Fortnite is getting a Minecraft-like Creative mode just in time for Season 7 (Update: Video!)

Update, December 5, 2018 (10:39AM ET): Fortnite Creative mode is now official! Perhaps a little ahead of schedule, Epic Games has shared a teaser video for the new mode and confirmed the launch date.

All Fortnite players will be able to access Creative from Dec. 13, but Season 7 Battle Pass owners will get to give it a spin early on Dec. 6 when the latest Season goes live.

Here’s the official blurb:

It’s a brand new way to experience the world of Fortnite, available on December 6. Design games, race around the island, battle your friends in new ways and build your dream Fortnite. It’s all happening on your own private island where everything you make is saved.

That’s all the info we’re getting for now though. Something tells me this was all very last minute after an overzealous YouTuber ruined their plans…

FortniteIntel

Original post, December 5, 2018 (7:38AM ET): Fortnite is getting a third game mode called Creative. The new mode, which leaked earlier today ahead of an expected official reveal later this week, lets players build their own sandbox play areas with unlimited resources which can then be shared with other Fortnite players on private servers.

Creative will join the massively popular PvP Battle Royale mode (which is currently the only mode available on mobile) and the PvE Save the World campaign. The new mode could debut alongside the launch of Season 7 this Thursday (Dec. 6).

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10 best battle royale games like PUBG Mobile or Fortnite on Android!

Fortnite and PUBG Mobile hit Android in a big way. Both games have millions of players already and it jump started the battle royale genre on mobile. They are also two of the best first-person …

Fortnite developer Epic Games has spent the past week teasing a huge announcement for The Game Awards, however, the big surprise has been spoiled a few days early thanks to a loose-lipped YouTuber.

Lachlan’s video which detailed the entire mode has since been pulled, but not before the entire internet grabbed screenshots and video mirrors (thanks, FortniteIntel). Can’t imagine he’ll be invited back to Epic HQ any time soon…

Creative Mode Leak mirror Credit: Lachlan from r/FortNiteBR

The mode itself expands seems to expand on Fortnite’s limited time Playground mode, although Creative has a far more robust set of tools for players to craft their own islands and host private matches. If you’ve ever tried out Minecraft’s creative mode, it’s basically that but for Fortnite.

Players will also apparently be able to share their creations with the rest of the Fortnite player base, with the best popping up as Featured maps which are accessible via rifts in a hub area.

New Creative Mode coming to Season 7! What is it? Well, it’s essentially your own custom Fortnite Server with Unlimited Resources, player Servers and more! For example, it’s basically a Creative Minecraft server that you can customize and build to your liking! pic.twitter.com/juKFxNB4li

— Fortnite: Battle Royale Leaks (@FNBRLeaks) December 5, 2018

It seems very unlikely that Creative will ever make its way to the mobile version of Fortnite due to memory and CPU requirements, but it’ll be interesting to see if the Featured custom maps will be playable on non-PC platforms.

We’ll have to wait for The Game Awards (also this Thursday) to find out more.

Up next: Fortnite vs PUBG: Ten mobile differences between the two biggest battle royales

Source: Android Zone

The post Fortnite is getting a Minecraft-like Creative mode just in time for Season 7 (Update: Video!) appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs iPhone XS Max: Which is worth your $1,000?

Samsung and Apple are longtime rivals in the mobile industry. Every year it’s always exciting to see how their smartphones stack up against one another. The Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max are two of the biggest, most powerful, and most expensive mainstream smartphones we’ve ever seen.

Let’s find out which one is the better thousand-dollar smartphone in our full Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs iPhone XS Max comparison.

Design

When it comes to design, Samsung and Apple are at the top of the class. The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max offer attractive designs with superb build quality. Both use a glass sandwich design held together by a metal frame, which is a fairly common design formula in today’s smartphone world. The metal used on the iPhone XS Max, however, is stainless steel whereas the Note 9 uses the more typical aluminum. Both feel equally as durable.

Don’t miss: Samsung Galaxy Note 9 review | Everything you need to know about the iPhone XS Max

Although the Note 9 and XS Max use similar materials, they feel very different. The Note 9 is more boxy and rectangular and features chamfered edges, making for a much more industrial look. The iPhone XS Max goes for a sleeker appearance with rounded corners and curved edges all around. Because of this, the iPhone XS Max feels more comfortable. The Note 9 is slightly bigger than the XS Max, but this difference is negligible — neither device is great for one-handed use.

Display

The Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max both offer big, bright, vibrant AMOLED displays. There’s no denying they’re two of the best smartphone displays on the market. They both have very thin bezels, giving you a nearly edge-to-edge experience. Samsung manages to do it without the use of a notch. I prefer the notch-free look of the Note 9’s display, but the notch on the XS Max isn’t as bothersome as you might think. If you’re an Apple enthusiast you’ve also more than likely adjusted to it by now.

The displays are fairly close in size. The Note 9 measures 6.4 inches, with the XS Max at 6.5 inches. The Note 9’s display does pack more resolution at 2,960 x 1,440 versus the odd 2,688 x 1,242 resolution of the iPhone, but they’re both so incredibly sharp it’s hard to spot any differences between the two.

Content such as mobile games, movies, and YouTube videos still look amazing but Apple is currently not taking full advantage of the XS Max’s display size.

The biggest problem I have with the large display on the XS Max is you don’t get to see more content like on the Note 9. Instead, you see the same amount of content as you would on the regular XS, just bigger. Mobile games, movies, and YouTube videos still look amazing, but Apple is currently not taking full advantage of the XS Max’s display size. It’d be great if I could see more of my Twitter feed or more of a web page at a single glance. You can change the size of the text but the difference in visible content is minimal and only works in apps that support it.

Performance

The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max are the best smartphones each respective company has to offer, which means they are no performance slouches. The Galaxy Note 9 features Qualcomm’s powerful Snapdragon 845 with 6 or 8 gigabytes of RAM depending on the storage configuration you choose. The iPhone XS Max features Apple’s proprietary A12 Bionic chipset, its most powerful chipset to date.

Although the Note 9 keeps up with the XS Max extremely well, Apple’s touch response is still second to none.

In daily use, both devices are extremely fast and fluid. They never showed any signs of slowing down regardless of what I threw at them. Launching applications, multitasking, browsing the web, and gaming are fantastic. Although the Note 9 keeps up with the XS Max extremely well, I have to admit Apple’s touch response is still second to none. Swiping, scrolling, tapping, and pinching to zoom feels much smoother and more instantaneous than any Android phone I’ve tried. This speaks volumes about how much of an advantage Apple has with the vertical integration of its hardware and software.

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Samsung Galaxy Note 9 vs LG V40 ThinQ specs comparison

We’ve already spent more than a week with LG’s new V40 ThinQ flagship, and published our full review yesterday, but there’s more to talk about.

