/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ • / 20 Comments

Why Modern Secondary Schools Should Teach Their Students Programming

Programming has become a critical skill in modern education systems for several reasons, reflecting the increasing role of technology in almost every aspect of life. Here are the key points highlighting the importance of programming in education:

1. Promotes Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

  • Programming teaches students to break down complex problems into smaller, manageable parts and develop step-by-step solutions. This fosters logical thinking, analytical skills, and the ability to approach problems in a structured and systematic way, which are valuable skills in any field.

2. Develops Creativity and Innovation

  • Coding is not just about following instructions; it encourages creative thinking and innovation. Students learn to design and build things from scratch, which cultivates imagination and the ability to create new technologies, apps, websites, and solutions. This is crucial for the development of new ideas and technologies in various industries.

3. Prepares Students for the Future Workforce

  • In today’s digital world, programming is a fundamental skill in many fields, including software development, data science, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, engineering, healthcare, and more. By learning programming early, students can enhance their employability and gain a competitive edge in the job market.

4. Fosters Collaboration and Teamwork

  • Many programming tasks are completed in teams, whether through pair programming, group projects, or collaboration in open-source communities. This builds skills in communication, collaboration, and working with others to achieve a common goal—qualities that are increasingly valued in the workplace.

5. Enhances Digital Literacy

  • As technology continues to permeate every aspect of life, it is essential for students to not just use technology but understand how it works. Learning programming enhances digital literacy, allowing students to interact with the digital world in a deeper, more meaningful way. It also gives them the ability to understand how algorithms, artificial intelligence, and software affect their daily lives.

6. Encourages Persistence and Resilience

  • Coding often involves encountering and overcoming challenges, debugging errors, and refining solutions. This teaches resilience, as students learn that failure is part of the learning process and that perseverance is key to success. They develop the ability to tackle difficult tasks and improve through trial and error.

7. Supports STEM Education

  • Programming is integral to the broader field of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education. It provides a hands-on approach to learning complex concepts in these fields, reinforcing critical ideas in mathematics, logic, and engineering, and helping students understand how abstract concepts apply in real-world scenarios.

8. Encourages Computational Thinking

  • Computational thinking—the process of thinking like a computer scientist—is a mindset that involves decomposition (breaking down problems), pattern recognition, abstraction (simplifying complex systems), and algorithm design. Learning programming instills this way of thinking, which is applicable not only in tech fields but also in everyday problem-solving situations.

9. Increases Access to Global Opportunities

  • Programming opens doors to a global community of developers and learners. Students who learn to code can participate in open-source projects, collaborate with people around the world, or even start their own tech-based businesses. This kind of skill is highly valued globally, giving students access to a broader range of opportunities.

10. Encourages Lifelong Learning

  • The field of technology is constantly evolving, and so is programming. Teaching programming to students encourages a mindset of lifelong learning, as they understand the importance of continually upgrading their skills and keeping up with new developments in technology and programming languages.

11. Improves Academic Performance in Other Subjects

  • Studies show that learning programming can enhance performance in subjects like mathematics and science. Programming reinforces logical and quantitative thinking and can make abstract concepts more accessible. The problem-solving skills learned in coding can also be applied to solving complex problems in other subjects.

12. Empowers Individuals and Communities

  • Programming empowers individuals by giving them the tools to create their own solutions and technologies. This empowerment extends to communities, allowing local problems to be addressed through custom software, apps, and websites. People who understand programming can help bridge gaps in access to technology and innovation in their communities.

Programming is no longer just an optional skill for students interested in computer science. It has become a foundational literacy, akin to reading, writing, and mathematics, and is vital for preparing students for success in a rapidly changing, technology-driven world. By integrating programming into modern education systems, we equip students with the tools they need to thrive in the future, regardless of the career path they choose.

/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ 4 Comments

How to Restart an iPhone 15

This blog post tells how to restart an iPhone 15. The instructions include how to do a soft restart for a simple shut down of the device and a force restart if the first methods don’t work.

How to Soft Restart an iPhone 15

To soft restart means to turn off your iPhone using the device’s options and then turn it back on. Follow these steps to soft restart your iPhone 15.

  1. Press and hold the Side button on the right and either Volume button on the left at the same time.
  1. Drag the Slide to Power Off option to the right
  1. When you’re ready to turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the Side button

How to Use Settings to Restart iPhone 15

If you’re having trouble using the device’s buttons to restart your iPhone 15, you can use the onscreen option instead. This method is also considered a soft restart.

