Amazon Halo fitness trackers are being discontinued. Amazon has decided to end the sale and support of these devices. Since these trackers are part of the Internet of Things, they will cease to function when their apps and services are shut down. Other fitness trackers are alive & well and will be unaffected by Amazon’s … Read more
Many people ask me, “How long should my computer last?” And I could answer rhetorically with “How long is a piece of string?” but that won’t satisfy. I can do better. Let’s go over some concepts and ballpark ideas that will help you plan and manage your expectations for your computer’s lifespan. Things Fall Apart … Read more
When you find that your computer isn’t cutting the mustard, you either replace it or upgrade it. And to the lay-person, the word “upgrade” can be intimidating or expensive-sounding. But not all computer upgrades are equal. Sure, if you need a RAM upgrade or a new SSD installed, you’ll want to take your computer to … Read more
Everyday, I see this posted to social media: “I found someone’s phone, anyone know whose it is?” And it rarely works. It can’t hurt to crowdsource the request, but please know that you should first check the found phone for Emergency Info. The following screen may reveal one or more Emergency Contacts. Tap on an … Read more
Computer monitors, laptop screens and mobile devices all use lots of pixels together to display their images. And sometimes, one of those picture elements gets stuck. This is a one-in-a-million event that can drive you crazy. Note: there are stuck pixels (white or a single color) and dead pixels (black). It is highly unlikely that … Read more
A couple of years ago, I blogged about Fake Flash Drives, and now I have to write a refresh article: You also need to watch out for Fake Hard Drives and Fake Solid State Drives. Please make sure you don’t buy these things! Good & Bad Examples First, some examples of legitimate, reliable storage drives: … Read more
When you get a new router, I recommend you reuse the exact same SSID (network name) and Wi-Fi password as you did in your old equipment. Now, this may sound like a no-brainer to many of you, but please hear me out and let me qualify this advice. Not everyone is savvy with setting up … Read more
I’ve fielded many calls, where someone is frustrated with their new wireless mouse and/or keyboard. It’s not always a simple affair to get such a device working. For these calls, I have to go over the basics: Are the batteries installed and are they installed in the correct direction? Is there an insulator (paper tab) … Read more
Tech jargon is confusing enough as it is. But then some geniuses had to go and name two completely different technologies the same thing (5G). Not helpful…. I’m referring to the label “5G”, which can be used regarding your home Wi-Fi or with cellphones. I continue to find that people conflate the two technologies when … Read more
iPhones Most iPhones have a largely unknown feature called Back Tap. If you turn on this special ability, Back Tap will let you trigger an app or function when you tap the back of your iPhone. Back Tap can open Settings, or the Facebook app, or your Camera, whatever you yoke it to. It’s like … Read more