With some patience, you can build your own supercloud with more than 100GB of free storage. With a lot of patience (and pestering of your pals), you can nab more than 225GB.

If you have the space, that is. Truly wondrous setups require robust cloud storage capabilities, but that doesn’t mean you have to drop dollars for extra gigs.

Most services offer free accounts with modest quantities of complimentary cloud storage. In isolation, these pittances don’t amount to much, but merged into Voltron-like unity, the free storage from several services can achieve mammoth totals. With some patience, you can build your own supercloud with more than 100GB of free storage. With a lot of patience (and pestering of your pals), you can nab more than 225GB. And all that online storage is free-as-in-free-beer free.

Here’s how to do it, along with some tips on how to manage your storage hoard to take advantage of each service’s unique properties.

Getting started

Setting up a personal supercloud can be tedious, depending on how many such services you already use. Your first step should be to grab all of the services that install dedicated areas in the Favorites column of Windows Explorer.

Amazon Cloud Drive: 5GB

Box: 5GB (but read “Beyond referrals” below before installing Box, as you may want to postpone installing this)

Dropbox: 2GB

Google Drive: 5GB

MiMedia (m)Drive: 7GB

SkyDrive: 7GB (longtime SkyDrive users may be eligible for 25GB free)

SpiderOak: 2GB

Storage subtotal to this point: 33GB

SugarSync assigns itself a virtual drive letter instead of a customized folder. Now install SugarSync, which assigns itself a virtual drive letter—à la the C: or D: drive—instead of a customized folder. SugarSync offers 5GB free to start.

Next, install the two cloud services that use a desktop app to sync and store files instead of creating a folder in Windows.

MediaFire: 10GB

Ubuntu One: 5GB

Storage subtotal to this point: 53GB

Finally, open an account at the notorious Mega.co.nz to grab a whopping 50GB of free online cloud storage. Mega doesn’t offer multiple device syncing. Instead, it functions more as an in-browser, Box-like storage locker. The service expects to add mobile apps and accompanying device syncing at some future date, but those options aren’t available today.

Tip: Both SpiderOak and Mega currently use encryption schemes that make recovering your password impossible. If you forget your password for either service, you’ll lose access to your files permanently. We strongly recommend that if you have a hard time remembering passwords, you give the LastPass password manager a whirl.

Just like that, your supercloud has mushroomed to an impressive 103GB. Now let’s look at some ways to get even more storage.

Refer your friends to get more storage

Several cloud services offer extra storage in 500MB increments for every friend that you refer to it, but the maximum amount of free storage they permit under these bounty programs varies. Dropbox lets you add up to 16GB via referrals, while Ubuntu One tops out at 20GB of extra space, and SugarSync allows up to 32GB of additional storage in half-gig chunks. Note that Dropbox requires each referred user to join Dropbox, install the service’s desktop app, and sign in to the desktop app after installation.

Dropbox requires referred users to join Dropbox, install the service’s desktop app on their PC, and sign in to the desktop app after installation.

MiMedia offers you an additional 1GB of storage for every five friends you sign up, with a ceiling of 5GB of extra space from such referrals.

SpiderOak and MediaFire are a bit more generous, offering 1GB of additional free storage for each referral, to a maximum of 10GB and 32GB, respectively.

Beyond referrals

An easier way to increase the amount of free Dropbox storage available to you is to install the Dropbox app for Android or iOS, and then authorize automatic photo uploads from your device. Once authorized, the Dropbox mobile app will automatically begin uploading all photos snapped on your device to Dropbox. Dropbox doles out an extra, permanent 500MB to your account, as you need it, until you reach 3GB worth of free picture-driven storage.

Dropbox also presents you with 250MB of free space for completing its Getting Started tutorial.

SugarSync gives users a few ways to acquire extra free storage in 125MB chunks: You can install the mobile app for Android, BlackBerry, or iOS; or share a file or folder with a public link, or a folder with a private link; or upload a file to your account via email.

MediaFire gives you extra storage for downloading apps or connecting to social media.

MediaFire rewards you with 2GB for installing the MediaFire desktop, and 2GB more for installing mobile apps. Connecting your Facebook and Twitter accounts to MediaFire fetches you another 1GB each. And if you spam your social networks about MediaFire, you receive another 1GB of storage.

Box doesn’t have a referral program, but the company often offers 50GB of free storage to new users. Following the company on Facebook is a good way to find out quickly when the next 50GB giveaway is about to happen.

Google Drive: Both Google Drive and Microsoft offer free storage as an add-on when you make certain purchases. If you buy selected Chrome OS devices, Google will dole out either 1TB or 100GB of extra free Google Drive storage space for a limited time. Google maintains a list ofChromebook storage deals here. Microsoft offers an additional 20GB of SkyDrive storage to Office 365 Home Premium subscribers. Annual subscriptions to the Office suite cost $100 per year.

Not including the offers from Box, Google, and Microsoft, the referral and social media credits listed here could help industrious and methodical gleaners snag another 126GB of free cloud storage. But once you’ve accumulated all that space, how do you use it effectively? The key to maximizing your use of a vast mound of fractured cloud storage is to match what you commonly do with cloud storage to each service’s strengths and weaknesses.

General sharing and sync

Once you’ve beefed up its storage total, Dropbox should be your service of choice for file syncing, thanks to its unparalleled platform support and widespread use. Box, SpiderOak, SkyDrive, and MediaFire are solid options, too. SugarSync lets you choose specific folders to sync, rather than forcing you to dump all of your files into a central location, and that feature may appeal to some people.

For sensitive documents, you’ll want to use SpiderOak, which advertises fully encrypted, zero-knowledge online data backup (and sync). It’s rock-solid.

For less sensitive material that nonetheless requires encryption, you could use Mega. Security researchers recently called Mega’s encryption scheme into question, and Mega founder Kim Dotcom is not beloved in law enforcement circles, but even so it offers more protection than typical cloud services do. Just make sure that you have backups handy in case Mega goes the way of Megaupload.

Online collaboration

Google Drive is your best bet if you need to edit a document online with one or more people. Google Drive features robust editing features, thanks to its integration with Google Docs, including multiuser, simultaneous editing. Since millions of people rely on Google services, most of the people you need to work with probably use Google Docs. You can edit documents with Google’s mobile apps for Drive on Android and iOS.

