About The Techblog:
The Simple TechBlog is here for you with useful tips, tools, and hacks to make real, practical use of the technology surrounding us.
If you have a new website or product you think would be useful to TechBlog readers. Let me know.
Advertising:
Support The Simple TechBlog
Sunday Security Tip – Shields UP!!
June 2nd, 2007
Shields UP!! is a free security tool provided by Gibson Research Corporation (GRC.com) that tests your computer for a large variety of vulnerabilities like windows messenger spam, browser headers and open ports. Shields UP!! was created by Steve Gibson (the co-host of Security Now! and creator of SpinRite, an amazing Hard Drive maintenance and repair tool) to poke and prod at your computer much like a real hacker or malicious code might, tell you where it was able to get in and how to fix it.
GRC also offers many other free tools and software (available here) to test, track and fix your computer’s security. I highly recommend Steve’s tools and software as well as listening to Security Now! every Thurs. on the TWiT Netcast Network.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Snacksby – Social Recipes
May 27th, 2007
Snacksby.com is a new take on the old recipe for, well, recipe sites. Snacksby brings together the openness of social networks with the practicality of user-generated recipes. But Snacksby also goes one step further. The site lets you to input all the items in your pantry and receive a custom-tailored list of delicious goodies to make with them.
Snacksby is a different, easier kind of recipe site. You tell us what you’ve got in your fridge or in your pantry and wham!, we let you know what your options are.
Recipes and ingredients are categorized with snacksonomies, which are tags like lowfat or vegetarian that help you find what you might like better and faster. Are you missing something? Snacksby can tell you what to do if you don’t have buttermilk or if you’d like a vegan substitute for eggs.
You can also create lists of favorite recipes and get RSS feeds of those lists. If you find a recipe you don’t have all the fixin’s for, Snacksby will take your Pantry list into account and give you a shopping list.
Snacksby is free to register and use.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Quick Tip – Read-Only Email
May 17th, 2007
Posting your email address online, publicly, is usually not a good idea. Unfortuately, there are times when you just have to do it. One way to avoid the onslaught of spam is to use Read-Only email services. These are web services that allow you to create throw-away email address. You then visit their site to check the email address for incoming email. Two services we like are:
DodgeIt.com – DodgeIt is a great service. Just put any email name in front of “@dodgeit.com” and you’ve got an instant, read-only email address. For instance, simppletechblog@dodgeit.com. Then go to dodgeit.com and enter your email name into the field to check for any emails sent to that account.
PookMail.com – Pookmail works exactly the same as dodgeit. Think of an email name, put iit n front of “@pookmail.com” and check for mail in that account at the PookMail.com website.
These services can be great for registering at unknown websites, forums, blogs, or any untrusted place you need to post an email address.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Get Free International Calls With Yak4Ever
May 13th, 2007
In February, AllFreeCalls, a web service that allowed people to call overseas for free by exploiting a regulatory loophole, was shut down due to legal litigation. Today its back from the dead as Yak4Ever.
Like their previous incarnation, AllFreeCalls, all users have to do is call an access number in the U.S. and then forward on to an International number for free. The main difference now is, at registration, you’re asked to enter up to 10 phone numbers and assign each a numeric code (1-10). You then dial the access number and enter the code number you want to dial.
This change lowers the overall usability now, but the service can still be very useful for people who call the same international number regularly.
[AllFreeCalls Back From DeadPool, Free Calls Are Here Again - Via: TechCrunch]
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!
Quick Tip – Beat Telemarketers At Their Own Game
May 10th, 2007
No matter how hard you try, it seems like telemarketers always get your number and a list of times you’d like to relax. Amateur Radio Operator, Andy Carlton, shows us how to beat those pesky telemarketing auto-dialer computers at their own game.
By using the FCC approved, industry standard, disconnected number tone sequence (those three tones you hear when you get a bad number) at the beginning of your voice mail or answering machine message, you can trick the auto-dialer computers into thinking they’ve got a bad number and putting you on THEIR “do not call” list. Andy even provides you with a download of the three tones.
Get the full scoop and the download here.
Of course, if you don’t want to change your message, you can always use the Anti-Telemarketing “Counterscript”.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed!