Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100044261 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/06/eavesdropperwifi_primary-100044261-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="presentedBy" href="http://adfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12309-189045-1105-2?mpt=%%CACHEBUSTER%%" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);float:none;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:10px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;background-image:url(http://csmb.staticworld.net/images/ads/DellLogo-Blu-54px.png);display:block;width:300px;height:30px;text-align:right;padding-right:30px;vertical-align:middle;line-height:30px;background-repeat:no-repeat no-repeat">PRESENTED BY</a><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/business-security" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">You've probably read at least one story with warnings about using</span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px"> </span><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/244012/lock_down_your_wi_fi_network_8_tips_for_small_businesses.html" style="line-height:1.7em;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_self">unsecure public Wi-Fi hotspots</a><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">, so you know that eavesdroppers can capture information traveling over those networks. But nothing gets the point across as effectively as seeing the snooping in action. So I parked myself at my local coffee shop the other day to soak up the airwaves and see what I could see.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">My intent wasn't to hack anyone's computer or device—that's illegal—but just to listen. It's similar to listening in on someone's CB or walkie-talkie radio conversation. Like CBs and walkie-talkies, Wi-Fi networks operate on public airwaves that anyone nearby can tune into.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As you'll see, it's relatively easy to capture sensitive communication at the vast majority of public hotspots—locations like cafes, restaurants, airports, hotels, and other public places. You can snag emails, passwords, and unencrypted instant messages, and you can hijack unsecured logins to popular websites. Fortunately, ways exist to protect your online activity while you're out-and-about with your laptop, tablet, and other Wi-Fi gadgets. I'll touch on those, too.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Capturing webpages</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I opened my laptop at the coffee shop and began capturing Wi-Fi signals, technically called 802.11 packets, with the help of a free trial of a wireless network analyzer. The packets appeared on screen in real time as they were captured—much more quickly than I could read them—so I stopped capturing after a few minutes to analyze what I had vacuumed up. Note: You can click on any of these screenshots to view larger versions that are easier to read.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/webpage_captured-100044056-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="438" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/webpage_captured-100044056-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580"></a>My own website, captured via the hotspot packets and reassembled for viewing.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> I first searched for packets containing HTML code, to see which websites other hotspot users were browsing. While I did see activity from other patrons, I didn't capture anything interesting, so I visited my own website—<a href="http://www.egeier.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">www.egeier.com</a>—on my smartphone.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/email_captured-100044052-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="383" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/email_captured-100044052-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>This is a copy of the email I sent (and subsequently received) using my smartphone connected to the hotspot.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> The raw packets with HTML code looked like gibberish, but as you can see above, the trial network analyzer I used reassembled the packets and displayed them as a regular webpage view. The formatting was slightly off and some of the images were missing, but plenty of information still came through.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I didn't find anyone else sending or receiving emails during my visit, but I did discover the test messages I sent and received via my smartphone while it was connected to the hotspot. Since I use an app to connect to my email service via POP3 without encryption, you could have seen my login credentials along with the message (I've blurred the username and password in the screenshot).</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">This is all the information someone would need to configure their email client to use my account and start receiving my emails. They might also be able to send emails from my account.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/im_captured-100044054-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="194" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/im_captured-100044054-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>And these are the packets that went over the network when I sent an instant message using Yahoo Instant Messenger.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> I also used Yahoo Messenger to send a message while I was capturing Wi-Fi signals. Sure enough, the tool plucked that information out of the air, too. You should never use an unencrypted instant-messaging service with any expectation of privacy.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Capturing FTP login credentials</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you still use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to download, upload, or share files, you should avoid connecting to them over unsecured hotspots. Most FTP servers use unencrypted connections, so both login credentials and content are sent in plain text, where any eavesdropper can easily capture them.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/ftp_captured-100044053-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="389" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/ftp_captured-100044053-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>These captured packets reveal the username and password securing my FTP server (I've blurred them in this screenshot).<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> While using my laptop to connect to my own Web server's FTP server, I was able to capture the packets containing my login ID and password—details that would have enabled any nearby eavesdropper to to gain unfettered access to my websites.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Hijacking accounts</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Computers aren't the only devices susceptible to eavesdropping. I also ran an app called DroidSheep on my spare rooted Android smartphone. This app can be used to gain access to private accounts on popular Web services, such as Gmail, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Facebook.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">DroidSheep looks for and lists any unsecure logins to popular websites. While it doesn't capture the passwords to those sites, it <em style>can</em> exploit a vulnerability that allows you to open the site using another person's current session, giving you full access to their account in the process.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As you can see from the screenshot below, DroidSheep detected Google, LinkedIn, and Yahoo logins from other people who were connected to the hotspot, as well as the Facebook login I made on my other smartphone.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep-100044049-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="800" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep-100044049-orig.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="480"></a>DroidSheep detected other users' log-ins, which means those accounts were vulnerable to hijacking.<br style> .<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I couldn't legally access other people's logins, of course, but I did open my own Facebook login.</p><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep_hijacking-100044050-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="500" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep_hijacking-100044050-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>Using DroidSheep, I was able to access my own Facebook page without providing a user ID or password. I could have done the same with any other patron's accounts if they were logged in.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Once I'd done that, I could magically access my Facebook account on that rooted Android phone (see the screen at lower right) without ever providing my username or password from that device.</p><h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em"> How to use Wi-Fi hotspots securely</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Now that you've seen just how easy it is for someone to eavesdrop on your Wi-Fi, here's how you can use a public hotspot with some degree of security:</p> <ul style="margin:1em 0px;padding:0px 0px 0px 40px"><li style="line-height:1.45em">Every time you log in to a website, make sure that your connection is encrypted. The URL address should start with <em style>https</em> instead of<em style>http</em>.</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">You also need to make sure that the connection stays encrypted for all of your online session. Some websites, including Facebook, will encrypt your log-in and then return you to an unsecured session—leaving you vulnerable to hijacking, as discussed earlier.</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">Many sites give you the option of encrypting your entire session. You can do this with Facebook by enabling Secure Browsing in the Security settings.</li><li style="line-height:1.45em">When you check your email, try to login via the Web browser and ensure that your connection is encrypted (again, look for <em style>https</em> at the beginning of the URL). If you use an email client such as Outlook, make sure your POP3 or IMAP and SMTP accounts are configured with encryption turned on.</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">Never use FTP or other services that aren't encrypted.</li><li style="line-height:1.45em">To encrypt your Web browsing and all other online activity, use a VPN, or virtual private network (this article will <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030763/how-and-why-to-set-up-a-vpn-today.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_self">show you how</a>).</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">Keep in mind that private networks have similar vulnerabilities: Anyone nearby can eavesdrop on the network. Enabling WPA or WPA2 security will encrypt the Wi-Fi traffic, obscuring the actual communications, but anyone who also has that password will be able to snoop on the packets traveling over the network. This is particularly important for small businesses that don't use the enterprise (802.1X) mode of WPA or WPA2 security that prevents user-to-user eavesdropping.</li> </ul></span>

Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

PRESENTED BY You've probably read at least one story with warnings about using   unsecure public Wi-Fi hotspots , so you know that eav...

Read more »

Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100044261 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/06/eavesdropperwifi_primary-100044261-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="presentedBy" href="http://adfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12309-189045-1105-2?mpt=%%CACHEBUSTER%%" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);float:none;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:10px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;background-image:url(http://csmb.staticworld.net/images/ads/DellLogo-Blu-54px.png);display:block;width:300px;height:30px;text-align:right;padding-right:30px;vertical-align:middle;line-height:30px;background-repeat:no-repeat no-repeat">PRESENTED BY</a><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/business-security" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">You've probably read at least one story with warnings about using</span><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px"> </span><a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/244012/lock_down_your_wi_fi_network_8_tips_for_small_businesses.html" style="line-height:1.7em;font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px;color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_self">unsecure public Wi-Fi hotspots</a><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">, so you know that eavesdroppers can capture information traveling over those networks. But nothing gets the point across as effectively as seeing the snooping in action. So I parked myself at my local coffee shop the other day to soak up the airwaves and see what I could see.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">My intent wasn't to hack anyone's computer or device—that's illegal—but just to listen. It's similar to listening in on someone's CB or walkie-talkie radio conversation. Like CBs and walkie-talkies, Wi-Fi networks operate on public airwaves that anyone nearby can tune into.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As you'll see, it's relatively easy to capture sensitive communication at the vast majority of public hotspots—locations like cafes, restaurants, airports, hotels, and other public places. You can snag emails, passwords, and unencrypted instant messages, and you can hijack unsecured logins to popular websites. Fortunately, ways exist to protect your online activity while you're out-and-about with your laptop, tablet, and other Wi-Fi gadgets. I'll touch on those, too.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Capturing webpages</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I opened my laptop at the coffee shop and began capturing Wi-Fi signals, technically called 802.11 packets, with the help of a free trial of a wireless network analyzer. The packets appeared on screen in real time as they were captured—much more quickly than I could read them—so I stopped capturing after a few minutes to analyze what I had vacuumed up. Note: You can click on any of these screenshots to view larger versions that are easier to read.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/webpage_captured-100044056-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="438" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/webpage_captured-100044056-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580"></a>My own website, captured via the hotspot packets and reassembled for viewing.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> I first searched for packets containing HTML code, to see which websites other hotspot users were browsing. While I did see activity from other patrons, I didn't capture anything interesting, so I visited my own website—<a href="http://www.egeier.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">www.egeier.com</a>—on my smartphone.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/email_captured-100044052-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="383" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/email_captured-100044052-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>This is a copy of the email I sent (and subsequently received) using my smartphone connected to the hotspot.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> The raw packets with HTML code looked like gibberish, but as you can see above, the trial network analyzer I used reassembled the packets and displayed them as a regular webpage view. The formatting was slightly off and some of the images were missing, but plenty of information still came through.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I didn't find anyone else sending or receiving emails during my visit, but I did discover the test messages I sent and received via my smartphone while it was connected to the hotspot. Since I use an app to connect to my email service via POP3 without encryption, you could have seen my login credentials along with the message (I've blurred the username and password in the screenshot).</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">This is all the information someone would need to configure their email client to use my account and start receiving my emails. They might also be able to send emails from my account.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/im_captured-100044054-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="194" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/im_captured-100044054-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>And these are the packets that went over the network when I sent an instant message using Yahoo Instant Messenger.