How Secure is My Password lets you know just that

howsecureismypassword
We've all heard it before; you need to select a lengthy password, one that's hard to guess. Not a dictionary word. And it has to have some capital letters in it too, and some digits, and a symbol or two won't hurt either.

That's a handy set of rules to keep in mind, but How Secure is My Password helps us understand why they're important.

It's basically like a full-screen version of one of those password-strength meters websites sometimes use. But instead of showing you a bar going from "weak" to "strong", it shows you an estimation of how long your password would take to crack. That's a much more visceral way to understand why your password is strong.

For example, when I entered "rabbit", it came back with "your password is one of the 500 most common passwords. It could be cracked almost instantly". "rabbit5" would take two hours, "$rabbit5" would take 38 days, and "$rabbitZ5" would take 237 years. It's quite enlightening to see what a difference three simple characters can make.

How Secure is My Password lets you know just that originally appeared on Download Squad on Sat, 05 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/05/how-secure-is-my-password-lets-you-know-just-that/

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Mobile Miscellany: week of October 10, 2011

This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of October 10, 2011:
  • US Cellular launched the BlackBerry Curve 9350 this week, and is now available for free (after rebate) with new activations, and $50 with upgrades. [Unwired View]
  • That wasn't the only smartphone added to US Cellular's lineup this week: the HTC Hero S has also finally made it into loving hands. [US Cellular]
  • O2 unveiled the Samsung Galaxy Ace, a Gingerbread device with an 800MHz CPU and 5MP camera, in purple this week. [EuroDroid]
  • MetroPCS debuted a couple new basic feature phones, the Kyocera Presto and LG Beacon. The former is a candybar with the standard numberpad, while the latter is a 2.8-inch touch screen device with a full slide-out QWERTY. The two phones retail for $30 and $70, respectively. [CNet]
  • Research in Motion may be planning to launch an all-white BlackBerry Bold 9900, according to a few shots taken in Dubai. [Electronista]
  • Motorola Mobility is sponsoring the NFL internationally in the UK, and is launching an extensive marketing campaign to highlight it. [Motorola]
  • We've heard about the LG myTouch and myTouch Q a few times so far, but this is the first time we've seen the two devices in the wild. [TmoNews]
  • Nokia's announced the winner and runners-up of its ringtone contest. Sadly, the Great Marvelous didn't make the cut. [SlashGear]
  • Samsung announced a new group messaging service called "ChatON." Sammy's definitely not the first to come out with a group messaging service, but it does offer the functionality across the board -- iOS, Android and Windows are all present and accounted for. [TheNextWeb]

Mobile Miscellany: week of October 10, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 15 Oct 2011 11:18:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/15/mobile-miscellany-week-of-october-10-2011/

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Facebook Founders Reportedly Fight Over Spotify [Spotify]

The New York Post is reporting that Facebook founders Mark Zuckerberg and Justin Timberlake Sean Parker had a boozy sissy fight over whether or not Spotify (a company Parker invests in) should make Facebook a requirement. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vuoebK4i3yo/facebook-founders-reportedly-fight-over-spotify

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Facebook Founders Reportedly Fight Over Spotify [Spotify]

The New York Post is reporting that Facebook founders Mark Zuckerberg and Justin Timberlake Sean Parker had a boozy sissy fight over whether or not Spotify (a company Parker invests in) should make Facebook a requirement. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/vuoebK4i3yo/facebook-founders-reportedly-fight-over-spotify

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Gadget Lab Podcast: iPhone 4S, Krypton Laser and the Grid 10 Tablet

This week on the Gadget Lab Podcast: The gang talks about the brand spankin' new iPhone 4S and checks out a powerful laser from Wicked Lasers, some great gear for fun at the park, and a 10-inch Android tablet called the Grid 10.

Source: http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/10/podcast-4s-laser-tablet/

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Mitoza is a fun, freaky Web toy with an artistic look

mitoza
While not a game per se, I found Mitoza intriguing enough to spend quite some time with it. You start off with a seed, and are then presented with two choices: you can either click a flower pot, or click a cute little birdie.

If you click the flower pot, a flower pot appears and the seed is planted inside. You're then presented with two further choices -- a water can or a bottle of fertilizer. Each choice you make causes your creation to morph, and presents you with two other choices.

There's no winning or losing, really. Each "game" usually lasts around four or five choices, at which point the plant/animal dies in some creative (but not too gruesome) way. At this point you instantly start over with a new seed.

The graphics are captivating; the whole thing has a cinematic feel to it, with a bit of artificial camera shake added for style.

