Despite the security concerns that have plagued Facebook for years, most people are sticking around and new members keep on joining. This has led Facebook to break records numbers with over one billion monthly active users as of October 2012—and around 600 million active daily users.

We share our lives on Facebook. We share our birthdays and our anniversaries. We share our vacation plans and locations. We share the births of our sons and the deaths of our fathers. We share our most cherished moments and our most painful thoughts. We divulge every aspect of our lives. We even clamor to see the latest versions even before they're ready for primetime.

But we sometimes forget who's watching.

We use Facebook as a tool to connect, but there are those people who use that connectivity for malicious purposes. We reveal what others can use against us. They know when we're not home and for how long we're gone. They know the answers to our security questions. People can practically steal our identities—and that's just with the visible information we purposely give away through our public Facebook profile.

The scariest part is that as we get more comfortable with advances in technology, we actually become more susceptible to hacking. As if we haven't already done enough to aid hackers in their quest for our data by sharing publicly, those in the know can get into our emails and Facebook accounts to steal every other part of our lives that we intended to keep away from prying eyes.

In fact, you don't even have to be a professional hacker to get into someone's Facebook account.

It can be as easy as running Firesheep on your computer for a few minutes. In fact, Facebook actually allows people to get into someone else's Facebook account without knowing their password. All you have to do is choose three friends to send a code to. You type in the three codes, and voilà—you're into the account. It's as easy as that.

In this article I'll show you these, and a couple other ways that hackers (and even regular folks) can hack into someone's Facebook account. But don't worry, I'll also show you how to prevent it from happening to you.

Method 1: Reset the Password
The easiest way to "hack" into someone's Facebook is through resetting the password. This could be easier done by people who are friends with the person they're trying to hack.

The first step would be to get your friend's Facebook email login. If you don't already know it, try looking on their Facebook page in the Contact Info section.
Next, click on Forgotten your password? and type in the victim's email. Their account should come up. Click This is my account.
It will ask if you would like to reset the password via the victim's emails. This doesn't help, so press No longer have access to these?
It will now ask How can we reach you? Type in an email that you have that also isn't linked to any other Facebook account.
It will now ask you a question. If you're close friends with the victim, that's great. If you don't know too much about them, make an educated guess. If you figure it out, you can change the password. Now you have to wait 24 hours to login to their account.
If you don't figure out the question, you can click on Recover your account with help from friends. This allows you to choose between three and five friends.
It will send them passwords, which you may ask them for, and then type into the next page. You can either create three to five fake Facebook accounts and add your friend (especially if they just add anyone), or you can choose three to five close friends of yours that would be willing to give you the password.
How to Protect Yourself
Use an email address specifically for your Facebook and don't put that email address on your profile.
When choosing a security question and answer, make it difficult. Make it so that no one can figure it out by simply going through your Facebook. No pet names, no anniversaries—not even third grade teacher's names. It's as easy as looki

I've been using the next version of Android for some months now - Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) - or to put it more correctly, I've been using various iterations of the Android M developer preview. After three developer versions though we’ve finally made it to the final release and we even have shiny new hardware to run it on, in the form of the Nexus 5X. Although as a write it's also available on the Nexus 5, Nexus 6 and Nexus 9.

A new version of Android used to be welcomed with great jubilation, but as with iOS it’s now pretty mature and the changes in each new version become less revolutionary and more incremental. Not that there’s nothi
ng here to desire, after all Android 5.0 wasn’t perfect, but most the changes are unlikely to blow you away.

Before you leave in disgust, there’s still some important new stuff to read about. Google has provided access to its Google Now assistant across the whole operating system, there’s improved standby battery life, plus support for the latest hardware trends such as fingerprint scanners and USB Type-C.

You may not be clamouring at Google to get Android 6.0 on your current handset (though if you’re keen read When will my phone get Android 6.0 Marshmallow?) but there’s certainly enough here to make it worth looking forward to.

Big new features
There’s loads of little improvements in Android 6.0 but here we’ll deal with the big new features. It’s impossible to say which of these will make it through complete to your handset manufacturer’s particular version of Android, such as Samsung’s TouchWiz, but most of us should benefit.