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> I also used Yahoo Messenger to send a message while I was capturing Wi-Fi signals. Sure enough, the tool plucked that information out of the air, too. You should never use an unencrypted instant-messaging service with any expectation of privacy.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Capturing FTP login credentials</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you still use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to download, upload, or share files, you should avoid connecting to them over unsecured hotspots. Most FTP servers use unencrypted connections, so both login credentials and content are sent in plain text, where any eavesdropper can easily capture them.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/ftp_captured-100044053-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="389" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/ftp_captured-100044053-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>These captured packets reveal the username and password securing my FTP server (I've blurred them in this screenshot).<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> While using my laptop to connect to my own Web server's FTP server, I was able to capture the packets containing my login ID and password—details that would have enabled any nearby eavesdropper to to gain unfettered access to my websites.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Hijacking accounts</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Computers aren't the only devices susceptible to eavesdropping. I also ran an app called DroidSheep on my spare rooted Android smartphone. This app can be used to gain access to private accounts on popular Web services, such as Gmail, LinkedIn, Yahoo, and Facebook.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">DroidSheep looks for and lists any unsecure logins to popular websites. While it doesn't capture the passwords to those sites, it <em style>can</em> exploit a vulnerability that allows you to open the site using another person's current session, giving you full access to their account in the process.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">As you can see from the screenshot below, DroidSheep detected Google, LinkedIn, and Yahoo logins from other people who were connected to the hotspot, as well as the Facebook login I made on my other smartphone.</p> <a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep-100044049-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="800" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep-100044049-orig.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="480"></a>DroidSheep detected other users' log-ins, which means those accounts were vulnerable to hijacking.<br style> .<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I couldn't legally access other people's logins, of course, but I did open my own Facebook login.</p><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep_hijacking-100044050-orig.png" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="" border="0" height="500" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/06/droidsheep_hijacking-100044050-medium.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a>Using DroidSheep, I was able to access my own Facebook page without providing a user ID or password. I could have done the same with any other patron's accounts if they were logged in.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Once I'd done that, I could magically access my Facebook account on that rooted Android phone (see the screen at lower right) without ever providing my username or password from that device.</p><h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em"> How to use Wi-Fi hotspots securely</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Now that you've seen just how easy it is for someone to eavesdrop on your Wi-Fi, here's how you can use a public hotspot with some degree of security:</p> <ul style="margin:1em 0px;padding:0px 0px 0px 40px"><li style="line-height:1.45em">Every time you log in to a website, make sure that your connection is encrypted. The URL address should start with <em style>https</em> instead of<em style>http</em>.</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">You also need to make sure that the connection stays encrypted for all of your online session. Some websites, including Facebook, will encrypt your log-in and then return you to an unsecured session—leaving you vulnerable to hijacking, as discussed earlier.</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">Many sites give you the option of encrypting your entire session. You can do this with Facebook by enabling Secure Browsing in the Security settings.</li><li style="line-height:1.45em">When you check your email, try to login via the Web browser and ensure that your connection is encrypted (again, look for <em style>https</em> at the beginning of the URL). If you use an email client such as Outlook, make sure your POP3 or IMAP and SMTP accounts are configured with encryption turned on.</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">Never use FTP or other services that aren't encrypted.</li><li style="line-height:1.45em">To encrypt your Web browsing and all other online activity, use a VPN, or virtual private network (this article will <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2030763/how-and-why-to-set-up-a-vpn-today.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_self">show you how</a>).</li> <li style="line-height:1.45em">Keep in mind that private networks have similar vulnerabilities: Anyone nearby can eavesdrop on the network. Enabling WPA or WPA2 security will encrypt the Wi-Fi traffic, obscuring the actual communications, but anyone who also has that password will be able to snoop on the packets traveling over the network. This is particularly important for small businesses that don't use the enterprise (802.1X) mode of WPA or WPA2 security that prevents user-to-user eavesdropping.</li> </ul></span>

