Category: Technology

Whether you consider yourself a computer collector or are simply nostalgic for the “good old days,” having a retro computer can be quite the experience. Older computers can take you back in time—and they can also hold a fair amount of value. At the same time, retro computers tend to have a lot of delicate parts that could fail at any time. The good news? By following a few practical tips, you can keep your retro computer running like new.

1. Avoid Too Much Natural Light

Many older computers have towers, keyboards, monitors, and other major components that are made of plastic. And while it’s true that plastic is quite durable, it can also break down over time. This breakdown can be accelerated by prolonged exposure to harsh UV light. 

To avoid discoloration and deterioration of plastics, try to keep your retro computer out of direct sunlight. This means storing it away from a large window (or using shades/curtains to protect your computer from light) whenever possible.

2. Take Control of Dust

Dust is another common problem for electronics, and this is especially true for older computers. Even a small amount of dust buildup could cause a piece of hardware to break down completely or cause a bad connection on the motherboard. Being diligent about dusting in rooms where retro computers are kept can make all the difference, as can using a high-efficiency air filter in your home.

3. Protect Against Power Surges

Unfortunately, an unexpected power surge can cause serious damage to a retro computer that’s been left plugged in. Even if your computer isn’t on at the time of a power surge, its hardware and other components could be damaged. The good news? Avoiding this is as simple as either unplugging your retro computer when it’s not in use or plugging it into a surge protector.

4. Be Mindful of Humidity

Moisture is among the worst enemies of electronics, regardless of age. You should be especially careful when it comes to moisture and retro devices, however. Take humidity readings regularly and make sure that relative indoor humidity doesn’t surpass 50%-60%. If you live in a climate that sees higher humidity, you may want to consider running a dehumidifier in your home (or, at the very least, in the room where your retro computer is kept).

5. Stock Up on Backup Parts

Inevitably, the parts on a retro computer will fail over time. Because these parts can be difficult to come by, it’s always a good idea to keep a stock of common replacement parts on hand. This includes a motherboard, graphics card, hard drive, and similar hardware components. This way, you won’t have to scour for a replacement and wait for shipping when the time comes.

Keep Your Computer Running Like New

Taking care of a retro computer does take a little more time and effort than caring for a modern device, but by following these tips, you can keep your older computer running well for years to come!

If you’ve built a website using WordPress, you have undoubtedly installed some of the more popular plugins, possibly including Jetpack, Elementor, WPForms or some of the SEO plugins. However, there are over 50,000 WordPress plugins available with new ones being added every day. Here are five interesting and useful plugins you may not know about.

1. Enhanced Media Library

A lot of website developers use Media Library to upload images, videos and other media files. Enhanced Media Library takes the capability a step further. It improves your ability to organize and find media items by categorizing and tagging them. It comes with a number of useful shortcodes for front end categorization. Enhanced Media Library also uses filtering to facilitate searching and sorting.

The plugin was built for developers who have to deal with a large number of media files. It’s open-source, and it comes in both basic and PRO versions.

2. Custom Login Page Customizer

If your site requires users to log in, you may not be happy with a generic logic page that looks like everyone else’s. After all, every user sees it. To fix that, you can either custom code your own page, or you can use Custom Login Page Customizer. The plugin allows you to readily create a distinctive login page directly from the WordPress customizer. It’s easy to give your sign-on screen a professional look with your own logo, background images relevant to your website and whichever custom fonts you prefer.

3. Search Regex

Search Regex is a search and replace plugin that’s useful for updating your posts or, for that matter, any textual data anywhere on your site. If you find you’ve been spelling someone’s name wrong or calling a product by an inaccurate name, you can change it globally. You can find all instances of a phrase you want to remove. You can update text across image tags.

Search Regex is a powerful and invasive tool that makes modifications directly to your database. It’s recommended that you do a backup before initiating any site-wide changes.

