|
by Burton Kelso, The Tech Expert New Year's Day always celebrates out with the old and in with the new and that's a refreshing thought as you begin to think of getting rid of old habits and starting up new habits. When it comes to your tech devices, it's another story as your tech devices. Tech never lasts forever as big tech companies are always looking for ways to push shiny devices in your face and as a result, it means your favorite tech gadgets will no longer be supported. Worried about what's going away? Check out these devices and technologies that may become obsolete and disappear this year.
BlackBerry. I know many of you probably think Blackberry has been obsolete for years, but there is a small community of people who have been hanging onto an older BlackBerry phone running BlackBerry OS. If you have used a Blackberry for years, that changes because BlackBerry is ending support for legacy services for BlackBerry OS and BlackBerry PlayBook OS. eReaders. eReader sales have been in a steady decline for the past several years. With the emergence of eReader apps and larger screens for smartphones and tablets, people are satisfied with using one device to handle most of their technical tasks rather than having a single device for each tech chore. Dashboard mounted GPS Devices. GPS isn't going anywhere. It better not because I would never find any destination. Think about it, when was the last time you saw someone with a TomTom or Garmin mounted to their dash? When making a journey from point A to Point B, your in-dash GPS or smartphone is your device of choice. 3G connectivity. Like it or not, 5G connectivity is taking over in 2022. 4G will still be around, but 3G will be no more. Many tech devices such as smartphones, tablets, medical devices will be affected by this change. Check with your device provider to see if your device will work without 3G. Wired audio devices. The emergence of Bluetooth has pretty much spelled the end of devices that use headphones and connected speakers. It's also made its way into automobiles which helps create an environment that helps you keep your tech connected to your car keeping you safe. With smartphones no longer being manufactured with headphone jacks and more wireless products showing up on shelves, it won't be long before wired headphones and speakers are gone. USB-A ports. USB C is becoming the standard USB port on tech devices. It doesn't matter if you have a Windows or Mac laptop or an Android phone, the USB C is the go-to port. Also, the industry is begging for all tech devices to have one charging port. Once Apple makes an iPhone with a USB port, old-school USB ports will be gone like the Dodo Bird. External Hard Drives Physical Storage. I'm sure you have an external hard drive or thumb drive laying around your house collecting dust. Cloud storage of your documents, photos, and videos on platforms like Google Docs, iCloud, or Microsoft Office 360 gives you peace of mind that you can access your devices anywhere in the world as well as not worrying about losing your USB Flash Drives or external hard drives. Point-and-Shoot Digital Cameras. Smartphone cameras are so advanced, that many professional photographers and video creators are ditching their digital cameras for their smartphones. When was the last time you took your point-and-shoot camera on a family vacation? Passwords. Thanks to fingerprint, eye, and facial scanning passwords could be phased out this year. Most tech devices such as Windows and Macintosh computers, as well as smartphones and tablets, use biometric recognition to authenticate your identity and enter passwords on your behalf. Also, the traditional use of passwords will go away with sites and devices requiring you to enter passphrases instead. Keep in mind that just because a device becomes obsolete doesn't always mean that you will no longer be able to use those gadgets. Some devices can have a limited life. For example, for those tech devices that won't work on 3G, you may be able to connect those devices to Wi-Fi and get limited use from them. However, for most devices it will mean you need to recycle those outdated devices responsibility It also means that you won't get help from the manufacture like you would a device that is supported. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. You may not be aware of this, but starting early 2022, 3G service will no longer be available. Cell providers are planning to shut down the old network to make room for 5G service which provides higher speeds and greater reliability.
