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<site xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">7748703</site>	<item>
		<title>5 Ways ChatGPT Can Help You Boost Productivity and Creativity</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/5-ways-chatgpt-can-help-you-boost-productivity-and-creativity/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 May 2023 20:22:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ChatGPT]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=3216</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[ChatGPT is a powerful AI language model that can be used for a wide range of purposes, from answering general knowledge questions to generating creative writing prompts. Here are five ways that ChatGPT can help you boost your productivity and creativity. Brainstorming Ideas If you are stuck in a creative rut or need some fresh<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/5-ways-chatgpt-can-help-you-boost-productivity-and-creativity/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/productivity-creativity.jpg?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1000" height="667" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/productivity-creativity.jpg?resize=1000%2C667&#038;ssl=1" alt="A photo of a man working to boost his productivity and creativity." class="wp-image-3217" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/productivity-creativity.jpg?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/productivity-creativity.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/productivity-creativity.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/productivity-creativity.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p>ChatGPT is a powerful AI language model that can be used for a wide range of purposes, from answering general knowledge questions to generating creative writing prompts. Here are five ways that ChatGPT can help you boost your productivity and creativity.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Brainstorming Ideas</h3>



<p>If you are stuck in a creative rut or need some fresh ideas, ChatGPT can be a great tool to help you generate new ideas. Simply type in a topic or question related to your project or creative pursuit, and ChatGPT will generate a list of related ideas and concepts. You can use these ideas to inspire your own thinking or combine them in novel ways to create something truly unique.</p>



<p><strong>Example Prompts for Brainstorming Ideas:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Generate ideas for a new blog post about sustainable fashion</li>



<li>Come up with concepts for a new podcast series on entrepreneurship</li>



<li>Generate ideas for a marketing campaign for a new product</li>



<li>Brainstorm ideas for a creative writing piece about time travel</li>



<li>Generate ideas for a virtual team building activity</li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Writing Assistance</h3>



<p>ChatGPT can also be used to assist with writing tasks. Whether you are working on a novel, a research paper, or a blog post, ChatGPT can help you come up with ideas, provide feedback on your writing, and even generate new content for you. Simply input your draft or topic, and ChatGPT will provide suggestions for improvement or generate new text for you to use.</p>



<p><strong>Example Prompts for Writing Assistance:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Provide feedback on a draft of a research paper on climate change</li>



<li>Generate a list of synonyms to use in a creative writing piece</li>



<li>Provide examples of strong opening sentences for a personal essay</li>



<li>Generate content for a social media post promoting a new product</li>



<li>Provide feedback on a blog post draft and suggest areas for improvement</li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Learning and Research</h3>



<p>ChatGPT can be a valuable resource for learning and research. If you have a question or want to learn more about a particular topic, ChatGPT can provide you with accurate and up-to-date information. You can use ChatGPT to research anything from the latest scientific discoveries to historical events, and everything in between.</p>



<p><strong>Example Prompts for Learning and Research:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Provide information on the causes and effects of climate change</li>



<li>Explain the basics of cryptocurrency and how it works</li>



<li>Provide a brief history of the American Civil War</li>



<li>Explain the scientific principles behind the COVID-19 vaccine</li>



<li>Provide information on the benefits and drawbacks of veganism</li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Personal Development</h3>



<p>ChatGPT can also be used for personal development. You can use it to set goals, track progress, and get feedback on your personal development journey. For example, you can use ChatGPT to help you set SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) and provide regular updates on your progress.</p>



<p><strong>Example Prompts for Personal Development:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Help set SMART goals for a weight loss journey</li>



<li>Provide daily prompts for a journaling challenge</li>



<li>Generate affirmations to repeat daily for increased positivity</li>



<li>Provide exercises to improve public speaking skills</li>



<li>Suggest techniques for managing stress and anxiety</li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Entertainment and Fun</h3>



<p>Lastly, ChatGPT can be used for entertainment and fun. You can use it to play games, solve puzzles, or even have a conversation with a virtual friend. ChatGPT is always available and can provide hours of entertainment and engagement.</p>



<p><strong>Example Prompts for Entertainment and Fun:</strong></p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Play a game of &#8220;Would You Rather?&#8221;</li>



