Europe has an electric bike problem. Direct-to-consumer e-bikes from inexpensive Chinese brands like Engwe and countless others can be easily purchased online despite openly flouting EU restrictions. They feature throttles and powerful motors that can be easily unlocked to far exceed the 25km/h (16mph) legal speed limit — no pedaling required.
Technology
Never get locked out of your email again by doing this
Getting locked out of your email is no fun. To start, maybe you forgot your username or password, and now you have to go through all the security verification steps to reset it. Or perhaps you thought you knew your information, but with too many attempts, you’ve been locked out of your account entirely. This could also happen if someone else attempted to log in to your account with a similar username to yours and, with all their incorrect attempts, accidentally locked you out in the process.
Even if you have account recovery information on file, sometimes it’s not enough. Maybe the recovery information you have on a file is with an old email or one you don’t remember the login information for. We’ve all been there.
Whatever the case, getting back into your account depends on why you can’t access it in the first place. Many of us rely on our email daily – whether to stay in touch with friends or family, receive newsletters or handle essential documents and correspondence – so it’s important to know what to do if you ever get locked out of your email.
CLICK TO GET KURT’S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER
Person typing on laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to get back into your email account on:
Outlook
How to unlock Outlook page (Microsoft) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Go to the sign-in page: Visit the Outlook.com sign-in page and click “Forgot my password.”
- Verify your identity: Choose why you need your password reset and then continue. For security purposes, you’ll be asked to enter your email address and the characters you see on the screen.
- Receive a security code: Choose how you want to get the security code (usually via an alternate email or SMS). Enter the code you receive to verify your identity.
- Reset your password: Create a new password once your identity is confirmed.
If your account gets blocked, you can also visit their account recovery help here.
MORE: BEST PRIVATE AND SECURE EMAIL PROVIDERS 2024
AOL
Fix problems signing into your AOL account page (AOL) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Access the AOL sign-in page: Navigate to the AOL sign-in page and click “Forgot password?”
- Verify information: Provide the email address or phone number linked to your account and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Choose how to reset your password: You’ll receive options for resetting your password, including receiving a verification code via email or SMS.
- Reset the password: Enter the verification code received and create a new password.
If you’re still locked out of your account, visit AOL’s help page here.
DuckDuckGo Email
DuckDuckGo email support page (DuckDuckGo) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
DuckDuckGo provides email forwarding services through @duck.com addresses linked to your primary email. Here are the steps if you’re locked out.
- Access DuckDuckGo settings: Since DuckDuckGo email is not a full-fledged email provider but a forwarding service, you’ll need to access your DuckDuckGo settings through their website.
- Manage your Email Protection: In the settings, navigate to Email Protection and verify your identity as needed.
- Check linked email: Ensure your primary email address is correct and has access. If not, follow the recovery process for your primary email provider.
If you have trouble logging in, DuckDuckGo recommends contacting their support team at support@duck.com. You can read more about it on their help pages.
MORE: UNFORGETTABLE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS 2024
Yahoo
Fix problems signing into your Yahoo account page (Yahoo) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Visit the Help site: Go to the Yahoo sign-in helper page.
- Enter your Yahoo ID: Input your Yahoo email address and continue. You may also be asked to enter the CAPTCHA code. Then click “Forgot Password?”
- Choose your recovery method: You can choose to receive a verification code via email or text message to a registered alternate email address or phone number.
- Enter the verification code: Type the verification code you received to verify your identity.
- Create a new password: After verification, you will be prompted to create a new password.
MORE: 5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR FACEBOOK ACCOUNT BULLETPROOF
StartMail
I forgot my password page (StartMail) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
- Visit the recovery page: Go to the StartMail log-in page and click on “Forgot your password?”.
- Enter your account details: Provide your StartMail account email address.
- Verification via backup email: You’ll receive an email with instructions to reset your password at your backup email address.
- Reset your password: Follow the instructions in the email to reset your password.
StartMail uses a recovery email or a one-time verification code if you get locked out. This will have to be set up when you first open the account. For additional support for each one of these steps, visit here.
Gmail
How to recover your Google Gmail page (Gmail) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Visit Account Recovery: Go to the Google Account Recovery page at https://accounts.google.com/signin/recovery.
