Sunday, August 18, 2013

Area 51 Secrets Revealed in Unclassified Documents

Newly declassified CIA documents have revealed some of the history behind Nevada's Area 51. The area was never home to aliens or UFOs, but it was a super secret site for testing spy planes such as the U-2.
Area 51 Secrets Revealed in Unclassified Documents

Saturday, August 17, 2013

A ‘no-reformat reinstall’ for Windows 8

Win8′s Refresh your PC without affecting your files feature lets you rebuild your operating system in minutes. A refresh returns Windows 8 to like-new condition while leaving users’ accounts, data, passwords, and personal files intact. But there are a few limitations to consider.
A ‘no-reformat reinstall’ for Windows 8

Friday, August 16, 2013

Things The Authorities Say To Mislead People About NSA Surveillance

It’s been two months since US President Barack Obama first said that he welcomes a debate about NSA surveillance, which he once again reiterated last week at his press conference. Unfortunately, it’s very hard to have a real debate about a subject when the administration constantly and intentionally misleads Americans about the NSA’s capabilities and supposed legal powers.
Things The Authorities Say To Mislead People About NSA Surveillance

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

How to Let Someone Else Use Your Computer Without Giving Them Access To All Your Stuff

If you let someone use your computer, they could gain access to your saved passwords, read your email, access all your files, and more. Instead of looking over their shoulder, just use your operating system’s guest account feature.
How to Let Someone Else Use Your Computer Without Giving Them Access To All Your Stuff

Monday, August 12, 2013

The English Language Is Pretty Crappy When You Think About It

They say that the hardest language to learn is English, what with all its crazy silent letters, weird tenses and other strange rules. There’s no denying it: the English language is just a little bit rubbish as The Fresh Gentlemen explain.
The English Language Is Pretty Crappy When You Think About It

Approaching Darkness: One Man Blogs His Descent Into Alzheimer's

Retired physician David Hilfiker, 68, has invited me to his Washington, D.C. home to discuss the blog he’s operated for the past 10 months. David has Alzheimer’s disease, a type of dementia that causes memory deficits and difficulty performing everyday tasks. This cognitive disorder manifests variably across patients, and its symptoms can appear in people as young as 30 or as old as 90.Approaching Darkness: One Man Blogs His Descent Into Alzheimer's

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Truckload of gas cylinders explodes 39 times

On a Russian highway, a truck filled with propane cylinders explodes 39 times, boom, boom, boom, each explosion more spectacular than the last.
Truckload of gas cylinders explodes 39 times

Friday, August 09, 2013

How to Photograph Sports

Have you ever seen sports advertisements in magazines and wondered how you could take pictures like the pros? After reading this article, you'll be well on your way to producing quality sports images.
How to Photograph Sports

The Most Bonkers Scientific Theories (Almost) Nobody Believes Anymore

In this gallery we present to you the silliest of the silly scientific theories, some of which you’ll no doubt recognize because for whatever reason people refuse to give up on them. So remember, there are no dumb theories, just dumb reasons to keep believing in long-discredited theories.
The Most Bonkers Scientific Theories (Almost) Nobody Believes Anymore

Thursday, August 08, 2013

More on the Fukushima water leaks

The New York Times has a story that ties together several reports of contaminated, radioactive water leaking into the ground and the nearby harbor at the site of the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in Japan.
More on the Fukushima water leaks

Town swallowed by sinkhole

Bayou Corne, Louisiana is being swallowed by a massive sinkhole. Yes, the whole town. OK, it is a small town. But it's definitely a massive industrial disaster.
Town swallowed by sinkhole

Monday, August 05, 2013

How To Extend Your Wi-Fi Network With An Old Router

When you upgrade to a faster, better router, don’t throw out your old one. You can turn it into a repeater that will carry your Wi-Fi signal to the dark corners of your home.
How To Extend Your Wi-Fi Network With An Old Router

Saturday, August 03, 2013

How To Fix 11 Of The Most Common Household Appliance Problems

At least a quarter of all appliance repair calls are resolved with no-brainer solutions like pushing a button or flipping a circuit breaker. The team at Family Handyman shares what to look for and how to avoid these expensive lessons.
How To Fix 11 Of The Most Common Household Appliance Problems

