Author: Clinton

Windows 8 has some great personalization aspect that can make the experience feel more tuned to you.  While some (okay, most) do not like the Windows 8 Start screen, I’m actually a pretty big fan of it.  Once you get the knack of navigating around it I find it to be just as intuitive as the Start button of Windows past.  And while you can customize this with different color sets in the Settings>Personalize menu, it isn’t quite the same as having a personalized wallpaper on the Start screen just as you do on the desktop.

Buried in Windows 8.1 is a setting that will allow you to add your desktop wallpaper to the Windows 8 Start screen.  To be fair it isn’t exactly easy to find but if you are looking for a more personalized Start screen, follow these easy steps to enable this feature.

This How To assumes that you have installed the latest updates to Windows 8.1 on your PC.

Earlier this week you undoubtedly heard of the iCloud security breach that happened to some well know celebrities.  While Twitter and other places lit up with nudie pics of the like of Jennifer Lawerence, there were a lot of people at Apple frantically trying to find the source of the problem.  Was it a real breach?  Was there an inherent flaw in iCloud where anyone and everyone could be compromised?

The short answer is no.  This came down to, at the most basic level, a brute force attack against usernames and passwords. It was the latest in what seems to be a weekly announcement of someone having data security compromised by hackers.  The problem of course is that we all have digital data – digital footprints and fingerprints – all over the Internet.  From our Facebook account(s) to Twitter to our Banks.  Even our identification to remotely access our corporate networks.  Nobody is immune but you can protect yourself as best as possible.

Identification security is something we should all be vigilant about whether it is on our smartphones, our PCs or Macs.  Security breaches happen at the weakest point so the goal is to make it difficult to discourage but also not so difficult that you yourself are unable to access your data.  Here then are a few tips that you should consider when it comes to your personal data security.

Use Complex Passwords

The most basic thing you can do in personal data security is use complex passwords.  That is, use passwords with a mixture of:

• Upper-Case Letters
• Lower-Case Letters
• Numbers
• Special Character such as @£$%!
• At least 8 characters long

Passwords should also not be associate with any personally identifying information such as:

• Birthdays (yours, your spouses, your children, etc)
• Your address
• Your National Identification/Social Security Number

Complex passwords serve as a strong deterrent for those who would potentially try to gain access to your data.  While any password can be compromised with enough time, complex ones point hackers to easier targets.

The New York Times Crossword app has been released for both Windows Phone and Surface, bringing perhaps the most well known and popular daily crossword to your devices.  It is the perfect way to take on the challenge of the crossword game, which began publishing in 1942, with you on-the-go and you can do it completely free.

The new app brings you both a daily mini puzzle (for Windows Phone) then the published crossword for the day.  You can play either one of these completely free without a subscription to The New York Times and in fact can play the previous 7 days of puzzles for free.  If you want to go back further, up to a year on the device and 20 years on the web, you will need a subscription to the service.

The New York Times Crossword for Windows Phone – Free – Download Now

The luxury case manufacture Noreve has announced an all new second case for the Nokia Lumia 1520.  The Tradition B is a wallet style case that is complete with card carrying front cover and a kickstand built into the back for viewing landscape videos on your 1520.  It comes in a wide range of colours and is available for order now starting €47.75.  If you are looking for a premium case that exudes style and Haute Couture (custom fitted) case for you Lumia 1520, you’ve find the one you want. You can stop looking now.

Microsoft has announced that the next version of the Nokia Lumia firmware, Lumia Denim, will start shipping with the new Lumia 830, 730 and 735 immediately with the rest of us seeing it by the end of this year.  It is an impressive statement given that many of us are still just now getting Lumia Cyan on our devices.

This morning at IFA in Berlin, Microsoft has been busy.  They have announced several new things including the all new Lumia 830 Windows Phone.  A slim 5″ display device, the Lumia 830 comes packed with features including an impressive 10MP PureView camera and wireless charging.  The 830 is the successor to the 820 and is expected to ship later this month for around €330 or $430.  While the 820 was never a world beater, Microsoft certainly is aiming the 830 to be with a good mix of advanced features without the massive high end price tag.