Why some iMessage texts are blue and some are green
And why you may prefer to stick with one color or the other.
Blue = iMessage. Green = SMS. But why does that matter?Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
If you own an iPhone, you may have noticed something odd in the Messages app: some messages are blue and some are green. What's the deal with that?
Short answer: blue ones have been sent or received using Apple's iMessage technology, while green ones are "traditional" text messages exchanged via Short Messaging Service, or SMS.
Does this matter? In the grand texting scheme of things, should you care whether your messages are blue or green?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Let's start by making sure you have all the necessary information. A standard SMS text message is delivered over the same voice networks used for phone calls. Back in the bad old days, carriers charged by the message (often 10-25 cents per!). Then they bundled a fixed number of messages into your calling plan, and now most of them offer unlimited messaging.
In the interim, Apple unveiled iMessage, which looks and acts like standard SMS but actually relies on data networks (cellular or Wi-Fi, whatever you're connected to). That affords two benefits: freedom from carrier rates for SMS (assuming you're paying extra for it or have a capped plan) and a wider set of messaging features.
Indeed, iMessage allows you to do things standard SMS can't, like share your location, send walkie-talkie-style voice messages, check message delivery, and even see if someone's in the process of writing you back (indicated by three dots that appear below your last message).
Ah, but here's the rub: iMessage works only with other iDevice owners. If you have an iPhone and you use the Messages app to contact an Android, BlackBerry or Windows Phone user, iOS recognizes there's no iMessage at the other end and switches (downshifts?) into SMS mode. Your indication that has happened? Green word bubbles instead of blue.
However, you may end up seeing green even if you're corresponding with another iPhone. There are three possible causes:
Make sure iMessage is activated.Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET
iMessage isn't activated on your device. (Tap Settings, Messages, then check to see if the feature is switched on. If it is, you should also activate "Send as SMS." Note that you may need to perform a one-time sign-in using your Apple ID.)
iMessage isn't activated on the recipient's device.
There's no data network available. But if your phone can still connect to a voice tower, it will default back to SMS.
So, are there times when you should opt for one messaging method over the other? Although text messages are very small, picture messages can consume a fair bit of data -- and if your service plan offers unlimited texting but limited data, you may prefer to switch off iMessage in favor of SMS.
On the flip side, if you're corresponding with fellow iPhone users but still seeing only green messages, ask them to enable iMessage at their end so you can enjoy the various benefits of the service. Many users have no idea iMessage is even a thing, and don't realize it's not enabled.
Facebook has launched a new feature aimed directly at helping those who may be going through hard times.
Facebook
It's safe to say we've all seen at least one Facebook post from a friend who is going through a hard time that made us pause, and maybe even ask if the person was OK.
Over the next few weeks, Facebook will start giving its users access to a new tool it hopes, and frankly I hope as well, will make a difference in someone's life.
Once you have access to the tool you can flag a post as troubling, after which a dedicated team at Facebook will review the post and reach out to the individual. As the person who reported the post, you're also given suggestions on how to best help a person in need or receive support for the emotional distress of encountering a friend or loved one who is suicidal.
The process of flagging a post is simple, taking only a few taps on your smartphone's screen. It's so simple, actually, there's no excuse for not using it when it's warranted.
You start by flagging a post by clicking or tapping on the arrow in the top-right corner of the post.
Select "I think it shouldn't be on Facebook."
Select "It's hurtful, threatening or suicidal."
Select "I think they might hurt themselves."
Read through the "What You Can Do" screen, which offers advice on how you can help a friend in need. At the bottom of this screen is the option to request Facebook look at the post. Alternatively, you can send a message to the friend, or a mutual friend in an effort to help the person. There's even the option of chatting with a trained helper for advice on how best to move forward.
An image posted by a purported Sprint employee touts two versions of Samsung's next flagship phone.
Samsung will launch two new Galaxy S6 phones, according to this latest image.iamdenden | Reddit
Another clue has surfaced that Samsung will unveil two models of its Galaxy S6, one with a standard front display and the other with a curved edge.
Posted on Reddit by a user tagged as a "verified employee" of Sprint, a link dubbed "A better teaser" calls up an image asking people to preregister for the Samsung Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge.
