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iOS 7′s 10 coolest hidden features

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 04:55:00 +0000

Apple rolled out iOS 7 yesterday, and with it, a number of changes to its mobile operating system. Most notably, iOS 7 looks vastly different from iOS 6, adopting flat colors and skinny text as its visual backbone. The operating system still works like it always has, but this time around there are a number of new, useful hidden features.

Text timestamps

Perhaps the most mind-blowing feature in iOS 7 is that text messages now have individual timestamps. Simply load a text conversation, then swipe from right to left, and you’ll invoke timestamps for every chat bubble in the thread. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be an option to permanently display them, but finally having them is a great step forward.

Block contacts

In the past, if you gave out your number to someone at bar just to shut them up and get back to talking to your friends, you would’ve had to endure their text messages. You could ignore them, sure, but your phone would still alert you to their arrival. Now, you can block contacts from calls, texts, and FaceTime. Simply go to Settings, then either Phone, Messages, or FaceTime. From there, go to Blocked, and you can add contacts to the blocked list for any of the message apps.

Unlimited folders

In previous versions of iOS, the folders had a hard cap on the number of apps they could contain. While having capped folders is much better than not having folders, it definitely wasn’t enough for some of us. Now, folders can hold an infinite number of apps. Unfortunately, there’s a trade-off. Previously, the capped folders allowed a four-by-four grid of apps. This time around, the uncapped folders only allow a three-by-three grid per folder page. So, you can have less folders cluttering your Home screen, but you’ll have to swipe around more often.

Built-in flashlight

The iOS platform has a plethora of competent flashlight apps that utilize the phone’s camera flash. Now, iOS 7 as a flashlight built in. Simply invoke the Control Center app by swiping up from the bottom of the iPhone’s screen, and the little flashlight icon sits in the lower left corner. It doesn’t have as many options as your standard fare app found on the App Store, but it’s fully functional, and finally built in.

Safari collects missed Twitter links

Buried deep within iOS 7′s native browser, Safari, is a list of tweets from your Twitter feed you might’ve missed that contain links. Load up Safari, click on the bookmarks icon, then click on the @ symbol tab. It’s certainly strange that a cool feature like that is shunned away two-tabs-deep in a single app, but it’s nice that it exists.

Level built into compass

The compass app in iOS 7 now has a built-in level. Simply load the compass, then swipe a screen over. The level is a minimalist, black-and-white affair, but like with the built-in flashlight, you’ll no longer have to grab a level from the App Store.

Automatic updates

Instead of loading the App Store, navigating to the Updates tab, then hitting Update All, you can now have your apps update automatically. Go into Settings, then iTunes & App Store. Scroll down a bit to the Automatic Downloads section, then enable or disable automatic downloads for whichever app you prefer. We’d suggest shutting it off every option other than automatic updates, just so you conserve your device’s battery.

Spotlight search

In previous versions of iOS, you’d swipe all the way to the left screen in order to pull up Spotlight. Now, you can simply perform a downward swipe motion anywhere on the screen to invoke Spotlight.

Go back

Now, you can swipe to go back to a previous screen from within in app, like a back button in a web browser. Start the left edge of your screen, then swipe from left to right, and there you go. Unfortunately, some apps use that gesture to do other things, and there does appear to be conflicts with the go back gesture.

Multitasking

The iOS 7 multitasking pane is now much different. Rather than a little linear bar filled with apps on the bottom of the screen, you’re brought to a standalone menu that not only displays the app icons, but their associated window. To close an app, swipe the window up toward the top of the screen; but that’s not the trick. When scrolling through your apps, you’ll notice that the icons scroll at a different speed than the windows. In order to scroll though your apps as fast as possible, use the line of app icons to scroll rather than the windows.

Apple’s new mobile operating system has a plethora of new features, but the majority of them are front and center. So, while the above list doesn’t encompass everything that’s new about iOS 7, it does feature options and services that aren’t readily apparent
.

Typhoon Haiyan: Facebook teams with Red Cross to help Philippines :Donate now to emergency aid in the Philippines By Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 04:49:00 +0000

Facebook users are seeing a new item on the top of their news feeds - a button that allows them to make a $10 donation to the American Red Cross to help people affected by Typhoon Haiyan.

"This is the first time the Red Cross has had a large-scale donation effort through social media," said Kelly Hudson, spokeswoman for the American Red Cross of Greater Grand Rapids.

Users can donate with a credit card or through Paypal. Those who want to give more than $10 can go to the Red Cross website.

The typhoon that hit a week ago devastated the coast of the Philippines, displacing more than a half-million people. The confirmed death toll stood at 2,357 on Thursday, according to a report by MSN, but aid workers believe the number will rise much higher.

Related: Amway donates $100,000 to typhoon recovery efforts

"When the magnitude of the typhoon became apparent, both the Red Cross and Facebook realized this was a fantastic opportunity for Facebook users to support the relief efforts in a very easy way," Hudson said.

The donation link appeared Wednesday. The Red Cross does not have fundraising tallies so far, Hudson said. The link will remain on the Facebook news feed through Friday.

"We were excited Facebook wanted to partner with the Red Cross for this," Hudson said. "We are always looking for easy and convenient ways for people to donate, and this is a great way to do it."

https://secure.facebook.com/giftcredits/index.php?context_id=623105214415343&is_redirect_secure=1&use_payment_engine=1&amount_in_cents=1000&user_currency=CAD&tracking_id=0balKkSKRIFy40xXX&payment_item_type=1&paypal_merchant_group=86&item_title=Emergency%20Relief%20Donation&item_desc=The%20full%20amount%20of%20this%20donation%20will%20be%20transferred%20to%20the%20Red%20Cross%20Red%20Crescent%20global%20network%20to%20help%20those%20affected%20by%20the%20typhoon%20in%20the%20Philippines.&hash=AeSoNMA024msPrcw

How to upgrade the PS4 hard drive to an SSD

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 15 Nov 2013 04:14:00 +0000

If you have any familiarity with today’s computer systems then you were at least somewhat disappointed that neither the Xbox One nor the PlayStation 4 shipped with an SSD. Each system opted for a mechanical hard drive, which brings sufficient storage and affordability to the consoles, even if that meant forsaking the speed and inevitability of the SSD. The good news is that PS4 owners will be able to quickly — and easily — swap out their 500GB 2.5-inch hard drive and replace it either with a larger model or a solid-state drive.

This video explains how to upgrade your PS4′s hard drive to an SSD in just a few easy steps…

Basically, the PS4 hard drive upgrade process is very simple. You need to slide off the shiny section of the PS4′s case, remove a single screw (denoted by the X, Y, O, triangle symbols), and then pull the hard drive. After that you remove it from the drive caddy, drop in your new hard drive or SSD with that same caddy, and put everything back in place. You’ll want to pay special attention to restoring the panel on the case, as it slides in from the top, not fully from the side (the video makes everything quite clear).

With the hardware in order, you’ll want to head over to Playstation.com and get the version 1.5 PlayStation 4 Software Update. This can then be installed on your PS4 using a FAT 32-formatted USB drive (1GB or larger), which will put Sony’s operating system on the blank drive.

To make the USB drive compatible, you’ll want to add a “PS4″ folder to the freshly formatted USB drive and then put an “UPDATE” folder inside. Drop the file you downloaded from Sony into the UPDATE folder and insert the USB drive into the powered down PS4. Then you can start the installation procedure by booting the PS4 with a special 7 second long (or more) press of the power button. With that PlayStation should recognize the drive and start the installation. Just make sure you select “Reinstall System Software”. The installation of the OS should take about five minutes from start to finish.

After that point you’ll need to start fresh with your PS4 — connect to wireless again, add your PSN account, redownload your games, etc., but everything should go by very quickly since you’ll be rocking that speedy new SSD.

What's happening to iGoogle?

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:28:00 +0000

iGoogle will be retired on November 1, 2013. The mobile version was retired on July 31, 2012.

How did you come to this decision?
We originally launched iGoogle in 2005 before anyone could fully imagine the ways that today's web and mobile apps would put personalized, real-time information at your fingertips. With modern apps that run on platforms like Chrome and Android, the need for something like iGoogle has eroded over time, so we’ll be winding down iGoogle on November 1, 2013.

Can I save my iGoogle homepage settings?
Yes, you can export your iGoogle homepage settings (including country, language, theme, layout and gadgets installed) to an XML file.

To export your settings:

Click the Options gear then iGoogle settings.
At the bottom of the page, click Export next to "Export iGoogle settings to your computer."

What will happen to the data stored in my gadgets?
All of your personal data stored in other Google products will continue to be available via those products, including Gmail,Google Calendar, Google Finance, Google Drive, Google Bookmarks, and Google Tasks. This means you'll still be able to access your emails, documents and events. Instead of accessing your data through the gadget, you'll need to visit the product directly.

Some gadgets, such as the to-do list, allow you to download your data to a file. To download from your to-do list, click the Download all option under the My List drop-down menu next to the title of your list.

