Month: January 2013

By Thorin Klosowski, Lifehacker – January 03, 2013 at 11:00AM

Ever scoff at someone for buying refurbished? Or found yourself dropping $40 on an HDMI cable? We all hear (and spread) tech myths to mostly harmless ends, but in some cases those myths end up costing you a lot of money. Here are a few of the worst offenders.

Technology myths spread through a number of channels. Perhaps it’s as simple as a retailer pushing overpriced products, or it’s the stigma of not buying something brand new. With that in mind, let’s save some money and debunk the myths that steal your hard earned cash from your wallet.

Myth #1: Refurbished Products Aren’t As Good As New Ones

Refurbished products tend to get a bad rap because a lot of people equate refurbished with “used,” which is not the same thing. In fact, refurbished gadgets come from a variety of sources:

• A product with damage to either the unit itself or the box that has been fixed.
• A demo unit from a retailer.
• An open box item that was returned by someone who decided not to keep it.
• A defective product that has been returned and fixed.

Once a product is returned, it’s inspected and deemed ready for sale again, but it can’t be sold as new, so it’s sold as refurbished for a fraction of the cost. Subsequently, buying refurbished is one of the simplest ways to save money. A number of third-party retailers sell refurbished products, but you typically want to buy “Factory certified” because they’re tested by the manufacturer itself. You also want to find refurbished products with a decent warranty (90 days) and return policy (30 days). These typically aren’t as good as a new warranty, but companies like Apple and Dell both offer the same warranty on refurbished as if you purchase new. So search around and see which companies are better for refurbs.

In most cases, refurbished products are as good as new even though you don’t get the fancy box you’ll inevitably throw away, and you need to do a little extra research to ensure you’re covered if you run into problems. Still, buying refurbished with a good warranty is the easiest way to save a ton of money on your tech purchases. Photo by dwstucke.

Myth #2: Extended Warranties Are Worth the Price

It’s next to impossible to walk out of an electronics retailer without someone attempting to upsell you on an extended warranty. It’s not just high-end electronics either. A lot of retailers will even try to sell you an extended warranty on DVDs or video games. But in most cases, extended warranties are not worth the extra cost.

As we’ve discussed before, extended warranties are a hot-button issue. In some cases, an extended warranty can save your butt on newer technology when something goes wrong with it. But, in most cases, it’s cheaper to just set up your own “extented warranty” fund, or make the initial purchase with a credit card that offers its own warranty program.

That said, warranties can be worth it if an item is very expensive, it’s cutting edge technology with no record of reliability (you can check typical reliability here), it has expensive repair costs, or if you’re particularly clumsy (which is handy for phones).

Of course, if you’re even remotely technically saavy, you can do most repairs yourself, including iPhone screen replacements, laptop repairs, and general software fixes. Learning to do basic tech repair isn’t just good for saving you money, it also makes it so you don’t have to abandon your favorite gadgets for weeks on end for warranty repairs. If all else fails you can always try and get free repairs without a valid warranty.

The fact of the matter is that most extended warranties will go unused. Different circumstances and different warranties are bound to come up, but as a general rule you can go without warranties on most products. If you’re in doubt when you’re at the checkout line, ask if you can buy the warranty later so you can do a little research. Photo by trenttsd.

Myth #3: More Expensive Cables = Higher Quality Picture and Sound

If you walk into any electronics department you’ll find a ton of different cable options for TVs and stereos. Chances are you’ll also find a salesperson trying to convince you to buy the most expensive option. When it comes to digital cables, though, all of them are essentially the same.

As our sister site Gizmodo has noted, cheap HDMI cables give you the same results as expensive options. CNET’s results were the exact same, and Digital Foundary echoed the statement as well. The fact is, you won’t see a difference between cables that transfer digital data, like HDMI or DVI. In fact, our friends at the Wirecutter recommend the $10 Monoprice HDMI cables, which is about as cheap as it gets!

Analog audio cables are the exception, and likely the main cause of this myth. Analog cables will cause a change in the quality of sound, but unless you’re a hardcore audiophile obsessing over every aspect of sound quality, CNET and Gizmodo both agree that most people won’t notice the difference (unless they’re really paying attention). So yes, premium speaker and audio cables technically make a difference in the sound quality on high end stereo equipment, but most of us will never hear it.