Vintage celebrities' passport photo-pages

The Guardian rounds up the passport photo-pages of various glamorous and celebrity personages of the 50s and 60s.
Vintage celebrities' passport photo-pages

Friday, August 02, 2013

Fisherman cuts self out of shark, Sharknado-style

A fisherman from Victoria, Australia, climbed inside the shark he had captured, poked an arm through its lifeless gills, and staged this incredible shot for posterity.
Fisherman cuts self out of shark, Sharknado-style

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Meet The Amazing Aussie Kid Who Won The Rubik's Cube World Championships

Meet Feliks Zemdegs. He’s a 17-year old kid from Melbourne, and he’s the new world-champion of the Rubik’s Cube, with the ability to complete the cube in less than eight-seconds, and what incredible seconds they are to watch.
Meet The Amazing Aussie Kid Who Won The Rubik's Cube World Championships

Giant panorama of Tokyo from the Tokyo Tower

Jeffrey from 360 Cities sez, "I have spent the last few months working on the Tokyo Tower Gigapixel. This is the second-largest panorama I have ever made, but it is my #1 favorite overall.
Giant panorama of Tokyo from the Tokyo Tower

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The Most Important Life Lesson Older People Want Young Folks To Know

There’s no better source of wisdom than people who have lived a long time. If you want to avoid regret at the end of your life, this one lesson about work is the one people over 70 were most adamant about — more than on lessons about relationships, children and happiness: Don’t stay in a job you dislike.
The Most Important Life Lesson Older People Want Young Folks To Know

All The Failed Predictions Of When The World Will End

It’s almost become not crazy to predict when the world will end because so many crazy people do it all the freaking time. But look, we’re all still here. Nothing has ended. The world is still here. To keep track of all the crazies, but information design agency Accurat created a graphic to show just who has been predicting the end of the world.
All The Failed Predictions Of When The World Will End

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Even though the summer heat waves are snapping, we're giving you one more reason to stay in the pool. This week's edition of our viral video recap also includes a musical cat, the season finale of Convos With My Two-Year-Old, a fun fact about owls and a water-logged corgi.
Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

What goes on when you are not there!

Insanely cute video by Glenn Naylor of the Alberta Parks dept!
What goes on when you are not there!

Monday, July 29, 2013

Happy Hour: Which Glass To Use For Which Drink And Why

You’re going to have some friends over for a cocktail housewarming party. No problem, you think to yourself, I’ll just pick up some glassware at Crate & Barrel. You get there and panic sets in. It’s an absurd, transparent cornucopia of tumblers and flutes and who knows what else, in every conceivable shape and size. You weren’t prepared. Pay attention now, and you will be.
Happy Hour: Which Glass To Use For Which Drink And Why

When that thing you just heard about is suddenly everywhere

"Baader-Meinhof phenomenon": That's the colloquial name for a funny thing that happens when your brain collides with popular culture. You know how sometimes you'll hear about something for the first time..
When that thing you just heard about is suddenly everywhere

The Scary, Passenger's Eye View From Inside The Crashed Boeing 737

The newest instalment in the saga of the Southwest 737 aeroplane that skidded to a fiery halt as its nose gear collapsed during landing gives us markedly different perspective than we’ve seen thus far. This time, personal footage has been released from one of the passengers onboard who just happened to be filming as things went awry.
The Scary, Passenger's Eye View From Inside The Crashed Boeing 737

Sunday, July 28, 2013

Saturday, July 27, 2013

20 Ridiculous Questions Regular People Ask Google

When we have questions — from daily curiosities to deepest doubts — Google has answers.
20 Ridiculous Questions Regular People Ask Google

Friday, July 26, 2013

Android vs. iPhone: Which Should You Buy?

The world is full of great rivalries, and for smartphones, there are no exceptions. The iPhone vs. Android debate is a staple within the tech community; most users will loyally (and outspokenly) tell you why their respective devices, and theirs only, are the far superior choices.
Android vs. iPhone: Which Should You Buy?

Julian Assange Launches WikiLeaks Party in Australia

Julian Assange is officially taking his fight for transparency from the Internet to the Australian Senate. The founder of WikiLeaks formally announced the launch of the WikiLeaks Party on Thursday, along with his candidacy and that of six other members of his young party. They will run for Senate seats in Australia's election, which is due before Nov. 30.
Julian Assange Launches WikiLeaks Party in Australia

Did Spanish Train Crash Driver Make Speed Boast on Facebook?