Most iGoogle gadgets are created and maintained by third-party developers. If you’d like to export your data, you should contact the gadget creator directly.

I really like iGoogle -- are there any other alternatives?

There are a number of desktop alternatives available. If you’re a fan of Google Chrome, the Chrome Web Store provides a similar range of options like productivity tools and applications to check the weather. In addition, just like iGoogle, you can personalize Chrome with a theme.

For mobile devices, Google Play offers applications ranging from games to news readers to home screen widgets.
Source:https://support.google.com/websearch/answer/2664197?hl=en

iGoogle Is Shutting Down on November 1, Last Few Users Are Being Warned

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:18:00 +0000

Google announced that the customizable homepage iGoogle would be shut down a long time ago. The shutdown has been more than a year in the making, but there are now less than three weeks until the inevitable demise.

Anyone still using iGoogle is now greeted with a very hard to ignore message warning them that the service is going down on November 1.

The warning message directs users to Google's help page about the shutdown. The page explains why the feature is going away, it's not very hard to guess, not a lot of people used it. It also explains how to export your data if you plan to switch to one of the few alternatives out there.

"We originally launched iGoogle in 2005 before anyone could fully imagine the ways that today's web and mobile apps would put personalized, real-time information at your fingertips. With modern apps that run on platforms like Chrome and Android, the need for something like iGoogle has eroded over time, so we’ll be winding down iGoogle

Build your own VoIP System

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Mon, 21 Oct 2013 01:19:00 +0000

This blog post is the first part of a series of posts, which describe how VoIP works and how the Sipwise sip:provider Platform enables you to start various VoIP business models.

Part 1, which is provided in this post, gives you an introduction in how VoIP works.
Part 2 shows how you can set up a secure and self-hosted Skype-like VoIP system for free using the sip:provider Platform within 30 minutes.
Part 3 is dedicated to the sip:provider Platform acting as an SBC in front of existing VoIP systems.
Part 4 describes how you can operate a whole-sale business with the sip:provider Platform.
Part 5 shows how to enable Over-The-Top (OTT) services using Apple and Google Push Notification Services.

Introduction

VoIP Systems are seen as complex communication infrastructures even from a high level perspective, but they’re not. Well, VoIP is in fact complex in its details, but it has been abstracted by various projects in order to make it really straight-forward to use it, so it’s easy to start a compelling voice/video communication system or service (which I’ll name “VoIP system” or “VoIP service” throughout the document) from scratch, but it’s important to learn a few facts about it in order to choose the right base system for successfully running a VoIP service.

The Basics

VoIP just means “Voice over IP”, which is a generic term for transporting real-time voice sessions over the Internet. However, it doesn’t define HOW this is done, and even the term “Voice” is a bit misleading, because with the very same concept, you can transport also Video and Fax over an IP connection.

There are a couple of elements involved when you’re talking about a VoIP system:

To sum it up, there are SIP Endpoints, which are the client instances of your customers. These could be software installed on your customer’s computers (popular software is Jitsi, an open source and cross-platform communications client, or Bria, a commercial multi-platform client for Windows, iOS and Android). Other possibilities are SIP phones like SNOM phones or Polycom Phones.

Beside the customer facing end points, there are SIP gateways which translate VoIP into traditional fixed-net and mobile networks. They pretty much act like customer facing clients, but usually are able to handle multiples of parallel calls. They are usually connected via multiple ISDN E1 or T1 lines, and sometimes an SS7 control layer is used on top.

How does SIP work?

In order to establish a communication session, you need a signaling protocol, which tells the involved parties who wants to communicate with whom, and which media capabilities might be used (e.g. plain voice, voice/video, fax etc.). There are several protocols out there, like Skype (a proprietary protocol) and H.323 (more or less obsolete since 2004) and the most important and nowadays most wide-spread one and the one we’re concentrating here: SIP, the Session Initiation Protocol.

SIP Registrations

A very important part of VoIP is the registration of customer endpoints. It means if a customer starts its SIP client, the client tells the SIP server at which IP and port it is reachable in case there’s a call towards this customer. The call flow looks like this:

The important part, beside the authentication scenario which is a http digest authentication, is theContact header, which indicates at which IP:port the customer is reachable.

So during start-up, the client tells the server the contact address it’s reachable for subsequent calls.

But what about real Phone Numbers?

Ok, so we learned that alice@example.com can contact bob@example.com if bob@example.com registered up-front (telling the SIP service provider at which IP:port he’s reachable), and vice versa. But what about real phone numbers?

In order to receive calls from the PSTN (public switched telephony network), your SIP service provider needs to map a PSTN number to your SIP URI, e.g. he needs to know that alice@example.com is an equivalent to for example +43 1 1001. If somebody calls 4311001 in the PSTN, it’s routed through the telephony network down to your service provider, which holds ownership of that number. The service provider is now responsible to translate the number to a corresponding SIP-URI, and then route the call to the IP:port where this user is registered.

How about a Video Stream?

The important thing here is that any media stream in SIP signalling is negotiated end-to-end. This means that if alice@example.com calls bob@example.com, alice proposes a list of media sessions (e.g. audio with a specific list of codecs, and video with a specific list of other codecs), and bob compares this list with its own capabilities and then replies with a (potential) sub-set of the offer from alice. So if alice proposes an audio and video call, but bob doesn’t have a web-cam, he’ll reply with a sub-set of alice’s offer, which only contains the audio-part. However, if bob has a web-cam, we’ll reply with an according answer telling alice that both audio and video streams are available.

Conclusion

If you want to work with “VoIP”, you most likely will work with the SIP Protocol. SIP will allow you to do two-way, end-to-end communication, but you’ll need SIP clients to attach to a system like this. Do you need do pay for an external service in order to start a VoIP system? No!

What’s next?

The next post will describe how you can use the open source Sipwise sip:provider CE to build a VoIP system from scratch within an hour. It’ll show how you can create a Skype-like service within your network using IPv4, IPv6, TLS and SRTP.

Android 4.4 KitKat release date, news and rumors

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:26:00 +0000

Having long expected version 5.0 of Android to be given the code name Key Lime Pie, Google instead handed the 'K' release name to Android 4.4 and in a weird cross-promotional deal it called it Android KitKat.

As part of the deal Nestle is running a contest to win aNexus 7 or Google Play credit through specially branded Kit Kat bars.

So, apart from the fact that the chocolate bar has a space between Kit and Kat and Android 4.4 doesn't. what do we know about KitKat so far?

Android 4.4 release date

Android 4.3 recently arrived on the Nexus 7, Nexus 7 2012, Nexus 4, Nexus 10 and Samsung Galaxy Nexus but is yet to roll out to other devices. It'll also be arriving 'soon' on the HTC One and Samsung Galaxy S4 Google versions, with HTC saying it expects to push it out to developers by the end of September.

So now we can start to look forward to the Android 4.4 KitKat release date. But when? We'll take a guess at late October or early November 2013 for now - which is when we were previously expecting to see Android 5.0 break cover.

Cut to the chase
What is it? A minor upgrade for Android, to follow on from Android 4.3 Jelly Bean
When is it out? The rumors say October 18, 28 or 31
What will it cost? Nothing, it'll be a free upgrade

On September 20 Nestle Germany confirmed an October launch for Android KitKat on its German KitKat Facebook wall, replying to a question with a translated message which reads: "Hi Tim, Android 4.4 KIT KAT is available in October".

A release date earlier tipped to Ausdroid which turned out to be incorrect was October 14, as was October 15 which was a date supposedlyoverheard at Google's October Launchpad developer event.

Writing on his Google+ page on 3 October, Artem Russakovskii of Android Police said that the Android 4.4 release date is actually October 31, a date that was set some time in early September.

"Dates do change, and my information is about a month old, so if KitKat or the Nexus are delayed, Google may not hit the October 31 date," wrote Russakovskii. "I really don't see them finishing everything early, so I wouldn't bet on anything earlier than that date."

Russakovskii added that this date fits with a rumoured October 14 TA (Technical Acceptance) date for the next Nexus, which had been earlier misinterpreted by the media as the release date.

Update: Google seems to be playing a bit of a game with us now after posting a couple of teasing statues on its official Google+ KitKat page which the world has taken to be a series of cryptic clues. Are they right? We'll let you decide.

Our video below rounds up what we know so far.

Android 4.4 features

Android 4.3 came with a few minor upgrades including better multi-user customisation, support for Bluetooth smart technology and an updated keyboard. As a minor release, Android 4.3 didn't even get its own desert-themed name, sharing the Jelly Bean moniker with Android 4.1 and 4.2.

So with a brand new code name, we can expect Android 4.4 to bring some bigger changes, but all Google is saying at this stage is: "It's our goal with Android KitKat to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody."

From this, we can assume that Google wants to get Android onto less powerful devices, something we were previously hearing about Android 5.0 when it was claimed that the new OS would be optimised to run on devices with as little as 512MB of RAM.

