Keeping you safe and sound on the web.

Cookies can be a good thing when you’re talking about satisfying your sweet tooth. But for our online lives, it can be both a good and bad thing. Cookies in internet-speak happen when web browsers write these short text files containing information about your interaction about specific sites. Your log-ins, usernames, and things you may have purchased on retail websites would be included in these cookies. Having cookies is supposed to make your web surfing life more convenient as they make loading times for websites you frequent faster. Moreover, you don’t have to keep on typing in your information every time you try to log in a site, as the cookies have your information ready.

Quite harmless, right? But then, these cookies tend to accumulate, taking up space on your system. Moreover, with the current situation of heightened privacy and security concerns, cookies aren’t particularly the poster kids of web safety. Advertisers have access to these cookies, which is why you may notice the same things you look for on the internet get advertised to you on your social media and email accounts. Thus, removing them on a schedule is recommended.

If you’re the type of web user who is security conscious, then we have something for you: Steps on clearing your cookies depending on the web browser you’re using.

Google Chrome

The most popular web browser makes it easy for you to delete cookies, control the data that comes out when you are browsing data, and point out which files are accepted or should be blocked. However, take note that Google will be doing away with cookies in two years.

Like other browsers, Google Chrome tracks your history — but you can easily clear that history.

You can clear your browsing history in Google Chrome in just a few simple steps by accessing the “History” menu. You can choose to delete your history from the last hour, day, week, or month. You can also clear all of your history since you started using Google Chrome.

(Via: https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-clear-history-on-google-chrome)

 

Mozilla Firefox

The browser more known for its add-ons, the open-source browser Firefox is one of, if not the most, customizable web browsers when it comes to privacy settings.

The open-source browser has tons of add-ons and actually offers more options than Chrome when it comes to customizing these settings. Here’s what you need to know to clear the cookies it stores.

Visit any web page and click on the Cookie Quick Manager button on the Firefox toolbar to view the add-on’s menu; it displays six options. The first one is Manage All Cookies which opens the manager dashboard in a new tab in the browser. The dashboard lists each

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The internet browser is one piece of software that is so commonly used but also oftentimes overlooked and underappreciated. Whether we spend most of our lives online checking our social media accounts or trying to see what’s the best steals on Amazon, or passing the time by getting into a YouTube rabbit hole of cat videos, we heavily rely on a trusty browser to give us what we need. But then, choosing one to stick to can be difficult, as there is quite a number that goes well with the latest version of Windows 10.

But then, with our needs of browsing through various websites ably performed by most if not all web browsers available today, what should set the wheat apart from the proverbial chaff? The name of the web browser game these days has shifted to other factors such as user security, user privacy, functionality, and customization. That is why we have come up with this list – to make sure you have the right browser to what you prioritize as most important to your web surfing experience.

UR Browser

The UR Browser was, like most web browsers available these days, developed based on the Chromium open-source project. But then, it sets itself apart from being just another version of Chrome as it offers the user various built-in tools, with strengthened safety and privacy features for the user. With so many users putting a lot of importance in the security and privacy of their online lives, UR Browser answers that need very well, along with its other benefits such as reliability and intuitiveness.

What is UR Browser, you may ask? The simple answer is that UR Browser is a cross-platform web navigator or web browser based on Chromium and created by AdaptiveBee, with security, privacy and friendly user interface in mind.

Another way to look at it is that UR Browser is more than a simple navigator. It won’t just help you browse the web seamlessly.

(Via: https://windowsreport.com/ur-browser-review/)

 

Google Chrome

Who doesn’t know Google Chrome? Who hasn’t used it even just once in their online existence? It’s currently the undisputed leader when it comes to the number of users and how they have grown so accustomed to using it. Since Chrome is preinstalled on smartphones and Android is still stronger compared to iOS in terms of user numbers, it’s no doubt that it has become ubiquitous.

Google’s Chrome browser is the most popular browser in the world, but it’s also notorious for gobbling up RAM and battery life faster than market share – but it looks like Microsoft has found a way to reduce its battery consumption – on Windows 10 devices, at least.

(Via: https://www.techradar.com/news/chrome-may-soon-be-less-of-a-battery-guzzler-in-windows-10-thanks-to-microsoft

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It’s a nightmare most, if not all of us email users, may have experienced at least once in our online lives. You click on send for an important email and milliseconds later see in terror as you spot one, two, three typos and two grammatical lapses. Worse, you hit Reply All, which has everyone at work the recipient of your email.

