Tips Archives - Page 11 of 18

Stop using the Internet! 4 ways to maintain your online privacy

Posted on April 18, 2017December 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Internet Searching, Privacy, Social Media, Tips

The other day I was thinking about new shoes. I went to Google and typed in “Keen Mary Janes”. Now, all I see when I’m on my computer (and phone!) are ads for Keens and ads for Mary Janes. So much for my online privacy… I keep wondering if I do decide to buy them will the ads disappear and I’ll start seeing ads for a different product that I’ve Googled.

I’ve been thinking a lot about privacy lately, ever since the House & Senate passed a bill last month in favor of blocking internet privacy rules. You can read more about that here. This bill essentially gives Internet Service Providers more leeway in selling our searching info to advertisers.

There are ways to keep our data more private, one of them being setting up a Virtual Private Network (VPN). That’s a little over my head, so I’ve asked Chris to write a blog about that. In the meantime, there are four pretty easy ways of keeping your searching history more private.

Online Privacy – What can you do?

You could….

Well, you could just stop using the Internet. No more email. No more Facebook and other Social Media. No more online shopping sprees. No more checking the news online. Yeah, like that’s gonna happen!

Or, you could….

Do all of your shopping in person. With cash. Without signing into the store’s reward program. A good friend of mine once went to a store and bought a pair of pink Ugg boots for a friend with cash. Unfortunately she did use the store’s reward card. For weeks afterwards she got ads on her computer for Uggs!

Or, maybe…

You can go to your local library. As long as you don’t sign in to your email or any other account, your online privacy is maintained. You can search for anything while you’re there without worrying about what your ISP will see. You can print off the relevant pages, fork over 10¢ or 20¢ per page, and be on your way.

Realistically…

You can use apps that protect your privacy. Two that come to mind are DuckDuckGo for Internet searches and WhatsApp for texting. I also use a Virtual Private Network. (What is a VPN?)

I like What’s App’s description of their end-to-end encryption:

“WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption is available when you and the people you message use the latest versions of our app. Many messaging apps only encrypt messages between you and them, but WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption ensures only you and the person you’re communicating with can read what is sent, and nobody in between, not even WhatsApp. This is because your messages are secured with a lock, and only the recipient and you have the special key needed to unlock and read them.” Here’s the link to download WhatsApp to your Smartphone or tablet.

It’s easy to change your default search engine on the iPhone to DuckDuckGo. Click on the Settings icon, then scroll down to Safari. Click on Safari and select your preferred Search Engine. On your computer, just bookmark the DuckDuckGo page and use it whenever you do a search. I’ve been using it for a few weeks now and am not noticing a difference in the quality of responses to my searches.

Using DuckDuckGo and WhatsApp doesn’t protect you 100% but it does help you maintain some online privacy.

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 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 I earn from qualifying purchases.

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Two Factor Authentication

Posted on April 4, 2017June 7, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tech Terms, Technology Tips, Tips

What is Two Factor Authentication?

Two Factor Authentication (TFA or 2FA) or Multi-factor Authentication refers to a practice commonly used by financial institutions and other sensitive applications to make sure that the person signing into an account is really that person and not a hacker. Two Factor Authentication is used in addition to the usual login credentials. You use 2FA without realizing it. Like me, when I first encountered it a few years ago, you may have been annoyed that your bank was asking you to prove your identity when you’ve already entered your username and password.

Can you explain that again?

Your UserID and Password together make up the first factor of authentication. The second factor is a code only you know. For example, when you receive a six digit code on your cell phone to provide after you’ve entered your password. Credit cards also use 2FA. The credit card number, expiration date, and the sneaky code on the back are all available to someone with the card in their hands. 2FA would ask you for your billing zip code.

Why is 2FA important?

Two Factor Authentication provides another level of protection for your accounts. It will work with your computer, your tablet, and your phone. It helps to ensure that your sensitive information isn’t available to hackers.

According to Secure Envoy: “With standard security procedures (especially online) only requiring a simple username and password it has become increasingly easy for criminals (either in organised gangs or working alone) to gain access to a user’s private data such as personal and financial details and then use that information to commit fraudulent acts, generally of a financial nature.”

Want to learn more? Check out these articles:

https://www.cnet.com/news/two-factor-authentication-what-you-need-to-know-faq/
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2456400,00.asp
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multi-factor_authentication

We recommend that you enable Two Factor Authentication for all of your email, financial, and other sensitive accounts.

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 sign up.)

New Headphones – Should I get Bluetooth?

Posted on March 28, 2017January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Laptops, Tips

Chris convinced me to get a new iPhone last week, so I upgraded to the newish iPhone 7. I had heard that Apple had merged the charging jack with the headphone jack but hadn’t realized that would be an issue. Well, it is! Of course, Apple provides a dongle to convert the lightning jack to a jack for the headphones, which can be used as long as you’re not charging. The problem most people will run into is that protective covers don’t have access to the lightning jack.

