Govt announces policy on open source software

   NEW DELHI: The government has announced a policy on adoption of open source software, which makes it mandatory for all software applications and services of the government be built using it, so that projects under Digital India "ensure efficiency, transparency and reliability of such services at affordable costs."

"Government of India shall endeavour to adopt open source software in all e-Governance systems implemented by various Government organizations, as a preferred option in comparison to closed source software," said the policy statement, put on the website of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology.

ET had reported in November that the government was looking to adopt open source development in a big way. At that time, the DeitY secretary had said open source would be preferred "wherever possible."

However, the new policy clearly states that "All Government Organizations, while implementing e-Governance applications and systems must include a specific requirement in Request for Proposal (RFP) for all suppliers to consider open source software (OSS) along with closed source software while responding.

Suppliers shall provide justification for exclusion of OSS in their response, as the case may be."

"Government Organizations shall ensure compliance with this requirement and decide by comparing both OSS and CSS options with respect to capability, strategic control, scalability, security, life-time costs and support requirements," it adds.

The only exceptions considered would be ones where OSS solutions meeting functional requirements, or if the skillset in the identified open source technology are not available. In either case, departments option for CSS technology would have to justify the choice.

The move is likely to meet with approval from several open source activists across the country who have been rooting for the use of this technology that would significantly bring down costs.

The source code, according to the newly announced policy, shall be available for the community/adopter/end-user to study and modify the software and to redistribute copies of either the original or modified software, and would be "free from royalty".

The move is also in line with several governments across the world which prefer open source and open standards for development of their applications and services.

The United States, United Kingdom and several countries in the European Union also prefer use of open source over proprietary software. Closer home, the State of Kerala has consistently been held up as a remarkable example of the use of open source and open standards.

The Indian government has already upped its use of open source technology. Its crowdsourcing platform MyGov.in is a case in point, which has been developed entirely on open source technology 

Source :- http://bit.ly/1IfN1hQ

Phishing scams: How not to get hooked by the hackers

Last year saw several high profile security breaches including US firm Target and one of the biggest corporate hacking scandals the world has ever seen with the attack on global mega corporation Sony Entertainment.

Phishing emails play a huge role in the attacks launched against brands and organisations all over the world.

The initial spark that causes some of these huge calamities can start with something as innocent and ubiquitous as a fake email. Verizon’s 2014 breach report stated that phishing emails account for the entry point of up to 67 per cent of the most audacious security attacks of our time.

The critical aspect of all social engineering scams is that the intended victim is lulled into a false sense of security and believes the communication to be genuine.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo conducted a study using ‘information rich’ phishing emails; these emails are equipped with logos and graphics from a well know brand or group that is recognisable to the recipient as well as carefully crafted text to sound both personal and scare mongering.

Most importantly, they contain a call to action encouraging you to click or register and thereby unleash the destructive force of the would be hackers. The quote below describes the nature of the University study:

The phishing email was made to look like it came from the University’s IT department, and said that there was an error in their student email account settings. They were asked to follow an enclosed link to access their account settings in order to solve the problem, and were instructed to do it fast, as access to their account would be permanently blocked shortly.

The study found that 68 per cent of the 125 students tested fell for the ruse. Considering these tactics have led to some of the biggest security breaches of our time, this isn’t surprising.

Awareness and proper training are key in combating these issues. There are many technologies available that help to screen files and suspect code hidden within emails.

A strategy that allows you to map out the infrastructure associated with phishing campaigns, block likely entry points, track URLs that are typically used, and host exploits or spurious web forms designed to gather user credentials is the best approach to take to combat would be attackers.

The fact is that phishing is still a preferred way to steal users’ data. A phishing scam will look like it was sent by someone inside your organisation and it will request a reasonable action.

However, this also leaves a signature that can be successfully detected, for brands and organisation to effectively combat phishing constant vigilance and greater awareness and a drive to educate staff is needed.

This threat can be beaten through a combination of human efforts and employing superior technology to outsmart would be attackers

Source :- http://bit.ly/19A3e5W

History Of Open Source Software - Infographics

Android Customization Weekly: Introduction To Icon Packs

 

One of the main reasons android is such a popular operating system is the system wide level of customization that is offered. If you own an android phone or tablet then there seems to be almost no limit to how much or what can be customized. This level customization grows even more when you start to enter the rooted or custom world, with the smallest of details being able to be customization.
While most smaller customization changes will not have a massive esthetic or functional impact, the more of these changes you make, the more of a difference the overall impact of the collective changes results in. That said, there is one small customization that android device owners can employ which does offer a much wider visual difference. These are icon packs. Although, a lot of custom users will already be well versed with icon packs, it is worth providing a quick introduction for those making their way over to android and those making their way over to a new launcher or ROM.

