#24 How to Spot an Email Hoax or Phishing Scam

Hello Friend's, today I am would show you how to spot an email hoax or phishing scam.

Is that email offer really giving away all that cash? Has your friend really lost her suitcase and all her money and needs more cash? Hoax emails abound and sadly, it's because many of us are the unsuspecting, all too willing to believe in freebies, prizes, and distress calls. Being able to spot the false email is an important part of being a good citizen and not falling prey to the online criminals who are all too willing to fleece you of your hard earned gains.

Method 1: Understanding Phishing

   

Step 1:

Know what phishing is. Email hoaxes are often termed "phishing". This term refers to the instances where the scammed sends out a mass email to every address he or she has managed to glean by whatever method. The hope is that at least a few people will be gullible enough within that mass emailing to respond––and send cash or personal details. 

 

Step 2:

 

Know what phishing scammed are after. In a nutshell, they want cash or identifying information that can give them access to sources of cash. They hope that they can trick people into revealing sensitive personal information, such as passwords to accounts, banking information, Social Security numbers, mother’s maiden name, date of birth, among others. Phishing scams are targeted to gather personal information in order to hijack your assets or steal your identity to open credit accounts in your name.  

• Social media is another form of scamming. Fake Facebook, Twitter, etc. accounts can be used to present a front that seems genuine, only to disappear when the fraud has been committed, no traces left.

Method 2: Spotting the Hoax

Step 1:

Develop a set of red flags that tell you to be wary. Some basics that should set off your suspicions include:

•  Bad spelling and/or poor grammar in an email claiming to represent a company, royalty, a prize agency, whatever.

 

•  Unsolicited commercial or personal request email. Do you even know about this company or person? If the name seems unfamiliar and you don't recall ever signing up for the company or sharing details with this individual, be suspicious upon receipt of such an email. 

 

• Asking for money. Always start from the grounds that a request for money is to be treated with suspicion until proven otherwise. Perhaps your daughter is vacationing in the land of the Grail and it's not unknown for her to ask for more funds to fly home. But if you suddenly get an email from her, claiming she has lost everything and needs thousands of dollars to bribe local officials, be wary; mass emails claiming such distress are not uncommon, using hacked email accounts.

• The email is full of promises to reward you. Promises of this type are rather personal; you should be very wary of such emails.

 

• The email is from somewhere you don't live, like Nigeria or Singapore and you either know nobody there or it's not the email of someone you do know there. Put up your red flag. 

Step 2:

Check the facts - every time. The reason emails warning of silly urban legends spread so quickly is because people receive them from their trusted friends, and never imagines these smart, clever people could be fooled. Before forwarding any email, take a second to search one of the databases listed below.  

• Bear in mind that a friend's or colleague's email can be hacked and that the sender isn't your friend or colleague but the hacker who wants something for nothing.

 

•   In turn, don't forward such emails yourself. Scams, threats, chain letter emails, etc., are illegal in many countries and not only is it bad netiquette to forward such rubbish, it could also put you on the wrong side of the law.
   

 

Step 3:

Set your mind at ease when it comes to a personal friend or family member seemingly in trouble. If someone tells you that they're a friend in trouble, offer to pay their costs directly. For example, if the "friend" tells you he has been mugged and has had his wallet stolen and needs funds to pay for the hotel, offer to ring the hotel direct and sort it out on their behalf. If the reply is "no, no, please make a wire transfer", be very suspicious that this isn't your friend but a fraudster on the other end.

• Be wary of any email request asking for wire transfers of money! If you are going to wire money anywhere in the world, deal with people face-to-face with reputable companies, such as when sending money from an auction house to another one, or sending money to a family friend who has already confirmed the details with you in person or over the phone. If you want to send money to a charity in this way, talk to someone in the charity's head office (either in person or using a Yellow Pages phone link) and sort it out officially; you may even like to involve a financial or legal representative to ensure it is legitimate.

