Fighting Junk Email: a reader asks… I’m inundated with spam! I get so much of it, way more than legitimate emails that I want to read. I’m using Outlook and know there’s a junk mail filter, but it seems like the spammers keep using different addresses and even if I mark emails as junk, they keep sending them to me and the junk mail filter doesn’t catch them. Is there anything more I can do? Ok, this is going to […]
Outlook Tracking Emails: a reader asked… I use MS Outlook (MS 365 subscription), and like to track sent emails occasionally to see when they’re opened or read. I’ve noticed that the tracking button doesn’t always appear for me to view tracking information. Why can’t I see tracking information? The short answer is that when you send an email out with a tracking request, that request may not be honored by the receipient. If your recipient doesn’t send you tracking information […]
Apple Photos to PC: a reader asks… Actually, there are two ways. The first way is automatic, and happens in the background. The second way is manual, and you do this for each photo or set of photos you want to transfer. The advantage of the first method is that it happens without you having to do anything, the disadvantage is that the actual transfer may not occur immediately. The advantage of the second method is that you have access […]
Who’s Better, Bard or GPT-4? A reader asks… Ok, I’m looking at your previous article about AI, and you mention Bard, Google’s AI. You also ended that article with a short answer from GPT-4 as to why it was the best. Can you give me a bit more comparison of the two to help me decide which I should use for writing projects? I would caution you on how you use artificial intelligence (AI) tools for writing projects. any AI […]
Auto-lock Screen w/o Sleep: a reader asks… I recently followed your advice about not using sleep mode on my windows 10 PC. But I’m now seeing a problem: my screen doesn’t auto-lock. Is there a way to use auto-lock without using Sleep mode? I need this because when I travel, I leave my laptop in my hotel room and don’t want anyone to be able to get into my computer. In both Windows 10 & 11, the computer auto-locks the […]
Verizon/AOL Email after I quit Verizon? A reader asks… If we cancel our Verizon services (cable, internet, phone, email), will we lose our Verizon email? We made the switch when they moved the emails to AOL. So now we log in through AOL. We’ve had the same email for 10 plus years and don’t want to lose that, but Verizon prices are just ridiculous. If we cancel Verizon services, will we need a paid AOL account? Nope, since your email is through AOL, […]
Trying out ChatGPT on iOS: a reader asks… I’ve been reading about ChatGPT and other new artificial intelligence technologies, and was wondering if you had any thoughts about how I might setup and use it on my iPhone? OpenAI.com has been working in the artificial intelligence (AI) field for a long time. As a a leading AI research and deployment company, they released ChatGPT last November and allowed the public to start testing it out for free. Since then they’ve […]
No Signature in Gmail: a reader asks… I use Gmail and way back when had setup a signature to use on all my outgoing emails. I’ve forgotten how I did that and now I want to stop showing the signature. How do I do that (and please keep it simple)? I think the simplest way to show you how to do that is visually, so here’s a step-by-step method to stop showing your signature in outgoing emails. When you open […]
iTunes Match – Worth it? A reader asks… Hi I’m all-in with Apple, use an iPhone, an iPad and a Macbook Pro. In the iTunes app I have a pretty large library of music – CD albums and other music I’ve imported into iTunes. Up to this point, I’ve been plugging my iPhone into my Mac every once in awhile to synchronize the music library. Someone just told me about a subscription service from Apple called “iTunes Match”. My question […]
Add Line in iMessage on Mac: a reader asks… Hi, I like to use the Messages app on my Macbook to send and receive text messages. On my iPhone, I can use the Return key on the virtual keyboard to add blank lines between words. On my Mac’s Messages app, the Return/Enter key sends the message. Is there a way I can add blank lines easily without sending the message? Actually this is quite easy – the Option key is […]
Record Me! A reader asks… I have to make a recording of me reading a speech. I have a Windows 10 PC with a nice webcam perched on top of the monitor – I use this for Zoom. Can I use this setup to record myself, and how do I do this? I have to upload a video file to a WeTransfer link that was given to me. Fortunately, Windows 10 has a handy built-in camera app (called “Camera”) that […]
Webcam Tip – Zoom and Field of Vision: a reader asks… I have a Logitech webcam and use it for Zoom, Microsoft Teams and GoToWebinar. I get that Zoom and Teams have the capability for virtual backgrounds and blurring your background, but what I’d like to do is zoom in my webcam or otherwise narrow in on myself. The webcam view is too wide. Got any tips? Yes I have tips. Depending on which model of webcam you have (and […]
Outlook Profiles on a Macbook: a reader asks… I recently switched from using a Windows PC to using a Macbook Pro. On the PC, I had two Outlook profiles, one for work and one for personal. On the Mac, I don’t see a way to setup multiple profiles, nor a way to switch between profiles. Is there an easy answer to this? I use a Microsoft 365 subcription for the Office apps. Short answer, using Outlook on the Mac isn’t […]
Cloud Storage Tip: a reader asks… I have a PC, an iPhone and an iPad, use a gmail account and have a subscription to Microsoft 365. Right now, I save Office documents, spreadsheets, etc. on Microsoft’s OneDrive, have my photos from my phone saved to iCloud, and have my email in gmail. Each of these cloud storage services has a cost. Is there a way for me to just use one and reduce my cost? The short answer is most […]
Strange Characters in Email: a reader asks… Why is it that sometimes emails I get from other people have strange characters in them? Sometimes the entire email is gobbledy-gook, and other times only some characters (like the apostrophe) are replaced with wacky characters. Is there a way to stop that? I use Windows 10 and Outlook (MS 365) for email. I’ve asked the sender about it and they say my computer is messed up. I don’t have this problem anywhere […]