What are they?

Well, in short, an icon pack is an app or add-on which allows the visual changing of how your apps are displayed in your app drawer and on your homescreen. The default look of your apps and icons will depend on what level of android you are using. If using KitKat, then they will look different to those using Lollipop. For those new to customizing, this really is one of the easiest ways in which you can employ a greater visual change to your device with minimal work.

Who can use them?

Anyone can use an icon pack and install them on your device. You do not necessarily need to be rooted or have a custom ROM installed. That said, you generally (for most icon packs) do need to at least have a custom launcher installed. Most icon packs will not be available to those simply running a stock launcher, so you will need to think about installing a custom launcher (to be clear, you don’t need to be rooted for a number of launchers). Likewise, if you are rooted and running a custom ROM like CyanogenMod (CM), then chances are you will be able to add an icon pack via the ROM. Likewise, the same is true if you are running Cyanogen OS.

Where are they?

Generally speaking, icon packs are like apps. You can find them anywhere you would expect to find an app. So if you are running a custom launcher then you will be able to easily download and install most icon packs from the likes of the Play Store or the Amazon Appstore. If you are running a custom ROM like CyanogenMod or a custom OS like Cyanogen OS then you will have the added ability to download and install from the inbuilt Theme store.

How do I install them?

This will slightly differ depending on whether you are running a launcher or a ROM. There are simply too many launchers and ROMs to go through one-by-one, so to save some time and make the process clearer, we will quickly look at how to install an icon pack on one of the most popular custom launchers, Nova launcher and one of the most popular customer OSes, Cyanogen OS. It is worth pointing out that subtle difference will exist between different launchers and OSes, but, generally speaking, the logic will be the same.

Installing using Nova

Assuming you already have Nova Launcher installed and running, then you will notice in your app tray there will be a icon dubbed ‘Nova Settings’. This is your main hub for Nova and will offer the ability to customize all elements of the launcher, including icons. Open up the settings. Once here, you will see an option mid-way down the screen dubbed “Look and Feel”.

Click the tab and on the next screen, you will notice a whole host of icon settings. One of those will be “Icon Theme”.

As standard, this will be set to “default”. Once you click on the tab, you will see the option to switch between items like “System”, “Lollipop” and “KitKat”. These are the pre-installed options. However, with the wealth of offerings out there, you can install an almost endless number of Icons.

 

Now, head over to the Play Store and find your icon pack of choice. If you know what you are looking for then great. If not, this is where the fun begins. Again, there are too many options available and if you search for “icon packs’ in Play you will be able to choose between a number of paid and free options available. For this example, we will use Simply 8-Bit Icon Pack. Once you have found what you are looking for, download the icon pack. Most icon packs will not require any ‘Special Permissions’.

Once the icon pack has been downloaded. Simply head back to your Nova Settings app and repeat the process of heading towards “Icon Theme”. However, on opening this time, you should see the newly downloaded icon pack added to the list.

Click on the icon pack and you are done. At first, you will assume nothing has happened as nothing does immediately happen or open. However, now when you head back to your homescreen, you will see the app icons have all changed to the new style. Repeat the process as much as you want with as many icon packs as you want. You can see the difference between the stock (left) and installed icon pack (right) below.

Installing Using Cyanogen

Now, if you are running CyanogenMod or Cyanogen OS, there is no stopping you from using the above method to install your favorite icon pack. However, one of the benefits of Cyanogen based OSes and ROMs is their own individual method of customization. As such, both the MOD and OS contain a Cyanogen Theme store which makes it much easier to install elements like an icon pack and without the need for an after-market custom launcher. If you have Cyanogen installed on your device, then the Theme store (or Theme Showcase) will already be present in your app drawer. Simply head down to the Theme app and open. Once opened and unlike the Play Store, this store will be full of Theming options. Most will be paid options although there will be a couple of free ones too.

Now, you can search for entire themes by just scrolling down the list and picking the one you want. However, you can also swipe out from the side and click on “Icons” in the side menu and just see the icon packs available.

Once you find the one you want, click on the icon listing to open its main page and click Purchase (even if it is listed as free). For this example we will be using Pressor CM11 Theme.

At this point, you will actually be redirected to the Play Store to where the app resides. Click Install or Purchase and let the icon pack download as normal.

