Technology Tips Archives - Page 9 of 10

Co-Working Space – Things to consider

Posted on February 6, 2018May 9, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips

More and more people are starting small at-home businesses to share their passion with others or simply to supplement their regular income. The newest term for this is “side-hustle”. One problem is needing space to work without taking over too much of your dining room, or bedroom, or the coffee table in the living room! A solution many people use is to head to a coffee shop. But that doesn’t always fit the bill. It’s sometimes noisy with conversation, or (gasp!) coffee grinding. The WiFi may be choppy, or you may only be allowed to use it for a defined period of time. Another option is to find a co-working space. A co-working space provides a place to work outside of your home. It generally is quiet, plenty of desk space, and good WiFi. They may even offer access to a printer, coffee, and snacks.

I recently joined a co-working space and I am thrilled. Sure, I have a separate office at home, but sometimes my office space is not conducive to the work I have to do. I noticed a year or so ago, that for certain tasks I was more productive outside of my home office. But the nearby coffee shops just were not cutting it for me. When I heard about a local co-working space, I checked it out and signed up that day.

Here are some things you should look for in a co-working space:

WiFi:

Is the WiFi fast and consistent? Ask them what kind technology they use and what their bandwidth is. (Bandwidth = how many people can use the WiFi at the same time without noticing a slowdown.) Mine has a T1 installed so it is super-fast, and even if the space is full, not likely to run into slowdowns.

Printer:

Do they have a printer available for you to use? What is the charge per page? Or are there a certain number of pages you can print for free? Is it color or black & white? Front & back, or one side only?

The space:

Is it clean? Is there natural light? (Mine has plenty of windows, but all on the north side of the building. I don’t expect it to get too hot in the summer.) Is there a choice of places to work? For example, regular desks, standing desks, counter areas, etc. Everyone works best in different configurations! If you do use a chair, are they comfortable and supportive?

The Perks:

Is there coffee available? Is it good coffee?! Tea? Other snacks?

Green:

Are the owners or managers conscious of the environment? Does the space use alternative energy – solar or wind? At a minimum, is there a place to recycle paper? If they have beverages available, what kind of cups do they provide? Styrofoam? Compostable? Mugs and glasses?

What kinds of amenities are important in your co-working space?

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fifteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years. We like the free 2-3 day shipping and the online streaming. I haven’t tried the Kindle lending library yet. I’ll try that next! Prime is normally $99/year, but you can try it for 30 day for free by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial (Yes, we’ll get a small commission if you check it out.)

Facebook Followers Hoax

Posted on January 30, 2018December 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in News, Technology Tips, Tips

In the past few weeks, I have seen numerous friends posting about all of the “weird” Facebook followers they have. They’ve been a little freaked out about the strange people who see all of their posts. I keep getting asked questions like:

“Why are these people interested in me?”
“Are they trying to steal my identity?”
“How do I stop this?”

First things first:

Change how you are sharing. If you make all of your posts for “Friends Only”, and not “Public”, no one else can see what you’re posting. Even people who are following you can not see your posts if you don’t set your posts to “public”.

Secondly:

It’s a hoax. The instructions tell you to type “Following Me” into the search box. What comes up is a whole list of names of people you’ve never heard of. Facebook presents you with this list because they have names similar to “Following me”. Just like if you were to search for “John Smith”, you’d get people with names similar to “John Smith”.

How to Find Your Facebook Followers:

If you really want to see who is following you without being friends with you, follow these steps on the Facebook app:

Click on your name/ go to your own page.
Just below your photo and name is a little line that says “Followed by xxx people”.
Click on that link and scroll through the list. Most of these will probably be people who have sent you a friend request, but you’ve never responded. Are there people you don’t know with no friends in common with you? Feel free to block any of them that you don’t want seeing your public posts.

From the Facebook webpage, follow these steps:

Click on your name.
CLick on “Friends”.
When the list of your friends pops up, click on the down arrow next to “Other” at the top of the list. Then click on “Followers” to see the whole list.
Scroll through the list. Most of these will probably be people who have sent you a friend request, but you’ve never responded. Are there people you don’t know with no friends in common with you? Feel free to block any of them that you don’t want seeing your public posts.

Were you able to find your Facebook Followers? Let us know if you still need help!

Anti-Virus Programs – Questions & Answers

Posted on January 23, 2018May 6, 2024 by Gail Eddy in anti-virus, Technology Tips

We regularly get the same questions about anti-virus programs, which tells me that there is a lot of confusion out there. In this short post, I’ll provide answers to some of the most common questions that we get.

What does the anti-virus actually DO?

An anti-virus is a software program written to catch viruses and other malware. (Remember from your high school Latin class? “Mal” means “bad”!) It looks for programs that look like they might be a virus and quarantines them so they don’t get mingled with the other programs on your machine. The best AV programs will look for characteristics similar to other viruses and quarantine them as well. Anticipation is your friend.