Step 4:

If you find the email is a hoax and comes from someone you know personally, immediately reply to the original sender to let him or her know. Select 'Reply all' if appropriate, or suggest that the sender sends an email to this effect. Remember to include a link to the site debunking the email! 

Method 3: When Not to Reply (Most Times)

Step 1:

If you receive an email requesting money or personal information in return for great riches, do not respond! Responding to emails like this - or any type of spam - merely confirms your email account as an active one and can result in you getting a whole lot more spam. Forwarding an email like this to an anti-phishing website, like the ones listed below, can help stop or slow its progress.  

Step 2:

If you receive an e-mail that appears to be from a company or website you do business with that, asks you to input any personal information, such as your username, password or bank account details, does not respond to it or click on any links. If you are concerned that there may be an actual problem with your account, navigate to the website yourself and log in.

• Do not copy and paste text or links from the email to your web browser. What you might be able to do if the link is live and you're in an online email program, is hover your mouse over the link, without clicking and check the browser for confirmation of where that link will take you; if it's not legitimate, you'll soon see an odd address. This is simply more confirmation of your suspicions.

 

•   Banks do not send emails asking for you to input personal information from an email link. They're wise to the scams, so don't fall for any such emails. Visit or call the bank if you're worried and  and get reassurance from a teller or customer service officer (and use the Yellow Pages telephone number, not any number provided in an email).
  
  
  
  Step 3:
   
  Remember that speed is your enemy. It is better to be slow in responding than to be fast in replying and lose it all. When your suspicions are raised, take time away from the email to talk to a trusted person, check online websites for information about scams or even call the police for information.  
  
  
  Method 4: Hoax-Proofing Yourself and Your Family  
  
  
  Step 1: 
  
  Do your best to react with care and wisely. Help your family to also spot the signs of hoax emails. And let friends know if you suspect they have been hacked or have unwittingly forwarded on spam or hoax emails; that way, you all learn together.  
  
   
  
  Step 2:
  
  Learn to identify spam. Both you and family members can shield yourself a lot more by asking the following questions of every email you receive:  
  
  • Have this person ever sent me spam before? Is there a sudden barrage of nonsensical spam emails from this person (an indicator that their email is hacked)?

   

  
  

  • If the email tells you to open an attachment, you should not do this. This is especially so if the attachment name ends in .pif or .sr.

   

  
  

  • If the email is from a 'free' email account (hotmail.com, yahoo.com, etc.), and you don't know the sender, treat it with great suspicion. 

   

  
  

  •  If there is a link in the email, hover your cursor over it (but do not click it!). This often reveals that the real location the link will take you is a (phishing) website you have never even heard of.

  
  
  

  • Is the email mentioned recent natural disaster or similar headline events? Scammed watch the headlines carefully to monitor for anything causes people distress; it is a way of setting up fake charities to ask for funds that only ever help the criminals involved. This includes links to fake websites and PayPal accounts (again, don't ever click).

  
  
  

  • If you do click the link to go to, say, an online banking website, check to see if the address says 'https' or 'http'. Almost all banking websites will use 'https'. If you are still not sure, go to the actual website by opening a new tab and typing its name into your search engine. Compare the 2 addresses.

   

  
  

  • If you get an email from a friend who lives close by, or who you can contact by phone, ask them if they sent you that email. Even the best filters haven't found a way to direct calls to them and perfectly imitate your friend's voice!

   

  
  

  • Think back and ask yourself: Did I physically enter my name into this sweepstakes? Even if you think you "might" have, why aren't they phoning you? Call the company directly, using the Yellow Pages phone directory, not the email contact details.

   

  
  

  • Check both the 'To' and the 'From' lines. If they both have the same address/person/name on them, it is a phishing email/scam.

   

  
  

  • Is there a threat of immediate detrimental action if I don't respond with personal information? Threats by email are illegitimate, do not deserve your attention, but may need to be drawn to the attention of police or anti-scam officials. Remember, you have done nothing wrong––the scammed is the one doing that. 