<li>Generate a list of fun trivia questions for a virtual game night</li>



<li>Have a conversation with a virtual friend about your favorite TV shows</li>



<li>Generate writing prompts for a creative writing challenge with friends</li>



<li>Help brainstorm ideas for a DIY home renovation project.</li>
</ul>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<p>In conclusion, ChatGPT is a versatile and powerful tool that can help you boost your productivity and creativity in a variety of ways. Whether you are looking to brainstorm new ideas, improve your writing, learn new information, or simply have some fun, ChatGPT is a valuable resource that you can use to achieve your goals. So why not give it a try today and see how it can help you achieve your dreams?</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3216</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>3 Useful ChatGPT Prompts To Get Started</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/3-useful-chatgpt-prompts-to-get-started/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 01 May 2023 14:50:49 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ChatGPT Prompts]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=3201</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Here are 3 useful prompts you can use to for every day life. Prompt 1: This is a brainstorming prompt. So if you&#8217;ve ever been working on something and you are starting with a completely blank slate and you need help, here&#8217;s the prompt for you: I need you to brainstorm 20 trending ideas for<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/3-useful-chatgpt-prompts-to-get-started/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="1024" height="682" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3205" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?resize=1024%2C682&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?resize=600%2C400&amp;ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/chatgpt-prompts.jpg?w=1160&amp;ssl=1 1160w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p>Here are 3 useful prompts you can use to for every day life.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prompt 1:</h3>



<p>This is a brainstorming prompt. So if you&#8217;ve ever been working on something and you are starting with a completely blank slate and you need help, here&#8217;s the prompt for you:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>I need you to brainstorm 20 trending ideas for up to date <em>&lt;topic/skill></em> that I can create on recent breaking <em>&lt;topic/skill></em> news.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>So this prompt is going to give you 20 viral ideas to create blog posts with. So you&#8217;ll have these ideas, and then once you have the ideas, you can go ahead and tell it to write out the blog posts based on the ideas that you like that it gave you.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prompt 2:</h3>



<p>If you&#8217;re trying to get up to date on something and you&#8217;re reading a lot about it and you just really wish somewhere it was summarized for you, you can take articles and YouTube videos. </p>



<p>The copy from the YouTube videos and copy and paste them into perplexity and say this prompt:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>I have an article that I need you to summarize for me. I need you to take the most important information and put it into bullet points for me.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Then paste a link to the article after the prompt and you&#8217;ll get your summary all super condensed and give you the most valuable information without you having to go through and read any of it.</p>



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Prompt 3:</h3>



<p>This is going to help you learn anything that you want to learn online completely for free. Here&#8217;s the prompt:</p>



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">
<p>Explain &lt;topic/skill> in the simplest terms possible, as if teaching it to a complete beginner. Identify gap gaps in understanding and suggest the resources to fill them. Give me beginner friendly curriculum to be able to learn this &lt;topic/skill> efficiently.</p>
</blockquote>



<p>Happy learning stuff faster.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3201</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ChatGPT&#8217;s Prompt Engineering: How It Leads to High-Quality Conversations</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/chatgpts-prompt-engineering-how-it-leads-to-high-quality-conversations/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 30 Apr 2023 11:28:40 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ChatGPT]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=3192</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Prompt engineering is a crucial part of ChatGPT&#8217;s ability to generate high-quality responses in a conversational context. By carefully designing prompts, which are short pieces of text that provide context and guide the model&#8217;s response, ChatGPT can produce coherent, informative, and engaging conversations. ChatGPT is a powerful language model that has been trained on vast<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/chatgpts-prompt-engineering-how-it-leads-to-high-quality-conversations/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/conversation-two-women-computer.jpg?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" decoding="async" width="1024" height="612" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/conversation-two-women-computer.jpg?resize=1024%2C612&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3194" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/conversation-two-women-computer.jpg?resize=1024%2C612&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/conversation-two-women-computer.jpg?resize=300%2C179&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/conversation-two-women-computer.jpg?resize=768%2C459&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/conversation-two-women-computer.jpg?w=1172&amp;ssl=1 1172w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p><strong>Prompt engineering</strong> is a crucial part of ChatGPT&#8217;s ability to generate high-quality responses in a conversational context. By carefully designing prompts, which are short pieces of text that provide context and guide the model&#8217;s response, ChatGPT can produce coherent, informative, and engaging conversations.</p>



<p>ChatGPT is a powerful language model that has been trained on vast amounts of text data using a deep learning algorithm. However, even with this advanced technology, the model still needs guidance to generate natural language responses that are appropriate, informative, and engaging.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Conversational Context</h2>



<p>To understand prompt engineering, it is helpful to think of it as a conversation between two people. When we talk to each other, we use cues such as body language, tone of voice, and facial expressions to understand the meaning behind what is being said. In the same way, ChatGPT uses prompts to provide cues that guide the generation of responses.</p>



<p>For example, if the prompt is &#8220;What is the capital of Nebraska?&#8221;, ChatGPT will generate a response that is related to the capital of Nebraska, such as &#8220;The capital of Nebraska is Lincoln.&#8221; The prompt provides context for the response, which helps ChatGPT generate a relevant and informative answer.</p>