- Enter your Gmail address: Input the email address you need to access. Click “Next.”
- Verify your identity: You’ll be prompted with several ways to verify your identity. Choose the most convenient option, which might include answering security questions, receiving a verification code via text or a phone call to a previously configured recovery phone number, or sending a verification code to a recovery email address you had set up.
- Receive and enter the verification code: If you opt to receive a code, enter it in the provided space to proceed.
- Reset your password: Once verified, you can set a new password. Choose a strong and secure password that hasn’t been used on your account before.
- Recovery without sufficient information: If you can’t provide enough information to verify your account immediately, keep trying. Google might offer additional questions or options after several attempts or after some time has passed.
- Follow additional instructions: If you successfully verify your identity, follow any further instructions from Google to regain access to your account.
The nice thing about Gmail is that you have unlimited attempts. They won’t lock you out, so you can continue to try. If you need additional help, visit their account recovery help page here.
MORE: HOW A FLAW IN IPHONE’S SECURITY COULD LEAVE YOU LOCKED OUT
Kurt’s key takeaways
We’ve all been locked out of our accounts at one point or another. Luckily, most email platforms make it relatively simple to get back in, with security at the top of mind. That being said, storing your usernames and passwords somewhere safe (the old pen-and-paper method does the trick) so you don’t risk getting locked out. Of course, be sure to use secure password best practices whenever you can.
Have you ever been locked out of one of your email accounts to the point where you had to create a new account altogether? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.
For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.
Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.
Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:
Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Here in Amsterdam, cheap Super73-knockoffs ridden at almost twice the legal speed have made the city’s renowned bicycle lanes increasingly chaotic and dangerous. Across the Netherlands, over 10,000 of these electric “fat bikes” were seized in 2024.
Engwe’s new Mapfour lineup is the company’s attempt at going legit by expanding from souped-up electric fat bikes and foldables into “premium commuter” e-bikes. And because they’re the first e-bikes that Engwe has designed exclusively for European roads, the company swears they can’t be unlocked for more speed.
I’ve been riding the new Mapfour N1 Pro model for the last few weeks. It lists for €1,899 (almost $2,000), or €1,799 during the initial launch — a price that brings heightened expectations.
The N1 Pro is slathered in premium capabilities like GPS/GSM tracking for which some bike makers charge subscriptions. The monocoque frame and fork are made from carbon fiber supplied by Toray — “the same high-quality carbon fiber as Trek and Specialized,” claims Engwe. There’s even turn-by-turn navigation built into the full-featured app, a large colorful display integrated into the handlebars, and a built-in mechanical lock in the rear wheel hub that automatically engages when the bike is turned off and stationary.
My review bike was missing a fender bolt, occasionally flashed a strange error code, and the solar-powered rear light won’t turn on. Still, it’s likely the highest quality electric bike Engwe has ever made.
$1714
The Good
- Looks and rides sporty
- Long list of features for price
- Removable battery
- Can’t be speed hacked
The Bad
- Strange error messages
- Servicing parts likely an issue
- Doesn’t support height range claimed
- Can’t be speed hacked
I have lots of experience with assembling direct-to-consumer e-bikes and the N1 Pro was ready to ride in about an hour, which is typical. Even with a carbon-fiber frame it weighs 20.1kg (44lbs) fully assembled according to my scale, which is heavy for an e-bike — just not Veloretti-heavy.
In the box you’ll find a basic toolset that includes everything needed for assembly and instructions written in stellar English unlike some previous Engwe tutorials I’ve read. I had to assemble the pedals, front wheel, kickstand, handlebar, and fenders, and fish out a replacement fender bolt from some spare bicycle parts I had lying around. I then went to adjust the saddle to my height only to discover that I was too tall for the N1 Pro.
The saddle stem has a marked safety line that stops well before the height needed for my 6 foot (183cm) frame, despite being sold in the Netherlands where I’m considered a short king. Nevertheless, exceeding the line by about 2.5cm (one inch) hasn’t made the saddle feel insecure, even when riding over rough cobblestones. Engwe claims the N1 Pro supports riders from 165–190cm, and is considering offering the option for a longer saddle stem at checkout based upon my feedback.
