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[Android] X-plore File Manager is an advanced file manager with cloud storage integration, ability to explore ZIP archives, root support, and more
Having a good file manager on Android is very important. If you’ve looked passed all other file managers and you still haven’t settled on a file manager that you love, X-plore File Manager might just be the last stop. This app has dual panels, tree style folder listing, and so [...]
[Windows] 3 free programs to easily encrypt files stored in cloud storage (Dropbox, SkyDrive, Google Drive, Box, etc.) [Mac OS X, iOS, Android]
![[Windows] 3 free programs to easily encrypt files stored in cloud storage (Dropbox, SkyDrive, Google Drive, Box, etc.) [Mac OS X, iOS, Android]](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/04/boxcryptor_screenshot-290x160.png)
I’m sure many dotTechies use cloud storage service, at least sparingly if not frequently. One of the major concerns with cloud storage is the safety and privacy of data; no one wants their files, documents, etc. in the wrong hands. The best way to combat these concerns is to simply [...]
Read More »[Windows] Best free firewall — Online Armor vs Comodo vs Privatefirewall vs ZoneAlarm vs Outpost vs TinyWall
![[Windows] Best free firewall — Online Armor vs Comodo vs Privatefirewall vs ZoneAlarm vs Outpost vs TinyWall](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/03/2013-03-24_195252-250x1791-250x160.png)
There are two basic components of computer security: anti-virus/anti-malware and firewall. dotTech has already reviewed the best free anti-virus program for Windows. Now it is the turn of firewalls. Keep reading to learn about the best free firewall for Windows.
[Note: All the firewalls featured in this review are free [...]
Read More »[Android] SD Maid makes it easy to clean your device and free up storage space
System cleaners have become a necessary evil on mobile devices. The more you use a device, the more junk keeps piling up. When you uninstall apps and delete files, they can often leave traces behind especially on internal storage or external SD card. SD Maid is designed to eliminate such [...]
[Windows] UltraSearch is a very fast desktop search program — and it uses no index
Third-party file location software (aka desktop search programs) is not a new concept. Most users have their favorites already. For example, many dotTechies prefer Everything, the desktop search program featured by dotTech as the best free desktop search program. However, UltraSearch may be a serious contender. Let’s see if it’s [...]
Why I switched from Avast to Avira: better computer performance and speed [Opinion]
The first ever anti-virus/anti-malware program I used was Kaspersky, a 1-year 3-user license I purchased from Wal-Mart for $60. Soon after, I discovered something I never could fathom before: free anti-virus/anti-malware programs, specifically Avira, Avast, and AVG. So I ditched paid anti-virus for free ones. I originally started with Avira, [...]
Read More »[Android] Uninstall or disable system apps (bloatware) and move any app to SD card with Link2SD
If you’re an Android user and you don’t have Link2SD installed, you’re missing out on an essential part of having root on your phone. Link2SD allows you to move any (non-system) app to your SD card. This includes apps that you normally cannot move to SD card. This app is [...]
[Windows] Find and delete dead or duplicate bookmarks/favorites with AM-DeadLink
Bookmarks (or favorites, as they are known in Internet Explorer) are very useful in helping keep track of websites we want to revisit in the future, for one reason or another. The issue with bookmarks is often people have so many bookmarks, it is hard to manage them all. So [...]
AVG Secure Search Security Toolbar is malware, avoid it more than the plague
I’ve been reviewing software since dotTech was born back in October 2008. By now, over four years on, I have become very good at avoiding crapware that comes bundled with many programs, notably toolbars; I can only remember one time in the past few years when I have accidentally installed [...]
Read More »[Android] ZArchiver is the best free archive manager on Android — extract, create, and edit archives (ZIP, RAR, 7Z, and more) to your heart’s content
Yesterday I reviewed PowerGrasp. It’s alright for basic file extraction but If what you’re looking for is an extremely comprehensive file archive manager for Android, then ZArchiver is the app for you. ZArchiver can extract and create almost any file archive type imaginable.[...]
WHAT IS IT AND WHAT DOES
Read More »[Android] Automatically adjust ringtone volumes based on the noise level around you with Intelligent Ringer
One of the biggest issues with always having a phone on you is that it can go off at any minute. There’s nothing I hate more than a quiet meeting, or movie being interrupted by a blaring phone. I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t always put my phone [...]
