The U.S. is expected to report Wednesday the biggest quarterly economic contraction since early 2009, and forecasters warn worse is likely to come https://t.co/4uPMMTj6Sz
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has sent a thank you message to builders working, according to a state newspaper eager to quash reports he may be dead https://t.co/n09eSDFNY5
As Russia's minister of trade and industry explained, the T-14 Armata main battle tank has no analogues in the world, and is constantly undergoing a cycle of additional tests and upgrades.
It appears that one of the most advanced armored combat vehicles in Russia's military arsenal, the T-14 Armata main battle tank, has undergone testing in Syria, the site of a violent armed conflict which has raged since 2011.
As Russian Minister of Trade and Industry Denis Manturov explained, such tests help understand how the tank would perform under battlefield conditions, and allows any kinks to be ironed out before the vehicle becomes available for export.
Russia has been invaded once again. But this time, the intruder is the novel coronavirus responsible for the global COVID-19 pandemic, which has already resulted in the deaths of 361 Russians, as of April 19 (StopKoronavirus.rf, April 19). As in past invasions, the country's Armed Forces are playing an important role in combatting the outbreak. The military has already taken a number of measures to cope with the crisis (see EDM, April 15) and plans to support civilian society if the need arises. "All the capabilities" of the Russian military "can and should be used" for this purpose, Russian President Vladimir Putin told government ministers on April 13 (Kremlin.ru, April 13). Indeed, streets in select Russian towns are already being disinfected by troops, and medical personnel from the Armed Forces are working in hospitals in the Moscow area (Function.mil.ru, April 19; Izvestia, April 17).
Volunteers construct face masks for base personnel on April 16, 2020, at the Patuxent River drill hall in response to COVID-19. Using mask frames 3-D printed through the Naval Air Warfare Center-Aircraft Division's iHub, the volunteers cut and affix polypropylene fabric to the frames before distributing them to essential personnel on base. U.S. Navy Photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Patrick Gordon)
A Puerto Rican garment maker has won the largest coronavirus-related defense contract on the island to produce as many as 23 million cloth masks for what the U.S. military sees as the "new abnormal" in its operations.
It is one of three contracts for cloth masks awarded by the Defense Logistics Agency since the outbreak of COVID-19 and reflects the Pentagon's shift in planning for what senior military leaders are now calling "the new abnormal" - a belief that the coronavirus will be a factor in military operations for many months to come.
"The 'new abnormal' I'm defining as living and operating with a cyclical virus until we get a vaccine," Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force chief of staff, told reporters at the Pentagon this week. "All the projections are, you know, no vaccine for upwards of a year. So that means we've got to refine our ability to survive and operate and do the missions the nation requires."
* Before Covid-19 struck, the world's militaries increased spending by 3.6 per cent * The US was the largest spender, accounting for 38 per cent of the global total
Global military expenditure saw its biggest uptick in a decade in 2019, researchers said Monday, marking the first year two Asian countries were among the top three spenders.
The world's nations spent a combined US$1.9 trillion on their militaries in 2019, according to a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
Compared to 2018, that represented an annual growth of 3.6 per cent, the largest spending growth since 2010.
"Military spending has reached the highest point since the end of the Cold War," Nan Tian, a researcher at SIPRI, told AFP.
The U.S. military is changing its procedures and training to combat the spread of COVID-19. David Martin reports on what's being done to protect those keeping the country safe.
Anyone joining the United States military takes an oath to defend the country against all enemies foreign and domestic. Safe to say very few of them had coronavirus in mind when they raised their right hand. By latest count, some 60,000 servicemen and women have been sent into action against this new enemy. But the military's number one mission has been to defend its own ranks against infection. It can't protect the nation if it can't defend itself. The aircraft carrier Roosevelt made headlines when the coronavirus ran roughshod through its crew. And there have been other outbreaks that required drastic measures to contain. The U.S. military was up against an enemy it could not see and did not understand.
Everything in the Army starts with basic training. And every day starts before dawn. But it never looked or sounded like this before.
@US_SpaceCom continues to track 2 objects @PeteAFB's @18SPCS associated w/#space launch from Iran, characterizing NOUR 01(#SATCAT 45529) as 3U Cubesat. Iran states it has imaging capabilities—actually, it's a tumbling webcam in space; unlikely providing intel. #spaceishard
The first satellite launched into space by Iran last week that revealed the country's secret military space program is nothing but "a tumbling webcam in space," the head of the U.S military's newest service said Saturday.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Wednesday it put up a "Noor," or "Light," satellite into a low orbit circling the Earth after using a mobile launcher at a new launch site.
U.S. Space Force commander Gen. Jay Raymond gave his military assessment on Twitter late Saturday afternoon of the satellite.
"Iran states it has imaging capabilities—actually, it's a tumbling webcam in space," he tweeted.
The Taliban has cited continuing disagreements over peace process and a delayed prisoner swap as reasons to keep fighting [File: Sorin Furcoi/Al Jazeera]
President Ashraf Ghani had appealed to the group to lay down arms for the Islamic holy month that began on Friday.
The Taliban has rejected a government call for a ceasefire in Afghanistan for the holy month of Ramadan, saying a truce is "not rational" as they ramp up attacks on government forces.
Afghan President Ashraf Ghani had appealed to the armed group to lay down arms for Ramadan, which began on Friday, to allow the authorities to focus on tackling the coronavirus pandemic.
A Yemeni government soldier holds a weapon as he stands by an emblem of the separatist Southern Transitional Council (STC) at the group's headquarters in Ataq, Yemen [File: Ali Owidha/Reuters]
Southern Transitional Council breaks with wartorn state's internationally recognised government
The Saudi Arabian-backed government in Yemen has warned of a catastrophe if the country's powerful separatist movement forges ahead with its declaration of self-rule over the key port city of Aden and other southern provinces.
The Southern Transitional Council's armed forces were deploying on Sunday in Aden, the interim seat of the internationally recognised government backed by the Saudi-led military coalition that had until now included the STC.
While any kind of U.S. first attack or pre-emptive strike on Iranian small boats in the Persian Gulf area seems extremely unlikely if not completely off the table, Navy ships, drones, radar and other kinds of sensor systems are engineered to detect, see and target Iranian threats at safe distances -- to prepare and be ready in case an attack or counter-strike on Iran is needed.
"If we see hostile intent, we have the right to respond up to and including lethal force, and if it happens in the Gulf, if it happens in any way, we will respond with overwhelming lethal force, if necessary, to defend ourselves, and it's really that simple. But nobody should doubt that the commanders have the authority right now to respond to any hostile act or hostile intent," Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters recently, according to a Pentagon transcript of the discussion.
WNU Editor: The U.S. Navy will be able to detect Iranian missiles and small boats from beyond the horizon because of U.S. air assets. I am sure the Iranians have figured that out also.
MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Iraq and the United States will discuss a timeline for the full withdrawal of American troops from the Middle Eastern country at talks in June, the spokesman for the Iraqi armed forces' commander-in-chief said.
"Iraq and the United States will discuss a schedule for the full withdrawal of American troops from the country during talks in June," Abdul Karim Khalaf said, as quoted by the Baghdadtoday news portal.
Bilateral security operation, he added, will continue in military training of Iraqi forces and exchange of experience even after the US troop pullout.
A mystery military wheeled vehicle was spotted during a visit from Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy to the General Dynamics's Detroit facility.
A curious photo circulating military news magazines shows a small exhibition at the General Dynamics facility. The released photo showed the undefined vehicle that was displayed include with other the defense contractor's newly developed and combat-proven vehicles.
The vehicle is not shown completely but you can see on the roof a special platform and a cabin with two doors. A sticker with the company logo is also visible on one of these doors.
The rumors about Kim Jong Un's health aren't confined to the outside world. Pyongyang is abuzz with talk that something has happened to the "Respected Comrade." Helicopters have been flying low, people have been stocking up on supplies. My latest:https://t.co/sLHhbY3Y00
The rumor mill over the fate of Kim Jong Un has gone into overdrive, as the North Korean leader hasn't been seen since April 11 - over two weeks ago. And as the New York Times notes in a Sunday morning report, North Korea's recent silence on Kim is highly unusual, considering that rumors are flying that their leader is either dead or in a vegetative state after a botched heart surgery.
"North Korea is still sending letters and gifts to foreign leaders and domestic workers in the name of its leader, Kim Jong-un. Its news media brims, as usual, with panegyric propaganda extolling Mr. Kim's leadership," reports the Times.
WNU Editor: If North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was dead, we would know about it within hours. That type of news can never be kept secret long, even in a Communist run dictatorship like North Korea. But having said that there is definitely something not right in North Korea. The fact that official Chinese media outlets are now talking about this is only fuelling the rumour mill that Kim Jong Un is ill or worse.
The US-Iranian standoff in the Persian Gulf has once again entered an acute phase. On April 22, US President Donald Trump announced that he had ordered the US Navy to "shoot down and destroy" Iranian gunboats that follow or harass US ships. In response, Commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, Major General Hossein Salami declared on April 23 that Iran will provide a swift, "decisive" and "effective" response to US forces if they threaten Iranian "vessels or warships".
One of the reasons behind the escalation is the consistent and strengthening anti-Iranian rhetoric of the White House as a part of Trump's presidential campaign. Another driving force of the US actions is likely the sharpening global economic crisis and the turmoil on the energy market that has led to the dramatic collapse of oil prices. Indeed, a new conflict in the Persian Gulf could theoretically return the oil prices to $50-60 per barrel.
