The reason that all your TVs may now require a box, even if you don’t subscribe to premium pay channels, is that your cable service has finally gone all-digital and, on top of that, may also be implementing copy-protection (scrambling) on most, or all, its signal feeds going into your home. Extra Equipment, Extra Cost This change not only affects what you need to receive your cable TV programming but also adds extra costs to your monthly cable bill....

Whether you’re in one of those groups or have another reason to avoid iTunes, you may wonder whether you must use iTunes with your iOS devices. The answer is no. Using iTunes is not required. You have other choices. Sync With iCloud Only While the combination of iTunes and a Mac or PC used to be the only way to manage data on your device and to make backups, that’s no longer the case....

The thing is, these aren’t podcasts. Podcasts are like web pages—anyone can listen to any podcast in any podcast app, just like you can view any web page in any browser. While Audible (and also Spotify) might call its audio shows “podcasts,” they are not. “The danger could be that shows born as podcasts morph into a conceptually different format that can be processed and packed as an exclusive show,” Andrea Nepori, podcaster and writer for Italian newspaper La Stampa, told Lifewire via message....

A security researcher has demonstrated a mechanism for attackers to steal data from an air-gapped computer, which is a computer that is completely disconnected from the network and has no wireless or wired connectivity to the internet. Dubbed SATAn, the attack involves repurposing serial ATA (SATA) cables inside most computers as a wireless antenna. “This is a good example of why there is a need for defense in depth,” Josh Lospinoso, CEO and co-founder of Shift5, told Lifewire in an email....

Dropbox was one such developer, but times have changed, as the company has finally updated their popular macOS cloud storage app to run natively on the Apple Silicon platform. This update is fully compatible with the ARM architecture of the M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max chips, though it is still in beta. Prior to this release, Dropbox could still run on M1 Macs, but the software would be put through a translation application called Rosetta 2....

Focal length determines how much of a scene the camera sees, and it varies with the lens. A wide-angle lens can take in an entire landscape; a telephoto lens zooms in on a small subject in the distance. Focal length is important to understand, particularly if you’re shooting with a DSLR camera. Some basic knowledge of the concept can help you choose the right lens for a particular subject and know what to expect even before you look through the viewfinder....

Why specifically non-Latin languages? Many Latin-based languages like English, Spanish, Italian, and others share a similar alphabet and structure. Non-Latin languages, such as Korean, Arabic, Hebrew, etc., are much different and can confuse non-native speakers. As stated during its Duocon live stream, Duolingo’s goal is to make it easier and more intuitive for people to learn these more complicated alphabets. One of these new tools is a tab that appears for some languages, which displays a grid of characters from that alphabet....

There were early rumblings of the next iPhone utilizing satellite communications, which Apple later confirmed, but now Emergency SOS via Satellite is almost ready to go live. Emergency SOS itself isn’t a new feature, and it’s not the first time an iPhone has been supported by satellites, but this is the first time both elements have come together. The result of that combination is something Apple—and partner Globalstar, which is supplying the satellites—believes will save lives....

The Escort iX is a mid-level radar detector that boasts long-range, advanced Autolearn technology, and GPS lockouts to filter stationary false alerts. Its GPS capabilities also sync with an included database to locate red lights and speed cameras. Let’s take a closer look at what the iX delivers in terms of performance, design, and value. Design: Problematic mounting The Escort iX is a medium-sized detector that fits in the palm of your hand and has good build quality....

MOD Function Syntax and Arguments A function’s syntax refers to the layout of the function and includes the function’s name, brackets, and arguments. The syntax for the MOD function is: Number is the number being divided and Divisor is the number by which you want to divide the Number argument. The Number argument can be a number entered directly into the function or a cell reference to the location of the data in a worksheet....

How to Estimate Inverter Size Requirements Before you buy and install a power inverter, it’s essential to determine what your power needs are going to be. It’s also important to avoid overtaxing your electrical system, which is mainly an issue when dealing with automotive applications. When installing an inverter in a car or truck, the amount of power available is limited by the capabilities of the electrical system, which—barring the installation of a performance alternator—are pretty much set in stone....

What Is the Formjacking Scam? Formjacking is a relatively new online scam, having received mainstream attention in 2018 and 2019 after a number of major online retailers, such as Target and British Airways, were hacked and the private credit card information of hundreds of thousands customers was stolen. How Does the E-Skimming Scam Work? Unlike a system hack or data breach which steals saved information, formjacking involves the hacking of an online storefront and the placing of JavaScript code into checkout-related forms....

You never need to pay for an email checker program. Plenty of them are 100 percent free and should provide all the features you need. Plus, you can add all your email accounts to the same program. You can preview and delete messages. Plus, it supports adding an unlimited number of accounts, meaning you can check all your email accounts from the same place. Here are more features you’ll get with PopTray:...

The company just unveiled a service called Chrome OS Flex, a software suite that transforms old Macs and PCs into Chromebooks, as announced in an official Google blog post. If this sounds familiar, Chrome OS Flex is a rebrand of CloudReady, a Chromium-based operating system that Google purchased in December 2020. CloudReady’s original purpose was to extend the life of old PCs that were no longer receiving official updates. Chrome OS Flex offers a similar purpose, just wrapped up in a new version of Chrome OS....

As internet speeds and computing power have steadily increased over the years, streaming games has become a lot more practical for gamers around the world. While Google isn’t the first tech company to enter this realm, they are one of the biggest to throw their weight behind a new platform. Stadia promises a lot on the surface. Being able to play your favorite games from a budget laptop, your TV or even your smartphone is something many have only dreamed of⁠, but now Stadia lets you do just that—with some caveats....

Overall Findings GoPro cameras are generally more expensive than dashcams and aren’t designed to sit indefinitely in a vehicle. These devices can’t be set to turn on and start recording when the car is started, and lack hardware to protect against extreme cold or extreme heat. If you use a GoPro as a dashcam, you must mount it on the dash, plug it in, and turn it on every time you drive....

HalloApp launched quietly on Tuesday and is available to download on the App Store and the Google Play Store. The new app shares many similarities with WhatsApp, such as focusing on maintaining relationships with close friends and family via encrypted messaging. But it shies away from bombarding users with ads and, as stated in a post on the app’s official blog, “an algorithmic feed of meaningless content.” HalloApp has a minimalist design and aesthetic....

The HoverBar Duo is a sturdy, jointed stand, a kind of robot-arm that holds almost any iPad or iPhone. Its spring jaw is strong, and the base is reassuringly heavy. It’s not as simple to use as some iPad stands, but that’s its nature—a little complexity brings a lot of flexibility. How Much? If you prefer a cheaper stand, then get something simpler. I’ve used the AboveTech/Viozon iPad Pro stand for years....

Overall Findings If you have an HBO subscription, you can use HBO GO to watch HBO shows and movies on your phone, tablet, computer, or another app-enabled device. If you don’t have a subscription, there is no way to get HBO GO. That’s why HBO NOW is ideal for cord-cutters. One problem for cord-cutters is that there are many services, including cable replacements like Sling TV and general streaming services like Netflix, that it’s easy to pay as much, or more, for streaming services than for cable....

What Is a Decibel? A decibel is made up of two words: deci, meaning one-tenth, and bel, which is a unit named after Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone. Bel is a unit of sound and a decibel (dB) is one-tenth of a bel. The human ear is sensitive to a range of sound levels—from 0 decibels, which is complete silence to human hearing, to 130 decibels, which causes pain....