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Saturday, November 30, 2019

tech November 30, 2019

The hottest Amazon Black Friday kitchen deals - CNET

Check out our favorite Amazon HoliDeals on kitchen items.

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Techmeme November 30, 2019

iOS apps could really benefit from the newly proposed Security.plist standard (Catalin Cimpanu/ZDNet)

Catalin Cimpanu / ZDNet:
iOS apps could really benefit from the newly proposed Security.plist standard — Security.plist was inspired by the already-existing and highly popular security.txt standard. — Earlier this month, security researcher Ivan Rodriguez proposed a new security standard for iOS apps, which he named Security.plist.

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Techmeme November 30, 2019

Only seven out of 21 US presidential candidates have implemented DMARC on their domains' email, a basic security feature that could have prevented the DNC hack (Zack Whittaker/TechCrunch)

Zack Whittaker / TechCrunch:
Only seven out of 21 US presidential candidates have implemented DMARC on their domains' email, a basic security feature that could have prevented the DNC hack — Just one-third of the 2020 U.S. presidential candidates are using an email security feature that could prevent a similar attack …

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Alexa is getting more emotional, with Amazon enabling its virtual assistant to express more emotions. Going forward, Alexa will be able to use different speaking styles, and express both excitement and disappointment, depending on the context.

Virtual Assistants Don’t Have to Sound Robotic

We have got used to hearing virtual assistants speaking with robotic voices. After all, that seemed an obvious starting point for the likes of Siri, Cortana, and Alexa. However, there’s no reason why virtual assistants shouldn’t express more emotions.

So, with that in mind, Amazon is giving Alexa the ability to express emotions and to speak in more naturalistic styles. As outlined in a post on the Alexa Skills Kit Blog, this will “help create a more natural and intuitive voice experience for […] customers.”

Amazon Launches Alexa Emotions and Speaking Styles

Alexa’s new capabilities can be split in two: Alexa Emotions and Speaking Styles.

Alexa Emotions

Alexa can now sound either disappointed or excited, depending on the type of response. These two emotions can also be employed at three different levels of intensity: Low, Medium, and High. And this is made possible by Amazon’s text-to-speech technology.

Amazon cites examples of when an excited or disappointed tone would be appropriate. If a user answers a trivia question correctly, Alexa could adopt an excited tone. Alternatively, she’ll adopt a disappointed tone when reporting that your sports team has lost.

Speaking Styles

Alexa can also now adopt a couple of different speaking styles, labelled News and Music. News is designed to mimic the style of a news anchor, while Music is designed to mimic the style of a radio DJ. These also use Amazon’s text-to-speech technology.

Both styles change the intonation, emphasis, and pausing to tailor responses to the information being delivered. And in blind tests conducted by Amazon, both new speaking styles were perceived to be more natural than Alexa’s standard voice.

Give Alexa the Smarts to Handle Her Emotions

Amazon is making the new emotions and speaking styles available to developers in the US. There’s also “an Australia-specific news speaking style” available in Australia. The rest of the world is sure to follow, though it may take some time to filter through to users.

While you’re waiting for Alexa to get more emotional, why don’t you help Amazon make Alexa smarter? Amazon has added an element of gamification, which means you can earn points every time Alexa uses an answer you have provided for her.

Read the full article: Amazon Alexa Can Now Express More Emotions

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tech November 29, 2019

What Does a Forensic Analyst Do? Is This Job for You?

A computer forensics analyst sounds like a job out of a TV crime show, but is the real-life career as exciting as it sounds? What does a forensic analyst do in the real world, and is it the right career path for you?

Let’s explore the definition of “computer forensics,” and how to get a job analyzing it.

What Is Computer Forensics?

If regular forensics involves checking crime scenes for evidence, computer forensics takes this skill into the digital world. With cybercrime on the rise, businesses and individuals turn to computer forensics analysts to keep their data safe.

A computer forensics analyst specializes in cybercrime. They know how criminals can access systems and what they do with the contents within.

As such, they can play one of two roles; first, they can act as an advisor for clients concerned about their security. Second, they can investigate the damage done after a hacker successfully enters a system and find the culprit.

Because of their ability to do their job either before or after a hack occurs, computer forensics analysts find themselves in different workplaces. They may work with clients to prevent an attack, or with the law to analyze an attack that previously occurred.

Some employers will also use the term “computer forensics investigator” for this job. There’s no difference between an analyst and an investigator, so be sure to search for both terms when researching.

What Does a Computer Forensics Analyst Do?

The role of the analyst depends on what they’ve been hired to do. If the analyst were brought in to stop hackers, they’d check the system for any weak spots. They’ll check for flaws from external attacks (hackers) and internal agents (espionage and theft). They’ll inform the client about their investigation, and tell them how to fix the problems they found.

If the analyst is working with the law to investigate crimes, they’ll use their knowledge to piece together a story. As UCAS states, the analyst may recover deleted files, go through phone logs, and find evidence that someone has doctored an image that’s crucial for the case.