In the current situation, Iran is not interested in an escalation of the conflict with the United States. The escalation could, however, be instigated by the US military:
WNU Editor: The above scenario is not going to happen. There is no public or political will in the U.S. to start let alone become involved in a war against Iran.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (C) and Iranian military officials inclouding Amir-Ali Hajizadeh, the commander of IRGC's Aerospace Force, on May 11, 2014.
The commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) air arm has claimed his troops were ready to attack hundreds of additional American targets if January's limited exchange of fire escalated into a wider conflict.
IRGC Aerospace Force Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh made the comments Friday when talking to reporters about the Corps' successful satellite launch earlier this week, which comes as Washington and Tehran exchange fresh military threats in the Persian Gulf.
Iran and the U.S. appeared close to war in January after President Donald Trump ordered the assassination of Major General Qassem Soleimani.
Leaders of countries long friendly to China because of economic concerns—and willing to turn a blind eye to its atrocious human rights record and abuses like holding a million Muslim Uyghurs in concentration camps—are demanding Beijing be held to account.
As the novel coronavirus has spread from its original epicentre of Wuhan into a global pandemic, China's ruling communist party is pushing a new narrative.
After some initial missteps by local officials, this narrative goes, the central government took charge and defeated the virus with tough, resolute measures. Western countries are now suffering because of their lax response and the inferiority of their cacophonous democratic systems compared with China's one-party model. Other countries should learn from China's success, and the Middle Kingdom is now generously sending expertise and badly needed equipment to the hardest hit places. China's healthcare workers are heroes. And by the way, the virus may actually have originated with the US military, not in China.
It's a message being slavishly promoted in the party-controlled state media, parroted by Chinese diplomats around the world, and perhaps even believed by a significant percentage of Chinese citizens subjected to decades of brainwashing by relentless propaganda and an education and indoctrination system that extols the virtues of party rule.
But around the world, this narrative is being met with derision and outright hostility.
WNU Editor: China's relations with the world was already changing before the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.The pandemic has only accelerated these changes. My prediction. Supply chains will no longer be solely dependent on China. Diversification and the economic decoupling from China will start to occur, if not now, definitely in the future. China will also have a problem in its international relations. Its mishandling of the outbreak and its aggressive posture towards those who are critical of China's is only going to exacerbate tensions. This is not how you earn friends and allies.
* Sources tell South China Morning Post that references to Beijing's efforts to deflect blame for the Covid-19 outbreak were removed due to fears it would withhold medical supplies in revenge * Initial version accused China of running 'global disinformation campaign' and used 'covert and overt' tactics
The European Union toned down part of a report about Chinese state-backed disinformation because it feared Beijing would retaliate by withholding medical supplies, diplomatic sources have said.
The initial version of the report, seen by the South China Morning Post, described China as running a "global disinformation campaign" to deflect blame for the coronavirus outbreak using "both overt and covert tactics".
But the Post has learnt that this section was removed after Beijing intervened and warned EU diplomats based in China there would be unspecified repercussions.
WNU Editor: 120,000 Europeans have died from this pandemic (and climbing), but their leaders are frozen with fear when it comes to assigning responsibility for this disaster on China, and criticizing China's disinformation campaign.So who is running the EU? Brussels of Beijing?
More On The EU Dropping Their Report On China's Covid-19 Disinformation Campaign
A pair of Russian Su-27 fighter jets were quickly taken off a routine training flight to escort a Belgian warplane approaching the state border.
On Friday, the Russian military had spotted a Belgian F-16, which was heading towards the nation's border over the Baltic Sea. Two Su-27 fighter aircraft that were flying a training mission in the area were immediately sent to identify the foreign plane.
A cockpit video from one of the Russian jets shows how the Su-27s were maneuvering near the Belgian aircraft until it was escorted away from the country's border.
BEIRUT, LEBANON (11:40 A.M.) – A Russian chopper was filmed last week flying over a U.S. military vehicle in an undisclosed part of northeastern Syria.
Since the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reached a military agreement in September 2019, the Russian military has had access to several areas across the northern region of Syria.
In turn, the Russian military has found themselves competing with the U.S. over different parts of the strategic M-4 Highway (Latakia-Hasakah Highway) that stretches across the northern part of the country.
The Russian military has even headquartered a large number of their forces in Syria at the Qamishli Airport, which is close to the U.S. Armed Forces in the Al-Hasakah Governorate.
USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) conducts high-speed turns in the Atlantic Ocean. Ford is at sea conducting sea trials following the in port portion of its 15 month post-shakedown availability U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Connor Loessin
* The USS Gerald R. Ford is the first of a new class of Navy supercarriers, and Insider recently had the opportunity to talk to the captain about his experiences. * While the Ford has had its fair share of problems, Capt. J.J. Cummings says there is nothing he misses about the older Nimitz-class carriers. He says he would not want to go back. * "This ship is the leading edge of technology for naval and carrier aviation," Cummings told Insider. "It's the future of the Navy right here."
The USS Gerald R. Ford is a first-in-class aircraft carrier that has had its fair share of growing pains. Still, its commanding officer says that there's nothing he misses about the Nimitz-class carriers and that he wouldn't want to go back.
The Ford is behind schedule, over budget, and still sorting out certain developmental challenges. The $13 billion aircraft carrier has at times been a point of tension between lawmakers, Navy leaders, and the primary shipbuilder. But the Ford CO told Insider the carrier is getting back on track.
Capt. J.J. Cummings, who took command of the Ford in August 2018, said that "there are very few concerns" about the technology.
Let’s talk about oat flour!Oat flour is a nutritious whole grain flour that is easy to make out of—you guessed it—oats. Oat flour offers a mildly nutty flavor and a tender crumb. Plus, oat flour is gluten-free if you make it with certified gluten-free oats.
“Can I use oat flour?” is one of the most frequent questions I’m receiving on recipes for baked goods. This question tells me a few things:
You’re having trouble finding traditional flours at stores.
Oat flour is going mainstream.
You’re curious about how oat flour works.
So today, I’m sharing how to make oat flour. Plus, I’ll provide guidance on how to substitute oat flour for best results. Oat flour is more suitable for some recipes than others.
You’ll also find recipes that are designed specifically for oat flour, including my all-time favorite waffles. I’ll be sharing more healthy recipes that use this wonderful flour soon!
Aliens are terrorising the streets of Los Santos, bursting out of vans to beat players to death with baseball bats, pool cues, and their little green fists then fleeing the scene. This isn’t a new GTA Online expansion, it’s the hot new craze amongst players. Over the past fortnight, as videos of alien van gangs have spread online, more and more players have bought the silly green alien suit and joined up with other pranksters for old-fashioned beatdowns. I’ve not yet encountered the visitors myself but am enjoying watching everyone’s close encounters.
Cloudpunk could have been a lot of things, many of them disappointing. It could have taken itself far too seriously. It could have been far too lightweight or by-the-numbers. It could have been a miserably realistic sisyphean chore. If I wanted to be cruel, I’d say it could have been a lot more than it is, too. But that’s not because I think it’s not good enough. It’s because Cloudpunk is such an enjoyable place to visit that the idea of more of it is very tempting.
The city is the star. Again, that’s not to criticise the characters or story. You play as Rania, a young woman who’s just arrived in Nivalis, the one megacity in a far, far future, to work as a delivery driver for an illicit organisation called Cloudpunk. You’ll drive your flying car around the city, taking orders remotely from a man referred to as Control. It’s really as simple as driving from A to B for the most part. You’ll park your cab and head off on foot to collect each package, then head back, and fly off to your destination. (more…)
Buying a new gaming CPU is often one of the biggest and most time-consuming upgrades you can do on your PC, as you’ll probably have to re-build the entire thing from scratch if your PC’s more than a couple of years old. However, upgrading to one of today’s best gaming CPUs can make a surprising difference to your PC’s overall gaming performance, particularly if you tend to play games at a resolution of 1920×1080. The question, of course, is which gaming CPU you should go for, as there are now loads of AMD Ryzen CPUs and even more Intel Coffee Lake ones as well. A lot of your decision making will be determined by what kind of motherboard you have, but to help make things nice and easy for you I’ve listed all my best gaming CPU recommendations from AMD and Intel below across a range of different price categories. Whether you’re building a budget PC or a high-powered mega machine, here are my best gaming CPU recommendations for 2020.
Playne is a meditation tool. You’re supposed to open it up once a day, meditate for at least ten minutes, and watch as a forest grows around you over the weeks and months that you manage to keep up the habit. I don’t use it anymore, but it was the springboard to me meditating a few times a week.
Patrick’s Parabox is too smart for me. Granted, regular Sokoban is often too smart for me, but thanks to a very simple concept, Patrick Traynor’s recursive boxes are creating mazes within mazes – tiles that transcend dimensions as my headache turns into a full-blown migraine. While he’s not ready to unleash his Paraboxes onto the public, you can catch his puzzles in a new trailer posted this week.
Screenshot Saturday Sundays! The sun is shining, the breeze is light, and we’re all locked indoors, so why not kick back and flip through some lovely videogame shots with me? This week: Vertigo-inducing campsites, architectural fantasies, the cult of kickflips and some pants-free gymnastics.
