Tech Myths

Five tech myths busted

 

These tech myths are often employed by salespeople to convince you to splash out some extra cash. Find out whether there is any truth to these tech myths. 

Expensive HDMI cables

If you’ve recently bought a new TV, home theatre system or Bluray player, the salesperson has also probably tried to bundle in a $200 gold-plated HDMI cable which will supposedly give you a better quality picture. They might have even been generous enough to knock off $20 because they like the cut of your jib. Unfortunately, their jib is a bit less likeable, as there is absolutely no truth to this tech myth.

Unlike analogue cables you might use for sound systems, HDMI cables use digital signals, so you’ll either get the picture or you won’t; there’s no way a better quality cable will produce a better quality image. However, HDMI cables have trouble with long distances (over around 20 metres), and there are certain cables you can buy that include technology that allows the cables to run up to 60 metres. So unless your Bluray player and TV are on opposite ends of your house, buy the cheapest HDMI cable you can find.

Macs can’t get viruses

While this statement is false, Macs are much less likely to get viruses. This is because Macs are nowhere near as common as Windows computers, so it is not as profitable to target Mac computers with viruses. However, as Macs become more popular, they will also become a more popular target for malware attacks.

More megapixels means better pictures

When buying a camera or a smartphone you’ll probably hear about how many megapixels the camera has. It’s one of the biggest selling points, but what does it actually mean? Having more megapixels simply means is that the photos you take will have a larger resolution, it does not necessarily mean they will look better.

A bad quality camera with lots of megapixels is like an awful painter with a giant canvas and litres of paint to work with; whereas a good quality camera is like a talented painter who can still produce a beautiful painting on a small canvas (after all the Mona Lisa is only about 50cm across).

While having more megapixels can be good, you should look for some examples of photos taken by the camera online to see if it lives up to the hype.

Leaving your smartphone plugged in overnight will ruin the battery

Modern smartphones are smart enough to stop charging when they are full – to stop the battery from overcharging. So you can rest easy if you leave your phone plugged in while you sleep. However, if your smartphone has a case, leaving it charging overnight can cause it to overheat and damage the battery, so you might want to take your case off before plugging it in.

Mobile phone at petrol station

Despite widespread belief, there is absolutely no evidence to support the myth that using your mobile phone whilst fuelling your car at a petrol station can cause fires. However, it is true that a simple static shock from your finger can. Mythbusters put this to the test over a decade ago.

 

W10 Shortcuts

Windows 10 keyboard shortcuts

 

If you use a computer often, you’ve probably come across keyboard shortcuts in the past, or if you haven’t, this might explain how some people manage to fly through complex tasks on the computer without even touching the mouse.

Keyboard shortcuts allow you to quickly perform a function by pressing a combination of keys at the same time. 

To use any of the keyboard shortcuts below, simultaneously press the keys listed in bold – remember that these will only work on Windows 10.

Windows key + A: Opens the Action Center where you can view recent notifications and adjust some frequently used settings such as wifi, Bluetooth and screen brightness.

Windows key + I: Opens Settings where you can change the settings on your device.

Windows key + S: Opens Search, which allows you to search for files on your computer or on the internet.

Windows key + Tab: Opens Task View, which shows all of the programs you have open, allowing you to click on one to interact with it. This can be really handy when you feel like your programs are burying you.

Windows key + arrow key: Allows you to ‘snap’ a window on your screen. By pressing left or right you can snap to half of the screen, if you then press up or down you can snap to one quarter of the screen. You can also minimise the active window by pressing Windows key + down, or maximise the window to take up the whole screen by pressing Windows key + up.

The following keyboard shortcuts relate to the usage of ‘Virtual Desktops’. This new feature in Windows 10 allows your computer to pretend it has two or more screens, and you can choose which one shows on your computer screen. For example you can have your work activities on one virtual desktop and your personal activities on the other and then swap between them whenever you want.

Windows key + Ctrl + D: Creates a new virtual desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + F4: Closes the current desktop.

Windows key + Ctrl + left or right arrow key: Switches between virtual desktops.

