Practical Help Library

  • PSA - Mac Users need the latest update

    PSA – Mac Users need the latest update

    December 24, 2014

    Just a quick update for today, Apple released a security update for Mac OS X that should be installed on every Mac on the planet as soon as possible. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute and the Department of Homeland Security discovered the vulnerability and advised Apple, who quickly put out a system update. The vulnerability was part of how OS X synchronizes the computer’s clock to keep the time correct. This vulnerability affects all the most recent […]

  • Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick - what's the diff?

    Amazon Fire TV or Fire TV Stick – what’s the diff?

    December 23, 2014

    A reader asks… Hi Chris, I was considering purchasing an Amazon Fire Stick to turn my HDTV into a SmartTV. However, I’m confused about the difference between the Amazon Fire Stick and the Amazon Fire TV. What do I get with the Fire TV that I wouldn’t get with the stick? Are they easy to use? Is this the best product out there for this purpose? Thanks and happy holidays! The biggest difference between the Fire TV Stick over the […]

  • Last-minute Holiday Shopper? Ideas!

    Last-minute Holiday Shopper? Ideas!

    December 19, 2014

    So once again you’ve waited to get your gifts till the last minute? Stuck for gift ideas? Got you covered! Here’s a list of gift ideas in the world of consumer technology that you can consider. I’m not necessarily giving you a big writeup about the pros and cons of each, nor particularly endorsing any particular gifts (hence, no links just a list) – this is just a quick hit-list of ideas to save you time (which you don’t have […]

  • Holiday gift idea: Netflix! And, can I get NetFlicks on my big-screen TV?

    Holiday gift idea: Netflix! And, can I get NetFlicks on my big-screen TV?

    December 17, 2014

    The holiday season is upon us, and gifts are flying from store shelves (and online merchant warehouses!) to you (and possibly on your behalf!). One great idea is a gift subscription to NetFlix – great for someone who hates hefty cable TV charges, and/or has a big-screen TV (or also gets one as a gift). And even if you didn’t get a new TV, if your TV is less than 3 years old it may have the capability to use NetFlix already […]

  • Scams, both online and offline

    Scams, both online and offline

    December 16, 2014

    Scammers are after you, and while this has been a problem forever, the activity seems to be spiking. We’re also seeing an increase in creative blending of the ‘vectors’ or ways in which these scam attempts come at you. For instance, French-speakers are getting phone calls from scammers asking them to check on an invoice they’ve been emailed. The attachment they open is bogus, but loaded with malware that immediately compromises their computers – bypassing any security protection programs they may […]

  • A Warning about Apple ID and 2-factor Authentication

    A Warning about Apple ID and 2-factor Authentication

    December 15, 2014

    While we do recommend that you use 2-factor authentication (read about what it is here), we do want to warn you about a quirk in the way Apple.com has implemented 2-factor authentication for your Apple ID. For any other online entity that offers 2-factor authentication to help protect your online account, there are methods for recovering your account in case of a problem. But for Apple, there’s an all-too-likely scenario that would make your Apple ID (and iCloud) locked up […]

  • What to do when your technology isn't working the way it should

    What to do when your technology isn’t working the way it should

    December 12, 2014

    This tip works for just about anything that uses technology – computers, smartphones, tablets, printers, televisions, cable boxes, remote controls, home networking routers and access points, cordless phone systems, smart appliances, etc. And in my experience, it works 80% of the time, so it’s useful to do before you call someone for help! Read on for specific instructions. Restart, re-power, renew For computing devices, restarting them (or shutting them off and turning them back on) will often cure system problems. If […]

  • Keeping your Android-powered Smartphone Safe

    Keeping your Android-powered Smartphone Safe

    December 11, 2014

    With all the talk about computer security (or the lack thereof) these days, lots of folks are wondering what that means to the smartphone level of computers. There are threats out there, and the risk is growing. For the iPhone, that risk is limited because you can only get apps from the Apple App Store. That’s not a 100% guarantee, but does make it much harder for hackers to gain access to your iPhone. With Android-powered smartphones, that’s a different story. You can get […]

  • Seriously, my computer is compromised?

    Seriously, my computer is compromised?

    December 10, 2014

    A member asks… Hi Chris, I may need your help – at the end of March/early April, it appeared that somehow my personal email account was sending out Viagra-type ads to a bunch of folks not in my Contacts. I only knew because I received the bounce-backs. A couple of years ago I got a virus, and acquired Norman Anti-virus and Anti-spyware (which is apparently from Sweden). This time, Norman started popping up that it was moving three files into […]

  • What Blog Platform should I use for my website?

    What Blog Platform should I use for my website?

    December 8, 2014

    A reader asks… Hey there would you mind sharing which blog platform you’re working with? I’m going to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. I don’t mind at all! The Practical Help website was created using WordPress, the most popular content management system (CMS) used on the internet. […]

  • Got Windows 8 and pine for the Windows 7 Start Button?