  1. Open the Settings and select General.

  2. At the bottom, choose Shut Down.

  3. Drag the Slide to Power Off option to the right.

  1. To turn your iPhone back on, press and hold the Side button on the right.

How to Turn Off an iPhone 15 With Siri

While Apple’s virtual assistant wasn’t always able to power off your iPhone, it can now. Hold the side button or use the voice command “Siri/Hey, Siri” to activate the assistant, and then say something like:

  • “Turn off my iPhone.”
  • “Power off.”
  • “Shut down.”

Siri will confirm that you want to power down your phone; select Power Off to continue.

How to Force Restart an iPhone 15

When you can’t use the above methods to restart your device, or if your iPhone 15 isn’t responding at all, you can force it to restart. This is called a force restart, force reset, or hard reset.

  1. Press and release the Volume Up button on the left.

  2. Press and release Volume Down button on the left.

  3. Hold the Side button on the right.

  4. When you see the Apple logo appear, release the Side button.

    After a few moments, you should see your device’s Lock Screen where you can swipe up and then enter your passcode.

/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Softwares & Utility/ 4 Comments

How to unfreeze the netflix app


It is common these days that the netflix app gets completely frozen without any traceable cause. This is experienced by chromecast users, Roku, Smart Tv, Playstation, Laptops and mobile phones and it can get more annoying especially when one has a movie in mind to watch.

Depending on the device you are using, the possible cause of the app getting stuck while on use is mostly related to the amount of data stored on the device, an outdated plugins and operating systems.

The following steps are necessary to fix a stuck netflix app:

  1. Restart the network source
  2. Restart your device
  3. Delete the Netflix cache and cookies
  4. Update the streaming device’s OS
  5. Sign out
  6. Uninstall app and Re-install again
/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ 521 Comments

The First 5 Things You Should Do With Your New Computer

As compelling as it is to jump right into using your new computer, there are a few things you need to do first when setting it up.

No matter if it’s a snazzy new Microsoft Surface Book, some other Windows 11 laptop, or a traditional desktop computer…don’t worry about your computer skills or where specific keyboard keys are.

Instead, here are five things to address before you do anything else:

 

Update Your Antimalware Program

The last thing you want to do is get your new computer infected with malware. Who wants that?

We considered calling this “install an antimalware program” but almost all computers come with one preinstalled. Windows has Microsoft’s own built-in tool, so most PCs are ready to go.

Here’s the thing, though: It won’t be updated. Probably not, anyway. So, after setting it up, head to the scanner’s settings and update the “definitions”—the instructions that teach the program how to identify and remove new viruses, Trojans, worms, etc.

As mentioned above, new Windows computers typically have basic antivirus protection, but it’s not the best. There are plenty of antivirus programs for Windows that you can get for free; you can also remove viruses on your Mac

Yes, you’d think your brand-new computer would be fully updated, but chances are it won’t be. Microsoft releases security and non-security updates to Windows on at least a monthly basis, oftentimes more frequently than that!

The Windows Update tool is preconfigured to download and install updates automatically. While this is generally a good thing, it can be a bit overwhelming of a thing to happen in the background during the first few hours of using your new computer. Fortunately, it’s easy to change Windows Update settings—this is something we usually recommend people do.

Windows Update might install driver updates for you, too, which are needed for your hardware to work properly. However, Microsoft only provides basic drivers for some hardware, and will not install a driver for some gaming mice, USB microphones, and other devices you might plug into your new computer, like a webcam, drawing tablet, etc.

Fortunately, there are several options when it comes to using a free driver updater tool, which is a program that can check for missing or outdated drivers and, oftentimes, download and install them for you, sometimes even automatically.

Keep one of those programs on your computer to make sure you always have quick access to these updates. They’re especially helpful if your network adapter doesn’t work and you need a network driver but don’t have an internet connection. This might be a scenario if you’ve installed Windows manually.

Install a File Recovery Program

This one might surprise you. Why install a program to help recover accidentally deleted files if you haven’t even used your computer yet, let alone lost something?

Here’s why: The big catch-22 about file recovery programs is that you’re better off installing one before you actually need it.

Waiting until the file has been deleted to install the program, might overwrite that same space on the hard drive where your deleted file is sitting, preventing you from undeleting it. That’s not a risk you want to take.

Sign Up for an Online Backup Service

Yep, another proactive step here, one you’ll be thanking us for someday.

Online backup services are combination software tools and subscription services that automatically keep what data you want to be protected on secure servers away from your home or business.

An online backup service is the best and most cost-effective long term solution to keeping your data safe.

The better-rated ones in our list are inexpensive, let you back up as much as you want, and are really easy to download and install.

