2021-05-16 22:18
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Michael S.: Rick, I have a question for you about cameras. Which brand is better, Nikon or Canon? My daughter is wanting… Read More
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Tech Tips, Techniques and Tutorials
2021-05-15 01:28
Question from Liam: My wife and I recently went to a flea market to look for some things for our house. I ended up buying a used Lenovo ThinkPad T400 with Windows 7 on it. It’s o… Read More
2021-05-15 01:00
Question from Vince: Hi Rick. I need a little info and advice about Windows 10 if you don’t mind. I’ve been using Geek Uninstaller to delete programs ever since I read your… Read More
2021-05-12 15:51
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. As you probably know, every new generation of laptops seems to be thinner than the one before it. While being thin is good with laptops, it… Read More
2021-05-10 22:28
If you’ve been using Twitter for a while you’ve probably posted a LOT of Tweets since the day you first opened your account. After all, it’s not unusual for active Twi… Read More
2021-05-08 20:10
For reasons I explained in this post, I usually recommend skipping the extended warranty when you buy a new computer or mobile device. That being said, plenty of folks disagree with me, and… Read More
2021-05-07 20:45
A while back I wrote a post discussing several things you can do to protect your Facebook account from hackers. That post explains how hackers will try to use phishing attempts and various s… Read More
2021-05-07 20:29
Do you receive a lot of calls from people who aren’t on your Contacts list? If so you’ve probably discovered that most of those “unknown callers” are telemarketers, s… Read More
2021-05-06 12:52
As you know, the scammers of the world are always scheming up new ways to take advantage of people in today’s Internet-connected world. Last night I was alerted to a devious new Facebo… Read More
2021-05-04 14:59
Question from John: Rick, I’ve seen multiple articles regarding the dangers of using password managers or storing passwords in browsers. Ok, I get it, but the flip side is also v… Read More
2021-05-03 22:42
Question from Kellie L.: I have Comcast Internet and the plan I’m on is for 200 Mbps download speed. I read your post about SpeedTest.net and used it to run several speed te… Read More
2021-05-03 20:59
Question from Aaron: I received a USB thumb drive in the mail. It was addressed to me but there was no return address. Inside the envelope with the drive was a note saying the drive ha… Read More
2021-05-03 00:42
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Do you have an older garage door opener that can only be activated by physically pushing a button on the wall of your garage? Did you lose t… Read More
2021-04-30 14:15
Have you ever needed to create a screenshot of an entire web page, but the page was too long and/or wide to fit in the browser window? If so, you probably had to “capture” the cu… Read More
2021-04-28 13:03
Note: This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, click here to check out the guidelines. Storytelling is usually at the heart of any great piece of art. A… Read More
2021-04-28 01:09
Regular readers of this blog know the dangers involved with the use of password managers because I’ve written several posts pointing them out. Well, the users of yet another password m… Read More
2021-04-25 19:36
Question from Jim: I took your advice and upgraded my laptop with an SSD and the increase in performance is truly amazing. My question is since the hard drive is now solid state how cr… Read More
2021-04-23 15:16
Question from Freddie: I know you’re always recommending that we enable Two-Factor Authentication on all our accounts. Can you tell me how to enable it on my eBay account? Thanks… Read More
2021-04-22 18:44
If you have a blog that runs on WordPress you probably already know that plugins make it easy to add new features and capabilities to your blog. But with thousands of WordPress plugins… Read More
2021-04-22 14:37
App design is a serious business. There are millions of apps now available in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store (not to mention third-party app repositories). New apps must compete w… Read More
2021-04-21 16:07
Question from Callie: I bought a new Acer laptop that has a camera built into it. I don’t ever plan to use the camera for anything and I’d like to completely disable it. Ev… Read More
2021-04-20 20:20
Question from Shawn I.: My mom’s friend told her to be careful about what she puts on her Facebook page. She said once something’s posted on Facebook it stays on the Intern… Read More
2021-04-20 20:04
Question from Marge: I’ve used the desktop version of MS Office for years, but I recently switched to Microsoft 365. It took me a few days to get used to it but I believe I&rsquo&hell…Read More
2021-04-19 18:49
Question from Oliver: I have a question about WordPress, Rick. How long do you recommend that we wait before installing updates to WordPress and our themes and plugins? I’ve seen… Read More
2021-04-19 15:57
If you’ve been using Facebook for a while you surely know that scams abound on that site. And as the latest scam proves, the scammers are getting bolder all the time. And as you will s… Read More
