Four Simple Tech Hacks That Will Make You More Productive

While technology’s omnipresence in our lives affords us the opportunity to get work done from anywhere at anytime, being on devices all the time can lead us down time-wasting tunnels, making us less productive.

Thankfully most of the smartphones and computers we use now also have built-in settings or additional apps that can help you reclaim your productivity so you can get back to using your devices for work.

Here are four tech hacks to make you more productive.

FIND OUT HOW YOU ARE REALLY SPENDING YOUR TIME ONLINE

There are a host of time-tracking apps that give us insight into just how many hours we are spending surfing the web and using various apps. The best thing about these time-tracking apps is that they run in the background and automatically log your usage. After running the apps for at least a week, you’ll then have a good idea of whether you are truly being productive on your devices, or if you are using them to procrastinate more than you thought.

One of the most robust is ManicTime,  which not only tracks how much time you spend in each app, but in each document you open. This means you can see if you are giving one project more time than another, and can decide whether that project actually deserves the additional time. ManicTime also tracks which websites you visited and how long you spent on each. It even tracks the time you spent away from your computer.  It’s available for PC, Mac, Android, and even Linux.

RescueTime is another useful time-tracking app for PC, Mac, Android, and Linux that allows you to set productivity goals for the day, and even gives you a daily productivity score. If you have an iOS device, give Moment a look. It tracks how much you use the apps on your device each day, and even logs how much time you pick up your phone every day. If you’re an Android user, try QualityTime for similar features.

USE PARENTAL CONTROLS TO KEEP YOU FROM PROCRASTINATING

If you find that you are wasting a lot of time on social media sites, you don’t have to rely on willpower alone to avoid them. Instead, you can block them. While the main operating systems (macOS, Windows, and iOS) don’t offer app or website blocking functions per se, they do all offer parental controls that you can enable and use for yourself.

• If you’re on iOS, go to Settings > General > Restrictions to turn parental controls on and set blocked websites.
• macOS users should go to System Preferences > Parental Controls.
• Windows users can find them under Windows Settings > Accounts > Family & Other People.
• Android users can download the TrendMicro app, which allows users to easily block access to certain websites.

ENABLE DO NOT DISTURB MODES DURING THE DAYTIME

The solutions above work great if you’re the one to blame for wasting your time. But if you find your time is being wasted by your friends who won’t stop texting, or by apps that keep sending social media or news alerts during work hours, you need to block them from doing so. The good news is that you don’t even need to make those friends and apps aware of your tactics.

All the major OSes have versions of a “do not disturb” mode built into them. When activated, these modes prevent notifications being sent to your device. By default, do not disturb modes are usually set to turn on at night when you should be sleeping. But a great hack is to flip the schedule on its head and turn them on during the day when you have work to do, so even if your friends keep texting, or those social media sites keep pinging you, there’s no way you’ll get the distracting notification until your work is done.

• On a Mac, go into your Notification Center, swipe down and toggle Do Not Disturb to “On.” Toggle it to “Off” when your work is done for the day.
• On an iOS device, go into your Control Center and tap the present moon button to enable Do Not Disturb.
• On a PC, right-click on the Action Center icon in the taskbar notification area. Select “Turn On Quiet Hours” to enable do not disturb mode.
• On an Android device, swipe down from the top of the display to open the notification screen and tap on the Do Not Disturb icon.

FORCE YOURSELF TO TAKE BREAKS WITH “TIME OUT” APPS

Even when you’re focusing on work, it’s still important to remember to take breaks. Science shows breaks actually make us more productive, not less. Thankfully there are a few free apps that you can install on your work machines that will automatically tell you when it’s time to step away from the keyboard.

If you’re on a Mac, Time Out–Break Reminders is an excellent app that lets you schedule “normal” five- to 10-minute breaks every hour and a seconds-long “micro” break every 15 minutes. PC and Linux users can get the same capabilities from the excellent freeware Workrave.

So now you know the tech hacks to help you be more productive, what are you still doing in this article? Get back to work.

Recognizing and Avoiding Spyware

What is spyware?

Despite its name, the term "spyware" doesn't refer to something used by undercover operatives, but rather by the advertising industry. In fact, spyware is also known as "adware." It refers to a category of software that, when installed on your computer, may send you pop-up ads, redirect your browser to certain web sites, or monitor the web sites that you visit. Some extreme, invasive versions of spyware may track exactly what keys you type. Attackers may also use spyware for malicious purposes.