Today let’s have a look at how the phone stacks up against …

Battery life on the Note 9 and XS Max are very good. The 3,174mAh battery of the XS Max is significantly smaller than the 4,000mAh battery of the Note 9, but battery life can’t simply be measured by battery capacities.

Apple has never been known for huge batteries and that is still the case. In our initial review of the Note 9, we averaged six to seven hours screen-on time a day and that’s still true. Apple claims the iPhone XS Max lasts 90 minutes longer than last year’s iPhone X. While I can’t validate that claim the XS Max easily got me through a full day with around 20 percent left at the end of the day. On lighter days when I don’t watch as many YouTube videos or play games, I’d typically end with around 50 percent left. Both batteries perform very well and are not cause for any concern.

Hardware

FaceID works great and is very reliable even in conditions where you don’t have a ton of light.

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The state of USB Type-C audio and the new market for compatible headphones and dongles is, quite frankly, a trainwreck. Headphones sometimes only work with specific smartphone brands, …

The Galaxy Note 9 and iPhone XS Max offer very similar hardware features, but some notable differences could be considered a make or break feature. The Note 9 and XS Max both have IP68 water resistance, dual speakers and wireless charging but the XS Max lacks a headphone jack, expandable storage, and a fingerprint sensor. The fingerprint sensor is a feature Apple removed to go all-in with FaceID as its preferred biometric security method.

FaceID works great and is very reliable even in conditions where you don’t have a ton of light. As long as you’re not in a pitch dark room, it will usually work. The downside to not having a fingerprint sensor is not being able to unlock your phone without picking it up or before it comes out of your pocket. If you want to unlock it while leaving it on a table or desk you’ll have to resort to entering in your passcode.

The Galaxy Note 9 has its own method of face unlock with Intelligent Scan which combines its iris scanning technology with face unlock. The feature works and is very secure, but it’s nowhere near as fast or reliable as FaceID.

The most significant piece of hardware differentiating the Note 9 from the XS Max is the S-Pen. This has been a signature feature of the Note line ever since the original Galaxy Note and it has only gotten better over time. I’ve never found the S-Pen particularly useful, but it’s a great tool for jotting down notes, drawing, and general productivity. This year Samsung added Bluetooth functionality to the pen, making it work as a magic wand of sorts for pausing and playing music or triggering the shutter button on the camera. Like the fingerprint scanner, the presence or absence of the S Pen will either be a huge deal for you or you won’t care at all, and if you’re all about the S Pen you’d never buy an iPhone anyway.

Camera

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Commonly labeled as Samsung’s true high-end line, the Galaxy Note series features some of the most impressive devices in the market. Refined design, stronger specs, more advanced features, and S-Pen functionality are but a few …

The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max both feature dual cameras on the rear with a secondary telephoto lens. The Note 9 has two 12MP sensors. The primary sensor has a mechanical aperture, allowing for switching between f/1.5 and f/2.4 to let in more light or create a shallower depth of field. The second sensor is fixed at f/2.4. Both lenses feature optical image stabilization, too.

The iPhone XS Max also comes with two 12MP cameras with f/1.8 aperture on the primary and f/2.4 on the secondary. Both lenses are also optically stabilized.

The telephoto lens on both smartphones allows for 2X optical zoom to get closer in on your subject without any loss of detail and the ability to take portrait mode photos. A new addition to the portrait mode on the iPhone this year is the ability to adjust the bokeh effect after the fact. This isn’t exactly a new feature for Android, but it’s a nice addition to the iPhone regardless.

The Note 9 tends to over-soften the details in faces and skin tones are washed out. The iPhone provides much more detail and better color accuracy with skin tones.

The Note 9 and iPhone XS Max take great portrait mode photos and usually do an excellent job of separating the subject from the background. Where the Note 9 falls short of the iPhone is when taking portraits of people. The Note 9 tends to over-soften the details in faces and skin tones are washed out. The iPhone provides much more detail and better color accuracy with skin tones.

The iPhone XS Max and Galaxy Note 9 can take incredible smartphone photos and if you were to only look at one or the other you wouldn’t have any complaints. Once you stack them side by side though it’s very easy to spot the differences. In almost every situation, the XS Max outperforms the Note 9. It’s not that the Note 9 takes bad photos, it’s just that the XS Max takes even better ones. In low light conditions, the images from the iPhone are much sharper with more natural colors and more detail in the highlights.

In the image pair below, the Note 9 oversaturates while the iPhone is more true to life. The Note handles the bright sign and light on the wall better than the iPhone, but the iPhone has far better detail on the building to the left. The Note 9 has a bit too much contrast but both images are pretty great.

The iPhone has better dynamic range overall, which is easily visible in high contrast situations such as a sunny day. You can see significantly more detail in the highlights and shadows. This most likely can be attributed to Apple’s Smart HDR, which stacks multiple photos together to achieve better shadow and highlight detail. The iPhone also does a much better job with color balance. The Note 9 tends to skew more towards a warmer image while the iPhone maintains a relatively neutral appearance.

Software

With the Note 9 running Android and the iPhone XS Max running iOS, the software experiences will obviously be very different. The Note 9 is currently on Android 8.1 Oreo with Samsung Experience 9.0. If you’ve used any recent Samsung phone within the last couple of years, this will feel very familiar. It’s somewhat colorful and changes a lot of the aesthetics of Android, but doesn’t interfere with its core functionality. Samsung’s Bixby was updated for the Note 9 to be smarter and more contextually aware. In our initial review, Bixby still didn’t work quite as well as Samsung advertised.

The release of the iPhone XS Max also means a new version of iOS — iOS 12. Aesthetically it looks almost identical to the past few software generations. Although it may not look very different on the outside there are several new improvements. In iOS 12, Apple put a big focus on performance, becoming faster at loading applications and opening the camera. Even the keyboard is quicker to appear on screen.

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The new version also brings more general improvements to iOS. You can FaceTime with a group and create Memojis (essentially a customizable Animoji). Notifications are now bundled by app and iOS now shows screen-on time. This lets you see how much time you’re spending on your phone and it can break the info down on a per-app basis. Of course, these are both features that have long existed in Android.

It’s also worth bringing up software updates, and just how bad Samsung is at them. It took Samsung over six months to roll out Oreo to the Galaxy Note 8. It also has a bad habit of launching new phones with dated versions of Android. We all know it’s going to be a while until the Note 9 receives the Android Pie update. On the other hand, buying a new iPhone means you’ll always have access to the latest software updates right after Apple releases them.