Now on Tap
Google Now has been around for a while, but you may not have seen it if you’re using a modified version of Android. It’s a personal digital assistant that provides pertinent information in a series of ‘cards’, based on your situation. Standing at a bus stop and you’ll get bus times, book a flight and it’ll pull the details out of your email confirmation, it also learns what sites you visit in Chrome and pops up new headlines from them.

Android Lollipop isn't a baby anymore – it's been around for almost a year. And, now that we have the benefit of hindsight, has it been a success or will it be remembered as a bit of a dud in the development of Google's Android operating system?

Up-to-date Nexus devices now run Android 5.1.1, which has had a few tweaks that address some of the things people really hated about Android Lollipop when version 5.0 first arrived back in 2014. Doesn't time fly in the tech world?

Everyone was expecting Key Lime Pie to serve as the delicious moniker for the next version of Android. Google surprised us all by bucking tradition and releasing Android 4.4 under the name KitKat.

Version 4.0 started life as Ice Cream Sandwich, but the last three decimal additions came under theJelly Bean banner. This new version was obviously deemed different enough to snag a new nickname, but not different enough to merit a jump to version 5.0.

It's no longer the latest version of Android, however, with Android 5.0 Lollipop recently coming out. It hasn't reached a huge amount of smartphones at the moment, so there's still a good chance that your Android device is rocking Android 4.4 KitKat.

If you'd like to find out when (or if) your device is getting updated to Android 5.0 Lollipop, check out our guide on when you can expect to see the upgrade.

But back to Android 4.4 KitKat; don't be fooled, this is an important step up for Android. KitKat is super-smooth, the UI is refined and elegant, there are improvements to the long-neglected calling and messaging side of the platform, a new focus on productivity, and your fortune-telling digital assistant is brought front and centre as Google Now reaches maturity.

The good The Sony SmartWatch 3 has built-in GPS to track your workout without needing your phone. It's waterproof, has a built-in USB port for charging without a dock and runs Android Wear smoothly.

The bad Its screen is pretty awful, with poor colours and viewing angles. Its plain, square design makes it much less stylish than the LG G Watch R and it doesn't have a heart-rate monitor built in.

The bottom line Although its ability to use GPS to track your run is handy, its poor screen, uninspiring design and lack of a heart-rate monitor means the SmartWatch 3 doesn't impress over its more luxurious Android Wear competitors.

CNET REVIEW
Sony's previous efforts at making a smartwatch haven't exactly been successes. In fact, the SmartWatch 2 was pretty awful. Seemingly keen to learn from its mistakes, however, Sony is back with a third generation of its computerised wristwear, unsurprisingly named the SmartWatch 3.

The SmartWatch 3 has an improved design -- including better waterproofing and interchangeable straps -- and crucially, Sony has ditched its clunky and unpleasant custom interface.

It now runs Android Wear, the smartwatch software developed by Google that aims to provide a unified platform for companies like Sony, Samsung, LG and Motorola to load on to their products and allow developers to create apps that can run equally well across all devices.

The SmartWatch 3 is on sale now and costs £190 in the UK, direct from Sony, $250 in the US also from Sony, and AU$315 in Australia from Expansys.

Design and display

Instead of opting for a more traditional circular watch face, like the LG G Watch R , the SmartWatch 3 has a square face. Together with the rubber strap, which meets the glass of the display, this makes it look much more like a fitness device than a regular watch. It certainly doesn't have the same luxury charm as the metal and leather G Watch R.

The good Beautifully constructed. Handles messages well. A solid fitness tracker. Hundreds of apps. Can send and receive voice calls via an iPhone. Lots of design choices. Apple Pay-enabled. Stores music for local playback over Bluetooth.

The bad Battery only lasts a little more than a day. Most models and configurations cost more than they should. Requires an iPhone to work. Interface can be confusing. Many apps load slowly. Lacks built-in GPS.

The bottom line A year old and even more affordable, the Apple Watch remains the best designed and most capable smartwatch you can buy -- but we're hoping that the inevitable sequel makes it more of a must-have product.