The shutdown affects more than your mobile phone. This will disable systems in older tablets, vehicles, home alarm systems, and medical alert devices. This means you will no longer have access to 911, phone calls, and text messaging as well as the ability to connect to mobile hotspots, unlock your car or have that medical device call for help. Not sure what to do? Check out these tips to help you stay connected to the services you need. When is it happening? AT&T is the first provider shutting down as it will pull the plug on 3G in February. T-Mobile will shut down Sprint 3G networks on March 31. T-Mobile’s own 3G networks will be gone by July 1. Finally, Verizon will end service on December 31, 2022. You're probably breathing a sigh of relief if you didn't see your carrier listed here, but that doesn't mean you won't be affected. Many small carriers use the 3G networks of the big three cellular networks, so you will need to check with your cell provider to see how you're affected. This also means you need to check with your medical devices, tablets, smartwatches, home security systems, and other products that still depend on the 3G network. What can I do? Your first step is to check with your cell provider. Depending on who you use, you may have already received a letter letting you know that your devices will be retired. If your device is no longer supported, you will need to upgrade to a newer device to ensure that you can stay connected to the network. You may think that this is the same process as when we switched from analog to digital over the air TV service, but unlike that process where you just need to get a digital antenna, there is no way to upgrade some devices to work on 5G. Some devices only need a software update to enable VoLTE (HD Voice). Call your provider to check whether your device is 4G LTE (with VoLTE or HD Voice). This can be done by checking the phone’s settings or user manual. You can even do a search online to determine whether you need to purchase a new device or install a software update. What can I do with my older devices? Some devices like e-Readers, smartphones, and tablets may continue to serve you as mini-computers by connecting them to your home or office Wi-Fi. They can get a new life if you allow younger members and older members of your family if they want to download and play apps. Other devices will have to be retired permanently by taking them to your favorite recycling company. With the obsolesce of these devices, you couldn't even list them on Facebook or Craigslist as they will be no use to anyone. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. Let's face it, we all love our smart devices and most of you probably can't imagine a minute without them. I'm even guilty of it, but we all need to unplug sometimes and take a break from technology, especially during the holidays.
It's important to capture those special moments, but you don't have to post every photo on every social media site to show how your holiday was. This holiday season, focus on putting your phones down and interacting with the people around you. Need help? Here are 6 ways you can unplug and recharge this holiday season. 1.No Devices at Mealtime. Designate all mealtimes as periods where devices are put away and face-to-face conversation can be had. That's how our grandparents used to do it! 2. Discuss and write down goals. Let your kids be a part of setting the goals and sharing their input. Schedule (limited) time that both the kids and parents can use technology. 3. Stick to your guns. Like every good goal, it needs to be enforced. Parents, let your kids know you are serious and set tech time limits. Your kids can help keep you in line as well. 4. Use technology together. If you must have access to the Internet and use technology, use it together. Look for games and activities on apps that everyone can play together. 5. Don't check it if there isn't a notification. Kids watch and learn from their parents. If you are constantly checking your phone, your kids will too. Think before you check; use downtime to improve family time rather than your relationship with friends and coworkers. 6. Go old-fashioned style. Challenge each other to have fun offline. Play versions of your favorite games that don't require technology. Get creative! Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. If you prefer to connect with me on social media, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter and watch great tech tip videos on our YouTube channel. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I want to make technology fun and exciting for you. If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. My team of friendly tech experts is always standing by to answer your questions and help make your technology useful and fun. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. It’s that time of year again: turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, the presence of friends and family, and a reason to give thanks for all of our good fortunes in the last year. If there’s one thing most of us want to NOT think about on Thanksgiving, it’s technology. Put the smartphones away, pack up the laptop, and disconnect for one day, right? Well, technology can actually help to bring us together on this most American of holidays, provided it’s put to good use instead of as a distraction from family time. Here are 5 ways to put technology to work for you this Thanksgiving, all of which will hopefully result in a more relaxing holiday: 1. Allrecipes. There are hundreds of cooking apps out there, but what makes this app so great is the fact that every recipe comes from a community of more than 50 million people. This gives it more of a social feel and that you're getting special recipes, not just generic ones. This app can recommend recipes when you walk into certain stores and comes with all the usual features, like the ability to create shopping lists, save your favorite recipes, and filter your search results by diet and cooking time ... which is handy when you have guests that have different dietary needs. 