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Thursday, January 31, 2019

tech January 31, 2019

The Best Linux Software and Apps

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tech January 31, 2019

The 7 Best History Apps That Make Learning History Exciting

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tech January 31, 2019

How to Change the Ads You See on Facebook

Facebook now has over 2 billion monthly active users. Unsurprisingly, it’s collecting as much data about them as possible. This is to help advertisers target ads at the right people.

If you’re on Facebook, did you know that you can see what Facebook thinks it knows about you?

In this article, we’ll explain how Facebook collects this data about you, how to view your Ad Preferences, and (crucially) how to change them if they’re inaccurate.

Do You Know What Facebook Knows About You?

According to research conducted by the Pew Research Center, 74 percent of American Facebook users don’t know that Facebook maintains a list of their interests and traits for advertising purposes.

Facebook collects this information in the background, but you can see it on a page called Your Ad Preferences. Since Facebook is trying to figure out these preferences from your activity, it isn’t always accurate. According to the survey, 59 percent of people say the data reflected their real-life interests, while 27 percent say its not very or not at all accurate.

Facebook reflected in phone

When shown how Facebook classifies their interests, 51 percent of respondents said that they were not comfortable that such a list existed.

Facebook also assigns some users a political and multicultural affinity. The latter is not your actual race or ethnic background, but instead your understanding or empathy towards a group.

Around half of the people in the survey had been assigned a political affinity. And while 73 percent say it’s accurate, 27 percent say otherwise. Only about a fifth of people had a multicultural affinity. A sizable 60 percent say their affinity is strong to the group they had been assigned to, while 37 percent say otherwise.

How accurate this data is not only relies on Facebook’s formula for calculation, but also on your activity across the web and offline.

How Facebook Creates Your Ad Preferences

Facebook collects data and makes assumptions about you in order to benefit its advertisers. By knowing who you are, Facebook can target ads that it thinks will be relevant to your interests.

How Advertisers Target You

When an advertiser comes to Facebook, they detail the audience they want to reach, defined by things like age range, gender, location, and interests. Facebook then links this to all of their users to find a match.

How Facebook adverts are created

Let’s say a cupcake company in New York wants to run an ad to get people into their shop to buy their new Batman-themed cupcake: dark chocolate, yellow icing, and the bat emblem on top. Delicious!

The cupcake company could target their ad at people who are between 18-35 years old, within 20 miles of their store, and have an interest in comic books.

If you are 23 years old, living near Central Park, and visit a Batman fansite regularly, Facebook will prioritize showing the cupcake ad to you.

How Facebook shows ads based on who you are

How Facebook Knows Who You Are

Facebook builds its profile on you using a variety of different methods.

The first, and probably most obvious, method is through your activity on Facebook and Instagram (which Facebook owns). Information collected includes pages you and your friends like, all personal details in your profile like age and gender, plus the places you check in to.

Your location can also be determined through where you use your phone and where you connect to the internet.

Facebook logo with magnifying glass

Even if Facebook doesn’t own a website or app, you are still liable to be tracked if the developer is utilizing Facebook’s web beacons. These can track if you download their app, what pages you view, and what you add to your shopping cart or purchase.

Finally, an advertiser can upload a customer list to Facebook, which can include your phone number, email address, and other information. The advertiser can collect this data when you sign up on their website, subscribe to an email newsletter, or make a purchase.

How to Change Your Facebook Ad Preferences

Thankfully for anyone concerned that this data is being collected, Facebook have made it easy to see your ad preferences. Log in to your Facebook account and click the dropdown arrow from the top menu. Select Settings > Ads. This is Your Ad Preferences page.

Facebook interest advert preferences

Expand Your interests to see what Facebook thinks you like across categories like entertainment, shopping, and technology. Click an interest to see an example ad. Click the cross to remove something from your ad preferences; this doesn’t remove Facebook storing that data about you, but lets them know you don’t think it applies to you.

The Advertisers section shows which companies added information about you, websites you’ve visited, ads you’ve clicked, and more. Click the cross to stop seeing ads from that company. This doesn’t remove the data that the company uploaded about you.