Once the analyst has found evidence, they then type up their findings in a report. They may even appear in a court of law to present testimony for the judge!

Whichever path the analyst takes, they require the same skillset. They need in-depth knowledge of how a criminal works, and the methods they use to get into a system.

What Are Computer Forensics Salaries Like?

According to PayScale, computer forensics jobs pay between $48k-$116k. This figure is before taxes or bonuses, but it gives a good idea of what to expect. While a starting analyst won’t strike riches from day 1, it’s a career that can grow to become a great way to make a living.

How Do You Become a Computer Forensics Analyst?

To become a computer forensics analyst, it’s worth having a degree under your belt. Criminal Justice Degree Schools say that keen future analysts should get a Bachelor’s degree in computer forensics. A degree will give you a foot in the door when applying to companies.

Study says you can also get a Computer Science degree with a criminal justice background. As such, if you can’t find a university near you that teaches cyber forensics, try Computer Science instead. Computer Science is a core subject in IT academia, so you’ll have better luck finding courses teaching it than cyber forensics.

You can also try climbing the job ladder to reach the analyst role. The National Careers Service for the UK recommends beginning as an IT support technician. From there, you can put in the years and go up the ladder until you finally land yourself in a forensics job.

Is a Computer Forensics Analyst Career Right for You?

If you’re interested in this career, you should have a deep passion for cybersecurity and digital forensics. You want to learn how criminals break into systems, and how to defend against them.

A good analyst will know how to recover after an attack. They’ll know that a deleted file can linger on a file system, and how drives never securely erase data unless cleaned by a third-party tool. They’ll know how to check system logs to find unauthorized entry and find how the hacker got in.

To be an efficient forensic computer analyst, you need to “be a thief to catch a thief.” You’ll need to learn hacking techniques so that you can advise companies on how to defend themselves properly. Your expertise could make or break catching a criminal, so you’ll have to be confident in your abilities!

Fortunately, there are legal ways you can test your hacking skills. If you want to learn more, try a website that you can hack legally and take on their challenges.

Where To Learn More About Cyber Forensics

If you made it to this point and you’re eager to become a computer forensics analyst, why not take the first step? These days, you can download resources and attend online courses to see if a career is right for you. These will teach you what computer forensics is, and what would be expected of you as an analyst.

For one, there’s the Guide to Computer Forensics and Investigations textbook. While it’s quite expensive, it’s the best way to learn more about the career and what’s needed. Unlike a full course, you can take it at your own pace with zero commitment.

If you want to commit a little more, you can try looking for local colleges and universities that offer a course. If you’re not sure you can invest the time, try Udemy online courses. You can do Udemy courses in your spare time, and each course awards you a certificate that proves you completed it.

The Computer Forensics Fundamentals course is an affordable and quick way of learning the basics. Once you graduate from that, you can step up your game with the Digital Forensic Series: Computer Forensics course, which contains over 13 hours of video content at the time of writing!

Finding the Right Tech Job for You

The world of tech jobs is vast, and with it comes a variety of different roles. Digital forensics jobs are one such niche and require in-depth knowledge of how hackers operate. If this sounds exciting, try a course or a textbook and see how it fits you.

If you’re looking for an IT job but don’t know your C# from your Java, why not try the tech jobs you can get that doesn’t require coding?

Read the full article: What Does a Forensic Analyst Do? Is This Job for You?

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tech November 29, 2019

How to Save Money Over the Christmas Holidays: 6 Apps and Sites

Christmas is an incredibly expensive time of year. You’ve got lots of friends and family you need to buy gifts for, decorations to put up, and meals to prep. If your budget is already tight, you might be feeling some financial strain.

Fortunately, there are ways to make the most out of the holidays, even if it’s with limited cash. Here are the best tech tools, websites, and apps to help you get through Christmas on a budget.

1. Get Sale Alerts From Your Local Grocery Store

Holiday Sales Alert Grocery Store Near Me

A really easy thing that you can do to save money over the holidays is to use an app or email notification service that gives you daily updates on holiday-themed sales at your local grocery store.

This not only helps you cut back on your own food costs but allows you to budget for holiday guests, too.

If you’re looking for sales from your grocery store, you can still grab one of the printed flyers in-store, which will give you a roundup on what will be available next week.

However, downloading a grocery store app will often give you access to additional benefits. The apps that you need to use will vary, depending on which region you live in and what stores you go to.

For example: My app would be “Safeway Deals & Rewards,” available for Android and iOS.

To find your own app, either go to your app store directly or type your grocery store name into Google. Next, add your phone type (iOS or Android), plus the word “app.” Google should pull up the app associated with your grocery store of choice.

2. Shop on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Another Winter Sale

Buy Steam Gift Card for Friend Christmas

It should go without saying, but shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday has become somewhat of a tradition in North America. If you want to find a good gift deal for your friends or family, it’s a great time to go shopping.

If you miss Black Friday or Cyber Monday, no worries. There are often rolling sales for retail goods all throughout the month of December.

