Latest Articles
Mount and Use .IMG Files With These Free Tools
Don't let the terminology mislead or turn you off! .IMG files are useful for everyone who uses CDs or DVDs on a regular basis. We demonstrate how to use them.
3 Unique Ways To Remotely Control Your Windows Desktop
Care for a little remote desktop control magic? We present non mainstream methods for accessing your computer remotely using a Chrome extension, SSH clients, or over the air using your mobile device.
Best Android Remote Desktop Apps Compared: Which Is Right For You?
There are any number of reasons why you might want to use your Android device for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) access to a Windows computer.
Beat The Thieves - Keep Your Tech Secure At Home
You don't have to live in fear. The key to keeping your gadgets secure is simple, ordinary, camouflage.
Emergency Battery Hack - Make an AAA Battery Work as an AA Battery
Did your TV remote control suddenly go dead? Wireless mouse died near the end of your term paper? Need AA batteries and all you have are AAA? I've got a quick hack for you to get you through those last minutes until you can get to the shops for some proper batteries. Time needed is about 5 minutes, supplies needed cost about 50 cents - not including your AAA batteries. You may very well have all these items on hand.
Gadgeteer - Microsoft's Hardware Hacking Platform You Haven't Heard Of
Microsoft is still in the innovation business. If you don't think so, you haven't heard about Microsoft's open source electronics prototyping platform called Gadgeteer. You read that right - Microsoft and Open Source in the same sentence. Wanted to build a little invention you had in mind? Maybe you're already programming C# and would like to work with some different hardware. Are you a technology teacher looking for a platform with which to teach? From the student to the professional, Gadgeteercan help you make your ideas a reality.
3 Ways To Make Your Smartphone Communications More Secure
Total privacy! Or so we think, as our words and information went flying through the air. Not so: First it's word of warrantless wiretapping, then it's word of newspapers, lawyers, insurers and more hacking your communications, who's next? How do we stop this? Unfortunately, laws are very after the fact, so you need to take some measures right now. This is where we look at how to secure your smartphone communications to make cherry-picking your information a lot harder.
4 Alternatives To The Pebble Watch
The Pebble E-Paper Watch (which we've just reviewed and will be giving away) has a lot of interesting functions, is highly customizable, and raised over $1 million within 28 hours of being put on Kickstarter. Maybe the Pebble isn't exactly what you want though. Maybe you'd like a different look or functionality. Money talks, and these other smartwatch innovators are ready to listen. Some of these are concepts and some are already on the market! Which one do you want? Maybe all of them?
Cover Your Tracks With These 3 Unmissable Data Removal Tools
Personal privacy is the hot topic these days, at least in the news. It should also be the hot topic in your computing life, as well! What you do online and on your computer says an awful lot about you and, in the hands of the wrong people, can prove disastrous. Oh, fine, at least we have a password on our computers. But let's say we are doing something where privacy really does matter. Imagine we had a benevolent reason to cover our tracks. On to some tools that will help us do just that!
How To Encrypt Data on Your Smartphone
With the Prism-Verizon scandal, what allegedly has been happening is that the United States of America's National Security Agency (NSA) has been data mining. That is, they have been going through the call records of Verizon's approximately 99 million users looking for, well, anything! If the thought of the occasionally overzealous government official isn't enough reason to encrypt your smartphone, then all the identity thieves and scammers out there ought to be. Today, I'm going to show you a few things you can do to make that information a bit more secure.
GIF - The Final Word On How To Pronounce It
With the resurgence of the Graphics Interchange Format in its animated incarnation, the HOT debate about how to pronounce that gem of an acronym has also come to the front again. There are two fighters in the ring, here. One that is coached by the man most credited with bringing the GIF to the world, Steve Wilhite and his soft-G approach. The other fighter goes by the name of Vox Populi.
Get a Head Start On Your USB Toolkit With Windows System Control Center
I often joke about being the only IT guy with a 36-inch pipe wrench in his toolbox. Funny, but also probably true. But I do carry one IT tool in my kit that is just as powerful and hefty as that pipe wrench - the Windows System Control Center on my Tools USB flash drive. The WSCC is an interface that gives you access to the SysInternals and NirSoft suite of tools. It's like having a 3 foot pipe wrench in your back pocket! Only considerably more comfortable.
iPaid A Lot: The 10 Most Expensive iOS App Store Downloads
Various magazines and TV shows have been dedicated to the finer things in life, or at the very least the more expensive things in life. Are these things really worth that much, or is that just the price they put on them because they know rich people do stupid things too? Who knows. But here at MakeUseOf we'll keep our extravagant spending somewhat useful. Let's take a look at the Most Expensive iOS Apps available to those with caviar dreams and champagne wishes.
Is Buying Second-Hand Software Legal?
This is by no means a legal document and don't think that this substitutes for the opinions of an officer of the court. Let me be clear - I'm going to present to you the research that I've done and what it means to me. It is NOT legal advice. Now that is out of the way, lets get to the heart of the matter on whether buying second-hand software legal or illegal.
Can You Make an iPhone or Other Smartphone Stand From Paper?
I'm not frugal or thrifty, I'm cheap. My food comes only in yellow and black packaging. My Dad would say that I was "so cheap, he'd skin a fart for the grease." I will stop in the middle of crossing the road to pick up a penny, and we don't even use them in Canada anymore. So when I wanted a holder for my Samsung Whizzbang Z 28 and our office budget didn't really cover that, I got to thinking about using paper instead.
You Just Spilled Water Or Coffee On Your Laptop - Here's What You Should Do
Okay, let's take a deep breath and deal with the emergency first. Any emergency requires us to take a moment or two and assess the situation. That way we aren't just reacting, we are acting with intent. Usually, that works out better in the long run. Time is precious in emergencies, but so is rational thinking and that's what you came here for, isn't it? So take another calming breath and answer the following questions.