Mi Redmi Note 4 (C6) - 5.5

Mi Redmi Note 4 (C6) - 5.5" - 3GB - 32GB - 13MP - 4G - Grey

Key Features

Memory: 32 GB, 3 GB RAM

Processor: Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53

Screen: 5.5 inches (~72.7% screen-to-body ratio)

Camera: 13 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash

Finger Print Sensor

DESCRIPTION

General Specifications

SIM - Dual SIM (Micro-SIM/Nano-SIM, dual stand-by)

Body

Dimensions - 151 x 76 x 8.5 mm (5.94 x 2.99 x 0.33 in)

Weight - 165 g (5.82 oz)

Screen

Type - IPS LCD capacitive touchscreen, 16M colors

Size - 5.5 inches (~72.7% screen-to-body ratio)

Multitouch - Yes

- MIUI 8.0

Sound & Audio

Alert types - Vibration; MP3, WAV ringtones

Loudspeaker - Yes

3.5mm jack - Yes

- 24-bit/192kHz audio

 Active noise cancellation with dedicated mic

Memory

Card slot - microSD, up to 256 GB (uses SIM 2 slot)

Internal - 32 GB, 3 2/GB RAM or 64 GB, 4 GB RAM

Connectivity

WLAN - Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, Wi-Fi Direct, hotspot

Bluetooth - v4.1, A2DP, LE

Infrared port - Yes

USB - microUSB v2.0, USB On-The-Go

Camera Features

Primary - 13 MP, f/2.0, phase detection autofocus, dual-LED (dual tone) flash

Features - 1.12 µm pixel size, geo-tagging, touch focus, face detection, panorama, HDR

Video - 1080p@30fps, 720p@120fps

Secondary - 5 MP, f/2.0, 1080p

Operating System

OS - Android OS, v6.0 (Marshmallow)

Processor

Chipset - Qualcomm MSM8953 Snapdragon 625

CPU - Octa-core 2.0 GHz Cortex-A53

GPU - Adreno 506

Other Features

Sensors - Fingerprint (rear-mounted), accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass

Messaging - SMS(threaded view), MMS, Email, Push Mail, IM

Browser - HTML5

Radio - FM radio

GPS - Yes, with A-GPS, GLONASS, BDS

Java - No

- XviD/MP4/H.265 player

- MP3/WAV/eAAC+/Flac player

- Photo/video editor

- Document viewer

Additional Information

Loudspeaker - Yes

13MP CMOS camera, stunning in low light

Redmi Note 4 uses a noise-eliminating CMOS sensor with backside illumination (BSI) and larger pixels to give you stunning images even in low light. It also comes with Phase Detection Autofocus (PDAF) for 0.1s ultra-fast focusing, which is especially useful for shooting moving objects.

Snapdragon 625, 20% more power-efficient

Redmi Note 4 is supercharged by Snapdragon 625, an octa-core processor chip that uses the most advanced 14nm FinFET technology. It is 20% more power efficient than Redmi Note 3, and is bound to put more power in your pocket.

Power on slim with 4100mAh battery

Thanks to an overall design upgrade, the 4100mAh powerhouse has never looked better. 2.5D curved glass and slimmer, tapered edges deliver great hand feel. It also offers better sustained performance on a 14nm FinFET Snapdragon 625 processor and up to 4GB of RAM. We've also added power to pixels with a 13MP CMOS camera for amazing low-light results.

Nokia 5 Head to Head Against Xiaomi’s Entry-Level Beast Redmi 3s

Nokia 5 Head to Head Against Xiaomi’s Entry-Level Beast Redmi 3s

Nokia, at the recently concluded MWC 2017 event had unveiled a set of new phones which include Nokia 3, Nokia 5, and the global variant of Nokia 6. For the unaware, Nokia 6 was earlier limited to the Chinese market. While the official price for the Indian market has not been revealed yet, considering the European price, all the three handsets more or less fall in the budget category.

That said, for some people, though, the Nokia 6 may seem a bit on the higher end of the spectrum with the Nokia 3 being slightly underpowered for the asking price. That’s exactly where the Nokia 5 comes in. Priced between the two, the Nokia 5 is relatively specced well and seems to be the go-to phone for all the folks who have been waiting for the Nokia handsets to arrive in the country.

The question is, can Nokia 5 beat smartphones like Xiaomi Redmi 3s which has been in the Indian market for quite some time and more or less offer similar specs at nearly half of the price?

Beginning with design, both Xiaomi Redmi 3s and Nokia 5 offer an all-metal unibody design. However, visually speaking, the Nokia 5 looks a bit premium relatively. The design has been Nokia’s forte, after all.

While both the smartphones offer an HD resolution display, the Nokia 5 at 5.2-inches is slightly bigger than Redmi 3s’s 5-inch display. Additionally, Nokia 5 has a layer of Corning Gorilla Glass on the top.

Under-the-hood, both the smartphones have Qualcomm Snapdragon 430 SoC teamed with 2GB of RAM and 16GB of expandable (up to 128GB) storage space. The Nokia 5 has a 13MP camera at the back which is the same case with the Redmi 3s. At the front, though, the former has an 8MP camera as opposed to the 5MP camera on the latter.