2. Meater/Meater Block. Wireless thermometers have increased in popularity over the years, but one of the best out there is the Meater and Meater block. This high-tech thermometer allows you to know the temperature of Tom Turkey or any other food you're cooking. Wireless means that you don't have to hang out in the kitchen all Thanksgiving Day. The Meater app allows you to spend time with company and get alerts when you're dish reaches optimum temperature. The Meater Block allows you to monitor several dishes from your smartphone at once. 3. Amazon Alexa Show /Google Home Show. It seems once a month, especially during the holiday season, I mention these smart home hubs. There are so many things these devices can do, the list is almost endless. You can use these devices to look up recipes, set timers multiple timers for food you're preparing. You can also stream music from your favorite music service such as Amazon Music, Spotify, and Pandora for your guest to listen to as well as allowing to watch Netflix on the devices before, during, and after dinner. Connected to your smart home, you can unlock and lock your doors with a smart lock system as well as monitor who is at the door if you have a wireless doorbell installed. 4. TCL Roku Smart TV. If you're reading this, it's probably time for a new TV and there's nothing better than this Smart TV which is Alexa, Google, and Apple Ready. Use your voice to activate this TV and quickly get to the shows you want. Roku software in the TV means you have access to all of the popular streaming services. This ULTA HD TV means if your family members want to watch Thanksgiving sports, the picture quality will be so good it will be as if they are there in person. 5.RetailMeNot. If you're making your Christmas shopping list and checking it twice on Thanksgiving to see if you get the best deals, then check out RetailMeNot. This app has thousands of stores in its database which means you can find that perfect gift and make sure you get the best deal. As an added bonus, if you can't find that gift for your loved one, you can purchase gift cards directly from the app. This Thanksgiving, don’t let technology ruin your day. Instead, use the best technology products to work to make your gathering even more meaningful. Most of all, remember to give thanks for the friends beside us, the food before us, and the love between us. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. By now, I hope you've figured out social media, search engines, and everyone, in general, is trying to collect as much information as they can about you. Privacy online is a hard thing to have in this digital world.
Having a separate, anonymous email address is one of the best ways to keep a low profile online. When you have an anonymous email, it helps reduce the amount of spam you get in your inbox. It also allows you to shop online with electronic and brick-and-mortar stores and sign up for digital membership services without them collecting information about you or trying to sell you things you don't need. Also if you're dating online, it's best to have an email that can't be traced back to you. Check out these quick and easy tips to stay anonymous online. 1. Setup a Fake Account with a Free Email Service. When people consider setting up a fake or anonymous email account, they usually turn to a free email service such as Yahoo, Outlook.com, Gmail, or one provided by their Internet service provider and why wouldn't you? You can create countless email addresses with these services, but are you doing it right? Check out these steps to make sure you're keeping your identity safe. Use fake details. For starters, create an email address that isn't tied to you in any way. Avoid using your real first name or last name. Also, avoid using an email address that can be tied to your hobbies or interests. All free email account services require you to put in personal information like your name, date of birth, and sometimes address. You're probably thinking since your email name isn't tied to you, no one can find out who you are. Well, if you're entering your home address, it won't take someone long to put two and two together. Finally, don’t use any details in your password or security questions that someone could link to you either. Create an anonymous phone number. Some free email services, like Gmail, also ask for a phone number to set up 2 step verification for your new account. You can't just enter in a set of numbers, because your free email account service will call the number to verify it is real. Your best option is a virtual number when you set up new, anonymous email accounts. Services like Google Voice and WhatsApp let you set up free virtual numbers that can be used to keep your smartphone number safe. Enable Your browser's private mode for added protection. Many of the websites you visit track your cookies and keep a note of which IP address you're located. All browsers have an "incognito" or "InPrivate" mode that you can enable to keep them from tracking your cookies. As far as a VPN, consider switching to Opera (www.opera.com) or Tor (www.torproject.org). These excellent browsers allow you to block your cookies as well as use the built-in VPN to keep your location safe. 2. Use an Anonymous Email Service. It might take a little more effort, but the best way to keep your online identity safe is to use an anonymous email service. Most of these free services allow you to create an account that is separate from you. As an added bonus, email services encrypt your mail so no one can snoop with what's in your messages. Mailfence. Mailfence is based out of Belgian which puts your email under the protection of their privacy laws and not the laws of the US. This service allows you to send and receive emails anonymously. There are no third-party trackers or ads like you see in other free email services. Your emails are encrypted so no one can read what you've sent. ProtonMail. ProtonMail is based out of Switzerland which means your email is protected by its privacy laws. This means your email is protected even if law enforcement or a government agency wants access to it ProtonMail is usually the popular choice because it's available from any web browser or smart device. Using anonymous email is a great way to keep your identity safe online as well as to cut down that annoying spam that you get in your inbox. If you don't want to take the time to create a new email, you can keep your email safe by making sure you don't share your email with everyone and don't sign up for any online services that require your email. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. If you're spending 8 to 10 hours a day in front of the screens of your computers and smart devices, you could be experiencing an overload of something called "blue light" If you're exposed to too much of this light, it can cause things like disrupting your sleep patterns, retinal cell damage, and digital eyestrain.
