May 26, 2013

Tips On How to Be Safe When Shopping Online

First 4 digits of a credit card

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Today, we can purchase just about anything we want online. We can buy clothing, books, music and so much more at thousands of websites. You use your credit card and personal information to make these online purchases. However, do you know how to be sure your information is safe and secure while you are making your purchases?

Many sites such as www.offers.com are completely safe and secure; however, there are other sites and individuals who many be lurking out there just waiting to steal your identity and your money. Here are a few tips on maintaining your security online.

If the online site has a storefront that you can visit in person, go visit to see if the product you are interested in is the same as that being offered online.

When you visit online sites, make sure that it is using encryption software. You should see a padlock icon at the bottom of your browser, as well as seeing “https” rather than “http” in the address window. Many sites also provide an icon stating that the site is secure.

If you are using a paper catalog in addition to the online site, make sure that you can also shop using mail or phone orders. If the site or catalog does not have a phone number, you should not shop at that retailer.

Another great tip is to use gift cards or prepaid debit cards as payment. This will eliminate the need for entering your credit card number and information.

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Understanding Phone Hacking

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The latest and most talked about occurrence across the world is the phone hacking scandal of the News of the World, a News Corp newspaper in the United Kingdom. But what people are really wondering is how these people have used technology to hack into people’s phones and the manner in which they are getting all the information about specific people, even the royal family’s numbers!!Voicemail hacking is relatively easier than breaking into someone’s phone and listening to phone conversations. And while voicemail as a method of communication is slowly reducing, it is still an invasion of privacy to hack into someone’s voicemail. In all probability there is an external number that is provided to access voicemail. This external number can be fooled to believe that the number calling in is that of the person whose voice mail you are planning to hack into.

It is said that in most cases people do not set their voice mail passwords expecting it to work only when a call is placed from their number. On the other hand, there have been cases where people been involved in a scandal and have set the password to default by including the telecom company in the first place.

The latest scandal in which News of the World is involved in also mentions there were other aspects to the whole scandal other than just voice mail hacking. The lawmakers are trying to get to the bottom of things to figure out how the news reporters have been able to get to such an extent.

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Shortcut Keys on Your Tablet

If you’ve ever tried to complete a significant project on your tablet PC, you know that shortcut keys can be a lifesaver. This customizable feature lets you assign tasks to certain keys or buttons. Many devices also come with pre-set shortcuts that may or may not be connected to keys.

Once you set up or know how to use the shortcuts, you can quickly access files, apps, or data. Here are some tricks for getting the most out of your device’s shortcuts.

  • Assign multiple tasks to each shortcut key. Some devices allow users to put more than one shortcut on each key. Most tablets that run on the Windows operating system let you load two commands on to one button. This multiplies the number of shortcut keys available to you.
  • Shortcuts may not always be in the form of keys. On the iPad, if you click the home and power buttons simultaneously, you can take a screen shot. Double tapping the home button quickly lets you maneuver more easily between apps.
  • Don’t forget control+alt. Almost everyone who uses a PC knows that ctrl+alt+delete will open a task or system manager. Using ctrl+alt in combination with other keys will result in shortcuts on some Windows-based tablets for tasks such as rotating the screen.

Lots of users don’t take the time to set up shortcut keys on their tablets. However, doing this can save you time in the long run. Once you know how to set them up, you’ll be well on your way toward having a better experience on your device.

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Cool Gadget Gift Ideas

Entire Gaming Setup

Image by Cinder6 via Flickr

What do you do when you have to think of a suitable gift for someone you know is a gadget geek? And the choice becomes even tougher if you are not involved in gadgets and devices yourself. Here are some great gadget gift ideas that you can choose from. There are also some awesome technology oriented options that you can try too.

  • Photosynthesis UV sensitive shirt – This is a cool T that has a pattern on it that starts to show only when it is in the sunlight. The pattern may show slightly when you are indoors too. The tee definitely reminds people of what they learnt about photosynthesis in school.
  • Computer games – Some of the most awesome games that you get these days are free. But then there are many that are not. Try and find out what you friend likes the most in terms of the genre of games that he likes to play and gift him one by buying it online. All that you need to do is give him the code and ask him to download it.
  • iPhone applications – This is a cool gift for the friends who have an iPhone. Just pop in at the App Store and you will be able to find something that you like. Choose an application that suits the interests that your friend has (other than gadgets of course). For example, get an ebook for the geeky reader, a find a restaurant application for the foodie or a translator for the traveller.
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iPad Rules Despite the Tablet Downpour

iPad and a Bluetooth Keyboard

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Despite the fact that there have been numerous launches of various brands of tablets in the market, the news is that the original tablet, the iPad still rules the roost. Among the competitors of iPad are OlivePad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Motorola Xoom, HTC Flyer and BlackBerry PlayBook. However, despite these many choices that the consumer has, most of them are attracted towards the iPad automatically. And there are various good reasons for the same too.

  1. Applications – The large number of applications that are available for the iPad makes it one of the most preferred. All the other features like dual core and mega pixels is no good when there are no applications that one can download and use. The only platform that comes close to the iPad now and is beginning to threaten the ipAd market is Android.
  2. Performance – Despite all the research and development that has taken place for the newer tablets, the fact remains that the performance of the iPad is beyond any of the others. There is no delay in the application uploading and the process is extremely smooth. Not only is it a great device to browse the Internet, it is also great for watching movies, playing games and more.
  3. Price – It was tough to imagine that the iPad would be more competitive in terms of pricing. The company has never been known to give offers and discounts just to beat the others in the market despite better performance and features. In fact that is the tune that competition is now taking to try and get an edge over the ruling iPad.
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