strength

It seems that there is always news of accounts on certain Web sites being hacked, or being at risk for getting hacked. In general, though, any account that you have with a weak password could be at risk. To eliminate concern, there are free password-strength-checking tools available online. Below you will find three of the more popular ones available.

1. Microsoft's Password Checker. This is definitely one of the more well-known sites that allows you to check your password. Having the Microsoft name attached to it may make the user more comfortable to test their password strength here (… Read more

More than three years after it first came on the market, Apple's iPhone is still one of the hottest smartphones out there. But new hardware designs and the unending software upgrades to the iPhone's operating system, have left some iPhone subscribers scratching their heads.

In this week's Ask Maggie column I help explain to one reader why his data usage has doubled since upgrading from his iPhone 3G to the iPhone 4. I also answer questions about iPhone reception issues. Is the SIM card to blame? What about a software update?

To find out the answers, read … Read more

Apple may have mysteriously removed the Field Test mode from iOS4 and the iPhone 4, but Android users continue to have such information at their disposal. Though Android pros have no doubt discovered this option already, novice users may not know that it exists.

To start, access the main Settings page and choose the "Status" option under the "About phone" menu. There you'll find an assortment of useful facts like the battery level, the carrier and network you're using (such as whether you're on 3G or not), your roaming status, the Wi-Fi and … Read more

Apple's recent explanation of iPhone 4 reception issues--that they're linked to Apple's miscalculation of how it measures signal strength on iPhones--has left many people wondering what that five-bar icon displayed on the phone really means.

Earlier on Friday, Apple issued a statement blaming iPhone reception issues on a software miscalculation rather than on hardware design. Since the iPhone 4 launched last week, thousands of consumers have complained that when gripping the phone around the lower left-hand corner of the device, the signal degrades or calls are dropped.

Apple acknowledged the problem, and explained that customers were simply … Read more

Remember that 3G Microcell that AT&T pushed out to a public market trial in Charlotte, N.C. last year? Well, AT&T has finally decided to expand the availability of its femtocell to just a few more places--sorry, New York and San Francisco not included. The extended areas include "select counties" in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

If you'll recall, the 3G Microcell essentially acts as a mini tower in your home, designed to boost both voice and data signals. Its maximum coverage is approximately 5,000 square feet. … Read more

Creating further proof that the U.S. Army plans to use video games to attract gamers, the organization has announced the launch of its Race for Strength online game.

To play the game, users must print out a "palm card" from the site. After printing it out, they need to start up their Webcams and point it at themselves. As the game starts, they control the Nascar car in the game with the palm card, which they move like a steering wheel in front of their Webcam to control the action on-screen.

The goal of the game, the … Read more