How to Prevent Yourself from Becoming A Victim of Identity Theft

Twelve million Americans become a victim of identity theft each year. Fortunately, you do not have to be one of them. You should never use a public Wi-Fi network to make a financial transaction. A hacker could very easily access your username, password and account number if you use a public Wi-Fi network.

You also want to make sure that you avoid posting a picture of your debit or credit card online. That might seem like a given, but it is something that many people do anyway. If you post a picture of your credit or debit card, then you are asking for someone to steal the number off of it.

When you are setting passwords, you should make them long. You should also make sure that you use several different characters and avoid using a password that people could very easily figure out, such as 1234567. Additionally, you should make sure that you change your password often.

Source: The Stupidest Things You're Doing to Put Your Identity at Risk

Source: The Stupidest Things You're Doing to Put Your Identity at Risk

The Grinch and his data theft antics 2012

Your smartphone and your laptop are used day in and day out. They are your companions most of the time since they are with you wherever you go. And with the help of these devices and internet, you can enter into the cyber verse where everything becomes defined by data packets. Of course you have your own unique data which allows you to socialize, work, and keep accounts on different networks, shop and whatnot. However, there are breeds of Grinches that sulk around the cyber verse, poor perverse forms that are constantly plotting to steal your precious data. They aren’t as harmless as you think as they have a good number of tricks up their sleeves. From using keyloggers, bugs, backdoor exploits, and other notorious methods, they’ve managed to target a good number of users and their data. So the goodies and spoils in 2012 are piling up for them. 

"The Grinch who stole data" is an infographic which shows us the 2012 data theft trends. It was developed by Mobistealth.com, developers of keylogger software.

Source: MobiStealth.com

Are You A Trekkie or a Star Wars Fan?

The fight between Star Trek fans and Star Wars fans will never end. Both franchises are science fiction legends in their own right, and if you want to make sure that you have plenty of ammunition for the battle, there are some facts that can help you make your point.

First, start comparing the Galactic Empire from Star Wars with the United Federation of Planets from Star Trek. The Galactic Empire has more numbers by far, featuring more than 1,000,000 planetary systems. The United Federation of Planets has a more modest number, ranging between 1,000 and 1,500 planetary systems.

On the other hand, look at their weaponized space stations. The Death Star is the size of a moon, with the amazingly power beam. However, though Borg’s Tactical Cube is smaller, it has a similar command station, while featuring many multipurpose weapons at its disposal. The Cube is simply more versatile, making it the better choice of the two.

Source: Best Online Engineering Degree

Learn about infographic design.

LG Optimus L9: Is this a success for LG?

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Design

The LG Optimus L9 is a thin and light phone. Its dimensions are 5.03 inches tall by 2.63 inches wide, 0.36 inches thick, and weighs just 4.16 ounces. The design features a power button, volume rocker, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a Mirco-USB charging port. The display features a 4.5 inch qHD screen. It has good sharpness and colors and responds well to the touch of a human finger.


Hardware, Software, & Performance

The LG Optimus L9 runs on Google’s Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich operating system. The user interface, LG’s Optimus 3.0, has great functionality and works well with the operating system. The Optimus L9 has a 1GHz dual-core Central processing unit for decent speed and performance. It supports Wi-Fi and 4G networks, adding to its potential speed. The 2,150mAh battery is removable and has average life. The call quality is also just average, and the speakerphone is subpar.


Features and Apps

The LG Optimus L9 comes preloaded with lots of features and apps. Google preloads the L9 with apps like Gmail, Chrome, Google+, Search, YouTube, Maps and Navigation, and Play Store for downloading movies, music, and more. T-Mobile added apps like hotline, 411 & more, Game Base, and More for Me which finds local deals based on the users interests.

Third party and other apps and features include mobile hot spot capabilities, visual voicemail, Lookout Security, Smartshare, FileShare, Amazon Kindle, Slacker Radio, Polaris Office 4.0, calculator, clock, address book, and QuickMemo which allows the user to take notes or draw sketches with their fingers or using a stylus.

The Optimus L9 has a 5MP rear facing camera. The camera has features like autofocus, flash, touch focus, 15x digital zoom, face tracking, geotagging, timer, continuous shot, panorama, scene modes, balances, effects, and a voice shutter function that allows the user to command the phone to take a picture using only their voice.

The user can also change background or distort faces using live modes, and can take a picture while recording video.  The Optimus L9 also has a VGA front facing camera. The front facing camera and 1080p HD video recording function have a lot of the same features as the 5MP camera does. Overall, the photo and video quality are very good.


Pros

The LG Optimus L9 runs on Android 4.0, supports 4G networks, has a fast dual-core CPU, and the camera and 1080p HD video have decent quality images with lots of features.


Cons

The Optimus L9 comes with lots of bloatware, the battery life is short, and the speakerphone quality is below average.

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It is a good idea to check out up-to-date reviews on the latest mobile phones.  Compare the Optimus L9 with other LG products to figure out which mobile phone best suits your needs.

