Savings

Five ways to reduce computing costs

 

For many Australians living on a fixed income, purchasing and maintaining a computer can become quite costly. So, we share five ways you can save when using technology.

Consider the hardware

As with cars, a computer loses its value the moment you bring it home from the shop. One way to save money on future computer purchases is to consider buying second hand. Websites such as eBay, Trading Post and Deals Direct specialise in dealing with second hand and refurbished computers that work as new. Even Apple sells refurbished Macs. The best part is the majority of these computers will come preloaded with expensive add-on software, such as Microsoft Office, and you’ll be given a 12-24 month warranty on the product.

Save power, save your computer

As computers have become faster and more advanced, their fans and processors require more power to operate. The cost of running the average computer has risen significantly in recent years, and even $2 per day is a lot of wasted money over the space of a year. So instead of leaving your computer on overnight, shut it down. Turning the computer off could also mean increasing its lifespan.

Bundling plans

Bundling is the process of combining your phone, internet and mobile bills into one plan. When bundling your plans together, the company will reward your loyalty with a discount usually ranging between 10-25 per cent, depending upon the provider. However, before committing to a bundled package, review what your needs are and don’t allow yourself to be talked into purchasing a plan that is far beyond your actual data needs.

Free software

Why pay for expensive software if there is a free alternative? When purchasing a new or used computer, you may be asked to purchase ‘essential’ software such as Microsoft Office or Norton’s antivirus software. While these programs are useful for everyday computing, there are free alternatives available. Even non-essential software such as Adobe Photoshop has free alternatives. It’s all about searching Google and trialling the programs that will suit you.

Keep it clean

Similar to maintaining a healthy lifestyle, maintaining the ‘health and fitness’ of your computer will enable it to operate more efficiently, reduce the risk of a fatal ‘heart attack’ and could also (minimally) reduce your power bill. Every year, you should take the time to thoroughly clean your hardware, including inside the case. By removing the dust from inside the computer case, you are easing the load on the fan. Cleaning your software is also important. Ensure you have a firewall and antivirus scanner installed at all times and perform a weekly scan for viruses. Reducing the number of icons on your desktop can also speed up your computer significantly. 

 

iOS9

iOS 9’s potentially costly feature

 

If you’ve updated the software on your iPhone and are now running iOS 9, there’s one sneaky feature that you should consider switching off.

‘Wi-Fi Assist’ is a handy feature of Apple’s new operating system but only if you’re not likely to go over your data each month. Turned on by default, Wi-fi Assist automatically switches between wifi and cellular data, depending on which one is giving you the strongest signal.

Great you might think, you’ll never have to experience the annoying little holding circle again. However, if you’re on a limited data plan, you could end up paying more than you bargained to have the convenience. By automatically switching to cellular data, you may not be aware that your data allowance is being eaten away, until you receive a bill.

To save yourself from bill shock, the simple solution is to switch it off. To do so, go to the ‘Settings’ app and select ‘Mobile’. Next, scroll down past all your listed apps and there you will find the Wi-Fi Assist tab. Simply swipe the bar to off and you will now be in control of when and where you use your cellular data.

 

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Companion

Is this the best use of an app?

 

 

It’s easy to fill your phone with apps that do this and that. And while a few of them may make your life easier on a daily basis, if we’re being honest, not many of them are real lifesavers.

Until now, that is. Created by five students from the University of Michigan, Companion App is taking the world by storm and it’s easy to see why. Filling a real need in the market, the app allows a friend or family member, hence the companion name, to ‘walk you home’ at night by tracking your position.

Users request a friend, family member or trusted person to keep them company remotely by tracking their movements via GPS. The companion doesn’t have to have the app either and can simply track their journey by receiving a link to a webpage, which displays an interactive map of the user making their way towards their destination.

So how do you tell if the user’s in trouble? The app can detect changes in the users status, such as if they start running, don’t make it to their destination on time, have their headphones ripped out, or if your phone falls on the ground. It then asks the user if they’re ok. If the user does not respond within 15 seconds, the app alerts the companion Dthat the user is potentially in danger.

Originally designed for use on US college campuses, the app has been embraced all around the world, prompting changes to allow it to be used internationally. A fantastic tool for any parent, or woman walking alone at night, adult children are also asking their elderly parents to use it too, to ensure they don’t get lost.