These keyboard shortcuts will work anywhere in Windows 10, in addition to these, most programs have their own built in. Here are some keyboard shortcuts for Microsoft Word.

If you want to learn some more shortcuts or refresh your memory, why not read our Top 10 keyboard shortcuts? All of these keyboard shortcuts will still work on Windows 10.

 

 

Online language

The evolution of language online

 

You grow up believing that you have a good grasp of English and a firm understanding of what words mean. Then along comes the internet and suddenly words, such as ‘cloud’ and ‘troll’, are being used in entirely new contexts. Since the internet boom, many common words have been appropriated for online use.

Here are 10 words that now mean something different now, as compiled by Dictionary.com to mark its 20th birthday:

Block

Then: “to obstruct (someone or something) by placing obstacles in the way.”

What it means online: “to prevent someone from contacting you on a social network, such as Twitter, or from viewing your profile.”

Catfish

What it means: “any of the numerous fishes of the order or suborder Nematognathi (or Siluroidei), characterised by barbels around the mouth and the absence of scales.”

What it means online: “a person who assumes a false identity or personality on the internet, especially on social-media websites, as to deceive, manipulate, or swindle.”

Cloud

What it means: “a visible collection of particles of water or ice suspended in the air, usually at an elevation above the earth's surface.”

What it means online: “any of several, often proprietary, parts of the internet that allow online processing and storage of documents and data as well as electronic access to software and other resources (usually preceded by the).”

Follow

What it means: “to go or come after; move behind in the same direction.”

What it means online: “to subscribe to someone's updates on social media.”

Like

What it means: “to be suitable or agreeable to.”

What it means online: “to indicate one's enjoyment of, agreement with, or interest in website content, especially in social media.”

Meme

What it means: “a cultural item that is transmitted by repetition and replication in a manner analogous to the biological transmission of genes.”

What it means online: “a cultural item in the form of an image, video, phrase, etc., that is spread via the internet and often altered in a creative or humorous way.”

Tag

What it means: “to supply with an identifying marker or price; to attach as an addition.”

What it means online: “to link to someone else's profile in a social media post, commonly a photo or status update.”

Timeline

What it means: “a linear representation of important events in the order in which they occurred.”

What it means online: “a collection of online posts or updates associated with a specific social-media account, in reverse chronological order.”

Troll

What it means: “(in Scandinavian folklore) any of a race of supernatural beings, sometimes conceived as giants and sometimes as dwarfs, inhabiting caves or subterranean dwellings.”

What it means online: “to post inflammatory or inappropriate messages or comments online for the purpose of upsetting other users and provoking a response.”

Viral

What it means: “of, relating to, or caused by a virus.”

What it means online: “becoming very popular by circulating quickly from person to person, especially through the internet.”

See the fill list at Dictionary.com

 

 

Travel App

One tap travel help

 

Even with the best travel planning, things can sometimes go a little awry. Taking the panic out of travel, this clever app means help is only the touch of a button away.

The Travel Aware App connects travellers with overseas emergency services and embassies at the touch of a button and can translate critical emergency questions into the local language. For those nervous about travelling overseas, this app is a must-have.

In the vent of a major incident happening while you are travelling Travel Aware provides international travellers with important emergency information, contacts for 2172 embassies worldwide, translations of key emergency phrases in over 200 languages, and secure storage of passport and insurance details. 

Engineer and inventor Neil Wallace said he designed the app after identifying a need for people to seek help quickly and easily if they are caught up in an emergency situation overseas.

“The App has been in development for more than three years and the launch has been planned for months, however, the terrible situation with the recent terrorist attacks in Paris has highlighted how beneficial this app could be,” Mr Wallace said.

The app is currently available to those from the top 10 travelling countries in the world – Australia, USA, UK, Canada, Japan, China, France, Germany, Brazil and South Korea, and will be available to more countries soon, with additional upgrades already in development.

Travel Aware is available for Apple and Android phones for $3.99, which includes future upgrades, including additional countries and translation languages.

 

 

Internet Deletion

How to delete yourself from the internet

 

The internet has made it possible for just about anyone to access information about you with the click of a button. But if you’re a security-conscious person, this may not sit well with you. Fear not, erasing yourself entirely from the internet can be a big task, but it is possible.