Here's what an eavesdropper sees when you use an unsecured Wi-Fi hotspot

PRESENTED BY You've probably read at least one story with warnings about using   unsecure public Wi-Fi hotspots , so you know that eav...

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How to add USB 3.0 to your desktop PC

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100043916 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/06/usb-3-pci-card-100043916-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/desktop-computers" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">If you've purchased an external hard drive recently, there's a good chance it came with a USB 3.0 interface.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">That'll work with your old desktop, as most USB 3.0 devices are backward-compatible with USB 2.0 ports. The problem is you're not enjoying the significant speed benefits afforded by the newer technology.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">So what's the solution? Buy a new machine? Nah: just upgrade your current one. Turns out it's pretty easy to add USB 3.0 ports to a desktop, provided you can meet two simple requirements.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">First, your system will need an available PCI or PCI Express expansion slot. Second, you'll need $20-30 you can devote to the upgrade.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Yep, you guessed it, you're going to be buying and installing a USB 3.0 PCI card, which will add four of the blazingly fast ports to your PC. (Alas, they'll be at the back of your PC, but that's better than nothing.)</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you've never ventured inside your desktop before, this is one of the easier upgrades you can perform. Basically you just drop the card into an available slot, connect a power cord, then install some drivers. Easy-peasy.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, you'll want to make sure to pick a USB 3.0 card that matches the kind of slot you have, and check its power requirements: some cards need you to connect a Molex plug (commonly found in older desktops), while others rely on SATA plugs. You may need to poke around inside your case to see your available slot and power options. Then buy a card that matches.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000073%20600022176&IsNodeId=1&Description=USB%203.0%20Controller%20Card" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Newegg is a good place to start your search</a>, though do check the often-middling user ratings for the various cards. Some users seem to encounter compatibility issues, others run into driver problems. Your mileage may vary, but as with any upgrade, you'll want to make sure you have a reliable full-system backup before you begin the process.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you've already done this upgrade, hit the comments and let you fellow readers know how it went. If not, this is a great way to breathe some new life into an older PC, and for a pretty small investment of time and money.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><br></p></span>

How to add USB 3.0 to your desktop PC

If you've purchased an external hard drive recently, there's a good chance it came with a USB 3.0 interface. That'll work wi...

