How to back up your music files to your computer or online storage
How do I transfer music from my Android phone to my computer?
If you have all your beloved music on your Android phone, then it’s probably a good idea to back it up, especially if you plan on buying a new phone. You can choose to back up your music to a computer or you can back it up to the cloud so that you can access it from virtually any device (pun intended).
We have a few apps that we like to use to make backing up music easier. Here’s how to back up your music (just in case).
How to back up your music files to online storage
Backing up your music to the cloud is the first logical step if you want to make sure that if your phone craps out, your music doesn’t go down the toilet with it. There are two awesome apps you can use that your music files can follow you wherever you go.
Google Drive
Google Drive is where it’s at when it comes to file storage. You get 15GB of free storage space! Depending on file sizes, 15GB is nearly 4,000 songs. Just like Dropbox, Google Drive is ubiquitous; if you have a device with an internet connection, you can access your Google Drive, thanks to the cloud. If you have a Gmail account, then you have Google Drive.
You can listen to the music you upload right in Google Drive or you can download it for offline listening and you bet your sweet patoot that you can share anything and everything via a link to that file or folder, even with non-Google users (the heathens!).
If your Android phone didn’t come with Google Drive, it’s a free download on the Google Play Store.
To set it up, you just sign in with your Gmail address and password. From there, you just tap the big ol’ + button to upload files or folders. To upload music, just choose Audio from the list of options. You can upload as many songs as you’d like (or your 15GB limit will allow). If your Google Drive starts to fill up, just download files to your computer and transfer them to an external hard drive, if that’s your fancy.
To access Google Drive on your computer, just hit up drive.google.com and sign in. You’ll walked through a simple setup process and then you’ll be ready to go. Google Drive is seamless, so you can enjoy your favorite music on just about any device.
Dropbox
A basic Dropbox account is free and comes with 2GB of storage. All you need to sign up is an email address and a pocket full of dreams (pocket full of dreams is optional). Visit Dropbox.com, enter your name, email and a password and you’re on your way.
2GB isn’t exactly a ton of storage, so you may want to download music to your computer as you transfer more into your Dropbox folder.
Here’s how to intstall Dropbox on your computer:
Launch your web browser on your computer.
Navigate to Dropbox.com.
Click create an account.
Enter your first name, last name, and email address into the fields. You can also choose to Sign up with Google.
Click the checkbox to agree to the terms and conditions.
Click Create an account.
Click the Free Download button to install Dropbox on your computer.
Next, you’ll want to install and set up Dropbox on your Android phone if it isn’t already. Here’s how:
Download the Dropbox app from the Google Play Store.
Launch Dropbox from your home screen or the app drawer.
Tap Sign in.
Enter your email address and password.
Tap Sign in.
You can tap Not Now through the “Set up Dropbox on your computer” stuff, since you’ve already done that.
Now when you want to upload files, create folders, take photos to upload, and a lot more, you just press the big + button. To add your music to your Dropbox folder, just select Audio from the list of options that pops up.
Once your music is in the cloud, you’ll be able to access it from any device that has Dropbox on it and, even better, you’ll be able to share it all with friends, even those without Dropbox! They’ll simply receive a link and will have full access to the music you’ve shared.
Dropbox isn’t just for music; you can upload video, photos, text files, and just about everything in between. It certainly beats the hell out of having to connect a USB cable from your computer to your phone and you can easily make files available offline by downloading them from your Dropbox folder.
Android File Transfer
If you’re a Mac user and a cloud hater, you have a somewhat easier solution when it comes to getting music from your Android phone onto your computer: Android File Transfer. It’s not the greatest app in the world, but it gets the job done.
There isn’t much to the setup process; you just download it, install it, and that’s it. When you connect your Android phone to your Mac via USB, Android File Transfer will open automatically. You may have to tap Allow on your phone before you’re able to access its contents on your Mac.
Once you do have access, you’ll be able to access all of the files that are stored on your Android phone, as well as any that are stored on your microSD card, if you use one. From there, you can just drag and drop music at will into folders on your computer . The best part is that you can drag out entire folders, instead of having to tap, hold, and select all, like you do on your phone.
