U.S. Chip Credit Cards-Secure? A reader asks… Hi Chris, I just got a replacement credit card from my bank, this one has what looks like a circuit board embedded in it. Is this new card more secure than my old one? I could also title this article “Think Chips and Dip are Secure?” The answer to your question is: for today, a flat-out no. The answer for the next few years is going to be little, if any. Eventually your chip card […]
New Computer, Old Software: a reader asks… We need to replace our Windows Vista desktop. Now that Windows 10 is out, I’m inclined to go with that but need to know whether all/many of my old programs will work. For example, are drivers available for my 3-4 year-old printers? Will an old version of Photoshop Elements work? What versions of Office still work? If I have to replace old software and printers, I’ll get a desktop with Windows 7. I’d […]
Bitdefender 2016 – how to upgrade: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I took your advice and am using Bitdefender Internet Security 2015. I see that there’s now a 2016 version available. So, how do I upgrade, and do I have to pay again? While I still maintain that Bitdefender Internet Security is the best option for consumers to protect a Microsoft Windows computer, it isn’t perfect. One of my biggest complaints against Bitdefender is that upgrading versions is not as […]
Photos from iPhone: a reader asks… Quick question. I want to get a new iphone. I just noticed that many of my pictures from May on have not updated from my phone to my ipad or computer from the cloud. I want to make sure I have them backed up and I am not sure what I am suppose to do to get the photos on the other devices. Do something on my phone? Something on my ipad? Unfortunately, I think […]
No Tap-to-click please! a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve read that you say to turn off my laptop’s tap-to-click, but I like it! Can you give me the reason why you say to do this? Simple answer: I have yet to find a human being with the fine motor skill dexterity to use tap-to-click on a Windows laptop without error. I have treated hundreds of malfunctioning laptops with mysterious causes, that all trace back to an inadvertent click when using […]
In-car auto-play music: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have an iPhone and it’s paired with the Bluetooth in my car. This is great since I can use the car’s speakers and microphone to talk on the phone. The screen in the car even shows my contact list so I can make a call easily using the buttons on the steering wheel (or Siri). But I have a problem: every time I get in the car and turn it on, […]
Apple Watch OS2 Install: a reader asks… Hi Chris, a few months ago I purchased the Apple Watch and love it! I have it working with my iPhone 6, and find that I don’t have to pull out the iPhone nearly as often, the watch shows me what I need. My question is, Apple made a big announcement about the new watchOS 2, is it available yet? And should I install it? If yes, how? Thanks in advance for your […]
Speedup my laptop? A reader asks… Hi! I was wondering if you could give me some advice on how to make my Windows 7 laptop faster? It’s only about 2 years old and I don’t want to just go buy a new one. I’ve been pretty good about keeping it clean and protected, so there’s no crap on there that’s slowing it down. I’ve run some benchmark tools and it is middle-of-the-road. But I wonder what I can do to […]
iOS update, yes or no? a reader asks… I have an iPhone question. My iphone 5 is running on version 7.1.2 and have a message to update it. If I do update it, will I lose my settings or other items (like downloaded ringtones)? Do you generally recommend updating the operating system? You’ve probably been seeing the upgrade message for awhile now. The iPhone has gone through a half dozen or more updates since the version you’re on came out […]
Clean your Screen: a reader asks… Hello, I’m not sure if you work around the edges of tech support, but I’m wondering how I can clean the screen on my laptop without scratching it. I’ve heard that laptop screens are made of plastic and scratch easily, and I just noticed my screen is really dirty. Got any good tips? I don’t try to limit myself on the kind of advice I give, and yours is a common concern and need […]
Windows Update Errors: a reader asks… Hi Chris, my Dell Inspiron N5110 has developed several problems. It started out getting an error code of 80073712 when trying to update windows. that has been going on for months. I never got a Windows disk when I bought it from Costco and now you can’t buy a disk. Since then, the two usb ports on the left side quit working and only the one on the back and right rear work. I am […]
Zip Program?: a reader asks… I’m new to computers and have a new Dell computer with Windows 8.1 on it. Do I need to buy or install a program to help me deal with zip files? Are there any other programs I’ll need to deal with files? Actually, nobody needs a separate program for dealing with zip files these days. Microsoft Windows has the ability to create compressed (zip) files and also to unzip compressed files for you built right […]
Cyber crime is getting worse: a reader asks… Can you give me some advice? I’ve been telling people about how they should use stronger passwords on their computers and online accounts, but most people just ignore it. How can I get them to listen? Hmm, sometimes the only way someone learns is by suffering the consequences of their (in)action. I’ve been shouting the same thing for over a decade, and I still find that most people (heck, nearly all), use crappy […]
Text Preying on Caregivers: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I received a text message (sent to me and 3 other mobile numbers I don’t recognize) saying my father (who’s in an independent living facility) was wandering around and I should call them. I’m the primary family caregiver for my father by the way. I called his facility and they say everything’s fine, they didn’t send any warning. What should I do? This is really dastardly, to prey on caregivers. I’m […]
What’s a “Healthy” Digital Life? a reader asks… Hi Coach, you’ve talked about having a “healthy” digital life, but I’m having trouble understanding what you mean. Can you explain it a bit more? Thank you! I think a good way to understand it is to compare it to your physical life. Having a healthy physical life means (among other things) not being overweight, having at least some muscle tone, having the ability to deal with carrying heavy things, moving fast when […]