   
   

  Tips

  • Is there an offer of free money in exchange for personal information? Money doesn't simply appear from nowhere. Be very reticent to part with personal information or to see free money being dangled before you.

   

  
  

  • Trust your gut instinct. If it feels weird, don't reply. Sleeping on it is a wise response––in most cases it'll go away because you'll be one of the many who did not take the bait.
    
    
    

  •   Use your browser's anti-phishing facilities (Firefox and IE both have them). That way, even if you do follow a link in a phishing email, the browser will warn you if the site is fraudulent.

   

  
  

  • Some scammers use graphics and e-mail addresses to make you believe their e-mail is from a legitimate site. Again, always navigate to the site in question on your own (namely, do not click on their live link, instead use a search engine to find the site––even then, see the next tip).

  

Warnings

•  You are not a bad person because you didn't follow that charity link to help the devastated. You are a proactive person protecting your interests so that you can provide charitable help through trustworthy channels that actually do exist. Do not let guilt techniques, get the better of you.

• If you feel threatened, do not stew in worry. Contact the police, anti-scam authorities or, if you're a minor, tell your parents or school authorities. They will determine whether or not it's an overreaction, but it's much better to be reassured than left frightened.

• Getting fooled by an email warning of some new crime or promising free money can be more than embarrassing––it can also be dangerous if you get involved in something underhanded or your identity is stolen.

• If you're tired, don't check or read emails. Not only will your mental reflexes to be less than optimal, you're more likely to fall for sob stories and great deals when you're sleepy. Since you're also unlikely to be able to answer any work or personal emails sensibly, getting some decent rest is a better response than allowing yourself to fall for a scam! 

• Genuine charities, fundraisers and the like to never ask for bank account details or wire transfers. They'll have their own legitimate websites with secured "https" in the URL line. Use a search engine to get to such sites, or drop in or call the charity to get the web address. 

• Some e-mails are shareware. They announce requirements to appear in court or attempts at debt collection pending legal action by the collector or an attorney. Does the message address you by full name or first name only instead of Mr. (last name here). Does the message seem to address no one by name, as though it was a form letter? Does the alleged collection agency give a phone number that they can be reached at or only a link to which you are directed to give a credit card number or other personal info. Is the court located in a state that you know you haven't visited ever or anytime recent? Subpoenas or orders to appear in court always come by snail mail. Debt collection attempts will always be from the company that you knowingly did business with. If a collection agency or attorney is involved, you are always contacted by phone, never e-mail.

#23 Most common hardware problems

In this post I will summarize the most common laptop hardware related problems and give some suggestions how to troubleshoot or repair them.

Problem 1.
Computer doesn’t turn on at all.

When you plug the AC adapter into the laptop, there are no lights turning on at all. When you push on the power button, nothing happens. The laptop appears to be completely dead, makes no sounds, no indications of life.

Possible problem:
– The AC adapter failed and the battery has no charge left. In this case test the AC adapter with a voltmeter. If it’s dead, replace it with a new one.

– DC jack failed and the motherboard doesn’t receive any power from the adapter. In this case the DC jack has to be replaced.

– Motherboard failed. The motherboard has to be replaced, if it’s not too expensive. Otherwise, get ready to buy a new computer.

Problem 2.Screen is blank.

The laptop turns on, the power LED lights up, cooling fan works, but nothing appears on the screen. The screen is completely black and blank. There is no image on the screen at all.

Possible problem:
– This can be memory failure. It’s possible one of the memory modules failed. In this case you can try resetting memory modules to make sure they are making good contact with the slot. You can try removing memory modules one by one and test the laptop with only one module installed. You can try replacing memory modules.

– If resetting/replacing memory doesn’t help, try removing the hard drive, DVD drive, modem, wireless card, keyboard, etc.… In other words, disassemble the laptop to a bare minimum and test again. If the laptop still doesn’t turn on, most likely you have failed motherboard or processor.