On Wednesday, at 8.41 p.m. local time, a train derailed and crashed near the northwestern Spanish city of Santiago de Compostela, leaving 80 people dead and 31 critically injured. Months before the tragic crash, the driver of the train, Francisco Jose Garzón Amo, 52, allegedly boasted of traveling at high speeds on his Facebook page, according to multiple media sources who saw his account, which is now deleted.
Did Spanish Train Crash Driver Make Speed Boast on Facebook?

How to Enable Native Google Cloud Printing and Printer Sharing in Windows

Cloud Print is a fantastic way to print from any internet-connected location to any Cloud-enabled printer; it completely breaks the paradigm of forcing you to transfer a file to a computer on the network directly attached to the printer.
How to Enable Native Google Cloud Printing and Printer Sharing in Windows

Feds tell Web firms to turn over user account passwords

Secret demands mark escalation in Internet surveillance by the federal government through gaining access to user passwords, which are typically stored in encrypted form.
Feds tell Web firms to turn over user account passwords

The Internet Explorer 11 Preview for Windows 7 is now available

That was fast, at least if you consider that it took Microsoft a lot longer to make available Internet Explorer 10 for Windows 7. Internet Explorer 11 shipped with the Windows 8.1 Preview the company released last month to the public.
The Internet Explorer 11 Preview for Windows 7 is now available

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Damned good advice

Shane Nickerson's "11 things it took me 42 years to learn" is damned good advice:
Damned good advice

Monday, July 22, 2013

Tour de France: 25 Stunning Photos From 100 Years of Racing

The 100th Tour de France ends this Sunday with what promises to be a gorgeous nighttime ride down the Champs Elysees in Paris. Overall leader Chris Froome maintains a solid advantage over the rest of the pack of international cyclists, but we'll have to wait a couple more days to see for certain that he'll raise the winner's trophy.
Tour de France: 25 Stunning Photos From 100 Years of Racing

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Wave at Saturn as NASA Snaps Photo of Earth Today

Set your alarm for Friday afternoon to look up at the sky and wave as NASA's Cassini spacecraft snaps photos of the Earth from Saturn. Currently orbiting Saturn nearly 900 million miles away from Earth, Cassini will take photos on July 19 between 5:27 and 5:42 p.m. EDT. NASA is making a major social push to encourage people to be part of the historic image.
Wave at Saturn as NASA Snaps Photo of Earth Today

20 Weird and Wonderful Comic-Con Costumes

Comic-Con, the annual confab of global geekdom now in its second day in San Diego, wouldn't be half as fun if fans didn't dress up. Some go as their favorite movie, TV or comic-book character; others invent their own. The difference hardly matters. Cosplaying, as it is known, is a great way to see and be seen
20 Weird and Wonderful Comic-Con Costumes

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Are You Smart Enough To Understand These Super Nerdy Jokes?

Science, chemistry, computer science, medical science, maths, programming, physics and basically anything else that requires more than half a person’s brain means that I completely suck at it. Does that make me stupid? Yes. Does that make me useless? Yes. Does that make me scratch my head as the wind passes through my hair? Absolutely yes.
Are You Smart Enough To Understand These Super Nerdy Jokes?

This Quadcopter Video Of Niagara Is Way Better Than A Tightrope

This gorgeous video shot from a remote-control helicopter hovering over Niagara Falls lets you (nearly) feel the cool, refreshing spray. YouTuber questpact rigged a GoPro Hero3 to his DJI Phantom quadcopter to get this shot, his entry in DJI’s Phantom Video Contest.
This Quadcopter Video Of Niagara Is Way Better Than A Tightrope

HTG Explains: The Difference Between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 Wireless Encryption (and Why It Matters)

Even if you know you need to secure your Wi-Fi network (and have already done so), you probably find all the encryption acronyms a little bit puzzling. Read on as we highlight the differences between encryption standards like WEP, WPA, and WPA2–and why it matters which acronym you slap on your home Wi-Fi network.
HTG Explains: The Difference Between WEP, WPA, and WPA2 Wireless Encryption (and Why It Matters)