Once downloaded, head back to your main screen, click on your phone settings and you will see a ‘Themes’ tab.

Click the tab and on the next page you will see an Icons tab.

Click the icons tab and then scroll down to the one you have installed. Click on the icons checkbox and hit apply.

Like on Nova, nothing will immediate happen but once you head back to your home screen or app drawer you will see the changes that have taken effect.

 

Source :- http://bit.ly/1CCDMIJ

Wireless Hacking Tutorial

 Overview

Today we’re going to go over the principals of wireless hacking, an example of a WPA2 hacking example and then we will wrap it up with a a few troubleshooting tips.
Disclaimer: Before we begin let me preface this. Intrusion into anyone’s network without express permission by the network owner is illegal. I highly recommend you practice these techniques on your. I take NO responsibility in what you do with this knowledge.

Requirements

• Kali Linux (Installed onto a host or running in a VM)
  • I’ll be using Kali in a VM from Hack Lab
• A wireless adapter that supports packet injection
  • Here is a list of adapters I recommend. I’ll be using the Alfa AWUS036H
• A wireless router
• A good wordlist (Kali comes with Rockyou by default)

Note: If you have an onboard wireless card that supports packet injection and you’re using a VM you will have issues. Your VM will think that your host wireless adapter is actually a physical connection. In this case I would recommend just using a LiveCD or boot from a USB.
Note2: I’ve included some troubleshooting steps at the end

Principles/Tools of Wireless Hacking

Wireless hacking allows us to enter a network. Entering a network will allow us to see shares, capture network traffic, connect to other machines and enumerate within that network. It is akin to plugging a Ethernet cable from your computer into the switch of a network you do not own. Wireless hacking is a relatively simple process, essentially you’re just pulling information out of the air and decrypting it using the weakness in authentication processes.

 Packet Injection

There isn’t much I can say on packet injection that hasn’t been already said on wikipedia but in the interest of making this a complete tutorial I’ll briefly describe what its all about.
Packet injection is exactly what it says. It allows you to create and send packets and inject them into the communication stream. This is what will allow you to send deauth packets and essentially DDoS a user’s wireless connection.

Airmon-ng

Airmon-ng is simply a script that enables your wireless interface to begin monitor mode.

Airodump-ng

This is used to actually capture the packets once your wireless interface is set to monitor mode. This is your collection of data. You’ll use this to collect packets to crack WEP and collect a WPA2 handshake.

Aircrack-ng

Aircrack cracks WEP, WPA and WPA-2 by using the input from Airodump-ng.

Pre-Setup

So first we’ll do a few small configurations to our hacklab. Mainly this is going to allow our VM’s to see our external wireless card.
Note: I’ll be doing this on my MacBook so my version of VirtualBox will look a little different.
1. Go into VirtualBox settings -> Ports -> Enable USB 2.0 Controller

 

2. Inside of your VirtualBox Kali machine on the bottom right corner click on the image of the USB and select your wireless USB adapter. Mine is called RTL8187_Wireless [0100] in this case. This passes the USB device into your virtual machine.

3. Now when you list your interfaces in your VM you should see you’re wireless card listed.

WPA2 Hacking Example

1. First we’re going to start the airmon-ng service for our wireless card interface. Take note about processes that could cause trouble.

 

2. Verify that airmon-ng is running and that it has created a monitor interface. Mine is called mon0

 

3. Now that our interface is set to monitor we can start airodump-ng to monitor wireless traffic. Type airodump-ng <monitor interface> to start. In my case its airodump-ng mon0. This will begin to list wireless devices, this includes access points, devices, phones etc. If you’re seeing a lot of traffic and the access point you’re trying to get to you can press tab and use the arrow keys to select a device. If you press m you can cycle through colors and if you press space you can pause the live capture.
I blurred out the mac’s because I’m a nice neighbor.

4. For the next step I’m going to target my own wireless router. I personally like to leave airodump-ng running in a separate tab with the feed paused so I can refer to it while I work in another terminal. Take note of the BSSID and the channel of the target wireless router and use the command syntax below.
airodump-ng –bssid <bssid> -c <channel> –write <filename> mon0

• –bssid: base station SSID for your target
• -c: channel device is on
• –write: the file you are dumping frames into
• mon0: monitoring interface of your VM

5. Next we’re going to to need to capture a WPA2 handshake. First we need someone to associate to the access point. The easiest and most common way to do this is to send de-authentication packets to the access point and require users to re-authenticate. Constantly sending deauth packets to someone is very similar to DDoSing someone. Do this in a separate tab. 