Specifications

	Galaxy Note 9	iPhone XS Max
Display	6.4-inch Super AMOLED 2,960 x 1,440 resolution (Quad HD+) 516ppi 18.5:9 screen ratio	6.5-inch OLED 2,688 x 1,242 120Hz
Processor	Global: 10nm, 64-bit, octa-core Samsung Exynos 9810 (2.8 GHz quad + 1.7 GHz quad) U.S.: 10nm, 64-bit, octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 845	Apple A12 7nm construction
RAM	6 or 8GB RAM LPDDR4	TBD
Storage	128 or 512GB microSD expansion up to 512GB	64GB, 256GB, 512GB
Camera	Rear: Dual camera with dual OIS Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor with OIS, f/1.5 and f/2.4 apertures Telephoto: 12MP AF sensor, f/2.4 aperture, 2x zoom Front: 8MP AF sensor, f/1.7 aperture	Rear: Dual 12MP sensors Front: Single 7MP sensor
Battery	4,000mAh battery Non-removable Fast wired charging compatible with QC 2.0 Fast wireless charging compatible with WPC and PMA	TBD
Wireless fast charging	Yes	Yes
Construction	Aluminum and glass	Stainless steel and glass
Colors	Lavender purple, Ocean blue, Midnight Black, Metallic Copper	Space Grey, Silver, Gold
Headphone Jack	Yes	No
IP Certification	IP68	IP68
Dimensions	161.9 x 76.4 x 8.8mm	157.5 x 77.4 x 7.7mm
Weight	201g	208g
Price	$999	$1,099

Conclusion

Most people will say an Android versus Apple comparison boils down to personal preference, with most people knowing long ago which they prefer. While that is mostly true, it also depends on what features you value most. If a headphone jack, fingerprint sensor, expandable storage, and the S-Pen are important to you, the Note 9 is clearly the better choice. The iPhone lacks these features, but it hasn’t bothered me when using it as a daily driver as I consider none of them dealbreakers. I also prefer the more comfortable rounded design of the XS Max, the better camera performance, quicker updates and the fluidity of iOS 12 even if it isn’t as feature-rich as Android.

In this particular comparison, I preferred the iPhone XS Max overall. Not because it’s objectively better but because it more fully satisfies what I look for in a phone. Which one would you choose? Let us know in the comments!

Next: LG V40 ThinQ review: Undeveloped innovation

Source: Android Zone

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Who needs Kinect? You can now control your Xbox One with Alexa and Cortana

• Microsoft’s Xbox One is getting an Xbox Skill for voice commands via Alexa and Cortana.
• The feature allows users to start games/apps, adjust volume, and more.
• The skill is only available to U.S. gamers enrolled in the Xbox Insiders preview program.

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The Xbox One originally launched with a Kinect peripheral for motion controls and voice commands, but Microsoft eventually killed the accessory last year. Now, the firm thinks it has a better solution for voice commands, as it announces the Xbox Skill for Alexa and Cortana.

The Xbox Skill for Alexa and Cortana allows Xbox One owners to power on/off the console, launch specific games and applications, adjust volume, and quickly capture screenshots and video clips. The skill also lets you quickly adjust system settings, and start or stop Mixer live-streams.

To take advantage of the skill, you’ll need an Alexa-enabled device (e.g. Amazon Echo, Sonos One, Android, iOS) or a Cortana-enabled gadget (e.g. Windows 10 PC, Android, iOS). Microsoft adds that this is only available for Xbox Insiders in the U.S., so you’ll need to hang ten if you’re not in the country (or not a member of the Insiders program).

The feature is very seamless too, as Microsoft notes that merely saying “Alexa, start Rocket League” will boot up the console, sign you in, and start the game.

The Xbox Skill isn’t the only way to use voice commands on Xbox One without a Kinect. Cortana is also available on the console, but it requires gamers to use a headset. So it makes sense for Microsoft to create the skill, as it’s a more seamless solution, and smart speakers are super-popular anyway.

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Google Home speakers are also seeing rapid growth, so does Microsoft have any plans to bring the feature to the Google Assistant? Well, don’t hold your breath…

“We’re always looking for ways to improve the Xbox experience based on valuable feedback from our partners and fans but have nothing further to share at this time,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Android Authority.

To get started, you’ll need to turn on your console, then sign in to one of the pages below (depending on your desired assistant). What do you make of the Xbox Skill? Let us know in the comments section! 

Get Xbox Skill for Alexa

Get Xbox skill for Cortana on Windows 10

Source: Android Zone

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Google tried to settle the EU’s Android antitrust probe last year

Wikimedia

• The European Commission just fined Google $5 billion for alleged antitrust issues within Android.
• However, it was revealed today that Google attempted at least once to settle the fine before it dropped.
• The settlement was rejected by the EU for being too little too late.

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Last week, the European Commission levied the largest fine in history at Google’s feet for alleged antitrust problems within the Android operating system. Google swiftly responded with an explanation of its innocence and a commitment to appeal the $5 billion fine.

However, it appears that Google tried to settle the antitrust probe sometime last year, according to a report from Bloomberg. The source of the report is an interview with the European Union Competition Commissioner Margrethe Vestager, pictured above.

Vestager is mainly responsible for both this most recent $5 billion fine against Google as well as a previous $2.7 billion fine in 2017 for alleged abuse of shopping results within Google Search.

According to Vestager, Google knew that the European Commission intended to issue a fine over Android antitrust issues since at least 2016. However, the company didn’t contact Vestager to work out a deal to avoid a penalty until sometime in 2017, around a year later (Vestager is not clear on the exact timeline).

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Vestager says that if a company is serious about dealing with antitrust allegations, it should “reach out immediately” after hearing those allegations. “That didn’t happen in this case, and then, of course, it takes the route that it has now taken,” she said of the settlement talks.

She then added that she is not surprised by Google’s inaction in this case.

Bloomberg reached out to Google for comment on these settlement attempts, but the company declined to give a statement.

According to anonymous sources with access to the communication between Google and Vestager, Google said it was prepared to make changes to Android to avoid the antitrust penalty. Some of the changes proposed were to adjust contracts Google has with OEMs and even possibly distributing its apps in different ways going forward.

However, according to Google’s lawyers who drafted and sent the proposal, Vestager and the EC didn’t respond. It wasn’t until months later that the team of lawyers heard via phone that the plan wasn’t considered and was no longer an option.

Although Google plans to appeal the $5 billion fine, it is not clear how long that process will take or what the likelihood of Google’s success could be.

NEXT: Google vs the EU: Which side are you on?

Source: Android Zone

The post Google tried to settle the EU’s Android antitrust probe last year appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.

OnePlus will launch a 5G phone in 2019, try to partner with US carriers

• At Mobile World Congress Shanghai, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau talked about future plans for the company.
• During the chat, he said there will be a OnePlus 5G phone released in 2019.
• He also said that OnePlus is looking to partner with at least one U.S. wireless carrier to sell OnePlus phones in U.S. stores.