Problem 3.
Laptop turns on and off repeatedly.

The laptop turn on without showing any image on the screen. After a few seconds it turns off by itself. Then it turns on and off again.

Possible problem:
Most likely this is motherboard failure. You can try reseating/replacing memory as I described in the Problem 2. If it doesn’t help, probably the motherboard failed.

  

Problem 4. 
Laptop makes noise while running.

The laptop turns on and everything works fine, except it makes some constant weird grinding or rattling noise.

Possible problem:
In most cases this noise is coming from the cooling fan or hard drive. Take a closer look at the cooling fan.

If the fan doesn’t spin but the laptop makes noise, it’s probably coming from the hard drive. Back up all personal data as soon as possible and replace the hard drive.

Also, you can remove the hard drive and stat the laptop. If the laptop still makes noise, most likely it’s bad fan.

Problem 5.
Laptop shuts down or freezes.

The laptop runs properly, but after a while it freezes or shuts down without any warning. When it happens, the bottom feels hot. Also, the cooling fan runs louder than usual.

Possible problem:
Most likely this is a heat related issue. It happens because the fan heat sink is clogged with dust and the processor not cooling down properly. Cleaning the fan and heat sink from dust should fix it.

Problem 6.
Battery not charging properly.

The battery stopped charging properly. It doesn’t charge at all or charges only after you adjust the position of the AC adapter plug inside the power connector.

Possible problem:
– Failed battery. If it doesn’t charge completely try reconnecting the battery first. Also, try running the laptop just from AC adapter with battery removed. If it runs fine from AC adapter, most likely it’s either bad battery or failed motherboard. Try replacing the battery first.
– Failed DC power connector. If the battery charges only after you adjust the position of the AC adapter tip inside the connector, most likely this the DC jack failed.

Problem 7.
Screen light fails.

The laptop starts properly, but after a while the screen light turns off. The image still appears on the screen, but it’s very dark.

In some cases the screen light never starts and all you can see is a very faint image.

Possible problem:
Most likely it’s either failed screen inverter or backlight lamp (CCFL) failure.  When either one fail, the backlight stops working.

In order to troubleshoot this, you’ll need some spare parts: either new working inverter or known good backlight lamp.

Problem 8.
Strange or garbled image on the screen.

The laptop turns on properly, but has a distorted or garbled image on the screen.
 

Possible problem:
– The graphics card failed. First of all, test your laptop with an external monitor or TV. If you see the same garbled image on the external screen, most likely the graphics card failed.

– If the problem appears only on the laptop screen, this can be related to one of the following: poor connection between the video cable and motherboard or screen. Also can be failed video cable or screen.

Problem 9.
Some keyboard keys stopped working.

Some keyboard keys do not work at all or type wrong characters.


Possible problem:
Most likely the keyboard failed and they are not repairable.



Problem 10. Keyboard has missing or broken keys.
A key got separated from the laptop keyboard.


Problem solution:If a key separated from the keyboard, it’s still possible to fix it.
If you have many keys missing, it probably makes sense to replace the whole keyboard.



Problem 11.

Repetitive beep sound on startup.
You turn on the laptop but there is no video on the screen. Instead, it starts making repetitive beeping sound. In some cases you can “fix” the problem temporarily if you press on the keyboard keys. 

Problem solution:
Most likely you have stuck keys. In this case you’ll have to replace the keyboard.

 

 Problem 12.Liquid spill.

You spilled something on the laptop and it’s stopped working.



Problem solution:Liquid spills are very dangerous and unpredictable. If it happened, turn off the laptop ASAP, remove the battery and do not use it until all internal parts are inspected for liquid damage.
It’s still possible to make it work again.

#22 How to configure router

Hello friends, today I would show basic router configuration commands. These commands are the essential part of router configuration. 


Router#show running-config

Building configuration...

