Practical Help Library

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)

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

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!

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!

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

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!

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?

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?

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 […]
Maintaining your Computer – Mac or PC

October 9, 2014

Yah, I know it’s a chore that you want to put off indefinitely, but please don’t! You need to do a set of routine maintenance tasks every month or so to keep your computer working for you, not the other way around. This is true for both Apple Macs and Microsoft Windows computers. This is a lot like maintaining your car (oil changes, etc.) to keep it running trouble-free. The maintenance list isn’t really onerous for either type of computer […]
How to Get iPhone Contacts into Gmail’s Contacts

October 5, 2014

Here’s your situation: You just upgraded from a cellphone to a smartphone-specifically the Apple iPhone. You are resisting going “all Apple” and you have a Gmail account. You want to use your shiny new iPhone with Gmail, but the geniuses at the Apple Store aren’t all that helpful – they were pushing you to setup an iCloud email account and start using that. They were helpful enough to copy all those contacts from your old cellphone to your iPhone. The […]
3 Things to Know about 2-Factor Authentication (and some advice)

October 2, 2014

Let’s face it, if you’re like most people, in your digital life you: use your email address as your username use a password that’s less than 13 characters long use a simple password (like 123456, abcdef, or some combination of letters and numbers that relate to you somehow) use the same password at more than one online place don’t use a password manager or really do much to manage your online identity Here are some simple facts: Nowadays, professional hackers […]
Automatic Backup using Cloud Storage

September 29, 2014

One of my almost-famous sayings goes like this: “97% of people don’t bother to backup. But of the people who suffer a hard drive crash, 100% of them regret not doing so.” Everybody giving advice in technology says the same thing – backup your files. Yet almost nobody bothers to do this. Why? It’s too much work, too complicated, too hard, or takes too much time. So let me propose a simpler way to take care of this chore. Google users can install Google Drive on […]
Update your Apple TV

September 24, 2014

Update your Apple TV to version 6.0 (update, as of Dec. 2014 the latest version is 6.2.1). Apple has released (2nd time’s a charm!) this version of the operating system. This update adds some nice new features like iTunes Radio and AirPlaying your iCloud content on other Apple TVs. I should note that this update was initially released last week, but Apple quickly pulled it when they realized that it was not working well for some users. If you were […]
iOS8 for your iPad or iPhone – Upgrade=YES!

September 19, 2014

Apple has released the latest version of their operating system for iPads and iPhones, iOS8. While anyone buying a new iPad or iPhone will get that automatically, if you already have one, you may want to get the free upgrade. Whether you should do this or not is the first question. Here’s the answer: It depends. On which model of iPad or iPhone you have. The chart at right (click it to show full size) shows which devices are compatible […]
Easy Access for Road Warriors – Practical Help’s Tip of the Day #TOD010

September 15, 2014

Here is how road warriors can make using the internet in hotels easier. 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 […]
Windows 8.1 Window Borders are Annoying!

June 10, 2014

A member asks… This is a rather minor issue, but I was trying to make the border (and all the various colors) on windows darker, but in Windows 8.1 I don’t see any color schemes that do that, and I can’t find any menu that gives the level of color control that came with earlier versions of Windows. I’m talking about the desktop, of course, and not the metro interface. I just find that light colors are distracting around videos, […]
Digital Egg Timer #139: Using Picasa and Google Albums

May 1, 2014

This Digital Egg Timer is a quick shot of Practical Help for Your Digital life. Pam Willenz shows you how to download Picasa, organize your pictures and set up Picasa to manage your photos better. And don’t worry about taking notes, we have a handy, printable tip sheet link below for our members. This is the Digital Minute that’s embedded in our show, ‘Post-PC Era Tips’ – PHYDL #3. In this series, Your Tech Coach gives you practical and helpful […]
Charge your iPad and Keyboard at the same time!

December 17, 2013

A member asks… Is there a dual charger for the Logitech ultrathin keyboard AND the Apple Ipad-Mini that will charge both instruments from one outlet? Short answer: Yes, see the link below for a dual charger we believe will fit your needs. Both the iPad and the Logitech keyboard use the same USB standard for charging – in terms of voltage. When you purchased them, they each came with their own charging cables. The keyboard’s cable ends in a Micro-USB […]
Change your Email Password Now! – Practical Help’s Tip of the Day #013

December 15, 2013

As you read this, bad guys are illicitly hacking into thousands of email accounts. Why? because it’s so easy. It’s my opinion (most would call this a ‘fact’) that 90% of all email accounts in the world are secured with a simple password that can be easily discovered or cracked. If you think you’re not in this group, please consider carefully: Is your password at least 13 characters long? Does it contain at least one of each of these: a capital letter, a […]
Bluetooth Woes – my dongle bugs me!

