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TIME FOR A DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION AUDIT?
2/20/2024
The way we get our entertainment these days has certainly shifted. Not too long ago, we relied solely on cable or satellite. Maybe we added a subscription service like HBO or Netflix. But during the pandemic, the market for new streaming services exploded, and we subscribed to one after the other. We could afford to, as well, because the rates were cheap, designed to hook viewers. Recently however, services began charging a lot more to pay for the rising costs of landing top-notch shows.
Now, many of us subscribe to multiple streaming services that cost a fortune (much to the chagrin of many cable cutters who thought they were saving money). To add insult to injury, they cost even more if you want to watch them without ads!
If that weren’t enough, there seems to be a new streaming service born every other day, requiring us to subscribe in order to see our favorite programs. How’d you like having to sign up for Peacock in order to watch the Michigan game last fall?
Over time, we tend to forget which services we’ve signed up for. That’s why I recommend a digital subscription audit. Check your credit card statements. Go through your email and search for words like “subscription” and “renewal.” See how many you have and write them down. Better yet, put them in an Excel spreadsheet so you can easily add, delete, or modify your subscriptions. The total cost may surprise you.
One couple I know listed out all of the digital subscriptions they we were paying for: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Hulu, Acorn, and AppleTV+. The total cost reached nearly $70/month. And here’s the kicker: they were paying over $200 for internet and cable on top of it!
If you would like help sorting through your digital subscriptions and finding the right combination for your internet and entertainment needs, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
WHAT IS A VPN, AND DO I NEED ONE?
1/14/2024
People often ask me if they should get a VPN (Virtual Private Network). Though there are some benefits, improvements in security over the years have made VPNs not as necessary as they used to be. Let's take a closer look to see what a VPN actually does, and why a typical user may or may not want one.
What a VPN Does
A VPN usually comes in the form of a commercial product sold to consumers, such as Mullvad, Cisco AnyConnect, NordVPN, and Mozilla VPN. When you're on the internet, the VPN will route your browser traffic through an encrypted tunnel to a remote server owned by the VPN company. That server will then route your data off to the public internet as usual. Any data coming back to you from a website will also be routed through the VPN company's server and back to you. (See diagram)
Encryption is Good...Isn't it?
It sure is, and for years experts advised that people should get a VPN in order to safely browse the internet. This was especially true when on a public wifi network, such as one at a coffee shop, airport, or hotel. However, this was in the days when most websites themselves were unencrypted.
Nowadays, the vast majority of sites ARE encrypted. (You can tell if a website is encrypted if its address begins with "https." (Unencrypted sites begin with "http." Also, look for the lock symbol next to the web address in your browser's address bar.) While having a VPN can add an extra layer of security when using public wifi, now that most websites are secure, there's less of a need to pay for extra encryption while on a trusted network–especially at home on your private, secure wifi.
What About Hiding From Advertisers?
A bonus feature of using a VPN is that when your data gets routed through the VPN's server, the website you visit and your internet service provider (Xfinity, AT&T, etc.) do not see your IP address (your location on the internet). They only see the IP address of the VPN company. This is convenient if you don't trust your internet service provider and don't want them to know your browsing history, should they ever feel like selling that data to advertisers.
When you use a VPN, you may be hiding your IP address from your internet service provider, but unfortunately, you're now giving it to the VPN company. Unscrupulous VPNs have been known to sell users' data. That's why it would be important to choose a VPN with a solid reputation.
Note: Apple products have a feature called Private Relay. This acts as a sort of VPN, but uses a two-step method of privacy. When you browse the internet, the first leg goes to Apple, who knows your IP address, but not where you're going. Apple then passes you along to a trusted third party they've partnered with. This entity knows where you're going, but not your IP address (who you are).
What a VPN Doesn't Do
While using a VPN can hide your IP address from advertisers and make it a little harder for them to target you, it does not prevent them from identifying you through other means. Called a "digital fingerprint," sites can figure out individual users from our operating system, browser type, screen resolution, device model name, and so on. It's a multibillion dollar industry that has many ways to figure out how to put which ads in front of the right consumers.
In addition, a VPN won't protect you from malware. It also won't stop phishing attempts when you visit a bogus website or get a scam email. You can still fall victim to hacking while using a virtual private network.
More Important Steps to Take
For most users, a VPN is just one tool to help with privacy and security–should they feel like paying for one. There are, however, more effective steps you can take to protect yourself online.
Use strong passwords (a different one for each login)
Use multi-factor authentication
Use antimalware software, such as Malwarebytes. (PC users, also be sure that Windows Defender Firewall is turned on)
Keep your devices' operating systems and apps up to date. The security patches in those updates are crucial
To block advertisers tracking you, try using something like Duck Duck Go to hide your searches
Heed any warnings from your browser of "not secure website," especially on public wifi networks
If you're unsure of whether you'd be able to identify a nonsecure website, you could always add a VPN as a "better safe than sorry" expense. There are also other reasons to use a VPN that I haven't gone into here because they involve circumstances outside of typical consumer use. In sum, paying for a VPN can be helpful in certain less likely situations, but there are more important ways to keep safe. If you would like more information, or help with a security checkup, please feel free to contact me.
"GOOGLE" EXPLAINED
12/9/2023
The following is a frequent conversation that I have with clients:
Client: "My computer suddenly stopped working."
Me: "What app were you in when this happened?"
Client: "Google."
Me: "The search engine?"
Client: "No. Google. The...the...you know…Google."
Over the years, I have discovered that there is a great deal of confusion over the word “Google" and what it refers to. I can hardly blame people for mixing up the terminology—it’s awfully complicated. I'll do my best below to clarify what is correctly called "Google," and which products should be called by other names.
Defining the Word
What I've found is that, when a good number of people say the word “Google," they are referring to the internet browser app called "Chrome." While technically correct, there are many other apps that could just as easily be called "Google" under this approach. Allow me to explain:
Google: is the company name (owned by the parent company, Alphabet). They make a whole slew of products, from Android phones to apps. They started out as a search engine called "Google Search," or just plain “Google." If you go to Google.com on the internet, you will be on the Google Search page. It's okay to call the search engine "Google."
If you want to be more specific and clear, you should call the following apps that Google makes by their app name:
Chrome: is the internet browser app by Google. Competitors are Apple's Safari, Mozilla's Firefox, and Microsoft's Edge.
GMail: is the email service by Google. The gmail app on your phone has an "M" on it, which stands for "Mail." (The "G" in GMail stands for "Google.") You can get your GMail on the internet at mail.google.com, or in any number of other companies' email apps, such as Apple Mail or Outlook.
Google Docs: This is the word processing program by Google. It’s main competitors are Microsoft Word and Apple Pages.
Just to Make Matters More Confusing
Here’s a fun fact: Every web browser has a search engine built into the search/address bar to help us find what we’re looking for on the internet. (Plus, any browser can navigate to the Google Search page at www.google.com.) Only two of the most popular companies, though, make both a browser and a search engine: Google and Microsoft. Google’s Chrome browser comes with Google Search set as the default search engine, and Microsoft’s Edge has its search engine, Bing, set as the default.
Here’s the kicker: The others (e.g., Safari and Firefox), not having a search engine in their family of products, come with Google Search set up as the default. So, yes, you can be using Google Search, but not be in Google Chrome. In every browsers’ settings, however, you can switch the default search engine to something else (Google, Bing, Duck Duck Go, Yahoo!, etc.).
