Practical Help Library – Page 39 – Practical Help for Your Digital Life®

Practical Help Library

Quickly Fix Your Technology – Practical Help’s Tip of the Day #TOD008

February 20, 2015

Murphy’s Law prevails, if something doesn’t work right, it’s gonna do that at the worst time. How frustrating! When it comes to consumer technology, that becomes a giant time-waster and can really add to your stress level. But fear not, I have a simple tip that solves the problem most of the time, and doesn’t take a whole lot of time to do. This tip works for just about anything that uses technology – computers, smartphones, tablets, printers, televisions, cable […]
Setting up Touch ID on iPhone/iPad

February 19, 2015

The latest iPad Air and the iPhone (5s ,6 and 6 Plus) have a dazzling security feature. Built right into the Home button on the face of your iPad Air or iPhone is a sophisticated fingerprint sensor, and this feature is called Touch ID. This allows you to use your fingerprint to both unlock the device for your use, and to be used in place of your Apple ID password for purchases from the App Store or almost any other place […]
Slow Windows PC? Fix it!

February 18, 2015

So a few years ago, you bought a shiny new PC, and it was fast as lightning, and life was good. Now, it seems sluggish and hangs for long stretches, making using it a royal pain. In the days of Windows XP and low system specifications, this was best solved by adding RAM and a bigger hard drive. These days of Windows 7 (or 8.1) and systems that have lots of RAM and big hard drives, there are things you either did or didn’t […]
Cell Phone in your Car? Top 5 Do’s and Don’ts

February 17, 2015

Despite the passage of numerous laws in most states or countries prohibiting or limiting the use of cell phones while driving, everywhere I go I see people using their phones in their cars. So regardless of the legal aspects, here’s my top ten list of the best practices for using a cell phone in your car – assuming you’re going to do that no matter what anyone tells you: 5. Get a mounting bracket for your phone, so it’s handy […]
Simple PDF Printing from a Tablet?

February 11, 2015

A member asks… This is a problem I could probably winnow through, but maybe you have an idea of what the easiest solution might be. We have a home studio and often need to print out pdfs for students. Today, I go to my PC in another room, find the pdf, and print it out. Simple, but not convenient. I would like my (non-technical) wife to be able to view/search the list of pdf files residing in a single directory […]
Programming your FIOS remote when you get a new TV

February 9, 2015

It’s a great day when you get that brand-new big-screen TV and are ready to watch movies and TV in all their glory. The only annoyance is that your new TV came with its own remote, and you already have one from your TV service provider. This can be from Cox, Comcast/Exfinity, or Verizon/FIOS (plus others). In most cases the remote will control at least your converter box and your TV – but this first has to be set up. […]
Battery Backup Beeps Annoyingly, What to Do!

February 4, 2015

Battery Backup Beeps? A member asks… The last time the power went out, I was reminded of a major annoyance with UPS units, of which I have a half-dozen or so. They beep incessantly, and there is no switch or setting that I’m aware of that can turn them off. To me, that’s just plain stupid for a power outage that may run for a couple of hours. I tried to take one apart to find the speaker, but lacked […]
Blur vs. LastPass

February 3, 2015

Blur vs. LastPass: a reader asks… I just ran into a product called Blur which seems to be like LastPass but on steroids. It blocks tracking, provides email masking, and lots of other things. The visual appearance is very slick and user-friendly (like Venmo compared to PayPal). I’m just using the tracking block feature right now, but I’m curious what you all think of it, especially compared to LastPass. Let me first say that Blur does a lot of different […]
Weird Google Searches!

January 30, 2015

Weird Google Searches! A member asked… All of the sudden every computer, iPad and smartphone in the house is acting strangely. When we do a Google search, Google sends us to Google Australia (we are in the USA), and dodgy-looking websites appear in the search results! Can you tell me what’s going on and how to fix it? It sounds like your home network’s router has been hacked by some nefarious netizens. What they likely did is accessed your router and […]
Lots of email accounts? How to get them all in one inbox!

