Google Maps on your computer</b>—not your smartphone. Unfortunately,
this process doesn't work on smartphone apps and can be cumbersome to
complete through a website browser on your phone, so be sure to use a laptop
or desktop computer.
</li><br />
<li>
<b>Search for your home address.</b> A picture of your house will most
likely appear. Click on that picture. From there, you should see the street
view of your home address.
</li><br />
<li>
<b>Click on "Report a Problem.</b>" You'll find that in the bottom
right-hand corner of the screen.
</li><br />
<li>
<b>Select what you want Google to blur out. </b>A red and black box should
pop up on your screen, so be sure anything you don't want to appear fits in
that box. Include your home and anything else you don't want on the
internet, such as a detached garage. You can use the buttons on the side to
zoom in and out to make this process easier.
</li><br />
<li>
<b>Select what you're requesting that Google blur.</b> Choose whatever
applies. Google will also prompt you to provide more detail regarding what
it is precisely in the image you want to be blurred. Be as specific as
possible, and remember, once something is removed, it's permanent.
</li><br />
<li>
<b>Enter your email address and complete the captcha.</b> Then submit, and
you're all set.
</li>
</ul>
<p></p>
<p>
You should see an email in your inbox from Google telling you that it will
review your request and keep you updated when it's accepted or denied. Google
also might email you requesting more information, so check your inbox
periodically to ensure you get any additional communication.
</p>
<p>
Once you receive an update that your request has been approved, you'll feel
more secure knowing your home is not findable on Google Maps. For extra peace
of mind, consider setting up an inexpensive home alarm system to respond to
immediate threats.
</p>
<p>
Read More:
<i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/12/hide-your-house-from-google-street-view.html">How to Hide Your House from Google Street View</a></b></i>
</p>
<br />
<p>
See more at
<b><a href="https://www.rd.com/" target="_blank">Reader's Digest</a></b>
</p>
Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-3438361186843089522023-01-03T13:28:00.006-05:002023-01-14T19:20:43.314-05:00Why Should You Use a VPN? <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Why Should You Use a VPN?" border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrG_VLBcGqQPTY0Al00lvKTjDfTxzwUZwMRjpVt26hCDVqMiIzrGt8C62YmcDQhu58XUP45MdmAn64cua3z-2-qmbvLXciTYnsopw_OOWr5k0oEKss1lZczFN1yOpbAF4JC5ebtQiKZfohK2CihqciDm_aIGCyYjzhXXQ-4UvB4Oe-leQiGShpZefLjA/s16000/vpn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Privecstasy / Unsplash</td></tr></tbody></table>
<p>By <b>Saba Murtaz</b></p>
<p>
A VPN (virtual private network) is an essential tool for accessing content and
protecting your personal data when using public Wi-Fi and your home network.
VPN is currently used by up to 25% of all internet users as their essential
security program. VPN allows you to browse and work online while maintaining a
secure and limited internet experience.
</p><p><br /></p>
<p>Read More: <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/03/how-to-set-up-a-vpn-on-your-iphone-or-android-phone-and-why-you-need-one.html"><b><i>How to set up a VPN on your iPhone or Android phone</i></b></a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">What is a VPN?</h3>
<p>
A VPN is a private network that connects a server to your computer securely.
Your whole browsing and Internet activity travels through that distant server.
The anonymous server, not you, is the one browsing to the outside world. ISPs,
governmental organizations, hackers, and anybody else cannot monitor your
internet behavior.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">How does a VPN work?</h3>
<p>
A VPN can conceal your IP address by allowing the network to route your IP
address through a specially set-up remote server operated by a VPN host. To
put it another way, when you use a VPN to access the internet, the VPN server
becomes the source of your data. This means that neither your Internet Service
Provider (ISP) nor any other parties will be able to see the websites you
visit or the information you send and receive online.
</p><p><br /></p>
<p>Read More: <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/09/simple-tips-to-read-blocked-website.html"><b><i>Simple Tips to Read a Blocked Website</i></b></a></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Are VPNs really private?</h3>
<p>
Sadly, no. Your surfing history may still be logged by the VPN provider. In
short, you are placing your faith in your <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=VPN+service+provider">VPN service provider</a>. Will your
provider give information if requested? Will they keep track of your browser
information and eventually sell it?
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
Although many VPN service providers are reliable and promise to keep consumer
information confidential, some are downright sinister. 300 free VPN programs
were recently analyzed by researchers, and they discovered that roughly 40% of
them installed spyware or malicious advertising on users' computers. Always
choose a VPN service that you can rely on.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
Additionally, be aware that your VPN provider cannot regulate all
circumstances. A VPN may not enable you to bypass limitations to access banned
websites if you reside in a restrictive regime.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">How do you choose a VPN provider?</h3>
<p>
Even while it may be tempting, many free VPN services fall short of
expectations. Some survive by selling your data to advertisers in an
anonymized form. Other run ads. Some could be safe and free, but they move
excruciatingly slowly.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
For instance, a company might have a few server locations but provide safe
connectivity and the utmost anonymity. It might not be as anonymous as you'd
like for your browsing data.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
When looking for VPN providers, you should look into the following queries:</p>
<p></p>
<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>
What sort of browsing information, if any, does the VPN service gather?
</li>
<li>How long is this data retained?</li>
<li>Are there any limitations?</li>
<li>What are the locations of the VPN servers?</li>
<li>How are you going to pay for the VPN service?</li></ul>
<p>
Those last two questions can be very challenging. How private will it be if
you use a credit card, PayPal or Cash App to pay for the <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=VPN+service">VPN service</a>? If you
want the highest level of anonymity and security, seek for a provider that
takes payments through anonymous services like cryptocurrencies.
</p>
<p><br /></p>
<p>
Thanks to recent relaxations of <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/search?q=internet+privacy">Internet privacy</a> laws and increased government
surveillance, VPNs are becoming more and more popular. However, they might not
be as secure as they assert. Make sure you choose a service provider who
fulfills their promise by conducting research, asking the proper questions,
and being selective.</p><p>Read More: <a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/01/best-free-vpns-5-reasons-why-there-are-no-such-things.html"><b><i>Best free VPNs: 5 reasons why there are no such things</i></b></a></p>
Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-19704709300452179432022-12-26T19:21:00.000-05:002022-12-26T19:21:06.893-05:005 Metaverse Trends Shaping the Next Decade<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="5 Metaverse Trends Shaping the Next Decade" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiH30Q_WhXD_P66yMGTBMBWU9uypOMMR3N2e_YOG5BXhtHT4NHXacOHv51wllKN2v-r6PHV4YU6ABZjwFZgfUCMFZr29JTP9kVMX3bIPy2kIG6F4OoZhx2ZjgG3QVuWzMTRSf0ootA_ozUw6d3QQ6a1Y8gNvlFAW0medYDcwTFyNvzyS05v2I0uirjWQ/s16000/Metaverse.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Entrepreneur</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Ashot Gabrelyanov</b>, Entrepreneur
<br /> <br />
In times of economic uncertainty, you can find unique entrepreneurial ideas emerging in the metaverse, often driving industry innovation and opening up new opportunities for businesses and individuals alike. As the metaverse continues to expand, here are five trends that will shape the next 10 years:
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/online-tools-to-increase-internet-security.html">6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
<h3>1. Virtual content creation</h3>
3D modeling has been used for many decades in almost all industries, such as gaming, engineering and architecture. All products, buildings, characters and environments have been created using 3D modeling tools on a computer. This industry is only projected to increase in value, reaching $6.33 billion in 2028. This number doesn't include the metaverse space, which is predicted to reach $783.3 billion by 2024.
<br /> <br />
As consumers migrate to the 3D space, the need for virtual goods has only increased. For example, the most popular Roblox metaverse has over 40 million games where its users exclusively create all items, characters, and environments. Those who are top creators can make a ton of money. Just look at Samuel Jordan, who reportedly makes up to $80,000 each month from selling his digital goods in Roblox.
<br /> <br />
<h3>2. Metaversal education</h3>
Covid-19 has shifted most of the world to remote working and distance learning. Some of the fastest to adapt to this change included schoolchildren. The idea of learning digitally has really caught the younger generation to the point where one of the most popular metaverses, Minecraft, has an educational platform for distance learning.
<br /> <br />
However, this is just the beginning of the global trend for online education. The online education market size is expected to reach $198.9 billion by 2030, according to Straits Research. Entrepreneurs should expect new virtual studying platforms to appear, as well as courses covering topics such as meta-marketing, avatar design and virtual law. This will open up a lot of career options for the younger generations that use the metaverse.
<br /> <br />
<h3>3. Virtual social and music events</h3>
Did you know that 4 million people attended Rod Stewart's free concert on Copacabana Beach in Rio in 1994? It remained the most attended live show until Travis Scott performed in the Fortnight Metaverse in 2020, as more than 12 million players logged in for his virtual concert.
<br /> <br />
Once other artists caught wind of this, they started planning their own virtual concerts. Artists such as Post Malone, Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber provided virtual concerts using the metaverse as their platform. This trend creates many opportunities for musicians and other event planners on platforms who want to capitalize on the popularity of virtual events.
<br /> <br />
However, it's important to start exploring these opportunities now, as global entertainment company, Live Nation, has already partnered with Snap this year to improve the virtual concert and social experience using AR technology.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/10/how-to-tell-if-youre-talking-to-bot.html">How to Tell If You’re Talking to a Bot</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
<h3>4. Avatar-based dating</h3>
While millennials were getting married virtually during the Covid-19 lockdown, Gen Z has been using "stay at home" as an opportunity to date in the metaverse. Games today can provide more than entertainment; they can even introduce you to potential partners.
<br /> <br />
Avatar-based dating is becoming more and more popular, with many new companies emerging that specialize in this service, such as Nevermet. This fast-growing avatar-based service allows users to match with other VR fans and then meet up anywhere in the metaverse. As this trend continues to grow, there will be more and more opportunities for entrepreneurs to enter this space.
<br /> <br />
<h3>5. Metfluencing</h3>
When it comes to influencers, the metaverse has become a prime platform for marketing and advertising products and services. This is mostly due to its interactive platform, which allows users to engage with each other in real-time.
<br /> <br />
This trend is known as "metfluencing," which refers to when an influencer leverages their popularity in the metaverse to influence other users. For example, Albert Spencer Aretz, also known as Flamingo, is an American Roblox Gamer whose "let's play" videos are gaining millions of views. His estimated net worth is over $20 million, as reported by various sources. Due to his popularity, brands are now paying him to promote their products on his channel. If you've ever considered becoming an influencer, the metaverse is definitely a great place to start.
<br /> <br />
The metaverse is an ever-evolving ecosystem that's becoming increasingly popular and accessible. As more people turn to this virtual reality, entrepreneurs should look for ways to take advantage of the opportunities available in the metaverse. From establishing an online education platform to promoting products via metfluencing, there are plenty of avenues to explore. With the right strategy, you can use the metaverse to create your own successful business.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/09/is-it-possible-to-work-in-vr.html">Is It Possible to Work in VR (Virtual Reality)?</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
See more at <b><a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Entrepreneur</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-55736990365303848152022-12-14T18:35:00.005-05:002022-12-14T18:35:46.680-05:00How to See If Someone is Using Your Devices<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to See If Someone is Using Your Devices" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIvSMIG09-HtQuNdSygRGgKX-SYqz0yj8XGWCDRHyz8KwFdrXCbCPzjs3ssG7Cf5vYERFGYQgezh3ZsLupbb0LlYZXHNKtjGxmTtMdaxWFN9iiXoK_8y5LSg61FuezfJU_W9oIYezL_sh29usSnEPecmGU-ZCOVoATVetzvZdeQyYxHpjwxQI1ZEacFw/s16000/checking-phone-and-laptop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>David Nield</b>, Popular Science
<br /> <br />
With so much sensitive data on our phones and laptops, it makes sense that we don’t want unwelcome visitors snooping around. That’s why it’s essential to take some security precautions. But you might have let your guard down, and now you think somebody may have spent a few minutes with your hardware.
<br /> <br />
You can easily run some basic checks to help you figure out if you were a victim of an intruder. These diagnostics won’t necessarily provide definitive proof, but they can give you a pretty good idea if someone’s been scrolling where they shouldn’t have.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="http://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/10/how-to-setup-vpn-on-your-phone.html">How to Setup VPN on Your Phone</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
<h3>Checking your smartphone</h3>
Apps can’t hide on smartphones. If someone has installed an additional app on your handheld device, you’ll be able to see it in the main list. On Android, open Settings and pick <b>Apps</b>, then See <b>all apps</b>. On iOS, just open Settings and scroll down to see everything that’s installed.
<br /> <br />
You can specifically look at recently installed apps too, but only on iPhones. Scroll to the App Library screen (it’ll be to the right of all your home screens), and you’ll see there’s a Recently Added window showing the last apps installed.
<br /> <br />
If you have web and app activity logging set up for your Google account, this will show what’s been happening on any Android devices linked to your Google ID, and any Google apps you’re signed into on iOS devices. Visit the My Google Activity page on the web to set up this feature, and see which apps an intruder might have used, or what websites they might have visited.
<br /> <br />
Don’t forget that the latest versions of Android and iOS also keep local logs of device activity, if you’ve enabled the feature. Pick <b>Digital Wellbeing & parental controls</b> from Android Settings or <b>Screen Time</b> from iOS Settings. There, you can dig in to see which apps have been in use over the past 24 hours or the past few days—if there are apps you don’t remember using, it might be a sign that someone else has been on your phone.
<br /> <br />
Then there are the activity logs inside individual apps, and your mobile web browser is a good example. Open up Chrome for Android, tap the <b>three dots</b> (top right), then choose <b>History</b> to see recently viewed web pages. In Safari on iOS, open any tab, tap the <b>book icon</b>, then hit the <b>clock icon</b> to open the browser’s history.
<br /> <br />
If you’re an Android user, another useful place to check is your notification history. From Settings, tap <b>Notifications</b>, then <b>Notification history</b> to see alerts that have come in recently. It’s possible that if an unwelcome guest has been on your phone, there will be some traces of what they’ve been up to here.
<br /> <br />
Regardless of your operating system, you’ve got plenty of other options too—open your phone’s gallery app to see recently taken photos, for example, or open your email client and switch to the sent items folder to check if any messages have been sent in your name. Apps like YouTube and Netflix let you look back on what you’ve viewed recently as well.
<br /> <br />
These checks, of course, don’t really give you any guarantees. For example, someone could send a message on your phone and then go back and delete it before you have a chance to check. But they might turn up some clues of suspicious activity.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="http://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/online-tools-to-increase-internet-security.html">6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
<h3>Checking your laptop</h3>
Checking your laptop for recent activity is similar to the process we just described for your phone. Looking at the installed apps is a good start: On Windows, open up <b>Apps</b> from Settings, and head to the <b>Apps & features</b> screen. You can sort the list of apps by installation date to see if something unfamiliar has been added to your computer.
<br /> <br />
On macOS, head to the <b>Applications</b> folder in Finder. Here you can group the installed apps by date by clicking <b>View</b>, <b>Sort By</b>, and <b>Date Added</b>. There’s also Screen Time on a Mac, which works just as it does on an iPhone or iPad. Open the <b>Apple</b> menu, then choose <b>System Preferences</b> and <b>Screen Time</b> to see which programs have been open recently.
