Tech Terms Decoded – CPU

Posted on January 31, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Computer Memory, Hard Drive, Mac's, Solid State Drive, Tips, Windows

Decoding Tech Terms

Are you as confused as I sometimes am about common Tech Terms? When Chris talks about RAM and Memory and CPU and gigs of storage, I’m not sure what he is saying. I’ve done some digging to see if I can help explain CPU in non-Tech terms.

Computer Processing Unit or CPU

The CPU is a component in your computer where the actual calculations are carried out. Here’s a good explanation from TechTerms:

“The CPU is the primary component of a computer that processes instructions. It runs the operating system and applications, constantly receiving input from the user or active software programs. It processes the data and produces output, which may stored by an application or displayed on the screen.

The CPU contains at least one processor, which is the actual chip inside the CPU that performs calculations. For many years, most CPUs only had one processor, but now it is common for a single CPU to have at least two processors or “processing cores.” A CPU with two processing cores is called a dual-core CPU and models with four cores are called quad-core CPUs. High-end CPUs may have six (hexa-core) or even eight (octo-core) processors. A computer may also have more than one CPU, which each have multiple cores. For example, a server with two hexa-core CPUs has a total of 12 processors.”

Which Processor do you have?

For a Mac, click on the Apple in the top left corner, then select “About this Mac”. Finally, click on “Overview” to see your Processor.

For a Windows machine, click on the Start menu, then click on Control Panel, and finally select System.

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.

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 when you sign up.)

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Tech Terms Decoded – Operating System

Posted on January 24, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Linux, Mac's, SmartPhones, Tips, Windows

Decoding Tech Terms

Are you as confused as I sometimes am about common Tech Terms? When Chris talks about RAM and Memory and gigs of storage, I’m not sure what he is saying. I’ve done some digging to see if I can help explain Operating System in non-Tech terms.

OS or Operating System

The Operating System is what allows your computer to run. Whether you are using a Mac, a Windows, a Linux machine, or something else, the OS manages the internals to make sure your document is delivered successfully to your printer, or your proprietary spreadsheet is automatically saved every 2 minutes.

Some of the Operating Systems available include Windows, OS-X for Mac’s, Linux, Android for Smartphones, and iOS for iPhones. The Operating System is what allows the applications or computer software to communicate with the computer hardware and get things done. It is software that controls the basic operations of the computer. The Operating System also oversees file management.

Here’s a good definition from TechTerms

“An operating system, or “OS,” is software that communicates with the hardware and allows other programs to run. It is comprised of system software, or the fundamental files your computer needs to boot up and function. Every desktop computer, tablet, and smartphone includes an operating system that provides basic functionality for the device.”

Which Operating System are you using?

For a Mac, click on the Apple in the top left corner, then select “About this Mac”. Finally, click on “Overview” to see your OS and version.

Operating System - Mac OSx — Operating System – Mac OSx

For a Windows machine, click on the Start menu, then click on Control Panel, and finally select System.

Are you happy with your current Operating System? Have you thought about upgrading to a newer version? Let us know if you need help!

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Tech Terms Decoded – Computer Memory

Posted on January 17, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Computer Memory, Hard Drive, Mac's, Solid State Drive, Tips, Windows

Decoding Tech Terms

Computer Memory Storage

Computer Memory is defined by the techies in two ways. First of all there is Primary memory or RAM which is highlighted in a previous blog. Next is Secondary Memory. And now we all know why we get confused talking about Memory. The Geeks think Primary storage or RAM. Normal folk think about where you put your files, which is referred to as “secondary”.

Computer Memory or Secondary Memory: The amount of storage you have in your Hard Drive or Solid Sate drive (or even your SmartPhone) is what we’ll talk about here. (Read this blog for the difference between a Solid State Drive and a Hard Disk Drive.) Computer Memory is where you store your files, your photos, and your music. The more storage you have, the more music you can play!

And, yes, computer memory makes a difference on your SmartPhone too. One year when I was on vacation, I had to bring my computer to the beach to take the sunrise photos. My phone had so little storage, that I had to download them to my computer if I took more than 15 pictures! Needless to say, I could not take videos with that phone.

How Much Storage do I Have?

To find out how much storage your Windows machine has, first click on the Start Menu. Next click on “Computer”. Here it will show how much storage you have, and how much is free or available.

Computer Memory - Windows — Computer Memory – Windows

If you want to find out how much storage you have on your Mac, first click on the Apple in the top left corner. Next select “About This Mac”. Then click on Storage. You should see something like this with a breakdown on where you are using your computer memory:

Computer Memory - Mac — Computer Memory – Mac

How Much Memory Should I Have?

