Back Up Your WhatsApp History to Google Drive

Back Up Your WhatsApp History to Google Drive

What if your phone suddenly slips while traveling on a bike?

Obviously you will end up losing all your important personal data, contacts, especially your WhatsApp Chat Data.

Sounds bad, doesn't it? 

But, now you need not worry if your phone suddenly dies or goes bad. Here is some great news for all WhatsApp users! Simply back up your WhatsApp chat history to Google Drive - history of photos, videos, and chats and never worry if your phone suddenly got corrupted.

If you use Android smartphone, at least.

That's because WhatsApp tied up with Google Drive, letting you create a private online backup of all your data from the now Facebook-owned chat service.

The app will let you back up your entire WhatsApp chat history. This includes voice messages, photos, and videos, to Google Drive, giving you extra security that your data is safe if your phone goes blank.

Now, you can restore everything on a new phone or tablet with just a few clicks. But wait... the new backup feature will be gradually appearing out in the next few months, and will appear in your WhatsApp settings once it is officially available.

This new feature offers a seamless way to back up your data in the cloud with encryption for added security now with WhatsApp currently having more than 1000 million users, and most of them are on Android devices.

WhatsApp currently has more than 1000 million users !!!

Review: Writing and Publishing Your First Book: From First Idea to Overnight Marketing Success

Writing and Publishing Your First Book: From First Idea to Overnight Marketing Success

Writing and Publishing Your First Book: From First Idea to Overnight Marketing Success - How to Write, Edit, and Publish eBooks - is a godsend for those who have a knack for writing books and want to do so. But then there are many bottlenecks that need to be overcome.This book will systematically remove them for you. So if you have been wasting your talent or spent time in other pursuits then this will set that right. Yes... make money now with writing. This book delivers what it promises, and gives us the right information.

Did you know that writing can create additional income? Even to the extent that you can replace a full-time job by publishing books.

This book covers everything. From getting your ideas out of your head onto a paper, to editing, proofreading and finally on how and where to market your book.

The author provides fascinating information on sites that sell eBooks and what you can expect by way of expenses in signup costs and royalty payments. This information is definitely worth the price of the book!

I highly recommend this to any aspiring author. It is truly a must read for those who are bathroom writers (akin to bathroom singers)!

This world economy has slipped into a terrible shape and what we see is merely an attempt to bolster our past glory. A feeble attempt to maintain the old status-quo. But for how long? Expenses are skyrocketing while incomes have been stagnant or dwindling in some cases.

And then there are those who have no time to live a free life with their family. This book shows us all an opportunity to change. To start a real business using writing as a backbone, step by step. This book will lead by hand.

Of course selling eBooks at Amazon is covered (obviously Amazon is a big name), but the author goes much further.  And trust me, you will never be able to guess what  the first step is in order to start making money using your writing skills!

There is no rocket science here. The author re-assuredly guides us with our baby steps and makes us take the plunge.

Everyone can benefit from the steps given in the book and can expect to make decent if not great income from publishing. Start with Amazon and then go beyond. The world is the playground now...

Get the kindle edition here.
And the hardcover version of this book here.






Note: The links in this page are affiliate links.

Share one USB printer with more than one PC

Share one USB printer with more than one PC

Share a printer easily!

What if you could share a printer with multiple computers instead of getting up to change your USB cable connection every time? Now you can. Share one printer between two or more computers by sharing the USB cable instead of switching it every time you need to print something. There’s a nifty device called a USB Printer Automatic Sharing Switch that makes it possible to connect a single printer to two or more computers without ever having to switch the cable every time.

This device monitors the USB connections from all the connected computers, and when it detects that one of them is sending a print job to the printer it automatically connects that computer to the printer.

There is a choice of 2-port and 4-port models depending on how many computers you have to connect to the printer.

Installation is very simple as these devices are Plug and Play types that do not require additional skills. You need to plug the computers and the printer into the switch box and then install the software on each of the computers. 