The biggest difference comes in the form of battery. While the Redmi 3s has a huge 4,100mAh battery, Nokia’s offering has only 3,000mAh battery. As a matter of fact, we all know how good the battery life was on the Redmi 3s. Sadly, we can’t comment on the Nokia 5’s battery life just yet.

On the connectivity front, Nokia’s offering provides support for LTE Cat. 4, GSM: 850/900/1800/1900, WCDMA: Band 1, 2, 5, 8, and LTE: Band 1, 3, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28, 38, 40 whereas the Xiaomi Redmi 3s offers support for 4G FDD-LTE: B3/B5, TDD LTE: B40, 3G WCDMA 900MHz / 2100MHz, and 2G GSM 900MHz / 1800MHz. Both the phones offer support for 4G VoLTE.

Nokia 5 comes with Android 7.1.1 Nougat out-of-the-box, and the company claims to offer timely updates to the handset. On the other hand, Xiaomi’s offering still runs the Android 6.0 Marshmallow based MIUI 7.

As for the pricing, the Xiaomi Redmi 3s is priced at Rs. 6,999 whereas the Nokia 5 is priced at EUR 189 which is roughly Rs. 13,430. If you minus the timely Android updates and slightly better front-facing camera, the Redmi 3s is the clear winner. However, if you are a hardcore Nokia fan and are not willing to invest money on anything but Nokia 5, go on, no one will stop you. But do remember that at the same price you get the high-end Redmi Note 4 which is more or less the king of budget phones currently. If you can spare another Rs. 2,000 extra, you get the Lenovo Z2 Plus which is event better.

Android 7.0 Nougat Beta

Android 7.0 Nougat Beta For Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge And Galaxy S7 Does Not Bring Gear VR Support

Sam sung kicked off the Android 7.0 Nougat beta program for its flagship Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S7 smart phones in early November. Thanks to the beta program, users of the handsets in the United States, China, the UK and South Korea could register and get access to the firmware's beta version once they were selected.

Those excited by the news will be a little disheartened to know that the Android 7.0 Nougat beta for the Sam sung smart phones does not bring support for the Gear VAR headset.

That's right, if you attempt to connect your Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7 smart phone to the Gear VR headset, you will not be able to establish a connection.

This news was first reported by the folks at VRheads who share that once one installs the preview version of Android 7.0 Nougat on their Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge smart phone, access to any Gear VAR games is lost.

What's The Issue?

When a user opens the Oculist Store app post the installation of Android Nougat beta on their Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7 smart phone, they are greeted with the "Network error" message and asked to try again later.

When the app on the smart phone attempts to connect to the Oculars Store, this error message basically stops the entire virtual setting from loading. Therefore, Gear VAR cannot be used in conjunction with either smart phone running the beta version of Android 7.0 Nougat.

Why The Error?

The error message likely pops up because the Occults app is not updated to support Android 7.0 Nougat beta.

Any Workarounds?

No temporary workaround to make Gear VAR work on the beta version of the Android Nougat OS for the Galaxy S7 or Galaxy S7 edge is available currently. Moreover, it is unlikely that an Oculars Services update will be pushed out to address the problem during the beta stage because Samsung's beta program is not performance-optimized yet.

However, we anticipate that Sam sung will push out an update before it rolls out the public release of Android 7.0 Nougat for its flagships.

Any Other Solution?

If you have updated your phone to Android 7.0 Nougat beta and wish to use the Gear VAR headset in tandem with your Galaxy S7 edge or Galaxy S7, there is only one option - downgrade to Marshmallow.

To do so, you have to deregulate from the Galaxy Beta Program via the app. Once this is done, you will be prompted to install a file. Installing this will enable you to roll back to the latest and most stable available firmware for your Sam sung handset.

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Users Encountering Pink Line On Smartphone Screen,

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge Users Encountering Pink Line On Smartphone Screen, Could It Be A Hardware Issue??

Samsung has been battling controversy surrounding its Galaxy Note 7 and even as the company treads cautiously, it seems a new hurdle awaits its path.
This time it is the flagship Galaxy S7 edge smartphone from Samsung which is creating a furore online. Users are reporting that a pink line is forming vertically on the handset's display. 
Users have expressed their dissatisfaction regarding this defect as it almost singlehandedly disturbs the display of the phone. 
While Samsung hasn't come out with any official statement, consumer complaints regarding the issue have put the matter firmly into the limelight.
This is not the first time such an issue has been reported. Reports of the pink line on the display of the smartphone, date back to summer 2016, when a user had expressed similar concerns. 

Rising Consumer Complaints

User forums on AT&T, Verizon, Telstra in Australia, O2 in the UK, Vodafone in both Germany and the Netherlands alongside several other carrier websites have been flooded with queries regarding the problem. Even Samsung's official site has a huge thread regarding the pink line issue.
Reddit users are also expressing their concern and annoyance on the issue.
"So I've been noticing a pink line going down the right side of my phone every so often. After googling it, seems like it's a hardware issue? I haven't dropped the phone, so there's no damage to the screen or anywhere else," lamented a Galaxy S7 edge user on Reddit. 
Many of the users also contemplated if this issue comes under the warranty of the phone, as no one is sure if it is software or a hardware related.
"I've had the S7 edge since the first week it came out, and all of sudden I've had a pink line on the right side of the screen. Is this an issue that involves warranty, or can it be a software issue," wondered a user. 