One caveat: do not try to move too much music at once. One of the reasons Android File Transfer isn’t so great is that it seems to just crap out if you overload it. When transferring music, do so in smaller batches under 1GB. Otherwise, you might get halfway through transferring a batch and it’ll just stop and you’ll have to dig around and figure out exactly where it stopped and where to start again.
It may be a bit of a pain in the hiney, but if you want music from your Android phone on your Mac and you refuse to use a cloud-based service, then it’s the only way.
Windows users have it even easier
If you’re using a computer running Microsoft Windows (version 7 or later) all you need to do is plug in your phone to a USB port using the supplied cable. A regular Windows Explorer window will open with your phone’s contents right there for the taking.
The bottom line
Using a cloud-based service to transfer music from your Android phone to your computer is definitely the best practice since you can access your music from just about any device with an internet connection and you can download your tunes for offline listening.
The sharing feature is also a great reason to use Google Drive or Dropbox since most songs are too large to email normally and the folks you share with can choose to download the music you send or play it right there in the Google Drive or Dropbox link.
If you’re tinfoil and fear the cloud and have a Mac, then use Android File Transfer. But only if you have to.
Get a refurbished UE Boom Bluetooth speaker from Amazon for just $57
If you’re in the market for a portable Bluetooth speaker, you should check out Amazon’s latest deal on the Logitech UE Boom. For a limited time, you can get a refurbished speaker in black for $56.94.
The UE Boom from Logitech offers up to 15 hours of music playback over Bluetooth through its 360-degree speaker. The model on sale is Logitech Certified Refurbished, and as such comes with a 90-day warranty. The speaker will ship on July 7, 2016.
See at Amazon
Recommended Reading: Life lessons from Mario
Mario is living the
American dream
Rob Harvilla,
The Ringer
This week The Ringer has been discussing that unique group of people and things that we can all agree are enduring and iconic parts of culture. We’re talking the likes of Google Maps, Woz and The Rock — all on the list, by the way. One particular selection caught my eye: Mario. Yes, the Nintendo Mario. When you stop and think about it, that plumber can teach us a lot about life.
|
The tumbler Tumblr This is an interesting look at how bloggers and podcasters are changing the way gymnastics is covered, and they’re doing so from a fan’s perspective. Consider it your Olympic primer. |
Instagram’s Kevin Systrom, unfiltered The filter-driven photo and video app’s CEO chats about the past, present and future of his visual social network, including how Instagram has some things in common with the printing press. |
ICYMI: Lung cancer detector and smart tape measure
Today on In Case You Missed It: A new device is being tested to detect lung cancer by having patients breathe into it. A new tape measure that syncs to a mobile app can calculate distances by simply running it over an item, or using a laser to calculate height.
We are super interested in this AI-written show from PBS, and VR fans might be interested in the news out of the Olympics. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Get served by this tennis-instructing drone
If tennis is your game and you’re looking for help that a ball-spitting machine can’t provide, luxury gym chain Virgin Active has your back. They’ve built a drone to drop your racquet’s prey from above so you can work on your awful smash without any witnesses.
Jokes aside, any effort to integrate UAVs with training expands the frontier of technology and sports. The tennis drone hangs the ball via extremely thin string and drops it on command. It also has a downward-facing 4K camera for coaches to monitor the player’s form and technique.
Is it gimmicky? Yes — in fact, it’s just a DJI Phantom 3 commercial drone with a Virgin Active sticker on it. But it’s also a step toward drones that could fire balls toward players at angles and velocities simulating professionals’ shots. The drone is being trialled at Virgin Active’s Northwood location, so head there if you fancy trying out the future of sports training.
Via: Mashable
Source: Virgin Active (YouTube)
Sennheiser PRESENCE wireless headset review
It’s funny that the “phone” part of “smartphone” has somewhat gotten lost. Many of us prefer typing to communicate rather than frightful human interaction. Then there are those who rely on vocal communication to function on a day-to-day basis. Especially for the business folk, phone calls are still crucial.