Undoing your accident may be a lot of work for you, considering your reputation has already taken a dive. However, all is not lost as there still may be one solution for you, particularly if not everyone has opened their emails to marvel at your travesty of an email: You may recall it. A lot of email clients actually have this feature, so let’s see how this can be used, depending on your email service.

Gmail

Gmail, along with its Google brother Chrome, have become the most popular email service and search engines, respectively. Over the years, Gmail has undergone an evolution from being a handy online email service into one of the most indispensable tools for some businesses, not to mention being an important part of Google’s G Suite productivity offerings. And through the years, tons of improvements and updates have been done to Gmail, some of which can be considered successful, while some just earned the chagrin of users for making the platform slower. The update on the service’s message recall feature has been viewed positively since it came out, though. After all, Gmail users aren’t perfect!

The Undo Send feature is on by default on Gmail. Hence, you don’t need to play around any settings to enable it.

As soon as you send an email, you’ll see a pop-up on the bottom left corner of your screen, having the option to View, and Undo message. You can use the same to recall your messages, which will retract the email back to your drafts section. The View message button will not appear for messages sent from within the existing thread, though.

(Via: https://gadgetstouse.com/blog/2019/12/09/how-to-unsend-an-email-on-gmail/)

 

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is perhaps the most popular email services in companies and offices, as it provides seamless integration with other Microsoft products, particularly the ubiquitous MS Office. While it used to be that recalling your email was a challenge in Outlook’s older versions, it cannot be said anymore with the newest updates. Microsoft now allows users to retract an email in Outlook, though there are some requirements for the retraction to be done successfully.

Both the user and recipient require an Exchange server email account and use Outlook as the email client.

The recipient’s mailbox should be open when an Outlook recall process is attempted.

The original Outlook message has

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The name of the game these days is storage. But not just large storage, but large and speedy storage. And when it comes to large and speedy storage, the market acknowledges solid-state drives as the gold standard. It is a good thing that consumers are now spoilt with choices, as options for SSDs are now faster, bigger, cheaper, and compatible with most systems already present in the market. Thus, there’s never a better time to purchase an SSD.

The wealth of choices in stores can be overwhelming, so we’ve done the curation of the best options for you. Besides, you also need to consider which is the best drive that would suit your laptop the best. But before you read on, take note that some SSDs have rounded off issues. While some claim to have 250 GB and others is at 256 GB, you may consider them to have similar capacity. There’s not common for drives to claim its exact capacity, but the difference is usually more or less 10 GB.

Samsung 970 Evo Plus

Samsung’s newest release, the Samsung 970 Evo Plus, boasts of being faster and more affordable than its predecessor, the 970 Evo. However, generally speaking, it seems that the Samsung 970 Evo Plus is still in the middling crowd, as there are a number of other SSDs that perform better than it.

The 970 Evo Plus therefore looks like more of an attempt at a do-over rather than a chance for the 2018 model’s redemption. The Plus and non-Plus versions aren’t drastically different, both having Samsung-made Phoenix controllers and a maximum advertised read speed of 3,500MB/s, but there have been some key changes. The first is that write speeds have had a big boost on paper, jumping from a maximum 2,500MB/s on the 970 Evo to 3,300MB/s on the Evo Plus; a vast improvement for something that isn’t a full generational leap.

(Via: https://www.expertreviews.co.uk/samsung/1411554/samsung-970-evo-plus-review)

 

Samsung 860 Pro

Although this has not been as updated its Evo counterpart with its last update dating way back 2018, the Samsung 860 Pro is still considered to be one of the best in the market. It is recognized for its great SATA performance, endurance, and consistent performance. The model is quite high-end, though, which discourages budget-conscious shoppers from buying it.

The 860 Pro is also the first NAS-rated prosumer SSD and it should work well in RAID. The EVO series tends to be more reasonably priced and has better performance in general applications, which keeps the 860 Pro firmly in the professional user category.

(Via: https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/samsung-860-pro-ssd-review,5434.html)

 

Intel Optane SSD 905P

The Intel Optain SSD is known for two things: speed and endurance, both at exceptional levels. …

The way storage technology has progressed recently has been staggering. Solid-state drives are now packaged into the size of chocolate bars, while portable hard drives are so powerful that terabytes of data can now fit into these devices that look like passports (pun intended as this is a WD hard drive model).