Monday, July 15, 2013

Airline Pilot Creates Realistic Animation of Flight 214 Crash [VIDEO]

There was no clear video of last weekend's tragic Asiana Airlines Flight 214's crash landing that killed three passengers, but animation artists were quick to provide crude renderings of the accident. Now a former airline pilot and current forensic animator has created the most realistic and well-researched look yet at what probably happened last Saturday at San Francisco International Airport.
Airline Pilot Creates Realistic Animation of Flight 214 Crash [VIDEO]

Sunday, July 14, 2013

Google Street View's Greatest, Weirdest Hits

Google Street View has something of a history for catching us in our more — uh, delicate states. And our more defecatory states. And our more dead states. While the latter is mostly just depressing, the rest are almost always delightful. Luckily for us, Captain-Obviouss has kindly prompted his fellow Redditors to compile “the most WTF things” that Google’s version of Earth has to offer.
Google Street View's Greatest, Weirdest Hits

Saturday, July 13, 2013

Free Online Games

Its a regulation now to play free online games which are always a good option to gear up your work flow when you are in your office or maybe getting bored. It’s obvious that your boss can’t allow you to install games on your work PC and play in your office time.
Free Online Games

Friday, July 12, 2013

9 Vintage Vending Machines From A Time When You Could Sell Anything

Vending machines didn’t always just sling soft drinks and smokes. Did you know the automated peddlers have been around for about 2000 years? In fact, the very first vending machine was invented by first-century mathematician Hero of Alexandria to dispense holy water using a series of valves, pulleys and weights. And they’ve been stuffed with just about anything you can imagine since.
9 Vintage Vending Machines From A Time When You Could Sell Anything

The Typewriter Is Back — to Save Privacy

You know how to make sure a government agency — or if you are a government agency, then Wikileaks — won't eventually read everything you type? By dumping your laptop and clacking the keys on something like an old-fashioned Selectric, then hand-delivering the result to your correspondent.
The Typewriter Is Back — to Save Privacy

Thursday, July 11, 2013

20 Cat-Themed Blogs and Websites to Make Your Purr

Cats rule the Internet — that's not up for debate. According to Google, people search for the word "cats" 30 million times per month, nearly three times the amount of searches for "Kim Kardashian" and five times for "bacon."
20 Cat-Themed Blogs and Websites to Make Your Purr

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

12 Movie Deaths That Shattered Your Childhood

If you ever had a heart and a VCR, you probably remember watching Simba desperately try to wake up his dad, and sobbing when he realized he never would. But just how tear-stained were your play clothes after a viewing of The Lion King vs Bambi? If someone mentions Charlotte's Web will your eyes well up at the thought of Charlotte's last song, or are you more heartbroken when you see a GIF from The Land Before Time?
12 Movie Deaths That Shattered Your Childhood

Sunday, July 07, 2013

14 Google Tools You Didn't Know Existed

Now that you've written your eulogies for Google Reader, it's a good time to remember that Google has an abundance of other resources that may not be as popular but still deserve a spotlight.
14 Google Tools You Didn't Know Existed

Friday, July 05, 2013

10 Spaceflight Disasters Caught on Video

On January 28, 1986, thousands of children around the US were watching from their schools CNN's live broadcast coverage of the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger's 10th flight, because of the presence of crew member Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher in space.
10 Spaceflight Disasters Caught on Video

10 Weird Japanese Products That Are Actually Kind of Useful

Japan has a reputation for producing some downright weird stuff. In fact, the word "chindogu" even refers to inventions that are technically practical, but utterly eccentric in their execution. These products are so bizarre, they're not actually meant to be produced.
10 Weird Japanese Products That Are Actually Kind of Useful

The Best Gmail IFTTT Recipes

Gmail and If This Then That are already two of our favorite services. When you combine the two together they become seriously powerful. Here are a few of our favorite IFTTT recipes that make Gmail even more awesome.
The Best Gmail IFTTT Recipes

Check Out These Amazing, Chilling Stereoscopic Images Of World War I

A Toronto photography studio has stumbled across a stereoscopic camera, and its photographic slides, that captured scenes of World War I in 3D. The resulting images are chilling — but incredibly striking, too.
Check Out These Amazing, Chilling Stereoscopic Images Of World War I

Thursday, July 04, 2013

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 8/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 8/2013