The image also reveals shots of both phones. As expected, the S6 is shown with the standard front display and the usual frame, or bezel, surrounding the display. The S6 Edge sports a slight curved edge on the right side and apparently on the left side as well.
Other alleged screenshots and reports have already surfaced claiming that Samsung will unveil two new S6 phones, most notably one with a curved edge. But the new screenshot comes from a user named iamdenden, who's apparently been verified by Reddit moderators as a Sprint employee. The new image also uses Samsung's same "Six Appeal" tagline that appears on an official T-Mobile signup page for the new phone.
Samsung needs a hit with the next version of its flagship smartphone. The Galaxy S5 was criticized for being too similar to its predecessor, the S4. And the company has seen its sales and market share drop in the wake of competition from low-cost phones made by Chinese vendors such as Xiaomi and from the big-screened iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus from Apple. The current Galaxy Note Edge already offers a curved display, but just on one side. The new Galaxy S6 phones will also reportedly sport a metal frame as a step up from Samsung's usual plastic body.
But will a Galaxy S phone with a curved display and metal frame give Samsung the edge it needs to win back customers and regain lost market share? We'll find out over the coming quarters. The company is expected to unveil its new Galaxy lineup on Sunday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Google has released a YouTube app specifically built to be safe for kids to browse and watch all on their own.
YouTube Kids on an iPad.Jason Cipriani/CNET
On Monday Google pushed publish on its YouTube Kids app for iOS and Android devices. The free app eliminates the not-so-kid-friendly parts of the popular video-sharing site, and makes only educational shows, music and cartoons available for viewing.
In other words, that tinge of dread or fear you used to experience as you'd hand over your smartphone with a cartoon pulled up is gone. No matter where your child "accidentally" taps within the app, safe content is all there is to be found.
Within the app you'll find the categories Shows, Music, Learning and Explore. Each category can be accessed by selecting its dedicated icon along the top of the screen or by continuously scrolling through the video thumbnails.
Some examples of the shows to be found include DreamWorks TV, National Geographic Kids, Reading Rainbow and my children's all-time favorite Yo Gabba Gabba. The familiar YouTube controls and icons are present throughout, with added childlike flair.
Beyond discovering content, something all kids have an innate ability to do without any instruction, there's a hidden section of the app for parents.
The security mechanism only works if your child hasn't learned to read yet.Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
On nearly every screen within the app you'll find a somewhat transparent lock icon in the lower-right corner of the app. Tapping on it reveals a prompt, requiring four numbers to be entered before granting access to the parental controls screen.
After successfully entering the numbers, you're given the option refine the app a bit more. For example, you can Set a timer ranging anywhere from 1 to 120 minutes. When the timer expires, a friendly picture is displayed letting your kid know viewing time is over.
The background sound effects are annoying.Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Perhaps more importantly hidden in this section is the Settings screen. Specifically, the option to disable the background music playing while browsing for content (I can imagine it getting old as your kid aimlessly taps around the app). You can also disable the sound effects as your child swipes his or her way through the app. Additionally, you can disable the search feature forcing your child to view only what has been directly curated by Google.
In the brief amount of time my kids have seen the app, they've fallen in love with it. One can only hope a similar offering is released across set-top boxes and smart TVs.
IFTT's new standalone Do apps for iOS and Android simplify the tasks you do every day. Here are a few awesome ways to use them.
Josh Miller/CNET
IFTTT's new Do apps -- Do Button, Do Note and Do Camera -- are simple, yet versatile tools to help you automate and simplify the tasks you do everyday. While the apps are well designed and fun to use, they can be a bit overwhelming at first, because there are hundreds of ways to use them.
I'm highlighting the some of the best recipes available for each of the apps, most of which you can create in just a few steps. Still stumped on what to do with the Do apps? Check out the collections that IFTTT created, which are available in each app.
First things first
Before you use the Do apps, you'll need an IFTTT account, which you can get for free either within the apps or at IFTTT.com.
Next, activate the channels you want to use by signing into your accounts on each. Channels are the services that are connected to IFTTT and they include Dropbox, Twitter, Google Drive, Instagram, SMS, WeMo, Phillips Hue, Pocket and Fitbit. All told, IFTTT has 169 channels that you can use.