Microsoft SkyDrive offers collaboration tools, though they’re not as seamless as Google Drive’s.

A second choice would be Microsoft’s SkyDrive. Microsoft offers free Web-based versions of its well-known Office suite, including apps for Word, Excel, OneNote, and PowerPoint. Office Web apps often experience technical hiccups, however, and the Word Web app doesn’t have an autosave feature—so you risk losing work if you forget to save. The collaboration features aren’t as seamless as Google’s, either. For example, both writers must save to see the other person’s changes when collaborating on a Word doc.

Box offers online document editing as well as Web-based integration with Google Docs.

Media

The natural choice for streaming music is Amazon’s Cloud Drive, but the company recently separated its cloud storage and cloud music services. Dropbox offers music streaming through its mobile apps, but it will play only one song at a time. In December, Dropbox acquired Audiogalaxy, a music streaming service, prompting many observers to speculate that a Dropbox-powered music feature is on the way.

MiMedia offers media streaming, but I can’t recommend it for that purpose. In my tests, MiMedia choked when uploading videos as small as 18MB. Also, using MiMedia’s Dropbox-style folder on Windows 8 caused Windows Explorer to hang repeatedly, a problem I didn’t encounter with any of the other cloud services.

If you want to stream music online, a good choice is SugarSync, which offers music streaming as part of its service. You could also just stick with Google Music (not previously mentioned, as it doesn’t offer traditional storage), which lets you upload 20,000 tracks from your personal music library and stream them from any online location you can reach.

For online video streaming, you can use Jolidrive (see below).

Backups and cold storage

SpiderOak and Ubuntu One let users backup specific folders to the cloud. MiMedia’s desktop application also works well for folder-specific backups, which don’t rely on manual uploads or file manipulation.

Box is a great choice for rarely accessed files that you want to keep in the cloud.

Box and Mega are ideal for storing files that you rarely access but want to keep in the cloud, especially if you can snag one of Box’s 50GB free introductory deals. You can also use Mega’s 50GB of free storage to store ample wares—but again, don’t rely exclusively on Mega for file storage. It might go away.

Bringing it all together

Managing multiple cloud services can be a pain, even with widespread Windows Explorer integration. Fortunately, you don’t have to handle the job on your own: Jolidrive from Jolicloud creates a cloud services dashboard that displays your Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, SugarSync, and Ubuntu One files in one location. Jolidrive is especially helpful when you’re on a public PC and you need access to your cloud files.

Jolidrive creates a cloud services dashboard that displays your Box, Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, SugarSync, and Ubuntu One files in one location.

The service adds a few handy features of its own, such as music and video streaming, Google Drive document editing, and integration with Pocket and Instapaper. You can also connect various social networks—including Facebook, Google+, and Tumblr—to Jolicloud to view your social feeds in a Pinterest-style layout.

Jolicloud doesn’t offer a way to transfer files between cloud services. A similar service called Otixo does provide that functionality, but Otixo no longer offers a free version of its service, alas.

And that’s that. Welcome to your fully functional and uber-flexible hard drive in the cloud! Now, how to fill all that free space…

For professional and affordable IT tech support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by PCWorld and can be seen here.

There’s a lot to like about Google Chrome’s built-in security features. The browser offers unique sandboxing functions and privilege restrictions, and even updates itself in the background to help better protect you from hackers and malware. But like all browsers, Chrome is imperfect, and there are steps you can take to protect it from attack. Here’s how to get the most from Chrome’s built-in security features, and work around its security shortcomings.

Privacy features

Chrome offers several privacy features that help protect you while you browse. The most notable are its phishing- and malware-protection schemes, and a tool that can auto-correct misspelled Web addresses.

Chrome’s phishing and malware protection put up a warning screen whenever you visit a website that Google has identified as potentially malicious, whether it spreads malware or tries to steal your personal information. Meanwhile, Chrome’s URL autocorrect feature usees a Google-provided online service to fix misspelled URLS to help you avoid visiting the wrong site—and perhaps a nefarious site—by accident. Indeed, “typosquatting” is still a threat.

Chrome has several useful features that can help you avoid dangerous sites.

To use these features, open the browser’s Settings panel and scroll down to the Privacy section (you may need to click Show advanced settings to get there), and check the boxes labeled Use a web service to help resolve navigation errors and Use a web service to help resolve spelling errors. Also, be sure to check the Enable phishing and malware protection box.

Additionally, click the Content settings tab and consider restricting some content. You can, for example, disable JavaScript (which is often exploited by malware) and plug-ins. When you do so, Chrome will notify you when a site is using them so that you can voluntarily opt in for legitimate sites.

Restricting and limiting Web content can help block some types of malware attacks.

Protect your saved passwords and credit card details

If you let Chrome save your website passwords, anyone who uses your PC can easily access them with a little poking around in the Settings panel. But unlike Firefox and its Master password feature, Chrome—and by extension, third-party add-ons—won’t let you encrypt your passwords or saved credit card information.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to help protect your privacy. First, don’t allow people you don’t trust to use your Windows user account. Instead, either create a new Standard (non-administrative) account for others to use or turn on the Guest account.

It’s ridiculously easy for someone to get at your saved passwords in Chrome.

If creating another Windows account is too inconvenient, consider using a Chrome extension like ChromePW, Browser Lock, or Secure Profile to password-protect Chrome. This effectively forces others to use another browser on your system like Internet Explorer (which doesn’t let others easily view your saved passwords) or Firefox (which lets you encrypt and password-protect your saved passwords).

Another option is to securely store your sensitive data using a third-party password manager. Some third-party password tools let you sync your passwords across other browsers, which might be helpful if you go from one computer to another. KeePass andXmarks are two popular password managers worth trying.

Secure your synced data

Chrome can sync most of your settings and saved data (including passwords, but not credit card details) across multiple computers and devices that have Chrome installed, but this creates a security vulnerability. By default, Chrome requires you to enteronly your Google account password to set up a new computer or device to sync your browsing data. So if your Google account password were hacked, an intruder could potentially access a list of all your passwords.

Adjusting your sync settings can better protect the data that Chrome saves.

