Practical Help Library – Page 17 – Practical Help for Your Digital Life®

Practical Help Library

VPN for iPhone?

September 4, 2017

VPN for iPhone? a reader asks… I read an article on using VPN on an iPhone (at https://www.payetteforward.com/vpn-on-an-iphone-what-is-best-vpn-for-iphone-apps-services/) – what do you think about this? I last wrote about the VPN subject in April, check out https://positek.net/vpn-not-vpn/. But I’m going to take a fresh look at the subject, particularly in the arena of iPhones. The article you referenced is a decent, basic primer on VPN, but I’d be real hesitant about making decisions just based on it. I wouldn’t trust any […]
Add Google Sheet to Web Page

September 1, 2017

Add Google Sheet to Web Page: a reader asks… I have a wordpress website and I want to add a a table to a page. The table is currently a google spreadsheet. I’d like to be able to edit the spreadsheet (changing existing content) from time to time, and not have to update the website page for every change. Is there an easy way to do this? If your table is reasonably small, then the easy solution is to use […]
New All-in-One PC

August 31, 2017

New All-in-One PC: a reader asks… I’ve been using an HP laptop for many years now, but I think it’s time to get a new computer. So what should I get? I use Outlook and Word, go on the internet, do very little online shopping, and print pictures transferred from my iPhone to my computer. My laptop sits on a table in my bedroom and has never moved, so I really don’t need a laptop. I’m getting older, so a […]
Avoiding the Echo Chamber

August 30, 2017

Avoiding the Echo Chamber: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a facebook account and use your recommended news aggregator, Flipboard to get my daily feed of current events and such. I also get the Washington Post and the New York Times in print, plus I have apps on my iPhone and read news stories there (more often than waiting for the print edition to hit my doorstep). One thing I’ve noticed is that as time has gone on, my […]
Upgrade Malwarebytes

August 29, 2017

Upgrade Malwarebytes: a reader asks… I have Malwarebytes Premium installed on my Windows 10 PC. I read your note about keeping it up-to-date, but the program doesn’t give me any warning about updating or upgrading. Is there something I should do? Yes. One of my few disappointments with Malwarebytes is that they are really bad about telling their uses when a new version is released. Their software doesn’t get around to telling you until weeks or months have passed, they […]
The Perils of Old Software

August 28, 2017

The Perils of Old Software: a reader asks… I don’t get it. Why can’t I buy software and keep using it, why have to keep buying upgrades and installing updates? Can’t they make software that isn’t buggy? I use Office 2003 on my Windows XP computer and everything is working. Your question is like asking why, after all we spend on police forces is there still crime. The answer is that the police are fighting against crime, but can’t prevent […]
MacOS Won’t Start

August 25, 2017

MacOS Won’t Start: a reader asks… I neglected to clean out my files on my Macbook Air and now it won’t start. The error says Hard Drive Full. What can I do? The first thing to do is try to start in safe mode. Start or restart your Mac, then immediately press and hold the Shift key. The white Apple logo appears on your display. Release the shift key when you see the login window. If your Mac starts up, then the […]
Refurbished Mac

August 24, 2017

Refurbished Mac: a reader asks… I’m looking to buy a new Macbook Pro, but am on a budget (I’m a student). Can you give me some advice? I’m looking at the 13″ Macbook Pro, and I can spend up to $1,400. That’s going to be tough to find a new Macbook Pro model that’s within your budget. You might want to consider a refurbished Mac, which could save you several hundred dollars. Also, you could get away with buying less […]
Internet Weather

August 23, 2017

Internet Weather: a reader asks… Even though I have a high-speed FIOS internet connection (75/75), I notice that sometimes things are slow to download, pages take a long time to show up, email doesn’t come quickly (or at all), and other indications that my internet speed isn’t as fast as it should be. I’ve run the speed tests that show my FIOS speed is reasonable, and there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong with my connection nor my computer. So […]
Keep Android Safe

August 22, 2017

Keep Android Safe: a reader asks… I have a Sony smartphone that’s running Android on my AT&T cell phone service. I get that Google won’t issue updates to my phone, so what else can I do to keep it from getting infected? First off, it isn’t Google that won’t update your phone, it’s a combination of the manufacturer (Sony) and your service provider (AT&T). The problem is that while Google makes the Android operating system for smartphones, there are literally […]
Safe Android Apps

