<p>Are you guilty of one of the worst bad technology habits ? Do you use the same password and login name for a large number of online sites? If so, you could be putting yourself at considerable risk. Cunning hackers could crack your password. When they do, what’s to stop them from using that password to access all of your favorite online sites – including, potentially, your online bank – while pretending to be you?</p> <p><b>Major Breach</b></p> <p>The technology Web site ars technica recently highlighted this danger in its story on a serious password breach at LivingSocial.com. This website, which offers users daily deals on everything from cafes to hotel stays, was recently hacked. Cyber crooks discovered the passwords of as many as 50 million of LivingSocial’s users. This breach also left users’ e-mail addresses and names exposed.</p> <p><b>Changing Passwords</b></p> <p>According to ars technica, Tim O’Shaugnessy, the chief executive officer of LivingSocial, quickly responded by advising users to change their LivingSocial passwords. O’Shaugnessy took the extra step of advising the site’s users to change any other passwords that are similar to or the identical to those they use at LivingSocial. That’s sound advice. It remains to be seen, though, how many LivingSocial users will take this step.</p> <p><b>The Dangers</b></p> <p>It’s bad enough if a hacker nabs your password at one site. But what happens if you use this same password at other sites? What happens if you use this same password at your online bank or credit union? You will be in a world of hurt as this hacker quickly uses your universal password to break into dozens of your favorite or most sensitive online sites. Yes, it’s not a lot of fun trying to remember the dozens of passwords you will need as you make your way around the Internet. Even so, take the time. It’s even less fun to realize that a cyber criminal has used your password to empty your online bank account.</p>

<p>Nobody is perfect. We all have bad habits. Some people smoke. Many of us eat in our cars. Some write e-mail messages in all capital letters. Here's some good news, though. In regards to technology, it's relatively simple to recognize our bad habits and break them. PCWorld magazine recently featured a list of the most common bad tech habits. Take a quick look at these tech faults. Do you suffer from some of these bad tech habits?</p> <p><b>Easy Target</b></p> <p>Some of the most severe tech bad habits identified by PCWorld allow you to be an easy target for thieves. For example, do you ever leave your smart phones or tablets sitting in your booth in the coffee shop whilst you run to the counter to get another shortbread cookie? Leaving your devices unattended and in plain view can make it possible for criminals to quickly snatch them and disappear. Or suppose you spend all of your waking minutes staring at your smart phone screen without taking notice of your surroundings? This bad tech habit can hurt, too. While you're staring at your screen, you don't notice that suspicious guy walking near you. Before you know it, the guy's popped you in the nose, grabbed your smart phone and headed for the hills.</p> <p><b>Hurting Your Health</b></p> <p>Bad tech habits can damage your health, too. Maybe you sit all day long hunched in front your computer. This bad posture can lead to serious back pain. It can also cause carpal tunnel syndrome. The most effective solution here? Sit up straight, take frequent computing breaks and get a comfortable chair that places less strain on your back. On the subject of breaks, another bad tech habit is not taking any. As PCWorld says, your can hurt your eyes, strain your back and blur your thought processes if you insist on spending the whole work day focusing on your computer screen. Don't forget to take regular breaks to help keep yourself healthy.</p> <p><b>Computing Errors</b></p> <p>Do you use the same password at each and every Web site at which you register? This is a particularly dangerous habit. What happens if hackers crack that go-to password? How much of your individual info will they then be able to access? Or perhaps you never get time to back up your files. PCWorld correctly identifies this as yet another dangerous computer habit. What if your hard-drive crashes? If you don’t have back-ups, do you want to lose your most important files?</p>

<p>Are you smart enough to delete each and every phishing e-mails that end up in your inbox? Or might you accidentally click on one? Most of us think that we’re savvy enough to steer clear of falling for online scams. But that might not be the case. Scammers are growing trickier all the time. A recent story by Slate covered the phishing attack that caused serious difficulties for the Associated Press, the country’s top provider of wire-service news. The attack provides an important lesson: None of us are very safe from online scammers.</p> <p><b>The AP attack</b></p> <p>According to a recent story in Slate, a group calling itself the Syrian Electronic Army recently hacked the Twitter account for the AP, broadcasting a message stating that President Barack Obama was seriously hurt in an explosion at the White House. That Twitter was false, of course. But enough people accepted it to send stocks into a brief freefall. How did the Syrian Electronic Army gain control over AP’s Twitter account? By way of a phishing e-mail.</p> <p><b>A real news story?</b></p> <p>As Slate reports, hackers sent AP staffers what appeared to be a totally legitimate e-mail message containing a supposed link to a real news story in the Washington Post. Problem was, this e-mail was a scam. So when AP staffers clicked on it, the members of the electronic army group could actually nab the passwords that let them take control of the AP’s Twitter account.</p> <p><b>A warning</b></p> <p>It’s tempting to fault the AP for this attack. But the real lesson here is that no one is safe from the savviest of online scammers. Con artists have advanced beyond the times of phishing e-mails packed with horrendous grammar and sent by “senders� with outlandish names. If you want to protect your online life today, you’ll need to be more vigilant than ever before. Scammers are adapting. You’ll have to do the same.</p>