What's worse, is that younger eyes are more at risk. Your tech devices play a big role in your life, so it's unrealistic to give the advice that you stop using them. There are a number of things you can do to reduce the amount of blue light you're exposed to. Check out these quick and easy tech tips to help you cut down how much blue light your devices emit. 1. Enable Blue Light Protection On Your Devices. Hardware and software manufacturers are aware blue light can cause issues, so most of your smart devices already have a means for you to enable protection. iPad or iPhone: On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Display & Brightness. Tap the Night Shift setting, which will change the screen temperature of your Apple device to a warmer color, which will filter out the blue light. This won't permanently change your devices to filter blue light. It's designed to filter out blue light to help your body adjust to sleep, so you will have to enable it every time you use your device. Android Smartphone or Tablet: Most Android devices have built-in blue light filters, but not all. If your mode supports this, go to Settings > Display. Look for an option for Night Light or Blue Light filter and turn it on. Like Apple devices, this doesn't enable blue light permanently, you have to turn it on every time you use your device. Windows 10: I'm sure most of you think Windows devices are behind the curve, but they have blue light settings that can be turned on from Settings > System > Display. Toggle the Night light switch to turn on the feature. Like other devices, you have to enable this every time you use your Windows computer. Apple Computer: If you have an Apple computer 2012 or newer, you can turn on the blue light blocking feature. To do so, follow these steps: Choose Apple menu> System Preferences> Click Displays >Night Shift tab. Again, this will only allow you to set a schedule to turn this feature on. It does not enable it permanently. 2. Download an App. If you own an Android device that doesn't have a blue light filter, consider the following apps> sfilter. This app will allow you to turn it on and off at specific times. You can change the color and brightness of the filter, and even create a shortcut icon or widget, so you don't have to open the app to enable the filter. Blue Light Filter. This app will allow you to adjust the color temperature by choosing from among several options as well as tweaking the intensity and the brightness of the filter. Twilight: This app will allow you to always enable the filter to run from sunrise to sunset, or turn on and off at specific times. 3.Get a screen protector. No matter what device you spend hours staring at, you can get a screen protector to help block blue light. Check out products from www.ocushield.com. You can get screen protectors for Apple, Samsung and a variety of monitors to help reduce the strain to your eyes. 4. Try Protection Glasses. new monitors and screen protectors aren't an option, try these blue-light-blocking glasses. Wear them while you're on your devices before bed to get better sleep at night. These glasses come with a protective case so you can take them to work, school or just keep them safe at home. Wherever you choose to wear them, it's nice to know you can protect your eyes any time, anywhere. 5. Rest Your Eyes. The simplest way to help prevent overexposure to digital blue light is by managing the time spent using them. Be sure to take regular breaks away from the screen. One easy method is to employ the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, take a break from your computer to look at something 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds. This technique can help you avoid eye strain, and serves as a regular reminder to be conscious of blue light exposure. As you can see, there are many ways to protect your eyes from Blue Light. In our digital world, there is a need for laptops, television, and smartphone eye protection. Hopefully, the above advice will help you protect your eyes from a mobile screen or computer. Looking for More Useful Tech Tips? Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we LIVE STREAM new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People' every Wednesday at 6:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube channel. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. If you're reading this, you probably bank online. It's so darned convenient to be able to sit on a computer or pull out your smartphone to check your balance, transfer funds, and deposit checks.