Current configuration : 419 bytes
!
version 12.4
no service password-encryption
!
hostname Router
!
ip ssh version 1
!
interface FastEthernet0/0
[output is Omitted] 


Active configuration is known as running-configuration. You can view it from router command line interface. show running-config command will display active configuration from memory. You can run this command from privileged mode. On a Cisco router active configuration is not saved automatically. So it would lost automatically in the event of power failure. To avoid it you need to save it manually with copy command.


Router#show flash

System flash directory:
File  Length   Name/status
  1   33591768 c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-15.T1.bin
[33591768 bytes used, 30424616 available, 64016384 total]
63488K bytes of processor board System flash (Read/Write)

Flash memory is a special kind of memory on the router that contains the operating system image file(s). Unlike regular router memory, Flash memory continues to maintain the file image even after power is lost.


Router#show history

The routers Command Line Interface (CLI) maintains by default the last 10 commands you have entered in memory .

You can retrieve previous commands by pressing UP Arrow Key

You can retrieve next commands by pressing Down Arrow Key



Router#show protocols

Use this command to view the status of the current layer 3 routed protocols running on your router


Router#show version

Cisco IOS Software, 1841 Software (C1841-ADVIPSERVICESK9-M), Version 12.4(15)T1,
RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc2)
Technical Support: http://www.cisco.com/techsupport
Copyright (c) 1986-2007 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Wed 18-Jul-07 04:52 by pt_team

ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.3(8r)T8, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

System returned to ROM by power-on
System image file is "flash:c1841-advipservicesk9-mz.124-15.T1.bin"
[output is Omitted]
Cisco 1841 (revision 5.0) with 114688K/16384K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID FTX0947Z18E
M860 processor: part number 0, mask 49
2 FastEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
1 Low-speed serial(sync/async) network interface(s)
191K bytes of NVRAM.
31360K bytes of ATA CompactFlash (Read/Write)

Configuration register is 0x2102 

This command will give you critical information, such as: router platform type, operating system revision, operating system last boot time and file location, amount of memory, number of interfaces, and configuration register.


Router#show clock

*1:46:13.169 UTC Mon Nov 1 2009

Will show you Router clock


Router#show hosts

will display a cached list of hosts and all of their interfaces IP addresses


Router#show users

Will show a list of all users who are connected to the router


Router#show interfaces

will give you detailed information about each interface


Router#show protocols

will show the global and interface-specific status of any layer 3 protocols


Router#show ip interface brief

Interface          IP-Address     OK? Method Status                Protocol

FastEthernet0/0     10.0.0.1        YES manual up                     up

FastEthernet0/1    unassigned      YES manual administratively down  down

Serial0/0/0         20.0.0.1        YES manual up                     up

Vlan1               unassigned      YES manual administratively down  down
Router# 

This command will show brief descriptions about interface. This command 
mostly used in troubleshooting. There may be three possible conditions 
of status. 

UP :- interface is up and operational 
DOWN :- physical link is detected but there are some problem in configurations. 
Administratively down :- port is disable by shutdown command (Default mode of any port on router.) 

R1#show ip route
Codes: C - connected, S - static, I - IGRP, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
       D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area
       N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2
       E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2, E - EGP
       i - IS-IS, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2, ia - IS-IS inter area
       * - candidate default, U - per-user static route, o - ODR
       P - periodic downloaded static route

Gateway of last resort is not set

C    10.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, FastEthernet0/0
C    20.0.0.0/8 is directly connected, Serial0/0/0
D    30.0.0.0/8 [90/40514560] via 20.0.0.2, 00:02:55, Serial0/0/0
D    40.0.0.0/8 [90/41026560] via 20.0.0.2, 00:02:54, Serial0/0/0
D    50.0.0.0/8 [90/41029120] via 20.0.0.2, 00:02:50, Serial0/0/0

R1#

This command will give a detail about known route. Router will not 
forward packet if route is not shown here for that packet. Router’s 
routing decision is made by this routing table.