• –deauth <# of deauth packets>
• -a BSSID of target

 

6. While deauthing you should notice your access point targeted airodump-ng tab has changed in the top
right corner and will now say “WPA handshake” with the BSSID of the access point.

7. Now that you have a captured handshake its time to use aircrack-ng to crack the password. Note that the password must be in the wordlist you use and that if you use a wordlist that is very large this will take time. For the purposes of this exercise I put the password for my wireless access point into a file called passwords.txt and used that as my word list for the sake of demonstration.
aircrack-ng <airodump-ng filename.cap> -w <wordlist file>
Here is what it looks like while it is running:

And here is what it looks like when it is successful. I’ve included the command syntax that I used to run the command in the prompt as well.

Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is pretty difficult because there are so many variables. Wireless card drivers being the big wildcard, check the aircrack-ng drivers support page and update accordingly.
I would also highly recommend updating your kali box, not just to correct issues with wireless cracking but it is best practice in general. To do so type ‘sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade’. For those interested && just means to apply command following it if the previous command was successful.
The best troubleshooting resource is the official FAQ and troubleshooting guide.
If during step four in the top right corner you’re seeing “fixed channel -1″ you need to kill your network managers. Remember in step 1 where airmon-ng tells you that some process may give you trouble? Type “kill <pid>” to stop that process from running.
If you have any issues please post them in the comment below and I will do my best to help you troubleshoot!

Source : - http://bit.ly/1bIWQLp

Google Play Store APK

Google Play Store APK: Why You Must Download The Latest?

Google Play Store is the Android market where you can download and buy new apps and games for your Android smartphones and tablets. You can also download apps and games for your Android wearables via the Google Play Store. Google Play Store is the best source for downloading and buying your favorite games and apps for Android. However, there are different Android app stores out there that you can download and install on your Android like the Amazon AppStore but Google Play Store is the officially supported android market that hosts more than a million amazing apps and games for your android device.

Google Play Store was once called the Android Market. Even on older devices that are running Android 2.2 or Android 2.3, you can still find the older Android Market app that’s used to install games and apps. However, the latest Google Play Store is an amazing market packed with a lot of new features that are necessary for the latest devices in the Android ecosystem. So, if you want to enjoy your latest android device to its fullest then you will have to download and install the latest version of Google Play Store APK on your android device. Normally Google Play Store app gets updated automatically over the air but sometimes, a few devices don’t receive the OTA update or receive it very late. In such cases your best bet is to download the Latest Google Play Store APK and install it directly on your android device.

Download Google Play Store APK

If you are looking for the latest version of Google Play Store for your android device then worry no more because we have the link to the latest version of Google Play Store. Once downloaded on your Android device, you can install it by locating the APK file in your Downloads section and tapping it. When you see a pop-up, all you have to do is hit install and the latest Google Play Store APK will be installed on your android device. You can now enjoy all the latest features that have been introduced in the new Google Play Store.

Source :- http://bit.ly/1G5mJjz

Google Map App for Android

Google Map App for Android: Google adds custom map option again, now view your custom map

LONDON: Google has once again changed the features of Google Map app for android and now allow you to view your custom map inside the Google Map

Google changed the Maps app around a great many times. Unfortunately, this means some features have disappeared, but thankfully, some are being added back. Such is the case with the ability to access custom maps you created through the service.

My Maps allows people to specify routes and points of interest on a map. Merging them to Google Maps was not possible, until now. Unfortunately, you still cannot make changes to custom maps when you view them in the main Android map application.

To view your saved maps, launch Google Maps, tap ‘Your places’ in the menu, and scroll down to find your maps, highlighted with red marker icons.

The service is yet not available for iOS and is expected to show up soon. You can get this latest feature by updating your Google Maps application to its latest version.

Motorola will soon release Android 5.1 update for Moto X

Motorola will soon release an Android 5.1 Lollipop update for current Moto X smartphone Owners. TheAndroid 5.1 update can be expected within days, An exact date is still unknown, but it certainly will not be long.

So far, the Android 5.1 was only available for the Nexus devices which have been developed by Google. Motorola has announced the software, but has not yet revealed when the new firmware is actually rolled out.

The update brings a number of improvements with it and bug fixes. Especially improvements in the area of ​​notifications, photos and new safety kits from Google. Besides the normal Android 5.1 Lollipop changes the update also brings protection device along with it. In addition to improvements in Android Lollipop have also implemented a number of bug fixes.