4. Image Zoom

WP Image Zoom deals with those images that looked fine when you created them but are too small on your site. Your visitors can see what you originally intended by hovering over the portion of the image with a virtual magnifying glass. It’s good for panoramic pictures, large flowcharts and detailed spec sheets.

There are multiple zooming types, and the zoom image will follow the pointer with an elegant delay. The zoomed area fades in and out and makes the experience easy on the user’s eyes.

5. Image Hotspot

Image Hotspot is another plugin for image management. It allows you to add hotspots to images. This is particularly useful for displaying geographical maps and providing links to information about businesses and other locations on these maps. It’s also good for org charts, building schematics and any kind of image where you want the user to drill down for more information. It comes with a css for changing the background tooltip and text color.

There is a constant debate about the health impacts of tech gadgets on kids and whether tech time needs to be limited in favor of other healthy activities. Well, some devices have a positive effect: reading, improving sleep, or encouraging more activity. 

Here are five that benefit kids instead of keeping their attention on video games all day.

Kindle Paperwhite Kids

Encouraging reading is always beneficial, and the kids’ Kindle is a great way to do so. It is easy for them to take multiple books anywhere and can be read outdoors. Ten weeks of battery life means they don’t have always to remember to charge it.

The best part of the Kindle is that if there is a new book they wish to read, Amazon Kindle Unlimited has quite a few titles. The library is an even better source as they can go online, check out any book they want, and send it straight to their Kindle. Plus, there are never library late fees.

$160 at Amazon keeps them reading

Apple Watch SE

A smartwatch can benefit kids, primarily if it keeps them active. The fitness tracking tells them if they have reached a healthy amount of steps during the day and reminds them to stand up and move. Kids love reaching their goals and being praised.

Enabling the GPS on the watch also means you can find your wandering child at a friend’s house, avoiding homework, and call or text their watch to get home. Using the Find My Apple app, you can locate them wherever they may be hiding.

$240 at Amazon gets them moving and makes them trackable

Osmo Creative Starter Kit

The Osmo is an iPad-compatible kit with award-winning games that helps kids learn. It helps with drawing, listening, physics, creative problem solving, and fine motor skills. Kids learn through experimentation and real-time audio and visual feedback. It is suitable for kids ages 5-10. Who knew an iPad could be used with such a great, interactive learning tool?

The kit is inexpensive at $55.99 on Amazon

Huohuotu Alilo Big Bunny

The Big Bunny is an award-winning early education toy that won the Family Choice Award and the British Infant Toy Award. This bunny can sing lullabies and children’s songs and tell stories, poems, and scientific knowledge. It comes with 1000+ pre-installed songs and stories. It is interactive and can answer math, history, science, and music questions.

Everything was considered, including ears that are safe for babies to chew on and the ability to go dormant after 30 minutes of lullabies.

$69.99 makes this miracle education toy a great value

GKTZ Kids Waterproof Camera

A 20 MP kids’ underwater sports camera? How cool. For the budding photographer in the family, a camera is an excellent way for kids to engage with the world around them. They can take videos and pictures both above and underwater. If it gets dropped, don’t worry. The camera has fall protection.

$31.99 on Amazon starts their photography fascination

These kids’ gadgets get reading, learning, and moving and keep them from endless cartoons or video games. You’ll be happy they are having fun while learning new skills and staying active. What great gifts for birthdays and Christmas.

For businesses in particular, a cloud-based backup service can be a godsend. Rather than procuring, installing and maintaining physical hardware on-site, you can now backup all of your critical business data to a secure third-party at a fraction of the cost it normally takes.

Still, the cloud is not a silver bullet and in order to get the most out of your spend (and stay protected), there are a few key things to keep in mind. 

The Heartbleed Bug: Breaking Things Down

One of the most important things to understand about cloud-based backup services has to do with the types of vulnerabilities that your data could be exposed to. While cloud-based systems are highly secure by their very nature, they are not impervious. Case in point: the Heartbleed Bug.