Delete or deactivate your online accounts

This includes:

·         social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs, etc.)

·         online shopping accounts (eBay, CatchOfTheDay, Amazon, etc.)

·         web services accounts (email, Dropbox, Flybuys, etc.)

All sites vary, by you’ll find the option to delete or deactivate under a title such as Security or Privacy.

Contrary to popular belief, your Facebook account can be permanently deleted (not just deactivated). All you need to do is head to Delete My Account and click the blue button.  Be warned, however, that this is a permanent step. So if you wish to keep your Facebook history, be sure to download it onto your computer first. Do this by clicking on Account Settings > General > Download a copy of your Facebook Data > Start My Archive.

When it comes to blogs, you may need to contact the webmaster if you want to have an old blog post removed.

Tip: you’ll want to leave deactivating your email until last so that if you need to resend passwords to yourself to complete the deactivation process, you have somewhere to send them.

Remove your information from data collection websites

You might have noticed ads running across your computer screen that seem to be tailored to you – this is not a coincidence. Some sites collect and store your information in order to promote products to you while you’re browsing online.

Rather than tracking down all these websites (how would you know!) the most effective way to remove yourself from their databases is to fork out a bit of money. For the one-year membership of $130, services like DeleteMe do the hard work for you, and make sure your name is never re-added to any lists. 

Deleting yourself from the internet means backtracking through your history and erasing your online footprint. It can be difficult to really know whether your data will be permanently removed, but by following this guide you will do more than enough to disappear from the online world – if that’s your wish. 

Read more at gizmodo.com and cnet.com

 

Tech Travel Tips

Tips for travelling with technology

 

Technology can make travelling so simpler and more enjoyable, but it can also make travel frustrating and clutter your suitcase. Find out how to make tech work for you while travelling.

Prepare ahead of time

Unless you’re going to an undeveloped country, it’s quite likely you’ll be able to pick up some basics, such as power adapters and local simcards, when you arrive. But why not try to get it out of the way while you’re still at home? It’ll cost you less than buying things at the airport, but the real savings come into effect when you can sit down and relax at your destination while unprepared travellers have to dig through their phrasebooks to find out where they can buy a travel adapter. 

Travel adapters and chargers
While we’re on the topic, if you’ve got a few devices that you travel with (smartphone, camera, tablet) you may be able to just bring one wall charger with you, along with the USB cords for each device. PCCaseGear.com has a four USB port wall charger which could save some space in your suitcase. 

You might also want to invest in an international travel adapter. This one from SKROSS even has two USB ports built in. 

Portable battery charger

Whether you want to take a few more pictures or look at some maps and figure out where you are, these little devices are ideal, and you can charge it using your smartphone or tablet. 

You can charge these devices just as you would your smartphone, then when you find yourself stranded and out of battery, just plug the device into your smartphone or tablet, and it will charge as if it were plugged into a wall outlet. 

The chargers come in all different shapes and sizes; generally the larger they, the more charge you will get out of them and the more expensive they will be. JB Hi-Fi has a large range of wall chargers and portable battery chargers in all different shapes and sizes. 

App-ly yourself

Get on the iTunes app store or Google Play and load up your phone with travel apps before you head off. Many countries have government-funded apps to ensure tourists have a good time to keep them coming back. So why not take advantage? To get you started, here are some of the best travel apps around: 

Tripadvisor – One of the most popular travel websites, that offers detailed user-reviewed information on everything from hotels to local attractions. Tripadvisor also runs SeatGuru, which can help you choose the best plane seats. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android or web. 

Google Translate – Offers translations of over 90 different languages but does require an internet connection to use. Android users can download language packs to allow for offline text translation. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android and Web. 

Skype – One of the hardest parts of travel can be leaving behind the people you love at home. Skype offers free voice and video calls between devices, and affordable international phone calls. Available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac and more. 

 

Mac Attack

The attack on Mac

 

Malware threats and viruses targeting Apple Mac computers are at an all-time high and are rising dramatically.