    Got Windows 8 and pine for the Windows 7 Start Button?

    December 1, 2014

    A reader asks… I have a new Windows PC with Windows 8.1 on it. Is there any way I can use the old Windows 7 button instead of the Start Screen? This question comes up a lot, especially since it’s gotten pretty hard to buy a new Microsoft Windows PC with Windows 7. The good news is that Microsoft has heard us all complaining about the “Metro” interface – that silly start screen with tiles. In the forthcoming Windows 10 […]

  • Best Web Dictionary?

    Best Web Dictionary?

    November 26, 2014

    A member asks… Do you have any preferences for a web dictionary for someone fairly new to technology? Thank you for your help! Most of the physical dictionaries have migrated to the web, so if you have a preferred brand, you’ll easily find it online, along with some newcomers. For example: Miriam-Webster (my favorite) Cambridge Dictionaries Online Oxford Dictionaries Online Oxford English Dictionary Dictionary.com Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English That said, if you’re simply looking for the definition of a word, the […]

  • Results of our Annual Security Face-off: 2014

    Results of our Annual Security Face-off: 2014

    November 25, 2014

    Every year about this time, I make a comparison of selected internet security suites, and review the results of other trusted testers. See my testing mode below the fold. I don’t test everything that’s out there, but do test top-contenders, both free stuff and what’s sold by for-profit companies. Please note that this comparison is for Microsoft Windows computers — see below the fold for my recommendations for other computing devices. And this product recommendation is targeted to consumers and […]

  • Fix Dropbox on your Mac

    Fix Dropbox on your Mac

    November 20, 2014

    If you already updated to OS X Yosemite on your 2011 or newer Mac, and you use Dropbox, you should be aware of a potential problem. Dropbox could crash and you could lose any changes to your files. Dropbox is aware of this and worked with Apple to fix the problem. Fixing this issue is simple, just update to the latest version of OS X, your Mac’s operating system. Right now, that’s OS X 10.10.1. You can quickly find out […]

  • iOS "Masque Attack" - much ado about pretty much nothing

    iOS “Masque Attack” – much ado about pretty much nothing

    November 13, 2014

    A reader asks… Hi Chris, I’ve been reading a warning about a new “Masque Attack” on iPhones and iPads, is there anything I need to do to protect myself? This is another great example of an otherwise-insignificant issue that the media (and government!) blows all out of proportion. Why? To sell eyeballs – to advertisers. Since the Apple iPhone/iPad duo is such a security hot button, anything that potentially knocks these products is given a lot of attention. Too much […]

  • Home Depot says only Emails were compromised

    Home Depot says only Emails were compromised

    November 11, 2014

    A reader asks… I just got an email from the Home Depot telling me that they’ve been hacked (took them long enough), and their note says only my email was compromised. But I’ve read that the hackers stole payment information including credit card numbers and other identity information. So who do I believe? I find it sadly kind of funny that you just received this when the breach was broadcast all over the place months ago! Thanks for sending me […]

  • Why can't my Mac screen show on my Apple TV?

    Why can’t my Mac screen show on my Apple TV?

    November 10, 2014

    A reader asks… Hi Chris, I have vision problems, and want to get my Macbook Pro’s screen to show up on my big-screen TV. I have an Apple TV hooked up, but can’t get the Mac to display up there – there’s no Airplay icon showing on my Mac’s screen. Can you help? Here’s a picture of my menu bar: I’m sorry to hear that you’re having problems seeing the Mac screen, are you already using Accessibility options? I’d suggest […]

  • How Road Warriors Can Make Using the Internet in Hotels Easier

    How Road Warriors Can Make Using the Internet in Hotels Easier

    November 6, 2014

    Frequent travelers, road warriors and people who spend a lot of time staying in hotels have a continuing beef with the way hotels serve up internet access. The problem is that some hotels do things one way, some do things another way. Some make it easy to use the internet, some make it hard. Some charge extra for internet access, and some include that in their room rates. Some give you a lousy login screen you have to go through each time you want […]

  • Beware the Monstrous Fox!

    Beware the Monstrous Fox!

    November 5, 2014

    We are starting to see a more efficient (for the bad guys) method of phishing appear: huyao which means Monstrous Fox in Chinese. In typical phishing attacks, the bad guys create a near-exact duplicate of an existing website (usually an online shopping, credit card or banking site) and entice people to accidentally log into that site instead of the real one. This gives the bad guys your login username and password, which they can then use on the real website […]

  • Get me out of iCloud T&C Hell!

    Get me out of iCloud T&C Hell!