Is it critical that you know the difference in Google terminology? No. It’s just helpful. After all, we just want our technology to work when we need it. We don’t have to be able to give a dissertation on it. However, calling the different apps and their functions by their correct names can go a long way in helping us understand the internet and our devices.
ACCESSIBILITY SETTINGS TO THE RESCUE
11/15/2023
Have you ever squinted to read the text on a website? Or tried to tap on a link to an article over and over, only to have it open an ad instead? Many of us can't read the small print, or hear as well as we use to. Some of us have tremors in our hands that make fine motor movements difficult. Wouldn't it be nice if our computer, phones, and tablets were just a little more forgiving?
The good news is that most of our devices–iPhones, Androids, Macs and Windows PCs–have something called Accessibility Settingsthat can make it easier to use them. In fact, there are so many different options available (with different instructions depending on the device), that I can only go into basic descriptions of them here, covering each of our five senses.
Sight
Our computers, tablets, and phones all have the ability to change the brightness of the screen. But, did you know that they also have ways to adjust the contrast to accommodate varying degrees of eyesight issues? In addition, you can zoom in and out on a screen to see it close up. One step better than that, however, is to change the size of the text and icons so they're always at a readable size. If you don't feel like reading text of any size, you also have the option to have your device read it aloud in something called System Speak.
One more thing: Have you ever missed a call because you just didn't hear or see it ringing? Well, your phone also has the capability to flash whenever there's an alert.
Sound
Of course there are volume buttons on your device to adjust loudness, but if your hearing issues are a little more robust, you'll be glad to know that most phones are equipped to integrate with hearing aids. In addition, you can turn on captions when video chatting with others. I've used captions when FaceTiming with a friend in a noisy environment. Very helpful indeed!
Touch
For those of us who need assistance with our fine motor movements, there are numerous functions that can help us operate and navigate our devices more easily.
•On phones and tablets with a touch screen: adjust how the screen registers your taps and gestures. Settings include (but aren't necessarily limited to) tracking sensitivity, dwell control, movement tolerance, and customizable gestures.
•On computers: you can adjust the size of the pointer and the speed that the mouse moves it across the screen. You can also set the speed for double clicking the mouse or touchpad to something that YOU find comfortable–not what some 25-year-old programmer thinks is the right speed.
These are just some of the motor skill accessibility features that can make life easier for those of us with stiff joints, tremors, or reduced reaction time in our hands.
Smell & Taste
Starting with the iPhone 15, Apple has introduced a feature that can enhance the flavor and scent of your device. New iPhones now taste more delicious and smell more daisy fresh than the leading Android phone. (Not really, but wouldn't that be fun?)
Keep it Simple
iPhone users also have the ability to set up their device in something called Assistive Access. Here, you can choose just what items you want to see on the screen in a bigger, more focused way. Assistive Access makes using your iPhone simpler to navigate and understand how to use it.
So Many Options to Help Us
I wish that I could've gone into detail about how to set up all of the available accessibility features. Unfortunately, there are just too many, and I would be writing until next year. However, if you'd like to explore what features are on your devices that can help you with sight, sound, and touch issues, I'd be happy to help you set them up. Please feel free to Contact me!
WANT A BETTER COMPUTER EXPERIENCE? INSTALL THESE UPDATES
10/9/2023
Most of you have heard me at one time or another answer a resounding "yes" when asked if you should download and install updates to your software. Not only are there important security patches in the updates, but there are usually beneficial performance enhancements, as well. For this month's blog, I'd like to focus on some of the performance enhancements that come with the latest versions of Mac and Windows computer operating systems.
What to Expect: MacOS Sonoma 14
While there are a lot of fancy new additions (many that you'll probably never use), here are some of the ones that will come in handy:
•Improved autocorrect accuracy. (Maybe it'll stop correcting "Jim" to "Him.")
•Enhanced dictation that allows you to use your voice and keyboard together to type
•Newer Macs can now be paired with made-for-iPhone hearing devices
•One-time verification codes sent to Mail will now auto populate into Safari without leaving your browser
To see all of the new features, go to System Settings and click on General, then Software Update. Note: at the time of this writing, Sonoma was still at version 14.0. While I haven't heard of any bugs yet, I usually advise people to wait until at least 14.0.1 before downloading. In the meantime, you can (and should) still keep updating your current operating system.
What to Expect: Windows 11 latest version
Microsoft doesn't seem to do major overhauls as frequently as Apple, so we're still receiving updates to Windows 11. That's okay, as even these little upgrades contain valuable features. Here are three of my favorites:
•Windows Backup app: Allows you to back up more than just files to OneDrive. Now you can also backup your settings, credentials, and apps. This operation acts more like syncing to iCloud on a Mac, enabling you to easily install those items when you buy a new PC. Note: The Windows Backup app is not the same thing as Windows File History, which performs true backups (full and incremental) to an external drive.
•Quick Assist: I love this new feature! Quick Assist is an app that allows you to share your screen with another Windows user for remote support. (Only do this with someone you trust!) You can even allow the other person to control your screen. When I help others, I can request access to a client's screen by providing a simple one-time access code. Of all the various methods I've used to help people remotely, Quick Assist is by far the easiest for my clients.
•Copilot: This is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) assistant that helps cut through the clutter and gets you answers to what you're looking for. All year long I've been enjoying the AI experience in Microsoft Edge's Bing search engine. It gets me more specific answers, without all of the junk that Google delivers with a search. I'm excited to use this iteration of AI in Windows Copilot, located on the Task Bar, to help me find things on my PC and the web.
Multiple Benefits
I know updating can be a bit of a hassle--especially when you're prompted to do it when you need to use your computer for something important. However, if you plan a little ahead, you can click Yes when you're done using your device. Then, next time you use it, you'll have your security patches and performance enhancements ready to go!
CAN'T HEAR THE DIALOGUE ON YOUR TV?
8/23/2023
You're Not Alone
At first, I thought my wife and I were just getting hard of hearing. Night after night of watching shows and movies on TV, we found ourselves turning to each other and asking things like, "Did you catch what she said?" and, "Go back–I didn't hear that." It turns out, we aren't the only ones having trouble hearing the dialogue while streaming content, and it's not due to hearing loss. The sound issue with streaming content has gotten worse recently, and many people are struggling to hear what's going on.
It's Technology's Fault
There are several reasons why we're having trouble hearing dialogue:
1. Movies are generally made to be seen (and heard) in a movie theater with huge and expensive speakers that are able to handle a very large range of sounds–whispers to explosions. When we stream the same movie through Netflix, for example, on our TV, the audio gets what's called "down mixed." This is a compression of the sound, designed to enable it to be heard through much smaller, cheaper speakers like those on your computer, phone, and yes, your TV.
2. Most TV speakers are not well made. Despite, or rather because of, the high-tech nature of the video screen, the speakers get short shrift. Manufacturers focus on picture display quality. In addition, they make the screen as flat and lightweight as possible. This only leaves a small amount of room to add the speakers, many of which are facing behind or down underneath the display, rather than toward the listener.
