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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
A member asks… I want to use my new Apple TV with my home entertainment system. I have a Bose receiver. Tried to do it myself and it didn’t work well, so I had to call the Bose tech support line. They helped me somewhat, but I’d like to make sure I have things setup ok, can you run me through the setup? Bose and other ‘receiver’s in a home entertainment system have multiple HDMI inputs on the back for […]
A member asks… My mom wants to finally get onto Facebook, but she wants to keep her account as private and anonymous as possible. What should she do? Your mom wants to do something that many other people want to do — see other facebook accounts and use facebook in a very limited fashion – with maximum privacy and control over who can see anything of hers. Not an unreasonable request in these days of identity theft and casual over-sharing. […]
A member asks… Hey, I saw BBM available on the Apple App Store, so installed it yesterday. I am a former Blackberry user who had to switch to an iPhone to keep up with the times. But lots of my colleagues are still on Blackberry, so I wanted to re-establish messaging with them using BBM. Here’s my problem. After downloading the app, I followed the instructions to get my BBM account activated, and the next day I received an email […]
A member asks… I purchased a ticket from Expedia, but I did it as a guest. I didn’t create or sign into an account on their website. Just a few minutes after I finished purchasing a ticket to Boston, I happened to see another flight that I liked better – plus it was cheaper! So I looked on the web page and saw that Expedia has a policy for a 1-day cancellation with no penalty, but I can’t figure out […]
If you used Google Chrome or any other web browser and their popular service iGoogle, you should already know that Google shut down iGoogle on Nov. 1st, 2013. This was a customize-able ‘portal’ web page that people could set as their web browser home page. There are lots of guesses as to why Google closed it down, but they first announced that about a year before, and haven’t said much since. Now, anytime you call up iGoogle, it pushes you […]
A member asks… Would you please recommend a new printer for my iPad? I am a senior on a budget. Look for this icon and/or the word “AirPrint” on the box or item description to make sure that the printer is truly capable of printing from your iPad (also iPhones). Of course, manufacturers are constantly putting out new printer models almost daily, but as of right now, we think your best option is either an HP, Canon or Epson printer. You […]
If you have Outlook already setup to tap your AOL email account and are getting ‘IMAP‘ error messages, it’s because one or more of your emails in AOL are corrupted. They may work ok in AOL’s webpage, but won’t in other programs like Outlook. To solve this problem should take you just a few minutes: In Outlook, create a new folder in your regular set of Outlook folders (not the ones under the AOL account). Now move all your messages from the AOL account into this […]
Here’s some Practical Help that gives you tips on how you can get music, video and other stuff from your smartphone or tablet to a larger screen, like your TV. Chris Gardner describes the most common ways that work well for the most popular platform: iOS, and the most popular tablet: the iPad. These tips will also work with Google Android and Microsoft Windows tablets and smartphones. Your Tech Coach at Practical Help for Your Digital Life gives you practical […]
Mountain Lion update 10.8.5 is part of the preparation for the forthcoming Mavericks (next version of Mac OS X coming in the fall of 2013). This update is primarily bug fixes and security updates. The most important update fixes a problem with the Mail app that keeps it from showing you all your messages. For Lion, the update is 10.7.5 and for Snow Leopard the update is 10.6.8. These were all released on September 12th 2013. You should update immediately. Hopefully your […]
"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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