If you’re constantly having to delete photos or files, you need more! In general, if you’re buying a new machine, you should have double the amount that you are currently using. If you need help ordering and installing more computer memory, then click here.

Tech Terms Decoded – RAM

Posted on January 10, 2017April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tips, Win10, Windows 7, Windows XP

Decoding Tech Terms

RAM: Random Access Memory is the space your computer uses to run programs and also perform calculations without much delay. It will also hold any data that your program needs. A program will exist in your computers memory, but when you start up that program, it will copy itself into RAM. Here’s a good definition from TechTerms.com:

Every time you open a program, it gets loaded from the hard drive into the RAM. This is because reading data from the RAM is much faster than reading data from the hard drive. Running programs from the RAM of the computer allows them to function without any lag time. The more RAM your computer has, the more data can be loaded from the hard drive into the RAM, which can effectively speed up your computer. In fact, adding RAM can be more beneficial to your computer’s performance than upgrading the CPU.

Recommendation:

I asked Chris how much RAM a computer should have. It depends on which Operating System you are using.

If you’re using the 32 bit version of Windows Vista or XP, your computer won’t be able to access more than 4 gigs of RAM. Any more than that would be a waste.
If you’re using the 64 bit version of Windows Vista or XP, it can see more than 4 gigs. Chris recommends using 8 gigs on these machines. (If you don’t know what a 32 bit or 64 bit machine is, you probably have the 32 bit version.)
For Windows 7 and 10, Chris recommends at least 8 gig of RAM, though more can be added as needed.

How Much RAM do I Have?:

To find out how much RAM your machine has click on the Start Menu, then open the Control Panel, then click on “System”. My computer is running Windows 7 64 bit with 16 gig of RAM:

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Keeping your WordPress website safe

Posted on January 3, 2017May 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in backup, Tips, Wordpress

Hacking Your WordPress Website

Do you have a WordPress website? I’ve recently noticed an uptick in the number of attempts to access our website from random IP addresses from around the globe. I’m pretty confident that our site is secure, but I’ve been wondering how secure YOUR website is. Many times when we set up a new site on WordPress, we use the login “admin” because it seems easy. The problem is that someone who might be trying to hack into your account will try that first. If you have a less-than-secure password, BOOM, they are in!

Common User ID’s

Here is a list of User ID’s which you should change:

Admin
Root
Test
Guest
Info
Adm
User

Secure Passwords

I’ve talked about using secure passwords before. Most recently I provided some tips to create a really strong password. But, WordPress goes one better, giving you an option to let them create a really strong password for you. Use their tool! Then write it down, or save it in a secure file.

Backup Your site

You spent a lot of time creating your website. What would happen if your site was hacked? Remember to back it up so that if the worst happens, you spend minimal downtime. This article reviews the seven best WordPress backup plugins

Let’s keep safe out there!!

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How To: Internet Searching Tips

Posted on December 27, 2016February 25, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Google, Tips

Internet Searching Tips:

More than once I have been extremely frustrated trying to find something on the internet. Internet searching either gives WAY too much information or info that isn’t relevant. Most of the tips I will share with you I’ve picked up bit by bit. I’m hoping they will help you.

Exact Match:

When you use quotation marks, you only search for what is inside the quotes. For example:

Coffeehouses “live music”

will bring up all the coffeehouses that have live music.

Exclusion:

When you use the minus sign, you’ll exclude that information from your search. For example:

“Scottish Novels: -“Outlander”

will bring up information about many novels that occur in Scotland except the Outlander series.

Wild Card:

When you use the asterisk with another word or phrase, you’ll get lots of different options. For example:

Hollywood *

will provide results like “Hollywood Bowl”, “Hollywood Blacklist”, and “Hollywood movies”.

Specific Web Site:

Do you want to search within a specific web site? Use “site:website”. For example:

“Jerry Lewis” site:nyt.com

will bring up articles relating to Jerry Lewis on the New York Times site.

Have you used Google’s Search Tabs? Underneath Google’s search bar, there are a number of options. For example:

WEB NEWS IMAGES VIDEOS BOOKS MORE SEARCH TOOLS

News:

If you are looking specifically for a news story that occurred in the last 24 hours, follow these steps:

Firstly, Enter your search terms in the search bar.
Secondly, Click on the News tab.
Third, Click on the Search Tools Tab
Last, Click on “Anytime” and select “24 hours” from the drop-down menu

Images:

If you’re looking for an image, enter a description in the search bar and then click on the Images Tab. If you want to fine-tune your search, then you can add other criteria. Click on “Search Tools” and then, select the color, type of image, usage rights, etc.