What Is The Fix?

To every problem, there lies a certain solution. However, this time it may not be simple to resolve the problem as industry sources believe that the pink screen is likely because of a hardware defect and is not a software-related issue. 
While some users have worked a few permutation and combinations to make the device function properly, these fixes are being considered temporary. 
One can resort to the "Reset" option on the display which has been tried as a workaround to address the defect by users. To reset the display in the service menu, one has to dial *#0*# and tap on the Red, Green and Blue colors.
The reset method may not work the first time for all users, so one may have to keep trying until it works for them.
Samsung has not released any official statement addressing the problem, but executives in the official forum have advised affected consumers to send their phones for assessment. 

Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge Battery Life Reduces After Android 7.0 Nougat Update

Samsung Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge Battery Life Reduces After Android 7.0 Nougat Update

Samsung Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge users may have been quite delighted with the latest Android 7.0 Nougat update, but some of the complaints that surfaced have dampened the excitement.

According to reports, the Android N update for the smartphones has impacted the battery life of both the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge. Users who had updated the handsets to the new software observed the battery life getting depleted.

Before the upgradation took place, the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge both offered decent battery life.

However, post updating to Android 7.0 Nougat from Android Marshmallow, users of the two smartphones complained of encountering battery life issues.

To check the user assertions, publication PhoneArena took upon itself to verify whether this was true.

Its test threw up a not-so-pleasant discovery - that the users of the Galaxy S7 edge and Galaxy S7 were correct.

The Battery Test

The publication tested that Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge under similar conditions such as the screen brightness settings, as well as performed some of the basic tasks on both the smartphones.

This was done both after updating the two smartphones. For the purpose of the test, the brightness was set to 200 nits, which is a decent level for usage indoors.

Prior to the handsets being updated to Android 7.0 Nougat, the team also determined whether the battery of the year-old smartphones had not depleted with time. Several battery tests were run on the two smartphones and the team found insignificant decline because of the aging of the battery. This aspect was factored into the test's results.

After such verifications, the Galaxy S7 edge and the Galaxy S7 were updated to Android 7.0 Nougat which had the kernel version 3.18.14.

How Did The Smartphones Fare?

According to the test, the Android 7.0 Nougat powered Galaxy S7 lasted for 6 hours. By comparison, the smartphone had lasted for 6 hours 37 minutes when running on the older Android 6.0 Marshmallow.

This difference indicates a deterioration of 9.4 percent.

The Galaxy S7 edge that was using the Android 7.0 Nougat lasted 6 hours and 35 minutes, whereas the Android 6.0 Marshmallow powered version had survived for 7 hours and 10 minutes. This difference is a deterioration of 8.1 percent.

Generally Android updates are accompanied with the additional features to the devices that enhance its function but at the same time initiates greater power consumption. With the newer software inserted into older hardware, such issues of power depletion may arise.

iPhone 8 To Have Wireless Charging Accessory, Ditching Lightning Adapter

iPhone 8 To Have Wireless Charging Accessory, Ditching Lightning Adapter 

Apple's next flagship smartphone, the iPhone 8 is highly awaited and there have been a lot of speculations regarding its specs and features.
A recent report stated that the iPhone 8 - also dubbed the iPhone X - may boast wireless charging capabilities.
Now a new report from Japanese publication Mac Otakara suggests that the iPhone 8 would deploy a wireless charging accessory, as well as ditch the lightning to 3.5mm adapter.
iPhone 8: Wireless Charging Rumors
Older rumors have suggested that the wireless charging that the iPhone 8 will deploy may be long distance, using existing technology such as Energous and Dialog Semiconductor. This will be able to charge a device without being connected to it in any way from a distance of 4.5 meters.
However, the latest report from the Japanese publication claims otherwise. The report states that Apple may be using technology developed by a Chinese company Luxshare. This technology it seems, will not be long distance but contact based.
Most likely, the iPhone 8 may support wireless charging when it is connected to a charging station. However, the report also states that the wireless charging station will not be available by default to all iPhone 8 users and that it will be sold separately by the company.

Lightning-To-3.5mm Being Ditched?

The predecessor to iPhone 8, the iPhone 7 did away with the 3.5mm headphone jack and in its place provided the customers with a lightning-to-3.5mm adapter along with the phone. The company's decision to remove the 3.5mm jack was met with harsh criticism from users. However, the latest report indicates that Apple may not provide the adapter with the iPhone 8.
It is not yet clear what this may mean for the potential headphone connectivity of the phone but, it can be construed that Apple will include a 3.5mm jack on the device itself this time.
The company is unlikely to ship a lightning-to-USB C cable as well along with the iPhone 8.  

Rumored Specs

The latest leak also lists some of the specs of the upcoming iPhone 8 and reveals that the handset will have a 5-inch display. However, this seems inaccurate as most industry insiders believe that the device will feature a 5.8-inch display.
The display is speculated to be an OLED one with edge-to-edge glass which may support Touch ID under its screen. There are also rumors which suggest that the iPhone 8 may come with fingerprint and iris scanners.
With an expected price tag of around $1000, the iPhone 8 may also be one of the most expensive Apple smartphones to date.