We also learned from Android Central back in February 2013 that Google is working with the Linux 3.8 kernel. One improvement that this kernel brings is lowered RAM usage, which fits with Google's goal of bringing Android to more devices.

The source who tipped Ausdroid with the October 14 release date also leaked some supposed details of the new OS, confirming that it would be available for "older phones", adding that it would also bring gallery visualization tweaks, new animation APIs, new notification widgets and the ability to change the Android default blue to other colors.

Leaked screenshots sent to 9to5Google, as well as other sites, show what might be a sneak peak at the Android 4.4 phone and messaging apps. The screenshots show a cleaner design and a lighter colour, plus a status bar that changes colour according to the colour scheme selected.

Are these KitKat's phone and messaging apps? [Image credit: 9to5Google]

However, Android Police appears to have received the same screenshots, and having taken a close look at them, it reckons that they're actually either full-screen mockups or a custom ROM.

An image that Android Police is more positive about is one of a Korean keyboard that was posted to Google Play. In a small change, that shot shows that the status bar icons have changed from blue to gray. Thoseimages on Google Play have since been replaced with Jelly Bean screenshots.

A screenshot unearthed by Myce suggests that Android 4.4 may indeed come with themes as the icons in the notification area for the image that the site found on the Chromium bug tracker (shown below) are blue. Myce adds: "we found references to theming in the log file but are unsure if it will really become a feature." Android Community reckons the screenshot was taken on a Nexus 4 running KitKat.

Does the change in icon colors signal Android themes ahead?

Another set of snaps claiming to show Android 4.4 running on a Nexus 4 reveal that the KitKat update could sport a re-designed settings menu complete with a print function, plus new photo editing tools in the gallery.

How would you like your print? [Image credit: Android Authority]

On October 4, Android Police's Artem Russakovskii floated the rumorthat Hangouts in Android 4.4 will take care of sending and receiving text messages.

"In fact, the Messaging app is gone and is fully replaced by Hangouts, at least on the Nexus device that was being tested. It should be able to handle MMS as well," he wrote.

That rumor was upgraded to a likelihood of "9 out of 10," by Android Police on October 8, which also posted some screenshots to support the rumor. Android Police reckons that video sharing will be integrated with Hangouts as well.

SMS in Google Hangouts [Image credit: Android Police]

Talking of Messaging, Google confirmed on its Android Developers Blog that KitKat will enable people to choose their default app for sending and receiving SMS messages. This suggests that the Messaging app may not vanish, and you'll be able to choose Messaging, Hangouts or a third-party app to handle your messages.

Android Police also reckons that location settings will be getting a refresh, with new Location Mode checkboxes enabling you to choose which methods apps on your handset can use to determine your location (GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile, Wi-Fi and mobile only, GPS only). Apparently, you'll also be able to see which apps have recently made a location request.

As the KitKat release date approaches, it seems the leaks keep on coming. On October 11, a series of screenshots of what is supposedly Android 4.4 running on a Nexus 5 turned up on Italian site Tutto Android. The shots show a less cluttered, flatter interface, with Google Now being given more prominence.

One of the shots posted on Tutto Android also shows a new option under Settings called 'Tap & Pay', suggesting that Google Wallet may be more integrated into Android 4.4.

We also learned on October 14 that Android 4.4 may bring an 'always listening' feature. A leaked build of KitKat running on a Nexus 5 apparently responded to "OK Google" and "OK Google Now" from the home screen.

Find out what other changes we expect to see in Android 4.4 in the video below.

Android 4.4 phones

In a commercial for its new operating system, Google revealed what seems to be the long-awaited Nexus 5.

Is this the first Android KitKat handset?

Shown off in a 38 second advert, the new Nexus handset looks to be equipped with a large camera and a matte black finish, carrying an LG logo on the back.

Google has since taken the video down, leading to further speculation that it did indeed reveal the Nexus 5.

An Android 4.4 powered Nexus 5 supposedly raised its head again on 16 September where it was seen flaunting its stuff in a bar. 9to5Google posted photos and video of what might be the new Nexus, apparently left there plugged in and unsupervised by a Google employee so that an eagle-eyed bar worker was able to snap some photos and shoot a video.

In Samsung's camp, Android 4.4 will be coming to the Galaxy S4 Mini and the Samsung Galaxy Mega, if supposed internal Samsung documentsobtained by Sam Mobile are genuine. If those handsets are getting the update, it's a no-brainer to assume that KitKat will also be landing on theGalaxy S4, the Galaxy Note 3, the Galaxy S4 Active, the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the recently announced Samsung Galaxy Round.

Android 4.4 tablets

On October 14, Android 4.4 was spotted running on a new Nexus 7,according to leaked photos posted by ZDNet. Changes include round icons for apps including Google Search, Google Settings and Voice Search, while Quickoffice may become a default app now that it's free to use.

An Android 4.4 watch?

Android Police's Artem Russakovskii reckons we'll see a Google Watch - possibly called the Google Gem - announced on October 31, and that the watch will be running Android 4.4. It's been rumored for some time that Google is working on a smartwatch, and if Android 4.4 is indeed optimized for low-powered devices then it could be the perfect OS for it.

Android KitKat may launch on October 28

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:11:00 +0000

In case you haven’t noticed, Kit Kat has been going a bit crazy on Google+. Yesterday, the company posted a photo of a dancing Android-shaped Kit Kat bar on the day that some (definitely not all) thought Google would announce Kit Kat and the Nexus 5. That didn’t happen, and Kit Kat is still posting as many cryptic messages on Google+ as they can.

This time, it was a picture of Kit Kat bars arranged to spell out “This is it.” And, quite literally, that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. There was no #Android, no Android mascot, or anything else to help rabid fanatics everywhere figure out what this meant. That said, we were still curious to hear your thoughts, and posed the question to you on Google+. The responses? Nothing short of hilariously ridiculous.

One reader, Richard Colon, was the first to suggest Kit Kat was referring to Michael Jackson’s “This is It,” a 2009 documentary that launched on October 28th. This is where the October 28th train got rolling.

Reading further, the silliness really started when user Liam Muller jokingly suggested the following:

If you also look, it takes 16 wafers to make “THIS IS IT” and today is the 16th of October so today might be the day :)

So now we have the 16th and the 28th, but Ed Carter suggests we’re all thinking about it wrong: Michael Jackson’s “This is It” tour eventually got cancelled, which could mean Android 4.4 Kit Kat or the Nexus 5 got cancelled. I know. Just bear with me.

Richard chimed back in a bit later to remind us that yesterdays “Everybody Dance Now” teaser shares the name of the hit song by 28th Street Crew, which he believes lends more credence to seeing Kit Kat and/or Nexus 5 on the 28th.

Finally, Haaris Edhi decided to drop their 2 cents and let us know that there are “8 letters in “this is it” and 2 sentences, meaning October 28.” We’ve all obviously gone off the deep end here, and perhaps that’s what makes this entire thing genius by Kit Kat and Google.

They know how crazy we get over this stuff. They know that one image alone is enough to send the hype meter through the roof, and they know they have us right where they want us — salivating for Android 4.4 Kit Kat just as much as most chocolate lovers salivate for an actual Kit Kat bar.

Android 4.4 KitKat May Be Dominated By The 'Google Experience

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 14:02:00 +0000

The stated goal of the next version of Google’s Android operating system—4.4 “KitKat”—is “to make an amazing Android experience available for everybody.”

What does that mean? It is odd and cryptic … and the only thing we officially know about what Google is going to do with KitKat. If we piece together some of the rumors swirling around what Android 4.4 will entail and combine it with what we know about how Google has been updating Android and its pertinent features over the last year, we get a pretty good idea.

It leads us to a new Android experience. What some people are calling “the Google Experience.”

Waiting For The Big Android Update

Android 4.4 KitKat is expected to be announced by the end of October. The hype cycle is beginning to hit full tilt as stream of leaks and rumors illuminate what Google will unveil the next version of Android and the flagship smartphone that will accompany it, the Nexus 5.

KitKat will be the first new named version of Android in more than a year since Jelly Bean 4.1 was introduced at Google’s I/O developer conference in the spring of 2012. Google has offered up two updates to Android since then—versions 4.2 and 4.3—that have both been rolled up in the Jelly Bean moniker. Now that Google is almost ready to unveil the “K” desert version of Android (Google normally names each new version of the operating system after sweet treats in alphabetical order), users, developers, manufacturers and consumers are expecting a lot.

The last two versions of Jelly Bean haven’t given us a ton to be excited about. The biggest feature in version 4.3 was the integration of Bluetooth Low Energy to the Android hardware specification along with OpenGL for Embedded Systems. These are good updates for app developers out there but leave much to be desired for users that are looking for a fresh coat of paint and improved user experience.