While online banking has made life easier for you to stay on top of your finances, it also makes it easier for thieves to see what's going on with your money, and even help themselves to your hard-earned cash. Banks do their job to make sure your accounts are safe, but you need to make sure you're doing your part as well. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you keep your online accounts safe and secure from cybercriminals. 1. Choose a financial institution that uses industry-standard security. If you're like most people you want to use credit unions or banks that can offer you minimum fees and great interest rates. You also need to add robust security to your wish list. Industry-standard security with financial institutions includes multifactor authentication which includes, your user name and password as well, another means of proof that you're the account holder such as sending a passcode or text message to your smartphone. Another practice they employ is to automatically log you out of your account after periods of inactivity. Most of the larger banks and financial institutions employ these methods for all of their account holders. If your bank doesn't offer multifactor authentication, you need to move to another bank. 2. Don't trust links to visit your bank or financial institution. Criminals love to send out phishing emails and with all of the information they can gather about you from the dark web, it's easy for them to impersonate a representative from your bank. Most phishing emails claim there is a problem with an account with a link to make it convenient to log into your account to fix the problem. Behind the link, thieves are waiting to steal your banking credentials. To avoid this, always open your favorite web browser and enter the URL to your bank. This will help you avoid one of the favorite tricks crooks use to get access to your data. 3. Connecting to Public Wi-Fi to Access Your Bank Is a No-No. Not all public WiFi is bad, but why should you take a risk? Using your computer and devices on public Wi-Fi puts you at risk to have criminals steal your information. If you're out and about and you need to log into one of your financial accounts, use your smartphone or tablet connected only to your cell phone network. Your cellular connection is a secure connection and will allow you to check on your finances without risking leaking your information. 4. Monitor your accounts on a regular basis. One of the best ways to keep your accounts safe is to check your transactions regularly. I know most of you probably log into your financial accounts to see if there is money in your accounts, but you also need to make sure there aren't any irregular transactions occurring The only way to make absolutely sure is to check your account balances and transaction history regularly and make sure your money isn't going anywhere it isn't supposed to. If you see strange suspicious activity, change your account password, and contact your bank immediately. 5. Change Your Passwords Like your Underwear. Most banks and financial institutions require you to create strong passwords, but you need to change them every few months. Doing so will protect you if your bank gets breached and your login information is leaked to the dark web. Criminals will sit on passwords for months before attempting to use them to log into accounts. If you get into the habit of changing yours every few months, you will stay ahead of cyber thieves. 6. Enable text alerts. If your financial institutions allow you to enable text alerts for your accounts to notify you of low balances and large transactions, do it immediately. These alerts allow you to contact the bank immediately if you see strange activity on your account. 7. Keep your devices updated. Hackers love outdated smartphones, tablets, and computers. It makes it easier for them or their software to get access to your devices. Updating doesn't mean you have to go out and purchase new technology every 18 months, but it does mean downloading the latest operating systems and updates to keep your gadgets secure from cyber threats. Whenever a new update comes out for your device, download it immediately. I know most of the tips I've shared are common sense, but it is always a good idea to stay on top of your financial accounts. If your money disappears, it's gone forever. If for some reason you are a victim of fraudulent activity on your accounts, you can dispute unauthorized charges for 60 days after the date of your bank statement. Looking for More Useful Tech Tips? Our Tuesday Tech Tips Blog is released every Tuesday. If you like video tips, we livestream new episodes of 'Computer and Tech Tips for Non-Tech People' every Wednesday at 6:00 pm CST on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Technology product reviews are posted every Thursday. You can view previous episodes on our YouTube Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. Several free tech-related courses will be offered this month via the Mid-Continent Public Library.
