2016 habits to lose and innovations to expect
It’s a brand new year, so why not start it off right by ditching the shackles of old habits and trying some new things to make your tech life easier? We know that old habits die hard and that’s why we’ve also narrowed down these habits to show you how to handle these common practices
Using the same passwords for multiple sitesUsing the same password on multiple sites is trouble because if any one of those sites is hacked, that information could be used against you in many different places. Yes, it’s inconvenient to have multiple passwords if you are relying only on your memory. That’s why it’s a good idea to give a password manager like LastPass a chance.
If you’ve never tried a password manager, it can store your usernames and passwords for you it can generate new passwords for you, and is accessible online. There’s even a tutorial on http://www.cnet.com/news/how-to-protect-your-passwords-with-lastpass/ - how to use the app if you’re up for a change.
Not backing up your photosImagine the panic of almost losing hundreds of photos of your newborn or your wedding because you didn’t regularly sync your phone to your PC. Nowadays, that is a simple problem to overcome. If your phone is your primary camera (like it is for many), do yourself a favour and download an app that will automatically backup your photos and videos to the cloud.
There are plenty of options out there. If you like Google, you can use either “https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google+/id447119634?mt=8” \t “blank”_Google+_ on iOS or the Photos app on Android to set up auto backup. “http://dropbox.com/” \t “_blank”_Dropbox_ also offers the same functionality if you turn on the camera upload option. If you’re an Amazon Prime subscriber, you get unlimited storage of your photos as well with the “https://www.amazon.com/clouddrive/home/” \t “_blank”_Amazon Cloud Drive_ app.
Not minding your Facebook settingsIt’s easy to visit Facebook, see what your friends are up to, and post your own status updates. However, when was the last time you took a look to see what content you were posting and who could see it? Diving into those Facebook settings can seem like a nightmare, but its quiet important to know “http://www.cnet.com/news/secure-your-facebook-account-in-six-easy-steps/”_how to secure your Facebook account_.
Running Flash all the time on your laptopWe are all fans of running online videos on our computers, but sometimes Flash can cause your computers fans to spin up to try to cool down your PC. You should give up having Flash running all the time. If you’re on Google Chrome, try out “https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/flashcontrol/mfidmkgnfgnkihnjeklbekckimkipmoe” \t “_blank”_FlashControl_.
If you’re on Firefox, try out “https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/flashblock/” \t “_blank”_FlashBlock_. By default, these plugins will not load Flash content on a page unless you put a site on a whitelist or if you click the Flash item to load it. You’d be surprised how much battery life you can save if you turn off Flash on a number of sites. Be warned that the web might look very different to you at first, but it’s definitely worth it.
If you want to squeeze more battery life out of your laptop or phones, check out our guide on “http://www.cnet.com/how-to/battery-life-how-to/”_battery life and how to preserve it_.
Bonus for Android users: Accepting your phone’s default interface.If you’re like the majority of people who use Android smartphones, you may just enjoy all the great apps on your phone. But, did you know that you can change the entire way your phone presents your apps and widgets? Manufacturers like Samsung, HTC and LG all put their spin on Android with their own customizations.
However, you can modify your phone by trying any number of launchers. If you’ve never heard of a launcher, there’s “http://www.cnet.com/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-android-launchers/”_everything you need to know about Android launchers_ online. Installing one is as easy as installing any other app and you can always go back to your phone’s default if you so choose.
2016 promises some amazing new releases, with Samsung already rumored to be cooking something in the form of a Galaxy S7. The rise of Virtual Reality in gaming will also dominate the headlines this year.
Have you heard of a 3D Printer? Of course you have. If you haven’t, this printer allows you to print 3D objects directly from a digital file! This means you can print 3D models immediately with no need to wait for your 3D prototypes or concept models to be delivered.
I have no reservations about 2016 and the jaw-dropping news and releases that will probably come out of Silicon Valley.