Apple iPhone 8 To Sport 5.8-inch Screen

                           

         Apple iPhone 8 To Sport 5.8-inch Screen

After the phenomenal success of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices, Apple it seems has decided to redesign its range of smartphones to better compete with the other OEMs in the market.
A few days ago it was reported that the next flagship smartphone from Apple, dubbed the iPhone 8, will be the first ever device from the company to sport an OLED screen. However, it was unclear if the device would boast a 5-inch screen which was indicated by some reports or whether it would come with a bigger display.
A report from Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities had reflected though that the display will be 5.8 inches out of which 5.15-inch would be the usable screen and the rest would be taken up by the virtual home button.
Latest Rumors
A report from Nikkei Asian Review now reveals that the iPhone 8 will sport a massive 5.8-inch OLED display. If this report is to be believed, then the device would sport the biggest screen ever for an iPhone.
People may feel that a 5.8 inch iPhone would perhaps be too big, but it must be noted that according to speculations the device will ditch the home button which would mean that it would probably come with less bezels on the top and the bottom of the screen. The overall dimension of the phone may be similar to the iPhone 7 or the iPhone 7 Plus.
The report also goes on to state that the iPhone 8, which many believe will be dubbed the iPhone X, will launch with two updated versions of the iPhone 7, namely the iPhone7s and iPhone 7s Plus.
Nikkei also reveals that the iPhone 8 will be considerably more expensive than the iPhone 7. Although, an exact price has not been stated, it is believed to bear a price tag of over $1000 dollars upon its release.
Other Rumored Specs
Speculations and unconfirmed reports have stated that a variant of the next flagship smartphone from Apple may sport 3 GB of RAM and the lowest variant will come with 64 GB of internal storage.
Till now, iPhones have sported 32 GB storage in the base models. However, if reports are to be believed, this may  soon change. The highest internal memory that is rumored to be provided by the iPhone 8 will be 256 GB.
Availability
The company may launch the device sometime in the middle of 2017 and it would likely be available by the latter part of the year.
However, it has been reported that Apple intends to begin mass production of the iPhone 8 in July preparing for the high demand it expects upon its release in the markets.

Uber-exaggerated claims

Uber-exaggerated claims result in $20 million settlement

When you’re on the hunt for income, the last thing you want is to be misled about the earnings and benefits that a business opportunity offers.  The FTC announced that Uber agreed to a $20 million settlement of the FTC’s charges that the company made false or unsupported claims regarding its drivers’ likely income and the benefits of its Vehicle Solutions Program.

The FTC says Uber made several misleading claims about the annual and hourly wages its drivers were likely to earn. For example, Uber’s website claimed that the median yearly income for Uber drivers in New York is $90,000. Similarly, Uber ads in Boston and Philadelphia claimed that the average driver would “make $25/hour,” while San Diego and Phoenix drivers could expect to make $20/hour. According to the FTC, most of Uber’s drivers were not likely to earn the claimed annual and hourly wages.

To attract new drivers, Uber also created the Vehicle Solutions Program, which claimed to “connect drivers with any kind of credit history to the best financing options available.” Uber advertised “payments as low as $17 per day” and “starting at $119/week,” as well as unlimited mileage on leased vehicles.

In reality, drivers who participated in the Vehicle Solutions program paid more than the weekly advertised amounts and were offered higher interest rate loans than the industry average. Also, even though Uber claimed leases had “unlimited mileage,” the leases did have mileage limits.

The settlement requires Uber to pay $20 million and prohibits the company from making false or misleading claims about its drivers’ likely income and the benefits of its Vehicle Solutions Program.

If you or someone you know drives for Uber, watch this space for info on how the FTC plans to make refunds.

And remember, if a business doesn’t deliver on its promises or if you’ve spotted a scam, report it to the FTC.

Threats To Your Security

5 Threats To Your Security When Using Social Media

Social networking has changed the way we interact with friends and associates. While social networks, like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, FourSquare, and Google+, play a significant role in our lives, they are also a high risk for security threats.

With hundreds of millions of users online, these tools not only attract friends and family wanting to stay in touch, but they also attract people wanting to know about you for the wrong reasons. Be aware of the top five security threats currently out there to help you stay safe online.

1. Having Your Identity Stolen

Identity thieves gather personal information from social media sites. Even if you have your account on the highest security settings, there are still ways for an identity thief to get your information. Most social network sites have information that is required, such as email address or birthday. It’s common for an identity thief to hack an email account by using social information. For example, a common technique to get personal information is by clicking on “forgot password” and trying to recover the information through email. Once the thief has access to your email account, they then have access to all information on your social networking sites.

So what can you do to protect yourself? You don’t have to delete all your social profiles or hide from the real world; just take these precautions.

