Posts

In this post, we show you how to understand file permissions a little better, including what chmod 777 means. Understanding File Permissions Unix systems (including Linux and macOS) have a file control mechanism that determines who can access a particular file or folder and what they can do with it. There are two parts to consider: Classes. This determines who can access the file. There are three designations: an Owner, a Group (who all share the same permissions), and Others....

There is a problem, though: if you browse online, you will notice that your favorite headphones are getting more expensive. Brands such as Sennheiser and Bose can easily go into several hundreds of dollars. On the plus side, they do come with features such as noise cancelling, active equalization, Bluetooth interface and padded ear cushions, so there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to buy one. But before you loosen the purse strings, this inexpensive product might help you get high quality audio experience – a USB audio adapter....

We start with the icons that appear in the chat list and follow that with the symbols that show in an individual chat. Writing or Pencil Icon When you open Instagram Direct Messages, you will find the pencil icon at the top. Tapping on this icon will let you create a new message. For instance, if you don’t have an existing chat thread with someone and want to send them a message, tap on this icon, then select the person with whom you want to start a conversation....

What Is a Stream Deck? A stream deck is piece of hardware that boasts a set of physical keys that can be customized to perform various functions. The device plugs into your computer, usually via USB, and once dedicated software is loaded onto it, allows you to program all of the buttons to execute whatever commands you like. A large majority feature LCD keys which conveniently eliminates the need to memorize the shortcuts you’ve set for each key....

What Is Web DRM? The new standard, referred to colloquially as Web DRM, is officially known as EME, or Encrypted Media Extensions. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) approved the framework at the behest of digital media giants like Nextflix who want to make distributing DRM-encumbered video a little easier for their end users. It’s a laudable goal, and one we could all benefit from. Right now Netflix needs to use Microsoft’s Silverlight plugin in order to stream DRM-protected video to their customers’ browsers....

Instead of selling new features, Apple emphasizes on “refinements”. Snow Leopard comes with new technologies which makes it a leaner and faster OS than its predecessors. Why don’t we take a look at the new technologies and improvements of the youngest feline of Mac OS X family. New Technologies Explained Here are new technologies that introduced with Snow Leopard: 64-bit computing The entire computing industry is moving from 32-bit to 64-bit technology,” Apple said, so nearly all system applications in Snow Leopard are rewritten in 64-bit code....

Changes to the Start Menu The first change you will notice is the slightly redesigned Start Menu. The Start Menu now has a hamburger menu that houses all the quick access buttons like Settings, File Explorer, Power, etc., to the left. You can add a few select folders to this menu from the Start Menu settings. Also, there is no more “All Apps” button in the Start menu. Instead, all your installed apps are now in a scrollable list right below the “Recently used” and “Most used” section....

Think about cars: If you can drive one car, you can pretty much drive all of them. The gas and brake pedals are in the same place, and the steering wheel rotates in the same direction and doors open outward. There might be some minor differences in non-critical features like the radio, but overall you know what to expect. DirectX and Direct3D are like that, allowing developers to interface with a wide range of hardware using the same tools....

This week’s topic for our writers’ opinion question comes from a study that determined people are stressed out just as much by the possibility of losing a smartphone as they are the threat of a terrorist attack. Think about that comparison and really let it sink in. It seems silly at first, yet we’ve all been there and know what it feels like to lose or think you lost your smartphone....

It’s Time For Damage Control (Now!) If one or two of your accounts were hacked, you’re still in the pink as long as the email you registered them with is still accessible. You’ll have to act fast since hackers will try to cross you over and change your registration email address right away. This is actually the first thing you should do when you’re attacked. Try accessing any of your accounts and see what you can recoup from there....

Imagine being on the move, and your phone battery drains out. Anyone who has witnessed such knows how demoralizing it feels being separated from your device. This has made having a reserve source of power a necessity. But with the amount and variety of power banks in the market, to look for power banks that fit you is a massive undertaking. Here are a few pointers before you acquire a power bank....

Below, we’ll cover everything you need to know about 10G – what it is, who’s developing it and when you can expect it to roll out. The Basics of 10G 10G is a new piece of broadband network tech that will, theoretically, allow for greater than 10-gigabit-per-second (Gbps) speeds over cable internet networks. Ten Gbps is up to 10 times faster than 5G and more than 700 times faster than the average U....

Is It Safe? Among all of the things that people ask about driverless cars, perhaps their biggest concern is about safety. After all, if the car doesn’t have a steering column, it’s difficult to think of how things like defensive driving will work on these things. How can we be sure that a company which specializes in search and advertising products will manufacture a vehicle that accounts for passenger and driver safety in the same way that other auto manufacturers do?...

In the late 90s phones like the classic Nokia 3310 ruled supreme, with their impressive week-long battery life and refusal to even crack when dropped on the pavement. But times have changed, and now we’re in an era where phones are several times more expensive than their “dumber” predecessors and that much more delicate as well. Even the iPhone 6 released in late 2014 has a very bendy chassis. What gives?...

This isn’t necessarily a good sign, obviously, but it also leaves us with one very important question: how did things get this way? We’re Experiencing the XP-To-Vista Phenomenon All Over Again Windows XP was arguably one of the most successful iterations of its family with roughly ten percent of the entire world still hooked up to it in 2016 (according to the NetMarketShare stat linked earlier) despite Microsoft refusing to continue supporting the system with updates since April 2014....

Even though there is technically nothing wrong with using Internet Explorer as one’s browser – particularly because Microsoft recently started to catch up with the innovations of other browsers – it’s still notorious for being one of the most buggy and unsafe browsers on the web. Because of its insistence on keeping older and rarely-used application features, IE isn’t necessarily the best browser to use in the most dubious neighborhoods of the Internet....

Although some sites may stop you from registering with what they consider a weak password entirely, others just warn you and leave you to do what you want of your own volition anyway. Regardless, these sites (mostly) have one thing in common: their criteria for “safe passwords” is not going to keep you safe. Forging Bad Habits One of the first things you’ll notice on most websites is that they all seem to have similar criteria for what would be considered a “strong” password....

Courtesy of LK Interactive Services, you now have a way to do just that on your Android device, all with a simple app. The app we’re talking about here is Wi-Fi Inspector. The app is super cool if you’re just looking to see who’s using your network, and includes a bunch of other features too. As mentioned above, the main function of the app is to show you all the users that are connected to a particular Wi-Fi network, may it be your own private network or a public hotspot....

Be it an online or a desktop app, there are plenty of office suites around that you can use as the Microsoft Office alternative. The difference between WPS Office and the rest of the office suites is the striking resemblance it has to Microsoft Office. Yes, it comes with the Ribbon UI, and even the shade and color are similar. In fact, I would call it a Microsoft Office clone rather than an alternative....

The Galaxy S8 is Samsung’s most ambitious phone. The S8 boasts having the world’s first Infinity Screen. It also has unique abilities that most users could easily miss out on. Using these tips and tricks, you could easily amplify the fun, functionality, and performance of your S8. 1. Changing the Home and app grid icon sizes You can adjust your S8’s Home screen icon sizes in three steps: Press down on your phone’s home screen panel....