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The 7 Best Thunderbolt Accessories for Your Mac

Thunderbolt is a hardware interface used for connecting accessories and peripherals to your computer. The latest iteration of the technology—Thunderbolt 3—uses USB-C connectors, meaning it’s also compatible with some Windows machines.

The interface can transmit data at 40Gbps, support two 4K monitors at 40FPS, supply 100W of power when charging devices, and a whole lot more.

It all sounds great, right? But which Thunderbolt 3 gadgets and devices are worth buying? Here are our top picks for Thunderbolt accessories for your Mac.

1. Samsung X5 Portable SSD

The Samsung X5 Portable SSD is arguably the best external hard drive with a Thunderbolt connection. The NVMe-based device offers read speeds of 2,800MB/s and write speeds of 2,300MB/s. That level of performance is almost five times faster than a SATA interface and more than 20 times faster than a typical external hard drive. As such, the drive is perfect for content creators and other professionals who need to transfer huge files at breakneck speeds.

Three different sizes are available; 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB. For the top model, you can expect to see the price tag hitting four figures. All three models have Dynamic Thermal Guard technology to prevent overheating, and they all have shock-resistant frames that can withstand a two-meter fall. And, importantly, you also have the option to secure all the data on your device with a password and to encrypt it using AES 256-bit standards.

2. LG 27MD5KB-B UltraFine 27″ Monitor

If your primary computer is a laptop rather than a desktop, there are many times when you might need a larger monitor or a second monitor. Of course, there are lots of reasonably priced second monitors out there. However, if you want to really enjoy the benefits of Thunderbolt 3, it’s worth opting for the high-spec LG 27MD5KB-B UltraFine 27″ Monitor.

It offers 5K 5120 x 2880 resolution, a 1200:1 static contrast ratio, a 60Hz refresh rate, 178-degree viewing angles, and 1.07 billion colors. If you work in a creative field in which color display and high resolution are essential requirements of a second monitor, you will struggle to find a better product. The LG Ultrafine Monitor also boasts a built-in webcam, two 5W speakers, and support for picture-in-picture viewing.

3. CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock

Today, many laptops have a significantly reduced number of ports compared to models from a few years ago. If you’re the type of user who still needs to connect several gadgets to your computer at the same time, that’s an issue. The solution is to use a Thunderbolt 3 dock.

They can expand a single Thunderbolt port on your computer into several ports for different purposes. The CalDigit TS3 Plus Thunderbolt 3 Dock, for example, provides 15 different connections through a single laptop connection. It includes ports for USB-A, USB-C, digital optical audio, and gigabit ethernet. There’s also a 4K DisplayPort, 3.5mm audio input and output, an SD card reader, and two additional Thunderbolt 3 connections.

4. Razer Core X

If you’re a gamer, one of the best Thunderbolt 3 accessories worth buying is an external GPU chassis. It allows you to enhance the graphical capabilities of your laptop or desktop and thus enjoy various titles that would have otherwise been unplayable. An external GPU chassis also helps to future-proof your machine; you’ll always be able to swap and upgrade the graphics card.

One model you should consider is the Razer Core X. It can take three full-size PCIe desktop graphic cards. The fact it supports full-size cards means you can use top-of-the-range models like the NVIDIA GeForce, NVIDIA Quadro, or AMD Radeon. Furthermore, most alternative external GPUs on the market can only handle either one or two cards, giving the Core X another advantage. The chassis has a massive 650W power supply with 100W power delivery. Graphics cards are not included, though.

5. MOKiN Gigabit Ethernet Adaptor Hub

Thunderbolt 3 supports ethernet networks. It means that aside from being able to connect to a regular ethernet network, you could also utilize the Thunderbolt interface to create a high-speed peer-to-peer network. Indeed, it is the fastest way to transfer data directly between two machines.

To either connect to a standard network or to join two machines together, you will need an ethernet adaptor. One of the best models available is the MOKiN Gigabit Ethernet Adaptor Hub. Not only does it allow you to connect an ethernet cable, but it also has three regular USB-C ports, thus allowing you to connect additional peripherals.

6. Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Cable

It’s all well and good having an impressive array of the best Thunderbolt accessories in your home or office, but they are not much good if you can’t connect any of them to each other! As such, it’s worth investing in a couple of Thunderbolt 3 cables and keeping them handy; you never know when they might prove to be useful.

As with most types of computer cables, some cables are dirt cheap and not worth your time. Others are made from premium material and are way beyond the needs of most users. For a solid balance, consider the Plugable Thunderbolt 3 Cable. It comes in three different lengths: 0.5 meters, 0.8 meters, and two meters. The two-meter cable only supports 20Gpbs; the 0.5-meter and 0.8-meter cables provide 40Gbps.

7. Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder

If you do a lot of work with video, one of the best Thunderbolt accessories on the market is the Blackmagic Design UltraStudio Mini Recorder. It lets you capture SDI or HDMI camera signals, then transfer them to your computer so you can edit them or work with them in other apps.

The tiny recorder, which measures just 5.2 x 5.2 x 1.6 inches, has separate SDI and HDMI inputs. There is a single Thunderbolt 3 output. The SDI connection is perfect if you need to record from decks, routers, and cameras. If you’re working with cameras, streaming boxes, and gaming consoles, you will need the HDMI connection.

The Best Thunderbolt Accessories for Your Mac

We’ve discussed seven of the best Thunderbolt accessories available today. Hopefully, they’ve given you some insight into the wide-ranging applications the interface can be used for.

Learn more about why you need to start using Thunderbolt 3 today.

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How Do You Fix a Windows 10 Laptop With a Wrong Battery Percentage

It’s not uncommon for a Windows 10 laptop to display the wrong battery information. This could be a fault with the battery hardware or the Windows software. We’ll show you how to fix it and get it to display the right battery charge level.

