Time and again, you've been told learning to code is one of the most valuable skills a person can have these days. But most people never had the time or energy to learn. Well, now that you're sheltering in place, there are no more excuses.
With a little help from this Hands-On Game Development Bundle, you can start coding your little heart out. And by the end of the training, you'll have your own video game to show for it. How's that for a new skill?
In May of last year, I canceled my Amazon Prime membership.
The pandemic had just devastated New York City. Some Amazon warehouse workers protested their working conditions, demanding hazard pay and adequate sick leave. Two Amazon engineers spoke up in solidarity — and were fired.
Do I still buy shit I don't need on other websites? Sadly, yes. But let me tell you, that $119 Prime membership fee is an anchor. Once you fork that over, any product that doesn't include "free" Prime shipping seems like a waste of money. Read more...
Google unveiled a new super-speedy way to get rid of your most recent search history during Google I/O, its annual developer conference.
In case you missed the keynote event, here's exactly how to clear the last 15 minutes of your most recent search queries. The feature is currently live for iOS users in the Google app, and will be rolling out on Android in June.
Step 1: Navigate to your menu
Google gave a nifty little demonstration of the new quick delete option.
Image: Screenshot: Google
All you have to do is click on your profile icon in the top right-hand corner of the Google app. Easy peasy! Read more...
Anyone who works from home on a regular basis knows this all too well: Laptop speakers just don't cut it most of the time.
Sure, for a Zoom call or the occasional YouTube video, they'll get the job done. But for jamming out to music or streaming your favorite TV shows or movies, a real set of desktop speakers goes a long way. At just $40 and with a cool design, strong bass, and the simplest setup imaginable, the Creative Pebble Plus is a strong contender to round out audio on your home desktop.
Futuristic orb aesthetic • Bassy • room-filling sound • Quick and easy setup • Incredible value
The Bad
Cable clutter
The Bottom Line
Creative Pebble Plus is an excellent budget option for anyone who wants to enhance their home desktop audio setup, as long as cable management isn't a turnoff.
If your personal assistant is taking the day off and your dog is napping, you may find yourself wondering how to get your favorite Netflix programming to show up on that flatscreen across the room from your couch. Admittedly, it can be confusing — there are so many remotes, so many devices, and so many possibilities of where that Netflix signal might originate.
The good news is that if you have Chromecast on your TV or as an add-on dangling from your USB port, you can set up your Google Home to answer all of your Netflix commands.
The setup is easy. Just go to your Google Home app on your phone. Tap the gear, and under Settings you’ll select "Add," which will bring up these options: Read more...
If you want to learn more about investing, your weird uncle ranting about GameStop stock and Bitcoin when he’s had a few too many doesn’t really cut it. Get more reliable information from this comprehensive Stock and Cryptocurrency Investment Toolkit Bundle, which is on sale for $20 for a limited time.
Packed with 11 courses and nearly 55 hours of content, this bundle is great for novices and will help answer your most basic questions about investing without judgement — whether you're interested in the stock market, cryptocurrency, real estate, or all three. Read more...
If you’re considering a career change, ethical hacking is an innovative sector in high demand. Want to see if it's something you'd enjoy? Learn the basics with this All-In-One 2021 Super-Sized Ethical Hacking Bundle.
This jam-packed training program features 18 courses and over 100 hours worth of content from top cybersecurity instructors, like ethical hacker Aleksa Tamburkovski, who boasts an instructor rating of 4.6 out of 5 stars; penetration tester Atul Tiwari, who has earned 4.2 out of 5 stars; and security consultant Gabriel Avramescu, who has earned 4.4. Designed for beginners, the courses help lay the groundwork for a potential ethical hacking career. Read more...
Xiaomi's at it again: The company's new fast charging technology can get a smartphone from 0 to 100 percent battery in less than 8 minutes.
The 200W wired charging tech, used on a modified Xiaomi MI 11 Pro with a 4,000mAh battery, gets the phone from 0-10% in just 44 seconds. The phone gets to 50% in 3 minutes, and it's fully charged in 7:57 minutes.
In a YouTube video (below), Xiaomi also showcased its 120W wireless charging tech, which gets a smartphone with a 4,000mAh battery from 0 to 100 percent battery in 15 minutes. Read more...
There are two types of Apple Watch users: Those who have the zoom feature turned on and those who have it turned off.
If you're the type who needs to see content up close, then you might find the Apple Watch's display stuck on magnified mode at some point while using it. Don't worry, getting back to full view is as simple as tapping on the display.
Here's how to zoom out on your Apple Watch display.
Double-tap with two fingers
Double-tap to zoom in and double-tap to zoom out.