<p>Do you rely on your iPhone to stay in touch with friends, surf the Internet, update your Facebook page and watch movies? Then you ought to be wary of hackers. Business Insider recently delivered the shocking news that Apple iPhones are the most frequently hacked mobile devices. And most surprising? iPhones are the most widespread victims of hackers by a large margin.</p> <p><strong>Targeted iPhone</strong></p> <p>Business Insider reports on the recent study &ldquo;25 Years of Vulnerabilities&rdquo; by Web security firm SourceFire. The report tracks the number of Critical Vulnerabilities &ndash; better known as CREs &ndash; experienced by a variety of devices and software. When it came to mobile devices, Apple&rsquo;s iPhone line had experienced far more hacks than does any other. The SourceFire report found 210 CVE reports on iPhone devices. In comparison, it found just 24 for Android devices.</p> <p><strong>What&rsquo;s behind it?</strong></p> <p>This begs the obvious question: Why have iPhones been compromised so many more times than have Android mobile devices? As with so many other big questions, there aren't any easy answers. Business Insider ponders whether a part of the reason might be the iPhone's popularity. The devices, in spite of everything, remain a top seller. But the SourceFire report states that Android has received fewer CVEs in 2012 than it did in 2011. This drop happened even though Android enjoyed a big rise in market share last year.</p> <p><strong>Going after the king</strong></p> <p>In an interview with the ZDNet Web site, the author of the SourceFire report ponders if hackers don&rsquo;t target the iPhone more frequently because it&rsquo;s more challenging. Since of course, Android relies on an open platform. As a result it&rsquo;s relatively easy for criminals and scammers to create malicious apps for this platform. Users could then download them to their phones themselves. Hacking the iPhone, which does not use an open platform, might be more challenging. And that may inspire the nation&rsquo;s smartest hackers.</p>

<p>Think size is all that matters when choosing a computer monitor? Guess again. Different kinds of computer monitors boast different features. Some react especially speedily to commands, and are, as a result, favorites among avid video gamers. Others reproduce the sharpest colors imaginable, and are better-suited to animators and graphic artists. The message here? Purchasing a computer monitor takes research. But if you do your homework, you will find the LCD computer monitor that works best for you.</p> <p><strong>The factors</strong></p> <p>The Lifehacker Web site recently took a closer look at LCD computer monitors. And, as writer Whitson Gordon says, size isn't the only factor that matters. In fact, it may be one of the least important factors. According to Lifehacker, fans of video games might prefer what is known as a "TN" monitor since their screens refresh at a quicker rate. Graphic designers, though, might prefer an "IPS" monitor that features sharper colors and better viewing angles. The message of the Lifehacker story? You should do your homework before buying your next monitor.</p> <p><strong>Types</strong></p> <p>The Coding Horror blog recently ran a piece outlining the pros and cons of different LCD computer monitors. For instance, TN monitors have the best screen response times out there, which is why gamers like them. They don&rsquo;t do as good a job with color reproduction or viewing angles, though. They are the most popular monitors since they are also the lowest priced. IPS monitors are some of the most expensive monitors that you can buy. That&rsquo;s mainly because they do a brilliant job of color reproduction and offer the best viewing angles. Their screen times, though, tend to be more sluggish compared to those boasted by TN monitors.</p> <p><strong>Option</strong></p> <p>A solid middle-ground choice for some users might be VA or vertical-alignment monitors. As Coding Horror says, these monitors feature good color reproduction and viewing angle capabilities. They are also more affordable than are IPS monitors. The downside? Colors shift when you look into these monitors at an angle. And the response time for these monitors is only average.</p>