<br /> <br />
Digging back through your web browser’s history may reveal activity on your laptop you didn’t know about. In Chrome, for example, you can click the <b>three dots</b> (top right), then <b>History</b> to see it. In Safari, choose <b>History</b>, then <b>Show All History</b>. Any other browser you or someone else might have used will have a similar history feature that shouldn’t be difficult to find.
<br /> <br />
Any kind of activity related to Google apps—from search to Gmail—will be logged on the My Google Activity page in your account. It’s handy if you use Google apps inside your web browser a lot.
<br /> <br />
Another idea is to check the list of recently edited files, which might reveal unauthorized activity. On Windows, type “run” into the taskbar search box, choose the <b>Run </b>app, and run the “recent” command—a list of recently edited files will appear. It’s a little easier in macOS, because you can just click the <b>Recents </b>link in Finder.
<br /> <br />
It’s also worth diving into individual applications to see what you can discover about recent activities. For example, image editing programs, word processors, and many other apps will have a list of recently opened files, which you can check out. In Excel for Windows, for example, go to <b>File</b>, <b>Open</b>, and <b>Recent</b>. Other programs will have something similar.
<br /> <br />
Remember that a lot of websites and web apps will give you a customized breakdown of your recent history, too. You can very easily bring up your YouTube history or your Netflix history and check if there are any unfamiliar movements.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="http://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/06/stop-spam-texts-from-invading-inbox.html">How to Stop Spam Texts from Invading Your Inbox</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
If someone other than you accesses your computer, there are certainly ways for them to get around the checks we’ve mentioned. For one, browsing the web in an incognito or private mode so it won’t show up in your history is an easy option most people know about. Keep this in mind and treat these checks as helpful pointers rather than conclusive evidence that your laptop has or hasn’t been accessed.
<br /> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.popsci.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popular Science</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-46332620063877711692022-11-22T14:03:00.004-05:002022-11-22T14:03:36.068-05:00Why Do Paper Books Last Longer Than eBooks ?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Why Do Paper Books Last Longer Than eBooks ?" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib22TKPd9IYXl2DfYqNryY0fGmI5DEjkkqKTfU5gx-pCVdm3d0Jsgdp31ipYTSEbUpgmteBRSaC0pRv8LxtX9Jsw6-quqgunJg4_kOnMP21ZbcDzYa4T3i09Ii3kXIae4REFk0YVfrXjk9oNGSdskW84cjGYiqqIX5JlTAXC3wxMFjISsO9L8Ygpb1pw/s1600/ebook.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒfelipepelaquim / Unsplash</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Charlie Sorrel</b>, LifewireSee more at <b>Lifewire</b>
<br /> <br />
A paper book can sit on the shelf for decades, and anyone can pull it out and start reading. Digital books are way, way harder to maintain.
<br /> <br />
According to The Internet Archive's Brewster Kahle, keeping eBooks readable takes way more work than you might expect. Changing file formats, copy prevention, and the fragile nature of digital storage make managing digital books a never-ending task. And that's for a professional library. For individuals, it's even worse.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/06/stop-spam-texts-from-invading-inbox.html">How to Stop Spam Texts from Invading Your Inbox</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
"With the constant change, not just in file formats but in digital devices, it is difficult to maintain a digital library. Having begun my digital library using a Nook device, before moving to a Kindle and then settling on Apple, many purchases have been lost," ebook reader Caroline Duggan told Lifewire via email.
<br /> <br />
<h3>Digital Rot</h3>
"For those of us tending libraries of digitized and born-digital books, we know that they need constant maintenance—reprocessing, reformatting, re-invigorating, or they will not be readable or read," says Kahle on his company blog. "Our paper books have lasted hundreds of years on our shelves and are still readable. Without active maintenance, we will be lucky if our digital books last a decade."
<br /> <br />
And that's with static files. Ebook vendors can (and do) change their file formats, meaning libraries either have to convert old files into a new format or maintain both the hardware and software required to open them. If you've ever tried opening a word processor file from an old floppy disk, you'll know that just having the hardware and the files is not enough.
<br /> <br />
With the constant change, not just in file formats but in digital devices, it is difficult to maintain a digital library
<br /> <br />
The Kindle alone has had a confusion of file formats over the years. The AZW file format has evolved to add better typography and probably to enhance DRM (digital rights management or copy-prevention), and is now known either as AZW3 or KF8. EPUB might be the best format for longevity, and it's supported by many readers, but it's still not as robust and future-proof as paper.
<br /> <br />
"The issue is that there usually aren't considerations in copyright agreements that allow for good archival practices. File formats are generally dictated by distribution platforms, and access is contingent on subscriptions, and this isn't a great option for most archives," Troy Portillo, director of operations at online learning platform Studypool told Lifewire via email. "Physical media can often be a better choice for long-term storage because of these issues. Text-based material, in particular, can still be stored effectively on paper."<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Why Do Paper Books Last Longer Than eBooks ?" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDO28WyDHUGirV9Wz7PGwCw4dA5Lhj3ZiuTs6A7HibniguHpHgsQTgQO_sOajaA3j8GktLlBtCMC3T15TO9md5KEucfATXTkngv_xtdWawRaaktUZd8gpc3F0hiuRrVkmlIx7jhSSlDaYwuH9WvMhPe2zsmRXJXrUp3cfqTMh3Id0b38C-apaA1bPTpg/s16000/Library.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Paper Books" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Lifewire</td></tr></tbody></table>
<h3>Home Library</h3>
If you drop a paper book in the bath, you can still read it after drying it out. It might be swollen and ugly, but functionally it is still 100 percent. Digital storage isn't nearly so resilient, requiring several redundant backups.
<br /> <br />
For most of us, these "backups" are left to the seller. If you have a Kindle, you can just re-download a book to a new device, but those books may also not be available anymore. In 2009, Amazon famously pulled copies of George Orwell's 1984 from people's Kindles. Yes, it was because that edition wasn't authorized, but it still showed that you don't control your books.
<br /> <br />
And neither do you own them. Take a look at the small print in your purchase agreement, and you'll probably see that you purchased the right to read the book but not the book itself. You cannot sell it to a used bookstore nor buy used eBooks. And the library situation is absurd, introducing artificial scarcity to mimic old physical limitations like only having a few copies in stock.
<br /> <br />
But the worst part might be that you’re locked into Kindle, Kobo, iBooks, or whatever vendor you chose. Maintaining a digital library means never changing to a rival or reading your books on a different brand of device. It’s possible to remove the DRM from books and store them in a folder on your computer, ready to be used anywhere, but that’s a job for very patient people.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/08/5-tips-to-halt-doomscrolling.html">5 Tips To Halt Doomscrolling</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
All of this is avoided with a physical, paper book, with the added plus that it looks great on a bookshelf. On the other hand, no one wants to fill their carry-on luggage with paperbacks when they’re on vacation, or get stuck with no books in their native language if they run out, or have to use a reading light in bed. So maybe digital books aren’t all that bad.
<br /> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.lifewire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifewire</a></b></div>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-28308756186967480042022-11-14T14:25:00.002-05:002022-11-14T14:25:10.897-05:00How to Use Twitter without Giving Elon Musk Your User Data
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Use Twitter without Giving Elon Musk Your User Data" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCvGWOd05AYwuTVMTUNVK-yCqrdXkTF2JIqr04olxG_bllBGcPYN7RfO_arnyvYtngcMkUg6ky3MjTuXMGgZz8-MxRIa-qz8OEKhOmJKK9dFiZDEyZwEbbT8QpUmJZMX9q6xeaVWC-vsuG1l9vBPfXUET8e4YpTjMY_Xuuj1_fvPYhUj1-VdF9266xnw/s16000/musk.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Mashable</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Mike Pearl</b>, Mashable
<br /> <br />
Maybe you don’t want to be a Twitter user, or you have a Twitter login that you don’t want to use, but you’d still like to read tweets. This is…somewhat possible, but Twitter certainly adds stumbling blocks.
<br /> <br />
There are, however, ways to make browsing Twitter without a login easier. This can be accomplished by installing the browser extension Breakthrough Twitter Login Wall.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/04/how-to-see-quoted-replies-and-retweets-on-twitter.html">How to see quoted replies and retweets on Twitter</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
<h3>Why you might want to browse Twitter without a login</h3>
Twitter is owned by Elon Musk, the world’s richest individual. Musk advocates for right-wing — and in at least one case, far-right — political candidates, which is his right, but also makes him a partisan activist who owns a platform for digital communication. Rather than treading carefully in light of this precarious situation, he has proven himself willing to post astonishingly callous and divisive memes, and speak disparagingly toward his critics.
<br /> <br />
In recent weeks, he has abruptly purged half of Twitter’s payroll, putting thousands out of a job in an effort to make the company he owns economically viable, even as he denies wanting to profit from it. And he has responded to a drop in his company’s revenue not by promising to be a better manager, but by sanctimoniously whining about activists seeking to stymie his effort toward rebuilding Twitter around his own conception of free speech.
Musk is, again, free to run his company and his life how he wants. However, any pearl-clutching on Musk's part about people responding badly to his effort to remake Twitter is pure theatrics. The millions of people he chooses to actively annoy and antagonize every day when he incessantly broadcasts his thoughts via his app have every right to want to hinder his pet project.
<br /> <br />
With that in mind, Twitter — and therefore Musk — makes money from your user data. Specifically, in 2021, Twitter made about $500 million from data sales according to the app industry blog Business of Apps. That’s not much compared to the $4.5 billion it made that year from ads according to that same site. But given that some ad agencies are recommending that their clients not pay Twitter right now, and that Musk has stated that he’d like Twitter to rely less on ad revenue, Twitter's data sales revenue might be more important than ever.
<br /> <br />
Oh, and having a Twitter account leads to famously compulsive behavior. So if you’re someone who is avoiding Twitter because you use it compulsively, but you want to read tweets anyway, it’s probably a good idea not to be logged in.<br /> <br />
<h3>What happens if you browse Twitter without an account?</h3>
If you're using a mobile browser and you go to Twitter.com without a login, you'll hit the "login wall" immediately and be told to sign in.
<br /> <br />
If you see a tweet that interests you, and you click through to the Twitter account that posted it, you can often scroll through the timeline for a while and enjoy more Tweets from that user. After a while, however, you'll run into a pop-up urging you to log in if you'd like to "See more Tweets" from whichever account you were just enjoying.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Use Twitter without Giving Elon Musk Your User Data" border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbxEvNQbkOrZMTCvUV4ImylepwYcVEdhg-9GhWNoC1Usmrst7W3o84LK_vAxofUaHpsQL0di-YSHZROPZM7JtJVLbLQtnH9Ez966p2lYE6oLGZWn5RbII6fznpdbiVkTyJVXeASwrbwPViwIse5PLTxqR57ynplRGVHyQKsAAaZuvQEuXWsJ2q45_6w/s16000/twitter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Twitter" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Mashable</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
This pop-up is a dead end for your scrolling session. The only way to close it is to do what it says or hit the back button on your browser.
<br /> <br />
If, on the other hand, you start at Twitter.com on a desktop browser without being logged in, you'll see an Explore page, loaded with suggested Tweets and other information about popular topics. Interestingly, according to an anonymous Twitter employee who spoke to the New York Times, this was a Musk innovation. One of the first decisions Musk made after buying Twitter, according to that employee was to "change the logged-out view to the Explore page," which allows Twitter to "serve ads to people that aren’t logged in."
<br /> <br />
So no, you aren't fully cutting off Musk's gravy train by not having an account. But if you'd still like to browse without logging in, here's how:
<h3>How to read unlimited tweets without logging in</h3>
If you use the Chrome browser, the extension Breakthrough Twitter Login Wall, created by a developer in Japan who calls themself MaySoMusician, can be installed by going to the extension's page at the Chrome Web Store, and clicking "Add to Chrome."</div><div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Use Twitter without Giving Elon Musk Your User Data" border="0" data-original-height="355" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvMJUVAXKzusEAqVdl12za0pi-m4h8izVdH8YNE2qqW8dYZKbD0jJH5a2WfH6qXrXwDe5cxS7pzBGy-OVQA8J1nq5xb_JmSLuKyi7m01SADrJ9iUYMbOngn6TqDvtsnvLF0P_Bvv-nR_-MTJop5wczOueSR-r2EB6dzYmP8og04p6AN11pF2BLZE2ng/s16000/read-unlimited-tweets.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Breakthrough Twitter Login Wall" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Mashable</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
After clicking it, you'll get a popup disclosing that the extension can, ironically, read and change your browsing data on Twitter.com. Decide whether or not you're okay with that, and hit "Add extension" or "Cancel."
<br /> <br />
MaySoMusician also made a version of Breakthrough Twitter Login Wall for Firefox users.
<br /> <br />
Now that you're able to read tweets without hitting the login wall, but you can't follow people, Twitter is a slower — and less addictive — experience. If you're inclined, you can bookmark the profiles of users you find particularly informative or entertaining, and return to them often.
<br /> <br />
The extent to which Twitter finds it useful or lucrative to track and sell the data of people who are using its site without being logged in is an open question, and if it does sell such data, that certainly is a problem worth keeping in mind.
<i><b><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2021/12/unfollow-and-unfriend-people-on-social-media.html">How to Unfollow and Unfriend People on Social Media</a></b></i><br /> <br /></b></i>
But hey, at least Twitter will no longer have information about you that includes your actual written thoughts, and data on others' thoughts that you "like," all of which is attached to a profile that includes your name, photo, and location.
<br /> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://mashable.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Mashable</a></b></div>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-78675577702926150172022-10-30T03:04:00.000-04:002022-10-30T03:04:11.966-04:00How to Fix It When Google Chrome Is Not Responding<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Fix It When Google Chrome Is Not Responding" border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigz_7Bghz9a4XJgkr0YUq1Ylr4BgY1ROoYLHC6EJ6a2M4ApPtq_jMQY9fDJtGOJRfmHWaLo4IVokYP6iqWzWZX5x0bSf_-WPTykMXkfDzJnsusCxJXoGK6fTDYYFKSO5cOcDOI-1TEGhzOVsMZdhJREy0a1N905P67bwRY-kPjKfvCxowGE71QRa_0FQ/s16000/chrome-not-responding.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Lifewire</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Nicholas Congleton</b>, Lifewire
<br /> <br />
Over the years, Google Chrome has grown to encompass a suite of web tools all rolled into one versatile package. But there's a downside to all that horsepower. As it becomes more complex, opportunities for glitches abound. Chrome errors manifest in a vague way, through a generic "Chrome is not responding" message.
<br /> <br />
In this guide, we offer help for overcoming these browser errors.
<br /> <br /><blockquote><b>
Note:</b> These steps apply to Google Chrome on any operating system, as well as generic Chromium for Linux and Microsoft Edge, which uses the Chromium engine.
</blockquote><br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2021/10/how-to-turn-on-firefox-browsers-dark-mode.html">How to Turn on a Firefox Browser's Dark Mode on a Computer or Mobile Device</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Causes of Chrome Not Responding</h3>
Chrome slowdowns or stoppages usually relate to memory-management problems. Running a large number of tabs on an underpowered device often creates memory leaks that destabilize Chrome or Windows or both.
