Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Links for New Year's column

Last year's column

Carbonite

Crashplan


Last New Year's Column

In the Family Tech running on January 1, 2015, I allude to the first column of 2014 from January 2, 2014.  With the permission of Prince William Today, here is that column :

Note: This is the column as submitted; without the editors probably needed edits.


At this point, we are far enough into the New Year to know, yet again, most of our resolutions are not going to happen.


And being January, we are likely to find ourselves snowed in for a day or more at some point.  I thought I’d suggest a few things we can all do on that snowy day that will help with some of the computer and organizational resolutions that we made or perhaps should have made.


One thing I do every January is put a folder on the table by the front door for the many tax documents that will be arriving from employers, banks, investment houses, schools ,and the like.  So as I walk in the door with mail each day, I have a specific place to put these important documents.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Links for Amusement Park Tech

Check the website of your destination for links to official apps for your phone.

Check your phone's app store for apps for your planned destination for other apps that might provide information on your destination.  Exercise caution, those third party apps are likely there to push products.

Learn more about Disney Magic Bands at Disney's Website.

Thursday, December 4, 2014

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Links for Smartphone Can Control your life

Bruvelo Coffee Maker (Kickstarter project - not yet on market.)

Viper Remote Car Starter

Ten Ways to Control Your home with a smartphone

Smart Garage Doors

Lockitron

Kivo from Kwikset

Smartthings Home Automation

Tivo Roamio



There are other smartphone controlled devices out there.  These are just a sample.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Links for Television

Published in paper November 6, 2014
Headline : Technology changes are inevitable and mostly beneficial


Netflix

Hulu Plus

CBS All Access

HBO Go (still requires HBO and cable subscriptions)

SimpsonsWorld.com


Thursday, October 9, 2014

Links for How to Rid Your system of Malware

If you like me, managed to infest your system with malware, or you want to check to see if you have, these are the steps you can follow.

First, download MalwareBytes and Spybot from these safe locations.

Install MalWareBytes, and run it.

It will likely prompt for you do download the latest Database of threats.  If not click the Update Now link on the Database Version line on MalWareBytes main screen.


Do not, at this time run a scan.  Exit MalWareBytes after the database has been upgraded.

Next, install Spybot and run it.  At the main screen, click Update.



At the next screen, click Update also.



And as with MalWareBytes,, do not, at this time run a scan.  Exit Spybot after the database has been upgraded.

When we run the actual scans, we want to be in Safe Mode.  Safe Mode is a boot up option.  It boots up your computer with just the bare minimum applications.  That means any malware should not load into the computer, and not interfere with the scans.


To get into the Windows 8 Safe Mode, follow these steps:

  • When the computer is booting, press and hold the Shift key, and tap the F8 key repeatedly until the Recovery screen appears.
  • Click the See advanced repair options option on the Recovery screen.

Start Windows 7/Vista/XP in Safe Mode with Networking

  • Immediately after the computer is powered on or restarted (usually after you hear your computer beep), tap the F8 key in 1 second intervals.
  • After your computer displays hardware information and runs a memory test, the Advanced Boot Options menu will appear.

Once you are booted up in Safe Mode, run a scan with MalWareBytes.  It may take overnight.

Once it is done, run a scan with Spybot.

With either program, if it offers to fix or quarantine any program, have it do so.These

Once both scans are done, reboot your computer into its normal boot process.

This process may not get all your malware, but it should be a good start before moving to more dramatic methods.  Those we'll discuss in next week's column, on October 16, 2014 and its accompanying blog post here..

Thursday, September 25, 2014

Links for Cars Black Box

Bluetooth Car Diagnostic Plugs

Check the Apple App Store, or the Google Play store, as applicable, for "car diagnostic" apps.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Setting up your small business or personal web page

In the Family Tech column that ran in the September 18, 2014 printed edition of Prince William Today, I discuss how a business, and individuals, receive the most cachet with an email address that is to their own domain.

I talked about creating your own domain, and setting up your email to be sent to that domain in another blog post today.

Once you have your own domain, a small business should definitely set up its own web page.  It doesn't have to be much.  Think of it as your business card online, where people can find it via Google or Bing search.  And it provides a simple link your satisfied customers can share with their friends via email, Facebook, Twitter etc.

Creating an Email address at your own domain

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

Family Tech: The New Phones of September

The two new iPhone's were not the only cell phones announced in September.

Read about the iPhones and the others, in the latest Family Tech.

Family Tech now appears in Washington Family Magazine too!

Starting with the September issue, Family Tech also appears in Washington Family Magazine.  You can find the magazine at these locations.

It will be a column that previously appeared in the Prince William Today newspaper, so if you have discovered Family Tech through the magazine, and want to read more Family Tech, be sure to pickup the paper each week.  You can subscribe to a digital version or have it delivered.