Because of the extra processing, spyware may cause your computer to become slow or sluggish. There are also privacy implications:

• What information is being gathered?
• Who is receiving it?
• How is it being used?

How do you know if there is spyware on your computer?

The following symptoms may indicate that spyware is installed on your computer:

• you are subjected to endless pop-up windows
• you are redirected to web sites other than the one you typed into your browser
• new, unexpected toolbars appear in your web browser
• new, unexpected icons appear in the task tray at the bottom of your screen
• your browser's home page suddenly changed
• the search engine your browser opens when you click "search" has been changed
• certain keys fail to work in your browser (e.g., the tab key doesn't work when you are moving to the next field within a form)
• random Windows error messages begin to appear
• your computer suddenly seems very slow when opening programs or processing tasks (saving files, etc.)

How can you prevent spyware from installing on your computer?

To avoid unintentionally installing it yourself, follow these good security practices:

• Don't click on links within pop-up windows - Because pop-up windows are often a product of spyware, clicking on the window may install spyware software on your computer. To close the pop-up window, click on the "X" icon in the titlebar instead of a "close" link within the window.
• Choose "no" when asked unexpected questions - Be wary of unexpected dialog boxes asking whether you want to run a particular program or perform another type of task. Always select "no" or "cancel," or close the dialog box by clicking the "X" icon in the titlebar.
• Be wary of free downloadable software - There are many sites that offer customized toolbars or other features that appeal to users. Don't download programs from sites you don't trust, and realize that you may be exposing your computer to spyware by downloading some of these programs.
• Don't follow email links claiming to offer anti-spyware software - Like email viruses, the links may serve the opposite purpose and actually install the spyware it claims to be eliminating.

As an additional good security practice, especially if you are concerned that you might have spyware on your machine and want to minimize the impact, consider taking the following action:

• Adjust your browser preferences to limit pop-up windows and cookies - Pop-up windows are often generated by some kind of scripting or active content. Adjusting the settings within your browser to reduce or prevent scripting or active content may reduce the number of pop-up windows that appear. Some browsers offer a specific option to block or limit pop-up windows. Certain types of cookies are sometimes considered spyware because they reveal what web pages you have visited. You can adjust your privacy settings to only allow cookies for the web site you are visiting.

How do you remove spyware?

• Run a full scan on your computer with your anti-virus software - Some anti-virus software will find and remove spyware, but it may not find the spyware when it is monitoring your computer in real time. Set your anti-virus software to prompt you to run a full scan periodically.
• Run a legitimate product specifically designed to remove spyware - Many vendors offer products that will scan your computer for spyware and remove any spyware software. Popular products include Lavasoft's Ad-Aware, Microsoft's Window Defender, Webroot's SpySweeper, and Spybot Search and Destroy.
• Make sure that your anti-virus and anti-spyware software are compatible - Take a phased approach to installing the software to ensure that you don't unintentionally introduce problems.

How to Secure Your (Easily Hackable) Smart Home

As more devices and appliances with Internet capabilities enter the market, protecting those devices from hackers becomes critical. Unfortunately, many of these non-computer, non-smartphone devices — from toilets to refrigerators to alarm systems — weren't built with security in mind.

So what can someone who's already bought one of these devices do? When it comes to the so-called Internet of Things and the connected home, it's best to proactively secure the home network. There is no antivirus software for a smart TV, but you can protect your Wi-Fi network so hacking the TV doesn’t become a backdoor into your home.
 

How to make your connected home more secure

Here are some steps to protect your home network and the gadgets connected to it.

Secure the wireless network. The old Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) protocol is still widely used, but it is weak and easily compromised. Make sure the home wireless network is instead protected by the Wi-Fi Protected Access II (WPA2) protocol and a strong, complex password.

Give your Wi-Fi network an obscure name, or SSID, that doesn't give attackers personal information they can use in social-engineering attempts. For instance, don't call it "[Your Name] House." Instead, call it something random, such as "FBI Surveillance Van."

Disable guest network access entirely, and to be strict about who — or what — can get on the network.

Create two different Wi-Fi networks if your router can handle multiple SSIDs. Trey Ford, global security strategist at security company Rapid7, suggests one network for computers, tablets and smartphones used for online banking, shopping and general Web activity; another network can be for smart devices.