3. Streaming shows do not have to comply with the same loudness restrictions as broadcast TV shows. I still remember watching Magnum P.I. and Seinfeld at one steady volume level back in the day. I generally heard all of the dialogue. Now, while watching Jack Ryan or Stranger Things, we find ourselves viewing with one finger on the volume button. Turn it up when the character is speaking in a dramatic, mumbly whisper, then immediately turn it down when the music soundtrack or explosions blast us. I continuously fail at trying to keep the volume at one single level.
What Can We Do?
1. Turn on captions. Many cable and streaming devices have remote controls with a built-in microphone these days. Simply hold the button down and say, "Turn on captions." Interestingly, captions aren't just for older adults, either. According to research content provider, YPulse, over half of Millennials and Gen-Z watch TV with captions on, too.
2. Add a soundbar. This is an enhanced speaker that generally sits right at the base of your TV, making up for the subpar speakers that came with your flatscreen. In fact, many of these soundbars even have a "dialogue boost" setting for even clearer speech.
Sonos Beam soundbar
Take Control
We don't have to put up with inaudible dialogue anymore. We can take back control of the situation, without feeling like the problem is our fault for not having top-notch hearing. If you need help with turning on captions or choosing the right soundbar and setting it up, please feel free to contact me.
YOU CLICK, THEN BOOM! YOUR SCREEN IS LOCKED
7/26/2023
I’ve been seeing a lot of situations like this lately: Many of my clients will click on a link from an email or a website, and suddenly a warning pops up in their internet browser (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, etc). The message looks something like the image on the left. On top of it all, the client's screen is now frozen, often with an annoying and repeating audio message.
Sometimes, the warning looks even more official, with Apple or Microsoft branding on it. Of course, it's a total scam though. The perpetrators want to scare you into calling their phone number, where a concerned technician will offer to rid you of said viruses. They will then ask you for access to your computer and proceed to either steal your data or charge you to "fix" the problem. Or both.
In my last blog, I talked about how we sometimes end up with these fake warning messages. However, today, I want to impart 3 takeaways:
1. Getting this warning message does NOT mean you have an actual virus
2. No legitimate tech support will ever contact you in your internet browser to tell you that you have a virus
3. All you have to do to "unlock" your screen is to quit your browser (command + Q keys on a Mac, or alt + F4 keys in Windows)
I hope this info will save you any future anxiety from such scammers. If you have any questions about these fake warnings, please feel free contact me.
WHY THERE ARE BAD ADS ON GOOD WEBSITES
6/12/2023
The Background
One of the easiest ways to get scammed or pick up malware these days is through something called “clickbait.” Like the name sounds, clickbait is an internet device designed to catch our attention and cause us to click on it to find out more information. Often, this scourge (like the one shown here) comes in the form of what looks to be an advertisement or news article. This practice is also known as "malvertising."
“Priscilla, 72, Admits What Elvis Used to…”
“iPhone Users, Don’t Forget to Do This By Monday!”
“7 Ways to Retire Comfortably With $500,000”
“Acclaimed Doctor Says Do This One Thing Every Day. Loose Belly Fat Now!”
“Where Are These Stars of the 1970s Now? Number 5 Will Shock You!”
The sad part is that you don’t even have to go to a nefarious website to get stung. A large number of good websites have these bad ads, too.
But Why?
For the sake of this example, let’s take ordinary, reputable news sites, such as MLive, CNN, or the Weather Channel. These organizations make money by selling a lot of advertising on their sites. In order to bring in the most revenue, they contract out the selling of ads to a sophisticated network of advertising tech companies, which in turn place millions of ads on millions of websites. In fact, it’s these ad tech firms that decide who sees what ads on which websites—not MLive, CNN, or the Weather Channel.
And How?
The technical term is called “programmatic advertising.” In this system, advertising tech companies use computers to automate a lightning-fast auction process whereby advertisers bid on available ad spaces on websites. The software programs also ensure that advertisers can target specific ads to specific groups of users. Ever wonder how you see a bunch of ads for cars after doing a Google search for one?
The Upside
The benefit (and, here, I mean only to the websites and advertisers) is that advertisers get to show the ads they want to the people they want, and websites can keep their ad spaces full.
The Downside
The problem (and, here, I mean only to you the user) is that quite a few odious ads make their way to good websites. With the millions of transactions happening rapidly in the auction process, the advertising tech companies have their hands full. It’s their responsibility to prevent bad ads, but it’s very difficult to keep a few from slipping through the cracks.
What can you do?
The scammers try hard to get your attention. Their ads look very enticing, or often look like real news articles (even I really wanted to click on the picture of the submarine). To keep yourself from getting burned, I recommend a few things:
•Before clicking on a news story (particularly those at the end of a legitimate news article or in the margin) look for words in faint text that say things like “ad,” “sponsored,” or “from around the web.”
•If the ad or headline seems out of character for the legit website you’re on, it’s likely trying to sell you something or scam you.
•To prevent malware, download Malwarebytes and add their browser guard.
•If one of those scary alerts pops up telling you that your computer is infected and you need to call a phone number, don't panic–you're not really infected yet. It is a scammer trying to get you to, but all you need to do is quit your browser (Chrome, Safari, etc.).
•Don’t click on ads. Just don’t. Why play Russian Roulette?
Stay Safe Out There
I know it seems like navigating the internet just gets harder and harder, but if you stay vigilant you can keep yourself out of trouble. Now that you know some of the telltale signs to look out for, and understand that even good sites can have bad ads, you can now read a news article or look up the weather without being the fish that gets caught by clickbait.
ORGANIZING YOUR DIGITAL LIFE–PART III
5/8/2023
HOW TO ORGANIZE (AND FIND!) YOUR PHOTOS
Here we are at the third part in our 3-part series. In March, we discussed how to organize our computer files. In April, we took a look at why it’s important to delete old apps and accounts. This month, we’ll tackle that age old problem of gathering all of our photos together in one place. For many of us, we have photos on our phone. We also have some photos on our desktop, in a Photos or Pictures folder, and a bunch in emails and texts that people have sent us. It’s time to take control of the situation and get these photos wrangled.
WHAT APP DO I NEED?
What type of phone you have is how to decide which photos app you’ll use. If you have an iPhone, then you’ll want to use Apple’s Photos app for your organizing, because the pictures you take automatically go to the Photos app. You can use Photos on either your iPhone or Mac computer. If you have a Windows PC, then you’ll access the Photos app using iCloud.
If you have an Android phone, you’ll want to use its Google Photos app. To access Google Photos on either a Mac or PC, go to the internet at www.photos.google.com.
When using either app, you can then set it to sync with all of your devices. This way, a couple of minutes after you take a picture with your phone, you’ll be able to see it on your computer, too.
HOW TO ORGANIZE YOUR PHOTOS
Once you snapped your beautiful pictures of the grandchildren, or the fort at Mackinac Island with your phone, the photos immediately become a part of your photo app. In Apple Photos, the main directory, where all of your photos are stored, is called the Library. In Google Photos, it’s just called Photos. Both apps arrange your pics chronologically to make it easier to find them.
To organize your pictures even further, you can create albums. Put all of your Mackinac photos into an album and call it Trip to Mackinac 2023. Did you have a family reunion? Put all of your pictures from that celebration into a new album and call it Family Reunion 2015. See where I’m going here?