But even if these devices shrink in size, there is still a sizable market for the USB flash drive. After all, USB 3.0 ports are already built in most laptops, especially the newer models. Of course, even if SSDs and external SATAs are getting smaller, USB flash drives are still the smallest. What’s more, these minute devices now pack so much punch with their storage capacities. Let’s see which USB flash drives have impressed users with their storage capacities.

Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT

When it comes to sub drives, Kingston has earned the reputation of producing record breakers. In 2017, when the manufacturer released the Ultimate that comes in 1TB and 2TB capacities, it seems that they have outdone themselves again. The staggering capacity of the DataTraveler Ultimate GT should make most users look past its chunkiness.

Shipped in a silver metal case, the Kingston Ultimate GT 2TB USB 3.1 flash drive is available in 1 or 2TB capacities, comes with a blue USB 3.1 Gen 1 cable and Kingston branded black mesh carry bag, and it is capable of speeds up to 300MB/s read and 200MB/s write.

(Via: http://www.thessdreview.com/featured/kingston-ultimate-gt-2tb-flash-drive-review-space/)

Western Digital SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe

A new line of SanDisk Ultra Drive Luxes was introduced in January 2020’s CES event, and with capacities of up to 1TB, it has established itself as one of the biggest flash drives in terms of capacity. It’s also USB-C, which makes it a speedy and powerful machine. But those owning laptops that don’t have USB-C yet need not fret as the flash drive is also compatible with USB-A drives too.

Indeed, it features a dual USB connectivity: on one side, there is a USB Type-C connector, and if you flip it 180°, there is a traditional USB Type-A connector. The design of the SanDisk 1TB Ultra Dual Drive Luxe is smart.

(Via: https://www.cinema5d.com/sandisk-shows-a-8tb-portable-ssd-prototype-1tb-ultra-dual-drive-luxe-usb-flash-drive/)

Patriot Supersonic Rage

Patriot, maker of various computer-related devices including gaming keyboards, headsets, solid state drives, and mice are no slouches when it comes to producing flash drives. The Supersonic Rage has an Elite variant that comes with a 1TB capacity, making it one of the largest, but also most affordable flash drives.

While the GTX is the high performance play (topping out at 256GB), the GS is more of a capacity play (the top end version has 512GB of flash memory).

(Via: https://www.anandtech.com/show/9573/corsair-flash-voyager-gs-usb-30-512gb-flash-drive-capsule-review)

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With the number of people using the Internet in the millions, online privacy has been one concern that has never been more important. Fortunately, a good number of today’s browsers have been implementing changes to ensure its users that they are serious in providing them with more online privacy.

The most used browsers have come up with a number of tools to help in protecting you from first-party (used for things such as retaining your login information) and third-party (mainly used by advertisers to get information and track your behavior online) tracking cookies. Other efforts are directed towards fingerprinting, which tracks you by collecting details about your system configuration, which are then turned into your “fingerprint.”

Firefox introduces enhanced tracking protection

Trackers have already been blocked by Firefox way back September 2019. The browser utilizes Enhanced Tracking Protection, a customizable feature. This feature blocks trackers on a list of known trackers called the Disconnect list, which means not every third-party tracker is blocked. However, cookies that track across sites are also blocked by Firebox’s feature.

You can check if Enhanced Tracking Protection is enabled by checking the small shield icon to the left of the address bar. If the icon is purple, Firefox is blocking trackers. If it’s gray, there are no trackers to block. If it’s gray and crossed out, tracking protection is disabled for that site.

(Via: https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/7/21121202/firefox-privacy-tools-private-network-browser-settings)

What has Chrome done?

Chrome’s December release, Version 79, was all about improved security of passwords. In February’s update, Version 80 sees a new system for sorting cookies and blocking them from being slowly implemented. While first-party cookies are still allowed, third-party ones would need to have a same-site setting, ensuring that secure connections are used to access the sites.

Google also says that Chrome will phase out third-party cookies in two years in favor of an alternative system to cookies using new technologies Google is developing.

(Via: https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/11/21126427/google-chrome-privacy-tools-private-network-browser-settings)

On the edge, but secure

Not to be outdone by Chrome and Firefox, Microsoft’s latest update of its Edge browser has user privacy as a priority. Many have praised the new Edge’s privacy settings that are allegedly easier to use and understand compared to Chrome’s. Edge’s privacy settings are so powerful that users are being asked by the websites to disable their ad blockers even though they don’t have one installed. That means that the privacy settings of Edge can be an ad block in disguise.