One of the biggest selling points for Macs have always been that they have ‘no viruses’, and while this is not exactly true, it is true that they have much, much less viruses than Windows computers. However, it looks as if this is changing; so far in 2015 there have been five times more malware threats targeting Mac computers than there were in the last five years combined.

The reason for this massive surge in malware is most likely that Mac computers are more popular than ever before, making them a more suitable target for attacks.

And while this is still a small amount of malware compared to the number is targeting Windows computers, it’s probably a good time to get some antivirus software running on your Mac.

Popular technology blog Tom’s Guide has recently published their list of the best antivirus software for Macs. They awarded the Best Overall Mac Antivirus award to German antivirus company Avira. Avira’s Free Antivirus for Mac has had over 400 million installs worldwide, and the software offers protection from viruses as well as stopping you from unknowingly helping to spread PC viruses.

Visit Avira’s website to set up free antivirus protection.

Read more about the malware attacks at Business Insider.

Have you ever had any malware problems with your Mac? Was the supposed immunity to viruses one of the reasons you chose a Mac?

 

App of the month

App of the month November

 

Bring out the DIY-er inside you, whether you’re a woodworker, chef, engineer or anything else. Also, find the cheapest flights possible with the app of the month.

Instructables

A popular website and app, Instructables is the king of DIY tutorials on the internet. With over 100,000 DIY step-by-step guides, it’s the best place to get started with some fun projects – and there are plenty that are suitable for entertaining grandkids. The vast selection of tutorials cover everything from a 3D printed underwater camera case, to a wall-hangingvertical vegetable garden. Do you love the feeling of making something with your own hands?

To begin browsing and building, get the app for free on iPhone, iPad and Android, or you canvisit the website.

Skyscanner

If you’re a heavy traveller, this website and recently updated app could save you a lot when it comes to purchasing plane tickets. Simply enter your local airport and your destination, and when you wish to travel. Skyscanner will then crunch the numbers and search for prices from hundreds of different airlines, showing you the cheapest ones for the dates you chose.

If you really want to stretch your budget, you can even check for the cheapest flights over a whole month, or let Skyscanner determine the cheapest month of the year for you. You can also set options to look for direct flights only, sort results by the amount of stopovers and more.

Available for free on iPhone, iPad and Android, or you can visit the website.  

 

Cyber Crime

Cybercrime affects one in four

 

The 2015 Cybercrime and Fraud Report released by credit information and analysis company Veda has revealed that one in four Australians now claim to be the victim of identity theft or fraud. Many more are likely to have been affected without being aware of a security breach.

The report illustrates how criminals are becoming more tech savvy, with 50 per cent of credit application fraud now occurring online – up 33 per cent from last year. Furthermore, credit applications involving identity takeovers in Australia increased by 59 per cent over the past two years.

While 70 per cent of Australians are worried about putting information online, Veda’s head of cybercrime Fiona Long points out that “fewer than one in two Australians (44 per cent) regularly change their online passwords and only 66 per cent use secure web pages (https) when transacting online.  Almost one third (32 per cent) of Australians publish their full birth date on social networking sites, which is a key piece of personal information used to verify someone’s identity.”

“Most people think that simple and accessible online measures are effective in preventing their personal data from being stolen, but few people actually do basic things to mitigate the risk of identity fraud.  As fraudsters get more sophisticated, consumers need to get smarter about how they protect their personal information such as passwords, personal details and financial information,” she added.

Ms Long also noted that stealing credit cards is no longer the number-one priority for most sophisticated criminals, with a full identity takeover now the main goal. Identity crimes cost the Australian economy $2 billion a year with an additional $350 million spent on preventing and responding to these crimes.

Read more from www.veda.com.au

Read more from www.theage.com.au

Opinion: Common sense will keep you safe

Technological advancements have dramatically changed the world in which we live over the past decade, with almost every essential service or product being managed, accessed or purchased online. And our reliance on technology will only increase in the coming years.