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Mobile World Congress 2018 happened back in February, but there’s another MWC going on right now: Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2018. At the event, PCMag sat down with OnePlus founder and CEO Pete Lau to discuss future plans for the company.

The two biggest revelations from the conversation are that OnePlus will release a 5G smartphone in 2019, and that the company is actively pursuing partnerships with at least one United States wireless carrier.

The first point about a 5G smartphone is not too surprising, but this is the first time OnePlus has announced plans for incorporating the new technology into its devices. With 5G service starting to trickle out in 2019, it makes perfect sense that OnePlus would offer a phone that is capable of harnessing 5G speeds.

Lau said that his company’s strong relationship with smartphone chip manufacturer Qualcomm is enabling OnePlus to be one of the first smartphone companies to make and release a 5G phone. The OnePlus 6 features the top-of-the-line Qualcomm Snapdragon 845.

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As for the partnership with a U.S. wireless carrier, Lau did not say which carrier(s) OnePlus is looking to work with. Currently, every OnePlus device from the OnePlus One to the newest OnePlus 6 only works on T-Mobile and AT&T in the U.S., so they seem the likely targets. However, it’s feasible that OnePlus’ future phones could work on CDMA networks like Verizon and Sprint, if it meant a partnership with those companies.

The bulk of U.S. smartphone shoppers buy their phones direct from their wireless carrier. If OnePlus had devices on store shelves, it would raise the awareness level of the brand to new heights. Currently, U.S. customers must buy OnePlus phones online from various outlets, including OnePlus.com.

However, OnePlus is a Chinese company, and President Donald Trump and his administration have proven over the past year that Chinese companies are less welcome in the United States than ever. This could prove to be a huge hurdle for OnePlus’ ambitions in that regard.

Lau did point out that – should OnePlus snag a wireless carrier deal – OnePlus fans would not have to worry about their devices getting loaded with carrier bloatware. Lau said the core of the company’s philosophy is a “burdenless” experience, and bloatware would go against that policy.

NEXT: Missing notifications on your OnePlus device? Here’s the likely fix

Source: Android Zone

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You can learn how to hack (ethically) for under $40

Did you know that ethical hackers currently can command salaries of $100,000 or more?

As more and more of our lives take place online, the need for security experts has risen faster than anyone could have anticipated. Multi-billion dollar companies are now finding themselves desperate for hacking experts, and smaller businesses are contracting out novice white hat hackers for sums you wouldn’t believe.

The good news for the industry is that this market is rapidly catching up with demand. Thousands of people with a modicum of technical acumen are realizing that all the tools they need to learn this career exist online, and they’re jumping into the money pool feet first.

These new hackers are slated to become tomorrow’s major security titans, and the best part for them is that many of them don’t even have to leave the house to work.

Where do I come in?

By becoming an ethical hacker, you can take on the bad guys and protect organizations from their attacks. To stop a hacker you have to think like a hacker, so you’ll need to learn the same skills that they use.

The Certified Ethical Hacker Bootcamp Bundle is your armory. If you’ve found this deal in time, you can unleash it for only $39

This learning kit is 77 hours of premium online training from CyberTraining 365. Industry experts lead you through interactive training courses using all the latest technologies. You’ll master cybersecurity techniques such as analyzing malware, penetration testing, advanced persistent threats, threat intelligence research, reverse engineering, and much more.

There’s a lot of ethical hacker jargon?

You might think you need to be a genius to be a hacker, but that’s not the case. Where do you you think these criminal hacking groups would be finding so many evil geniuses? The point is that anyone can do it, you just need to learn the techniques. At the most basic level, you can hack your phone in seconds.

How do I showcase my new hacking skills?

Once you complete the Ethical Hacker Bootcamp, you’re awarded a certification by CyberTraining 365. You’re also ready to ace the EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker exam, bolstering your cybersecurity credentials even further.

Right now you can get all of this for just $39. That’s almost a 99% price drop on the retail price. Given the sheer volume of expert knowledge contained within, you can see why we think it’s a great deal.

Don’t let the hackers continue to manipulate the world; Sign up for the Ethical Hacker Bootcamp before the offer expires. Hit the button below to find the deal.

Check it out!

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links. To see all our hottest deals, head over to the AAPICKS HUB.

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Looking for a new phone or plan? Start here with the Android Authority Plan Tool:

This smart tool lets you filter plans by phone, price, data tiers, and regional availability. Stop overpaying for cell service you hate and a phone that you’re tired of. Use our Compare Phones & Plans tool to fully customize your mobile experience and painlessly transition from one carrier to another!

Source: Android Zone

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ZTE is back in business: What now?

The United States government has rescinded the devastating sanctions it handed down to Chinese telecom ZTE just weeks ago, reversing its outright technology export ban.

It’s a stunning turnaround, though it had been signalled for some weeks. ZTE isn’t exactly suddenly restored to full and lasting health, but the funeral service has been canceled.

“At about 6 a.m. this morning, we executed a definitive agreement with ZTE. And that brings to a conclusion this phase of the development with them,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross told CNBC as news of the reversal followed earlier leaks.

The new ZTE fines and restrictions

The terms of the in-principle deal were later released on the U.S. Commerce Department site, specifying a $1 billion fine to be paid, with an additional $400 million in suspended penalty money to be held in escrow, before the ban is lifted. The company’s top management and board will be replaced, and ZTE is to retain a team of special compliance coordinators within the company’s operations, reporting to the U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security.

ZTE remain banned until they pay $1.4 billion in total fines, including suspended sums

Make no mistake, the U.S. technology ban crippled ZTE to the point of death. At the same time, it massively energized China to hunker down and focus on developing its own technology to reduce a reliance on the U.S.

Now ZTE lives to ride again, and China still says it must be able to go it alone.

Incredibly, the U.S. Department of Commerce is framing this as “striking a deal” with ZTE. Others suggest this is simply a case of Trump’s political demands necessitating a reversal. Bowing to pressure from China is one of the more dangerous precedents we’ve seen — but things may flip again if ZTE continues to be used as a pawn in Trump’s economic saber rattling.

President Xi of China, and I, are working together to give massive Chinese phone company, ZTE, a way to get back into business, fast. Too many jobs in China lost. Commerce Department has been instructed to get it done!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 13, 2018

Just in case you think democracy isn’t broken, Reuters reported Congress can’t do anything about the relaxing of sanctions. It’s not that Congress didn’t see it coming, either. The deal was done before U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen’s (D-MD) amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) was able to pass the Senate, said to have contained key limitations on the White House’s ability to work out this kind of deal.

