Tips & Tricks Archive
23 Mar 2015
Amazon’s ‘Unlocked’ service will give away paid apps for free
Amazon’s ‘Unlocked’ service will give away paid apps for free Amazon may soon introduce a new service dubbed ‘Amazon Unlocked’ which will offer paid apps for free. Along with free apps, the service will also make in-app purchases free. The report added that developers can leave Unlocked and when they do, users will have to begin paying
23 Mar 2015
Ten VPN Services You Should Know About
Ten VPN Services You Should Know About VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are no longer just for work. VPN prevents snoops from eavesdropping on your online activity, whether that’s marketers, someone malicious, or even the government. People just want to be able to surf the Web or access remote services without worrying about attackers and
21 Mar 2015
12 Tips to Speed Up Windows 7
12 Tips to Speed Up Windows 7 Windows 7 made notable speed improvements over its predecessor, Vista, but it can’t compare with the much faster Windows 8. And most people haven’t experienced the 15-second boot that Microsoft engineers were shooting for in Windows 7 (and achieved in Windows 8 for many machines). There are certainly
21 Mar 2015
Transit (for Android)
Transit (for Android) Every commuter with an Android-powered tablet or smartphone who’s felt the sting of not knowing the schedule of public transportation should download Transit (free). The Android-only app delivers real-time bus, train, and ferry information to users in more than 80 domestic and international cities, including Berlin, Houston, Montreal, Nashville, New York, and San
21 Mar 2015
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (for Android)
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware (for Android) Antivirus Scan Out of an abundance of caution, I don’t perform live malware testing when reviewing Android security apps. Instead, I leave it to the professionals. According to preliminary results from independent labAV-Test, Malwarebytes detected more than 90 percent of the malicious sample files used in their evaluation. That’s below the
20 Mar 2015
How to Get Music Onto Your Smartphone
How to Get Music Onto Your Smartphone Your Android smartphone can be a great music player — after you’ve jumped through a few hoops. There are basically two ways to indulge in your listening pleasure: 1) transfer music files to the device; and 2) access a service to stream music from the Web. The easiest
20 Mar 2015
How to Set Up a Microwave Internet Link Over Distance
How to Set Up a Microwave Internet Link Over Distance You too can set up a personal wireless Internet connection of your very own over distances of up to several miles. All you need are two microwave antennas; some long Ethernet cables; a couple of photographic tripods; a laptop; an old WiFi Router; and a
20 Mar 2015
How to Boost Your Home WiFi With Multiple Repeaters and Access Points
How to Boost Your Home WiFi With Multiple Repeaters and Access Points Large homes and older homes with thick walls can be a particular challenge for WiFi coverage, but one strategy is to use multiple hard-wired access points and wireless repeaters to spread the signal. Start by downloading a free analyzer app for your phone
20 Mar 2015
Build Your Own Simple Linux Banking Tool
Build Your Own Simple Linux Banking Tool In general, the numerous spreadsheet templates that are Microsoft Excel clones and load in OpenOffice and LibreOffice are digital versions of a paper-and-pen checkbook register. If you want a simple spreadsheet to enter deposit and withdrawal details to get a running account balance, these basic spreadsheet solutions are
20 Mar 2015
How to Encrypt a Windows 8 PC Drive
How to Encrypt a Windows 8 PC Drive Windows 8.1 Pro includes built-in drive encryption tools. These tools work even if you don’t have a TPM chip. TPM, or Trusted Platform Module, is encryption-ready hardware. You’ll need a spare USB thumb drive, though. Encryption tools are hidden away in the depths of the machine, so