<br /> <br />
Sometimes, a broken extension or a misbehaving web page generates errors that are not contained by the browser, potentially freezing the browser or forcing its abnormal termination.
<br /> <br />
<h3>How to Fix Chrome Not Responding Errors</h3>
Even though there is no one guaranteed solution to the various problems that cause Chrome to stop responding, try these steps, in the order presented, to get the browser running again. There's a good chance Chrome will be as good as new by the end.
<br /> <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Update to the latest version of Chrome. Before you start digging around in Chrome and risk losing settings, select <b>Settings > Help > About Google Chrome</b> to open a new tab displaying information about the Chrome install. At the same time, Chrome will search for a newer version. If it finds one, Chrome automatically updates.</li></ul><blockquote><b>
Tip: </b>The Settings menu is represented by three dots in the upper-right corner.</blockquote><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Clear the history and cache. A corrupted cache can ruin your day. It's almost always safe to clear the cache, so there's no reason not to try it. You should delete the browsing history as well. If there's any data that could have been corrupted, get rid of it.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Reboot the device. If Chrome experienced a memory error related to how the operating system allocates active RAM, rebooting the computer flushes the system RAM and presents a like-new environment for Chrome.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Disable extensions. Extensions are an integral part of the Chrome ecosystem and add new features to the browser. However, some might not be actively maintained and might fall out of date or develop incompatibilities with new versions of Chrome. Disable extensions one at a time to see if one is the source of the problem.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Clear the DNS cache. While not related to Chrome, DNS caches affect network connections. DNS allows the browser to find websites with URLs instead of IP addresses. It's best to clear it out, in case something's corrupted or something went wrong.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Make sure your firewall isn't blocking Chrome. If you've done any work on your firewall, it's always a good idea to make sure the new settings don't block Chrome.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
On Windows, check the firewall settings through Windows Defender. On Linux, check the firewall settings to see if Chrome is blocked, though it won't explicitly be listed as Chrome. Open a terminal and check to see that both incoming and outgoing traffic are allowed on ports 80 and 443. Use either of these two commands:</li></ul><span><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"></span></span><span><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #999999;">sudo iptables -S </span></span></span><div><br /></div><div> or</div><div><br /><div><span><span style="color: #f3f3f3;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><span style="background-color: #999999;">sudo ufw status </span></span></span> <div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Reset Chrome to default. It's always possible something was corrupted, or the combination of settings caused a problem. The only way to know for sure is to reset everything to the way it was when you installed Chrome the first time.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Reinstall Chrome. If it seems like nothing works, reset Chrome to default, uninstall it, and install it again. That's the most complete way to reset Chrome, but it's usually not necessary to go that far.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Contact Google Chrome support. If all else fails, you may need to contact Google customer support to resolve the issue.
</li></ul> <br />
<h3>FAQ</h3>
<h4>Why is my microphone not working on Google Chrome?</h4>
Make sure the site you're using can access your microphone. To give Chrome access to your mic, select the <b>Lock</b> icon next to the URL at the top of Chrome and choose <b>Site Settings</b>. Under Permissions, select the <b>Microphone</b> dropdown and choose <b>Allow</b> or <b>Ask</b>.
<h4>What causes the black screen on Google Chrome?</h4>
The Google Chrome black screen bug is usually the result of incompatibility or an experimental feature. Extensions falling out of sync with the latest release from Google are often the cause, so try updating Chrome or disabling extensions.<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/10/how-to-install-safari-browser-on-android.html">How to Install the Safari Browser on Android</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h4>Why is my sound not working on Google Chrome?</h4>
If there's no sound on Google Chrome, right-click the browser tab and make sure the <b>Sound</b> toggle is <b>On</b>. If there's still no sound, disable any extensions and restart Chrome.
<br /> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.lifewire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifewire</a></b>
</div></div></div>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-6460448205135980092022-10-11T14:59:00.001-04:002022-10-11T14:59:47.287-04:00How to Setup VPN on Your Phone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Setup VPN on Your Phone" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkPX3yX5aUR37-R2Fny9LZRUJfdZxZEo6mmNAp4_Wjmq-jfnx976azduWOaHgXyVD1FAIRb7nvR91wOO6LGibe_F030GG4MUEmCE_Ypz4ybuHGiCxW39a-HqwEcAeZrj5stDgcqYAYg0urD5IP3R7AY8vPjLZHuVJr3c7fDlEqqv2qp9r5NopfgxyQA/s16000/phone-vpn.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div>
<br />By <b>David Nield</b>, Popular Science
<br /><br />
When your phone connects to the web, prying eyes can snoop on every site you visit. To protect your privacy, put a virtual private network, or VPN, between your phone and the internet. Instead of connecting directly to a website, you’ll connect to your VPN’s servers, which will then route you to the page.
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This will hide your browsing from prying eyes, but it can also slow down the speed at which pages load. However, its benefits override this quibble. For example, because a VPN can connect to servers anywhere in the world, it will let you visit a video portal or a news site as if you were in a different country—which will allow you to access different content as a result.
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Of course, security is still the main reason to download a VPN to your phone. Any connections you make will receive secure encryption, so nobody can look at your online activity. This is particularly important on public WiFi networks like the ones in hotels or coffee shops, where anyone else can get on the same network. Using a VPN makes it much harder for the owners of the network, your internet service provider (ISP), or anyone else to follow you around the internet.
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That said, the VPN provider itself can still monitor your browsing. However, the best VPN providers will promote privacy as a priority, promising not to collect data on your browsing habits or time online. So it’s important to pick a network you trust.
<br /><br />
Read more:<b><i><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/10/how-to-install-safari-browser-on-android.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">How to Install the Safari Browser on Android</a></i></b>
<br /><br />
<h3>First, choose a good app</h3>
When you look for a VPN, keep an eye out for networks that feature high speeds, strong encryption, and a no-logging policy—in other words, they won’t permanently store any information about your online activities. We recommend paying for a service rather than relying on free tools, because it takes money to run one of these networks, and if you’re not paying for it, you don’t know how the VPN supports itself. Even if you do find a free VPN that’s legitimate and above-board (they do exist), it will often struggle to maintain decent speeds and a reliable connection.
<br /><br />
If you’re looking for specific names, we’ve tested the following VPNs and found them to be both fast and reliable:
<br /><br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
NordVPN
ExpressVPN</li><li>
TorGuard</li><li>
AirVPN</li><li>
IPVanish</li><li>
Private Internet Access
</li></ul><br />
These options also score highly in PCMag‘s independent testing of mobile VPNs for Android and iPhone, which tests providers in categories like speed, price, and configuration options.Even if you choose something on this list, don’t sign up for a provider without checking as many reviews as you can. These reviews should come from independent tech blogs you already trust, as well as review-centric sites such as The Wirecutter, TrustPilot, and Safety Detectives.
<br /><br />
<h3>What using a VPN is like</h3>
Mobile VPNs make the setup process simple. To demonstrate how to do it, we’ve picked a couple of examples and we’ll walk you through installing those apps on your Android or iOS device. Both platforms let VPNs run happily in the background, so when you use these apps, you won’t notice much of a difference in your phone’s function.
<br /><br />
Many VPN apps, including the two we covered below, will start by connecting you to a recommended server, usually the one closest to you, since it will provide faster speeds. If you want to change your virtual location to a different country, you can do so easily, but be aware that the farther a VPN server is from you, the more the connection speed will lag.
<br /><br />
Once you’ve activated your new VPN app, it will filter all the internet traffic on your phone, whether you’re using a web browser or a connected app like Facebook. It will not affect any apps that don’t drain your data, so your phone’s SMS and calling apps should remain unaffected. That way, you won’t suddenly receive unexpected data roaming charges, because your phone will still connect to a local tower before jumping to the VPN.
<br /><br />
<h3>How to set up a VPN on Android</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Setup VPN on Your Phone" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcgh_tNVl76kx3ChAyCvotUdFXkmnbL9s1bCpNtxnjouZxiNVpBor-rFlFGhjt-50VzmxAt-8kggdqNmC4TOXmezxz0Et1OzLiblDvhPgU-rB2fab1C65SToBJ3JpeJAcJZDrfcfsf3U1n-x7LMYnav0GURmtsXc-jVR21VmIqGyD7qOr71OhTtbGDuw/s16000/VPN-on-Android.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="How to set up a VPN on Android" /></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div>
<br />
No matter what VPN you sign up for, the setup procedure is more or less the same. For Android, we’ll demonstrate the setup with one of our favorite VPN apps: ExpressVPN.
<br /><br />
In addition to its Android app, the ExpressVPN service is also available on iOS phones and most major computer operating systems. It’s fast, encrypted, and unrestricted, and the company promises not to collect data on your online activities. Through it, you can access 148 servers across 94 countries.
<br /><br />
If you don’t have a payment method saved to your phone, we recommend signing up for this service through its website, where it’s easier to add your credit card number or authorize payments from other accounts. Depending on how many months you commit to at once, the price will vary from about $8 to $13 per month, but you’ll get a seven-day trial that you can cancel anytime if you decide ExpressVPN is not for you.
<br /><br />
Once you’ve subscribed online, download and fire up the Android app. Sign in with your new account credentials, and the app will set itself up. As it does, it will ask you to confirm that you trust the app and to opt in or out of sending anonymous diagnostic reports to the service.
<br /><br />
When you reach the main ExpressVPN screen, tap the power button to enable VPN protection. As soon as it turns green, you’re safe. Now you can go on using your phone as normal. If you want to check on your status, Android should display a little key symbol in the upper right corner of your screen whenever your phone is connected to your VPN, right next to the WiFi icon or the bars of your mobile network signal.
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Setup VPN on Your Phone" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWH27XGigLe2hG35amZCOmk32i5V38dxluPsQGGRN152qv_1Dbk5vgb_VJoVH01bGNry8mmnaL4Pnz9BuH7hxgNuGiif5Ic2SFZ2TcMow9TtdTXiSly1AwTEceCQKEAqq37VU0ZaQH3XxX/s16000/VPN-on-Android-01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="How to set up a VPN on Android" /></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><br />
To speed up the connection process, ExpressVPN will automatically choose a server for you. If you’d rather use a different one, open the app and tap the three-dot menu on the Current location bar. Although it will suggest specific options based on where you are (remember, closer servers offer faster speeds), you can select any server anywhere. To search for a country or city, go to the All locations tab, which displays every region in the ExpressVPN network—tap on one and choose the country you want to set your current location to. Back on the Recommended tab, you can see the countries listed under Recents to see servers you’ve connected to in the past. Keep in mind that as you switch servers, your connection will temporarily cease, so any downloads, uploads, content streaming or buffering may be interrupted.
<br /><br />
That’s really all you need to know about setting up your VPN. If you’d like to configure its options, open the app, tap the Options button in the bottom right corner of your screen, and choose Settings. This will let you adjust things like whether ExpressVPN will automatically turn on every time Android restarts (Auto-connect) or the type of connection you want (VPN protocol).
<br /><br />
<h3>How to set up a VPN on iOS</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Setup VPN on Your Phone" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNj60DfVOMWoJ765_jKJDCd2-fs92GdsS80bfWewbzRYLlXFxzKy5NUN1hdhdgIJqta_Js7gQE_tW8_DAue-x1N5_5tNIYvUGm5hMcGp-Se7t3-qtyqkvqDOoY7Os7asoHRVmw4ZkZUddEywuN2_2YyqI4-z5RxWJsl_HPkB0uNrmCgBsSPInjwk1-Dg/s16000/VPN-on-iOS.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="How to set up a VPN on iOS" /></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div>
<br />
As on Android, most VPN apps will take you step-by-step through the setup process, and they’ll function similarly as well. Again, we’ll explain with a specific app, in this case, NordVPN.
<br /><br />
NordVPN has a strict no-logs policy, puts no restrictions on bandwidth, creates apps for all major computer and phone operating systems, and offers high-speed connections to more than 5,200 servers across 60 countries.
<br /><br />
It’s easiest to sign up for NordVPN on its website before you install the app on your phone. Depending on how much time you book at once, the service will cost about $3.50 to $12 per month.
<br /><br />
With your credentials in place, install and fire up the iOS app. Sign in with your new account, and you’ll have to take care of a little housekeeping, but the app will guide you through it. You will need to give NordVPN permission to add a VPN profile to your iPhone, which you do by simply tapping Allow when prompted. Now, every time you tap Quick Connect, the service will immediately apply VPN protection under the app’s default settings. This means NordVPN will automatically connect you to a local server so you can access the fastest speeds. At this point, the map on the app’s main screen will show your current server, and the phone’s status bar should display a VPN badge. If you want to pick a different server (like one on another continent), swipe up on the menu at the bottom to see a full country list.
<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Setup VPN on Your Phone" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHbsrl4mHek6YYwLaXkQEz6A7tqnNqfanQeAkSsMZTydOBoSqduX88Su5Vx8tFeG39itqAFb-tf-VA8AIaZiBydpUQ6f-XEpq-LtsvmYQF6LzPbD1Ul62cDdUJ7UQlbRqrZhb6mxEA0EPlMKsbPbvcvowo7o0zza9IGe12J7v7MfzICRSnxNv26MDpHw/s16000/VPN-on-iOS-01.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="How to set up a VPN on iOS" /></td></tr><tr align="justify"><td class="tr-caption">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"></div><br />
Tap on any country to connect to a recommended server in that region. Or tap the three dots to the right of a country’s name to view a full server list where you can pick one yourself. To save a server for quick access in the future, tap the heart icon next to it. Tap Favorites to find it later. Under the Speciality Servers menu option, you can find P2P (specifically for peer-to-peer apps like torrent downloaders).
<br /><br />
Read more:<b><i><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/09/simple-tips-to-read-blocked-website.html">Simple Tips to Read a Blocked Website</a></i></b>
<br /><br />
The VPN will continue running until you disable it. By default, NordVPN should start up again as soon as your iPhone reboots, though you will have to enter your NordVPN password again at that point. To disable VPN protection and return to normal browsing, you’ll have to reopen the app and tap the Disconnect button.
<br /><br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.popsci.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popular Science</a></b>Editorial Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02957891001616752342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-1081414435805130552022-09-11T14:15:00.003-04:002022-09-11T14:15:59.888-04:00Is It Possible to Work in VR (Virtual Reality)?<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Is It Possible to Work in VR (Virtual Reality)?" border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMzwkXCV81Dn2RclBCo3FsOz3ZqkyQISmqJvwomhWSKGF3QYtgsnpm_71uea_40BWBU8b_VutOYiwjFqcf8fvby6BDNBHa-uXmSTEKEQuczY7XmAck7JKz1y_DAHFbOM6dBEZer-JBt8cNlG5xh0GbjXOmaVFPJ9F1nHh_7a_Ws0qZoFCWe0w6s_gZmA/s16000/working-in-vr-00.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Live Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Lloyd Coombes</b>, Live Science
<br /> <br />
While virtual reality headsets are perhaps most commonly used for gaming, there’s a lot more that can be done in VR and we ask the important question of is it possible to work in VR?
