Category: Software
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Gmail Changes; Saving Space
Did you finally get used to the last round of changes to Gmail’s website? More changes are coming, slowly rolling out, primarily to better incorporate Google Chat (to compete with Slack) and Google Meet (to compete with Zoom.) There will be another sidebar with these options, and Google has said that by summer 2022 this…
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Starting Your Year Securely
If you’re hearing security tips this time of year, it’s good to realize what you do and don’t have to do. You don’t have to change your passwords frequently, as it often leads to similar passwords. You are allowed to write down your passwords; just don’t put them near or on your computer. Two-factor authentication…
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Working from Home, Ad Blockers and Making PDFs
Working from home, social distancing and adjusting to how we use the Internet all are topics of concern right now. When using video conferencing software, turn off the video to improve your audio quality or at least reduce the video quality (aka bitrate—usually some number with bps or just p after it.) Schedule who needs…
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Facebook Info and Google Tips
Facebook is revealing more information about what they track across the Internet, and they also have options available to control how they track you. Their new tool is called “Off-Facebook Activity,” and you can find it under “Settings” then “Your Facebook Information.” You can even cut down on future tracking, but all that really does…
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Virus Updates and Trackpad Hacks
Despite ending support for Windows 7 on January 14 of this year, Microsoft will continue updating the virus signatures for Microsoft Security Essentials, their anti-virus software. This doesn’t mean total protection, but Microsoft seems to be realizing that not everyone is going to jump to Windows 10 by the middle of January. Google’s Chrome browser…
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Tips for Phone and Computer Security
The iPhone has a reputation of being hard to hack, but how can you know for sure? There’s an app for that. Although Apple has strongly limited access to data that security tools would like to access to tell if the phone has been compromised, a new app called iVerify includes a series of detailed…
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Protect Your Computer and Yourself
Uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs) are a necessary addition to protecting your computer (and other electronics) from both power spikes and power drops or brownout conditions. UPSs are a combination of a battery and a surge protector, with some of the outlets just providing surge protection and the remaining ones designed to provide battery power. The…
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Windows Security and Updates
One of the top antivirus programs for Windows 10 is Microsoft’s free Windows Defender, which is surprising to many who feel that free programs are less capable. The independent IT security institute AV-TEST found that Windows Defender was one of a few programs to attain top scores across its testing criteria. One of the least…
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Speeding Things Up
Copying many files in Windows can be time-consuming, but there are tools that make the process go faster than using File Explorer. One of these dedicated apps is called TeraCopy (codesector.com/teracopy), which uses special algorithms to speed up the copying process with the option to verify those copied files. Various things that you might be…
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How to Survive the End of Windows 7
On January 14, 2020, security updates will end for Windows 7. If you are still using this system, there are many questions to consider. How much will it cost to update to Windows 10? How old is your computer? Do you still need Windows, or are you thinking of switching to tablets, phones, Chromebooks or…
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It’s the Little Things That Count
Do you try to quiet your children by handing them your iPhone? There’s stuff on there you don’t want messed up by curious little fingers. There is a way to lock the iPhone, by using Guided Access, that will still let your little one use one app. Go to Settings, General, Accessibility, Guided Access. Then…
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Changes Coming to Flickr & Google+
Are you using Google+? If you have a personal account, you should have received a notice from Google about that service going away on April 2 and the steps you should take to download your content. If you are not sure and are worried that you might lose something, go to plus.google.com and sign in…