I have an anti-virus. Why did I get a virus?

The “bad guys” are always one step ahead. Anti-virus programs are written to catch already know viruses, and viruses that LOOK LIKE something they already know about. As mentioned before, the best anti-virus programs will look for characteristics of known viruses, and protect you from them too. So you may have gotten a virus because your anti-virus doesn’t know about that particular strain.

Can I have two different anti-virus programs? (and its corollary) Do I need an Anti-virus and a malware program?

The short answer is “NO!” Any anti-virus installed on a machine expects itself to be the most senior program for reviewing all incoming files. When you have two anti-virus programs, they will be in constant conflict with each and cause your machine to slow down.

I have a Mac. Do I need an anti-virus?

Mac’s get viruses. This isn’t 2010. Spend the forty bucks and protect your data.

How often should I update my anti-virus?

Theoretically, you should never have to update your anti-virus. The best anti-virus programs will automatically keep the software up-to-date. When new virus strains are found, and new software is written (and tested), it is then pushed out to all the subscribers.

How often should I run my anti-virus?

If you suspect that you have clicked on a bad link, run your anti-virus right away. Otherwise, maybe once a month or so.

Which anti-virus programs do you recommend?

We have been using, and recommending, ESET for the past ten years or more. Chris is constantly exposed, through our new customers, to every anti-virus program out there and knows which works well, and which does not. The ESET program consistently performs ahead of the pack.

What other questions do you have about anti-virus programs and its functionality? Let us know!

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years. We like the free and fast shipping. With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Apps for Messaging

Posted on June 27, 2017June 7, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips

Do you frequently text your friends and family members? Do you use different messaging apps for different people, or always the same app no matter who it is going to?

I use three different apps for sending messages, each for different reasons. There are things I like about each one, and things I don’t.

I use the basic texting app that came with the phone. I use this for most of my friends and all of my family. I like it because it is easy and convenient to use. I can use it to send texts or messages to multiple people. I can send photos and emojis. I can even send a handwritten message! One thing I don’t like about the basic texting is that it’s not all that secure.
I have also installed WhatsApp. A few years ago a group of my friends were texting using the basic app and several people wouldn’t always receive the text messages. It was very frustrating! So we looked at several messaging apps and decided on WhatsApp. I especially like it because it encrypts all the messages keeping your info safer.
I finally broke down and installed Facebook Messenger. I hadn’t wanted to use it because I just don’t trust Facebook to keep my info secure. I also don’t trust them to not sell my information to their many advertisers. But, several weeks ago I needed to get in touch with a Facebook friend but did not have their phone number to text them. And, so many of my friends are using it too. I still feel like I sold out!

Which messaging Apps do you use? Why do you like each one? Let us know in the comments below!

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Is the Cloud safe?

Posted on June 20, 2017June 7, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Cloud, Data Backup, Data Recovery, Data Storage, Technology Tips

A friend asked me a question today. Is the Cloud safe? She feels like a Luddite because she’s not using it, but she really doesn’t feel like it’s safe. I’ve talked to a number of people who feel the same way. Some people think that their data in the Cloud will be stolen in some fashion. Others tell they’re afraid that their data will be taken out of context and they’ll be hauled off to jail. So, what’s the answer?

Is the Cloud safe?

Well, yes it is.

The Cloud is the safest place I’ve found to store my data. This is because my data backup is on automatic pilot. When I change a file and save it, it gets updated to my computer AND to Dropbox. We’ve had several customers who use an external hard drive to back up there data once a week or once a month. The trouble there is that people are fallible. People don’t always remember to do a task. They may have set up a calendar alarm to remind them to back up their data, but decide when it goes off that they will do it “later”. And “later” never comes. Those customers I mentioned earlier then had their hard drive crash, but hadn’t backed up their data in six months or a year.

So, is the Cloud Safe?

Well, no, it’s really not.

There have been several instances where the “bad guys” have broken into databases and stolen data. One instance last year when a Password Manager was hacked and thousands of passwords were compromised. (Which is why I am constantly harping on folks to change their passwords frequently!)

Another concern according to MalwareBytes that many people (and companies) have is: “It’s physically out of your hands. You aren’t saving to a hard drive at your house. You are sending your data to another company, which could be saving your data thousands of miles away, so keeping that information safe is now dependent on them.”

It’s really your call. Convenience vs. keeping your data physically in your possession. But, if you have precious data that changes frequently, I really recommend the Cloud. Oh, and change your password!

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How to break your Smartphone addiction

Posted on June 13, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in iPhone, Technology Tips

I’ve read several articles recently about how hard it is to break your Smartphone addiction. Not to worry, it’s not your fault. The apps on the phones are programming you to:

Never.