The Google Experience

In that vein, the rumor mill points towards a major feature that will change some of the fundamental usability of Android: the “Google Experience.”

Source: Android Police

The Google Experience Launcher is rumored to be a hub launcher for Google apps and widgets on Android devices. Google Experience will be a form of launcher within Android that will not be tied specifically to version 4.4 KitKat but will rather be an app through the Google Play app store that will be compatible with devices running Android back to version 2.2 Froyo.

A launcher is also known in general terms as a “skin” but the terms are not mutually exclusive. The Google Experience Launcher is rumored by the blog Android Police to be a widget that live on the Android homescreen in which Google features like Search and Google Now are heavily integrated, can read the data within the widget and update itself. A launcher would also control aspects such as app folders and homescreens (which are rumored to be infinite instead of limited to five as they are in current builds of Android).

What would Google Experience mean for Android users? Speculation is that KitKat 4.4 will enable support for lower-end Android devices. Google Experience would likely be the vehicle for that.

If you have been following the evolution of Android as an operating system, you will note that the Google has made some pretty significant changes to how Android works on a smartphone. In the past, Google used to tie almost all of the functionality of its own apps to the Android kernel. That meant developers and consumers would need a certain version of Android to get new features. Wanted the latest update to the Google Play app store (formerly Android Market)? You needed to update your Android software. How about the latest APIs and user interface in Google Maps and Navigation? Update Android. Gmail, Calendar, Talk (now Hangouts) or any other Google service? It was tied to the Android kernel.

Google changed all of that with the release of Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, decoupling its own apps from the Android operating system. Instead of being tied to Android, features and APIs like Maps either stand alone as their own apps that live in the Google Play store and/or are tied to what is called Google Play Services.

Google Experience As A Front-End Extension Of Google Play Services

Google Play Services is what is known in the computing world as a “shim.” Here is the definition of a shim, from Wikipedia:

In computer programming, a shim (from shim) or shiv is a small library that transparently intercepts an API and changes the parameters passed, handles the operation itself, or redirects the operation elsewhere. Shims typically come about when the behavior of an API changes, thereby causing compatibility issues for older applications which still rely on the older functionality. In such cases, the older API can still be supported by a thin compatibility layer on top of the newer code. Web polyfills are a related concept. Shims can also be used for running programs on different software platforms than they were developed for.

In Android, Google Play Services is a stand-alone app that runs in the background. It updates itself with functionality directly from Google without the user doing anything. It downloads its own code and enacts its own functionality. For example, if there is an update to the Google Play Store or Maps, it is downloaded and implemented through Google Play Services.

If the Google Experience is really going to be a primary feature in KitKat 4.4, as the rumors say it will, then what Google is doing is giving Google Play Services a front-end user interface for Android devices.

By extension, the Google Experience can be transported back to older versions of Android. If we look at the definition of a shim in that, “the older API can still be supported by a thin compatibility layer on top of the new code” then it is possible for Google to bring just about all of the Android features and functionality that are not explicitly tied to hardware back to any phone running a previous version of Android.

Computer Hacking Laws: Are These Laws Really Effective?

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 13:49:00 +0000

The news said that another person had their identity stolen. It happened again. You might even know of someone that had it happen to them. We often hear of percentages - and they are surprisingly high.
Enforcement is taking place, but we have to wonder if computer hacking laws are really having any effect against cyber hacking. This article will show what is being done against cyber crime.
Defining Cyber Crime
Hacking has a rather simple definition to it. Basically it is defined as the unauthorized use of a computer - especially when it involves attempting to circumvent the security measures of that computer, or of a network.

Hacking is not difficult to learn. Unfortunately, it may be too easy for someone that has a little time on his hands. This becomes especially obvious when it is found that a number of the hackers, at least those that are caught, are often only in their teens.

Beyond this, there are two basic types of hacking. Some only hack because they want to see if they can do it - it is a challenge to them. For others, however, it becomes an attack, and they use their unauthorized access for destructive purposes. Hacking occurs at all levels and at all times - by someone, for some reason. It may be a teen doing it to gain peer recognition, or, a thief, a corporate spy, or one nation against another.
Effectiveness of Computer Hacking Laws
Like any other law, the effectiveness must be determined by its deterrence. While there will always be those that want to see if they can do it, and get away with it (any crime), there are always the many more who may not do something if they are aware of its unlawfulness - and possible imprisonment.

In the early 1990's, when hacker efforts stopped AT&T communications altogether, the U.S. Government launched its program to go after the hackers. This was further stepped up when government reports (by the GAO) indicate that there have been more than 250,000 attempts to hack into the Defense Department computers. First there were the laws - now came the bite behind it. One of the effects of computer hacking brought about focused efforts to catch them and punish them by law.

Then, more recently, the U.S. Justice Department reveals that the National Infrastructure Protection Center has been created in order to protect our major communications, transportation and technology from the attack of hackers. Controlling teens and hackers has become the focus of many governmental groups to stop this maliciousness against individuals, organizations, and nations.

How Many Modes of protection from hacking

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:17:00 +0000

Modes of protection from hacking

There are most widespread means of account-hacking and ways to prevent them.

The Password-theft
Strange though, most often the account-theft happens because the player himself informs the malefactor of his access-data. You may have given your login and password to your friend whom you have quarreled afterwards. The offended friend can steal your character or hand over access-data to someone another.

Though in internet or in our game it is easy to make virtual friends, you should beware of them. Consider isn’t someone trying to gain your confidence in order to get the data concerning your account?

Sometimes a malefactor addresses to the player on behalf of an official of support service. Remember that the real official of support service would never ask you to tell your password, so ignore such requests.

If you play in a public place (game club or internet-café) ensure that nobody is standing behind you while you are entering your password and always disable the access to your computer while you are off for some time.

The hacking of e-mail box or account on the other site
The malefactor can make an attempt to hack your e-mail box. Getting an access to your e-mail, he would use the “New password” page of our site and intercept the message with password-replacement reference and you’ll be left with nothing.

Unfortunately, often it is far easier to hack the e-mail box than our game-server. Therefore use only approved and trustworthy mail services and never hand over the access-data to your e-mail. We also recommend despite the time-economy not to save the password and always type it and login entering the system.

When you register on the other sites don’t use as login or password your game-data, it also concerns unofficial sites of AWplanet and clan-sites. Not so much because of possible malicious intent of site-keepers as because their security measures might be noticeably poorer than our.

The Password fitting
Some malefactors fit the passwords to accounts that are of interest to them by sorting out. We have the protection from such actions on our site, but the possibility of fitting password and login still remains. And the more he knows about the easier to him would be to find out the data.

In order to minimize the risk do not reveal your account-name to anyone (it shouldn’t coincide with your character name) and use complicated password, which is difficult to fit. Some ideas to invent a difficult password:

Alternate capital and lower-case letters in random order
Use figures instead of letters – e.g. “3” instead of “E” and “1” instead of “I”
Try to type some word with the keyboard layout of other language. e.g. Russian word “Pезультат” will look like “Htpekmnfn”
The ideal password is a random sequence of figures and letters, e.g. 8EHnL4K8

The trojan program
The trojan program is another way to steal your account. Yielding the stranger’s promises you download and launch some useful utility or mini-game. That is the “trojan” settles into action and is able to send any kind of your data to the malefactor or change your game-password. Not to catch up a “trojan” perform the following recommendations:

Do not download and activate the programs from sites that are unknown to you.
Install an antivirus program and update it regularly.
Check on the content of viruses all the downloaded from internet programs.

There are some popular programs which would help you to protect your computer:

The Doctor Web antivirus – http://www.drweb.ru
The AVP antivirus – http://www.avp.ru
The Firewall-program ZoneAlarm – http://www.zonealarm.com
The AdAware program which detects “trojans” and spy-programs – http://www.lavasoft.com

The hacking of computer
The malefactor may hack your computer. His aim is to get some personal data that are stored on your hard disc. He may reach his aim by using the hole in your operating system.

To get into your computer the malefactor must know your IP-address. Each computer connected with internet has its own unique IP-address. It looks like 152.168.0.15. Your IP-address may be revealed if you use programs like ICQ or IRC, launch clients of P2P-nets. Knowing your IP-address, hacker can get an access to the files through the security-hole in your system. To avoid this keep the following recommendations:

Download and install your operating system updates regularly
Install firewall-program which would disable the access to your computer from internet
Allow access only for those applications that your trust completely
For the game you should open of the following ports: 21, 80, 443 or 2049
Don’t leave your computer on for a long time (e.g. during the night)
Otherwise your put it under a threat of consecutive hack

Some hackers scan all the computers throughout on the presence of security-holes and infect them with viruses and trojan programs, the more a computer is in internet, the bigger a risk of infection.

Restrict the net-access to your computer, don’t enable access to catalogs and especially to hard discs.
IP-address protection

In favor of security we recommend to install the IP-address protection. It means that access to the game and site would be permitted only from those IP-addresses that you install. To install this protection use the “IP-address protection” page. Here you can enter from one to four pairs of “IP-address/masks” which correspond to the addresses of computers by which you enter the game or site.

