Protect Your Online Identity and Crush Ads for 2020

With COVID-19 running rampant throughout the world, millions or even billions of people are using the internet more than ever before.

There are several steps to ensure that your online activity is safe. There are a number of things that you'll need to change to ensure online safety to the highest degree. Some steps are easier than others and some will take huge amounts of discipline and will power to be able to accomplish.


1. Use a computer, not a mobile device. 

    Besides emails, all internet activity should be limited to full computers. The biggest reason is that with computers like PC, Mac, or Linux etc, are more fully capable of blocking AI (Artificial Intelligence), Ads, and identity tracking types of software with Adblocking plugins, VPN software, overlay blockers and other tools. Another reason is that pretty much all mobile apps are designed to track your usage, and are submitted to software that uses AI to determine what you might like or might do next. Want to see what I'm talking about? On any Android mobile device, go to the Google Play Store and pretty much every single app that exists will usually state that it contains ads. Even when it doesn't say "contains ads" that app will probably force you to pay for the App and spend money. The same could be said for the Apps in the Apple AppStore.

Just a couple of quick examples would be common apps like Facebook, or YouTube. The mobile versions of these apps were designed to try to subject you to advertisements based on your tracked internet activity. They do not prevent blocking of ads and purposely don't have mobile tools to block them. For years I've tried. The blocking tools are just not as available or not available at all on mobile platforms. So if you are using any kind of internet activity on a smartphone, tablet, or mobile device, the chances are very high that you will get bombarded with ads on pretty much every app that exists on those platforms.

However, browsing the full-site versions of Youtube, and Facebook on a full computer grants the ability to install security features on the internet browser. Only on a full computer can you block advertisements via Adblocking plugins, VPN software, overlay blockers and other tools.


2. Use Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome as your main internet browser on the computer.

    There are several other comparable browsers but these are the two options that will allow you the security you need to block ads and tracking.


3. The list of plugins or extensions that you will need are as follows:
    A.) Adblock - Firefox version. Adblock - Chrome version.

    B.) Adblock Plus - Firefox version. Adblock Plus - Chrome version.

    C.) Adblocker for YouTube - Firefox version. Adblocker for YouTube- Chrome version.

    D.) Poper Blocker - Firefox version. Poper Blocker - Chrome version.

    E.) Adblocker for Facebook - Firefox version. 

    F.) FB Purity (Adblocker for Facebook) - Chrome version.

    Each of these plugins requires a tiny bit of configuring, but they are pretty straight forward as soon as you click and install them.

The biggest challenge here is switching all internet activity over to a computer and not using our super convenient handheld devices. This is just one way to help minimize our online presence and keep our information safe.

Every time you sign up for a mobile app with your email and username, you are potentially setting yourself up for getting more ads and are sharing your personal information to each app and the AI that is behind them.


4. Use a VPN. 

    A Virtual Private Network is a service that hides your original IP address, and geo-location. There's a tonne out there that usually cost a monthly or annual subscription. Just search the internet for "personal use VPN". Some people will work for companies that can share their corporate VPN to remote workers so that when they use internet, the internet traffic gets funneled back to the company network, which is usually backed by several more layers of security.


5. Use Qwant instead of Google.

    Qwant (https://www.qwant.com) is an internet search engine that does not track usage. It will not keep a history of your user account, it will not keep your history of searches, it will not track you. It will not leave any digital footprints that make it easier for AI to access your personal usage statistics or information.

    - Qwant - Firefox extension. Qwant - Chrome extension.


6. Use NewPipe instead of YouTube on Android mobile devices.

    If you absolutely must access YouTube content on an Android mobile device then NewPipe is the best ad-free alternative. It uses the YouTube API, which essentially means that it is actually YouTube, but without commercial interference. NewPipe also has some awesome features like 'Background Play" which allows you to listen to just the audio of the video, while the screen on your device is locked and blacked out. It is absolutely amazing for music playlists from YouTube. Unfortunately Apple iPad and iPhone users are out of luck here. For older legacy Android devices, an alternate build is also available here (NewPipe).