Links for New Phones in September

Apple 6
Apple phones compared
Apple Watch


Steve Jobs' "One More Thing" video

One thing I didn't have room to mention in the column.  U2 played at the iPhone 6 introduction.  And they are releasing a new album, that is free through iTunes until October 15.

Samsung Note 4

Motorola Moto X

Nokia 735






Friday, September 5, 2014

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Finding a lost iPhone or Android phone

Had a friend ask today how kids in her high school could locate a lost or stolen smartphone.  Instead of answering by email, I decided to write it here for all.

These methods will work only if your phone is turned on, and is in a place it can make contact.  If it isn't these methods can wait until the phone is visible on the cell network.


iPhone


On a PC, go to icloud.com

Login with the phone owner's iTune username and password


Thursday, August 7, 2014

Links for Back to School Hardware

Surface Pro 3 (Microsoft)  (Amazon)

LCD Printers at Amazon

Chromecast (Google) (Amazon)

Amazon links are part of the Amazon Affiliate program.  What's this?


Thursday, July 10, 2014

Links for The Cloud

Dropbox

Google Docs

Microsoft’s OneDrive

Apples iCloud (requires iTunes account)

Box

MediaFire

JoliCloud (service to manage all your cloud space)

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Links for Apps for Emergencies

Red Cross Apps for Android

  For IOS Apps, search iTunes for "Red Cross".

Channel 7 WJLA Weather App for IOS and Android

WTOP Closings Page

Evernote.com   IOS App  Android App

Red Cross information on Preparing your Home and Family for disasters

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Friday, May 9, 2014

Family Tech: A way to manage all your passwords, easily.

I finally broke down and started using a password manager.  What took me so long?

It's a good idea, and the topic of this Family Tech column.

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Links for Vocabulary

Published in 5/1/2014 paper

No links for this column

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Links for Teen Driving

Find the column at InsideNova.com

Ford MyKey

Amazon Affiliate Link :  Dash cams
Be sure to look for ones with two cameras able to be aimed forward while another faces back.


Amazon Affiliate Link :  Tracking Devices

Amazon Affiliate Link :  Textbuster  Corporate page:

Items purchased through Affiliate Links offer me a small commission without raising the price you pay.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Monday, March 10, 2014

Family Tech: Girls and Engineering

Building things is how a nation builds wealth.  New efforts hope to attract girls to engineering.

The latest Family Tech column is online.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Family Tech: That video you purchased you may not own

Did you know you can buy a video, and later it will be deleted from your library, and you do not receive a refund?

It's all legal.  Disney did it at Christmas.

Family Tech column online today.


Friday, February 21, 2014

Links for Getting the Most of Steaming TV

IMDB's Top 250 Films : Those available on Netflix

  • Sherlock Jr. (1924)
  • The Battleship Potemkin (1925)
  • The General (1926)
  • Nosferatu (1929)
  • Duck Soup (1933)
  • The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
  • His Girl Friday (1940)
  • Double Indemnity (1944)
  • All About Eve (1950)
  • High Noon (1952)
  • Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
  • Some Like It Hot (1959)
  • The Apartment (1960)
  • The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
  • Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
  • Rosemary's Baby (1968)
  • Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
  • Apocalypse Now (1979)
  • Manhattan (1979)
  • Raging Bull (1980)
  • The Untouchables (1987)
  • Cinema Paradiso (1988)
  • Reservoir Dogs (1992)
  • The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
  • Forrest Gump (1994)
  • Pulp Fiction (1994)
  • Fargo (1996)
  • Trainspotting (1996)
  • Life is Beautiful (1997)
  • The Truman Show (1998)
  • Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
  • Memento (2000)
  • Amelie (2001)
  • Donnie Darko (2001)
  • The Pianist (2002)
  • Oldboy (2003)
  • Downfall (2004)
  • Into the Wild (2007)
  • There Will Be Blood (2007)
  • IP Man (2008)
  • Let the Right One In (2008)
  • Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009)
  • Mary and Max (2009)
  • The King's Speech (2010)
  • The Artist (2011)
  • Warrior (2011)
  • The Avengers (2012)
American Film Institute's Top Films currently on Netflix :




RSS Feed


AllCast Android App





Thursday, January 30, 2014

Links for Home Automation

Home Automation Portal at Amazon.com

Phillips Hue Lighting at Amazon

Belkin Wemo at Amazon

AT&T Home Automation

Verizon Home Automation

Comcast Home Automation


Amazon links are affiliate links.  I receive a tiny commission on any sales made when these items are purchased.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Links for Set for New Year

Avast

AVG (free trial only)

Dropbox +

Box

Google Drive

ZeroLemon at Amazon *

Anker at Amazon *

Apple Store online

* Indicates an Amazon Affiliate Link.  If you purchase from this link, I receive a tiny commission.

+ If you create a Dropbox account from this link, you and I both receive a little extra free space.