Facebook your information advert preferences

Expand Your information and use the sliders to set whether Facebook can show you ads based on your profile fields like relationship status and job title. Separate from ad settings, you need to remove this data from your profile if you don’t want Facebook to know it.

Take a close look at the Ad settings section. You can choose whether you allow Facebook to show you ads based on data for partners and based on your activity elsewhere. You can also exclude your name appearing in ads for other people. Click each section in turn, read the full details, and use the dropdown to set your preference.

Facebook hide ad topics

Finally, Hide ad topics lets you note your desire to see less ads related to alcohol, parenting, and pets. This can be for 6 months, 1 year, or even permanently.

How to Stop Facebook Tracking You

Now, you are fully educated on how Facebook is tracking you and where you need to go to maintain your ad preferences. And it’s understandable if this all seems a bit creepy, leading you to want to crack down on it.

For more information about controlling how your activity is recorded, see our guides on how to stop Facebook tracking you and how to stop Facebook selling your browsing data.

Image Credit: lightwavemedia/Depositphotos

Read the full article: How to Change the Ads You See on Facebook

from MakeUseOf http://bit.ly/2GbNASh

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tech January 31, 2019

The 7 Best Coupon Apps for Groceries

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tech January 31, 2019

You Can Now Play Fortnite on Mobile With a Controller

If you play Fortnite on your smartphone you can now use a Bluetooth controller. This should help level the playing field when playing against Fortnite players on PC or console. Because as good as touchscreen controls can be, they’re no match for a controller.

Epic promised controller support was incoming in an update from November 2018. At the time the company said it was “beginning testing on various controller setups as we work to enable support.” Now, controller support has arrived with the release of Fortnite v7.30.

Fortnite Levels the Playing Field for Mobile Gamers

Epic Games regularly updates Fortnite, fixing bugs and other technical issues, and adding new features and fun elements. Fortnite v7.30 is no exception, but the headline feature of this particular update is mobile controller support on Android and iOS.

On Android, Fortnite now supports “most Bluetooth controller adapters, such as Steelseries Stratus XL, Gamevice, XBox1, Razer Raiju, and Moto Gamepad.” On iOS, Fortnite now supports “MFi controllers, such as Steelseries Nimbus and Gamevice”.

The Ice King recalls his legion as downtime for the v7.30 patch begins.

Discover what awaits you in this week's update: https://t.co/AxBt8jDAw7

— Fortnite (@FortniteGame) January 29, 2019

Apple escalates war against Facebook and its privacy practices

Facebook shrugs off controversies and has record quarterly profits as well as growth in monthy active users. The company said it is shutting the app down for Apple users.

from Technology https://wapo.st/2FXy8tZ

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Techmeme January 31, 2019

Research: in 2018, startups in the SF Bay Area raised $22.4B across 87 $100M+ funding rounds; startups in the rest of US raised $24.9B across 103 $100M+ rounds (Joanna Glasner/Crunchbase News)

Joanna Glasner / Crunchbase News:
Research: in 2018, startups in the SF Bay Area raised $22.4B across 87 $100M+ funding rounds; startups in the rest of US raised $24.9B across 103 $100M+ rounds — The San Francisco Bay Area 1 may be best understood as one giant reality distortion field. People live on top of earthquake faults.

C. Scott Brown / Android Authority:
Tim Baxter, Samsung North America's president and CEO, says he will retire on June 1, will be replaced by YH Eom, deputy head of Samsung North America — Tim Baxter is currently President and CEO of Samsung Electronics North America in New York City. However, come this June …

from Techmeme http://bit.ly/2HFC3Nv

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Techmeme January 31, 2019

Within days of Intel announcing it is expanding its chip plant in Israel, sources say it has bid $5.5B to acquire Israeli big data chipmaker Mellanox (Mike Robuck/FierceTelecom)