Good password management is essential. Neither network equipment (such as routers and switches) nor newfangled gadgets (such as smart TVs) should use default factory-set administrator passwords. Change each admin password to something suitably strong and complex, and regularly change them going forward. When possible, usernames should be also changed to make it even harder for attackers to brute-force their way in.

Firewall the network, either with a stand-alone appliance or software that ships with the router, to restrict incoming connections.

Most networked IoT devices include information about the ports, network protocols and IP addresses used in the owner's guide or the support website. Set the firewall to allow traffic on those specific ports and no others. Port restrictions will cut down on opportunistic network-probing attempts.
 

Security tips beyond the network

Once the network is secure, examine each IoT device you own— and what it is doing. Disable remote-management access and other powerful network tools if they won't be used.

Install security software wherever possible, such as on mobile devices used to control IoT devices. If attackers can access a smart garage-door opener or a smart thermostat via a malicious Android app instead of by hacking the device directly, they will go with the easier option.

Check manufacturers' websites for firmware updates on a regular basis, as Internet of Things companies can be slow to patch vulnerabilities and push out updates. Install each update right away. Updating the firmware is particularly important for networking gear such as firewalls and routers.

Pay attention to brands. Consumers expect smart-device vendors to take proper steps to secure the platform, Martincavage noted. But if the manufacturers don't take security seriously, or claim the underlying platform is "hacker-proof," be wary. Better-known brands are less likely to risk their reputations this way, he said.

Know the Risks Before You Invest in Cryptocurrencies

It’s not just bitcoin. There are now hundreds of cryptocurrencies, which are a type of digital currency, on the market. They’ve been publicized as a fast and inexpensive way to pay online, but many are now also being marketed as investment opportunities. But before you decide to purchase cryptocurrency as an investment, here are a few things to know:

• Cryptocurrencies aren’t backed by a government or central bank. Unlike most traditional currencies, such as the dollar or yen, the value of a cryptocurrency is not tied to promises by a government or a central bank.
   
• If you store your cryptocurrency online, you don’t have the same protections as a bank account. Holdings in online “wallets” are not insured by the government like U.S. bank deposits are.
   
• A cryptocurrency’s value can change constantly and dramatically. An investment that may be worth thousands of dollars on Tuesday could be worth only hundreds on Wednesday. If the value goes down, there’s no guarantee that it will rise again.

• Nothing about cryptocurrencies makes them a foolproof investment. Just like with any investment opportunity, there are no guarantees.

• No one can guarantee you’ll make money off your investment. Anyone who promises you a guaranteed return or profit is likely scamming you. Just because the cryptocurrency is well-known or has celebrities endorsing it doesn’t mean it’s a good investment.

• Not all cryptocurrencies or the companies behind them are the same. Before you decide to invest in a cryptocurrency, look into the claims the company is making. Do an internet search with the name of the company and the cryptocurrency with words like review, scam, or complaint. Look through several pages of search results.

A Single-Character Message Can Crash Any Apple iPhone, iPad Or Mac

Only a single character can crash your iPhone and block access to the Messaging app in iOS as well as popular apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Outlook for iOS, and Gmail.

First spotted by Italian Blog Mobile World, a potentially new severe bug affects not only iPhones but also a wide range of Apple devices, including iPads, Macs and even Watch OS devices running the latest versions of their operating software.

Like previous 'text bomb' bug, the new flaw can easily be exploited by anyone, requiring users to send only a single character from Telugu—a native Indian language spoken by about 70 million people in the country.

Once the recipient receives a simple message containing the symbol or typed that symbol into the text editor, the character immediately instigates crashes on iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches and Apple TVs running Apple's iOS Springboard.

Apps that receive the text bomb tries to load the character, but fails and refuses to function properly until the character is removed—which usually can be done by deleting the entire conversation.

The easiest way to delete the offending message is by asking someone else to send a message to the app that is crashing due to the text bomb. This would allow you to jump directly into the notification and delete the entire thread containing the character.

The character can disable third-party apps like iMessage, Slack, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Gmail, and Outlook for iOS, as well as Safari and Messages for the macOS versions.

Apple was made aware of the text bomb bug at least three days ago, and the company plans to address the issue in an iOS update soon before the release of iOS 11.3 this spring.

The public beta version of iOS 11.3 is unaffected.

Since so many apps are affected by the new text bomb, bad people can use the bug to target Apple users via email or messaging or to create mass chaos by spamming the character across an open social platform.