All in all, it's a fun, peaceful way to spend a few minutes, and it might even make you think a little bit while you're at it.

Mitoza is a fun, freaky Web toy with an artistic look originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/28/mitoza-is-a-fun-freaky-web-toy-with-an-artistic-look/

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Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google in Europe, showdown imminent

Bill Gates and Paul AllenMicrosoft, citing Google's tyrannical 95% share of the European search market, has lodged a formal complaint with the European Commission. It's not like Microsoft is breaking any ground here -- the European Commission has been investigating Google's alleged violation of European competition law since November 2010 -- but there's no doubt that the addition of Microsoft's gravitas will affect the proceedings.

Microsoft's complaint reads like a sincere and plaintive cry for help against the Google Overlord. Microsoft lists no less than six damning reasons why Google's behavior is anti-competitive -- from Windows Phone 7's incompatibility with YouTube, to its nefarious handling of Google Books -- and finishes with a wide-eyed plea to the European Commission to please find Google guilty.

For those of you that have been following Microsoft's own antitrust troubles over the last decade, don't worry: MS is quick to point out the irony in the situation. "There of course will be some who will point out the irony in today's filing. Having spent more than a decade wearing the shoe on the other foot with the European Commission, the filing of a formal antitrust complaint is not something we take lightly. This is the first time Microsoft Corporation has ever taken this step. More so than most, we recognize the importance of ensuring that competition laws remain balanced and that technology innovation moves forward."

It sounds like Microsoft, having well and truly gone through the wringer, wants Google to be held similarly accountable. That's fair enough, right?

Microsoft files antitrust complaint against Google in Europe, showdown imminent originally appeared on Download Squad on Thu, 31 Mar 2011 05:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/31/microsoft-files-antitrust-complaint-against-google-in-europe-sh/

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Microsoft doles out the dough to Nokia and Samsung, plans Mango marketing bonanza for year's end

Know who loves it when other OEMs call him big poppa? Ballmer, that's who. So much so that he's opened up the company's coffers to Nokia and Samsung for a holiday blitz of Mango marketing. Hold onto your hats though, it's no carte blanche access to Redmond's Gringotts. According to a report on Mobile Magazine, inside sources claim MS has set aside ?28 million (about $44 million) for the endeavor, with about ?20 million of that reserved for Nokia's first Windows Phone 7.5 handset. This joint marketing effort is reportedly a broader extension of the cooperative agreements all parties agreed to, ensuring future WP devices get the media saturation they deserve. So, keep your eyes peeled this upcoming winter. We have a feeling you won't be able to escape the commercial onslaught, anyway.

Microsoft doles out the dough to Nokia and Samsung, plans Mango marketing bonanza for year's end originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 15:05:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/kojZyAo1DO4/

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Scrabble Helper helps you improve your Words With Friends gameplay

scrabblehelper
If you play Scrabble (or a scrabble-like game) from time to time, you may want to check out Scrabble Helper. This simple website is a godsend when you're at a loss for words. Simply enter whatever letters you have, and the word you'd like to connect with. Scrabble helper comes up with a whole bunch of suggestions sorted by score.

The site lets you select one of five dictionaries - Scrabble International/US, Lexulous International/US, and Words With Friends. Some people might say this constitutes cheating -- I think if the other side knows you're doing it, it's definitely not cheating. And it doesn't take the challenge out of the game, because implementing Scrabble Helper's suggestions and deciding which words you'd like to connect with still takes a fair bit of thought.

Very handy, though perhaps not one for the Scrabble puritans in the crowd.

Scrabble Helper helps you improve your Words With Friends gameplay originally appeared on Download Squad on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://downloadsquad.switched.com/2011/03/14/scrabble-helper-helps-you-improve-your-words-with-friends-gamepl/

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SimLab SQ1: Korea's adorably unstable robot dog (video)

After the recent score of creepy robots, it's great to see a mechanical creature that doesn't look like it would trample you to death if you insulted its parentage. This is the SimLab SQ1, built by the Korean software company as a testbed for a Government-funded giant version to rival the AlphaDog. After the break you'll find a little motion picture of the SQ1 comically tottering around. Have your laughs now: it won't nearly be so funny when it comes for you in the night.

Continue reading SimLab SQ1: Korea's adorably unstable robot dog (video)

SimLab SQ1: Korea's adorably unstable robot dog (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.engadget.com/2011/10/14/simlab-sq1-koreas-adorably-unstable-robot-dog-video/

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