If you're spending hours on your phone playing games like Angry Birds and Candy Crush Saga, or posting online to Google+ and Pinterest, you're probably being spied on. The latest releases from NSA whistle blower Edward Snowden reveal that the National Security Agency, and its UK counterpart, GCHQ, are mining the ad networks utilized in these apps to collect a trove of information on you.
Let's be honest for a second; we all have sensitive material on our phones that we wouldn't want anyone else to ever see. Maybe it's to protect ourselves or someone else, or maybe it's none of your business why I don't want you to see pictures of my bachelor party. Regardless, sometimes we need to keep things hidden and safe.
One of the best things about iOS 7 is the Control Center, which gives you quick access from anywhere on your iPhone to turning on or off Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and more. It also makes it very easy to adjust the brightness of your display, and gives app shortcuts for your Flashlight, Calculator, Timer, and Camera.
You can easily lock any folder on your Windows computer with a simple Notepad hack. By creating a batch file, you can hide a folder and require a password be entered before it becomes visible and accessible. This is a great tool for locking sensitive information, like pictures, financial statements, and a lot more.
We will show you with easy step by step instruction how to create a beautiful edible apple swan. This swan is easy to create and can be done in under 5m. Makes for a great centre piece during a special dinner.
There are a gazillion lock screen apps available on Google Play, but the majority of them are subpar and not worth your time. However, in my opinion, there is definitely one out there worth your time—one that constantly learns and adapts to what apps you use when and where to determine which shortcuts to give you.
Customization of our Android devices, outside of what Google and mobile carriers allow us to do, used to mandate that our devices were rooted and running a custom ROM.
Nine times out of ten, when you pick up your Samsung Galaxy Note 2, you already know what app you're going to be using. If you only have Swipe to unlock enabled, finding that app is as easy as swiping and locating the app on your Home screen or in the app drawer.
One of the first things most people ask for when staying with a friend is the password to the Wi-Fi network. Even if you trust your friends to the end of the earth, a super secure password can be a pain to share with them, especially if it's just a bunch of random characters.
I love surprises. Surprise parties, surprise visits, surprise Patrick... But there are times when a surprise is the last thing you want, like reaching into your pocket to find that your Samsung Galaxy S3 is not where it should be.
Since The Guardian published leaked documents exposing the depth of the NSA's spying powers, many people who've never put much effort into protecting their privacy are finally starting to pay attention. Evidence of public opinion concerning PRISM can be seen from the rise in traffic for pro-privacy sites like DuckDuckGo to the petitions demanding that the program be scaled back or done away with altogether. Some would argue that you waive your right to privacy by signing the terms of agreemen...
You jump in your car and notice that is feels like it is slipping out of gear or shifting in and out of neutral. What could the problem be? One problem may be that the transmission fluid and filter need to be changed.
I've never been much of a runner. I've tried running alone, with a partner, on busy sidewalks, and back country roads, but I just never got it. There are a few other forms of exercise I genuinely enjoy, but have yet to experience that "natural high" that avid runners are always talking about.
Tired of your Samsung Galaxy S3 being a square? Make it more well-rounded by ditching those 90-degree corners on your screen for new adjustable round corners instead. It may be a minor tweak to your device, but the psychological effects of a more circular screen may help you feel more connected, safe, and, well…perfect. If you're the type that prefers the logic, order, and security of a sharp-cornered screen, then stick with your standard Android interface. Otherwise, keeping reading.
Wall framing. How to frame a wall. Whether you're re-sheeting an old wall or building a new timber frame wall, before you install the plasterboard or drywall, take the opportunity to have a really good think about what services or insulation qualities you might want to have in that space. There are issues to consider like electrical, plumbing, noggins for wall fixtures and insulation.
When the time comes to move home, the logistics of moving your belongings can easily become tiresome, tricky and even disastrous. However, with a little careful planning and foresight, the act of packing can be a simple process. The key to getting the most from your move is in efficiency, planning and care. Here, we take a look at the best ways to pack in order to ensure a safe and simple move.
Earlier this week, Spiderlabs' vulnerability researcher Jonathan Claudius discovered a key in Windows 7 and 8 registries that makes it easy for anyone with physical or remote access to a computer get a hold of the user's password hints. When the "UserPasswordHint" key is read, the hints are displayed as a code that looks encrypted, but Claudius noticed a pattern of zeroes that could be easily translated back to plain text with a decoder he made in Ruby. He added this functionality to the Meta...
At the recent DefCon conference in Las Vegas, researchers opened many of the top commercially available gun safes with simple tools like a straw or a paper clip, and in one case, just by shaking it a bit. The investigation began after the researchers, Toby Bluzmanis, Marc Tobias and Matt Fiddler, learned that certain Stack-On safes, issued to some law enforcement officials to secure their firearms at home, could be opened simply by jiggling the doorknob.
Have you ever wondered what sort of microscopic critters are floating around in your water? Well, you can find out with just a few bucks worth of materials and a laser pointer. Really. That's all it takes to build your very own homemade laser projection microscope, aka a water drop projector.