Edge offers a one-click-to-fix experience that’s easy for anyone to control the degree of privacy they want while browsing the web. That’s to say, it’s quick and easy if you don’t really know what to look for, and you’re simply looking to be

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Whether for work or for friends and family, we usually must share documents and files. The thing is, there are a lot of cases when what we share is larger than what our email services allow us to attach.

Take note that for these recommendations, we have to consider those three factors: (1) The service has to send the files fast, or at a speed that most, if not all of us are accustomed to. It’s the speed that we expect from these services – once we’ve told mom that we’ve already sent the files, all she needs to do is log in and click the link on her email so that she could download the file from her end. (2) The service has to be secure – not prone to hacking and access by third parties, although most services and cloud drives can’t promise end-to-end encryption, or the practice of these services not having any access to your files at all, even for law enforcement. (3) Lastly, these services or apps need to be as flawless as possible. The fewer hiccups, the better, of course.

Dropbox

One of the more ubiquitous file-sharing services, Dropbox provides users with free storage (2 GB), as well as plans starting at 2TB for $12 monthly. It also offers some value-added services like file-sharing enabling across the web, files and folders syncing between devices and the cloud, file collaboration with those you’ve shared the file with, among others. A new app was also introduced to the market in January 2020.

However you feel about it, the new Dropbox will start rolling out to everyone today. Those shared folders are now “Dropbox Spaces” — a hub, effectively, built around your shared files.

(Via: https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/25/dropbox-will-start-rolling-out-the-new-dropbox-app-to-everyone-today/)

 

iCloud

iCloud, Apple’s cloud storage service, maybe a bit behind its file-sharing rivals, though there have been strides for the product’s improvement. A free 5 GB of iCloud storage comes with every Apple ID, and paid options start at $2 monthly for 50 GB. iCloud is best of course, just like with anything Apple, if you and your network of friends and family also use Apple software. If not, there can be hitches. In terms of security, full back up encryption has been dropped though, and it has been reported it is because of law enforcement pressure.

Reuters is reporting that Apple made the decision not to let users create and store personal encryption keys for iCloud Backup under pressure from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(Via: https://tidbits.com/2020/01/21/apple-allegedly-dropped-full-icloud-backup-encryption-under-fbi-pressure/)

 

OneDrive   

Microsoft cloud storage, One Drive, aims to be as permeating as other products of its parent company. Thus, for those who work extensively with MS Word, Excel, …

It’s only the first months of the year 2020, but the number of cybercrimes that has happened this year is already alarming. In the third week of February, MGM Resorts declared that personal information of its close to 11 million guests who have been into one of their hotels and resorts was dumped and released on a hacking forum. Published in the hacking site were millions of complete names, addresses, contact numbers, and birthdates. Members of the tech press were quick to confirm the accuracy of the released information by getting in touch with the published names in the forum and true enough, the information is accurate.

A security incident occurred in summer 2019, as a cloud server containing information of previous guests was accessed without proper authorization. If it’s any consolation, no credit card or financial information was published. So far, the resort giant has only released a statement saying that they have taken steps to improve their network security. For everyone’s reference, MGM’s facilities include the Mirage, Excalibur, Bellagio, Luxor, and the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, as well as the Borgata in Atlantic City, golf courses in Las Vegas, Mississippi, and California, and other properties in New England and China.

With this massive data breach occurring months ago and only made known now, it seems that everyone involved in the digital, online times (that’s almost all of us unless you’re living out of the grid) are at great risk. Are we helpless about this situation? What can we possibly do if we have fallen victim to a data breach? We investigate ways on how to cope with data breaches.

Has your data been leaked?

You need to know whether you have been victimized first. Just because you have transacted with a website that has been hacked isn’t a 100% guaranteed that your information has been compromised.

The first step is to find out if your information was a part of the latest data hack. One of the most efficient and fastest ways to check is to use the site haveibeenpwned. The site works by using your email address to see which data breaches your information was a part of and if you were affected.

(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/nicolemartin1/2019/09/19/what-to-do-if-your-data-was-breached/#37aa5b976012)

 

What has been stolen from you?  

If you are now 100% certain that your data has been leaked, it is time to determine what information about you has been leaked. Leaked information can be classified as least sensitive (your full name, street address), more sensitive (payment methods, email addresses), and most sensitive (security codes of your payment options, social security numbers).