If you’ve ever found yourself with a laptop unexpectedly shutting down, even when you seemingly had enough battery left, this will help you fix the problem.

Laptop Batteries Don’t Last Forever

Not every laptop battery is created equal. A laptop battery has a set capacity, determined by the milliamp-hour (mAH). Simply put, the higher the mAH value, the more power the battery can hold. It’s common for more expensive laptops to have better batteries, but check your manufacturer’s specifications if you’re unsure.

The amount of time that your laptop will stay on without requiring more charge depends on how you use the laptop. Having the screen at full brightness, watching videos, and running lots of programs are all things that will drain the battery quicker.

There’s also debate around whether removing a laptop battery increases its life.

That said, no matter how lightly you use your laptop, the total capacity of the battery will always decrease over time. Every battery has a specific number of charge and recharge cycles. They also get affected by environmental factors like heat. Of course, no battery will last as long as it did when you bought the laptop. Typically, you’ll notice a reduction in battery run time after 18 to 24 months.

You can use battery health tools to get a better understanding of how your battery is fairing.

Battery Time Remaining Is a Prediction

Before you read the steps below to try to sort out the battery reading provided by Windows, you should understand how it’s calculated because it might not off the mark, to begin with.

The battery time estimate provided by Windows is an estimate. It’s based upon what your laptop is currently doing and assumes it will continue doing that.

If you are watching a video, or playing a game, or doing something intensive like that, Windows won’t estimate many hours remaining.

However, if you stop playing the game, decrease screen brightness, and only open a Word document, the number of hours left on the battery will shoot up.

The figure can also change without you actively doing anything, like if a program is installing updates in the background.

So, if the remaining hour count jumps around a lot, that might be normal. But if your laptop suddenly turns off at 30 percent charge, there’s a problem.

Calibrate Your Laptop Battery

If your laptop battery meter is displaying an incorrect figure, the most likely way to solve it is by calibrating the battery. This is where you run the battery down from a full charge to empty and then back up again.

This process won’t give your battery more power or increase its life, but will instead allow Windows to provide an accurate reading.

1. Adjust Your Power Plan

To start, right click the battery icon in the taskbar. Click Power Options, then click Change when the computer sleeps from the left menu.

Take note of your existing settings here because you will need to put them back later. Change all the dropdowns to Never and click Save changes.

Click Change advanced power settings. Expand Battery, then expand Critical battery level. Take note of the current percentage for later. Click the On battery percentage and set it as low as possible.

Expand Critical battery action and ensure that On battery is set to Hibernate. If it isn’t, click to change it.

Once done, click OK to save the changes.

2. Charge Your Laptop

Plug your laptop in and charge the battery to 100 percent. You can still use your laptop when doing this.

When it gets to 100 percent, stop using the laptop and wait a couple of hours. You want the battery to cool down. It’ll also account for any extra charging that might need to happen if the 100 percent reading is inaccurate.

3. Unplug Your Laptop

Take your laptop off charge and let the battery drain. Again, you can use your laptop during this time. You need to wait until the laptop completely runs out of power and turns off. When it has, let it rest for a couple of hours.

4. Charge Your Laptop Again

Plug the laptop back into power and charge the battery to 100 percent. Go back into the Windows power plan settings, following the previous instructions, and set everything back to how it was. (Or adjust them to something new, if you want.)

The battery percentage provided by Windows should now be accurate. If it isn’t, try the other steps below.

Reinstall Battery Drivers

Your battery drivers might be missing or corrupted and therefore causing an incorrect percentage reading. Let’s reinstall them.

Press Windows key + X and click Device Manager. Expand Batteries and you should see Microsoft AC Adapter and Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.

Right click on Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery and click Uninstall device. Wait for this to complete.

Once done, from the top menu, click Action > Scan for hardware changes. This will reinstall the driver. Restart your computer when it’s finished.

Update Windows

You should always keep Windows up to date to keep your system protected and to benefit from the latest features.

The issue with Windows being outdated is that the battery percentage that is displayed when you hover the taskbar icon, versus the percentage that shows when you click it, is one percent different.

To ensure your laptop is running the latest version of Windows, press Windows key + I to open Settings, click Update & Security, and click Check for updates. Any available updates will automatically download and install.

Optimize Your Battery Life

Hopefully, this has helped you understand your Windows laptop battery reading and fix it if necessary.

If your laptop battery is getting old and not providing much juice, you should check out our guide on how to optimize Windows 10 for battery life.

You Can Now Use Google Maps in Incognito Mode

Google is rolling out Incognito mode for Google Maps. Incognito mode for Google Maps is now available on Android, with iOS also getting the feature in the future. Which means you no longer have to worry about Google knowing your whereabouts.

What Does Incognito Mode Do?

Incognito mode has been a staple of Google Chrome for many years. Once enabled, it means you can browse the web privately, without other people who use the same device from being able to see your online activity.

This doesn’t offer VPN-levels of online privacy, so your ISP, the websites you visit, and your employer will still be able to see what you’re doing online. However, it prevents Chrome from saving your browsing history, cookies, and information entered in forms.

Google Launches Incognito Mode for Google Maps

Now, Google Maps has its own Incognito mode. Once Incognito mode has been enabled, Google Maps won’t save your activity to your Google account. This includes the places you search for, and the destinations you ask for directions to.

According to Google Maps Help, turning on Incognito mode means Google will not “save your browse or search history or send you notifications, update your Location History or shared location, if any, or use your personal data to personalize Maps.”

How to Turn On Incognito Mode in Google Maps

To turn on Incognito mode in Google Maps, open the Google Maps app on your Android device. Then, tap on your profile picture. Then tap “Turn on Incognito mode”. You can turn it off again in the same way when you want to get a more personalized experience.