And the good news is that you can get a 2-port switch for as less  as $20! Just one thing to remember is that some models have switches that need to be manually turned on or off in order to make the connection to the specific computer you want to print from. 

However there are automatic models that you can choose and they come with an automatic switch. The difference in price is very less, but the ease of use and time saved is huge.

Click here to look at some the great selection of USB Printer Auto Sharing Switches at Amazon.com


Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

How to block any website on Windows PC

How to block any website on Windows PC

The other day I received a mail from my reader Venugopal, asking me to help out with a peculiar problem - how to block a website on Windows PC so that no one could access it without his permission? You see he had saved all his passwords in his browser and someone in his family had used his PayPal credentials to pay up for a product in an online purchase. Seeing that it was done for a children's product he guessed that it was done by his teen kid who wanted to buy something which would have 'officially' not been approved. So he wants to know if the PayPal site can be blocked in that PC thereby avoiding a conflict.

Here is my reply to him:  Yes, Venu, fortunately there is a way to do it and it is very simple. And it has to do with adding a single line to a Windows file named Hosts.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Log in to Windows using your Administrator account that has Administrator privileges. Usually the one you boot into Windows is an Administrator account by default. I'll tell you why this is important in point number 7 below.
2. Open Windows Explorer and go to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. then double-click the Hosts file. Select Notepad as the program to open it with.  
3. Make a backup of the Hosts file before doing anything else (just in case anything goes wrong) by copying the contents of that file in a new notepad file and saving it in your regular place like 'My Documents' or 'Desktop'.
4. Now in that Hosts file in notepad, go to the end of the very last line in the file, then press the Enter key to create a new line.
5. Type 127.0.0.1 then press the space bar. Now type the URL of the website you wish to block (in this case www.PayPal.com). 
6. Here, you could repeat steps 4 and 5 in order to block other websites in addition to www.PayPal.com. 
7. Click File > Save as, then click the Save button to save the modified hosts file. Here if you are not an Administrator, you will not be able to save it as it is a system file.
8. Restart your PC, then check to see if your can get to the www.PayPal.com website. If all steps were done correctly, you won’t be able to access it with any web browser.

Here’s a screenshot:

Note: This tip will work for Windows XP, Vista and Windows 8 as well. 

I suggest you might to consider placing a password on your Administrator account as otherwise anyone can simply undo the block from the Hosts file with a simple Google search. If you password protect your PC, no one will be able to alter the Hosts file to remove the line(s) you added.

Put your music collection online and stream it from anywhere - for free!

Put your music collection online and stream it from anywhere - for free! Yes you heard me right. Now you can use some free services to store your music online and access them anywhere from any device.

Music streaming is the hot new craze, what with many services already offering access to millions of songs for a monthly fee - but I am talking about your own collection.

If you have your own music collection on your PC that you have built painstakingly over the years, you can now put it online and stream it from anywhere for free.

Just imagine - you are driving in your car and forgot to upload your favorite songs in your pen drive or CD and now you have to travel with some boring music from the FM stations.

But having your collection online will allow you to download the tracks that you want and voila! you are now able to hear your favorite Bollywood blockbusters!

The best option is - Google Play Music:

Google Play Music  is a free service that allows you to upload up to 50,000 songs and stream them from anywhere much like what you do with google drive or Dropbox. Google offers the biggest storage option by far.

Just download the Google Music Manager application ( for Windows or Mac), install it, and sign in with your Google account.

Just sync your music folders and it will automatically copy/build that music collection in Google Play Music.

It will monitor your music folder in the computer and automatically upload any new music you add to your PC, to your google account.

You can also upload songs directly from the website using the browser. You can then sign into Google Play Music on the web, via the Android app, or the iPhone or iPad app and stream music while on the go.

An amazing bonus is that the mobile apps let you download songs for offline listening too; you can just cache them without having to plug back into your computer.

