As the author of Why That Fancy Password Isn’t Nearly as Safe as You Thought puts it, that password you created is super complicated (which is good) but “You know who else loves it? Computers!”  A strong password is necessary, but are the rules we have lived by really helping us to create a VERY strong password?  Also, how difficult have we made it on ourselves to remember that password.  Personally, I have to hit the forgot password link on at least one website a week now, simply because I tricked myself, and I am getting really tired of it.

Password Strength from xkcd.com

RETHINKING THE STRONG PASSWORD

The cartoon from xkcd.com (shown above) is really worth far more than a thousand words or even a thousand dollars.  The artist shows a password much like any of the ones I use on a daily basis and quickly dispels the myth that it is difficult for a computer to guess.  Instead, he offers up an alternative solution.

Instead of creating a highly complex word, made up of special characters, numbers and letters, simply pick four random words and smash them together to create a new, hard to guess, super-password.

I’m honestly a bit dumbfounded that the answer is so simple.  Four random, common words can create a password that would take a computer 550 years to break!

WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE

The theory in the new, super-password is strong, but there is one flaw that I will not be able to get around right away and will still leave me looking for that forgot password link at least a couple times a month.  Every site seems to require a different set of standards for passwords:

• Your password must contain at least 1 number
• Your password must contain at least one capital letter
• Your password must contain one special character

The new super-password theory just doesn’t account for these rules and, until I can figure out a way to securely store my passwords in a way that no one can ever get to,  I’ll still be searching for a better method of password creation.  In the mean time, I’m off to pick four random, common words that I can easily remember!

Amazon Instant Video (not to be confused with Prime Instant Video*) carries over 100,000 top movies and TV shows you can rent or buy and have delivered to your TiVo Premiere unit for easy viewing on your television.  This can be done in a couple of ways, including:

• Search & order right from your TiVo unit – How to get movies and TV shows from Amazon
• Order online at Amazon.com and download to a specified device

While both of these methods are fairly easy and can deliver crystal-clear HD programming to your TiVo box in just minutes, they are just one-time activities.  In other words, if you are a fan of a show like Psych and want to watch an entire season, you’ll have to order each episode, one-at-a-time throughout the season.  Having done this myself, I can tell you that it can be quite frustrating and you’ll probably forget to check weekly for new episodes.

Automatically Download Your Favorite Television Shows Weekly

The Season Pass is a great way to keep up with your favorite shows as they air, offered in Amazon’s Instant Video area.  You simply pick your show and click one button to order an entire season (BONUS: at a reduced rate).  There is still one problem, ordering a Season Pass does not automatically deliver your programming to a local device, like your TiVo Premiere.  Don’t worry, there is a way to set up auto-downloads and that is exactly why we put together this step-by-step:

What You’ll Need: a compatible TiVo unit, a high-speed internet connection, an Amazon.com account, a computer

STEP 1: Go to Amazon.com and head to the Movies & TV section

Movies & TV on Amazon.com

STEP 2: Search for one of your favorite Television shows

Pick a TV Show

STEP 3: Purchase a Season Pass

Buy a Season Pass

STEP 4: Head over to the Passes & Pre-orders area of Amazon.com
This step can be very tricky.  The Passes and Pre-orders link doesn’t appear on all pages within Amazon.com.  Try this link if you can’t find it – Passes & Pre-orders

Passes & Pre-Orders

STEP 5: Choose a location (which device to download to)

Choose a Device

You Are Set

Now that you have set up your season pass and selected a viewing location you’re all set.  The next time that a new episode of your TV show becomes available on Amazon.com, it will automatically download to the selected device.  I’ve been dong this over the last year with multiple shows and the new episodes typically download the day after they first air.  For me, the shows have always been available by the time I get home from work.

Helpful Links

You might run into some hurdles when trying to get this set up for the first time.  Here are a few resources to help you out:

• What devices are compatible with this service? – Try the official Amazon Instant Video page
• Questions about setting up your TiVo to connect to Amazon? – Try the Amazon Instant Video on TiVo page

* At this time, Prime instant videos are only available for streaming and cannot be viewed on a TiVo box.

Related Articles

• Cancel Your Cable/Satellite and Save Money While Adding Functionality
• TiVo Premiere “Accessories” – Hardware, Apps and Programs
• Living With the TiVo Premiere – Day-to-Day Digital Living Reviewed – my first-hand experience and some questions from others who want to get TiVo Premiere

It’s a new year and you need to make some changes.