You can even create shared albums, where people you invite can upload their pictures from the event to that album. This way, you have the photos that everyone took on that trip or at that event. Now you can pick and choose the best ones.
Apple Photos
Google Photos
WHERE’D AUNT BETTY GO?
Albums make finding photos from a particular event a snap. But what if you just need to find pictures of a particular person? A few weeks ago, I was searching for photos of my Aunt Betty. I began by scrolling chronologically through my Library, going back, back, back, to my oldest pics. After scanning the first couple hundred photos with no luck, I began to panic. Where’d my 96-year-old aunt go? That’s when I remembered that I could search my Library using a filter for people’s faces.
In Apple Photos, look at the navigation pane on the left and click on People. Here’s where the app has scanned faces of people it has seen regularly in your library and placed them together for easy cataloging. Click on the person you’re looking for, and you’ll see photos of that person in your library.
In Google Photos, you’ll want to click on Explore in the navigation pane on the left. There, you’ll find a section labeled People & Pets.
Note: In both apps, if you ever need to add someone to the People section, locate a picture of that person (or pet) in your Library and click on the “i” for information.
Apple Photos People Search
Google Photos People Search
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Another nifty way to find a particular photo is to search by location. In Apple Photos, click on Places in the navigation pane on the left. In Google Photos, type the location in the search bar at the top. The apps differ as to how they determine the location of where the photo was taken—camera settings, landmarks in the background, manual entry of the place under Information, etc. Nonetheless, searching by location can be a very handy tool.
MORE TO EXPLORE
These are the fundamentals of organizing your photos and finding them. Unfortunately, going into detail about each app just isn’t feasible here. Each step would require its own article. Just know that both Apple and Google can help you get your pictures housed under one roof and allow you to find them easily. I encourage you to give them a try, and if you ever need help, please feel free to contact me.
ORGANIZING YOUR DIGITAL LIFE–PART II
4/9/2023
Why It's Important to Delete Old Apps & Accounts
SPRING CLEANING
Last month was the first part in our 3-part series on organizing your digital life, and I wrote about file organization. This month, I’d like to discuss another gem when it comes to decluttering our devices (and our minds): deleting your old, unused apps and online accounts. We’ll also see why this type of spring cleaning is more essential than you might think.
First of all, when I talk about “apps,” I’m referring to anything that we may call “programs” or “software.” How did we get so many of them on our computers and phones? Surprising isn’t it?
You may have collected these apps over time in a variety of ways:
They came with your device
You had to download them for one-time use
They are obsolete versions that no longer work with your operating system
HOW TO FIND OLD APPS
It’s good to go through your device periodically to see what you don’t or can’t use anymore.
On a Mac: look in the folder called Applications. From the Finder, click on Go at the top of your screen and select Applications from the menu
On a Windows PC: click on Start, select All Apps, then scroll through the alphabetical list
On most iPhone and Android phones: you can see your apps on your screen, app library, or in Settings
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT
These apps take up storage space—space you may need in order to add more files or update to the latest operating system, etc. It’s important to remove them if you are short on storage space.
A collection of unnecessary apps can also leave you feeling cluttered and overwhelmed. You may have a difficult time sorting through them all to find what you’re looking for.
WHY IT’S REALLY REALLY IMPORTANT
Moreover, it’s especially important to remove those unused applications if you have login accounts tied to them (and many do). In fact, you should think about deleting all of your unused online accounts, whether there’s an app associated with it or not. “But I don’t have that many,” you may think. Oh yeah? Take a look at how many passwords/logins you have.
Where did they all come from? Of course, we have our important passwords that we use frequently, such as our Windows or Apple ID, or our patient portal login info. But we also tend to collect many other account logins, just like we tend to collect unopened plastic wear from takeout dinner orders.
These old accounts can contain a slew of your identity details, personal data, credit card information, and (hopefully not) your favorite re-used password. Why have more targets for attackers than absolutely necessary? It’s also likely that you’re still receiving spam from some of those old accounts.
HOW TO FIND OLD ACCOUNTS
If you’re wondering just how many accounts you have, there are three good ways to find them:
Check your password manager (or password book)
Search your email for words like “Welcome” or “Verify”
If you sign in to other accounts using your Google, Apple, or Facebook logins, check those three to see a list of the apps and accounts connected to them
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Note: simply deleting the app from your device does NOT delete your account. Once you’ve found an old online account, you’ll have to go to its website, login, and then find out how to delete it. You can usually do this under your account settings on the site. However, as many sites have different procedures, you may have to do a bit of looking around.
With any luck, your account is so old that the company already deleted it for you!
Stay tuned next month for Part III in our series when we take a look at finding photos and deleting duplicates.
ORGANIZING YOUR DIGITAL LIFE–PART I
3/12/2023
As we know, it’s all too easy to let our technology get out of hand to the point where we feel disorganized and stressed out. I’ve previously mentioned two of the biggest areas of discontent–managing passwords and disposing of old cords and devices. Over the next three issues, I’ll discuss other technological culprits that leave us feeling overwhelmed: messy file organization, the clutter of unused apps & accounts, and storing & finding photos. I’ll begin this month with file organization.
Organizing Our Computer Files
Maybe you’re the type of computer user who saves and keeps every file you have on your desktop. While having a cluttered desktop will slow down a Mac to some degree (not so much on a PC), the bigger issue this creates is that you won’t be able to find something quickly when you need it.
Or, perhaps, you throw everything into a single folder, or many separate folders. This is a step better than just leaving them on your desktop. But, it can still be hard to locate that one file you’re looking for unless you’ve organized these folders into something called “subfolders.”
I recommend using your Documents folder as an optimal storage location. Think of your Documents folder more as a filing cabinet. In that filing cabinet, there are folders and subfolders (like a hanging file folder system, to continue the visual reference). Name each folder according to the topic, and name each subfolder as a smaller subject within that topic. Then save each file you have in the subfolder it pertains to. For example:
Above is a screenshot of a Finder window on a Mac, showing the Documents folder, its folders, subfolders, and their individual files. I have a folder named after my Google IT Support Certification class. In that folder are files and a subfolder for class notes. The class notes subfolder has a file with notes on Modems and Routers.
You can get to the Finder by clicking on this guy:
On a Windows PC, you’ll find the Documents folder in File Explorer. Click on this icon to use File Explorer:
In this example, I’m using the Documents folder within Microsoft’s OneDrive, seen below. There’s also a different Documents folder located in your user folder on your C:/ drive. Don’t get them confused, as they are not syncing their contents with each other. I recommend using just one of the Documents folders as your main “filing cabinet.”
Pro Tips for Both PC and Mac!
Give your files names that make sense to you and distinguish them from other, similar files. Instead of “Letter,” try to be more specific: “Kathy Recommendation Letter.”
• Add dates to the end of file names that you create a lot of: “Meeting Notes 020423.” (The date being February 4, 2023 in this example.)
• Sometimes you want to have easy and quick access to a file. To keep it at the top of an alphabetically sorted list in a folder, you can add a symbol in front of it: “*Important Ideas.” (The asterisk will come before the letter A in the list.)
• Having your folders and files stored consistently in the same manner will go a long way to cutting down on the anxiety we face when we can’t find something. It will also save you time that you could be spending on more productive activities—like collecting branches that fell in the last ice storm.
