How to Open and Read .DAT Files on Windows

Finding a .dat file on your computer and wondering how to open it is not a very rare case. I used to get stuck with DAT files that were suppose to be a word document or a video file and get annoyed while trying to open it. If you happen to be in the same situation then I’m here to provide you with some solutions that may  help you.

     

First thing you should know is what really is a DAT file? it is basically a data file. More specifically it contains some type of computer data like text, video or picture. Some email programs change the extension of attached file to .DAT and that’s why you mostly encounter with a .dat file. Keep scrolling to find out more about how to read a DAT file.

How to Open a DAT file?

Now the problem with opening a DAT file is that you can’t tell what type of file it is by the name and the extension. It means first you need to figure out what kind of file it is. Afterwards you can just choose an appropriate program to open the file.

In order to open and read .dat files, you may have to go through several steps. The first and the most easy one is to double click on the file and let your PC decide which program should open the file. If no program automatically opens the file then move to next step.

If someone sent you a file via email which happens to have a .DAT extension then you might know what type of file he/she sent you. If not just simply ask the emailer about the file. If you know that it’s a .doc file then change the .dat extension to .doc. If your computer doesn’t show extensions of common files then first you need to enable this feature.

In order to do that go to Control Panel then click on Folder Option. Click on View tab.

    

Then Uncheck the box that says ‘Hide extensions for known file types’. Now you will be able to see the extension for any file and change them to something else.

If you received a dat file as an email attachment which is named as winmail.dat then you can use an online tool Winmaildat.com to extract the file.

If the method given above doesn’t help, then what you can do is open the file with notepad as you know notepad opens any type of file. You can of course use any other text editor as well. After opening the file with notepad you may see blocks text or code that make no sense. But most file contains some information that will be in plain readable text. Those information may indicate to a file format.

For example; I’ve opened a .dat file with notepad which is basically an image file. As you can see there are some texts that says something about Photoshop colormode. Which indicates that this might be an image file.

For video and music files you can use VLC Player to open them.

If you are totally unable to figure out what type of file it is then you can just try opening it with as many programs as you can. And if you are lucky enough, you may find an appropriate program that can open your .DAT file with ease.

Still facing problems opening a .DAT file? Don’t hesitate to comment bellow, I will try my best to help you out.

Apple iOS 11 upgrade: features and compatibility

Multi-tasking feature for iPad using iOS 11

Apple is set to launch its latest software upgrade, the iOS11, on September 19, 2017. This will be available to download on all compatible versions of the iPhone, iPod and iPad (see below). The company’s latest offering comes just a week after the global launch of its three new phone variants – iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X – along with Apple Watch Series 3 and Apple TV 4K.

Here are the main features of the iOS 11:

Files feature

The new Files app enables you to organise your files better, no matter where they are located. Files can be organised in one place and there’s a dedicated place for the most recent files, so you won’t waste time searching for them. It organises files from various sources like the iPad and other iOS devices, Dropbox, Cloud etc.

Dock

The Dock feature in the iPad allows you to toggle between apps instantly. It is placed at the bottom of the screen as a blue file icon. With one touch, a window pops up showing your favourite or most recently-used apps. Apps that have been opened recently, and apps that are currently open on the iPhone or Mac appear on the right side of the Dock. The Dock makes multi-tasking easier. You can open a second app from the Dock and both apps can be used simultaneously in a split-screen format.

Drag and drop

A new feature for the iPad. You can move files, photos, and text from one app to the other. If you want to attach a picture to your email, just drag and drop the picture from your album.

Apple Pencil

An enhanced feature for iPad Pro users who also have the Apple Pencil. This is useful for inline notes, say if you are sending a picture to someone and you want to circle one particular object to get his/her attention. With the Inline Drawing feature, if you write or draw something in the Notes app, the text around it can move automatically aside.

