TechBite: 10 Unusually Useful Web Sites; Password Revealer

By Steve Bass

Internet Discoveries
I spend lots of time patrolling the Internet, looking for sites that can help me with my life. Some are pin-pointed to something I might need right away, like Contact Help, a way to get the phone number of a company. Others are spots I know I’ll need someday, such as instructions for recovering a ring from a drainpipe or how to wrap an extension cord like a pro.

I’ve got a stack of these places for you; some may hit your nail on the head, so to speak; others won’t do a thing for you.

Get Me Some Help
I used to rely solely on GetHuman to find a company phone number and get the skinny on the menu prompts for quick navigation. Now GetHuman has an ally: Contact Help, a relatively new site with contacts GetHuman doesn’t list.


Get to the right person with
Contact Help and GetHuman

Image you’re trying to choose between two companies, say, satellite TV services, or maybe banks. Consult with CustomerService Scoreboard and get some background before you sign up.

Photo Retouching You Won’t Believe
This video of the upcoming Adobe Photoshop upgrade’s Content Aware Fill feature is something you have to watch. Even if you don’t use Photoshop, you’ll be blown away by what it does. It’s a long video — but stay until the end when you’ll see a spectacular modification of a panoramic image.

You might never ever consider buying Photoshop. Even though it can work miracles on photos, it’s a PITA to learn. Instead you might want to send some of your photos to Master Photo Repair and let my buddy Chuck Hazendl, a professional, have a go at them. For instance, he can remove people from photos — or seamlessly add them.


Guess who’s missing from the wedding photo?


 Uncle Harry, Aunt Eloise, and Aunt Helen are back in the picture.

Check out these other Unusually Useful Web Sites

Okay, now it’s your turn. Give me the Web sites that give a boost to the quality of your life.

Show Me My Password
"I don’t remember the password…" My wife was talking about an FTP program she uses maybe once a decade. She was switching to a new app and the old one showed her password as asterisks. "Easy," I said, while thinking about asking for a trade for a back rub. (Actually, I had more in mind, if you know what I’m saying.)

There are a dozen freebies to do the job (no, no, don’t send me any more), but the one I’ve used for years is Asterisk Key. Open the dialog with the asterisk-disguised password and run the tool. In a flash you’ll have someone rubbing your back.

(Warning: Every decent security app will be overwrought with anxiety either when you download or run the tool. That’s because it reveals passwords; your security tool is just doing its job, but in this case, you can safely ignore it.) 

Stop Responding to Threats.
Prevent Them.

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