With my last iPhone, I was very happy with the protective qualities of the Mophie. So when I got this new iPhone, I also purchased a Mophie case to protect it and provide additional battery backup. The only outward-facing jack is the standard USB jack. There’s no option here to plug in headphones or a headset.

New technology – aka Bluetooth Headphones – here we come!

The saleswoman at the AT&T store showed me two Bluetooth-connected headphones, but both were very expensive. The one she particularly liked is made by Beats. But, at almost $200, it was out of my price range. The one she used herself, which she described as “okay”, was still well over $100. I was wondering if there aren’t good quality (and highly rated) Bluetooth over-the-ear headphones I could find for under $50? No matter how much I searched online, the answer was “no”.

I ended up going to our local Best Buy store to see for myself what my options were. Sometimes it’s just better to hold the box in your hands before deciding what to purchase. The salesman agreed with my extensive online research; I wouldn’t be able to get a decent set of headphones for under $50. He pointed me towards a couple of less expensive headphones that had received good reviews. One, at $80, was reviewed well, but it had earbuds and was not what I wanted.

Next, he showed me a pair of Sony headphones. I’m partial to the Sony brand, so I was (as the Ferengi say) “all ears”. I ended up purchasing the Sony MDR-ZX220BT. At $80, these weren’t too far off of my budget. The headphones are actually “ON” the ear and not “Over-The-Ear”, but I’m very happy with the sound quality. They were easy to pair with my iPhone and laptop too.

Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

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.

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.

More Tips Here:

Are VPNs worth it? More here.
Are you interested in learning more about Extreme Privacy?
We have seen a lot of Facebook hacking lately. Here’s what you should do ahead of time to keep your account safe.
And here are the 10 Password Mistakes you don’t want to make!

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Photo Editing Apps for your iPhone

Posted on March 21, 2017January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Laptops, Tips

Most Smartphones take pretty decent photos. And you can do some minor things to make them a little better, but there are a whole bunch of photo editing apps out there that can take you to a whole ‘nother level.

Banana on Keyboard (Photo editing using Prisma Mondrian Filter) — Banana on Keyboard

Art

“Prisma transforms your photos and videos into works of art using the styles of famous artists: Van Gogh, Picasso, Levitan, as well as world famous ornaments and patterns. A unique combination of neural networks and artificial intelligence helps you turn memorable moments into timeless art pieces.” The photo on the right was created using the “mondrian” filter.

Labels

This by Tinrocket gives you an easy way to add labels to your photos. It’s easy to use, and you can add multiple labels.

General Editing:

MaxCurve is a very highly rated photo editing app. It allows you to play with the exposure and color levels; tone down the cyan and turn up the magenta. Here’s a tutorial to get the most out of the app.

Image Editor gives you the ability to change a photo into a meme, to focus on one point and blur the rest of the photo, to draw, to add a frame, and much more.

When you want to post a photo online, either for social media or your blog, you want to have a photo that loads quickly and is not at the mercy of download speeds. Resize Image lets you do just that. We’re not talking about cropping photos so that you get rid of extraneous background. We’re talking about taking a photo as it is and changing it from a 1 gig file to a 100kb file with all the detail intact.

If you do want to crop a photo, I like Photo Crop. There are times when you want to keep the original photo, but also crop part of the background out. When you crop a photo in the iPhone Photo app, it “loses” the original. When you use Photo Crop, you can keep the original, and play with it too.

What are your favorite photo editing apps? Please share in the comments below!

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I Spilled Coffee on My Laptop!

Posted on March 14, 2017May 6, 2024 by Gail Eddy in backup, Laptops, Tips

It’s the fear of laptop owners everywhere. You’ve staked out your teeny spot at the local coffee shop. You’ve finished your first latte and head up for your next one. Heading back to your seat you trip and quickly regain your balance. But not quickly enough. Your cry rings through the shop: “I spilled coffee on my laptop!”

The next few minutes are really important.

First:

Turn off your machine and pull the power cord out.

Second:

Turn the machine upside down. Stop the flow of the liquid into your machine immediately.

Third:

Remove your battery and place it in a container covered with rice.

Fourth:

Remove any peripherals: USB devices, Memory Cards, etc.

Fifth:

Clean the liquid from the surface of your machine with a cloth or Q-tips. Chris thinks paper towels and napkins are best, because they are immediately absorbent.

Last:

Let it sit upside down for 24-48 hours before plugging it back in. If it still doesn’t work, it’s time to call in a professional.