R1#show controllers serial 0/0/0
Interface Serial0/0/0
Hardware is PowerQUICC MPC860
DCE V.35, clock rate 64000
idb at 0x81081AC4, driver data structure at 0x81084AC0 

Most common use of this command is to find out whether the port is DCE 
end or DTE. If the port is DCE end then clock rate and bandwidth command
will require. As you can see in output that port is DCE.

R1#show ip protocols

Routing Protocol is "eigrp  1 "
  Outgoing update filter list for all interfaces is not set
  Incoming update filter list for all interfaces is not set
  Default networks flagged in outgoing updates
  Default networks accepted from incoming updates
  EIGRP metric weight K1=1, K2=0, K3=1, K4=0, K5=0
  EIGRP maximum hopcount 100
  EIGRP maximum metric variance 1
Redistributing: eigrp 1
  Automatic network summarization is in effect
  Automatic address summarization:
  Maximum path: 4
  Routing for Networks:
     10.0.0.0
     20.0.0.0
  Routing Information Sources:
    Gateway         Distance      Last Update
    20.0.0.2        90            16
  Distance: internal 90 external 170
 

Use this command to know about running routing protocols. This will give the complete status about routing protocols likes on which interface its receiving updates and on which interface its broadcasting update what is time intervals
press enter to get back router prompt Router>
You are now in User mode. Type ? to view all the available commands at this prompt. Router>?
From privilege mode you can enter in configuration mode by typing configure terminal you can exit configuration mode type exit or <CTL>+z

Router>enable
Router#config terminal
Router(config)#exit
Router# 

To view all commands available from this mode type: ? 
and press: enter This will give you the list of all available commands 
for the router in your current mode. You can also use the question mark 
after you have started typing a command. For example if you want to use a
 show command but you do not remember which one it uses 'show ?' will 
output all commands that you can use with the show command.

Router#show ? 
access-expression List access expression
access-lists List access lists
backup Backup status
cdp CDP information
clock Display the system clock
cls DLC user information
compress Show compression statistics
configuration Contents of Non-Volatile memory 

#21 How to Check Computer Information

Hello friends, today I am showing how to check computer problem (or software problem). 

Knowing the specifications of your computer will help you make informed decisions when purchasing new hardware and software. You can check your system specs in every operating system, regardless of how old it is or what system it's on. All you need is to know where to look.

For windows xp

Method 1 : Windows XP (using MsInfo32)

Step 1- Click Start > Run 

Step 2- Type MsInfo32 

Step 3- Find the System Summary on the main page, it includes the principal information about your computer(System , physical memory , virtual memory , BIOS version ...) 

Step 4- Find information on your hardware on the "Hardware resources" tab.

Step 5- Find information about codecs (video, audio, other multimedia ... etc) installed in the "Components" tab

Step 6- Look for information on drivers and services in the "Software Environment" tab.

Step 7- Find information about your Default Navigator "Internet Explorer" in the "Internet Settings" tab.

 

Step 8- Look for MS Office applications' information on the "Office Applications" tab.

Method 2 : Windows XP (using DxDiag)

  

Step 1- Click Start > Run.

Step 2- Type Dxdiag.

• You must have any version of DirectX installed on your system.

Step 3- Find information about System , Display , Sound , Network, etc. in their appropriate tabs.

 

For Windows 7

Method 3 : Windows 7

Step 1: Use this method for Windows 7

Step 2: Go to Taskbar > Control Panel> System. 

Step 3: It provides Information about the system (It's nearly like Windows XP).

Step 4: Use the DirectX Diagnostic Tool as mentioned in the prior section. 

For Windows Vista

Method 4 : Windows Vista

Step 1: On the Taskbar : Click "Start" > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information.

Step 2: Follow the same steps as Windows 7.

   

For Linux Based Systems

Method 5 : Linux 

Step 1: Go to Applications > Accessories > Terminal (Alt+F2 > type gnome-terminal)

Step 2: Type one of the following commands :

• finger username : System info about a user. For example, "finger root"   

• cat /proc/version: Linux version and some information.