<p>Hackers are becoming increasingly clever in regards to accessing the data stored on smart phones. And hackers are accomplishing this even though consumers protect their phones with lock-screen passcodes. As a current story on the Lifehacker technology Web site says, passcodes never have been a completely foolproof way to protect your smart phone. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to better protect your phone. And there are solutions you can enlist to protect yourself if you&rsquo;ve lost your smart phone or someone has snatched it.</p> <p><strong>Passcode attacks</strong></p> <p>The Lifehacker story examines recent passcode exploits targeting the Samsung Galaxy and iPhone smart phones. According to the story, the attack against the iPhone enabled hackers to, using the phone app, make phone calls, view photos and alter the contact lists of users. Hackers couldn&rsquo;t gain full access to the phone, nevertheless they gained enough capability to cause plenty of problems for owners. The Samsung exploit functioned differently. Hackers had the ability to flash the phone&rsquo;s home screen for approximately a second. This gave hackers enough time to either launch apps on the phone or start downloading a more dangerous app that enables hackers to gain full control over a smart phone.</p> <p><strong>Not foolproof</strong></p> <p>As the Lifehacker story says, none of these problems should surprise smart phone owners. Passcodes do provide protection, however they have never been failproof. As stated by Lifehacker, passcodes do no better a job securing your phone than passwords or PINs do protecting your bank accounts or membership Web sites. Hackers can crack your phone's lock-screen passcode or, in the case of skilled cyber thieves, break into your phone's memory to gain access to your data.</p> <p><strong>Protection</strong></p> <p>To defend yourself, first be sure that your lock-screen passcode is at least difficult to guess. Lifehacker recommends a passcode made up of letters, symbols and numbers. Next, make sure you encrypt the data that you store on your smart phone. Finally, consider paying for services such as Prey or Apple&rsquo;s Find my iPhone. These services provide you with the ability to track your phone after it&rsquo;s stolen or you lose it. Better yet, it allows you to erase the data stored on it, so that hackers can&rsquo;t get at it.</p>

<p>How long do you spend looking at computer screens at work? You probably don&rsquo;t wish to know. But your eyes are undoubtedly being affected by it. The everon blog recently covered the important issue of eyestrain. Based on the story, workers who spend too much time looking into screens can suffer watery, dry or blurry eyes. They can also experience headaches, an inability to focus and an increased sensitivity to light. Thankfully, it&rsquo;s not too difficult for workers to keep eyestrain at bay. As everon says, it&rsquo;s all about following one simple rule.</p> <p><strong>20/20/20 Rule</strong></p> <p>What&rsquo;s the secret to avoiding eyestrain? Employees merely need to follow the 20/20/20 rule. Every 20 minutes, employees need to turn away from their computer screens for 20 seconds. They should take a look at an object or image that stands at least 20 feet away. This remarkably simple exercise can help keep eyestrain at bay. And it could make employees more efficient. And, furthermore, everon found several worthy apps that can remind employees of when it&rsquo;s time to take an eye break.</p> <p><strong>Reminder Apps</strong></p> <p>The everon story highlights several apps that can help you remember to take these micro breaks. One such app, Workrave, will pop up on your screen to remind you to take your break. The app will even suggest exercises that can help boost the strength of your eyes, back and shoulders. The EyeLeo app blocks your computer screen each hour, forcing you to get out of your chair and do something different. The app will then demonstrate a quick exercise that you can tackle before your screen returns to normalcy.</p> <p><strong>A Break for Coffee?</strong></p> <p>There&rsquo;s also the Coffee Break app, though it&rsquo;s only available for Apple. This app will steadily darken your screen as a reminder your break is on its way. Once the break arrives, your screen will be totally dark, and it&rsquo;s time for you to step away from the computer. Obviously, not even Coffee Break can force you to give your eyes a rest. That&rsquo;s up to you. Here&rsquo;s hoping that you don&rsquo;t skip those important eye breaks.</p>