The N1 Pro’s geometry puts the rider into what’s essentially a mountain bike stance: a moderate forward lean with hands spread wide out in front of the body. That wrist and body angle combined with a rather stiff saddle are not ideal for riding long distances, especially in combination with a backpack that’ll put even more weight on the hands and derrière. I do like that fun, sporty posture over short distances, but if you’re looking for a more relaxed ride then Engwe has the upright €1,399 MapFour N1 Air available in both step-over and step-through frames.
The 250W mid-drive Ananda motor on the N1 Pro is nearly silent under the din of road noise, and the integrated torque sensor provides an intuitive pedal-assist at all speeds. It produces up to 80Nm of torque that lets me easily start from a dead stop in fourth gear (of seven) on flat roads, but testing on a hill with a gradient of about 15 percent required a start from first gear. Typically, I only needed to shift to a high gear when I wanted to use my leg power to propel the bike at speeds above the 25km/h motor cutoff.
Despite claiming a range of up to 100km from its modest 360Wh battery, my first test performed over a few weeks yielded just 23km off a full charge in near-freezing conditions. I usually rode in power setting three of five on mostly flat roads. The second test performed on a single warmer day improved the range to 27km with 28 percent charge remaining — or an estimated 36km if I had time to run the battery dry for a below average 10Wh consumed per kilometer travelled. The bike battery seems to suffer from idle battery drain of about 1-2 percent per day when parked inside my house.
Worrisome for a “premium” e-bike: on two occasions I saw an “09” error message flash on the display which Engwe is still diagnosing. Once, while starting the bike after it had been sitting outside in the rain for a few hours. Another time after riding home on a rain-soaked street while switching between the N1 Pro’s regular and high-beam lights. In the first case, a simple reboot cleared it and I was able to ride away fine, but the other time required riding home under my own power before it inexplicably cleared the next morning.
- The bike’s integrated display is readable in all lighting, and shows the remaining battery level, speed, power level, and even distance and direction of next turn if using the navigation built into the useful but overwrought Engwe app.
- I didn’t find Engwe’s turn-by-turn navigation very useful as the guidance presented on the display wasn’t informative or urgent enough for me to make confident decisions when traversing the dense network of crossroads in Amsterdam.
- It has a very loud alarm that can ward off thieves and help locate the e-bike in large parking garages.
- The daytime running lights are fun and help with visibility, but also dorky if you choose the animated options.
- The solar-powered rear light never worked on my review unit.
- Engwe provides a chain guard on shipping units.
- The hydraulic disc brakes from an unspecified vendor provide good controlled stops.
- Includes a 1-year warranty on electrical components, chassis, and battery.
1/19
There was a time when premium e-bikes had list prices around €2,000 / $2,000. Those days are as gone as the free venture capital propping up e-bike startups, pushing premium prices up to a starting price closer to €3,000 / $3,000. The Engwe N1 Pro is therefore priced about right. It’s not a bad e-bike, but it’s also not great despite checking off lots of features on a marketing sheet.
Just remember, servicing a direct-to-consumer e-bike can be a problem as it requires the ready availability of spare parts and the knowledge to replace them. As with any electric bike exposed to the elements and regular road use, the N1 Pro’s motor and any proprietary electronics like the controller, display, battery, lights, buttons, and integrated lock will eventually need servicing. So you’d better be on very good terms with your local bike shop or be handy with a wrench and oscilloscope to prevent your mail-order e-bike from quickly turning into e-waste.
Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is preparing to launch the eighth flight test of Starship from Boca Chica, Texas, which could blast off as soon as this Friday as long as the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) gives its approval.
“Starship Flight 8 flies Friday,” Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, said in a post on X Sunday.
For the first time, the upcoming flight has a planned payload deployment and multiple experiments on re-entry geared toward returning the upper stage booster to the launch site to be caught.
The launch will also include the return and catch of the Super Heavy booster that will blast the rocket off the launchpad.
STARSHIP UPPER STAGE LOST ON SEVENTH TEST FLIGHT, DEBRIS SEEN SPEWING IN SKY
Starship Flight 7 launches from Starbase, Texas, before its upper stage was lost. (Associated Press)
During the flight test, Starship will deploy four Starlink simulators, which are about the same size as next-generation Starlink satellites, SpaceX said.