<p>To design effective prompts, ChatGPT experts use a range of techniques, including:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Narrowing the topic: By narrowing the topic, experts can provide more specific guidance to the model. For example, instead of asking &#8220;Tell me about history&#8221;, a prompt could be &#8220;Tell me about the causes of World War II&#8221;. This gives the model a more focused area to generate a response, resulting in more informative and accurate answers.<br></li>



<li>Providing examples: Experts often provide examples to illustrate the type of response they are looking for. For instance, instead of asking &#8220;What is the population of New York City?&#8221;, a prompt could be &#8220;Can you tell me the population of New York City? For instance, is it more than 8 million people?&#8221; This prompt provides an example of what the response might look like, which helps ChatGPT generate a more accurate and relevant answer.<br></li>



<li>Using natural language: Experts use natural language in their prompts to make them more conversational and engaging. For example, instead of asking &#8220;What is the distance between New York City and Los Angeles?&#8221;, a prompt could be &#8220;How far apart are New York City and Los Angeles?&#8221;. This prompt is more conversational and may result in a more engaging response.</li>
</ol>



<p>In conclusion, prompt engineering is a crucial part of ChatGPT&#8217;s ability to generate high-quality responses in a conversational context. By carefully designing prompts, experts can provide context and guidance that helps ChatGPT generate accurate, informative, and engaging responses. Techniques such as narrowing the topic, providing examples, and using natural language can all help to make prompts more effective. By using prompt engineering techniques, ChatGPT can continue to provide high-quality responses to a wide range of prompts, making it a powerful tool for natural language processing.</p>



<p>Start your conversational prompts and responses now by <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://chat.openai.com/auth/login" target="_blank">signing up for ChatGPT</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3192</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>ChatGPT: The Ultimate Guide for Everyone. Even Grandpa and Grandma</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/chatgpt-the-ultimate-guide-for-everyone-even-grandpa-and-grandma/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Apr 2023 10:24:22 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[ChatGPT]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=3182</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[In today&#8217;s digital age, we are surrounded by artificial intelligence in various forms. ChatGPT is one such technology that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. In this article, we will explain what ChatGPT is, how it works, and its potential applications. What is ChatGPT? ChatGPT is a type of computer program that<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/chatgpt-the-ultimate-guide-for-everyone-even-grandpa-and-grandma/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/grandma-computer.jpg?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="650" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/grandma-computer.jpg?resize=1024%2C650&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3186" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/grandma-computer.jpg?resize=1024%2C650&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/grandma-computer.jpg?resize=300%2C190&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/grandma-computer.jpg?resize=768%2C487&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/grandma-computer.jpg?w=1125&amp;ssl=1 1125w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p>In today&#8217;s digital age, we are surrounded by artificial intelligence in various forms. ChatGPT is one such technology that has gained a lot of attention in recent years. In this article, we will explain what ChatGPT is, how it works, and its potential applications.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is ChatGPT?</h2>



<p>ChatGPT is a type of computer program that uses <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.sas.com/en_us/insights/analytics/what-is-natural-language-processing-nlp.html" target="_blank">Natural Language Processing</a> (NLP) to understand and generate human-like text. It is a language model based on the GPT-3.5 architecture, developed by OpenAI, which is one of the leading companies in AI research.</p>



<p>Simply put, ChatGPT is like a robot friend that you can talk to and get answers from. It can answer questions, carry out conversations, and even write stories. It can learn from its interactions with people and become more accurate and effective over time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How does ChatGPT work?</h2>



<p>ChatGPT uses machine learning algorithms to understand human language and generate responses. It is trained on vast amounts of text data from the internet, including books, articles, and websites, which enables it to learn how to generate human-like text.</p>



<p>When a user interacts with ChatGPT, it uses the context of the conversation to generate a response. It works by breaking down the user&#8217;s input into words and phrases, and then analyzing them to understand their meaning. It then uses this understanding to generate a response that is relevant to the conversation.</p>



<p>For example, if a user asks ChatGPT &#8220;What&#8217;s the weather like today?&#8221;, it would use its knowledge of weather patterns to provide a response based on the user&#8217;s location. If a user asks ChatGPT to write a story, it would use its training data to generate a story based on the user&#8217;s input.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Applications of ChatGPT</h2>



<p>ChatGPT has the potential to revolutionize many industries by automating conversations and improving the efficiency of customer service. Here are some potential applications of ChatGPT:</p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Customer service: ChatGPT can be used to answer common customer service inquiries, such as billing issues or product information, which can reduce the workload of customer service agents.</li>