The pleasing statistic to emerge from Veda’s 2015 Cybercrime and Fraud Report is that 90 per cent of respondents had anti-virus software installed on their computer, a much higher percentage than in previous reports. For the average home user, an anti-virus program, even a free version, is the first and only line of defence in preventing malware from installing itself on their computer and stealing critical information. If you don’t have an anti-virus program installed, I recommend you read Ryan’s review on the top three anti-virus programs for PC or MAC and install one today.

I wasn’t surprised to read that just 44 per cent of Australians change their online passwords regularly. My recommendation is that you update your passwords at least once every year and always make sure the password used for your main email account is different from any other account you use online.

Criminals will continue to target Australians through new and improved spam emails claiming to be from government departments, banks or even your local post office. Never open an email from someone you don’t recognise and be especially careful in regards to the attachments you open and links you click.

Finally, and most importantly, my oft-repeated phrase when talking about cybercrime is this: if it sounds too good to be true, it is.

 

Apple Pay

Apple Pay is on the way

 

After launching in the United States over a year ago, Apple Pay is finally set to launch in Australia this year.

What is it?

Apple Pay is an app that allows you to use your iPhone to make credit or debit card payments in person, simply by tapping your phone to an EFTPOS machine and verifying your fingerprint on your iPhone.

This is possible due to Near Field Communication (NFC) technology, which has become a common feature of smartphones over the last few years.

A little late to the game, Apple has begun including NFC in its iPhones as of last year’s iPhone 6. With this, it launched Apple Pay in the United States and then later in the United Kingdom.

Why has it taken so long to come to Australia?

While Apple Pay sounds like a very convenient payment method, there is a catch: Apple wants a slice of the interchange fees that banks charge. These fees amount to $2 billion dollars annually in Australia and the banks want to keep it in their pockets.

You’re probably thinking that Apple charging a fee is reasonable, and it certainly is, but when the competition (Android devices) has been letting you use their NFC technology free of charge for years, why would you pay this newcomer to let you use theirs?

In spite of this, Apple seems to have found someone willing to pay them to use their new app in Australia: American Express. This opens up an opportunity for American Express to advertise with Apple, which will both show off the convenience of the new payment method to entice new customers and pressure competing banks into giving in to Apple’s fees.

What’s the bottom line?

NFC technology is a fantastic tool that, if implemented properly, could allow for your smartphone to replace most of the cards in your wallet and more; and it’s becoming more and more common worldwide. BMW has NFC-enabled car keys, and some places allow you to pay parking tickets and public transport with NFC technology. While NFC cameras allow you to wirelessly share photos with other devices and many hotel key cards use NFC technology.

Imagine if all of these functions could be performed by your smartphone.

A smartphone that can get you onto your flight, into your hotel room, pay for your rental car then unlock the car door and more, is a smartphone truly worthy of its name. But this will never happen until everyone can reasonably access NFC technology, and it’s for this reason that I personally hope that the banks hold out on accepting Apple’s fees to encourage them to let developers use NFC free of charge, just as Google does.

 

Tablet Gadget

Your tablet’s new travel partner

 

 

So it’s not an essential travel gadget but it’s still pretty damn clever and will make your life easier.

This one’s for anyone with an iPad. In a nutshell, the iBed is a beanbag for your iPad that lets you display your device and also provides you with a handy tray. Designed so you can use your iPad more easily in bed, on the couch, on a plane, bus or train – you get the picture.

Filled with microbeads to make sure it’s comfortable if you’re resting it on your lap, the tray features a slot where you place your tablet, you can then read or watch your device with your hands free for other more important tasks, such as eating and drinking. Speaking of which, the iBed also has a non-slip surface so you can place drinks and plates on it without worrying you’ll end up wearing their contents.

Equal parts functional and stylish, it’s the perfect partner for your tablet on your next trip, whether that involves leaving the house or not!

RRP: $21.47 plus shipping from IWOOT

 

 

Video

Hi Blog Readers,

Sorry!  I was frustrated in all my attempts to send the video, so I’ve copied the link to the whole page. Hope you’re able to open the link & play the video.  Good luck!

Cheers, Joyce

 

 

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iOS9

(Sending video separately)

 

Top features for iOS 9

 

This video from MobileTechReview will give you a comprehensive run down of the best new features in iOS 9 for iPhone and iPad. 