January 29, 2015

A member asks… I have email with AOL, Google, Outlook and Yahoo. Mostly I use the AOL address. Is there a way to have all email accounts merge into one in box? It’s not uncommon for folks to have multiple email accounts these days. And also for most of those accounts to be with online services. Generally, most people are fine with checking different websites because they use their different email accounts for different purposes – like one for junk […]
Android security?

January 28, 2015

Android security? A member asks: I have an Android tablet and Android smartphone, which I really enjoy! Do I really need to have an anti-virus app on these? And, which do you recommend? I’ve been looking at Avast, Lookout, and Sophos. I’m hoping I can get something that keeps me secure but isn’t too complicated that I get lost trying to figure it out. Thanks! Right now, I recommend that users of Android tablets and smartphones use a protection program. The […]
Why Apple Pay will win!

January 27, 2015

Why Apple Pay will win! Now that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are widely available and in the hands of millions of consumers, more and more banks and retailers are jumping on the Apple Pay bandwagon. But there are still some big-name holdouts in the retail sales world, most of the one’s who signed up for CurrentC, a retailer-led payment alternative to regular credit/debit card use. Here’s why I think I think CurrentC will fail, and why Apple Pay […]
Macbook – should I upgrade or buy new?

January 23, 2015

Macbook – should I upgrade or buy new? A reader asks… Hi Chris, I have a late 2007 white Macbook that seems to be running slower and slower. Nothing particularly wrong with it that I know of, but it doesn’t seem to have the same zip that it used to. Given that it’s 7 years old, do you think I should try to upgrade it or should I just bite the bullet and buy a new Macbook? I use it […]
Mac OS X & Adware

January 22, 2015

Mac OS X & Adware A reader asks… I’ve got a Macbook Pro and am plagued by junk that pops up when I run Safari. It’s mostly ads, and also when I try to search for something I get routed to a search engine I’m not familiar with. Can you help me fix this problem? Apple’s Mac operating system is immune from most computer viruses and malware, but that’s not a 100% guarantee. Perhaps the PC-to-Mac campaign has been successful […]
Quick Fix Windows Update

January 21, 2015

Quick Fix Windows Update A reader asks… Windows Update has quit working on me all the sudden. I don’t know why, but now I get an error message “Windows cannot check for updates because the service not running”. I searched online and found a Microsoft Fixit but that didn’t help. Got any ideas? This is a vexing problem, and even the latest version of Windows isn’t immune. Since you already tried the Microsoft Fixit, here’s another method. These instructions work […]
Windows 8.1 Fixer

January 19, 2015

Windows 8.1 Fixer A reader asks… I have a Windows8.1 laptop that’s giving me problems. It takes forever to start up, shut down, or go through a restart cycle. Programs take a long time to load, and it seems like Windows Update isn’t doing its job. Do you have a quick and easy fix for me? There are so many possible problems and answers that makes this common question very hard to resolve, but let me go through a few […]
Please don’t use an easily guessable password!

January 16, 2015

Please don’t use an easily guessable password! Every time I read about hackers and their often-successful attempts to gain access to darn near everything, I think about the tale of The Club – a dark night, a street lined with expensive cars, some of them have The Club attached to the steering wheel, some don’t. A thief is strolling along with his Slim Jim looking for a quick and easy boost. He sees the cars that are outfitted with The Club […]
Mac OS X Update, what should I do???

January 15, 2015

A member asks… I have a Mac that’s a few years old. It has OS X Lion (version 10.7 I think) on it. I didn’t bother to update to Mountain Lion or Mavericks, and now Apple’s released Yosemite. Do you think I should upgrade? Ok, for most people with Macs, it’s a fairly easy decision – upgrade to OS X Yosemite (OS X version 10.10). Here’s a list of all the Macs that are compatible with OS X Yosemite: iMac […]
Setting up Gmail on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch

January 14, 2015

Let’s say you’re a big Google user. You use Gmail and have all your contacts loaded into it. You also use the Calendar on your Google account. And you have an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch). Here’s a quick and easy set of instructions to get that all syncing for you. With your iPhone, you’ll want to create a new account for Gmail: Tap Settings Tap Mail, Contacts, Calendars Tap Add Account Tap Google Fill in your name, gmail address, password, and a […]
What to do when your computer shuts down by itself more than just once!