Webcam/IP Camera Caution: a reader asks… I recently read an article about the (lack of) security for webcams. Is there a way to make using webcams safe? I have a vacation property and want to be able to check it remotely, but am worried about someone else gaining access to my webcams. I think you’re talking about IP Cameras, which don’t need to be connected to a computer (like standard webcams). Generally, these either plug into an electrical outlet or […]
Shiny New Chromebook Setup: a reader asks… Santa brought me a new laptop computer, yay! I looked at all your setup guides but didn’t find one for what I received – a Chromebook. So you have any tips for the best way to setup a Chromebook? Congrats! I’ve been warming up to Chromebooks for awhile now, as they offer a very much simplified computing experience compared to either a Mac or Windows PC (and for some, even easier than an […]
Hallmarks of a Scam Email: a reader asks… I received an email from Paypal saying I got charged a lot of money for some purchase. I neither made a purchase, nor even have a Paypal account. I called the number on the email and they sounded fishy, so I hung up fairly quickly. Should I do anything else? Delete the email. Recognize that you’ll get more of these types of “phishing” emails where a scammer tries to impersonate a recognized […]
Website Security: a reader asks… Hi I have a WordPress-powered website for my small business and, following your recommendation am using the iThemes Security Pro plugin. I’ve got the site all secure, and even turned on the auto-update feature so WordPress, my theme and all my plugins stay up-to-date. My question is, I recently received an email from iThemes that warned me about a vulnerability. It sounds like WordPress itself is vulnerable (I’m on version 6.1.1). What should I do? […]
LastPass/GoTo Hack Response: a reader asks… I received an email from Lastpass advising me (a user of LastPass) that their system had been hacked. Can you give me your thoughts on this and advice about what I should do? Should I switch password managers? I too received that notice and another one from Goto (the parent corp). While I treat all cyber incidents seriously, I’m not overly concerned, and am not planning on making any changes at this time. I’d […]
MS OneDrive Tip: a reader asks… I have a Windows 10 PC and just got a MS 365 subscription. I activated Microsoft Word and it appears that everything is working ok. I noticed that OneDrive seems to be installed (there’s a grey cloud icon in the notification area), and it seems to be tied to my Microsoft account. When I go to save a Word document, the default save location is in my Documents folder. Is that being backed up […]
Email Not Getting Sent: a reader asked… I’m trying to email a group of people. Trying to send 50 at a time with a 2-page 4.5mb flyer attachment. I’m using Windows 10 & Outlook for emails. I keep getting this message “could not deliver msg, check your addresses & file size”. Do I need to buy Microsoft 365 or a newer version of Outlook, both of which allow larger files to be sent & up to 500 email addresses? First […]
Macbook Compare 2022: a reader asks… I’m looking at getting a new Macbook in the next month or so. Can you please give me a rundown comparison of the different types and options to help me make a decision on which one to get? Sure! I’m assuming you don’t want to wait for all the Macbooks to be refreshed to the latest M2 chip variants, as it could be spring (or later) before we see that. Here’s a half-dozen comparison […]
New Windows Computer Protection: a reader asks… I just got my new Dell laptop computer (Windows 10) set up and it came with a McAfee protection program. Should I keep that? Likely Dell gave you either a trial version, or a 1-year subscription to the McAfee protection app. I should note that my recommendations include removing any unneeded software that comes pre-installed on new computers. The built-in Windows Defender that comes with Windows 10 is quite capable of providing basic […]
Update Your Tech: a reader asks… I have an iPhone, an iPad and a Windows PC. I use Microsoft Office 2010. All my devices prompt me constantly for updates, and my computer keeps trying to get me to upgrade to Windows 11 (plus keeps showing me updates available for my Windows 10). My question is, how important is it to update all this, and is it ok to put off some updates? First of all, you should consider it vital […]
Screenshots of my PC: a reader asks.. I have a Windows 10 PC and would like to take screenshots from time to time. Is there a good utility to do that? My favorite utility for screen captures is SnagIt from Techsmith. I’ve found it to be exceedingly smart and intuitive, and offers a lot of flexibility in image editing. I can add graphics, text, or layer images. While it’s no Photoshop, it does offer all the basic tools needed to […]
Use Good Passwords! a reader asks… I have a bunch of websites that I log into on my computer, and I also log into online accounts using apps on my smartphone. I know that everybody recommends using unique passwords for each login, but I’m kind of lazy and just use the same password all over, sometimes with slight variations. That way I don’t have to try to remember dozens of passwords. Is there an easier way? Absolutely there’s an easier […]
More Screens! a reader asks… I know that I can connect multiple devices to my TV (handycam, DVD, etc.), but can I connect multiple screens to my computer? I have a Windows PC and would love to have more screen real estate. The short answer is yes, but there are factors that you’ll need to consider before you go out and buy monitors and cables. If your computer has multiple video OUT ports, you may only need compatible cables and […]
SMB: What’s a Dedicated IP? A reader asks… I’m a small business owner and have a website with email services. My hosting provider sent me a discount offer for a “dedicated IP”. What is that, and would I want that? An IP is an numerical internet protocol address, which is used to identify specific computers, servers and other devices on the internet, as well as on private networks. You are probably most familiar with the older IPv4 protocol – this […]
If you want to make your business more secure, here is how to protect your small business from hackers.
"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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