A tough stance on cheaters, bots and key-resellers. In-depth training modes. For a traditionally inaccessible genre, Valorant seems to be trying its hardest to be as welcoming as possible – and now, that means making sure people can play nice on their battlefields. After one of their own was hit with sexual harassment, Riot have promised to find a lasting solution against bad actors in their fledgeling hero shooter.
NEW ZEALAND's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has claimed victory against coronavirus after revealing community transmission of coronavirus has been eliminated - while warning against complacency.
THE death of North Korea's Kim Jong-Un would benefit China, political science expert Prof Robert Kelly warned amidst conflicting reports on the health of the supreme leader.
NORTH Korea's Supreme leader, Kim Jong-un, is almost certainly dead - with his sister, Kim Yo Jong, likely to succeed him, a journalist who has visited the secretive country on more than ten occasions has said.
AFRICA has seen a rise in coronavirus cases by more than 40 percent in the past 10 days as of yesterday morning, in worrying signs that the outbreak may be accelerating there.
WORLD WAR 3 was more than just a possibility in the Eighties, and shocking unearthed footage shows how Britain was preparing for the "unthinkable" scenario.
NORTH KOREAN leader Kim Jong-un is reported to have died this weekend, but South Korea has since said Kim is "alive and well". Who is Kim Jong-un's son? How many children does he have?
Having a network to administer used to be a job for IT specialists in big companies. However, the world has grown more technologically advanced that even small businesses have their own network. Even most households find internet connection vital; thus most have a Local Area Network installed. These days, setting up a WiFi connection is easy and inexpensive.
Some users have a WiFi network running off their cable or DSL Internet service, while others run WiFi using their smartphone as an access point. Most smart phones have the capacity to act as mobile hot spots and tether wireless internet connection to other devices.
Regardless of how many of us are using WiFi now, most of us haven’t been trained in network security. That means your WiFi network may well be vulnerable to malicious hackers or those who simply want to use your broadband Internet access for free.
Internet access is relatively inexpensive, but some people just want it for free; while others have more nefarious purposes in mind.
You must be aware of certain warning signs indicating that someone is connecting to your network without permission. One common sign is a slower Internet connection. Every Internet connection takes up some bandwidth, and if someone is downloading torrents or playing online games on your network without your permission, then your traffic is going to slow down.
Another telltale sign is the receipt of a copyright infringement letter from your ISP saying that you’ve been caught downloading copyrighted material when you know that you haven’t done anything of the sort. Either of those can be a sign that your wireless network has been compromised.
Knowing who is using your WiFi and when is crucial for keeping your network secure. This tutorial will show you how to check if someone is using your WiFi, how to kick them off, and how to stop them and anyone else from accessing your WiFi ever again.
Check who is using your WiFi network
There are several ways to detect whether or not someone is using your wireless network. One low-tech way is to shut off all your computers and smartphones and tablets so that none of your devices are turned on. Then check the activity lights on your wireless router (often called a wireless modem if you’re connected to cable or DSL broadband Internet). If a regular activity still appears on the router even though none of the authorized users are powered on, then that’s a sign that someone is using your WiFi without your permission.
The next step is to use a web browser to log onto your wireless router’s access page. Nearly all home routers have an online access page that you can get to from any computer that is linked to the router. The URL to type into your browser window varies from router to router but it’s almost always an IP address.
You can find the exact URL by checking your router documentation. Check on the router itself to see if the address is printed on the label, or by using the default addresses: a huge number of routers use http://192.168.0.1 or http://192.168.1.1.
If you use Xfinity (Comcast) to access the Internet, the default URL for accessing your router/modem may be http://10.0.0.1/.
You can just enter the number (e.g., “192.168.0.1”) in the address bar of your browser and hit enter. This will take you to the administrative interface for your router. You can find information on Netgear routers here, Belkin routers here, and information on Asus routers here.
You’ll need to know the administrator password for your router to log in. You should have recorded this password when you set up your router, or it should have been set for you by the installation technician if you had someone else do your network setup.
The most common default username is admin and the most common default password is admin as well. Other very common default passwords are ‘1234’ or simply just the word ‘password’.
If you use a router/modem provided with your Comcast/Xfinity service and haven’t changed the password from the original one, the default username may be admin and the default password might be just password.
Once you’ve logged on, take a look at your router’s administration page for the list of connected devices. On a Netgear router, this is usually listed under Maintenance->Attached Devices. On a Linksys router, it’s listed under Network Map.
Other routers will have their own organizational structure for this information, but every router should provide it. Once you are at the list, you can identify every device listed by its MAC address.
Here’s a TechJunkie article offering a quick explanation of what MAC addresses are. All you need to know for now is that every device has its own unique number that’s used to identify it on the Local Area Network, which is your WiFi network in this case.
You can find the MAC address for all your computers, compare them to the list, and then see if there are any devices on the list that you don’t recognize as belonging to an authorized network user.
If you have trouble identifying all the devices listed, turn your devices off or refresh the map. It’s a process of elimination. Don’t forget to include smart TVs and any other devices connected to your WiFi such as Roku players or Amazon Echos.
If all this messing around with MAC address and router management pages is a bit outside of your technical comfort zone, don’t worry. There are some excellent third-party tools that will help you do the job.
F-Secure Router Checker
One such great tool is the F-Secure Router Checker. It is free and quick solution to see whether your router had been hijacked or not.
Just navigate to the website, select the blue “Check Your Router” button and let the website do its work. It will assess any vulnerabilities in your router and alert you to them.
The WiFi Inspector
Another route is to download WiFi Inspector, a Google Play app that scans your WiFi network and tells you what devices are using it. It is a good way to identify devices accessing your network.
Secure your WiFi network from intruders
What should you do if you identify someone using your WiFi network without your permission? The first step is to remove them and then make sure they won’t be able to do it again.
The instructions below are tested using a Linksys Smart Router. Your router may differ slightly and use different terminology. Just adapt the following instructions to your specific model.
Log into your router and access the admin interface.
Select the Wireless part of the interface or find Guest network.
Turn off the Guest network unless you specifically use it.
Turn off wireless. On a Linksys router, this is a toggle. This will kick everyone off your WiFi.
Select WPA2 as the wireless security mode if it isn’t already selected.
Change the wireless access password and save changes.
Enable wireless once more.
Change the password on any devices that connect to WiFi.
Turning off wireless will kick off all users at that time so you may want to alert your authorized users to avoid disruption. Once off, make sure to use WPA2, as it is currently the most secure encryption around.
If your router doesn’t support WPA2, you should upgrade; it’s the de facto standard for wireless security. For more on choosing the right router, please see this TechJunkie article on how to buy the right router for your needs.
Change the password to something as difficult as is practical while still being able to remember it. Mix upper and lower case, letters and numbers. If your router allows, throw in a special character or two for good measure.
Extra steps you can take include disabling WiFi protected setup and upgrading the router firmware. There should be a setting in the wireless part of your router that disables WPS. This is a known vulnerability in shared properties, dorms or other places where you don’t control who comes and goes. Turn it off to stop people being able to authenticate on your network if they have physical access to the router hardware.
Upgrading router firmware allows your router to benefit from any security patches or fixes. The recent KRACK vulnerability is a case in point. It found a weakness in WPA2 which was quickly patched out. Only a router firmware update can fully protect you, so allow automatic updates on your router if it is possible, otherwise, check regularly for updates.
Those are the basics of how to check if someone is using your WiFi and how to stop them from doing it again. Do you know of any other ways to achieve this goal? If so, please share them with us in the comments below!
There is a known issue on some Lenovo laptops where the webcam doesn’t work. The webcam itself is either not detected by Windows or there’s an apparent glitch with the device driver. Of course, this can be a very frustrating issue and isn’t just limited to Lenovo products.
The cause of this problem stems from an issue with a setting in some Lenovo laptops that disables the camera for the privacy of the laptop user.
In this case, fixing your webcam should be pretty easy to do. If you’re not so lucky, you may have some updating or tweaking to do to get your webcam to work.
No worries, though. We’ll show you what you need to do to fix some common issues you might run into with your Lenovo webcam.
Lenovo Webcam Not Working: How to Fix
The first fix for the Lenovo webcam not working is within the Lenovo app itself. Hit the F8 key on your laptop keyboard, which will enable or disable the Lenovo EasyCamera.
If that doesn’t work, try following these steps to fix your webcam:
Type ‘lenovo’ into the Windows Search box and select Lenovo Settings.
Select Camera and scroll to Privacy Mode.
Toggle Turn Privacy Mode On to Off.
Retest your camera.
This privacy setting is designed to protect you from hackers but can be inconvenient when you need to use your webcam.
If this solution doesn’t work, try some of the following generic fixes. These will work on any Windows computer having issues with its webcam — not just Lenovos.
Check Device Manager
Is the webcam-enabled in Device Manager?
Follow these steps to check:
Right-click the Windows Start button and select Device Manager.
Select Imaging Devices then Lenovo EasyCamera. If there is a yellow warning triangle by the icon, there is an issue with it. If there is a small down arrow by it, the camera has been disabled.
Right-click the Lenovo EasyCamera and make sure there is no option to Enable. If the camera is enabled already, the option should be to Disable.
If the camera is already enabled, you may as well update the driver. Follow these steps to do so:
Right-click the Lenovo EasyCamera again and select Update Driver.
Select the automatic option to see if Windows can find a fresh driver.