Let’s Go Live: Twitch Tuesday, July 13, 2021 2:00pm—2:30pm Thinking about streaming live on Twitch? Join us as we explore how to set up live streams on Twitch! Registration is required. To enjoy this virtual program, go to our MCPL360 Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcpl360 at the scheduled day and time. If you don’t see this program the first time or want to watch it again, visit the MCPL YouTube channel at youtube.com/MCPLMO. Up your Facebook game for your business Wednesday, July 14, 2021 6:00pm—7:30pm Learn how to put Facebook to work marketing your business! Join Mid-Continent Public Library's Business Specialist, Hanna Taylor, for an in-depth, 90-minute workshop where you can learn the best practices for creating and maintaining an engaging Facebook page, as well as learn the secrets of the Facebook algorithm that determine who sees and interacts with your posts. Participant Take-aways: • Identify target audiences and discuss branding on Facebook • Recognize engaging content and understand why the algorithms favor it • Assess various tools and techniques to help in the Facebook marketing journey To view this class, visit the Square One Facebook Account at https://www.facebook.com/mcplsquareone/ This program is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Getting Creative with Canva Thursday, July 15, 2021 12:00pm—12:45pm Canva is the graphic design platform you never knew you needed! We know that not all business owners are also graphic designers, so we want to help you get started using this amazing tool. In this series, Hanna will walk you through the basics of creating various designs on Canva and showing you the tips and tricks for designing social media-worthy content. Sign up for a free Canva account today and discover your inner graphic designer! To view this class, visit the Square One Facebook Account at https://www.facebook.com/mcplsquareone/. This program is funded by a grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. Google Docs Basics: Set Tab Stops Friday, July 16, 2021 1:00pm—1:15pm In the third video of our series based on Formatting Paragraphs, let's learn how to set and use tabs effectively. This correlates with Word's Paragraph group. Registration is required. To enjoy this virtual program, go to our MCPL360 Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcpl360 at the scheduled day and time. If you don’t see this program the first time or want to watch it again, visit the MCPL YouTube channel at youtube.com/MCPLMO. Smart Devices: iRobot Roomba Tuesday, July 20, 2021 2:00pm—2:30pm Join Brityni and her iRobot Roomba, Winifred Holmes, as they both learn more about robot smart devices. Registration is required. To enjoy this virtual program, go to our MCPL360 Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcpl360 at the scheduled day and time. If you don’t see this program the first time or want to watch it again, visit the MCPL YouTube channel at youtube.com/MCPLMO. Google Docs: Even More Paragraph Settings Tuesday, July 27, 2021 2:00pm—2:30pm In the last of our Format Paragraphs series, let's explore some detailed settings that assist in making your document as readable and impressive as possible. These settings are similar to settings found in Word's Paragraph Dialog Box. Registration is required. To enjoy this virtual program, go to our MCPL360 Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mcpl360 at the scheduled day and time. If you don’t see this program the first time or want to watch it again, visit the MCPL YouTube channel at youtube.com/MCPLMO. Summer is here, and with it, comes summer day trips and extended vacations. If you're like me, your gadgets are a part of your everyday life, which means if you travel, you're bound to take devices like smartphones, laptops, digital cameras, tablets, and e-readers with you.
Every year, thousands of devices are stolen, lost, or damaged while people are vacationing. Want to keep your devices safe during those summer vacation months? Here are some quick and easy tips you can use to protect your electronics and tech. 1. Back Up Your Devices. You should have automatic backups of all of your devices, but in case you're one of those people who doesn't, set it up for your mobile devices now. You know anything can happen to your devices, what you don't want to experience is losing all of those precious pictures, documents, and videos. Both Apple and Google devices have the ability to backup your important data to the cloud. If you have a Wi-Fi enabled camera, configure it to save that information to the cloud as well. If you have a Windows or Apple laptop, your best bet is to use cloud backup services like Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) or cloud storage services like Google Drive, OneDrive or DropBox (www.dropbox.com) to store your data in the cloud. 2. Password Protect Your Mobile Devices. Did you know that about a third of people around the world don't use passwords to protect their tech? Well, passwords are the first line of defense to protect your information if your devices are lost or stolen. If your devices have the ability, use biometric identification like face ID or a fingerprint to keep your device more secure. When you take steps to protect your data, you reduce the risks of ID theft and other cyber threats and increases your chances of recovering your device because most criminals will discard it once they realize they can't get access to the device. If you're traveling with a laptop, take the extra step to encrypt your devices. Encryption is the act of scrambling the data of your devices so the only way to access them is the person trying to access the device a key. Smartphones and tablets encrypt themselves when you put a password on them. Computers do not. If you have a Windows 10 computer, you can encrypt your computer with Bitlocker, which is included with computers running Windows 10 Professional. If you're a Macintosh user, you have access to File Vault, which is included on all Macintosh computers. 3. Protect Your Devices in the Summer Heat. Heat is the enemy of all tech devices. Don’t leave any devices in direct sunlight as direct sunlight can ruin the screen and cause your device to overheat and ruin it. Be careful not to let your smartphone and other devices get too hot during the summer because it can damage the battery life. If you are at the pool, make sure your phone is stored somewhere cool, or at least out of direct sunlight. If your device does happen to overheat, simply store it somewhere with lower temperatures and let your device cool down before using it again. Don't force it to get cool by holding it in front of a fan or air conditioning; let it cool naturally. Never leave tech your gadgets in vehicles. If you absolutely have to leave your technology in the car, be sure to park in the shade and crack the car windows. 4. Track Your Tech Devices. You should never leave your device unattended, but accidents and negligence happen. Most modern, computers, smartphones, and tablets have the ability to be tracked built into the devices. Tech theft is big business domestically and internationally and tourists are a big target. You might be tempted to use a device like a Tile, but you need to use the built-in tracking software on your device as it uses GPS rather than Tile which uses Bluetooth which has a limited range. 5. Get a Case For Your Devices. Do you know anyone who hasn't dropped their phone? When you're near home, you can easily replace your devices. When you're traveling, it's extremely difficult. Keep those devices safe by getting protective cases for everything you plan to take on the road with you. I hope you have fun this summer in your travels with family and friends. You know you will take some form of technology with you when you go. Make sure you follow the above tips to keep all of your devices safe and to make sure they all come home with you. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. I’m sure you have read about the ransomware attacks that occurred against the Colonial Pipeline that caused them to shut down production.