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How to add USB 3.0 to your desktop PC

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100043916 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/06/usb-3-pci-card-100043916-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/desktop-computers" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">If you've purchased an external hard drive recently, there's a good chance it came with a USB 3.0 interface.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">That'll work with your old desktop, as most USB 3.0 devices are backward-compatible with USB 2.0 ports. The problem is you're not enjoying the significant speed benefits afforded by the newer technology.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">So what's the solution? Buy a new machine? Nah: just upgrade your current one. Turns out it's pretty easy to add USB 3.0 ports to a desktop, provided you can meet two simple requirements.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">First, your system will need an available PCI or PCI Express expansion slot. Second, you'll need $20-30 you can devote to the upgrade.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Yep, you guessed it, you're going to be buying and installing a USB 3.0 PCI card, which will add four of the blazingly fast ports to your PC. (Alas, they'll be at the back of your PC, but that's better than nothing.)</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you've never ventured inside your desktop before, this is one of the easier upgrades you can perform. Basically you just drop the card into an available slot, connect a power cord, then install some drivers. Easy-peasy.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">However, you'll want to make sure to pick a USB 3.0 card that matches the kind of slot you have, and check its power requirements: some cards need you to connect a Molex plug (commonly found in older desktops), while others rely on SATA plugs. You may need to poke around inside your case to see your available slot and power options. Then buy a card that matches.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><a href="http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=40000073%20600022176&IsNodeId=1&Description=USB%203.0%20Controller%20Card" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Newegg is a good place to start your search</a>, though do check the often-middling user ratings for the various cards. Some users seem to encounter compatibility issues, others run into driver problems. Your mileage may vary, but as with any upgrade, you'll want to make sure you have a reliable full-system backup before you begin the process.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">If you've already done this upgrade, hit the comments and let you fellow readers know how it went. If not, this is a great way to breathe some new life into an older PC, and for a pretty small investment of time and money.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><br></p></span>

How to add USB 3.0 to your desktop PC

If you've purchased an external hard drive recently, there's a good chance it came with a USB 3.0 interface. That'll work wi...

Read more »

Simplify browser use with keyboard shortcuts

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100040822 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt1.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/06/0627-thumb-100040822-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/browsers" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I'd like to tell you that nothing can speed up your Web browsing like a few basic keyboard shortcuts. But that's not really true. They won't speed things up nearly as much as a faster Internet connection.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">But the keyboard shortcuts will speed it up in an entirely different way. They won't bring up a new page any faster, but once the page is up, they can get you to the top or bottom immediately, change tabs in the blink of an eye, and toggle full-screen mode.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">And unlike a faster connection, they don't add to your monthly bills.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Here are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts, all of which work with Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer. For simplicity's sake, I haven't tried to include everything.</p> <h3 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">General Navigation</h3><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0px"><tbody style><tr style> <td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Task</strong></p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <strong style>Shortcut</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Back to the previous page</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Backspace</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Forward to page you just went back from</p> </td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Shift-backspace</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Toggle full screen</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>F11</strong></p></td></tr> </tbody></table><h3 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Navigating the current page</h3><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0px"> <tbody style><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Page down</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <strong style>Spacebar</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Page up</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Shift-Spacebar</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Bottom of page</p> </td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>End</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Top of page</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Home</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em"> Moving between pages</h3><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0px"><tbody style><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Open new tab</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-T</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Close current tab</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-W</strong></p></td></tr> <tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Move to tab on the right</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <strong style>Ctrl-Tab</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Move to tab on the left</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-Shift-Tab</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Move to a particular tab</p> </td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-number</strong><br style>(For instance, <strong style>Ctrl-3</strong>for the third tab)</p> </td></tr></tbody></table></span>

Simplify browser use with keyboard shortcuts

I'd like to tell you that nothing can speed up your Web browsing like a few basic keyboard shortcuts. But that's not really true...