 

Do Not Disturb

A very useful tool, while driving. The iPhone can detect that you may be driving, through vehicle movement or Bluetooth connections, and notifications will be automatically silenced to keep the screen dark. Users have the option of sending an auto reply to their contacts to let them know they are driving and will respond at a better time.

Redesigned app store

The new-look app store is meant to make the experience of discovering new games and apps easier. You can read more about how the apps were created by checking out interviews with the developers. There is also a dedicated Games tab.

Photo features: Loop and Bounce

Play around with your photos with these new features. Using Live Photos, you can use the Loop feature to create a video loop, like watching a Vine video. With the Bounce feature, once an action plays out – for instance a person jumping into a pool-- the video rebounds back to the start, akin to pressing the rewind button. There are also new photo filters that are geared to make Portrait shots look even more professional.

Siri

The personal assistant is set to become even more efficient as it will now be possible to translate US English into Mandarin, French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Augmented Reality

View virtual content on top of real-world scenes. A fine feature for designers.

Compatibility

iPhone: iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, iPhone 5s

iPad: 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation, 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini 4, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 2

iPod: iPod touch 6th generation

4 new features in Messages on iOS 11

The Messages app on iOS 11 is a heck of a lot better than iOS 10, yet it doesn't look all that different. Here's what you need to know

Autoplay: ONAutoplay: OFF

With iOS 10, Apple spent a lot of time adding new features to the Messages app. From an iMessage App Store to drawing tools to screen and message effects.

With iOS 11, Apple refined the Messages app, adding fewer features and making those that already existed easier to use.

As Apple continues to update the public beta of iOS 11, we will monitor and look for new features as well. If anything changes, and it often does, we will be sure to update this post. 

Here's what's different:

Apple Pay

Move aside, Square Cash. Apple is making it far too easy for iMessage users to send or request money from one another. The new iMessage App is tied to Apple Pay and appears to be as simple as sending a sticker in an iMessage conversation.

Apple Pay in Messages isn't quite ready yet. We will cover it in more detail once we can use it.

New app picker

In iOS 10, iMessage Apps were hidden and too much work to get to. With iOS 11, each time you open a conversation the bottom of the screen will display an app dock.

Scroll to the left to view more apps, or long-press on the row of icons to enlarge the dock. Tap an app's icon to open it, or tap the "..." icon to view a list of installed apps.

This picker is super quick and easy to use. Good job, Apple.

Two new screen effects

Echo and Spotlight are new in iOS 11. Echo is the perfect way to annoy a friend, while Spotlight is sure to draw attention to a message or photo.

An easier way to mute conversations

Part of a group chat that just won't shut up? Or have a friend who sends you countless memes and gifs while you are at work? You can now easily mute a conversation, or as iOS 11 calls it, hide alerts.

When in the Messages app, swipe left across a conversation and tap Hide Alerts.

A half-moon icon will appear next to the conversation when it's muted.

Messages sync

Apple had originally announced that the ability to sync Messages across all of your Apple devices would launch as part of iOS 11. It's one of those features where shouts of "Finally!" are warranted. However, during the beta process Apple removed Messages sync, leaving instead a note stating the feature would make its way into iOS via a future update. 

While it's frustrating true message sync isn't quite ready, rest assured Apple is working on it and will have it out as soon as possible. 

Editor's Note: This post was originally published on June 28, 2017, and has since been updated to reflect current feature changes. 

5 Breathtaking Workplaces Around The World

We’ve all felt the Monday Blues, the disappointment of realizing the weekend is done. But what if your office was so cool, you run to work everyday? Don’t believe us? Check out these cool offices from around the world, that are so brilliant you’ll be scouring the internet for jobs right away!

# Selgas Cano – Madrid

When architects design offices for themselves, brilliant designs are bound to follow suit. The Selgas Cano office in Madrid, designed by the architects of the same name for their own firm is nothing short of brilliant!