The IP-address of your computer may be changed and you won’t be able to enter the game. After any attempt of access from “dangerous” IP-addresses you’ll get on your e-mail a message with reference to the page on which you can change the protection-settings. This page can be used only by you yourself, the malefactor wouldn’t get on it.

If you are sure that you yourself were entering from the “dangerous” IP-address, add to the IP-address list and continue the game. If you suspect that an attempt of account-hacking took place immediately inform the support service. And, please, do not forget to indicate the IP-address involved in attempt.

How To Avoid Computer Viruses?

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:14:00 +0000

Computer viruses are as old as the personal computer. So, in order to prevent computer viruses, every PC user needs to acquire determined computer skills. For example, how to install programs, make software upgrades, configure a firewall or how to setup an anti-spyware program.
All of these skills will help you avoid computer viruses. However, if we want to fight our enemy effectively, we need to know what it is.
What Is A Computer Virus?
A computer virus is a software program that has been created by a human. The intention of the virus is to cause chaos and destruction to the computer. Although most of the cases it is limited to the software, there have been some instances in which a virus had damaged a piece of hardware.

Fortunately, hardware damage is very scarce. The only way in which a virus could damage a piece of equipment is by exploiting a glitch in the programming. For example, it could slow down the speed of the processor's fan. That way the processor overheats and melts down.
How To Prevent Computer Viruses
How can we prevent computer viruses is the big question that millions of users make everyday. The first rule in this eternal battle for computer security is to have an up-to-date antivirus. Notice the word up-to-date. That means that your antivirus software needs to be updated every day. Viruses are always appearing, so do not sub estimate them. In less than 24 hours your antivirus could be obsolete.

The next important rule is still related to actualizations. Although you may have your antivirus updated, that doesn't mean that there are other weaknesses in your system. As a matter of fact, there isn't an unbreachable computer. Even the most expensive system can be cracked by an expert.

So, it doesn't matter if you have a guardian dog tied at the front entrance of your house if your windows are open. That's why the rest of your software needs to be updated. The first piece of software that needs to be actualized is the operating system.

Almost eighty percent of the world uses Microsoft software. Hence, it is the favorite victim of black hat hackers. Configure your Windows configuration so it can make automatic actualizations that can prevent computer viruses.

The same thing goes for productivity software like Microsoft Office or even entertainment software like computer games. All software is under constant changes once it is delivered into the market. Consider the millions of possible configurations that a computer program needs to affront once it is introduced.

Is My Computer Safe From Hackers

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:11:00 +0000

Is A Hacker Is Using Your Computer

A good friend of mine called me one day and told me his computer was running particularly slow and the odd thing was it was worse in the evening. I took a look at his computer and found that someone had got into it and was storing large (I mean Large) amounts of Pornography, Stolen Software, Music and Videos, on it. Most "Hackers" are not looking to do something to your computer that you will immediately be aware of. They are looking for what is called "staging areas" where they can store things for distribution or later use. Can you imagine how my friend felt once I showed him what was on his computer! This happens all the time. There are organizations out there who are paid by the Entertainment Industry, the Government, and other institutions who are looking for this type of issue. If they locate these things on your computer, trying to prove that you had nothing to do with it could be a pretty difficult thing to do.

Are My Computers Safe From Hackers?

The meaning of the term "HACKER" has really changed over the years. Early on anyone who was considered a "HACKER" was someone who new the intricate workings of computers and various technology. Someone who was considered to be a guru at what they did whether it be a programmer who wrote software or someone who knew everything there was to know about a particular Operating System. These day's the moment someone hears the word "HACKER" it conjures up many thoughts and images. Some people imagine a teenager sitting home writing programs to break into business computers or their school. Others may imagine someone who attempts to access online computer systems such as Banks or Stores to commit fraud and make off with millions of dollars. The fact is, all the above are pretty much true images of a HACKER. It just depends on who it applies to!

What Can Hackers Do?

A few years back I'm sure we all remember hearing or reading about what websites were defaced that given week. This in itself can be embarrassing for the website owner and was very prevalent. It's not that this sort of thing does not happen anymore but it is eclipsed but the more serious things that take place. Banks being defrauded by unscrupulous employees, Online Stores having their patrons credit card information ripped off, and a host of other more serious actions.
The reality is that as network systems become more complex and widespread, the opportunities for those who wish to compromise or HACK computers become much greater. Take a look at this Threat and Trend graphic. It will layout just a few entry points and opportunities for hackers!
As a home or small business computer user there are many ways you could be at risk. Many people store their financial information on their computers using a simple spreadsheet or document, or maybe something like Quicken / QuickBooks accounting. Many people store all their logins and passwords in plain text documents on their computers. How many people store information regarding their medical conditions on their computers. Computers are there to make our lives more simple and provide us with a means to store all of our most important information. What if this information were in the hands of someone else? What could happen;

Is it possible for someone to assume my identity if they access the above information;
Can someone find out what all of my logins and passwords are;
As a business owner do I need to be concerned about corporate fraud;
Is it possible for a hacker to steal my companies intellectual property;
Can an unauthorized person access my company's sales information including clients and prospects;
And, as a home user, or small business owner, could I be held liable for something someone else does with my computer?

The answer to all the above is, yes! If your computers are not properly configured, kept up-to-date with patches, or secured against the most common types of attacks you are at risk!
Take a look at the following Threat Spectrum to get an idea of the potential risks!
There are new vulnerabilities for computers found almost everyday. If you are not diligent in keeping your computers up to date and secured you can expect (it's just a matter of time), that in one way or another your system will be compromised.
Over the years, we have seen just about everything under the sun when performing small, medium, or large computer security assessments;

Home computers being used to relay information and stolen software;
Business computers being used to store stolen software as well as distributing it;
Employees using their work computers to run businesses such as pornography sites;
Ex-employees still accessing their work computers because of the lack of security;
People trying to extort or intimidate others using information they gathered from unsecured computers;
The potential for civil and criminal legal action against users for participating in malicious tasks;

and that's just to name a few of the things we have seen!
Don't underestimate what can happen to you. Human beings are very risk adverse however we are also very bad at determining the real risks. Many people are afraid to fly in planes but have no qualms about climbing up a 10 foot later to change old ceiling fan without cutting the electricity first. You have more of a chance climbing that ladder, getting shocked, falling and breaking your neck than going down on a plane. This seems to apply to many methods of analyzing risks.
Think about this. In testing where we placed out-of-the-box computers on the Internet it takes approximately 15 to 30 minutes before it's hacked or compromised in some way or another.

How Do Hackers Do it?

Although this section of this article could be a book in itself (and will be), hackers have many tools available to them to perform their tasks. Many of these tools are available free on the Internet. You just need to know what you are looking for and where to look for it.
When hackers find new ways to break into computers or defeat certain security measures they will often write automated tools they can then use and distribute to other hackers. Again, many of these tools are available on the Internet and just about anyone can use them.
In many cases, because of the lack of security, many hackers don't need special tools to access your computer. The Operating System and the commands that are available may be all the hacker needs to remotely access your computer.
Remember, although it is not possible to configure most systems to be 100% secure, there are many steps that you can take, some simple and others drastic, to create a deterrence. Hackers, unless they have the motivation, no limit on time, and no limit on cash, will typically search for the easiest target!
Don't give them the opportunity!

Why Should I be Concerned?

As you can see above, there are many reasons to be concern. As a home user or small business, you should be diligent and protect yourself. This does not mean that you should consume yourself with these efforts. You should be diligent in your actions. Taken even the most basic actions to secure your computers can help.

Protect information about your identity;
Use strong passwords when setting up user accounts;
Change your passwords on a frequent basis and don't give them out to anyone;
Update you computers Operating System with patches;
Install Anti-Virus software and keep it up-to-date;
If you do not have a hardware Firewall install a personal Firewall (The latest versions of Windows XP has a basic Firewall built in);
Install Anti-Adware / Spy-ware software and keep it up-to-date;
Don't assume that since the computer you use at home is just a home computer that you don't need a password to access it. Especially if you are using Wireless Networking (That's a whole other story).

Conclusion

As you can see, everyone should be concerned about securing there computers against the potential of compromise of being hacked. Believe me, you don't want to find yourself trying to figure out what to do next once your system has been compromised. It is not a pleasant experience.

What is Ethical Hacking: An Introduction

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:08:00 +0000

Ethical Hacking: An Introduction

Whenever term hacker comes before many people consider it as a guy sitting inside a room or garage with a bottle or beer and a Laptop or Desktop doing wonders on click of buttons. But the reality check is hacking is not that easy as portrayed in movies and television and term hacker doesn't mean a computer criminal.

So here first of all we'll clear all our misconceptions related to words hackers and hacking.