Now you're ready to login to the Do apps to start creating new recipes. Recipes are the formulas that IFTTT uses to complete an action. When you press one of the buttons in the Do apps, the recipe tells the app what to do in response. You can either browse existing recipes in the app, or create a brand-new one.
Here's how to create a new recipe: Tap the mortar and pestle icon, tap the grey plus sign and then press the black plus sign. Pick a channel and choose from the available actions you see. Actions vary greatly by channel, so you might need to look around and experiment to find the right action for what you want to do.
Once you choose an action, you can edit the recipe from the available options. That usually includes changing the recipe title or editing a message that's sent. You can often attach extra information to your recipe, such as location information or a shareable URL. Tap "Add Recipe" to save the recipe and you're done.
Do Button
Email someone when you're on your way home.
You can't yet send someone an SMS message with the Do apps, but you can send an email. Instead of typing out a message each day to let your roommate, parent or partner know that you're heading home, you can streamline the process by tapping the Do Button each time. By default, IFTTT will also send a map photo of your current location with your message too.
Here's how: Create a new recipe and select the Gmail channel (unfortunately this doesn't yet work with other email services). Tap the "Send an email" action, then type in the email addresses where you want to send the message. You can then customize the email subject and the message itself, saying whatever you want.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
Turn off your lights without getting out of bed.
This recipe is like the Clapper, but more high-tech. If you have the Phillips Hue smart bulbs, you can use the Do Button app to turn off your lights quickly, just like hitting a light switch, but much more convenient because you don't need to get up. You can also do this if you have a lamp plugged into a Belkin WeMo switch.
Here's how: Pick the Phillips Hue or WeMo switch channel and choose the "Toggle on/off" action, available in both channels. Pick the lights or switches you want to use from the drop-down menu and save your recipe.
Tweet a message to Twitter.
I don't tweet very often and I'd like to change that. One way to get in that habit is to create a message that I can post to the social network whenever I want, without much effort. I personally choose to set my tweet to "Good Morning," but it can be anything you want to tweet over and over.
Here's how: Create a new recipe and select the Twitter channel. Choose "Post a tweet" from the action list and then type in the message you want to share every time you press the button.
Do Note
Append a new item to an existing to-do list in Evernote.
While I love Evernote for saving notes and to-do lists, I don't love that it can be time consuming to get into the app, find my to-do list and add a new item to it from the mobile apps. This recipe makes that process much, much easier. What's really great is that the any new item you type into the recipe is appended to your existing note, just as if you edited the note in Evernote.
Here's how: In the Evernote channel, select "Append a to-do to note." If you already have an existing to-do list in Evernote you want to use, enter that note's name in the Title field, otherwise, you can simply change that field to whatever title you want your new note to have. You can also choose which notebook to save the note, or leave that field blank to choose your account's default notebook.
Create a new Google Calendar event.
Creating a new calendar event couldn't be any easier with this recipe. The only drawback is that because you're not looking at your calendar, you might miss other conflicting events. It's also only available in English.
The upshot is that you can either type in a very specific event, like "5:30pm every other Wednesday Happy Hour at The Bar," or something as simple as "2pm grab coffee with Sarah" to create a new event. It's also very easy to create the recipe.
Here's how: Create a new recipe and pick the Google Calendar channel. Choose the only action: "Quick add event." Save the recipe and you're done. To use it, just type in any event you want and press the button.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
Email yourself a digest of notes every day.
Whether you want to remember big ideas or just to-do items for tomorrow, this recipe will help keep those things fresh in your mind each day. You type out notes throughout the day and then IFTTT will send you a single email with all of those notes together at the time you pick, like 7am each morning or 9pm at night. It's also helpful for compiling a daily reading list of links for the end of the day.
Here's how: Create a new recipe using the Email Digest channel and select "Add to a daily digest." Select the time of day that you want your digest to be delivered and you can tweak the formatting of the notes in the digest. The email is sent to the address on your IFTTT account, not any of the email addresses you use in your channels.
Do Camera
Share photos in one step.