# Google Office – Zurich

No one goes all out with their office spaces than Google does. Which is probably why everyone wants to work there. The Google Office in Zurich is one of the best campuses that Google has, and that’s saying something! Pool, Foosball and Table Tennis tables adorn the office, to their employees sheer joy. Google also has a rule that no employee should ever be more than 100 mtrs away from food.

# Comvert – Italy

When Italian alternative clothing company had to relocate to a new office, true to their band, they went ahead and did the most alternative thing ever. They converted a cinema hall into their office and threw in a huge indoor skating bowl

# Facebook – California

In close competition with Google for brilliant office spaces is none other than our very own Facebook. With wide open spaces and movie halls and entertainment areas with all amenities in the offing, this office is the ultimate dream work space!

# D-Tac – Thailand

When Thailand’s second largest telecom operator D-Tac decided to build anew office they went all out to create something worthy of international envy. Some of the highlights include a massive circular library amphitheatre, and an entire floor dedicated to fun, with indoor soccer, table tennis, running track, and concert and performance spaces.

The world’s first wireless charger is here. It does away with cords or mats

A Silicon Valley start up, Pi, has claimed it has developed the world’s first wireless charger. Instead of cords or mats, the conical creation charges smartphones with magnetic waves.

Instead of cords or mats, the conical creation charges smartphones with magnetic waves.(Courtesy: picharging.com)

Silicon Valley youngster Pi on Monday claimed it had developed the world’s first wireless charger that does away with cords or mats to charge devices. Pi chargers, about the size of a small table vase, operate on standard charging technology used in Apple or Android smartphones designed to be powered up wirelessly.

But instead of cords or mats, the conical creation charges smartphones with magnetic waves. Magnetic fields are an ideal way to safely send energy to portable electronics, said Pi chief technology officer Lixin Shi, who co-created the charger with John MacDonald.

The founders said it took them over a year to figure out how to bend magnetic waves to find smartphones.

The trick was bending magnetic waves to find smartphones, the co-founders said during a presentation for an AFP journalist at the TechCrunch Disrupt startup scrum in San Francisco. “The hard part was figuring out how to make magnetic charging more flexible, multi-device and extend its useful range,” Shi said. “It took us over a year to complete the mathematical proof that makes it all possible.”

The pair figured out how to shape the magnetic field so energy could be beamed to smartphones placed or in use within a foot of a Pi. Shi and MacDonald were graduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when they met and began to collaborate on the project about 3.5 years ago. Both have since graduated from university.

Pi’s magnetic fields are relatively weak, far less than the levels used for medical imaging, but allow devices to be charged at “full speed,” according to MacDonald. A combination of smartphones and tablets could wirelessly charge on a desk if a Pi were placed near people working together. Pi set up shop in the Silicon Valley city of San Bruno, and the co-founders said they raised $3.5 million in a seed funding round lead by SoftTech VC managing partner Jean-Francois Clavier. MacDonald promised that Pi devices would begin shipping next year and be priced “well below $200.”

Apple this month unveiled three new iPhone models, including a 10th-anniversary edition iPhone X, all of which featured wireless charging. The company said it will come to market with AirPower charging mats sized to accommodate an iPhone, Apple Watch and an AirPods earpiece case.

Apple's A11 Bionic is a cyborg: first iPhone 8/X benchmarks crush all Androids, including the S8

Phone Arena

Ever since the first benchmarks of Apple's new A11 Bionic chipset leaked out, we saw that it is going to be a beast, yet nothing really prepares you for two times higher scores of the iPhone 8 and iPhone X on the cross-platform Geekbench, compared to even the fastest Androids like the Galaxy S8, Note 8, or the S8+.

All of the top devices in the Geekbench charts for Android and iOS are now flaunting 10nm chipsets - Android has the Snapdragon 835 and Exynos 8895 on top, while Apple's new phones with A11 topped the charts immediately after their first pass in the benchmark database. As you can see above, the single-core scores of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or the iPhone X, are more than twice higher than anything Android has to offer, and more than 50% higher in the multi-core runs. Even if we see a move to the 7/8nm process for the spring flagships next year, they still might not be able to top those result anyway.

