Last Minute Gift: a reader asks… I always put off my Christmas shopping till the last minute. Now I’m late and need to find something for my significant other. She’s into tech but already has all the toys. Any suggestions? Hmm, not much info on her to go on, but let me try. Here are just a few suggestions in no particular order, probably things she wouldn’t buy for herself but might secretly pine for. Amazon Echo Spot ($130). This […]
Present for Son: a reader asks… I have a son about to graduate high school and go off to college. I want to get him a present that will be useful to him at college. He already has a laptop and a cell phone. What would you suggest from a tech toys perspective? He might enjoy wireless earbuds, to free him from the cord connecting him to his phone – I’m assuming it’s a smartphone with access to Spotify, Pandora […]
Gift Laptop: a reader asks… I’m giving my SO a Windows 10 laptop for Christmas. I’m fairly savvy about using computers, her not so much. Other than wrapping it, should I get or do anything else to make her gift more meaningful? I think one of the best things you can do is to setup her laptop for her use before you give it to her. It’s easy to just take the box and wrap it up with pretty paper […]
Companion Present: a reader asks… I’m late on getting my husband a Christmas gift, too busy. He has a laptop computer, smartphone and tablet (all Apple), and doesn’t need a new one of any. Do you have any other ideas for a nice gift for him? I would suggest a companion present, something that goes with or works with something he already has. If he has a Mac, iPhone and iPad, there are some nice companion gifts that would work […]
Stocking Stuffers: a reader asks… Hi Coach, I’m shopping for stocking stuffers for my family, do you have a list of small tech things I could use? While it’s a bit late for full-on online gift shopping (delivery before Christmas), stocking stuffers are easy to come by in a variety of stores. I do have a list and am happy to share it with you. These cover the gamut from kids to adults, and from physical things to apps, software […]
Senior Wrap-up: a reader asks… As my parents age-in-place, I’m looking at simplifying their lives, particularly in the technology department. They don’t use cell phones, and share a computer (an older HP laptop with Windows 7). They do use email and look at websites, but I don’t think they do any online shopping, etc. What would you suggest as a computer upgrade for them? They and I are not into Macs by the way, so only PCs. So if your […]
Seniors iPad Shortcuts: a reader asks… Do you have a short list of things I could do to help my aging mother use her iPad? She uses Gmail with the built-in Mail app, and uses Safari to look at stuff online. I got her your recommended keyboard which she uses, and the iPad doesn’t have many other apps installed. She wants to read news and watch videos. If you just want a quick list of things you can do, let’s […]
My Parent’s Phobia: a reader asks… I gave my aging parents a new iPad recently, and they are afraid to use it. They think they’ll break something if they use it wrong, or let hackers steal their identity (they don’t do much besides Gmail and Facebook). What can I say to convince them it’s safe to use? I’d suggest you demonstrate the sturdiness of the iPad. You can shake it, drop it on the carpet (gently), let it slip out […]
Senior’s iPad Keyboard: a reader asks… Ok, so I’ve got my elder parents a new 5th generation iPad to replace their old Macbook. got it all setup for them and it’s all great except they are having trouble with the touch keyboard. Are there any good add-on physical keyboards that would be good for them? There are several excellent keyboards on the market. Since they’ve used a Mac keyboard before, I’d suggest you get them one that’s closest to what […]
Computing for Seniors: a reader asks… I’m trying to help my 85+ yo parents use modern technology. They want to use computers and got one, but are finding it too complicated to use. I’m ok to set them up with whatever, but can’t devote hours and hours to teach them how to use all the features. What would you suggest? I’ve found that giving our senior citizens a computer can be fraught with ongoing problems. In particular, you might have […]
Gmail on iPhone: a reader asks… Hi Coach, I use Gmail on my computer (using Google Chrome). I just got a new iPhone and want to access that account. What should I do? You have two choices that are easy to setup on the iPhone. First, you can use the Gmail app that comes from Google. This app will give you the closest experience to using Gmail that you’re used to. Get it from the App Store (here’s a link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gmail-email-by-google/id422689480?mt=8) […]
Hacker Armor: a reader asks… Hi Chris, every day I read about hackers stealing computer records and I’m worried that my identity and personal files are at risk. Can you give me some tips on how to protect myself from hackers? As more and more of our lives have grown out of the physical world into the digital world, security has had to evolve to fit new threats. At home, you make sure your doors and windows have good locks, you […]
Phone Scam: a reader asks… Hello Digital Life Coach, this morning I got a call from someone at Microsoft saying their servers had detected that my computer was sending them a virus and they needed to clean my computer. I wasn’t sure what to do, but after asking them where they were calling from, they hung up. Was that a scam? Short answer, yes it was a scam. I get these on average once or twice a month myself. At […]
iPhone Passcode: A reader asks… I have my iPhone set with a 4-digit passcode. Someone told me that it’s too easy for someone to crack it if my iPhone got stolen. I want to protect my data on the iPhone, but putting in a complicated passcode looks hard (with the full alpha-numeric keypad). Yes, a 4-digit code is less secure, but your iPhone does come with a 10-attempt bomb feature – after 10 missed attempts to log in, it will auto-wipe […]
Unread iPhone Mail: a reader asks… I have an iPhone and use the Mail app to handle my email. Is there a quick and easy way to mark email’s I’ve read as unread? I like to mark them that way so I can know to look at them again (and answer them) later on my phone or computer. You’re not alone, lots of folks use the read/unread status to remind them when they need to do something else with an […]
Your Email Password: a reader asks… It looks like my email account was hacked. Several friends tell me they got emails from me that had just a link in them (taking them to someplace bad I assume). I didn’t send those. What should I do? I’ve included a screenshot of an example email someone sent me. The email screenshot you included shows that while the name in the From box matched your name, the actual email address was not yours. […]