Don’t Be Tricked by These 5 Common Mental Rules of Thumb

Heuristics are the quick, commonsense principles we apply to solve a problem or make a decision.
Often, heuristics are very helpful rules of thumb, but they can also lead us to make dumb mistakes. Recognizing how heuristics operate can sometimes make it easier to be wary of the pitfalls.
Don’t Be Tricked by These 5 Common Mental Rules of Thumb

Wednesday, July 03, 2013

How to Transfer your Gmail Messages to Another Email Address

ay you have an old Gmail account and you would like to transfer all the existing email messages from the old account to your new email address. The new address could be on @gmail.com, @outlook.com, Google Apps (@yourcompany.com) or anywhere else.

Gmail does include the useful Mail Fetcher utility to help you automatically transfer mails between Gmail accounts or between Gmail and Outlook accounts.

If you are however planning to transfer your existing Gmail messages to another email service that doesn’t support POP3 based importing, you can make use of a simple Google Script that will auto-forward all your old messages, one by one, to your new email address.
How to Transfer your Gmail Messages to Another Email Address

Here's A Better Angle Of That Russian Rocket Exploding

Sure, the news coverage showed us the rocket blasting-off, but it’s the crashing we really want to see in detail. Don’t freak out: the Proton-M rocket that crashed and burned was an unmanned spacecraft. We’re not trying to laugh at anyone’s demise here.
Here's A Better Angle Of That Russian Rocket Exploding

Tuesday, July 02, 2013

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

To satisfy your travel bug, this week's roundup features a juggler who multi-tasks with a GoPro in Iceland. It also includes professional golfer Rory McIlroy going to head-to-head with a robot, a peculiar bit of bead-chain physics, playtime antics with a grown man acting as a 2-year-old and, of course, a cat video.
Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

How Positive Thoughts Build Skills, Boost Health And Improve Work

Positive thinking sounds useful on the surface. (Most of us would prefer to be positive rather than negative.) But “positive thinking” is also a soft and fluffy term that’s easy to dismiss. In the real world, it rarely carries the same weight as words like “work ethic” or “persistence”. But those views may be changing.
How Positive Thoughts Build Skills, Boost Health And Improve Work

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Feedly Guide - Tips & Tricks for Feedly RSS Reader

Feedly is our favorite RSS Reader. If you have just migrated from Google Reader to Feedly, this guide will help get up to speed and learn a few trick in the process.
Feedly Guide - Tips & Tricks for Feedly RSS Reader

Friday, June 28, 2013

Why Your Memory Sucks (And What You Can Do About It)

Human memory is quirky, complicated and unreliable. Even when we think we’re remembering everything accurately, chances are things have gotten twisted along the way. Let’s take a look at why your memory sucks and how you can change that.
Why Your Memory Sucks (And What You Can Do About It)

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

To celebrate the sunny days of summer (in the northern hemisphere at least), today we're launching new satellite imagery for Google’s mapping products. This stunning global view is virtually cloud-free and includes refreshed imagery in more locations—giving you an even more accurate and comprehensive view of our planet's landscape.
Only clear skies on Google Maps and Earth

Hands On With Windows 8.1

Windows 8 may not have caught every PC user's imagination just yet, but Microsoft is pressing on with updates regardless. At the Build conference for its developers in San Francisco on Wednesday, the software giant officially unveiled its first big update to the OS with the Modern (formerly Metro) interface.
Hands On With Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 Preview Released: What it Means and How to Get It

Microsoft released a preview of their update to Windows 8 today, and we’ve got all the details, starting with how to get your hands on it.
Windows 8.1 Preview Released: What it Means and How to Get It

20 Secret Passageways And Hidden Rooms Hiding In Plain Sight

History can be told in terms of secret passageways, hidden rooms and obscure tunnels. Wars have been won and lost by them, coup d’états sprung, and entire countries altered, thanks to a well-place nook or cranny. There are also plenty of modern-day uses, as you’ll see below — from drug smuggling tunnels from Tijuana to hidden doors that protect your most valuable chianti. Check out 20 of the best, below.
20 Secret Passageways And Hidden Rooms Hiding In Plain Sight