This goes to show that Apple's A11 Bionic is a cyborg of a chipset indeed, capable of real-time augmented reality, or recording 4K video at 60fps without a sweat. This time around, Apple also has a custom-made graphics and image processing engines inside, so the Bionic might be with the most optimized power/performance ratio that Apple has ever created, and it really shows both in synthetic benchmarks, and during the announcement event demos that Apple showcased on stage.

Top iOS vs Android benchmark charts

Do you know the meaning of this important number written in the gas cylinder

Nowadays, gas cylinder bursts and leakages cause many lives to be destroyed. And its main reason being outwardly and cylinder is outdated. If you take a little caution, you can avoid these accidents. The gas cylinders we use in the house are also expiry date and if there is no attention given to it, then it has to face many difficulties.

Copyright Holder

Today we will show this with the help of this article so that when you next take a gas cylinder you can check it. At the top of the cylinder, the three strips that are attached to the top of the cylinder are written on A, B, C, D. They mean that the Tea Company divides each letter in 3 months A means January From March to B mean from April to June.

Copyright Holder

In the same way, C to July to September and D means from October to December. In addition to this, B-trees are also given, for example, A-17 means that the expiry date of the gas cylinder is from January to March 2017. And after that use of the cylinder can be dangerous. And these hazards include gas leakage from the burst of gas cylinder. If you like this article then please follow and share.

Programming cells like computers to fight cancer disease

A new technique can help programme cells like a computer to fight cancer, influenza, and other serious conditions, suggests new research.

A common molecule — ribonucleic acid (RNA), which is produced abundantly by humans, plants and animals — can be genetically engineered to allow scientists to programme the actions of a cell, said the study published in the journal Nucleic Acids Research.

RNAs carry information between protein and DNA in cells, and the research proved that these molecules can be produced and organised into tailor-made sequences of commands — similar to codes for computer software — which feed specific instructions into cells, programming them to do what we want.

Cells have the capacity to process and respond to instructions and codes inputted into their main system, said lead researcher Alfonso Jaramillo, Professor at University of Warwick in Britain.

Similar to software running on a computer, or apps on a mobile device, many different RNA sequences could be created to empower cells with a ‘Virtual Machine’, able to interpret a universal RNA language, and to perform specific actions to address different diseases or problems, the study said.

This will allow a novel type of personalised and efficient healthcare, allowing us to ‘download’ a sequence of actions into cells, instructing them to execute complex decisions encoded in the RNA.

The researchers made their invention by first modelling all possible RNA sequence interactions on a computer, and then constructing the DNA encoding the optimal RNA designs, to be validated on bacteria cells in the laboratory.

After inducing the bacterial cells to produce the genetically engineered RNA sequences, the researchers observed that they had altered the gene expression of the cells according to the RNA programme — demonstrating that cells can be programmed with pre-defined RNA commands, in the manner of a computer’s microprocessor.

“The capabilities of RNA molecules to interact in a predictable manner, and with alternative conformations, has allowed us to engineer networks of molecular switches that could be made to process arbitrary orders encoded in RNA,” Jaramillo said.

As well as fighting disease and injury in humans, scientists could harness this technique to control plant cells and reverse environmental and agricultural issues, making plants more resilient to disease and pests.

“Throughout last year, my group has been developing methodologies to enable RNA sensing the environment, perform arithmetic computations and control gene expression without relying on proteins, which makes the system universal across all living kingdoms,” Jaramillo said.

“The cells could read the RNA ‘software’ to perform the encoded tasks, which could make the cells detect abnormal states, infections, or trigger developmental programmes,” he added.