Amazon is an obvious choice for sales. We have a handy list of Amazon features and services, too—so you know which service to use for sales and when. But Amazon is not the only online retailer that will have multiple sales leading up to the holidays.

Another option for on-sale Christmas gift ideas is Steam. Through this service, you can either give a “Steam Gift” to another player, buy a discounted game during a sale, or send a gift card to someone. It’s the perfect choice for your gaming friend or family member.

3. Use Finance or Budget-Tracking Apps

Personal Budget Tracker Christmas

Finance or budget-tracking apps are a good thing to use year round, but they’re especially useful when you need to track down what you’re spending and where during expense-heavy months like December.

The idea behind a budget app is that if you know where your money is going, the better equipped you’ll be to stretch your budget further.

Mint: Budget Tracker & Planner and Goodbudget Budget Planner are great choices for budget-tracking apps. Both of them are available on iOS and Android.

On these apps, you can calculate how much you have to spend each month in total, along with how much money you can allot to specific tasks or categories, like gift-giving. They can also help you keep track of hidden or often-overlooked daily expenses that might be cutting into your holiday plans.

Download: Mint Budget Tracker & Planner for Android | iOS (Free)
Download: Goodbudget Budget Planner for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

4. Use DIY Blogs to Make Christmas Gifts

DIY Christmas Gifts

So let’s say you’ve been tracking your budget, and you’ve learned that even if you manage your finances, a lot of these pre-bought gifts are still out of your price range.

Or let’s say the person you’re buying a gift for really loves unique items, to begin with. Maybe they want you to add a personal touch.

Another way that you can save money over the holidays is by making your own gifts from scratch. This “DIY” approach requires that you have time to make these gifts, of course, along with the skills. Fortunately, there are tons of DIY blogs out there that will give you Christmas gift ideas that work well on a budget.

A great place to start? The DIY Network’s Holidays and Occasions section, which talks about different homemade creations that you can make.

Another way that you can find great gift ideas is by searching “DIY gifts” on Pinterest. If you’ve never visited the site before, here’s a good rundown on what Pinterest is and how to use it.

5. Use Secret Santa Games to Keep Everyone Happy

Secret Santa Name Generator

Sometimes, even with all this budgeting and DIY gifts, you’ll find you’re still too stretched for time or cash. Maybe there are just too many people to make gifts for, and because your friend circle is so large, other people are struggling, too.

When it comes to situations like these—and everyone’s struggling—sometimes it’s best to institute a Secret Santa game, to keep gift-giving manageable.

Secret Santa is a game where everyone gives one another a gift, but the gift-giver remains anonymous. It’s a gift-giving technique that is popular in workplace settings when you want to keep your budget low.

If you need some help trying this idea out, there are a lot of Secret Santa name generators out there. Elfster is one of the top-rated. It also has an accompanying app.

Download: Elfster on Android | iOS (Free)

6. Find a Good Deal on a Christmas Tree

Christmas Tree Sale Amazon

Lastly, one of the biggest worries for Christmas is the Christmas trees itself.

What are you going to do about the Christmas tree, if you don’t have one yet and you’re on a budget? Even worse, how do you decorate a Christmas tree on a budget?

While real Christmas trees are beautiful, they might not be feasible for you and your family because of allergies. To combat this, artificial Christmas trees can be a good alternative, but they can also get expensive.

The same goes for Christmas tree decorations, which take time to collect if you don’t want to spend a ton of money all at once.

Amazon has lots of Christmas tree options. If you’re looking for a tree or Christmas decorations on a budget—and you don’t want to shop at Amazon—Wayfair is another easy, affordable option, too.

Lastly, while most Christmas decorations will not go on sale until after Christmas, you can find moderately priced ones if you hunt for them. Amazon and Wayfair are once again good sites to find Christmas decorations on a budget.

You might also be able to find brick-and-mortar stores in your area that sell discounted items, too.

Have a Merry, Stress-Free Christmas

These tech tools, websites, and apps will not necessarily guarantee that you’ll have no extra expenses over the holidays. It might not be feasible for you to implement all these budget-saving tips at once, too.

However, even if you use just a couple of these suggestions, you might be able to cut down on your costs. Looking for other ways that you can make the winter holidays magical? Here are the best sites for genuinely unique Christmas gifts.

Read the full article: How to Save Money Over the Christmas Holidays: 6 Apps and Sites

The Inventory:
Best 2019 Black Friday deals on mobile devices, laptops, digital storage, wireless headphones, wearables, smart home products, TVs and more — Corey Foster, Tercius, Ana Suarez, Jenna Valdespino, Almendra Carpizo, and Gerardo Rocha, Jr — The Best Black Friday Deals - 2019

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tech November 29, 2019

Jet suit man flies off Royal Navy ship and other news

BBC Click's Lara Lewington looks at some of the week's best technology news stories.