A brilliant innovation, make sure you share this with any of your friends who could use it to help keep loved ones safe.

You can find out more information at Companionapp.io

 

 

Safety Check

Facebook’s feature for travellers

 

Love or hate it, social media is here to stay. But it’s not all bad news, wedged between your friends’ trivial status updates and spam, there’s a new Facebook feature that is helping to keep loved ones connected during worldwide disasters.

Launched at the time of the Nepal earthquake, Facebook’s Safety Check feature was designed as a helpful tool people can use when major disasters strike. Based on the fact that in these times people turn to social media platforms, namely Facebook, to check on loved ones and get updates, Safety Check is a simple and easy way to say you’re safe and check on others.

It allows you to let friends and family know you’re OK, check on others in the affected area or even mark your friends as safe. You will also receive a notification when you mark yourself as safe, and only your friends will see the status of your safety and the comments you share.

So how does it work? Facebook activates the Safety Check tool after a natural disaster and if you’re in the affected area, you’ll receive a notification asking if you’re safe. Your location is determined by the city you have listed in your profile, your last location on Facebook and the city where you’re connecting to the internet. If the location is wrong you can mark that you’re outside the affected area, if you’re safe you can select an ‘I’m safe’ option or your friends can mark you as safe.

A great use of social media to help loved ones stay connected, make sure you share this innovative feature with those you care about.

W10 Spying

Is Windows 10 spying on you?

 

Windows 10 is recording every single key you press on your computer. But is this a cause for concern? Learn more about Microsoft’s invasive technology and how to turn it off.

The early test versions of Windows 10 came with a piece of software that recorded every keystroke users made, as well as recording every request they made to Cortana (the voice activated personal assistant). It was thought that this piece of software, which is quite essential to the development stage of creating software, would be removed for the final product. However the creepy keylogger has not been removed and is still in place with the new version of Windows 10 that has been rolled out to millions of users worldwide.

Should you be concerned?

Recording data like this to help improve the accuracy of programs is becoming more common these days. This is because as technology and software become more and more complicated, it takes more effort to develop, bug test and release them onto the market. Approximately 10 years ago, all of this monitoring would have been performed by a dedicated team of software testers, which takes longer and costs a lot more. Microsoft would certainly still employ plenty of these testers but, with the internet, they now also have access to millions of testing and quality assurance testers – the consumers who are using the end product.

Whether or not you should be concerned comes down to your personal views on privacy.

This type of testing comes as a double-edged sword: you get a more polished and accurate final product at the expense of some privacy and/or peace of mind.

This double-edged sword is well represented by the choice to deactivate these settings in Windows 10, as doing so will deactivate the ability to dictate to your computer or use the voice activated assistant Cortana – features which rely on this data gathered.

How to turn it off

If you wish to deactivate the ‘service’, open up the Start menu then select Settings > Privacy > Speech, inking, and typing. From here, select ‘Get to know me’ to turn the services on, or select ‘Stop getting to know me’ to turn the services off.

Next, navigate back to Privacy and then select General and then turn ‘Send Microsoft info about how I write to help us improve typing and writing in the future’ off. 

Read more about these Privacy settings at Microsoft.com

 

iOS 9 features

Best new iOS 9 features

 

iOS 9 for iPhone and iPad was released last week, so here’s Ryan’s run down of all the best new features, some of which may be new to you.,

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.
 

 

W10

Five best Windows 10 features

 

Have you recently upgraded to Windows 10? Or perhaps you need a little more motivating? Here are the five best features to get you started with Microsoft’s latest operating system.

The Start menu

One of Windows users’ biggest complaints with Windows 8 was the change made to the Start button and menu. Microsoft later made some adjustments in Windows 8.1 that made the new Start menu feel a little more familiar, but with Windows 10, it has been completely overhauled. The new Start menu is somewhat a hybrid between Windows 7 and 8 versions, but to ensure everyone is happy with the Start menu they have, Microsoft has added more customisation than ever before. How-To Geek has a great rundown of all the things you can do to modify the Start menu, including changing colours, size, tiles and more.

Edge

Internet Explorer has been left in the wake of better and faster internet browsers for some time now, and although it is included with Windows 10 for compatibility reasons, Edge is Microsoft’s browser of the future. Rebuilt completely from the ground up, Edge addresses much of Internet Explorer’s problems, bringing plenty of new features, speed improvements and long-overdue security upgrades. If you’re not already using Edge, why not check it out? Microsoft’s website can help you get started. 