<br /> <br />
Thanks to the best VR headsets, VR has so much to offer. There are interactive VR experiences, live events, mindfulness exercises, as well as VR fitness apps, but what about doing actual work in VR?
<br /> <br />
While VR can give your office new dimensions, it also adds a sense of normality to those that still can’t travel back to their place of work – making users feel as though their colleagues are at the desk next to them.
<br /> <br />
It can also give your workflows new potential, be that through a creative process like drawing with your hands, video conferencing with an avatar, or just putting the content you’re working on front and center.
<br /> <br />
Whatever your reason for working in virtual reality, the good news is that it’s very possible, even at this nascent stage in the technology’s life cycle. Sure, you’ll find odd quirks, but you may be surprised at just how well everything works for the most part.
<br/> <br/>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2019/08/5-tech-gadgets-for-a-healthy-lifestyle.html">5 Tech Gadgets for a Healthy Lifestyle</a></b></i><br/> <br/>
<h3>Why work in VR?</h3>
As we mentioned above, working in Virtual Reality has its own set of advantages. For one, it ironically might make you feel a little less isolated, particularly when working with a team that also has headsets – it’s a strange feeling to turn and see colleagues in a virtual office, especially if, like this writer, you’ve not set foot in one for over two years.
<br /> <br />
Then there are the more obvious boons – added focus on your current project, for example, or adding a whole new perspective to a project. It’s likely to be transformative for architects and CAD engineers, who will be able to manipulate objects with ease, or even step inside virtual buildings before they’re built.
<br /> <br />
However, it is an experience that takes some time to get used to. Having a screen with your employer’s Slack channel floating in front of your face is jarring at first, as is moving around without being able to see your surroundings. It won’t be for everyone, but there’s potential here.
<br /> <br />
<h3>Working in VR</h3>
In our time working in VR using the Meta Quest 2 (formerly Oculus Quest 2), we wanted to experience as much as possible within the headset – including the apps we use every day.
<br /> <br />
The Quest 2 offers connectivity with a PC (wired or wireless), and this meant it was able to replicate our PC desktop. In fact, it was able to replicate almost everything – our application shortcuts, our menus, and even our wallpaper.
<br /> <br />
Everything is just… there, divorced from a screen and hanging a foot from your face. There are other options, of course, that mean you can work from a spaceship or a cozy coffee shop, but doing so maps out the extremities of the room in a way that felt like a waste of processing power given that the Quest 2 is by no means a performance powerhouse.
<br /> <br />
We kept the connection wired, too, to avoid any battery or Wi-Fi-related-related dropouts in connection, and the headtracking worked smoothly enough without ever bringing on any sickness – at least once we’d acclimatized within an hour or two.
<br /> <br />
The biggest obstacle, as you can imagine, is using a keyboard and mouse. The Quest 2’s touch controllers are great for gaming, but using pointers for typing away on a PC was never going to fly in a text-based workflow. Thankfully, we were still able to write emails, articles, and Slack messages using the keyboard and mouse on the desk.
<br /> <br />
Were we less distracted? Honestly, yes. By taking the rest of the room out of the equation (and with audio playing through the headset’s speakers), we were able to get plenty of work done – at least until the meetings started piling up.
<br /> <br />
While all of your “flat” meeting apps will work in VR when mirroring a desktop, we wanted to put some alternatives through their paces and two stood out above the others.
<br /> <br />
There are a few options, each with different ways to show off your virtual avatar. Immersed (opens in new tab), for example, lets users work within the same “room” and communicate with each other while collaborating on tasks. It lets each user create their own monitors out of thin air, and offers some fancy features like a remote whiteboard and screen-sharing for tasks that require teams. It supports plenty of applications, too, including Adobe suite for creative projects.
<br /> <br />
Meta also offers its own app, Horizon Workrooms (opens in new tab). It’s still in beta, but will eventually give users the chance to connect within a virtual room, scribble on whiteboards, and type on virtual keyboards. It’s a bit strange seeing avatars without legs under the boardroom table, and the animations never feel particularly lifelike, but it’s a solid start that’s likely to improve over time.
<br /> <br />
And yet, we still found ourselves getting a little distracted in meetings. Perhaps it’s the novelty of head-tracking and looking at avatars, but we found ourselves preferring a Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams call – at least for now.
<br /> <br />
<h3>Should you work in VR?</h3>
Surprisingly, we did find several situations where we worked better in VR than we do in our normal office set-up. Enclosing yourself in a virtual cocoon does wonders for your productivity by removing all the distractions of your home or office. Being able to touch-type is key though, as you're going to struggle to type at anything close to a reasonable rate with VR controllers and a virtual keyboard.
<br/> <br/>Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2019/08/technology-for-good--gadgets-which-could-save-lives.html">Technology for Good: Gadgets Which Could Save Lives</a></b></i><br/> <br/>
You should probably keep your VR working escapades for your working from home days though, as we imagine you'll draw quite a bit of mockery in the office if you turn up, say good morning and then jack into the Matrix for the day.
<br /> <br />
Virtual meetings seem to be a big part of the metaverse push from companies like Meta, but we found them to be a little gimmicky and distracting - Zoom or Google Meetings are far more efficient for now.
<br /> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.livescience.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Live Science</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-10562188110356768552022-09-06T18:51:00.001-04:002022-09-06T18:51:37.052-04:00Simple Tips to Read a Blocked Website
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Simple Tips to Read a Blocked Website" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWtqK1JhiWCSnvutABWm09HceCraetrGteQiJUid5AeCJK31y7gm7t-BOa7bhgn_obVbWSoh2HmxCRkjulQHyuVQNPHXOk3D_ZIzp8yk__hj5pkiqDBT6n6PRw9-UWIb5hdrQFwNAcB4gG8piq1QHq4UdmjN6DDnRg0Q33F-iDx17y4UXYJVJx7BMbw/s16000/read-a-blocked-website.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Lifehacker</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Brendan Hesse</b>, Lifehacker
<br /> <br />
We often envision the internet as an open source of boundless information, but that’s not always the case depending on where you live or whose network you’re connected to. In many places, certain web activity or content will be outright blocked, and we’re not just talking annoying paywalled websites. For example, your workplace or school networks might block certain sites to prevent distractions, while some online content is heavily regulated or restricted by local governments. However, you can bypass these blockades if you have the right tools.
<br /> <br />
These tools can help you subvert most content blocks, though we strongly urge you to make sure you’re not breaking any laws before you use them. While everything we cover below is legal in the U.S., using these tools in other countries—or using them to access illegal content—could get you in deep trouble. Like, years in prison or massive fines levels of trouble. Do your research, and use them at your own risk.
<br /> <br />
The simplest way to read blocked websites is to hide your real IP address with a proxy connection. By connecting to a proxy server in a different region, you can access region-locked content on streaming sites like Netflix, YouTube, or Spotify. The website you connect to will recognize the proxy’s IP address, rather than yours. There are free and paid services available, with the paid options offering better privacy features and more reliable connections, but free proxies work fine as long as you check professional reviews to verify they’re safe.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/online-tools-to-increase-internet-security.html">6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free</a></b></i><br /> <br />
Proxies boost your internet privacy, making it harder for companies (or governments) to track your browsing activity, but they’re not perfect. Proxy servers are best for accessing region-blocked streaming content, rather than subverting local laws or other high-level restrictions since many organizations use sophisticated tracking or blocking technology that you can’t work around with just a simple proxy connection. In those cases, a VPN is the better option.
<br /> <br />
VPNs are like proxies but with even more protections in place (like encrypted connections). They can protect all online activity on your devices (or even your entire home network), rather than just your internet browser, making them more effective if you’re downloading torrents or accessing highly sensitive content where you live. The best VPNs are paid products, and we strongly recommend against free VPNs since they’re either poor quality or straight-up malware scams.
<br /> <br />
That said, VPNs aren’t perfect either, and even the best paid services have issues or can stop working unexpectedly (make sure your VPN has a kill switch!), and some firewalls recognize and block VPN connections. There are specialized VPNs called “decentralized” VPNs (dVPNs) that work around this issue by spreading your connection across a decentralized network and creating more believable spoof IP addresses that get around super-strict filters, but these aren’t an option for most people since they require crypto-based payments.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/01/how-to-delete-your-search-history-and.html">How to Delete Your Search History and Become a Digital Ghost</a></b></i><br /> <br />
Instead, you should try using TOR. TOR (or The Onion Browser) is essentially a standalone browser built for anonymity, packing layers (get it?) of privacy tech into a simple tool most internet users can set up on their own.
<br /> <br />
TOR has its own caveats like slow connection speeds and reduced malware protection that limit its usability (best to stick with proxies or VPNs for streaming, downloads, or P2P file transfers) but TOR’s main benefits are that websites—and anyone else watching your browsing activity, like your ISP, advertisers, or government organizations—won’t be able to track you. Or at least, they’ll have a really difficult time figuring out who you are and where you live. That makes it a great choice for general web browsing—or even accessing the dark web.
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See more at <b><a href="https://lifehacker.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifehacker</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-57857044320427378972022-08-28T18:29:00.001-04:002022-08-28T18:29:33.073-04:005 Tips To Halt Doomscrolling <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="5 Tips To Halt Doomscrolling" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-6GGvKtguCQqHoBWYAio9V8KEUWidr1DvU07khaqrT7Ruz2OsezceWerlmQHIurksaxfdz61HNLivNyMq9cGzyszi3NMP6SX6Q2SLMP0bX_1oUpC_AxesCrZRaESQJOARbSfAvJtr48TRxUohwCGYB3V5sys1Yj2SDqdlCSISOcNUJ6zk5v9lRHwcMA/s16000/doomscrolling.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Insider</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Carla Delgado</b>, Insider
<br /> <br />There's nothing like a global pandemic to flood your news feeds with negative, distressing, and concerning content. Incidentally, this has sparked a certain ritualistic, uncontrollable behavior in many of us that's affecting our health.
<br /> <br />
Since the beginning of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many people have experienced the obsessive drive to persistently scroll through their news and social media feeds and pay attention to distressing or generally negative information, aka "doomscrolling" or "doomsurfing."
<br /> <br />
<blockquote><b>Note:</b> Doomscrolling got so popular that the Macquarie Dictionary selected it as the Committee's Choice Word of the Year 2020. However, you won't find it in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary just yet.
</blockquote><br /> <br />
The act of endlessly scrolling and seeing distressing information can affect your mental health by reinforcing negative thoughts or causing a sense of helplessness. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to stop the cycle.
<br /> <br />
Here's why you may be drawn to doomscrolling and how to avoid it moving forward.
<br /> <br />
<h3>Causes of doomscrolling</h3>
There are several contributing factors that may cause doomscrolling, which include:
<br /> <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>
Negativity bias:</b> Negativity bias — the inclination to pay attention to, learn from, or use negative information — may be positively linked to doomscrolling. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Uncertainty:</b> Doomscrolling is pervasive in situations when an individual needs to know about a topic that is unclear or with multiple conflicting perspectives, says Jacob Fisher, PhD, assistant professor of advertising at UIUC and a faculty researcher at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Anxiety:</b> Some individuals use doomscrolling to manage their anxiety. However, the habit can also cause further anxiety. </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Fear of missing out (FOMO):</b> Doomscrolling may be associated with FOMO and the belief that an individual has to be vigilant so as not to miss anything important, says Bethany Teachman, PhD, professor of psychology and director of clinical training at the University of Virginia.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Lack of self-control:</b> The lack of restraint when it comes to social media use may play a big role in the urge to doomscroll. </li></ul><div><br /></div><div>Reading the news to stay updated on current events is important, but doomscrolling is different from simply wanting to stay informed.
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"A person who is 'doomscrolling' often continues to engage with the information even after they've learned much more than they would reasonably need to know about the topics they are scrolling through," says Fisher.
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People with greater neuroticism — the tendency to experience negative emotions such as irritability, anger, and emotional instability — may be more likely to engage in doomscrolling than others.
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<h3>Why doomscrolling is so unhealthy</h3>
Doomscrolling has been shown to cause feelings of uncertainty, apprehension, fear, and distress. It can also damage your general mood and sense of well-being, especially when it becomes a habit, says Fisher.
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For example, the increased consumption of COVID-related news has been associated with decreased mental health, higher levels of anxiety, and increased levels of depression.
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Focusing on negative information can also disrupt your sleep, affect your ability to work, or get in the way of enjoying your time with friends and family, says Teachman. If you're so stressed out that you can't relax, that's a major problem since chronic stress increases the risk of heart problems like stroke, heart attack, or hypertension.
<br /> <br />
"Repeatedly engaging with information that makes you feel confused, overwhelmed, and hopeless will have a negative influence on how you feel on a day-to-day basis," says Fisher.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/how-to-share-your-phone-with-others.html">How to Share Your Phone with Others in a Safe Way</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>5 ways to stop doomscrolling</h3>
If you often find yourself lost in doomscrolling on social media or other news sites, there are some strategies you can try to stop it.
<br /> <br />
<h4>1. Block out time for social media</h4>
On average, Americans spend about two hours and three minutes on social media every day. It's easy to lose track of time while scrolling through Facebook, Twitter, and other feeds, so blocking out a certain time in the day to check the news may be helpful.
<br /> <br />
For example, you can try limiting news consumption to 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes at the end of the workday, says Teachman. <br /> <br /><blockquote><b>
Important:</b> Refrain from using social media 30 minutes before bed to avoid ruining the quality and length of your sleep.
</blockquote><br /> <br />
Setting boundaries on news intake help strike a reasonable balance where you can stay informed without getting totally overwhelmed, says Teachman.
<br /> <br />
<h4>2. Download helpful apps</h4>
If you can't stick to a set time limit, try some of the following apps for help:
<br /> <br />
Social Fever tracks social media usage and allows you to set daily time limits, giving off an alert when they have been exceeded.
StayFree, which is available on both smartphones and personal computers, can block chosen applications and websites to restrict their usage.
If you often find yourself doomscrolling on Facebook or Twitter, you should try to establish a healthier relationship with social media. The best way to do that would be to use social media less often, says Fisher.
<br /> <br />
<h4>3. Get a hobby</h4>
People often use social media or read news websites to alleviate boredom, which may result in doomscrolling. If you're feeling bored, try doing leisure activities that you often enjoy, which helps reduce boredom.
<br /> <br />
Fisher recommends that individuals engage in hobbies that make them feel relaxed or connected to themselves, such as cooking, reading, hiking, or doing something artistic.
<br /> <br />
<h4>4. Exercise</h4>
Instead of sitting on the couch or lying in bed doomscrolling, make the conscious choice to exercise. Maybe after checking the news, you can try going for a walk to avoid getting stuck reading story after story, says Teachman.
<br /> <br />
Exercising is a great way to cope with doomscrolling tendencies because it improves your mood. It also eases anxiety by taking your mind off the cycle of negative thoughts and reduces stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline while also releasing happy hormones called endorphins.
<br /> <br />
Experts recommend about 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week for good mental and physical health.
<br /> <br />
<h4>5. Seek more positive stories</h4>
It's appropriate that you're reading the news to be informed about current events, but focusing on negative stories might intensify the sense of danger and catastrophe, so there has to be a balance, says Teachman.