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tech November 29, 2019

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker -- New footage, release date, everything you need to know - CNET

We're so close to release now. Time to prepare for The Rise of Skywalker

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tech November 29, 2019

Amazon: What does 'peak season' mean for employees?

The technology company is resisting calls for its staff to join unions, but do they need to?

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tech November 29, 2019

How to make phone batteries that last longer

A breakthrough in battery technology would be an engineering triumph and spur to other technologies.

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Thursday, November 28, 2019

Techmeme November 28, 2019

TikTok says it didn't block US teen's account with Uighur persecution video, but did block device associated with her other account banned for bin Laden pic (Newsroom | TikTok)

Newsroom | TikTok:
TikTok says it didn't block US teen's account with Uighur persecution video, but did block device associated with her other account banned for bin Laden pic — There has been significant interest and confusion regarding a user's two TikTok accounts and her viral video talking about the Uighur community in China.

Oppo Days is the latest promotion available for Oppo smartphones on e-retailer Flipkart in the country. The Oppo Days sale brings great offers on various Oppo phones.

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tech November 28, 2019

Get solid discounts on Amazon's tablets, Beats headphones, Bose speakers and more right now.

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Julia Carrie Wong / The Guardian:
After The Guardian's report, Facebook bans white nationalist outlets Red Ice TV and Affirmative Right, says VDare's page is still under review — Platform bars Red Ice TV and Affirmative Right, as VDare continues to operate — Facebook will no longer allow Red Ice TV and Affirmative Right …

Verizon's bringing a "5G portal" to the annual event.

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tech November 27, 2019

Star Wars Instant Pots are here and R2-D2 can now cook your dinner - CNET

Sadly, there's no Baby Yoda Instant Pot in the lineup.

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Tuesday, November 26, 2019

tech November 26, 2019

Redmi Note 8 to Go on Sale in India Today at 12 Noon via Amazon, Mi.com: Check Price, Offers, Specifications

Redmi Note 8 price in India starts at Rs. 9,999 for the 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant, going up to Rs. 12,999 for the 6GB + 128GB variant. The Redmi Note 8 Pro was launched in India alongside the Redmi Note 8 Pro last month.

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tech November 26, 2019

You Can Now Create Virtual Tours Using Google Earth

Google has added a set of creation tools to Google Earth. These allow you to create virtual tours using Google Earth, letting you tell stories using the power of Google’s satellite imagery. You can then share these stories with other people.

In 2017, Google launched a new version of Google Earth. This update introduced Voyager, which is used to showcase interactive guided tours. Storytellers were invited to create these tours, and Voyager is now packed to the brim with stories from around the world.

How to Use Google Earth’s Creation Tools

Now, Google is opening up its creation tools to everyone. As explained in a post on The Keyword, you can “draw your own placemarks, lines and shapes, then attach your own custom text, images, and videos to these locations.”

You can also “organize your story into a narrative and collaborate with others.” And “when you’ve finished your story, you can share it with others.” You can also let your audience “fly from place to place in your custom-made Google Earth narrative.”

The Creation tools are available in Google Earth on the web. Just open Google Earth in your browser, then click Projects in the left-hand sidebar. You can then choose either New Project or Open from Drive. You can also choose to watch the tutorial.

Once you have used Google Earth on the web to create your virtual tour, you can view them on your mobile devices using the Android and iOS apps. You can share your stories with other people, as well as invite others to collaborate or co-author stories with you.

Download: Google Earth on Android | iOS

Another Great Way of Planning Group Vacations

Anyone can use the Google Earth creation tools, and they’re surprisingly intuitive. So much so that we can imagine individuals using them to share stories with family and friends. And it would be great for planning group vacations or road trips.

Read the full article: You Can Now Create Virtual Tours Using Google Earth

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tech November 26, 2019

The Best and Cheapest VPN Deals for Black Friday 2019

Want to know what the best cheap VPN deal is for you right now? Some of the top VPN services are cutting prices temporarily and giving new customers some great deals, and we’ve rounded up some of the best available right now.

Awesome Black Friday VPN Deal From CyberGhost!

This Black Friday VPN provider CyberGhost is giving MakeUseOf readers an exclusive offer. It’s a huge discount that will reduce the cost of your VPN use—basically, there’s no reason not to have a VPN.

Incredibly, the discount works out at just $2.75 a month for a one year CyberGhost VPN plan, a remarkable 79 percent saving.

CyberGhost offers apps for Windows, macOS, iPhone and iPad, Android, Amazon Fire TV, and most other platforms you can name. Whether you’re planning to simply stay private online or plan to unblock Netflix, CyberGhost is a number one VPN choice

CyberGhost offers anonymous browsing, torrenting, and video streaming, all of which we tested in our CyberGhost review.

Declaring it a “top VPN for beginners” was no mistake. CyberGhost features a simple setup, with easy to use apps on every platform. And while some VPNs risk their customers’ privacy with a flawed logging policy, CyberGhost has adopted a “confident no-logging policy… CyberGhost is a secure, fast VPN.”

Don’t miss CyberGhost’s awesome Black Friday VPN deal.