That is, unless you set a custom encryption syncing passphrase.

Once you set a syncing passphrase, you have to first sign in with your Google account password and then enter the passphrase to set up new synced devices. This adds an important extra layer of security. To set this up, openSettings, click Advanced sync settings, and select Choose my own passphrase.

While you’re there, also consider turning on encryption for all synced data instead of just passwords.

Secure your Google account

Google offers several security features to help you better control and protect your account, and you should definitely consider using them if you use Chrome’s sync feature. They help secure your entire Google account, so you should also consider using these security features if you tap into multiple Google services.

On the Google Account Security page, consider enabling Google’s 2-step Verification. Once you’ve done that, you’ll have to enter a special code—which you’ll receive via text, voice call, or the Google app—whenever you attempt to sign in to Google from a new PC or mobile device. This scheme ensures that anyone without direct, hands-on access to your mobile hardware will be denied entry into your Google data. When signing in to applications or features that don’t support the verification codes (like Chrome’s sync feature), you’ll have to sign in to your Google account, access the 2-step Verification settings, and generate an application-specific password.

Google offers many security features and functions so you can better protect your account.

While on the Google Account Security page, you might also want to turn on email and/or phone notifications for password changes and suspicious log-in attempts. This way, you’ll know right away if someone tries to change your password or attempts to log in to your account without your knowledge.

Additionally, review your recovery options in case you forget your password in the future. Last, review your authorized apps and sites and remove those you don’t use anymore.

Install extensions for additional protection

We reviewed many of the security features offered by Google and Chrome, but various extensions allow you to add even more security functions. For example, Web of Trust (WOT) can warn you of dangerous sites, and ADBlock can remove annoying or malicious advertisements that can lead to malware or phishing sites. View Thru lets you see the destination of shortened URLs, and KB SSL Enforcer can help you take advantage of HTTPS/SSL encryption on sites that support it.

For professional and affordable web design and web development, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by PCWorld and can be seen here.

Bitcoin is a decentralized, anonymous, digital-only currency that’s lately gotten a lot of public attention.

But this isn’t some brand new invention — Bitcoin was originally developed in 2008.

In 2008, someone using the pseudonym “Satoshi Nakamoto” published a paper describing how Bitcoins could work. Just one year later, they started being traded and mined.

Sure, you can buy Bitcoins with money. But you can also play prospector and “mine” them as well.

You do this by using your computer to hunt for 64-digit numbers. By having your computer repeatedly solve puzzles, you’re competing with other miners to generate the number that the Bitcoin network is looking for. If your computer generates it, you receive 25 Bitcoins.

The Bitcoin system is decentralized and programmed to generate a fixed number of Bitcoins per unit of computing time. Currently, it’s set at 25 Bitcoins for every 10-minute block. In 2140, the total number of Bitcoins in circulation will be capped at 21 million. In other words, the Bitcoin system is self-sustaining, coded to prevent inflation, and encrypted to prevent anyone from disrupting its code.

When first introduced, they weren’t worth much at all. A single U.S. dollar could buy you 1,309.03 Bitcoins.

That’s hardly the case now, though — at the time of writing, one Bitcoin is worth $135.30. You can instantly see a Bitcoin’s current value over at Preev.com.

Why you should care?

For professional and affordable web design and web development, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by Business Insider and can be seen here.

In their book Ultimate Guide to Link Building, link-building experts Eric Ward and Garrett French offer straightforward advice to help you earn a higher search engine ranking and increase the authority and popularity of your site. In this edited excerpt, the authors outline different types of content that can attract attention, and links back to your site from other sites.

For professional and affordable web design and web development, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by Entrepreneur and can be seen here.

The RSS feed reader app says it has picked more than 500,000 Google Reader users since Google announced it will be killing Reader on July 1.

The reason? Feedly has made it simple for Google users to switch and retain all their Reader feeds and categories. You just sign into Feedly with your Google account credentials.

The blogosphere went wild after Google’s announcement. Seemingly everyone was chiming in on the subject to complain about the news, tell others to sign apetition to get Google to change its mind or give advice as to which RSS services could replace it.

But Feedly says it saw the move coming, and it’s prepared to pick up where Reader leaves off.

“We have been working on a project called Normandy, which is a Feedly clone of the Google Reader API – running on Google App Engine. When Google Reader shuts down, Feedly will seamlessly transition to the Normandy back end. So if you are a Google Reader user and using Feedly, you are covered: the transition will be seamless,” the company wrote in its blog.

Even so, some people are skittish about Feedly.

One Twitter user tweeted “Going to try @feedly to replace Reader for now, since they have a transition plan. Skeptical because it’s free though.” To that, the company replied that a paid version is in the works.

So what’s next? A Google acquisition of Feedly? Will Google bake Reader-like functionality into another one of its products, such as Google+? Stay tuned.

In the meantime, check out these two fun sites: At Replacereader.com you can vote for your favorite Reader replacement, and Slate has created a Google Graveyard where you can leave a virtual flower on the tombstone of various Google products the company has axed over the years.

For professional and affordable IT tech support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by PC World and can be seen here.

Yesterday evening in New York City, Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy S4 smartphone. Obvious questions arise. Is it a good option for business users? And, how does it compare to Apple’s iPhone?

Here’s a look at some of the most important features and how the Samsung Galaxy S4 stacks up:

Screen: The S4’s five-inch touchscreen is

For professional and affordable IT tech support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by Entrepreneur and can be seen here.

For serious typing sessions—or if you just can’t get the hang of the iPad’s onscreen keyboard—an external keyboard offers the tactile advantages of real keys without sacrificing the iPad’s portability and touchscreen features.

The iPad supports almost any Bluetooth keyboard, but there are many, many keyboards on the market that are specifically made for use with the iPad. These tend to be designed for portability, and they usually include special iPad-function keys for adjusting volume and screen brightness; controlling media playback; opening iOS’s Spotlight-search screen; going to the Home screen; and more. Some even offer dedicated buttons for cut, copy, and paste. Most iPad keyboards are integrated into some sort of protective case, although a few are standalone models; regardless of the design, most include rechargeable batteries that last for weeks or months on a charge.

I wrote the first edition of this buying guide back in December 2011 after testing roughly three dozen iPad keyboards. Since then, I’ve had a chance to test several dozen more, and I’ve incorporated my findings into this updated edition.