You’ve started back at the gym, started eating like a rabbit and quit ________________ (fill in the blank as you see fit), but you haven’t made any changes to your computer habits.  The folks at Defence Intelligence have put together a simple set of resolutions that you can begin using today.

There isn’t really much need for explanation here – just read, rinse and repeat!

Click for Larger Version

Nevermind the fact that Google’s GMail gives you nearly unlimited space, or the fact that you probably already have a Google login ID and password.  This new design and added functionality makes GMail even easier to use and gives you more of what you want, the ability to easily communicate with friends and colleagues.

Details on the Updates and Improvements

The brains at Google have put together a quick video to highlight the updates and improvements.  Watch or jump down below the video for a reader friendly version.

• Streamlined Conversations – Integrated profile pics  and a better layout for conversations make emails more like an ongoing chat.
• Automatic Sizing – Expand your browser to full screen or reduce it down.  GMail will keep up and automatically resize to match you preference
• HD Themes – Dark images behind your email look really sharp in the new design, so Google has given you a few choices of background images (courtesy of iStockPhoto) to liven up your screen.
• Smarter Navigation – Over on the left hand side, you’ll have more control over your email options, chat, contacts, etc.
• Better Search – For those who reference old emails regularly (like me) you’ll have more ways to track down messages using filters.

Switching to the New Look

The new look is rolling out for everyone slowly, but you can go ahead and make the switch now.  Here’s how.

1. Open you Gmail and look in the bottom right-hand corner
2. Click on the link that reads “Switch to the new look”

   

3. Follow the on-screen prompts to enable the new layout

Change Your Theme

In order to take full advantage of the new design and HD images, you should really change your theme.  Otherwise you might not see all of the possibilities of the new GMail.  Here’s how:

1. With your GMail open, look for the “gear” in the upper right-hand area (image below)
2. Select Themes
3. Look for the area labeled HD Themes and pick any of the existing options
   **Personally, I think the darkest images look best as a background image

Pass the word on to friends and family by sharing this article.  We’ve provided the tools below to make that easy.

I’d venture a guess that most everyone who reads this article has at least one DVR in their home.  In many cases, it might be more.  These devices are absolute genius and have completely altered TV viewing in my house.  We can now watch an hour-long program in 40 minutes and a half-hour program in about 20.  We can store up several episodes of a show and have our own mini-marathon on Saturday to get caught up.  There is only one prerequisite for all of this. We have to actually set the DVR to record the programs that we want to watch later and that can sometimes be a bit of a challenge.  What shows are on? When does the season start? What time slot are my shows in now? Are there multiple shows I want to watch airing at the same time?

WHATS ON THE DVR GUIDE

The Fall TV Guide from Entertainment Weekly (my favorite magazine of the year) landed in my mailbox this weekend.  Armed with that and websites like TVGuide.com and tv.com I set out to produce a calendar that contains all of the Fall TV shows (new and returning) with times and start dates.  The result is the 2011 Fall TV Lineup – Channel Guide, available as a PDF from the link below (next section).  Before you dive in, here are a few features of the guide:

1. Major Channels: All the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX and CW) are listed in grid form
2. Cable Networks: Additional shows (from other networks) are highlighted below each day of the week in the Other Programs of Interest section
3. More Info: Each program title is a link to the official website of the show (so you can see what each program is and read up, to make your decision on whether to watch)
4. Start Date: The start date for each program is listed out to the side
5. Calendar Oddities: Start dates that stood out as “odd” are highlighted in yellow

Features of the DVR Guide

TAKE ME TO THE GUIDE

To get the guide, simply click on the link below to open in Adobe Acrobat.  If you don’t already have the Adobe Acrobat reader (a FREE program), you’ll need to install it first

2011 Fall TV Lineup – Channel Guide

TIPS ON USING THE GUIDE

If you are a multiple DVR owner and want to really plan out what to record and on which DVR, here are a few helpful tips.

• Print out the guide
• Highlight the shows that you want to watch, using a different color highlighter for each DVR
• Make sure you don’t have any overlap (ie. more than the number of shows you can record on each DVR)
• Set each show to record
• Verify the “priority” of the shows against the guide (so you don’t end up missing out on key recordings)

MORE ARTICLES ON TV

Cancel Your Cable/Satellite and Save Money While Adding Functionality

Buh-Bye DirecTV, Hello TiVo – How I Ditched Cable

How to Connect a Laptop to a TV (from killthecablebill.com)

“Protect your iPad or tablet without hiding its beautiful design with our Kicks: Small, thin, silicone-rubber rails that prevent your iPad from slipping, scratching and damage. The protective rails run along the backside, providing minimal safekeeping for your valuable life tool. Adheres to your device using 3M Damage-Free adhesive. Easy to use and apply, even comes off without leaving any marks.” – BlueLounge product page.