More news: My amendment on ZTE has been added to the NDAA, which passed in Committee last night. This bipartisan piece of legislation will ensure that Trump can’t let ZTE, a serial violator of US laws, off the hook. Now we need to pass this in full Senate! https://t.co/rse2aYeIs5

— Chris Van Hollen (@ChrisVanHollen) May 24, 2018

There’s absolutely no coincidence in the timing here. Van Hollen was too late. There’s some scattered talk of a continuing bi-partisan effort but it appears to need significant Republican support, which would require butting heads with Trump directly. That’s not something we’ve seen from the conservative side of politics.

Remember, ZTE is a repeat violator of U.S. sanctions against Iran and North Korea and was identified as a national security threat by the Pentagon.

Here’s where this will go.

ZTE – Momentum crushed, reputation damaged, but still alive

ZTE had built considerable momentum in the U.S. and across the globe before the sanctions were officially announced. The company sold more than 45 million smartphones in 2017, had deals locked away with the big four carriers, and had risen to the fourth-largest manufacturer in the nation.

Will ZTE be welcomed back by carriers, retailers, and consumers? Will they be allowed back?

In the 50 or so days after the seven-year ban’s announcement, ZTE announced it had ended “major operating activities”, shed U.S. staff, and received approval to use Taiwanese firm MediaTek’s chipsets to replace Qualcomm. It had also hired Donald Trump’s former election campaign staffer to lobby on its behalf — possibly the company’s smartest move.

It’s difficult to say what will happen next. Will ZTE be welcomed with open arms by the market and start working with U.S. carriers again, or will it stumble like Huawei? Will consumers be more aware of what’s happened with ZTE and avoid its phones? Will its value proposition continue to be almost unavoidable, with the on-again off-again sanctions not a blip on the radar? Will we ever again see ZTE’s first Android Go-powered phone, the ZTE Tempo? Will ZTE be the first to bring a 5G phone to market before 2018, as originally planned? For now, we don’t know.

At least ZTE owners who already invested in the company’s devices can expect support and updates for their device, which had looked dicey in the weeks since the ban.

Will ZTE continue with U.S. technology?

In the short term, yes, but who knows how long that will last. ZTE will again use Google Mobile Services and Android, and will likely get back in bed with Qualcomm, Dolby, Microsoft, and all its former partners. Those companies’ shares, including Qualcomm, rose strongly in market trade after the announcement. Qualcomm’s CEO expressed hope that China’s regulator would now approve the drawn-out NXP acquisition, which also helped trade.

The realistic point of view would suggest China’s pressure for all technology companies to become self-sufficient will create creeping avoidance of U.S. tech. MediaTek might win out for a time if ZTE doesn’t go back to Qualcomm, given the lack of Chinese-manufactured smartphone processors and SoCs. If Huawei can make its own competitive Kirin chipsets, ZTE may be empowered to do so as well.

For whatever reason, Trump seems to now be trying to stay on the good side of China. China is unlikely to do anything other than remember the sanctions against ZTE as a burning force to get it all done in house. Huawei already apparently has a secret Android alternative just in case. Few would believe it is the only Chinese company scrambling to establish contingency plans.

Next-gen: 5G, AI, and deeper concerns

So what will China do? We know already next-generation tech is firmly in the sights of companies like Huawei and ZTE, both leaders in 5G technology. The companies both hold many significant patents and are competitively pricing their network infrastructure, in some cases offering service for as much as 70 percent less than offerings from 5G services from Nokia and Ericsson (which are struggling to stay afloat as it is).

O2

China is also racing to grow its AI capabilities. It’s being called an AI-arms race, and significant warnings are being raised across the Western world as to exactly how dire a technical advantage for China may be. Chinese companies have access to more datasets — including on its own population — to hone its AI. Apple and Google don’t have access to a law enforcement database of 1.5 billion people or the world’s largest portrait system, which Chinese authorities retain and supply to AI companies to sharpen facial recognition.

The former president of the European Commission cautioned just this week that the world could fall behind China when it comes to developing artificial intelligence. The late Stephen Hawking and the very current Elon Musk warned of the same. These are not outliers. Some warn of an apocalypse, others bring up economic or military concerns (which may well lead to an apocalypse, if you will).

Russian president Vladimir Putin shared his thoughts as well, stating the winner of this race will become “the ruler of the world.” It’s a very serious and powerful warning, that apparently hasn’t been heeded at the very top.

China is emboldened by the ZTE reversal. It’s pushing to create its own technology, with a national mission to not just avoid U.S. tech, but beat it.

Source: Android Zone

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Very confusing U.S. sales begin for the Motorola Moto E5 Play and E5 Plus

• The Motorola Moto E5 Plus and Moto E5 Play are now available to buy in the U.S.
• The vanilla Moto E5 however, is not.
• Pricing and naming for the two available devices are erratic across carriers.

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Earlier this month, we posted an article detailing the pricing and country launches of several Motorola devices. The information presented was confusing, to say the least. Certain phones are only launching in certain countries, and many of the price points were in foreign currency or not available.

Today, we have some additionally confusing U.S. pricing on the Motorola Moto E5 Play and Moto E5 Plus, via GSM Arena. However, don’t go looking for the vanilla Moto E5 because it (also confusingly) is not launching in the United States.

Let’s start with the Moto E5 Play. You can get the Moto E5 Play from Verizon, Cricket, and Boost Mobile. Each carrier sells the device for different prices: Verizon for $95, Cricket for $100, and Boost Mobile for $80.

To add some more confusion to the mix, the Cricket variant of the Moto E5 Play is actually called the Motorola Moto E5 Cruise.

Editor’s Pick

Best budget phones with (near) bezel-less displays

The smartphone industry is a notoriously fickle beast where bold innovations are just a few fatal steps away from becoming the latest flash-in-the-pan gimmick. Every now and again though, there’s a design quirk that sticks …

The Motorola Moto E5 Plus, however, is only available through Sprint at the moment, and it will cost you $288. You might be wondering why the Plus variant is nearly three times as expensive as the Play variant. Well, we’re wondering that as well. In our article summing up the Motorola device launches, the Moto E5 Plus was listed as costing 169 euros (~$196). Why is it nearly $100 more expensive in the U.S. than what Europeans will pay for the device? We’re not sure.

Motorola might want to reconsider its launching and pricing strategies for these devices. The confusion between names, launch countries, and prices are not making the phones an easy sell. I suppose Motorola is only banking on budget-conscious customers to buy a Moto E5 device at a carrier when signing up for a new line? Seems like a weird strategy.

Click the buttons below to get your Moto E5 device of choice:

get moto e5 play at verizon

get moto e5 cruise at cricket

get moto e5 play at boost mobile

get moto e5 plus at sprint

Source: Android Zone

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The secret to instant SEO success

The internet isn’t a meritocracy.

