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How to bypass the Windows 8 log-in screen

Windows 8 runs a tight ship by throwing up a lock screen and a log-in screen before you can dive in. But you can easily bypass those screens so you don't have to type your password every time. Here's how:

From the Start screen, type netplwiz. The command for netplwiz, aka the User Accounts Control Panel, appears in the search results in the left pane. Click that command. In the User Accounts Control Panel, select the account you wish to use to log in automatically. Click off the check-box above the account that says "Users must enter … Read more

Paralyzed man sends first tweet with his eyes

Tony Nicklinson is a rugby fan, a husband, and a father. He also has locked-in syndrome, which has left him fully paralyzed. His only method of communicating is through a specially designed computer system triggered by small eye and head movements.

The tweet that started Nicklinson's social-media foray last week reads, "Hello world. I am tony nicklinson, I have locked-in syndrome and this is my first ever tweet. #tony "… Read more

How to disable screen rotation on Android

If you're like me, and thousands of other Android users (or any smartphone user, for that matter), you've experienced how frustrating it can be when your phone rotates the screen on you at an unexpected time. Luckily, there is a way to turn off, or disable, screen rotation on your Android device.

On most Android devices you should be able to open the Settings app and navigate to Display. There you will find a check box to enable or disable auto-rotate. Tapping on the box will remove the check mark, which will then lock the screen to portrait … Read more

From old tuba to new iPad dock

As we move further away from our analog roots and become more entrenched in digital music, what are we to do with the forgotten musical instruments of yesteryear? Austin, Texas, artist and art teacher Christopher Locke has an idea. He salvages old horned instruments to create incredible audio players for the most ubiquitous digital music devices around. … Read more

Groupon shares tank as insiders dump stock

Groupon shares dropped nearly 9 percent Friday as insiders took their first opportunity to cash in on their stock.

Groupon shares fell 8.7 percent to $9.72 in early trading on Friday. The company went public in November at $20.

The decline is largely attributed to the expiration of the insider lockup agreement, or the period after an initial public offering when insiders are unable to sell their stock. That expired on Friday, allowing insiders to freely cash out, the Chicago Tribune pointed out.

Today's sell-off represents a cautionary tale for Facebook, which just went public last month … Read more

Win Lock Pro adds Windows 8's log-in screen to current Windows versions

Windows 8 promises to bring many cool and different features to your desktop. Some developers can't wait and are previewing some of those features. BlueZap's Win Lock Pro is a free screen-locking and Windows log-in application that takes its visual cues from the Windows 8 log-in and screen lock system. It's frequently updated; the version we tested (version 8) enhances security by disabling the Alt, Tab, and Win keys when Win Lock Pro is in use.

Win Lock Pro's Welcome screen walked us through the process of creating and confirming a password. Once Win Lock was … Read more

Behold your phone lock screen as branded billboard

Can your lock screen act as a virtual billboard of sorts?

That's what one company is banking on with a new product it plans to unveil in the coming weeks. Web and mobile software company Conduit has over the past month experimented with a custom Android lock screen that can hop directly into different applications. The next step is to offer branded lock screens built around companies that deliver constantly updated information such as news, sports, or weather.

The result: a lock screen carrying the brand of a sports network or news channel that users would see every time … Read more

Managing locked files in OS X

In OS X there are several ways to prevent access to files, including putting them in locked disk images or changing their permissions setting so only select accounts on the system are permitted to read them.

In addition to these options, the OS X Finder supports another method of locking a file. When you open the information window for the file, you can check the Locked check box to prevent the file from being edited, even by people who otherwise have access to it. When this lock is enabled, the file's icon in the finder will have a small … Read more

Access the iPhone camera from the lock screen even quicker on iOS 5.1

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One of the features in iOS 5 touted by Apple was the ability to quickly access the camera from the iPhone's lock screen. You would double-click the home button, a camera icon would appear next to the "slide to unlock" bar, and you would be taken straight to the camera.

This method was faster than unlocking your device, navigating to the Camera app, and launching it, but it could have been faster.

With iOS 5.1, Apple changed the workflow for accessing your camera from the lock screen, streamlining the process. Gone are the days … Read more