You can read more about Google Maps’ Incognito Mode in a post on The Keyword. Google also discusses expanding its Auto-delete feature to YouTube, using Google Assistant to control your privacy settings, and how to use Google’s Password Checkup tool.

6 Apps for a Virtual Makeover

Way back in the day, if you wanted a makeover, you usually had to go to a brick-and-mortar store and visit a cosmetic booth. In the early 2010s, clunky websites where you could upload a picture of yourself to get a free virtual makeover appeared. They were fun, but not particularly high-quality.

These days, however, trying out new looks is easy. It’s made even simpler by the dozens upon dozens of selfie tools for Android and iOS.

Here are several amazing apps that will give you a virtual makeover.

1. Hairstyle Makeover

Years ago, we covered an early makeover site called taaz.com. Taaz was a brilliant online virtual makeover site that let you add a number of enhancements to uploaded profile photos with one click of the mouse.

The ease of uploading photos made it an attractive tool, and the website was free to use: all it required was registration. Unfortunately, Taaz is no longer available, but similar apps have arisen in its place. One of those apps is Hairstyle Makeover.

Hairstyle Makeover is a free virtual makeover app that allows you to try on new hairstyles. You can test out these hairstyles with one of the in-app models, or try out a new look on a photo of yourself.

Hairstyle Makeover is similar to Tazz’s makeover system, and it’s good for trying out basic colors and cuts. That said, the app is definitely barebones compared to a lot of the other tools available. It’s also only available for iOS.

Download: Hairstyle Makeover for iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

2. Mary Kay Virtual Makeover

Mary Kay Virtual Makeover is an incredibly fun and fairly advanced app. It’s also one of the best virtual makeover experiences because of how useful it is.

Through the app, you can try out a wide array of cosmetics using a large selection of in-app models. You can also use your own face to try out new virtual makeover hairstyles and looks.

If you use your own face, Mary Kay maps out your features with reference points so it knows where to apply makeup. Then you can choose different products to try out.

Once you’re done, you can click on the Compare button to see what your face looks like before and after your makeover. You can also tap on the My Look button, which lists all the products you’ve used, along with their price.

Download: Mary Kay Virtual Makeover for Android | iOS (Free)

3. Perfect365

Perfect365 is one of the best virtual makeover apps you can use. After trying it out, I was incredibly impressed by its face-mapping capabilities.

Unlike the Mary Kay Virtual Makeover app—where you have to manually tell it to map out your face—Perfect365 automatically maps your features the moment you upload your photo. It does this with a shocking degree of accuracy.

If your face didn’t map correctly, Perfect365 allows you to manually readjust the points by tapping and holding. Once your face is mapped, you can choose from a selection of pre-made looks. The app also lets you design your own looks from scratch.

After you’re finished, you can tap on the screen to see your face before and after you apply the virtual makeover. There are so many different looks that you can try for free.

The only downside? You can download the edited pictures to your phone, but the photos are low-resolution. If you want to download a higher resolution, you’ll need to do one of the following:

Pay for the full app to save unlimited photos.

Get the higher resolution photos free for 60 days by completing a survey.

Download the image for free (one-time) by watching a video.

There’s also the option for a Perfect365 PLUS subscription, which unlocks every feature in the app and reduces ads.

Download: Perfect365 for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

4. YouCam Makeup

YouCam Makeup is a virtual makeover app that’s so similar to Perfect365 that at first we thought it was a clone. Like Perfect365, YouCam Makeup is incredibly advanced when it comes to its face-mapping. It’s also very intuitive and easy to use.

After you upload your photo, you can choose from a list of pre-built looks, or build your own look step-by-step. You can also download your photos, but if you want to back up your photos to your phone, you’ll need to sign up for a full account using your email address or Facebook.

There’s also a premium version of the app which unlocks all features using a subscription-based model. However, there are so many free looks and tools that you can easily use the app without it.

Download: YouCam Makeup for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

5. Facetune2

Facetune2 is one of the best-known virtual makeover apps. It has some excellent photo-retouching capabilities, and it’s less devoted to virtual makeovers and more to overall photo editing, specifically selfies.

Facetune2 has an awesome Relight feature that allows you to adjust the overall angle of light in your photo. Its face-mapping abilities are also great.

While some of Facetune2’s features are free, the app heavily pushes you towards its subscription by advertising its VIP features each time you log in. However, you can bypass these ads by tapping the X in the top-left corner of your screen.

Download: Facetune2 for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

6. Camera360

A final choice is the free virtual makeover app Camera360, which is a personal favorite of mine.

Camera360 has really advanced photo-editing capabilities that work great for selfies. We love it for its fine-tuned ability to accurately retouch blemishes without going overboard or making your face look unnatural. It’s also great for its wide array of filters.

Camera360 is a really solid and reliable app if you want to make your selfies look beautiful. While it does offer a premium upgrade, I’ve used the free version for many years and have never run into any issues or noticeable limitations.

Download: Camera360 for Android | iOS (Free, in-app purchases available)

Make Your Face Look Its Best With a Virtual Makeover

There are a lot of apps to choose from for free virtual makeovers. Editing your photos has become commonplace, and in fact it’s so common that it’s almost expected nowadays. Everyone does it, and decorating your own face can be kind of fun.

Are you looking for other ways to create the perfect profile picture? Considering purchased one of the best ring lights for selfies and videos.

5 Essential Apps & Websites for TikTok Fans and Creators

TikTok is one of the fastest-growing social networks today, with some of the best video content you’ll see on the internet. These five websites and apps only make it better than ever before.

For the uninitiated, TikTok is a social network much like the old Vine, and similar to Instagram or Snapchat. It only supports videos, with a maximum limit of 15 seconds. You can merge multiple videos into one longer Story.

If you want to know more, check out our primer on what is TikTok and how does it work. If you already know TikTok, jump on to the apps.