Bluetooth wireless headsets have been helping such users for a while now, but that doesn’t mean that aren’t improvements to be had. Today, we’re looking at a new one from Sennheiser, called the PRESENCE.
Sennheiser is a long-standing audio manufacturer most known for high quality, leading headphones, but it also has a say in the wireless communication space. The PRESENCE comes with the promise of functionality innovations and exceptionally effective audio. Let’s check out if it delivers.
Design
The PRESENCE makes a nice impression right away, because it comes in a fancy and sturdy carrying case. Opening it reveals an organized layout of the headset components.
Laying it all out, we have the earpiece, four different ear tip sizes, a Bluetooth dongle (for use with a computer), short microUSB to USB cable, and car charger. It’s important to know that the PRESENCE is available in variants. If you don’t care for the carrying case or USB dongle, then you can pay less for what Sennheiser calls the PRESENCE Business. Our package is the PRESENCE UC.
The wireless earpiece has a functional but sleek-looking design. The materials aren’t the most premium feeling (it’s all plastic construction), but that in-turn makes the unit very lightweight.
Three are three physical buttons total – a primary button on the glossy strip that runs down the middle and two small volume buttons towards the back end. The center button initiates all the functions, like pairing and answering/ending calls.
The ear support arm is attached sturdily and rotates any which way, and it’s easily removable if you don’t care for it. You’ll also get ear support from three of the ear tips, which have a small extension (fin) that fit within your inner ear. The ear tips aren’t anything special; it’s typical silicone.
On the back end, you’ll see an exposed microUSB charging port (which I’m not sure is best in regard to durability; it could rain on you while you’re on a call) and an LED status light directly above it.
Function
The PRESENCE has more to it than meets the eye. It doesn’t just throw in Bluetooth and call it a day. Sennheiser put a huge focus on a clear and distraction-free audio experience. The unit has various technology to filter out noise. The goal was to maintain sound presence (hence, the product’s name) in the midst of noisy office coworkers or a windy outdoor environment.
The microphone voice input is also efficient. A voice detector reacts when you begin to speak and utilizes three digital microphones to deliver consistently clear sound to the listener.
The earpiece wear is fairly standard. It’s not the easiest to don, but once you do, it stays put and is comfortable (you barely notice it). A nice feature is the boom arm (the silver rim around the unit extends out). You turn the earpiece on by pulling the arm out, and vice versa. I prefer this method over holding down a button.
The functions are pretty simple; it just takes a little playing around to figure out the what different presses of the primary button do. But it’s pretty intuitive if you’ve used a Bluetooth headset before. To get started, hold down the center button for a few seconds to initiate pairing and simply find the PRESENCE in your mobile device’s Bluetooth settings. Double pressing it will have it call the most recent phone number. And holding the button for one second will initiate the phone’s voice function (i.e. Google Now).
The battery is said to last up to 10 hours of talk time. If you do run out, fortunately, the charging speed is no slouch. 30 minutes replenishes half its capacity. And the Bluetooth range can go up to about 80 feet (depending on the environment).
As expected, the call sound quality is solid. Even with a noisy environment, the caller’s voice comes through distinctly and clearly, albeit, a little tinny-sounding. It’s pretty great when your surroundings aren’t able to drown out the sound that you’re trying to focus on. You’re able to give the caller your undivided attention.
Final Thoughts
Sennheiser did a fantastic job on this earpiece. It’s packed with a lot of behind-the-scene technology, which I think accomplishes the goals of efficient and clear audio. It’s not the cheapest Bluetooth headset out there (the price ranges from $100 to $150, depending the model), but if you really value communication performance, then look no further.
Sennheiser PRESENCE product page
‘Galaxy Note7’ name confirmed by leaked pics
Can’t wait for Samsung’s next entry into the plus-sized phone category? A tweet from Evan Blass aka evleaks reveals three colors of what will apparently be called the Galaxy Note7 (no space?), in Black Onyx, Silver Titanium and Blue Coral. There have been rumors about the phone and its number-skipping name floating around, but the clear images confirm this is what we’ll see announced this summer. Naturally, there’s a stylus and curved edges, while the specs cited by Blass on Android Police include a 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED display, 12MP/5MP front/rear camera setup, 64MB of storage and IP68-rated water resistance.
