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
Creating QR codes is easy and free for anyone! There are plenty of ways for making your own QR code for free, and download/save/print it immediately: Free Websites QR Code Generator QR Code Monkey My WiFi Sign I notice that I can create QR codes when using Canva, as well. Adobe also makes QR codes … Read more
The title says it all, but I’ll go into more detail: When you see a QR code in public, use your cellphone’s camera. You can immediate scan QR codes with your phone’s camera to see what info lay inside! If you open your camera and point it at a QR code, the camera software can … Read more
You’ve probably seen people paying with their phones or watches, instead of using cards or cash. Instead of inserting a plastic card, they wave their mobile device over the reader, as if they were performing a magic trick. And it is kind of magical! This type of payment is called a “contactless payment”, and it … Read more
Here’s another reason not to leave your electronics in your car: Thieves may target your vehicle if they detect your devices’ Bluetooth signals. Anyone can use free apps to scan for Bluetooth in their vicinity. And this kind of app has a very legitimate use: Finding your lost Bluetooth device! If you misplace your Fitbit … Read more