Be sure to let me know if you need help getting your files organized. Once you start, you’ll never go back.
Next month, I’ll explore part II in this series: How to Declutter your Unused Apps & Accounts.
CAN'T FIND THAT ZOOM LINK?
1/18/2023
Do you have trouble finding that Zoom link that your friends, family, or doctor sent you a week ago for a meeting today? Can't locate it in your backlog of emails? Here's a neat little tip to solve that issue: copy and paste the link–the moment you get it–into a calendar appointment. Then, when it comes time to join the Zoom call that day, just click on the link in your calendar appointment. See images below. (Note: calendar apps can vary in appearance, so it may not look exactly like this on your computer, but the concept is the same for all.)
PLAGUED BY SPAM? HIDE YOUR EMAIL
12/11/2022
So Much Junk Mail!
So you donated to a political campaign back in October, yet you're still receiving junk email from the entire party and all of its causes months later. Worse, you'll probably receive this "spam" in perpetuity. In my situation, I've been inundated with golf-related junk email. I must have signed up for an account with a golf company or association, and they shared my email with as many "partners" as they could. Removing yourself from existing mailing lists is possible, but it can be time consuming and often only somewhat effective. You should only unsubscribe from trusted, legitimate senders. The rest, you'll have to block through your email settings, which is complicated and a topic for a future article.
Hide Your Email
How do you, then, prevent more spam from invading your inbox? If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can use a nice little feature called, "Hide My Email."
•What this does: It creates a random, unique email address that automatically forwards to your private email address.
•When to use it: Whenever you sign up for something online, or through an app, and are required to enter an email address (e.g., when creating a new account).
•Why it works: Senders never see your real email address. In addition, if the sender's emails get to be too much, simply delete your "Hide My" email address from your iCloud settings and be done with it. Then, that sender won't be able to spam you again.
•How to start Hide My Email: You must first have iCloud+, which is any iCloud account that subscribes to more than the free 5GB of iCloud storage that comes with an Apple device. See plans and pricing here. You must also be running OS 12 Monterey or later on a Mac, or iOS 15 or later on an iPhone or iPad. The Hide My Email option will appear whenever you create an account while using the Safari web browser.
The next time you decide to donate to a campaign, or any set up an account, and you don't want the company to see or share your private email address, use Hide My Email. Your inbox will thank you.
Don't Have an Apple Product?
If you are a Windows or Android user, it's also possible to achieve a similar hiding of your email through Firefox Relay. For more information, click here.
TECH ICONS YOU SHOULD KNOW
11/3/2022
It's Like a Foreign Language
When I taught elementary school, one of my roles was to teach English language learners. Today, while helping adults feel more comfortable with their technology, I've noticed many parallels between understanding a language and understanding how computers, smartphones, and other devices work. Both have vocabulary words, of course, and both have rules to follow, or at least a generally-accepted way of functioning.
For example, in English, we place the adjective in front of the noun it modifies. In an email or text message, we hit a "send" button in order to deliver it to a recipient. Pressing "send" after we type seems a bit basic, but there's something else going on here that's less obvious. Where is that "send" button? It's hopefully placed on the screen in a spot where you might expect it: the upper right corner or the lower right, or in a bar across the top. If you aren't familiar with the typical places to look (the generally-accepted rules of the "language"), you might struggle with sending your message.
Icons As Words
Knowing where to look for the "send" button is only part of what you need to master. You also have to know what that "send" button looks like. The tech world loves icons. In fact, we see more and more ways of communicating like this in our society, even in non-tech places. Ever read the instructions for putting together IKEA furniture? It's all icons. No words. Unfortunately, different application developers and different device manufacturers come up with their own icons to convey the same things. I'll show you the most important ones you need to know.
While there are slight variations of these icons depending on whether you use Google, Apple, or Microsoft, etc., chances are, you're familiar with some form of the above icons. The one exception may be the "archive" icon. It's often confused with "trash." (Sending an email to "trash" will often result in its deletion after 30 days, whereas "archiving" something means you're keeping it, but getting it out of the Inbox.) Now, let's look at some that are a bit trickier:
Here are 2 of my favorites: "menu" and "more." If you're ever trying to figure out how to get to another part of a website, look for the "menu" icon. It's sometimes referred to as "the hamburger." If you're looking for more actions you can take on a site or app, such as printing or sharing, look for versions of the 3 dots.
And now for some really tough ones:
This is where icons can get downright frustrating. Let's say you want to share a funny picture on your iPhone with your friend. Depending on which app you're in, it may be any one of the top 3. And this is all on the same Apple device! If you're using Microsoft Windows, the "share" icon will look like the one in the lower left. If you're on an Android phone, look for that funny one with 3 connected dots (note: it doesn't have an arrow like the others, but does the same thing).
The Confidence That You Aren't Going to Break Anything
If you're learning a new app or device (i.e. the "language"), you can pair your knowledge of the icons with an understanding of the generally-accepted rules of how things should work. Let's go back to the example of wanting to share a photo or a webpage with a friend. What do you do if you don't see an obvious icon that says "share?" This is where many people freeze and give up, concerned that they'll break something. But I say, go ahead and just start tapping icons to see where they lead. People who are comfortable with their tech know that "it's got to be here somewhere." And, with a little bit of patience and exploration, they are almost always successful in finding what they need.
The Nonexistent Department of Icon Standardization
Until there are standardized regulations for having one icon for one function, and one place to find it, we are left to figure it out on our own. However, if you learn what the most common icons mean, you'll have a head start. This is the vocabulary part of learning the language of technology. To master the rules of the language, tap around on icons to see where they go. Exploration leads to understanding and feeling comfortable with your tech. Like learning any language, the more you practice, the better you get with it.
A BAD, BAD EMAIL SCAM
9/28/2022
In the past couple of weeks, I've noticed a rash of scams targeting AOL users. If you have an AOL email address, the information here will be of the highest importance. If you do not have an AOL email address, you'll still want to know this, as there are similar scams that use the same tricks. I'll explain what to look for, so you stay protected.
Scam #1: What Happens
The first scam comes to your email inbox pretending to be from AOL (see above image). It tells you that your password is about to expire. You think, "Oh no!" But there's a big blue button that promises to let you keep your current password. Unsuspecting (and very intelligent) people click on this button because they're stressed by the thought of losing their password or email account.
When you click on the button, you're taken to an official-looking AOL page where you're asked to enter your current password. Now, the scammer has your password and your email address.
What happens next? The scammer hacks into your email account and sends out a phishing scam to all of your contacts. This email that your friends, family, and professional associates get pretends to be from you. The scammer asks your contacts if they wouldn't mind buying a gift certificate on Amazon and emailing back the gift card code and number. The scammer (pretending to be you) says they'd do it themselves, but for some reason, their Amazon account isn't working.
Scam #2: What Happens
The second version of what I've been seeing lately is very similar to the first (see above image). The difference is that you're threatened with account de-activation. They try to make you think there's been a request from you to close your AOL account. Clicking on the link to "Cancel De-Activation" will put you on the same type of bogus web page that'll extract your account details. Using this info, the scammers will again hack into your account and try to fool your contacts. (There are several iterations of this scam. The one thing they have in common is trying to get you to panic.)