1. TikTokforWeb (Web): Unofficial Web Client for TikTok

Now, TikTok is only available as a mobile app for Android and iOS. We’ve seen this before with Instagram and other social networks, where the web client is launched years later. And till then, you get third-party developers making unofficial versions like this one.

TikTokforWeb doesn’t let you sign in with your own account, so this is a generic web viewer for random TikTok Videos. You can search for an account or hashtag you already know. You can also select your country to see the top TikTok posts currently in your region.

The TikTok web viewer also allows you to watch TikTok Live channels, where users are live streaming to the masses. There is also a TikTok TV option, where you can watch a continuous stream of TikTok videos with other users in a channel.

TikTokforWeb also includes a mini-app you can use to download TikTok videos.

2. Video Downloader for Social Media (Android): Easiest Way to Download TikTok Videos

If you want to download a TikTok video to your drive, perhaps to make a reaction video or make it a part of your own clip, check out the strangely named Video Downloader for Social Media by Avalon Inc. It is one of the most highly rated among thousands of other such apps on the Play Store.

The app’s claim-to-fame is that it removes the TikTok watermark from the video, so it’s easier for you to use.

Just copy-paste the link and the app does the rest. You can even download only the sound from the video to use it as a ringtone. A handy video manager tab lets you decide what to do with all the files you’ve saved.

Download: Video Downloader for Social Media for Android (Free)

For iOS Users:

Unfortunately, this is only available for Android users and there aren’t any particularly good iPhone apps now. For now, you can use a web-based app like TikTok Video Downloader.

It doesn’t remove the watermark, but you’ll be able to save an MP4 video to your phone or computer. TikTok videos can also be downloaded through the TikTok Lite app if you’re using that.

TikTok is still new and so it isn’t yet supported by many of the best free all-in-one apps to download any video on the internet. But hopefully, this should be fixed soon enough as TikTok gets more and more popular.

3. TikTok Lite (Android): Best for Lurkers and Casual TikTok Users

If you use TikTok to check out the videos rather than make your own, the main app is overkill. It is packed with features that you won’t use, and it drains your battery. Instead, get the official TikTok Lite app.

As with other storage-saving lite apps for Android, TikTok Lite is smaller in size. It also focuses on ensuring it uses less data than the main app, which is critical to anyone on mobile networks and not Wi-Fi. Heck, it even lets you download and save a few videos for watching them offline.

TikTok Lite is best for passive users since you don’t even need to sign in. Download the app and you can use it without a TikTok account, thus protecting your privacy a little more.

TikTok Lite didn’t let users upload videos, but now there is an update. When you tap the upload button, it prompts you to download a 10MB “Video” feature before being able to use it. It is a stripped-down version of the main uploader though, so we still wouldn’t recommend it for serious TikTok users.

Download: TikTok Lite for Android (Free)

4. Vizmato (Android, iOS): Best Video Editor for TikTok

Vizmato is the best video editor for TikTok today. Even the free version is packed with enough features for you to make great videos, and the paid pro version ($11.99 / year) only adds more fun.

It covers the basics of everything you’ll need to create videos. Here’s a quick run-through of the best features available in the free version of Vizmato:

Split any video, trim a video, or join multiple videos to make a single video.

Select multiple photos and turn them into a slideshow video, complete with background music.

Add several sound effects.

Record videos through the app itself, adding music and filters live.

Add popular filters to any video, and video effects like ripples, shocks, transitions, etc.

The free version has a few limitations in the use of filters, effects, songs, and the time limit of the videos. It also adds a visual watermark at the end, but you can always trim that out in the TikTok app before you post your video.

However, if you love the free app and want to avoid all that, just buy the Pro version. It’s worth it for any serious video creator.

Download: Vizmato for Android | iOS (Free)

5. Hashtags for TikTok (Web): Hashtag Generator for TikTok

It is important to use trending hashtags and popular topics if you want to get more fans and followers on TikTok. Not sure which hashtags to use? There’s an app for that.

You can easily think of one hashtag based on the video you have made. For example, if you shot a cute video of your puppy, you would tag it with #dog.

So type the word “dog” into Hashtags for TikTok to instantly generate a box of 15-20 hashtags. Tap “copy” and paste it into your new TikTok video or as its first comment.

Think about this though: Hashtags for TikTok is the only generator of its kind right now but doesn’t say where it is getting the data for these hashtag recommendations.

There are plenty of similar apps for Instagram though, and this app even recommends keywords that are based on hashtags for Instagram. Make of that what you will…

Best TikTok Tips and Tricks

Third-party apps and websites will only get you so far. If you really want to be a TikTok power user, you need to dive into the main app and tweak it to suit your needs. Check out these TikTok tips and tricks for beginners and transition to a seasoned TikTok user.

5 Self-Improvement Challenges to Boost Your Mental and Physical Health

This time of the year makes people challenge themselves, whether it’s NaNoWriMo, Movember, or other disciplines. Here are a few more self-improvement challenges, both short-term and long-term, to make a better version of yourself.

Challenges are a nice way to start doing something that you keep putting off. They usually give you guidelines or suggestions on how to achieve your goal, which is the main obstacle most of us face.

We give up goals because we don’t break them down into smaller, achievable tasks. But challenges already do that for us, making the larger objective that much more realistic.

1. 21 Days Challenge (Android, iOS): Micro Challenges to Change Habits

There’s a belief on the internet that you can form a new habit by doing it continuously for 21 days. It’s a misinterpretation of Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s theory, but without getting into that, it serves as a good personal challenge for betterment.

The idea is to do (or quit doing) some action for 21 days repeatedly. The 21 Days Challenge app has a few challenges you can try: social media detox, no junk food, happiness, productivity, gratitude, and declutter.

Each day, the challenge unlocks a new task. For example, if you’re working on the happiness challenge, you’ll be asked to listen to your favorite song on the first day, and given a different task on the second day. Keep checking in every day for a new unlock.