Source :- http://bit.ly/1BAsRdC

Interview with Kai Roer, "Hacking Your Mind" at Honeynet Workshop 2015

Kai Roer is focusing on user awareness, security culture and the study of how our human mind makes us vulnerable and exploitable. He consults with people and organizations on the interpersonal skills that are vital to a successful and trusted secure environment. He is the creator of the Security Culture Framework, a columnist at Help-Net Security and the author of a number of books about cybersecurity and leadership. His latest book is "Build a Security Culture". 

  

1) What was your motivation to enter Information Security field, and who inspired and helped you along the way? 

I entered this field more by necessity than by choice. Working in the void between technology, communication and leadership, I soon realized how information security in its wider definition is key to control information in all channels, and as such a key to communication and thus leadership. There are a great number of inspirators out there, people I consider both mentors and friends. As is not uncommon in our industry, I prefer not to name names, just point out that there are a lot of extremely smart people around the world who contribute to the security community in a number of ways. If you do insist on a few names, look up some of the books I have co­authored, and who else did write in those books.  

2) How do keep yourself motivated in this line of work and how do you handle the competition & failures? 

I am probably an odd­ball in the infosec community in that I am not a technically skilled hacker, nor am I particularly interested in tech. What I do, and do very well according to clients and connections, is to understand how the human mind impacts our security behaviors, and by understanding the mind, I help advice on programs and actions to change security behavior into the kind of behaviors we want to see from people. I am a strong believer in intrinsic motivation, and have created the Security Culture Framework as a free and open method to build security culture and change security awareness, because by allowing anyone access to the framework, we allow any organization to understand how to build and maintain the kind of security culture they need. And by doing so, instead of creating a competing environment, we enable the community to learn from each others. And seeing the results emerging in organizations around the world, organizations who may never have been able to hire my services, now being able to help themselves to better security ­ that is a great motivation for me personally, and to the community.  

3) Why is Global Honeynet Project important and why should people support this cause? 

Just like the Security Culture Framework, the Honeynet Project started, and thrives, as a community driven project focused on spreading understanding and building knowledge about how hackers infect and destroy systems. Before the Honeynet project, you were almost on your own, while with the Honeynet Project you now have a huge, global resource of people who understand your issues, and can help you understand how to protect yourself better. I strongly believe community driven projects are powerful bodies of knowledge that people should support and join. It is, however, important to understand how motivation works ­and what motivates yourself. If you find the areas of the Honeynet project of interest to you (and reading this, I think you may do that!), joining the cause will help you spread your knowledge, help you learn more, build a global network of people who understand and care for the same area of interest, as well as enabling you to personal growth.

4) What is your talk about and why people should join the event? 

My talk Hacking Your Mind, is an exploratory drive true three basic psychological phenomena that makes the human hackable and subsequently, and exploitable. These phenomena are, possibly, hard­wired into our brains, and as such, we need to understand how they work in order to build up our defenses. My talk explains each of the three areas and how social engineers of all sorts use these to trick us into doing things. Delivered with my passion, this is a must­not­miss talk for anyone who needs to understand how to combat social engineering and to secure the so­called weakest link.

5) What Security issues are being exploited and how to counter them? 

A very wide question, don’t you think? I will narrow down to my area of interest: the human mind and social behavior, or security culture as I normally call it. Within security culture, there are a number of security issues taking place ­ from social engineering to the insider threat. The biggest challenge is that after almost two decades of training and security awareness focus, security awareness programs generally fail. There are number of reasons for this ­both on the local organization side, as well as systemic reasons. But perhaps most importantly, programs fails because information security people do not understand how people function. So instead of adapting the programs to the needs of the people they are trying to change, they focus on creating change where none is wanted ­ the users do not understand the very basic WHY, the reason for the change you expect them to make. And yet, most information security officers in charge of awareness do not change their own perception of how to train people. Instead they conclude like this: "People are stupid. Awareness trainings do not work". Guess what. You are wrong. People are not stupid (well, most of them). And awareness programs fail not so much because of the programs, but due to their failure to understand their own requirements to adapt to the needs of the target audience. Again, this is the major reason behind the creation of the Security Culture Framework, which helps the security officer to understand how to build and maintain security culture that actually yields results.

6) What are the gaps in today’s security methods? 