Samsung Galaxy Note7 in (from l to r) Black Onyx, Silver Titanium, and Blue Coral pic.twitter.com/QiePUEG9GP
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) July 1, 2016
Via: Android Police
Source: Evan Blass (Twitter)
2016 Cadillac CT6 review – Roadshow
The Good The 3.6-liter twin-turbo engine, adaptive suspension and lightweight chassis work together to deliver a surprisingly fun drive. The rear camera mirror, OnStar LTE with Wi-Fi, an HDMI-sourced rear seat entertainment system and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay combine to make the 2016 Cadillac CT6 the most tech-forward Caddy in the fleet. The Bose Panaray audio system delivers both fantastically immersive sound and fantastic value.
The Bad The rear camera mirror takes a lot of getting used to; some drivers simply won’t like it. The CT6’s eight-speed automatic transmission’s shifts weren’t as smooth as we’d have liked at low city speeds.
The Bottom Line Lighter and more high-tech than you might expect, we like the direction that the 2016 CT6 takes the Cadillac brand. The luxury sedan makes a strong first impression, but faces stiff competition in this highly contested class.
When most people think Cadillac, they think of massive, classic luxury sedans with boat-like handling and supersmooth rides — or they think of the behemoth Escalade. Either way, Cadillac usually equals big. Which is why it’s weird that the brand’s newest flagship is so compact. Well, compact for Cadillac, that is.
Make no mistake, the 2016 Cadillac CT6 is still a large sedan in every sense of the word, but its 122.4-inch wheelbase sits about 2 to 4 inches below the BMW 7 series and Mercedes-Benz S-Class. Meanwhile, the Caddy’s 3,657- to 4,700-pound curb weight is hundreds of pounds lighter than its direct competitors and more in line with the smaller 5-Series and E-Class models. Straddling classes as it does, either Caddy’s carved out a unique niche for its flagship or it is making excuses for being the runt of the litter.
I spent a few days with the new CT6 to figure out which is more likely.
The driven: Backseat comfort and amenities
My experience started in the backseat with a chauffeured ride from the Los Angeles airport in a fully loaded CT6 Platinum.
The sedan offered plenty of leg and headroom on the second row and was equipped with the Platinum model’s optional recline and massage rear seats. Of course, the right-rear bucket is the best seat in the house when so equipped, thanks to there usually being more legroom for reclining behind the unoccupied front passenger seat in a chauffeur situation. There’s ample space, but this is no Maybach S600, so you probably won’t be getting the full recliner experience. Think premium cabin or exit row seat on an airliner, but not quite first class.
Cadillac has stated that it has no intentions of building a long wheelbase CT6 to compete with the longer variants of its competitors, so it will be interesting to see if the brand will eventually add an even larger luxury flagship later or commit to this more compact Caddy.
Pair your own Google Chromecast (seen here) or Amazon Fire Stick with the onboard 4G LTE to transform the rear-seat entertainment into a streaming hub.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
While being driven, I was treated to the optional rear-seat entertainment system with dual power retractable seatback screens with tilt controls. Wireless Bose headphones provide discrete audio to the second row, or wired connections lets passengers bring their own cans. A Blu-ray player up front can be tapped as a rear-seat video source, as can a rear HDMI input.
I didn’t bring my Blu-ray box set of “Fast and Furious” movies along, but someone at Cadillac was clever enough to have outfitted my car with a Google Chromecast. You see, in addition to the HDMI input, the CT6 is also equipped with about six powered USB ports for gadgets and a standard 4G LTE-enabled in-car Wi-Fi network. Plug a $35 Chromecast into the HDMI and USB, connect it to the car’s Wi-Fi, and the rear seat entertainment suddenly becomes a streaming media hub. Cadillac has no official partnership with Google — it just wanted to demonstrate the sort of things a passenger could do with the tech onboard. The Amazon Fire Stick is also confirmed to work and, in theory, so would an Apple TV or any other streaming device that can use Wi-Fi and HDMI.