<li>Personal assistants: ChatGPT can act as a personal assistant, helping users with tasks such as scheduling appointments, booking flights, or ordering food.</li>



<li>Education: ChatGPT can be used as an educational tool, answering student&#8217;s questions, providing explanations, and even generating study materials.</li>



<li>Creative writing: ChatGPT can be used as a creative writing tool, generating ideas for stories, helping with writer&#8217;s block, and even writing stories or poems.</li>
</ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Benefits and Limitations of ChatGPT</h2>



<p><strong>Benefits:</strong></p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Efficiency: ChatGPT can automate conversations, which can save time and resources.</li>



<li>Availability: ChatGPT can be available 24/7, which means that users can get answers to their questions at any time.</li>



<li>Personalization: ChatGPT can learn from its interactions with users, which means that it can provide more personalized responses.</li>
</ol>



<p><strong>Limitations:</strong></p>



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Bias: ChatGPT can be biased based on its training data, which means that it may generate responses that are discriminatory or offensive.</li>



<li>Inaccuracy: ChatGPT may not always provide accurate responses, especially if the user&#8217;s input is ambiguous or unclear.</li>



<li>Limited understanding: ChatGPT may not always understand the context of the conversation, which means that it may generate irrelevant or inappropriate responses.</li>
</ol>



<p><strong>Conclusion</strong></p>



<p><a href="https://openai.com/blog/chatgpt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ChatGPT</a> is a powerful technology that has the potential to transform many industries. It uses machine learning to understand and generate human-like text, which can automate conversations and improve the efficiency of customer service. However, it also has limitations, such as bias and inaccuracy, which need to be addressed. With further research and development, ChatGPT could become an integral part of our daily lives, helping us with tasks and providing us with personalized assistance.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
		
		
		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3182</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Become a Spreadsheet Wizard with Sheet+</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/become-a-spreadsheet-wizard-with-sheet/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 05 Jan 2023 04:46:45 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Spreadsheets]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=3168</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Here&#8217;s an AI-powered tool you need to try. Convert text to formula • Convert formula to explanation • Debug formulas • Generate VBA code • Get instant answers to any spreadsheet question Visit sheetplus.ai (free and paid)]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p>Here&#8217;s an AI-powered tool you need to try.</p>



<p>Convert text to formula • Convert formula to explanation • Debug formulas • Generate VBA code • Get instant answers to any spreadsheet question</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Convert Text to Formula</li>



<li>Convert Formula to Explanation</li>



<li>Debug Formulas</li>



<li>Generate VBA Cod</li>



<li>Get Instant Answers to Any Spreadsheet Question</li>
</ul>



<p>Visit <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="http://sheetplus.ai" target="_blank">sheetplus.ai</a> (free and paid)</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="429" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?resize=1024%2C429&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3171" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?resize=1024%2C429&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?resize=300%2C126&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?resize=768%2C322&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?resize=1536%2C644&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/image-1.png?resize=2048%2C859&amp;ssl=1 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3168</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>How To Improve Your Typing</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/how-to-improve-your-typing/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 19 Dec 2020 20:54:59 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Productivity]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[typing]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=3109</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Need to improve your typing speed? Setup a weekly, monthly, or every two weeks reminder to work on it. It&#8217;s kind of a fun break to test how fast you can type. One of the best websites to do that at is 10FastFingers. You&#8217;ll be able to start right away by typing in an entry<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/how-to-improve-your-typing/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/typing-test.png?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="509" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/typing-test.png?resize=1024%2C509&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3116" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/typing-test.png?resize=1024%2C509&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/typing-test.png?resize=300%2C149&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/typing-test.png?resize=768%2C381&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/typing-test.png?w=1202&amp;ssl=1 1202w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p>Need to improve your typing speed? Setup a weekly, monthly, or every two weeks reminder to work on it. It&#8217;s kind of a fun break to test how fast you can type.</p>



<p>One of the best websites to do that at is <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://10fastfingers.com/typing-test/" target="_blank">10FastFingers</a>.</p>



<p>You&#8217;ll be able to start right away by typing in an entry box that will test your typing speed and accuracy in one minute.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image.png?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="246" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image.png?resize=1024%2C246&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3110" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image.png?resize=1024%2C246&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image.png?resize=300%2C72&amp;ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image.png?resize=768%2C185&amp;ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image.png?w=1264&amp;ssl=1 1264w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a></figure>



<p class="has-text-align-left">Just follow the words displayed above the typing box while the timer ticks away. After you&#8217;re done, you&#8217;ll find out your speed and accuracy rate displayed.</p>