 

Better battery life

No matter what the device is, anything can use a better battery life. iOS 9 brings your device approximately one hour of extra use before you need to recharge it. While it’s not a huge extension, it’s still handy. Those looking for even more battery life will be also be able to activate a new Low Power mode, which adds up to three more hours to your battery life by disabling some features. To enable low power mode, go to Settings > Battery and tap the slider next to Low Power Mode to turn it on.

Multitasking for iPad

Real multitasking for the iPad is finally here, after years of fruitless rumours and anticipation. Users will be able to run two apps side by side at the same time. Multitasking will also will allow you to run ‘Picture in Picture’ videos so you can watch videos or use FaceTime whilst browsing the web or using other apps. Unfortunately not all apps will be compatible with multitasking initially, but more and more will be over time.

Visit Apple’s iOS 9 page for some tips on getting multitasking up and running.

Siri’s been back to school

Apple’s personal assistant Siri has gotten some great improvements that will increase the accuracy of her understanding by 40 per cent and reduce the time it takes for her to respond by 40 per cent as well. You can also now ask her to remind you to do something related to a location – for example, saying “Siri could you remind me to take the bins out when I get home” will give you a notification to do so when you are close to home.

Incoming calls

When available, locations for incoming calls (sourced from area codes) are now shown, which may come in handy to tell the difference between another telemarketer and a friend or family member abroad. Siri may also be able to scan your recent emails when you are called by an unrecognised phone number and identify whom it belongs to.

More improvements

·         Notes now enables you to insert checklists, bullet points and numbered lists, as well as draw and sketch with virtual pens

·         maps now has a public transport view, but don’t hold your breath for Australian support

·         upgrades to device security, including the ability to set six-digit passcodes

·         a utility for moving all data and files from an Android device to an iPhone or iPad.
 

 

File Sizes

Do you know your file sizes?

 

Megabytes, gigabytes, terabytes. We hear these words thrown about like confetti during conversations about our computer’s speed and hard drive space, and how quickly we can download data. But what do these units of measure actually mean? Today, we put an end to the mystery with this handy guide to understanding file sizes.

Let’s start with bits. All the data on your computer is represented by binary digits or bits.

1 binary digit = 1 bit

1 byte = 8 bits

A byte is a sequence of bits, with eight bits of memory making up enough to represent one alphanumeric character, such as a single number or the letter ‘A’. Two bytes (or 16 bits) would make two characters; three bytes (or 24 bits) would make three characters, and so on. For example, the word goat is made up of four bytes (or 32 bits).

Below is a list of common file sizes, ranked small to large. The larger the information, the more bytes (memory and data) it requires to be stored by your computer.

For instance:

A Word document is around50–100KB

One songis around 2–10MB

One movie is around 8–20GB

When you purchase a computer, device or USB stick, the size of its hard drive will be specified. For instance, your computer may have a hard drive capacity of 160GB. This means you can store data (files, programs, music, movies and etcetera) within a 160 gigabyte limit.

Common file sizes (small to large):

These file sizes are ones you’re mostly likely to use.

1 kilobyte (KB) = 1024 bytes

1 megabyte (MB) = 1024 kilobytes

1 gigabyte (GB) = 1024 megabytes

1 terabyte (TB) = 1024 gigabytes

Larger file sizes:

These file sizes are rarely used, except by large-scale technology companies.

1 petabyte (PB) = 1024 terabytes

1 exabyte (EB) = 1024 petabytes

1 zettabyte (ZB) = 1024 exabytes

1 yottabyte (YB) = 1024 zettabytes

1 brontobyte (BB) = 1024 yottabytes

Additional information: You may have heard of binary code – a series of ones and zeros that denote text or computer processor instructions. Binary code is your computer’s language. It translates information from bits into ones and zeros. What you end up seeing is the information represented in letters and numbers.

So, eight bits is represented as ‘01010010’ in binary code.

So, next time you need to find out about file sizes and memory, you can refer to this guide. Feel free to comment if you’d like to have further information.