The concept is similar to the idea of creating life-altering habits with micro challenges. The 21 days limit is less pressure than a long-term commitment. It’s just three weeks, you can do it, right?

2. Ever Better Challenge (Web): Evernote’s Free 30-Day Program

Evernote, one of the best note-taking apps today, created a small 30-day challenge for you to test yourself. While originally intended as a way to achieve your new year’s resolution, you can start it on any date.

You can make it anything you want to be, like working on your passion project or quitting sugar for a month. The challenge wants to make it easy to achieve that goal by showing you how to break it down. At the start, you’ll have to use a template to write your goal, the obstacles, and setbacks you expect, the person you’ll rely on and be accountable to, and even your eventual rewards.

By making this plan early, you are giving yourself a better chance of following through. The plan forces you to think more realistically about the goal, with actionable steps. As you progress, each week will give you a new template to keep you on the path to success.

3. 50 Day Confidence Challenge (Ebook): Mel Robbins’ Guide to Confidence

Mel Robbins is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and talk show host who specializes in being more confident. She advocates mind hacks to gain more self-belief, like the 5-second rule, which says that when you have the impulse to act on an idea, you need to physically move within five seconds or the human brain kills that impulse.

Robbins also says that you can gain confidence by pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. The more often you do something different, the more you learn about yourself. With that in mind, she created a series of 50 Confidence Challenges, available as a free ebook. Download and print it out.

Every day, you will have a new challenge. Write when you’re going to do it, and the biggest obstacle in your path to doing it. After you finish, come back and write about your experience. It’s almost like maintaining a journal.

As the days fly, Robbins says you will find yourself being more daring in how and when you take those challenges. By the end of the 50 days, be prepared to meet a more confident version of yourself in the mirror.

Download: 50 Day Confidence Challenge (PDF)

4. Mental Reset Challenge (Web): 4 Weeks to Clean Up Mental Space

The mind, like anything else, can get cluttered up. Dealing with the rigmarole of daily life, we lose focus on what matters. Blogger Blissfully Brunette crafted a four-week “mental reset challenge” which gives you one simple task every day, leading to a better mental space.

At the start of each week, you’ll see the list’s seven tasks, one for each day. These aren’t particularly difficult. Challenges include practicing box breathing for five minutes, donating a bag of clothes to goodwill, having a date night with yourself, etc.

Each week, the challenge encourages you to chronicle how you did. You could use tips from other challenges and write a “before” and “after” for each task, saying what you expected and how it turned out. The Mental Reset Challenge isn’t going to magically give you better mental health, but it will help in bringing some clarity.

Start with Blissfully Brunette’s first post on the challenge, and browse all Mental Reset Challenge posts for more.

5. 30 Day Meal Prep Challenge (Web): Be Healthier, Save Money

Two of the most common personal goals and New Year’s resolutions are to be healthier, fitter, and to save money. You can knock off both at the same time by cooking and prepping your meals in advance. Shape magazine’s 30-day Meal Prep Challenge shows you how to go about achieving it.

Shape teamed up with YouTube meal-prep pro Alyssa Gagarin to break down everything you need to know about preparing meals in advance. For example, she teaches how to separate items you need to do now from those you need to do later. You should hard-boil eggs in advance (to save time later) and freeze them. But you can make smoothies later in a jiffy, as long as you pack all the ingredients into single-serving Ziplock bags.

Over the four-week challenge, you will learn how to chart meal-prepping into pre-prep days, cook days, eat days, and mid-week cook days. By distributing your effort, you are more likely to stick to eating healthier food regularly.

More Self-Improvement Challenges!

The above challenges focus on self-improvement goals, boosting either mental health or physical fitness. But such micro-challenges don’t need to always be so productive. You can even make them about fun.

Check out these other 30-day learning challenges. You will learn how to play the guitar, code in Python, or even set up an online business.

6 Essential macOS Features for Hearing-Impaired Users

In the past, many technology companies made minor efforts to provide accessibility features for their products. Phones and computers have become a part of us, making them even more important than ever.

As the age of technology continues forward, Apple has perfected a variety of features for hearing-impaired users. From visual guides to new versions of Siri, Macs are now able to become primary tools for more individuals. This guide focuses on several macOS settings and tweaks that are perfect for anyone with hearing impairments.

6. iMessage

A free and simple solution for those who are hearing impaired is to communicate with others via a messaging service app. Apple, in an intelligent move, decided to bring the free iMessage messaging app for iPhones and iPads to Mac devices.

In the moments where you don’t have your phone by your side, this preinstalled app is the perfect alternative. The handoff feature allows those of you who own an iPhone to get iMessages on both your iPhone and Mac simultaneously. As long as you have a Wi-Fi or hotspot connection, your Mac can send and receive messages for free.

5. Mono Audio

Some individuals might have the ability to hear in only one ear. And while those of us with average hearing can use two headphones to hear directionally, macOS offers a simple solution. Mono Audio lets you play both audio tracks in each ear, allowing all sounds to be audible in all situations.

You can access this by bringing up Spotlight Search (keyboard shortcut Command + Spacebar), then typing “Accessibility” and looking under the Hearing tab for the Audio section. Make sure to check the box that says “Play stereo audio as mono” and you should now hear mono audio in both headphones.

4. Closed Captions

Apple works closely with their products to provide accessibility in all formats. For those hard of hearing, a great tool is Closed Captions. The iTunes store hosts movies, television shows, podcasts, and music that are all fully captioned.

Although not every piece of media on the iTunes store has Closed Captions, it’s always best to check. The best way to know if a product has Closed Captions is to check for the little CC icon once you are viewing it, as featured above. And if you’re into customization, you can even use different fonts and sizes to help make the text more visible.