Massive Savings With ProtonVPN‘s Black Friday Discounts

A special deal for MakeUseOf readers has been announced by ProtonVPN, complete with a 30-day money back guarantee if you’re unhappy.

You can enjoy up to 50 percent off the excellent ProtonVPN service, which offers secure video streaming, P2P (Bittorrent) support, and the ability to safely access the Tor network. With 500+ servers in 40+ countries, you’re guaranteed to feel safe and secure online, enhanced by ProtonVPN’s no logging policy.

These deals are all for buying a subscription for 12 months or more. So, to get a rate of $6.67 a month and save 33 percent, you’re billed at $79.99, rather than $120. To save 40 percent, ProtonVPN offer a two-year subscription for just $6 a month, billed at $144 (down from $240).

ProtonVPN is a sister product of ProtonMail. As such, you can get a double bundle of ProtonMail and ProtonVPN, for two years, for just $7.50, billed as $180, a 50 percent discount of the standard $360 price for that package.

These are all great deals so try ProtonVPN today.

Discount From VPN Unlimited

VPN Unlimited is dropping prices this week, with savings on its 12 month and 36 month deals.

With support for five devices, you can get VPN access from $5 a month if you pay $59.99 up front (which includes three months free). Alternatively, pay for three years at just $99.99 to gain a 75 percent discount, which works out at a very affordable $2.78 per month.

With 7-day money back option and 24/7 support, VPN Unlimited has access to over 400 in 70+ locations, with the expected OpenVPN, L2TP/IPSec, IKEv2, KeepSolid Wise, and PPTP protocols. VPN Unlimited provides clients for Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, Android, Windows Phone and even browser extensions for Firefox and Chrome. We’ve looked at other Chrome VPNs, speaking of which.

With so many options to keep your browsing safe and private, and a top deals, VPN Unlimited have you covered.

Want an alternative discount? Try VPN Unlimited.

ExpressVPN‘s Latest Deals

One of the most popular VPN services out there, ExpressVPN currently offers a 15-month deal with three months free, exclusive to MakeUseOf readers. This costs just $99.95, which works out at $6.67 a month. A flat monthly subscription is $12.95, so you’re looking at a 49 percent savings on our recommended VPN.

Watch Netflix in any country with ExpressVPN

Based in the British Virgin Islands, ExpressVPN is not bound by any data retention laws, so your online activity is not logged. With support for defeating geo-location, torrenting, Tor access, and gaming, ExpressVPN has over 1,000 servers across 87 countries worldwide. It’s fast, too.

While not the cheapest VPN option, ExpressVPN’s reputation is solid, offering apps for every desktop and mobile platform, and support for routers. You’ll even browser plugins for Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. Keen to protect your privacy, ExpressVPN accepts payment Bitcoin, along with credit card, PayPal, and various other methods.

On reviewing ExpressVPN, we declared it “…a solid, secure, speedy VPN service, with a good bunch of features available along a standard price band […] multi-platform support and logless servers.”

It certainly makes sense to consider ExpressVPN.

Cheap VPN Deals From HotSpot Shield

HotSpot Shield on Windows

VPN deals are fantastic, as they really make it easy for you to get started with keeping your online activity private from hackers and trackers. What also helps is easy to use apps, and HotSpot Shield certainly keeps things simple.

Ideal for overcoming Netfix geo-location restrictions, with high speeds, logless usage, and torrent support, HotSpot Shield has apps for Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, and the Chrome browser.

Subscriptions for HotSpot Shield start at $12.99 a month, but by paying upfront you can save an immense 76 percent over two years. This offer of $71.76 is HotSpot Shield’s best offer and boils down to a tiny $2.99 a month. Better still, you get to keep this price when the account is rebilled after 24 months.

Our review of HotSpot Shield concluded that its “simple user interface is also a massive benefit, making it so easy to switch between VPN servers.”

Need an easy-to-use VPN? Check this one out.

How Much Does TunnelBear Cost?

TunnelBear services in Europe

If you’ve been looking for a VPN, you’ve probably heard of TunnelBear. While some VPN services are a little difficult to use, TunnelBear is easy to set up and use. But what is it, and how much does it cost?

Available for Windows, macOS, iPhone, and Android, TunnelBear has a simple privacy policy and does not collect usage logs. This will help enhance your privacy further while connecting to the web via a VPN.

While the VPN can be used to circumvent geo-blocking, TunnelBear sadly does not offer support for torrenters.

While Tunnelbear has a useful free option, it is limited to 500MB of data per month. Right now, it has a 58 percent discount on offer, so if you pay $49.99 per year, Tunnelbear’s service works out at just $4.17 a month. There’s also a $9.99 monthly package if you prefer not to sign up long-term.

As noted in our review, “TunnelBear’s approach […] brings easy, affordable privacy and peace-of-mind to users around the world.”

Is Private Internet Access a Cheap VPN Service?

Looking for a cheap VPN service?

