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A file with the .lit file extension is an eBook in the Microsoft eReader file format. LIT (short for “Literature”) files are eBook formats designed by Microsoft to work on Microsoft devices only. What Is a LIT File? A LIT file is a type of electronic book format created by Microsoft and used solely by the Microsoft Reader program, which was first released in 2000. Microsoft Reader was a free application that allowed users to view their books on Windows....

What Is Shadowsocks? Shadowsocks is a connection tool that lets you circumvent censorship. It’s used widely in China by people looking to tunnel under the Great Firewall—the digital barrier that keeps the Chinese internet “safe” from foreign influence—as it’s completely free, though you’ll need some tech know-how to set it up. RELATED: What to Expect from the Internet in China In fact, Shadowsocks is so good at getting past China’s blocks that there’s a good case to be made for it over another tool, virtual private networks (VPNs)....

Google is set to release Chrome 79 today on December 10, 2019. Expect lower CPU usage and improved security. The latest version of Chrome can share a clipboard with Android phones, too. Tab Freezing Saves CPU (and Battery) Chrome 79 introduces automatic tab freezing. You should never even notice it’s happening, but it will reduce Chrome’s CPU usage—especially when you have lots of tabs open. That lower CPU usage means your laptop’s battery will last longer, too....

What is Portrait Mode This is a mode used in photography to capture images of a single subject. Traditionally this subject—whether it’s a human, a vase of flowers, a pet, and so on—stays in focus while everything else in the foreground and background is out of focus. On a DSLR or analog camera, you can manually focus the lens on a subject while also capturing the surrounding out-of-focus elements. iPhones didn’t have this capability outside of using third-party external lenses until 2016 when Apple introduced the iPhone 7 Plus....

Printer ink is expensive, more expensive per drop than fine champagne or even human blood. If you haven’t gone paperless, you’ll notice that you’re paying a lot for new ink cartridges — more than seems reasonable. Purchasing the cheapest inkjet printer and buying official ink cartridge replacements is the most expensive thing you can do. There are ways to save money on ink if you must continue to print documents....

What Is Wi-Fi 6, and Why Should You Care? Wi-Fi 6 is the latest generation of the Wi-Fi standard. The Wi-Fi Alliance retroactively renamed older standards, so 802.11ac is Wi-Fi 5 and 802.11n is Wi-Fi 4. Wi-Fi 6 is also known as 802.11ax, but version numbers make things much simpler. It’s easy to understand which versions of Wi-Fi are faster and newer. When using a router with just a single device, Wi-Fi 6 could offer up to 40% faster data transfer speeds....

After a major data breach, it’s hard to know whether your information has been compromised and how to protect yourself afterward. Businesses have cropped up that offer credit monitoring services—peace of mind for a price. But should you pay for them, or even sign up for a free trial? What Are Credit Monitoring Services? Credit monitoring services, like LifeLock or Identity Guard, offer a range of monitoring “plans” that run from $10 to $30 a month....

Netflix is bumping the price of its plans by $1-$2. Starting with the Standard plan, it’s going from $14 to $15.50 per month. If you opt for the cheaper Basic plan, you’re looking at an increase from $9 to $10 per month. Finally, if you’re using the Premium plan, which includes 4K streaming, you’re going to have to pay $20 per month instead of $18. In Canada, the Standard plan jumped to C$16....

Even if you’re familiar with Microsoft PowerPoint, you might be surprised by the number and variety of keyboard shortcuts you can use to speed up your work and generally make things more convenient. Now, does anyone expect you to memorize all these keyboard combos? Of course not! Everyone’s needs are different, so some will be more useful to you than others. And even if you pick up a few new tricks, it’s worth it....

First Impressions The case gives the tablet a more professional look and succeeds in making it pleasant to hold. Without it, the Fire 7 feels like a small slab of plastic. The tablet itself is minuscule as ever, weighing a little over 10oz and standing at 7in long and 4.6in wide. This is a tiny tablet about the size of your average book—only thinner. It feels nice to hold. The Fire tablet lineup has been small so far, and the seventh iteration isn’t breaking tradition....