Things to consider when shopping

There are a few things to consider when shopping for a keyboard for your iPad.

Always on or removable? If you frequently need a physical keyboard when using your iPad, you’ll appreciate the convenience of a keyboard built into a case, as the keyboard will always be with you. If, however, you use an external keyboard infrequently—or you just like to use the iPad unencumbered for non-typing tasks—you may find a form-fitting, folio-style keyboard case to be a hassle, as it can be difficult to remove. Keyboard shells, described below, are a nice compromise, and standalone keyboards offer the most flexibility.

Portability versus usability With the exception of standalone models, iPad keyboards involve usability tradeoffs: The thinner the keyboard, the worse the feel of the keys; the smaller the keyboard, the more crowded the keys will be, or the more you’ll find keys that are the wrong size or in the wrong locations. (Standalone keyboards generally offer standard key feel and size, a standard key layout, and a typing experience closer to that of a desktop keyboard.) You’ll need to decide which tradeoffs you’re willing to make in the name of portability—especially if you’re a touch typist—and check for these tradeoffs when shopping. A literal hands-on test is immensely valuable if you can get one; otherwise, be sure the store or website you’re buying from offers a good return policy.

iPad keyboards are exercises in compromise. You need to decide which compromises are best for you.

Note: There are plenty of iPad keyboards that offer interesting features, an attractive design, or a small footprint, but in my recommendations below, I place a heavy emphasis on the typing experience: If a keyboard doesn’t dramatically improve typing compared to the iPad’s onscreen keyboard, I don’t recommend it. Similarly, my recommendations are somewhat biased towards touch-typists, so a keyboard that’s especially cramped or that organizes keys in a non-standard layout has to be otherwise very impressive to get my recommendation. (There’s likely a good amount of overlap between touch-typists and people who want a physical keyboard, so I’m fairly confident this is the right approach.)

With that out of the way, here’s a quick look at the main types of iPad keyboards available, along with my recommendations for a few of the best in each category. If you’re looking for a keyboard for the iPad mini, I’ve included a separate section for the mini at the end of this guide.

Folio-case-style keyboards

Easily the most-common type, these keyboards are integrated into a full-body, folio-style iPad case. The all-in-one design of folio keyboards is convenient, and most models make it easy to type on your lap—no desk or table required. These models, along with keyboard shells (below) also tend to include the thinnest keyboards. However, folio keyboards have a few drawbacks that can significantly affect usability and comfort. For starters, the actual keyboards tend to be cramped and have small, poor-quality keys, sometimes using odd layouts. Most also limit the iPad to landscape orientation—even though portrait orientation is often better when typing traditional documents—and a single propped-up angle. It can also be inconvenient to use your iPad as a tablet while in the case (you flip the keyboard behind the iPad, making for a bulky package), yet it’s often a hassle to remove the iPad from the case—which means you end up carrying the keyboard even when you don’t need it. My recommended models all have smaller-than-standard keyboards, but they otherwise make solid attempts to avoid these flaws; they also all support the iPad’s magnetic sleep/wake feature.

Zagg’s ZaggKeys ProFolio+

Recommendations: Zagg’s $130ZaggKeys ProFolio+ (iPad 2, 3, 4) is pricey and supports only a single (rather steep) iPad angle. But the keys are easy to type on and—yes—backlit. In addition, the sturdy case offers all-over protection and a nifty back cover that redirects iPad-speaker audio towards you; it’s easy to remove your iPad from the case; and it’s the thinnest folio-style keyboard around. (The $100 ZaggKeys ProFolio loses the backlit keys.) If you can still find Zagg’s older ZaggFolio (iPad 2), you’ll get better keys, although in a slightly flimsier case.

Adonit’s WriterPlus

Adonit’s $80 WriterPlus For New iPad(iPad 3, 4) and WriterPlus for iPad 2(iPad 2) offer good, if small, keys arranged in a standard layout, and use a clever design that lets you choose a wide range of screen angles. Both also let you quickly pop out your iPad and prop it up in portrait orientation (or use it on its own), and—my favorite feature—let you detach the keyboard and use the case as a standard folio when you want to travel light.

Logitech’s Solar Keyboard Folio

In terms of the traditional “looks like a leather folio” keyboard cases, the best one I’ve seen is Logitech’s $130 Solar Keyboard Folio (iPad 2, 3, 4). For starters, it has a very good keyboard, it’s thinner than the typical leather/pleather folio, and it’s not too difficult to remove your iPad. But the Folio offers two angles, one for typing and another for video/photo viewing; when in the latter position, the keys on the bottom row of the keyboard change to media- and volume-control buttons. And unlike most of the other keyboards here, the Solar Keyboard Folio charges its built-in battery using ambient light—just make sure you close the case and place it solar-cells-up every once in a while.

Belkin’s Ultimate Keyboard Case

Honorable mentions: Most other models in this category are simply bulky leather (or faux-leather) folios with a disappointing keyboard tacked onto the inside of the screen cover. Of the several dozen other folio keyboards I’ve tested, the two best, Belkin’s $100 Keyboard Folio for iPad 2 and Kensington’s $100 KeyFolio Pro Performance Keyboard Case, have been discontinued since the previous edition of this roundup. However, Belkin’s latest model, the Ultimate Keyboard Case for iPad ($100 in black; $130 in white), arrived in our office this week; after a couple days of testing, I think it’s worth a cautious recommendation, especially for non-touch-typists. The downsides are that the keyboard is more cramped than those of the recommended models above; an otherwise nifty Siri button is located where the left-hand Command key should be, and Belkin has overlaid the special-function keys with the number keys in the top row (you access the former using the Fn key). But the Ultimate Keyboard offers three different screen angles and a thin, rigid shell; you can flip the keyboard behind the iPad for traditional tablet use (the keyboard automatically turns off when your iPad isn’t propped up); and the keyboard is otherwise pretty good.