Cadillac claims that the CT6’s aluminum and steel construction techniques make this the stiffest and quietest Cadillac ever.
I noticed that the CT6’s ride is firm, but not uncomfortable. The bumps and potholes of downtown Los Angeles made themselves apparent during my ride and were pronounced enough that I found it difficult to make written notes. However, there was no edge to the bumpiness and no discomfort; I’d call the ride firm, but controlled. My assumption was that the CT6 was striking some balance between handling and comfort, but from the rear seat I wasn’t able to confirm. To be fair, it’s possible that my driver for this segment had the Magnetic Ride Control in its Sport setting rather than the more compliant Touring, but I neglected to ask. With my notes messily made, I queued up some YouTube clips and settled in for the ride.
The driver: Handling and performance
On day 2, I found myself in the the driver’s seat on twistier roads and could better experience the balance of handling and comfort. I enjoyed the responsiveness of the suspension and the steering, the latter being helped by the presence of rear wheel steering.
Cadillac’s Active Rear Steering turns the rear wheels up to 3.5 degrees opposite to the fronts to tighten the turning circle by a claimed 3 feet — Caddy claims the CT6 will match the BMW 5 Series’ turning radius despite being about 8 inches longer. At high speeds, the rears steer up to 2.75 degrees in concert with the fronts to reduce yaw during lane changes and increase highway stability. Through rear steering, Cadillac claims that it can offer the nimbleness of a much shorter car and the high-speed stability of a long wheelbase while keeping the CT6’s physical length in a sweet spot that is urban-friendly.
Active Rear Steering works in concert with the optional Magnetic Ride Control adaptive suspension, the optional all-wheel drive system, transmission and power steering systems — featuring sport and touring drive mode settings that change the attitude of the vehicle at the touch of a toggle. Put all of that under a lightweight, stiff chassis and things start looking good for the big Caddy.
Available active rear steering, magnetic ride control and all-wheel drive help the CT6 handle like a much smaller car.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
In practice, however, blitzing a series of switchbacks on a mountain road is not really the aim of this or any big luxury sedan. Thankfully, Caddy’s done a good job of managing the inherent handling limitations of a car this big and delivered a great ride, all things considered.
The sedan handles a corner much better than I expected it to. The CT6 settles into sweeping bends nicely and offers quite good grip. On tighter, more technical bends I was able to push just a little bit harder than would be proper for a vehicle of this size before it started to push back, and I was impressed by the responsiveness and seat-of-the-pants feedback.
The power: Two turbocharged engine options
The new CT6 is available with three different engine options. At the entry point is 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that is, frankly, surprising to see in a vehicle of this size. Outputting 265 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, the CT6 2.0T is also the lightest configuration.
I was totally prepared to be underwhelmed, but was pleased to find that this little engine more than exceeded my performance expectations. The throttle is very responsive, and the transmission always seems to be in just the right gear to deliver respectable levels of torque for passing and accelerating. Coming in at about 3,800 pounds with me in the driver’s seat, I was also able to best experience the CT6’s excellent handling in this configuration. With sweeping curves and little traffic, I really appreciated the 2.0T’s midrange torque, quiet operation and off-the-line responsiveness. However, the engine started to feel a bit taxed during a steep uphill climb, which made me wonder if I’d be having nearly as much fun with a full complement of passengers and luggage.
Next in line is the midrange 3.6-liter V-6, a naturally aspirated engine that features an anti-idling auto stop-start system and variable displacement tech. That last bit means that the engine can deactivate two of its cylinders during light-load operation, such as highway coasting downhill, and effectively operate as a V-4 engine to save fuel. I was not able to test this 335 horsepower, 285 pound-foot configuration, opting to jump to the top trim for the final leg of the trip.
