Archive for the ‘Computing’ Category
“Cool. I didn’t know it could do that!”
That’s a phrase Agents hear every week. Most customers spend a good deal of time preparing for their major tech purchases – comparing features, checking system compatibilities, measuring dimensions and reading product reviews. The strange thing is that many seem to forget how their new gizmos can simplify their lives between the time they say “I’ll take it” and they get it out of the box at home. Yeah, it’s all in the manual, but who has time to read the manual?
We do.
Here are some tips and tricks you may have forgotten since the salesperson mentioned them back at the store. Never hurts to be reminded…
There’s so much more you can do with a smartphone beyond making calls.
So many people said technology would kill reading as a pastime. But e-readers and tablets have only increased our appetite for the printed word. Here are some steps you can take to help your devices help you.
These days televisions are for more than watching shows and movies. High-definition displays and internet connectivity mean getting the most out of your TV is a bit more complicated than making sure all the cables are hooked up correctly. Here are some things to keep in mind.
Web connectivity has made gaming systems more fun than that old Nintendo machine you grew up playing.
If you aren’t sure that you are getting everything out of your new computer, home theater or gaming system, we can help.
Agent Ron G. has been battling the forces of unruly technology run amok since 2001, prior to Geek Squad’s acquisition of Best Buy. When not busy creating video & technical training content for Geek Squad Agents in the field, Agent Ron enjoys home brewing, international travel, and learning how to cook new cuisines.
As most PC users (and readers of this blog) know, Microsoft released an update to their Windows operating system last November. The new version of the market-leading OS marked a significant departure from the old way of doing things, employing a less hierarchical organization and touch-friendly interfaces instead of the mouse-and-keyboard /point-and-click world of the past.
The new Windows looks very different from the last five or six versions of the system — and change is sometimes hard. (At the time of the OS’s release, we published a series of posts here to help users get a sense of how to cope with the changes.)
One of the most significant changes is the way the OS handles applications. They are closer to the apps you buy for your smartphone – less expensive, lighter, and more visually-oriented. Windows 8 apps are available from the App Store that is built in to the system.
Agent Tufts (from our United Kingdom branch) put together a blog post highlighting the most useful Windows 8 apps. We hope you enjoy it:
Top Windows 8 Apps You Didn’t Know Existed
Agent Ron G. has been battling the forces of unruly technology run amok since 2001, prior to Geek Squad’s acquisition of Best Buy. When not busy creating video & technical training content for Geek Squad Agents in the field, Agent Ron enjoys home brewing, international travel, and learning how to cook new cuisines.
One of the great things about the Web is how it allows us to transact business remotely. Internet-based financial tools give us the ability to pay our bills online, manage bank accounts, or sell stuff we no longer need and buy whatever we want from the safety of our living rooms. (Sure beats running to the bank just to stand in line waiting for one of the two tellers on duty.)
In an increasingly mobile world, you don’t even need a computer to do business online. According to a recent study by Forrester Research, nearly 13% of mobile phone users access their banking information through their smartphones. That number is expected to increase to 108 million by 2017, meaning more than 45% of bank account holders in the US will manage their accounts with mobile tools.
However, all of this convenience comes with a downside: with more and more of our private information transmitted over the Internet, it can expose that information to hackers and ne’er-do-wells looking to use it for their own nefarious purposes. Every day, new identity scams and ‘crimeware‘ are unleashed into the cyberworld, and it’s tough work keeping up with them. There are a few standard steps you can take to protect your private data, and it’s always a great idea to use a secure password, but what it always comes down to is constant vigilance.
Unfortunately, everyone makes mistakes. If you do fall victim to crimeware, what should you do to minimize the damage? The folks over at the UK branch of Norton/Symantec put together a great article on how to recover if your victimized. (Check it out at the link below.)
Restoring your computer to its pre-infection state can be a little tricky. If you aren’t in the mood to deal with it on your own, don’t worry – Geek Squad Agents can help. (We live for this sort of challenge.)
Agent Ron G. has been battling the forces of unruly technology run amok since 2001, prior to Geek Squad’s acquisition of Best Buy. When not busy creating video & technical training content for Geek Squad Agents in the field, Agent Ron enjoys home brewing, international travel, public speaking (yes, he’s that kind of crazy) and learning how to cook new cuisines.