One of my favorite examples of using Do Camera is to share photos you take instantly with someone. This would be a great option for new parents who want to share pictures with grandparents, without fussing with their phones. Because Do Camera works as both a camera app and a means to share the photos it takes, as soon as you press the shutter button, the photo is taken and then sent via email, to Facebook or anywhere else you choose. For this example, I'll use Facebook.
Here's how: In the Facebook channel, select "Upload a photo from a URL." Then, type in the album where you want to share the photos, such as "Family Photos" or "Mobile Uploads." Whatever text is in the Message field will become the photo caption when you upload it, so you can tweak that too.
Back up and organize your vacation photos the moment you take them.
Cloud storage and automatic photo backups mean that our vacation photos are rarely lost, but they aren't always organized. This recipe can help with that.
When you take a photo on vacation (or anywhere), it's immediately added to a folder in Dropbox as soon as you hit the shutter button in Do Camera. Once the vacation is over, you can tweak the recipe to save photos to a new folder for your next trip.
Here's how: In the Dropbox channel, pick the "Add file from URL" action. The recipe will automatically populate the fields with the correct file source, which is the public URL of your photo. You can change the file name if you like, or the Dropbox folder where you want to save your photos.
Remember restaurants, points of interest and other special places.
When you're traveling around a new city, you'll often stumble upon cool places worth remembering. Instead of simply writing them down, you can take a photo and save the location on a map so that you can find it again or share it with someone. One of the easiest ways to do this is with Evernote, but you can also simply email the photos and location data to yourself. The steps are identical, but you'll pick a different channel.
Here's how: In the Evernote channel, select the "Create a note" action. Tap into the Body field, and at the end of the text that's already there, add the HTML phrase <img src="{{LocationMapImageURL}}">. Doing that will insert a map of the exact location of where you took the photo, so you'll never forget where it was. You can then change the other fields to tweak the note title and the notebook where you'll save the photos.
Screenshot by Sarah Mitroff/CNET
These are just a few of the ways you can use the Do apps by IFTTT and there are many more recipes just waiting for you. Now that you have the tools, go out there and start automating your life with Do and IFTTT. Also, share your favorite recipes in the comments below -- I'd love to see what you create.
These two security utilities prevent thieves from being able to reset your password to gain access to the contents of your Mac.
Sarah Tew/CNET
A nefarious individual could purloin your Mac and bypass your user account password in order to access your data or wipe your system clean and begin using it as their own. It's possible to reset a password by booting into Recovery Mode or from an external drive.
Thankfully, there two precautions you can take to protect yourself and your Mac from intruders. One is a software-based encryption tool, and the other is a hardware-based encryption tool, both of which are built-in utilities of OS X. The software tool is a utility called FileVault, which you may already be using. The hardware tool is a firmware password you can set in Recovery Mode.
FileVault Disk Encryption
FileVault encrypts the data on your Mac so unauthorized users can't access your files. If you are usingOS X Yosemite, then you are likely already using FileVault. When you installed Yosemite, one of the setup screens asked if you wanted to enable this utility.
To check to see if you are using FileVault, open System Preferences, click Security & Privacy, and then click the FileVault tab. To enable FileVault, click the lock in the lower-left corner to unlock it and enter your admin name and password. Next, click the Turn On FileVault button.
Screenshot by Matt Elliott/CNET
You'll get a recovery key, which you'll need if you want to reset your password. Be sure to keep this recovery key in a safe spot. Alternatively, you can store it with Apple. If you choose the latter, you will be asked to create three security Q&As -- three hoops to jump through should you need to ask Apple for your recovery key in the future.
After a restart, FileVault will begin to encrypt the files on your drive. You can still use your Mac while FileVault works in the background, though its performance may be a bit sluggish.
Firmware Password
Even with your files encrypted with FileVault, someone could grab your laptop, enter Recovery Mode and wipe your hard drive clean and start fresh. While this keeps your files from prying eyes, it certainly doesn't prevent a thief from happily using your Mac after a fresh install of OS X. A firmware password is a hardware-based encryption tool that requires a password when booting to Recovery Mode or from an external drive.