Video Games in 2020 - My Two Cents

I am a 40-year old dad and I have been playing video games pretty much my entire life. I can recall my earliest video gaming memory as far as being only about 3-years old, waiting for a flight with my mom at Narita National Airport, Japan. We were on our way home to Canada, after visiting family in the Philippines. Japan was a short layover and connecting flight. I was playing with a small red and gold Nintendo handheld system similar to the Game & Watch handhelds. The game itself was very basic, was just one color, black on a grey background, and involved controlling a circus elephant left or right, in order to balance a ball on its trunk

Video games are a huge part of my life and I'm sure it is at least a small portion of everyone else's. There's exciting new developments in the gaming world for 2020, and I have a few short opinions.


Playstation vs. Xbox:

- PS5 will have much better data streaming than Xbox and PC due to it's custom SSD architecture. What that means for me is shorter load times, and less pop-ins for graphical assets. I'm sure there are more technical explanations but that's really unnecessary for me.

- Xbox Series X has higher specifications on paper than PS5, but that doesn't account for much. The previous model XBox One X was also more powerful than the PS4 Pro and it did not outsell the PS4 Pro. However, games will look great on both. Healthy competition between the two consoles drives the quality higher and higher.

- XBOX has an impressive marketing department, but they try to mess with consumers by confusing them with their weird naming schemes. Because the Xbox started one generation behind Playstation they did not want to appear as they were behind even though their hardware was superior. Playstation 2 was already out when the first Xbox was released. When PS3 came out, Xbox didn't want to change their comparative console to be named Xbox 2, but rather named it the Xbox 360 just so that it had a bigger, longer number than PS3. When PS4 released, Microsoft didn't want to call it Xbox 3, rather they called it Xbox One. Now with the Playstation 5 on the horizon, the next Xbox will not be Xbox 4, but rather Xbox Series X. At least Sony is keeping it straight forward with the linear naming and you know exactly what generation of hardware you are getting.

- In the end I will get both. I do prefer PS5 because of it's game lineup and exclusives and so I will be buying that console first. Xbox Series X will be great but it won't have any exclusive titles like Halo Infinite or Forza Horizon 5 until at least year 2022, and the majority of it's games will be available on other platforms anyways. The XSX purchase will come later.


Downloadable Content:

- Downloadable content can be categorised as Expansion DLC or Microtransaction DLC. Sometimes both are combined.

- DLC should never be pay to win. Game companies should not sell powerful items to players for real money. It should be earned in-game. If players can buy better items that make their avatar more powerful, it enables an unfair advantage over players that do not buy said DLC. That's just unethical and bad practice. What if one player legitimately spent hundreds of hours of gameplay to get a powerful item, but then at the same time, a different player who played for just minutes, went and bought it outright with real money. That is just a ridiculous situation.

- DLC should not be used to sell random loot boxes. Much like slot machines, it is a form of gambling, and this type of scum baggery should not be allowed in video games. It gives false hope to players that they will win something big, but in fact are just draining and wasting their money away.

- Some smart game developers have actively heard the community outcries and have turned some DLC into cosmetic items, which make the player's avatar look cool and stylish, but does not give them an unfair advantage over other players. That's a good thing. More games need to do this. Path Of Exile and Fortnite are good examples where the entire game is actually free but the money made from the game is done through cosmetic DLC Microtransaction sales. Sure, it looks good when you buy a fancy cosmetic, but does it give you more game to play? Nope.

- Expansion DLC should include a moderate amount of extended gameplay content so that players can explore new areas or try new items. It needs to be priced accordingly as well. Some DLC is overpriced for what you get as a player in return.


Remasters and Remakes:

- I am a big fan of these. It helps me to revisit old games with improved graphics and fidelity, and makes them more enjoyable.

- I am not a fan of re-buying a game I've already played and previously owned. There should be some kind of licensing that allows players of the original game to have the newly remastered game for free or at least an option to buy it at a heavily discounted price point.