Clamshell (laptop-case) keyboards

These models essentially turn your iPad into a laptop: The iPad acts as the laptop screen, while the keyboard and its surrounding enclosure, attached by some sort of hinge, play the role of the laptop base. The downsides to most clamshell keyboard cases are that they tend to add a good amount of weight and bulk to your iPad; they usually make it difficult to use your iPad as a tablet when you’re not typing; and they use smaller-than-normal keys in a cramped layout. But the quality of those keys is often a step up from that of the average folio-case keyboard; the laptop-style design works well for typing on your lap; and most offer a good range of screen angles. Like folio-style models, most clamshells hold the iPad in landscape orientation, though you may find ones that let you prop up the tablet in portrait orientation. The available options are significantly better today than when I wrote the first edition of this guide.

The ClamCase Pro

Recommendations: ClamCase is the best-known vendor of clamshell keyboard cases, and for good reason: The $169 ClamCase Pro (iPad 2, 3, 4) is a great combination of clever design, solid iPad protection, and a very good (if slightly cramped) keyboard. Though on the heavy side (three pounds including your iPad), this well-built clamshell encloses your iPad in an attractive, aluminum-and-plastic case that looks and functions almost exactly like a laptop—so much so that while testing it, I constantly tried to use a palmrest trackpad that doesn’t exist. Flip the keyboard/base around towards the back, and the solid hinge makes a great stand for watching video, or rotate the base flat against the back of the iPad to turn the entire package into a thick tablet. (Just be sure to turn off the keyboard to avoid accidental typing.) The keyboard itself is one of the best I’ve seen in a keyboard case: It’s a bit cramped, and the modifier keys are on the small side, but all the keys are in the correct place, it’s got a nice array of special-function keys, and there’s little here that will frustrate a touch-typist. The ClamCase Pro offers the best on-your-lap typing experience of any iPad keyboard case I’ve tested.

ClamCase’s $149 standard ClamCase—available in black, white, or black/white, with specific versions for each iPad generation—is bulkier, uses an all-plastic case, and uses keys that aren’t as good, but it’s still a decent option if you insist on a clamshell model.

The Brydge+

Brydge’s Brydge+ ($200 for aluminum, $130 for black polycarbonite composite; iPad 2, 3, 4) foregoes a protective iPad cover in order to give you the thinnest clamshell-keyboard design I’ve seen. The keyboard/base section hosts two sturdy, iPad-gripping hinges—slip your iPad into these silicone-lined hinges and they grab the tablet firmly enough that the keyboard won’t detach without some firm tugging. Your bare iPad serves as the laptop screen and top case. The Brydge+ also includes a pair of tinny-but-decent Bluetooth speakers to give you louder audio. The Brydge+ is a well-made and impressively designed accessory—especially the aluminum version—but there’s a caveat for touch-typists: The keyboard has good keys, but in addition to being slightly cramped, it wedges the Up Arrow key between the right-hand slash (/) and Shift keys. In my testing, I regularly pressed the Up Arrow key, thus moving the cursor to the previous line, when I meant to press Shift. I could never get past this odd layout. (The company also offers a $170 Brydge—sans the + in the name—that omits the Bluetooth speakers.)

New Trent’s Airbender

Honorable mentions: New Trent’s $64Airbender Keyboard Case (iPad 2, 3, 4) has a keyboard that’s a tad more cramped than those of the Brydge+ and ClamCase models, its keys feel just OK, and it commits the same key-layout sin with the Up Arrow key as the Brydge+. But the Airbender offers some unique and welcome features: After lifting the “screen,” you can rotate the iPad into portrait orientation—in fact, it’s the preferred orientation. (The hinge/stand isn’t very sturdy in landscape orientation.) In addition, the hinge/stand can detach from the keyboard, letting you create a more ergonomic typing station by placing your iPad and the keyboard at different levels. And if you want to use the iPad on its own, a quick-release latch on the stand lets you detach the iPad, still clad in the Airbender’s thin, protective top case. If the keys themselves were better, this might be the keyboard case I’d use.

Keyboard shells

These models are the thinnest and lightest of the keyboard cases. They integrate a thin keyboard into a rigid shell that protects the front or back of the iPad in transit. (Most cover the iPad’s screen, leaving the backside exposed.) When you’re ready to type, you pop the iPad out of, or pull it away from, the shell; stick it in a prop-up slot above the keyboard; and start typing. Most keyboard shells offer only a single angle for your iPad, though they often let you use your iPad in your choice of portrait or landscape orientation. As with clamshell-case models, the keyboards here tend to be a bit cramped, and the keys are usually smaller than normal; the models I’ve recommended are nevertheless quite usable, and they have good keys. Keyboard shells can be used on your lap if you’re careful, but they’re usually less stable on your lap than folios and clamshells.

Logitech’s Ultrathin Keyboard Cover

Recommendations: Logitech’s $100Ultrathin Keyboard Cover (iPad 2, 3, 4) is a personal favorite thanks to its clever design, thin profile, light weight, very good (if slightly cramped) keys, and standard key layout. Instead of gripping the edges of your iPad, the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover uses a Smart Cover-like hinge that attaches magnetically to the edge of your iPad; the keyboard then flips closed (again, sticking magnetically) to protect your iPad’s screen. When you’re ready to type, you just flip the keyboard away from the screen, give it a gentle tug to detach the hinge, and then stick your iPad in the slot above the keys. Combine the Ultrathin with a Smart Cover-compatible back shell, and your iPad is completely protected in transit.

Zagg’s ZaggKeys Pro Plus

Zagg’s $130 ZaggKeys Pro Plus and $100 ZaggKeys Pro (iPad 2, 3, 4) each use the same solid keyboard as the company’s ProFolio+, above, but in a keyboard-shell body that clings magnetically to the front of your iPad during transit. As with the Logitech Ultrathin, you just detach the ZaggKeys Pro from your iPad, prop your iPad in the slot above the keys, and type away. The Pro Plus includes backlit keys; the Pro does not.

Belkin’s FastFit Keyboard

Honorable mentions: Belkin’s FastFit Keyboard Cover (iPad 2, 3, 4) is similiar in design to Logitech’s Ultrathin Keyboard Cover, but without the magnetic hinge. Instead, it’s got a magnetic lip along the back edge that holds the iPad in place during travel. It bests the Ultrathin by offering twogrooves for your iPad, so you get a choice of two screen angles. However, the FastFit’s keys are a bit smaller; the square shape of those keys feels a bit off, and the FastFit makes the same touch-typist-thwarting mistake with the Up Arrow key as the Brydge, above.

