WhatsApp said that a new update to its web and desktop apps now will require users to unlock access to their accounts using biometric security systems already set up on their phones. This means that anyone with TouchID, FaceID, or any Android alternatives will need to use them when connecting with WhatsApp’s other apps. “Biometric scans, including fingerprints, are often superior to passwords for authentication. No one else has your fingerprints and they don’t require the user to memorize anything,” Paul Bischoff, a privacy advocate at Comparitech, told Lifewire via email....

The new Windows version sports a cleaner, more Mac-like design and a bunch of new features. It’s arriving during the 2021 holiday season, according to a Microsoft blog post. The new OS will be a free upgrade for existing Windows users. I adore my MacBook Pro and iMac M1, but love is fickle. Some of the features in Windows 11 seem to beat Apple at its own game. Looks Like an iPhone The most striking change at first glance to Windows 11 is its altered appearance....

When a device initially connects to a network over Wi-Fi, its rated speed is calculated according to the connection’s current signal quality. If necessary, the connection speed automatically changes over time to maintain a reliable link between the device and the network. This is why you should consider the number of devices that will be connecting to a wireless router. Dynamic Rate Scaling For example, an 802.11g wireless device in close proximity to a router will often connect at the maximum data rate of 54 Mbps....

While it is a fantastic tool, the internet also can be a dangerous place. Malware, viruses, and other threats to your privacy and online safety can lurk in just about every corner. While there are many antivirus options out there, experts say using a cloud-based browser—which essentially creates a new environment for the browser to run in—could help reduce some of those risks by preventing threats from reaching your local machine....

iOS users who want to make use of multi-factor authentication currently have to download third-party authenticator apps like Google Authenticator, Authy, or Microsoft Authenticator. By providing a built-in system, Apple is making the setup process more accessible, thus encouraging a larger number of people to make use of it. “To have a more centralized system rather than a scattered system will change the game.” said Miranda Yan, founder of VinPit, in an email interview with Lifewire....

Japanese newspaper Nikkei recently asked Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Sony about their strategy with respect to P&S cameras. While they all acknowledged that they’ve dramatically scaled back production and aren’t working on new models, they haven’t ceased production of these compact cameras. “The eulogy for point and shoot cameras has been written too fast,” R Karthik, portraits, location, and product photographer, told Lifewire over Skype. “They may no longer be serving the same size of market as before, but they still have better sensors than what is there in most cell phone cameras....

Answer: 802.11 is a set of technology standards for wireless network devices. These standards are determined by the IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers), and they basically govern how different wireless devices are designed and how they communicate with each other. You’ll see 802.11 mentioned when you are looking to buy a wireless-enabled device or a piece of wireless hardware. When researching what netbook to buy, for example, you may see some advertised as communicating wirelessly at “ultra-high” 802....

What Is an XPI File? An abbreviation for Cross-Platform Install (or XPInstall), a file with the XPI file extension (pronounced “zippy”) is a compressed installation archive used to extend the functionality of Mozilla products like Firefox, SeaMonkey, and Thunderbird. An XPI file is really just a renamed ZIP file the program can use to install the add-on, whether it be a theme, plug-in, etc. They may include images and JS, MANIFEST, RDF, and CSS files, as well as multiple folders full of other data....

Netflix subscribers have long shared their passwords with friends outside their households, and Netflix has been pretty cool with that. In 2016, the company’s CEO Reed Hastings even called it “a positive thing.” But now, it’s testing ways to force people to stop sharing their account details with others. Or rather, it wants you to pay an add-on fee for every person you share with. “At present, I share my account with two other family members, and we live in three different countries,” Netflix password sharer and web marketer Simone Colavecchi told Lifewire via email....