Reed Waters - writer interested in mobile and PC technology; committed to providing the reader with unbiased and up-to-date information on various products

How Soldiers Protect Their Eyes in the Field

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Everyone is at risk for eye injuries whether it is from sports, or the elements; however, some people are at a higher risk than others. Men and women in the armed forces are part of this high risk group. Approximately 10 percent of all nonlethal military engagements result in injury to the eye, and 90 percent of these eye injuries are preventable.

Since March of 2003, ocular (eye) injuries have comprised about 16 percent of all medical evacuations from combat areas. In the Gulf War and Vietnam, only 9 percent of all medical evacuations included eye injuries. The most common causes of these eye injuries include:

• Dust

• Low-velocity fragments

• High-velocity impact

• Laser radiation

The military has become more conscientious regarding ocular injuries in recent years, and has developed the APEL (Authorized Protective Eyewear List). This list is updated twice a year with the newest eyewear that meets military standards.

The Combat Eye Protective program, or CEP, issues eyewear to soldiers during basic training and instructs them on the importance of wearing protective eyewear during training exercises and in combat. Protective eyewear is also issued to those soldiers already in the field. Standard issue protective eyewear typically falls into one of three groups:

• Ballistic Laser Protective Spectacles (BLPS)

• Special Protective Eyewear Cylindrical System (SPECS)

• Sun, Wind and Dust Goggles (SWDG)

Soldiers are also informed about the difference between sports or “performance” safety glasses (which can actually be a hazard) and commercially available products that meet military standards. Eyewear approved by the military offers ballistic and UVA/UVB protection and is only available in clear or gray tints. Other tints such as yellow, rose, orange and tints called “blue blockers” are not authorized because they interfere with color perception, which can affect the soldier’s ability to complete combat missions.

Most ocular injuries can be easily prevented with the use of polycarbonate safety lenses in spectacles and goggles. There are several options available from manufacturers whose products meet or exceed the military standards, and almost all of them can be modified to accommodate soldiers who need prescription glasses.

Revision Eyewear

Revision Eyewear, Inc. of Williston, VT is one of the leading manufacturers of protective eyewear for the United States military. They manufacture the Desert Locust Sunglasses and the Sawfly Eyeglasses. The Desert Locust line is extremely versatile and is compatible with weapons’ sights, night vision goggles and binoculars. It uses a one-piece high-impact shield that can withstand a 12 gauge shotgun blast (using #6 lead) from about 15 feet and has the option to add an anti-fog fan system. The Desert Locust has been heavily used in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Sawfly Military Eyewear System has interchangeable lenses, and is capable of accommodating a prescription insert for those soldiers who need visual correction. The Sawfly is designed to work with most equipment flawlessly, including headsets. Three different sizes are available.

Eye Safety Systems

Eye Safety Systems, or ESS, is another major provider of protective eyewear for the military and is based in Idaho. Goggles by ESS have a compact design that allows them to be used with all standard helmets. The shield is made of thick polycarbonate lenses, and they goggles provide an extra wide field of vision. ESS carries several different lines of protective eyewear including their Turbofan and Profile lines.

The Turbofan line has an anti-fog fan built into the frame. This fan blows fresh air up through the bottom of the spectacle, and humid air escapes through the top of the frame. They also have an anti-fog and anti-scratch coating. ESS goggles are fitted with tear-off sheets similar to the tear-off sheets on NASCAR windshields. The sheets are stacked on the outside of the lens and when dirt, mud or other debris begins to interfere with vision, the soldier can tear the top layer off the lens, restoring visual clarity.

ESS also has the Profile line of goggles specifically designed to be compact to enable them to function with night vision goggles, helmets and weapons’ sights. The Profile line also has laser protective lenses available.

Standard Issue Combat Protective Eyewear

There are different choices for soldiers who wear prescription glasses and those who do not. Standard issue safety eyewear for soldiers who do not wear prescription glasses includes:

• Oakley SI M frame Spectacles

• ESS Profile Night Vision Goggles

For those who require prescription visual correction, the ESS Land Operations goggle, is standard issue and fits over a pair of prescription glasses. The UVEX XC Spectacles made by the Bacou-Dalloz Group is also standard issue and can be fit with a prescription lens insert.

Laser Protection Lenses

One area of eyewear that is still undergoing intense research is laser protective lenses. Laser radiation poses a problem because of the many different wavelengths. Each wavelength requires a different lens to filter the radiation. At this time, there are protective goggles with interchangeable lenses to protect soldiers from this radiation on the battle field.

Are you curious if you can recieve Laser Eye Surgery in Dallas? Maybe you just want to speak to a real doctor about whether your vision can be corrected. Either way, contact the Carter Eye Center to have a free, hassle-free consultation.