Image: apple / screenshot
You can zoom all the way out using the Digital Crown in Grid View.
Sometimes it feels a little creepy to open Google Maps and see a detailed list of the last few places I've been. I really wouldn't want that information to fall into the wrong hands.
Google gets it, which is why the company introduced a simplified way to turn off location history from within Google Maps Timeline. The feature is now live for Android users and Google says it plans to eventually bring it to iOS users as well.
Less tapping? Yes, please.
Image: Screenshot: google
Google's new "Location History" feature will show up as a simple toggle right on your Timeline interface. It's a super convenient change, since you can now easily disable history without going anywhere else in the app. Previously, erasing your location history took several extra, unintuitive steps within the Maps app. Read more...
The problem with analog calendars, if you're old enough to even remember those, is that they required you to look at them to work. Digital calendars may be better at reminding you to do things, but they still can't read your mind. Google Calendar, for instance, can only do what you tell it to do. The Google system may be good at integrating dates and activities from your other Google applications, but the calendar becomes much more intuitive after you give it some careful directions.
While you may think you have the Google Calendar basics down, there are a number of features that can help you schedule events and keep your calendars up-to-date in a more efficient manner. If you mostly access your Google Calendar via your phone, there's also a good chance you're missing out on a lot of Google Calendar features that can be accessed or activated in the desktop settings. Read more...
TL;DR: Take epic photos and videos with the Global Drone 4K Platinum, which is on sale for only $98.97 as of May 30.
Sometimes, in order to capture the best photos and videos, you have to take your camera to new heights and go where no photographer has gone before. Or, preferably, your drone could do that for you.
With the Global Drone 4K Platinum, you can take great shots from up to 328 feet in the air. It uses an advanced 4K camera that captures high-definition photos and stable, gorgeous video. With this drone's built-in altitude mode, you'll be able to capture stunning imagery and videos on a whim. Read more...
Coding can be overwhelming, but with the right instruction, you can develop knowledge you can use. The affordable Premium Learn to Code 2021 Certification Bundle is a solid place to start — and it's on sale this Memorial Day weekend.
This course bundle offers over 270 hours of instruction broken down into across 2,000 different lessons. It covers some of the most popular coding languages, like Python, Java, JavaScript, Ruby on Rails, and C#, and even dives into lesser-known languages like Flutter, Dart, and Swift. You can work through each language at your own speed, on your own time, and in whatever order works best for you. Many people find that Python is one of the easiest to start with, but the choice is yours. Read more...
TL;DR: Need more cloud storage? Opt for a lifetime subscription to the Degoo Premium mega backup plan, which is on sale for $129.99 as of May 30.
From work to taxes to streaming to writing personal emails, your computer goes through a lot — and sometimes things go wrong. But with the Degoo Premium mega backup plan, you'll have a backup of your most important files and videos.
Degoo is an artificial intelligence-based cloud storage system that keeps your files organized and safe. A one-time purchase gets you lifetime access to the plan, which includes 15TB of secure backup space in which you can manage and share files with ease. You can even replicate your backup as you perform it, as well as keep your backup up-to-date automatically thanks to the automatic file change detection feature. Read more...
While laptops and tablets are great on their own, sometimes you just need both — at once — without the hassle of having to carry around two devices all day.
Enter: the hybrid laptop (or just 2-in-1 laptop). It's a device that you can convert from tablet to laptop and back again with ease.
Why would you want a 2-in-1 laptop?
Simply put, a 2-in-1 laptop allows you to have the best of both devices at your fingertips. You can use the tablet to draw and take hand-written notes with a stylus, or you can use its touch-screen and gesture features for your day-to-day activities. But when you need more control or need to type something up, you can switch into laptop and keyboard mode. Read more...
Aanyone is capable of creating an EDM hit. And with the music industry's unrelenting obsession with electronic music, now could really be the moment to make a name for yourself. And since you have all the tools you need to rival the pros right at your fingertips, why not give it a shot? The only thing you're missing is the guidance from this Complete EDM Production Bundle.
Led by music industry professionals J. Anthony Allen and Chester Sky, this bundle features seven courses and over 200 lessons in everything from basic audio concepts (waveforms, frequency spectrum, etc.) and how MIDI works, to popular music production software and the beauty and power of music theory. And you won't just read about how things work, either. These courses are interactive, so you'll actually create your own tracks, analyse tracks from artists like Daft Punk and Avicii (RIP), create vocal chopping effects, layer vocals with backing vocals, harmonies and instruments, and more. Read more...
