2020-06-02 13:17
If it seems like the scammers of the world are getting more devious by the day, it’s because they are. While Facebook, Twitter and many other popular social media sites are constantly… Read More
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Tech Tips, Techniques and Tutorials
2020-06-01 17:04
Question from Tim: I have three semesters worth of very important notes stored on a USB flash drive. My friend wants to borrow that drive so he can use the notes to study for a certifi… Read More
2020-05-30 16:43
Question from Elena J.: I read your post that explains how to reopen a tab in your web browser when you’re using a computer. What a great tip! Can I do the same thing on my iPhon… Read More
2020-05-30 12:31
Question from Susan D.: I was waiting to get on the subway the other day when the guy sitting beside me pulled out his iPhone and asked Siri a question. I was shocked when Siri answere… Read More
2020-05-29 15:44
Question from Michael: I recently bought a new desktop computer with Windows 10 on it to replace the Windows 7 machine I’ve been using for the past six years. I rarely had any pr… Read More
2020-05-28 13:59
Do you (or someone you know) use the hugely popular ‘Mathway’ app? If so, the email address and password you use with that app are now probably being sold on the dark web. Mathwa… Read More
2020-05-27 11:10
As you probably know, installing a home security system is one of the best investments a homeowner can make in this crazy world we live in. After all, a quality home security system will kee… Read More
2020-05-26 12:45
Question from Paula: I’ve been using the Edge browser ever since I got my new computer. I like using Edge because it’s really fast, but it’s started giving me a huge… Read More
2020-05-22 11:39
Just a few years ago Adobe Flash was a major player in the Internet world. In fact, according to some estimates it was used on almost a third of all the websites on the Internet at the time… Read More
2020-05-21 12:27
Question from Vicki: I got my old laptop out of the closet this morning to see if it still works. I’ve forgotten exactly how old it is but it’s running windows 8. It finally boot… Read More
2020-05-20 11:46
As you probably know, the scammers of the world aren’t letting the current Coronavirus pandemic go to waste. I’ve already written several posts about various Coronavirus related… Read More
2020-05-18 12:43
Question from Brian: I started writing a blog offering wood-working tips about 5 months ago, and I really enjoy it. I also recently started using Constant Contact to send out an email… Read More
2020-05-15 13:19
Unless you’ve recently been rescued from a deserted island, you’re surely aware of the dangers posed by the Covid-19 virus. I won’t go into the sad details here, but the pa… Read More
2020-05-14 11:13
As you probably know, interest rates are currently at an all-time low due to the Fed’s historic reaction to the Coronavirus pandemic. That of course has drastically lowered the amount… Read More
2020-05-13 10:24
Google has built tons of nifty features into their amazing search engine that do a lot more than just help us find things on the Internet. A couple of great examples are their instant i… Read More
2020-05-11 13:40
Question from Seth: Lots of the forms I see on websites have a button that I have to click on to prove that I’m a human and not a robot. My question is how does this prove I&rsqu&hell…Read More
2020-05-08 14:07
Question from Nancy D: Rick, my computer has started making a faint, but noticeable clicking sound when I first turn it on. It only clicks for about 8-10 seconds, then it boots up norm… Read More
2020-05-06 14:30
Question from Tammy L.: I’ve been seeing a lot of commercials for the auction site DealDash.com lately. They sure make it sound tempting but it seems to me like it has… Read More
2020-05-05 13:27
Question from Kendall: A few days ago I read your warning about how the login credentials for thousands of Zoom accounts are actively being sold on the dark web. I’m sort of in a… Read More
2020-05-04 13:45
Question from Linda: I have a quick photography question for you, Rick. I hope you don’t mind. I take lots of pictures with my phone and then transfer them to my computer. When I… Read More
2020-05-03 16:21
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Do you ever worry about your privacy when you’re online? Are you concerned that a hacker might intercept your login information and us… Read More
2020-05-01 10:45
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Ellen L.: I can block calls from certain phone numbers with my smart phone, but I also have a landline telephone that I… Read More
2020-04-30 13:47
The proliferation of smartphones has transformed our world in a multitude of ways, and most of them are generally for the better. However, there is one huge downside to smartphones that keep… Read More
2020-04-27 11:19
The use of PDF is as ubiquitous as that of Android or Google Chrome nowadays. As one of the most widely used file formats, every company needs a robust PDF editor to handle their document wo… Read More
2020-04-25 09:45
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Stephanie: I need some advice Rick. I’ve done quite a bit of research on video cables and I’m still confused… Read More