Mike Robuck / FierceTelecom:
Within days of Intel announcing it is expanding its chip plant in Israel, sources say it has bid $5.5B to acquire Israeli big data chipmaker Mellanox — U.S. chipmaker Intel has reportedly bid $5.5 billion to $6 billion in cash and stock to buy Israel-based Mellanox.

from Techmeme http://bit.ly/2TmP8Nh

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Techmeme January 31, 2019

Zuckerberg shares Facebook's 2019 priorities: progress on the social issues facing it, building new experiences, supporting businesses, and more transparency (Mark Zuckerberg)

Mark Zuckerberg:
Zuckerberg shares Facebook's 2019 priorities: progress on the social issues facing it, building new experiences, supporting businesses, and more transparency — We just released our community update and quarterly results. — We've fundamentally changed how we run our company to focus …

from Techmeme http://bit.ly/2G0c2Xv

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Techmeme January 31, 2019

Microsoft says chip supply issues hurt its Q2 Office and Windows revenues and that negative effects "will take through the June quarter to normalize" (Mary Jo Foley/ZDNet)

Mary Jo Foley / ZDNet:
Microsoft says chip supply issues hurt its Q2 Office and Windows revenues and that negative effects “will take through the June quarter to normalize” — Microsoft's cloud businesses and Surface grew solidly during its Q2 FY19, while Windows OEM and Office Consumer products slowed, in part, due to chip supply issues.

from Techmeme http://bit.ly/2MLE0XS

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Techmeme January 31, 2019

Facebook says Instagram Stories has 500M daily users, will phase out Facebook-only metrics, focusing on "family" metrics like 2.7B monthly users across apps (Josh Constine/TechCrunch)

Josh Constine / TechCrunch:
Facebook says Instagram Stories has 500M daily users, will phase out Facebook-only metrics, focusing on “family” metrics like 2.7B monthly users across apps — Roughly half of Instagram's users 1 billion users now use Instagram Stories every day.

from Techmeme http://bit.ly/2TiG6ke

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Wednesday, January 30, 2019

tech January 30, 2019

H&R Block’s Free Tax Filing Plan Provides the Most Value

Tax season has arrived in the United States, and for many folks, this means using tax preparation products to file federal and state taxes. As usual, the two most significant tax preparation services, H&R Block and TurboTax, are offering free online services for qualified users. However, these free products aren’t all equal.

For the tax year 2018, H&R Block has pulled out the stops and is offering more credits and deductions than the free TurboTax product. In doing so, H&R Block’s free plan includes 45 forms required for filing, versus just 22 from TurboTax.

Let’s take a further look at what H&R Block’s free tool offers.

Who Should Use H&R Block’s Free Online Service?

The free online service from H&R Block is designed for those who receive a W-2, have kids, and pay rent. It’s also ideally suited for tax situations where one may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit, has childcare expenses, pays student loan interest, or had income from a retirement plan.

Those likely to receive a child tax credit or who rely on Social Security income also qualify. H&R Block’s basic plan offers simple W-2 importing through snapping a picture, self-help via an online help center, and technical support chat.

H&R Block Free Plan

What Forms Does H&R Block Offer?

H&R Block’s free offering lets you file your federal and state return for free. Keep in mind that this only covers basic returns, however. These include the traditional 1040, Schedule EIC, and Schedule 8812.

You can also use this package with other common tax forms such as Form 1099 (including B, DIV, INT, and R), 1098 (E and T) and 1095 (A and B). If you require other forms, you’ll need to upgrade to a paid plan.

How H&R Block’s Free Plan Differs From TurboTax’s

Using H&R Block’s free plan, you can submit student loan interest and tuition payment information. You can also file for the Child and Dependent Care Credit and Form 8880, the so-called “Saver’s Credit.” Social Security, unemployment income, and Form 8965 Health Coverage Exemptions are also covered under the basic plan, unlike the free TurboTax version.

Did you live in more than one state in 2018? H&R Block’s free plan allows you to submit multiple state filings for free, while TurboTax’s free plan only allows you one free state filing.

