How To

How to bring back the thumbnail view in Twitter's image viewer

It's unclear why Twitter decided to make its image viewer less user-friendly, but ever since its last redesign, users have been forced to click through recent images, one at a time. Browsing your recent images or those of other Twitter users has become a frustrating experience.

A Chrome extension, called Please bring back photo grid view!, returns the thumbnail view to Twitter. After you've installed the extension, you'll see the familiar strip of thumbnails in Twitter's recent images.

Apparently, Twitter has a download limit of 150 images per hour, but enabling the "Force pic.twitter.… Read more

How to disable Java in IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari

Last week's notice by researchers at Security Explorations of an unpatched hole in the Java runtime environment may have left you wondering whether to disable Java until Oracle releases a patch. CNET's Topher Kessler noted in his report on the Java flaw that no malware exploiting the vulnerability has yet been documented.

Which leads to the question, "Do I need Java?"

The best way to find out is to disable Java in your browser and re-enable it only if you encounter a site that prompts you to download Java before it will open. Then you can … Read more

Download your YouTube videos in their original format

Uploading a YouTube video causes it to be converted to the format used for streaming by the service. If you ever lose your videos, you could always grab the converted versions from the YouTube site, but what if you want the originals?

Google Takeout is now offering the ability to download the original versions of your videos, as mentioned by the Google Data Liberation blog. Takeout allows you to export data like settings, groups, or photos from Google's other Web sites and services.

Unfortunately, you can only download all videos together at this time. There's no option to … Read more

Reveal saved passwords from under asterisks in your Web browser

Having your browser store password data for sites can be a huge time-saver and convenience. Naturally, there are security issues to consider-- what if someone else uses your computer? Less severe but more irritating, what if you forget your password and need to log in on another machine? Unless you use the same password for several services, you could be left in a bad situation.

Instead of answering security questions to reset your password to something else you might forget, try these steps to figure out what it is.

Step 1: Open the log-in page for the service you're … Read more

Opt out of Facebook's online and offline tracking

Protecting your privacy online sometimes seems like an uphill battle, but it is certainly worth the effort. Facebook has paired up with a data collection company called Datalogix with the goal of improving its advertisement system. The process uses information from programs like loyalty cards and pairs online data with offline data, putting your privacy at a greater risk.

Luckily, opting out of this service (and protecting your privacy) is as simple as following a few links and filling out a form. Read on to see how to do it.

Step 1: Open a web browser and go to … Read more

How to change your Twitter header photo

Twitter is rolling out new profile header photos to their users. The new option is very similar to Facebook's Timeline photo, in that it appears in a larger area along the top of your profile page.

Before, you would only have the small avatar image to work with when representing yourself or a brand. A larger photo on the profile page helps convey interests or services more clearly. Ready to add one? Just follow these steps:

Step 1: After logging in to your Twitter account, click on the Settings cog in the top right-hand corner and choose Settings.

Step … Read more

How to clear Google Chrome sync data

Google's Chrome Web browser allows you to sync data between Chrome browsers on different computers and devices. Some of this data, like passwords, autofills (form data), and preferences, may be personal and worth securing. You can encrypt your data in Chrome's browser settings, but to clear it, you'll have to visit your Google Dashboard.

To clear your sync data from the Google Dashboard, scroll to the Chrome sync section and click the link to "Stop sync and delete data from Google." You'll then be prompted to confirm the deletion.

You can also go directly … Read more

Start or join a neighborhood social network with Nextdoor

Social networking fills a particular need: sharing and communicating with friends and colleagues. But what about neighbors? Many of them don't quite qualify as friends, and we may not want to share our most intimate or random thoughts with them, but they are still valuable connections. Nextdoor lets users create or join neighborhood-centered social networks to share event info, babysitter reviews, safety bulletins, and much more. Here's how it works:

Point your browser here. Enter your e-mail and physical addresses to check to see if Nextdoor is available in your area. You will either be taken to the … Read more

Sell your e-books for free with Payhip

So you're a writer, huh? Well, now it's time to turn those writings into sweet cash. Unfortunately, most places online that let you sell your e-books also want to take a nice cut of your profits. That's understandable, though, right? They need to make money, too. However, if you're just getting started, a little off the top here and there can add up to the chunk of the profits you need to move your writing career forward.

Instead of fussing with other sites, why not check out Payhip? This site offers a free and easy way … Read more