An online-account password, combined with an email address, can be used to hijack online accounts. A card security

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So many of us use our smartphones as alarm clocks, helping us wake up and get out of bed every single morning. But then, are most of us even aware that we can also use our trusty devices to get us more shuteye? App stores are filled to the brim with apps that are ready with sounds and music to lull us to sleep. Some even have timers so that they don’t have to be operated the entire time. Let’s have a look at these apps are and see how they can help us get that much-needed 8 hours of sleep.

Calm

The app Calm not only is effective when it comes to making its users sleep, as it also includes other subjects such as meditation and mindfulness. For those who want the app to do what it does best, it also contains a series of “sleep stories,” which is a sort of throwback for adults since it resembles night time stories they enjoyed as kids with their parents reading to them. These stories have been reviewed as effective in easing you gently into slumberville. There are some free stories, although more are included in a subscription for $13 monthly (although they are also free for a trial period). The stories are usually around 25 minutes, and it is hoped that before the story ends, you’re already off to dreamland.

Calm has also partnered with famous athletes to take their features and content a notch higher.

To that end, future Hall of Famer and current Los Angeles Laker forward, LeBron James, has partnered with meditation and sleep app Calm to shine on a light on mental fitness and the important role it plays in a successful athletic career, especially when a player has passed their prime and may need to rely on tools other than their athletic abilities.

(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonogus/2019/12/25/lebron-james-partners-with-unicorn-app-calm-that-focuses-on-your-mental-fitness/#483d293d37d3)

Pzizz

Pzizz has available sleep and focus sounds that aim to put users to sleep. These sounds are custom mixed, so you can have voiceovers, music, or other sounds. Initially available through a free trial, users who want to continue will need to pay a monthly subscription fee of $5.

Pzizz uses psychoacoustics (a.k.a., the psychological affects of sound) to treat insomnia.

(Via: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/g27045304/best-sleep-apps/)

Sleep Sounds

What users like about Sleep Sounds is that is very straightforward and simple, and as its name suggests, it is singular and focused on sleep. Available in the app are general sounds that can make you fall asleep, such as a creek or a cozy crackling fire, or you also have the option of creating your own mixes that can contain everything from instrumental guitar to rain calmly falling on the ground. …

Oh, the world wide web, how fascinating our lives have been with it! It has opened is to a whole new dimension of information we have no access to before. But then, just like any other place that’s worth exploring, there may be dangers that lurk on the sides that if you fall victim to, will damage your entire experience. So, you need to be aware of these hazards and keep yourself safe when surfing online. What’s great is that you don’t really need to be a computer science genius to know how to amply protect yourself when exploring the internet. Minimize your risk by taking note of these tips to enjoy a safer web experience.

The Importance of Upgrading

Let’s admit it: Most, if not all of us, get annoyed when programs in our computer get upgraded without our permission. These silent upgrades are not done for no reason, though, as they play a key role in keeping everyone safe. Moreover, browsers and OSes have made it point to roll out their updates in a seamless fashion, making it a point to not bother users. It would be best to apply these updates on all applications and programs, not just on your browser or frequently used programs. Don’t allow old versions of programs to be left in your machine, as they are susceptible to attacks, not to mention that they may soon (or may have already) be without support.

Silent upgrades might occasionally be annoying (and costly), but they’re a big part of keeping you safe, which is why the updates for most OSes and browsers now happen seamlessly. Apply updates whenever you’re asked to on all your applications, not just your browser, and be wary of leaving older hardware gathering dust on your network.

Viruses and malware are constantly evolving to exploit vulnerabilities in your software and hardware. Software developers try to fix these flaws as soon as they are discovered. What many people don’t realise is that infections occur because people delay software updates that fix these flaws. In short, they could have protected themselves by installing the updates to fix the security holes as soon as they came out.

(Via: https://www.necl-it.co.uk/2019/03/08/the-importance-of-keeping-software-up-to-date/)

That Required Two-Step Verification

Users are pretty much exposed to two-step verification, with most tech firms giving users the option to set it up on their accounts. What it is, basically, is that users can have an SMS or code to supplement their usernames and passwords every time they log in on a new device. Google and Microsoft highly encourage two-step verification, while for Mac users, they call it 2FA, or 2 Factor Authentication. There’s a slight difference in the process but the overall …