How to Spot the Scam
AOL is an email provider, so it would be easy for a scammer to make up an email address that may sound official-ish using "@aol.com." However, whenever AOL sends out its legitimate communications, it always marks them in two unique ways (shown in image below).
Courtesy of AOL.com
How to Spot Other Types of Email Scams
When it comes to emails from organizations that are NOT email providers, the best way to tell if the email you received is legitimate is to check who sent it. However, you can't just look at the title. See the below image, where it says "Michigan Theater Foundation" highlighted in blue. How do I know this email is from the Michigan Theater? I click the little arrow (circled in red) to show me the actual email address.
Yep! This one is really from the theater: "feedback@michtheater.org." It doesn't matter what the part before the @ says. It's the domain after the @ that matters. I know for a fact that the Michigan Theater's domain is always "michtheater.org." CAUTION: Tricky scammers will sometimes try to make the domain look like the real thing, e.g. "michtheater.com," instead of ".org," or "michtheater.org@google.com."
Also, ask yourself if you even have an account with the sender's organization. For example: "Your PayPal account will be charged $450." Do you have a PayPal account? If no, delete the email.
It Doesn't Take a Genius to Be a Scammer
Now, take a look at the two AOL scams we started with. They didn't even try to hide their email addresses! These scammers aren't rocket scientists. Sadly, they don't have to be. Their scams still catch a lot of people off guard. But not you. Now you know what to look for!
DON'T LET EMBARRASSMENT STOP YOU
8/14/2022
Why It's Natural
Unfortunately, many of my clients tell me that they feel embarrassed about not knowing what to do when it comes to their technology. I get why. A lot of tech is designed by people in their 20s for other people in their 20s. Something goes wrong, and you don't know what to do to fix it. The 8-year-old granddaughter knows how to fix it, and you start to think, "Why shouldn't I know what to do, too?"
Embarrassment is perfectly natural when you feel out of your element. Computers, smartphones, and wifi surround us and are integral to our daily lives these days. There's an app to check the weather, an app to give you directions, an app to buy things, and more. You feel that you should be in command of what you need to go about your day. When things go wrong and you don't know how to fix them, you feel incompetent.
But It's Okay
I want to emphasize here that, while it's normal to feel abashed, you should cut yourself some slack.
• First of all, everyone else is going through their own incompetence with technology–even the techie people. Not everything works all the time for me either. In fact, just last week, I accidentally pushed a wrong button and ended the family zoom call on everyone. I felt, well..., I felt embarrassed.
• Second, just because so many people use technology every day, it doesn't mean that you should be expected to know how to troubleshoot it when something goes wrong. A lot of people drive cars, too, but how many know how to repair them? Most have to take their car to a mechanic to get serviced.
• Third, you are an expert in your own field–law, medicine, music, art, administration, etc. You've spent a good chunk of your life honing your skills and can run circles around people who aren't in your field. How would you know how to do something like erasing your hard drive or setting up your router unless you were trained?
Kids seem to know so much more than adults about tech because they've grown up with it and are constantly talking about and sharing tricks with their friends. Solving tech problems is just intuitive to them.
Adverse Effects of Feeling Embarrassed
Many of my clients tell me that, when their technological issues make them embarrassed, they get flustered. Then they can't think straight, and they panic. Sometimes they dig themselves deeper into a hole, and other times they just shut down (their devices and themselves). When these feelings get to be too much, people become afraid to ask for help.
I Get it, and I'm Here For You
I understand what you're going through because I see it all the time. I can tell you from experience that a surprising number of people have the same tech issues and feelings. So, instead of ignoring your questions, ask me about them. I'll help you solve the problem. I'll also teach you about what causes the issue and how to get out of the jam next time. My goal is for you to feel comfortable around your technology, get it to do what you need it to do, and maybe even have fun while doing it.
10 GOOD THINGS ABOUT TECHNOLOGY
7/17/2022
It seems as though we can’t go through the day without a technological crisis. You're trying to log into Netflix, but the site isn't recognizing your password–or worse, you don't remember your password. Then, there’s the constant barrage of spam and scammers. Or, all of a sudden, your printer doesn't connect anymore. To top it off, the internet isn't working either. I could cite more examples, and I'm sure you could too.
Having said that, sometimes it's good to take a moment and focus on some of the good things about our tech. I offer to you this summer's...
Top 10 Good Things About Technology
1. Keeping in touch with your family and friends: Not only do we get to talk to our loved ones on the phones in our pockets, but we can also video chat with them. This is especially helpful with staying connected to friends and family who live far away from us. My daughters both live outside Ann Arbor. My wife and I feel closer to them than the actual geographical distance suggests because we FaceTime with them frequently.
2. Taking pictures and video whenever you want: In the "old" days, we had to lug around separate picture and video cameras while on vacation or at our kids' plays and games. Now, that technology is always in our pockets, we can be ready to capture even the silly moments with our pets.
3. Sharing photos and memories: How convenient it is to be able to immediately send people those pictures and videos? Additionally, when my family goes on vacation, all of us take picstures during the day. Later that night, we upload them to a shared album that we all can admire.
4. Using your phone camera's "selfie mode" as a mirror: OK, so maybe this one isn't one of the world's greatest uses of technology, but it sure is nice to see if you have anything stuck in your teeth after dinner with friends.
5. Getting instant weather updates: The plethora of good weather apps available make it so easy to find out if there's a storm coming. I love checking the radar screen to see when and where the rain is, and how much time I have until I have to get off the golf course.
6. Staying healthy with a smart watch: My wife loves her Apple Watch and all the ways it helps her keep fit. She tracks her exercise activity, heart rate, and sleep patterns on it. When we go for a walk, she can tell me how many miles we've covered. Many people also love the fall detection feature that will alert someone if they take a spill and can't get up.
7. Meeting over Zoom: Speaking of staying healthy, a lot of us are able to attend exercise and yoga classes over Zoom. In addition, we can attend meetings and doctor visits without leaving the house. And how about educational lectures from Elderwise and U of M's OLLI from the comfort of our own couches?
8. Enjoying music and podcasts: I love being able to take my music with me wherever I go. Apps like Spotify enable me to access just about any album I ever wanted. I also like to listen to informative and entertaining podcasts on long drives to help pass the time.
9. Identifying nature: Ever wondered what type of tree that is growing in your yard, or if that bug on your tomato plant will destroy your crop? There are very cool apps (e.g. Seek) available for our phones that use your camera to help ID all sorts of plants and bugs. And for the amateur ornithologist, you can find apps that will identify birds (e.g. Merlin Bird ID). There are even apps that will help you find constellations in the sky (e.g. Pocket Universe). If you're naturally curious like I am, you can't live without these apps.
10. Getting answers to your questions: While we're on the subject of finding out information, search engines, like Google, have made getting answers to just about any question as easy as pie. My brother-in-law calls it, "the end of wonder." But still, what would you do if you couldn't google what time the Michigan Football game starts?
ALPHABET SOUP
6/25/2022
Making Sense of Tech's Abbreviations
KB, MB, GB, TB? Mbps, Gbps? 4G, 5G, 5GHz? When someone in technology starts dishing out these abbreviations while giving directions or an explanation, many people's eyes glaze over–and for good reason. They are just letters swirling around in a bowl of alphabet soup, making a frustrating situation even more confusing. "I don't care what they mean, I just want my computer to work." Right? I totally get it. However, in the interest of clearing up a lot of the mystery, let me take a minute to define what they mean.
