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A reader asks: “Is there any way to password-protect and lock a sensitive PDF file before sending it as an attachment through email? I cannot afford Adobe Acrobat Pro and free primopdf didn’t work for me. Any help will be appreciated!” The quickest way to do this is to ZIP the PDF file and protect the ZIP file, or use Microsoft Office’s built-in encryption tools to create a password. If you use Outlook, you can use Adobe Acrobat IX to password protect PDFs. You can also try programs like NitroPDF and PDF Encrypt to set the password protection to your PDF file without Acrobat. For more on PDF and document encryption: How to encrypt sensitive data? Put it in an encrypted container How to remove encryption from a PDF file How to encrypt and password-protect ZIP files the right way #By Michael Connell#

Google is taking aim at one of the biggest scourges of the modern web. Starting in January 2018, the Chrome browser will automatically block noisy autoplay video on webpages. “One of the most frequent user concerns is unexpected media playback, which can use data, consume power, and make unwanted noise while browsing,” Google wrote in a blog post. “To address this, Chrome will be making autoplay more consistent with user expectations and will give users more control over audio.” [ Further reading: Best web browsers of 2017: Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Opera go head-to-head ] In Chrome 64, autoplaying videos will be blocked by default unless they’re muted, or if “the user has indicated an interest in the media.” That means autoplay will be allowed for a site if you’ve frequently played a video on it or added the site to your mobile homepage. You won’t need to manually play every YouTube video or Twitch stream you select, in other words. Autoplay will also be enabled if you “clicked...

OK Google, phone Home. First announced at I/O in May, Google is ready to launch hands-free calling via its voice-activated Home speaker, letting you get in touch with anyone in the U.S. or Canada without lifting a finger—and for free. Starting Wednesday, you’ll be able to use your Home speaker to place a call to virtually any person in your contacts or business across the U.S. or Canada, but there’s a catch: The recipient won’t know who’s calling. Since Google Home uses its own number to place the call, the recipient will see “Unknown” or “No Caller ID” on their end. Google says it hopes to allow users to link their mobile numbers by the end of the year. Once the feature becomes available on your device, you won’t have to do much to get it to work. There’s no new service to sign up for, or complicated carrier updates. All you need is to allow Google Home to access your contacts (which is automatic on Android but requires a permissions allowance on iOS). Once granting that permissi...