CNET REVIEW
I'm up early to try to kickstart a habit at the gym, trying to teach myself to like the routine. My phone and wallet and car keys get in the way; I like to come here as minimalist as possible. My watch is the only thing that feels natural and it's comforting to start recording an elliptical workout from my wrist. I still find it hard to keep glancing at my wrist as I exercise.

But this is the dream: a little world on my wrist.

I look at it for the weather; I look at it to peek at how the Mets are doing. I have it thump me to remind me where the exit is as I'm driving. I think to myself, "At least I'm connected." But isn't that why I have my phone? Yes. The Apple Watch is another security blanket. The Apple Watch and the iPhone act as a pair. I can ping and find out where my iPhone is through the watch, and I feel more hooked-in to what I need.

After a year, I don't look at my phone any less. In fact, I might look at it more.


Same watch, new bands.

James Martin/CNET
Apple Watch, one year later

All the time people ask me if they need the Apple Watch.

Short answer: I say no -- wait for the inevitable sequel.

Longer answer: I say that, in a lot of different ways, the Apple Watch can do things for me that I like. That it represents a taste of a future we're all rapidly heading toward.

In 2016, Apple will most certainly treat us to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the next highly-anticipated page in its smartphone book. Rumors are already shaping up a believable picture of what the next iOS flagships will be. At this point, we are not expecting an exterior redesign - reportedly, this is reserved for 2017, when the Apple iPhone 8 will reportedly get unveiled (yep, it might not be an "s" year). Yet, we are hopeful some intriguing new features will be making the cut this year!  

With the March 21 introduction of the 4-inch iPhone SE now in the rear-view mirror, we have turned our speculative focus to the forthcoming iPhone 7, expected to materialize sometime later this year. In a TV interview with CNBC's Jim Cramer in early May, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the iPhone 7 will have a killer feature: "We are going to give you things that you can't live without, that you just don't know you need today."

So, a pretty high bar has now been set. And to be clear: we have no hard info. But between assumptions and the new expectations set by Cook, we paint below a portrait of the most intriguing gossip about Apple's next big thing.

Editors' note: This story was originally posted on December 14, 2015 and last updated on May 21, 2016.

With the Nexus 6P, Google is hoping to continue what it started last year with the Nexus 6, by bringing to consumers a truly compelling high-end smartphone made to compete with current generation flagships. With a new partnership with Huawei in place, does Google manage to finally put all the pieces together? We find out, in this comprehensive Nexus 6P review!

Design

Design takes on a whole new outlook in the Nexus 6P. Huawei is at the helm of creating what might feel like the most premium Nexus device yet, with the device featuring a full metal unibody design with flat sides, which helps with the handling of this large smartphone.

The buttons are all on the right side, and offer a solid tactile feedback when pressed, while the power button is textured, making it very easy to find. The headphone jack is up top, and at the bottom is the USB Type-C port. This port marks the start of a new ecosystem for everyone to get used to, but it is admittedly going to take some time for that to happen. The new cord is Type-C on both sides and fully reversible, and, as useful as that is, you will need to remember to take the cable with you when you’re away from home, as Type-C charging cables are still a rarity.

The 5.7-inch display dominates the front, and above and below it is the dual-front facing speaker setup, which is always a welcome addition. Turning over to the back brings us to the new hardware offerings, but also a couple of unique design aspects as well. As seen with the last few Nexus smartphones, the Nexus logo is oriented vertically. This time, the logo is painted right onto the metal back, instead of being an insert made of a plastic that can peel off in time.

Above the logo is the new fingerprint scanner, lined by a shiny circle, and finally, there is the black bar up top, that houses the camera package, including the laser auto focus system and the flash. This bar might not have looked that great in the early product renders, but it does actually fit quite well as a new defining aesthetic for the premium Nexus phone. It does protrude however, albeit not by much.

Metal plays a big role in how the the Nexus 6P looks and feels, but the inclusion of the last two features on the back are what really make this device stand out, with the Nexus logo, the fingerprint reader, and the black bar making for a very recognizable smartphone.

Another plus is that the handling experience is fantastic. The flat sides are easy to grip, the metal feels nice and cool in the hand, and the heft makes this phone exude feelings of high build quality.