<br /><br />
Seeking out positive stories or information that highlights how situations are going well may prevent the harmful tendency to focus only on negative news.
<br /> <br />
You can visit various websites that are dedicated to reporting positive stories, such as the Good News Network or Positive News.
<br /> <br />
<h3>What the media can do better</h3>
Doomscrolling is often framed as the individual responsibility of a user, but it can also be a result of the business model that powers social media, says Fisher.
<br /> <br />
"Social media sites are painstakingly designed — by some of the world's brightest and most well-paid people — to be attention-grabbing and attention-keeping, so it may feel like you're fighting an uphill battle," he adds.
<br /> <br />
In particular, the algorithms behind social media platforms are generally built to catch the attention of their users and increase their engagement. The type of content that you engage with is then amplified as much as possible to hold your attention.
<br /> <br />
So, if you typically click on articles about the climate crisis, rising COVID rates, or concerns of an economic recession, then you will probably get more of that same content the next time you log on.
<br /> <br />
Social media platforms and other big tech companies have a responsibility to ensure that users can structure their digital lives in a way that lets them retain agency over their attention and focus on things that matter to them, says Fisher.
<br /> <br />
"Much like laws and policies have been put into place to ensure we design physical walkways and roads to be safe, accessible, well-lit, and well-labeled, I think that we need to take a long, hard look at how we can start to do the same for the digital information 'highways' we spend more and more of our lives navigating," he adds.
<br /> <br />
Statutory regulation and oversight of social media companies may enhance platform accountability, which could increase the transparency of their algorithmic systems and allow users to opt out of profiling and personalization.
<br /> <br />
In addition to presenting a wide range of perspectives regarding current events, news outlets can make a point of including stories that provide evidence-based suggestions for managing mental health and finding help, says Teachman.<br /> <br />
<blockquote><b>Important:</b> If your feelings of anxiety and/or hopelessness have been persistently high for weeks or months, you are encouraged to reach out for professional evaluation. You can call Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)'s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.</blockquote>
<br /> <br />
<h3>Insider's takeaway</h3>
Doomscrolling may be caused by a variety of factors, such as anxiety, uncertainty, and lack of self-control. Moreover, social media algorithms are designed to engage you to keep scrolling, making it that much harder to turn away.
<br /> <br />
However, users may be able to avoid the cycle of negative information by establishing a better relationship with social media, engaging in hobbies and physical activity, and deliberately seeking positive stories.
<br /> <br />
"It is okay to feel sad and anxious when reading the news. There are many awful things happening and those are natural reactions. The important thing is not to stay immersed in the misery — set limits and take breaks," says Teachman.
<br /> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.insider.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Insider</a></b></div>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-20041463360570361802022-06-13T17:35:00.002-04:002022-06-13T17:35:28.175-04:00How to Create a Gmail Account for Your Child Under 13<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Create a Gmail Account for Your Child" border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQTlvLb-1aaRPaeBN0Vu2hxJ28O1XBXnwWSGncg6hKmXRcjzES8_DWvYo5kKjWJBnHK4Z5R5dN3LkMl53_pInpDCqnPJwFZw1KNi7IQyMdItgc37_S3GxnmVsw2SdoIiJm-UG0Vyus2SpmVNAWTjCmphXWW3i0ugmumFa5qDgV7B5C5AaWw6WcymZHeg/s16000/gmail-account-child.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Techwalla</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Jill Layton</b>, Techwalla
<br /> <br />
If you have a child under 13 who is ready for an email address, setting up a Gmail account is quick and easy. Gmail is a free email service through Google that your child can access on the web, with a smartphone, or on a tablet.
<br /> <br />
When you set up your child's Gmail account, you'll need to first download the Family Link app, which offers parental controls so parents can decide on the parameters for the account.
<br /> <br />
Gmail accounts for kids under 13 are similar to adult accounts, but there are some significant differences that offer more protection. Kids won't see any ads, they won't receive spam emails, they can't automatically forward emails to another email address, they can't use Google+ features, and they can't turn on experimental Gmail features. Kids also can't give another person access to their email account.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/03/four-steps-you-should-take-to-secure-your-gmail-account-right-now.html">Four steps you should take to secure your Gmail account right now</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>How to create a Gmail account for a child under 13</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Download the Family Link app.</li><li>
Open the app, and in the top right corner of the scree, tape Create or +.</li><li>
Follow the instructions on the screen to create your child's account.</li><li>
Once the account is set up, a confirmation will appear on the screen.
</li></ul> <br />
<h3>How to check your child's email from your account</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Go to your Gmail account and tap Settings at the top of the inbox.</li><li>
Tap the Accounts and Import tab.</li><li>
Next to the Check mail from other accounts option, tap Add a mail account.</li><li>
Enter your child's email address and password to import.
</li></ul> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/05/4-reasons-to-use-wireless-charger.html">4 Reasons to Use a Wireless Charger</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>How to block email address from emailing your child</h3><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Open the email you want to block.</li><li>
In the top right of the email, tap More.</li><li>
Tap Block [sender]</li><li>
If you block someone by mistake or change your mind, you can follow the same steps to unblock them.
</li></ul> <br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.techwalla.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Techwalla</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-61692218445538253742022-06-12T16:00:00.000-04:002022-06-12T16:00:41.120-04:00How to Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQw6tScraPdXZ7wrHjticJvU96A2iabh35kJryxqqST6aLsohIZ8r2tdcOyqZBRX24rI5MW7ZGRLrHAsn3CCfodGMWnFuya1gTKsoLoWEMa2eKZhweUo8f_QS61bReioY8_nqTiXye7WasuBVoA29N6gQkNkRXdCDnS04Oo608PZQOUvW7_1bvTQNEQ/s16000/Instagram-Story-Collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b> David Nield</b>, Popular Science
<br /> <br />
Instagram has grown way beyond the simple photo feed it made its name with, extending into direct messages, video, and, of course, stories—the Snapchat-like format that lets you post content that stays visible for just 24 hours.
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While you can opt to post single images and video clips to your Instagram story, you can create something even more eye-catching by combining multiple photos together. The option to do so is available inside Instagram itself, while third-party apps offer even more layout and formatting options.
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Not only is this an easy, fun way to add a bit more flair to your story, it means fewer photos left by the wayside. So go ahead: pack in as many photos as you see fit.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/how-to-delete-your-snapchat-account.html">How to Delete Your Snapchat Account</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Instagram</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif98Eu489tFwN37IBArdspR_p3hJGb22-nfOO2snn3Bl_U3XSME7Cp5qeg1yJSxrsp6Lv8iK5SvVw3bJX1ZVhF9DQpv94p1aoZzko09lFSy3VgKNLZ0aCt6X7gXlEz4HOJYldLPt0AndxZ1SspeaeH1PlkkopQNq4blOxTJux0f9RPvDcabBohqioGAQ/s16000/Instagram-Collage-Options.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Instagram" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
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It’s a good idea to check out the built-in features available in Instagram first, just so you know what’s possible without any third-party apps. Long-press on Your story from the home screen, then tap Add to your Story, followed by Select, and pick the images you want to use. Choose Next and Layout and start organizing.
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The buttons at the top enable you to add stickers, text, and other elements, and the one at the far left lets you change the layout of your collage—the available options here will vary depending on how many images you’ve picked. When you’re happy with how everything looks, use the Your Story (everyone sees it) or Close Friends (just close friends see it) options to post.
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While it’s convenient to have these options within Instagram, they’re not the most advanced and they don’t give you many choices when it comes to positioning photos or adding effects. If you really want your photo collages to shine, you’ll need to turn to a separate app.
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Instagram is free for Android and iOS.
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<h3>Canva</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbwhrbHB-A0Ho76IdINP0z_TTSCu057-WsXA3s8DDZnzBYFey3UP_H1nZtJtS9fhZ5FvYOS3I-gfYYqlZ0wlMeBTRAP6qBVq1F4UzBMZ37QxVnspW5tNLOY87lVKBf6OVwJ11eggQh6KzIRD42cUjyXm0gwOpTeF_-CzrIL0viA3ypDPHeqBQcCI5m0A/s16000/Canva-Instagram-Collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Canva" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />
Canva has established a strong reputation as a powerful, feature-filled graphic design application, and it can make some top-notch Instagram collages. From the opening screen, tap Social media, Instagram, and Instagram Story to begin—you can choose from Canva’s own templates or pick Create blank to start from scratch.
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Use the + (plus) button at the bottom to add images, text, stickers, and other elements—even additional templates. Once you have everything you need on the page, Canva lets you reposition and resize each object: select something and options will appear underneath. When you’re done, you can export the results directly into Instagram to post to your story.
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Building Instagram collages with Canva can take some time and effort, but you’ll get a huge amount of control over how your creations look, and you can get each pixel looking exactly how you want it. You can create collages for free, though a Canva Pro subscription ($13 a month, with a free trial) gives you access to more stock photos, stock illustrations, and templates.
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Canva is free or $13 a month for Android and iOS.
<br /> <br />
<h3>Adobe Express</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibnw2PlGRDptCzhsZdUhOrNQJm6oWPDbUlJc75iSb8be5vcZeNNPySCQ53IPicRkzmNJAAqQobihbSIUBxpbBbYxnb42o53XZ4P1qV59-E0cRUH96U2Yf6cspfOWFKf2XwqwI7312q5gaHjTVGTTfJBtlT6-DNA4yq2AdwQ2yaBvgCImVTVuafvfPPtg/s16000/Adobe-Express-Instagram-Collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Adobe Express" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
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Photoshop’s lesser-known sibling is a powerful social media collage-maker. Adobe Express is similar to the Canva tool we mentioned above, in that it covers all kinds of graphic design projects, including flyers, logos, and social media imagery. You can make Instagram posts for free, though more templates, stock content, and advanced features are available for a $10 monthly subscription.
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We’re interested in Instagram collages here, which you can create inside Adobe Express by tapping Instagram stories from the home screen. Pick one of the templates or choose Start from scratch and you can begin to build your post. Then use the Add button to add new elements (including images) and the Layout button to change the post’s layout.
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Images can be moved freely or snapped to a grid, and you get plenty of helpful features here—including the ability to quickly remove the background behind a photo subject. You can even add simple animations (lik fading photos in and out). When you’re done, you can send the results straight to Instagram.
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Adobe Express is free or $10 per month for Android and iOS.
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<h3>Mojo</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9tdlqXMaSaNBsm037urKdmKnnX4fvptjlljwP0KH29JkksULK0URAt1gFUj_jbvjeGheqGe8lm7JA_d3x83g6r3Hn1eomVZR_buC3u2FMnnInbkRZ54lt5lWaCO9ZtD51NSjKU_6AfC1ebw-fyObXoyxrBh2G53w2puzIYrcXk8V8KLTdVihq_2SX8g/s16000/Mojo-App-Instagram-Collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Mojo" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
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Mojo offers a whole host of settings and layouts for Instagram story collages, and can help out with all your other social media platforms as well. There are hundreds of templates to work with, so you should be able to find something that matches the look you’re going for.
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The Templates tab is where you start, and once you’ve picked your preferred layout, you can tap on the gaps to load in your images. As you work, you can adjust colors, animations, and even background music, and there’s also a handy preview feature that lets you see how your post will actually look on Instagram.
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You can export your creations directly to Instagram when you’re finished. If you’d rather just pick and edit a template instead of building a collage from a blank page, Mojo is well worth a look—you can create Instagram stories for free with a small Mojo watermark, but a $10-a-month subscription will get you more layout options and additional templates.
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Mojo is free or $10 per month for Android and iOS.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2021/12/unfollow-and-unfriend-people-on-social-media.html">How to Unfollow and Unfriend People on Social Media</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Unfold</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Make a Photo Collage on Instagram Story" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHCsZ1A6dTpwKRqpCzIORq0gikoCZw0jT1NwZE_T6R-T9ML7bPsEgp9V3zy-9h6B1WiRIrXovol05Vmy8fgSRkoeGdjp1GeaQoVymYOO1zoL7xgWnYw-DtptqNBxbwyLLEIZzhoNcIbmLu8UQ3udyGdV4Ic7DjCl2W3xdmFhwePyRFNOOIcK3kutixA/s16000/Unfold-App-Instagram-Collage.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Unfold" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />
The Unfold app comes from the web hosting and design company Squarespace, so you know there’s plenty of engineering expertise behind it. As with Mojo, it’s very much based around templates, giving you a head start with your story creation—all you have to do is pick a template and choose your images.
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There are hundreds of templates to sift through, plus a variety of options for animations. You can easily drop text and stickers on top of your social media creations, and there are nice touches throughout the app—such as the ability to put together a curated list of your favorite templates.
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Unfold is one of the best collage-makers we’ve seen for getting a post built as quickly as possible, and you can send whatever you make directly to Instagram. A premium subscription ($3 per month) gets you more templates, more text effects, and more photo-editing options, but there’s plenty here for non-paying users too.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.popsci.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popular Science</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-89382818032931376972022-06-07T10:02:00.001-04:002022-06-07T10:02:55.614-04:00How to Stop Spam Texts from Invading Your Inbox<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Stop Spam Texts from Invading Your Inbox" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwjkDG0YlIYGRxiOtuOfj6VCWOu-E-nLBQ_nBSH0G1YOzNUPszG_nxGlM2quRoj_S6yR7CBf6X_rHwiQ7y6UwGWUAC0k-Ic0LTQvWRKTZRXr8Ztfm5smHznGeZQyj3P_dO0SAilVPiDy0NPvWTVTxBoUEhV5-BVP_o8TfUpP_30pg2ElZSt2cGcnfxlw/s16000/block-spam-texts.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Mechanics</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Tim Newcomb</b>, Popular Mechanics
<br /><br />
Call a scam text what you want—a spam text or even a “smishing attack” (yeah, that’s an SMS play on phishing)—but no matter how you term them, they’re damn annoying, they’re on the rise, and they often come with security pitfalls.
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In 2020, spam texts overtook spam calls as the most prevalent form of scamming for the second year in a row. In 2021, a 58 percent increase in scam text messages brought the total number in the United States to 87.8 billion, according to a February 2022 report from RoboKiller, a spam call and text blocker. That’s over 15 billion more scam attempts through text messages than via phone calls.
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Designed to get you to invite malware onto your device, give up personal or banking information, or simply spend money on something that isn’t real, the scam text is here to stay unless the government, wireless carriers, and individuals can do enough to fight back.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/online-tools-to-increase-internet-security.html">6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>How Spam Texts Work</h3>
Thanks to the clever technology that makes SMS a reality, there’s also an opportunity for “bad actors,” what the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and others like to term the criminals behind smishing, to unload torrents of texts. Commonly sent from overseas, these automated texts get sent in batches, spoofing local numbers so it appears as though it is someone local to your location. Of course, smishing has gotten sophisticated enough that sometimes the attacks get personalized, and the criminals spoof your own number to make it appear as though your phone is sending you a text (creepy!). Other times, bad actors may spoof trusted numbers from your area.
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No matter how the text gets spoofed and sent, the entire goal is for you to open the smishing invite and then take some action that benefits the criminals behind it. Whether they’re looking to install malware on your device that can mine information for later use, get you to enter in your address or other personal information they can use later, or offer up passwords that get them into your personal or financial information, they’re trying to steal something from you.
