“Tech” collection
Stay informed on the rapidly evolving world of consumer electronics, high-performance hardware, and digital innovation. This central tech hub provides a deep dive into the physical components and software ecosystems that power your modern life.
HTD Tech Briefs
View all →January 28, 2013
Apple Posts iOS 6.1 Release – Here’s What’s New & How to Update!
After releasing iOS 6.1 beta 5 to developers this past weekend, Apple released iOS 6.1 to the public today (Monday Jan 28, 2013). Updates can be obtained directly via your iOS update or via iTunes. You can also download the .ipsw directly from Apple. Details on these processes are below. So what is new in this iOS release? Honestly, there…
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January 11, 2013
How To Disable Java in Chrome, Firefox, Safari & Internet Explorer on Mac OS or Windows to Prevent 0-Day Exploit
If you have been reading any of the Technical publications online, you will probably know that there is currently an exploit in Java that affects most internet browsers like Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer on systems that have Java installed. This is being called a zero-day or 0-day exploit which essentially means that there is a security vulnerability in…
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January 10, 2013
A New Respect for Plumbers, Learning from Trade Professionals and The Zen of Snaking Out a Sewage Line
I have a bit of a "crappy" story to tell. Literally. And it doesn't have to do with technology, it involves sewage. I believe that the house that I own has plumbing possessed by Mother Nature. Ever since we have owned our home, there is an annual tradition (sometimes more than once a year) where we have to call out…
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January 9, 2013
iOS Apps & Backups are Hogging Up Your Hard Drive – How To Easily Free Up Disk Space
I don't know about you but I am always looking for ways to clear up my laptop's precious free hard drive space. I have tools that clean caches, temporary files, language files, logs and files in my trash. But I never seem to get ahead of the game. I probably never will but a periodic cleaning is always an important…
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January 7, 2013
Jumping Into January – What I’m Missing & What I’m Not and Why It’s Relevant
Who would have believed what a busy month January 2013 would be. As is customary for me, I can barely see the end of my nose, the end of the day or the end of an article. How the heck can I look through a month and plan ahead? Honestly, I wish that I had actually planned ahead a bit…
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December 28, 2012
13 Security Resolutions for 2013 – Follow Them or Get Hacked!
With just a few hours left in 2012, it's time to think about ways to make 2013 an even better year. I'm sure that all of you are planning on going to the gym about 20 times a day, or eliminating all fat from your diet, or working to become Time Magazine's Person of the Year for 2013. I wish…
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December 19, 2012
Boom, Boom, Pow! The Boombotix Boombot2 Rocks Bluetooth Audio Streaming with an Edgy Design
With so many speaker solutions out in the market these days, it's nice to see a company that makes their design a little edgier and with character. Literally. The Boombotix Boombot2 brings functionality and collectible character in their Bluetooth and wired portable speaker, making is a pretty neat gift for kids (and they even have a boring gray version for…
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December 11, 2012
Saving the Environment & your Wallet – Review the Spacious 2012 Toyota Prius V
Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, it seems like almost every third car on the road is a hybrid of some type, and of those hybrids, a huge majority of those are Toyota Prius's. Californians are obsessed with the environment and with driving and many times, the two don't really go hand-in-hand. About 10+ years ago, before gas prices…
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December 10, 2012
Hmmm, What Wine to Choose? The Kendall Jackson App Can Help You Decide
I love drinking wine...but I'm not in any way an expert. (Well, I am an expert at drinking, just not choosing!) My wife is actually the one who is part of numerous wine clubs and is often the one who gets our wine. Or, I get some recommendations and bottles from my dad who actually has a wine refrigerator and…
Read more →December 5, 2012
Honeywell’s WiFi-Enabled Thermostat is Hot, Cool, Controlled Remotely & Easy to Install
Here is the scenario. It's the early morning in the winter. You are snuggled warm in your bed but outside of the comfort of your blankets, your house is cold. The last thing you want to do it to have to get out of bed and turn on the thermostat to heat the house. So you just hope for someone…
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December 4, 2012
7 Essential Windows Hotkey Keyboard Combinations You Should Know and Use
I'm all about working efficiently when I'm on my computers whether they are Macs or PCs. And, for some reason, I simply hate having to drag my mouse over to an application or button to do something that should be quick. Luckily, both Apple and Microsoft have built in a series of hotkey commands or keyboard commands to save you…
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December 3, 2012
Bring a Cool or Warm Mist to those Rooms in Need with The Sharper Image Ultrasonic Humidifier
If you have kids or suffer from dry noses at night, you probably need or have a humidifier. These devices are pretty much required in my family because the little noses in our household seem to get dried up. In fact, my youngest daughter had to have her nostrils cauterized because she suffered from nose bleeds at night because of…
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