Keyboard overlays

The iKeyboard

Instead of a physical keyboard, several companies offer overlays that lie on your iPad’s screen–generally securing using magnets or some kind of sticky silicone–and add tactile feel to the iPad’s software keyboard. For example, Touchfire’s $50 Screen-Top Keyboard (iPad 2, 3, 4) is a clear, silicone overlay that adds little nibs to each virtual key’s “top,” as well as slighty raised ridges around each key. The Touchfire does make typing a bit more tactile for touch-typists, but the overall experience isn’t otherwise much different than typing on the bare screen. And I found that because of the tactile feel, I frequently rested my fingers on the Touchfire’s key areas, which resulted in accidental key taps.

The $35 iKeyboard (iPad 2, 3, 4) instead uses a rigid-plastic frame with clear, bubble-like key overlays. This approach prevents accidental keypresses, and I liked typing with it better than with the Touchfire, but I found the bubbles to be a bit too difficult to press compared to good physical keys.

Keyboard overlays can be convenient—they take up quite a bit less space than a full keyboard, and they don’t require batteries or charging—but I personally don’t find them to be enough of an improvement over the iPad’s onscreen keyboard to make them worth the cost. And, of course, you must move them out of the way whenever you want to use the iPad’s screen normally.

Standalone keyboards

A standalone keyboard must be carried separately from your iPad, and it usually requires you to buy a separate iPad stand (or at least use a case with a built-in stand). But standalone keyboards offer a number of advantages over other types of iPad keyboards: Standalone keyboards usually offer full-size, high-quality keys arranged in a standard layout; with a good stand, you get much better ergonomics than with a keyboard case; when you don’t need the keyboard, you can leave it behind to travel light; and you don’t need to buy a new one when you upgrade your iPad in the future. A standalone keyboard also lets you use your favorite case, and it works with any iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. (Most can even be used with a Mac or Windows PC.) For all these reasons, this is my favorite type of iPad keyboard unless you spend more time with a keyboard than without—and even then, I’d at least consider a separate keyboard.

The good news is that there are plenty of very good standalone iPad keyboards out there, and all of them work with any generation of iPad.

Apple’s Wireless Keyboard with Incase’s Origami Workstation

Recommendations: Although not specifically designed for the iPad, Apple’s $69 Wireless Keyboard is a great fit for the company’s tablet. The keyboard is compact, light, and sturdy, yet it offers a full-size keyboard with the same great keys as Apple’s laptops. And many of its Mac-focused special-function keys perform similar duties when used with the iPad (namely, screen brightness, media control, and volume level; the Eject key also toggles the onscreen keyboard). You may prefer some of the other options here thanks to additional special-function keys and lighter weight, but Apple’s Wireless Keyboard remains one of the better options—especially if you’ve already got one for your Mac that you can borrow when traveling with your iPad.

Logitech’s Easy-Switch Keyboard

Logitech’s $100 Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard is slightly wider than Apple’s keyboard, but the same depth and a little thinner. Despite its thin profile, the Easy-Switch uses fantastic, concave-top keys in a fully standard layout, along with a full complement of special-function keys. Even better, all of the keys are backlit for easier dim-light typing. And the Easy-Switch can pair with up to three devices—for example, an iPad, an iPhone, and a Mac—simultaneously, letting you instantly switch to whichever computing device happens to be sitting in front of you.

Amazon’s Basics Keyboard

Honorable mentions: Amazon’s $30AmazonBasics Bluetooth Keyboard with Mini Travel Stand for iPad, New iPad Mini, iPhone and Genius’sLuxePad 9000 Ultra-thin Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad ($60 MSRP; roughly $35 at street prices) are variations on the same keyboard—the Amazon model is black and about half an inch shorter from front edge to back, while the Genius version is white and slightly deeper. Neither is as solid as the best models here, but each weighs under nine ounces, and apart from a difficult-to-use pod of arrow keys, each is a solid keyboard at a great price.

Logitech’s K760

Logitech’s $80 Wireless Solar Keyboard K760 is similar to the Easy-Switch in that it offers a very good iOS-focused keyboard that pairs with up to three devices. But it lacks the Easy-Switch’s key backlighting, and while its solar-powered battery-charging system is convenient, the added space required by the solar cells makes the K760 considerably larger than the Easy-Switch. Still, it’s a great standalone keyboard if you’ll generally keep it with your computer but want to be able to use it with your iPad in a pinch.

Logitech’s Tablet Keyboard

Logitech’s third entry in this category—an impressive feat—is the $70Tablet Keyboard for iPad. This model sports good keys, feels rock-solid, and comes with a hardshell keyboard case that flips open to double as an iPad stand. However, the Tablet Keyboard is relatively heavy—with the case it weighs nearly 22 ounces—and it omits dedicated F-keys in favor of fn-key-modified numeral keys.

Targus’s Bluetooth Keyboard for iPad

Targus’s $64 Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard for iPad features large, easy-to-press keys and even an fn-key-activated embedded numeric keypad (like the one on many older Apple PowerBooks). While this model isn’t as solid-feeling as many of the other models recommended here, it’s light (just 9.5 ounces) and it fits full-size keys in a compact package.

Kengsington’s KeyStand

Kensington’s $70 KeyStand Compact Keyboard & Stand offers a compact keyboard, rather than a full-size version, but with the exception of a right-hand Shift key that’s too far to the left, all the keys are in the correct places. What the KeyStand has going for it is a slim profile and a built-in stand for your iPad. With its semi-rigid, four-panel cover wrapped around it, the KeyStand is just half an inch thick. But unwrap the cover and fold it, Smart Cover-like, into a triangle, and it forms a stand that’s sturdy enough to hold your iPad in landscape or portrait orientation.

Standalone stands and cases for keyboards: If your iPad’s case doesn’t include a suitable stand, you’ll need one to prop up your iPad when using an external keyboard. My current favorites for travel are Griffin Technology’s $30 Xpo Compact Universal Tablet Stand, Twelve South’s $40 Compass Mobile Stand, and Rain Design’s $50 iSlider iPad Pocket Stand. The Xpo, which offers one upright and one onscreen-typing angle, is surprisingly sturdy, but it folds into a tiny, 1.7-ounce package. The Compass is heavier (6.8 ounces) and similarly offers one upright and one typing angle, but it’s more stable than the Xpo for an iPad in portrait orientation. The iSlider (7.5 ounces) is bulkier, but it’s also sturdier, and its clever design offers a range of angles, from nearly horizontal to nearly vertical.