August 21, 2017

Safe Android Apps: A member asks… How can I tell if an Android App is safe to install on my Android smartphone? Your first move should be to avoid installing any app on your Android smartphone that doesn’t come from the Google Play Store. Google has gotten a lot better at vetting apps before they allow them on the app store, and making sure the apps are legit and have no malware. If you get your apps from any other […]
AOL blocking email

August 18, 2017

AOL blocking email: a reader asks… I switched from verizon to AOL Mail,now my friend (who sent me an e-mail (from [something] @comcast.net) and AOL blocked it. How can I get e-mails sent to me to go thru? He gets e-mails from me but I can’t get his back. What do I need to do? AOL’s anti-spam features are pretty harsh, meaning that if your friend sent you an email and AOL decided they don’t like the sending server (in this […]
MacOS on a Stick

August 17, 2017

MacOS on a Stick: a reader asks… I use a couple of Macs and sometimes wish I didn’t have to manage them separately. Is there a way that I can run my MacOS on an external thumbdrive and boot each Mac to that (not at the same time)? It’s certainly possible to do that, just install your MacOS onto a thumbdrive. But I’ll warn you that it will be very slow compared to running the OS from the internal hard […]
Rebuild Mac Photos Library

August 16, 2017

Rebuild Mac Photos Library: a reader asks… I seem to have damaged my Macbook’s Photos library as there are tons of photos in the library but they don’t show the images. What can I do? The MacOS Photos app is really great about helping you manage your photos, but there are a few things to be aware of. First off, when you import photos into the app, the originals are stored in a hidden folder, and don’t appear in the […]
Gmail Tabs

August 15, 2017

Gmail Tabs: a reader asks… Is it possible to include the Gmail tabs social, promotions, updates and forums under one tab such as primary? Google has continued to design and re-design their gmail webmail app in attempts to make it more useful for users. A few years back they introduced tabs to automatically segregate email in your inbox. For most old-school email users, this is one of the first new ‘features’ that gets turned off (the second being ‘conversation view’). […]
Physical Health Tech Help

August 14, 2017

Physical Health Tech Help: a reader asks… What are some things can I do to take advantage of technology in improving my physical health? There is an excellent article online at Positive HealthWellness that I suggest you read. It’s not a quick read, but has a boat-load of good info on ways you can use technology to improve your physical health. The article lists eight ways that technology is improving your health, including: using technology to encourage you to be […]
iPhone bugs me

August 11, 2017

iPhone bugs me: a reader asks… I have an iPhone and it seems like all the time when I’m using it, these things pop up at the top of the screen and cover what I’m looking at. Sometimes I get 3 or 4 in a row, all saying the same thing. Can I get these to stop? What you are seeing are notifications from installed apps. When you install an app on your iPhone, it usually sets itself up to […]
HDMI and DRM

August 10, 2017

HDMI and DRM: a reader asks… I have a home theater system with components plugged into the HDMI ports in my AV receiver, and HDMI connected to my flat-screen TV. Every once in a while, instead of seeing the video from a component, I get a blue or blank screen. The only way to fix it is to turn everything off and then back on again. Is my equipment malfunctioning? Most likely, nothing is malfunctioning from a hardware perspective. What […]
Website Ads, Oh Google!

August 9, 2017

Website Ads, Oh Google! a reader asks… I use Google Chrome (and Gmail). I’ve been noticing that websites (including yours) are starting to show me advertising that’s laser-like in its focus. The ads are for stuff I was just looking at sometimes, and certainly things I’ve been looking at online. It’s a little creepy that these websites know so much about my web-surfing habits. Should I be worried? I’m going to say ‘not really’ – the websites you visit (including […]
M.2 drive

August 8, 2017

M.2 drive: a reader asks… I’m building a Windows PC for gaming and general use. The motherboard I’ve selected has an M.2 port on it, and I understand I can use that with a solid-state hard drive. Is this a better option than the usual SATA SSDs that are available? You should check the specs on any M.2 drive to make sure they a) physically fit with your system, and b) have an increased input/output capability. The first issue deals […]
The New Google Drive