Everywhere? Methods evolve, change and adapt to the current situation, as they should. Perhaps the biggest challenge is when methods no longer change, evolve and adapt? When we continue to do what we always did, yet we expect new results. Again, consider the security awareness focus, which the general consensus is that it does not work. If so, why do you continue to do the same old programmes all over again? And again? If it does not get you the results you need, get rid of it, and try something else! Just like the true hackers does! 

7) What are your suggestions for upcoming professionals? 

Never forget the human aspect of information security. And stop blaming the humans for the failures of security. Build secure systems which work together with humans to be secure, not something that works against every human behavior. To learn more about humans, security culture and security behavior, look up the Security Culture Framework ( https://scf.roer.com ). ­It is free and open, and consider joining peers in Oslo in june 2015 for the Security Culture Conference (https://scf.roer.com/conference ). Perhaps even more important ­talk to your heros, your rock­stars, your motivators, the speakers at the conference. Most of them are very kind, caring and knowledgeable people who want to help you. Network (with people), be humble, and never give up.

Source: - 

http://bit.ly/1BT1rPS

WhatsApp Plus Free Download Latest APK For Android

WhatsApp remains one of the most used instant messaging applications for smartphones. However, because the official application didn’t come with many features, a Spanish developer thought about making a custom WhatsApp application and they’ve called it WhatsApp Plus.

WhatsApp Plus comes with many features that the official application doesn’t have. First of all, the unofficial application comes with many themes which you can use. There are over 700 themes that you can change anytime you want. At the same time, WhatsApp Plus comes with a lot of emoticons, but unfortunately they can’t be seen by those who use the official WhatsApp application.

One of the main reasons that made a lot of users ditch the official WhatsApp application for WhatsApp Plus was the online availability. This way, you could hide your online status. However, soon enough, the developers of the official WhatsApp brought this feature to their application. You can also change the User Interface of WhatsApp Plus, change the size of the display image, the color of the messages, the font style and size and even the application icon. At the same time, you can hide the blue ticks while reading messages, which we’re pretty sure that a lot of users want. This way, you won’t need to explain to your friend why you didn’t answer to him after reading his message.

After the developers of the officialWhatsApp application saw that waves of users switched to the WhatsApp Plus application, they worked hard and found a way to ban them for 24 hours, in order to convince them come back to the official application. This made a lot of users uninstall WhatsApp Plus and return to WhatsApp. However, a few days later, the WhatsApp Plus developers released a new version which prevents you from getting banned.

The latest WhatsApp Plus version is the 6.76. In case you are using an earlier version of WhatsApp Plus, we suggest you to download and install the 6.76 version or else you might get a 24 hour ban, since the earlier versions don’t have the anti-ban system that was implemented in the 6.76 version.

To install the latest version of WhatsApp Plus on your Android smartphone, open your browser and Google for WhatsApp Plus 6.76 APK. After that, download the file to your device, install it and use your mobile phone number to get verified and log into your WhatsApp account.

Source : - http://bit.ly/1IHryze

Apps For Your Gay Money

As evidenced by Scout and Andy a few weeks ago, money is hard. As evidenced by the ten hours it took me yesterday to do my taxes, money is REALLY hard. And just…there has to be a better way, ya know? There has to be a better way to money than the way I (and probably a lot of us) are moneying right now.

Hear me out — queer people can and should discuss money. Where it comes from, how to manage it when you have it and how best to go about getting it when you don’t. Like it or not, we (or at least the American readers) live in a society that prioritizes material wealth. When we refuse to mindfully engage in that system, or when we ignore it because we wish we didn’t have to, our inclination to not talk about money becomes a tool in our own oppression. I was really fortunate in that my family was really good; they taught me a lot about money so that I wouldn’t have to find out the hard way later. But y’all know — money is hard. Money is hard whether or not you’ve been inducted into the ways of financial literacy. So how to money? How to money better?

Turns out, technology to the rescue. Here are a few apps I’ve found while researching how to money better, split into categories for exactly what kind of moneying they help with.

Budgeting

Mint.com

Ah, the juggernaut. Mint is the one everyone knows about, and there’s a reason. It’s suite of tools is unparalleled and free, and it’s all powered by Intuit (the trusted company behind Quicken and TurboTax, although I have a bone to pick with them for the way they charge people who’ve moved states within a tax year it’s enough to make you want to move on January 1st whenever one must move BUT I DIGRESS). The major pros involved in using Mint is the ease, of course — everything in one place, allows you to make a budget considering all your your accounts, and everything’s automatic! They even have a credit score checker and will alert you if anything weird happens on any of your accounts.