Have you been Doxed? a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve become a victim of someone posting a bunch of information and pictures about/of me on various social media. Some of it’s true, and some isn’t, all of it’s embarrassing and not something I’m happy with being visible online. Is there anything I can do about this? Sorry to say, you’ve been doxed. Doxing is a nasty practice where someone collects information about you and makes that information public. It can […]
Can’t turn it on! a reader asks… Coach, I’m in a real bind! I popped for a Samsung Galaxy S6 from Verizon recently. It’s been working great up until yesterday, when it wouldn’t turn on. Nothing I could do seemed to make any difference. Before I take it in to the Verizon store for help, do you have any tips to help me? Smartphones such as yours can fall victim to various maladies that might affect them to the point […]
Emergency iPhone ID: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I recently witnessed an accident and saw paramedics grab a victim’s iPhone and get some info from it – without any help from the victim who was unconscious! I’m assuming the iPhone was locked with a passcode, so can you tell me how they were able to bypass Apple’s vaunted security? Apple has long given the iPhone emergency calling capability, which you can access right from the lock screen. Down at the […]
IRS Scam: a reader talks about… I recently had a real problem with my tax return and the IRS, which I thought I’d share with you and your readers. I was one of the hundreds of thousands of US taxpayers who got scammed by fraudsters who took over my IRS tax file. Someone registered with the IRS and got access to my tax returns and filing information. I didn’t lose my refund, but it took some time to get everything […]
Gmail with my own address: a reader asks… Hey Coach, I have a vanity email address I got from Network Solutions (along with a website and webmail). I don’t want to have to check multiple places for email, can I use this with my Gmail account, but without giving out my Gmail address? Network Solutions’ control panel allows you to create email accounts with your web hosting services, and you’ve probably already created a mail account for your domain. So now […]
No iTunes Sidebar: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I upgraded to iTunes 12 recently, and notice the display is now very flat and very simple. I don’t see a sidebar with my library items and categories any more. Is there any way I can get them back? Along with iOS 8 for the iPhone and iPad, and OS X Yosemite for the Mac, Apple has released iTunes 12. It’s more than a flashy red icon though, there are a lot […]
Windows 10 Popup Annoyance: a reader asks… Hi Chris, can you help? I tried to follow your advice to delay installing Windows 10, but I must have made a mistake because the installation started. I cancelled it right away before it completed so I still am on Windows 7. But now I’m getting almost constant popups trying to get me to finish the installation of Windows 10? Is there any way I can stop this? Your best bet is to […]
Email Subject Line: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve got a question for you. I get a lot of email, and notice that some people are still sending email with a blank subject line. Also, I get emails with the subject line of “Hi”, or other subject lines that really mean nothing. Isn’t having a good and descriptive subject line in email important these days? Absolutely it’s important for several reasons. First, spam catchers will often flag emails with crappy […]
Smartphones-What’s the Diff? a reader asks… please explain the differences between android and smartphones. thank you Ok, let’s start with the generic term ‘smartphone’. A smartphone is simply a cell phone that includes some or most of the functions of a computer. So it can surf the web, use email, and run programs (called ‘apps’). Smartphones are made by many manufacturers, such as Apple, Samsung, HTC, Google, and Motorola. They usually have a touch-screen and very few physical buttons. A few might […]
Time to go bye-bye Java: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a Windows 7 computer. When I look in the add/remove programs, I see two entries for Java. Do I need these or should I uninstall them? For most consumers, I think it’s time to uninstall Java from your list of installed programs. Please note that Java is not the same as JavaScript. Java is a programming language that can be used in software applications on your computer as […]
Safe Computing Practices: Whether you have an Apple Mac or a Microsoft Windows-powered PC, or an Android-powered tablet or smartphone, you need to follow these practices to keep your digital life safe. This is completely separate from any protection program or software suite that you might employ to help you, as these automated solutions are subject to being compromised by your online behavior. Nothing can protect you from yourself except you, by avoiding unsafe actions and following these safe computing practices, […]
RIP (almost) Flash Player: a reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve been reading about security vulnerabilities on computers, and it sounds like Flash Player is always getting hacked. Do I really need this program on my computer? Short answer, probably not. Most of the big video sharing websites (like YouTube) on the internet have transitioned to the newer (and more secure) HTML5 platform for playing videos. But there are still a ton of sites out there (not to mention web browsers) […]
Upgrade to Windows 10? a reader asks… Hello, now that Windows 10 is available, should I upgrade now or wait? You might want to peruse my previous article about this: Windows 10 Upgrade Tip, but let me give you a quick way to make a good decision (based on my opinion which has been fleshed out by researching what other computer professionals have to say): It’s a consensus that for most consumers, it’s better to wait at least a month or three. […]
Replace my 2nd hard drive: a reader asks… Hi Chris, My boot drive (C:) is an SSD that has Windows 8.1 and a few other programs but most of my programs (and lots of data) are on my D: drive. I recently ran chkdsk d: /f /x /r which ran for hours and found and corrected many, many errors. Seeing the handwriting on the wall, I am now backing up the entire drive (using Acronis) to another drive while I still […]
What the Experts do, Part II: a reader asks… Hi Chris, your Friday article, Do what computer experts do was very helpful, thanks! What about securing my Windows PC? Again, bare-bones please! Ok, this is right out of my playbook for Safe Computing Practices. The bare-bones steps are: Keep your system and programs up-to-date Use a top quality antivirus and a top quality anti-malware program Backup your files Again, this sounds easier than it is (in practice). Let me go […]
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