Matt Elliott/CNET
To create a firmware password, you will need to reboot your Mac and enter Recovery Mode by holding down Command-R when it begins to boot up. When the OS X Utilities screen appears, click on theUtilities menu in the menu bar and select Firmware Password Utility. Next, click Turn On Firmware Password, enter a password, and click the Set Password button. Finally, click Quit Firmware Password Utility, and choose Restart from the Apple menu in the upper-left corner.
One word of caution: make sure you don't lose track of your firmware password. If you forget it, you will need to take a trip to your nearest Apple Store to reset it.
Sony tempts audiophiles with new super-expensive 'Premium Sound' microSD card
Sony announces a new 64GB "Premium Sound" microSD card for audiophiles that costs about $160.
Sony
Audiophiles, you're not totally happy with the the sound quality of your top-of-the-line digital player and not sure what to blame? Turns out, it might just be the SD card you're using. At least Sony thinks so.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the company announced today a new "Premium Sound" memory card, called the SR-64HXA, that will start shipping next month. According to the company, this card is designed to create little to no electric noise when data is being read from it, hence offering clearer sound quality compared with regular cards.
The good news is that this is not another Sony Memory Stick, but a standard Class 10 microSDXC (or microSD card for short) that fits in any device that has a microSD card slot. The bad news is that this new card will cost some ¥18,500 (that's roughly equivalent to about $160 in the US, £100 in the UK and AU$200) for just 64GB of storage space. In comparison, you can get a regular Class 10 64GB SD card for less than $30.
Financially, there's no reason for you to get this new card for your smartphone or tablet. However, if you're going to get the high-end Walkman NW-ZX2 that Sony started shipping earlier this month that costs HK$8,880 ($1,150), spending another $160 for the memory card doesn't sound too over the top.
And that's a big if. Even Sony is not so sure about the demand of the new card, according to its spokesperson, but it believes that some "who are committed to committed to great sound quality would want it."
The SR-64HXA is slated to be available on March 5 in Japan. After that, if the sound quality is still not on par with your expectation, maybe you should have your ears checked.
Using two-step verification is a smart way to help protect your data on Google. Follow these steps to move the app to your new mobile device.
Nicole Cozma/CNET
Two-step verification can help thwart malicious attacks against your online accounts. Anyone trying to break into your account would need both your password and the mobile device that authentication codes are sent to in order to gain access.
Related stories
How to enable two-factor authentication on popular sites
How to set up Google's two-step verification
How to use Google Voice with two-step authentication
Google has done a splendid job of providing options for those who are interested in setting up this extra security measure: you can get text alerts, or you can use Google's authenticator app, available for Android, BlackBerry, and iOS.
When using the app as your method of authentication code delivery, you may wonder what happens when you want to retire an old phone for a new one. Or, you may have misplaced your device and want to disable the service as a precautionary measure. Here's how to move the authenticator app to a new device, or disable it completely:
Step 1: First you'll want to install the app on the new device where you want to receive authentication codes.
Google
Step 2: Next, head to Google's two-step verification Web page using a browser on your computer. You may need to log in to your Google account to access the security settings.
Step 3: Click the link that says "Move to a different phone." If you're disabling the feature completely, you can just click "Remove."
Fortunately, moving your authenticator to a new device will not invalidate any of your existing application-specific passwords, and does not require any backup codes to complete the transition.
Step 4: Scan the QR code that appears, or enter it manually by clicking, "Can't scan the bar code?"
Google Authenticator on AndroidNicole Cozma/CNET
Step 5: Finally, enter the authentication code that appears on the screen to verify the device. This is just like the log-in process when using two-step verification.
Before removing the authenticator from your original device, remember to move your other accounts that are using the app. You'll need to visit each site individually and scan the QR code with your new device.
Editors' note, February 19, 2015: This How To post was originally published on June 28, 2013, and has been updated to include new information.
Clean up your Windows right-click menu with CCleaner
Tired of the laundry list in your right-click menu? Easily fix it with a new feature in CCleaner.
Lots of tools claim to be useful for your PC. Whether an application cleans out junk files, duplicates, or other nasties, a lot of the time it wants to take a spot in your right-click menu. Supposedly, this is "for your convenience," but most of us know what's convenient and what's just more bloat for Windows.
