Keep Your Home Network Safe
Your home network is as safe as your router, your router password, and your wireless password. Make sure your router is updated with the latest firmware, and make sure you have a fairly complex password for your wireless network. Make sure you have a tougher password for your router. A hacker has to be nearby […]
SSL Encryption Is an Absolute Neccesity
These days, it’s simple to get SSL encryption on websites. That means the green lock in your address bar is front and center, signifying that the connection you have to the site is encrypted. You can fill out forms, submit passwords, and even use your credit card without fear of it being intercepted. If your […]
Computers: Still a Necessary Thing
Phones have replaced computers for many individuals. They are the ultimate portable device, they are reliable, and they are powerful. If you can’t remember the last time you turned on a computer, then congratulations on transferring to the mobile world. But some of us won’t be abandoning the classic computer with monitor(s) any time soon. […]
Sing Your Way to a Secure Password
What’s a good way to make a secure password? A song. “Hey Mr. Tambourine Man play a song for me.” = “Hmtmpas4m”. See how that works? Change “for” into “4,” use initials. And as long as you can remember that immortal song, you can remember a secure password.
Stay on Top of Vulnerabilities
Most operating systems are secure with common sense on the part of the user. But most, if not all, can become vulnerable. Apple’s rock-solid MacOS recently had a bug uncovered that allows anyone privileged access with no password, Apple has patched it, but don’t wait. Go straight to the Mac app store and update NOW. […]
Home Media Server, or Cloud?
Let’s face it, Netflix is simple, fast, cheap, and available. But it all comes down to how good is your internet? If your connection to the web comes and goes, then a local media server will be a better choice. Of course, that means loading it with content. Handbrake is a good DVD/Blu-Ray ripper that […]
Keep Your Desktop Clean
A clean desktop is a happy desktop. If your desktop on your computer is littered with programs whose names you don’t recognize (and thus never run), files called document1, document2, etc., and further obscure shortcuts, create a folder called “archived” and drag them all in there. If you end up missing something later, just open […]
Help Is Always Available
Those of us who have been working with computers for a while can remember how lonely it was when something didn’t work. I spent an entire day trying to install a 14,400 modem into my computer in 1994. I had to manually try combinations of DMA interrupts and IRQ channels until I finally fell upon […]
Get Ready for USB C
Ever heard of USB C? You will. We’ve been happily using Micro USB for our Android phones for a long time. But a new standard is on its way, and it’ll mean new cables. On a positive note, USB C is a lot faster, about twice as fast. Also, there’s no “up” or “down,” it […]
Chromebooks Get Great
Perhaps one of this year’s hottest gifts will be a touch-capable Chromebook that can run Android apps. The Samsung Chromebook Plus can either be a tablet or a laptop, depending on which is better at the moment. Plus, it’s screaming fast, unlike similarly priced computers struggling with the overhead of Windows. And Google’s wonderful policy […]