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<h3>Ongoing Efforts to Reduce Spam Texts</h3>
As smishing steadily rises, both the government and wireless carriers have started to respond. Most wireless carriers already have built-in spam-blocking software, attempting to limit both spam calls and texts.
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A government bill in 2019 gave the FCC and U.S. Justice Department more reach to battle the scammers and required phone companies to upgrade technology. The FCC has <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/spoofed-robocalls" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">upped the ante in its approach</a> to fining scammers when it can, and has enforced a National Do Not Call Registry. The exact strategy the FCC will take against smishing will likely evolve, but expect a more concerted effort by both the government and wireless carriers.
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In October 2021, for instance, the FCC announced a plan to “take steps to confront this latest wave of fraud and identify how mobile carriers can block these automated messages before they have the opportunity to cause harm,” Jessica Rosenworcel, the agency’s chair, said in a <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/document/acting-chair-rosenworcel-proposes-rules-combat-rise-robotexts" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">press release</a>.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/01/how-to-delete-your-search-history-and.html">How to Delete Your Search History and Become a Digital Ghost</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Tips for Stopping Spam Texts</h3>
In 2021, the most common form of smishing—25 percent of all messages—related to a “phantom package delivery,” attempting to gain an individual’s physical address and potentially additional information. From there, plenty of smishing messages tried to get people to offer up banking information, Apple IDs, or cook up scams related to COVID-19 and healthcare. In nearly every smishing strategy, the bad actors portray themselves as someone they are not. Don’t be fooled.
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• <b>Don’t click on any links.</b> Arguably one of the most dangerous things you can do is click on a link in a smishing text. This opens your device to potential malware.
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• <b>Don’t give out personal information.</b> If you’ve somehow missed the first step and clicked on a link, don’t give any information, as this invites trouble. For any reputable company, you can go to their website and log in and take care of any issues that may have arisen with your account or delivery (but you’ll likely find there are none since it was a smishing attempt).
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• <b>Don’t respond in any way.</b> Even responding “no” or “stop” alerts the smishing software that your phone number is active and opens you up to additional attempts.
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• <b>Put your phone number on the FCC National Do Not Call Registry.</b> As the FCC continues to expand its efforts, this may help.
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• <b>Opt-in to your wireless provider’s call-blocking service.</b> Wireless carriers are required by law to improve their spam-blocking software, so opting into this service can help cut down on at least some of the smishing attacks.
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• <b>Report the unwanted messages.</b> Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, both have easy ways to report junk texts right from your messaging app. Do this to build up a library of blocked users.
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• <b>Block individual numbers.</b> In some cases, you may get repeated unwanted texts from the same number. You can block numbers individually.
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• <b>Filter unknown senders.</b> Messaging apps may have differing approaches, but an Android allows you to enable spam protection in case the text is potential spam, and an iPhone will filter messages from unknown senders into a separate folder.
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• <b>Limit where your cell phone number appears.</b> While there’s no way to fully keep your cell phone number from getting out there, limit the public postings of your number. (Just last month, <a href="https://blog.google/products/search/new-options-for-removing-your-personally-identifiable-information-from-search/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Google announced a tool</a> to remove your personal information from search results.)
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• <b>Report the attack.</b> You can forward the smishing text to your wireless carrier by sending it to 7726 (SPAM) or report it to the FCC to help curb the issue.<br /><br />
See more at <b><a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popular Mechanics</a></b>
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<h2><strike>How to Block Spam Texts</strike></h2>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-63982620180257637612022-06-03T07:41:00.008-04:002022-06-03T07:42:18.461-04:00How to Correct Siri's Pronunciation of Names<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Correct Siri's Pronunciation of Names" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4rVg9r6MKITBHNwoXm-eHPh1SntwQOpjBxqdCC47HwAEHsf2zRiQ50f0UVzAEtjxNsdNgUDCmwaOKANxRa2Xv0LvZryMEdQ5lpiLFBsODR-YRke2ZyK_YmrO_1WxKUFCdcCtqynVqPWP67t1ZsGuDOv7Kg_z1fpOasYvCpTH0takrtXguN0K3aHI2Rw/s16000/siri-pronunciation.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Techwalla</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Jill Layton</b>, Techwalla
<br /> <br />
As smart as Siri is, Apple's digital assistant still struggles pronouncing certain names. It usually isn't her fault though — she says words how they're spelled. So, if your name is Sarah but you pronounce is Sah-rah, she's probably going to get it wrong. Even though you might be used to people mispronouncing your name, you don't have to live with Siri's error.
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If you want to correct the way Siri says your name or someone else's in your contacts list, there's an easy way to do it.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/01/how-to-factory-reset-your-apple-watch.html">How to Factory-Reset Your Apple Watch</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>How to change Siri's pronunciations</h3><ol><li>
Go to your Contacts list.</li><br /><li>
Tap on the person whose name you want to change.</li><br /><li>
Scroll down and tap "add field."</li><br /><li>
From there you can type in the phonetic first name, last name, etc. This is more for your own reference. For example, if you or your friend's name is Bjorn, you'd type Be-yorn.</li><br /><li>
To help Siri, tap "pronunciation spelling" for the first or last name. Use the phonetic spelling.</li></ol><br /><br />
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Correct Siri's Pronunciation of Names" border="0" data-original-height="1634" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc4P1_pffF3XXtOGDLO1XRAGuTf6afFbmojpfZUNNYq3uPkJGz1Avn8k1og__V5xwGEjcEQrLUcFbjveJ5wAeBJYdtPPGaazCrGxOsD8c5SBgZHkFo4YvOiH7poD7j8oka8-3FwHsiC-lKcyNxbmMy6X6MFE8jOIkQpysVHUM-5koFcEyy9wQfMz4wZA/s1600/siri.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="change Siri's pronunciations" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Techwalla</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
You can also simply say, "Change how you pronounce [insert contact's name]." However you do it, changing the phonetic spelling for your contacts isn't exactly a fun time, but it'll at least help you not be annoyed at Siri every time she says a name wrong.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.techwalla.com/">Techwalla</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-29444547651924564972022-05-18T09:19:00.004-04:002022-05-18T09:19:56.432-04:00How to Fix FaceTime Live Photos Not Saving<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to Fix FaceTime Live Photos Not Saving" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgghgu1F1MniDhUnj7Do8wBtlLVnHfbFrLOFw8P2jacf4txQh2-pxUpDB0qhcOkJQaTVYEz3gCDjhCjq8HbblQmvFx8i_oE0wGKYcZgyUMSTIxlAXUB2iafys3OMfBnOFO8Zj_gsR3FHyd5VTmJe2k8HA85eK07OmQ571I8URWu_1yKVWR2bvobAFohLA/s16000/facetime-live.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Lifewire</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b> Jerri Ledford</b>, Lifewire
<br /> <br />FaceTime in iOS 15 (as well as some versions earlier than iOS 12) has a neat feature that allows you to capture Live Photos during a FaceTime call, just like you can capture with your camera app. But if you're expecting FaceTime Live Photos to work, and they don't, it could leave you scratching your head about why.
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This troubleshooting guide will help you figure it out and get the issue fixed so you can grab photos during your calls.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/how-to-use-your-iphones-mobile-hotspot.html">How to Use Your iPhone's Mobile Hotspot</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Why Do My FaceTime Photos Not Save?</h3>
If you're having trouble with your FaceTime Live photos not saving or even not taking at all, it could be privacy restrictions, outdated software, or a glitch that is the cause. Fortunately, using the troubleshooting steps below, most of these issues are easily fixable.
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<h3>How to Fix It When FaceTime Live Photos Are Not Saving</h3>
If Your FaceTime Live photos are not working, walk through each of these steps until you solve the problem, or at the very least until you figure out what the problem is, because if it's a privacy setting, you might not be able to change it.<br /> <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Ensure you and the other person (or people) on your call have FaceTime Live Photos enabled. If you can enable them on iPhone or if you're using a Mac, with FaceTime open, go to the FaceTime menu > Preferences. Then make sure the option to Allow Live Photos to be captured during video calls option is toggled on (it will be green). Both parties have to have this feature enabled for this to work. If the person on the call doesn't have them enabled on their device, you can't capture or save photos. It's a privacy setting that users can control.</li></ul> <br />
<b></b><blockquote><b>Note:</b> Although this is a privacy setting, it is automatically enabled on most Apple devices, so if someone taking pictures of you is something you don't want to happen, you should turn off the option. However, be aware when others take pictures of you (or if you take pictures of them), both parties get a notification if someone has taken a picture.</blockquote> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2019/11/6-things-to-do-when-youtube-isnt-working.html">6 Things to Do When YouTube Isn't Working</a></b></i><br /> <br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>
Make sure you have enough storage space. Your photos won't save if you don't have enough storage space. You may need to try freeing up some storage space and then try your FaceTime Live Photos again.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Turn FaceTime off and then turn it back on. This action is essentially restarting FaceTime. Turn it off, give it about a minute, and then turn it back on. Once it's fully functional, try the call and your FaceTime Live Photos again.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Restart your device. If you and the person you're trying to take pictures of both have the ability enabled, but you're still unable to capture images during a call, you might need to restart your device. A quick restart on your iPhone or a quick restart of your Mac might fix the problem.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If you can, ask the other person to restart their device so you know you're both working from a fresh restart to rule out any issues that might occur on either side.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Check your privacy restrictions. If your Camera or FaceTime apps are restricted, you won't be able to take pictures during a FaceTime call, which also means you won't be able to save them. Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps > make sure both FaceTime and Camera are enabled.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Update your iPhone. The ability to capture FaceTime Live Photos was available before iOS 12, but it was removed and not added back until iOS 15. Make sure your iPhone is updated to the most currently available operating system, and then try your FaceTime Live Photos again.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Try disabling and then re-enabling iCloud Photos. To do this, go to Settings > Photos > and toggle iCloud Photos off (the toggle will turn grey). Give it about 60 seconds, and then turn it back on. It might reset your photo sync so you can see the photos you've captured during a FaceTime call.
</li></ul>
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<h3>Where Did My FaceTime Photos Go?</h3>
If your FaceTime Photos are working, but you can't find the photos you took, try looking in the Live album in your Photos app. It's where FaceTime Life photos save by default. If they're not there, you can check All Photos in the Photos app. And if you still can't find them, then you might need to make a Genius Bar appointment to get additional help locating them.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.lifewire.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lifewire</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-60938740610032642052022-05-13T06:38:00.005-04:002022-05-13T06:38:39.319-04:00Where to Find New Spotify Playlists If You Don't Want to Create Your Own<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Find New Spotify Playlists" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkaXmgoAsUZhSEk8ppT-kRsO83y3tg1rOvYSk4Skjovzid9dBzyuGkOD3jbwRQ9Lr2urGHrh-ef4grhQ-UIc3zIKxjveDhURFepaBew7XN2LJslUb3FBHLXQxOxXA05-s7hXDW21GQFzrklRemYCaYWJAof62pdR0UAT2NM489PhS0oTNwTc1Zz0QsFw/s16000/spotify-playlists.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>David Nield</b>, Popular Science
<br /> <br />With more than 82 million tracks available at the push of a button, Spotify gives you access to more music than you could possibly listen to in a lifetime—a rather daunting catalog when all you want to do is pick out a playlist for a summer drive or evening chill out.
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But if you don’t want to build your own playlists manually, you don’t have to. Whether you’re a free or premium user, Spotify offers a wide choice of playlists auto-generated from what you’ve listened to in the past and who your favorite artists are.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2021/12/unfollow-and-unfriend-people-on-social-media.html">How to Unfollow and Unfriend People on Social Media</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Discover Weekly</h3>
Discover Weekly is a collection of tunes you’ve likely never heard before, but that Spotify thinks you’ll like, based on what you’ve listened to previously and what people with your listening habits also enjoy.
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The playlist refreshes every Monday, so if you want to save tracks, make sure you move them to a different playlist or add them to your library before that happens—click or press the three dots beside any song to do so.
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Spotify says that liking songs, adding them to your personal playlists, and following specific artists are good ways to influence what pops up in Discover Weekly. You can also click Like (the heart icon) or Don’t like (the minus icon) as songs play, further refining the algorithm.
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<h3>Daily Mixes and Spotify Mixes</h3>
In 2021, the music streaming service added Spotify Mixes to complement its popular Daily Mixes. While Discover Weekly is designed to introduce you to new artists, its tracks mostly recap the music you’ve listened to most in the past—as if they were greatest hits collections. New songs may occasionally appear, but they’ll be few and far between.
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With Daily Mixes, similar artists get grouped together. If you listen to a lot of heavy rock, as well as a lot of rap music, those genres will appear as separate mixes. Look at the musicians listed in each mix to decide which one you want to listen to. The relatively new Spotify Mixes are little more refined, focusing on artists, genres, decades, and even moods. You can find all of them in the Made For You hub.
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The number of mixes you see will depend on how diverse your music tastes are. As with Discover Weekly, they should become better aligned to your tastes over time, as Spotify comes to recognize the songs, albums, and artists you’re really into.
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<h3>Release Radar</h3>
What’s brand new in the world of music? And which new cuts are you going to be most interested in? The Release Radar playlist can tell you. Yes, it’s similar to Discover Weekly, but it’s only newly released stuff.
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Release Radar refreshes every Friday. As with Discover Weekly, you’ll need to save tracks to your library or another playlist to keep them from disappearing into the sea of Spotify tracks.
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As with the other playlists here, the more you use Spotify, the better the recommendations should be. Again, use the Like (heart icon) and Don’t like (minus icon) buttons to tell the music streaming service about the tracks you do and don’t approve of.
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<h3>Time Capsule</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Find New Spotify Playlists" border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZVK6RaEVyktms0ca28dIL5xJYW12SkrwV9-3f1ucdPBZzqRiT8GITubuRM3oFyZ0aaFF-Pg56SmilQ7Xazi6zcJp2c8Fh1bwdAQkpZ8-rlqQReRO73wsWZUm6NOAKRVhO57-ghkS9OVQNsJx7kH_7qle8AOlUbgFS-wUHpIgkwA-rK3_6EmEIaMz9DA/s16000/Time-Capsule.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Time Capsule" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />
Spotify doesn’t provide much information about Time Capsule, except to say that it’s a personalized nostalgia trip—a look back at music you were into several years ago. The service describes it as tunes from “your teenage years,” so it’s presumably available for older teens and adults.
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This playlist is a mix of tracks you’ve had on heavy rotation in years past, plus similar tunes from the same sort of artists and released around the same time (“iconic throwback tracks,” in Spotify’s words). The playlist tops out at two hours.
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This appears to be a one-time deal, however. Unlike the playlists we’ve described above, the Time Capsule doesn’t refresh with more songs you heard while you were in high school, though Spotify may choose to revisit this in the future.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/how-to-delete-your-snapchat-account.html">How to Delete Your Snapchat Account</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>Search for playlists</h3>
Spotify features a huge number of playlists for you to tap into, curated both by Spotify itself and Spotify users. Type what you’re looking for into the search box, then look under the Playlists heading to see what you can find.