The Xpo (left), iSlider (center), and Compass (right)

If you’ll mainly be using an iPad-keyboard combo at your desk, consider Heckler Design’s $59 @Rest for iPad, a heavy, rock-solid stand that offers several angles and compatibility with a range of cases; or Rain Design’s $50 iRest Lap Stand, which doubles as a comfortable stand for propping up your iPad in your lap when you’re lounging.

If you’ll be using Apple’s Wireless Keyboard, my favorite solution is Incase’s $30Origami Workstation (shown above with the Apple Wireless Keyboard), which encloses your Wireless Keyboard in a sturdy travel case that unfolds into a solid iPad stand when it’s time to get to work. The stand even works in a pinch for typing on your lap. Another good option is the Touchtype ($50 for polyurethane; $100 for leather), a folio-style case that holds both your iPad and Apple’s Wireless Keyboard. When you’re ready to type, slip the keyboard out of the case and the case becomes a iPad stand for either portrait- or landscape-orientation use.

(For other stand options, check out our collection of stand reviews.)

You might also consider a pouch or bag for carrying your standalone keyboard. WaterField Designs offers a number of nice options, including a couple that hold your iPad and a keyboard. I personally use WaterField’s lightweight, paddedKeyboard Socket ($15) with a number of the standalone keyboard listed here.

Desktop keyboards and desktop/tablet hybrids

If you generally use an external keyboard only when at your desk, you might want to consider forgoing travel-friendly size and weight in favor of some desktop niceties. Several vendors make keyboards designed to be used at a desk that add features you won’t find in a portable keyboard. Other vendors make keyboards that can pair with multiple devices—say, your desktop computer, your laptop, and your iPad—and let you easily switch your Bluetooth connection between those devices, letting you use a single keyboard with all your gear. You’ll still need a stand, but you’ll have one less keyboard on your desk.

Recommendations: I already recommended (in the standalone-keyboard section, above) Logitech’s excellent Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard and Wireless Solar Keyboard K760. Each of these models can pair with multiple devices and work great as a keyboard for both an iPad and a desktop computer simultaneously.

Matias’s Tactile One

Matias, the well-known maker ofmechanical-keyswitch keyboards such as the Quiet Pro, offers a number of desktop/iOS hybrid models. The $200Tactile One Keyboard is a full-size desktop keyboard that uses the same excellent keys as the popular Tactile Pro and includes a USB 3.0 hub. You connect the Tactile One to your computer via USB, and to your iPad (or other iOS device) via Bluetooth; a button on the keyboard lets you toggle between the USB and Bluetooth connections. A cushioned pad, positioned between the main key area and the numeric keypad, lets you keep your smartphone close at hand. (The One line is officially designed for the iPhone, but it works just as well with the iPad.)

If you prefer a compact keyboard, the $50 Slim One Keyboard is based on the same concept as the Tactile one, but instead of a full-size keyboard with a number pad, the Slim is about the size of Apple’s wired keyboard and uses similar flat, low-profile keys. Those keys are pretty good as iPad keyboards go, though they’re not quite as good as the keys on Apple’s own keyboards.

Both One keyboards are handy if you tend to use your iPad at your desk for, say, reading and posting to Twitter, or for taking quick notes.

Honorable mentions: Matias’s $100 One Keyboard is similar to the Tactile One but uses less-expensive (and less-tactilely-pleasing) keys; it also includes a USB 2.0 hub instead of USB 3.0.

iPad mini keyboards

In time, Apple’s iPad mini may turn out to be even more popular than the full-size model. But the mini’s smaller screen means that it’s even more difficult to do serious typing—which for some people will make a physical keyboard that much more appealing.

However, all the usability tradeoffs I mentioned for iPad keyboard cases affect iPad mini keyboard cases even more. Because the iPad has a considerably smaller footprint, any keyboard case that tries to match that footprint must incorporate an even more-cramped keyboard, with even smaller keys, than would a keyboard for a full-size iPad. Most of these keyboard cases omit some keys altogether, or at best relegate them to fn-key-enabled functions of remaining keys.

Logitech’s Ultrathin Keyboard mini

I tested a number of iPad mini-sized keyboard cases, including Belkin’s $80Portable Keyboard Case for iPad mini, Logitech’s $80 Ultrathin Keyboard mini, Padacs’s $40 Rubata Mini, and Zagg’s $90 ZaggKeys Mini 7. While these keyboard cases vary in design and key quality, I found each of them to be exceedingly frustrating to use for touch-typing. The Belkin and Padacs models use the same poor keyboard, which has enough keys in non-standard locations that I couldn’t type a sentence without multiple errors. The Ultrathin mini and ZaggKeys Mini 7 use larger, higher-quality keys, but in the case of the Ultrathin mini, some are just too small for comfortable use, and on the Mini 7, the larger key size was achieved by overlaying commonly used keys, requiring the fn key to access the overlays. In short: If you aren’t a touch-typist, The Ultrathin mini or ZaggKeys Mini 7 may be acceptable. They weren’t to me.

Zagg’s ZaggKeys Mini 9

On the other hand, if you don’t mind a bit of extra bulk, Zagg’s $90 ZaggKeys Mini 9 forgoes an iPad mini-matching footprint in favor of a better typing experience. The Mini 9 is about an inch and a half wider than the Mini 7 (9.6 versus 8.1 inches), but the same depth and thickness. Your iPad looks a bit odd in the Mini 9’s too-long case, but it fits snuggly (almost too snuggly—it’s a bit of a challenge to remove the iPad). In return for putting up with this extra length, you get a keyboard that’s about the same size as you’d find in a standard iPad keyboard case: fairly cramped but entirely useable, with all the keys in the correct places. I used the Mini 9 and an iPad mini for all my writing during this year’s Macworld/iWorld show, and right now it’s the smallest solution I’d recommend for a touch-typist with an iPad mini—it even works on your lap.