Location:

If you want to find something in a particular location, click on “Search Tools”, then click on “Location”, then type in where you would like to search. For example:

“Hot Springs” California

will bring up a list of all the hot springs in California.

You can also print out this cheat sheet from Google:

Have you used any of these Internet Searching tips? Are there other tips you use? Please share them in the comments below!

Conclusion:

Using these Internet Searching Tips will save you time!

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.

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Year End Technology Tips

Posted on December 20, 2016April 29, 2024 by Gail Eddy in backup, Technology Tips, Tips

It’s the end of the year. Here are some Technology Tips of things that you should be doing!

Check Your WiFi Speed

Are you getting what you’re paying for? First, using your smartphone or on your computer, head over to SpeedTest. Then click on “Begin Test”. Have you signed up for the 10 Mbps plan but you’re only getting 6? Plug your computer directly to your router, then check it again. Sometimes there is a degradation of speed through the walls of your home. If it’s still below your threshold, check it again over the next few days, keeping a log. If your WiFi speed is consistently under your contracted speed (while plugged into the router), call your ISP. Tell them about your findings, then ask them to fix the issue AND request a refund for the time when they weren’t providing you with the contracted bandwidth.

Back Up Your Data

Yes, you probably should be doing this monthly. So, make the geeks happy and at least do it at the end of the year. As a result, if your hard drive happens to crash, you’ll at least have the one backup.

Change Your Password

First of all, take the time to change your password on all of your banking sites. Then, change the password on your social media sites. Finally, change the password on all of the other sites that you regularly log in to. I recently wrote a blog on creating a good secure password. You can find that here. (But, yes, you probably should be changing your passwords more frequently than once a year!)

Organize Your Files

Organize your photos by year and month. First of all, under your “My Photos” or “Camera Uploads” file, create a new folder for 2016. Then under that folder, create twelve more folders, one for each month. Next, select all the photos you took last January, drag and drop them into the January folder. Then, do that for each month. If you’re on a roll, or have time to kill, do the same for photos you took in 2015, 2014, and so on. It makes it much easier to look for the photos of your vacation in the June 2015 folder, than to search through one massive folder for those photos. For more info on organizing your files, check this blog I wrote last year.

Were these Technology Tips helpful? What else do you do at the end of the year?

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 fourteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more at http://www.GeekForHireInc.com Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and 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 will try the Kindle lending library 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 when you sign up.)

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Movie Reviews From Computer Geeks

Posted on December 13, 2016May 9, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Entertainment, Tips

Movie Review Sites

It’s the holiday season and, in our family, we tend to head to the movies more than any other time of year. Usually it’s the Geek blockbusters that we want to see – the newest Star Wars or Harry Potter or Star Trek. If none of those appeal to us, we head online to see which new movies are highly rated. Here are some of the websites we use for movie reviews:

IMDb

The Internet Movie Database is my favorite website for movies and TV shows. It tells you what is playing in the theaters, and how other people have rated those movies. (If you create an account, you can rate movies too.) Most movies and TV shows have a complete listing of all the actors and directors. IMDb has been very helpful when I’ve forgotten the name of a particular movie but can remember two or three of the actors. What was that old movie with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan? Head over to IMDb to find out!

Rotten Tomatoes

I have been hearing about this site for years. For many of my friends, Rotten Tomatoes is their go-to site for movie reviews. Rotten Tomatoes shows ratings for new movies, movies on TV tonight, and soon-to-be released films. Their secret? The Tomatometer® is “based on the published opinions of hundreds of film and television critics – is a trusted measurement of movie and TV programming quality for millions of moviegoers. It represents the percentage of professional critic reviews that are positive for a given film or television show.”

Fandango

When we know we want to see a movie, now, we head to Fandango to see what’s playing, now (or in the next 20 minutes!), at our favorite theater. It gives times and descriptions.

NY Times

If it’s a Sunday that I have happened to pick up the Times, I’ll take a look at their movie reviews. What I like about them is that they’re not just reviewing the big theater movies. They’re reviewing movies at the little community theaters, the art theaters, etc. So, you hear about movies that the big sites aren’t reviewing.

Happy Holidays!

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. Maybe 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 when you sign up.)

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5 Navigation Apps To Get You Where You’re Going

Posted on December 6, 2016January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Tips, Travel

I got our first GPS way back in 2005. (Way before smartphones and Navigation Apps!) It was the perfect gift for Chris so that he could easily find his way to our customers homes and businesses. In the past ten years, GPS and mobile navigation in general has changed tremendously. Now, Smartphone apps include traffic problems, construction detours, and multiple alternate routes. It’s nice to be out there with your iPhone, Android, or other smartphone, so you’re able to get where you’re going with minimal issues.