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Your search can be based around a genre, an artist, or just the way you’re feeling (try “morning motivation”, for example). With so much music and so many Spotify users, all but the most specific searches will turn up decent results.
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From “Icelandic chill” to “revision music”, your options are wide open. You can look for hits from movies, underrated gems, music from a particular year or decade, tunes that originated from a certain place, and much more.
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<h3>Launch your own mixes</h3>
If you come across an artist, album, song, or playlist you really like, you can generate an endless radio station from it. To start with, you get the song you picked to launch the station—or something from the album, artist, or playlist you selected—plus a whole lot of recommended music picked by Spotify’s algorithms.
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Look for the three dots next to any artist, album, song, or playlist—if you click or press them, then choose the radio option, your endless mix starts. As always, you can help Spotify understand your tastes by selecting Like (the heart icon) or Don’t like (the minus icon) as songs are playing.
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The radio feature will surface some songs you’ve heard before, as well as ones you haven’t, and it updates periodically to stay fresh—so you won’t always get the same radio picks by starting your station with The Strokes or The Cure, for example.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.popsci.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popular Science</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-26519464448464375162022-05-08T21:20:00.002-04:002022-05-08T21:20:58.258-04:004 Reasons to Use a Wireless Charger
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="4 Reasons to Use a Wireless Charger" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2nGAY9vY8QaSHYontTogVZyPyeTS3B9fYgFOfIz233xkK67yuiCTqblgAArCe4udmMSoND0LNwj8gG7ApH5ejFFI3pXXkm7XUBuG43HLKzHrMMYmNUSV0R3x-UZk5L50xIYPduyNsHkIsV5QaPYCRdfqhtP3wdz0gE1WiUaQ1f4VBZQJtgSzhIH0qGw/s16000/iPhone-Wireless-Charging.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Alvin Wanjala</b>, MUO
<br /> <br />Wireless charging has become a standard in high-end and mid-range smartphones and is slowly trickling down to the rest of the market. And it's not just smartphones; wireless charging is slowly proliferating into other gadgets. While wireless charging is just another way to juice your device, there are some reasons why you should embrace it.
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In this article, we look at the four reasons why you should use a wireless charger.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2019/08/5-tech-gadgets-for-a-healthy-lifestyle.html">5 Tech Gadgets for a Healthy Lifestyle</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>1. No Wear and Tear</h3>
You may not know it yet but wear and tear is one of the reasons you're constantly shopping for charging cables. Naturally, cables wear and tear over time. Heck, even charging ports, too. And good genuine cables don't come cheap, especially iPhone cables.
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Since using frayed cables isn't an option due to the different risks they pose to your device, a sure-fire way to stay out of this trouble is to get a wireless charger. Unlike with charging cables, you only place your device atop the charging dock, and that's it.
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<h3>2. Charge Multiple Devices Simultaneously</h3>
One of the most significant advantages of wireless charging is the ability to charge multiple devices at once. This is all thanks to the ability of certain charging docks to support two or three devices simultaneously.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="4 Reasons to Use a Wireless Charger" border="0" data-original-height="405" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8GQszNh__owt8wtjkTJO2vUMdfEymnM_cnQyAg0OKfsgesT16ezpjLYQ8vffHJNTJlEhNQo8OG6kzI7d4qWwIXZlrXwS4UJIQx90EoJs37dp5hhS_3hR3Fd-rjZ7kjmHx1Au1VGe0nqPrt8NNi7JSjKQ05YOi-WnL4Fuyh-xa8LkahgKMXPi48fDPg/s16000/wireless-charger.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Charge Multiple Devices Simultaneously" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Such functionality is becoming standard for charging pads and mats where you can charge your smartwatch, wireless earbuds, and smartphone all at once. <br /> <br />
<h3>3. Less Clutter on Your Office / Work From Home Setup</h3>
Wireless is the perfect solution for you if you're tired of the charging cables cluttering your desk. Instead of charging your different devices with a dedicated cable, you can simultaneously charge several with a single wireless charging pad or mat. And that happens over a single charging cable that connects to your wireless charger.
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This is an excellent way to help with cable management, especially if you don't have that special gift of nicely tucking away your cables. That is not to say that a wireless charger is a silver bullet to achieving a clutter-free environment in your workspace. It's just the beginning. A wireless charger plus a few cable management tricks should help you achieve your dream clean workspace environment.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2019/08/technology-for-good--gadgets-which-could-save-lives.html">Technology for Good: Gadgets Which Could Save Lives</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>4. Convenience</h3>
How many times do you charge your device in a day? Probably at least two times in the case of a smartphone, depending on its age. It's no secret that smartphone batteries have a short life. But since that is a given at the moment, you can at least make the process of juicing up your device less frustrating. And that's where you'll appreciate the convenience of wireless chargers.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="4 Reasons to Use a Wireless Charger" border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnn3H68QhiSrifLafxakHcOym8N69l4fSR8XARjSfcr3GwRICWzlglQSGOPO7f1UCFGxa-maHD-rRAsHF8uQYS3rAwNlxkepZ7UvxJYgKYhnOMiV4Fx6vK28Md7fhQwVlfkC5K6xNHAxhR7B-veIpozLzBmDjIQTu2dQb_swrm7jLnab5_aLej6M7lUA/s16000/Apple-MagSafe.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="wireless chargers" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
No more hunting down cables, fiddling with them, and, even worse, in the case of the older micro-USB port, finding the perfect orientation to connect the charging cable. A wireless charger saves you all of this trouble by only requiring you to place your device on the charging stand, mat, or pad.
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While wireless charging is not (yet) truly wireless as you would expect from its name, it's still way more convenient than regular cables. Of course, you still have to connect the charging dock to a power outlet, but that's nothing compared to the struggle of untangling cables.
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<h3>It's Time to Embrace Wireless Charging</h3>
If your device has support for wireless charging, it's high time you embrace it. First, wireless charging has no wear and tear. Additionally, it allows you to charge several devices simultaneously, helps you maintain a clean desk environment, and is very convenient. While it has its downsides, these reasons are good enough for you to switch to the wireless side.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MUO</a></b>
</div></div>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-59255770064054656732022-04-15T14:00:00.007-04:002022-04-15T14:00:46.421-04:007 Worst Features of Windows 11
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Worst Features of Windows 11" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpKRJ-5XXqt4S79qQI4BPeoDHcWk0we5HjcJmrP-JlskTzQtytYpTSMMHfiAnwoAJbqvRbRIVWsoSmgGuxV-OMSvD7hguciY0TbKIx1Bp2e8VyYDKkT9y3YFtzn3Hm5Ry0GwUsT6w4Q4e2EYhMrcjVlHhMPH_mRYm54FUFE58GkxjyLTLC411qw7xoA/s16000/blue-illustration-windows.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Maham Asad</b>, MUO
<br /> <br />Despite Microsoft promoting Windows 11 as an improvement to Windows 10 with its newly polished look, many users believe it to be the worst operating system, even surpassing Windows Vista.
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It’s because Windows 11 is primarily a design upgrade, while downgrading massively in usability and productivity. This has left many users disappointed and enraged with this revamped operating system, and the following few features are considered to be the worst of Windows 11.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2014/05/7-windows-keyboard-shortcuts-that-you.html">7 Windows Keyboard Shortcuts That You Probably Didn’t Know</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>1. The Strict Windows 11 Hardware Requirements</h3>
To install Windows 11 or guarantee that it functions properly, you have to make sure your computer meets the Windows 11 minimum system requirements. Although users might easily be able to meet some of these, the main problem lies with the stringent hardware requirements.
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Whereas the previous Windows versions could easily run on older devices, Windows 11 isn't lenient. For example, Microsoft necessitates TPM 2.0 encryption, which some old motherboards don't have. Therefore, if your PC isn't modern enough to have firmware capable of using Secure Boot, or having Windows 11 supported AMD or Intel Processors, it will, unfortunately, prevent you from installing Windows 11 on your PC.
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Thus, most PCs are left unsupported, not worthy of running Windows 11. But, you can still bypass these requirements and install Windows 11 on an old PC. Remember though, Microsoft doesn’t condone Windows 11 upgrades on unsupported, old devices, which is why you won’t be entitled to any official support or system updates.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Worst Features of Windows 11" border="0" data-original-height="161" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx-MChLgmwgUNRqoMCUTtrFCGQ0EDP6TOWATYDXVX12Ns4jt3vj7v3m_xAxS-MMgQES7aqbeGmbTDspwgke3AZNyDrVFZ-1xlkV_JLBABkJb5wlCEhV0Hv2V2Eqx9l2SYdjLJnKFK9rP0kwokiTSONeFHrORk8N38w6vvziCJ6AKKD7Cp3pUHEqDZuuQ/s16000/system-requiremets-not-met.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="he Strict Windows 11 Hardware Requirements" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
When you’re done upgrading, you may also receive a desktop notification, right above the taskbar clock reading System requirements not met. You don’t have to worry about this though, this won’t thwart you from using apps, web browsers, etc.
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<h3>2. The Start Menu Is a Downgrade From Windows 10</h3>
Until now, the Start menu has downright been one of the best features Windows has had to offer, providing easy access to all of our programs. But when the Start menu sits right in the center of the screen, it compromises its functionality.
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When compared to Windows 10, it not only takes up a lot more space, the Windows Start menu also covers all the files and programs opened in the middle of the screen.<div>
<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Worst Features of Windows 11" border="0" data-original-height="502" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd3jDXvPxuYWGGVODFKwmGo_2i-WdttU2OlyV_NXbLDJ8XklFTngYOQOdp1FP_31GivIfJUa_jLP6dwo9o4nK8lSGpMNasBCa0XP7jP2WpDEgaYGh9L2JtuK8rurv11fxpEeF99BHGzGCvCoN0-X8CkN1RaqtkX_2trSiiSrJ0B6_DUBGmQbCjV9dYHg/s16000/start-menu-centre.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="The Start Menu Is a Downgrade From Windows 10" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Windows 11 also offers Pinned and Recommended apps on top, taking away immediate access to all apps. Now, users have to navigate to Start > All apps, unlike in the Windows 10 version, where they were right on display alongside Documents, Pictures, Settings, and Power.
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<h3>3. Unable to Open Task Manager via Taskbar</h3>
With the Task Manager, you can kill any task, or close any unresponsive program with just one click. The further utility was that you could simply right-click the taskbar and open Task Manager, but no more. Amongst the many unpleasant changes brought forth by Microsoft in Windows 11, the removal of Task Manager's easy access via Taskbar is one of them.
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<h3>4. Shortened Context Menu Requires Extra Steps</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Worst Features of Windows 11" border="0" data-original-height="420" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi4LojomCmm9M1GvDEKSNiXpoHnfbU4Q2B4c-LCgPCwMHd6M11z7q2Zq8vCzBYPgcylJjlJrGikhtXH8Fo9S5smXLEzGY7Z7mO-O9PdvaA-LXFnp81PaXpoGbdoCYYJy5SKBrsEFPBKsW-Je-MGf3r7lV7G8KN3gxyf59e5NaIL-340OgR6UNjnzAt0A/s16000/context-menu.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Shortened Context Menu Requires Extra Steps" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Microsoft acknowledges the context menu as one of the most essential shell extensions, which seeks to complete file operations using minimal steps. When you'd right-click a file on Windows 10, you would see all the possible options and commands that you could select.
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However, in its attempt to give Windows 11 an aesthetic refresh, Microsoft ended up drastically refining the context menu and shortening the number of choices displayed. If you do want to look at all choices, click on Show more options or press Shift + F10.
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Having to carry out this step repeatedly can be annoying, making you wish for a more time-saving shortcut.
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<h3>5. You Have to Sign Into a Microsoft Account to Use Windows 11</h3>
Microsoft has been pushing the use of Microsoft Account over Windows users for quite some time now. There are many many reasons why Windows users wouldn't want to bother with a Microsoft account and may find it a complete nuisance, like setting up a virtual machine or wanting to use their local-only computer without internet access.
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The rollout of Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22557 mandates a Microsoft account for all future installations, including Windows 11 Pro. Similar to Windows Home, an internet connection and MSA will be required for an initial setup procedure. Therefore, even Windows 11 Pro users won’t be free from this hassle, which is an unwelcome change for many.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/01/how-to-maintain-your-computer-in-simple-ways.html">How to Maintain Your Computer in a Simple Way</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>6. The "Open File Location" Menu Is No More</h3>
In Windows 10, there used to be a context menu option called Open File Location. Whenever you required a file and searched for it, you could right-click on the file you found in the search results field and choose Open File Location. It not only places you in the folder containing the file but also selects it, making it easier to spot and access. It was speedy, straightforward, and efficient when it came to moving and managing files. Removal of such a handy feature from Windows's latest upgrade has upset many users.
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<h3>7. Windows 11 Still Needs Third-Party Antivirus Software</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="7 Worst Features of Windows 11" border="0" data-original-height="421" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAIiPW4ysmrX6RECxchPlREcGN5SsCPu8nZjlEAO0WN7Z_Hq1m_367zq1Lo9fQBdDEMGfomy5Dqbv8C8gGS0iaeBWtLfLOhgDBvPcE4INCcAvh60guKF1US-LNEBMRPQj9hxYkgHaVUiSnr6M5Gj8jBDU0ryHnj-cGnWEjZ7fMjqzEt5e5wEa_PIIRg/s16000/windows-security.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Windows 11 Still Needs Third-Party Antivirus Software" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by MUO</td></tr></tbody></table>
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Technically speaking, Windows 11 does have a built-in antivirus engine of Microsoft coupled with Windows Defender; this will suffice if you don't use many external devices (e.g. external hard drive or USB) or visit trusted sites. However, they're not the best at detecting malware or covering the most recent threats.
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Additionally, Windows Defender's known to block trusted applications, and unlike other third-party antivirus, it doesn't provide a password manager, VPN, etc. to its users. Many times, Windows users find themselves wanting to amp up the security and install third-party antivirus as a more robust solution.
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Is It Worth Upgrading to Windows 11?
Some might consider these features as minor inconveniences, not discouraging enough to stop them from a Windows 11 upgrade. In fact, the majority has already embraced these changes with open arms or tweaked them here and there to suit their needs.
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Apart from the major visual upgrades, Windows 11 is said to provide some important performance, security improvements, memory management, etc. But the question still remains–are they enough to warrant an upgrade?
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MUO</a></b></div></div>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-30409656295874656562022-03-31T14:07:00.001-04:002022-04-15T14:27:53.814-04:00How to Start a Livestream from Your Phone<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to start a livestream from your phone" border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1Gdd1le6pA3Lp5YMTPYSBJvJ46ETgrTi5dBImV7Jb0YA_TwKvBT6K-GW2TDQoy6jYbeIx2l12xZRZNUz5Hhn_dUf7xl5MNm99ofNOcqiSin-aDxYY05ruB3hxP9ESUTXAwuCSWnMm0Kh9ii5LJRSmX0tMjZ1G-4bqooDjPjPXdM1c8E2IeIyEmE9EJQ/s16000/livestream.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>David Nield</b>, Popular Science
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Livestreaming is social media on steroids—sharing a live video feed of what you’re doing is well beyond sharing carefully curated photos and videos. It’s the difference between live TV news and sitcom reruns.