Ransomware attacks have been on the rise for years now and it is not showing any signs of slowing down. If you want to keep your personal or business devices safe from ransomware attacks, check out these quick and easy tips that will help you keep safe. Every time I talk about cybercrime, I always have to state this statistic. 99% of cybercrime requires user interaction. This means as long as you're not clicking on links in emails or visiting questionable websites, all of your devices are protected from most cyber threats. Prevention is better than protection when it comes to ransomware. These attacks were originally designed to prevent access to your files, but now criminals are stealing your data as well as ensuring you pay the ransom. Here's how you can keep safe: 1. Update your tech. It doesn’t matter what type of device you use, make sure it’s up to date. Many of you think you’re immune from these types of attacks because you’re not using a Windows device. Even though this attack was designed to infect Windows computers, it does not mean you’re immune. Verify automatic updates are enabled on your device. Also, make sure you’re running the latest operating system for your device. Cybercriminals will target older technology because they know the manufacturer no longer provides security updates for these devices. 2. Start using an automatic cloud backup service, today! The most dangerous aspect of ransomware is its ability to infect computers and devices connected to a network. You may backup your information to an external hard drive, or to a cloud service like DropBox or OneDrive, but guess what? Ransomware can infect those files as well. How does a cloud backup service help you? Most cloud services like Carbonite (www.carbonite.com) keep multiple copies of your files across many services across the globe. If your backup gets infected with ransomware, your cloud backup provider can simply restore your files before the infection happened. 3. Use common sense when it comes to email. Hackers aren’t concerned about getting into your computers or network anymore. They get your information by phishing scams that are socially engineered to make you react to what is being said in an email. These emails come in the form of mail from your friends or from companies you have grown to trust. Always verify the email by looking at the email address. If you get an odd email from a friend, pick up the phone and ask if they meant to send you the letter in question. If you aren’t sure, just simply delete the email. It’s better to be safe than sorry. 4. Use Anti-Virus software on your devices. Anti-Virus software isn’t full proof and for the most part, one isn’t better than the other. It’s something you need to have on your device (meaning Windows, Macintosh, Smartphone, or Tablet). The anti-virus that is actively scanning your device decreases the chances you will fall victim to a ransomware scam. 5. Never Pay The Ransom. Yes paying the ransom, might get your files back and prevent criminals from sharing your personal information, but it's never a guarantee. So what happens if you get infected with ransomware? Unplug your desktop computer and take the battery out of your laptop. Disconnect your computer from your wired or wireless network and unplug it from the wall. Ransomware users can remotely power up computers. Give us a call here at Integral. We may not be able to retrieve those lost files, but we can make sure you don’t fall victim to a ransomware scam. Ransomware isn't going anywhere. Make sure you're taking steps to stop these attacks before they happen. No one wants to be in a position where they lose access to their important documents, photos, and videos. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@burtonkelso.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. |
Categories
All
Archives
May 2024
|
Grain Valley NewsGrain Valley News is a free community news source published weekly online. |
Contact Us |