The cons: one must ask why this is free. And here it is — though Intuit won’t sell information that is identifiable to or as you, personally, it does sell aggregate information. In other words, the sensitive data that Mint has is probably being used to psychologically manipulate us in some way (as with literally all other data we’re putting on the internet). There’s also the fact that all your sensitive banking information is in one place; though one might take comfort in the fact that their security is awesome, it’s still one more entry point for baddies out there looking to steal your information and money. In the end, it’s up to you — I’ve certainly used this in the past because I thought the ability to visualize my money and my goals for my money was worth the minimal increase in risk.

Try Mint. Available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone and as a web app.

You Need A Budget

This is about more than software — You Need a Budget (called YNAB for short) is about their four step approach to managing money. They even have free online classes that teach financial literacy (their way, of course). And the personal accounting software is pretty robus — YNAB has desktop software for Mac and Windows and an app that syncs to it for both iOS and Android (that’s how you enter purchases). You don’t enter your bank account, so there’s not a worry of sharing banking information with third parties.

But there starts the con list — since you don’t enter your bank account, that leaves you entering every transaction (much like a checkbook). If you aren’t going to do that, well, this one might not be for you because software only works if you use it. It’s also pricey — while the mobile app is free, the actual computer software is $60. But! That might be worth it to you because you don’t have to wonder exactly how they can afford not to charge you.

The good news: they have a 34-day free trial so you can decide before you buy. Because it’s not a subscription, there’s nothing to cancel if you don’t like it — the software just stops working. And if you do like it, you just buy it and keep using it without losing any work you’ve already done.

Try You Need a Budget.

ReadyForZero

Would it be great if, like zeroing out our inbox, we zeroed down our debt? Made specifically for people with a bit of debt on their hands, ReadyForZero helps you build a plan to pay down that debt (whether it’s student loans or credit cards) and then stick to that plan using data visualization and handy reminder notifications. The most important features are free, but one can upgrade to a premium account to pay bills, get live time and interest savings calculations and monitor your credit score. The only major con is that this app does one thing—but honestly? That could be a pro, too. This app does one thing, and it does it well. I guess I’ll have to move the con to their team — can’t they hire a woman for their dev team?

Try ReadyForZero, available for iOS and Android (and on the web).

Saving and Investing

Acorns

Acorns helps you invest the spare change from purchases you already make — it rounds up and puts that change into a portfolio for you based on your risk tolerance (are you conservative? Moderate? Aggressive?). This beautifully designed app can make change grow without you even really feeling it — it’s almost like growing money with money you didn’t know you had. The major pro to this is that you have to know less about investing than if you were investing by yourself. And the fees are low, too: $1 per month on accounts with under $5k, .25% on accounts over $5k. There’s no minimum — and they never charge fees on a $0 account. You can withdraw any time, and they don’t charge trade commissions.

The cons are, of course, the total lack of control. It’s nice not to have to think about where things are invested but…do we really not want to choose where our money goes? Also you currently need to have a smartphone (either iOS or Android) to use Acorns (though they’re working on a web app, coming soon). As with any investment (even ETFs, which aren’t quite stocks), risk is inherent.

Try Acorns (must have an iOS or Android device).

Robinhood

From their about page: “Our mission is to democratize access to the financial markets.” If you want to buy and sell stock but can’t imagine paying a fee simply to purchase a thing and then sell a thing that you own, Robinhood might be for you. Pay just for stock and not anything else. It’s a well-designed app that notifies you of impending changes and provides you with realtime market data. Since Robinhood doesn’t charge fees for sales, they make money by accruing interest on customers’ uninvested cash balances.

However, the major con for this app is that it’s iOS only as of right now, though they’re working on Android and web versions. And of course, the other cons come with the territory of trading in stocks — there’s an inherent risk, one must already know a little bit about the market to succeed (and even knowledge isn’t a guarantee of success).

Try Robinhood.

Digit

Sock away cash without thinking about it. The major pro of this is that Digit is automated —every day it checks your spending habits and, if the robots think you can afford it, siphons a couple dollars into your Digit account. Basically, Digit is there for people who really suck at saving (*raises hand*). It’s a lot like Acorns, but for the more risk-averse among us (*raises hand again*). If you’re worried about the automated nature of it, don’t worry — they have an overdraft guarantee, and if Digit overdrafts your account, they’ll pay the fee (that’s how confident they are that their algorithm will never do that). This is also designed to work mainly through text messages, so you don’t even need a smartphone to see what’s up.