Have a strong password. The stronger your password, the harder it is to guess. Use special characters like symbols and capital letters when creating your password. Also, don’t use “common” passwords, like your birthday or your child’s name.
Be careful with your status updates. Often, we innocently post status updates that would give an identity thief information they need to steal our identity. For example, you may post “Happy birthday to my mother!” and then tag her in the post. Likely, your mother’s maiden name will be associated with that tag now. A popular security question is “What is your mother’s maiden name?” and if you share that online, you run the risks of identity thieves getting the answer to this commonly used question.
Don’t reveal your location. You can use a fake location or make one up from another city and state. You may even be able to leave this information blank. Be cautious and never use a city and state where you live.

2. Getting Your Computer Or Social Profile Hacked

Hackers love social networking, going right to the source to interject malicious code. The codes hackers use can steal your identity, inject viruses to your computer, and obstruct bank account information, to name a few. Shortened URLs, such as those created on bit.ly, are especially susceptible to hackers. Shortened URLs can trick users into visiting harmful sites where personal information can be compromised because the full URL is not seen.

The best advice is to never click on a link until you are sure of the source. To tell if a link is safe, you can:

Hover over the link. If you hover over a link without clicking, you’ll see the full URL in the lower corner of your browser. If this is a website you recognize, go ahead and click.
Try a link scanner. A link scanner is a website that lets you enter the URL of a link you suspect might be suspicious to check for safety. Try URLVoid or MyWOT as possible options.
Check shortened links. A shortened link is popular on sites like Twitter where character length matters. Some shortened link sites include bit.ly, Ow.ly, and TinyURL. Use a service like Sucuri to determine if the real link is secure.

3. Inadvertently Letting Stalkers Find You

When you use social networking sites, you are posting personal information. Once information is posted online, it’s no longer private and can fall into the wrong hands. The more you post, the more vulnerable you become to those who may wish to harm you. Even with the highest security settings, friends, associates, and even the brands you “like” on your networking sites, can inadvertently leak information about you. The websites you subscribe to, the apps you download, and the games you play on social networking sites all contain personal information about you. Every time you browse a website, companies can put invisible markers on your computer called cookies. In theory, no two cookies are alike. When you are online, these cookies track your activity as you move from site to site.

To keep sites from tracking your activity, click on the “Do Not Track” feature. Most websites have an option for you to opt out of tracking. You can also clear the cache and cookies on your browser regularly to help prevent any problems.

4. Letting Burglars Know Your Whereabouts

Telling the online world where you’re going and when you aren’t at home is inviting burglars to your house. Did you know that a run-of-the-mill burglar can break into your home in less than 60 seconds and spend less than 10 minutes stealing your possessions? By telling the world you are on vacation in Europe, you’re letting potential thieves know where you are, how long you’ll be gone, and where you live. Burglars are fond of constant updates, especially about your travel plans. You wouldn’t stand up in the middle of a crowd and announce you’re going on vacation for a week, would you? Of course not, but that’s what you do when you post your vacation pictures and plans online.

When you go on vacation:

*Avoid posting specific travel plans. Never post when, where, or how long you’ll be gone.

*Wait until you are home to post pictures to a vacation album.

*Use highest privacy control. Only let certain groups, like a family group, view your photos.

*Be selective with the status updates. You can use an audience-selector dropdown menu on Facebook to choose certain groups to see your status updates.

*Stay offline. You’re on vacation, after all. Relax and forget about the online world for a few days.

5. Becoming Overconfident

One of the biggest threats to online security is overconfidence. Whether at home or at work, many users believe as long as they have a firewall and an antivirus installed, there is no threat to security. Many people also believe that they don’t have anything worth hacking so there’s no need to worry about security. With today’s technology, we are more connected to each other than ever before. When you neglect security, you not only put yourself at risk, but others are at risk as well.

To keep yourself and your information safe, pay careful attention to your online activity. Avoid posting information including:

*Travel plans (see point 4).

*Bank account information.

*Your full address and birthdate

*Your children’s’ names, school, and birthdates.

*Location information, such as the name of your work place.

*Your daily schedule.

You can still use social networks for all they were meant to accomplish, but you need to take extra precautions to make sure your personal information doesn’t get in the wrong hands. Know what threats you are most vulnerable to and take steps to protect yourself and your networks.

Your Personal Information

Keeping Your Personal Information Secure Offline

Lock your financial documents and records in a safe place at home, and lock your wallet or purse in a safe place at work. Keep your information secure from roommates or workers who come into your home.

Limit what you carry. When you go out, take only the identification, credit, and debit cards you need. Leave your Social Security card at home. Make a copy of your Medicare card and black out all but the last four digits on the copy. Carry the copy with you  — unless you are going to use your card at the doctor’s office.

Before you share information at your workplace, a business, your child's school, or a doctor's office, ask why they need it, how they will safeguard it, and the consequences of not sharing.

Shred receipts, credit offers, credit applications, insurance forms, physician statements, checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, and similar documents when you don’t need them any longer.

Destroy the labels on prescription bottles before you throw them out. Don’t share your health plan information with anyone who offers free health services or products.

Take outgoing mail to post office collection boxes or the post office. Promptly remove mail that arrives in your mailbox. If you won’t be home for several days, request a vacation hold on your mail.

When you order new checks, don’t have them mailed to your home, unless you have a secure mailbox with a lock.

Keeping Your Personal Information Secure Online

Know who you share your information with. Store and dispose of your personal information securely.