2020-04-23 14:30
Well, the scammers of the world are really working overtime to take advantage of the current Coronavirus pandemic. It seems that every week or so another scam pops up to try to separate inno… Read More
2020-04-20 13:19
Question from Jimmy L.: Back in December I paid a computer tech to build a gaming PC for me. This machine has a Gigabyte AB350-Gaming 3-CF motherboard and 8GB of Patriot Viper DDR4-300… Read More
2020-04-19 12:39
Question from Marla: I recently had a falling out with one of my longtime Facebook friends. She unfriended me and then put up a really long post saying nasty things about me that aren… Read More
2020-04-17 16:50
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Eric S.: I’m seriously considering taking your advice about installing an SSD in my Lenovo desktop PC just to insta… Read More
2020-04-17 15:29
Do you use the ultra-popular video conferencing service known as Zoom? If so, you should know that the login credentials for approximately half a million Zoom users are now being actively so… Read More
2020-04-16 14:51
Question from Beverly: I’ve always thought that Internet and WiFi were just two names for the same thing, but someone told me they were different. Is that true? If it is, what&rs&hell…Read More
2020-04-15 13:32
Question from Kim: Hi Rick. I’m a regular reader of your blog and I love your tips! I’m having a problem with Facebook and I really need your help. Someone is posting thing… Read More
2020-04-13 16:01
Question from William: I have a detached garage that has a 120 volt electrical outlet that’s accessible from the outside. On cold nights (which we have lots of here in Wisconsin) my je… Read More
2020-04-12 15:06
Question from Yvonne: I keep seeing all those posts asking people to post their senior year photos. I know there’s a lot of scams on Facebook. Is this one of them? I guess what I… Read More
2020-04-10 16:03
Email is one of the best marketing tools to invest in if you’re looking at it from a return on investment perspective. That’s because when compared to many other marketing tactic… Read More
2020-04-10 11:59
By now you’re probably familiar with the terms malware and freeware, but now there’s a new term you need to be aware of: Fleeceware That’s the name security company Sophos… Read More
2020-04-09 15:30
Question from Ellen: A couple of years ago I switched from using a Mac to using a Windows laptop because my iMac died and I couldn’t afford a new one. When I bought my laptop the… Read More
2020-04-07 16:33
Like many new bloggers I wanted my first blog to look amazing and have tons of bells and whistles. For example, I installed a fancy slider that would display an image and snippet from a post… Read More
2020-04-06 10:41
As you surely know, the Coronavirus pandemic has already caused a lot of financial pain for millions of Americans. And unfortunately things are likely to get even worse before they get any b… Read More
2020-04-02 13:38
Right now many of us are on virtual lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but there are times when it’s still necessary to venture out to a public place. After all, we do have to e… Read More
2020-04-01 13:30
Question from Judy: Hi Rick. I hope you can give me some info on buying a new TV from Amazon. It looks like I’m going to be stuck here at home for at least a couple of months and my TV… Read More
Scam Alert: Beware The Dangerous ‘CVS Gift Card’ Email Scam That’s Making The Rounds Right Now
2020-03-29 13:36
As you probably know, scammers love to target the customers of popular retail establishments by sending out fake “offers” in those company’s names. The Lowes and Target sca… Read More
2020-03-23 11:55
Have you been receiving a lot of strange voicemails via Facebook Messenger of late? If so, those voicemails are likely carrying trojan malware that could infect your device if you take the b… Read More
2020-03-21 16:39
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. A while back I wrote a post that explains how to add super-fast USB 3.0 ports to an older PC, and that turned out to be one of the most popu… Read More
2020-03-21 14:25
Question from Dorenda J.: Hi Rick! I have a question about charging my phone. I lead walking tours through the streets of my historic home town and I only have a few minutes here… Read More
2020-03-19 15:59
Scams abound on Facebook, and one of the most common types of scams claim that companies will give everyone who “Likes” and/or “Shares” a post a valuable freebie. The… Read More
2020-03-17 12:06
On Sunday, March 15, a large number of text messages were apparently sent out from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announcing a nationwide quarantine due to the ongoing Cor… Read More
2020-03-15 19:30
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. These days laptops and mobile devices are outselling desktop computers by a wide margin, but there are still plenty of folks who prefer usin… Read More
2020-03-15 17:32
Question from Gary: I’m getting ready to turn over a bunch of files to another party and I don’t want him to know when these particular files were created. Don&rs&hell…Read More
2020-03-10 12:45
There are many reasons why you might need to transfer control of a Facebook page that you created to someone else. For example, perhaps you created a page for a less technologically savvy fr… Read More