Words of Wisdom from Chris:

Spilled coffee on your laptop can be worse than dropping it, because it’s hard to tell where the liquid has gone, and different kinds of liquid have a worse effect than others.
The volume of the liquid is important.
- If it’s a small volume of liquid (1-2 ounces), quickly wipe the top of the surface with a paper towel or napkin to get most of the liquid off the surface, then grab the computer firmly by the sides, and try shake any liquid that may have made it inside off and out for 5-10 seconds. Open the computer lid to about 30 degrees, and stand the computer up on it’s side with the hot air vent at the top. Leave the computer alone for a day, and retry the computer the next day.
- Spilling a pint glass of water is worse than “clutzing” a small spill as you move your glass over the keyboard. If you do the “pint glass” kind of spill, Remove the battery, and disconnect any connected wall power from the computer. Stand up immediately, grasp the computer firmly with your hands on the right and left side of the keyboard, extend your arms outward to lock your elbows, and firmly sweep the computer from up to down many times as you use centrifugal force to eject the liquid from the computer.
Electronic connectors do not like liquid, because it causes “short circuits” and promotes corrosion. Plain coffee and plain water are the most benign of all liquids because they don’t have sugars or salts mixed in. Sugar in a liquid is worse because the sugar will make keys stick later, and will attract additional dust later – which will make your keys more sticky as the humidity goes up. Milk will have a less sticky effect than sugar, but is still conductive and will attract dust later. Soda is the worst because it has sugar and salt, making the liquid very conductive, very sticky, and tends to get in many different places inside your computer. Beer is good, except when mixed with electronics, then it is bad.

An Ounce of Prevention:

Keep your drink away from your computer, eg: near a wall and away from people traffic – but where you can easily look at it. If a Server approaches with your beverage, make eye contact and offer to receive it with your hands using a path that is away from your computer. Note: professional Servers tend to have excellent grip strength and dexterity, so if they insist on their placement, consider putting your hands under the drink as it moves across the table (to catch a drip should one occur), rather than try to forcibly snatch it from their hands. Being able to keep an eye on your beverage is good, because you might tip it over when you adjust the angle of the computer lid or when you push the computer away from you.

Reminder: Keep your data backed up so that problems like this don’t turn into business disasters! Most cloud based backup systems will automatically back up files as you save them. That means your data loss could be minimal. I use Dropbox (You’ll get 500mb free with this link.)

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Phishing Expeditions (Stay Safe Online!)

Posted on March 7, 2017May 9, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Malware, Passwords, Phishing, Tips

There’s another threat out there. It’s a Phishing Expedition. Several of our clients have already fallen for it. It comes by way of an email which appears to be from a trusted friend or business associate. They want you to take a look at a document on DropBox. It looks legit, plus, you’ve gotten documents from this email contact before.

So, you click on the link to look at the DropBox document. Except it’s not from your friend. And in that brief moment, you’ve given access of your entire email contact list to the Phishers.

As soon as you figure out what has happened, it is important to change the passwords for all of your email accounts

"Phishing" by Edwind Richzendy — “Phishing” by Edwind Richzendy

immediately. Here are some ideas for creating a really strong password. You should also run your virus scanner.

How do you make sure this doesn’t happen to you?

Before opening any attachments, make sure the email is actually from your contact. Are you expecting a document or other attachment from them? Does the text of the email message and subject “sound” like what your contact would write? If not, give them a call to see if it’s really from them. (If it’s not, tell them to change their password and run their virus scanner ASAP.)
Put a note on your calendar to change your email passwords at least once a month.
Be extra careful when surfing the web or viewing posts on Social Media. Malware is being spread that way as well.

Looking for more info on phishing? Here are two past blogs:

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Why Isn’t My Printer Working?

Posted on February 28, 2017January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Printer, Tips, WiFi

You printed a document last night and now, this morning, your computer can’t seem to talk to your printer. What gives? It’s a common problem which has several possible causes.

Power?

Check to make sure your printer is on. Is the printer securely plugged into the outlet? Is your house experiencing a power outage? You can try a different outlet too.

Printer Cable Securely connected?

If your printer has a cable connecting it to the computer, is it securely fastened? Check the connections at both the printer and the computer.

WiFi?

If you have a wireless computer, check to see that your WiFi is working. Does your computer have the WiFi turned on? Is the signal strong enough? Is the WiFi working on the printer?

Is it Wednesday?

If you have a Windows machine, Microsoft sometimes sends out updates on “Patch Tuesday”, the second Tuesday of every month. (Microsoft has been talking about discontinuing “Patch Tuesday” for the past year or two, in favor of automatic updates, so this may not be a reliable indicator in the future.) Occasionally, the update will change some of your computer’s settings. Try reinstalling the printer. You can also check to make sure you have the proper driver installed for the printer. Even if Microsoft moves from a monthly update to automatic, any update can still mess with your printer settings.