2021-04-17 18:49
Did you know that Google keeps a record of every search you’ve ever made? Well, they do. And they’ll keep it forever unless you tell them to delete it. As you can probably guess… Read More
2021-04-16 15:14
Note: This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, click here to check out the guidelines. Technology is becoming more ubiquitous in our lives every d… Read More
2021-04-15 16:00
Question from Phil: Your article on the Windows key prompts me to ask this question… What’s the best way to add a ‘Windows key’ function to an older keyboard t… Read More
2021-04-14 19:53
Question from Karlie: I use my laptop late at night while hubby is trying to sleep, but sometimes the light from the screen keeps him awake. A friend at work told me I could enable &ls&hell…Read More
2021-04-13 19:13
I recently published a post listing all the keyboard shortcuts available in Windows 10. Almost immediately I began receiving messages asking me where the Windows key is. Over the course of t… Read More
2021-04-12 14:09
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Tammy: I’ve used nothing but Windows laptops all my life but I decided to try a MacBook Air this time around. I th… Read More
2021-04-11 21:30
Question from Marla: I’ve had a ProtonMail account for over a year and I’ve been happy with it all that time, but now not so much. A very serious issue has arisen and I hop… Read More
2021-04-09 14:45
Data breaches and exploits are nothing new to the online world. In fact, it seems like they happen every day. As reported by our friends at BleepingComputer, this latest massive data leak ha… Read More
2021-04-08 15:07
Question from Luisa: I’m hoping you can clear something up for me. I’ve heard some people say we need to stop using Windows 7 now that Microsoft has stopped updating it bec… Read More
2021-04-06 20:34
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. If you do a lot of typing, the keyboard is arguably the most important part of your computer. It’s also one of the most neglected part… Read More
2021-04-06 14:55
Yahoo has been a major player in the online world from virtually day one, and for the longest time one of my favorite sections of the site was Yahoo Answers. If you’re unfamiliar with… Read More
2021-04-05 22:21
By now you’re probably aware of the massive Facebook hack that resulted in approximately 530 million users having their info stolen. That makes this one of the largest successful hacks… Read More
2021-04-05 15:02
South Korean electronics giant LG has just announced in a press release that they’re planning to exit the smartphone business as of July 2021. What does this mean for LG customers? Wel… Read More
2021-04-05 13:55
Note: This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, click here to check out the guidelines. In this post Renuka Shahane of Scalefusion discusses several threats fac… Read More
2021-04-02 14:17
Note: This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, click here to check out the guidelines. In this post IT expert and writer Tom Bezlar offers his tips and recomme… Read More
2021-04-01 14:24
Question from Mark: I read your blog post explaining why it’s a bad idea to log into third-party websites with Facebook. That’s some pretty scary stuff. My question is how… Read More
2021-03-31 20:56
Question from Gwen: I installed a kid’s game on my iPhone that teaches the child how to do basic math in order to solve a series of mysteries. The recommended age range for the g… Read More
2021-03-30 22:10
Regular readers of this blog know it’s risky to install Android apps from anywhere but the official Google Play Store. As explained in this report from Zimperium’s Mobile Securit… Read More
2021-03-30 15:31
Question from Leanne: I hope you can help me, Rick. I have a serious problem and I don’t know how to fix it. I have an ex that’s stalking me on Facebook. Every time I block… Read More
2021-03-29 17:46
As you probably know by now, the scammers never seem to take a break from Facebook. They’re at it again, and this time they’re impersonating the employers of Facebook users. As u… Read More
2021-03-28 21:37
Question from Carl: I read here that you can “span” (i.e. combine) multiple hard drives and use them as one large drive and access them all with a single drive letter. I ha… Read More
2021-03-27 21:11
Question from Gary: In addition to your newsletter I also read the one that Kim Komando puts out. In yesterday’s edition she discussed several things that can indicate that a web… Read More
2021-03-26 20:16
Question from Marvin: I read your article about upgrading a computer by adding an SSD to make it run faster. The following weekend I went to Best Buy and bought a 1TB SSD and cloned th… Read More
2021-03-25 13:55
Question from Kyle: I won a storage auction and there were four identical desktop computers in there. I hooked them up and found they all work. I know these are old, slow machines. Tha… Read More
2021-03-24 18:02
Question from Alan: I bought a new 4TB external hard drive to hold my photos. I bought the new drive because the 1TB drive I’ve been using to store my photos is full and I have a… Read More
2021-03-23 19:15