While drawing is an excellent skill to pick up anytime, it's even more appropriate during these days. Why? Because it can help you enter a state of flow. Or, in other words, it can make the outside world (and all the chaos that comes with it) fall away, and heighten your imagination, mindfulness, focus, and introspection. That's something we all could use.
If you're the type who has a tendency to answer WhatsApp messages at your own (very slow) pace, then chances are you don't want people knowing when you're on the app.
With WhatsApp's "Last Seen" and "Online" status features, it lets your contacts see the last time you used the app and when you're currently using it, respectively.
For those who want to remain incognito, here's how to hide your status in a few easy steps.
1) Go to Settings
Whether you're using iOS or Android, the Settings menu will be the same. Tap on the icon in the right-hand corner of the app. Read more...
If you own a Tesla Model 3 or Model Y, then it's apparently now possible the in-car camera is or soon will be monitoring you while on Autopilot. According to TechCrunch, Tesla has reportedly enabled the capability through a software update.
The use of the new feature was originally spotted on Twitter, after a current Tesla owner took to the platform to post images of the latest software version on his Model Y.
Delivery was super smooth. Summon and lane departure avoidance disabled for now, increased follow distance, hard cap at 75, requires auto brights or kicks out of AP, cabin camera for driver monitoring.. nothing unexpected yetpic.twitter.com/gKIkHSGNI7
Remember that time WhatsApp said its users would lose access to features if they didn't agree to its updated privacy policy? Well, that's no longer the case.
In a statement provided to The Next Web, WhatsApp confirmed all of its features will still be available — even if you don't accept the policy:
In case you're unfamiliar with the new privacy policy, WhatsApp breaks it down in a blog post explaining: "The changes are related to optional business features on WhatsApp, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data."
And, since announcing it, things have been very confusing. Read more...
Apple needs a little more time to ready its premium podcasts service for would-be subscribers.
The Apple Podcasts subscription, revealed during the company's "4/20" event, was originally set to launch in May. The subscription, which costs $19.99 per year, will be available "in more than 170 countries" and offers listeners ad-free podcasts, access to bonus materials, and "early or exclusive" access to the network's latest series.
All of those features will have to wait, though, as Apple has informed podcasters in an email, obtained by 9to5Mac, that the release plan has slipped out of May. "To ensure we are delivering the best experience for creators and listeners, Apple Podcasts Subscriptions and channels will now launch in June," the email reads. Read more...
Imagine, if you will (or don’t because you’re already here), that the amount of work to be done was large and overwhelming. Visualize trying to wrap your mind around it by organizing the information, sorting it by priority and due date, and ultimately bringing order to your chaos. That’s the goal of a good task management system. At their best, they function smoothly and fade into the background.
That’s not the case with MeisterTask, which demands so much of your attention that it feels like an extra project all on its own. There are so many tiny confusing details and features that don’t work quite as well as I wanted them to. Using the software to its full potential would have required so much more work, instead of less. Read more...
Thanks to stay-home orders, work-from-home initiatives, and social distancing, we're FaceTiming more than ever before. As of March 2020, nearly 50 percent of adults in the United States were using FaceTime as their video conferencing app of choice to talk to colleagues, family, and friends.
FaceTiming, like any other method of communication, is something you can be good or bad at. One key way to improve your FaceTime calls is by maintaining better eye contact. And luckily, there's some nifty, next-gen Apple tech that helps you do just that.
Why is eye contact so important?
Good eye contact can improve relationships, build trust, help you bond with others, and generally make sure you and the other participants in a FaceTime call get the most out of the experience. Read more...
TL;DR: Keep your ears clean with the Spade smart ear wax remover, on sale as of May 29 for $80.97 — a 35% discount.
Some people grab a cotton swab or other tiny object in an attempt to remove excess ear wax, but these methods can actually push the wax deeper into your ear, or worse, can cause your eardrum to rupture. Instead, gently scoop out the wax using the Spade smart ear wax remover.
The Spade is equipped with a teeny-tiny camera that streams a full view of the inside of your ear to your iPhone or Android via WiFi. It has six inner-mounted LEDs to give you good lighting and four different EarPick shapes for scooping. Read more...
There's many a career path that allows you to learn as you go. You don't need to be a former VP of Marketing to land an entry-level marketing job. And you don't need to have sold out concert venues to start a singing career. But being a network administrator is exempt from that perk. If you’re looking to manage a company’s computer infrastructure, you’re going to need some in-depth knowledge about the ins and outs of managing a network.
If you want to land your dream role as a network architect, the Complete Computer Networking E-Book and Video Course Bundle is a great tool to help you get started. The collection is your own personal computer networking treasure trove, complete with five e-books and five video courses, covering over 14 hours of content on the most important topics for you to grasp, like DevOps, programming, AWS, CCNA, and more. Read more...