I found out about Kicks earlier this week and quickly placed my order.  At $11.95 (plus shipping) for 2 pairs, these great new add-ons won’t break the bank and the BlueLounge track record made clicking on the Buy Now button a no-brainer.  I’ve already purchased several items from their catalog, including the CableDrop (featured here), CoolFeet and Refresh.

KICKS REVIEW

I’ve only had the Kicks in place for a few minutes now, but I can already see the benefits of these protective strips.

• Beautiful Design – light grey color blends into the iPad, thin enough that they don’t look out-of-place
• Easy to Apply – works exactly as advertised – holds on strong but easily repositioned without leaving any kind of glue marks
• Protective – you can set the iPad down anywhere without fear of scratching the back
• Work With Smart Covers – you can still angle your iPad and (if you place the Kicks properly) you can even protect the edge of your iPad

My Ipad2 with the Kicks in Place

HOW TO GET YOUR KICKS

If you are an iPad owner (or know someone who is), head on over to the Kicks product page at bluelounge.com to purchase or check for local stores that might have them in stock using their store locator.  Here in Houston, BlueLounge products are carried at the Container Store.

Be sure to look around their website a bit.  If you like the idea of Kicks, you’ll be amazed at some of the other items in their catalog.  And don’t forget to follow BlueLounge on Facebook and Twitter.  Who knows what they will come up with next.

Preview Pane, available as an add-on feature from Gmail Labs, should probably be a standard choice for GMail users, but adding it to your account is super easy and JumpstartMyPC has the step-by-step for anyone interested in enabling this new feature.

How-To Enable Preview Pane

• Open up your browser of choice and log in to your GMail account
• In a separate tab, navigate to GMail labs (clicking on the link to the left will open a new tab automatically)
• Search for “Preview Pane”
• Under Available Labs, click on “Enable”out to the right of Preview Pane

Preview Pane can be found in Google Labs

• Save Changes and head back to your GMail tab
• In the upper-right hand corner, look for the “Use this button to toggle….” box
  **It might be necessary to refresh your GMail page in order to see the box below

Horizontal or Vertical, It's Your Choice

• Click on the drop-down arrow out to the right and choose which split-view you want to use (horizontal or vertical)
• Your new preview pane should now be visible

I Chose Horizontal for My Preview Pane

Will you use GMail’s new Preview Pane?  Do you know someone who might benefit from this new tool?  Use the buttons below to share this blog post with friends and family via Facebook, Twitter, etc.

Scared? Hopefully a little bit.  In addition to accessing the sites that you have created accounts on, criminals can use that personal information to open bank accounts and get credit cards, loans, state benefits and documents such as passports and driver’s licenses in your name.  There are some steps you can take to  check on your information and limit any potential issues, but you must act quickly, like now!

HAS YOUR INFORMATION BEEN EXPOSED?

One website was recently introduced to help you determine if your information has been jeopardized.  In short, shouldichangemypassword.com provides you with a simple interface to determine if your personal info has been leaked as part of one of these breaches.  The site creator has compiled a database of all of the compromised information and you can enter your email address to check it against the records stored (over 1 million records as of 6-25-2011).  It only takes a couple of seconds and your email address is ALL you have to enter, so you don’t have to worry about this being some sort of scam or ploy to get more of your personal data.

Visit shouldichangemypassword.com, Like Now!

Regardless of the results, you have some additional work to do.  If your information has been compromised your to-do list just got a lot longer.  Depending on the information that was taken you may need to do anything from simply change that password to report identity theft.  The main thing is that you are now aware of any issues and you can begin to repair any damage caused and protect yourself from future problems.  If you are fortunate enough to receive a “safe” result, don’t stop there.  This site does not contain all of the stolen personal information on the web.  You might still be at risk!

EVERYONE NEEDS TO CHANGE THEIR PASSWORD, LIKE NOW!

There is not a way to fully protect ourselves and still enjoy all that the web has to offer.   There are however some simple steps that you can follow to help protect yourself.

1) Change your passwords frequently – It may be a real pain, but if you change your passwords every 60 days you make it more difficult for hackers to gain access to your personal information.  If someone has hacked a high profile business and retrieved some of your info, they will have a hard time using it if they are met with a “user name and password do not match…” error on some of your favorite sites.