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

The beginning of summer doesn't necessarily make it any easier to battle a case of the Mondays. So to beat the sunny swelter and beat the Mondays in one sitting, go find some air conditioning and watch this week's viral video recap above.
Viral Video Recap: Must-Watch Memes of the Week

Monday, June 24, 2013

Nik Wallenda Survives Insane Grand Canyon Tightrope Crossing [VIDEO]

Nik Wallenda, you're more man than the rest of us will ever be. Or you're just nuts. The professional daredevil completed a quarter-mile crossing of an offshoot of the Grand Canyon on Sunday, with one small catch: he was on a tightrope 1,500 feet above the canyon floor. NBD, right?
Nik Wallenda Survives Insane Grand Canyon Tightrope Crossing [VIDEO]

Three Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Online Spying

The recent PRISM scandal has validated both the general public’s growing unease with federal law enforcement agencies, and many of the fringe element’s accusations about Big Brother’s online behaviour. Just knowing governments can rummage through your online life doesn’t sit well with many folks. Here are some simple and effective ways of keeping your digital identity anonymous and your data your own.
Three Steps You Can Take To Protect Yourself From Online Spying

Friday, June 21, 2013

TWA Flight 800 Spawned the Internet's First Conspiracy Theories

On July 17, 1996, TWA Flight 800 crashed just south of Long Island, claiming all 230 lives aboard the Boeing 747. A four-year National Transportation Safety Board investigation determined a fuel tank explosion was to blame for the incident. Even before NTSB investigators arrived at the scene, however, conspiracy theories began to float: Was it a terrorist armed with a shoulder-fired missile? Did somebody have a bomb on board? Or did the military accidentally shoot down the airplane?
TWA Flight 800 Spawned the Internet's First Conspiracy Theories

15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s

If you flip back to photos of your childhood, sometimes you'll wish that you hadn't. Perhaps your awkward haircuts and awkward poses weren't funny then, but they certainly are now. These tech ads make you feel the same way. The gadgets are clunky, the text is cheesy, and the graphics are so 80s.
15 Hilarious Technology Ads From the 1980s

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Add Wireless Charging To Any Smartphone

We’ve seen plenty of phones that support wireless charging, but it’s still not a common feature on most phones. Over on Instructables, user Harari shows you how to add a wireless charging system to just about any mobile phone that charges with a USB.
Add Wireless Charging To Any Smartphone

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

5 Mistakes Job Interviewers Secretly Hate

Picture this: You’re a job candidate up for a role in a coveted organization. You’ve got the experience and referrals, and you’ve even managed to land an interview. So, come interview time, you’re pretty confident about your chances. Weeks later, you still haven't heard from the interviewer or the company. What gives?
5 Mistakes Job Interviewers Secretly Hate

Monday, June 17, 2013

How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection

We’ve all heard the rumors and seen occasional evidence — some Internet service providers slow down certain types of traffic, like BitTorrent traffic. Other ISPs slow down their customers’ connections if they download too much data in a month. But does your ISP do any of this? Here are a few simple ways you can test whether your ISP is performing any traffic shaping or bandwidth throttling on your connection.
How to Test if Your ISP is Throttling Your Internet Connection

Sunday, June 16, 2013

It may be time to switch to DuckDuckGo or Startpage for web search

News about the government surveillance system PRISM broke only a couple of days ago even though it appears to have been in use for years. Major tech companies such as Google, Microsoft, Facebook or Apple have reportedly been involved in the program. While it is not clear how each company is involved, newspapers like The Guardian report that the NSA had access to email, chat messages, video conferencing or file transfers.
It may be time to switch to DuckDuckGo or Startpage for web search

Format Factory 3.1.0

Format Factory is a free audio, video and photo converter that supports a large range of formats for encoding and ripping. You can convert either single files or entire folders from one format to another.
Format Factory 3.1.0

15 System Tools You Don’t Have To Install on Windows Anymore

Windows includes its own versions of many widely used system utilities. A variety of new utilities were added to Windows 8, but many of these utilities are available on Windows 7, too.
15 System Tools You Don’t Have To Install on Windows Anymore

Should You Buy a More Expensive Product?

In general, people want to make financially responsible decisions when they go shopping. Often times, I look at two apparently identical items that priced differently. On some occasions, the difference between two products is as obvious as the price. The question is: should you buy the cheaper item or the more expensive one? Do you purchase entry level items or upgraded ones?
Should You Buy a More Expensive Product?