Be Alert to Impersonators

Make sure you know who is getting your personal or financial information. Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or know who you’re dealing with. If a company that claims to have an account with you sends email asking for personal information, don’t click on links in the email. Instead, type the company name into your web browser, go to their site, and contact them through customer service. Or, call the customer service number listed on your account statement. Ask whether the company really sent a request.

Safely Dispose of Personal Information

Before you dispose of a computer, get rid of all the personal information it stores. Use a wipe utility program to overwrite the entire hard drive.

Before you dispose of a mobile device, check your owner’s manual, the service provider’s website, or the device manufacturer’s website for information on how to delete information permanently, and how to save or transfer information to a new device. Remove the memory or subscriber identity module (SIM) card from a mobile device. Remove the phone book, lists of calls made and received, voicemails, messages sent and received, organizer folders, web search history, and photos.

Encrypt Your Data

Keep your browser secure. To guard your online transactions, use encryption software that scrambles information you send over the internet. A “lock” icon on the status bar of your internet browser means your information will be safe when it’s transmitted. Look for the lock before you send personal or financial information online.

Keep Passwords Private

Use strong passwords with your laptop, credit, bank, and other accounts. Be creative: think of a special phrase and use the first letter of each word as your password. Substitute numbers for some words or letters. For example, “I want to see the Pacific Ocean” could become 1W2CtPo.

Don’t Overshare on Social Networking Sites

If you post too much information about yourself, an identity thief can find information about your life, use it to answer ‘challenge’ questions on your accounts, and get access to your money and personal information. Consider limiting access to your networking page to a small group of people. Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, or account numbers in publicly accessible sites.

Securing Your Social Security Number

Keep a close hold on your Social Security number and ask questions before deciding to share it. Ask if you can use a different kind of identification. If someone asks you to share your SSN or your child’s, ask:

why they need it

how it will be used

how they will protect it

what happens if you don’t share the number

The decision to share is yours. A business may not provide you with a service or benefit if you don’t provide your number. Sometimes you will have to share your number. Your employer and financial institutions need your SSN for wage and tax reporting purposes. A business may ask for your SSN so they can check your credit when you apply for a loan, rent an apartment, or sign up for utility service.

How to Stream and Mirror Content and Videos

How to Stream and Mirror Content and Videos From a PC to a Chromecast 

Using a PC, you can stream videos from many sites to a Chromecast

You can also mirror browser tabs, for sites that don't support casting

Airflow is our favourite PC app for streaming local videos

One of our favourite gadgets to have around the house is the Google Chromecast - the little dongle is affordable, and really useful if you like getting your content on the big screen. And the best part about it is that as long as you've got a working Wi-Fi network in the place, you've got a whole host of options when it comes to getting your videos onto the big screen.

If you want to stream content from your phones to the Chromecast, whether you are using Android or iOS, the steps are pretty straightforward, but what do you do if you're trying to get videos from your laptop (or desktop PC) to the television screen? Actually, there's a lot of different ways to accomplish this, and we've tried extensions, standalone applications, and so on, until we realised that the easiest way is frankly to just use the Chrome browser.

Casting from the Web

The easiest way to send an online video to your Chromecast is to use the Google Chrome browser. Download and install it from here if you haven't already, and then read on to know what to do next. These steps work the same way on an Mac or Windows PC.

How to mirror any Chrome tab on a Mac or Windows PC to a TV via Chromecast:

Make sure your computer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network your Chromecast was set up to use.

Launch Google Chrome on your Mac or Windows PC.

Click on the menu button on the top right (three vertical lines or dots).

Click on Cast. A popup box will appear.

Click on OK, Got it to enable casting from services such as Hangout, and then click on the name of your Chromecast to start mirroring your browser tab.

This is great if you want to put up a Google Doc on the screen, for example. What about sites such as YouTube, or Netflix? On these sites, there's one more option.

How to stream a video from Mac or Windows PC to a TV via Chromecast:

Make sure your computer is connected to the same Wi-Fi network your Chromecast was set up to use.

Launch Google Chrome on your Mac or Windows PC.

Load a video, and you'll see an icon to cast it, if there's a Chromecast on your Wi-Fi network. It looks like a square with three curved lines, like a Wi-Fi symbol.

Click on that stream button and the same pop-up will come.

Click on the name of your Chromecast, and it'll start streaming to your TV right away.

Not all sites support this though - for example, if you're watching a show on Amazon Prime Video then you'll have to mirror the tab, instead of casting the video. This usually doesn't cause issues with viewing though.

Casting local content

That's an easy way to get content from your browser to the TV, but what about locally saved videos? For example, you might have personal holiday videos that you want to put up on the TV screen. Doing this is pretty easy too, though we're going to recommend you install one more application. You can use Chrome to do this as well, but the experience was a little sluggish for us. We tried a bunch of apps we found recommended online, and this is what we found best - it is very simple, very reliable, and worked without any delay or other issues.

How to stream any video from a Windows PC or Mac to a TV via Chromecast:

Install Airflow - it works on both Windows and Mac, and it's free.

Launch Airflow.

Drag and drop your video file into the playlist on AirFlow.

Click on the mirror icon on the top right, after the time-bar, and select your Chromecast, if it isn’t selected automatically.