The major con is, though this service is “free,” it keeps the interest accrued on all the Digit accounts as its fee. Now that might not be so bad, frankly — you can withdraw your money, fee free, any time to put it in a savings account that does earn interest and there’s no minimum to how much you have to leave in your Digit account. They’re also eventually planning to share some of that interest back with their customers.

Try Digit. Available for your browser and your text messages, it’s super lightweight.

Just Plain Automated Transfers

Does the idea of a company keeping your interest really get your goat? Never fear — you can always set up a savings account (there are some good options out there, and rarely are they attached to your actual brick-and-mortar bank) and then use your checking account’s online hub to set up regular transfers to that account. It’s as simple as that. The pros are — it’s as simple as that. You don’t need to trust a third party with your banking information, just your bank(s). You just move money. The cons are it can be a lot harder to watch that money vanish from your account, and of course the bank is happy enough to overdraft and then charge you (most of the time — speak with your bank about options for automated transfers). In other words, no algorithm watching out for you.

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Small Businessing

Wave

Ugh, Wave has saved my bacon more times than I can count — so many of Wave’s features are free. Create estimates, make and send invoices, do ALL THE ACCOUNTING all in one place. Wave specifically makes its online (web app) software for single person businesses (freelancers) and companies with nine employees or under (they even have payroll for $9 per month). I feel like so many queers are starting businesses or freelancing — is that a queer community trend, or an everyone in a post 2008-world trend? Anywho, Wave makes their money when you take credit cards as a method of payment, when you use the service for payroll or when you upgrade to a premium account where you can call for advice. I have not found a downside to Wave yet — I suppose the same as above would apply if you enter your banking information with them, as they do have Mint-esque bank account tracking component, but since I only use them to keep track of my freelance invoices and payments because entering bank account information isn’t required, nope. Not a downside.

Try Wave.

GeniusScan

I’ve recommended it, like, 60 times, but KEEP TRACK OF YOUR BUSINESS-RELATED RECEIPTS. Keep track of them. I spent an hour yesterday looking for a receipt that I swore was in a safe place. That’s all you need to know. An hour of my day, gone. And all for a stupid tax deductible car rental.

They have a free version, as well as a full-featured version for $6.99. There is no excuse.

Source :- http://bit.ly/1CyCuyj

ZRRO is an Android box with a touchpad controller

There are plenty of boxes designed to let you run Android apps on your TV. The problem is that many Android apps aren’t designed for television screens, which means they can be tough to navigate using a remote control, gamepad, or even a mouse and keyboard.

The ZRRO Box is a TV box that aims to tackle this problem by bundling a touch and hover controller. Theoretically this lets you tap, swipe, pinch, and zoom in apps running on your TV just as if you were holding a phone or tablet in your hands.

In practice there may be a few problems with the theory… but that hasn’t stopped the folks behind ZRRO from raising more than $200,000 through pledges from backers of a Kickstarter campaign.

Here’s the idea: the ZRRO system consists of a TV box running Android software, a ZRRO Pad wireless controller, and any TV with HDMI input.

Look at the TV while holding the ZRRO Pad in your hands and you should be able to interact with the TV as if it were a touchscreen. Worried that you won’t know where to put your fingers since you’re not actually touching the TV? That’s where the hover feature comes in.

The controller detects your thumbs or fingers as they float above the screen and shows circles on the TV corresponding to the location of your thumbs. This lets you position your digits before placing them on the screen to tap or swipe.

The ZRRO Pad also supports vibration feedback and it has an accelerometer for motion controls as well as home, back, and recents buttons.

Note that the ZRRO Box runs the phone/tablet version of Android rather than Google’s official Android TV software. That means you’ll be able to download thousands of apps from the Play Store which aren’t optimized for Android TV and which won’t show up in the Store if you’re using a device like a Google Nexus Player or NVIDIA Shield Console.

So does it work? Kind of. Gizmodo tested a demo and found that it can be tough to accurately position your fingers even with the hover-and-touch system. The touch controller reportedly works better than the actual TV box though, which has an Amlogic S802 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, and reportedly sluggish performance.

The good news is that there are a few days left in the Kickstarter campaign… and now that the ZRRO team has met the initial $200,000 goal they’ve set a stretch goal: if the project hits $250,000 in funding, they’ll upgrade the hardware to a more powerful Amlogic S812 chip.

The developers hope to ship ZRRO Box and and ZRRO Pad controllers to Kickstarter backers who pledge $149 or more starting in September.

Source : - http://bit.ly/1DbFrXR