I dare say that this is the most Audi-like Cadillac that I’ve ever driven
The top trim is a 404-horsepower, 400-pound-foot twin-turbocharged V-6 option displacing 3.0 liters. This engine is mated with an eight-speed automatic transmission that sends torque to the road via Cadillac’s all-wheel drive system. Around town, this engine just feels more confident and effortless than the four-banger and has a slightly more pronounced exhaust note that is much more pleasing to the ear. The additional weight of the all-wheel drive system is noticeable when cornering and doesn’t really add much to the handling.
However, the all-wheel drive does aid in making sure that the 404 ponies reach the road as efficiently as possible. Stomp the right pedal and the sedan simply launches. What I like most about the 3.0TT is that its performance is accessible and immediate. The eight-speed automatic’s downshifts are lightning quick, allowing the CT6 3.0TT to go from cruising to passing in a heartbeat and into triple-digit speeds if you’re not careful. Whether in the automatic Sport mode or while fingering the manual paddle shifters, I was able to have some real fun with so much power on tap. All the time, the CT6 felt stable and safe; its handling light and surprisingly nimble, but never squirrelly.
Fuel economy for the CT6 peaks at 22 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway for the 2.0-liter turbo and is at its lowest at 18 city and 26 mpg for the naturally aspirated 3.6-liter engine. The 3.0TT also features the same auto stop-start fuel saving tech as the 3.6-liter and the first implementation of variable cylinder management on a twin-turbo engine. Additionally, it only sacrifices one highway mpg when compared to the midtier model.
The 2.0-liter turbo is a surprisingly good little engine for the big CT6, but the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 boasts the best passing power.
Antuan Goodwin/CNET
The Cadillac’s eight-speed automatic transmission, which served so well on the highway and during spirited driving, may have been the source of one maddening little annoyance that reared its head at lower, city speeds. When slowing, just before coming to a stop, the vehicle would jerk or shudder slightly. At first, I thought it was the auto stop-start system or the variable displacement system, but experimentation seemed to indicate that it was the transmission oddly timing one last downshift at the root of the unrefinement. It’s a small annoyance, but a persistent and very un-Cadillac one that seemed to happen at every traffic light. Interestingly, I don’t remember this being an issue during my initial testing, I only noticed it during the week of extended testing around our home offices, so maybe the shudder was unique to that example.
How to hide your porn browsing habits on your Chromebook
Cover your tracks like a Ninja with these tips for keeping your browsing habits private on your Chromebook.
The internet is filled with naked sweaty people doing naked sweaty things. It’s also used by folks who like to look at them — but don’t really want anyone else to know about it. While there’s not much you can do to make sure nobody can see where you’ve been and what you clicked on, you can erase your tracks in case someone grabs your Chromebook and looks through the history.
We talked about how to cover your tracks on Android, and most of the same principles apply for your Chromebook. Your internet service provider is always going to be able to see your first connection (so using a VPN or TOR keeps the sites you visit private, but your ISP knows you’re using a VPN or TOR through your Android phone) and the people sitting in the same room as you are going to be able to see what’s on your screen. That’s why the library frowns on folks surfing for porn on their computers. So we should never assume we’re really anonymous when we’re on the internet.
Now that your dreams of being fully incognito on the internet are ruined, let’s talk about how to cover your tracks locally when you’re using your Chromebook.
Read: Hide your porn browsing habits on Android
User accounts and passwords
You can use a Chromebook as a guest user, but that means you’re not going to be able to install extensions from the Chrome Web Store. You can sideload an unpacked extension and make it work, but there’s an easier way — anyone who might want or need to use your Chromebook can have their own local account. This works great for your partner or roommate. Not only do they have quick access to the web when they need it, but they can personalize their experience. Anything they download or install is going to take up some space, but they won’t be able to access your account data or your stuff at all. And you won’t be able to see theirs — privacy works both ways. To add a user, when you’re on the login screen click the Add person link at the bottom of the page.
The next step is to make sure you need a password when you wake up your Chromebook. Open the settings and scroll down to the People section, and you’ll see a checkbox to require a password to wake from sleep. When your Chromebook times out, or if you shut the lid, you have to type your password to do anything but look at your account picture.