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If the idea doesn’t instantly make you uncomfortable, you can use livestreaming for all kinds of purposes. You can have your own show, share an experience with your friends as it happens, lead a workout routine for people to do at home, deliver an announcement to multiple colleagues at once, host a virtual gig, and much more.
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All the major social apps include livestreaming capabilities, and any followers who want to can tune in. Before you jump in, though, it’s important to know what you can do and how many people will be able to see it.
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The usual security and privacy warnings apply here: Be careful about sharing any sensitive information in your video (including your phone number, address, and financial information), especially if you’re broadcasting to more than a few specific people.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/01/how-to-factory-reset-your-apple-watch.html">How to Factory-Reset Your Apple Watch</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>How to livestream on Facebook</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to start a livestream from your phone" border="0" data-original-height="534" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDLpBdjIG12uP2Sezo9TI3HMc6lgdvgbGekXOoGxSa1Kri7gUurG-HuVgLEOEQMLZtpgkp5lLOZVc0iK3ve7vQgQPfP3eAEE-8DuZEo5swsIeGkQT3RMl20uNnxVGLcQU6HSbRNqY9m6Vtu_2T6Oho2zbGaqIjte4pm9b8LxA5iMW2A9nCpA9CdwO33w/s16000/livestream%20on%20Facebook.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="livestream on Facebook" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
To start a Facebook livestream, fire up the mobile app and go to post composer on the page, profile, group, or event where you want to publish the stream. Next, tap <b>Live</b> to go to a preview screen. The audience selector is at the top—you can pick all your Facebook friends, just a few, or broadcast to a group you’re part of. Alternatively, you can make the broadcast public, so anyone can watch, with or without a Facebook account.
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Farther down the screen, you can add a description to your livestream, tag places or people, or add a filter or two to the feed. When everything is set up the way you want, tap on <b>Start Live Video</b> to begin broadcasting.
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Some of the options and effects, such as the ability to draw on screen, remain active while you’re recording. You’ll be able to see comments and reactions from people watching your video while it’s live, give access to the feed to certain friends (if it’s not available to everyone), and add your own comments, too.
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When you’re done, tap <b>Finish</b>, and you’ll get the option to post the video to your timeline for posterity, with the audience settings remaining the same. You’ll also have the option to tap <b>Share</b> and send the footage to a specific group of people. If you’d rather the world never saw your livestream again, you can always hit <b>Delete</b>.
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<h3>Start an Instagram Live</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to start a livestream from your phone" border="0" data-original-height="523" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSLr8EPUgGaSvRYeKEtgRvIXxqbRGW1NZmx8lm8u5q3FNF0eYOAhJkRv1DwQRK8bks5VyNwWtheIjHjYk9WwK7TGNl3RmvVp222HfKusUwWGJw4DQkl7rE7NlFwTku1CejgJ1nbnsqMUPhRnbfqokaDTt8j5GSEEFX6i0bUsZ0Cdt3qXI7zOqyb6U9pw/s16000/Instagram%20Live.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Instagram Live" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
From the Instagram mobile app, tap the <b>plus icon</b> at the top of the screen, then choose <b>Live</b> from the emerging menu. At the top of the next screen, you’ll see which of your friends are currently online—to make sure you have your desired audience—and the option to add filters is at the bottom, if you’d like.
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Press the <b>shutter button</b> to start broadcasting. Depending on your followers’ app settings, they’ll get a push notification informing them you’re streaming live, and friends who are online will see a Live badge with your avatar inside it at the top of their Instagram feed. Down at the bottom of the livestream, you’ll see icons for commenting on your feed. You can reply to viewer questions, invite other users to share their own videos alongside yours, and pin a comment so people joining the stream late can see it.
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When you’ve had enough, tap <b>End</b>, then <b>End Video</b>. You’ll see a screen telling you how many people tuned in, and the app will give you the option to share the broadcast as a regular Instagram Story (it’ll be up for 24 hours) or delete it completely.
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In terms of privacy, this feature follows the same rules as Stories: You can block specific people from seeing your livestream by tapping the <b>cog icon</b> (top left), followed by <b>Live</b>, before starting a broadcast. If you have a public account, though, anyone with an Instagram account will be able to see your livestreams—just like they can see your posts and stories. To avoid this, you can make your account private by going to your profile, tapping the <b>three lines</b> in the top right, followed by <b>Settings</b> and <b>Privacy</b>. Finally, toggle on the switch next to <b>Private Account</b> at the top of the page.
<br /> <br />Read More: <i><b><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2020/06/how-to-change-your-zoom-background-just-like-everyone-else-is-doing.html">How to change your Zoom background just like everyone else is doing</a></b></i><br /> <br />
<h3>How to livestream on Twitter</h3><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="How to start a livestream from your phone" border="0" data-original-height="555" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUVZO59EIxRJy7dEZ-3Fbm5SIc63b-dfZYOonqEGKDZEc52jkVZZWvFzsL-Q3QF3HKZBt_42Pq5SgVTK4avRkGUNV48LXR3iiWKOVz5FGF7gnUhx4DdhNhJNl6WVUdQerSoEJiD7zHl-EPkbl4oWWWWXwMyh5-FkPnmKCECsg3IoBBg45rjwFfhv7UdQ/s16000/livestream%20on%20Twitter.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="livestream on Twitter" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">Ⓒ Provided by Popular Science</td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div>
You can only livestream on Twitter’s mobile app. To start, tap the blue <b>compose icon</b> in the bottom right, then the <b>Camera</b> icon, followed by <b>Live</b>. If you want, you can add a description and a location to the stream using the options at the top. Tap <b>Go LIVE</b> to start broadcasting.
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While you’re live, you can see how many people are viewing your feed and post messages on top of the feed using the icons at the bottom. To stop the stream, tap the cross icon in the top left-hand corner, then Stop Broadcast. You’ll get the chance to tweet out the video again for people who couldn’t tune in.
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The <b>Invite Friends</b> button on the livestream page lets you invite up to three other people to share their video and audio as part of the livestream. Viewers can request to do this as well, which is what the <b>Guests ON</b> and <b>Guests OFF</b> toggle switch (the smiley faces icon) is for.
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Livestreams work just like tweets in terms of visibility—they’ll appear everywhere on Twitter, and anyone can see them, even if they don’t have a Twitter account. If you’re using a private Twitter account (where followers must be specifically approved), you won’t get the option to livestream.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.popsci.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Popular Science</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5526239608669527925.post-89936605756642956472022-02-25T12:44:00.003-05:002022-02-25T12:44:31.969-05:006 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEixsWeoKrRa152oW4JFAjzxT1_eonOsglre7smhSeZgXG9R-Ka4zI6rFWzFz1bE0SlxX3qvM76xOh5ypsw-FH4I8osUfAW8rXUX31rlGlRxf1jY0ouSQttSVKj-NsTQB0gX-MFOzZ0Jc-9cwhqRoCAdihcZKVN0FpNW94QW601wT13jCasiWOeGKG_HXA=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="[feature]" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table>
<br />By <b>Jayric Maning</b>, MakeUseOf
<br /><br />With social media, food delivery, banking, education, online gaming, and even work all happening online, most of society cannot function without internet access.
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The good news is that the internet has become so cheap and accessible that the majority has access to it. The bad news is that the “majority” also includes demographics like kids, senior citizens, and gullible people, who are the easiest to exploit and so are big targets for scammers.
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If you have no idea how to protect yourself on the internet, but would like to do so, here are six online security tools to improve your safety online.
<br /><br /><b><i>Read More:</i></b> <i><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/02/how-to-share-your-phone-with-others.html">How to Share Your Phone with Others in a Safe Way</a></i><br /><br />
<h3>1. haveibeenpwned</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjE_NP6TNjjDO_Ezma--u3fRz-_JVjW3Z9DysexE9D4-CK8W34NCrUhEQdCF7ut2iQoULptZAW1jGy86jqHwP7oARpF8cQkuOYwLDZG54XtgJdlhKuAIQWSmp2lWjnFCxGWpgInHO6dARmtZk0RWTPB6izXCu_oTRUaaZXZ3bG8WdPYbCGs7GskHNiM3Q=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="haveibeenpwned" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Have you ever wondered if your account has been hacked or is at risk of being hacked? A simple way to know is through a nifty online tool known as haveibeenpwned.
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This site scans the top websites, online services, and databases then show you if the site has had any data breaches.
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Many of these breaches include the login credentials of thousands to millions of personal accounts, which might even include your account.
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The haveibeenpwned website is easy to use. You simply provide your email address or phone number and hit the pwned? button. The site will then show you a list of accounts you have made using the provided email/number. And you'll see whether your account is at risk or has already been involved in a leak.
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<h3>2. VirusTotal</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiKuZZ6x9_5UUHOIsuIEYsigl0xylzj5Q3Akvi34Nothw-aM_J8lNqUwSTDPaGkRpi1eUQShRcAG_vVCvPmQx_GX5m1Wo2772XaBn3JpJN6_EnrZCwPIVr26IEcyj-Cu1hAe8YdLV-EORxmfwS9zj5eff4s-K-qEGGeBs5wA3U2lKFITfgDsZhYCu-jWA=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="VirusTotal" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Downloading any media or software from unofficial sites can be dangerous. Anyone with malicious intentions can easily inject the files with all kinds of nasty malware and upload them to file-sharing communities for people to download.
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An easy way to know if a file you are about to download is safe or not is to use an online security tool known as VirusTotal. This site scans web links or files then provides a comprehensive diagnosis of whether it has been modified and what those modifications actively mean to you.
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<h3>3. PGP Tool</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="411" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiYrzKqqX-A1UAxiDM9cTbwga2KehUG1OqbkZ_6AGBlUdWP51OrH5tWw5Z5rJK3lUneEV54ETdBFu8zpwRrrLMYd6h6JJfXr_KouLpx07f_DtxC4DHIHMoBsK6YglUV3G28Zwz1HOSO0JQ1kI1C5LL3VgMPrwwae2zt5KrbiWoZiWoNNAM9KW5OhPfm6A=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="PGP Tool" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Are you looking for a more advanced way to encrypt your messages? PGP Tool is a quick and easy encryption tool that lets you generate, sign, encrypt, and decrypt messages online. With an extra layer of encryption, you can ensure that your messages are protected, even during a session hijacking event.
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PGP Tool uses PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) technology, with a private and a public key. A public key encrypts messages and files, while private keys decrypt said encrypted files.
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You first have to generate a key pair. A private and public key pair will allow you to encrypt and decrypt files and messages.
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Once the pair is generated, you send the private key to the receiver (this would be better if you do it on a different device) then encrypt the message using the public key. After the message has been encrypted, you can then send it to any online messaging service you prefer. The receiver will then use the private key to decrypt the message.
<br /><br /><b><i>Read More:</i></b> <i><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2022/01/how-to-delete-your-search-history-and.html">How to Delete Your Search History and Become a Digital Ghost</a></i><br /><br />
<h3>4. KB SSL Enforcer</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiBNnKFbISr25vumG_EmIfQBANL0yk4Lj3f0Hs7OH5voEu-LYx7RwGQOYCm4aI4bESZudaTffgBm6g2YvBD3nsJYfKaKuIpjmqovNdOqOOKjjJdWRPE0TLSleSooy1AWlb6_PgFGOKCo1L7e_PVLNr70axCY1KLh8fOwgixV8ic5UUHUaJdX0lPfV7YkQ=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="KB SSL Enforcer" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
If you’ve ever looked closely at your browser’s URL, you should see HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) at the very beginning of the link address. This denotes that the website has an SSL certificate so encrypts all the data packets going in and out of the website. With your data encrypted, stolen packets of data will be rendered useless to hackers as decryption is resource-intensive, if not impossible.
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Although popular websites already enforce HTTPS on their websites, many websites still don’t implement this protocol. To make sure you’re only on secure websites, install the KB SSL Enforcer. KB SSL Enforcer is an open-sourced browser extension that implements secure connections every time you enter the web.
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<h3>5. DuckDuckGo</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="390" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi_oRX9cxeAXjaAf2bQXN4ximJor1ZMX3rarPG89WdIGuu2pwPPBgSOq87kQpm4uPf6Fyoowv6S6uSBGTjVxod0vZo9_2RlsM-bZy-Rwj640t8Vgwha40IOnofhaVKKbRalFCfu7zC7b7rA07bfrFyR87YeiyTS2ciCUtfRVQePefSUxjWqC6efcZpCcg=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="DuckDuckGo" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
It's common for your search queries, site visits, and even user information to be tracked by your search engine. Large companies such as Google claim that the data collected is only used to improve the browsing experience for users. Even if this were true, there are numerous ways hackers can exploit the system and use it to get your data.
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If you don’t want to take any chances, DuckDuckGo provides another layer of security by not tracking any of your search queries and visits. There are also many other advantages that DuckDuckGo has to offer, such as providing uniform search results and ad-free browsing.
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<h3>6. ToSDR (Terms of Service Didn't Read)</h3>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="6 Online Tools to Increase Your Internet Security for Free" border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgW3PFo_Q6rTRY8mMnlx1LE7SgauiKp2UEo3j1vkSYFarIEg1tvw2NiWAR8KpBPRkmosGAbP1rrkS8UI0jxWG0a1_neJAb3-pzotXx3tVqA_Sj1EJ9DkVDXEOZzs1ROutDptHF3CYJ9bVVMiLYt8PZXzbN2YGZ-hKOjIhereuxRX-UZ1SnNp2QCUstgaw=s16000" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="ToSDR (Terms of Service Didn't Read)" /></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;">© Provided by MakeUseOf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />
Terms of service, terms of use, terms, and conditions: whatever you call them, most websites should state the rules and regulations they implement on the site. These terms can be as harmless as “you maintain ownership or your data” and as dangerous as “this service can store your data whether you have an account or not”.
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Most popular sites will have to provide their terms of service to protect the owners in case any legal litigation might occur that stems from how the site uses visitors' information. The big problem is that terms of services are likely to belong, hard to read, and positioned where you're less likely to notice.
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To make it convenient for you to read the terms of conditions, an extension called ToSDR (Terms of Service Didn’t Read) will automatically notify you in case the site you are visiting has terms that you don’t agree with. If you really can’t be bothered to read any of the terms (which is understandable, and a widespread issue), the extension also has a grading system you can use to determine if a site is something you can trust with your data.
<br /><br /><b><i>Read More:</i></b> <i><a href="https://tech.dearjulius.com/2019/12/so-you-fell-for-a-cyber-scam-heres-what-to-do-next.html">So you fell for a cyber scam — here's what to do next</a></i><br /><br />
<h3>The Best Internet Security You Can Get</h3>
With so many safety protocols implemented over the internet, hacking your account isn’t as easy as movies portray it.
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Hacking is a numbers game; out of the billions of people surfing the internet, some are bound to fall for their traps. You have to understand that no safety protocols will save you if you trust everything on the internet. You need to have some skepticism when visiting sites, clicking on links, and downloading files, in order to significantly increase your online security.
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See more at <b><a href="https://www.makeuseof.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">MakeUseOf</a></b>Saba Binte Murtazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06485364687571869478noreply@blogger.com