Put.

Your.

Phone.

Down!

Take a look at some of these recent headlines:

When I started looking into this, I got a little freaked out. Technology companies really are trying to get us to interact more with their apps. They really are enabling our smartphone addiction. The more we interact with various applications, the more advertisements we’ll see, and that is the whole point. As Ramsey Brown, founder of Dopamine Labs says:

“You don’t pay for Facebook. Advertisers pay for Facebook. You get to use it for free because your eyeballs are what’s being sold.”

Mr. Brown’s tool, the dopamine api, allows any app to become addictive. Brown explains:

“The premise is really straightforward… people don’t just love that burst of dopamine they get from a notification, it changes the wiring of the brain.”

The whole premise is rather ingenious, and pernicious. It very slowly pulls you in, all the while giving you those dopamine hits. When you don’t get that hit, you start feeling anxious and reach for your phone. It’s hard to break your smartphone addiction.

If you’re looking for more background, Anderson Cooper did an in depth report on smartphone addiction. In the meantime:

What can you do to break your Smartphone Addiction?

Be very conscious each time you pick up your Smartphone. What is the specific thing you want to accomplish? I can’t tell you the number of times I have picked up my phone to make a call or look up a quick fact. Unfortunately, when I unlocked the screen, Facebook was already on. I then spent 15 or 20 minutes scrolling through my Facebook feed before remembering what I needed to do.
Close any apps before you put down your phone. That way, when you turn it on again, you’ll be presented with your home screen and won’t get distracted. (See #1 above.)
Keep your charging cord away from your bedside for overnight charging. And, whatever you do, don’t get a Mophie Charging Base. That one little device has made it so much easier for me to grab my phone in the middle of the night to check email (or Facebook!), then place it back on the pad to keep charging without having to fuss with cords.
Pledge to use only your computer to check social media, and to use your Smartphone for email and phone calls.
Get a “dumb phone” for everyday use, and only use your Smartphone when you’re traveling. (This article talks about a dumb phone that can make this process more seamless.)

If these tips are helpful, please pass them on!

I’ve created a Free Report to protect you from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly. You can find more on our website or give us a call at 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

Here’s a link to our Covid19 Policy.

This article was cross posted on Medium.

Mac OS Malware – What you need to know

Posted on June 6, 2017June 11, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Apple, iMac, Mac's, Malware, Ransomware, Technology Tips, Virus

It’s finally happened. Mac’s have finally reached that magic threshold where more and more people are purchasing MacBooks and iMacs. The “bad guys” have recognized that and are writing Mac OS malware, viruses, and ransomware. Yes, they are specifically targeting the Mac OS. They’ve had years of practice on Windows machines. They know Mac users are a bit more discerning, so their malware needs to be even more subtle to trick those Mac users. Their products look like the real thing – a real email from Dropbox, a real pop-up from Adobe.

It’s a jungle out there, so don’t think you’re immune just because you have a Mac!

Two versions that are targeting Macs are MacSpy and MacRansom. MacSpy does the usual data scraping, browser history harvesting, etc. MacRansom is a straight-up ransomware. The cost to retrieve your data is about $650-750. You can read more about them in this article from Dark Reading.

Another Mac OS malware that’s spreading is installed when you think you’re installing an Adobe upgrade. You do get the upgrade, but you get a “snake” program as well. For anyone interested in reading more, check out this article.

Another Trojan, named OSX/Dok, is also relatively new and spreads it’s program through a sophisticated phishing email. So far, it seems to be targeting primarily European Mac users. Checkpoint says that:

“This new malware – dubbed OSX/Dok — affects all versions of OSX, has 0 detections on VirusTotal (as of the writing of these words), is signed with a valid developer certificate (authenticated by Apple), and is the first major scale malware to target OSX users via a coordinated email phishing campaign.”

Have you learned something about Mac OS malware? If you found this helpful, please forward it!

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3 Steps to make your iPhone screen more efficient

Posted on May 30, 2017May 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tech Terms, Technology Tips, Tips

Are you one of those people who have to scroll through four or five pages on your phone to get to the application you are looking for? I’m here to tell you that your iPhone screen can be much more efficient, and you can make it easier to find your important apps. (Here’s what my home iPhone screen looks like – so easy to find my most used apps!)