• cat /proc/filesystems: Show the types of filesystems currently in use .

• free: Memory info (in kilobytes).

• ps axu | more: List all the processes currently running, even those without the controlling terminal, together with the name of the user that owns each process.

• You can also : Type lshw > lshw-html > KinfoCenter. 

For Mac OS X

 

Method 6 : Mac OS X

 

Step 1: Open Apple Menu.

Step 2: About this Mac.

Step 3: You will find information about Version, Processor and Memory.

Method 7 : Microsoft Help Center

 

Step 1: Hold and press Start + F1 on your keyboard.

 

Step 2: Click the Performance and Maintenance. 

Step 3: Click on Maintaining Your Computer. This will be on the left task panel. 

Step 4: Click Get Information About Your Computer on the right pane.

Step 5: View General System Information about your computer. It will tell you it is processing. 

Step 6: When processed, you will find the computer's information.  

 

 

 

#20 Microsoft offers free Office 365 to students outside US

Students globally can now check eligibility for free Office from their school

Students globally can now check eligibility for free Office from their school Microsoft has announced that now students can check if they’re eligible for Office apps from their school and install it for free. The company says that the program will benefit millions of students globally.

Office apps are available free for students and teachers both. Students will require a valid school email address to sign up. They have to go to office.com/getoffice365 and enter their valid email address from their school. Teachers have a separate page for themselves, which can be accessed from office.com/teachers.

Microsoft will provide the latest version of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, Publisher and OneNote for free once the sign up process is complete. Users can install the app on up to five PCs or Macs and up to five mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. Students will also get access to 1TB One Drive storage and Office Online for in-browser collaboration.

Recently Microsoft opened up its Office 2016 Consumer Technical Preview for testing to anyone willing to sign a non-disclosure agreement. The new version includes a "Tell Me" tool, an automatic image-rotation feature has been added to help users correctly position images in Office documents. The company has also added a new "black" theme option for Office users. Microsoft is expected to release the Office 2016 in the second half of 2015.  

Last year Google had announced its Classroom Educational Tool for teachers and students to collaborate and give them assignments and feedback. The internet giant has also launched the Classroom app for Android and iOS that helps students submit their homework through their smartphones. The apps can be used by anyone with Google apps for Education account.

Students globally can now check eligibility for free Office from their school - See more at: http://www.digit.in/internet/microsoft-lets-students-check-for-free-office-eligibility-25392.html#sthash.PK26uxN5.dpuf

#19 Canon PowerShot SX520 HS Review

Zoom into perfection

 

 

PROS

•     Wide focal length range

•     Good noise reduction and focusing speed

CONS

•     Misses a few features from the previous version

•     Unimpressive Auto mode 

Our Verdict

There is a range of bridge cameras in the market today and the Canon PowerShot SX520 HS feels like just another addition. However the performance of the camera is quite impressive, especially the 42x zoom capability. This is a great camera for hobbyists and people who want to learn the basics of photography. 

Canon has upgraded the SX510 HS with a brand new model with a much higher zoom capability but also a larger size. We took the new SX520 HS for a spin to see if the upgrade is actually any good.

  

FEATURES
The new PowerShot SX520 HS has a better 15.9MP CMOS sensor which is a bump from the previous gen and it also has a larger 42x optical zoom lens which offers a focal length of 24-1008mm. There is a further 84x digital zoom as well, which is, to be honest, overkill and an unnecessary addition. The aperture range is f/3.4 to f/8 on the widest focal length and f/6 to f/8 on the highest focal length. For low light performance, the camera offers an ISO range of 100 to 3200 which is pretty good for low light shots. Sadly, you don't get the low 80 ISO like the previous version.

One big feature that we miss is WI-Fi as Canon has surprisingly removed this feature from the upgrade. Another feature that has been omitted is the slow-mo video mode so now you only get 1080p videos at 30fps. 