The Heartbleed Bug is a vulnerability that impacts the OpenSSL cryptographic software library. This is what is used to create the SSL/TLS encryption which is what many cloud-based backup systems use for protection, along with many websites. If exploited, that protected data can then be stolen.

Essentially, Heartbleed works by allowing anybody with the right tools to read the memory of devices that are still using out-of-date versions of OpenSSL. Information that appears to be encrypted is actually available to those with malicious intentions, creating a dangerous situation for businesses in particular.

To make sure that yours is an organization that won’t fall victim to Heartbleed, make sure that your cloud-based backup provider is using the most recent version of OpenSSL. It’s very likely that they are, but it never hurts to verify.

Likewise, make sure that all backups on the cloud are encrypted as well. That way, even if they are intercepted, a hacker still won’t be able to access the information inside. 

Practical Advice for Making the Most Out of Your Cloud Deployment

Beyond cybersecurity measures, there are a number of other practical steps that you can take to help make sure you’re getting the highest possible return on investment for your cloud-based backup solution.

In terms of performance efficiency, make sure that you or your colleagues are regularly looking at your utilization levels for things like compute, storage and more. Because you’re talking about the cloud, if you need to add additional storage (for example) it truly is as simple as picking up the phone and making a call to your provider. But before a lack of storage causes an unfortunate disruption, you need to know prior to getting to that point.

With regard to cost optimization, regularly review whether or not you are paying only for what you need – something that is one of the benefits of the cloud in the first place. Have you over-estimated what you’ll need in terms of resources or under-estimated due to seasonal fluctuations? These reviews are important to help achieve the highest possible ROI.

 By following best practices like these, you’ll be able to enjoy all of the benefits of a cloud-based backup service with as few of the potential downsides as possible. 

We’ve all been there. You see an idea for this new technology. And you think, there’s no way that can take off. 

Then it does. And in some cases, it changes our whole existence.

Some of the weirdest tech startups that succeeded in this list may not reach that level. But you probably never would have guessed it would be the new big thing when you first saw it.

1. Uber

Let’s lead with a big one. Today, Uber is integral to our lives. It’s hard to believe it was a bizarre idea when it first started.

Taxis and trains already saturated the market. Why would someone pay more to uber?

As it turns out, the founders were onto something. Their customers like the convenience of apps. They want to see their drivers and their ratings before the vehicle arrives.

It’s nice to get where you’re going faster. And people like options when they want to treat themselves to an UberSUV, UberBlack, or UberX. They want to feel special and convey a certain image.

You just don’t get that with the “normal” transportation methods that came before. So yes, Uber may seem normal now, but it was certainly weird. 

2. Dog Parker {aka, Dog Spot}

Ever been walking your dog, when you needed to leave them outside a store for a few minutes while you run in? If you’re one of this crowd, you may feel guilty or worried about leaving your best furry friend tied up outside — even for a short time. 

Dog Parker is a smart dog house that businesses can set up outside their store to keep their patron’s pups climate-controlled, comfortable, and video-monitored until the pet parent returns. 

3. Celestis, Inc

Now that your dog is taken care of, it may be time to think about your dearly departed. This weird tech startup launches their remains into space. For those who’ve always dreamed of living off-world, this makes that dream come true — at least in some part.

And it costs much less than the typical funeral. 

4. Invisible Girlfriend

This one’s for those individuals who are bombarded with questions from family or co-workers about why they’re not seeing someone. Your reasons are your own. You do you.

But Invisible Girlfriend (or Boyfriend) offers the answer. This weird tech startup allows you to sign up to receive texts, voicemails, and even gifts from someone you’re supposedly dating. 

5. Spud Pickles

Don’t let the name fool you. This tech startup is all about its business. And their business is ghost-hunting. Spud pickles is an app development company that has found its niche audience. They build apps that can detect paranormal activity. 

The company has to say “it’s for entertainment purposes only” for legal reasons. But the reviews are filled with creepy stories from real people who use it to contact lost loved ones and find strange entities in their homes, offices, and neighborhoods. 