Taking a Byte: A Short History of Digital Units
Just like we use units to measure weight, temperature, and length, we also use units to quantify digital information. Let's start with something called a "bit" (represented by a small b). A bit is the smallest unit of data or digital memory in a computer. To encode a single character of text, it takes 8 bits. And we call 8 bits a "byte" (represented by the upper case letter B). So 8 bits = 1 byte = 1B
Similar to metric units of measurement, we add the letters K (kilo=thousand), M (mega=million), G (giga=billion), and T (tera=trillion). So a KB (kilobyte) is a thousand bytes. An MB (megabyte) is a million bytes or a thousand KBs, etc.
•Kilobyte: 1KB = 1000 Bytes
•Megabyte: 1MB = 1000 KBs
•Gigabyte: 1GB = 1000 MBs
•Terabyte: 1TB = 1000 GBs
What does this mean for...
•Computers: When someone asks you, "How much memory does your computer have?" or "How much RAM do you have?" you can understand what they're asking. In today's computers, we're usually dealing with GBs of memory. Many personal computers have 8-16 GBs of memory. (RAM is a technical name for type of memory here.) Hard drive space, or storage space, on your computer is measured this way, too. Typical storage capacities are 128 GB, 256 GB, 512GB, or 1TB.
•Backup Drives: backup drives often hold even more storage: 500 GB to 6TB of space.
•Phones: Most smartphones will have 128 GB, 256 GB, 512GB, or 1TB of storage space. (Your phone also has RAM, but it's generally not necessary to know how much.)
Why does it always seem that your old device never has enough memory or storage capacity? Tech manufacturers are constantly improving their products. Year after year, the operating systems and app capabilities grow, but they also require more and more memory and storage. In addition, consumers need more space as the amount of files they collect builds up with things like photos we take on our family vacations.
Internet Speeds: Same Thing, Only Different
When your internet speed is crawling along at an agonizingly slow pace, you may hear someone ask, "What's your download speed?" Similar to driving in a car and miles per hour, we measure the speed of our internet. With the internet, we use the term "megabits per second," or Mbps. Notice, however, that it's "megabits" and not "megabytes." Also, we're not using miles per hour, like a car, but rather a flow rate of bits of information (more like a hose or a pipe). Here's a little cheat sheet on internet download speeds to help keep your internet provider in check:
25 Mbps: a very basic speed
100 Mbps: getting better
500 Mbps: now we're talking
1000 Mbps or 1Gbps: stream all you want!
By the way, if you've ever seen me run a speed test at your home, you may remember me talking about "download" and "upload" speeds. Think of a Zoom call, where download is receiving other people's video and audio. Upload is you sending out your video and audio.
And Just to Make Things More Confusing
•Phones: If you own a smartphone, you've probably noticed the commercials for new 5G cell service from Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T. In this case, the "G" in 5G stands for Generation. Therefore, 5G cell service is 5th Generation cell service–as opposed to 4G, or 4th Generation.
•Wifi & Routers: You may be wondering, "Don't I have 5G on my wifi router, too?" Actually, here, we're talking 5 GHz–not 5G. Most wifi routers in the home today will have two broadcast frequencies: 2.4 GigaHertz (2.4 GHz) and 5 GigaHertz (5 GHz). The 2.4 GHz band is the slow, but steady one. It travels longer distances and through walls better than the 5 GHz. On the other hand, the 5 GHz band is faster, but doesn't travel as far. A good router will automatically detect and switch to which frequency is best for your device, depending on where it is in the house. You don't need to do anything for this to happen.
And Now You Know
Hopefully, this explanation of our alphabet soup has been helpful. After all is said and done, though, it still boils down to, "I don't care what they mean, I just want my computer to work." However, now, you have a cheat sheet on the units of your technology, and what units you'll need to make your devices work best.
DON'T TRASH IT. REPAIR IT
5/26/2022
Sometimes buying a new device isn't our best option
Buying a new device vs. making what we have work. I think about this dilemma a lot. Why? Number one, I want to make sure my clients have the best setup for their particular situation. Number two, I like to save people money. Number three, our society has a rapidly-growing problem of electronic waste ("e-waste"), and I want to add as little to the pile as possible.
U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford
What is e-waste anyway?
From one of my previous posts, you may have read about how the phones, computers, printers, TVs, and cords we throw out contribute toxic materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, and beryllium into the ground in our landfills. Additionally, these devices don't disappear. They're not biodegradable so they just continue to pile up. According to the Global e-Waste Monitor Report, 53.6 million metric tons of e-waste was generated worldwide in 2019. To put that into something visible for comparison, it's roughly the same weight as 535 aircraft carriers.
What can we do when our shiny-new tech becomes our faded-old tech?
When that smartphone starts to lose its ability to hold a charge after a few years, you can try replacing the battery instead of buying a new one. A new battery can usually be replaced in a few minutes, and it certainly costs less than a new phone. Likewise, if your computer is annoyingly slow, or is running out of storage, all it may need is new memory cards or a new hard drive. These are easily installable. There are many places around Ann Arbor that offer such services.
What's the hidden impact of buying a new device?
Perhaps even more important than saving money, is keeping your device out of the mountain of e-waste that's piling up. Moreover, the carbon footprint of making something new is probably higher than you ever imagined. For example, according to Apple, making a brand new iPhone 11 Pro 512 GB creates 83.52 kg (184.16 lbs) of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions (CO2e). This is roughly the same amount of C02e as a Delta flight from Detroit to Chicago.
Why is the environmental impact so high? In order to make a new device, raw materials must be sourced, mined, processed, etc. Those materials then go to a manufacturing plant to make the device. The device is then packaged and shipped multiple times (to the company's warehouse, to the store or another warehouse, and often to the consumer). Here's a graphic that shows the life cycle of the aforementioned iPhone 11 (note that using the phone only accounts for 13% of the CO2 emissions):
So why is this tech guy sounding so preachy?
My goal is always to make sure that each of my clients has the best setup. This includes providing and teaching about exactly what each individual needs–including saving money. As a rule of thumb, I say to people, keep fixing and upgrading your device until it doesn't do what you need it to do, or it no longer works. Then, if you need to buy something new, I'll help you find what's right for you. If we can't fix it, then let's recycle it. If it still works, but you'd rather have the latest version, then let's donate your old device so someone else can use it.
Saving money is nice. Saving the environment is also nice. In this case, we can do both.
SPAM TEXT OVERLOAD
4/15/2022
Have you been receiving a slew of text messages recently–the kind not sent from your friends and family? You're not the only one. The sheer number of text messages that companies are sending is skyrocketing. The text bombardment is due in part to a Supreme Court Ruling (Facebook v. Duguid), and the fact that brick and mortar stores are trying to compete with online retail by texting ads to people (which turns out to be very cheap and effective).
So what has changed that's allowing this deluge?
Last spring, the Supremes ruled in favor of Facebook's robotexting practice of sending messages to its users.* Unfortunately for all of us, this ruling gave the green light to any company to use its list of phone numbers to send text messages to consumers.
The other reason that we're seeing a large increase in text messages is that companies have discovered how well texts work in getting customers to buy. It only costs a fraction of one cent to send a text message, so marketers only need a very small percentage of people to click on the text's call-to-action in order for the campaign to be successful.