Perhaps you already use Closed Captions due to the volume never feeling loud enough. Curious if you should get a hearing test? Consider giveing yourself a hearing test for free.

3. Face Time

While features such as phone calls are catered towards those who can hear, Face Time is perfect for anyone who can use sign language as well. Included in most Apple products, from Macs to iPod touches, this free software allows users to communicate via audio and visuals. The Mac app works seamlessly on Wi-Fi and can even be used to Face Time those who are using their iPhone.

Face Time was worked from the ground up to provide a quick frame rate and visuals that work even in low lighting—perfect for those who need to capture every detail on screen.

2. Type to Siri

Siri is Apple’s on-screen assistant, found in Macs and iPhones. With the push of a button, you can babble any request, question, or alarm you wish to set. Siri is prompted via voice, by either directly saying her name or by a button. But the new Type to Siri feature allows anyone to inquire from Siri.

First, let’s go back to the Accessibility screen under Mac settings. Under the Interaction tab, you’ll see a Siri header, select “Enable Type to Siri” and watch as you communicate to Siri and receive answers without the need for voice. She’ll even dictate her answers back to you.

1. Screen Flash

The greatest accessibility tool that Apple includes in the newer Macs is Screen Flash.

Screen Flash is a helpful tool for those who want alerts on their computers but would be unable to register the noises. You can use Screen Flash with every App and program that uses system sounds. This means a complex network of notifications can all be signified via Screen Flash, making this feature absolutely critical for those who are Hearing-Impaired.

To access this feature, first, head back into the Accessibility window. Under Hearing, click on the Audio tab. You’ll find a button that says “Flash the screen when an alert sound occurs.” Check the box and make sure to test the screen flash. If it is too bright, adjust your brightness setting to make things more comfortable.

Along with these great Mac features, many developers are working together with the operating systems of phones and computers to provide more valuable accessibility to all impaired users. These iPhone and iPad Apps help immeasurably with those who have learning, visual, and audio impairments.

How to Move Installed Apps & Programs in Windows 10

If you’ve got a lot of apps and programs installed on your Windows 10 system, you might want to move them to another drive to free up space. It may also be necessary to change your default install location. Happily, all of these things are possible.

Windows has a built-in utility that allows you to move modern apps to a location of your choice. Although this method doesn’t work for traditional desktop programs, it’s still possible to move these programs to another drive.

Let us show you how to move an app or program to another drive.

How to Move Apps & Programs to Another Drive

It’s quick to move most of the native Windows apps, but the process of moving anything else will require additional work. First, we’ll outline the process for Microsoft Store apps, then we will take a look at traditional desktop programs.

Modern Apps

Press Windows key + I to bring up the Settings menu and click Apps. You should be on the Apps & features page of the left-hand navigation.

Here you will find a list of all apps and programs installed on your system. Some of these apps might have come with your system, the others you installed yourself. This method will only work with the latter group.

Scroll to the app that you want to move and select it from the list. Now, click Move. Select the new drive location from the dropdown, then click Move again.

You can repeat the process if you ever want to move the app back or to a different drive.

If the Move button is greyed out, it means it’s a Windows 10 app that can’t be moved. If you see a Modify button instead, it’s a traditional desktop program and you’ll need to follow the method outlined below.

Desktop Programs

Microsoft doesn’t recommend moving the file location of installed programs because it can cause issues, like the program ceasing to run. A safer (though less efficient) method is to uninstall the program and then just reinstall it to your desired drive.

If you do want to proceed, create a restore point so you can reverse the changes, if anything goes wrong.

We recommend using a program called Steam Mover. This was originally designed to move Steam games between drives, but will actually work on any program. You can use it to move programs from your HDD to SSD, for example.

Note that any drive you want to use with this program, whether it’s where the installed program currently sits or where you want it moved to, needs to be in the NTFS format. You can check this by loading File Explorer and then clicking This PC from the left-hand navigation. Now, right-click a drive and select Properties. Refer to the File system to see if it’s using NTFS.

Open Steam Mover. First, select the … button next to Steam Apps Common Folder to select the folder path which contains the program you want to move (for example, your Program Files). Now, select the … button next to Alternative Folder and select the folder path where you want to move the program to.

Next, select the program from the list that you want to move. You can select multiple programs by holding CTRL as you click. When ready to move, click the blue right arrow at the bottom to begin. Command Prompt will open and process the move. When complete, you’ll see the new folder path next to the program in the Junction Point column.

How to Change the Default Install Location.

If you just want to change the default install location for apps, that’s simple. Changing it for standard programs is a bit more complicated.

Modern Apps

Press the Windows key + I to bring up the Settings menu. From here, click System and then select Storage from the left-hand menu.

Underneath the More storage settings heading, click Change where new content is saved. To change the default drive for new apps, use the New apps will save to: dropdown.

You will notice that this page also allows you to change the default location of things like documents, music, and pictures.

Desktop Programs

Microsoft doesn’t recommend changing the default install path for programs. Doing so could cause problems with existing programs and some Windows features. It’s best to perform this operation on a clean system. If that’s not suitable, create a restore point so that you can roll back if necessary.

The majority of programs will let you change the install path when installing them, which might be a better solution than fiddling with the system.

If you do want to proceed, we recommend a program called Install Dir Changer. Download it from SourceForge and then run the program.

Once the program has opened, click Enable Editing and then click Yes when the User Account Control window pops up. You’ll now be able to select a default install path, using the … button to browse to a folder path if necessary.

Program Files is where 64-bit applications will be installed and Program Files (x86) is for 32-bit applications. If you’re not sure what that means, read our guide for the difference between the 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows. But you’ll probably want both of them on the same drive anyway.

Once you’ve selected your new path, click Apply Changes. Now all new programs you install will default to these folder paths.