That's it, you're playing. If the file has multiple audio tracks, you can click on the audio button on the right and choose the one you want.

If you want subtitles, click on the None next to subtitles, and choose Load External, if you want to use downloaded subs. If not, click on Search Online, and Airflow will find the subs for you, showing you options in different languages. Of course this option won’t work for your home videos.

That's all there is to using Airflow, it's fast to load, plays smoothly, it's free, finds subtitles for you, and as an added bonus (though this is not unique to Airflow), when you're casting to the TV like this, Android phones on the same Wi-Fi network will get a small casting control, letting you pause, play, and mute the stream. Just check the notification shade.

That's everything you need to know about casting videos to a Chromecast from your PC, whether it's online videos and webpages, or locally stored video. In case you know any way to do this even more easily, let us know via the comments.

Cyber-Security in Product

Consumer Reports to Consider Cyber-Security in Product Reviews

 Consumer Reports, an influential US non-profit group that conducts extensive reviews of cars, kitchen appliances and other goods, is gearing up to start considering cyber-security and privacy safeguards when scoring products.

The group, which issues scores that rank products it reviews, said on Monday it had collaborated with several outside organizations to develop methodologies for studying how easily a product can be hacked and how well customer data is secured.

Consumer Reports will gradually implement the new methodologies, starting with test projects that evaluate small numbers of products, Maria Rerecich, the organization's director of electronics testing, said in a phone interview.

"This is a complicated area. There is going to be a lot of refinement to get this right," Rerecich said.

The effort follows a surge in cyber-attacks leveraging easy-to-exploit vulnerabilities in webcams, routers, digital video recorders and other connected devices, which are sometimes collectively referred to as the Internet of Things.

"Personal cyber-security and privacy is a big deal for everyone. This is urgently needed," said Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist who sits on the board of directors at Consumer Reports.

In one high-profile October attack, hackers used a piece of software known as Mirai to cripple an Internet infrastructure provider, blocking access to PayPal, Spotify, Twitter and dozens of other websites for hours. Another attack in November shut off Internet access to some 900,000 Deutsche Telekom customers.

Security researchers have said the attacks are likely to continue because there is little incentive for manufacturers to spend on securing connected devices.

"We need to shed light that this industry really hasn't been caring about the build quality and software safety," said Peiter Zatko, a well-known hacker who is director of Cyber Independent Testing Lab, one of the groups that helped Consumer Reports establish the standards.

Issues covered in the draft include reviewing whether software is built using best security practices, studying how much information is collected about a consumer and checking whether companies delete all user data when an account is terminated.

Jeff Joseph, senior vice president for the Consumer Technology Association, called the decision by Consumer Reports a "positive step" but cautioned that the group "must be very clear about how they score products and the limitations of what consumers can expect."

Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) First Impressions

  
Samsung  on Monday announced the launch of its new Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) smartphones. The new mid-range Galaxy A-series models will be replacing the 2016 editions of the Galaxy A-series. The South Korean company is once again trying to promote the metal-and-glass design which made last year's models popular.

With the 2017 editions of the Samsung Galaxy A5 and Samsung Galaxy A7, the company brings a lot of features from the flagship Galaxy S7 to the mid-range segment. Samsung claims that the new phones' water- and dust-resistant bodies, as well as their always-on displays are firsts for this price band. Both, the Galaxy A5 and Samsung Galaxy A7, also improve upon their predecessors by supporting microSD cards of up to 256GB for storage expansion and fast charging. Both also have improved battery capacities.

Gadgets 360 spent some time with the new Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and Samsung Galaxy A7 (2017) at the launch event, and below are our first impressions.

At first glance, the new Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) look very similar to the flagship Galaxy S7 (Review), especially because of their rounded corners. Only the screen sizes are noticeably different. Of the two new models, the Galaxy A5 with its smaller 5.2-inch screen is easier to hold, and will be preferred for those who are more comfortable using their phone with one hand. The Galaxy A7, on the other hand, has a 5.7-inch screen. As expected, the Galaxy A5 is lighter at 159 grams while Galaxy A7 definitely feels heavy for its size at 186 grams.

The front faces of both handsets maintain the signature Galaxy look with a physical home button sitting just below the screen. The capacitive navigation buttons sit on either side. During our limited time with both phones, we noticed that the capacitive navigation buttons are backlit but only light up for very short times, something we had pointed out about the 2016 edition of the Galaxy A series as well. Overall, the metal frames and glass rear panels are the highlights of these handsets. Manu Sharma, VP, Samsung Mobiles, stressed that the glass back panels draw on Samsung's "premium design heritage". However, these phones are both fingerprint magnets, and we would recommend using both the Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) with cases.

Sharma also confirmed to Gadgets 360 that the new Galaxy A-series smartphones will support Samsung Pay (with both NFC and MST compatibility).

At the back, the primary cameras are flush to the bodies; a welcome change from the protruding cameras seen at the back of many other phones in this segment including the OnePlus 3T, Asus ZenFone 3 (ZE552KL), and Moto Z. We also liked the placement of the speaker grilles on the right of both phones, though they were not very loud in our brief hands-on experience. On the bottoms of both phones, there are 3.5mm audio jacks and USB Type-C ports. The power buttons are placed on the right panels, while the volume rockers are on the left. We liked the tactile feel of the physical buttons on the Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7.

