Protect your Google Accounts with a USB Security Key

English: Motorola L71 (China Mobile customised model) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Most big-name web services like Gmail, Microsoft, Evernote, WordPress and Dropbox now support 2-step authentication to improve the security of your online accounts. Once you enable two-factor authentication, a malicious person will not be able to log into your online account even if they know the password – they’ll need access to your mobile phone as well to get in.

The verification codes required for logging into a 2-step enabled account can be generated either using a mobile app – like Authy or Google Authenticator – or you can have them sent to your mobile phone via a text message or a voice call. The latter option however will not work if the mobile phone associated with your account is outside the coverage area (like when you are in a foreign country).

Related articles

• Protect your Google Accounts with a USB Security Key
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication on Your Account
• Valve is finally bringing two-factor authentication to the Steam app

Your Mobile Phone can Detect Earthquakes

English: Mobile phone scrap, old decomissioned mobile phones, defective mobile phones (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Was it just you or did the ground really shake? Your iPhone, iPad and most newer mobile phones can work as basic seismometers, the same instrument that is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes and volcanoes. You don’t need to install any apps, just the built-in web browser would suffice.

OK, try this. Launch Google Chrome or the Safari browser on your mobile phone (or tablet) and then open this page. You should see a continuously moving waveform but if you slightly shake or tilt your mobile device,  simulating seismic activity, the graph will capture these movements in real-time much like a seismograph.

Read More

Related articles

• Your smartphone can detect earthquakes even without additional apps
• Tip of the Day: Accessing Recently Closed Tabs in Safari
• Journey To Zelda's Hyrule In Any Web Browser

Essential Apps and Utilities for your Mac

Whether you are a new Mac user or seasoned veteran looking to do more, here’s a collection of essential Mac apps & utilities that you must download on your computer. These apps, most of them are free and created by third-party developers, will help you get more productive and do things that are otherwise not possible on your Mac.

Read More

Related articles

• Essential Apps and Utilities for your Mac
• New Facebook Messenger web experience gets an unofficial standalone Mac app
• iOS 8 adoption breaks 80 percent
• Apple releases new OS X 10.10.4 beta to developers and AppleSeed testers