How To

Update Facebook status via e-mail

Many workplaces frown upon using company time for leisure activities such as browsing Facebook. This isn't without reason, however, as many people have gone on Facebook to post a status update and found themselves still on the site 45 minutes later instead of working. Fortunately, there is actually a way to update your status by simply sending an e-mail, escaping the grasp of the site during work hours.

Step 1: Sign into your account from the main Facebook page.

Step 2: Navigate to http://www.facebook.com/mobile in the same browser (not on … Read more

Stop the creepy Facebook oversharing

Although Facebook is extremely useful--it lets you catch up with friends, connect with grade-school buddies, and passively share details about your life--there are times when it's just plain creepy.

The third-person updates in your News Feed are the perfect example of this: when two of your friends have a conversation, or your friend "Likes" a new page, those activities show up in your home page timeline (and now the real-time feed in the chat window).

It's pretty fun if you're the stalker-type, but don't forget that if you can see your friends' activity, they … Read more

Get Spotify on Linux

Linux isn't officially supported by the Spotify music service, but if you're a premium or unlimited subscriber, you can get the Spotify for Linux preview version onto Ubuntu. Here's how:

Step 1: Open up a terminal window (CTRL+ALT+T).

Step 2: Add Spotify to the list of repositories by adding the following line in /etc/apt/sources.list, deb http://repository.spotify.com stable non-free

Type command:

sudo vi /etc/apt/sources.list

Step 3: Add Spotify's public key to verify downloaded packages.

Type command:

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver keyserver.ubuntu.com --recv-keys 4E9CFF4E

Step … Read more

How to back up browsing data for nearly any browser

I like Chrome quite a bit, but I know others who swear by the latest Firefox, Opera, or IE browsers. Chrome lets you transfer browsing data easily, but it can get frustrating to share information like passwords, bookmarks, and so on using different browsers. FavBackup is a great, free Windows utility that lets you transfer data painlessly using many popular browsers. Here's how to use it: 

Download, install and run FavBackup. (The download page also lists supported browsers, so you may want to check that out first.) Select your browser from the icons presented at the top, … Read more

How to post your tweets to Facebook

Since Twitter's inception, users have relied on third-party apps and programs to send their Twitter posts to Facebook. But today, Twitter finally announced native Facebook integration.

So whether your Twitter addiction is causing you to neglect Facebook, or you're tired of updating two social networks, follow these steps to send all your tweets to Facebook.

To enable the new feature, log in to Twitter and head to Settings > Profile. At the bottom, connect your Facebook account to Twitter, and check "Post your Tweets to Facebook." Click "Save," and you're set.

While this … Read more

How to create and share Foursquare Lists

Recently Foursquare rolled out a new feature that allowed users to create and share a list of recommended venues and tips. Users can then follow that list, or if the creator allows it, they can even contribute to the list themselves. The Lists feature on Foursquare is fun to use, easy to share, and are very simple create. Read on to find out how to make one.

… Read more

Download and back up your Google Voice data

As a part of Google's "data liberation" project, which aims to let you take ownership of your online data, your Google Voice account can now be backed up onto your hard drive.

Using Google Takeout, "voicemail messages are exported as MP3s, text messages as microformatted HTML, and forwarding numbers as a vcard", Google announced on its official blog.

Check out the screenshots, and easy instructions below.

Log into your Google account, and head to Google.com/Takeout. Select the "Choose services" tab.

Click the "Voice" button (and any other services you … Read more

Free services protect your e-mail

Technologies come and go, but e-mail just keeps chugging along. According to a Pew Internet report released August 9, search and e-mail remain the most popular Internet activities: 92 percent of online adults use search engines, and 59 percent use them on an average day; e-mail is also used by 92 percent of adults online, 61 percent of whom use it on a typical day.

So it's no surprise e-mail scams continue to proliferate. The FBI's New E-Scams & Warnings page is alerting people to scam e-mails purporting to be raising money to help victims of Hurricane Irene. … Read more

Five clever ways to trick out Wikipedia

Wikipedia has moved past its controversial beginnings to become an established, even respected, free source of information for everyone. It's pretty easy to use, but as with all things, we'd like it to be even easier. Here are a few tricks and extensions that can help make you the best informed person in your network: 

It's no secret that I love the Chrome browser, and the  Wikipedia Companion extension is a great example of why it's earned its place in my heart. It's dead-simple-- just install it here and then click … Read more