To upload music more quickly, Google Play Music will “match” your local song to a song on Google’s servers (much like what Shazam does to song identification). If Google already has a copy of the song, you’ll get that one without uploading it fully.

If you want an offline copy of your music again, the Music Manager application allows you to re-download your entire collection.

We will look at other options in a future article. 

Help - Networking = Not working (Try the 8 port router)

Question from Ananth Subramaniam:

Hi CG Kish. I need your help in a matter that is technical. I need a six-port wired router (do they exist?). We have a total of 5 staff who need to access the Internet and our office server via LAN and I don't want to have to install two 4-port routers just for two extra systems.
The only problem is that I can’t seem to find a 6 port router. All I can see are 4 port routers in Amazon as far as my eyes go. Do you have any suggestions as to where we might be able to procure one? We cannot use Wi-Fi, therefore are opting for a wired router.


Editor's answer:

Hi Ananth. I have a suggestion for you. After doing a bit of research, I was able to zero in on a wired router that has 8 Ethernet ports.

It’s the TP-LINK TL-R860, and it comes at about $30 at Amazon as of date.

But wait... there is a small limitation with this one. The limitation of this router is that the data transfer speed is limited to 100Mbps on every port.

That should be more than adequate only if most of your PC work involves internet access.

But as you have already said that your staff need to share files with each other and also use the office intranet server, I think you would be better off using an 8 port Gigabit Switch+Router/Modem combo.

You can connect your 6 computers (5 staff's PC plus your PC) to the Gigabit Ethernet switch, and then provide internet to everyone by connecting the switch to the internet modem through a regular router (since you already own a router I think you need not buy one again).

Using this setup your staff can easily connect to the Internet with no visible loss in speed while also allowing them to access the office server at a decent speed that’s supported by the Gigabit switch.

Bottomline -  Choose the second option of an 8 port switch/router/modem configuration that will well serve your needs and in future if you plan to add a PC or two, it will still help and save you the cost of another router!

I hope this helps Ananth. Best of luck!  And do let me know how you went about solving your problem,


Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Disable automatic App updates on your Android device

Disable automatic app updates on your Android device. If you have an Android phone or tablet, did you know that your device has default settings to update the apps automatically from the Google play store? But why should we disable it?

Not that there is something wrong with that. Auto-Updates are good if all your apps are trustworthy and known to you. You don't have to worry with every app’s 'permissions' and you are connected to a strong 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi signal available.

But there is one drawback to this and it has to do with changing of permissions by the app's programmer or its team. Sometime the app will ask for broader set of permissions which will have you to take a look had it been in 'manual' mode.

If you need proof, check the read more option below the app's what's new info box, in Google play store.

So, if you prefer to check and review the new permissions before allowing your apps to update or if you are on a low data usage on 3G or 4G, you are advised to set off Auto-Updates.

Here’s how to set off Automatic app updates in Android devices: 

1. Click on the Play Store icon.
2. Click the Options icon in the top left-hand corner of the screen.
3. Click Settings.
4. Click Auto-update apps.
5. Select the Do not auto-update apps option.

That’s all there is to disable automatic app updates in Android devices.

After this change you will receive a notification whenever updates are available for your installed apps, so you can open the Play Store and update the apps at your sweet time.

How to block Game and App invites on Facebook

How to block Game and App invites on Facebook

Hi Kish

I have a problem. I want to know how to block Game and App invites on Facebook. You see I have a 'friend' in Facebook who keeps sending me invites to games almost every day. I asked him to stop sending these invites as I am not a gaming aficionado. In return he asked me to stop posting in his Facebook feed! I wonder how his thick-skulled brain did not comprehend the simple fact that my posts in his Facebook feed is because he accepted me as a friend in the first place! And he says with utter disrespect that he does this as a retaliation of my feed!

I asked him to simply unfriend me and finally that was what he did.