According to a recent study, more than 8,000 mobile devices were left behind at just seven of the country’s largest airports in the last year. The most common places mobile devices were left behind? Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoints and restrooms.
Losing your mobile device – smartphone, tablet or laptop – can be a traumatic experience. Life in the modern world is so device-driven that suddenly being without the gadget you’ve come to rely on can be amajor inconvenience. Even more of a drag than paying for a new phone is recovering all those saved contacts, emails, documents, photos, music files and passwords c — if you even can, that is.
Don’t panic. We’ve got some helpful tips for you to lock, locate and recover your device, and give you better peace of mind.
Locking your device with a password can help ensure that your data is kept safe in the event of loss or theft.
For laptops, mobile devices and tablets, we recommend using a strong password that is at least 8 characters long. It should contain a combination of numbers, letters and symbols, using a combination of upper and lower case whenever possible. For added protection, laptops should be physically locked when left unattended (even at home). Finally, never write down your password (it makes it easier for someone to find it) or tell anyone what it is.
If you misplace your device before you’ve had a chance to lock it with a password, make sure to change the passwords to all personal accounts your accessed through that device before it disappeared, or else whoever finds the device will have access to all of them. This is especially important for email accounts, online banking login information and social media sites, because they tend to contain the most valuable personal information.
Also, be sure to contact your service provider when you discover your device is missing. Many providers are able to remotely lock your device or account, helping to prevent unwanted phone calls, data usage and costly fees.
While passwords and locks are a good first line of defense, there are several additional ways to protect your device if you set it down somewhere, or it falls out of your pocket.
One of the first things to do is install a mobile security suite on your mobile device. On Android smartphones, free apps like Lookout Mobile Security, Norton Mobile Security Lite, Seekdroid Lite and Webroot Secure Anywhere Mobile let you remotely locate your device, lock it, and/or delete all the data in it.
Users of the iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch can get similar functionality by, installing the free Find My iPhone app. Users can sign in with their Apple ID, and a map showing the approximate location of their device will be available. The app gives users the option of displaying a message on the lost hardware, locking it down, or remotely wiping it.
For even more security, you might want to check out Geek Squad’s Locked & Found app($2.99/month). It allows users to remotely lock their device and use GPS to locate it. Plus, if someone finds your device, they can report it through the device even if you locked it. If your device is stolen, Locked and Found can take a picture of the person holding the device and turn on a screaming alarm. We also have a 24/7 service available to facilitate getting your Apple, Android or Blackberry device back to you, and is included in Geek Squad Protection plans (or can be purchased purchased as a standalone app).
LoJack for Laptops is another lock, locate and recover service available specifically for laptops. As with the services for smartphones, LoJack allows subscribers to remotely lock and delete files from the laptop if it is ever stolen. The system uses patented technology to track the laptop and assist local law enforcement to recover it. Plans start at $40 per year.
If you haven’t installed a security program on your device, you can always try locating your device by contacting it via phone, text or email. If you’ve installed them, you can use free services, such as Skype or Google Voice. You can also send the device a detailed message with information on how to return your missing device through email or SMS message using Gmail.
Equipment is replaceable. Often times, data is not. Make sure you don’t lose your data by regularly backing up your gadget’s information.
With the proper utilities, you can easily synch your smartphone or tablet to your computer using the USB port to transfer information. You can also use a cloud storage app such as iCloud (free) for Apple and MyBackup Pro ($4.99) for Android, which allow users to back-up and access their mobile device’s data from any location. If you’re a Google+ user, the Instant Upload feature automatically uploads photos and videos from your smartphone to a private album, so you never lose a memory.
With PC laptops, software programs such as Genie Backup Manager ($39.95), Norton Ghost ($69.99) and Second Copy ($29.95) automatically maintain current archives of your personal information (as does Time Machine for Macintosh computers). You can access cloud storage sites such as Evault and IBackup from any Internet connection.
Want to back things up the old-fashioned way? Burn it to CD/DVDs, or manually copy your data to external hard drives or USB devices (just remember to back up your data on a regular basis).
No matter which approach to securing your mobile devices your choose, always remember that in our mobile world, data security comes down to three words – lock, locate and recover.