<p>You can view top ranking typists as well as select the language you want to test your typing in.</p>



<p>Good luck and let us know how fast your typing speed is in the comments.</p>



<p>For me, this is the best I could do today. <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/17.0.2/72x72/1f609.png" alt="😉" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image-1.png?ssl=1"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="307" height="399" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image-1.png?resize=307%2C399&#038;ssl=1" alt="" class="wp-image-3124" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image-1.png?w=307&amp;ssl=1 307w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/image-1.png?resize=231%2C300&amp;ssl=1 231w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 307px) 100vw, 307px" /></a></figure>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">3109</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>What Operating System Do I Have?</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/what-operating-system-do-i-have/</link>
					<comments>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/what-operating-system-do-i-have/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 21 Feb 2013 16:52:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Operating Systems]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=2444</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[Finding out what operating system you have on your computer or device is something you might not know but it is a good piece of information to have handy when necessary, like software and operating system upgrades, patches, etc. This article will list how to find what operating system you are running on your computer<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/what-operating-system-do-i-have/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Finding out what operating system you have on your computer or device is something you might not know but it is a good piece of information to have handy when necessary, like software and operating system upgrades, patches, etc.</p>
<p>This article will list how to find what operating system you are running on your computer or device.</p>
<h3>What Operating System Do I Have On My Computer?</h3>
<p>If you&#8217;re running any flavor of the Microsoft Windows operating system on your PC you can go to the control panel and find out what operating system you have installed.</p>
<p>The operating system or OS, is what makes your computer or device do stuff.</p>
<p>Which means it&#8217;s the guts or software on the device or computer that interprets all your keystrokes, mouse clicks, printing functions, video and audio functions, and turns them into actions that the computer can perform.</p>
<p>In the Windows operating system, you can find out what OS you&#8217;re running by right-clicking on &#8220;My Computer&#8221; or &#8220;Computer&#8221; and then select &#8220;Properties&#8221;. There you will find what operating system is on your computer.</p>
<h3>What Operating System Do I Have On My Mac?</h3>
<p>On my 27&#8243; iMac and most Macs, you can click on the little apple icon in the upper left-hand corner of the desktop and then select &#8220;About This Mac&#8221;. You will be presented with a small windows that displays the Mac OS or Operating System. Mine is Mac OS X, Version 10.8.2.</p>
<h3>What Operating System Do I Have On My iPad?</h3>
<p>To find out what operating system is installed on your iPad, touch the &#8220;Settings&#8221; button, then the &#8220;General&#8221; menu selection on the left, then &#8220;About&#8221; at the top right pane. The version of iOS will be listed a few lines down next to &#8220;Version&#8221;.</p>
<h3>What Operating System Do I Have On My iPhone?</h3>
<ol>
<li>From your home screen tap on &#8220;Settings&#8221;</li>
<li>Touch &#8220;General&#8221; near the bottom of the screen&#8221;</li>
<li>Select &#8220;About&#8221; at the top of the screen</li>
<li>Locate the &#8220;Version&#8221; row. The number to the right is your operating system version.</li>
</ol>
<h3>What Operating System Do I Have On My BlackBerry?</h3>
<p>Select &#8220;Options&#8221; from the home screen. Depending on what BlackBerry you have, you&#8217;ll either see &#8220;About&#8221; or &#8220;Device&#8221;. If you selected &#8220;Device&#8221;, then you&#8217;ll select &#8220;About Device Versions&#8221;.</p>
<p>Both display the version on the third line down.</p>
<h3>What Operating System Do I Have On My Phone?</h3>
<p>Most phones have a preferences or settings menu that lists a lot of details about your phone. Find that area and you&#8217;ll be able to identify your phone&#8217;s operating system.</p>
<p>For example, on my Droid Razr, I navigate to &#8220;System Settings&#8221;, and scroll all the way to the bottom of the list of items and select &#8220;About&#8221;. This will show me a few details about the phone.</p>
<p>And since the Droid Razr runs the Android Operating System, I can easily locate that on the screen designated by &#8220;Android Version&#8221;. Which is my case is 4.0.4.</p>
<p>Well there you have it, A quick guide on how to find the operating system for some of the devices and computers out there that you might be using.</p>
<p>If you&#8217;d like to help other readers of this article, tell us in the comments below how to find the operating system on your computer(s) or device(s).</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2444</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>10 Social Issues Computers Have Created</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/10-social-issues-computers-have-created/</link>