Your content could be hot stuff, but without the online know-how that is Search Engine Optimization (SEO), not many people are going to see it. You could spend months learning the ropes, or you could let SEOPop do all the work for you.

It’s about as fair as taking a jet ski to a swim meet

SEOPop will automatically analyze every aspect of your site and produce a full intelligence report on where the SEO could be improved. If there are mistakes in the searchability of your content, SEOPop will sniff them out. If your site has lagging issues, SEOPop will make sure you know about it.

It will even analyze how your site interacts with social media, and help optimize for mobile devices.

Of course SEOPop can analyze other sites as well, and getting an edge on your competitors is where this little gem comes into its own. You can give yourself the unfair advantage and see why the competition is picking up traffic which could be coming your way. It’s about as fair as taking a jet ski to a swim meet, but you’ll be top of the Google searches in no time.

AAPicks is spotlighting SEOPop today because we’ve spotted a massive 93% discount that you won’t want to miss. Right now a lifetime subscription is only $9.99. Even if your site isn’t quite up and running yet, it’s worth signing up now while it’s discounted.

It Looks like the DEAL EXPIRES THIS WEEK, so to take advantage hit the button below.

Check it out!

The AAPicks team writes about things we think you’ll like, and we may see a share of revenue from any purchases made through affiliate links. To see all our hottest deals, head over to the AAPICKS HUB.

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Looking for a new phone or plan? Start here with the Android Authority Plan Tool:

This smart tool lets you filter plans by phone, price, data tiers, and regional availability. Stop overpaying for cell service you hate and a phone that you’re tired of. Use our Compare Phones & Plans tool to fully customize your mobile experience and painlessly transition from one carrier to another!

Source: Android Zone

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Ultimate Guide: How to Start a WordPress Blog (Step by Step)

Do you want to start a WordPress blog the right way? We know that starting a blog can be a terrifying thought specially when you are not geeky. Guess what – you are not alone. Having helped over 130,000+ users start a blog, we have decided to create the most comprehensive guide on how to start a WordPress blog without any technical knowledge.

The process is easy to follow whether you are 20 years old or 60 years old. However if you need help, our expert team will help you setup your blog for free. → Click Here to Get Your Free WordPress Blog Setup! ←

What do you need to start a WordPress blog?

There are three things you need to start a WordPress blog:

1. A domain name idea (this will be the name of your blog i.e wpbeginner.com)
2. A web hosting account (this is where your website live on the internet)
3. Your undivided attention for 30 minutes.

Yes, you read it right. You can start a blog from scratch in less than 30 minutes, and we will walk you through the whole process, step by step.

In this tutorial, we will cover:

• How to Register a Domain Name for Free
• How to Choose the Best Web Hosting
• How to Install WordPress
• How to Change Your Theme
• How to Write Your First Blog Post
• How to Customize WordPress with Plugins
• How to Add a Contact Form
• How to Setup Google Analytics Tracking
• How to Optimize Your Website for SEO
• How to Make Money From Your Blog
• Resources to Learn and Master WordPress

Ready? Let’s get started.

Video Tutorial

If you don’t like the video or need more instructions, then continue reading.

Step 1. Setup

The biggest mistake beginners make when starting a blog is choosing the wrong blogging platform. Thankfully you’re here, so you won’t be making that mistake.

For 95% of users, it makes more sense to use WordPress.org also known as self-hosted WordPress. Why? Because it is free to use, you can install plugins, customize your site design, and most importantly make money from your site without any restrictions (see the difference between WordPress.com vs WordPress.org).

Now you have probably heard that WordPress is free.

You might be wondering why is it free? What’s the catch?

There’s no catch. It’s free because you have to do the setup and host it yourself.

In other words, you need a domain name and web hosting.

A domain name is what people type to get to your website. It’s your website’s address on the internet. Think google.com or wpbeginner.com

Web hosting is where your website live. It’s your website’s house on the internet. Every website needs web hosting.

A domain name typically costs $14.99 / year, and web hosting normally costs $7.99 / month.

That’s a lot for beginners who are just starting out.

Thankfully, Bluehost, an official WordPress recommended hosting provider, has agreed to offer our users a free domain name and over 60% off on web hosting.

→ Click here to Claim this Exclusive Bluehost offer ←

Bluehost is one of the oldest web hosting companies, started in 1996 (that’s before Google). They are also the largest brand name when it comes to WordPress hosting because they host millions of websites including our own.

On top of all this, Bluehost has been working with WordPress since 2005, and they are committed to giving back. That’s why they have promised us that if you cannot get your blog online within 30 minutes by following this tutorial, then our expert team will complete the process for you without any cost. They will compensate us, so you don’t have to. Contact us for free blog setup help.

NOTE: At WPBeginner we believe in transparency. If you sign up with Bluehost using our referral link, we will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you (in fact, you will save money and get a free domain). We would get this commission for recommending just about any WordPress hosting company, but we only recommend products that we use personally use and believe will add value to our readers.

Let’s go ahead and purchase your domain + hosting.

Open up Bluehost in a new window and follow along.

First thing you need to do is click on the green Get Started Now button to get started.

On the next screen, select the plan that you need (basic and plus are the most popular).

After that, you will be asked to enter the domain name for your website.

Lastly, you will need to add your account information and finalize the package info to complete the process. We recommend going with the 36 month plan because that’s best value.

On this screen, you will see optional extras that you can purchase. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you purchase these, but we generally don’t recommend purchasing them right away. You can always add them later on, if you decide that you need them.

Once completed, you will receive an email with details on how to login to your web hosting control panel (cPanel). This is where you manage everything from support, emails, among other things. But most importantly, this is where you install WordPress.

Step 2. Install WordPress

In the cPanel, you will see dozens of small icons for different services and features. This can be a bit overwhelming, so ignore 95% of them because you will never need to use them.

Scroll down to the website section and click on the WordPress icon.

You will be redirected to the Bluehost Marketplace Quick Install screen for WordPress. Click on the Get Started button.

On the next screen, you will be asked to select your domain name. Choose the domain from the dropdown and then click Next.

After that, you need to enter your Site Name, username, and a password for your site. You also need to check all the checkboxes and then click Install.

The QuickInstall will start installing WordPress. The marketplace will prompt you to browse WordPress themes, while WordPress is being installed.

No need to do that right now. We’ll show you how to get free WordPress themes in the next step.

Once WordPress is finished installing, you will see the success notice in the top header bar.

Click on the Installation Complete link, and it will take you to the screen with your WordPress login URL and password.

Congratulations, you have created your WordPress site. That wasn’t too bad right.