The digital age has revolutionized everything around us — including cooking dinner. Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or a skilled chef, there are a number of smartphone apps, online resources and gadgets that can make your time in the kitchen much less frantic, and much more productive and fun.
Keeping up on the latest recipes, techniques and events from your favorite cooking sites can mean a lot of clicking and digging through things. This is where RSS (Really Simple Syndication) comes in very handy. RSS lets you create a newsfeed from the sites you are interested in, letting you keep up on new content from those sites without digging through them one-by-one. Most websites and blogs offer RSS feeds and there are a number of free RSS readers available free.
Another option are services like Pocket (http://getpocket.com) — a internet browser add-in that allows you to bookmark a page for reading later. Adding Pocket (Android, iOS: free) on your smartphone, tablet, and computer makes it easy for you to check out your recipes wherever you go.
Cooking shows are popular today. So is internet video. Put them together, and bam — you’ve got a world of culinary options.
The old tried-and-true method for finding videos of your favorite cuisine prep is Youtube — and why not, since it has such a huge base of contributors? But if you are looking for something with a little better quality (no shaky cam, lighting, good sound and smooth cuts), then check out HowCast & VideoJug — two DIY based video sites that both have a wide range of recipes & quick, helpful tips demonstrated by experts. And if you want to take a master class in a subject? Check out Craftsy — where world renowned experts like Peter Reinhart and others hold online seminars on artisan bread baking, cheese making, cake decoration and more – for around the same cost as your average cookbook today.
Want to drink in the latest and greatest of cooking online, before you make the plunge on a recipe? Foodgawker and Tastespotting are here for you, providing colorful rows upon rows of pictures from the latest in food blogging beauty. See something you like? Click through to the food blog, with recipes and ample pictures to guide you through duplicating that recipe in your home.
Video conferencing software is making it easy to visually connect with family and friends in real time. So whether you need tips on doing mom’s turkey gravy or just cannot make it across the country to a reunion dinner with your friends from school, it is easier than ever to be there using Skype, Google+ Hangouts and FaceTime.
Agent Ron G. has been battling the forces of unruly technology run amok since 2001, prior to Geek Squad’s acquisition of Best Buy. When not busy creating video & technical training content for Geek Squad Agents in the field, Agent Ron enjoys home brewing, international travel, and learning how to cook new cuisines.
There have been a number of articles in the tech press lately about vulnerabilities with smartphone passcodes. Phones using both Android and iOS systems have been plagued by hacks that allow unauthorized users to get around the passcode lockscreen. Apple recently released an update to their operating system intended to address this problem. A similar issue was also discovered in Galaxy Note 2 phones.
When things like this hit the press it’s often difficult for most users to understand whether they should be concerned or not. Lifehacker has a good article that discusses what these vulnerabilities allow unauthorized users to do, how passcodes work, and how best to secure your phone. If you’re concerned with the security of your smartphone, it’s definitely worth the read:
How Secure Is the Passcode on My Phone?
If you still need help understanding and using your smartphone, Geek Squad can help.
Saving digital files used to be so easy — just hit “Control-S”, and “Bam!” — your spreadsheet was saved. If you wanted to take the file with you, you just burned it onto a CD, and you were off.
But the modern world of mobile computing has made preserving digital files a bit more complicated. It’s not that the way files are saved to computer memory has changed. (After all, its still just a bunch of 1s and 0s, when you get down to it.) It’s the sheer number and variety of devices that contain your digital content that’s making the keeping of your digital information safe (and retrievable) challenging.
It used to be all those files were saved on the computer you created them on. Now — with digital cameras, tablets, laptops and smartphones — most of us create and store digital content on a number of devices. Most of those gadgets can share files either wirelessly, or via removable storage media, so passing files, photos and music between devices has become incredibly easy. (This makes it even more difficult to figure out if you saved that pic of your mom with cake on her nose… and where you put it.)
As most Geek Squad Agents will tell you, the key to many things in life (including effective digital storage) is to come up with an good procedure and stick to it. Since everyone’s file preservation needs are different, an effective system usually involves a customized combination of standard tools.
While doing some research recently on storage solutions, we came across a wonderful series of articles on CNET explaining the techniques and technology behind digital file preservation called “Digital Storage Basics. It was just the right combination of detail and overview to help just about anyone spec out an effective digital storage system, and is definitely worth the time.