Here’s a breakdown of the differences between both plans:

Students

If you’re paying off student loans, you can qualify for credits and deductions, including:

Student Loan Interest Deduction
Tuition and Fees Statement (1098-T)
American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Education Credit

Of these three, TurboTax’s free version does not include the first two.

Childcare Expenses

For parents, several credits are available to bring the tax bill down, including:

Child and Dependent Care Expenses Credit
Child Tax Credit
Additional Child Tax Credit
Earned Income Credit

These credits are all available in H&R Block’s free program. You’ll need to pay extra with TurboTax to see if you qualify for the first credit on this list.

Healthcare

Finally, Health Coverage Exemptions (form 8965) and part-year health care coverage can be calculated for free through H&R Block’s basic plan. Unfortunately, the same does not apply to Turbo’s free offering.

Don’t Forget H&R Block’s Other Plans

H&R Block Plans

For those who don’t qualify for H&R Block’s free tax preparation plan, there are others to choose from.

The H&R Block Deluxe plan is $29.99 for federal filing and $36.99 for each state. By comparison, the TurboTax Deluxe plan costs $39.99 for federal filing and $39.99 for each state. This program is ideally suited for homeowners who pay real estate taxes, make charitable contributions, and use a Health Savings Account (HSA).

The Deluxe plan also includes DeductionPro to help you optimize donations for the most deductions. Other benefits to using this plan include access to six years’ worth of tax returns and technical support, by both chat and phone.

Meanwhile, the H&R Block Premium plan is for freelancers, contractors, and investors. This is the one you should use if you have income with expenses of less than $5,000, or have stock sales or rental property income. The Premium Plan is $49.99 for federal filing and $36.99 per state. These prices compare favorably to TurboTax Premium, available for $59.99 and $39.99, respectively.

There is also an H&R Block Self-Employed plan which costs $79.99 for federal filing and $36.99 for each state. TurboTax’s similar plan is priced at $89.99 and $39.99, respectively. The Self-Employed plan is for those with small business expenses, including home office, depreciation, and vehicle expenses.

H&R Block also has brick-and-mortar stores where you can have agents assist you with your filing. These H&R Block in-person packages start at $49.

This Tax Season, the Choice Is Clear

Both H&R Block and Turbo offer free tax preparation plans. However, as we’ve seen, the free plan from H&R Block offers more credits and deductions. It’s the one you should use if you qualify. Doing your taxes has never been easier!

Read the full article: H&R Block’s Free Tax Filing Plan Provides the Most Value

from MakeUseOf http://bit.ly/2Tm87Hw

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tech January 30, 2019

The 8 Best Podcast Apps for Android

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tech January 30, 2019

7 Password Manager Features You Need to Know About

Password managers are an essential tool in your digital arsenal. One of the reasons they’ve become so common is because of how straightforward they are to understand and operate. They manage your long passwords so that you don’t have to remember them.

Simple.

But password managers can do a lot more than just store your credentials. Here are seven lesser-known features of password managers.

Note: These features are not available on every password manager, but most services like LastPass offer them.

1. Take Notes

Dashlane Notes

Password managers can be employed as secure, full-fledged note-taking apps.

Notes can be categorized, tagged, searched, and even shared with others, irrespective of whether they’re using the same password manager. If you select a specific category like a bank account, you will also get quick fields for them such as bank name, account number, account type, and more.

Also, most of them allow importing and exporting these files if you’re planning to switch password manager. You also have options for enabling passcode protection for individual notes.

2. Store Files

Attachments on Enpass

On some password managers, you can attach documents and images to notes as well. The data you upload is encrypted just like the notes themselves and can be accessed from the service’s mobile or desktop clients. Similarly, attachments can have descriptions too and you can file them under separate folders or categories like business cards.

However, cloud storage comes at a price. For instance, LastPass’ free plan has a limit of 50MB; its enterprise tiers store up to 1GB of media.

3. Automatically Fill Forms

Lastpass Form fill profiles

One of the most overlooked utilities most password managers offer is form-fill profiles.

