Showing all posts tagged "Tech"
2017-08 Download Thousands of Free Music Tracks on YouTube Legally
By now, you know that YouTube isn’t only for watching cat videos and smartphone voyeurism. If you’re smart, it can be your go-to place for learning new skills and finding gems for research. But one of the best uses for YouTube is as a source of free music that you can legally download for free and use for all kinds of projects and endeavors. Grab Royalty-Free Music for Any Use The YouTube Audio Library launched in 2013 with 1,000+ free musical tracks. Thanks to our growing smartphone video production ski...
Posted on August 16th, 2017
2017-08 Site to Send Free Text Messages to Cell Phones (SMS)
Even though users are slowly moving away from SMS text messages to other forms of text messaging, SMS text messages still have their uses. For example, if you have a family member with a dumb phone, they may only be able to receive SMS text messages. We’ve already covered various ways to improve your SMS experience: checking messages from a PC, using alternative SMS messaging apps, and scheduling SMS messages for later. But here’s another nifty trick you should know: how to send free messages to anyone f...
Posted on August 16th, 2017
2017-08 IFTTT Alternatives You Might Not Have Heard About
IFTTT has developed a reputation for itself as the leading automation app. Using a series of conditional statements, you can make certain events trigger specific actions. For example, you could use the app to supercharge your Kindle, connect your wink hub to other devices in your home, or even beat procrastination. There are two primary reasons why IFTTT has grown in popularity. First, it’s free to use. Second, it integrates with a vast number of services. But just because IFTTT is so popular, it doesn’t...
Posted on August 15th, 2017
2017-08 Is Your Router Slow? It Might Be Your NAT Table
The network address translation (NAT) table is what allows devices on a private network to access a public network, such as the internet. There is often only one entry point between the public network and the private network, and that entry point is usually a router. The router itself has a public-facing IP address, but the devices on the private network ("hidden" behind the router) only have private IP addresses. When data packets move from the private network to the public network, those private IP add...
Posted on August 15th, 2017
2017-08 Enter and Reset the BIOS to Default Settings on Any Computer
One of the most panic-inducing computer problems occurs when your PC won’t boot. It’s terrifying because you know something is wrong, but can’t properly troubleshoot it since you don’t have a computer to research with. You might find the root of your problem lies in BIOS corruption. Maybe a power outage screwed it up, or you tried to update the BIOS and ran into a problem. Whatever the case, resetting the BIOS is a good way to clear these problems and start fresh. Here’s the basic outline for doing so. F...
Posted on August 15th, 2017
2017-08 Unzip ZIP Files in Google Drive Without Downloading Them First
Wherever you are, you need a tool that can unzip compressed files. ZIP files are, after all, the digital couriers of the web — second only to PDFs when it comes to sharing files. On the desktop, you have utilities like WinZip and 7-Zip. But what if the ZIP is on Google Drive? Working With ZIP Files in the Cloud Imagine someone sent you an archived set of documents or photos in an email. Or shared a compressed ZIP file from a cloud folder. You can take the "normal" route and download it to your desktop, d...
Posted on August 14th, 2017
2017-08 Advanced Online Searches That Make the Web Easier
How do you find the online content you’re looking for? Most of you probably rely solely on Google Search. Although the ubiquitous search engine has plenty of useful features to help you narrow down your results, it’s a poor replacement for using the dedicated in-app search tools. But even those in-app tools aren’t perfect — they’re generic. If you’re looking for a particular Facebook post, a certain user on Twitter, or even the ideal Creative Commons image, it can sometimes be tough to find the exact con...
Posted on August 11th, 2017
2017-08 IP and MAC Address: What Are They Good For?
If you want to send out a letter, you need the home address of the recipient. The address is an identifier that tells the mailman where the letter needs to go, so the address must be unique. No two homes have the same exact address, otherwise there’d be confusion. The internet works in much the same way as a postal service. Instead of sending mail, devices send out "data packets," and IP addresses and MAC addresses determine where those data packets go. Keep reading to learn more about how they work in t...
Posted on August 11th, 2017