Friday, June 14, 2013

This Fun Visualisation Shows You What People Are Googling In Real Time

Ever wanted to know what people are looking for on Google right now? This visualisation should help you out.
This Fun Visualisation Shows You What People Are Googling In Real Time

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Hands On With iOS 7: It's Just the Beginning

When Tim Cook unveiled iOS 7 at WWDC this week, he called it "the biggest change to iOS since the original iPhone."
Hands On With iOS 7: It's Just the Beginning

Hilarious Prank Captures Awkward Photo Poses [VIDEO]

The few seconds before someone snaps your picture is the ultimate moment of vulnerability. So imagine the prolonged embarrassment when those moments are captured in a video rather than a photograph.
Hilarious Prank Captures Awkward Photo Poses [VIDEO]

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Check Out This Otherworldly Footage Of A Storm Supercell Forming

It took photographer/storm chaser/all-around brave guy Mike Olbinski four years to capture this footage of the formation of a supercell near Booker, Texas. That is some real commitment, and it finally paid off in an awesome way.
Check Out This Otherworldly Footage Of A Storm Supercell Forming

Save The Output Of Any Terminal Command With One Parameter

Windows/Mac/Linux: The command line is an extremely useful tool. If you have a command that returns a wall of text, you can save it to a single text file with this simple parameter.
Save The Output Of Any Terminal Command With One Parameter

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

10 Tech Accessories Your Dad Will Love

Dads are super supportive — they fix our broken bikes and help us with math homework. Now, you can return the favor and give your digital-savvy dad the support he needs — in the form of tech accessories.
10 Tech Accessories Your Dad Will Love

Apple Unveils iOS 7, 'Biggest Change Since the Original iPhone'

At WWDC 2013, Apple has officially unveiled the next generation of iOS, iOS 7. Apple CEO Tim Cook introduced iOS 7, calling it "the biggest change to iOS since the introduction of the iPhone."
Apple Unveils iOS 7, 'Biggest Change Since the Original iPhone'

Monday, June 10, 2013

How to Change the Background of a Picture

A common problem that may occur when taking photos is represented by the fact that a photo has a great subject but an awful background. The background may be over-exposed, may have an ugly color or maybe you just don’t like it and you want to change it. What can you to do to remedy this?
How to Change the Background of a Picture

Five Things I Learned At TechEd 2013

Last week our 2013 World Of Servers series reached its climax with a trip to New Orleans for Microsoft’s TechEd North America 2013 conference. Here are the five big lessons I took away from that event (plus a round-up of what our competition-winning bloggers thought about it).
Five Things I Learned At TechEd 2013

13 Clichéd Photo Poses You're Totally Guilty of Doing

Looking cute in a photo can be tough.
Sometimes, the waiter taking a picture of your birthday dinner is standing so close that you know you're about to look like a giantess. Or maybe you're stranded without a drink to hold onto, no pockets and no idea where to put your arms.
13 Clichéd Photo Poses You're Totally Guilty of Doing

What Is PRISM? The Secret US Government Program Explained

Yesterday, the Washington Post and The Guardian dropped concurrent bombshell reports. Their subject was PRISM, a covert collaboration between the NSA, FBI, and nearly every tech company you rely on daily. PRISM has allowed the government unprecedented access to personal information for at least the last six years. But what is it, exactly?
What Is PRISM? The Secret US Government Program Explained

Sunday, June 09, 2013

The Tech Companies In PRISM Aren’t Telling The Complete Truth

Apple. Facebook. Google. Microsoft. Yahoo. AOL. YouTube. Skype. PalTalk. The tech companies that have been associated with PRISM have all unequivocally denied involvement with the spying program. But are they speaking the whole truth? Or are they simply using choice words to evade the real question? It definitely doesn’t look like the whole truth.
The Tech Companies In PRISM Aren’t Telling The Complete Truth

Saturday, June 08, 2013

Google Official Blog: What the ...?

Dear Google users—
You may be aware of press reports alleging that Internet companies have joined a secret U.S. government program called PRISM to give the National Security Agency direct access to our servers. As Google’s CEO and Chief Legal Officer, we wanted you to have the facts.
Google Official Blog: What the ...?

