Google 2-steps verification gives you a total security on all Google apps & services  like Gmail, YouTube, Google Play Store and many other services, by sending you a six digits verification code on your phone or on Google Authenticator app - available for Android, Apple and BlackBerry. This six digit code should be input whenever you log-in to your Google account for verification after you turned on the 2-steps verification.

Besides that, if you are going to log-in and you can�t receive a verification code or you don�t have any device � Google Authenticator app installed on: Google alternatively gives you 10 more backup verification codes � you can put them in your wallet or save them to a file on your computer. You can use them when you have no mobile coverage.

After turning on the 2-steps verification - you can use both ways either text messaging or Google Authenticator app to get a six digit verification code for logging into Google services.

Lets how to turn on the Google 2-steps verification on step by step:-

1. You must have a Google account � already verified by a text message or by a voice call with your cell phone or a landline number.

2. Go to www.google.com and Sign-in with your current Email address and Password.

3. After log-in to your Google account, on the upper right corner � click on your profile picture, and click Account, here you can see all your Account information on the that page.

4. Inside �Security� tab (showing on left side-bar) you will find �2-steps verification� text with an Edit button on the right side (as shown in the picture below) click on Edit. You will prompt for Password again, just type your Password and Sign-in again. Its only for verification this time.

5. Now here is the Setup starts. Click on Start Setup to go to next step.

6.  The next step is to input your phone number you want to connect with Google services, and choose an option how you want to get a verification code for the next step (Step 7), and click Send Code (the Send Code button is not shown in this picture, but you can find it down the page).

7. A text message will be sent from Google to your cell or landline number (you entered in the Step 6) including a six digit verification code. Enter that verification code in the box (as shown below) and click Verify (as the Verify button not shown in the picture again, same like in Step 6).

8. On this step Google will ask you if you trust this computer? Trusted computers only asked for verification code once every 30 days. So if this is your single and Personal Computer, you can remain with ticked-mark on this option and click Next, incase this is not your Personal Computer, or you cannot trust on this computer, click in the check box to remove the tick-mark, an option will pop-pup for verification again, and select the option I don�t trust this computer and than click Confirm. All done you have successfully turned on the 2-steps verification for Google services, and from now every time you enter a password to log-in to any Google service, you will get a verification code on your phone number via text message.

In the next step (Step 9), see how to access your Google Account with Google Authenticator app.

9. All the previous steps were about to how to enable 2-steps verification on Google services? In this step we will show you how to download Google Authenticator app on your Android, Apple or BlackBerry device, and how to use it with Google 2-steps verification?

First of all download any barcode read for your device. Now download Google Authenticator app for your device from the links given below and install it on your device:

**The Google Authenticator for BlackBerry Download link was not found the time we were publishing this article.

After installing the Google Authenticator app for your device, and completing the 2-steps verification process, its time to use Google Authenticator for log-in to Google account.

For Android Users Only:

10. The further steps are the same for all three platforms Android, iOS and BlackBerry. The only difference in-between is use of Google Authenticator app on your device. We will focus on Android app at the moment.

After completing the Step-8 you will referred to this page shown below. Here at the top you will see your phone number with a green tick mark on the left side, which means your phone number is successfully connected with Google services for 2-step verification.

To connect your account with Google Authenticator app � open the app on your device, and tap on Add Account. You will find two option to add an account to Google Authenticator, �Scan Barcode� and �Add account manually�, select �Scan Barcode� and the Barcode scanner app will starts. (we have tested ZXING TEAM Barcode Scanner for Android device).

To �manage application-specific passwords�, see the video clip below:

how to manage application-specific passwords using Google 2-step verification.

11. Now on your computer, click on Android (as shown in the image below), it will open another page includes a Barcode. Scan the barcode with your barcode scanner (which was turned on in previous step) and you will find your account in Google Authenticator app on your device, and a 6 digit verification code will appear on your device, put that code in that page down below (as shown in the image below), and click Verify.

Its all done and you successfully connect your Google Authenticator app with your Google account. I personally recommend that way to use Google more securely and personally.

This verification code is changing every 30 seconds on Google Authenticator app, which makes your Google account more and more secure. The amazing feature about Google Authenticator app is that its not required any internet connection to update the verification code online, and it totally works in offline mode. You can add more than one account in a single Google Authenticator app.

Share this article if you find it helpful for you. For any questions or feedback please feel free to write a comment below.

Thanks.

The PC Supporter Team.

PC Pro [Jul 2012]

Few of HTC�s offerings have threatened the smartphone industry�s top table of late, with its somewhat bland offerings largely overtaken by fancier phones from Samsung and Apple. But HTC�s latest flagship handset, the One X, looks set to take back lost ground.

It isn�t a phone we�d ever accuse of playing safe. The white rear, with its protruding silver camera lens, looks and feels superb, and we can�t fault HTC for build quality either. The One X is sturdy despite its 8.9mm-thick, 130g frame, and while there have been reports of the screen flexing when gripped tightly, that�s very fine indeed. The solid build can be put down to the construction, the One X is milled from a single block of polycarbonate, just like the Nokia Lumia 800.

It�s that screen that steals the show. It�s a 4.7in IPS panel with a resolution of 720 x 1280, that gives a pixel density of 312ppi not for behind the iPhone�s 330ppi and makes for consistently stunning experience. There�s plenty of space for full sized web pages, and text is pin sharp.