2) Do NOT use the same password on every website – This one is extremely difficult to do, but well worth the effort.  Let’s just say that your PSN (Playstation Network) password was the same as your bank password.  Once a hacker located your email and password from Sony, they wouldn’t have to try too many bank websites before they gained access to your finances.

3) Create STRONG passwords - This is the easiest change to make, yet most people avoid doing it because they think it is too confusing, difficult, hard to remember, etc.  Stop making excuses and start making it difficult for others to guess your log-in information.  I have written several articles on strong passwords before, including:

• Online Security Begins or Ends With Your Choice of Password
• Protect Yourself – Strong Password Tips and Tricks

Make the changes to your online accounts now and breathe easier the next time you hear about a security breach or hack.  Also, be sure to pass this information along to friends and relatives.  They will thank you later.

I love you, but I am afraid I am going to lose you.  You’ve grown distant and seem distracted somehow.  You’re fading away.  Now, I feel I must stage this intervention, before things get out of control and you disappear forever.  Please take these comments as they are meant, out of love and dedication.  I want to see you succeed, to better yourself, to be something I can love for many years to come.

Sincerely,

a concerned TV fanatic

You’re Dying Slowly

I’ve read countless articles about TiVo and all of them (over the last couple years) start out with details about their shrinking subscriber base.  In March of this year, it was reported that TiVo had lost another 223,000 subscribers for the first quarter of 2011, putting them at just over 2 million total users.   This is less than half of the 4.4 million subscribers they had in 2007.

Every cable company on the planet is offering up FREE or low-priced DVR to their customers.  While these units and software pale in comparison, they are finding a way into new homes every day.  In most cases, users are unknowingly/unwillingly paying fees for this sub-par DVR service and cable companies are locking people into long-term contracts to keep them from jumping ship.

Two of the biggest cable companies in the U.S. (DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse) have managed to lock you out of any potential business by making their “boxes” incompatible with any version of the TiVo DVR to date.  There are a large percentage of these users that want TiVo, but simply can’t use it. (see groups like TivoCommunity.com and @DirecTV_TiVo, etc.)

Partnerships Aren’t Working

TiVo’s ongoing partnerships with companies like DirecTV and Comcast have yielded almost nothing in the U.S.

DirecTV announced a new partnership with TiVo almost 3 years ago, after dumping you like a sack of potatoes, but has yet to produce a new co-branded DVR for subscribers.  DirecTV is probably holding off as long as they can while they convince users that their DVRs are better and locking more people into contracts that won’t allow them any upgrade or exchange options when the mythical DirecTV/TiVo finally hits the shelves.  P.S. If it ever does a reality, this co-branded DVR will probably be handicapped by DirecTV, much like their previous collaboration on the HR10-250.

Comcast tested TiVo units in “select areas of New England” but that ball never started rolling either and it seems it never will.  The latest models of the TiVo units can be used in place of the Comcast DVR units, but require a cable-card installation from Comcast.  I’ve read several articles indicating that the installation process is far from refined and that installers are not educated in how to properly set up the TiVo units.  Combine that with the fact that Comcast is not exactly promoting the option and you have a major loss of potential customers on your hands.

The Premiere is the Answer

There are critics of the latest TiVo offering (the Premiere) and plenty of hecklers who chime in on blog posts and message boards with comments like “what’s so special about TiVo, my ______ DVR is just as good,” but they all have one thing in common…. they are wrong.  They either haven’t used the Premier unit or they haven’t used the Premier unit for more then 2 minutes.  Having lived with 2 TiVo Premiere units in my house for the last year, and having used DirecTV’s knock-offs for years before that, I can tell you that the TiVo is a superior product in almost every way imaginable.   The TiVo interface is easier to use, much better looking and fast.  Toss in the fact that you can download/stream movies and TV shows from Amazon, Blockbuster and Netflix and stream music from services like Pandora and Rhapsody and you have a DVR that anyone would want (if they knew it existed).

#WINNING

So here is the answer TiVo….  Are you ready for it….  Stop complimenting cable and start competing with it!

Call it what you will, but the secret weapon, special sauce, secret ingredient of the TiVo Premiere is the fact that it works great with an HD antenna!  Stick with me for a minute here.  The TiVo can pick up dozens of channels in major metropolitan areas all over the country for FREE!  That’s right, full HD quality programming from broadcast stations like NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and CW are available and ready to be plucked out of the air by a simple $60 accessory called an HD antenna.  Consumers only need to  purchase an HD antenna and a TiVo Premiere (plus monthly subscription) to begin watching and recording most of their favorite programs in HD.  No cable company needed!!!