A torrent-friendly VPN service, Private Internet Access offers a good $6.95 basic monthly deal, but if you want to pay even less, you can get an amazing 58 percent discount! Simply use the two-year option and pay $69.95 up front—this equates to a tiny $2.91 a month.

Private Internet Access offers support for five simultaneous device connections, blocks trackers and malware, and no traffic logs are retained, thus enhancing your privacy online.

Get a Fast VPN From Buffered VPN

One of the fastest VPNs available, Buffered has all of the expected features (256-bit encryption, geo-restriction bypass, multiple device support) and is based in Gibraltar, which places it beyond the “14 Eyes” alliance of international surveillance.

Buffered is speedier than other VPNs thanks to 45 superfast servers positioned around the globe. This is significant as many VPNs can slow down your online access.

With apps for Windows, Linux, Mac, iOS, and Android, and with support for routers, Buffered’s best payment plan works out at just $7.62 a month for 13 months with a $99 up-front payment. That’s a 41 percent saving, on the basic $12.99 monthly plan!

8 Great Low-Cost VPN Deals!

VPN providers regularly offer great deals to entice new customers, so it can be difficult to judge which services to use. We’re confident that you’ll be impressed with the VPNs and deals listed here:

We’re certain that you’ll find a VPN that matches your requirements and budgets. If not, try looking further afield. Our top list of the best VPN services is a good place to start.

Read the full article: The Best and Cheapest VPN Deals for Black Friday 2019

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tech November 26, 2019

12 Creative Uses for Smart Plugs That’ll Make You Want One

Smart plugs come in all shapes and sizes and at prices to suit all budgets. They’re also the most basic element of any smart home.

Forget internet connectivity, home networks and gadgets enabling remote management—smart plugs are where it starts.

Here’s everything you need to know about smart plugs and how they can help improve your smart home experience.

What Is a Smart Plug?

Smart plugs sit between an electrical outlet and the device you’re plugging in. Available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and specifications, they all possess a shared quality: remote control. This is typically achieved via Wi-Fi connectivity, although older devices use timers.

This enables you to set a plug to switch on or off, whenever you like.

Wi-Fi smart plugs (such as the Kasa Smart Plug range from TP-Link) can be accessed remotely via an app, or indirectly using IFTTT recipes, creating an app-controlled outlet. Smart plugs are also compatible with Alexa (and Google Assistant) for added connectivity, making them ideal for any smart home project.

1. Wake Up to Smart Plugs

What is the first thing you do in the morning? Perhaps you like to listen to the radio, or enjoy a cup of coffee? You might heat up a croissant with butter and jam on it, starting your day off with all three.

Instead of out of bed and risking barely-conscious accident, why not employ smart plugs to switch these on for you?

With less to concern you in the morning, you’ll be able to focus on getting yourself dressed and looking presentable. The benefits are multiplied if you have a family!

2. Enjoy Pre-Heated Hair Irons

Need to style your hair before stepping out? Why not preset your smart plugs to switch on at the optimum time?

A timer or time-based app can be used to remotely switch on the plug, letting your hair irons heat up.

It might take a couple of days to get right, but you should find those hair irons are ready to use when you pick them up.

3. Fool Opportunistic Burglars

A large proportion of burglaries are opportunistic crimes, committed by thieves too lazy to even bother committing to planning something.

But what can a smart plug do to help?

If you’re out or away from home for a few hours and concerned about crime in your area, why not employ smart plugs to control your lights?

Either a timer or an app can be used here. All you need to do to create the illusion of activity in your house is to tap a button on your smartphone to switch on a light! Similarly, you could switch on your TV as well.

Used in conjunction with a wireless home security camera system, your property should be well protected.

4. Cook Dinner While You’re at Work

What other smart plug uses might you take advantage of while at work? How about getting dinner ready?

I’d personally recommend that you rely on a crock pot for a healthier and tastier result than a microwave. Just add the ingredients before you head to work. You can activate the crock pot remotely to ensure you have a very tasty meal to come home to.

Budget won’t stretch to a smart plug with Wi-Fi? Simply program your smart plug to switch on so that the meal will be ready when you get home.

5. Feed Your Pet While Working Late

Think you’re not going to be home on time to feed your cat or dog? It’s always hard leaving pets all day, but you wouldn’t want them to go hungry. While programmable, timed feeders are available, a pressure trigger feeder with a Wi-Fi smart plug is a good alternative.

After all, most nights you’re home to feed Fido. Having an automatic feeder connected to a Wi-Fi smart plug is a sensible backup.

6. Switch Off Your Tumble Dryer Overnight

Control your tumble dryer remotely with a smart plug

Tumble dryers have been proven to cause many house fires over the years. To avoid this, employ a smart plug programmed to switch off the tumble dryer after, say midnight.

You might even purchase a Nest Protect, using an IFTTT recipe to kill the dryer if any smoke is detected. This has the advantage of putting a stop to a potential fire before it ever ignites.

Alternatively, you might program the smart plug to switch on the tumble dryer only when electricity is cheaper to use.