Tutorial: Unlock Bootloader on Moto G5S Plus

You can easily unlock bootloader on Moto G5S Plus through this detailed guide. The Moto G5S Plus comes as a successor to the original G5 Plus and carries incremental changes. Now why would you unlock the bootloader on such a recent phone? Unlocking the bootloader basically allows you to try out custom ROMs, root your phone and even flash official firmwares manually. For security, the Moto G5S Plus ships with a locked bootloader but you can easily unlock it through the steps given below. Unlocking the bootloader is supported by Motorola themselves so you wont be needing a third-party to do it. You can unlock bootloader on Moto G5S Plus smartphone with the instructions ahead.

If you are having a bootloop or you are stuck with force closes, it is good to have an unlocked bootloader as you would be able to return to factory settings in matter of no time. Let’s get on with the tutorial and unlock bootloader of your Motorola phone. We have a complete guide below that will help you have an unlocked bootloader in no time. you will need to backup all your existing phone data and files. For that, we have some amazing tips given below.

Disclaimer: All the tools, mods or ROMs mentioned below belong to their respective owners/developers. We (TeamAndroid.com) or the developers are not to be held responsible if you damage or brick your device. We don’t have you on gun point to try out this tutorial

Moto G5S Plus USB Drivers

You will need to connect your Android phone with the computer. For that, please make sure you have installed the USB drivers for Moto G5S Plus properly. If not, you can download the latest official drivers from our Android USB Drivers section here:

Backup and Other Important Tips

Done with the USB drivers? Perfect. The tutorial is on the next page, but first, please take a look at the following tips and important points you need to take care of. These are important, as we don’t want anyone losing their personal data or apps.

Always backup your important data that you might need after you install a new custom ROM, an official software update or anything else. Make a backup for just in case, you never know when anything might go wrong. Read: How to Backup Android Apps, Text Messages, WhatsApp, Call History.

If you already have a custom recovery (ClockworkMod, TWRP etc.) installed on your phone, we strongly recommend a backup using that as it creates a complete image of your existing phone set up. [Tutorial: How to Backup Android Phone using TWRP]

A few more optional tips that you should remember:

1. Having problems connecting your Android phone to the computer? You need to enable USB debugging mode. See here: How to Enable USB Debugging — for Gingerbread, Ice Cream Sandwich, Jelly Bean, KitKat, Lollipop, Marshmallow, Nougat and Oreo.

2. Make sure your Android device is charged up to 80-85% battery level. This might help you: How to Check Battery Percentage. Why? Because, if your phone goes off suddenly while installing a custom ROM, flashing an official firmware update or installing mods etc. — your phone might get bricked or go dead permanently. No one wants that, right?

3. Most of the tutorials and how-to guides on Team Android are for factory unlocked Android phones and tablets. We recommend not to try our guides if your phone is locked to a carrier, unless we have specified the carrier name or device model.

How to Unlock Bootloader on Moto G5S Plus

We have put together a detailed step-by-step instructions guide on how to unlock bootloader of your Moto G5S Plus. Please read every line carefully. We suggest, read the tutorial once before actually performing it on your phone.

IMPORTANT: Unlocking your device may void all or parts of your warranty by Motorola.

Step 1 – Go to the bootloader unlock page at the Motorola website.

Step 2 – Scroll down and click “Next”. If you have already configured your Google account on your phone then Sign in with the same account otherwise use your Motorola website account. If you don’t have any of those accounts than click on the Sign Up button.

Step 3 – After you are logged in, you would be displayed with a bunch of steps. Don’t worry we will be explaining each and everyone so you can follow along easily.

Step 4 –Download Android SDK Platform-Tools (Fastboot) now and extract the ZIP file in C:\ drive (or anywhere in your computer).

Step 5 – Now hold the Power button on your Moto G5S Plus for 10 seconds to completely turn it off.

Step 6 – Now go to Bootloader Mode on your device. How? Press Volume Down and Power to start the device into Bootloader mode.