- Xbox Series X is making some progress by introducing their new Xbox Smart Delivery, which will automatically give you the best version of the game that you own.


Crossplay and Cross-save:

- Similar to the Remaster problem, I don't want to buy a game that I already own, every time that I switch to a different platform or a newer generation console.

- There needs to be some kind of licensing system, where we buy one version of the game, but can use it on any platform whether it be PC, Xbox, Nintendo, or Playstation systems. There is likely a very long wait for a fix to this glaring problem as all game companies are out to get our money by any means necessary. They are forcing us to double-dip, triple-dip, quadruple-dip or even more so that we keep having to buy the same game over and over, but on different platforms and systems.

- crossplay and cross-save games should be standardized and required for modern games. Being able to play any game with friends and family across multiple platforms would be the ultimate achievement.

- crossplay is pretty difficult to achieve since there are separations in the different types of gaming networks. A standardized central network must be built, per game to make this even work correctly. Fortnite is one instance where they are trying to make it work across all platforms.

- Destiny 2 is also making some progress with this by making their game cross-save across all available platforms. Although you can't play with friends or family at the same time across platforms, you can at least switch to the matching platform and continuing playing with the same universal saved progress.

My handle and ID is usually Phresh Ninja on all platforms with some variance. Catch some of my archived gameplay on Twitch or YouTube.

https://www.twitch.tv/phresh_ninja

https://www.youtube.com/user/phreshninja

Ultimate PC Configuration - Q2 2020

Here's an expert enthusiast hardware configuration for an Extreme Performance Gaming PC with some of the most current and stylish hardware components. Keep in mind that this kind of build is not for the budget conscious or faint-hearted. It is a straight forward wallet-crushing fantasy build meant to show off some of the newest PC components. Prices are listed in Canadian funds (CAD) :

Computer case:

Lian Li O11D Dynamic XL, Brushed Metal, Tempered Glass, E-ATX

=   $ 270.00 (CAD)

Motherboard (MOBO):

Gigabyte Aorus Master TRX40, E-ATX w/ DDR4-4400

=  $ 710.00 (CAD)

Power supply (PSU):

Thermaltake Toughpower 850 Watt, iRGB PLUS Platinum TT Premium Edition Power Supply

=   $ 260.00 (CAD)

Processor (CPU):

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3990X Processor, 2.9GHz, 64 Cores,128 Threads

=    $ 5,400.00 (CAD)

CPU Cooler:

Cooler Master Wraith Ripper Ryzen ThreadRipper CPU Cooler w/ 120mm Fan, RGB LEDs
=  $ 200.00

Memory (RAM):

G.Skill Trident Z 32GB (4 x 8GB) DDR4 4266MHz PC4-34100

=    $ 460.00

Video card (GPU):

Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 2080Ti Extreme 11GB DDR6, Overclocked 1770 MHz

=   $ 1,830.00

Storage 1 (SSD for Windows OS):

Samsung 2TB 970 EVO Plus NVMe SSD M.2 PCI-E x, 3.5GB/second transfer speed

=   $ 725.00

Storage 2 (HDD for non OS files):

Seagate 16TB Exos X16 Enterprise, SATA III w/ 256MB Cache

= $750.00

APPROXIMATE GRAND TOTAL = $ 10,605.00

How To Enable Dark Mode On Google Chrome For Computers

First of all, some might ask, what is Dark Mode and why is it useful? Dark mode is where a web browser changes the default page background from white to a dark grey or shade of black. The purpose of this is to conserve battery life of all mobile devices such as Smart Phones, Tablets, and Laptop computers while browsing the web. The extra energy needed to emit white light, is no longer needed and extends the time you can use your mobile device.