7. Control Your Kids’ Consoles and TVs

The modern family household often features a children’s bedroom or playroom complete with a TV and game consoles. You might even have a PC too, preferably with family safety software installed. But what about the TV and console?

Well, smart plugs come to the rescue once again. Simply place between the appliance and the power outlet, setting the timer to shut down the devices when agreed.

Consider also opting for a smart plug app to manage time earned by your hardworking children on their game console. This creates an app-controlled outlet to remotely control the console. Just avoid shutting down before their game has been saved!

8. Remotely Recharge Device Batteries

Smart Plugs can charge your garden tools in readiness for use

You’re at work, and you notice what a stunning day it is outside. While, there is little you can do to enjoy it from the office, a smart plug can help.

By leaving it connected to your garden trimmer’s rechargeable battery, you could top it up mid-afternoon. By the time you pull into your driveway, it’s ready to use!

Similarly, you could use a Wi-Fi connected smart plug to charge your vacuum cleaner. This might prove useful if you discover that your family are dropping in, and you need to quickly tidy up. Or ensure your electric drill is charged up before you get home to build that IKEA wardrobe.

9. Keep Your Space Warm in Winter

Your den, man-cave, office, or private study area… Whatever you call your chill out space may get quite cold in the winter. This is especially true if your space is a shed, or an attic.

What you need is a way to heat it up before you get there. Why not plug an electric radiator into a smart plug, and remotely activate it to warm the room in advance? If the radiator isn’t set too high and you don’t leave it alone for too long, you should find yourself stepping into a nice, warm, and cozy space.

10. Save Money on Your Next Electronic Purchase

How much do your electrical appliances cost to run? One of the big draws about smart plugs is the ability to connect them to smart meters.

These devices can tell what is in use, and how often they’re active.

Smart meters can measure how much it costs to recharge a phone, tablet, or laptop. You can use this information to judge your electricity bill and choose a potentially more efficient device in the future!

And speaking of saving money with a smart product, you might want to consider investing in one of these smart sprinkler systems.

11. Warm Your Bed Up Before Bedtime

Whatever the season, if there’s a cold spell or you live in cooler climes, an electric blanket is wise. It’s doubly important if you’re older and feel the cold more than you used to.

Electric blankets are clearly not the greenest devices, which is why it’s sensible to use a smart plug. With a timer or timed app program, you can instruct the electric blanket to switch on and heat the bed. Similarly, you can time the blanket to switch off before you make the journey to your bedroom.

After all, you don’t want your bed to be too warm!

12. Switch Everything Off When You Fall Asleep

We’ve already looked at the pitfalls of having appliances running while you’re asleep. But how can we ensure that they are switched off? What if we forget one of them?

Using a smartwatch or a fitness band is the way forward here. The Jawbone Up integrates with IFTTT and integrating this with a smart plug lets you shut down appliances automatically.

Your tumble dryer, TV, Blu-ray player, whatever—when you shut down for the night, they will too! You might also consider complementing them with some Wi-Fi light switches.

12 Smart Plug Uses You Should Try!

By now you should have recognized the advantages of smart plugs. They’re multipurpose and can be used with almost any hardware.

To recap, we’ve looked at 12 creative ways to use smart plugs in your home:

Prompt your tech to wake you up
Pre-heat hair style devices
Prevent burglars
Start dinner while you’re at work
Feed your pet while working late
Switch off your tumble dryer
Control children’s TV and console time
Remotely recharge batteries
Manage home heating
Save money on purchases
Warm your bed up
Switch off appliances at night

Want more reasons to try smart plugs? Here’s how using smart plugs can make your life easier and safer.

Read the full article: 12 Creative Uses for Smart Plugs That’ll Make You Want One

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tech November 26, 2019

Oyo Projects Losses in India, China Until 2022: Internal Report

Oyo's internal projections showed it may not make a profit in India and China until 2022, even as the India-based hotel chain revealed a six-fold rise in losses during fiscal year 2019.

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tech November 26, 2019

Joseph Cox / VICE:
Documents show California's DMV is making ~$50M/year selling drivers' personal info, partaking in the highly criticized but common practice since at least 2013 — The California Department of Motor Vehicles is generating revenue of $50,000,000 a year through selling drivers' personal information …

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tech November 26, 2019

Black Friday 2019: deals on Willow breast pump and more - CNET

Get 15% off of this truly mobile breast pump and save on other accessories this Black Friday and Cyber Monday

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Techmeme November 26, 2019

RIPE, EU's regional internet registry, says it has run out of new IPv4 addresses and any returned will be allotted via waitlist, urges faster adoption of IPv6 (Kieren McCarthy/The Register)

Kieren McCarthy / The Register:
RIPE, EU's regional internet registry, says it has run out of new IPv4 addresses and any returned will be allotted via waitlist, urges faster adoption of IPv6 — So will you all please move to IPv6? World: Nope. — Analysis It happened four years ago. And again two years ago. And last year.