If a driver update doesn’t work, it may be worth trying a complete refresh. That means uninstalling the driver, rebooting the laptop, and installing the new driver from the link above.
Legacy settings can remain in play even when overwritten by a newer driver.
Check the Program Settings
If your webcam works in some programs and not in others, it may be the program settings and not the camera settings causing the problem.
Just follow these two steps to check:
Open the program in question and find the Settings menu option.
Make sure the Lenovo EasyCamera is set to be the default camera in those settings.
This may be an obvious solution, but it’s worth trying if you’re having trouble getting your webcam to work.
Remove the Lenovo Settings App
If none of those solutions work, you could remove the Lenovo Settings app altogether in case it is interfering. This shouldn’t be necessary, but if nothing else works, you have nothing to lose.
Most of the settings within the app are controllable from within Windows anyway, so you’re not damaging the laptop in any way.
To remove the Lenovo Settings app, follow these four steps:
Navigate to Control Panel in Windows.
Select Programs and Features and Uninstall.
Select Lenovo Settings Dependency Package from the list and select Uninstall.
Reboot your laptop and retest.
If your Lenovo EasyCamera still doesn’t work after all of these steps, I suggest raising a support call with tech support.
If replacing the driver, enabling the camera and removing the Lenovo app doesn’t fix it, there is something seriously wrong, so don’t waste any time!
Final Thoughts
Lenovo is known for making high-quality products, but some users report issues with their webcams not working. If you’ve experienced this, you know it can be extremely frustrating.
Hopefully, by following the tips outlined in this article, you’re able to fix your webcam so you can get back to using your Lenovo laptop as intended.
Google Voice is a free phone internet phone service powered by Google. It provides voice and text messaging, call forwarding, and voicemail services for Google account customers.
Despite being integrated with the hugely popular Google Hangouts, Google Voice hasn’t lost its luster. It still boasts a legion of ardent fans who use it to call and send SMS to contacts on the web on a daily basis, either for personal or business purposes. The only spanner in the works that holds Google Voice back is the absence of an official desktop client, with the exception of a Chrome browser extension.
This means you should not close your Google Voice browser page if you want to receive a message or call alerts from your favorite contacts. This can be quite annoying and put a lot of users off. Luckily, we have compiled a list of the best Google Voice desktop app clients at the end of this article.
Before we discuss these apps, though, it is necessary to know the basics of installing and using Google Voice. This app is built into Gmail, so it’s automatically available to anyone with a Gmail account. Aside from voice and video calls, its other features include call screening, conference calling, call forwarding, and voice transcription. Unfortunately, Google Voice is only available in the US and Canada.
Requirements to Install Google Voice
To use Google Voice, you need to have a Google account. From your Google account, go to the Google Voice homepage and sign up. Google Voice allows you to select a single phone number that friends, colleagues, or family members can contact you on. If you have several phone numbers, this single Google Voice number will ring all of them at the same time. This enables you to answer your incoming calls using the most convenient device.
For a seamless call quality, buy a dedicated headset with an inbuilt microphone if you wish to make regular calls using your PC and safeguard your privacy.
Getting Set Up
Once you have created your Google Voice account, Google will prompt you to select your new Google Voice number. This is the number people will call to reach your Google Voice account. You can have it assigned based on your city or area code. Of course, this step can be skipped in the short-term, though you won’t get much use out of the account until a Google Voice number is assigned.
Once you select it, you will be prompted to link your Google Voice account to an existing phone number, and then to enter a verification code sent to that linked number.
The third step is to add any additional phone numbers that you want Google Voice to forward to. This means setting up your work phone, cell phone, or home phone to ring simultaneously when the Google Voice number is dialed. You can add a new linked number at any time by going to the settings tab, and then to the account tab.
Shortly after you finish setting up the account, you will receive a brief voicemail welcoming you to Google Voice. Then, you’re good to go.
Top 3 Desktop Client Applications for Google Voice
The fact that Google Voice is free to use and has a powerful signal that works even if you switch your network location makes it attractive; reliability is a big draw. It also lumps all your phone numbers into a single one, so it gives you more convenience. The only notable downside is the lack of a built-in desktop widget.
With that in mind, here is the list of the top three desktop client apps that you can use with Google Voice to make it that much easier for you to receive and manage your call alerts, voicemails, and SMS.
GVNotifier
Created specifically for Windows users, this powerful desktop client application enables you to listen to voicemail, send and receive SMS, and connect with your contacts via calls. It instantly notifies you of any incoming message, calls or voice mailbox. It also keeps a detailed log of all calls received or dialed, and it features voicemail transcription and audio playback.
VoiceMac
Built specifically for Mac enthusiasts, this Google Voice client allows its users to make or receive calls and SMS messages. You can also access the voice mailbox and send several SMS messages in a single batch. Its main advantage is its pleasant and easy-to-use interface, its ability to notify you of any alerts via customizable sounds, and its reverse call lookup that even works for numbers that aren’t on your contacts list.
Google Voice by Google
This is a Chrome extension that helps you stay connected with your Google Voice contacts through calls, preview your inbox, send SMS, and receive SMS notifications via the Chrome browser on your desktop. The extension appears in the form of a button on the browser’s toolbar, which alerts you of any incoming communications.
Google Voice for Business
When running a business organization, communication is vital to make the venture a success. Google Voice provides handy features to help business owners stay connected and organized. For more information about its features, follow this link. Pricing plan for Google Voice Business range from $10 to $24 per month.
When you decide it’s time to cut the cord, you might find that it can be a bit overwhelming. If you want to have the most streaming subscriptions in one place, Amazon Prime Video Channels can be a good idea.
But it’s Amazon, so it means that there are many overlapping services and options. How do you know that you’ve made the most of them?
In this article, we’ll see how to get Amazon Prime channels and what are your options and prices. And you’ll find out how to cancel your channel subscriptions.
How Do Amazon Channels Work?
The best way to understand Amazon channels is to see it as an aggregator of many streaming services. They are a part of Amazon Video, and you can use Amazon to subscribe to each of them individually.
It’s like a shortcut, and instead of going through the sign-up process on each streaming service, Amazon makes it more accessible. You also don’t have to use many different streaming mobile apps. You can watch all of the content via the Prime Video app for iOS and Android devices.
Visit the Amazon Channels page to pick the channels you want. You’ll quickly see that most streaming services and channels offer a free trial. To get access to Amazon Channels, you must be a Prime member. However, you will still have to pay for all additional channels.
That means that you pay your Amazon Prime membership separately, regardless of whether you subscribe to any channels. The overall monthly price you pay will depend on which and how many channels you want.
For example, after the 7-day trial, you can subscribe to Cinemax via Amazon Prime Video for $9.99. And if you want PBS, it will cost you $4.99. The most expensive is the MLB.TV, and it goes for $24.99 per month.
Best Amazon Prime Channels
If you don’t know where to start with all these channels, that’s understandable. There are over 150 of them. Here is a list of the top Amazon Prime Channels, their prices, and shows they feature:
Showtime $10.99/m – Shameless, Dexter, and Who is America by Sascha Baron Cohen.
HBO Now $14.99/m – Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, and Westworld.
Starz $8.99/m – American Gods, Power, and Outlander.
CBS All Access $5.99/m – Star Trek: Discovery, The Big Bang Theory, and Madam Secretary.
Boomerang $4.99/m – Tom and Jerry, Scooby-Doo, and Looney Tunes.
Are Netflix and Hulu Included?
At the moment of writing, Netflix and Hulu are not among Amazon Prime Video channels. That might sound disappointing to some, but Amazon has a concept vastly different from Netflix and Hulu. It’s not a standalone service like those two.
How to Cancel an Amazon Prime Channel Subscription
When you are an Amazon Prime member, subscribing to any of the available channels is easy. Amazon already has all of your credit card information, and they charge your channel subscriptions directly.
It’s a convenience when it comes to subscribing, and it’s also handy when you want to cancel it. After a while, subscriptions add up and if you wish to unsubscribe from any channels, here is what you need to do:
Scroll to find the channel you no longer want to watch.
Click “Cancel Channel” and confirm the selection.
You will be able to see the end date of your subscription to each channel. And if you change your mind, you can go back and undo the cancellation.
You will still have access to the channel until the end of the billing period, and after that, Amazon won’t charge you anymore. Also, if you cancel your Amazon Prime Membership at any point, you’ll lose access to all your channels too.
Choose Your Amazon Prime Channels Wisely
If you don’t want to burden your device with multiple streaming apps, Amazon Prime channels could work for you. Amazon doesn’t have everything, but what streaming service does?
You’ll find that Amazon keeps the content current and engaging. And, if you’re an Amazon Prime member, subscribing to any of the fantastic channels is a walk in the park. But when you’ve had enough, you can remove unwanted channels with a few clicks.
What is your favorite Amazon Prime Video channel? How many have you got? Let us know in the comments section below.
Tech gurus and prophets have been predicting the death of the printed page for a long time. They believe that everything will be done online, or everyone will have a “paperless office,” or everything will get managed in the cloud.
There’s no denying that there are fewer printers than there used to be. The rise of networks and ubiquitous Internet access have reduced the need for printed documents, or at least, has reduced the need for people to have a printer of their own.
Many processes and procedures still rely on printed information on physical papers, but what has changed is that many people no longer have an inkjet or laser printer. People tend to use tablets and smartphones now and don’t have a desktop machine at home or work with a standalone printer.
