5 December 2020 | Computers, Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
It’s everywhere these days: 2FA (two-factor authentication).
More and more, you must use something more than just a password to secure your online accounts.
Some sites, like PayPal, are apparently requiring 2FA for everyone.
So, what types of 2FA are there? Do you have to use a smartphone? Is there an alternative to SMS-based 2FA? And most importantly, is it that much safer?
Finally, I reveal the other reason why everyone is pushing 2FA so much – and it doesn’t have anything to do with your security or privacy!
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21 November 2020 | Computers, Do-It-Yourself, Gizmos, How Does it Work? |
Everyone has annoying technical problems.
It’s just part of Computerized Everything these days.
Usually, we tend to become aggravated when these problems occur… But what if we didn’t have to?
What if you could solve your own techie issues with a minimum amount of frustration – and in record time?
If that sounds like a plan, join me for the best techie tip yet!
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2 November 2020 | Computers, How Does it Work? |
February 2024: Authy for desktop is dying! See here for an updated solution!
These days, 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication) is all the rage.
Instead of securing your account with only a password, you have to enter a password and a secret code… But where to get this code?
The simple way is via an SMS to your phone, which means you also must provide your cell phone number to various sites.
Smartphones also have authentication apps, but the problem is that you must still have your smartphone on and connected to the cell network in order to log in to a simple web site!
That’s not very convenient…
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27 October 2020 | Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
Power banks, portable USB chargers, battery banks… Whatever you want to call them, they’re very handy for charging your gizmos on the go.
The only trouble is that almost all of them take AGES to recharge themselves.
Even though many models support Quick Charging of your gizmos, the power bank itself usually only gently sips juice from the wall outlet as it leisurely refills its internal lithium-ion cells.
Typically, you may have to wait upwards of 14 HOURS for a full recharge! That’s not very convenient.
Enter the RAVPower 26800mAh USB C Power Bank – with 30W quick-charging INPUT for a full recharge time of only 4 hours!
But the fun doesn’t stop there…
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13 October 2020 | Do-It-Yourself, How Does it Work?, Video |
After the failure of my $16 battery tab spot welder, I saw Kevin Dark’s DIY version.
But it wasn’t exactly what I needed, so I decided to build a modified version.
The Modified Dark Welder, or Dark Welder 2.0, has a foot switch that triggers a precise welding current pulse that is always the same length of time – no matter how long you hold down the button.
And in my new version, the button is now a foot pedal to keep your hands free.
The best part is: IT WORKS!
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6 October 2020 | Computers, Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Uncategorized |
Just how fast is USB 3?
There seems to be a bit of confusion out there about how fast USB 3.x devices can actually go – as well as how to actually obtain those blistering-fast transfer rates.
That’s not surprising since what should be a pretty simple topic is actually quite convoluted…
You may recall my earlier video, Slow copy speeds with USB 3? No problem! 🎞
I was recently informed by one viewer that 400 MB/s is completely impossible for USB 3, so I guess it’s time for a review!
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29 September 2020 | Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
The latest news about 5G isn’t exactly flattering.
After dealing with nothing but hyped-up descriptions of the Technological Wonderland that awaited us, now even mainstream techie news seems to be all about bashing 5G instead of promoting it.
What happened??
In short, reality sunk in.
I suspect we’ll see some rather substantial evolutionary changes in wireless service instead of the revolutionary changes we’ve been promised – and that’s not necessarily a bad thing!
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1 September 2020 | Computers, How Does it Work? |
The word on the street is that the latest version of Windows 10, version 2004, contains a bug that over-defrags SSDs.
While common “wisdom” is that SSDs don’t need to be defragged, the truth is that they sort of need it.
Okay then! So, the question then is: Will Win 10 2004 destroy your SSD?
Is a fix on the way?
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25 August 2020 | Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
We often hear lately about nefarious plans involving injectable tracking devices… But is such a thing even possible?
Given the current state of technology, would such a thing even work?
Better yet, HOW would it work?
After all, it’s a long way from contactless payment cards to tracking chips floating inside inside millions of people who are constantly on the move.
The answers to these questions surprised me – and they may surprise you, too!
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11 August 2020 | Energy, Gizmos, How Does it Work?, Video |
Wireless charging is all the rage these days.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite up to par.
It turns out that most chargers are actually wasting tons of electricity – and they’re not exactly easy to use, either.
Join for me for a look at yet another wireless technology that leaves a lot to be desired…
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It’s everywhere these days: 2FA (two-factor authentication).
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