Your WordPress login URL will look like this:

http://yoursite.com/wp-admin

Click on the WordPress login link to login to your dashboard.

Now we’re ready to customize your site’s appearance and start blogging.

Step 3. Selecting your WordPress Theme

The visual appearance of your WordPress blog is controlled by themes. When you first visit your blog, it will look something like this:

This is not very appealing to most people.

Customizing the look and feel of your blog is by far one of the most exciting and rewarding part in the journey of creating your WordPress site.

There are thousands of pre-made WordPress themes that you can install on your site. Some of them are free, while others are paid.

You can change your theme by going to your WordPress dashboard and clicking on Appearance » Themes.

Go ahead and click on the Add New button.

On the next screen, you will able to search from 5600+ free WordPress themes that are available in the official WordPress.org themes directory. You can sort by popular, latest, featured, as well as other feature filters (i.e industry, layout, etc).

You can take your mouse over to a theme and you will see a Preview button. Clicking on will open the theme preview where you can see how it would look on your website.

The preview of your theme may not look exactly as shown in the screenshot, which is normal as you will get to customize and set it up later. What you need to look for is design, colors, typography, and other elements.

The best tip to select the perfect WordPress theme is to strive for simplicity in design. It helps you keep things clean and clear while offering a good experience to your users.

When you have found the theme that you like, simply bring your mouse on it, and it will show the Install button. Click on it and wait for the theme to be installed. After that, the install button will be replaced with an Activate button. You need to click on it to Activate the theme.

Once you have installed your theme, you can customize it by clicking on the Customize link under the Appearance menu.

If you need help selecting a theme, then please refer to our guide on 9 things you should consider when selecting a perfect WordPress theme.

Once you have selected your WordPress theme, you are now ready to create your first blog post.

Step 4. Creating Your First Blog Post

To write your first blog post, click on the Posts » Add New menu in your WordPress dashboard.

You will see an editor area where you can write your first blog post.

Once you’re done writing, go ahead and click on the Publish button on the right to publish your first blog post to the world.

On the posts screen, you will notice several other sections such as Categories and Tags. You can use these to organize your blog posts. We have a great writeup on the difference between categories vs tags, which we highly recommend that you read.

To utilize all the features on the posts screen, you should read our article on how to add a new post in WordPress (video included).

Often beginners are confused between posts and pages menu in the WordPress dashboard. That’s why we have written a complete guide on the difference between posts vs pages in WordPress.

Step 5. Plugins & Customizations

Once you have written your first blog post, you probably want to get started with adding other usual elements on your website such as contact forms, galleries, sliders, etc.

To add all these additional features, you need to use plugins.

WordPress plugins are apps that allow you to add new features to your website.

There are over 55,000 WordPress plugins available in the free WordPress plugin directory alone. This means no matter what you want to accomplish, there is a plugin for it.

We have a step by step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

That being said, let’s take a look at how to use plugins to add some essential features to your WordPress blog.

How to Create a Contact Form in WordPress

Every website needs a contact form. It allows your users to contact you directly. Since WordPress doesn’t come with a built-in contact form, you will need a WordPress form builder plugin to add a contact form on your site.

We recommend using the WPForms Lite plugin. It is free version of the popular WPForms plugin, which is #1 in our list of best contact form plugins for WordPress.

You can install the plugin by going to Plugins » Add New page and typing WPForms in the search box. Next, you need to click “Install” and then “Activate”. Upon activation, you need to head over to WPForms » Add New page to create your first form.

This will open the WPForms builder interface.

First, you need to enter a name for your contact form and then click on ‘Simple Contact Form’ template.

WPForms will now create a simple contact form for you with all the required fields. You can click on any field to change it, or add a new field from the left column.

Once you are done editing the form, click on the save button at the top right corner and then exit the form builder.

You can now create a new page in WordPress by going to Pages » Add New and call it ‘Contact’. On the edit screen, you will notice a new ‘Add Form’ button.

When you click on it, it will bring up a popup where you need to select the form you created earlier and then click on the add form button.

WPForms will now add the form shortcode into your page. You can now save and publish the page and visit it in your browser to see your contact form in action.

If you need more detailed instructions, then see our step by step guide on how to create a contact form in WordPress.

How to Setup Google Analytics Tracking

Google Analytics helps you see how many people are visiting your blog, where they are coming from, and what are they doing on your website?

It is best to install Google Analytics when starting your blog, so you can see how much your blog has grown over time.

First, you need to visit Google Analytics website and sign in using your Gmail account.

Once you are logged in, you can go ahead and sign up for a free Google Analytics account.

You will be asked to provide your information and website URL. After that, you will be presented with your Google Analytics tracking code.

You can stop here because we will be using a plugin to automatically fetch and add this code to your blog.

Switch to your WordPress admin area to install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. It is the free version of the best Google Analytics plugin for WordPress, and it is the easiest way to add Google Analytics on your site.

Upon activation, you need to visit Insights » Settings page to configure the plugin settings.

On the settings page, click on the ‘Authenticate with your Google account’ button to connect Google Analytics to your WordPress site.

Follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. Once done, you will be able to see your website analytics report straight from your WordPress dashboard under the MonsterInsights tab.

For detailed instructions, see our article on how to install Google Analytics in WordPress.

How to Optimize Your WordPress site for SEO

Most beginners don’t optimize for SEO when creating a blog. SEO or search engine optimization helps users find your blog in search engines. If you want more traffic, then it’s crucial that you optimize your blog for SEO from the beginning.

To get started, first you need to install and activate the Yoast SEO plugin. It is the complete WordPress SEO plugin that will help you optimize your blog.

Upon activation, you will see a new menu item labeled ‘SEO’. Clicking on it will take you to the plugins settings page.

The plugin comes with a quick configuration wizard to help you walk through the set up. You can also follow the instructions in our Yoast SEO guide for manual set up.

We also recommend you to follow our complete step by step WordPress SEO guide to set up your blog’s SEO.

More WordPress Plugins and Customizations

There are a ton of others WordPress plugins that you can install. Often beginners find it a bit overwhelming to search for the plugins they need.

At WPBeginner, we often feature the best WordPress plugins to help you add the functionality that you need.

Here is our expert pick of the best WordPress plugins that you should check out.

• Backup – BackupBuddy is the best WordPress backup plugin. You need to create regular backups of your website in case something ever goes wrong.
• Security – Sucuri Security is a free security scanner for WordPress. We have a complete step by step WordPress security guide for beginners that will help you secure your blog.
• Performance – We recommend using WP Super Cache to speed up WordPress. For more on this topic see our article on WordPress speed and performance with step by step instructions.

If you are curious about the plugins and tools we use on our site, then check out WPBeginner’s Blueprint. It has all the plugins and tools that we use on the WPBeginner blog.