Sometimes, we need a way to back up old DVDs to bring our favorite movies with us into the future, or to digitize them into more enjoyable-to-watch formats. DVD copy is your best bet, but it can all be pretty overwhelming. Luckily, WinX DVD Ripper Platinum makes it simple and fast. Disclaimer: This content was provided by our advertiser and has not been edited. It is in no way a reflection of How-To Geek’s writing or our editorial position....

A User Agent String identifies your browser and system details to sites you go to. It will identify your browser, version number, and details about your system. This allows a web server to use the information to provide content specific to your browser. If you want to change the value of the data being sent, using the UAPick User-Agent Switcher will do the job in IE 8. Installing UAPick User-Agent Switcher...

What Is DNS Over HTTPS? The web has been pushing towards encrypting everything by default. At this point, most of the websites you access are likely using HTTPS encryption. Modern web browsers like Chrome now mark any sites using standard HTTP as “not secure.” HTTP/3, the new version of the HTTP protocol, has encryption baked in. This encryption ensures that no one can tamper with a web page while you’re viewing it or snoop on what you’re doing online....

Most of the steps in building your own desktop PC are fairly self-explanatory: thanks to the modular nature of PC parts, it’s actually hard to mess up. But there’s one exception, and it can get messy. When it comes to applying thermal paste, less is more: a small, pea-sized drop is all you need. Don’t spread it around, either—the heatsink will spread it out evenly as you screw it in....

With Snapchat’s Sounds feature, you can choose popular music or even make your own sounds to insert into snaps. This guide will get you started on adding and giving your stories and messages a musical flair. Start by launching Snapchat on your iPhone or Android smartphone. Then, take a photo or video by tapping or holding the circular shutter icon on the bottom of the main screen. From here, tap the music note button on the right side of your screen....

It’s easy to use the web with multiple Google accounts signed in at the same time, but you will always fall back to the “default” account. It’s a little tricky to change this, but it can be done. The default Google account is determined by whichever you first used to sign in. This same rule applies to Android devices and many Google apps. Unfortunately, changing which account is the “default” is a bit cumbersome....

If you’re working with others on a shared Google Sheets file, sometimes people can enter unexpected data or something that breaks a formula. One way to ensure everyone enters the data you want is to provide it for them in a drop-down validation list. How to Create a Drop-Down List A drop-down list is a great way to ensure the data people enter into your form, application, or spreadsheet is exactly what you’re expecting....

If you want to hide them, here’s what to do. How to Hide Audible Books from the Home Screen On your Kindle’s Home Screen, tap the three little dots in the top-right corner. Then, in the pop-up menu, tap “Settings.” Next, go to “Device Options.” Then “Advanced Options.” Then “Home & Library.” And, finally, “Audible Content.” Select “Show in Library Filter Only.” Tap the “Home” button and now, on your Home Screen, you’ll only see Audiobooks if you’ve downloaded them....

Chrome Extensions are powerful tools that let you customize your browser experience to your liking. While these have historically only been available on the desktop, a recent update to the Kiwi Browser brings support for desktop extensions to Android. What is Kiwi Browser? Kiwi is an open-source browser for Android devices based on Chromium and the WebKit rendering engine. Since it uses the Chromium source, it has a very familiar look and feel, but it also packs its own features to make it unique and useful....

Modifying Text-to-Speech voices is easily done from the Android accessibility settings menu. You can change the speed and pitch of your chosen voice, as well as the voice engine you use. Google Text-to-Speech is the default voice engine and is pre-installed on most Android devices. If your Android device doesn’t have it installed, you can download the Google Text-to-Speech app from the Google Play Store. Changing Speech Rate and Pitch Android will use default settings for Google Text-to-Speech, but you might need to change the speed and pitch of the Text-to-Speech voice to make it easier for you to understand....