It isn’t just businesses that have moved away from using paper documents. Colleges and universities, high schools, and even middle schools around the globe have moved to digital learning, using laptops and tablets in class to replace printed documents and handouts. Turning in papers and other homework assignments is becoming an electronic process through sources like email, Web applications, and class-wide dropboxes. This technology is useful for teachers because it also allows them to check for plagiarism, poor grammar, spelling, and more with ease, while also reviewing all work from one source.
Regardless of the ‘paperless’ trend, you may still have times when you need a printer. Here are some great sources to utilize, so you can get your documents, forms, and proof or verification information on paper, and deliver them as required.
Where Can I Go To Print A Document?
Luckily, you don’t need to stress out. There are printers everywhere, and finding one that you can use is often as simple as doing a quick Google search. There are several print-on-demand options that you can access, just about anywhere you go.
Use The Library
Libraries aren’t just for books! Libraries are open to the public and are the perfect resource for anyone looking for an easy way to print documents. While most people think of libraries simply as places to rent books and possibly DVDs depending on your local selection, the truth is far more complicated. Libraries offer all sorts of services, depending on where you live, and one of those services is usually printing and computer access. If it isn’t free, it’s often cheap.
If you’re unsure whether your local library carries printing services, use this Google search to find your closest library, then visit their webpage. Look for a subsection or category for services or computer access. Typically, libraries offer some kind of computer access for those of us who can’t print or use computers at home. Most libraries provide free use of PCs, and some don’t even require a library card to use them.
Printing access may or may not be free, but the costs are low per page. The expense can add up quickly when printing a bunch of documents, but for a five-page black and white paper, you’ll likely pay less than a dollar. Check with the library to see if you have to use one of their computers, or if they support wireless printing from your phone or laptop.
Sample library website: Many libraries also offer scan and fax services for a small fee. Some libraries even have 3D printers available for rental. However, these printers are usually part of “maker” programs and require you to take classes and show proficiency with the technology before they will give you access to their expensive machines.
If you’re a student at a college or university, check out the library on your campus to print documents whenever you need an essay. Typically, your tuition comes with a printing quota that you can use towards printing documents while on campus. College campuses don’t place restrictions on what you can print, so whether you’re printing a paper for school or a shipping label to return that shirt you bought on Amazon that didn’t quite fit right, you’ll be good to go. If you aren’t a student at the school, you may still be able to use the library resources for a small cost.
Copy and Print Stores
Though a dying breed, there are still dedicated stores around that are solely for providing copy and print services, in addition to offering supplies related to paper and other documents. These are typically ‘mom-and-pop’ stores, locally-owned in major and minor cities, and occasionally throughout the suburbs in the United States.
You’ll want to search Google for copy and print stores nearby, though it may also bring up some of the other stores on our list. Copy and print shops offer the advantage of precisely meeting the needs of people who require something printed, and the disadvantage of premium prices for their services.
Apartments and Hotels
Hotels and apartment complexes often have business service centers that offer copying, printing, scan, and fax services to their residents or guests. Ordinarily, these services are reserved for the people who live there. However, the staff (at hotels in particular) are often perfectly happy to let someone come in off the street with a quick print job, in response to a polite request. If you live in an apartment complex, even if your complex doesn’t have a standalone business center, the rental office staff may be willing to print out the occasional document for a resident. It never hurts to ask!
Shipping Stores
Have you ever dropped a package off at The UPS Store or a FedEx store? You may be surprised, but those businesses aren’t just dedicated to taking in your Amazon returns and the holiday gifts you’re sending home. They also provide office services that may appeal to anyone trying to print a document before heading into work or school. Shipping stores almost always have a printing center.
Printing In The UPS Store
The UPS Store, for example, has more than 5,000 locations across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada, and most of them offer copy and print services. According to their website, The UPS Store offers copies, printouts in black and white or color, single-sided or double-sided printing, multiple page sizes, and even lamination and binding for those that need a nice report or essay. UPS also allows you to upload your documents online, and gives you a printing estimate based on your document.
Once you’ve submitted your file, you’ll be given an estimated time (for basic documents, this seems to be pretty short), and you can go pick it up from the store when you’re ready. In our testing, the prices were pretty competitive, giving us a color print for around 40 cents per page and a black and white document for 15 cents per page. Call your local UPS store to get their current prices. There are plenty of document file types supported for printing through UPS, including PDF, .doc, .jpeg, and even Photoshop and Illustrator documents. Our article about printing without a printer discusses the advantage of converting documents to PDF, and how to do it.
Printing At FedEx
FedEx offers services with their FedEx Office stores, formerly known as Kinko’s, which compete directly with The UPS Store. There are fewer FedEx Office locations in the world, with FedEx’s website saying there are over 2,000 locations throughout the United States and abroad. Nevertheless, if you happen to live near a FedEx Office, they offer similar print and copying services to their close competition, which makes sense considering Kinko’s legacy. Documents can be picked up or shipped to your location, though shipping a document adds more cost.
Uploading documents to FedEx is easy, with support for multiple file types and even the option to upload straight from a cloud document service like Google Drive or Dropbox. If there’s one downside to using their service, it’s the price. Our test document was pretty small, containing a one-page document in black and white, but it cost nearly 70 cents, a hefty increase over the 15 cents UPS was going to charge us. It may vary in your location. Call your FedEx Office store for pricing information. Still, it’s not too expensive, depending on page count. If there’s a FedEx near you but not a UPS, the decision is made for you anyway.
Those are the two big-name stores, but you’ll still want to look around to see if you can find a locally-owned shipping company that may also offer printing and copying services.
Can I Print At Office Depot and OfficeMax?
Like UPS and FedEx printing opportunities, most major office supply stores provide printing services that may suit you just fine. Though stores like Office Depot, OfficeMax (which is owned by Office Depot), and Staples exist to sell paper, printers, and other similar printing materials, they offer all sorts of printing options for you to use at your disposal. Office Depot, for example, offers same-day printing pickup for most basic documents, as long as you place an order before 2 PM local time on their business days. Since they also offer mobile uploading through their iOS and Android apps, you don’t have to be on your computer to upload a document.
Prices through Office Depot and OfficeMax are pretty cheap. A double-sided page in black and white gave us an estimated price of just 9 cents, beating even the library in our area. Even full-color pages were just 42 cents each when double-sided. It’s pretty easy to find an OfficeMax or Office Depot location near you, but you can also choose to have the product shipped to you for an additional cost. And while we’re focusing on document printing for the sake of this article, you can print out numerous types of projects using Office Depot’s printing software found online.
Printing At Staples
Staples, like Office Depot and OfficeMax, has online document-uploading for easy pickup or shipment, offered at around 10 cents a page for black and white prints, and about 50 cents per page for color prints. Call for pricing. Staples printing services are on pace with similar costs from libraries and direct competition like Office Depot.
The Staples desktop web app for uploading documents is pretty easy to use, and you can pick up your printouts within a couple of hours of submission.
Online Print Stores
If you aren’t in a rush to pick up your prints, online printing stores can be quite cheap. As previously mentioned, several companies, including Office Depot and FedEx, ship your documents if you’re not near a physical location. Still, it’s also worth mentioning that online print stores may have lower prices or free shipping.
There’s no shortage of easy-to-use online print companies that you can find through Google. The one thing to note, however, is that most online print stores are designed for big projects that can’t be handled by office supply stores or your local library.
If you need 500 copies of a specific document, purchasing through an online print shop might be the way to go. You’ll end up paying real dollars, but each copy will only cost you a couple of cents because you’re purchasing in bulk. If you’re looking to purchase a single copy of something, you might want to find a different source.
Pharmacies and Drug Stores
While pharmacies and drug stores around the world offer 1-hour photo solutions, what you might not know is that those same stores may offer document printing. If you’re looking for a place to print your documents quickly, you might want to check out your local pharmacy to see if they have printing solutions that suit your needs.
Can I Print At CVS?
If you don’t live near a mom-and-pop or locally-owned pharmacy, the national pharmacies will help. One of the largest drug store chains in the United States is CVS, and it offers copy and print services at more than 3,400 stores nationwide.
To copy or print your documents at CVS, head to your local store and look for the Kodak kiosk. You’ll need to make sure you bring a USB drive with you that contains your document. Simply connect the flash drive to the Kodak kiosk, select document printing, and input your color choice and whether you want single or double-sided prints. Since everything is done in the store, you don’t have to worry about picking up your documents at the right time.
The Downsides Of Printing At CVS
CVS printing comes with some disadvantages, of course. First, CVS doesn’t have a way to tell if a store has just photo printing or photo and document printing, so we recommend calling your local CVS to make sure you’re ready to print your documents at the right place. Second, you’ll need to have a flash drive handy to print your files, which may not be accessible to everyone.
Finally, the prices at CVS are a bit steep compared to the competition. We found costs at 19 cents per single-sided page for black and white copies and 38 cents per page for double-sided black and white copies. The color prices were higher than anything on this list, charging 99 cents for a single-sided color print and $1.98 for double-sided color prints. Call your local CVS store for current costs because location pricing can vary based on the area. It’s expensive, but if you need something printed quickly and you live down the street from a CVS that supports document printing, it might be your closest and fastest option.