It isn�t only the increase in resolution; the quality is great, too. Its 490cd/m² maximum brightness can�t math the iPhone�s 581cd/m², but it�s far ahead of the Samsung Galaxy S II�s 300cd/m², and it�s matched with a contrast ratio of 1138, lending images a real solidity and depth.

Processing power comes from Nvidia�s 1.5GHz quad-core Tegra 3 chip, partnered with 1GB of RAM. Is has 32GB of storage, of which 26GB can be used for data and apps, but there�s no microSD card slot to add more. For communications you get the choice of 3G, 802.11n WiFi and Bluetooth 4, and it has NFC.

The specification makes the One X the most powerful smartphone we�ve tested. Its Quadrant benchmark score of 4927 streaks ahead of the 3460 scored by the Galaxy S II, and it completed the SunSpider benchmark in 2071ms. that�s a third quicker than the Samsung, and just ahead of the iPhone 4S.

No game stretched the HTC�s GPU. High octane shooter Shadowgun ran flawlessly, 3D adventure title Dungeon Defenders was similarly slick, and Reckless Racing 2 also delivered rock solid frame rates. A word of warning, though: while things were fine away from the mains, running  these games while charging saw the handset grow unbearably hot. That aside, battery life was decent, with 60% of the 1800mAh power pack left after the 24 hour rundown test. Just don�t expect such longevity when gaming: a 30 minutes sting during a train commute saw the bar fall by almost a third.

The One X comes with Android 4 onboard, partnered with the latest version of HTC�s Sense UI. HTC has ditched the curved graphics at the bottom of each homescreen, replacing them with square icons, but it looks and functions as well as ever, with the usual line up of handy widgets.

HTC doesn�t bundle Beats branded headphones with this device, but the Beats audio kit inside the One X serves up bass heavy, a good quality sound.

It isn�t all good news, though. The Notification drawer has vanished, and virtually every app has a separate menu button that takes up a 96 pixel chunk across the bottom of the screen.

These are small complaints, however, with the 8 megapixel camera more than making amends. Quality is excellent, with sharp detail and accurate colors, and a flash is included. Shots are taken almost instantly, and there are panorama and burst modes too; the latter takes up to 99 shots as quickly as possible, and even picks the �best� one out for you. The camera also shoots 1080p video and, again, quality is excellent, autofocus is quick to lock on, and detail is extremely sharp.

The best camera & performance result, shown in this video clip.

It�s a fine all round package, then, but it�s impossible to ignore the shadow of Samsung�s impending Galaxy S III, It�s also said to have a 4.7in, 720 x 1280 screen, a 1.5GHz quad-core processor and Ice Cream Sandwich. If past standards are any indication, it may be the phone to beat.

For now, though, no other phone can match the HTC One X. It offers stupendous speed, a stunning screen, and a strong, attractive design, all of which combine to make it the best smartphone on the block. After something of a barren patch it�s good to see HTC back.

The cloud refers to storage at a remote site accessible from the Internet instead of locally on your computer. Backing up data to the cloud is convenient because you can access it from anywhere�

Here are 5 most common questions about smartphones.

How is a Smarphone different from a standard cell phone?

There�s no official definition, but smartphones let you connect to the Internet, manage email, run software (called apps), and often have robust multimedia capabilities to play videos and music and let you take pictures and record video.

What is a �platform,� and why should I care?

A platform is the phone�s operating system (much like Windows is an operating system for PCs) and determines what features the phone has and what apps it runs. Apple�s iOS and Google�s Android are two examples. Because Apple controls both the operating system and production of the phones that use it, upgrading to the latest version of iOS is easy as long as your hardware is fast enough to support it. Android is different because each smartphone manufacturer using it can modify the core operating system and doesn�t always make updates of the latest version available to its customers.

What hardware specifications should I worry about?

The simple answer is to not get hung up on the specs and instead find a phone that does what you need it to do. Does it work with your email? Does it run the programs you want to use? Does it integrate with your existing services such as Netflix? Is it available from a carrier that provides great coverage in your area? Does it have adequate battery life for the type of things you plan to use it for? If the answer to any of those questions is no, it could be the fastest smartphone on the planet and be useless to you.

The said phones, with 1GB of RAM are nice because they can run multiple programs simultaneously more smoothly than can phones with less RAM. Also look for dual-core processors, as they can dramatically boost the speed of apps designed to take advantage of them. Finally, 16GB of memory is plenty for most users who don�t plan to haul enormous music or video libraries around with them, though 32GB or more is better if you plan to use a lot of apps, music, and video.

What�s the difference between 3G and 4G?

There refer to the speed of the cell carrier�s wireless data network. 3G stands for Third Generation standards and 4G for Fourth Generation standards. Each company implements these standards in different ways, so maximum speeds vary. In general, 4G networks let you download data at least 10 times faster than 3G networks do. This is great for nabbing large files or streaming high quality video, although battery life often takes a bit of a hit when 4G is activated.

Some smartphones will let me use the cloud for backup. What does that mean, and should I use that feature?

The cloud refers to storage at a remote site accessible from the Internet instead of locally on your computer. Backing up data to the cloud is convenient because you can access it from anywhere, and most companies employ encryption and backup redundancy to protect your data. If you don�t have an unlimited data plan, set up the cloud backup to only operate when the phone is connected to a Wi-Fi network. Otherwise, you risk blowing through your data plan without doing much of anything with the phone.