I’ve had the TiVo+HD antenna conversation with friends, families and hundreds of people online (via blogs and forums) and almost every interaction has gone the same.  I tell Person A about the ability to watch and record MULTIPLE HD television programs for FREE (not factoring in the monthly TiVo subscription fee) and Person A says “what, that can’t be right?”  I often explain it several times and I am still met with disbelief.

The idea of “cutting the cord” is gaining momentum and an entire generation of tech-savvy young adults is entering the “cable-decision time” of their life.  You know, that point where they have to pay for cable on their own and are now concerned with the actual cost.  This same generation has grown up with YouTube, Facebook, iTunes, and many flavors of file sharing.  They are going to have different demands when it comes to their entertainment and traditional cable companies  are not going to be able to change quickly enough to meet their needs.   TiVo, this is where you can win!!!!!!

Other options are out there, in the form of HTPCs (home theater PCs), Boxxee, Roku, AppleTV, etc., and although they are all great tools, they are each flawed by their limited content, pricing and/or ease-of-use.  People still want their TV, but they don’t want it to be too complicated or too pricey and they aren’t willing to sacrifice too much programming to save some money.   Premiere is the perfect balance for the typical American family.

Now, It’s Up to You

So dear TiVo, it is time to make the change, if you are willing.  I’ll be there if you need me (seriously, hire me) but I would be happy just to see you restored to your original glory.  Take this idea and run with it!  Start doing what you are good at and quit letting those nasty cable companies bully you around.

Now ask yourself how many times you have connected to a free WiFi hotspot at a coffee shop, fast food restaurant, book store or other establishment.  That number is also the number of times that you have opened yourself up to identity theft.  That’s right, using free WiFi could very well be an open door for hackers to spy on your internet activity and steal personal information or even take over your Facebook account.

How Hackers Use WiFi Connections

When you connect to a WiFi hotspot in public, you are using another person or company’s internet connection to access the internet.  These hotspots are set up to “share” the internet and are most likely set up with a firewall or security software, but the truth is they are dangerous.  It’s the “sharing” part that is scary.  Another customer that is sharing that same internet connection right there at Starbucks or McDonalds might be there strictly to spy on users like you.

With a laptop and a few software programs (which are very easy to obtain these days), a hacker can track your movement on the world wide web and steal important information about you.  A recent news report from Canada does a great job of explaining the issue and guess what, it doesn’t just apply to Canada.

W5: Investigating Canada's big cyber security problem

How Can I Protect Myself on WiFi Hotspots

I’m definitely not saying that you shouldn’t use free WiFi.  I’m just saying that you should do it safely and do so by arming yourself with the proper tools/defenses.  After a little digging, I located some great information on how you can protect yourself.

First, it is important to note that visiting secure websites is not as big of an issue, because your information is encrypted before being sent over the internet.  In other words, if you visit a site that starts with HTTPS, instead of HTTP you are much more protected (as we pointed out in another article Shopping Safely – 101 Days Until Christmas).

What you really need to worry about is using a shared WiFi connection to access your Facebook account or your online email account.  Until recently, these types of services did not offer a secured (HTTPS) connection and cyber sniffers could steal your information easily.  Thankfully, there are now steps that you can take to protect yourself on Facebook and when using Gmail.  As for other online sites that you visit frequently, you might want to check with them for for more information.

A Secured Connection on Facebook

Default HTTPS Access for Gmail

Vary Your Passwords and Make Them Secure

If a hacker was able to access your login information on Facebook or another site, would they have the skeleton key for your online existence?  Put another way, do you use one standard password for everything you do?  Even if your password is secure (something most people fail at miserably), once a hacker has it he can simply start trying it on commonly used sites like banking institutions, Amazon.com, Google, etc.  It is imperative that you vary your passwords from site to site in order to protect yourself.

What Else Can I do to Protect Myself From Hackers

Using HTTPS is just the tip of the iceberg.  If you are a road warrior and spend a lot of time accessing WiFi hotspots, you’ll need to dive a little deeper and follow some of these additional steps.

• Lifehacker put together a great article on How to Stay Safe on Public Wi-Fi Networks that covers topics like
  • Turn off sharing in your operating system
  • Enable your firewall
  • Using HTTPS (as we covered above)
  • Setting up a VPN Network
  • Turn off WiFi when your aren’t using it
• There are also some all-in-one tools that help you with setting up a VPN network:
  • Hotspot Shield
  • Witopia