    November 2, 2014

    A reader asks… Hi Chris, I’m in hell! I upgraded my iPhone 5 to iOS 8.1, and all was fine till today. I started getting this popup on my screen saying that I had to accept the new terms and conditions for iCloud. I did it the first time, and a few minutes later got a new popup – almost the same except that I only get two choices – Not Now and View Terms. Tapping the Not Now option […]

  • Use iCloud Safely - (semi) Quick Tips Part II

    Use iCloud Safely – (semi) Quick Tips Part II

    October 31, 2014

    In Part 1 we covered the basics of securing your iCloud account against hackers. But if you’ve got sensitive and private photos or information on your computer or iOS devices, the next thing to consider is protecting against government snooping. Apple is just as subject to court orders as you are, so you have to expect that your information might be snooped by someone. You’ll be considering whether keeping anything ‘in the cloud’ is for you. Not just iCloud, but any other cloud-based storage […]

  • Use iCloud Safely - (semi) Quick Tips Part I

    Use iCloud Safely – (semi) Quick Tips Part I

    October 31, 2014

    There’s been a lot of angst about Apple’s iCloud service lately, with a lot of incomplete or misleading information. So I thought I’d try to clear the air after researching the salient facts from authoritative sources. The tips below should certainly be considered ‘my opinion’, but I hope my readers will trust my intent to be objective. In the interests of keeping this missive short enough to keep your attention, I’m not going to cite sources or give a lot […]

  • How to trade photos without using your data plan (iOS)

    How to trade photos without using your data plan (iOS)

    October 30, 2014

    A couple is sitting at a restaurant having dinner. The waiter offers to take their picture so one gives her iPhone to take the picture. The other wants a copy of the picture for his iPhone too. What do they do? have the waiter take another picture with his iPhone use iMessage to send the picture from her iPhone to his (which uses the data plan allowance for both) use AirDrop to send the picture between iPhones A lot of […]

  • Sea change coming for how we pay for most anything

    Sea change coming for how we pay for most anything

    October 29, 2014

    A member asks… Hey Chris, I’ve got a new iPhone 6 and am just loving Apple Pay! But I’ve been hearing rumors that there’s something else coming out soon that’s better. Can you tell me what’s going on and what I need to do? Thanks! A sea change is coming to our purchasing world. Here in the USA, by the end of next year we all get new credit cards to replace what we have now. That’s because Visa, MasterCard, American […]

  • Making the font size in Outlook bigger or smaller - on purpose or by accident!

    Making the font size in Outlook bigger or smaller – on purpose or by accident!

    October 29, 2014

    If you use Outlook, you may have accidentally encountered a situation where all the text in messages changes to larger or smaller size. This happens when you accidentally activate a “keyboard shortcut” but didn’t mean to (or even know you were doing so). Outlook in particular, and almost every program in Windows or Mac systems come programmed with a whole slew of these keyboard shortcuts, which often consist of pressing two keys simultaneously, or pressing one key and doing something with your […]

  • iOS8's ringing is driving me crazy!

    iOS8’s ringing is driving me crazy!

    October 24, 2014

    A member asks… Hey Chris, I updated to iOS 8.1 on my iPhone and iPad, and also upgraded to OS X Yosemite on my Mac. Everything’s great except for one problem – now my iPad and my Mac ring everytime my iPhone rings! That’s annoying, can you tell me how to shut that off? I agree, not all new features are desired with a new version of iOS, but fortunately this particular feature is easy to turn off. The multi-device ring […]

  • Making your small biz website mobile-friendly

    Making your small biz website mobile-friendly

    October 22, 2014

    A member asks… Do you know how to make your site mobile friendly? My weblog looks weird when browsing from my iphone 4. I’m trying to find a template or plugin that might be able too correct this issue. If you have any suggestions, please share. With thanks! Website design has come a long way, and so has web browsing. In 2013, over 17% of all worldwide web traffic came through mobile with Asia and Africa leading the way for […]

  • iPhone ate my auto-correct!

    iPhone ate my auto-correct!

    October 20, 2014

    A member asks… Hi Chris, I updated my iPhone to iOS8, and love the new ‘predictive’ keyboard feature. This is where I see words as I’m typing appear above the keyboard and I can tap them to select (instead of typing the whole word). That’s a great improvement over the old auto-correct. Trouble is, the darn thing disappeared yesterday! Can you help me get it back? That is a nice new feature of iOS8 that both predicts what word you […]

  • My Old Bitdefender - how to get the new one?

    My Old Bitdefender – how to get the new one?

    October 17, 2014

    A member asks… I took your advice and purchased Bitdefender Internet Security 2013 a few years ago. I’ve renewed the subscription twice now so it’s still actively protecting me, right? But it still shows as version 2013, and I think there must be a newer version out there. Can I upgrade without having to pay again, and if so, how? I’m glad you took my advice back then, Bitdefender Internet Security has been a great no-frills tool for protecting your Microsoft […]

  • Handycam Recommendation?

    Handycam Recommendation?

    October 16, 2014

    A member asks… I’m just getting ready to start doing some video for my business and saw that you’ve got a ton of videos already online. Do you have any recommendation for an entry-level video camera for a small business to get? Thanks! Congratulations! I think that integrating video to your small business marketing plan is a great idea! Here are a few thoughts on this subject, if you want, please use the comments to give me a better idea […]

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