Need more recommendations? See our expert-pick of the must have WordPress plugins and tools for business websites.

Step 6. Making Money From Your Blog

Now that you’ve built your blog and customized it to your liking, you are probably wondering how can I actually make money from my blog?

There are actually a lot different ways to successfully monetize your blog. However there is no such thing as a get rich quick scheme.

Don’t be fooled by the pictures of expensive cars and mansions because those are all fake.

Unlike other “make money online” articles, we have created the most comprehensive guide on how to make money from your blog using WordPress.

That’s a 4000+ word guide that everyone who starts a blog and wants to make money from it needs to read. We have shared our 14+ years of online wisdom in that ultimate guide.

As long as you’re willing to put in the hard work and effort, you’ll reap the reward. Remember, there are no shortcuts.

Here are some of the best ways to make money from your WordPress blog.

1. Google AdSense

Many bloggers make money by showing ads on their blog. If you make a blog with monetization in mind, then Google AdSense is the best way to do this.

It is the largest advertising platform for bloggers and publishers. Acting as a middleman between you and the advertiser, Google allow advertisers to bid for keywords matching your content. This allows you to get the best rates possible for the ads.

For more details, see our article on how to properly add Google AdSense to your WordPress blog.

2. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is the second most commonly used monetization strategy among bloggers. Basically, you recommend products and services to your readers and when they make a purchase you get a referral commission.

The key in affiliate marketing is to recommend high-quality products and services that you already use and trust. There are plenty of affiliate marketing plugins and tools for WordPress that can help you make more money when promoting affiliate products.

We have a complete step by step affiliate marketing guide for beginners, that will help you get started.

3. Online Store

Many bloggers make money by selling things directly from their blog. This could be physical products, digital downloads like ebooks, artwork, music, and more. Some bloggers even offer consulting services.

We recommend using WooCommerce because it is the best eCommerce plugin for WordPress. It also the most commonly used eCommerce platforms in the world.

For detailed instructions, see our guide on how to easily create an online store using WordPress.

That’s not all you can do with your WordPress blog. You can make WordPress blogs specifically for reviews, fashion blogging, food blogging with recipes, and more. Each of these blog types brings you more unique opportunities to make money.

Step 7. Mastering WordPress

WPBeginner is the largest free WordPress resource site for beginners.

At WPBeginner, our main goal is to provide cutting-edge helpful WordPress tutorials that are easy to understand for small businesses, bloggers, and non-techy WordPress website owners (see more about us).

To expand your WordPress knowledge, you should check out:

• WPBeginner Dictionary – The best place for beginners to start and familiarize themselves with the WordPress lingo
• WPBeginner Videos – New to WordPress? Watch these 23 videos to master WordPress.
• WPBeginner Blog – The central place for all our WordPress tutorials.

You can also subscribe to WPBeginner’s YouTube Channel where we regularly share video tutorials to help you learn WordPress.

Lastly, you can use Google to type your question and add WPBeginner in front of it. Our users find this very helpful because you’ll likely find an answer to any WordPress questions that you have.

In case you don’t find an answer to your question, simply use our contact form to send us a message. We love helping users get started with WordPress.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Having helped thousands of people start a blog, we have answered quite a lot of questions. Below are the answers to the most frequently asked questions about creating a blog.

Can I create a blog without WordPress?

Yes, there are several other blogging platforms available. We have compared them all, and WordPress is by far the best solution in the market to make a blog with complete ownership and freedom.

Can I create a blog without hosting?

No, that’s not possible. Web hosting is where your website files are stored. All websites need web hosting.

How much does it cost to start a blog?

The cost depends on the add-ons that you buy. We have a complete guide on how much does a WordPress website cost as well as tips on how to save money.

Can I start a blog without my parents knowing about it?

Yes. You can make your WordPress blog private and hide it from the internet. Here is a step by step guide on how to make your WordPress blog completely private.

Can I start a WordPress blog and make money with Google Adsense?

Yes, you can use your WordPress blog to earn money from Google AdSense. We have a step by step guide on how to add Google AdSense in WordPress.

How can I start a blog and remain anonymous?

If you want to have a public-facing blog but want to remain anonymous, then you need to make sure that your domain has WHOIS privacy turned on. Often people use a pseudonym / nickname to write under. You should also create a unique email just for your blog. It goes without saying, don’t post your pictures or anything on the blog. For more detailed instructions, see our article on how to blog anonymously using WordPress.

How do I add a podcast to my WordPress blog?

WordPress makes it super easy to start a blog and add a podcast to it. We have a step by step guide on how to start a podcast with WordPress.

How do I come up with blogging ideas to write about?

Here’s an excellent guide that has 103 blog post ideas that you can write about today. Here’s another guide on 73 types of blog posts that are proven to work.

How can I add a coupon section to my blog?

You can easily start a coupon blog by following our step by step guide on how to create a coupon site with WordPress.

How do I add social media icons to my blog?

Social media plays an important role in bringing new visitors to your website and keeping your followers engaged. WordPress has plenty of great social media plugins that you can use. These plugins allow you to easily add social sharing buttons to your website and engage your audiences across platforms like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and more.

Can I create a blog in my own language?

Yes, you can use WordPress in other languages. You can select your language during installation or from Settings page in WordPress admin area. WordPress is fully translated in more than 56 languages and partially translated into dozens of other languages. Many top WordPress themes and plugins are also available in multiple languages. You can also translate a theme or a plugin that you want to use on your website.

How do I start a blog in multiple languages?

Want to start a blog in Hindi, Spanish, or multiple languages? Here’s a step by step guide on how to create a multilingual website in WordPress.

Can I create a multi-author blog in WordPress?

Yes, you can. WordPress comes with a user role management system that you can use to create a multi-author blog.

Can I sell online courses from my WordPress blog?

Yes, you can. WordPress has some of the best LMS plugins to make it happen. You can create a blog and sell courses online from your WordPress blog. For detailed step by step instructions, see our guide on how to create an online course with WordPress.

Can I create a membership based WordPress blog?

Yes, you can. WordPress has some powerful membership plugins, that allow you to easily restrict any content you want and limit it to members only. You can create paid memberships with multiple levels and sell premium content to your paid subscribers. For details, see our ultimate guide to building a WordPress membership website.

We hope that you found our tutorial on how to start a WordPress blog to be helpful. You may also want to check out our article on 19 actionable tips to drive traffic to your new WordPress site.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post Ultimate Guide: How to Start a WordPress Blog (Step by Step) appeared first on WPBeginner.

Source: Wordpres

The post Ultimate Guide: How to Start a WordPress Blog (Step by Step) appeared first on TuneMaster.ml.