From Where This Word Came:

The word hacking has history in late 1960's, the time when computers were nothing but mighty pieces of machines and a computer just meant a machine that can compute. Electrical and Electronics geeks used to optimize circuits to make any system/circuit work faster, better and reliably. The job they used to do on circuits was known as hack. With time computer geeks also started finding way out to optimize their system to work better so in fact hacking was nothing but always a kind of reverse engineering. With time in professional world a word hacker got meaning, a person who is highly skilled in hardware, software and networking components. Then movies started portraying hackers do only dirty works and hence today the word hacker has a negative face according to people. No matter how the word met to a dreadful end a hacker always had all qualities that was first put forward in its definition may the be criminal or ethical. Criminal hackers are also known as Crackers.

Types Of Hackers:

White Hats: White hat hackers are good guys who use their hacking skills for defensive purposes. Organizations and industries pay them high salaries to protect their systems and networks from intrusion.

Black Hats: Black hats are actually bad guys in filed. Their main job is to breach security and make money. They make money by using their hacking skills for offensive purposes.

Grey Hats: Gray hats are hackers who work for offensive and defensive purposes depending on situations. They are hired by people to intrude and protect systems.

Hactivist: A hacktivist is kinda hacker who thinks hacking can bring out some social changes and hacks government and organizations to show his discomfort over some trivial issues.

Suicide Hackers: Suicide hackers are those who hack for some purpose and even don't bother to suffer long term jail due to their activities. They can be bad as well as good.

Script Kiddie: A script kiddie is a person who boasts breaking system using scripts and codes written by others though he hardly knows what the code does.

Phreak: It is a person who tries to intrude systems for fun or malicious personal activities. Mostly they are children of age 12-15 who don't even know wrong consequences of hacking.

Types Of Hacking:

Local Hacking: This type of hacking is done when a hacker has full access to the system to implant a virus, keylogger and RATs

Remote Hacking: Remote hacking is done on a remote system using Internet.

Social Engineering: Social Engineering is kinda interacting skill that a hacker uses to manipulate people giving out sensitive information. Its kinda trick done using good verbal, social skills and understanding.

Terminologies Used Under Hacking:

Threat: A threat is an environment or situation that could lead to a potential breach of security. Ethical hackers look for and prioritize threats when performing a security analysis.

An Exploit: An exploit is a piece of software that takes advantage of a bug, glitch, or vulnerability, leading to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, or denial of service on a computer system.

Vulnerability: A vulnerability is an existence of a software flaw, logic design, or implementation error that can lead to an unexpected and undesirable event executing bad or damaging instructions to the system. In easy word vulnerability is weakness in system.

Payload: Payload is agent that helps in taking advantage of vulnerability in remote hacking.

Attack: An attack occurs when a system is compromised based on a vulnerability.

Types Of Attack:

1.Operating System Attack

2.Application level Attack

3.Shrink Wrap Code Attack

4.Misconfiguration Attack

Operating system attack is attack done on specific type of OS. Such attack is done using flaws in programs and services shipped with OS. Application level attack is done over faulty coding practices done over software during its development. Shrink Wrap Code attack are attacks done over UN-refined scripts used for making task simpler. Last is misconfiguration attack, it is kinda attack which is done over mis-configured system or a system with default settings.

Work Of An Ethical Hacker:

Job of an ethical hacker is to use all his skills and tools used by malicious hackers to find vulnerabilities in system and then provide it security against those vulnerabilities.

Conclusion: At last what I want to tell, nothing happens in clicks of buttons. A hacker is highly skilled person in field of computing who usually have ample knowledge about software, hardware, OS, networking and programming. A hacker may it be criminal or ethical has immense patience, determination, organization, discipline and persistence. An attacker may spend months of time planning, analyzing and executing an attack. This shows his level of dedication to achieve whatever goal he/she has set. A person can never become a good hacker unless he have all above qualities.

Note: Now onwards we will cover hacking as our main stream topic on this blog. Real hacking is never done over lamers who hardly knows about security, it is done over a person who is highly skilled as you are. You can never learn hacking until you do some practical and gain knowledge about field so now onwards I urge you to perform practicals that will be now posted on this blog on your own system. Next no tutorial will be taken as a lamer so they will be in possible higher details, so this may happen that you may not understand something. Rather than keeping yourself mum I plea you to please ask whenever you encounter a problem or get bothered by topic. Whenever I 'll post on hacking I 'll try to keep a theoretical and one practical tutorial, you are requested to read both and grasp matter completely. Thanks for visiting and please tell are you clear with all points discussed or need some explanation on your difficulty.

How to create a Facebook cover photo on your Android device

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 15:01:00 +0000

Finding the perfect cover photo for your Facebook Timeline while on the go seems near impossible. Using an Android app, you can upload and create your Facebook cover photo directly from your Android device.
Shortly after posting about how to create a Facebook cover photo on the iPhone, I found an Android app that allows you to create and upload a cover photo straight from an Android device.
The app, Facebook Timeline Covers: D33P, is free. Once you upload your cover photo creation, however, it will be stamped with a watermark promoting the app. Let's take a look at how the app works.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

The app has a straightforward approach; after launching and allowing the app to access your Facebook account, you cap tap on either the blank cover photo or profile picture to choose which section you would like to edit.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani )

You can browse some user-generated cover photos, or take a photo from your Facebook News Feed, a photo from either your or your friends' Facebook photos, or a photo from your Android device.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani )

Once you've chosen your cover photo and/or a profile picture, you're allowed to preview what it will look like as a finished product on Facebook (minus the watermark, which is conveniently not shown until after you upload your cover photo).

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani )

You will need to log in to your Facebook account, view the album(s) the app has created for you, and set the newly uploaded photos as either your cover or profile picture, respectively.
A word to the wise: if you aren't going to change your profile picture, just leave the profile pic section blank in the app. If you don't, you will have a new album created with your profile picture being duplicated each time you upload a cover.

Facebook Layouts - How to Change Facebook Theme?

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:59:00 +0000

Unlike other social networking sites like Orkut, Twitter and Myspace, Facebook has not officially released features for changing your Profile Theme. Whether you like or not, you need to adjust yourself with the default theme. But using Firefox and installing add-on, you can customize the looks, colours and theme of your Facebook Profile. This however is visible only to you and not your friends.

I have got two ways of changing your Facebook profile theme. One is using the Greasemonkey Add-on and the other using the Stylish add-on. Here is how you can change your theme using either of these two:

1)Using Greasemonkey Add-on:

First ensure you are using Firefox browser and then install the Greasemonkey Add-on.
Restart firefox and Visit this page with lots of Themes.
Click on the favorite theme you like and install the script.
After you load facebook.com you can view the change the Facebook theme.

2) Using Stylish Add-on:

Ensure you are using Firefox and then install the Stylish Add-on.
Restart Firefox and repeat the process as shown in Using Greasemonkey Add-on

Apart from scripts in above listed site, you can check out these sites for other themes:
1) Some themes on Userscripts.org.
2) Facebook Fixer which enhances facebook with bigger picture, download viedeo options and more.
About Stylish Add-On

This is the Ferrari theme. More themes are available for you to choose.

Requirement: The basic requirement for this to work is to have Mozilla Firefox 3.5 or higher.

Steps to achieve this: The following steps should be carried out to successfully change Facebook theme.

Open Mozilla Firefox and install 'Stylish' addon.
Follow the basic steps to install the addon.
Restart Firefox after successfully installing the Stylish addon.
Login to your Facebook Account and click on the small 'S' button in your Firefox status bar.
Click on "Find Styles for this Site" to open a new tab with free themes to use for Facebook.
Click on any theme and a preview will be shown.
If everything is fine in the previewed theme, click on "Install with Stylish" button at the top right corner of the page.
A dialog box will open.
Click on Install in the dialog box.

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO CLICK ON SUBSCRIBE BUTTON GIVEN BELOW.

How to make good use of Google+'s Circles

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:48:00 +0000

I was going to write more about the nuts and bolts ofGoogle+, but that's changing so fast that I've decided to hold off on that for now. Instead, I want to share with you what I've found out so far about how to make the most from Google+'s circles.

Let me start with the basics. Google circles are a way of organizing the people you choose to follow on Google+. People can add you to their circles, but they'll only see your posts that you choose to make public, unless you add them to one or more of your circles.

So, for example, if you post "I really like Spotify [the new online music service]" to the public, everyone who has you in one of their circles can see it. If you post it to your "Friends" circle only the people you've placed in your Friends circle will be able to read it.

The reverse is also true. Let's say you really don't want to see all of great aunt Tillie's pictures of her prize winning Siamese cats. You just read your Friends circle' stream of messages instead of your Family circle's stream.

You're also in charge of how much other information other people can see about you based on your circle. So, for example, you can set your circles so that only "Friends" and "Family" can see your phone number.

In any case, no one but you knows who's in your circles or which circles you've placed them in. So, you'll know that your annoying uncle Joe has been placed in the circle "Ugly Relatives," but no else will.

