Category: Communications (Page 5 of 5)

AT&T Notifying Some Users to Buy New Phones

July 23, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Some AT&T users are receiving emails and texts this week, telling them to upgrade their phones or lose service. Some people are asking if the messages are scams (because of the grammar and spelling). And others are getting annoyed because their phones are not that old.

These messages are legitimate. And yet, they are not clear on all the details. Here’s what AT&T cellular customers need to know:

In February 2022, AT&T will kill off their 3G network. After that, older 3G-reliant phones will stop working. Phones that are 4G-compatible (and support HD voice) will continue to work.

So, you don’t really need to do anything until February 2022. Don’t rush out to buy a new phone, if your current one is working just fine.

AT&T has put together a list of phones that will work on their 4G service here: https://www.att.com/ecms/dam/att/consumer/help/pdf/Devices-Working-on-ATT-Network.pdf If you don’t see your make and model of phone on the list, and you think it should be (because it’s a newer phone), contact AT&T to press them on the issue. And if you don’t like what you hear, then you have plenty of time to shop around for a new cellular provider!

The Big iPhone Throttling Settlement

July 14, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

In 2017, Apple got in hot water for slowing down some of their iPhones. They did this for legitimate technology reasons, but because they didn’t disclose it properly, it looked really bad. Their lack of transparency made it seem like they were deliberately slowing their older phones, and many suspected it was done to drive new iPhone sales.

A class action lawsuit ensued, and it has finally come to a head. If you were affected by this iPhone issue (iPhones 6’s and 7’s with specific iOSes), you can stake your claim to your share of the settlement. Check out:

https://www.smartphoneperformancesettlement.com/

To sign up for your payment, you’ll probably use the Claim Form Online link to submit your info. Please know that you’ll either need your iPhone serial number, or you’ll have to use their special Search Tool, submitting your AppleID and other personal info. If you did not own a relevant iPhone, then you will probably not succeed in signing up for a payment!

It looks like claims must be submitted by 10/6/2020 so that they can wrap things up by December and start mailing out checks for the new year. If all goes well, you’ll get a whopping $25. Per qualifying iPhone.

Windows Live Mail

May 26, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

An email client is a program that is used to view your email on your computer. There are many email clients, like the Windows 10 Mail app, Mozilla Thunderbird, and Microsoft Outlook. But the one that many just can’t give up is Windows Live Mail.

Microsoft made that program as a successor to Outlook Express and Windows Mail, and it was fantastic for its era. But it stopped getting updates in 2012 and was officially shuttered in 2017. Microsoft has removed it from its free downloads. If you go looking for it, they will steer you hard to use Mail in Windows 10.

These days, more and more people don’t need an email client, as web-based email is easy enough to use. And Windows Live Mail is a bit dated and may refuse to work with some modern email addresses (like Hotmail and Gmail). But if you insist, you can still install and use Windows Live Mail. WLM is available in this download at CNET:

https://download.cnet.com/Window…/3000-20418_4-10805747.html

And just in case they ever take that down, I’ve got an archival copy of the installer in my Google Drive, here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1BDWbuv6SH0fWa-1fo7waNikr1inFbenN/view?usp=sharing

GetHuman

May 22, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

If you’re looking for the quickest way to contact a large company, check out https://gethuman.com/ .

You do NOT want to Google for a support number, unless you really know what you’re doing. That’s how a lot of people find and call fake companies and scammers. But GetHuman is trustworthy, and will only show legitimate contact numbers.

GetHuman goes further, though — it will tell you what numbers to mash on your phone, to quickly navigate/bypass the robot menus and speak to a living being at that particular business. If a company has a callback feature, it may also reveal a button to quickly use that!

And if the company you’re trying to reach has no support number? GetHuman will tell you and advise on the next best way to get a hold of them.

Update: ContactHelp is a similar site to GetHuman.

Google Meet is Now Free for All

May 4, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Google Meet is another option for videoconferencing, and is now free for *all* to use.

https://meet.google.com/

All you need to use it is a Google account. To start a meeting, visit the site and click the big meeting button, and click Continue. Underneath “Meeting ready” is a URL for your meeting — share that with anyone you want and they can use it to join you.

No software installation necessary, enjoy!

Webcam Surveillance Concerns

April 5, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

Modern laptops have built-in webcams, something that we’re all becoming more accustomed to using these days. And when you use your webcam, a light appears next to it. This is to signal to you that your camera is live and capturing your image. When the light goes out, you can assume that it is off.

But there are exceptions to this, rare occurrences that create privacy concerns. The FBI does possess software and skills that can activate a webcam without triggering the light or any other sign. And I’ve just read about a school system that monitored students without notification or consent through school-issued computers.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robbins_v._Lower_Merion_School_District

The newest laptops with webcam come with a physical switch that you can use to close your webcam lens. This is best, and you should use it, so there is no question about when the camera is active or not. If your computer has no closing device for the webcam, then you might consider getting a webcam cover, like:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=webcam+cover&ref=nb_sb_noss_2

Or if you know that you will never use your webcam, you can do like many and affix a post-it or band-aid over the camera lens .In any case, please be aware that your webcam is a vector for an unknown amount of surveillance. It’s probably highly unlikely that someone is watching you… but still, govern yourselves accordingly in front of those things.

Use Skype without Installing or Signing up

April 4, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

During these pandemic times, it seems that almost everyone has had to learn how to video-conference with others. That is, we’re getting on the computer to see and talk to our family, doctor, teacher, etc. through our webcams.

And a suddenly popular program for that is Zoom. Unfortunately, Zoom does not have a great security track-record. There’s a lot in the news about that, and it’s concerning enough to me that I personally will avoid using Zoom. And I have to urge you to keep your kids away from it, and to avoid discussing anything sensitive over Zoom.

The good news is that there are so many free alternatives, offered by long-standing, more secure companies. Take Microsoft, for example: their Skype program is great and often already installed on Windows computers. Even better, Microsoft has just created a way of Skyping with others that don’t have the Skype program.

You can use Skype without installing ANYTHING, without signing up or creating an account! Just go to this website, and start a free video chat now: https://www.skype.com/en/free-conference-call/

And if you are an existing Skype user and want to chat with someone who isn’t, you can still use your Skype program for that. Just click the Meet Now button in your program, and you’ll be given a Skype link you can share with anyone to start a video chat.

Test Your Webcam/Microphone

March 20, 2020 / Jesse Mueller / 0 Comments

If you’re soon to use your microphone or webcam for the first time, you might be wondering if they actually work or not. These websites can quickly test them and prove to you that all is working well:

https://www.onlinemictest.com/

https://www.onlinemictest.com/webcam-test/

This site also offers other tools, for testing your speakers or keyboard, as well.