Step 7 – Connect your Motoro G5S Plus to the computer via a USB cable.

Step 8 – Now open a Command Propmpt in the same folder where you extracted the fastboot files. How? Open the folder, press Shift and Right Click simultaneously and select “Open Command Window Here..” from the menu.

Step 9 – Now type the following command and press Enter.

fastboot oem get_unlock_data

Step 10 – You will see long pieces of text with random numbers and letters.

It will look something like this:

(bootloader) 0A40040192024205#4C4D3556313230
(bootloader) 30373731363031303332323239#BD00
(bootloader) 8A672BA4746C2CE02328A2AC0C39F95
(bootloader) 1A3E5#1F53280002000000000000000
(bootloader) 0000000

Step 11 – You need to copy the displayed string and paste it in a text editor like Notepad. After that, you need to remove the spaces and “(bootloader)” so that the text makes one long string like this:

0A40040192024205#4C4D355631323030373731363031303332323239#BD008A672BA4746C2CE02328A2AC0C39F951A3E5#1F532800020000000000000000000000

Step 12 – Put the obtained string in the text box displayed on the same page which we opened in Step 3.

Step 13 – Once added, click on the “Can my device be unlocked?” button. If your device is un-lockable, a “REQUEST UNLOCK KEY” button will appear at the bottom of the page.

Step 14 – Agree with the terms.

Step 15 – After agreeing and pressing the Request Unlock Key button, you would likely receive a mail which includes the unique unlock key afterwards. Make sure your phone is still connected. Type the following command in the same prompt window we opened before:

fastboot oem unlock Your_key

NOTE: Replace “Your_key” with the string you received in the mail from Motorola.

Step 15 – If all went well and you followed each step with precision, your phone should reboot while showing you the following image.

That’s it. Your Moto G5S Plus now has an unlocked bootloader. This means, you can install custom ROMs, flash a custom recovery and perform other system tweaks on your Motorola phone now.

How to watch Blu-Ray discs on Windows 10

Windows Central

Want to watch Blu-Ray discs on your Windows 10 PC? It's easy when you know how.

DVDs are fairly simple to deal with on Windows 10, but what about Blu-Ray? These discs are now the standard for HD video on the physical format, and as more and more of us use our PCs for home entertainment, it's perfectly acceptable to want to play a Blu-Ray on it.

But it's not just a case of popping a disc in the drive and putting your feet up. There are paid apps out there that will do the leg work, but you don't have to part ways with your money.

Converting your discs to digital

This isn't for the light hearted, mostly because it takes such a long time to do and it's easy to make a mistake. But there is a free way to do it using two pieces of software.

MakeMKV and Handbrake have featured before in our roundup of DVD cloning software, and for good reason. Both are completely free to use right now, though MakeMKV is technically still a beta, they're still very powerful.

Essentially you use MakeMKV to pull the data from the Blu-Ray, then run it through Handbrake to compress it down. You can, of course, skip Handbrake, but each file from a Blu-Ray will be huge. So unless you have an awful lot of storage on hand, running through Handbrake is a good step to reduce the file size at the expense of outright quality.

Apps

You can watch the actual discs on your Windows 10 PC without having to convert them to a digital file. The first to mention is the good old Swiss Army Knife, VLC. Natively, VLC won't just play your Blu-Ray discs, you need to do some tweaking.

It's not necessarily the best option, but if you're a heavy VLC user then it's at least an option.

Perhaps a better, also free, method is the Leawo Blu Ray player application. It also supports DVDs, and while you're not paying for it, you're only getting a very basic Blu-Ray player. Nevertheless, it's reliable and gets the job done.

If you're interested in something a little more feature filled, there are a number of paid for apps out there. One of the better ones is Cyberlink's PowerDVD. The latest version is around $60 at the time of writing and offers support for 3D Blu-Ray as well as regular discs, high frame rate playback, casting and 4K UHD Blu-Ray as well.

