You Already Use Databases You may not realize it but you encounter the power of databases all the time in your daily life. For example, when you log into your online banking account, your bank first authenticates your login using your username and password and then displays your account balance and any transactions. A database operating behind the scenes evaluates your username and password combination and provides access to your account....

What Is an F4V File? A file with the F4V file extension is a Flash MP4 video file, sometimes called an MPEG-4 video file, that’s based on the Apple QuickTime container format. It’s similar to the MP4 format. This format is also similar to FLV, but since the FLV format has certain limits with H.264/AAC content, Adobe developed F4V as an upgrade. However, F4V doesn’t support some of the video and audio codecs in the FLV format, like Nellymoser, Sorenson Spark, and Screen....

What Is an Intrusion Protection System? Intrusion Protection Systems are a control system; they not only detect potential threats to a network system and its infrastructure, but seeks to actively block any connections that may be a threat. This is different to more passive protections like intrusion detection systems. An intrusion prevention system constantly monitors network traffic, specifically at individual packets, to look for any possible malicious attacks. It collects information about these packets and reports them to system administrators, but it also makes preventative moves of its own....

What Is Binary Code? Binary is a base-2 number system representing numbers using a pattern of ones and zeroes. Early computer systems had mechanical switches that turned on to represent 1, and turned off to represent 0. By using switches in series, computers could represent numbers using binary code. Modern computers still use binary code in the form of digital ones and zeroes inside the CPU and RAM. Binary numbers consist of a series of eight “bits,” which are known as a “byte....

What is Data Mining? Data mining is also referred to as data discovery or knowledge discovery. It is the practice of extracting valuable information about a person based on their internet browsing, shopping purchases, location data, and much more. The process involves taking massive amounts of information and pulling tiny details from it to use in a variety of marketing and sales campaigns. How Do Companies Get Information About Me? Data mining companies gather this information using email lists you’ve signed up for, your Facebook likes, Google search history, and a dozen other sources, including some you would never think of....

History of Dithering Mostly forgotten, one of the earliest uses for dithering was in World War II for bomb trajectories and navigation. That use differs greatly from dithering as we know it today. Used commonly in the printing press for both newspapers and comic books, dithering came into its own with the advent of the World Wide Web. Before the internet had become the polished eye candy we know today, almost all sites were text-based....

This EXE file sits in the Windows taskbar by the clock and other notification area items. It starts with Windows by default and will display messages related to storage devices that are connected to the computer. When selected, the Intel RST tool will open. Unlike some files that are necessary in order for Windows to remain stable, IAStorIcon.exe has a limited purpose and can usually be ended without causing problems....

Plain text messagesPhotos or videos from your device’s libraryPhotos or videos you take through the Instagram appDisappearing photos or videos you take through the Instagram appInstagram profilesInstagram photo or video postsInstagram hashtagsInstagram locations Although Instagram has been around since 2010, no private messaging was available on the platform until Instagram Direct launched in December 2013. If you wanted to contact another user, you could only do so by commenting on one of their photos or tagging them in a comment on another photo....

Generally, PCI Express refers to the actual expansion slots on the motherboard that accept PCIe-based expansion cards and the types of expansion cards themselves. PCI Express all but has replaced AGP and PCI, both of which replaced the oldest widely-used connection type called ISA. While computers may contain various types of expansion slots, PCI Express is considered the standard internal interface. Many computer motherboards today are manufactured only with PCIe slots....

How Does Plex Live TV Work? Plex Live TV is based on Plex Media Server, which is software you can use to organize your digital media library and stream it to virtually any internet-connected device. It adds a digital video recorder (DVR) function to Plex Media Server as well as the option to watch live television through the same software. The way Plex Live TV works is you install Plex Media Server on a computer or network-attached storage (NAS) device, then connect it to an antenna with some special hardware....

What Was Socialcam? From the creators of Justin.tv, Socialcam was a mobile app that allowed users to easily capture and share new videos. You could customize your videos using Socialcam’s built-in editor with vintage video filters, custom titles, and sound clips. Socialcam Features If you’re familiar with Instagram, you’ve probably noticed a lot of similarities with the layout of Socialcam. There was a menu at the bottom of the screen, so you could navigate between the main tabs, just like Instagram....

If you’re a games fan of a certain age, it’s hard not to pull out your credit card as soon as you see a picture of the Analogue Pocket. It’s like a sleeker, more serious version of the original, in either black or white, for an entirely-reasonable $220. The good news is that it’s every bit as good as you’d hope and does way more than play Game Boy games....

Some of the critical things one will need to know are the clock settings, memory timing, boot order, and drive settings. Many of the BIOS settings are automatic and very little needs to be changed, and any off-the-shelf computer you purchase will ship with correctly configured BIOS. How to Access the BIOS The method for accessing the BIOS is dependent upon the manufacturer of the motherboard and the BIOS vendor they have selected....

Impedance is like great rock ’n’ roll. Understanding everything about it is complicated, but you don’t need to understand everything to “get” it. About Speaker Impedance When talking about things like watts, voltage, and power, many audio writers use the analogy of water flowing through a pipe because it’s an analogy that people can visualize and relate to. Think of the speaker as a pipe. The audio signal—your music—acts as the water flowing through the pipe....

Usage What do you want to capture? Are you looking to back up older VHS tapes? Do you want to be able to capture TV shows and save them? What about your camcorder? Your first consideration should be your usage scenario. If you intend to convert older VHS tapes to DVD, you may want to look for a device that comes with video editing software. If you know you’re going to be simply making copies, the software may not be a priority for you....

When it comes to finding your next smartphone, there are a lot of things to take into account. Three of the most important, though, are how secure the platform is, the availability of the ecosystem you’re buying into, and how long you can expect the device to be supported. According to experts, these three concerns could be the driving force behind an upcoming surge of Android users switching to the iPhone....

Why Is My PS4 Controller Blinking Blue? The LED light on your PS4 controller flashes blue when it’s trying to connect with the console. The light should turn solid blue shortly after your press the PS button. If it doesn’t stop blinking, it could be due to one of the following reasons: Faulty PS4 hardware. If your PS4 won’t turn on, your controller can’t connect to it. Damaged USB ports can also cause problems with controllers....

Specifically, we’re talking about Lightroom mobile for your phone or iPad, and Lightroom CC for your Mac or Windows computer. Like Apple’s built-in Photos app, Lightroom syncs between all your devices, keeping original photos in the cloud. But it also adds tons more editing options, saved filters, and a killer camera app that can shoot raw images. What’s So Great About Lightroom? Lightroom is the only pro-level editing/catalog app that syncs between mobile and desktop (ON1 also has a mobile version, but it’s not there yet in terms of camera support and features)....

These shows are merging the boundaries between games, dance, and theater. With a VR headset and an internet connection, they allow anyone to participate in a live performance. At the same time, they’re providing much-needed income for an industry that is suffering economically from the COVID shutdowns. “In our current moment of isolation, the act of gathering together, even if we are physically separated, is extremely powerful, human, and healing,” Brandon Powers, the choreographer of Queerskins: Ark’s choreographer, a virtual reality performance, said in an email interview....

The company holoride, whose promise is “turning vehicles into moving theme parks,” recently announced that it’s bringing VR headsets to some Audi SUVs and sedans this summer. The company claims it can cut down on the motion sickness that plagues both everyday car riders and those using VR. “Typically when passengers consume visual media in a moving vehicle, such as watching a movie or reading a book, motion sickness arises because what they’re viewing is not matching the movement of the car,” Rudolf Baumeister, the director of marketing & communications at holoride told Lifewire in an email interview....