Common sense also applies here. If you’re running an iPod with crappy MP3s through a $500 stereo, spending more than a few dollars on speaker wire or audio cables isn’t going to do anything for the sound quality. For most of us, the cheapest cables off the shelf (or off the internet, as the case may be) work just as well as anything else. Photo by alx_chief.

Myth #4: Better Processors Make for Better All-Around Speed

Back in the early days of computers, processor speed was incredibly important. The difference between a 1 GHz processor and a 1.5 GHz processor was noticeable, even to novices. Over time, the importance of clock speed has become ingrained in all our minds. But nowadays things are a little different. As Ars Technica points out, comparing clock speeds between processors isn’t as important as it was 10 years ago:

In a nutshell, the Pentium 4 took many more clock cycles to do the same amount of work as the original Pentium, so its clockspeed was much higher for the equivalent amount of work. This is one core reason why there’s little point in comparing clockspeeds across different processor architectures and families-the amount of work done per clock cycle is different for each architecture, so the relationship between clockspeed and performance (measured in instructions per second) is different.

For the most part, we’ve reached the point of diminishing returns for clock speed on desktop computers. Which is to say, unless you’re editing a lot of video or buying a laptop, you don’t need to spend the extra money on more processor speed. For speed improvement, your money is best spent elsewhere: If you want to speed up your rig for gaming, you’re best off buying a better video card, and if you want to just speed up general performance, a solid state drive will boost your speed more than a new processor.

The point is that when you’re looking to buy a new computer, or if you’re interested in upgrading yours, the processor is likely the last thing you need to consider unless you have special, processor-intensive needs like video editing.

Myth #5: DIY Isn’t As Good As What You Buy on the Shelf

The myth that DIY options aren’t as good as products from a store goes far beyond tech purchases, but the idea that you’ll get a better product from Best Buy than you can make yourself is just absurd.

Of course, making something on your own takes a little technical skill, but doing so can save you tons of money. One of the most obvious examples of this accessories. A car dock for your phone is a perfect example. You could go out and buy one for $30 or $40, and it’ll probably only work for one specific phone. Or you can make one yourself out of binder clips for a couple bucks and it works with any phone. Even a laptop stand can cost $20 or $30 in a store, but you can easily make one yourself with a $3 Ikea BRADA that works just as well. Essentially, DIYing is not only cheaper, it also lets you make something that fits your exact needs.

DIY options are just as capable as their store-bought counterparts. Even if you’re not sure what you’re doing, you’ll find a ton of guides online that walk you through the process to make your own gear. While your project might not end up looking as pretty as what you buy in the store, it’ll likely work just as well and save you a lot of cash. The other benefit? You’ll probably actually like what you make more than what you purchase.

Myth #6: You Need to Pay for Cable to Watch All the Newest Shows

If you talk to pretty much anyone with cable TV, they’re biggest defense for keeping cable is that they want to stay up to date on popular shows. But for many of us, that’s easy enough to do without spending $60-$120 a month on a cable bill.

With the exception of live sports, you can get almost any TV show a la carte from a variety of places. The most obvious place you get free TV is from the oldest source around: your TV antenna (and you can even build one yourself pretty easily). With an antenna you’ll get all the network shows you want that are broadcast in your area.

Of course, cable is mostly about the shows specific to cable channels. The good news is that you can get season passes for most TV shows directly from places like Amazon and iTunes for around $30-$40. The price seems high at first, but unless you’re subscribing to 12-15 shows a year you’re saving money over cable. The benefit here is that you can essentially create a piecemeal cable service that only includes the TV shows you actually watch. Combine that with a service that offers recent episodes of most shows like Hulu Plus and you’ll spend a lot less money on TV while still watching your favorite shows.

None of this means anything unless you can get these shows on your TV, of course. Thankfully, that’s incredibly easy to do with a a good set top box, which is super cheap. Of course, you can also splurge a little more and go for an awesome $500 media center. If you already own a video game console, you can just stream directly from that.

The fact is, ditching cable is incredibly easy and you don’t have to lose your favorite shows in the process. Photo by Joshua Blount.

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These technology myths are just scratching the surface of the tech we all commonly waste money on. Most of these ideas have carried over from older generations as fact, but when it’s your money at stake it’s important to do the research to see what’s really possible (and what’s not). It’s not just about being frugal, it’s about not wasting money.

Title image remixed from silver tiger (Shutterstock).