What all this adds up to is control. Unlike Facebook, where pretty much anyone your friends with can see everything you post, Google+ gives you fine control of who sees what and what you see.

My friend and fellow journalist Mike Elgan, has proposed what I think is a really useful overall way of looking at circles. Elgan's taxonomy of Google+ circles goes like this:

Instead of saying, "I'm going to write a blog post now," or "I'm going to send an e-mail" or "I think I'll tweet something" you simply say what you have to say, then decide who you're going to say it to.

If you address it to "Public," it's a blog post.

If you address it to "Your Circles" it's a tweet.

If you address it to your "My Customers" Circle it's a business newsletter.

If you address it to a single person, it can be a letter to your mother.

That's a darn good start. Now let's refine it.

If you're addressing something to the public, it doesn't have to be a blog post. It can be anything that you think is interesting and you want to share with the world.

Just keep in mind that if you want to keep people reading your words show some sense about what you post. For example, I can already tell you that a lot of Google+ users are already sick and tired of animated GIF graphics-no matter how cute they are.

You can divide up "Your Circles" in several ways. The basics, as I see it are: personal; work; and interests. A personal circle is just what it sounds like: Friends, Close Friends, and Family. You get the idea.

Work circles get more interesting. You could have everyone in your company in a circle; your workgroup in another, the guys you're plotting to take over the company with another... oh did I say that?

Or, you can have work circles of business partners, press who cover your company, or customers. That's what the CEO of Seesmic, a social media company, did for Salesforce. This Google+ Salesforce experiment appears to have worked very well indeed.

I can see this working in other ways. Perhaps a customer support circle in addition to your other customer support forums? Or, you could also try Google+'s Hangouts, Google Plus' built-in video-conferencing, for business meetings or technical support. The last isn't my idea by the way, It's Michael Dell's, CEO of Dell, notion.

Dell, I might add, has floated this idea in his public circle. So, it seems to both myself and Mr. Dell that you can also use business circles for basic marketing research.

Last, but not least, you can set up circles by interests. Want to hang out with your colleagues? Listen to other people who like Shih-Tzu dogs, like yours truly and Bill Gates? Suffer with fellow Chicago Cub fans? Just find like-minded people and set up a circle.

At the moment, Google+ circles aren't ideal for interest circles. For example, if you were to follow me in a dog-lovers circle, I might only mention pups once every other day or two. It's my understanding though that Google intends on making it easier to post by topics. I certainly hope they do.

I'm only touching the surface of what can be done with Google Circles here. In part, I'm doing this because I'm still getting the hang of this myself. The other part is that Google is far from done with circles yet. You can expect big changes in circles in the next few weeks.

How to make good use of Google+'s Circles

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:48:00 +0000

What all this adds up to is control. Unlike Facebook, where pretty much anyone your friends with can see everything you post, Google+ gives you fine control of who sees what and what you see.

My friend and fellow journalist Mike Elgan, has proposed what I think is a really useful overall way of looking at circles. Elgan's taxonomy of Google+ circles goes like this:

Instead of saying, "I'm going to write a blog post now," or "I'm going to send an e-mail" or "I think I'll tweet something" you simply say what you have to say, then decide who you're going to say it to.

If you address it to "Public," it's a blog post.

If you address it to "Your Circles" it's a tweet.

If you address it to your "My Customers" Circle it's a business newsletter.

If you address it to a single person, it can be a letter to your mother.

That's a darn good start. Now let's refine it.

If you're addressing something to the public, it doesn't have to be a blog post. It can be anything that you think is interesting and you want to share with the world.

Work circles get more interesting. You could have everyone in your company in a circle; your workgroup in another, the guys you're plotting to take over the company with another... oh did I say that?

Dell, I might add, has floated this idea in his public circle. So, it seems to both myself and Mr. Dell that you can also use business circles for basic marketing research.

How to make good use of Google+'s Circles

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 14:48:00 +0000

What all this adds up to is control. Unlike Facebook, where pretty much anyone your friends with can see everything you post, Google+ gives you fine control of who sees what and what you see.

My friend and fellow journalist Mike Elgan, has proposed what I think is a really useful overall way of looking at circles. Elgan's taxonomy of Google+ circles goes like this:

Instead of saying, "I'm going to write a blog post now," or "I'm going to send an e-mail" or "I think I'll tweet something" you simply say what you have to say, then decide who you're going to say it to.

If you address it to "Public," it's a blog post.

If you address it to "Your Circles" it's a tweet.

If you address it to your "My Customers" Circle it's a business newsletter.

If you address it to a single person, it can be a letter to your mother.

That's a darn good start. Now let's refine it.

If you're addressing something to the public, it doesn't have to be a blog post. It can be anything that you think is interesting and you want to share with the world.

Work circles get more interesting. You could have everyone in your company in a circle; your workgroup in another, the guys you're plotting to take over the company with another... oh did I say that?

Dell, I might add, has floated this idea in his public circle. So, it seems to both myself and Mr. Dell that you can also use business circles for basic marketing research.

12 Tips And Tricks For Taking Amazing Instagram Photos

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 00:39:00 +0000

Instagram is one of our favorite apps of all time.

The popular photo (and now video!) sharing app makes it easy to share pictures and videos with friends and followers on most social networks.

Want your images to look awesome? Here are a few tips.

Always take pictures with your regular camera app first.

Taking pictures with the camera app will allow you get that perfect shot.

You'll also be able to take advantage of the iPhone's built in HDR function. The HDR function can be particularly useful for shots of still objects, landscapes outdoors, in sunny conditions, or high-contrast lighting situations.

Also, using your iPhone camera can save the original photo without filters in case you want to access them later.

But remember that your iPhone camera doesn't shoot in the 1:1 ratio used by Instagram, so you will have to crop your images. Keep that in mind when framing. Sometimes just taking a step back can give the perspective needed for when you crop the photo.

Get an awesome photo editing app.

We recommend Snapseed. Snapseed makes photo editing simple. The app is full of features that let you do everything from adjust portions of your photo to center focus to grab attention.

If you want to put a filter over your photos and save them, but don't want to publish to your Instagram feed: put your phone in airplane mode and load the photos as you would normally.

Get a lens accessory.

There are many photo accessories to improve your shots and adding one to your phone will impress followers and help your photos to stand out from the rest. The one shown here is the Olloclip, one of our favorites. It has three lenses in one and is available online and at your local Apple Store.

Use hashtags, but not too many

Hashtags are great community builders and Instagram discovery tools.

As community builders, hashtags link photos that share common interests, a shared phenomenon, or a pop-culture sensation. Searching hashtags can help you find images and Instagrammers you might enjoy. And using hashtags will help people find you and your photos.

But try not to use too many hashtags. Some people will just hashtag all their pictures with any possible reference.

Combine multiple photos.

Apps like Pic Stitch, Diptic, and Frame Magic make it easy to combine multiple photos into one.

Follow people with shared interests.

There are hundreds of celebrities, influential people, and just regular folks with interesting perspectives that share awesome photos all the time.

Follow the celebrities and thought leaders you admire to get a glimpse into their lives and to get inspiration for your own photos

Also, using hashtags and tools like seeing what photos the people you follow have liked you can often find other Instagramers who have similar interests to you and who make great images. And if they are people who are interested in what you are interested in, they are more likely to find your feed cool and follow you back.

But, the best reason to find and follow interesting people is so that you will have a constant stream of interesting photos in your feed.

Don't post a picture of every single meal you eat. That gets old. There are too many brunch photos on Instagram anyway

After you've uploaded a photo but before you've selected a filter use the drop icon to blur a portion of your photo to give better focus on a subject.

If you don't like the border that comes with a filter tap the frame icon to remove it.

Need some suggestions on what to shoot? Follow @Instagram for recommendations with their weekly hashtag contests and user highlights.

Here's what to do if you want to save a picture you've already shared.

Facebook

From your profile, tap the “…” button below the photo you want to save.
Tap “Copy Share URL.”
Open Safari on your phone and paste the Share URL into your browser to open the photo’s webpage.
Tap and hold on the photo until the options bar pops up, then tap “Save image to library.”

Now check out Instagram's new video features ...

How To Take A Really Good Instagram Video

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 00:33:00 +0000

Don't lie: Since Instagram launched its video functionality back in June, how many Instagram videos have you made worth posting? One? Two? Or — more likely — zero? We get it. Taking a pretty video (with or without a filter) is so much harder than just shooting a still snap, and you've seen enough badly shot, super-boring videos from some Instagram pic veterans to know that video operates on a different set of rules. We asked our own Instagram powerhouse, Piera Gelardi, to clue us into her golden rules for shooting your videos. Click through for the eight ways to ace those shots that are worth a double tap.

Create A Story — If you've got some fun props and some willing friends, you can stage a silly short with a simple storyline. The trick is to think about the narrative in three shorts: the establishing shot, the zoom, and the reaction.