Friday, June 07, 2013

No Big Deal, Just a Giant Hole in the Sun

Coronal holes are areas on the sun's corona that are darker, lower-density, and (relatively) colder than the rest of the plasma on the surface of our nearest star. They're the source of the kind of solar wind gusts that carry solar particles out to our magnetosphere and beyond, causing auroras (and, less awesomely, geomagnetic storms) here on Earth.
No Big Deal, Just a Giant Hole in the Sun

An Awesome Number Trick to Impress Your Friends With

Want to look like a mathematical genius in front of all your friends? Then you will love this awesome number trick from Numberphile! The best part will be the looks on their faces when you surprise them by having predicted the answer ahead of time…
An Awesome Number Trick to Impress Your Friends With

The Biggest Interview Mistakes HR Experts See (And How To Avoid Them)

They meet more people in an afternoon than most of us do in a year. But what faux pas do human resources pros see again and again during the interview process? We picked the brains of two high-profile executives to find out what you definitely should and shouldn’t say, as well as what they secretly think of your résumé.
The Biggest Interview Mistakes HR Experts See (And How To Avoid Them)

Check Out the 'World's Most Advanced' Street Sign

Studies suggest humans have an innate sense of direction, yet we get lost all the time. Certainly GPS would never have become so pervasive if we honed our once-natural ability to find our way. It's a good thing there are street signs everywhere, though you've likely never seen one like this.
Check Out the 'World's Most Advanced' Street Sign

Thursday, June 06, 2013

How To Save Money When Building Your Own PC

Computers are expensive, and every dollar counts if you’re building one on a budget. If you pick the right parts, shop in the right way, and use a few simple tricks, you can save quite a bit on that new PC.
How To Save Money When Building Your Own PC

Nikola Tesla’s Best Productivity Tricks

Inventor Nikola Tesla has become one of the internet’s darlings over the years. Part of the reason for that is because he managed to do a lot with his life. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what was behind the brain that helped make Tesla so productive.
Nikola Tesla’s Best Productivity Tricks

Watch This Mind-Controlled Robot Fly

One of the most coveted superhero powers is psychokinesis, or the ability to move objects without moving a muscle. In works of science fiction and fantasy, the mind has appeared often as a weapon infinitely more powerful than a sword or lightsaber — and rightly so. Its capabilities seem endless, as neuropsychologists continue to learn more and more about how, exactly, the human brain functions.
Watch This Mind-Controlled Robot Fly

Tuesday, June 04, 2013

These Incredible Maps Were Made With Thousands Of Photographs

Japanese photographer Sohei Nishino created these wonderful pieces of art by actually using individual pictures of landmarks and locations to map out the city. Nishino walks around each city for months and takes the photographs himself. It’s a map that shows you the actual city, not just an outline.
These Incredible Maps Were Made With Thousands Of Photographs

Fine retorts, collected

If you liked Al Jaffee's Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions from MAD Magazine (and if you didn't, boy are you in the wrong place!), I think you'll enjoy this Reddit thread: "What was your best "comeback line" that left the other person totally speechless?" There's plenty of stuff that I'm betting is really esprit d'escalier, but if even half of it is genuine, it is proof of some fundamental rightness woven into the very fabric of the universe.
Fine retorts, collected

5 Items You Should Buy Secondhand

I’m a big believer that there are goods and services that you should buy retail to ensure quality, customer service, and a perfect fit for your needs. However, that does not mean that you should always pay full price or even a discounted online price. In fact, I’d say there are some items that you should (almost) always buy second hand.
5 Items You Should Buy Secondhand

Monday, June 03, 2013

This BASE Jump Off Mount Everest Is Absolutely Insane

Earlier this month, 48-year-old Russian BASE jumper Valery Rozov took a leap off Mount Everest from an elevation of 23,687 feet. It’s the highest ever BASE jump to date, some 60 years after Everest was first summited.
This BASE Jump Off Mount Everest Is Absolutely Insane

Saturday, June 01, 2013

10 Little Known Google Drive Features

Google Drive is one of the best cloud storage service out there, but is it the only thing it is capable of doing? Did you know that Google Drive is capable of doing all your office productivity tasks as well? Learn some little known features of Google Drive and some 3rd party extensions that adds more functionality to it.
10 Little Known Google Drive Features