However I have a nagging doubt. Can I turn off the game invitation option so that no one else can disturb me in that way? Sorry if I sound frustrated... but I am.

Regards

KK.

Hi KK

Yes there is a way to do it. Lots of FB users love playing games on Facebook, but many others would prefer not to disturbed, in case they have no interest in these things.

As madame luck would have it, there are two ways to block all game (and app invitations) permanently! And the sad fact is that not many people are aware of it!

Method 1: Here’s how:

Note: Disabling game and app invites will disable ALL Facebook games and apps, even the ones that you use yourself on a daily basis. See the last paragraph of this post for further details. If you are OK with that let’s get started!

1. Go to your Facebook account settings icon in the upper right-hand corner.
2. Click the Apps link over in the left-hand column and go to the “Apps, Websites and Plugins” section.
3. Click the Edit link.
4. Click the Disable Platform button. That's it!

From now onwards you will never receive any game or app invitation. Of course you can revert later and turn Platform back on simply by editing the choice you made in step 4.

Note - If you turn off the Platform apps:

• You will not be able to log into websites or applications using Facebook.
• Your friends won't be able to interact and share with you using apps and websites.
• Instant personalization will also be turned off.
• Apps you've previously installed may still have info you shared. Please contact these apps for details on removing this data.
• Apps you've logged into (with Facebook or Anonymously) will be removed.
• Posts by apps will be removed from your profile.

Method 2 - (Recommended by me):

Go to the GAMES section. On your Facebook news feed page there is a column on the left. Can you see the GAMES section?

Click on it and you’ll see a list of games that are available on Facebook.


Click on the ACTIVITY tab.

On the left you see INVITES and REQUESTS. By default the page loads REQUESTS, if you’re not playing any games then the REQUESTS list would very likely be empty.

What you need to do is click on INVITES (because that’s the irritation that you’re facing from your thick skulled 'friend'.

OK so now we’re at the list, and this is where you can actually block all game requests. When you click on the big X mark on each invite it will ask you two things as seen in the pic.

 You have a few choices now.
a) Block ALL invites related to the particular game in this case Pirate Kings or -
b) Block the said individual from ever sending you games.

Choose option (b) if you have problem with one particular individual as in your case.

Hope it helps!

Review: DreamHost - 200% faster Web Hosting

Many bloggers fail and enter a state of oblivion, because their hosting lags behind in speed and functionality.

There are hosting related issues, that do not seem to be taken care of adequately by their hosting providers which ultimately brings their ranking down, because Google hates downtime.

Your hosting is the life-line of your blog. So if it’s not strong enough, then it your blog or website may fail terribly.

In this article, we are going to talk about one of the best blog hosts out there that you can use to create a perfect site.

DreamHost - Web Hosting That's 200% Faster!

Slow websites are a pain. People don't have patience while clicking them and you lose all valuable traffic. With solid state drives (SSDs) pages load 200% faster so that your website visitors are a happier lot! 

• Plans Starts at $8.95/mo & includes 1 free domain name.

The mark of a good host is one:

1. Who is ahead of competition and cost-effective too. 
2. Can answer your questions providing solutions for beginners or highly advanced programmers?
3. Makes it really easy to install blogs, forums, shopping carts, or any add-on features for your sites? 
4. Provides unlimited Email Accounts 
5. Has a web-based Control Panel
6. Has new Solid State Drives (SSDs) instead of the old HDDs

DreamHost does just this. One free domain is included with your account, and you can add as many domains as you want.

Want more? They include unlimited sub-domain hosting without any extra charge.

Are you wondering about space offered?  They offer 500 GB of storage and 5 TB (!!!) of bandwidth in the starter package that will take care of most people's needs, but if you require more than that they can provide it!

Mechanical hard drives are old school. With SSDs (solid-state drives), your sites perform better, and you’ll experience faster database queries and faster caching overall, so much so that you will wonder why everyone is not offering the same.