Check the articles out here:
Part 1: Internal Storage v. Memory
Update: Since publishing this article last week, Java 7u13 has been released, with important fixes included. We’ll post a follow-up article once the blacklisting has been removed.
For the second time since the beginning of 2013, Apple has blocked the latest release of the Java plug-in, effectively preventing it from being loaded into machines running OS X — as it did once before, in January of this year.
While it’s not immediately clear why Apple blocked this release of the Java 7 web plug-in, it’s likely that they are responding to reports that began over the weekend that this new release had some security issues and was allowing unsigned computer code to run on machine running the new plug-in.
Apple isn’t the only group with concerns about this latest release of Java. In a Vulnerability Note updated January 24, the US Department of Homeland Security recommends “(u)nless it is absolutely necessary to run Java in web browsers, disable it… even after updating to 7u11 (the latest release).”
Since users of OS X were victimized by the Flashback Trojan malware in 2011, Apple has been slowly moving away from integrating Java into its operating systems. Later versions of the software rely less and less on Java, even going so far as to disable the plug-in in the 2012 version of OS X Lion.
To find out how to disable Java in your machine, see the Homeland Security Vulnerablity note or this article in ZDNET.
If you think you might be a victim of a computer virus or malware, we have Agents standing by 24/7 at 1-800 Geek Squad, or chat with an Agent online here.
So you splurged over the holidays and bought a brand-spanking-new laptop. Or you decided to pool all those gift cards and upgrade your home computing hardware. Let’s face it – you needed to put that old desktop that was still running Windows XP out to pasture. Feels better, doesn’t it?
Now that you’ve gotten all our browser favorites and music moved over to the new machine, it’s time to think about clearing it off your desk. But before you bring it in to Best Buy for recycling or donate it to a worthy non-profit, don’t forget to wipe your hard drive.
It’t hard to keep track of all the important personal information you end up storing on your computer, so it’s a good idea to scrub all the memory on the machine before letting it leave your possession. Selecting all the files and deleting them is not enough. Some data recovery tools can recover deleted files. To make sure you none of your personal information goes out with your computer when you let it go, there are some extra steps you should take to make sure your hard drive is really blank.
Fortunately, Geek Squad is here to help. A while back, we put together a ” Two Minute Miracle” video to help people understand how to securely wipe their hard drive before handing it to someone else for reuse or disposal. Check it out here:
We also have a Tech Tip on our website outlining how to wipe a hard drive. Find it here.
If you have any questions about this, we have Agents available 24/7 at 1-800 Geek Squad or chat with an agent here.
Security experts have issued several warnings about security holes in recent versions of the Java software from Oracle. Java is used in web browsers across operating systems like Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X, and is primarily used by websites to display dynamic content on your browser and some downloadable applications.
According to an alert issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, Java 7 (Update 10 and earlier) have a vulnerability in its code that can allow a hacker to run malicious software on a Java-enabled computer if that PC accesses a hacked website, or downloads malicious programs.
Oracle has released an update for the program (Java 7 Update 11) that is available as a free download at http://www.java.com.
Some security experts are still concerned about the vulnerability of Java, as this is not the first time hackers have used security holes in the code to exploit systems. Their recommendation? Disable Java on your computer, which can be done a) through the Control Panel, or b) by uninstalling the Java software from your computer.
Whether you remove Java completely comes down to the basic question of “security v. functionality” all computers face. Removing programs that have security vulnerabilities may help reduce vulnerabilities on your computer, but at the cost of losing some features and functionality of websites and downloaded programs on your machine.
Regardless, Geek Squad recommends practicing safe browsing habits whenever you are on the Internet, as well protecting your computer by keeping the Operating System updated and having updated antivirus software, as well as keeping your important files (documents, photos, etc) backed up on a routine basis.
If you need assistance in making sure that your computer is up-to-date and protected, connect to our Geek Squad Tech Support team online, stop by a Geek Squad Precinct in a Best Buy store near you, or call 1-800 GEEK SQUAD today.
Agent Derek has helped remove techno-stress from the lives of his Geek Squad clients since 2005. When not providing remote help as an Online Support Agent, he likes to take to the road on a vintage motorcycle for adventures through Ohio country highways.
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