 

 

The metaverse refers to VR spaces with characteristics and uses similar to areas in the physical world. People’s avatars can inhabit these spaces and perform many of the same activities they do in real life. Examples could include working, attending school, enjoying entertainment, conducting business, and buying land. 

Five Essential Facts About Buying Land in the Metaverse 

Such celebrities and businesses as Snoop Dog, JP Morgan, and Samsung have already made purchases. Before you join them, learn five essential facts about buying land in the metaverse. 

Metaverse Land Can Offer Utility 

People or businesses have two main reasons to purchase metaverse land: 

• Establish a home base: Some people consider a metaverse home as something similar to owning a website on the internet. It offers a home address to direct others to when they want to find you. It also gives you a place to develop and express your personality or mission. 
• Speculate on property values: Some people purchase land in the metaverse because they hope the value will appreciate and allow them to sell at a profit. Naturally, buyers take a risk when speculating on virtual land values. 

Most Virtual Land Sells for Crypto 

In the real world, people buy physical land with their country’s currency, like dollars or euros. Typically, virtual land sells for cryptocurrency. The type of cryptocurrency can vary by platform. Thus, people will need to acquire crypto and a digital wallet before they can purchase land on a VR world platform. 

Land Sales Come From Platforms and Third Parties 

Metaverse platforms offer land directly. Landowners may also choose to sell land through third-party platforms. Two examples of virtual real estate companies include opensea.io and nonfungible.com. These platforms provide features for property listings, price negotiation, and completing the transaction. 

VR Land Buyers Face Risks 

Some VR land values have appreciated rapidly, making investments appear attractive. However, buyers should understand the risks, such as sudden depreciation or the entire platform failing. Also, buyers don’t enjoy the protected and regulated market they do when purchasing physical land. Sometimes, scammers try to fool buyers into scam purchases, and buyers don’t have much protection. 

The Value of Land May Depend on the Future of the Metaverse 

In the physical world, the land value may depend upon scarcity or the land’s development or location. Different factors may impact the demand for metaverse land. For instance, virtual land investors have made big bets on the future success of a platform and the entire metaverse when they purchased property. 

Right now, nobody can say if the metaverse will evolve into a force like social media or streaming videos or become another passing fad. Also, nobody can predict if a particular platform will grow into the next Facebook or fall out of fashion like Myspace. 

Is This the Best Time to Buy Metaverse Land?

Timing a VR land purchase depends on the market and the buyer’s goals. VR land buys for a particular purpose probably offer the safest bet. For instance, a virtual store can generate revenue and profit. The buyer will give the land utility, which may help support its value. 

For more risky speculative purchases, the timing gets tougher. Citibank published an optimistic report that predicted significant growth within the next five years. Other sources disagree and call metaverse land a risky crypto asset. Prospective buyers should gather information from several credible sources to help them inform decisions about what and when to buy. 

 

 

When it comes to sustainable energy, people have strong opinions for and against it.

Some say solar panels never actually pay for themselves. Others love solar panels for self-sufficiency and environmental reasons.

But like all technology, the solar panels today are not the ones people bought decades ago. And there are many reasons you’ll want to consider investing in them sooner rather than later.

1. Become More Self-Sufficient

Becoming energy self-sufficient means you have electricity when others lose theirs. That can be a life-saver during a natural or people-made disaster.

You know that you and your family are taken care of, no matter what. And you’re in a better position to help others in the community during a major event.

It feels good to know you’re producing your own energy and living a more self-sufficient life.

2. Lower Your Energy Bills

As long as you live somewhere that gets good sunshine, a solar panel system can much more than pay for itself in the 25+ years it can last.

If you live in a less sunny climate, you can still save money. But you’ll want to perform an energy analysis to see how much electricity you can reasonably generate per panel.