Clean Up Your Drive

Now that you know how to move your apps and programs and how to change their default install location, you can free up space on your drives. But remember to take all precautions when using the third-party programs.

And if you want to salvage even more disk space, consider deleting old Windows files and folders. Along with having moved your programs to another drive, you’ll have a superbly organized drive.

10 Free Internet TV Channels You Can Watch Online

We all know about the various streaming services that let you watch live TV. But what about standalone TV channels? Is it possible to watch free internet TV channels from around the world?

In this article we’ll help you find the best free TV channels on the web. Every channel on the list has a legal source, which means you’re not going to get in trouble with your ISP or the law.

1. BBC Channels

The BBC makes all of its TV license-funded TV channels available for free via the iPlayer service. You can watch BBC 1, BBC 2, BBC 4, BBC News, BBC Parliament, BBC Alba, CBBC, and CBeebies.

Other BBC Studios channels that are not funded by the license fee (Alibi, Dave, Drama, Eden, Gold, W, and Yesterday) are not available. The BBC’s international channels—such as BBC America and BBC Persian—are also not available.

If you don’t live in the UK, you’ll need to use a VPN. We recommend ExpressVPN and CyberGhost.

2. Bloomberg Television

Bloomberg is one of the leading sources for business and market news. It produces four international TV channels which you can stream for free. These are Bloomberg US, Bloomberg Europe, Bloomberg Asia, and Bloomberg Australia.

All four TV channels are online. You can stream them for free via Bloomberg’s website. The US version is also available on Pluto TV.

3. Sky News

The UK-based Sky News is one of the best free internet TV channels for news junkies. You can watch it for free on the Sky News website and via the Sky News YouTube channel.

Sky News does not impose any geographical restrictions. You can watch the TV channel online no matter where in the world you are.

4. ABC

ABC is an American network. It has a focus on talk shows, dramas, lifestyle shows, and news. There is also a smattering of sports content.

ABC broadcasts international versions in many countries. However, if you want to watch the US edition of the network for free online, you can do so via the USTVNow service.

ABC is just one of five TV channels you can watch for free on the service. The other four are CBS, PBS, MyTV 9, and CW. All of the channels are only available in standard definition.

The channel is only officially available to American citizens living abroad, but there are several workarounds you can use to gain access.

5. FOX Sports

FOX Sports is a unique internet TV channel that you can watch online for free.

It is not the same version of the TV channel that you’d receive via a cable subscription or from an app like Hulu or FuboTV. Although the majority of the schedule is the same as FOX Sports 1, it does not feature any live sports.

You can, however, still enjoy highlights reels, sports commentary and analysis shows, and other regular programming.

You can watch the online-only web TV channel in the US, UK, Germany, and Austria on Pluto TV.

6. Eleven Sports Network

Eleven Sports is a UK-based sports network that’s been steadily growing in popularity and influence since its launch in 2015.

The US edition is called Eleven Sports Network. You can watch it for free on Pluto TV if you’re inside the United States. Other users will need to use a VPN.

The channel has the broadcast rights for the North American Soccer League (NASL), the Big Sky Conference, Spain’s top basketball league (Liga Endesa), the Swedish Hockey League, the World Rally Championship, the Can-Am Baseball league, and some eSports tournaments.

7. France 24

france 24 channels from around the world

If you like to watch TV channels from around the world online, France 24 is worth checking out. It’s a French state-owned national broadcaster with a focus on news and magazine content.

Four versions of the channel are produced: the French edition, along with English, Arabic, and Spanish broadcasts.

You can watch the international TV channels (as well as the French broadcast) for free on the France 24 website and on YouTube.

8. CNN

Many people wrongly assume that it’s impossible to watch CNN for free. After all, it’s part of most cable providers’ premium packages.

But it is possible! Again, Pluto TV provides the answer. As long as you’re in the US, you can stream the domestic version of the TV channel for free. Non-US residents will need a VPN.

9. ITV Channels

ITV is another British network. Unlike the BBC, ITV is independently owned. The network makes six of its channels available for free online to anyone with a UK-based IP address. They are ITV 1, ITV 2, ITV 3, ITV 4, CITV, and ITVBe. ITV Box Office and The Store are not available.

The free online channels offer the usual mix of news, drama, talk shows, and children’s programming.

Where the network excels for international cord-cutters, however, is its list of sports content. The network holds the rights to La Liga, UEFA European Championship, the FIFA World Cup, the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations, the French Open, the Tour de France, and the Cheltenham Festival.

10. Nick Jr.

For our final free internet TV channel, we return to Pluto TV. Like its FOX Sports channel, Pluto broadcasts a specially adapted version of Nick Jr. to anyone living in the US, the UK, Germany, or Austria.

Kids’ programs on Nick Jr. include Dora the Explorer, Wallykazam, Peppa Pig, Bubble Guppies, and Nella the Princess Knight.

Don’t Forget About Paid Internet TV Channels

Although it’s possible to watch live TV and on-demand TV shows online for free, if you want a complete line-up of premium networks, you need to subscribe to one of the many paid live TV streaming apps.

Your options include Sling, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV, and YouTube TV. If you’d like to learn more, we’ve rounded up some of the best live TV streaming services.

Which Free Internet TV Channels Do You Watch?

The free internet TV channels we’ve introduced you to in the article will give you a solid mix of news, sports, entertainment, and kids’ shows. But we’d love to know which (legal!) channels we have missed off the list.

And for more information about watching TV online, here’s how to unblock live TV streaming when you’re abroad.

Wi-Fi Direct: Windows Wireless File Transfer That’s Faster Than Bluetooth

Wireless data sharing has made rapid strides over the past few years. Thanks to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and NFC, data can be moved from one device to another with little effort

Windows 10 boasts of Wi-Fi Direct, a wireless connectivity system that helps to effortlessly hook devices up. Want to move data from PC to laptop? Easily done. Need to setup wireless printing? Connect your phone to your computer?