The supply of iPhone 14 Pro and ‌iPhone 14 Pro‌ Max models is reportedly limited and unlikely to meet demand in the United States. Experts say that the shortage is due to manufacturing issues. “The majority of the iPhone’s manufacturing is based in China,” Biju Nair, an executive at Assurant, a company that provides phone insurance and refurbishing, told Lifewire in an email interview. “A few weeks ago, China’s government enforced a hard lockdown for its citizens based on its zero-COVID policy....

Overall Findings YouTube Music and Spotify have a lot in common in pricing and overall functionality, but there are some important differences. While both have great free options, for example, only YouTube Music allows you to jump right in and listen to music without even signing up. Spotify, on the other hand, is a fantastic source of podcasts. And while it doesn’t have podcasts, YouTube Music does offer up unique and rare tracks from concerts and other sources thanks to the massive amount of user-uploaded YouTube content they have on tap....

Whether you’re looking for a textbook, a comic book, a romance, or a cookbook, the chances are very good that you’ll find it with one of the book websites listed below. Most of these sites let you get involved in discussions, reviews, and active conversation. Plus, buying books on the web can end up saving you some serious money, not to mention introduce you to a huge variety of books that you may not even know exist....

These are files with the PSD file extension that contain images, layers, effects, and other settings. The great thing about this file format is that the entire image is broken into layers so you can add, remove, and change any part of it you wish. There’s a section called PSD and one called Templates, but they are both categories full of PSD files that are still in their raw form with all the objects, effects, and layers 100-percent editable....

There’s a huge variety of freely available movies on these sites, from comedies and dramas to horror and action films. There are movies from big-name studios, but also many older and independent movies that you’ll love to watch over and over again. Crackle has hundreds of mainstream movies and original content. Content is regularly cycled, so there’s always something new to watch. Best for a Variety of Movies: Popcornflix With Popcornflix, you can watch free movies on your TV, computer, or mobile device without setting up an account....

Whether you need to kill some time or you’re in the mood to laugh, learn, or be inspired, this list of cool sites is all you need. Add them to your bookmarks and visit often for fresh content. It’s a blog that publishes regular updates on the coolest finds in travel, photography, illustration, animals, DIY, technology, design and all sorts of other great categories. You can also create an account to vote posts up or down....

Let’s check out 20 ways you can enhance your Roku experience. The Roku Channel features a selection of free movies and TV shows. Roku provides a periodically updated listing of the most popular channels that offer free content. To see this list, press the Home Button on your Roku remote, go to Streaming Channels, then select Top Free. From there you can add any of the channels to your own list....

Upgrading from Vista to a new Windows version requires a clean install. You have to purchase the new operating system or a computer that runs it already. Vista Is Similar to Windows 7 Windows 7 is, at its core, Vista. The underlying engine is the same. Windows 7 adds a lot of polish and refinement to the fundamental Vista underpinnings. That doesn’t mean the two products are twins. Windows 7 is faster and easier to use, but they have most of the same parts under the hood....

A growing number of automakers have announced plans to integrate fast data connections into their models. High-speed internet could lead to increased driver safety and entertainment options. However, the boost in features could also leave software vulnerabilities. “Modern vehicles already operate with more than 100 million lines of code, multiple communication mechanisms such as GPS, RDS, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and more,” Brian Contos, the chief security officer of Phosphorus Cybersecurity, told Lifewire in an email interview....

Why Do Car Batteries Die? The list of issues that can cause a car battery to die is so long as to approach neverending, but virtually every battery killer out there can be shoehorned into the three basic categories of battery problems, electrical system problems, and simple user error. Some of these can be dealt with at home, and others will probably require a visit to your mechanic, but there’s no way to know for sure until you roll up your sleeves and dig in....

If you’re coming from iOS, you can transfer most of your data to an Android. If you’re not happy with your built-in keyboard, try another one. There are many third-party keyboards available on Google Play, including the top-rated Swype and Swiftkey, as well as GIF keyboards and other specialty apps. Whether you keep the stock keyboard or install a new one, customize the autocorrect settings to match your lingo to avoid awkward interactions and general frustration....