Have you ever fallen asleep only to be awakened in the middle of the night by a phone call from someone who had no idea how late it was (or who simply didn’t care)? Or perhaps you&rsqu&hell…Read More
2021-03-22 18:55
I’m sure you’ve heard about all the hacks that are taking place these days. It seems like every time we turn around there’s another company reporting a major hack that pote… Read More
2021-03-22 14:35
Do you have some important old messages that you don’t want to lose stored in a Yahoo Mail account that you haven’t logged into for a while? If so, you could well be on the verge… Read More
2021-03-20 20:13
Question from Francine J.: I have a computer with Windows 10 on it. It used to be that when I tried to delete a file a message would pop up asking if I really wanted to delete it, but… Read More
2021-03-19 15:48
Have you ever signed up for a service online only to discover later that you had to call them up on the phone to cancel? I recently had that happen to me, and I found it annoying to say the… Read More
2021-03-18 16:38
If you use Windows 10 you probably know it comes with a bunch of preinstalled apps that most of us will never use. You can easily uninstall several of these unwanted apps simply by right-cli… Read More
2021-03-18 13:30
Do you use Google’s Chrome web browser? If so, you’ve probably noticed a new “Reading List” link over on the right side of Chrome’s Bookmarks Bar. If you’… Read More
2021-03-17 14:49
Question from Maya: I just heard Wikipedia is going to start charging people a monthly fee if they want to keep using their website. I use them a lot and it concerns me that they might… Read More
2021-03-16 15:01
Question from Miranda: I absolutely love your emails, Rick. Thanks so much for sending them! I learn something from them almost every day and they’ve answered several questions t… Read More
2021-03-14 23:48
Question from (name withheld by request): I hope you can help me Rick. Someone is sending me threatening emails, and it has me worried. I’m pretty sure it’s my ex-boyfriend… Read More
2021-03-14 20:28
If you’ve been using Microsoft Windows for a while you’re probably quite familiar with Windows Updates. These periodic updates to the Windows operating system do everything from… Read More
2021-03-13 00:05
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Devin F.: A few weeks ago I ordered this new Dell laptop and found out after I got it that it doesn’t have an optical dr… Read More
2021-03-11 21:10
Question from Marion.: Why are computers made by Apple called Macs? That seems like a really odd name for a computer. It actually sounds more like something you’d find on the men… Read More
2021-03-11 19:35
Question from Melina: I have a question that I’ve been wondering about for a while now. I know that computer repair shops must end up with a lot of older computers that the custo… Read More
2021-03-11 00:18
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Adding an external USB hard drive to your computer really makes it easy to create full backups of all your programs, photos, music and other… Read More
2021-03-09 21:56
Question from Alison: I heard Office Depot is scamming people when they bring their computers in for service. Is that true? If it is I’m gonna be furious because they just f… Read More
2021-03-08 15:02
Question from Kayleigh: I’ve noticed that sometimes when I look at someone’s profile on Facebook there’s no “Add Friend” button. I don’t know if it… Read More
2021-03-08 00:40
Question from Mike H.: Hi Rick. I love your site, and I hope you can answer a question for me. The battery in my trusty Lenovo G570 laptop has gone bad and I need to replace it. I real… Read More
2021-03-06 23:00
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Kayla T.: I spilled a large glass of coke all over my keyboard Rick. After I saw what I had done I immediately unplugged… Read More
2021-03-05 23:45
If your PC is like most others out there today, it probably has tons of programs, apps, toolbars and small utilities running in the background. And it’s quite possible that all of thos… Read More
2021-03-05 18:57
As you probably know, your router allows everyone in your home or business to connect their computers, phones and other devices to the Internet. Unfortunately, if its security isn’t co… Read More
2021-03-04 21:44
Question from Vicki U.: Hi Rick, I have a question re: Facebook Reporting. I was wondering if you could clear up a big disagreement between two of my friends? One of them believes if your ac… Read More
2021-03-04 15:56
Question from Darla: I hope you can help me, Rick. I gained some weight over the last few years, and it’s really starting to affect my health. I recently decided to start working… Read More
2021-03-01 00:00
Question from Barry V.: I bought an Acer Aspire S7-391 laptop with Windows 8 at an estate auction. I took a chance on it because it looks brand new and I was able to buy it for only $2… Read More
2021-02-28 22:59
As a blogger I’m always on the lookout for new ways to attract more visitors to my blogs. A while back I tested and reviewed a newsletter advertising service called 10DollarSoloAds and… Read More
2021-02-27 20:01