Here's how to enable it in Google Chrome on a computer.
1.) Open your Google Chrome browser.
2.) copy and paste this text into the URL bar and press enter: chrome://flags/#enable-force-dark
3.) It will open a settings page with a warning. You only need to change the very first option.
     - under "Force Dark Mode for Web Content" click on the drop-down menu to the right, and choose "Enabled".
4.) Leave all other settings untouched.
5.) To undo Dark Mode, just return to that page by using Step 2, and choose "Disabled" the next time.

Budget PC Configuration - Q4 2019

This is the follow-up post to my previous post last week titled "Ultimate PC Configuration - Q4 2019". This post however will focus on a budget without going over $1500 dollars.

Now onward to the goods. Here's a decently designed PC with medium to moderate performance and with affordable hardware components.

Computer case:

Corsair Carbide Series 275R Mid Tower ATX Gaming Case

=   $ 80.00

Motherboard (MOBO):

Gigabyte B450M-DS3H w/ DDR4-3200, 7.1 Audio, M.2, Gigabit LAN, Socket AM4

=  $ 75.00

Power supply (PSU):

Cooler Master MWE Gold 650 80+ Gold Power Supply, 650W

=   $ 100.00

Processor (CPU):

AMD 3rd Gen Ryzen 5 3600X Processor, 3.8GHz w/ 35MB Cache, 6 cores, 12 threads

=    $ 260.00

CPU Cooler:

Arctic Cooling Liquid Freezer II Series 120 All-In-One Water CPU Cooler
=  $ 80.00 

Memory (RAM):

G.Skill Trident Z 16GB DDR4 3200MHz CL16 Dual Channel Kits (2 x 8GB) RGB lighting

=    $ 125.00

Video card (GPU):

Gigabyte Radeon 5700 XT GAMING OC 8GB PCI-E w/ HDMI, Triple DP

=   $ 540.00

Storage 1 (SSD for Windows OS):

Samsung 860 EVO 2.5" SATA III 2.5in SSD, 250GB

=   $ 60.00

Storage 2 (HDD for non OS files):

Seagate 2TB Barracuda HDD, SATA III w/ 256MB Cache

= $60.00

Monitor Display:

LG 22BK430H-B 21.5in Full HD Widescreen IPS 75Hz LED LCD w/ Freesync

=  $ 115.00

APPROXIMATE TOTAL = $ 1,495.00

Ultimate PC Configuration - Q4 2019

It's that time of year again and I want to share some of the latest in PC hardware tech which will most likely break the average person's bank account and make them burdened by debt, or at least be temporarily broke. However, I'm going to follow-up this post with something new though. Later on the post will be titled the Budget-PC Configuration Q4 and will focus on a budget without going over $1500 dollars.

Now onward to the goods. Here's an expert enthusiast hardware configuration for an Extreme Performance Gaming PC with some of the most current and best rated hardware components. Keep in mind that this kind of build is not necessarily affordable. It is a straight forward fantasy build meant to show off some of the most current and state-of-the-art PC components:

Computer case:

Corsair Obsidan 100D Premium with Commander Pro Lighting System

=   $ 700.00

Motherboard (MOBO):

ASUS Republic Of Gamers RAMPAGE VI EXTREME Omega w/ DDR4 4266, 7.1 Audio, Quad M.2

=  $ 1,060.00

Power supply (PSU):

EVGA SuperNOVA T2 Titanium Series 1600W Modular Power Supply

=   $ 710.00

Processor (CPU):

Intel Core i9-9980XE Extreme Unlocked Processor with 18 Cores / 36 Threads

=    $ 2,800.00

CPU Cooler:

ASUS Republic Of Gamers Ryujin 360 All In One Liquid CPU Cooler w/ OLED Color Screen=  $ 400.00 

Memory (RAM):

G.Skill Trident Z 128GB DDR4 3733MHz CL17 Dual Channel Kits (8 x 16GB)

=    $ 1,480.00

Video card (GPU):

Nvidia GeForce RTX TITAN 24GB PCI-E w/ HDMI, Triple DP, USB-C

=   $ 3,500.00

Storage 1 (SSD for Windows OS):