January 13, 2015

Microsoft Windows users are familiar with the dreaded ‘blue screen of death’ or BSOD – when Windows just shuts down for some inscrutable reason. Besides this, there are also times when your system crashes and you get a black screen with white text that mentions ‘crash dump‘. By the way, Apple Mac users will be familiar with the “SPOD” aka Spinning Pinwheel of Death – that’s the same as the BSOD, and often with the same causes. In either case, the problem may […]
Time Capsule isn’t working!

January 9, 2015

Time Capsule isn’t working! A reader asks… I have a 2012 Macbook Pro with OS X 10.8, and I also have an Apple Time Capsule. I’ve got the Time Machine program setup to backup my Mac to the Time Capsule, but I’m noticing that it doesn’t work. My Mac keeps telling me “it’s been xx days since your last backup”. Did I miss something? Yes, there’s a minor step you might have missed, enabling ‘Power Nap‘ on your Mac. That […]
Identity Theft Protection

January 7, 2015

How to Protect Your On-line Reputation and Identity In addition to on-line reputation management, you should also secure yourself against identity theft protection. These days, there’s no limit of crazy spooks out there eager to take advantage of your name and identity to have their way with it. Starting from the first time you create a social media profile, create a blog or register an email address, you’re creating an online identity for yourself. Your online identity might hold a […]
Best video call app?

January 6, 2015

Best video call app? A reader asks… I’m looking at a lot of choices for making video calls, can you tell me which one is the best? The video calling world has gotten crowded and yes, you have too many choices! Unfortunately, I can’t tell you which one is best, it really depends on your individual situation. Below I’ve listed a few scenarios along with the best option for each. Please leave a comment to describe your situation and I […]
New iPad/iPhone?

January 2, 2015

New iPad/iPhone you recently got, perhaps as a gift? I get asked all the time about how to setup a new iOS device, including a first-time setup and an upgrade from an older version. Here are some tips to help you get off to the right start! Initial setup: if you got this as a gift, you likely didn’t get this done at the Apple Store (or phone store). And I’m guessing you’ve already turned it on, gone through the […]
New Laptop?

December 30, 2014

New Laptop for Christmas, what should you do? Here’s a quick hit-list of setup and configuration tasks that will help you enjoy a long and happy relationship with your new laptop. I’ll cover Microsoft Windows PC first, followed by Apple Macintosh. Microsoft Windows PC: As you turn on the computer for the first time, be sure to patiently read through each of the screens to get your user account setup correctly. The important point here is to create two user […]
Got new tech? Get help here!

December 26, 2014

So yesterday you unwrapped some shiny new presents, and among them were one or more new consumer technology – computers, tablets, smartphones, e-readers, software, online services or subscriptions, etc. So now you have a two-fold task. First, you may have some initial setup to do, to get the tech working for you. Second, you need to learn how to use it. You may flip through the quick-start guide or user’s manual that came with it, but really want to cut […]
Just the Fax, Ma’am

December 25, 2014

A reader asks… Are there good email, etc options for sending and receiving faxes? I need to send and receive a fax but I don’t own a fax machine (shockingly, this involves the DMV). Short answer, no really good options, skip ahead to see the best of the bad. While the venerable facsimile (aka ‘fax’) has declined in use, there remains an occasional need to send or receive, such as legal documents and medical orders. These days even if you’ve […]
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?

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!

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 […]

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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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If you don't find the answer to your question in my library, ask me a question - anything about consumer technology. I answer questions large and small, from how to use Siri on an iPhone to how to protect your computer, tablet or smartphone. I take arcane language from manuals and translate that into easy-to-follow instructions. This gives you better ways to use your consumer technology - helping you get more out of the gadgets and services you already own and use.

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