Action Center

This is where you will receive notifications from your programs and apps, similar to a smartphone or tablet. Some events, such as new emails, system updates and calendar events, will pop up at the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. To view in more detail, you can click on them or click the Action Center icon, which is a little speech bubble displayed at the bottom right corner of the screen, near the clock. If the icon is white, it means you have a notification waiting. Clicking the icon brings up all your recent notifications as well as a few buttons that allow you to change some options, such as wifi, Bluetooth and screen brightness. To stop notifications from popping up, you can click the Quiet Hours button in the Action Center.

App overhaul

The stock Calendar, Photos and Mail apps have been rebuilt, and have been improved greatly on their Windows 8 predecessors. Bringing not only some key features, which were left out of earlier versions, but a pleasant redesign that works well for both touch screen devices and desktop mouse and keyboard.

Virtual desktops

Another long-awaited feature, which has been missing from Windows for some time, is the ability to have multiple virtual desktops. This means that you can have your screen open with all of your programs and applications open, then swap to a different screen with a different set of programs open – it’s almost like having two screens. While it may only be used by a small percentage of users, it’s a powerful tool and worth knowing how to use. PCWorld has a great guide on How to use Windows 10's Task View and virtual desktops.

Facebook

Five handy Facebook features

 

Facebook is full of fancy features, many of which you may be unaware. Here are five little-known functions that may help improve your social media experience.

1. Bolster your account security

Another security tool in Facebook’s arsenal is the ‘security check up’, which is ideal for making your Facebook account more secure. The checklist of options available to you include the ability to automatically log you out of web browsers on public computers, and alerts you can receive if someone unfamiliar tries to log into your Facebook account. Currently this feature is only available on the desktop version of Facebook, but mobile app functionality may be just around the corner. To use it, go to https://www.facebook.com/help/securitycheckup.

If you’re using a public computer and you’re not too comfortable about logging into Facebook, why not try the one-time password security? All you have to do is text ‘OTP’ to 019832665 or visit this page to see which is the appropriate number for your mobile carrier. Once you’ve done this, you’ll get an eight-character passcode that lasts for 20 minutes, so your password will be secure whilst you use public wifi to access your Facebook account.

2. How to unsubscribe

Constantly receiving notifications of ‘John Richards and four others also commented on such-and-such’s post’ can get a bit annoying, well, very annoying, especially if you just aren’t interested about the comments. To turn off these notifications, simply click on the globe icon at the top right hand side of your Facebook page and click on the ‘X’ next to the notification you want to end. If you’re using your mobile, click the arrow at the top right hand corner of the original post from which you wish to unsubscribe. Once you’ve done this, you’ll see an option to turn off notifications.

3. Using a pronunciation guide

Over half the world’s internet users have a Facebook account, so it goes without saying that many of them speak English as a second language – or not at all. Making friends and getting to know them on a first name basis is nice, but pronouncing some names can be tricky, especially for a name such as Ngaire. That’s when Facebook’s pronunciation guide comes in handy.

To use the pronunciation guide, go to the ‘about’ section of your profile and click ‘details about you’, (or ‘more about you’ if you’re using your smartphone), then click on ‘name pronunciation’. Here you can listen to Facebook’s suggestions for how to pronounce your name or you can type in how you pronounce it by using the phonetic speller.

4. Announcing your relationship status, or not

Announcing your new ‘beau’ or an impending engagement or marriage on Facebook is a quick and handy way to let the world know of your relationship status, but what happens when 500 of your friends, who knew you were in a relationship, see your status change to "it’s complicated”? Well fear not Facebook friends, because you can do so without notifying everyone.

Head to the ‘about’ section in your profile and click on ‘family and relationships’. Where it says ‘relationship’, you'll notice a grey icon that may say ‘friends’ or ‘public’. Change this to ‘only me’. Now you can change your relationship status in secret. You can turn this feature back on again when you are ready to inform the world of your new relationship.

5. Making your pictures a little perkier

Facebook allows you to perk up your pictures with a little-known feature available on iPhones (Android coming soon). To use it, choose a photograph you want to upload then click the magic wand icon. From here you can add quirky clip art and stickers, as well as text overlays, to really spice up your images.