Read more »

Simplify browser use with keyboard shortcuts

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100040822 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt1.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/06/0627-thumb-100040822-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/browsers" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">I'd like to tell you that nothing can speed up your Web browsing like a few basic keyboard shortcuts. But that's not really true. They won't speed things up nearly as much as a faster Internet connection.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">But the keyboard shortcuts will speed it up in an entirely different way. They won't bring up a new page any faster, but once the page is up, they can get you to the top or bottom immediately, change tabs in the blink of an eye, and toggle full-screen mode.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">And unlike a faster connection, they don't add to your monthly bills.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Here are some of the most useful keyboard shortcuts, all of which work with Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer. For simplicity's sake, I haven't tried to include everything.</p> <h3 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">General Navigation</h3><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0px"><tbody style><tr style> <td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Task</strong></p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <strong style>Shortcut</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Back to the previous page</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Backspace</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Forward to page you just went back from</p> </td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Shift-backspace</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Toggle full screen</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>F11</strong></p></td></tr> </tbody></table><h3 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Navigating the current page</h3><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0px"> <tbody style><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Page down</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <strong style>Spacebar</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Page up</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Shift-Spacebar</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Bottom of page</p> </td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>End</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Top of page</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Home</strong></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h3 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em"> Moving between pages</h3><table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse:collapse;border-spacing:0px"><tbody style><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Open new tab</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-T</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Close current tab</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-W</strong></p></td></tr> <tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Move to tab on the right</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> <strong style>Ctrl-Tab</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Move to tab on the left</p></td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-Shift-Tab</strong></p></td></tr><tr style><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Move to a particular tab</p> </td><td valign="top" width="247" style="vertical-align:top"><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"><strong style>Ctrl-number</strong><br style>(For instance, <strong style>Ctrl-3</strong>for the third tab)</p> </td></tr></tbody></table></span>

Simplify browser use with keyboard shortcuts

I'd like to tell you that nothing can speed up your Web browsing like a few basic keyboard shortcuts. But that's not really true...

Read more »

How to bypass your PC when ordering photo prints

<img alt="" border="0" height="512" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/freeprints-for-android-100045591-orig.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="288">FreePrints for Android<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> Old habits die hard. For example, many of us still insist on syncing our smartphones to our PCs, even though it's hardly necessary anymore. (Android, iOS, and Windows phones can automatically sync to the cloud.)</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> Likewise, many users still take the old-school approach when it comes to ordering prints of the photos they've snapped: They copy (or even email) them to a PC, then upload them to a printing service.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> Proof positive that apps can solve a lot of old-school hassles, <a href="http://www.freeprintsapp.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">FreePrints lets you order photo prints</a> right from your smartphone—no PC required.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">The app debuted last year for iOS but is now available for Android and Windows Phone as well. All you do is choose the photos you want, crop them as needed, then decide on sizes.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">True to its name, FreePrints gives you up to 85 free prints per month, though you're on the hook for shipping (which starts at $1.99 and stops at $9.99). That's for 4x6-inch glossies; if you want 5x5, 5x7, or 8x10 prints, you'll have to pay a little extra.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">What makes FreePrints especially convenient is that it lets you upload photos not just from your camera roll, but also from your Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, and/or Picasa accounts. It's kind of like one-stop shopping for photo purchases.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">That said, there are loads of other apps that afford similar convenience (though not as many with support for those third-party services). FreePrints is simply one option of many, and although it's not really free, it does save you the hassle of copying photos to your PC</p>

How to bypass your PC when ordering photo prints

FreePrints for Android Old habits die hard. For example, many of us still insist on syncing our smartphones to our PCs, even though it...

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How to bypass your PC when ordering photo prints

<img alt="" border="0" height="512" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/freeprints-for-android-100045591-orig.jpg" style="border-width:0px;vertical-align:middle;width:auto;min-height:auto;max-width:100%;float:left" width="288">FreePrints for Android<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> Old habits die hard. For example, many of us still insist on syncing our smartphones to our PCs, even though it's hardly necessary anymore. (Android, iOS, and Windows phones can automatically sync to the cloud.)</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> Likewise, many users still take the old-school approach when it comes to ordering prints of the photos they've snapped: They copy (or even email) them to a PC, then upload them to a printing service.</p><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif"> Proof positive that apps can solve a lot of old-school hassles, <a href="http://www.freeprintsapp.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)" target="_blank">FreePrints lets you order photo prints</a> right from your smartphone—no PC required.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">The app debuted last year for iOS but is now available for Android and Windows Phone as well. All you do is choose the photos you want, crop them as needed, then decide on sizes.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">True to its name, FreePrints gives you up to 85 free prints per month, though you're on the hook for shipping (which starts at $1.99 and stops at $9.99). That's for 4x6-inch glossies; if you want 5x5, 5x7, or 8x10 prints, you'll have to pay a little extra.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">What makes FreePrints especially convenient is that it lets you upload photos not just from your camera roll, but also from your Facebook, Flickr, Instagram, and/or Picasa accounts. It's kind of like one-stop shopping for photo purchases.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif">That said, there are loads of other apps that afford similar convenience (though not as many with support for those third-party services). FreePrints is simply one option of many, and although it's not really free, it does save you the hassle of copying photos to your PC</p>