By Andrew Liszewski, Gizmodo – January 03, 2013 at 10:40AM

The next time you’re filling out your logs after a long shift on the Enterprise and need to pad it out, just hop on over to Riker Ipsum, which generates random text based on quotes from William Riker. Of course Picard was always far more quotable, but the mundane musings of the first officer make for much better filler. More »

By (author unknown), Dilbert Daily Strip – January 03, 2013 at 01:00AM

By Noemi Twigg, ForeverGeek – January 02, 2013 at 06:00AM

If you are anything like me, you spent a huge chunk of the holiday break to get away from work and catch up on reading and watching TV series and movies. You may even have revisited franchises that hold a special place in your heart. If you’re a Trekkie – or simply someone who likes Star Trek – then you might have spent some quality time with your favorite characters in one way or another.

How about we add a little more joy to your life as we say “Hi!” to 2013?

Matt at ChartGeek obviously has a penchant for all things Star Trek, and he went out of his way to create a Star Trek character chart that will put a smile on your face.

This Star Trek character chart is not as comprehensive as hardcore Trekkies might want, but it does feature every Star Trek bridge officer from every show. And while we do love taking a look at Star Trek technology – who has not fantasized about actually being able to use a transporter or a tricorder? – the Star Trek character chart is fodder for trivia enthusiasts. At the very least, you can use it to make sure you win the Star Trek part of the next Geek Night.

By Thorin Klosowski, Lifehacker – January 02, 2013 at 09:00AM

Your gadgets are important to you, and the last thing you want to happen is for them to get soaked in a surprise snow storm. While you can buy waterproof bags, DIY Photography shows off how you can do your own waterproofing of any canvas bag with a little wax.

The process itself is pretty easy. You need two pots, a mixture of paraffin and bee’s wax, and a brush. Boil a bit of water in one pot, then place the other pot inside it with the wax and wait for it to melt. Then coat the bag with the wax using the brush. Once you’re satisfied you covered the bag, let it dry, toss it into an old pillowcase, and then put it in the dryer for 15 minutes to 30 minutes. When it’s done, you’ll have a water resistant bag for a fraction of the price of buying one new. Head over to DIY Photography for the full guide, as well a few tips for converting that bag into a dedicated camera bag.

Spoil Your Camera With A DIY Waxed Camera Bag | DIY Photography

By noreply@blogger.com (John), Super Punch – January 01, 2013 at 05:28PM

Here’s instructions for building a Lego Tie Fighter designed by Jerac.

By Yaara Lancet, MakeUseOf – January 01, 2013 at 06:30PM

What comes to your mind when you hear the word Facebook? Maybe you’re thinking “social network” or “friends”, but for many users, Facebook also means two other things: frequent changes and privacy concerns. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Facebook, is that they’re not really concerned about what we like or our privacy. Nor should they be. When it comes to privacy, it’s our responsibility as Facebook users to make sure we keep ourselves secure and safe while using Facebook.

As for the frequent changes, most  of these are rather coolly accepted, and when we get right down to it, most new features and interface changes come to serve Facebook’s interests rather than the users’. The latest Facebook change is one shining exception: new Facebook privacy settings. Like I already said, taking care of privacy is our responsibility; it’s also in our best interest.

The new privacy settings turn Facebook’s complex security settings into something much more intelligible, so it’s easier than ever before to be responsible. Let’s take a look at everything that’s changed, and see exactly what you can and can’t do with it.

New Privacy Menu

This is Facebook’s new privacy menu, and the most significant and important addition to Facebook privacy settings. The new menu makes several settings which you previously had to dig for much more accessible and easy to control. These settings are probably the most important for any Facebook user, and include such things as who can see your posts, who can contact you, etc.

As you can see, the wording was also improved, and sounds much more human now. Whereas before you had to half guess what a certain setting does, the new wording can’t be any clearer. “Who can see my stuff?” is where you control who sees your posts (this can be changed for an individual post when you write it), and quickly access the View As options and the new activity log which we’ll touch on in a minute.

The “Who can contact me?” is the new name to what was previously known as “Who can send you Facebook messages”. The new settings let you choose between two filters: basic and strict. The difference? In basic filtering, you’ll mostly get messages from your friends and friends of friends; in strict filtering, you’ll mostly get messages only from your friends. Notice the vague wording? It’s repeated again in the more detailed help page, and basically means that sometimes you might get messages from other people as well.

Note that regardless of the filter you choose, the messages you miss won’t be blocked, but simply go to your Other folder, and you won’t be notified about them. You can check this folder periodically to make sure you didn’t miss anything important.