PrintSpots Online Directory
Of particular use to travelers, the PrintSpots directory of public printing spots is a useful site to bookmark. Although the listings mostly focus on hotels and libraries, the site is still beneficial if you aren’t familiar with an area or don’t have time to call around to a bunch of hotels. The details are all there on one page.
***
Not every idea on this list is going to work for everyone. If you don’t have a nearby office supply store or your local pharmacy doesn’t offer document printing, then you might be out of luck when it comes to those options. Likewise, online print stores can be slow to deliver, and if you need something same-day, that cancels out the idea.
In the long run, of course, one or two options on this list not being available doesn’t mean you can’t gain access to one of the others. An ideal solution happens to be using your local library, where prices are typically fair, and printing can be done quickly and in real-time. Most libraries have access to printers for their town’s residents, which means you’re never going to be in a situation where printing isn’t an option. If you live in a suburb or metropolitan area, you might not have a nearby library. Therefore, finding a shipping store like The UPS Store, an office supplies store like Office Depot, or even a pharmacy or drug store like CVS will make it easy to print your document.
The next time you leave the house and realize you forgot to print out your latest essay for a class or the financial reports for your boss, don’t panic. There are more options than ever for getting a printout of your electronic documents, and it’s easy to do so just within your lunch hour alone.
With over 800 million active users, TikTok has become the newest internet sensation.
If you’re new to the app or have kids who live on it, this tutorial will show you how to use Tik Tok and offer a high level overview of what goes on there.
Tik Tok is the leading destination for short videos; and with all the fun features available in the app, it is so easy to get hooked to it. Users can create singing, dancing, comedy and lip-syncing videos and apply lots of fun filters to add life and color to them. It started as part of the app Musica.ly with its lip syncing videos. It also has elements of Snapchat with its filters and chat. Aimed squarely at teenagers, it’s a social network full of short videos that seemingly came out of nowhere to take over the phones of anyone of a certain age.
The app was launched in China, where it started to grow huge popularity and translated across to the west to become equally popular,too. Tik Tok is so popular it has taken the top spot in the Apple App Store download charts for a few months now.
Setting up Tik Tok
As Tik Tok is a mobile app, you need to download it onto your phone from your relevant app store and install it. Then you will need to set up an account and then you can get started.
That’s it. You’re in and can now start enjoying the social network.
Using Tik Tok
Once you log in, you should see the ‘For You’ feed which lists the most popular videos right now. Select one to watch and like it if you want, to show your appreciation. If you play a video, it will loop until you stop it or choose another.
If you want to have a look around, hit the magnifying glass icon at the bottom of the screen to search. You can search by trending hashtags, most popular user, hot songs or video. Select a video to begin playing it.
If you like the video, you have the option to like with the heart icon on the right or add a comment with the speech bubble. If the user has a number of videos you like, you can follow them by selecting their name and add them to your feed.
Tik Tok uses your likes and follows to build up a profile of what you like watching and what you don’t and will tune your For You feed accordingly. Once you have been using Tik Tok for a bit and have liked a few videos, you will see a Following tab at the top of the main screen which will feature videos from the people who made the videos you liked. It’s a shortcut to content that you may or may not want to use.
Uploading your own video to Tik Tok
Browsing and consuming media is only a tiny part of Tik Tok. It’s real strength lies in helping you create your own video, perform some basic editing and then uploading it to the site. It isn’t compulsory of course, but you’re missing out if you’re not contributing.
Tik Tok is made for short videos. Fifteen seconds of fame wrapped up in a social bundle. As you would hope, Tik Tok makes it super easy to create your own content to add to the network. If you have used Snapchat or Instagram, the process isn’t that different.
Here are the basics of adding your own video to Tik Tok.
Prepare yourself, the setting, the song or sketch and get everything ready beforehand.
Rehearse what you’re going to do until it’s perfect.
Open Tik Tok on your phone and hit the ‘+’ at the bottom of the screen.
Select any audio you want to add by selecting ‘Sounds’ at the top.
Press record when you’re ready.
Press record again to stop if it doesn’t stop automatically.
Add any effects, text or edits to your video in the next screen and select Next when done.
Select any friends you want to tag and select Next.
Select Post when you’re ready to publish.
How to Create a Duet on TikTok
You and your friend can perform a duet on TikTok, even when you are on two separate locations. Duet works only with public videos which are 15 second or under in length.
Open a video from your friend and select the Share icon.
Then tap the Duet icon.
Save a Draft
TikTok allows you to save a video as draft and post it later. To do this:
Tap the Create Video icon.
When you finish recording your video, tap Next.
Tap Drafts.
The main thing to remember when shooting a video for Tik Tok is that more time is spent on the things you don’t see than the things you do. Preparation and rehearsal is key. It could take an hour to get your 15 second performance just right and several takes before you’re happy. That’s okay and something most people on Tik Tok accept as normal.
Hopefully now Tik Tok isn’t as bewildering as it once was and you have the basics of how the network works and how to contribute. The rest is down to experimentation, trial and error. Good luck with it!
WhatsApp’s privacy and security is fairly good. It allows only one device at a time, users can verify their account with their mobile phone, and there is an option to enable two-factor authentication. However, this doesn’t mean that nobody will try to hack into someone else’s WhatsApp account. The online world isn’t totally safe as we all know.
So, we touch on the question, “How do I know if someone else is using my WhatsApp account?”
WhatsApp is continually gaining popularity all over the world with more than 2 billion users. With WhatsApp, you can make video calls, exchange messages, share files, do video calls, and create group chats – all for free!
The app does what it can to remain as secure as possible but there is no such thing as complete security when something is connected to the internet. You have some responsibility in keeping your WhatsApp account secure; a simple mistake can leave your account wide open to abuse.
The only attack vector that makes any sense while you still have your phone is WhatsApp Web. This has been covered extensively online already but is worth mentioning here. When you open WhatsApp on your phone, you can open a browser version to complement the app. If you don’t sign out or close the session, someone with access to that computer can take over. It’s a limited option but the only one I know of.
Using the web version of WhatsApp makes it a lot easier to type, as you can do it on a keyboard rather than tapping on your phone screen.
Open a WhatsApp Web session by selecting the three dot menu icon in the main WhatsApp window.
Select WhatsApp Web. This opens your camera.
You will be directed to scan a QR code which you can get by opening WhatsApp Web in your browser.
Scan the QR code in your browser window with your phone camera.
Your WhatsApp window on your phone should be reflected in the browser, allowing you to chat and interact as usual.
Check if someone is using your WhatsApp
WhatsApp Web is the only way into your account that we know of with the exception of malware. WhatsApp authenticates using your phone number and is only accessible through one device at a time. That means as long as you have your phone in your possession and shut down your WhatsApp Web session, you’re about as secure as you can be online.
Symptoms of someone using your WhatsApp will include the obvious like messages appearing that you didn’t send, more listings in the Chats tab than should be there or accepted friend requests you didn’t make. Most hackers with any sense will delete all these but if you are quick enough to see some actions you didn’t make, that’s a sign.
If you use WhatsApp Web already, you may know that if you select it from the three dot settings menu, you can see what the last session was or if there are any open sessions. This is a sure fire way to find out if anyone is using your account.
Open WhatsApp and select the three dot menu icon from the main window.
Select WhatsApp Web.
If the camera opens, there is no active WhatsApp Web session ongoing. If you see a window that lists a logged in computer, there is an active session ongoing. Select ‘Log out from all computers’ underneath and enable two-factor authentication right away.
Enable two-factor authentication in WhatsApp
If someone has been using your WhatsApp account, you need to lock it down. If you’re lucky, it’s a sibling or partner spying on what you’re doing. If you’re not so lucky it could be a hacker stealing your contacts and data and wreaking havoc with your social life. Either way, you need to lock it down by turning on two-factor authentication.
WhatsApp doesn’t use passwords. Instead, you need to enable two-factor authentication. That way, anyone that tries to log in will need to enter a verification code to do it.
Open WhatsApp and select the three dot menu icon from the main window.
Select Settings and Account.
Select Two-step verification.
Enable it and set your PIN code.
Once set, every time you open WhatsApp you will need to enter that PIN code to authenticate. Make sure the PIN isn’t something obvious and you have secured your WhatsApp account even further.
WhatsApp is a very secure app but is only as secure as you keep it. Using two-factor authentication is as secure as things get right now and is a viable way to lock down your account if someone has been accessing it.
Do you know of any other ways someone can access your WhatsApp? Tell us below if you do!