Navigation Apps

My favorite app is the one that came with my iPhone. It’s simply called “Maps”, so I use it on all of my road trips. There have been a few times when it has steered me wrong, but mostly it is right on. One issue I have with it though, is that it is a battery drainer. So for long road trips, I keep my phone plugged in and charging when I have the Map app running. Another issue is that it doesn’t allow me to take a prettier back road without telling me to “make a U-Turn”!

Other Navigation apps that people like include:

Google Maps

This is what I use at my desk computer to help plan road trips. Firstly, it synchronizes nicely with Google Calendar. Secondly, I like that it shows me local businesses who have a Google listing. However, the smartphone app doesn’t show accidents or construction, so I don’t use it on the road. Available for iPhone, Android

Waze

This is a highly rated app and not only gives you info on Traffic, but also upcoming Hazards, as well as Gas Prices, etc. When I downloaded it I noticed some problems right away. First of all, it won’t give you directions to a location more than 999 miles away. Also, you have to drive at least 100 miles with Waze on before it will tell you where the cheap gas is. So, while others rate Waze highly, it gets a pass from me! Available for iPhone Android Windows

Komoot

I wish I’d known about this app before my kids started and finished the Appalachian Trail. Techlicious writes “This navigation app from a German startup covers an exhaustive range of North American bike paths and mountain trails, with topographic maps for hiking and biking routes near you. Its database is built from open-source info as well as user-submitted data to suggest trails for different fitness levels.” Available for Android & iOS

CoPilot

I haven’t used Co-Pilot, but I like that you can download your map ahead of time. Consequently, you’ll save on data. Techlicious writes “A full-fat nav app like CoPilot is a good idea if you’re overseas, for instance, and don’t want to use roaming data or depend on Wi-Fi stops to update Google Maps.” Available from copilotgps.com

Which of these apps do you use? Are there others that that I didn’t include? Let me know your favorites in the comments below!

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8 Tips For Determining Fake News Sites

Posted on November 22, 2016May 6, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Click Bait, Facebook, Malware, Social Media, Tips, Virus

Over the last week or so, I’ve been hearing more about “Fake News” websites. I’ve been aware, for a while, of websites that seem more biased, but I hadn’t been aware of websites with actual fake news. An off-shoot of this issue is that these websites sometimes include malware. Several of our customers got a virus in the week leading up to the election from clicking on those types of “news” stories.

Have you read any of these news stories? Many of them surround the impact fake news has had on Facebook and other Social Media. For example this article from the NY Times, or this one from the Washington Post, or this one from CNN .

What to watch out for:

Does the site have a lot of “click bait”? That’s a web site with pop ups that you have to click through before you can read the actual content. This is different from the sites which make you watch an advertisement before you get to the actual story. Click bait will take you to another site entirely.
Can you verify the news item with a reputable source? If it’s real news, there should be something on one of the national news websites like CNN, NYT, MSNBC, USA Today, or even the Financial Times. If it’s a local news stories, an NBC, CBS, ABC, or Fox local affiliate should have information.
Does the URL for the website seem odd in some way? For example a url that ends with ” .co “, or ” .su “, or ” .ru “.
Does the headline match the story?
When a news story seems too fantastic to believe, I head over to Snopes to see what they have to say. From their website, Snopes: “began in 1995 as an expression of … interest in researching urban legends has since grown into what is widely regarded by folklorists, journalists, and laypersons alike as one of the World Wide Web’s essential resources.”
Is it on a list of “fake news” websites? There are several of these lists floating around. Here is the one published by USA Today.
Is it satire? Several websites are satire, which is not fake news. Satirical sites which come to mind include the Onion, and the Borowitz Report.
Check the date. Is it a recent news event, or something from months or even years ago that is being re-purposed as new news?

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 fourteen 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 and 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, but I’m tempted! 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 when you sign up.)

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Decoding Tech Terms

Computer Processing Unit or CPU

Which Processor do you have?

Decoding Tech Terms

OS or Operating System

Which Operating System are you using?

Decoding Tech Terms

Computer Memory Storage

How Much Storage do I Have?

How Much Memory Should I Have?

Decoding Tech Terms

Recommendation:

How Much RAM do I Have?:

Hacking Your WordPress Website

Common User ID’s

Secure Passwords

Backup Your site

Internet Searching Tips:

Exact Match:

Exclusion:

Wild Card:

Specific Web Site:

More:

News:

Images:

Location:

Conclusion:

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

Check Your WiFi Speed

Back Up Your Data

Change Your Password

Organize Your Files

Movie Review Sites

Navigation Apps

Google Maps

Waze

Komoot

CoPilot