One of the most useful features of the new menu is the ability to block someone in exactly 5 seconds. Is someone bothering you? Simply enter a name in the third part of the privacy menu, find the person, and click block. This won’t take you more than 10 seconds if you tried.

One last feature you should be aware of is the search option. Granted, the new menu won’t answer all your needs and questions, but you can perform searches straight from it and find answers and solutions to almost any other issue. Just click the magnifying glass icon on the top right corner and search for a term. The results will include all relevant Facebook help pages.

A Settings Page You Can Understand

The old settings page was definitely usable. If you really cared about your privacy, you could dig into it and find all the settings you needed. But why did it have to be so hard? Well, it’s not anymore. When you access your settings now, you’ll find that the page has changed completely, with a new menu on the left, clearly defined items and a complete re-wording of most of the settings. Want to control which apps can access your profile? Click on “Apps” on the left and you’re there. Amazing!

While it does seem like there’s more to go through and read in your new settings, everything is much easier to understand, and it’s well worth your time to go through everything and make sure it’s all set to your liking. This is especially important if you haven’t done this in a while, due to the annoying complexity of the previous settings page.

New & Improved Activity Log

The new activity log makes it very easy to see everything you’ve posted, everything you’re tagged in, etc., and it’s easily accessible from the new shortcut menu. The activity log is chronological – you can see exactly where you are on your timeline using the time indicator on the right – but you can also filter it using several other settings. All the filters are available on the left side, where you can choose to see only photos, likes or comments, only posts you’re tagged in, only posts in groups, and pretty much anything else you can think of. You can also easily access items you need to review, such as tags you need to authorize, etc. This makes it much easier to review your timeline, make sure nothing out of the order is posted about you and re-think things you’ve posted yourself.

Found a photo of yourself or a tag you don’t like? You can easily remove it right from the activity log, with one extra perk: you can now also ask for an entire photo to be removed completely, not just your own tag. So how do you do this?

If you find something inappropriate, you can either click on the sharing indicator and choose “Report/Remove Tag….”, or, if you find several items you want to take care of, select all of them and click on the blue “Report/Remove Tags” button that appears at the top of the page.

Now you’ll get the option to remove your tags, which happens immediately, and also to request that the item be removed completely. Great for those post-party realizations.

Granting App Permissions

One of the major changes Facebook is implementing will concern app permissions – an extremely important and often overlooked subject. While I couldn’t see this change implemented yet, it will be soon according to Facebook.

When this rolls out, you’ll get fine-grained control over permissions you’re granting apps. Each request will appear in a separate window, and you’ll have the ability to grant some permissions while declining others. I hope to see this implemented by apps very soon.

Make Sure You’re Secure!

Facebook’s privacy settings are no joke. If you choose to have a Facebook account and share information, it’s imperative that you know exactly who you’re sharing with. And this includes third-party apps to which you might have granted access. The new Facebook privacy settings are truly easy to understand and tweak, but there’s one thing they can’t do: change themselves.

You’ve seen above how simple these settings are now. It will take you all of 10 minutes to go through everything on the settings page and make sure all is in order. To make your life even easier, here’s a short list of things you should pay attention to:

• In the Security tab: make sure “Secure Browsing” is enabled.
• In the Privacy tab: make sure your posts are visible only to those whom you want it to be seen to. (I recommend “Friends”. Just saying.)
• In the Timeline and Tagging tab: make sure you know who can post on your Timeline. Do you really want everyone in the world to be able to do this?
• In the same tab: Take a minute to review all the settings under “How I can manage tags people add and tagging suggestions?” These are important.
• In the Notification tab: make sure you’re notified when people tag you, this is something you need to know about.
• In the Apps tab: aside from removing apps that shouldn’t be there, you want to click “Edit” next to “Apps others use” and see what information about you others can share with their apps.

These are, of course, only highlights, but if you do nothing else to protect your privacy, at least take a look at these settings.

What do you think of Facebook’s new privacy settings? Did they help you take control of your Facebook presence? Are there other important settings you think no one should skip? Share all your thoughts below.

Image Credit: key image via Shutterstock

The post Make Sure You’re Secure With Facebook’s New Privacy Settings – A Complete Guide appeared first on MakeUseOf.

By Lambert V., The Awesomer – January 01, 2013 at 11:00AM

In case some dumbass asks you to prove why the Earth is round – or says otherwise – here are 10 ways of proving it. Honestly by the time we got to the middle we forgot about the obvious number 1.

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