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New Delhi: India is considering a goods and services tax (GST) relief package to counter the impact of Covid-19 and help prop up the economy, said people with knowledge of the matter. The package being considered could include a six-month suspension of GST payments for the worst-hit sectors such as restaurants, aviation and hospitality as well as a lower rate for the real estate sector.Other proposals include a switch to a cash-based principle of levying tax from the current invoice-based system and providing GST relief on sales for which payment is not received due to the lockdown by treating those as bad debts.These measures are expected to ease the liquidity pressure on businesses that are strapped for cash, said the people cited above. A final decision on the proposals will be taken by the GST Council, which is the apex decision-making body for the tax."There is a thinking that for these service sectors, the government should at least spare its dues," a government official told ET.The government could also consider exempting them from other statutory charges for some time.Though there has been a demand for complete GST exemption, the government is veering around to the view that suspending the tax will work better, the official said. Exempting a sector from tax would mean breaking the credit chain, leading to further problems down the line. 75397734Need for LiquidityA cash-based system will mean businesses pay GST when they get the money and not when the invoice is raised, ensuring they don't have to pay the tax out of their pocket and get squeezed on working capital. This is most relevant for services where payment is received with a lag after bills are raised.Most service providers are facing delays in payments from clients but are saddled with GST liabilities. Another option is exempting these from GST, treating them as bad debt."The idea is to provide some help to businesses to sail through this crisis," a second official said, adding that it is expected that states will back the move in view of the unprecedented economic situation.Tax experts said liquidity is among the immediate needs of industry."At this time, industry needs more liquidity and hence deferment in payment of GST for next few months (without interest) should be considered," said Pratik Jain, national leader, indirect tax, PwC.While providing selective exemption is an option, it often creates complications as input credit gets blocked, aside from coping with the rigours of anti- profiteering provisions, he said."Since the point of taxation in GST is effectively the issue of invoice, the suppliers pay the GST to the government exchequer before they actually collect it from the customers," said Bipin Sapra, partner, EY, backing a cash-based system.
Mumbai: The capital markets regulator and RBI swung into action over the weekend to assess the damage and contain the fallout from Franklin Templeton's decision to close six debt funds.To spur banks to lend more, the RBI may tweak rules limiting the amount it absorbs from banks through the reverse repo window at, say, Rs 2 lakh crore or set a different amount, said a person close to the talks. The RBI believes there is ample liquidity, with banks parking Rs 7 lakh crore with it via reverse repo, the person added."RBI officials spoke with banks and fund managers during the weekend to figure out the preparedness to deal with redemptions, and the liquidity positions," said one person aware of the discussions. "There is no liquidity issue for most funds. But one of the suggestions is to goad banks to lend, and buy bonds of firms that are investment-grade but not triple-A."'Credit funds' form a small partThe Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) also sought details from mutual funds on the extent of redemptions and the liquidity position of their debt schemes' portfolio, said three persons in the know.Franklin Templeton's decision to scrap the six debt schemes and put redemptions on hold indefinitely sparked widespread concerns that investors would withdraw from similar product categories across the industry. Sebi wants to know whether mutual funds would be in a position to handle probable mass redemptions based on their current portfolios."The (market) regulator has asked if funds are facing huge redemptions, how liquid their debt fund portfolios are, and how many days it would take to liquidate the holdings," said a senior industry official.Debt mutual funds' corpus is estimated at about Rs 12 lakh crore with investments ranging from overnight funds to long-duration bond funds. Of this, the so-called credit funds — the family that Franklin Templeton froze — constitutes about Rs 55,000 crore, according to industry estimates.An emailed query to the Sebi spokesperson on the matter went unanswered.MFS APPROACH NITI, FINMINMutual funds are also said to have knocked on the doors of Niti Aayog and the finance ministry for measures to contain the fallout. "The problem in the mutual fund industry is restricted only to credit funds," said the second person. "These constitute less than 5 per cent of the total amount with debt schemes. So it is not a big problem for the overall system as of now."Fund houses are looking for a separate lending window, but the RBI believes there is sufficient liquidity and it is only a question of channelising it. "Already, the rate for reverse repo has been brought down to 3.75 per cent to make it unattractive for banks to park money with the RBI," said a person. "That's the first step, and the second could come soon."On Friday, mutual funds shifted to cash by selling some top-rated debt securities in anticipation of redemption pressure over the next few days. The risk aversion in the bond market led to yields widening by 20-30 basis points on Friday, which was higher than normal. Franklin Templeton was forced to stop redemptions since it had run out of liquid papers following the huge outflows in the past two months.The rest of the securities in its portfolios are mostly lowly rated papers, which have few buyers in the current market. Industry officials said Franklin Templeton had also exhausted its borrowing limits with banks for these schemes.QUERY ON BORROWINGSRBI's query to the mutual fund industry on its borrowings is to evaluate the amount of loans they have taken from banks. In a communication to compliance officers of mutual funds on Sunday morning, the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI) said the RBI had sought details on the 'lines of credit' used by asset management companies and the 'undrawn lines' for March 31 and April 24.Emailed queries to the RBI and AMFI went unanswered. 75398016Mutual funds are allowed to borrow up to 20 per cent of their assets from banks for six months to meet redemption and other payout demands. If a fund house has exhausted this limit, Sebi allows it to raise up to 40 per cent based on merit.In February and March, a handful of large mutual funds approached Sebi to enhance the borrowing cap following sharp outflows from various debt products after the financial markets froze due to the Covid-19 pandemic.Industry officials said these mutual funds, barring Franklin Templeton, did not need to utilise the higher limits after the RBI pumped money into the system through long-term repo operations (LTRO) in March."Majority of the funds have not utilised even the 20 per cent limit. So there is comfort for now," said the chief executive of a large fund.Out of the 42 mutual funds, four — including Franklin Templeton — had borrowings of about Rs 4,427 crore as on April 23, according to an AMFI statement.The assets under mutual fund industry's debt schemes were worth roughly Rs 10.3 lakh crore on March 31, down 16 per cent from the previous month.
By Dhirendra KumarWarren Buffett and Charlie Munger's diaries are blank, just like those of everyone else on the planet. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, the 96-year old Munger reveals that Berkshire Hathway is not looking at any investments right now. Despite having one of the largest holdings of cash in the world (about $ 125 billion, or about Rs 10 lakh crore) and assets going cheap, Buffett and Munger are sitting on their hands. Munger makes it clear that this is not a situation that he understands (or anyone understands) and therefore, would like to ride it out with all their liquidity intact rather than rush into something and regret it later. As he says, "This thing is different. Everybody talks as if they know what's going to happen, and nobody knows what's going to happen."According to Munger, this is not the time to do anything at all, except stay exactly where you are. The best course is to not change course at all. The question to ask is, do you have any evidence that the change you are going to make will be better than the current course? Unless you have any evidence, then it does not make any sense. The likelihood of overreaction is higher than that of stumbling upon some course of action that may prove to be better than the current one.Of course, this applies to those actions that are taken to somehow take advantage of the circumstances, to somehow generate some quick returns or some trick like that. If that's what is tempting you, resist the temptation and be like Buffett and Munger. It's really not possible to foresee anything in the short and medium term so do not even try. As the old man says above, there's no shortage of people who are talking as if they know what is going to happen. Pay no attention. It's just talk.The only course of action which is justifiable is if, for financial or family or even psychological reasons, you would like to eliminate all risk in your life and do something drastic like shifting all assets to a bank deposit or something. It may not make financial sense, but if it gives someone peace of mind in these difficult times, then it's fine. However, this kind of a change is in the opposite direction. It seeks to eliminate all risk. What Munger is advising against is trying to use the situation to take some risks and increase returns. That's not advisable, either for you or me or Buffett and Munger.As the liquidity crisis in debt mutual funds shows, there will be many individual crises along the way, both big and small. Some of these will happen because so many businesses were already stressed. The biggest example is debt funds themselves, which have been going through a series of hiccups concerning stressed assets for more than a year or so. Quantitatively, these add up to a tiny percentage of the total assets managed by debt funds. Certainly, the NPAs are negligible compared to the banking system. While this indicates strong investment standards, the fact remains that mutual funds are a passthrough vehicle and problems get passed through to investors without delay or mitigation. This is alarming in the short run but robust in the long run because unlike banks it does not allow problems to be swept too far under the carpet. However, it does mean that the current period is very critical and the government and the RBI will have to shepherd the country's financial system with great care.As Munger says in the interview, "I would say basically we're like the captain of a ship when the worst typhoon that's ever happened comes. We just want to get through the typhoon." Not a bad principle to follow.(The author is CEO, Value Research)