All this is quite simple thanks to Wi-Fi Direct. Here’s how to use Wi-Fi Direct on Windows 10 and transfer files wirelessly.

Introducing Wi-Fi Direct for PC: Wireless File Transfer

You can think of Wi-Fi Direct as a sort of Bluetooth over Wi-Fi. That is, it has the same “discover and send” functionality of Bluetooth, but the data is sent using wireless networking. As you might have guessed, this offers greater speed for your file transfer.

Bluetooth has been around since 1994, and although useful for transmitting audio and connecting devices it isn’t ideal for transferring larger files. Wi-Fi Direct has this problem covered and looks set to supplant Bluetooth in the next few years.

At this stage, Wi-Fi Direct isn’t yet as universal as Bluetooth.

However, when used successfully it is a very useful feature for transferring data between Windows 10 and other suitable hardware.

Check If Your Windows 10 PC Is Wi-Fi Direct Compatible

Using Wi-Fi Direct to send a file is faster and simpler than Bluetooth.

First, however, you’ll need to check that your device is Wi-Fi Direct-compatible. You can do this by pressing WIN+R, entering CMD to open the Command Prompt (which you should probably be using more than you are) then entering ipconfig /all.

If Wi-Fi Direct is available, you should see an entry labeled “Microsoft Wi-Fi Direct Virtual Adapter.”

Next, you’ll need to start transferring data over Wi-Fi Direct. However, this isn’t as obvious as you would expect…

How to Transfer Files From Android to Windows With Wi-Fi Direct

As you’ll need a third-party app to use Wi-Fi Direct, it’s important to choose the right option.

Feem is a software that has provided Wi-Fi Direct support to Windows PC and laptop users since the days of Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Feem is free to use, although it has various premium options. Wi-Fi Direct in Feem is free, as is live chat. However, you can pay to have iOS support, unlimited file transfers, and remove ads.

Using Feem to transfer data from Android to PC or laptop is straightforward.

Set Android as a mobile hotspot in Settings > Network & Internet > Hotspot & tethering. Then connect your Windows computer to this network.

Launch Feem on Android and on Windows too. You’ll notice that both devices are given unusual names by the app (e.g. Junior Raccoon) and a password. Keep a note of the password, as you’ll need it to establish the initial connection.

Send a file from Android to Windows using Wi-Fi Direct, choose the destination device, and tap Send File. Browse for the file or files, then tap Send.

Moments later, the data will be sent to your PC. It’s as simple as that—and it works in reverse, too!

No Wi-Fi Direct? Transfer Files From Android to Windows PC With FTP

If your computer doesn’t support Wi-Fi Direct, don’t give up.

Several tools are available in Android that will let you remotely share data with Windows without Wi-Fi Direct.

ES File Explorer is a popular third-party file manager for Android. This comes with several file management features for local and network use. Among these is FTP, which provides a direct network connection between two devices.

Use ES File Explorer’s Network > FTP feature to display your Android device’s IP address.

Paste this into a file transfer program such as FileZilla to browse the contents. You can then effortlessly transfer files between the two devices.

So, try ES File Explorer if you want to transfer data from a mobile device to your laptop through Wi-Fi and don’t have Wi-Fi Direct.

Don’t Have Wi-Fi Direct? Transfer Files With Bluetooth!

If your devices don’t support Wi-Fi Direct and you don’t want to use FTP, the smart solution (in the absence of a USB cable) is Bluetooth.

This is particularly useful if you’re trying to use Wi-Fi Direct on Windows 7 or 8 and find that the feature isn’t there or it doesn’t work.

First ensure your computer is paired to a suitable Bluetooth device (phone, tablet, computer, etc.) before sending a file to it. The methodology for this is largely the same across devices and requires that both are set to “discoverable.”

Both devices will then search for one another and if successful connect following input of a confirmation code.

For more information, here’s a list of the ways you can transfer data between a PC and Android.

If you’re not sure where the controls for Bluetooth can be found on your Windows 10 computer, open Settings > Devices.

With the second device in discoverable mode (check the documentation of your device) select Add Bluetooth or other device. Windows 10 will then poll for the discoverable device. Follow the on-screen instructions to add it.

With a successful pairing, switch to the Windows desktop and find the Bluetooth icon in the system tray/notification area. Left-click and select Send a file; you’ll be prompted to select the target device, then browse for the file.

On sending the file, the device receiving your data file will ask you to confirm that you wish to save the data. Agree to this, then wait for the transfer to complete.

Note that due to the shorter range of Bluetooth, the best results will be enjoyed by keeping both devices close together.

Data Transfer Speeds: Which Is Best?

You will probably notice while trying these two methods that Wi-Fi Direct is considerably quicker than Bluetooth. Indeed, recent tests have demonstrated that Bluetooth speed is like a tortoise in comparison.

While Wi-Fi Direct isn’t quicker than any cable data transfer (such as USB 2.0 or USB 3.0) it is certainly capable of transferring a 1.5 GB file inside 10 minutes; in contrast, Bluetooth takes almost 125 minutes to shift the same data.

Start Using Wi-Fi Direct in Windows 10 Today

Which option you choose will depend on the data you want to shift. A USB 3.0 cable with compatible hardware is the fastest option. Wi-Fi Direct is close behind, with Bluetooth coming third. Wi-Fi direct makes a good middle-ground option, but as it is not as widely available (or known) as Bluetooth, you might opt for a cable instead.

Perhaps the most important aspect of using Wi-Fi Direct in Windows 10 is its ease of use today. After all, early implementations of the technology were somewhat difficult to use.

Wi-Fi Direct is just one of the amazing wireless technologies in use in Windows 10. Want to know more? Here’s how to stream video from Windows to your TV using Miracast.