The Starlink simulators will be deployed in the same sub orbit as Starship and are expected to burn up upon re-entry.
While Starship is in space, SpaceX also plans to relight a single Raptor engine.
POWERFUL WEBB TELESCOPE SPIES SPECTACULAR STAR BIRTH CLUSTER BEYOND THE MILKY WAY
Starship Flight 7 launches from Starbase, Texas. (Associated Press)
If all goes as planned, the launch window will open at 6:30 p.m. ET.
The launch comes more than a month after SpaceX launched Starship Flight 7 from the Starbase test site in Boca Chica, which resulted in Starship experiencing a “rapid unscheduled disassembly” nearly 12 minutes into the flight.
The Super Heavy booster descended back to Earth, where it maneuvered to the launch and catch tower arms at Starbase, resulting in the second ever successful catch of Super Heavy.
Starship, however, was not as successful.
MERGER OF MASSIVE BLACK HOLES FROM EARLY UNIVERSE UNCOVERED BY WEBB TELESCOPE, SCIENTISTS SAY
“Starship experienced a rapid unscheduled disassembly during its ascent burn,” SpaceX said in a statement Jan. 16. “Teams will continue to review data from today’s flight test to better understand root cause. With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today’s flight will help us improve Starship’s reliability.”
SpaceX has investigated what caused Starship to break apart, though the investigation remains open.
For Starship Flight 8 to blast off, the FAA must give its approval, which could come in a few ways.
In 2023, the FAA issued a five-year license to SpaceX for launches from Texas, which is revisited for every launch in case modifications need to be made for things like the trajectory of the rocket. The FAA could grant approval once mission specifics and license modifications are made, the FAA told Fox News Digital.
But also lingering is the open investigation into the Starship Flight 7 mishap. To fly again, the investigation needs to be closed, and the FAA must accept the findings. Specifically, the FAA weighs whether the incident put public safety at risk.
At the time of this writing, the investigation had not been closed, and the FAA had not given approval. Still, it is common for the approval to be issued a day or two before launch, the FAA noted.
SpaceX did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the matter.
Fox News Digital’s Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
The goal, Patel says, is to continuously cycle through all of Framework’s actively supported laptops, updating each of them one at a time before looping back around and starting the process over again. Functionality-breaking problems and security fixes will take precedence, while additional features and user requests will be lower-priority.
News22 minutes ago
The CFPB drops its lawsuit against Capital One, marking a major reversal
West30 minutes ago
Man assaulted by as many as 30 teenage bicyclists in Los Angeles, police say
Southwest48 minutes ago
Dem and GOP governors urge Trump to ‘let the states play a role’ in immigration decisions
Southeast57 minutes ago
Quiet Florida neighborhood rocked after three found dead, child kidnapped
Northeast1 hour ago
Sanctuary state's 'green light' law is red flag for Americans' safety, national security: experts
Videos2 years ago
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Colorado3 years ago
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Midwest3 years ago
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
South2 years ago
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
South3 years ago
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
News22 minutes ago
The CFPB drops its lawsuit against Capital One, marking a major reversal
News16 hours ago
Boat Crew Spots Thousands of Dolphins in a California Bay ‘Superpod’
Politics17 hours ago
Chief Justice John Roberts pauses judge’s order for Trump admin to pay foreign aid contractors by midnight
World19 hours ago
Will the EU take on three new official languages?
News20 hours ago
The Supreme Court just handed the Trump administration a win on USAID
-
Technology1 week agoVision Pro apps: the good, the bad, and the ridiculous
-
News1 week agoDominican officials cram thousands of inmates facing no charges into overcrowded prisons
-
Politics1 week agoTop federal agency exposed for spending billions on migrants in a single year
-
Culture1 week agoAre NFL players as college coaches here to stay? Why DeSean Jackson, Michael Vick can work
-
News1 week agoKamala Harris Has Scrambled the California Governor’s Race Without Entering It
-
Culture1 week agoBook Review: ‘Theory & Practice,’ by Michelle de Kretser
-
Technology1 week agoReddit vs. Wall Street: the latest in the GameStop saga
-
Lifestyle1 week ago‘Modern Love’ Podcast: Why Gossiping Could Help Your Love Life