Additionally, PowerDVD will also play back directly any of your ISO files from Blu-Rays or DVDs, so you've got everything you need under one roof.

Your passwords are probably a lot worse than you think

Password breaches have become commonplace. Here's how to check the status of your passwords and, more important, keep your identity safe.

As if the recent ransomware scares weren't enough to keep you up at night, password breaches continue to make news. 

Back in May, for example, security research center MacKeeper reported that a massive database of stolen passwords had surfaced online. And while it was composed largely of passwords from a variety of sources, many of them years old, its newfound accessibility -- and conglomeration into a single collection -- is cause for concern.

It's also cause for action. Although "online safety" feels increasingly like an oxymoron these days, there are still steps you can take to protect yourself when breaches like this occur. It all starts with getting rid of those overly used, poorly designed passwords you know are terrible but you use anyway. 

Improve your passwords

The most secure password in the world is useless if a hacker steals it, but it becomes much less useful if it's not the same password you use for every single log-in.

In other words, it's essential that you employ a different password everywhere you conduct online affairs. And the only effective way to do that is with a password manager, which can generate and manage unique, robust passwords for all your sites and services.

Dashlane can automatically change your passwords, a huge time-saver and a great way to get ahead of security breaches. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

Of course, even password managers aren't infallible, as LastPass users discovered recently. That's why you should change passwords regularly -- a potentially daunting task unless your password manager can perform it automatically. Dashlane and LastPass are among the handful that offer this handy feature.

Find out if you're compromised

The aforementioned database contains some 560 million passwords. Want to know if yours are in there somewhere? Head to Have I Been Pwned, which checks to see if your email address appears in any database that's been compromised.

The aptly named "Have I Been Pwned?" lets you know if your email address appears in a compromised database. Screenshot by Rick Broida/CNET

If it does, don't panic: Remember that many of the sources in that database are years old. For example, one of my email addresses was indeed "pwned," but it was in the Dropbox breach of 2012 -- and I've long since changed my password there.

Of course, it certainly wouldn't hurt to change the password on any site(s) detected here. (Pro tip: Click Notify me when I get pwned so you can be informed if and when your email appears in the next breach.)

This site recently added another tool to help keep you safe: a search engine based on a database of over 300 million compromised passwords. So, rather than searching for your email address or username, you can search for a password. Of course, security expert Troy Hunt, who operates the Pwned site, advises against using his tool (or any other) to check passwords you're actively using. Rather, this is way to vet any new password you might want to employ, as you can see if it's already been compromised.

Enable two-step verification

Short of a fingerprint reader, two-step verification (aka two-step authorization) may be the single best way to protect online accounts. Most commonly, the second of the two steps (the first being entering your password) involves entering a code delivered on-demand to your phone. Even if a hacker has your password, he doesn't have your phone, and therefore shouldn't be able to bypass that second step.

Of course, this requires you to have your phone close at hand and able to receive text messages (or, if you use an authorization app instead, data connectivity). It's also an extra hassle.

Want to learn more? Read Matt Elliott's Two factor-authentication: How and why to use it. Then move onto Matt's more recent update, in which he advises against using SMS for this. (A much safer bet: "An authentication app such as Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator or Authy.")

Delete old accounts

Remember AOL? Perhaps you had an account at one time, but haven't touched it in months or even years. If it's still active, and a hacker manages to break in, that still puts you at considerable risk. You might have all kinds of personal information stored there, to say nothing of photos and other media that should be kept private.

Thus, take some time to delete old, unused accounts. This is another way a password manager comes in handy: When it first imports all your passwords, you can see a full list of every account you have. Then it's a matter of working your way through them and determining which ones you want to deactivate.

Alas, you'll have to manually visit each site in turn and figure out how to actually delete your account. For help, turn to JustDelete.me, which provides direct links to the cancellation pages of hundreds of services.