					<comments>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/10-social-issues-computers-have-created/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 23 Jan 2013 12:00:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Social Media]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=2414</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[The growth in the availability of affordable computing technology has caused a number of major shifts in the way that society operates. The majority of these have been for the better, with home computers and the internet providing unlimited access to all of the information ever created and discovered by humanity. There are, however, some<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/10-social-issues-computers-have-created/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The growth in the availability of affordable computing technology has caused a number of major shifts in the way that society operates. The majority of these have been for the better, with home computers and the internet providing unlimited access to all of the information ever created and discovered by humanity.</p>
<p>There are, however, some less positive social issues generated as a direct result of technological advances. In the interests of balance, it is important to analyse these and assess the severity of their impact so that steps can be taken to better understand and combat the negative effects.</p>
<h3>1. Communication Breakdown</h3>
<p>Socialising within a family unit has always been important, as it strengthens the bonds between us and ensures cohesion within the group. But with more and more households owning several computers and numerous portable devices granting access to information and entertainment, some argue that this is leading to a lack of family communication.</p>
<p>If each member is engrossed in their laptop, smartphone or tablet each evening, even communal things like watching television are compromised. Meanwhile, you can see whole families who are out to dinner and still staring into a touchscreen rather than talking to one another.</p>
<p>And if you&#8217;re the one driving to that family dinner and texting while driving, you&#8217;re a distracted driver, increasing your risk of crashing, and potentially causing death and injury.</p>
<p>Increase your digital wellbeing by allowing technology to improve your life and not to become a distraction to your life and others. Your life and others are more important than technology.</p>
<h3>2. Defamation of Character</h3>
<p>The only means of getting in touch with major corporations or famous people in the public eye prior to the advent of digital communication was via a stiffly written letter. This was, of course, accessible only to the intended recipient and thus a very private way for the disgruntled to vent their spleen. But first message boards and now social media services like Facebook and Twitter are being used to defame people and businesses in an intrinsically public manner.</p>
<p>This has led to arrests, lawsuits and the threat of placing stricter controls over what can and cannot be posted to such services. It has also caused heartache and woe for many individuals, helping to perpetuate a massive, international rumour mill which pays little heed to facts or the threat of legal action.</p>
<h3>3. Identity Theft</h3>
<p>Fraud is another spurious activity that has been able to evolve in the wake of easily accessible computers and the internet.</p>
<p>Perhaps most problematic and prevalent of the various fraudulent activities is identity theft, in which personal details of innocent people are harvested by a third party so that they can be used for malicious purposes. This includes carrying out illicit online transactions and other damaging activities that can have serious ramifications.</p>
<h3>4. Cyber Bullying</h3>
<p>As with the defamation of public figures, the internet and computers have also made it easier for spiteful people to attack people they know personally as well as perfect strangers via the anonymous platforms that are available to them.</p>
<p>This has led to serious incidents of cyber bullying involving both children and adults, sometimes with tragic consequences. The problem with these techniques is that they tend to go under the radar to an even greater degree than traditional bullying, which makes it harder to detect and correct.</p>
<h3>5. Gaming Addiction</h3>
<p>Whilst computers and the internet have made it easier for gambling addicts to get their fix, a new type of addiction has also arisen, in the form of addiction to videogames. This is something that can impact people of all ages and leads inevitably to a number of problems, from the social to the financial.</p>
<p>Professionals are beginning to take gaming addiction seriously and combat it in the same way as other diseases.</p>
<h3>6. Privacy</h3>
<p>Whilst high profile cases of online identity theft and fraud should have caused people to become more careful about how they use their personal information, issues of privacy and a lack of appreciation for the risks are still widespread.</p>
<p>This extends beyond simply giving away private data via chat rooms, message boards and e-commerce sites and extends into the compromising world of social media.</p>
<p>Employers are now combing Facebook and Twitter to effectively do background checks on potential employees, paying particular attention to those that have not chosen to use privacy settings to prevent anyone from getting a look at their details.</p>
<h3>7. Health &amp; Fitness</h3>
<p>We are living increasingly sedentary lifestyles, because computers are removing the need for us to physically carry out many tasks, as well as keeping us rooted to one spot throughout our working days and during our leisure time.</p>
<p>Not to mention the physical issues that can arise from constantly looking down at our smart devices, forever buried in a blur of <strong>FOMO</strong> (<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>F</strong></span>ear <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>O</strong></span>f <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>M</strong></span>issing <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>O</strong></span>ut) delirium.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/10-social-issues-computers-have-created/mobile-phones-and-humans/" rel="attachment wp-att-2418"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-3034 size-full" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Mobile-Phones-and-Humans.png?resize=698%2C400" alt="" width="698" height="400" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Mobile-Phones-and-Humans.png?w=698&amp;ssl=1 698w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Mobile-Phones-and-Humans.png?resize=300%2C172&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 698px) 100vw, 698px" /></a></p>