However, if buying a new computer is the last big purchase you want to make for a while, consider using a free backup service or, at the very least, a local backup tool.

Uninstall Programs You Don’t Want

You may already have noticed that your computer came with a lot of…well, let’s just say “extra” software.

In theory, leaving these programs installed won’t hurt much if anything, aside from taking up a bit of hard drive space. In reality, many of these preinstalled programs run in the background, hogging up memory and processor power that you’d rather use for other things.

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/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Uncategorized/ 6,368 Comments

How to Use Bluestacks to Run Android Apps on Windows

This article explains how to install and use BlueStacks on Windows to use Android apps on your computer.

How to Install BlueStacks

The latest version of BlueStacks is available for Windows. To install this Android emulator, simply download the setup file to your computer and press a few buttons. Most of it is automatic.

  1. Visit the BlueStacks website and select the download button to save the installer to your computer.

  2. Open the file and select Install now > I agree. Wait for BlueStacks to install on your computer.

    This is an online installer, so the program doesn’t fully download until this step. How long this takes depends on your internet speed.

  3. A few more installation screens will pop up for a short time while BlueStacks finalizes its installation. When it’s finished, the program will open automatically.

How to Use the Google Play Store in BlueStacks

After BlueStacks is installed on your PC, you can use it to access the Google Play Store to install Android apps. Here’s how:

  1. Select Google Play Store from the Home tab.

  2. Browse or search for the Android app you want to install. Select the app to see it’s details.

  3. Select Install on App Player.

  4. Select Install from Google Play.

  5. Press Sign in on the Google Play screen and enter your Google account details. You might need to follow some on-screen prompts relating to permissions and backup.

  6. Select Install on the Google Play screen to put the Android app on your computer.

  7. Your installed apps are accessible from the My Games tab in BlueStacks and the home screen in App Player.

BlueStacks System Requirements

According to their website, BlueStacks X “technically has no requirements at all.” But that’s not entirely true. Still, most computers should have no problem running BlueStacks because the prerequisites are minimal: access to an administrator account, 2 GB of RAM, and Windows 7 SP1 or later.

BlueStacks also works on macOS. If you’re running BlueStacks 4 on a Mac, it must meet these requirements: macOS 10.12 (Sierra), Intel Dual Core Processor, 4 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of storage space.

More About BlueStacks

Not every Android app offers a Windows, macOS, or web-based equivalent. BlueStacks is an easy way to install all kinds of Android apps on your computer.

BlueStacks can run multiple Android apps at once much like you can from a phone or tablet; flip through the open tabs in App Player to see everything that’s currently open. It also offers a multi-instance mode that runs multiple instances of the same app, which may appeal to productivity buffs and gamers. This emulator also supports full-screen mode, can record your gameplay, and even has the ability to fake your GPS location.

/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ • • / 55 Comments

M3 MacBook Pro: News and Price, Specs; and More

M3 MacBook Pro Prices

The 14″ M3 MacBook Pro starts at ₦3,700,000 and the 16″ MacBook Pro starts at ₦4,500,000. The price goes up depending on which version of M3 you use, along with storage and RAM options, each of which will add to the price.

Pre-Order Information

Only 2 of the 3 models were made available to order on October 30. The M3 Max is scheduled to ship in late November. You can order directly from Apple.

M3 MacBook Pro Features and Specs

There are three levels of MacBook Pro systems in two sizes: 14- and 16-inch. There are three processors available (although the 16″ only offers the two higher-end systems): M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max.

 Chip CPU  cores  GPU cores
M3 8 10
M3 Pro 11 to 16 14 to 18
M3 Max 14 to 16 30 to 40

The 14-inch MacBook Pro starts at 8GB RAM (up to 24 GB), while the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M3 Max can go all the way up to 128GB of RAM.

Storage options range from a 512GB SSD to a massive 8TB one, though the higher options are only available on M3 Max models.

Apple also showed off a new color for MacBooks: Space Black. This option isn’t nearly as colorful or exciting as the options for iMacs, but it is new. It’s also only available for the M3 Pro and M3 Max models.

M3 MacBook Pro specs
/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ • • / 1,656 Comments

Binance ends services in naira

 Binance has announced plans to discontinue all services related to the Nigerian naira stating that Nigeria is one of the largest peer-to-peer crypto markets in the world. Between July 2022 and June 2023, crypto transactions in the country reached $56.7bn, according to Chainalysis.

According to Binance, the wrote,

 

”This is a general announcement. Products and services referred to here may not be available in your region.