If you've read anything in the news about Skype recently, it probably hasn't been good. First, there was the controversy over the company listening to and recording users' conversations. Now, there's a new spam tool for Skype that can harvest usernames, see whether or not you're online, and even parse your log files. Image by Lloyd Dewolf
Tethering your Android phone basically turns it into a mobile hotspot, allowing you to funnel a 3G or 4G internet connection from your phone into your PC or laptop via USB. As you might expect, phone carriers brought the hammer down in an effort to stop users from getting around the fees they charge to normally allow you to do this.
Jake von Slatt of The Steampunk Workshop kept breaking the rear glass panel on his iPhone. So, he ended up making his own gorgeous replacement out of brass to replace the standard Apple logo ones who kept getting. The only problem was that it made his signal strength super weak, so he figured out how to transfer the etching onto a glass back. Here's the basic rundown of how he accomplished this feat...
Did you know you can help protect yourself when traveling with a gun? No, not like that; and not in any way that's going to land you in prison. Simply by packing a gun, you can ensure that not only will your luggage be safer, but that the airline will make certain that it reaches its destination. Photo by Alamy
Paper towels are really cool. I like having them around for quickly cleaning up messes and what not. However, I do not have a stand or something similar for my paper towels, so it can sometimes get a bit taxing to pick up the roll and unravel it every time I need a towel.
Steaming food has a lot of advantages over other cooking methods. The gentle heat of steam allows for meats, such as chicken wings, to become more moist after cooking.
An amazing amount of news this week; new proposals and new agreements have sprung up. But so has our "need" to spread our presence. The military warns of another war, while 26 congressmen decry the use of drone strikes. Read on:
Need a quick repair job for your HP iPAQ Pocket PC RX3100, 3115, 3400, 3415, 3417, 3700, or 3715? Well, this video tutorial will show you how to disassemble the phone after it's been damaged. You'll see exactly how to take it apart, then simply reverse the instructions to put the HP iPAQ RX3100, 3115, 3400, 3415, 3417, 3700, or 3715 back together.
In this episode of YouTips4U, learn how to do a new style to your hair following the steps outlined here. A fishtail is a variation of a traditional braid and works well for people with thick hair. You will need two hair ties and a ribbon (which is optional). In the first step, bring your hair to one side of your head and tie the ponytail to secure it. Divide pony tail in two equal sections. In the first section take a 1/2-inch to an inch piece and fold it over to the left so that it is in th...
This video by Technology Helper teaches you how to carry out the often difficult task of taking apart an XBox 360. First the face plate is removed using a small screwdriver and then further parts are removed by pushing small prongs on the inside of the XBox using a screwdriver to reach the inside of the machine. The video then explains which screws need to be removed from the XBox in order to successfully disassemble it and access the hard drive, which you can now easily remove from the XBox ...
This how to video teaches you how to make a guitar pedal board. All you need is: 1. One piece of flat scrap board
Need a new iPhone app? Check out Comets and Craters, a new iPhone tower defense strategy game. These ten video tutorials cover all of the gameplay troubles you may have. Steve explains the features and gameplay to help you get the most out of playing Comets and Craters on your Apple iPhone. For those more seasoned Tower Defense players, the video's also provide some insight regarding scoring, upgrades, plus Tower and Enemy capabilities.
See how to increase the mW of a 5 mW Green Laser Pointer!
Fireworks are the best part about the Fourth of July and other celebrations, but they can easily cause accidental injuries. It's both safer and more fun to set them off remotely, so we'll hack some standard fireworks with nichrome wire, a relay, and an Arduino to ignite remotely over Wi-Fi using any smartphone or computer.
If you want to use your iPhone with another carrier, all you have to do is contact the original carrier to request an unlock, which is usually granted in a few days. Unfortunately, you need to meet specific criteria to officially carrier-unlock your iPhone, like paying off the device in full and completing any contracts. But that doesn't mean there isn't a workaround you can use beforehand.
Only three things in life are certain: death, taxes, and getting a dent in your car or truck. Even if you're as careful as possible, you can't always account for runaway shopping carts, wrongly thrown footballs, out-of-nowhere light posts, and other real-life annoyances.
Two years ago, driven by a good friend of mine i decided to give it a try on timelapse photography. I had a DSLR camera but didn't had an intervalometer, so i assembled a small electronic circuit on top of an Arduino Uno, made some basic code and did my first timelapse movie. The result was awful, but for some reason I was hooked.
Every home cook has their most-hated kitchen task. For me, peeling hard-boiled eggs and garlic are pretty high up there. Actually, peeling just about anything is, but for every annoying job, there's a shortcut to make it easier.
Here's how to make dry-ice at home, or wherever you feel like it! All you need is a pillow case, and a CO2 fire extinguisher.
Other than sticking your crayon drawings onto your refrigerator door, magnets have a variety of unexpected and sometimes surprisingly practical uses, ranging from keeping your chip bags sealed to creating weird patterns on your nail beds using magnetic nail polish.
It's been done for ages, but for most of us, "regift" entered our vocabulary after the 98th episode of Seinfeld—"The Label Maker." In this episode, Elaine calls Dr. Whatley (played by Bryan Cranston) a "regifter" after he gives Jerry a label maker—the same label maker that Elaine gave Whatley.