Fun fact: A south-facing roof gets the most sun in the Northern Hemisphere and vice versa south of the Equator. If you have a north-south oriented roof, you may need fewer panels than the rest of us.

3. Prices Are Going Down

While the prices of many things continue to rise, producing solar is getting cheaper. This is partly due to increased efficiency and more streamlined manufacturing processes.

In 2010, you’d pay USD $7.53 per watt produced (probably higher than your electric company charges you). Back then, getting solar panels was more of an ethical choice than a money-saving one. This is why solar once had many naysayers.

But now, you’ll pay around $2.65 per watt. That’s almost half of what you’d pay the electric company for that watt. It’s hard to argue with that.

4. Support Clean Energy

Solar is a renewable resource. Going solar can reduce your dependence on coal and fossil fuels, which still provide at least some power to electrical grids around the world. So you’re reducing your carbon footprint and supporting sustainable solutions.

When you invest in solar panels, you’re investing in the future of the planet and that of the generations that come after us.

5. You Could Make Money

If you’re in the United States, you could earn federal and state tax credits that pay as much as 26% of the cost for panels and installation.

That’s not money in your pocket just yet. But solar panels pay for themselves within 5-10 years in a moderately sunny climate.

After that, you still don’t have an electricity bill. So that is money in your pocket.

On top of that, many communities will also buy back excess electricity you produce. That could mean the electric company pays you, not the other way around.

Going solar is an investment. Like all investments, there are risks. But for most people, getting solar panels will be an investment that pays you back several times over.

While those that casually browse the internet and don’t know its inner workings might not know it, WordPress is one of the pillars of the world wide web. It has allowed us to create countless websites, and these days you see nearly 700 new WordPress sites pop up to join the more than 400 million that already exist. If you’re using WordPress for ecommerce, there are a lot of tools available, especially when it comes to mailing. If you’re looking for the right one, try one of these five plugins that are rated as the highest.

5. Sendinblue

Clocking in with over 300,000 websites worldwide, Sendinblue is one of the newer services on the block, celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2022 after being founded by Armand Thiberge in Paris, France. Sendinblue has grown a lot since then, and is now handling over 140 million emails every day and over a quarter million text messages. The ratings are extremely high, as well, with satisfaction reaching scores of 9 out of 10 frequently.

4. HubSpot

As the name suggests, HubSpot is a plugin that offers more than one service, hence the “hub.” This CMS tool is free to try and has multiple email tools to use. This includes automated emails for sales, marketing, signatures and tracking. Hubspot’s platform is easy to use and is great if you’re running a small ecommerce site. For 1,000 contacts per month, you can expect to spend $45 (or $540 per year). For those that want a massive reach it runs up to $38,400 per year, as well as a plan for those in between at $800 per month for professional services..

3. WP Mail SMTP

Among the most used email plugins on WordPress is WP Mail SMTP, with over 2 million websites currently using the service. Of the thousands of reviews that WP Mail SMTP has received thus far, you’ll only find a handful that are below five stars. One of the biggest appeals of WP Mail SMTP is how easy it is to use. You can use any Gmail alias that you want when using SMTP and it only takes seconds to reach thousands of people.

2. MailPoet

MailPoet was once its own service, and a popular one on WordPress for merchants that has the capability of sending out mass emails to subscribers. In late 2020, MailPoet was acquired by WooCommerce, allowing the extension to grow even more. These days, about one-third of all ecommerce sites are using MailPoet and WooCommerce for their mailing. According to MailPoet, the open rates on their emails are a whopping 40 percent, giving you a massive and engaged reach.

1. Sumo

Sumo is essentially a do-all extension that has been regarded as being among the best for sending mail. With Sumo, you can send up to 10,000 emails each month…and that’s just on the free version. The premium upgrade allows you to do even more, and it’s worth the cost. Plans run from $29 to $119 per month depending on the size of your website. Since there is a lot to learn about Sumo, you’ll probably want to get in touch with their customer service. You’re in luck, though, as getting the help you need is free.