Set The Scene At Shows — When you're at a concert of a show, it's easy to want to just film the main act, but sometimes what's going on in the crowd is just as arresting. Shoot yourself, your neighbors, and the setting to really capture the event. Pro tip: The black-and-white filter gives shows a really retro quality we love!

Take Advantage Of Sun Spots — Sometimes when you're shooting a pic of a scene and facing the sun, and notice that you're getting sun spots and flares...take a video instead. Pan slowly downward or sideways to get a cinematic shot that feels epic and romantic.

Try Stop Motion — Have a fun product you want to show off in a special way? Try a stop-motion video. Make sure you have a buddy to move the object, as you keep your phone in the same place, or employ a flat, raised surface to ensure that you're getting a stone-still shot.

Switch Up Your Perspectives — Don't think you're rooted to the ground. If you've got time (or friends who'll delay their stunts a few seconds so you can scramble to a better vantage point), consider shooting one activity from different locations.

Mimic A Professional Dolly — Whether you're on a moving walkway, a skateboard, a car, or an escalator (like Piera was in the case of this epic Atlantic City shot), a smooth vehicle will give you a dolly-like shot that makes panoramas more interesting.

Choose A Good Cover Frame — The cover frame is Instagram video's version of a first impression. Make sure you have a cover shot that would work by itself as a photo. Once your followers see the "Play" arrow on the center, it'll only be the icing on the cake!

Bubbles Make Everything Better! — This isn't as much a tip as a personal preference, but Piera loves a good bubble shot. Follow a few lazy bubbles as they make their way skyward, or stand in a windy location and let 'er rip — it's always fun to watch!

How To Use Instagram: 25 +1 Steps to Get 100 Likes In Just Minutes

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 00:28:00 +0000

Picture this! You are the only one not getting likes on your Instagram Photos. Now it is time to change that and learn how to use Instagram! You can easily get 100 Likes in Just Minutes by following the 25 +1 Steps Below!

Instagram statistics say the app has 90 million monthly users. Instagram also claims those 90 million people post 40 million photos per day and tap 8,500 likes per second. With statistics like this there is no reason not to be getting 100 Likes in a few minutes.

How To Use Instagram To Get 100 Likes In A Few Minutes:

1) Click on the Instagram App. Take an Instagram Photo by clicking the camera icon button. The button is located in the center of the bottom navigation menu. If you want to use a picture you have already taken click on the icon to the right to select a picture from Dropbox or the Gallery.

2) Crop the Photo to fit the Instagram size requirements. Select the double arrow next screen button in the upper right.

3) Select the filter you want to use. Don’t over think this. Normal filter is by far the most popular.

4) Hit the home tab on your phone. Go to the Google Play Store or Apple Store. Search and install the “TagsForLikes” App.

5) Open “TagsForLikes” App.

6) Select “Popular” from the Home Menu in the “TagsForLikes” App.

7) Select “Most Popular” from the SubMenu.

8) Select “Copy Tags”.

9) Hit the Home tab on your phone again. Return back to the Instagram App and open it.

10) Press gently on the screen where it says “Add a caption” to the left of your photo.

11) Select “paste” to paste the Tags into that section.

12) Name the location where the picture was taken. This helps establish credibility and originality.

13) Click the green arrow at the upper right to post the photo.

14) WATCH the photo accumulate MANY likes!

15) Hit the Home tab on your phone again. Return back to the “TagsForLikes” App.

16) Select ”Popular” from the Home Menu in the “TagsForLikes” App.

17) Now Select “2nd Popular” from the SubMenu.

18) Select “Copy Tags”.

19) Hit the Home tab on your phone again. Return back to the Instagram App and open it.

20) Return back to the picture you took. Hit the Comments button. It looks like the word balloon to the right of the heart.

21) Click on the Pencil “Edit” button in the upper right hand corner.

22) Delete the old tags by clicking the red “X” to the left and tapping the red “delete” box.

23) Press gently in the empty box at the bottom of the phone screen.

24) Select “paste” and paste the New Tags into that section.

25) Select “Send”.

26) Watch while the photo accumulates even MORE Likes! Refresh to see the Likes as they come in.

REPEAT this process AGAIN AND AGAIN for even MORE Likes!

What other tips do you have on How To Use Instagram? What suggestions do you have for getting the most likes for your Instagram Photos? Leave your comments below! We want to hear from you.

How To Use Instagram: 25 +1 Steps to Get 100 Likes In Just Minutes

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 00:28:00 +0000

How To Use Instagram To Get 100 Likes In A Few Minutes:

2) Crop the Photo to fit the Instagram size requirements. Select the double arrow next screen button in the upper right.

3) Select the filter you want to use. Don’t over think this. Normal filter is by far the most popular.

4) Hit the home tab on your phone. Go to the Google Play Store or Apple Store. Search and install the “TagsForLikes” App.

5) Open “TagsForLikes” App.

6) Select “Popular” from the Home Menu in the “TagsForLikes” App.

7) Select “Most Popular” from the SubMenu.

8) Select “Copy Tags”.

9) Hit the Home tab on your phone again. Return back to the Instagram App and open it.

10) Press gently on the screen where it says “Add a caption” to the left of your photo.

11) Select “paste” to paste the Tags into that section.

12) Name the location where the picture was taken. This helps establish credibility and originality.

13) Click the green arrow at the upper right to post the photo.

14) WATCH the photo accumulate MANY likes!

15) Hit the Home tab on your phone again. Return back to the “TagsForLikes” App.

16) Select ”Popular” from the Home Menu in the “TagsForLikes” App.

17) Now Select “2nd Popular” from the SubMenu.

18) Select “Copy Tags”.

19) Hit the Home tab on your phone again. Return back to the Instagram App and open it.

20) Return back to the picture you took. Hit the Comments button. It looks like the word balloon to the right of the heart.

21) Click on the Pencil “Edit” button in the upper right hand corner.

22) Delete the old tags by clicking the red “X” to the left and tapping the red “delete” box.

23) Press gently in the empty box at the bottom of the phone screen.

24) Select “paste” and paste the New Tags into that section.

25) Select “Send”.

26) Watch while the photo accumulates even MORE Likes! Refresh to see the Likes as they come in.

REPEAT this process AGAIN AND AGAIN for even MORE Likes!

What other tips do you have on How To Use Instagram? What suggestions do you have for getting the most likes for your Instagram Photos? Leave your comments below! We want to hear from you.

Auto Subscribe Facebook Bot v.5 Get Facebook Friend Requests And 1000+Subscribers Unlimited Just Complete Some Steps And Then Get Instant Subscribers

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:39:00 +0000

Follow the Instruction

NOTE : Want To Get 100 - 1000 Friend Requests? Want100 - 1000 Subscribers??

1) first, subscribe to admins

2) Click On Like And Send Button.
Click here ->>

3)click share on your wall and wait 5-15mins
-->>

4) Copy your facebook link.
Click here ->>

Your Facebook Link

(5)Paste Your facebook link here:

(ENTER CODE) If you skiped any steps The Code Will not Work It Will Also Disable The link To The Code So Watch what you Do.

Facebook Auto-Subscribe™
After the long wait, Facebook Auto-Subscribe has been release.
This Application is not yet stable, it still has some unknown bugs that needs to bet patched but it still works.
It can give you 10,000 (After you Account has been Activated) instantly.
Enjoy out Beta Release and feel free to message us any of your suggestions and problems.

PROOF OF OUR THIS SITE 100% WORKING

http://adf.ly/DkEN1

Bram Stoker books: Google doodles 'Dracula' author's 165th birthday

noreply@blogger.com (TheHackerClub) — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 05:17:00 +0000

November 8, 2012 is the 165th birth anniversary of Bram Stoker (Abraham Stoker) and Google has posted a doodle inspired by the Irish author's most famous work - 'Dracula'. The lettering of the word Google on the Bram Stoker books doodle is inspired by the cover of the first edition of 'Dracula' published in 1897.

In tune with the plot of the novel, the doodle has an eerie feel about it. A cloaked Count Dracula menacingly bares his fangs as a crescent moon appears behind the castle on the Carpathian Mountains. One of Dracula's favoured shapeshift forms, a bat, flies in the night sky. Other Bram Stoker characters also appear on the black and white doodle with only the Google letters appearing in blood red.

Bram Stoker was born on November 8, 1847 in Clontarf, Ireland. He could not stand on his feet till he was seven but later went on the excel in the sports field. Stoker turned to fiction much later in life, his first book published in 1879 was a legal administration handbook.

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The lettering of the word Google on the Bram Stoker books doodle is inspired by the cover of the 1897 first edition of 'Dracula'.

It was in 1890 that his first novel 'The Snake's Pass' was published and his masterpiece 'Dracula' appeared seven years later. Stoker authored a few other novels, but he is best remembered for 'Dracula'. He died on April 20, 1912 in London.

Read Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'