Install some extensions
You can’t use a browser with “better” privacy settings on your Chromebook, but you can install some extensions to keep things as anonymous as possible. We’re focused on scrubbing your local history in this article, but it’s not unheard of for scripts and ads — especially the scummy ads that seem to always be present on porn sites — to do things like blocking your screen with pops until you click something you shouldn’t or to try and use your IP address to “remember” you the next time you visit. Advertisements, cookies and other forms of user profiling can be useful and beneficial to both the user (that’s us) and the provider but the sheer abundance of crapware and malware that is drawn to porn sites means you should never visit one without a way to try and stay safe.
I can recommend these extensions from the Chrome Web Store:
- Ghostery — Ghostery does a great job of blocking trackers that want to know where you are, what site you came from and what sites you’re going to next. They track you, which is why they are called trackers.
- Privacy Badger — This is another extension that blocks trackers from the EFF. It’s an alternative to Ghostery, but the interface is a bit more detailed and can be confusing. It’s also in beta, and sometimes beta software can be buggy. You don’t need to use Ghostery and Privacy Badger at the same time, but you can.
- Adblock Plus — Adblock Plus blocks ads. It does a damn good job at blocking ads. A gazillion users will tell you that it is a great way to block ads.
- Script Blocker — Blocks JavaScript, Java, Flash, and other plug-ins by way of a whitelist/blacklist. You might need to allow Flash or scripts to see your porn — if that happens, find a new porn site. Don’t let scripts and plug-ins run as they please.
Extensions are able to store data when you allow them in incognito mode. I feel good about recommending these and am confident that they aren’t going to expose you or your habits. Install them normally, then open your extensions page by entering chrome://extensions in the browser search bar. Find these in the list, and check the box to allow them in incognito mode.
Incognito mode
I’ve mentioned it enough times that you knew this was coming. Always use incognito mode (in tandem with some extensions to help control what the internet can do to you) when you are doing something you don’t want to be associated with your Google account.
Open the browser app on your Chromebook, and click the three dots in the upper right to open a menu. You’ll see a listing that says open a new incognito window. Click it. When it opens, go back and close the original window to be extra sure and paranoid like I am.
You can also open an incognito window directly from the desktop by pressing Control+Shift+N, but I usually forget which keys to press so I use the menu. Whichever way you do it, just do it.
Remember, that anything you download gets saved where anyone can see it, and any site you bookmark will get mixed in with your regular bookmarks (and saved to the cloud) so don’t do either.
This isn’t going to make you invisible on the internet. That’s impossible. But it will cover your tracks if someone else gets to snooping around. Stay safe.
Also, It’s OK to want to keep some things private but never forget to communicate with your loved ones. I’m a little past looking at porn on the internet, but when I do have a look at naked Twister activities I do it with my wife. It’s a lot more fun that way, and it’s easier than trying to keep secrets.
Panasonic’s $699 UHD Blu-ray player arrives in September
If you thought Ultra HD Blu-ray players were already pretty expensive, Panasonic would like to have a word. Whereas Samsung’s player and the recently released unit from Philips aim for a mainstream crowd with $400 price tags, Panasonic is targeting audiophiles and folks with slightly deeper pockets. The DMP-UB900 costs $699 and features a few wild specs like twin HDMI outputs for separating audio and video signals; premium capacitors, circuitry and signal processors; “digital tube sound” that supposedly replicates analog warmth from a digital signal and playback for DSD and ALAC audio formats. Yep, your TV’s speakers would be a waste of all this tech.
Everything else is pretty standard fare for the format though, with 4K/60FPS playback, high dynamic range video and Ultra HD streaming apps along for the ride. Contrary to what we heard at CES this year, the UB900 will play nicely with 3D Blu-ray. Panasonic says to expect seeing this at “select” retailers, including Best Buy stores with a Magnolia room, this September.
For now, it’s definitely the most expensive UHD Blu-ray player available and definitely isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a UHD machine that does more than just play Blu-rays and video streams, remember, the Xbox One S will launch next month. Whether or not you should buy one is another matter entirely.
AIVAnet 