Help Mom Email: a reader asks… My mother is 88 and is just getting into using modern technology. We tried giving her a laptop but she just finds it too complicated to use. So I got her a new iPad. It’s been a long and slow grind teaching her how to use it. She’s having trouble recognizing buttons and is having trouble using email. I set her up with a Gmail account but she really isn’t getting how it works. She […]
Windows 10 SNAFU: a reader asks… Hey Chris, I just upgraded my almost 5-year-old Dell Studio 1569 laptop from Windows 7 to Windows 10, taking the free upgrade. This is horrible! The computer seems ok for the first few minutes, but then slows to a ridiculously slow pace. Even moving the mouse takes 4-5 seconds from when I swipe the touchpad to when the on-screen cursor moves. It’s completely maddening! Can you help me fix this? You have been bitten […]
Use Night Shift: a reader asks… I’ve upgraded my iPhone to the latest version of iOS. Not having any problems, but I’ve heard about this new “Night Shift” mode. What is that, and how do I use that? When Apple released version 9.3 of the iPhone/iPad operating system, they touted a new feature called Night Shift that purportedly removes most of the blue light coming from your device’s screen. It casts a yellowish tint over everything displayed including the home […]
Current Version Woes: a reader asks… Hey Coach, I’m feeling crushed, I’m working along on my Windows laptop and get interrupted by updates all the time. Updates to Windows, Microsoft Office, my security programs, Java, Dell – it’s maddening! Most of the time I just x-out the window or ignore it because I’m too busy doing my job to worry about updating my computer. Is there a way to automate this process so I don’t have to mess with it? […]
Gmail iPhone App: a reader asks… Chris…Do you recommend I update to this mobile gmail app for my iphone? I am sure it is more insidious but may be better functionality?? What say ye IT Coach? This is Google’s attempt to get you further into their ecosphere. Not necessarily a bad thing, and for Android smartphone users probably not an issue, but as an iPhone user you need to decide for yourself if you want the 3 new features they […]
Password Shorts: a reader asks… Hey Coach, I’m unhappy. My work won’t let me use ‘unauthorized’ programs like LastPass on my company-issued smartphone and computer, and they make me change passwords every 90 days. Can you give me some ammo to get them to change their stupid policy and let me get in the 21st century with password management? At this point I’m writing down the passwords on a piece of paper I keep in my wallet. Corporate America (and […]
The Home Office: a reader asked… Hi Chris, I’ve recently retired and am setting up my own home-based business. Do you have some recommendations on what technology I need to outfit my new office? I will need to hold my clients’ private data and files securely, and need to be able to do the usual office-y things. Please assume I have nothing yet, and need everything. Oh, and I’m partial to Macs but not committed. Thank you! Your home-based business […]
Tunes in Airplane Mode: a reader asks… My iTunes on my iPhone 6s does not play on airplane mode when traveling. All the songs are on computer and iPad but did not transfer to my phone. I plugged phone into computer and still nothing! Suggestions? Portable devices like iPhones and iPads don’t have as much storage space for song files than computers, so Apple configured iTunes on your iPhone to not automatically sync your entire music library. If you think […]
Old Web Browser: a reader asks… I guess I’m a Luddite, I still use Internet Explorer on my Windows 7 computer. I keep seeing Microsoft trying to get me to upgrade to version 11, but I’m not sure why I should bother. I’m using version 10. Do I really need to upgrade? In a word, yes. Internet Explorer 10 is a security vulnerability waiting to happen. Microsoft ended supporting that (also older versions of IE, and also Windows 8) back […]
Long-lived laptop? A reader asks… Hey Coach, what’s the easiest way I can extend the longevity of my Windows 7 laptop? It’s a 2 year old Dell and works ok, but a little slow. I have a 500gb hard drive and 6gb RAM. Check out my guide to replacing your spinning hard drive with a speedy SSD in this article. It’s geared towards making your computer run faster, but replacing your aging hard drive is the one thing you can […]
Safely Send Tax Documents: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have to send some documents to my tax preparer. I’m worried about sending them by email. What is the best encryption product to send tax stuff? My wonderful accountant lives in Florida and does clients’ taxes virtually. I definitely don’t want to send all my scanned stuff through regular email. While there are a number of methods in use for encrypting email, I’ve not found anything that’s ready for the consumer. […]
Email Rejected: a reader asks… Hi Chris, someone sent me an email but my email service provider rejected it. I got the sender to forward me the non-delivery report they got back (copy attached). Can you decipher it and tell me what to do? I need to get emails from that sender! Looking at the NDR you sent me revealed the reason why the message wasn’t delivered. Buried in the gobbledy-gook of the NDR was: “The error that the other […]
Windows Update Won’t: a reader asks… Hi Coach, I’ve noticed that lately my Windows Update isn’t working. I’m not getting any updates, and it’s causing my computer to work really hard. Do you have a quick fix? You know it’s important to keep Windows up-to-date, it seems like at least a few times a month there are important security updates that you simply must install to keep your computer and your personal information safe. But what do you do if you get […]
Older finger on keyboard: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’m helping my father with his desktop PC. He’s older and has lost a lot of feeling in his fingers. He’s having trouble with the standard keyboard that came with the computer, can’t tell if he’s pushed a key or not. Any suggestions? Why don’t you go retro? The older mechanical keyboards took a lot more work to type on (think Selectric typewriters) than today’s keyboards which have micro-switches under the […]
It’s time for Windows 10: a reader asks… Hi Coach, I got hit by the Windows 10 upgrade. I didn’t really want it, but yesterday my computer was upgraded. I’m really annoyed! What should I do? In Windows Update, Microsoft recently moved the Windows 10 upgrade from optional to recommended. For many people, they have Windows Update set to automatically install both critical and recommended updates, so your computer got the upgrade. A lot of people have complained, so over […]