August 7, 2017

The New Google Drive: a reader asks… I read about how Google Drive has improved by adding the ability to backup your computer automatically. Can you tell me how this works? The new app is called Backup and Sync and replaces both the Google Drive app and the the Google Photos backup app on your Mac or Windows PC. You can download the installer from https://www.google.com/drive/. While the original Google Drive app created a Google Drive folder on your computer and […]
Huge Apple Photos Library

August 4, 2017

Huge Apple Photos Library: a reader asks… Call me a pack rat, but I have tens of thousands of digital photos I’ve collected over the years. I use the latest Apple Photos App on my 1-year-old Macbook Pro, I have extra storage space for them paid for on iCloud, and I have an Apple 3tb Time Capsule for my Mac’s Time Machine app. Here’s my problem: I’m running out of SSD space on my Mac. Is there a way for […]
DriverUpdate Fakeout

August 3, 2017

DriverUpdate Fakeout: a reader asks… I bought a new HP printer and figured out how to install it except that there continues to be a message about getting a “Driver Update” which appears to cost….Is this an important thing to do? I notice that now I have to turn the power on the printer every time I want to print something…but that doesn’t seem like a big deal. Alas, you’ve been caught by an imposter to the driver updater app […]
More space on Mac

August 2, 2017

More space on Mac: a reader asks… I have a 2015 Macbook Air that I bought new. I thought I was being smart and ordered it with the maximum storage memory, 256gb. Two short years later, I’m finding that my hard drive is full. Is there a way I can add file storage space to the Macbook easily? It seems like we all tend to use whatever storage memory we have, so even as hard drive sizes go up, we […]
Setup Comcast Email on iOS

August 1, 2017

Setup Comcast Email on iOS: a reader asks… This may be a dumb question, but I have Xfinity from Comcast and have a Comcast.net email address. I have an iPhone and want to add that email account to it, but when I look at the list of email service providers on the Add Account page, Comcast doesn’t show. Which do I pick? Apple provided a few email service provider types on the Add Account menu, but they didn’t bother to […]
Macbook Fix Snafu

July 31, 2017

Macbook Snafu: a reader asked… I have a 2016 12″ Macbook that developed a problem. AppleCare replaced the ‘logic board’ and when I got it back, it had the MacOS on it but none of my personal files, settings or apps – it was like a brand-new Macbook. They didn’t warn me. I didn’t mention this to them but I do have an old Time Capsule, and had Time Machine working on the Macbook (at least a few weeks ago). […]
Which iPad to buy?

July 28, 2017

Which iPad to buy? a reader asks… I’m done with computers. I’m going to buy a new iPad and just use that for everything. I’ll use Pages to write letters and such, and do email (Gmail) and surf the web. I really don’t need anything more at my advancing age. I already have a printer that’s AirPrint capable, and I’m only going to use this at home on my wifi network, so it now comes down to which model of […]
Chrome full-screen

July 27, 2017

Chrome full-screen: a reader asks… I was working away on my computer, using Google Chrome when all of the sudden the window went to full-screen. There’s no button at the top-right to shrink it down again and I can’t even see the darn tabs. What do I do? It’s likely that you accidentally hit a keyboard shortcut for full-screen mode, that’s the F11 key. It’s a toggle switch, pressing F11 turns on full-screen and pressing it again restores your web […]
Laminator Woes

July 26, 2017

Laminator Woes: a reader asks… I run a small non-profit and we use a laminator for all kinds of things, cards, papers, flyers, etc. I’ve had this workhorse laminator for several years with no trouble. We recently hired a new person and they didn’t know that you have to put the plastic sheets inside a carrier that protects the laminator from the plastic pouches. Needless to say, melted plastic got onto the rollers and now the laminator jams all the […]
Clacking Keyboard

July 25, 2017

Clacking Keyboard: a reader asks… I recently got a new Windows 10 desktop computer that I’ll be using for gaming as well as regular work. It came with this cheap keyboard which I’d like to replace, the keys are too uncomfortable, don’t seem as responsive and don’t light up. Can you recommend a good keyboard for gaming? Mechanical keyboards are all the rage for gaming, because they have a fairly large amount of key travel, and because you can get […]

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