Fellow Binancians,

Binance will discontinue all Nigerian Naira (NGN) services as per the timeline below.

Users are encouraged to withdraw NGN, trade their NGN assets or convert NGN into crypto prior to the discontinuation of these NGN services. 

From 2024-03-08 08:00 (UTC), any remaining NGN balances in users’ Binance accounts will be automatically converted to USDT based on the conversion rate below.

Deposits, Withdrawals and Conversions:

  • Binance will not support deposits of NGN after 2024-03-05 14:00 (UTC). 

  • Withdrawals of NGN will not be supported after 2024-03-08 06:00 (UTC).

  • After 2024-03-08 08:00 (UTC), Binance will convert any remaining NGN balances in users’ Spot and Funding wallets into USDT on behalf of users at a ratio of 1 USDT = 1,515.13 NGN. 

    • Please note that the conversion rate is calculated based on the average closing price of the USDT/NGN trading pair on Binance Spot in the last seven days. 

    • The conversion may take approximately up to 24 hours or longer. USDT tokens will be credited to users’ Spot wallets thereafter, and users can confirm receipt of the tokens via the Convert History page. 

    • If users hold less than 0.00000001 USDT worth of NGN in their Spot and Funding wallets, they will each receive 0.00000001 USDT in their Spot wallets after the conversion.

Spot:

  • Binance will delist all existing NGN spot trading pairs (i.e., BTC/NGN and USDT/NGN) at 2024-03-07 03:00 (UTC).

  • All open spot orders with respect to the above trading pairs will automatically be closed when trading ceases in the relevant trading pair.

  • Users should ensure they have not selected “Hide Small Balances” in all of their wallets to view their assets after trading ceases.

Convert:

  • Binance Convert will delist NGN and all corresponding pairs at 2024-03-07 02:00 (UTC).

Binance P2P:

  • Binance P2P delisted all NGN trading pairs at 2024-02-28 15:00 (UTC).

Auto Invest:

  • Binance Auto-Invest will delist NGN after 2024-03-06 03:00 (UTC). Users may choose to remove the plan(s) beforehand. Otherwise, the next recurring cycle of the aforementioned token(s) will fail.

Binance Pay:

  • Binance will remove NGN from the list of supported payment options on Binance Pay at 2024-03-06 03:00 (UTC).

We thank you for your support as we continue to build the crypto ecosystem in a way that promotes transparency and long-term, sustainable growth.

Note: There may be discrepancies in the translated version of this original article in English. Please reference this original version for the latest or most accurate information where any discrepancies may arise. 

Thank you for your support!

Binance Team

2024-03-05

 

 

/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Softwares & Utility/ • • / 5,319 Comments

Spotify Premium Subscriber? Now You Can Listen to Audiobooks, Too

Spotify listeners in the US will probably start seeing audiobooks in their offerings Wednesday. They’re a new perk for Premium subscribers.

Spotify just announced that more than 200,000 audiobooks are available to listen to, for free, for Spotify Premium subscribers. The books include all genres, and according to Spotify, more than 70 percent of them are bestselling titles. However, there are a few minor details of which you should be aware.

The most important detail in the announcement is that you’ll be limited to 15 hours of audiobook listening in a given month. In the news announcement for the new feature, Spotify said, “Fifteen hours should get you around two average audiobooks per month, but if you do hit the limit, you can purchase a 10-hour top-up.”

The “top-up hours,” however, are only sold in 10-hour increments, and are $10.99. But they do carry over for up to 12 months if you remain a Premium subscriber.

Premium subscriptions cost $10.99 monthly for an individual subscription, $14.99 monthly for Premium Duo, which allows two Premium accounts, or $16.99 monthly for Premium Family, which allows six Premium or Kids accounts. Unfortunately, the audiobook perk remains 15 hours for all plans, meaning, if you have a Family plan, you’ll be sharing the 15 hours between all six accounts.

Also important to note is that if you have a Spotify Student account ($5.99 monthly with ad-supported Hulu included), you won’t have access to the 15-hour audiobook perk.

Students and Spotify Free subscribers can still access audiobooks, but you’ll need to pay individually for each book you choose to listen to.

The audiobook perk is available to all Premium subscribers (with the exception noted above) starting today.

/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ 9,205 Comments

Google Adds AI to Help You Manage your Smart Home Better

Google has dropped some new updates for its Nest and Home apps to help with automation and more control.

The Google Home app now has expanded controls for more devices, like smart fans, robot vacuums, and home sensors.

The script editor in Google Home is a useful spot to create automation for your various smart things, and now it’s got AI to help you make even more sophisticated routines. For example, you can have the included AI help you create a “package delivered” automation using your smart camera and some custom notifications when you get a box at your door.

