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All Our Lightbulbs Will Have IP Addresses

| May 19, 2011 | 0 Comments

Click here to read All Our Lightbulbs Will Have IP Addresses
When we remarked that home automation technology was a reason we needed iPv6 technology, we weren’t kidding. If Netherlands-based NXP has it their way, we’ll all be using networked LED lightbulbs, each with their own IPv6 address. More »

(Via Gizmodo.)

Philips to unveil LED replacement bulb

| May 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

Home lighting has certainly come a long way since the days of Thomas Alva Edison, and Philips will be part of a watershed moment as they prepare to unveil the world’s first LED replacement for the 75-watt incandescent light bulb at the LIGHTFAIR International trade show. Known as the Philips EnduraLED A21 17-watt light bulb, this will be the maiden LED equivalent to 75-watt incandescent bulbs, and it is touted to be 80% more energy efficient compared to its outdated predecessor. The new bulbs are also marathon runners in their own right, capable of lasting up to 25 times longer compared to standard incandescent bulbs, adding another feather in the cap of LED technology where everyday LED residential use is concerned. Philips can be said to be an old hat in this arena since they are the first company to develop a LED to replace the 60-watt incandescent bulb.

(Via Ubergizmo.)

10 Free Online Tools To Test Your Website Loading Speeds & Create Faster Webpages

| April 12, 2011 | 0 Comments

website speed test

Not every website can be a Google. No; not in terms of scale but in terms of the speed with which it loads up in our browsers. Minimalism is great, but it does not go with the need to put more content and animated ads on the webpage. It is sometimes a trade-off which every web designer has to make.

Creating faster webpages is one of the commandments of great web design. A slow loading speed not only indicates poor design but is also a huge turn-off for visitors. Slow loading webpages could also be symptoms of bugs or any other bottleneck.

The first step you can take to optimize your website is to put it through a speed test. These ten tools are few of the many which can help test loading speeds and give cues to create faster webpages.

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Happy 30th Birthday, ZX81!

| March 12, 2011 | 0 Comments

In 1980, British company Sinclair released their ZX80 computer for $199.95.

One year later, they released the new and improved ZX81

. Compared to the ZX80, the ZX81 was much cheaper, at only $99.95, the first computer for under $100. The ZX81 has the same microprocessor and runs at the same speed as the ZX80, but it has a better BASIC programming language and is cheaper to produce, due to having fewer chips and a simpler design.

Although cheap and quite popular, the ZX81 was, well, cheap. The keyboard is a ‘touch sensitive membrane’, a flexible plastic surface with the actual switches under the surface. While easy to clean and water resistant, it is very difficult and slow to type on, because you have to press hard and very deliberately to use the tiny, closely-spaced keys. Touch-typing is impossible. Resourceful users hacked into their system and added their own ‘real’ keyboard, external to the system.

Jeff Beck Pulls Off Two Grammys

| February 15, 2011 | 0 Comments

Besides the Lady Gaga in the egg thing, and some of the expected pop horsesh#*, last nite’s Grammy’s weren’t too bad for actual artists. Jeff Beck was nominated for five, and managed to take home two– actually three, when you count his involvement with Herbie Hancock’s Best Pop Collaboration Grammy. Jeffs two were: Best Pop Instrumental ‘Nessun Dorma’ & Best Rock Instrumental ‘Hammerhead’ from the Emotion and Commotion album

Other significant awards were Neil Youngs Grammy for Best Rock Song ‘Angry World’. And believe it or not, this is Neils FIRST ever Grammy. Seems kinda weird huh. Well, when songs like Old Man & Heart of Gold came out, the Grammys werent hip enough I guess.

Another award I really dig is Best New Artist for Esperanza Spalding. This girl is a serious badass Jazz musician who sings and plays upright bass. You must check her out!

Best Rock Album went to Muse. A spooky thing about this is that just yesterday, I was watching an interview clip of the late Gary Moore in which he mentioned Muse as a newer Rock band he dug.

So, I’m officially dubbing Jeff Beck the C.O.S./ Chairman of the Strat nowadays. Any problem with that?

(Via Strat-O-Blogster Guitar Blog.)

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| February 10, 2011 | 0 Comments

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9 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft From Your Online Activities

| January 17, 2011 | 0 Comments

prevent identity theftIf you have ever experienced identity theft yourself or even know someone who has, you know the experience can be a harrowing one. Criminals can open accounts in your name and impersonate you for a multitude of reasons – none of which are good. While thieves have been performing identity theft for a long-time offline the volume of personal information found online is astounding and these days a would-be identity thief only needs to log in from the comfort of his or her home to do their misdeeds.

That leaves the burden upon you to protect your personal information while using the internet. The only perfect way to protect yourself online and prevent identity theft is to not use it at all, but since you are reading this, I will assume that you are pretty net savvy and spend a good deal of time online. Let’s go over some tips to protect and prevent identity theft online.

