With people throwing around words such as “gambling” and “addiction,” it can be worrying if you have younger members of the family that enjoy video games. So what are loot boxes in games, how did they start, and why are they causing a ruckus? What Is a Loot Box? Before we talk about why they’re causing so much trouble, we must first understand what they are. Loot boxes follow their namesake: boxes or crates that are full of items....
Accessibility This permission is the most commonly requested, so our description starts here. Accessibility permissions give apps extremely broad access to your Mac. Apps with this permission can access the entire system and control other apps. It’s like Full Disk Access plus Automation. This was created for apps that help people with disabilities. Soon, other apps started asking for the same access. Some developers treat it as a blanket permission. It means the app will always have the access it needs....
Ubuntu is also the most popular operating system in the cloud. It’s the operating system Google built its Android development tools around. Ubuntu was the first Linux distribution supported by Valve for Steam. When most people think of Linux, they’re probably thinking about Ubuntu. What Is Linux Then? Even though Linux drives a majority of the Internet, most people haven’t even heard of it, let alone using it. So, what exactly is Linux?...
In this article we’ll briefly go over what Wayland is, what it does, and why developers are flocking to it in droves! What exactly is Wayland? Let’s find out! Why Wayland? As long as Desktop Linux has been a thing, there has been a display server. This technology is known as X11 and is what works with the video card on your Linux machine to make graphics happen. The display server is what allows Desktop environments, programs and even gaming....
Why Developers Are Leaving There was a lot of chatter among developers about leaving GitHub and finding “greener pastures” elsewhere. One particular coder listed previous abusive practices by Microsoft to show why its acquisition of GitHub is a bad thing for its community. The maintainer for Bitcoin Core – the software behind the Bitcoin network – also said in a tweet that the Bitcoin repository should move, citing that GitHub will become obsolete because of Microsoft’s move....
What Is an IP Camera? In short, an IP camera allows you to monitor things and record footage for extended periods. It’s a device that you should be using if you want to protect your home or business. It has many chief differences that set it apart from a webcam, hence the need for a new name. While you can perform many of the functions of an IP camera on a webcam, the hassle of doing so – and the lack of quality you get in the picture – makes the webcam less than ideal....
What Is HTTPS? HTTPS is a standard that layers itself on top of the HTTP protocol, adding encryption to it. By encrypting the data that goes between a visitor and a website, it is less feasible to sniff out the network activity. Basically, it ensures that your computer’s “conversation” with the website you visit is locked down and private, as it was meant to be. This is why the encryption standard is often applied to websites where you exchange highly-sensitive data such as PayPal, Facebook, or Google....
We have had the long-awaited redesign of the MacBook Air arrive, along with the second generation of the Apple-designed M-series chipset. The base iPad also got a fresh coat of paint and the notch finally started its road to redundancy, with the Dynamic Island on the iPhone 14 Pro. We also saw the Apple Watch line expand, with a very good Ultra model. But, many of Apple’s 2022 releases have felt like stop-gaps....
We’ve been keeping a close eye on all the news and rumours surrounding Sony and what the company could be planning for next year, and it’s safe to say that 2023 could be a great year for any PlayStation fans. Without wasting any more time, here is everything we can expect from PlayStation in the next 12 months. More exclusive games There are plenty of exciting exclusive games on the horizon but one of the most anticipated titles to drop in 2023 looks to be Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, which is slated to be released in autumn of next year....
What Does Windows Fast Startup Do? In order to understand why someone might want to disable fast startup, we have to understand what is going on under the hood when it’s enabled. What causes the boot times to speed up? Typically, when you shut down a computer, it performs a “cold shutdown” by saving data to the hard drive and turning off the power. This clears the RAM of all the data it was holding....
If you’re looking for a quality notebook or desktop computer, a Mac is a good way to go. They last, are well-built and can run just about any desktop operating system available. Unfortunately, they are among the most expensive computers on the market. One of the best ways to reduce that cost is to buy refurbished, but that can present its own problems and challenges. Here, in no particular order, are some of the things that you should look for when buying a refurbished Mac....
But the redesigned Task View, updated during Windows’ big April update, is a feature that’s tangibly improved my day-to-day workflow experience. It’s a biggie, and I’m going to preach to you about why it’s so good. The Big Picture First up, entrench the keyboard shortcut Win + Tab into your memory. This is the shortcut to the new screen combining Task View, virtual desktops, and the new-fangled “Timeline.” (Alternatively, you can click the Task View icon down near the Start button....
What is an Unlocked Phone? Virtually every single phone purchased through a carrier (mobile service provider) is “locked” to that carrier. This means that the phone cannot be used with another carrier. For example, if you purchased an iPhone 11 on a contract through AT&T, you can only use that iPhone on AT&T’s network. You would not be able to insert a SIM card from another carrier, like T-Mobile, and use that iPhone on T-Mobile’s network....
Why Is This Happening? In order for Windows to install updates onto your system, it must first download them onto your computer. Once the update is downloaded and safe on your hard drive, it can then be installed the next time you restart your computer. The problem is you need enough room to actually download the update. If you have 1GB of space free, and an update takes up 3GB of space, you don’t have any room to get the update!...
Skype calls remain one of the most popular means to stay in touch with distant people. However, occasionally, the calls can leave behind a bad experience on your end, or the receiver’s. Whether you use a laptop, smartphone or tablet (with or without headset), follow the simple steps in this troubleshooting guide to overcome all your Skype woes. Unwanted Echoes We all hate those annoying, distracting echoes which bounce off the walls to create shrill noise patterns....
It’s not super small, but small enough to fit comfortably on a desk or table without taking up too much space. It’s meant to be used for a streaming media server, but would also make a great gaming system with the addition of a Nvidia card (which you can add via their website for an additional fee). Although I did connect it to my TV in order to stream media via Plex, I found that it works best as a regular desktop computer....
Zootool is a web-based bookmarking site offering some added perks over similar bookmarking sites. Do you want a better way to save your favorites other than in your browser? If you use sites like Digg or Delicious to save your bookmarks you will want to read on. Visual What I like about Zootool is how visual it is. I have used sites like Delicious pretty frequently. To be blunt, Delicious is a pretty boring site....
1. Baby Time Lock screens may slow down how quickly you can get to your content, but there are times where having them are necessary. If you hop in the shower, that Android Wear watch is going to spaz out with each drop of water. Or if you pick up a baby and allow their hands to wander, they can have quick a bit of fun with your accessory. Baby Time serves as a basic lock screen that’s potentially useful regardless of whether you have a kid....
1. Taking a Screenshot on a Chromebook There exists plenty of third party apps to take screenshots, but the native screenshot grabber is the only tool that works on all the screens. All you need to do in order to take a screenshot on Chromebook is to press the Ctrl button together with this key at the same time, and the screenshot will be captured and saved in downloads. Additionally, if you want to capture a particular part of the screen, all you need to do is press Ctrl + Shift and the following button:...
For you folks, we have compiled here a list of the 101 best free software that you can use on your Mac to start creating things. Office Suite Libre Office – Libre Office also has all the office apps to help you create documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. You can also add extensions to extend the functionality of this office suite. 2. Scribus – Scribus is an open-source desktop publishing tool that lets you create various document types on your Mac....