You won’t have to learn script languages, either, since now there’s a new experimental feature called help me script to create custom routines. You can use natural language to create your automation, like, “When it’s sunset, turn on my lights and close the blinds,” and the AI will get to work generating a script for the Home app.

There are also some new starter and action sets for your Household Routines, making it possible to add specific actions when specific triggers in the environment happen.

“For example, every night at 10 PM, you can have your blinds close, lights gradually dim, humidifier set the humidity level, and doors lock, all as part of one automation,” said the press release.

Nest thermostats and Android get some new updates, too, including a Seasonal Savings program that will analyze your schedules when the season changes for the former. Android brings the home panel and Google TV widget to more devices running Android 14, letting you manage your Spaces and Favorites on the lock screen or find what to watch on your home screen.

/ By fluxbytes_dkx5az / Technologies/ • • • / 2,019 Comments

The First 5 Things You Should Do With Your New Computer

Hello World! Here are five things to address when you get a new computer:

Update Your Antimalware Program

The last thing you want to do is get your new computer infected with malware. Who wants that?

We considered calling this “install an antimalware program” but almost all computers come with one preinstalled. Windows has Microsoft’s own tool built-in, so most PCs are ready to go.

Here’s the thing, though: it won’t be updated. Probably not, anyway. So, after setting it up, head to the scanner’s settings and update the “definitions”—the instructions that teach the program how to identify and remove new viruses, Trojans, worms, etc.

As mentioned above, new Windows computers typically have basic antivirus protection, but it’s not the best. There are plenty of antivirus programs for Windows that you can get for free; you can also remove viruses on your Mac.

Install Available Windows Updates

Yes, you’d think your brand-new computer would be fully updated, but chances are it won’t be. Microsoft releases security and non-security updates to Windows on at least a monthly basis, oftentimes more frequently than that!

Windows Update restart required message

The Windows Update tool is preconfigured to download and install updates automatically. While this is generally a good thing, it can be a bit overwhelming of a thing to happen in the background during the first few hours of using your new computer. Fortunately, it’s easy to change Windows Update settings—this is something we usually recommend people do.

Windows Update might install driver updates for you, too, which are needed for your hardware to work properly. However, Microsoft only provides basic drivers for some hardware, and will not install a driver for some gaming mice, USB microphones, and other devices you might plug into your new computer, like a webcam, drawing tablet, etc.

Fortunately, there are several options when it comes to using a free driver updater tool, which is a program that can check for missing or outdated drivers and, oftentimes, download and install them for you, sometimes even automatically.

Keep one of those programs on your computer to make sure you always have quick access to these updates. They’re especially helpful if your network adapter doesn’t work and you need a network driver but don’t have an internet connection. This might be a scenario if you’ve installed Windows manually.

 

Install a File Recovery Program

This one might surprise you. Why install a program to help recover accidentally deleted files if you haven’t even used your computer yet, let alone lost something?

Here’s why: the big catch-22 about file recovery programs is that you’re better off installing one before you actually need it. Waiting until the file has been deleted to install the program, might overwrite that same space on the hard drive where your deleted file is sitting, preventing you from undeleting it. That’s not a risk you want to take.

See our Free File Recovery Software Programs list for a number of excellent and completely free undelete tools. Just install one and forget it. If you need it in the future, it’ll be there.

Sign Up for an Online Backup Service

Yep, another proactive step here, one you’ll be thanking us for someday.

Online backup services are combination software tools and subscription services that automatically keep what data you want to be protected on secure servers away from your home or business.

An online backup service is the best and most cost-effective long term solution to keeping your data safe.

The better-rated ones in our list are inexpensive, let you back up as much as you want, and are really easy to download and install. However, if buying a new computer is the last big purchase you want to make for a while, consider using a free backup service or, at the very least, a local backup tool.

Uninstall Programs You Don’t Want

You may already have noticed that your computer came with a lot of…well, let’s just say “extra” software.

In theory, leaving these programs installed won’t hurt much if anything, aside from taking up a bit of hard drive space. In reality, many of these preinstalled programs run in the background, hogging up memory and processor power that you’d rather use for other things.

Our advice? Head into Settings of Control Panel, depending on your Windows version, and uninstall those programs.

Windows 11 Settings apps and features list

An easier option, if you’d like, is to use a dedicated program for just this purpose. They’re called uninstallers, and we’ve reviewed a number of them. See our Free Uninstaller Software Tools list for our favorites.

One of those tools is called PC Decrapifier.