<p>Tablets come with a lot of advantages: They're highly portable. Their screens are sharp. And they let us send and receive e-mail messages, scan the Web and watch movies whether we're sitting on a train or huddled in our favorite public library. Yet they're not perfect. For one thing, sharing your screen with a tablet is a hassle, right? Maybe not. Miguel Leiva-Gomez, a writer for the smallbiz technology Web site, says that a number of new apps make it less difficult than ever before for tablet owners to share screens with others.</p> <p><strong>join.me</strong></p> <p>Leiva-Gomez starts his review with join.me for good reason. To put it simply, it&rsquo;s one of the best screen-sharing apps for iOS currently on the market. You will, however, have to pay for the program&rsquo;s &ldquo;pro&rdquo; version to use it. Once you pay out the monthly fee of just under $20, though, you&rsquo;ll have the ability to share your screen with co-workers and friends with ease. The program also comes with such goodies as Internet calling, instant chat and file sharing.</p> <p><strong>Air Sketch</strong></p> <p>Leiva-Gomez has good things to say, too, about Air Sketch. This app lets users turn their tablets into whiteboards. Users can tap five different writing tools to maneuver these boards. They can also use the application to open PDFs and other files. The program displays every image, report and document in real time. This, naturally, creates an environment perfectly suited to work collaboration.</p> <p><strong>Conference Pad</strong></p> <p>The Conference Pad completes Leiva-Gomez&rsquo;s screen-sharing all-stars, and with good reason. It is a no-frills screen-sharing app, but it&rsquo;s also a solid one. The application is particularly impressive with regards to zoom. Users can zoom into any part of their documents or images without having to sacrifice an iota of image quality. And like the other screen-sharing apps that Leiva-Gomez highlights, it&rsquo;s a simple one to grasp and make use of, which means that tablet owners will be sharing their screens almost immediately.</p>

<p>Smartphones, tablets and laptops are wonderful tools: They enable us to search the Internet, answer e-mail messages and watch video whether we&rsquo;re sitting on the train or waiting for our flight at the airport. Yet these devices can certainly be dangerous, too. If they fall into the wrong hands, your information, everything from your online banks accounts to your e-mail messages to your Facebook pages, can fall prey to cyber thieves. And there&rsquo;s little restriction to the problems they can create. Thankfully, there are steps that you can use to safeguard your privacy even in today&rsquo;s age of mobile computing, and as Forbes says, these steps are really easy.</p> <p><strong>Protect Yourself With Passwords</strong></p> <p>We all rely on a host of electronic devices today, from smartphones to laptops to tablets. What if you lose one of these devices? What if they're stolen? Just how much information could the wrong people access, and just what damage will they do with it? Fortunately, you can protect yourself by requiring users supply a password to unlock your device. This way, if somebody does steal your tablet, that person might not be able to get into your online savings account.</p> <p><strong>Online Google Alerts</strong></p> <p>Do you know what people are saying about you online? You might want to. You don't want any of your secrets traveling around the web. Forbes recommends you ought to create a Google Alert on your name. This way, whenever anyone types it online, you'll receive a message alerting you. Then you're able to take a look at what's being said about you. Consider this a very easy way to track your online presence.</p> <p><strong>The Sign Out Step</strong></p> <p>Have you ever made the big mistake of checking your e-mail on the computer in your public library and then forgetting to sign out when you were done? This can be a dangerous mistake as it might give snoops or cyber criminals easy access to your e-mail account. Once thieves have this access, they are able to more easily get into your private data. Whenever you use a public computer &ndash; or, for that matter, a private computer &ndash; sign out of your accounts. It only takes a few seconds and can save you an awful lot of future hassle.</p>

<p>This summer, July 1 to be precise, the Google Reader RSS service will disappear. Google is getting rid of it, citing a declining user base. This is bad news for fans of the RSS service. But it&rsquo;s also a learning point: Consumers ought to understand that any one of their most favorite cloud-based services can cease to exist. Don&rsquo;t expect Google Reader to be the last one to do so.</p> <p><strong>An ever-changing cloud</strong></p> <p>In an intriguing story on Slate, writer Farhad Manjoo wrote about Google's promotion of Reader when the company first unveiled it in 2005. In those days, Google described the RSS service as if it would be part of the Google universe forever. Consumers believed them, and many embraced the service. Now, obviously, it is disappearing. And the takeaway? Consumers should not be surprised when one of their favorite free Web-based services does the same.</p> <p><strong>Disappearing services</strong></p> <p>Look at your favorite cloud-based programs today. Consider just how much you use them. And then allow yourself to get a little bit nervous: There is nothing preventing the companies behind these programs from getting rid of them should they stop growing or generating money. This is different from the days when we stored the majority of our software on our computers. If your favorite word-processing service was discontinued, you still had access to it. That&rsquo;s not the case with cloud services. Gone means gone with regards to the cloud.</p> <p><strong>Issues for Google</strong></p> <p>What does this mean, though, for Google? In a recent story, the Economist writes that canceling Google Reader may seem like a small decision. Google does have to make money, and it makes sense that it wouldn't devote resources to a service that was no longer growing. Even so, the choice to kill Reader may make users suspicious the next time Google launches a new product and wants everyone to flock to it. Why, consumers might ask, should we? After all, there's no guarantee that Google won't kill that new service one day, too. And this isn't just an issue that Google faces; it's one that every company that operates in the cloud might sooner or later have to deal with.</p>