[Android] Greatly improve speed and performance of your smartphone or tablet with LagFix
As you use a device more and more, and this rule pretty much applies for all technology, it usually starts to suffer from slowdown. There are many reasons why this happens. In the case of Linux-based systems, this can typically be attributed to storage — specifically how the memory controller [...]
[Android] Block apps from accessing the internet with Mobiwol, a firewall that does not require root
In the day and age of data caps and apps that always want internet access, it is very important to be able to block certain apps from accessing the internet. Not only does blocking specific apps from accessing the internet help prevent unnecessary usage of data, but it is also [...]
Want easy-to-remember and secure passwords? Use passphrases instead of complex passwords [Tip]
Last year we wrote a post that provided five tips on how to create strong passwords and have secure accounts. Now I’d like to take the opportunity to provide another password-related tip — the idea that you should use passphrases instead of traditional passwords.
WHAT IS A PASSPHRASE?
A ‘passphrase’ [...]
Read More »[Windows] Best free clean uninstaller — Revo Uninstaller vs IObit Uninstaller vs GeekUninstaller vs Comodo Programs Manager
![[Windows] Best free clean uninstaller — Revo Uninstaller vs IObit Uninstaller vs GeekUninstaller vs Comodo Programs Manager](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/03/2013-03-14_211112-290x160.png)
As much as like to believe otherwise, many programs do not completely clean after themselves when you uninstall. In other words, many programs leave traces (in the form of files, folders, and registry entries) on your computer after you have uninstalled them. That is why clean uninstallers are so handy; [...]
Read More »[Android] Zeam Launcher is a fast and lightweight homescreen replacement app
For Android, Zeam Launcher is my launcher of choice. I have several ClockworkMod backups with my custom ROM setups, all using different launchers, but I always seem to come back to Zeam Launcher. Zeam Launcher is truly the underdog in the Android launcher space. The simple fact is that [...]
What are the best alternatives to Google Reader? [Ask dotTechies]
Google Reader is on its last breathe. RSS fiends need to find a substitute. I’m sure among the multiple thousands heads we have here on dotTech we can figure out viable — maybe even better — alternatives to Google Reader. So let ‘em rip. In the comments below, share with [...]
[Windows] Evince is a lightweight, fast, and clean document reader that supports PDF, XPS, multi-page TIFF, and more
If you’re on Windows and you’re a PDF junkie, an e-book hound, or a digital comic book fan, you might want to listen up. If you don’t want to be stuck with Adobe Acrobat Reader — you know, the bloated, slow, and almost unresponsive PDF reader that Adobe offers up [...]
[Android] Need an ad-free file manager with dual panels? Check out Ghost Commander File Manager
If you have an Android device, you definitely have internal storage and you may have a micro SD card in your phone or tablet. You’ve probably downloaded files or have placed files onto your internal storage or micro SD card. To view, access, modify, etc. these files, you need a [...]
What is ‘Click-to-Play’ and how to enable it in Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Internet Explorer [dotTech Explains]
![What is ‘Click-to-Play’ and how to enable it in Chrome, Firefox, Opera, and Internet Explorer [dotTech Explains]](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/03/2013-03-10_190236-290x160.png)
Recently dotTech posted a joke about websites that start to randomly play videos or audios and how every web browser should have a feature to kill such websites. In the comments a dotTechie — Darcy — posted about very useful comment about using an addon in Firefox to block Flash [...]
Read More »[Windows] TunnelBear is an excellent VPN — fast, easy-to-use, secure, and private [Android, iOS, Mac OS X]
Maybe you are on a public network and want to protect your privacy. Maybe you are at work and want to access blocked websites. Maybe you live in a country where the government takes part in active Internet censorship. Maybe you just want to stay anonymous while surfing the web. [...]
[Android] Llama automatically changes device settings (silent, WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.) based on time and location
Llama is an application designed to automate the process of adjusting your device settings (ringer, WiFi, etc.) so you don’t have to worry about remembering to do it yourself. This application is great for people who have difficulty remembering to silence their phones before important events. It is also great [...]