Mac Root Bug: a reader asks… I just read a story about how the super-safe Mac operating system has a super-serious vulnerability that would let anyone take over my Mac. What should I do? Apple is aware of the issue and issued a fix already, so just apply the update immediately and you don’t have to worry about it. It took Apple about 20 hours from the time the bug was reported till they issued a fix. Compared to Microsoft’s […]
Shop Safely: A reader asks… Can you tell me what I should do to be safe whilst shopping this holiday season? Happy to! This advice applies year-round, not just during the holidays. Let me first say that you don’t need to stress over your holiday shopping, this time of year is stressful enough. As long as you stick to well-known and established merchants (either brick-and-mortar or online), your risk is reasonably low. Not to say that none of them will […]
Me, Spammer? A member asks… Hey what gives? I tried to send out an email to my kids’ classmates and got a warning from my email service provider. It said that I was approaching the ‘limit’ on emails I could send. I’ve never heard of that before – can you tell me what’s going on? In two words, ‘combating spam’. Internet/email service providers all are working very hard to reduce the spam that’s generated. Perhaps 80% (some say 90%) or […]
Malwarebytes Hates Chrome: a reader asks… I have a Windows 10 computer (Dell) with Malwarebytes Premium (version 3.3.1) installed and running to protect me. I also use Google Chrome and am using the current version (62.0.3202.94). For about the last 2 weeks or so, Malwarebytes has been scanning my system and finding Google Chrome’s “Secure Preferences” as a potentially unwanted program (PUP). The first time it came up I quarantined as suggested, and restarted my PC. It keeps coming back […]
No Cheap Cables: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve got an external USB 3.0 storage drive that I use to backup my Macbook. I plug it in about once a week and run Time Machine to backup, then unplug it and put it away. It’s been working fine for over a year, but over the last week it’s started acting funny. Sometimes when I plug it in, my Mac doesn’t see it, and sometimes it does for awhile, but if […]
Laptop Battery Sippy Cup: a reader asks… Hello Coach, can you give me some tips on how to make my laptop’s new battery last longer? I have a 2-year old Dell laptop running Windows 10, and the original battery never gave me much time before needing a recharge. And here only 3 years later the actual time I got on battery was so short that I just gave up using it without being plugged in. Not great for a supposedly […]
Too Much Tech: a reader asks… Hi Chris, this whole digital life thing is overloading me! And I have little free time to spend on getting better organized. Have any quick tech tips you can give me? Absolutely! My first tip is to have you read these two articles: Drowning in Paper? and Use your smartphone’s camera as a memory aid! which will get you started. You’ll read about Evernote, a great program for organizing all the stuff in your life. So here’s my […]
Email hacked: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’m worried about my email account. Some folks have told me that they received weird emails from me. What should I do and how can I stop this? The first thing you should do is change your email password. I have some instructions on doing that in this article. Do this right away! Click the link (or picture) which will open the article in a new window, follow the instructions, and then come […]
Credit Card Cost: a reader asks… This might not be a true tech question but I’ll ask it anyway. My credit card was stolen recently and my bank cancelled the stolen card and sent me a new one right away. I didn’t have to pay for whatever the card was used for, nor for my new credit card. So who’s stuck paying for those costs? Collectively, us consumers. The way this works is that your bank (or any credit card […]
Quick Keyboard Fix: a reader asks… I have a Lenovo all-in-one computer with Windows 10. It came with a wireless keyboard and mouse, and has a little stub (labeled Lenovo) that fits into a USB port on the backside. I am having a problem in that my mouse and keyboard suddenly stopped working and I can’t get them working again, even after restarting the computer several times. What should I do next? If you haven’t already, check out my article […]
Avoid and Prevent Infection: a reader asks… I have an almost-new Windows 10 laptop computer. Everything I’ve read about computer viruses and such say that it’s better to not get infected than to have to clean up an infection. Is this true and why? Yes, it’s true. Let me use an analogy: If your body contracts a virus, you get sick. The virus can attack healthy cells or organs in your body and cause irreparable damage. Some viruses can kill […]
Stolen iPhone: a member asks: My daughter’s iPhone was stolen (she’s vacationing in London). I got her a replacement from insurance and sent it to her. The phone is set up for calls and is active again through AT&T. How does she get her email, music and apps back on the new iPhone? She would like to have her music for the flight back! Thanks so much. It’s unfortunate that iPhones have become a prime target for thieves, who find creative […]
Remote not working: a reader asks… I have a remote control that came with my cable TV service (Verizon FIOS). It’s been working fine for years, but recently stopped working. What should I do? The first thing you should do is put fresh batteries in it, if you haven’t already. I know this sounds obvious to some, but remote controls work for a very long time on just a pair of AA or AAA batteries, so many folks forget about […]
Upgrade Malwarebytes: a reader asks… I saw your note last week (News of the Week and on Facebook and LinkedIn) about a new version of Malwarebytes being available. My installation hasn’t prompted me to get the new version. Should I wait for the prompt or what? I have the Premium subscription. Don’t wait for a prompt from your installed version. Go to https://www.malwarebytes.com and click the Free Download link. This will update both Premium and free versions to the current […]
"I'm all about helping you deal with our 21st century high-tech digital world so you can enjoy a healthy and secure digital life!"
Hi! I'm Chris Gardner, Your Tech Coach giving you Practical Help for Your Digital Life® since 1996. My job is to translate geek-speak into clear and concise advice and give you easy-to-understand how-to's and instructions about your consumer technology products and services.
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