When All Else Fails:

Turn your computer off and back on. Turn the printer off and back on. Sometimes that will reset whatever bug was preventing you from printing. If you still can’t print, it might be time to bring in the services of an independent IT professional.

Time to purchase a New Printer?

If you’re thinking of a new printer, check out our Buyers Guide.

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.

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My Power Went Out!

Posted on February 21, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Internet Service, Router, Tips

It’s winter here in Colorado and that means blown down or frozen power lines. The power goes out at our home about once every four to six weeks in the winter and we’ve learned what to do to keep our equipment safe.

Power Lines Down | Source: WikiMedia — Power Lines Down Source: WikiMedia

It’s really simple:

When the power first starts to flicker – the lights turn off for a half second or the smoke detector beeps – we go around the house and unplug everything from the wall. This includes the computers, printer, TV, stereo, entertainment system, everything that would be expensive or inconvenient to replace.

What about a Surge Protector?

Surge protectors are okay, because you are not always at home when the power goes out and they do provide a small amount of protection. Just know that they are not always able to provide 100% protection to all of your equipment.

Don’t forget your Router:

Remember to unplug your router as well. Many times, we’ve been called to a client after a power outage and they’re no longer able to get their internet service. Sometimes the power surge will “fry” the router and there’s nothing to be done but to get a new one.

If your power had been out and you need help adjusting your settings for your printer or router, just let us know!

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My WiFi Isn’t Working!

Posted on February 14, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Internet Service, Modems, Router, Tips, WiFi

It sure is frustrating when your WiFi isn’t working. We rely on it to get work done and keep in touch via email. Facebook and Instagram, of course, rely on a good solid connection to the internet too.

If the WiFi itself isn’t really broken, then there are a couple of quick things you can do to get it working again.

My WiFi isn't working! — My WiFi isn’t working!

Airplane Mode?

First, is your device in Airplane mode or has the WiFi been turned off? On some laptops there is a simple switch (usually in the front) that is easy to accidentally turn off. On other machines you’ll need to hold the function key and “radio” key down at the same time to toggle it on or off.

Forget the connection

Tell your device to “forget” the connection, then reconnect and reenter your WiFi password.

Router

If you have access to the router, turn it off, wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on again. Then, relog into the wifi on your computer or other device.

Call Your ISP

If you’re still not having any luck, call your Internet Service Provider (CenturyLink, Comcast, Xfinity, Rise Broadband, etc.). Let them know that your WiFi isn’t working. They should be able to tell you if it is something they can fix, or if you need to call in outside help.

You’ve followed these steps, but still your WiFi isn’t working? Give us a call!

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Acronyms for Texting

Posted on February 7, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tips

Are you ever mystified by some of the acronyms that show up in your text messages, or sometimes on Facebook as well? More than once I’ve had to look up an odd string of letters to figure out what they mean.

Most of us have figured out OMG, BFF, ETA, and LOL. Even ROTFL and LMAO are fairly common. But how about other acronyms like AAMOF, L2M, L8R, ENAT,

Here’s a run down of some of the acronyms you might see:

911 – Emergency
AAMOF – As a Matter of Fact
AFK – Away from keyboard
BAE – Before Anyone Else
BFF – Best Friends Forever
BRB – Be Right Back
BTW – By The Way
ENAT – Every Now and Then
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival
FML – F* My Life
FR – For real
FTW -For the win
GTFO – Get the f* Out
GTG – Got To Go
HBD – Happy Birthday
ICYMI – In Case You Missed It
IDC – I don’t care
IDK – I don’t know
IDRK – I don’t really know
ILU – I love you
IMO – In My Opinion
IMHO – In My Humble Opinion
IMU – I miss you
IRL – In Real Life
JC – Just Chilling
JK – Just Kidding
L2M – Listening to Music
L8R – Later
LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life
LMK – Let me know
LOL – Laugh out loud
LMAO – Laughing my a$$ off
LY – Love You
MY – Miss You
NMU – Not much, you?
Noob – Newbie
NM – Never mind
NP- No problem
NSFW – Not Safe For Work
OMG – Oh my goodness
OMW – On My Way
PAW or PRW- Parents are Watching
POS – Parent Over Shoulder
QT – Cutie
ROTFL – Rolling on the Floor laughing
SLAM – Stop Looking At Me
SMH – Shake My Head
SOS – Help me
STFU – Shut the f* Up
TBH – To be honest
TGIF – Thank Goodness for Friday
TMI – Too much information
TT4N – Ta Ta for now
TTTT – To Tell the Truth
TTYL – Talk to you later
TMSAISTI – That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
THX – Thanks
WTH – What the heck
WYD – What are you doing
WYM – What do you mean

For parents wondering what their kids might be saying, here’s a list of sexting terms.

And finally, YW. (You’re welcome!)

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. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.