Western Digital Black SN750 NVMe SSD M.2 PCI-E x4, 2TB

=   $ 680.00

Storage 2 (HDD for non OS files):

Seagate 16TB IronWolf HDD, SATA III w/ 256MB Cache

= $700.00

Monitor Display:

ASUS ROG Swift PG65UQ 65-inch 4K UHD HDR Gaming Monitor w/ G-SYNC

=  $ 6,000.00

APPROXIMATE GRAND TOTAL = $ 18,030.00

Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) FAQ

Q) What is Wi-Fi 6?
A) The emerging IEEE Wi-Fi 6 standard is the latest step in a
journey of nonstop innovation. It builds on the strengths of
802.11ac while adding flexibility and scalability that lets new
and existing networks power next-generation applications.
IEEE Wi-Fi 6 couples the freedom and high speed of Gigabit
Ethernet wireless with the reliability and predictability we find in
licensed radio.


Q) What additional features can I expect from Wi-Fi 6?
A) Cisco, along with other vendors, has been working with the
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) on
the Wi-Fi 6 standard. When ratified, Wi-Fi 6 will build on
the success of 802.11ac, delivering a better experience in
typical environments and more predictable performance for
advanced applications such as 4K or 8K video; high-density,
high-definition collaboration apps; all-wireless offices; and
the Internet of Things (IoT). Wi-Fi 6 will drive Wi-Fi toward the
future as the growth of wireless continues.


Q) How is Wi-Fi 6 different from 802.11ax?
A) The Wi-Fi Alliance has started a campaign to use the term “Wi-Fi
6” when referring to the IEEE 802.11ax standard, indicating the
sixth generation of Wi-Fi. The goal is to simplify the marketing
message to better position Wi-Fi relative to the Third Generation
Partnership Project (3GPP) standards used in cellular
(such as 5G).


Q) Will Wi-Fi 6 be backward compatible with 802.11a,
802.11b, 802.11g, 802.11n, and 802.11ac?
A) In Wi-Fi 6, all devices must also support all the mandatory
802.11a, b, g, n, and ac modes of operation. This ensures
that Wi-Fi 6 Access Points (APs) and clients are backward
compatible with legacy APs and clients.


Q) Will Wi-Fi 6 be allowed in all countries and
regulatory domains?
A) All countries and regulatory domains that allow 802.11n and
802.11ac will also allow Wi-Fi 6.


Q) When will Wi-Fi 6 be ratified (when will the standard
be finalized)?
A) The IEEE is currently scheduled to ratify the Wi-Fi 6 amendment in
the last quarter of 2019. The Wi-Fi Alliance has a similar timeline
for a Wi-Fi 6 certification. The latest official estimate for ratification
is always available at the 802 IEEE website in the “RevCom and
Standards Board Final or Continuous Process Approval” column.


Q) Are my current mobile/client devices that use Wi-Fi 6
supported? When will mobile devices support Wi-Fi 6?
A) There aren’t any mobile devices currently on the market that support
Wi-Fi 6. Cisco expects that there will be some clients starting in
early 2019. However, the market will not see large numbers of mobile
devices supporting Wi-Fi 6 until well into the second half of 2019 and
potentially even 2020. Keep in mind that you need an access point
that supports Wi-Fi 6 clients in order to realize the benefits of this
new standard.


References: Cisco Public (2019, April 30) Cisco Catalyst 9100 and Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
Customer FAQ

Some of my older posts on Wi-Fi:
http://phreshnewmedia.blogspot.com/2018/05/80211ax-wi-fi-is-coming.html
http://phreshnewmedia.blogspot.com/2018/04/the-top-5-mistakes-that-people-make.html
http://phreshnewmedia.blogspot.com/2016/10/walt-jimenez-wi-fi-surveyor.html
http://phreshnewmedia.blogspot.com/2015/11/extending-wi-fi-home-part1.html
http://phreshnewmedia.blogspot.com/2015/12/extending-wi-fi-home-part-2.html