Why You Shouldn’t Trust Free VPNs
Free VPNs are too good to be true. You can download a variety of free VPN apps from Google Play or Apple’s App Store, but you shouldn’t. These apps aren’t worthy of your trust.
Don’t Upgrade to the Latest Operating Systems on Day One
Gone are the days of using the same unchanging operating system for years. Windows 10 is getting a significant upgrade every six months, and those updates break things. Even Apple keeps messing up with iPhone updates….
Can You Place Wi-Fi Cams In Front of Windows?
A simple, but great use for a Wi-Fi camera is to set it in front of a window to keep tabs on the outside of your house, but there are some things to be aware of when doing this.
How to Put Your Smarthome in Vacation Mode
When you go on vacation, there are probably a handful of things you to do to your house to prepare it for a prolonged vacancy. That list should include taking care of your smarthome devices.
How to Protect Yourself From Public USB Charging Ports
USB charging ports in public places are convenient but possibly risky. Data is transferrable over a USB connection, so plugging your phone into an unknown charging port puts it at risk.
Security Cameras Are Useless If They Can’t Identify Anyone
It’s important to consider the location of your security cameras carefully. While you might think you have every area covered, you’ll also want to make sure your cameras are close enough to the potential action to capture sho…
Should You Buy a Smart Smoke Alarm?
If your house is already decked out with a ton of smarthome products, your next addition might be some smart smoke alarms, but are they worth buying in the first place? Here are some things to keep in mind….
How to Set Up and Install the Nest Protect Smart Smoke Alarm
If you want to add a bit more convenience and safety to your home’s smoke alarm setup, the Nest Protect comes with a handful of great features to make that a reality. Here’s how to set it up and what all you can do with it….
6 Smarthome Safety Features You Should Enable Right Now
Most homeowners deck out their houses with smarthome gear for the convenience and cool features, but what you may not know is that some devices come with features that can prevent problems and even potentially be life saving….
Nest Hello Installation: 3 Things You Should Know
If you’re thinking about getting the Nest Hello to replace your existing doorbell, it’s a great option. However, there are some things to keep in mind about the installation that makes the Hello a bit different than other vid…
Can Alexa Hear You Through Windows?
Amazon recently added the ability for users to unlock their smart lock-equipped doors using Alexa. This is a welcome feature, but it does raise some concerns about intruders yelling through windows to tell Alexa to unlock you…
How to Delete Downloaded Files on Oculus Go
So you downloaded something really embarrassing on your Oculus Go headset, like a Linux fan club movie. Now you need to clean up your tracks, but where do you go? Here’s how to delete downloaded videos (or other files) on you…
How to Deter Burglars from Breaking Into Your Home
Getting your home broken into is a scary experience, but you can do a handful of things to prevent a burglar from even thinking about coming close to your house.
What Is a VPN, and Why Would I Need One?
A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, allows you to create a secure connection to another network over the Internet. VPNs can be used to access region-restricted websites, shield your browsing activity from prying eyes on publi…
Perfect Computer Security Is a Myth. But It’s Still Important
Maybe you’ve heard it before: “Security is a myth.” It’s become a common refrain after a never-ending string of high-profile security breaches. If Fortune 500 companies with million dollar security budgets can’t lock things d…
How to Connect the Nest Secure to a New Wi-Fi Network
If you ever change your Wi-Fi password or the name of the network, you’ll also need to connect your Nest Secure security system to that new network. Luckily, it’s really easy.
How to Fix Annoying Nest Secure Notifications
Depending on how you have Nest’s Home/Away Assist feature set up, you might be receiving notifications to set you alarm even if you’re still home. Here’s how to fix it.
Don’t Buy Internet-Connected “Smart Toys” for Your Kids
Just when you thought talking toys couldn’t get more annoying, new internet-connected toys like the Furby Connect and i-Que Intelligent Robot are smarter than their predecessors, allowing your child to ask questions, get…
How to Get the Most Out of Your SkyBell HD
If you get all kinds of different folks approaching your door, a video doorbell like the SkyBell HD is a worthwhile investment, but you may not be using it to its full potential. Here’s how to get the most out of your SkyBell…
How to Factory Reset the Kwikset Kevo
If you’re planning on selling your Kwikset Kevo, or just moving to another house and don’t plan to take it along with you, here’s how to factory reset it so your digital keys are completely erased from it….
Are My Amazon Echo and Google Home Spying on Everything I Say?
In-home voice assistants like the Amazon Echo and Google Home are convenient, but are they also a secret back door for the government and corporations to spy on everything you say? No. Of course not. Reports of the Echo and G…
How to Connect Your Mac to Any VPN (and Automatically Reconnect)
Macs have built-in support for connecting to the most common types of VPNs. If you want to ensure your Mac is automatically reconnected to your VPN or connect to an OpenVPN VPN, you’ll need a third-party app….
How to Access Region-Restricted Websites From Anywhere on Earth
The Internet is supposed to be a global network that links the entire world, but many websites are confined to specific countries. Unsurprisingly, piracy is higher in countries where content isn’t legally available….
5 Ways to Bypass Internet Censorship and Filtering
More and more Internet connections are being filtered, from public Wi-Fi and workplace connection filtering to ISP and country-level censorship. However, there are still ways to get around this filtering and view blocked webs…
How to Prepare a Computer, Tablet, or Phone Before Selling It
So it’s the end of the road for your PC, tablet, or smartphone. Before letting go, be sure to follow this quick checklist to prepare your device for its new owner and ensure that person doesn’t get their hands on your data, t…