<p>This is leading to an epidemic of childhood and adult obesity throughout the developed world, with the UK possessing one of the worst records in this respect of any of its Western neighbours.</p>
<h3>8. Education</h3>
<p>The educational properties of computers are well known and universally lauded, but having all the information in existence on tap has its own issues.</p>
<p>In particular, the practice of plagiarism has become a major problem, as students can simply copy and paste whole chunks of text from online sources without attributing the work to anyone else. This has become the bane of educational institutions, which tend to come down hard on detected plagiarists in order to discourage similar activities from others.</p>
<h3>9. Terrorism &amp; Crime</h3>
<p>Computers have been a positive force in allowing for the creation of global movements and righteous activism in a number of forms. However, the other side of the coin is that terrorists and organised criminals also exploit the web for their own nefarious purposes.</p>
<p>Businesses, governments and individuals are all at risk of cyber attack and the perpetrators can often act anonymously from a country with no extradition agreements.</p>
<h3>10. Sexuality</h3>
<p>This is a less clear cut topic, but there are fears that unmitigated access to pornography for adolescents is shaping the sexual proclivities and expectations of young people in problematic ways.</p>
<p><em>This guest post was contributed by <a title="Social Issues and Technology" href="http://www.conosco.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Conosco</a>; a company providing fixed-price IT support to London&#8217;s most demanding businesses for 10 years.</em></p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2414</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>Three WordPress Secrets You Might Not Know</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/wordpress-secrets-you-might-not-know/</link>
					<comments>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/wordpress-secrets-you-might-not-know/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2013 11:00:44 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[WordPress]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.thespinningdonut.com/?p=2380</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here. Because WordPress is such a powerful platform for customizing blogs, many WordPress users don’t realize all of the many ways it can be put to use for them. There are innumerable tricks, both large and small,<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/wordpress-secrets-you-might-not-know/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em>This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out <a title="Guest Post Guidelines" href="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/guest-post-guidelines/">the guidelines here</a>.</em></p>
<p>Because WordPress is such a powerful platform for customizing blogs, many WordPress users don’t realize all of the many ways it can be put to use for them.</p>
<p>There are innumerable tricks, both large and small, that will make WordPress easier to use for authors and for readers, and a little research is likely to turn up a long list of ways any blog could be improved.</p>
<p>To help WordPress bloggers get the most out of their web presence, here are a few small tricks that can make a big difference for your blog.</p>
<h3>1. Run A/B Tests</h3>
<p>A/B tests, also know as split testing, are crucial to refining your web site and making it as effective as possible at hooking and retaining visitors.</p>
<p>An A/B test, in its essence, presents groups of users with two different options, and then determines which one they react more positively toward.</p>
<p>On a blog, the blogger might run an A/B test by giving a post two different titles, and then seeing which one users are more likely to click on. Or if your teasers include images, you could attach two different images to the teaser, and see which draws more users to click through for the full story.</p>
<p>To do A/B testing, simply download one of the numerous <a title="WordPress Split Testing" href="http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/search.php?q=split+testing" target="_blank">plug-ins that facilitates the process</a>. They’ll give you the option of testing different titles, different teasers, different images, and many other post options.</p>
<p>Then use Google Analytics to determine which version, A or B, gets more love from readers, and adjust your blog accordingly.</p>
<h3>2. Put Ads Inside Your Content</h3>
<p>Ads can appear lots of different places on a site. The most effective place, research shows, is in the header, but ads within post content run a very close second to those appearing in the header.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, adding an ad to the content isn’t easy. Putting an ad in the header, footer, or sidebar is simple with WordPress’s theme editor, but putting one inside your content is a little trickier.</p>
<p>The key is to set a length—say, 150 words—after which you want the ad to appear, every time. Once that’s done, it’s a simple matter of adding some Javascript to calculate the length of the blog post and insert the ad at the appropriate point. This technique will omit the ads on posts shorter than that length, but it will work for all other posts, and it will definitely increase click-throughs on your ads.</p>
<h3>3. Make A Static Page Your Homepage</h3>
<p>WordPress is for more than just blogs.</p>
<p>Lots of sites that include static content and a blog are run off WordPress, and they use WordPress’s “page” feature to create static pages that don’t change as the blog section is updated.</p>
<p>That said, using premium WordPress themes doesn&#8217;t eliminate all the annoying parts involved in blogging. There are still some busy work tasks to be taken care of.</p>