December 12, 2013

A member asks… Every time I boot I get a message about InstDev from Toshiba, which I understand has something to do with Bluetooth. I’m not on a Toshiba laptop, but I have had an external bluetooth thingie in a usb port, so that’s probably where it came from. I can remove it with some utilities that I’ve found online, but I would like it if you could recommend a utility because some of them are filled with crapware. After […]
Considering a Home Generator?

December 11, 2013

A member asks… I’m considering getting a home generator since my neighborhood is older and it seems like the power goes out all too often. I know I could get a portable emergency generator, but I need something more… Can you give me some advice on what to consider, options and all that? Thanks! Buying a home generator can be a lot like buying insurance – you can pay a little and get bare-bones coverage, or pay a ton and […]
Supercharge Your Home Wireless Network – Practical Help’s Tip of the Day #TOD005

December 10, 2013

Chances are, you are getting your internet service from one of the big providers, Verizon, Comcast, or Cox. And you likely got a wireless router from them that provides wireless access in your home. But what if you have a large home, or an older home with walls that block the signal – you’ll have ‘dead’ spots where you can’t connect to your home network. What can you do? The quick answer is to: Make sure your home router’s antenna is firmly […]
Non-Profit Website Design & Hosting – on the cheap?

December 4, 2013

A member asks… I work for a non-profit religious institution and we have a quandary. I have two questions for you: 1) we use SundayStreams on our site but really like the way StreamSpot displays for their clients – at almost double the cost. Should we switch? and 2) What advice can you give me for our website design and hosting services? We are looking to keep our costs as low as possible. Pulling a little more information on your […]
Practical Help’s 2013 Holiday Gift Idea Guide

November 27, 2013

If you’re looking for a gift for Christmas, Hannukah, a birthday or anniversary, or any other reason, we’ve got some recommendations for you. And for many, it’s easier to go shopping hassle-free – online or at your favorite store, so go armed with a great list. So let’s get to it – here’s this year’s list: Of course, our first gifting tip is for Practical Help for Your Digital Life – our own website. This is the best type of […]
New Spammer on the Net?

November 8, 2013

It appears there’s a new spammer working the email servers these days. In the last week, our spam folder size has tripled from its normal levels. In addition to the usual junk email, we’re also seeing an uptick in phishing attacks – loosely, that’s where an email purports to come from a known entity, but in reality is fake. Here’s a random short list of the dirtiest dozen of these new spam emails we’ve seen: FBI warnings that you’ve been […]
Mac doesn’t like staying connected to Airport Extreme

November 7, 2013

A member asks… This is a cross between a puzzle and a minor annoyance. I recently got a Mac AirPort Extreme because I’ve had some good experiences with it outside of my home. It was easy to connect and everything works fine except…my MacBook Retina has trouble connecting. Everything else, PCs, iPhones, iPads, a Mac Mini, whatever, all connect with no problem, but my MacBook Retina will occasionally show the icon with an exclamation point, which means it’s not connected […]
Battery Life, Tips for Battery Powered Devices – Practical Help’s TOD#004

November 4, 2013

Practical Help for Your Digital Life gives you tips on how to deal with all the battery-powered devices in your home or office. Chris Gardner describes the most common pitfalls that you’ll encounter dealing with battery power – when to change batteries and other considerations. In this series, Your Tech Coach gives you practical and helpful tips, hints and advice on how to get the most out of the consumer technology you already own. Geek-free help for everyone on the […]
Windows 8.1 – assigning default audio devices

October 28, 2013

A member asks… Is there any easy way to assign/default audio devices in Windows 8.1 other than by right clicking the volume icon and selecting “Playback Devices” and “Recording Devices”. It is really annoying to have to go through a few rounds of “Enable/Disable” and “Set Default Device” when all you want to do is to switch from a USB headphone/mic unit to, say, an analog speaker system, and then back again. Is there any way to have audio go […]
How to get your Gmail working in Microsoft Outlook

October 28, 2013

A member asks… I used to use Outlook for my email, and have recently switched to using a Gmail account. Frankly, I’m not happy with Gmail’s ‘webmail‘ interface. Is it possible to go back to using Outlook? Outlook remembers email addresses I’ve used before, and fills them in for me. Plus, I’m comfortable using Outlook, and don’t want to have to learn a whole new way to do email. I recognize that change is difficult – both universally resisted and […]