These allow you to avoid filling every single online form that comes your way. Instead, you simply type in your details in a generic form in the password manager. This information is then used to automatically populate the forms you encounter online.

Form fill profiles are generally available on desktop and mobile, typically located in the navigation bar. If you’ve installed a password manager extension, it might also automatically ask you if you’d like to create a profile based on some form you’ve completed while browsing.

4. Browse the Web

Many password managers mobile apps ship with an inbuilt, secure browser for safer web browsing.

These browsers are typically integrated with the password manager’s autofill component. This means you also don’t need to worry about entering credentials or filling forms while using them. Plus, they have all the standard utilities you’d expect from a modern browser including multiple tabs, the ability to request a website’s desktop version, bookmarks, etc.

Switching to a more secure browser has numerous benefits. One of the most significant is the fact that they allow you to cover your tracks once you leave a website. The browser does so by obstructing trackers and cookies which would have otherwise monitored your browsing habits.

5. Generate Random Passwords

Lastpass random password generator

Constantly struggle to come up with tough passwords? It’s time to give your password manager’s random generator a shot.

These won’t be memorable passwords, of course, but since you’re already dependent on a password manager, that isn’t necessary. Some services such as LastPass even have an option to produce passwords that are pronounceable. What’s more, you can adjust their length, specify which type of characters are allowed, and set other filters.

Random password generators are normally available on desktop and mobile password manager apps. In addition, a few of them are even capable of suggesting random passwords while you’re signing up for a new account. This feature is most likely to be found on the service’s browser extension.

6. Diagnose Your Digital Security

LastPass Security Challenge

Password managers can also diagnose your digital security by checking how robust your passwords are. Several factors are checked, such as how often you use the same passcode, character length, when it was last updated, and more.

Once the scan is done, a security score lets you know which accounts need a refresh and how many of them are duplicate, old or simply not strong enough. A few of them also reveal your relative standing compared to other users.

After going through the results, you can change weak passwords and retake the test to ensure you didn’t miss anything. Some like LastPass even let you invite friends to take the security challenge so that you can compare scores.

7. Set Up Emergency Contacts

Emergency contacts on Dashlane

Emergency contacts can be configured on password managers too.

This enables you to offer access to a friend or family members in case of emergency. However, setting these won’t allow them to get into account anytime they want; password managers require you specify a buffer period.

Therefore, when an emergency contact requests access, you’ll be alerted. If you don’t reject the request, your credentials are shared and the contact will be able to view all your stored passwords.

Is Your Password Manager Secure?

While a password manager’s primary objective is to manage credentials for different accounts (here’s how password managers work), these features are certainly worth a look. Most don’t charge you extra for these features and once mastered they can improve your security online even further.

Not each one of these following features is enough to become full-fledged solutions but if you’re a light user, they can work and help you eliminate a dedicated service from your digital life.

Notes
Attachments
Form Fill Profiles
Browser
Random password generator
Digital security audit
Emergency contacts

Facebook Reportedly Paying Teens to Harvest Data From Their Phones

Facebook is said to be been paying teens and adults up to $20 a month to install an application that tracks their phone and Web activities.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2SdnnJD

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tech January 30, 2019

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tech January 30, 2019

EA Stops Selling FIFA Points in Belgium to Stay Clear of Gambling Laws

Belgium Gaming Commission has ruled that loot boxes in video games fall afoul of gambling laws.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2G7Fkmu

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tech January 30, 2019

Cook Reveals Why iPhones Not Selling in Emerging Markets Like India

Apple CEO blamed foreign exchange, lack of subsidy, and battery replacement program for the slow iPhone sales in emerging markets.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2GadI04

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tech January 30, 2019

Apple's Streaming Service Could Reportedly Launch in April 2019

Apple could launch its as-yet untitled streaming service in April 2019, according to a new report. The iPhone maker has reportedly told studios it's working with "to be ready for launch by...