That said, even the ZaggKeys Mini 9 is a limited recommendation. If you don’t need to type on your lap, consider going with a standalone keyboard. You’ll get amuch better typing experience, you won’t ruin the iPad mini’s thin profile and light weight, and you can leave the keyboard behind when you don’t need it—which, if you’ve got an iPad mini, I’m guessing is a good deal of the time.

For professional and affordable IT tech support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by MacWorld and can be seen here.

This includes services such as Amazon Cloud Drive, Apple iCloud and Google Drive.

He told the BBC this heralded a new era of “cloud surveillance”.

Foreign policy

Mr Bowden, former chief privacy adviser to Microsoft Europe, made a name for himself as a privacy advocate when the controversial Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) came into force in the UK in 2000.

Parliament accepted some of the amendments proposed by Mr Bowden as the then director of the Foundation for Information Policy Research.

Now he has turned his attention to US legislation and has co-authored the Fighting Cyber Crime and Protecting Privacy in the Cloud report which was recently presented to the European Parliament. In it he said that FISAAA “expressly permits purely political surveillance”, so that anyone with stored information relating to US foreign policy could find themselves of interest to the US authorities.

“Anyone who, for example, belongs to a campaign group which may oppose some aspect of US foreign policy, whether it be the Iraq war or climate change,” he said.

The FISAAA was originally drafted in 2008, and was recently renewed until 2017. It was added on to existing legislation to take account of cloud computing, which was just emerging as a means of data storage. “What’s amazing is that nobody really spotted it for four years,” said Mr Bowden.

“When FISAAA was extended to cover cloud computing, encrypting data to and from the cloud becomes irrelevant so it is surprising that nobody noticed this,” he added.

Tiny supercomputer

Adam Mitton, a partner at law firm Harbottle & Lewis, agreed that the FISAAA could be a threat to privacy but questioned how much it was used.

“In theory there is a clear threat to the privacy of European citizens, but in reality the fact that it is obscure suggests that the threat isn’t as great as it might be perceived,” he said. “If it was being used by an authority and having an impact on individual citizens, I think that the source of the information would come to light. The legislation is now five years old and I’m not aware of any case that has relied on it,” he added.

Storing data in the cloud is becoming hugely popular not just for consumers who use it to keep photographs and other personal data safe but for businesses which are increasingly using cloud services to offer back-end processing power.

Under the FISAAA, US cloud providers can be compelled to release data from any citizen living outside of the US.

“The fibre-optic cable that carries the data is split and a miniature supercomputer scans all the data in real-time with any material of possible interest being instantly copied to the NSA [National Security Agency],” said Mr Bowden.

The court order is made in secret and remains secret – meaning it would not show up in things such as Google’s transparency reports, which aim to document data requests from governments around the world. “We have long known that the Americans can spy on foreign data but FISAAA extends this to reach inside the data centre. It allows the authorities to enact surveillance on a mass scale because it is wired into the infrastructure,” Mr Bowden said.

A hearing on the European Parliament’s findings of the report is due next month.

For professional and affordable IT tech support, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation consultation.

The above article was originally published by BBC news and can be seen here.

Two handsets are to be made by a small Spanish firm called Geeksphone and will be targeted at developers ahead of the system’s formal launch.

The platform is based on the HTML5 web programming language and is being marketed as offering software writers more “freedom” than alternatives.

However, it faces competition from other soon-to-be-released systems. Blackberry 10, Ubuntu, Tizen and Sailfish are all due for release for smartphones before the end of 2013, joining a market already occupied by Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Blackberry 7 and Symbian among others.

One analyst said he did not believe there was enough room in the market for all to survive.

Low and high-end

The two new handsets are codenamed Keon and Peak.

Keon is the more basic model, including a 3.5in (8.9cm) screen, a 3MP (megapixel) camera and Qualcomm’s low-end Snapdragon S1 processor.

Peak has a bigger 4.3in display, an 8MP camera and a more powerful Snapdragon S4. Mozilla noted this was probably “slightly faster” than the first generation devices that would be marketed to the public.

It added that Geeksphone’s phones would be made available for sale next month, but did not provide a price.

It said that when devices went on general sale they would be cheaper than many alternatives and would be targeted at emerging markets.

Open source

The Mozilla Foundation already uses the Firefox brand for its web browser – an offshoot of the 1990′s Netscape Navigator product. The software is developed by a community of volunteers and is run as an open source project, meaning its code is accessible to others allowing them to make their own modifications.

The same principles are applied to the operating system and Mozilla highlights the fact that coders can market their apps through their own websites or any store they wish in addition to the organisation’s own marketplace.

It adds that the lightweight nature of the system means that apps should run smoothly and offer “optimal battery life” on low-end devices.

However, one analyst questioned whether this would make Firefox OS stand out, bearing in mind developers were already free to offer web apps for most other devices, and in the case of Android could also sell native apps outside Google’s own Play store if the user adjusted their settings to accept them.

“What Firefox is trying to do is make the web the app store and bring the openness of the web to phones,” said Nick Dillon, senior analyst at the consultants Ovum.

“But the question is what does this offer over a cheap Android phone to a consumer looking to buy a low-end handset?

“On Android you got Google services pre-installed and the 700,000 apps in its store but Firefox OS isn’t going to have these so will have reduced functionality.”

Native or not?

If Firefox OS is a success it should help drive the creation of HTML5 apps, which by their nature should work on any smartphone.

In theory this works to developers’ advantage as they can write a single program and then offer it across a range of platforms.

However, many view the language as a “work in progress” when it comes to mobile and believe that for the time being native apps – those coded for a specific platform – offer advantages.

“Applications that require more processing power and the full capabilities of a phone – games for example – lend themselves more to native applications,” said Mr Dillon.

“Although HTML5 has come a long way there are still gaps, like for notifications, that have not been fully standardised across all browsers – so if you are building an app that can alert users to the fact they have received a new message, it’s easier to do in a native app if you want to ensure a consistent experience.

“The trade-off, of course, is that it will take more time and effort to make the app for each platform.”

For professional and affordable web design and development, feel free to contact us at Farend, for no obligation quotation.

The above article was originally published by BBC news and can be seen here.