[Windows] 7 free defragmentation software (aka defraggers)
![[Windows] 7 free defragmentation software (aka defraggers)](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/03/auslogics_disk_defrag_free-290x160.png)
Unless you have a SSD (solid-state drive), you should regularly defrag your hard drive(s) (once a month, every other month, every six months, whatever you desire as long as you do it). Why? Simply because, as time goes on, the files on your hard drive(s) become more and more fragmented [...]
Read More »[Android] Set a different, custom vibration pattern for each of your contacts with Vybe (like custom ringtones, but for vibrate)
Vybe is an application that will allow you to create custom incoming call vibrations for each of your favorite contacts. This application is great for those who normally keep their phones on vibrate, but still want to know who is calling without having to look at his or her device. [...]
![Absolutely stunning footage of “fiery looping rain” on our Sun [Video]](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/03/2013-03-04_040739-290x160.png)
[Windows] Remove toolbars and unwanted or dangerous addons with avast Browser Cleanup, a portable program
Remember that person who had 12 toolbars installed on their computer? Yeah, it happens. Even the best of us sometimes accidentally installed toolbars or other unwanted/dangerous addons in our browsers. To help remove these toolbars and undesirable addons, avast — the makers of dotTech favorite avast Free Antivirus — have [...]
This is how each ISP is implementing the six-strikes anti-piracy program
Now that the “six-strikes” Copyright Alert System has gone live, and we know exactly how some of these alerts will look like, it’s about time that ISPs revealed how they’ll be implementing the system. Let’s go through each of the participating ISPs one by one and see how each of [...]
Read More »Yet another new zero-day Java vulnerability is found, and this one is being exploited in-the-wild
Do you still have Java installed? Then you probably want to know that yet another zero-day Java vulnerability is found, and unlike the two vulnerabilities discovered earlier this week by Security Explorations, this vulnerability is being exploited in-the-wild effectively making it a new zero-day attack aimed at Java users.
According [...]
Read More »Flaw in HTML5 allows websites to bombard you with data until your hard drive is full
So you thought you would be safer with Flash gone and HTML5 taking over? Generally speaking, you are probably right — but not in this particular situation. Computer science graduate Feross Aboukhadijeh has demonstrated a proof-of-concept that allows websites to download unlimited amounts of data to your computer… until your [...]
Read More »[Android] Silence will automatically put your phone or tablet in silent mode based on specific times and dates you configure
I’m sure everyone has been in a situation like this before. You’re in an exam, at a meeting, or just doing something which needs your undivided attention… when suddenly your phone starts ringing and completely disrupts the atmosphere, leaving you embarrassed, and your colleagues/classmates disgruntled. Well, never again if Epsilon [...]
Guess what? Adobe Flash is being hit with in-the-wild attacks (again); update to latest version to stay safe
Java. Flash. Java. Flash. Java. Flash. It seems like these two take turns in making your system vulnerable to attack. Sometimes they even misbehave at the same time, like today. As mentioned earlier today, two new vulnerabilities have been discovered in Java. Now it is Flash’s turn.
Adobe just announced [...]
Read More »This is getting old: New zero-day vulnerabilities found in latest versions of Java, including Java 7 Update 15
Still have Java installed on your computer or enabled in your browser? Then you should know new vulnerabilities have been discovered in the latest versions of Java. Again.
The current latest version of Java is Java 7 Update 15, which includes the most recent patch Oracle issues on February 19. [...]
Read More »[Windows] Best free video and audio converter
![[Windows] Best free video and audio converter](http://cdn.dottech.org/media/2013/02/v2v2-250x202-250x160.jpg)
Just as with digital photos, audio and video files have become an integral part of our everyday lives. However, our audio and video files are not always in a desirable format and we may come across formats that are not supported by all our devices (phone, tablet, etc.). Luckily we [...]
Read More »Need a cheap tablet? HP’s $169 Slate7 tablet is coming in April — runs stock Android and has microSD expansion slot
In 2010 HP bought Palm to try to make a push into the mobile market with Palm OS. That all came to an abrupt stop when HP decided to discontinue Palm OS devices. (Why they decided that, I will never know.) Now, however, HP is looking to get back in [...]
Read More »Scammers accuse people of illegally downloading music, demand $495 or go to jail
We all have probably heard of so called legal extortion cases, where lawyers acting on behalf of intellectual property owners send letters to alleged illegal downloaders and ask for money or else face civil charges in court. While those types of letters may hover on the border of questionable, they [...]
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