The LG G4 is the best smartphone of 2015, and it’s camera is so good that it often outperforms the iPhone 6 Plus.

“Life’s Good” is LG’s tagline, but life has been tough for the company’s mobile division. Its archrival Samsung
 has captured a big chunk of the phone market, and LG has spent several years chipping away at Samsung’s mighty presence.


The Nexus 5 and G3 proved that LG could play with the big boys, and the G4 expands on that notion, improving features that optimize the user experience in tangible ways. With an impressive camera and more user-friendly software, the G4 makes a strong case for being the dark horse smartphone that could make waves and surprise many in 2015.

Updated on 08-06-2015 by Andy Boxall: Added an update to the review based on several weeks with the G4 and extensive use of the camera.

DO THE RIGHT THING, CHOOSE THE LEATHER MODEL

To own an LG G4 with a plastic rear cover should be a crime. It’s like ordering a new BMW with a cloth interior: a decision that’ll save you cash on the day, but one you’ll question every time you get in the car later on. Unlike Samsung and more like Vertu, LG has used real leather on the G4, and it feels fantastic; it’s warm, soft, tactile, and classy. It’s a world apart from the cold indifference you get from a plastic-backed G4.








It’s not annoying either. There are never any fingerprints to clean off, it doesn’t cling to the inside of your jeans pocket, and is apparently very hard wearing. For the past few weeks, the G4 has gone case-less in my pocket and bag, and the leather (and screen, actually) have suffered no ill-effects. The leather will undoubtedly bed in with age, but there’s no evidence of that just yet, and it hasn’t lost its sheen.

LG has got the colors right too. The brown leather complements the matt-silver rear controls beautifully, and the phone goes very well with the darker brown leather used for the strap on the gold Watch Urbane. Using the two together looks great, and is one of the first times I’ve ever matched two pieces of tech with each other based on color and material choice.

SHOWSTOPPING CAMERA

To give the G4 a thorough workout, it recently accompanied me on a long weekend away, where its photographic ability, battery, and general use could be explored in a variety of situations. There’s little to say about how it handles email, web surfing, and calls — because it does them effortlessly. The Snapdragon 808 processor is more than capable enough to keep up, although under heavy usage — I’ve used it for VR in a headset, for example — it can still make the device pretty toasty, but never to the point where it’s uncomfortable or a danger.


The camera is stunning, and did everything I could have wanted. There is absolutely no reason to carry another camera, or even choose a different phone, if photos are your priority. Day or night, inside or out, and in challenging environments it performed flawlessly. There were moments I wanted to capture during my weekend, and I’m pleased the G4 was my camera of choice to do so.

The good The LG G3 has solid call quality and LTE data speeds, a great camera, a brilliantly sharp display, a snappy quad-core processor, and a flat UI that makes Android 4.4 look good. LG's flagship has also improved on the previous model -- the new G3 comes with a removable battery and microSD card slot, both things the G2 lacked.

The bad The new QHD display with its 2,560x1,440-pixel resolution is quite a power hog, so the phone will barely last you a day without a charge.

The bottom line Possessing the right blend of features and design, the G3 finally gives LG the right phone with which to challenge Korean rival Samsung.

CNET REVIEW
Editors' note: This review has been updated on July 22, 2014, with further US carrier analysis.

LG has always played second fiddle to Samsung in the smartphone market, especially in Korea, but it looks like its latest flagship, the G3, could cause a major upset. Early reports from Korea show the G3 selling like hotcakes, outdoing Samsung's Galaxy S5 by three times in the initial launch period.

It's not hard to see why. Unlike the Galaxy S5 , which shows a more conservative approach in its design, LG's G3 goes bold with a new high-resolution "QHD" (2,560x1,440-pixel resolution) display, as well as adding a laser-guided autofocus for the camera.

That's not to mention the other design changes that address the issues of the previous flagship, such as the addition of a microSD card slot and removable battery. With a cleaner, toned-down redesign of the UI (it's running a reskinned Android 4.4 KitKat), the LG G3 has what it takes to be a top-ranked flagship smartphone for 2014.