Malwarebytes Icon: a reader asks… Hi Coach, I took your advice (thanks!) on getting Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Premium for my Windows 7 laptop, and made the settings changes you suggested. It’s all working great, and I only have one minor little problem. The icon for the program is on my desktop and I like a clean desktop. But I can’t remove the icon, no matter how many times I try! Is there some trick to doing that? Congrats on getting one […]
Ransomware Protection: a reader asks… Hey Coach, I’ve been reading warnings about ransomware being the big threat for 2016, read about the recent and successful attack at the Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center, and am starting to worry. What’s a regular consumer tech gal to do? Even the FBI says your best bet is to pay the ransom. I haven’t been infected yet, but am worried it’s only a matter of time. Got a hot tip for me? I use Windows 10 […]
Identity Theft Protection: a reader asks… I’ve subscribed to TrustedID which is sold through AARP. It seems quite comprehensive, and also provides access to your credit score from all three providers at any time. I’m no longer tempted to subscribe to the (expensive) individual credit card or bank id protection services. What do you think of TrustedID? My short answer is that 1) I don’t think their services are worth the cost, and 2) no automated service will give you […]
Post Win10 Upgrade: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I just finished upgrading to Windows 10. I followed your advice and am using a local account, have turned of Cortana, and set my privacy settings as private as I can. I think I’m all set except for one problem. I use Bitdefender Total Security 2016, and after the upgrade it won’t update, it won’t activate, and the antivirus feature won’t turn on. What should I do now? Despite Microsoft’s exhortations to […]
Is the Cloud Cloudy? a reader asks… I feel that my cloud access is totally out of control. Everyone–Google, Microsoft, Apple, and many other smaller vendors–make it easy to sign up, and cheap to extend the storage. Apple and Google are particularly insistent because their apps are closely tied to their cloud services. I mostly use 1TB Dropbox for most of my important files and Acronis’s unlimited cloud storage for backups. I doubt I can avoid iCloud, but there are bits […]
WhatsApp on 2 Phones: a reader asks… I have an AT&T iPhone I use in the US, but I travel a lot. My work gave me a T-Mobile smartphone for use overseas. I use WhatsApp to communicate with everyone. How can I switch my WhatsApp to the T-Mobile phone when I travel, yet still have it use the same AT&T phone number so all my contacts can still get hold of me? First off, here’s what you shouldn’t do: change the […]
Old Printer: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a really old HP Laserjet 2100 printer that has a cable to connect it to the computer with a (gasp!) old-style 25-pin plug. The printer still works great and I’d like to keep using it as long as it lasts, but I finally replaced my old laptop with a newer one ( Windows 7) that doesn’t have that kind of port. Do you have a low-cost solution for me? Or do […]
Fingerprint Hack? a reader asks… Hi Chris, I read an article that says it’s easy to hack the fingerprint sensor on an iPhone. Do I need to be worried? Short answer, no. I read the same article from Business Insider, and it’s either a shill piece by the maker of a fingerprint sensor in a lame attempt to bolster his own product, or (in my opinion) an irresponsible piece of pseudo-journalism that seems to be so rampant these days, intended […]
Anonymous Surfing: Not just for the bad guys! You might have heard about hackers using the Dark Net, or the Deep Web to buy and sell hacking tools. That’s where anonymous surfing gets a bad rap. But for the rest of us, there can be some very good reasons to surf without leaving an identity trail behind you as you go. For instance, journalists who are researching stories or political dissidents who don’t want their government breathing down their necks. […]
Zoom & Print: a reader asks… Hi Coach, do you have an easy way for me to be able to print part of a page blown up in size? I often print Adobe PDFs that have architectural drawings, and the pages are actually very large, but when I print them they must shrink down the whole page to fit on standard size paper. Is there a way I can take just a part of the page and print that bit […]
iPhone Yellow Battery: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I noticed this evening that my battery indicator is no longer green, but kind of yellow orange. I wasn’t able to plug in anywhere today and drew my battery down to the red. When I got home I plugged it in and after awhile it turned from red to yellow orange. Did I mess up my battery by draining it too far? First off, no need to worry. The battery indicator turns […]
Simple Outlook Solution: a reader asks… Hey Coach, I’ve used Outlook for years tied to my Verizon email account. I now find myself in the situation where I use a few computers, a smartphone and a tablet. Can you give me a straightforward and simple solution so my email, contacts, calendar, tasks and notes are all kept in sync across all these devices? I’m frustrated with read versus unread messages not the same, and with having to enter contacts and […]
Instagram Photo Editing: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I use Instagram on my iPhone, and I find the editing function pretty minimal. Same for the editing tools in the iPhone’s Photos app. Is there anything better? I’m always forgetting to set my camera app for square photos, so they don’t look good on Instagram. Instagram offers quite a few editing tools in the app, but noticeably missing are such basic tools as crop, and redeye reduction. While the default Instagram view […]
Old Windows: a reader asks… I was working on my old desktop and opened up Google Chrome and received an interesting alert. Do I have any options or just have to update Windows? Or just switch internet browsers? I only use this computer for remote office access via google chrome, surfing the Internet, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. This has less to do with your Chrome web browser than with overall computer security. This warning simply means that Google doesn’t consider either Windows […]
Senior-proof the Touchpad: a reader asks… Hi Chris, my father is 83 and uses a Windows 7 laptop with a touchpad. I’m his ‘tech support’ and am always having to help him with strange problems that happen. When I ask, he’s not giving me good intel on what was happening just before the problem surfaced. I suspect that he’s misusing the touchpad, but he doesn’t want to switch to a regular mouse – I’ve offered to buy him one, but […]
"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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