Putting Unlimited Data to Good Use, Why We Give Google So Much Information, and the Return of CISPA

This week on the podcast we're talking about the return of CISPA, re-installing Windows , and working an on-call job without losing your mind. We're also answering your questions about why we give Google so much information, how to use unlimited data effectively, and syncing your files over your local network without the aid of a cloud storage service.

How to Listen to This Week's Episode

Here's how you can listen to our episode:

News and Top Stories

• CISPA's Back!: The privacy-eroding bill is back! Learn all about it, and call your representatives if you oppose it.
• iOS 6 Bug Lets Anyone Unlock Your Phone Without a Passcode: A recently-discovered bug in iOS 6.0.1 and above lets you unlock an iPhone without needing to know the password, meaning anyone with access to your phone can make calls, edit contacts, and more.
• How to Have a Stress-Free Valentine's Day (Whether You're Single or Not): Valentine's Day is a divisive holiday. Some people love it, others hate it, and many couldn't care less. Regardless of where you stand, navigating the holiday stress-free is pretty difficult. Whether you want to do something special while avoiding the circus or you're flying solo, here's how to make it through today without stressing yourself out.
• How We Work: Every week, we share the shortcuts, workspaces, and productivity tips of our favorite experts and internet personalities. This week, however, we're giving you guys a glimpse into how we work, and all the tips and tricks that keep our blogging wheels spinning.
• How to Work an On Call Job and Keep Your Sanity: Being connected or on call doesn't mean your friends and family have to suffer along with you. The key is to draw bright lines between your "on" and "off" times, and manage your coworkers expectations for when you're supposed to be available. Here's how to turn that struggle for balance into an easily managed routine.
• How to Do a Clean Install of Windows Without Losing Your Files, Settings, and Tweaks: There's nothing like a fresh install of Windows to clear your mind, but it comes at a cost: you have to set everything up again, just the way you like it. Here's how to reinstall Windows, migrate your important settings, and leave the clutter behind.

Questions and Answers

Each week we answer five questions from readers and listeners. Here's what we tackled this week.

• Aren't we worried that Google will start charging us for their services some day and that we will all be too locked in to say ?no'? Not really. It's not that hard to leave a service, and Google makes their money off of information so we're more concerned about what they may do with that information. If you want out now, check out these alternatives.
• How do I sync files across the local network without paying for online storage? Crashplan offers free local backups, but rolling your own Dropbox-like service is probably the best way to go.
• I'm still grandfathered in to Verizon's unlimited data switchover but I don't really use that much data. How can I make better use of my unlimited data plan? A lot of people are clinging to their unlimited data plans but we don't really understand because there's not much of a reason to have it and it costs so much less to get lesser plans (in most cases). If you really want to keep using it, however, just tether your phone as much as possible and stream music whenever you can.
• Why don't you have an official Lifehacker IRC channel? Why do you want an official Lifehacker IRC channel? We actually don't know, so please tell us and maybe we can make it happen if it makes sense.

Tips of the Week

Downloads of the Week

How Do I Submit a Question?

There are two ways to send in your question:

Please keep your questions as brief as possible. This means about 3-5 sentences for emails and 30-60 seconds for calls and videos. Your questions can be specific, but broader questions are generally better because they'll apply to more people. For example, "how can I breathe new life into my old PDA?" is much better than "what can I do with an old HP iPAQ 210?" Either way, we look forward to hearing from you!

Newspaper, Computer, Clock (by Brandon Hopkins), and Alert (by Dima Yagnyuk) provided by the Noun Project.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/2pz3gHQnuBQ/putting-unlimited-data-to-good-use-why-we-give-google-so-much-information-and-the-return-of-cispa

santa Capital STEEZ George Bush After Christmas Sales 2012 Charles Durning Webster Ny Mcdonalds