Samsung is also heavily promoting the fact that the new Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 smartphones have dedicated slots for two SIM cards and a microSD card. The Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) support 4G with VoLTE which means they are compatible with Reliance Jio's mobile network.

In terms of specifications, the Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) features a 5.2-inch display, while the Galaxy A7 (2017) features a 5.7-inch display. Both are full-HD and both use Super Amoled panels. The new Galaxy A-series models are both powered by the company's in-house octa-core Exynos 7870 SoC clocked at 1.9GHz, coupled with 3GB of RAM. Both also have with 32GB of storage. Samsung will be offering 15GB of cloud storage through its own Samsung Cloud app. The two new phones have a set of preset camera filters including a Food mode which adds warm colours to images to make food look more appetising. Samsung provides nine effects which can be accessed by swiping the main camera interface. Overall, the camera app looks less cluttered than before, and is easy to use.


The Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 both sport a 16-megapixel rear cameras with LED flashes and f/1.9 apertures, plus 16-megapixel front cameras also with f/1.9 apertures. The new Galaxy A5 measures 146.1x71.4x7.9mm and packs a 3000mAh battery, while the Galaxy A7 (2017) measures 156.8x77.6x7.9mm and has enough room for a 3600mAh battery.

Final thoughts
The new Samsung Galaxy A5 (2017) and Galaxy A7 (2017) have been priced at Rs. 28,990 and Rs. 33,490 respectively. Both phones will be available in India from March 15, via offline and online retail channels.

At these prices, the new Galaxy A5 and Galaxy A7 will be going head-to-head with the popular Honor 8, Asus ZenFone 3 (ZE552KL), and OnePlus 3T among others.

How to Secure Your Phone for a Protest

How to Secure Your Phone for a Protest

Intelligence agencies may use Wi-Fi attacks like this, but given how easy these devices are to set up and how many out-of-towners will be in the area, coupled with the fact that cell service is going to be bad, it's a great opportunity for criminals to target easy prey. No matter how tempting, do not connect to Wi-Fi at or near the event, and I highly recommend turning off your Wi-Fi radio while in the general vicinity.

There is also facial-recognition software to be concerned about, but to be honest, this is one of those things that I have kind of accept

Lastly, there are X-ray vans. They do exactly what you think: they scan people as they walk by. The Atlantic reported on this kind of equipment last year. I don't know if it will be in the field at the inauguration, but it's just a reminder that there's more than one kind of surveillance.

Tools of the Trade
While the tools of the surveillance state and the criminally minded are many and manifold, there's a simple way to defeat many of them: turn off your phone. While we tend to marvel at how cell phones send signals to satellites, phones actually rely on terrestrial antennas that can be overwhelmed when lots of people cram into a relatively small area. At many major events, wireless providers will often bring in mobile cellular infrastructure to try and serve the throngs.

With that in mind, the best way to keep from being observed is to simply never be on the grid in the first place. Turn off your phone when you head toward the march, and leave it off until you're headed home. Make arrangements in advance with your friends and visitors to meet at easily found locations that require little knowledge of the area. Print out maps of where you intend to be, since data may end up being a scarce commodity even after the protest begins to disperse.

And although everyone is always concerned about Big Brother, remember that loss and theft are often the biggest threat to cell phones. Always lock your phone with a secure passcode (that means more than just four digits!), and consider enabling fingerprint unlocking on your phone if it's supported. While police may be able to compel you to use your fingerprint to unlock a phone, it will stymie a would-be crook who stumbles across your device. Also consider activating the Find My iPhone or Android Device Manager features. While they won't work when your phone is turned off, the
When I tell people that their best defense is just to switch off their phones, they always seem disappointed. But it's true. However, if you're concerned about surveillance you should start thinking long term. Start using encrypted services today to protect yourself from attackers and spies of all stripes.

First and foremost, encrypt your communications. The excellent Signal app for Android and iPhone lets you send encrypted messages to other Signal users. The app and its protocol are open source, so you can trust that it has been carefully examined for potential flaws, and have been endorsed by many security experts. The app looks and works just like your existing messaging client, and on Android can actually serve as a full-on SMS client replacement. You can also use it to make encrypted VoIP calls. For more, check out PCMag's roundup of Signal tips.

Messages sent through WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger's "Secret Conversations" mode (below) use the same Signal technology. You may have an easier time staying in touch using these, since they are far more popular than apps like Signal. I recommend against using mesh messaging services like FireChat, partly because I haven't been impressed with their performance but also because you never know who might be listening.

Also, the iPhone uses end-to-end encryption when sending messages between you and other iPhone users. So, whenever you see the blue bubble around text, you can rest assured that if the message is intercepted it cannot be read. Apple has done a great job securing its mobile devices, to the point that the FBI and US intelligence agencies have complained that it is too powerful. The stuff you've heard about the San Bernardino shooter's phone being cracked is separate from this. Everything I have seen for the last decade or so indicates that the Apple's iPhone-to-iPhone messaging is excellent.

Keep in mind that this isn't true if you're messaging a non-iPhone user (the green message bubble pe