A good, dependable laptop is pretty much a must-have for anyone these days, especially with distance learning and work-from-home opportunities becoming more of the norm. The convenience of being able to set up and get down to business wherever there may be WiFi is completely unmatched. And sure, we all have smartphones that are basically tiny computers stashed in our pockets. But the power and precision of a laptop with a full keyboard, ample storage, and a dedicated processor just makes it so much easier to work, study, play games, stream entertainment, create art, and so much more.
So whether you're shopping for a new laptop for work, school, or play (or, more likely, a combination of all of the above), we've got you covered with a wide range of stellar laptop options from HP. Read more...
Pictures from your baby’s first birthday. Old photos of grandparents long gone. Videos from your wedding day. If you have a lot of digital pictures and videos scattered around your various computers and hard drives, you’ll want to back them up.
And this Memorial Day weekend is your last chance to back them up with a reputable service, absolutely free.
Google Photos launched in May 2015. Over the past five years, more than 4 trillion photos have been uploaded to the platform. This whole time, users could upload their photos and videos to the cloud service as backup — albeit, at a slightly lower quality than the original media file — and have peace of mind, at no cost. Read more...
The new attack, according to the Microsoft Threat Intelligence Center, targets U.S. government agencies, military, IT service providers, think tanks, NGOs, telecommunications companies, and health technology and research organizations. Read more...
Big changes are coming to Twitch. And the Amazon-owned livestreaming platform doesn't have a choice.
According to Twitch, the company recently received a massive batch of DMCA takedown requests "with about 1,000 individual claims from music publishers."
Just got an email about a DMCA takedowns from twitch and apparently the music publishing companys are scanning old VODS and claiming a LOT of stuff from other channels
Twitch sent an "important update" via email to its users late Thursday night to warn them about the situation.
The company says that all of the DMCA takedown requests involved video-on-demand content, streams that are saved to the platform to be replayed after the live broadcast. Twitch says that most of the takedown requests target streamers who listen to copyrighted music in the background of their videos while they're streaming. Read more...
For many of the millions of people out there with a Roku device, it's probably little more than a Netflix box. There's nothing wrong with that, as Roku has always sold its products as a way to stream content from every major service above all else. But there's so much more you can do.
Thanks to a series of software updates over the years, modern Roku devices can do a bunch of cool things that have very little to do with streaming The Office for the 27th time. Not all of these features are available on every single Roku box, so there's a good chance you've been missing out on at least one of them. Read more...
There are a few things you'll need while planning your next trip: earplugs in case you're seated next to a toddler on an airplane; a neck pillow if you have the ability to rest on flights; and distractions from the doldrums inherent to any travel experience that doesn't go awry. For most people, those helpful items include a book or a podcast, some music or a Nintendo Switch, or maybe just a bit of work. Since you don't typically have excellent access to WiFi on a plane or train, a downloaded TV show or movie (or several) could also prove helpful.
Outside of travel, of course, there are plenty of times watching Netflix is simply easier if you have the shows or movies downloaded so you can view them offline whenever you want. Note: You can have up to 100 downloads at a time on as many devices on your membership plan. Read more...
Apple is working on new versions of its AirPods earbuds.
According to a new report by Bloomberg, the company is preparing to launch new AirPods sometime this year, and a new generation of the AirPods Pro next year.
The report says the new AirPods will have a new case, and shorter stems at the bottom, while the AirPods Pro will contain updated motion sensors, likely to be used for fitness tracking.
The update to the AirPods isn't that big of a surprise, given Apple hasn't updated them since the launch in March 2019. Notably, Bloomberg says the company originally planned to launch new AirPods Pro this year as well, but it changed its plans for reasons unclear. Read more...
If you're in the market for a new laptop, the wealth of choice can feel positively overwhelming. You've gotten as far as knowing you need a laptop, either for work, pleasure, or simply so you don't have to keep squinting at a smartphone screen, but where do you go from there?
As one of the biggest laptop manufacturers in the world, Asus is a great company to look at when considering buying a new laptop, whether that's a cheap laptop for taking to class or a gaming powerhouse for playing the latest titles on. We've chosen a wide range of the best Asus laptops for all people and all budgets, but we haven't stopped there. After all, you probably want to know a bit more about what all those technical specifications actually mean and figure out just what you need most from your purchase, so we've looked at all that too. With a range of different Asus laptop models, you'll soon appreciate the difference between a ZenBook and a ROG Zephyrus along with everything else in between. Read more...