Starting a Website Was Never So Much Easier and Quick... 

You can use any web software you like on your sites, with ease and comfort - perl, php, cgi, FrontPage extensions, MySQL and more - all up to date with simple interfaces for you to take advantage of. Do you have questions on how to use or work with these technologies?

Read the extensive help wiki or talk to the great customer service reps who will do everything they can to help you.

Click on the pic to see prices and plans at DreamHost.

More importantly DreamHost has a great up-time rate promising 100% uptime on their site, which is a very bold promise for a host to make.

This emphasizes the company’s nearly legendary server data centers and network infrastructure, so your customers will always see your pages.

They have a very very small downtime periods compared to others so that is a big plus.

DreamHost makes it easy to add a wiki, forum, a WordPress eCommerce blog, shopping cart, and photo management to your site. But that's not all.

At DreamHost, you are in control of your account. Get full access to number of features, manage your web mail, set up auto-responders, view detailed site statistics for each domain - and so on - and leave it at that.

Cons: A lack of security features keep DreamHost from being one of the top web hosting services. Site backup and restoration are not available under its shared plans, however, email spam protection and SSH come standard with the small business shared hosting plan.

Bottom-line: This web hosting service is suitable for small and medium websites and experienced web developers. DreamHost really blazes ahead of its competition with its hosting package. If you are dissatisfied, you have over three months to cancel and get a refund. That however may not happen, once you get used to the unique control panel and the phenomenal speeds.


Click here to sign up for DreamHost

Yatrachef.com – hot food at your train seat in India

Presenting Yatrachef.com a resource that guarantees delivery of food of your choice right at your seat. 

India is growing up at a good pace now. If you thought that meals served on the train are rich sources of viruses and bacteria and must be avoided at all costs, you are lagging behind. Yes... there is a tempting alternative the next time you feel hungry in a train journey in India. Yatrachef.com – hot food at your train seat in India.

Yatrachef has come into existence, to add spice and comfort to these 3 million travellers every day.
YatraChef helps you have your favorite food in train from the best and most popular restaurants and fast food chains near railway stations across India.

How it works: 

You type in your train details and they will tell you the Restaurants that deliver fresh food at your seat in train throughout your journey. You can choose from the vast menu according to your date and time of travel, so that you can find what you're looking for and also get it delivered in train.

You can place your order online or by phone (0 8137 8137 00) or through WhatsApp (that is very neat), free of charge.

In a world, where people are fast moving to comfortable ways of living in their everyday lives, getting a simple desired meal on train still remains a problem.

I am sure you have experienced something similar to this if you are an Indian:

• Waking up early to prepare meals for your journey (that too which lasts only for a few hours?
• Spending a whole day on forced diet.
• Receiving inferior quality food from Station vendors which is fit for animals (some not even for them).
• Being worried about leaving your luggage in the train while going out to buy food at a platform.
• Or worried that the train may leave before you get your order packed at the stations.

If your answer to any of the questions is yes, then yatrachef.com is the solution for you.

Piping hot food for all travelers via easy ordering apps or hotline numbers is their endeavor.
Yatrachef.com has spread its reach across 170 stations and in over 3500 + trains. It seems to have a phenomenal response... and why not? It requires some courage and determination to start something as big as this. The very planning would be a nightmare, forget the implementation. The people involved are to be applauded for this tremendous effort.
I hope they overcome all hiccups and establish themselves as a great avenue for travelers who seek quality food.

Indian rail passengers need this service for sure.

A train delivery is a very important logistical operation as the food needs to be delivered in a fresh and hot condition within a five minute window when the train stops at a station.

This gives customers peace of mind as they can rely on us to get their meals delivered without fail. This is just one of the many improvements/innovations that they want to bring to this space.”

They even serve custom prepared food when you are traveling in groups.

Just enter your PNR status and order through YatraChef.com and enjoy fresh quality food across India while you travel in train.