How to secure your passwords with LastPass

• March 22, 2014

A lot of our privacy and security content makes an important assumption. That assumption is that nobody can get into your account without breaking through some sort of protective measures, meaning you are only vulnerable due to either your activities or security holes on the web. The truth is, though, bad passwords are much more often your personal security’s weakest link.

Your old Microsoft Points are being converted into cash credit

• March 20, 2014

Long-time users of Xbox 360 may remember that the currency for buying game upgrades and the like was known as Microsoft Points. Since these were bought in bundles, users would rarely have a balance of 0 points. All users with a remaining balance of points saw their balance converted into a cash credit that can be used on Xbox Live, Xbox Music, the Windows App Store, or the Windows Phone Store. 

Get to sleep after using your computer with f.lux

• March 11, 2014

You’ve probably heard it a million times: don’t use your computer before bed. Unfortunately, many times we don’t have that kind of flexibility. Work has to be done, cross-continental Skype chats must be had, or a variety of other things. With a simple, low-memory app, you can fine-tune your screen to help you sleep at night.

Chrome Web Store to allow purchase of desktop apps, extensions, themes

• March 11, 2014

According to the Google Chrome developers’ blog, the Chrome Web Store will now allow its desktop applications and extensions to be available for up-front payment. Previously, only the web apps could be pay-to-play, so to speak. Themes can also be paid for up-front, but will lack some of the other purchase functionality being given to extensions and desktop apps.

Active digitizers: The feature you didn’t know you wanted in your tablet

• March 4, 2014

Affordable and lightweight touchscreens changed the consumer electronics market forever. The promise of touchscreens was full control with precision. Navigating our screens with hardware, like we did on our computers or non-touchscreen phones, was precise but didn’t give us the same sense of control that reaching out and touching our target does. Of course, things did not work out quite as smoothly as we found out that our clunky fingers were really imprecise and so were those soft-tipped styli we bought to fix that problem.

What could bring us the greater precision that we seek? Not better fingers nor bigger screens. Instead, a different touch-sensing system entirely.

Zotero, the free citation manager for students, teachers, and more

• March 3, 2014

Citing sources is one of the most tedious parts of research, academic or otherwise. You’ve done the legwork, but proving it to your readers seems to take more effort than the writing and searching! Once upon a time, websites like EasyBib or Citation Machine were the cutting edge for people trying to expedite the process. With the advent of a widely available, free citation manager like Zotero, those seem like things of the past. 

How to use Wunderlist to manage your life, lists, and more

• March 2, 2014

_ _Do you find yourself getting overwhelmed with your many lists? A sticky note for this, a notebook for that, a scrap paper here…wait, where is the grocery list? Maybe you find your mental list-making abilities coming up a little short as your work, school, or other life commitments have been piling up. If you are interested in being more productive, efficient, and not letting things slip through the cracks, you want to know how to use Wunderlist to make all life’s lists manageable.

Why use a VPN (virtual private network)?

• February 28, 2014

Many people have never heard of a virtual private network, more commonly known as a VPN. Some tech enthusiasts have heard about them, but don’t happen to be worried about government spying, and haven’t conceived any other uses for a VPN. Whether you are completely new to the concept or have been thinking about it for a while now, GettingThingsTech has some answers for you.

What should you look for when buying a laptop? Part 1: OS, size, and types of use

• February 27, 2014

Buying a laptop can be a stressful process for even the most seasoned veteran buyer. If you aren’t an expert, things can be even more overwhelming. You might resort to paying more than you need to just to be sure you get something that works. A cheap laptop may come with an unexpected problem or shortcoming. Let’s take a step-by-step look at the many considerations that go into being happy with a laptop purchase. Some, but not all, of these suggestions apply to desktops, which we’ll look at on a later date.

Share Wi-Fi from your hotel or college dorm: Connect your XBOX, PS4, Roku, or other devices to college/university or hotel Wi-Fi

• February 27, 2014

Did you bring your Roku or Chromecast on your trip, only to find out you could not get it to connect to your hotel’s internet? Were you really excited to play some multi-player on your new XBOX or PS4 at college, but you can’t get it to recognize your dorm’s wi-fi?

You may be able to create a wi-fi hotspot of your own to share that internet with your devices.