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2G85NQR

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tech January 30, 2019

Poco F1 Camera Scores 91 Overall on DxOMark, Just Behind the iPhone 8

Poco F1 has received a photo score of 92, while its video recording performance got a score of 90 on DxOMark's camera benchmarks.

from NDTV Gadgets - Latest http://bit.ly/2RX4SKi

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tech January 30, 2019

The government-backed National Institute of Information and Communications Technology will start the survey from February.

from RSS Feeds | LAPTOPS - RSS Feed - NDTV Gadgets360.com http://bit.ly/2GbZJqF

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tech January 30, 2019

For Bruised Apple, a Need to Go Beyond the iPhone

In recent weeks, Apple shares have been hammered on concerns that its best days are over, with smartphone sales slipping and no new "big thing" on the horizon.

from RSS Feeds | LAPTOPS - RSS Feed - NDTV Gadgets360.com http://bit.ly/2G4Nw73

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Tuesday, January 29, 2019

tech January 29, 2019

What Is a VPN Connection and How Does It Work?

If you take your online privacy seriously, there’s a good chance you use a VPN connection. They offer a layer of privacy that’s unattainable if you access the web directly through your ISP’s servers.

However, despite their increasing popularity, not many people know how a VPN works; what is happening behind the scenes?

Let’s look at what a VPN connection is and explain how a VPN works.

VPN Meaning

VPN stands for Virtual Private Network.

What Is a VPN?

It is easiest to think of a VPN as a secure tunnel between two parts of the web. In the same way that nothing on the outside could see what you’re doing in a secret tunnel under a mountain, nobody else on the web will be able to see what is happening in your private VPN tunnel.

On a more technical level, a VPN is a connection method that brings a vast number of additional security benefits, especially to anyone using a public connection such as in a hotel, airport, or library.

A VPN can be installed on a specific browser, a desktop or laptop, a smartphone, or a router.

How Does VPN Work?

When you connect to the web without a VPN, your traffic is flowing freely an in an unencrypted form from your machine to your ISP’s servers. From there, it goes to servers around the world. At all times, it is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks, snooping, and other security threats.

If you use a VPN, your traffic is encrypted by the VPN app on your computer or smartphone before it even leaves your device.

From there, it goes to your ISP’s server, and then your VPN’s server. When it reaches the VPN server, the traffic is decrypted and passed on to the broader web. It also uses your VPN’s IP address. In many cases, users can choose the physical location of the VPN server they are using.

Types of VPN Protocols

Several types of VPN protocol exist. Not all providers support all the protocols. Some of the most popular VPN protocols include:

IPsec: Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) was created for use with IPv6. It encrypts traffic by encapsulating an IP packet inside an IPsec packet.
SSL/TLS: Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS) can tunnel all the traffic on a network through a VPN connection. It is used in the OpenVPN project.
SSH: Secure Shell (SSH) VPNs use tunneling to add security to intra-network links.
SSTP: Microsoft Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP) uses Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) tunnels to send traffic via an SSL 3.0 channel.

What Does a VPN Do?

A VPN can perform many different functions for many different types of user.

Remote Access

VPNs first arose due to the need for people to access networks remotely and securely. Some of the first users were businesses with multiple branches or off-site employees.

Those original benefits still exist today. Millions of people use a company-provided VPN to access internal networks and servers.

Privacy and Online Security

Because of the way VPNs work, users were quick to realize that the technology also had colossal privacy and security benefits.

Not all VPNs offer the same features. However, if you use one of the market-leading paid VPN services (like ExpressVPN or CyberGhost), you should benefit from most of the following:

Encryption: Almost all commercial VPN services encrypt your web traffic data. It means your information is unreadable to any hackers or malicious apps that are snooping on your network data.
Hidden IP Address: To outsiders, your computer appears to have the IP address of the VPN servers. Many companies collect vast amounts of data based on IP addresses, so removing your own address drastically increases your anonymity.
No Logging: Some VPNs will not log any of your browsing data. It means that if a government comes looking for information, there is nothing to hand over. Be aware, however, not all VPNs dispose of logs, and some have intentionally vague privacy policies.

Circumnavigate Blocked Sites

Data shutdown in Zimbabwe. Most people using a VPN.