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Wi Fi

Be protected when using public wifi

Public wifi may be a great way to stay connected when you’re out and about, but it’s important to know how to keep your information safe from shifty hackers. Most public wifi is either unsecured or uses shared passwords. This means that when you are sitting at the train station, in your hotel or at your favourite café, you are an easy target for hackers. Here’s how to protect yourself when using public wifi.

Who’s after your data?

If you want to stay safe from hackers and information thieves, it’s important to know your enemy. These are a few ways that cyber criminals hijack your information. 

Man in the middle (MITM) attacks

Most hackers employ a tactic called ‘man in the middle’ attacks. This mean they wait for your data to be sent and then hijack it whilst in transit. 

The evil twin

This is a similar tactic to the man in the middle, but in this instance hackers set up legitimate-looking wifi hotspot and snare you by calling their hotspot something like ‘Free Public Wifi’ or by a name similar to the place at which you are accessing wifi. What may seem a generous offer by your neighbourhood café could in fact be a hacker’s trap – and once you’re connected, your data is an open book. 

Packet-sniffing

Some hackers use software called packet sniffers to capture your data when in transit on the network that you are accessing at the time. 

So, now you have an idea of how hackers snatch your data. You can combat these sneaky cyber stealers in these few ways.

Security tokens that require two-step authentication

Combining two-step authentication with any internet connection is a great way to thwart internet thieves. Most banks can provide you with a security token that can make your information much harder to hack – especially when you’re using public wifi to do your banking. Paypal, eBay and other online payment sites also offer inexpensive security tokens that make your online transactions so much safer. 

Some public wifi may offer two-step authentication, which, when you access the network, means you’ll be directed to a website that asks you for your name, email address and mobile phone number. This is so the network can send you an individual password or code that you will need to enter before you can get online. It may seem a hassle at the time, but it’s an extra layer of protection that will safeguard your public internet activity. 

However, before entering your data on such a page, double check the URL to make sure you’re on the right website and check that it’s secure. 

Use internet encryption

When you use the internet, your phone, tablet or computer sends out information similar to radio waves. If you are using a site that is HTTPS secured, you are less likely to have prying eyes spying on your data. For more information on encryption software, read this article onwww.lifehacker.com. 

To find out if you are using a secure connection, look in your browser URL address bar and check if the URL is preceded by ‘https’ (i.e. https://www.websitename.com).

Be wary when using public internet

It’s always best to err on the side of caution when using public internet, or any time you’re online for that matter. But a good idea is to block cookies and remove tracking in your browser when you’re on public wifi, and take care not to click on any dodgy looking links, including emails and software pop ups (e.g. free software that offers to clean up your computer). Usually, if it sounds too good to be true, it is. 

Use your phone’s personal hotspot instead

If you have a phone package with a generous data plan, then you will be safer using that instead of free public wifi. Using personal hotspots, or tethering, is a much more private way to access the internet, and it makes it more difficult for hackers to access your private information. 

Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Virtual Private Networks (VPN) are a go-between for your computer and the internet. Simply put, VPNs receive the data from your computer and encrypt it before sending it on. This means that if a hacker does get a hold of your data, they’ll have a tough time decrypting it, making it more likely that they’ll move on to a softer target.

VPNs also stop hackers from using packet-sniffing software and, as it encrypts your data, makes it much more difficult for them to get an easy read on your information. 

Caution is the key

When using public wifi, try to stay away from making credit card purchases and don’t share sensitive data or anything that you wouldn’t want someone to see if they were looking over your shoulder. That way you can almost be assured of staying safe online. 

 

Save Money

Five money saving websites

 

If you’re planning a large purchase, overseas travel or downsizing your house, then these websites could help you save money.

Travel guides
There’s no need to spend money on travel guides and then have to lug them all over the world. Simply plan where you want to go, what you want to do and how much you want to spend online before you go. 
www.fodors.com

Buying a car
If 2015 is the year to update your vehicle, then do your research online and you’ll be in the driving seat when it comes to the nitty-gritty of negotiations.
www.carsales.com.au

Value your house
Maybe you’re planning to downsize, or release some of the equity in your home. The volatility of the property market over the last 24 months has made it difficult for homeowners to accurately judge what their home is worth. Monitor comparative sales in your area to give you a guide to your property’s value.
www.homepriceguide.com.au

Keep your retirement funds performing
Super funds have experienced differing fortunes over the last few years and the variance in fees could mean your fund isn’t performing as well as it should. Find out how your fund performance and fees compares with others.
www.superratings.com.au

Affordable health insurance
Private health insurance premiums have just experienced an increase and it may be worth checking if you have the right level of cover and the best premium available.
www.comparehealth.com.au

 

Apps

Apps to replace on your iPhone

 

Your iPhone comes with a number of default apps provided by Apple, including the Mail email app, the Weather app and Apple’s own Maps system. While you can probably get by using Apple’s defaults, there are many markedly better apps available from the App Store. These apps are faster, more intuitive and efficient. So which apps should you replace on your iPhone?