CCleaner released a recent update that added a feature that allows you to clean out random application shortcuts from the right-click menu. This is useful for those apps that either didn't give you a choice in the matter, or those that used some sneakiness to make the option go unnoticed. Additionally, it's much better (and likely safer) than manually digging through the registry.
This right-click menu is overcrowded.Nicole Cozma/CNET
So if you're tired of having a right-click menu that's just too bloated, here's how to remedy the issue:
Already have CCleaner? Great! Just make sure it's the latest version before you skip to the steps or you won't have the necessary utility options. If you don't have it installed, it's time to grab a copy of CCleaner that will serve you well during the foreseeable future.
CCleaner menu.Nicole Cozma/CNET
Step 1: Open CCleaner and click on the blue toolbox on the left-hand side labeled Tools, then click on the button labeled Startup.
Context menu management in CCleaner.Nicole Cozma/CNET
Step 2: Next, click the tab for the Context Menu and select an entry you want to edit.
Tip: If you want to select multiple lines, just hold down the Ctrl key while you click each entry.
Step 3: Decide whether you want to delete or disable the entry. Disabling will leave the shortcut available for later use if you change your mind.
Which programs will you be removing from your right-click menu? And also, how many of your entries are for applications that didn't give provide an option to stop them from being added to the list?
How to find out if your Lenovo is infected with the Superfish adware and remove it
There's no need to panic. It's a relatively simple process to remove Lenovo's "Superfish" adware. Here's what you need to know.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Users on Lenovo's forums have discovered that the Chinese company has been preloading some consumer PC models with a software called Superfish Visual Discovery. In short, the software tracks your searches and browsing habits (even on secure sites) and uses this information to place additional advertisements on the sites you visit. It's unclear what models have come preloaded with the software, although users have reported finding it on Lenovo Y50, Z40, Z50, G50 and Yoga 2 Pro models.
Ideally this is the screen you will see.Screenshot by Dan Graziano/CNET
LastPass has created a Web tool that makes it easy to check to see if your computer is infected. You can check by simply clicking on this link. To manually check for the Superfish adware and uninstall it, head to the Windows Control Panel, select Programs and click Uninstall a Program. Search the list forVisualDiscovery. If it is there, click the program and select Uninstall.
Screenshot by Rob Graham
You're not finished yet, though, there is one more step. You must also uninstall the Superfish certificates. Start by clicking the Windows Start button and typingcertmgr.msc in the search box. Launch the certmgr.msc program, click on Trusted Root Certification Authorities, followed byCertificates. Search through the certificates for anything mentioning Superfish Inc. Once you have found the certificates, right-click them and select Delete.
How to save a file to Dropbox from anywhere on iOS
Using the share extension on iOS 8, you can now upload a file to your Dropbox account from anywhere on iOS.
Uploading a photo using the Dropbox share extension.Jason Cipriani/CNET
The ability to upload nearly any file to Dropbox on your iOS device has been sorely absent. Outside of the dedicated app allowing you pick and upload a photo from within the app, uploading files was near impossible unless a third-party app supported Dropbox.
A recent update to the Dropbox app changes this dynamic, however, by allowing you to upload files from anywhere using iOS 8's share extension.
Before you can begin sending files to your Dropbox account, you'll need to download the latest updatefrom the App Store.
Enabling the share extension for the first time.Screenshot by Jason Cipriani/CNET
Once that's over with, you only need to enable the Dropbox extension from a share sheet. The easiest way to do so is the launch the Photos app, select a photo and tap on the Share button.
Scroll the bottom row of icons to the left, until the More button is present. Tap on it, then slide the switch located next to Save to Dropbox to the On position. Before pressing Done, take the time to rearrange your sharing options if you so desire.
Back on the Share sheet will be the Dropbox icon. Tapping on it will ask you to select where you'd like to save your file. Once you start using it, previous locations will show up in a list making it easier to repeat the process without much work.
The next time you tap on the share button when a file is involved, Dropbox will be waiting, begging for your attention. And attention it will undoubtedly get.
3:04 PM