<p>For many web administrators, these pages will make better home pages than the blog page (which serves as the default home page).<br />
So if a web master would rather make a different page their home page, how would they do that?</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/wordpress-secrets-you-might-not-know/wordpress-secrets-515/" rel="attachment wp-att-2399"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" alt="WordPress SecretsWordPress Secrets" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wordpress-secrets-515.jpg?resize=515%2C229" width="515" height="229" /></a></p>
<p>Easy. First, create two “pages.” One should be the new home page, and the second should be the new blog page.</p>
<p>Once that’s done, go to the dashboard, click “settings,” then “reading options,” and look at the top right corner. There will be an option that says “Front page displays…” By default, the front page will display the latest posts. Change this so the front page displays a “static page.”</p>
<p>On the drop down menu beneath this, select your new home page as the static page you want displayed, and your blog page as the page that displays the latest posts.</p>
<p>Voila! The blog now has a new, static home page.</p>
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		<post-id xmlns="com-wordpress:feed-additions:1">2380</post-id>	</item>
		<item>
		<title>The &#8220;Find and Call&#8221; Trojan: Apple and Google&#8217;s Actions</title>
		<link>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/find-and-call-trojan-apple-and-googles-action/</link>
					<comments>https://www.thespinningdonut.com/find-and-call-trojan-apple-and-googles-action/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Bill]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 18 Jul 2012 02:53:48 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Mobile Phones]]></category>
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					<description><![CDATA[This is a guest post by Travis Ramsy. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here. Apple had to suffer it quite strangely. Both Apple and Google have been targeted by the malware &#8220;Find and call&#8221;. They responded pretty quickly by taking the Trojan off their stores – AppStore<a class="more-link" href="https://www.thespinningdonut.com/find-and-call-trojan-apple-and-googles-action/">Continue Reading</a>]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chained.jpg"><img data-recalc-dims="1" loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-2285 frame aligncenter" title="Find and Call Trojan" src="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chained.jpg?resize=515%2C161" alt="Find and Call Trojan" width="515" height="161" srcset="https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chained.jpg?w=515&amp;ssl=1 515w, https://i0.wp.com/www.thespinningdonut.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/chained.jpg?resize=300%2C93&amp;ssl=1 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 515px) 100vw, 515px" /></a></p>
<p><em>This is a guest post by Travis Ramsy. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the <a title="Guest Posting Guidelines" href="http://www.thespinningdonut.com/guest-post-guidelines/">guidelines here</a>.</em></p>
<p>Apple had to suffer it quite strangely. Both Apple and Google have been targeted by the malware &#8220;Find and call&#8221;. They responded pretty quickly by taking the Trojan off their stores – AppStore and Google Play. Just as an email spammer, the &#8220;Find and Call&#8221; Trojan is a malware that sends messages to people from your contact list, but masquerades as a contact management application.</p>
<p>This Trojan was found by the people at the Kaspersky labs. It is not a worm as it looks like at first. Instead, it is a Trojan that uploads your phonebook onto a remote server, and it is the server that replicates the malware and sends the spam to all your contacts and friends by SMS. The trouble of course is that it sends it with your name in the addressee field which means that your friends will probably trust you and open and download the app.</p>
<p>Though Google and iOS have removed the malware from their stores, it is kind of surprising that it got through their internal security and app store security. It is not news to Android which had to suffer many such attacks. Android users have learnt to be careful through experience.</p>
<p>However, it is news for the iOS supported devices and their users. Apple has always prided on its security by claiming not many malwares can get past its secure networks. While this has been true in the past, the trend seems to be changing with a simple tricky malware &#8220;Find and Call&#8221; slipping its way through the filters. There is the Flashback Trojan which is a more serious problem for Apple than the &#8220;Find and Call&#8221;.</p>
<p>&#8220;Find and Call&#8221; is relatively a simple bug. All they had to do was remove it from their stores, and Google and Apple were sitting pretty. But for a company like Apple, and for giants like Google, it is important to figure out their security issues. Google has rolled out a new trial doc to explain what areas it will venture into apart from the existing ones and those beyond search engines. We hope one of them is internet security.</p>
<p>As for Apple, first it’s a simple one like &#8220;Find and Call&#8221;, then more malicious malware like Flashback Trojan. Who knows what it is going to be next? Apple needs to get its act together to detect malware at source and not allow it into the public domain through the AppStore if it wants to retain its reputation as the “most secure operating system” provider. After all, that was initially the most charming aspect of the iOS.</p>
<p><em><strong>About the Author:</strong> Travis Ramsy is the author and works with www.buycharter.com &#8211; a site that offers savings and current information on <a title="Charter Communications" href="http://www.buycharter.com" target="_blank">Charter Communications</a>.</em></p>
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