The Essential Buyer's Guide to Cloud Apps

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Have you tapped into the power of the cloud computing market yet? This ever-growing industry now tops $150 billion, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. The cloud, which delivers computing, storage and applications as an ongoing service to users, can be used for a variety of business operations ranging from human resources functions to accounting. You’ve probably heard of SaaS, which is an acronym for Software as a Service, or the basic premise behind cloud computing. This model saves organizations hundreds of thousands of dollars in development and ongoing IT costs, because these core application services are provided on an as-needed basis. Security and updates, for instance, are handled by the original development team and the benefits spread across the entire group of companies utilizing the service. Cloud-based applications are almost constantly available; most have availability of 99 percent or more. That means you’ll have near-constant access to your data and applications—no more lengthy down times while the IT department works out a system glitch. Find out more about why you should be embracing the cloud; check out our infographic below!

This infographic was developed by Veracode, providers of the world's leading Application Risk Management Platform. Find out more about Veracode's wireless packet sniffer on Veracode.com.

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Infographic by Veracode Application Security

Smart Phones, Devoted Users

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The infographic is about the different users of smartphones and the high demands for iPhones. There are 65% of consumers who said that they cannot live without their iPhones. This only shows how it captures most of the users through its competitive features and applications available for download. Top downloads include Games, Weather, Social Networking, Maps and Music. Most users of smartphones are students and they maximize the use of the device by making it a habit to study even if they are not home. Sports-minded individuals get to have their share of benefits from smartphones. In the first 2 days of NCAA 2012, report shows 83% of increase in sport consumption and there is a 20% traffic coming from smartphones an tablets during the tournament. These consumers are usually coming from high-earning income of $75,000 monthly compare to the lower income bracket who cannot afford this expensive gadget and mostly living in urban areas rather than the rural dwellers.

An infographic by the team at CouponAudit, you can purchase Smartphones from QVC, while purchasing you can use QVC coupon to save money on your order.

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An infographic by the team at CouponAudit

Microsoft Rumored to Launch 'Windows Phone 7.8'

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Rumors break down any barriers and sometimes imagination spreads like wild fire. Rumors usually surround Apple products. This time around, Microsoft has attracted the attention and its new product Windows Phone 7.8 has been targeted to be rumored. Toni Tech Blog has stated that Microsoft is all set to release its new mobile operating system, Windows Phone 7.8. Microsoft had earlier stated that its upcoming product will be released by the beginning of 2013. This little rumor of the product being launched on Wednesday has been spotted in a number of sites including WMPower User and Mashable.

The rumor must have started from a tip that was found in the Microsoft centered blog. The blog spoke about the latest arrival of new software for Smartphones like Lumia 900 and 510 which belong to Nokia. WMPower User is not able to verify the tip or get a clear understanding of it, because Nokia and Microsoft have been teasing about Windows Phone 7.8. They have been talking about it for months and so, coming to a conclusion with a single line is impossible.

Microsoft comes up with special operating systems for mobiles and PCs frequently. The much expected operating system, Windows Phone 8 was released by the end of October with great pomp. Windows Phone 8 from Microsoft is the first platform which has the capability to share building blocks. Many are still confused over Windows 8 OS and Windows Phone 8 OS. Both the operating systems share common features starting from the live-tile interface which is the signature style of Windows 8.

Meanwhile, WPCentral has stated that it landed upon some promotional materials in Finnish which reveals that there will be a new update following the 7.8 update. It has also mentioned that the materials threw some light on a few new features of 7.8. The 7.8 phone OS is expected to have a unique start screen and plenty of color themes which can be chosen based on convenience.

It is expected to have a lock screen based on Bing and a Wi-Fi connection that can be kept alive even when the Nokia devices are in suspend mode. Every individual tile can be moved around and placed at your convenience. You have the liberty to arrange the screen in such a way that all your apps are in order. For example: All business apps can be placed on top of the screen and all the personal apps at the bottom of the screen. It is also expected to carry the ability to receive and send files using the “Bluetooth File Transfer” which is also a rumor.

Supposedly, CNET is expected to contact Microsoft and learn more about the rumors surrounding it. However, TechCrunch says that a Microsoft spokesman told that complete details about Windows Phone 7.8 will be disclosed by the company in the future.

This news might be a little comforting to the WP7 OS phone owners because Microsoft announced that the new WP8 OS cannot be upgraded by customers who are using the old version. Customers of Nokia Lumia 710 and 900 were disappointed over this announcement. However, back in June when Windows Phone 8 made its official debut, Microsoft and Nokia promised that a new OS carrying the similar features will be sported to an updated version of WP7. This was specifically designed for the WP7 customers. So, this new Windows Phone 7.8 version can be upgraded by Windows Phone 7 customers. Until Microsoft opens up, the rumor is going to be up in the air. I guess the company is going to let the rumors stay in the air a little longer. What do you think?

Randy Collins likes writing articles related to Technology News, Gadget Reviews and How To. He also does guest posting for buycharter.com - a site that offers savings and current information on charter internet.