First, you need to think about which apps you use multiple times a day. Those are the apps that belong on your Home or first iPhone screen. It’s simple to drag and drop them to that first page. Put your index finger on the icon for that app and hold it there. Don’t tap it! After about 3 to 5 seconds, it will start to “wiggle”. Then you can move the app by dragging it. If it’s not already on the first page, drag it towards the left until the previous page appears. Continue doing that until you are on the first page of your phone. Then you can drop it onto that page.
Next, you might have noticed that some of your apps are related. For example I have several apps I check for the weather, several for News, and several for sending messages. I have grouped those apps together so that they are all in one place. Again, hold the icon for one of those apps until it starts to “wiggle”. Then drag it on top of the app you want to group it with. Your iPhone will give the grouping a name. You can change that name by clicking the small “x” next to the title, and typing in your own name for that group.
Lastly, once you have all of your apps in different groups, it is easier to “drag and drop” them to the Home page or a second page. I try to keep all of my apps on just two pages. The first or Home iPhone screen is where I have the apps I use the most. The second page has the apps I don’t use every day or even once a week.

If you found this helpful, please forward it to your fellow iPhone users!

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4G Service – What the heck is that?

Posted on May 23, 2017January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Tech Terms, Technology Tips, Tips

Have you ever wondered what 4G service is? Have you wondered what the code is next to your cell phone bars of service? For example, right now my iPhone shows 4 dots (out of 5) and the code LTE. It looks like this:

What the heck does this mean? And sometimes when I complain to Chris about my lousy cell quality he’ll ask me what kind of service I have. Invariably the answer is “3G”. What the heck is that?! Basically, my phone is currently providing me with 4G service so that I can surf the internet and send videos to my friends with wild abandon!

A little history:

When we first started using cell phones, they were for voice and simple texting only, which doesn’t take as much bandwidth as data does. Gradually, the sophistication of the phones, and the service provided on the cell towers, improved. Using vast amounts of creative thought in naming each new improvement, they were named 2G, 3G, 4G, and the yet to be released 5G. (The “G” stands for Generation, so the 4G or 4th Generation phones are better than the 2G phones.)

I like the way PC Magazine explains the difference in the different generations: “1G was analog cellular. 2G technologies, such as CDMA, GSM, and TDMA, were the first generation of digital cellular technologies. 3G technologies, such as EVDO, HSPA, and UMTS, brought speeds from 200kbps to a few megabits per second. 4G technologies, such as WiMAX and LTE, were the next incompatible leap forward, and they are now scaling up to hundreds of megabits and even gigabit-level speeds.”

At the beginning of this year, AT&T shut down their 2G network. It was state-of-the-art when it was first introduced in 2000, but 17 years later it’s totally obsolete. Engadget put it this way:

“The shutdown is also a reminder of just how far mobile data has come since 2G hit the scene (in the US, at the turn of the millennium). EDGE was considered fine at a time when any mobile data was a relative novelty, and the most you did with it was check email or surf the most basic of websites. Now, even a modestly-sized app or photo download would absolutely crush 2G — the modern mobile internet depends on speeds that are orders of magnitude faster. We can only imagine what it’ll be like when 3G bites the dust and LTE is considered the baseline.”

4G Service

According to Wiki, LTE or 4G service provides your phone with technologies that “include amended mobile web access, IP telephony, gaming services, high-definition mobile TV, video conferencing, and 3D television.”

5th Generation

The 5G technology is still being defined, but you can expect to see it in the next year or two. In the meantime AT&T and Verizon are launching pre-5G which will increase speeds and decrease latency.

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6 easy steps to keeping your computer safe from malware

Posted on May 16, 2017June 7, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Malware, Security, Technology Tips, Virus

Geek For Hire gets calls just about every day from someone who is concerned about an email they’ve received, or a phone call, or a popup warning. Usually I’m able to tell them that all is well. How do I know that? There are a few key things to make sure your machine stays safe from malware.

Have you received a phone call from someone claiming to be Dell Technical Support – or HP, or any of the other manufacturers? If you have not initiated that call, it is most likely a scam. They will be very convincing, telling you that you need to install updates, or that you have a virus. Hang up! As long as you don’t give them access to your machine, you should be fine.
Have you received a phone call from someone claiming to be Microsoft? They generally tell you that your Operating System is not up to date and they need to get access to your computer to download the appropriate files. Again, these folks are very convincing, but you should hang up.
Have you received an email from a technical company offering to review your machine for viruses and other problems? Send that email to your spam folder and ignore it! Make sure you don’t click on any of the links in the email.
Have you received an email from “Amazon” claiming that you have just purchased an item for $457? They just need you to click on this one link to confirm your purchase. Don’t click on it! Delete the email! It is a scam!
Have you seen a pop-up on your machine saying that your machine is badly infected and you need to click on a link to get it resolved? In many cases you may already have some kind of malware installed on your computer. Once you click on the link, you’ve “given permission” for additional malware to be downloaded and installed on your machine. In this case you should run your virus scanner to see if it can remove the malware. If it can’t remove it, or if it says it’s not finding any, you should call for professional help.
Whenever you suspect an issue with your machine, run your virus scanner to make sure your machine is safe from malware.

If you found these tips helpful, please forward it to your friends!

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