Adobe Flash was one of the world’s most widely used computer and web-based tools for decades. In fact, if you had a Windows PC or a Mac you probably used Flash in one way or another ev… Read More
2021-02-25 02:22
Question from Kandi: I bought my 9 year old son a new laptop for his birthday last month. He loves it and uses it every day. The problem is I have already had to take it to the Geek Sq… Read More
2021-02-25 01:45
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Do you ever worry about vandals and burglars damaging or ransacking your home while you’re gone? Unfortunately, in today’s world… Read More
2021-02-23 20:49
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Most gamers have long preferred desktop gaming PCs over gaming laptops because of their superior power and upgradability. However, recent ad… Read More
2021-02-22 21:59
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Have you ever tried to take a picture while standing in a crowd only to come away with nothing but a photo of the back of someone’s he… Read More
2021-02-21 20:47
Question from Carol: I just found out that LastPass is going to start charging me because I use it on both my laptop and my phone. I don’t want to pay their fee so I’ve sto… Read More
2021-02-20 02:21
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. If you happen to live in an area that gets hit with frequent power outages, it pays to be prepared just in case the electricity goes off for… Read More
2021-02-19 16:07
If you’re a blogger you probably know by now how important it is to diversify your blog’s traffic sources. But just in case you don’t, a recent development in Australia viv… Read More
2021-02-18 16:53
Note: This is a guest post. If you want to guest post on this blog, click here to check out the guidelines. In this post, SEO enthusiast Aisha Preece explains exactly what SEO is and ho… Read More
2021-02-16 20:58
Do you own a 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro that won’t charge the battery past 1%? If so, your machine just might qualify for a free replacement battery from Apple. The folks at Apple have j… Read More
2021-02-11 18:20
Question from Beverly: My 7 year old laptop stopped working last year and I replaced it with a new one that has Windows 10 on it. When I was setting up the new laptop it asked me to cr… Read More
2021-02-11 01:27
Question from Wilma A.: Great site you have there, Rick. I visit every day! I have a question about Facebook and I know you’ll be able to answer it for me. I have a lot of friend… Read More
2021-02-08 16:28
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Maria: Hi Rick. I recently purchased a MacBook Air with the M1 processor. I am new to MacBooks so I am on a learning cur… Read More
2021-02-07 02:35
Well, the account cloning epidemic on Facebook is showing no signs of letting up. In fact, it seems to be getting worse. Every day I see frantic posts from several of my friends saying they… Read More
2021-02-07 02:15
Knowing how to keep your PC running smoothly and doing your own repairs is a lot of fun as well as a real money saver. I’ve been working on computers for well over 30 years but I still… Read More
2021-02-05 19:35
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Lawrence: Hi Rick. I’m hoping you can answer a question for me about hard drives. In early 2020 I bought a Seagate… Read More
2021-02-05 00:00
You’ve probably heard about all the trouble Samsung had a while back with the batteries in their devices exploding and/or catching fire. Well, I have something to tell you: This proble… Read More
2021-02-02 02:45
Do you do a lot of typing on your smartphone’s virtual keyboard? If so you surely know how difficult it can be trying to tap the correct letters and select the proper punctuation marks… Read More
2021-02-01 23:35
Note: The links in this post are affiliate links. Question from Kellie: I dropped my three year old iPhone 7 Plus and cracked the screen. The phone still works but parts of the screen… Read More
2021-01-29 19:13
Back in September 2020 I wrote about how SpaceX’s Starlink satellite Internet service would soon be providing 1Gbps download speeds to anyone on planet Earth. Well, according to this r… Read More
2021-01-29 01:21
In my opinion Windows 10 is the best version of Windows ever released by Microsoft. But that being said, its default privacy settings are extremely invasive. Luckily, you can change the priv… Read More
2021-01-27 23:32
I frequently receive messages from readers asking how they can find out if their Mac, iPhone or other Apple device is still under warranty before they contact Apple Support to request a need… Read More
2021-01-27 21:20
Unfortunately, there are about as many scams on Facebook as there are stars in the sky. Well, maybe there’s not quite that many but it sure seems like it! Some scams come and go, never… Read More
2021-01-26 23:50
Question from Terry: Rick, you’re the one I trust to suggest what to do about this “Off-Facebook Activity” that is in the Facebook settings. Lots of people have said… Read More
2021-01-23 01:27
Most Windows users know how important it is to always have a recent backup on hand in case their PC’s hard drive or SSD goes south on them or some other disaster strikes. Well, truth b… Read More
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