Many text messages we receive, however, have nothing to do with advertising. Many are simply messages that our food at Frida Batidos is ready, or our Delta flight has been delayed. While helpful, they still add to the pile of messages we must scroll through.
What can I do to stop them?
While some of these texts are ones that we've signed up for, many are not. We may want CVS to let us know when it's time to renew our prescription, but we may not want daily announcements from Bed Bath & Beyond about a sale on towels. Everyone's preference for which messages to keep receiving is different. For the ones you don't care to get anymore, simply text back the word, STOP. Legitimate companies have to remove you from their texting list. Otherwise, they are in violation of the law.
One more step you can take to prevent getting spam texts (from legitimate companies) is not give them your phone number in the first place. We usually let them know our phone number when we sign up or register for something with the entity. Often, it's a promotion where this happens. Sometimes, it's unavoidable, and we have to give them our phone number, but we can look to see if there's a box to check (or uncheck) so we don't receive marketing info from the company or its associates.
But what if the company isn't legitimate?
What if it's a scammer pretending to be a well-known brand? In this case, do NOT reply. Simply delete the text. Clicking on the link, or calling the number, will likely take you to a website or person where you'll be asked for personal or financial information that they're looking to steal. If you feel like reporting it, you can forward the text to 7726, which AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon use for such instances.
Additionally, if you have an iPhone, you can go to Messages in your Settings and turn on Filter Unknown Senders. This will put messages from people who are not in your Contacts into a separate list. If you have an Android phone, you can go into the Messages app, enter the Spam Messages setting, and set it to "Block Unknown Senders." Of course, both types of phones have the ability to block specific numbers, but this may not stop bad actors, who regularly send from a different number each time.
Sometimes it's very tricky to see if a text is legitimate or not. They can look so real. In this case, go through a checklist:
•Does the message offer you something that sounds too good to be true?
•Does the message cause you to be afraid that you have to "act now" or something bad will happen?
•Are there misspelled words or bad grammar?
•Does the website they want you to go to have a strange web address?
•When in doubt, delete it.
Take a deep breath
Be smart: slow down before clicking on something. Take the time to look at the message closely. If it's legitimate, but you don't want future texts from that sender, type STOP back to them. It can be a slow process, but in time, you'll be able to whittle down the number of messages you receive. Then you'll be able to focus on the real important messages–like the ones your daughter sends with her Wordle score.
*At issue was whether Facebook was using an automatic telephone dialing system–something prohibited by the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (a law created before the first text was ever sent). The court ruled that an autodialing system has to have a random number generator that makes the calls. Since Facebook was sending messages from its subscriber list, and not randomly generating numbers, it was free to continue.
IT'S TIME TO UPDATE YOUR SOUND SYSTEM
3/7/2022
Leia checks out the Sonos Move speaker
on its charging stand.
What's good for the goose
On a regular basis, I work hard to make sure other people's audio and visual systems are up-to-date, easy to use, and well organized. Last week, I hired myself and cleaned out my own audio/visual cabinet in the family room. I would have been embarrassed if any of my clients had seen how cluttered mine had become over the years. Yes, I'm using the latest technology for listening to music and watching TV, but the remnants of old devices and cords had become a rat's nest.
Among the chaos, a discovery
As I decluttered the cabinet, liberating the space of a 1989 cassette tape deck, unconnected coaxial cables, leftover power cords from who knows what, and a few dust bunnies, I discovered something I had forgotten. Emerging from a hole in the wall were two gray coils of speaker wire that ultimately led to our outdoor 3-season porch. I hadn't used or seen them in a couple of years. The wires weren't connected to anything in this cabinet--not to my audio receiver or TV or anything else. My mind began racing. What should I do with the wires? The speakers are still there on the porch. Surely I should connect them to something!
When you realize you have to let go
I was feeling guilty about not having used these porch speakers lately. Then I thought about WHY I haven't been using them. It was a simple reason: I haven't needed them. Yes, I still listen to music on the porch (it's a great place to relax on a summer evening). But I've been using my wireless, portable Sonos Move speakers to listen to music there–and in the family room–and in my study–and in the kitchen–and in the yard–and, well you get the point. The new technology of the Sonos speakers was all I needed. It was time to let go of my old speakers that were no longer useful.
For your listening pleasure
My Sonos speakers do everything I need them to do. They can play all of my music library from iTunes, Spotify, local radio stations, and more. The speakers work with both Bluetooth and our WiFi network–which means that I can control what each speaker is playing using the Sonos app on my phone. When I'm using the WiFi, I don't have to worry about keeping my phone close to the speakers, either. To top it all off, the sound quality of my Sonos Move speakers are much better than the older porch speakers I have hard-wired to the wall.
Call it spring cleaning, call it self-evaluation, or whatever, but the exercise I just went through was cathartic. I decluttered my cabinet, and I decluttered some nagging thoughts in the back of my mind that I was supposed to be using some old audio equipment that I really don't have a use for anymore. What I use now to listen to music is sleek and adaptable. It's also easier to set up, and easier to use than my old system. As a result, I use it more frequently, which means that I am able to enjoy my music more often.
If you'd like more details about a Sonos (or equivalent) sound system, or help with setting one up, please let me know. You'll wonder why you waited so long.
BEST WAY TO SHOW YOUR VACCINATION CARD
2/2/2022
So you've gotten your booster shot, and now you're tired of staying cooped up at home. You want to go to a movie, or a sporting event. Many places require proof of that vaccine. You'll need to show your vaccination card at the door to get in. Funny that they've made these all-important cards out of paper. They can get destroyed or lost so easily. So what's the best way to show your proof and still keep your document safe?
You don't want to lose your vaccination card, or ruin it accidentally, so I would recommend keeping it home in a safe place. Before putting it in a secure location, though, take a picture of it with your phone. This is the most basic step you can take to show your proof of inoculation.
Depending on what you're looking to do when leaving the house, you may need to upload that picture to a specific app. For instance, traveling to Canada requires you to download and use their ArriveCan app in order to enter the country. Hawaii has a different app for entry, called AlohaSafe Alert.
In New York City, they require you to show your vaccination card for entry into everything from museums to restaurants. Many people in the city use the NYC Covid Safe app. I downloaded this convenient little app on my phone before visiting family in Manhatten. It was very easy to add the photo I had already taken of my card. The app also has a spot to upload and show your driver's license and an optional recent negative Covid test.
Interestingly, upon returning to Ann Arbor, I found myself still using the NYC Covid Safe app. One of the biggest reasons is that it helps me locate my vaccination card photo quickly. Without the app, I'd be reliant on my phone's photo app. When you take a picture with your phone, it goes into your photos app in chronological order. That means I might have to scroll way back through all of my pics to find it again--especially if I've taken a lot of photos since. If I use the NYC app, though, all I have to do is tap on the app, and I immediately see a picture of my card!
Now, I can go to a movie at the Michigan Theater, or a U of M Basketball game at Crisler Arena and show proof of my vaccination to get in--without struggling to find my card or risking its destruction. You might like to try it, too. Or, you might find a different app that does the same thing. Whichever you choose, I highly recommend taking advantage of your phone's capabilities and leaving your original card at home.