2020-03-09 14:13
As you surely know by now, scams are everywhere on the Internet these days. Unfortunately, many of the most insidious scams pose as ways to help people who truly are deserving of our help. O… Read More
2020-03-06 15:09
If you’re a blogger you’re probably familiar with the term “breadcrumbs”. In a nutshell, breadcrumbs are navigable paths from a blog’s home page to the page tha… Read More
2020-03-03 14:35
As you probably know, there’s a new virus making the rounds at the moment that has the entire world on edge. This one is a real virus, not the digital kind that we’re all so fami… Read More
2020-02-26 15:23
These days most people are very concerned about protecting their privacy while using the Internet. If you happen to value your online privacy you’ll probably be interested in the resul… Read More
2020-02-25 11:19
Question from Felicia R.: I have a question for you Rick, and it’s a serious question so please don’t laugh at me! lol I do most of my shopping online and I’ve notice… Read More
2020-02-24 14:34
Do you have a smartphone? If so, it probably has dozens of apps installed on it. Some of those apps were likely installed manually by you, but most of them probably came pre-installed on you… Read More
2020-02-20 14:47
Question from May: I love your site, Rick. I read it every day and find your info to be so helpful! I hope you can help me solve a problem I’m having with my Chrome browser (it&r&hell…Read More
2020-02-18 17:57
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Do you ever have any conversations with your Alexa device that you’d prefer that other family members or house guests not be able to h… Read More
2020-02-12 14:41
According to this recent report from the folks at Motherboard, several popular email apps are scanning user emails and then selling the data scraped from those messages to third party compan… Read More
2020-02-06 12:27
Did you know that many of the companies you do business with and websites you visit share information about your activities with Facebook? Well, they do, and while most of the info they shar… Read More
Q&A: What’s The Difference Between ‘Sharing’ A Post And ‘Copying And Pasting’ On Facebook?
2020-01-24 16:23
Question from Roy: My question for you is, what is the difference between “Sharing” a post and “Copy and Pasting” it to your page? I have asked this question to… Read More
2020-01-23 12:11
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Do you ever find yourself wishing your computer wasn’t running like a snoozing slug? Have you noticed that it now runs a lot slower th… Read More
2020-01-22 15:08
Question from Edwin: My old Windows XP computer that I really love finally died and I had no choice but to buy a new computer. I’d been dreading having to switch to Windows 10 bu… Read More
2020-01-20 20:15
You’re probably familiar with your web browser’s “History” feature that allows you to go back in time and quickly load web pages that you visited in the past. But did… Read More
2020-01-19 19:27
Have you ever done a Google search on a topic only to discover that most of the search results consisted of pages that were created years ago? That isn’t always a proble… Read More
2020-01-17 20:04
Question from Joyce: I recently bought a new computer with Windows 10 on it to replace my old Windows 7 laptop now that it’s no longer safe to use. Thanks for the info you provid… Read More
2020-01-15 20:42
Do you use a dating app on your phone or tablet? If so, it’s probably selling or otherwise sharing your personal info with dozens of other companies. According to this recent ABC News… Read More
2020-01-14 16:14
A new and very dangerous security flaw has just been discovered in millions of some of the most popular cable modems in use today. The flaw has been codenamed “Cable Haunt” and i… Read More
2020-01-14 10:58
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Kate L.: I really love your blog Rick. I’ve learned so much since I started reading your tips a while back! I have… Read More
2020-01-11 13:43
Well, a new year is upon us, and I hope this year turns out to be the best one ever for each and every one of you! As you know, hackers and scammers are busier than ever, always on the prowl… Read More
2020-01-09 14:15
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Della: I’m in the process of shopping for a new laptop because my old one got stolen. Every time I type the word … Read More
2020-01-07 15:04
If you’ve been using Microsoft Windows for a while you probably know that deleting a file doesn’t really remove it from the system. Instead, it’s actually moved to a specia… Read More
2020-01-06 19:40
Question from Callie: I had a casual friend on Facebook who started leaving hateful comments on my posts after he found out that my politics are different than his. It got so bad that… Read More
2020-01-02 16:02
As you probably know by now, Microsoft will no longer be supplying security updates for Windows 7 after January 14, 2020. In other words, they’re going to basically abandon Windows 7 a… Read More
2020-01-02 10:55
Question from Kim Y.: I have an 2 year old Acer laptop that’s running Windows 10. It appears that it’s infected with viruses because it acts weird all the time and it runs… Read More