Praying for peace and a Govt that cares for the people.#shutdownZim

— Fadzayi Mahere ?? (@advocatemahere) January 15, 2019

Websites are frequently blocked on certain networks. For example, your employee might not let people log onto Facebook while in work, your school probably blocks adult content, and in extreme cases, governments have prevented access to some sites across entire countries.

A VPN will let you access any blocked sites. The tunnel we spoke about earlier provides your machine with a way to break through a network’s restrictions and freely access the internet from your VPN server’s location.

Geo-Blocked Content

The final significant thing a VPN does is to provide access to geo-blocked sites. It’s a feature that’s especially useful for cord cutters and expats who want to watch video content from their home country.

VPNs that specialize in unlocking geo-blocked content will typically have hundreds of servers in dozens of countries around the world to provide flexibility to users.

(Note: Several leading streaming services theoretically restrict access from VPNs by blocking known VPN IP address, leading to a never-ending game of cat and mouse.

What a VPN Cannot Do

VPNs are great, but they’re far from being a one-size-fits-all online security solution—they can’t do everything.

Block Cookies

There are other ways that companies can track you around the web. One of the most common ways is to use cookies.

A VPN cannot block cookies. It means that organizations such as Facebook, Amazon, and Google will still be able to monitor you.

(Note: There are lots of different types of cookies you should be aware of.)

Make You Entirely Anonymous

VPNs are not a guarantee of online anonymity. Firstly, they can go offline unexpectedly or suffer from DNS leaks, both of which could expose your data to snoopers, ISPs, and governments without warning.

Secondly, although your ISP no longer has a copy of your browsing data, your VPN provider now has a copy. As such, you are placing a lot of trust in the provider not to use it for undesirable purposes.

For a better level of online anonymity, you should consider using the Tor network instead.

Protect You Against Malware

A VPN connection has no anti-virus properties. You still need to run one of the best anti-virus suites to protect yourself from the threats you’ll inevitably come across while surfing the web.

And remember, some malware has the ability to switch off your VPN without your permission, rendering it entirely useless.

Should You Choose a Paid or Free VPN?

In truth, you should never use a free VPN. As is always the case with free stuff online, you become the product. It’s an issue we saw repeatedly when we looked at the best free VPN providers.

Instead, make sure you sign up for a reputable, reliable, and secure paid VPN provider. There are lots of great paid VPNs you can choose from.

Image Credit: prykhodov/Depositphotos

Read the full article: What Is a VPN Connection and How Does It Work?

from MakeUseOf http://bit.ly/2DC50pu

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Techmeme January 29, 2019

Profile of Lyft CEO Logan Green, including how he and Lyft president John Zimmer worked together to build the company (New York Times)

New York Times:
Profile of Lyft CEO Logan Green, including how he and Lyft president John Zimmer worked together to build the company — SAN FRANCISCO — When Logan Green, chief executive of the ride-hailing service Lyft, was asked which tech leaders he admired, he pointed to three men who had built …

from Techmeme http://bit.ly/2G6J47D

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Breaking

Thursday, January 31, 2019

Do You Know What Facebook Knows About You?

How Facebook Creates Your Ad Preferences

How Advertisers Target You

How Facebook Knows Who You Are

How to Change Your Facebook Ad Preferences

How to Stop Facebook Tracking You

Fortnite Levels the Playing Field for Mobile Gamers

Further Reading for Fortnite Fans and Virgins

Wednesday, January 30, 2019

Who Should Use H&R Block’s Free Online Service?

What Forms Does H&R Block Offer?

How H&R Block’s Free Plan Differs From TurboTax’s

Students

Childcare Expenses

Healthcare

Don’t Forget H&R Block’s Other Plans

This Tax Season, the Choice Is Clear

1. Take Notes

2. Store Files

3. Automatically Fill Forms

4. Browse the Web

5. Generate Random Passwords

6. Diagnose Your Digital Security

7. Set Up Emergency Contacts

Is Your Password Manager Secure?