How to bypass your PC when ordering photo prints

FreePrints for Android Old habits die hard. For example, many of us still insist on syncing our smartphones to our PCs, even though it...

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Desktop land grab: Essential tips for multimonitor productivity

<div class="imageContainer580xX" style="width:320px;height:auto;clear:both;margin:auto;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:19px"><img class="largeImage imgId100045614 " itemprop="image" src="http://zapt2.staticworld.net/images/article/2013/07/multimonitortips_primary-100045614-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: 320px; max-width: 100%;"></div> <div class="department" style="margin:0px 0px 10px;overflow:hidden"><a class="presentedBy" href="http://adfarm.mediaplex.com/ad/ck/12309-189045-1105-2?mpt=%%CACHEBUSTER%%" style="color:rgb(51,51,51);float:none;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:10px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;background-image:url(http://csmb.staticworld.net/images/ads/DellLogo-Blu-54px.png);display:block;width:300px;height:30px;text-align:right;padding-right:30px;vertical-align:middle;line-height:30px;background-repeat:no-repeat no-repeat">PRESENTED BY</a><a class="topCatLink" href="http://www.pcworld.com/category/office-hardware" style="color:rgb(172,31,43);float:left;font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;font-size:16px;font-weight:700;text-transform:uppercase;margin-right:5px"><span style="line-height:1.7em;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-family:'Helvetica Neue',Arial,sans-serif;font-size:15px">Two is definitely better than one when it comes to monitors. A single display may suffice for basic computing, but multiple monitors make a big difference for heavily graphical work, intensive multitasking—and of course, serious gaming. LCD prices continue to drop, too, making multimonitor setups more affordable.</span><br> </a></div><span itemprop="articleBody description text" style><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">But before you go on a monitor-buying spree, make sure your computer can support more than one display. This usually isn't a problem with recent desktops, but it can be with laptops. After confirming that your system is multimonitor-ready, check out these tips for setting up those displays to maximize your productivity.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Prepare before you purchase</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">More monitors take up more space, so start by measuring your work area. The average-size desk is unlikely to comfortably accommodate more than three large (23- to 27-inch) monitors side by side. (If you're short on space, consider buying a single <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2038124/humongous-is-here-eyes-on-with-three-29-inch-displays.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">extrawide display</a> instead.)</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Once you've decided how many monitors you need, try to buy them all at the same time rather than piecemeal. The model you buy today may not be available in two months, and pairing different models can leave you to deal with variations in bezel thickness, screen resolution, or even screen size. The result, all too often: Monitors don't line up properly, navigating your displays becomes unnecessarily difficult, and your productivity suffers.</p> <img alt="" border="0" height="388" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/04/displayport_productivity_580x388-100033757-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580"><small class="credit" style="font-size:9px;text-align:center;text-transform:uppercase;display:block;float:left;background-image:url(http://csmb.staticworld.net/images/furniture/techhive/backgroundwhite70.png);color:rgb(51,51,51);padding:1px 3px 2px;background-repeat:initial initial">ROBERT CARDIN</small>Choose monitors equipped with DisplayPort 2.1 so you can daisy-chain monitors easily.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> In addition, you can future-proof your purchases by getting monitors equipped with <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2035700/how-displayport-multi-streaming-delivers-new-levels-of-multi-monitor-madness.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">DisplayPort 1.2</a>, which supports daisy-chaining.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Arrange the monitors</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">When working with multiple monitors, it's important to arrange them so as to achieve the most comfortable viewing angles. Using monitor arms like those from <a href="http://www.ergotron.com/" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">Ergotron</a>, and monitors with VESA mounting support, you can pan, tilt, rotate, and lift the display to the optimal position. Higher-end monitors typically have their own adjustable stands, but monitor arms are superior in most cases—especially because they can retract to the edge of the desk to maximize available desktop space.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Arranging monitors in portrait mode is one unorthodox option that permits you to squeeze in more monitors. (We recently reviewed a few monitors that can <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2042888/review-three-widescreen-hd-monitors-that-pivot-from-portrait-to-landscape.