Mumbai: The relationship between some high-street banks and fund houses will be put to test with lenders closely monitoring 'daylight overdraft' lines to mutual funds. Over the past few days, banks have been trying to assess the liquidity gap their MF clients could face this week amid fears of a surge in redemptions following Franklin Templeton's decision to close six debt schemes.The overdraft facilities are intra-day loan lines from banks that help MFs tide over temporary liquidity mismatches in the face of redemption pressure. Larger the redemption a fund has to handle, higher the overdraft requirement in the absence of fresh inflows from investors."There could be a huge demand for OD (overdraft) lines. Banks will have to take a call. Given the state of the corporate bond market, banks are reluctant to let intraday loans become overnight or short-term loans. It's possible that a fund may be unable to sell securities in an illiquid market and some of the intraday OD (lines) may turn overnight loans. Most banks won't prefer that. And even if a bank allows it, it would like to minimise the overnight amount," a senior banker told ET. 75398695Banks Talking to Fund HousesThe lenders — some of whom are custodians to MFs — have been in touch with fund officials to estimate the expected mismatch between inflows and outflows on Monday.Besides custodian banks holding securities of a fund and lending against these papers, non-custodian banks have also given large OD lines to MFs to build relationships and bag businesses such as collections and cash management. "These are largely unsecured loans. The banks sanctioned large OD lines as asset managers are regulated entities. Banks may now turn cautious, and more selective," said another banker.According to market sources, Franklin Templeton has to repay a loan it had taken from a large Mumbai-based public sector bank. Also, it has to pay over Rs 3,000 crore to counterparties in bond repo deals — which are repurchase agreements (between a borrower and lender) to raise short-term money. Asked about these obligations, a spokesperson for the fund house did not respond to queries from ET.One of the MNC banks has 'zeroised' the OD limits as part of an internal control mechanism. "This means ODs will not be fixed based on the maximum a bank can lend to a single borrower under regulatory guidelines. The release of OD will depend on the inflows an MF expects on Monday and thereafter," said a source.MF schemes can borrow up to 20% in the normal course -- and upto 30% subject to regulatory clearance -- of the assets under management to meet redemption requirement. Many fund typically borrow towards end March when redemption pressure builds up. The credit lines from banks enable funds to avoid selling well-rated bonds at lower valuations and pay back banks as new investors put money in April. The OD demand surges at quarter ends.Some of the bankers and fund managers ET spoke to said that RBI may step in only if they sense that there is a huge tide of redemption. "Even if RBI opens a special window, it has to be an arrangement where MFs get long tenor loans from banks. That's because we don't know when the market will regain confidence and secondary trades revive," said an industry source. During the financial crises of 2008 and 2013, RBI had opened a special facility for making short-term fund available to banks for on-lending to MFs
NEW DELHI: Beverage maker Coca-Cola's company-owned bottling partner HCCB (Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages) has announced 7-8% increment in salaries to its 7,000 direct employees effective April 1, bucking the general trend of companies across various sectors reducing salaries and enforcing lay-offs amidst the Coronavirus pandemic."The merit increase (annual increment) is for all employees of HCCB and a function of several factors including employee performance in the preceding year," a spokesperson for HCCB said in an email revert.With 15 factories in India, the asset-heavy HCCB which makes Coke, Sprite and Thums Up aerated drinks, and Minute Maid and Maaza juice, will follow the usual payroll cycle this year as well. "We have followed the same compensation norms as in 2019," the spokesperson said. The spokesperson added there will be no lay-offs, salary reductions and job losses at HCCB on account of the disruption caused to businesses across sectors following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.However, in the current year, the impact of the pandemic is expected to be severe on the company as stated in a call with investors last week. In a post earnings investors call, Coca-Cola chief executive James Quincey said in some markets like India, the severity of social distancing measures negatively impacted consumption due to the significant reduction in shopping trips. The Atlanta-headquartered company said Coca-Cola's unit case volume declined 5% driven by India across its bottling investment group (or company's owned bottling operations) across world markets for the January-March 2020 quarter. "Given that away-from-home channels represent approximately half of the company's revenues, the company expects the net effect of these consumer purchase patterns to have a significant impact on second quarter results," Coca-Cola said in the earnings statement.Last month, Coca-Cola had temporarily suspended production at its company-owned and franchise-operated bottling plants with the exception of essentials such as water. However, production at over half the plants has restarted.With a retail reach across 3 million outlets, HCCB reported revenues of Rs 9,455 crore and profit of Rs 322 crore for financial year 2018-19. While HCCB is Coca-Cola India's largest company-owned bottler, the beverage maker also operates through over a dozen independent franchisee bottlers.Coca-Cola India's operations are much smaller.The Indian government had announced a lockdown starting March 25 to contain the spread of COVID-19.
Mumbai: Changes in consumer behaviour and rising demand outlook for protection products post Covid-19 could lead to insurance stocks outperforming in the next one year.The past experiences of China and Hong Kong after health scares such as SARS and H1N1point to strong sales growth potential in the protection segment over the next couple of quarters, said analysts. The six listed insurance stocks could gain between 20 per cent and 100 per cent by March next year, according to their estimates."Our analysis of previous epidemics suggests a sharp rise in demand for term and health insurance policies during these periods," said Nischint Chawathe, analyst, Kotak Securities. "While it is difficult to quantify the rise in premium volumes due to Covid-19 as the intensity and spread of this pandemic in India remains unclear, life and health insurance companies will likely be the key beneficiaries of any rise in volumes."Insurance stocks were hammered recently due to the collapse in premiums in March as a result of the Covid-19 induced lockdown. The life insurance sector witnessed 32 per cent decline year-on-year in new business profit margins and 49 per cent decline in annual premium equivalent in March, usually its strongest month.SBI Life Insurance and ICICI Prudential Life are down by 34 per cent and 37 per cent respectively from their 52-week highs while HDFC Life Insurance has declined 30 per cent. General Insurance Corporation and New India Assurance are currently trading below 60 per cent and 38 per cent from their respective 52-week highs.75397953Prior to the global outbreak of Covid-19, life insurers had traded at 2.5-4.5 times price to embedded value (PEV) multiple or 25-37 times new business value multiple. Currently they are trading 1.8-4.1times PEV. The market has already priced in the first order negative impact of the lockdown, said analysts."More meaningful stock declines make us conclude that short-term challenges from lockdown and unfavourable tax proposals are being priced in," said Deepika Mundra, analyst, JP Morgan. "The possibility of 1-2 quarters of potentially very weak front book growth does little to dent our enthusiasm for Indian insurers' long-term fundamental thesis."HDFC Standard Life currently trades at 4.1 times its FY21 estimated EV, while SBI Life and ICICI Prudential trade at 2.4 and 1.8 PBV respectively."Insurance is the sector to focus on because a large part of its business is digital and there will be a strong demand for pure protection products in the next couple of quarters," said Abhimanyu Sofat, head of research, IIFL Securities.
Mumbai: Bharti Infratel, Vedanta, Zee Entertainment, Tata Motors and GAIL India are likely to be excluded from Nifty in the upcoming index rebalancing in September, said brokerage ICICIdirect. Avenue Supermarts, Divi's Laboratories, HDFC Life, Dabur, SBI Life and Pidilite are the likely candidates for inclusion in the index, the brokerage said.This could be one of the biggest rebalancing in the index's history. Several stocks have become eligible after the sharp fall in the index from its highs. India's stock indices are still down over 25 per cent from their all-time highs hit in January despite the sharp recovery seen this month. In a calendar year, a maximum of 10 per cent of the index size can be changed. In this year's earlier rebalancing, Yes Bank was excluded from the index and replaced by Shree Cement.Bharti Infratel, Vedanta, Zee Entertainment, Tata Motors and GAIL India are the stocks with the lowest free-float market capitalisation and their average free-float m-cap is likely to remain low, according to ICICIdirect.The brokerage believes at least three out of these five stocks could be replaced in the next rebalancing.75397885Among the stocks that are likely to be included, Avenue Supermarts is not part of the futures & options (F&O) segment. The stock cannot be added in the Nifty if it is not a part of the F&O segment. Despite being the largest stock among the likely replacements, it will not be part of the Nifty, said ICICIdirect."In such a scenario, Divi's Laboratories, HDFC Life, Dabur and SBI Life could be part of the Nifty... The next close contender is Pidilite Industries, which could also be a part, albeit with a lower probability, if it outperforms the rest in the coming months," it said.
Mumbai: Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), which has rolled out JioMArt Services using WhatsApp is set to have multiple benefits but would take time to accrue those, a Credit Suisse report said Monday.The American social media giant, is paying $5.7 billion for buying 10% in the digital arm of India's largest conglomerate, Reliance.Facebook gets the majority of revenues from advertisements but is also venturing into commerce (Facebook Marketplace, Instagram Checkout, WhatsApp Business accounts, Meesho investment, etc.). Incrementally, the focus is to complete the commerce transaction on Facebook platform, and therefore it is possible that at a certain stage JioMart may be available as a mini-app (similar to WeChat)," the Credit Suisse report read.ET had first written on April 16 that RIL and Facebook were looking to create a super-app on the lines of WeChat. The plan is to create a super-app on the lines of WeChat, which combines digital payments, social media, gaming as well as flight and hotel bookings, among other features. Such an app would provide RIL a two-fold benefit — provide B2C engagement for its consumer businesses, and provide the group insights on users' spending habits, people in the know had told ET.JioMart services have already rolled out using WhatsApp in three regions and the company has already started reaching customers for grocery orders and Facebook's business model is evolving to venture into commerce the Credit Suisse report said. The report said that even RIL has several benefits from the deal like "large user base of WhatsApp could significantly accelerate adoption of JioMart app; leverage Facebook's experience to monetise data through advertising; potential access to Facebook's technology (Oculus VR, Portal, etc.) and deleveraging.The report goes on to say that it would take time for both the companies to accrue benefits from the deal. "The key benefit of deal is faster adoption of the New Commerce initiative on grocery. However, key bottleneck currently is to get a significant number of kirana partners on board (as delivery can then be really low cost). The deal valuation for Jio is already close to our valuation and our target price is lower than current market price due to assumption of gradual recovery in the hydrocarbons business," the report read.Facebook's focus has been to drive its advertising engine, which is not surprising given that advertising revenues represent 98.5% of the firm's total revenues. It is one of the most preferred platforms today for digital marketing by leading brands and sellers, the report read.
Before we discuss these apps, though, it is necessary to know the basics of installing and using Google Voice. This app is built into Gmail, so it’s automatically available to anyone with a Gmail account. Aside from voice and video calls, its other features include call screening, conference calling, call forwarding, and voice transcription. Unfortunately, Google Voice is only available in the US and Canada.
Built specifically for Mac enthusiasts, this Google Voice client allows its users to make or receive calls and SMS messages. You can also access the voice mailbox and send several SMS messages in a single batch. Its main advantage is its pleasant and easy-to-use interface, its ability to notify you of any alerts via customizable sounds, and its reverse call lookup that even works for numbers that aren’t on your contacts list.
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