Email

While the Apple Mail app makes it easy to read, delete and create emails, it is not the most responsive email app available and can take quite a while to load new emails. If you’re a Gmail user, you really can’t go past the Gmail App. It links seamlessly with your Gmail account, meaning that you can access emails on both your computer and your device, with the assurance that all data will be synched immediately.

For users of Outlook, including Hotmail, Microsoft’s own Outlook App is the way to go. It simplifies email management and comes with a built-in calendar. It also gives you swipe controls for easy and fast control of your inbox, allowing you to delete or schedule an email.

Download Gmail for free.

Download Outlook for free.

Maps

In September 2012, after a dispute with Google, Apple released its Maps service in tandem with iOS 6. Responses to the app weren’t pretty, with many reports flooding in about the inaccuracy of the service. While there have been improvements to Apple Maps, Google Maps still reigns supreme as the most detailed maps service. Features include GPS directions and adaptable night mode navigation, being able to save your favourite places for easy return and the option of ‘dropping a pin’ and the coordinates of your precise location to others via text message.

Download Google Maps for free.

Weather

Apple’s Weather app is actually quite good. It has a sleek design andprovides you with a simple 10-day forecast, including the options of adding whichever cities, postcodes and airport locations you like, however, it is very basic. If you’re after comprehensive weather information, Pocket Weather comes highly recommended. It’s also powered by the Bureau of Meteorology. Pocket Weather’s features include hour-by-hour forecasts, a ‘feels-like’ temperature, wind, rain and tide data and information about extreme weather warnings for each state. It also specifies what the weather is like in your exact location, so you know what to expect when you’re moving around town. Another great weather app that is worth a try is Willy Weather, which includes a seven-day forecast and data about rain, wind, moon, tide and UV.

Download Pocket Weather for $2.49.

Download Willy Weather for free.

 

 

Smart Phone

Should you sleep with your phone

 

A lot of people take their smartphone to bed with them, whether its to use as an alarm clock or to reply to messages around the clock, but does this cause you harm?

Cancer concerns

There is a widespread concern that smartphones can cause cancer, due to their use of radiation but as of yet, there has been no connection established, despite intensive tests and studies. The US National Cancer Institute states on its Cell Phones and Cancer Risk page that “there is currently no consistent evidence that non-ionizing radiation [the type used in smartphones] increases cancer risk.”

Sleep cycles

The human body has a complex sleeping rhythm that relies on many factors to function properly. One of the most vital of these factors is the presence of blue light. Before technology, we were only exposed to blue light during the day and we have evolved to secrete melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleeping, once the blue light disappears.

It makes sense in nature that once the sun is down it’s time to sleep, but our computers, smartphones, tablets and TVs all emit large amounts of blue light, which delays the secretion of melatonin. Going to sleep shortly after using blue light emitting technology will typically impact your ability to fall asleep, and cause you to feel much more tired in the morning. Long term effects of chronic melatonin suppression include increased risk of breast cancer, colorectal cancer and prostate cancer.

What can you do to stop it?

Well, the easiest solution is to not sleep with your smartphone, however if you still want to have your phone in bed with you (I find vibrations more pleasant to wake up to than loud beeping) you might want to install software that reduces the amount of blue light they emit.

Popular app Twilight is available on Android devices for free and will allow you to set your smartphone to dim its display and shift to redder colours (red light has a minimal impact on melatonin secretion) as it gets later in the evening.

f.lux functions such as Twilight above and is available for Windows and Mac. There is also an iPhone and iPad version, but unfortunately Apple hasn’t allowed it onto the App Store, so it is only available for jail broken devices. Click here for more information.

Read more at www.health.harvard.edu and www.brighamandwomens.org

 

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