Tech Talk #93 – Dec 22, 2018 Fake tech support scams They’re still out there, you know. Like chewing gum stuck to the bottom of your galoshes, those fake tech support scam “people” are still out there, stealing people’s money. They just won’t go away. I know you’re smart enough to know that no one from Microsoft (or HP, or Google, or Yahoo, etc.) will ever call you to tell you there’s something wrong
Tech Talk #92 – Dec 8, 2018 Internet speed tests Do you know how fast your internet is? Do you know how fast it should be? A quick check of the bill from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or a phone call to your ISP, will tell you what speed you’re paying for. Now for testing. At first, the only way to check your Internet speed was at speedtest.net. Over time, their site
Tech Talk #91 – Nov. 24, 2018 Useful apps for your computer Microsoft and Apple both pack lots of features and apps into their operating systems. For many people, the included apps are all they need to get things done on their computers. But what if you want or need to do more than what those apps can do? There are thousands of apps and programs for download out there. Here are some of
Tech Talk #90 – Nov. 10, 2018 Blocking and reporting spam calls Are you getting tired of getting spam and scam calls on your cell phone? You know; those calls about elections, solar panels, IRS problems, dubious charity donations, energy retrofits, health insurance, and all the rest. Current cell phone technology offers ways to block these calls. Of course, the spammers know this and have adapted. Almost all scammers and robocallers use “number spoofing”
Tech Talk #89 – Oct. 27, 2018 “Ghosting” Facebook Breaking off a relationship suddenly without telling the other person and then ignoring all communications from that person is called “ghosting.” If you can’t quite delete your Facebook account yet (maybe because you’d miss out on photos from traveling friends or kids and grandkids) you can try ghosting Facebook instead. But why would you want to ghost Facebook? Reason #1 Facebook would like
Tech Talk #88 – Oct. 13, 2018 Browsers and banking If your computer can’t connect to your bank or financial institution anymore, you need to switch your browser. Old Windows and Mac computers become “unsupported,” meaning they no longer receive security and bug fixes from Microsoft or Apple. The default browsers (Internet Explorer or Safari) on these computers are also no longer supported. As security on the internet evolves, these old versions of IE
Tech Talk #87 – Sep. 29, 2018 Chromebooks, dual-band routers, undo, and more What’s a Chromebook? A Chromebook is an inexpensive laptop, designed to be used while connected to the internet. Most of your applications and all of your files are stored online. Why are they inexpensive? Chromebooks don’t run on a Windows or Mac operating system, so they don’t have to pay the Microsoft or Apple “tax.” Chromebooks run Chrome OS, Google’s
Tech Talk #86 – Sep. 15, 2018 Scary smartphone stats Addiction. There, I said it. People, Americans in this case, are addicted to their smartphones. Not you and me, though; we’re fine. Other people, probably someone we know, is addicted. How smartphone-addicted are Americans? People use their phones for an average of 3 hours and 8 minutes a day and check their phone 110 times a day 50% are uncomfortable when they leave their
Tech Talk #85 – Sep. 1, 2018 Should you choose Apple or Android for a new phone? Smartphones running Android by Google, or iOS by Apple, have borrowed (or stolen, see Apple Inc. v Samsung) so many features and design elements from each other that most phones look basically the same. So if you’re buying your first phone, which should you choose? If you’ve already got a smartphone, you’ve already chosen either Android
Tech Talk #84 – Aug 18, 2018 Analogies Technical stuff can be complicated, so I use analogies to help explain technical stuff in ways non-technical people can understand. CPUs, hard drive space and RAM, browsers and home pages CPUs CPU stands for Central Processing Unit, your CPU is the “engine” in your device (computer, smartphone or tablet) that does work. CPUs are also called processors, because hey, let’s make