1. Watch out for Phishing Websites

prevent identity theft

A Phishing website is one that presents itself as a legitimate business website however in reality is a fake one looking for your information. They may look for a username and password but also could be looking for your name, social security number, address, and other personal information. Be vigilant if a site asks for the following information:

  • Social Security number
  • Credit card number
  • Bank account number
  • Driver’s license number
  • Home address and phone number
  • Health insurance id or information

The request for information could be legit (for example, if you are applying for a credit card); but if it was unsolicited that should be a big red flag. If you have a question whether the site is a real one for a company, visit the organization’s main web page and call their number to ask.

2. Use an Anti-virus/Anti-Malware Program

Backdoors, keyloggers and other nefarious programs can allow entry to your system and they can be installed in any number of ways. The only way to be sure to protect against them is to install both anti-virus and anti-malware; vendors these days often have solutions which include both. For a current list of our top recommended anti-virus and anti-malware programs, check out MakeUseOf’s 10 best anti-virus programs.

3. Use OpenDNS

identity theft protection

While OpenDNS is a great way to speed up your internet connection it also has a feature that is less sexy but definitely more practical. That is that OpenDNS makes a great content filtering solution which can alert you when you visit a website which has been marked as dangerous by the awesome Phishtank service.

4. Unique Passwords for Every Website

Another method criminals may use to obtain your personal information is by logging into your email and other online accounts and glean information from there. That is the reason that it is so important to maintain password security across all of your online accounts. Generating a secure password is the first step to prevent identity theft by keeping your accounts secure, and then Lastpass or Keepass will assist you in remembering them.

5. Shop Only at Reputable Websites

identity theft protection

While one of the reasons that the internet is so great is that you can find sites that sell about everything, how do you know that a company will keep your information secure? You might check to see if the site is safe using one of the link checkers we mentioned or run it by the Web of Trust who also provides a browser plugin.

6. Don’t Divulge Too Much Personal Information via Social Media

Social media is great and I use it all of the time, so please don’t get me wrong. But be careful how much information you give out to the general public while sharing what you are eating. I’ve seen people check into banks occasionally on FourSquare; this is bad because it lets anyone know who you use for your bank and makes you an easy target for identity theft. The private information listed above should never be divulged on social media sites as well as other information people could use to obtain that private data from you.

7. Monitor Your Credit Profile

Part of being vigilant about identity theft is making sure someone doesn’t already have your information and is using it – the sooner you catch it the better. If you are in the United States you can get a Free Annual Credit Report, if you are in another location your country may offer a similar service.

8. Secure Your Wireless Network

prevent identity theft

There are a number of reasons to secure your wireless network and one of the main ones is to reduce fraud and identity theft. If you leave your wireless network open (not securing it with WPA encryption) and without a password, not only can an attacker use your network without your knowledge but can also view your website usage. This can allow them to easily build a detailed profile of you (and your family) and the websites you visit. Even if some information is encrypted (your credit card number for example) many sites do not encrypt login information and just the website names alone can help give an attacker information about you. Adding a password to your wireless network protects against this.

9. Only Download Software From Reputable Sources

Similar to only shopping on reputable sites, you should only run software that come from known sources. If you download games/screensavers/warez/cracks from disreputable websites they may include backdoors and trojans that your antivirus may or may not catch. The sites mentioned above are a start but always be aware and of course keep your antivirus updated especially if you frequent those websites.

(Via MakeUseOf.com.)

Fender 60th Anniversary Telecaster

| January 11, 2011 | 0 Comments

Leo really nailed it first time didn’t he, the Telecaster is such a simple, beautiful and timeless design worthy of a 60th Anniversary Celebration. It features an ash body, tinted maple neck and fretboard with modern 9.5’ radius and medium jumbo frets, American Vintage Telecaster single-coil pickups, modern tuners, American Standard bridge with bent steel saddles and stamped brass plate, black pickguard, Blackguard Blonde thin-skin lacquer finish, commemorative neckplate, and Fender/SKB® molded case.

The rich history of Fender guitars begins with the Telecaster, an enduring marvel of form and function; of style and substance. Still elegantly simple after six decades, it is the versatile voice of remarkably diverse and creative players worldwide.

Officially named the Telecaster in February 1951, the world’s first successful solid-body electric guitar turns 60. It revolutionized guitar playing, changed the sound of music and became a signature instrument for guitarists worldwide. The 60th Anniversary Telecaster blends modern Tele® technology with vintage looks for a best-of-both-worlds, collectible U.S.-made instrument.

To further distinguish it as a special instrument created for the occasion, the 60th Anniversary Telecaster bears a commemorative chrome neck plate honoring six decades of enduring Fender legacy.

Check out Fender.com for more info.

(Via Guitar Noize.)