BUILD AND DESIGN
 
The SX520 HS feels a lot like its predecessor, but is now a bit larger and a bit heavier. It is still, however compact enough to carry around on your vacation if you don't like carrying a bulky DSLR. The camera is all plastic with a matte that offers some grip. The lens, however feels stronger as it has a metal ring around it to offer protection. Just like the SX510, there is an inbuilt flash which only pops-up automatically in the Auto mode, otherwise you need to manually open it.  

Next to the flash, you have your usual set of buttons including the shutter release button with a sliding ring to control your focal lengths, the power button and the mode dial which feels sturdy although it isn't the smoothest. At the back there is a 3-inch display which is the same as the previous gen camera. The back also a bunch of control buttons including a dedicated recording button, an exposure compensation/delete button, a playback button, the menu button and the drive control button. There is also a 5-key D-pad, but Canon has removed the rotating wheel which was present on the last model. The D-pad includes controls for flash, ISO, focus modes, etc. On the right side there is an A/V our digital port and an HDMI out port protected under a rubber flap. The bottom has a standard tripod socket and the plastic panel which opens to reveal the battery and the SD card slot.

Comparing the new SX520 to the SX510, the former feels larger, but somehow seems to offer a lesser functionality. However the overall build and quality is quite appealing. 

PERFORMANCE

 
The camera has definitely improved on the auto-focusing system and although it isn't the fastest, it is still pretty good in its price-range. You also get a manual focus option which isn't the fastest solution, but it's always nice to have. The auto exposure is somehow not very impressive as it tends to overexpose the pictures and we suggest you use any of the manual modes instead. The colours are quite accurate and even noise reduction has been implemented well. The auto white balance is also quite accurate and the different presets can be useful at times.

The best feature however is the large focal length coverage. With a 42x zoom range, you can shoot far off subjects with ease. In broad daylight, the pictures on the maximum focal length come out looking pretty good. Canon has improved on the auto-focus on the highest focal length, which was an issue with the last model. 

Video performance is pretty good and the video quality is impressive. Noise is under control, but there aren't a lot of controls to tweak the video. The various video resolutions include 480p @30fps, 720p @30fps and 1080p @30fps.

CONCLUSION

 
If you want a super zoom camera at a budget, then the SX520 HS is a great recommendation. While Canon has upgraded the zoom capability, auto-focus and noise reduction, it has committed some really useful features like WI-Fi and the rotating d-pad wheel. With that said, the camera is actually quite a good investment for everyday shooting. An alternative option could be the Nikon Coolpix P530.

Zoom into perfection

Zoom into perfection

#18 Twitter's 'While you were away' feature comes to Android

Month after releasing on iOS, Twitter's While You were away feature has now come to the Android platform

Twitter has now started rolling out 'While you were away' feature to Android users. The new Twitter feature, earlier available on iOS version, shows a recap of some of the top Tweets you might have missed from accounts you follow.

The new feature also marks a Twitter's change in Newsfeed that has so far displayed content chronologically. With the While you were away feature, like Facebook's News Feed, you will get to see important tweets that you might have missed out on.

“Our goal is to help you keep up – or catch up – with your world, no matter how much time you spend on Twitter. With a few improvements to the home timeline we think we can do a better job of delivering on that promise without compromising the real time nature of Twitter,” Twitter had said in a post.

Twitter has been working to improve its service and compete with other social networking sites, especially Facebook. It has also focussed on multimedia with video integrations and Instagram-like photo filters.

Month after releasing on iOS, Twitter's While You were away feature has now come to the Android platform. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/internet/twitters-while-you-were-away-feature-comes-to-android-25379.html#sthash.pM2cMHxf.dpuf

Month after releasing on iOS, Twitter's While You were away feature has now come to the Android platform. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/internet/twitters-while-you-were-away-feature-comes-to-android-25379.html#sthash.pM2cMHxf.dpuf