2020-01-01 15:07
If you’ve been using Facebook for more than five minutes you’re surely familiar with all the ads that show up in your Newsfeed and over in the sidebar. And if you’ve been u… Read More
2019-12-30 13:30
Smartphones are everywhere these days. In fact, you probably have one in your pocket or purse right this very minute. Have you ever stopped to think about what could happen if your phone eve… Read More
2019-12-28 14:05
Question from Ray H.: Hi Rick. I’ve been reading your blog for years Rick because I love all the useful info you provide. But right now I’m having a problem accessing your… Read More
2019-12-26 13:28
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Ben: Everyone I know that recently bought a computer ended up buying a laptop instead of a desktop computer. Since no on… Read More
2019-12-23 18:50
Question from Jimmy S.: A few months ago I bought a new laptop that came with McAfee Antivirus pre-installed on it. I thought it was the real McAfee program but apparently it was just… Read More
2019-12-22 20:49
Question from Danielle T.: Hello Rick. I’ve been reading your blog for a long time now and it seems that I remember reading a post where you explained how to reopen a browser tab… Read More
2019-12-19 13:26
Have you ever received a Christmas gift that was the wrong size, didn’t match the decor of your home, or you simply didn’t like? Virtually all of us have, and in some cases we en… Read More
2019-12-17 19:17
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Bobby: Per your suggestion, I recently bought a 256GB SSD to replace the hard drive in an older Acer laptop. And you wer… Read More
2019-12-16 14:54
Have you installed one or more Wi-Fi security cameras to protect your home and family from intruders? If so, it’s extremely important to protect your camera(s) with a password that&rsq&hell…Read More
2019-12-12 14:15
Question from Mary: I have a Lenovo laptop with Windows 10 that I use for both work and pleasure. During my downtime I enjoy playing Solitaire with the “Microsoft Solitaire Colle… Read More
2019-12-11 14:18
As you probably know, Microsoft eventually stops supporting older versions of their software, and that always leaves the users of those abandoned products with a serious decision to make. We… Read More
2019-12-09 14:31
Regular readers of this blog know I’m a huge fan of free software because I routinely recommend the use of freeware whenever possible to accomplish whatever the task at hand may be. Bu… Read More
2019-12-06 15:27
Question from Sheryl: I just finished helping my sister set up a Facebook account and something about the setup process puzzled me. One of the things they asked for was her birth date… Read More
2019-12-05 14:20
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Regular readers of this blog know I’m always mentioning how important it is to create regular backups of your Windows PC or Mac. After… Read More
2019-12-04 15:06
Question from Marge: I’m getting ready to buy a new Windows 10 laptop and I want to make sure it’ll be safe from viruses. It seems like I remember reading somewhere that yo… Read More
2019-12-02 13:40
When Microsoft first released Windows 10 it included an integrated digital assistant called Cortana. They desperately wanted Cortana to become a strong competitor to Apple’s Siri, and… Read More
2019-11-27 13:32
A few months ago I wrote this post explaining why you should never log into third party websites and apps with your Facebook login credentials. Well, according to this report from our friend… Read More
2019-11-26 15:12
Question from Amber L.: I do a lot of copying and pasting when I’m writing posts for my lifestyle blog. Something that always irritates me is having to paste everything into Note… Read More
2019-11-25 15:38
Question from Charles E.: I updated my PC from Windows 7 to Windows 10 back in March 2016. Ever since then I’ve been getting “User Account Control” warnings several t… Read More
2019-11-22 19:54
As you probably know, responding to a fraudulent phishing email is an easy way to fall victim to a hacker and have your important online account(s) compromised. The latest phishing scheme th… Read More
2019-11-20 14:28
Question from Darlene P.: I keep seeing this being posted by a lot of my friends on Facebook: “Day 1 of 10 Day Grandma Celebration. Post a pic everyday for 10 days that celebrate… Read More
2019-11-19 13:25
Most every computer user is familiar with the “Undo” and “Redo” options on program menus. If you’re unfamiliar with them, clicking “Undo” will rever… Read More
2019-11-17 11:24
I receive hundreds of tech questions every week, and the one I seem to get asked most often is how to retrieve the files from the hard drive after a PC goes belly-up. My answer always depend… Read More
2019-11-16 21:59
Question from Jeromy D.: I run a business that deals with some pretty sensitive customer data that I would really prefer not to have stored in the cloud. I know that cloud storage is s… Read More
2019-11-16 13:50
Do you have someone on your Christmas shopping list that deserves nothing less than the very best? Something so special and rare that you’ll know within your heart that no one else the… Read More
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