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">pivot into portrait mode</a>.) Portrait mode is excellent for first-person-shooter games, but some desktop application windows may feel cramped and awkward in that orientation. Using monitor arms to stack a second row of monitors above the first row may enable you to position more monitors comfortably.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Regardless of how you decide to arrange your monitors, take time to wire everything up neatly, using either cable ties or a cable wrap.</p><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/01_tidycables-100045607-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="Cable Wrap" border="0" height="435" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/01_tidycables-100045607-large.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580"></a>With good planning and some work, your multimonitor setup doesn't have to be overrun with cables.<h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em"> Maximize input ports</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Practically all monitors these days come with multiple input ports, including DisplayPort, DVI, HDMI, and VGA. You can use one port for your primary computer, and the others to connect to a nearby server or a test machine. Alternatively, you could connect an Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 via the HDMI port. Obviously, a video switcher box would do the same thing, but that's an additional piece of hardware to purchase, and it also adds to the clutter on your desktop.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Get software help</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Microsoft has steadily tweaked the Windows operating system to work better with multimonitor systems, by introducing a number of noteworthy shortcuts. Using the Windows-Left arrow key or Windows-Right arrow key combination, for example, will dock the active window to the side of the current monitor. Additional key presses will move the docked window to the next monitor, while Shift-Windows-Left arrow or Shift-Windows-Right arrow will move the window to the next monitor without docking.</p> <img alt="Monitor Manager" border="0" height="345" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/02_windowmanager-100045606-large.png" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="580">Use a monitor manager to help you work better with your extra screen real estate.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> But <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/2036581/crisp-your-desktop-with-a-window-manager-utility.html" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)">third-party window managers</a> can still help you navigate across multiple monitors more easily. These programs add features such as creating a taskbar across monitors (for Windows 7 and earlier, since Windows 8 has this built in), remembering the position of app windows, offering shortcuts keys for managing app windows, and more.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Tweak your mouse settings</h2><strong style><a class="zoom cboxElement" href="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/03_mousecursor-100045605-orig.jpg" style="color:rgb(37,167,215)"><img alt="Windows Mouse Properties" border="0" height="310" src="http://images.techhive.com/images/article/2013/07/03_mousecursor-100045605-medium.jpg" style="box-sizing: border-box; border-width: 0px; vertical-align: middle; width: auto; height: auto; max-width: 100%; float: left;" width="300"></a></strong>Finding the mouse cursor can be tricky when you have multiple monitors to check.<p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em"> Finally, you may want to enable mouse acceleration on your multimonitor system. Mouse acceleration significantly increases the speed of the mouse cursor when fast mouse swipes are detected. It's especially useful for moving quickly across multiple monitors. Relying exclusively on a trackpad to navigate a multimonitor system can be a pain, due to the excessive amount of swiping needed.</p> <p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Other mouse-related configurations include changing your mouse pointer's size and color to make it stand out more. Finally, consider selecting the 'Show location of pointer when I press CTRL key' option under <em style>Mouse Properties</em> > <em style>Pointer Options</em>, as well as the 'Snap To' feature to move the mouse cursor to the default option of a dialog box automatically.</p> <h2 style="font-family:facitweb,sans-serif;margin-top:1em;margin-bottom:0.25em">Enjoy the view</h2><p style="line-height:1.7em;margin:0px 0px 0.7em">Once you've worked with multiple monitors, you'll have a hard time going back to a solo monitor. All that space. All those windows open at the same time. As the computing world becomes increasingly graphical, expanding your view will prove well worth the extra real estate on your desk or wall. The most recent port technologies and Windows enhancements make upgrading even easier. Or perhaps you already have two, three, or four displays set up? Let us know how it works for you.</p> </span>

Desktop land grab: Essential tips for multimonitor productivity

PRESENTED BY Two is definitely better than one when it comes to monitors. A single display may suffice for basic computing, but multiple m...

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