Stephanie Condon / ZDNet:
Palo Alto Networks to acquire Aporeto, which provides identity-based access control to secure workloads across all infrastructures, for $150M in cash — Meanwhile, Palo Alto reported Q1 results above expectations; Nutanix also reported solid Q1 results. — Palo Alto Networks …

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Charles Fitzgerald / Platformonomics:
Red Hat's big sale, disappointing exits of Hadoop-based startups and Pivotal show how public clouds like AWS affect business models of open source-focused firms — TL;DR: If the cloud didn't eat Hadoop Inc., Pivotal and Red Hat, what explains their diminished prospects?

Disney Plus is finally here but not all the big new Marvel shows are available yet. Here are some ideas for what to watch on day 1...

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Techmeme November 25, 2019

Eden, a B2B workplace management platform that connects office managers with service providers in 25 markets including Berlin and London, raises $25M Series B (Jordan Crook/TechCrunch)

Jordan Crook / TechCrunch:
Eden, a B2B workplace management platform that connects office managers with service providers in 25 markets including Berlin and London, raises $25M Series B — Eden, the workplace management platform that connects office managers with service providers, today announced the close of a $25 million Series B round led by Reshape.

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Techmeme November 25, 2019

Huawei sues for defamation in Paris after a researcher, broadcast journalist, and telco expert say on TV that it spies against the West and is state controlled (Helene Fouquet/Bloomberg)

Helene Fouquet / Bloomberg:
Huawei sues for defamation in Paris after a researcher, broadcast journalist, and telco expert say on TV that it spies against the West and is state controlled — - Claim it's controlled by the Chinese state is false, it says — The company is seeking to sell 5G equipment in Europe

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tech November 25, 2019

Best Black Friday 2019 deals under $250 from Best Buy, Amazon, Target, Walmart [just updated] - CNET

Here's our updated list of deals on headphones, game consoles and more from Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon and Kohl's, all available now.

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tech November 25, 2019

WWE Survivor Series 2019: Results, live updates and match ratings - CNET

Airing live right now on the WWE Network.

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Techmeme November 25, 2019

ColdQuanta, which uses ultracold atom tech, where atoms are cooled using lasers to manufacture components for quantum computing, raises $16.75M in seed funding (FinSMEs)

FinSMEs:
ColdQuanta, which uses ultracold atom tech, where atoms are cooled using lasers to manufacture components for quantum computing, raises $16.75M in seed funding — ColdQuanta, Inc., a Boulder, CO-based quantum atomics company, closed a $10M additional seed round equity financing.

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tech November 25, 2019

Web inventor attacks Tories over misinformation

Sir Tim Berners-Lee tells the BBC the renaming of a Conservative Twitter account was "unbelievable".

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Bluetooth speakers, Chromecast bundles, Microsoft Surface, Amazon devices and more. No matter at which stores you plan to do your holiday shopping, we've rounded up all the major ads ahead of Black Friday.

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Queenie Wong / CNET:
Facebook built a now discontinued internal app, report says between 2015 and 2016, that let employees identify colleagues and friends via facial recognition — The discontinued app could identify employees and their friends who had enabled facial recognition, Facebook said.

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tech November 23, 2019

Black Friday deal: Willow breast pump and accessories are 15% off - CNET

This truly mobile breast pump is on sale for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

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tech November 23, 2019

Best gifts for your girlfriend in 2019 - CNET

These thoughtful, romantic gifts are fail-proof.

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Realme 5s packing a 48-megapixel rear camera and the Snapdragon 665 AIE processor has been launched in India. Realme 5s has been priced starting at Rs. 9,999 for its 4GB RAM + 64GB storage variant in India. Its 4GB + 128GB variant is priced at Rs. 10,999.

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Breaking

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Friday, November 29, 2019

Virtual Assistants Don’t Have to Sound Robotic

Amazon Launches Alexa Emotions and Speaking Styles

Alexa Emotions

Speaking Styles

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2. Shop on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or Another Winter Sale

3. Use Finance or Budget-Tracking Apps

4. Use DIY Blogs to Make Christmas Gifts

5. Use Secret Santa Games to Keep Everyone Happy

6. Find a Good Deal on a Christmas Tree

Have a Merry, Stress-Free Christmas

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

How to Use Google Earth’s Creation Tools

Another Great Way of Planning Group Vacations

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What Is a Smart Plug?

1. Wake Up to Smart Plugs

2. Enjoy Pre-Heated Hair Irons

3. Fool Opportunistic Burglars

4. Cook Dinner While You’re at Work

5. Feed Your Pet While Working Late

6. Switch Off Your Tumble Dryer Overnight

7. Control Your Kids’ Consoles and TVs

8. Remotely Recharge Device Batteries

9. Keep Your Space Warm in Winter

10. Save Money on Your Next Electronic Purchase

11. Warm Your Bed Up Before Bedtime

12. Switch Everything Off When You Fall Asleep

12 Smart Plug Uses You Should Try!