Archive for the ‘Smartphone’ Category
Mobile computing devices are letting us access the Web (and take care of business) from just about anywhere. Wireless technology now lets us pay our bills at the coffee shop, check our email while waiting for the kids after soccer practice, or take a conference call while getting our oil changed. Tablets and smartphones make it easy to manage our lives and stay in touch with the office while we are out and about.
All of this mobility comes at a price. Identity theft is becoming a real concern, as mobile devices used on open wireless networks could expose your valuable private data to hackers out trolling for their next victim.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to approach security issues a bit too casually when using our tablets — like leaving it sticking out of our backpack while going to the counter for a refill or on the seat of an unlocked car. The very thing that makes these device so convenient also makes it more vulnerable to theft. If you use it to access your bank account, a resourceful thief could figure out how to follow the path into your account.
Our friends at the Naked Security blog recently posted a very handy article on steps you can take to make your tablet more secure. We think all tablet users would benefit from checking themselves against the advice here:
Securing a Tablet for Web Browsing in Six Easy Steps
If you need help setting up your new tablet or mobile email account, we’re here to 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, sketch writing, and learning how to cook new cuisines.
“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.
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
When I think back on the holiday family road trips of my youth, I mostly remember the fear of being lost after missing an exit on an unknown stretch of highway or the frustration of trying to find a gas station in a strange town. Technology – in the form of Global Positioning System (GPS) devices – have rendered those fears and frustrations things of the past.
If you’re looking for GPS for your big trip this holiday season, you will first need to decide on whether you want a standalone device or you want to use a smartphone app.
Getting a GPS app for your smartphone is a great way to easily add a way-finding tool to your life. The apps are often cheap or free, and can be updated with the latest information using the smartphone’s broadband connection. On the downside, you need to remember to keep your phone charged before setting out on a trip. (The last thing you want when you are travelling is to be stuck on the side of the road with a phone that has a drained battery.)
There are plenty of reasons you may want to get a standalone GPS unit. An advantage of the standalone unit is that it carries its maps in memory built into the device. Onboard maps are handy if your holiday trip includes long stretches along country highways where the cell phone signals can be weak or non-existent.
Some smartphone apps will allow you to pre-download maps in case you lose your mobile signal during your trip. So if you go with a GPS app, it would be a good idea to download the all the maps you made need before you hit the road. Maybe you could do it at the same time you charge up the device.
When deciding on a standalone GPS unit, you will want to make sure the device comes with “lifetime” maps and traffic. Lifetime maps means the GPS manufacturer will make periodic updates of the maps on the device available for download. The “lifetime” part means you will be able to download updates for the life of the unit. That’s great for making sure you don’t get stuck when that bridge you always use to get to Aunt Petunia’s house is suddenly closed for construction.
“Lifetime” traffic means that your GPS unit has a receiver built-in to receive traffic and construction alerts and will warn you of temporary delays. Most units with this feature can be configured to automatically route you around severe delays, saving you time and gas.
No matter which GPS device you choose, you want to make sure it is running the latest firmware for that unit. (Check out this video from Geek Squad for more background what firmware is.) Updates are usually available at the manufacturer’s website. Instructions on connecting your device to a computer should be in the owner’s manual.
If you decide to go with a smartphone app, make sure to check your smartphone’s online app for any software updates available for your app.
For more on updating firmware, take a look at this ‘Two Minute Miracle” video on our YouTube channel:
Agent Derek has been removing 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.
Technical advances give us new ways to connected with loved ones, especially those far away from us. New to social media? Here’s a breakdown of a few social media networks to help you share what’s new with family and friends, get up to date on the latest celebrity news, and connect with others around ideas and current events.
Instagram has become the leading online tool for editing and sharing images. Its interface is easy to use and connections with other social networks make it the best tool to show the grandkids what you are up to these days.
It allows you to easily share photos from your smartphone (or other digital devices) on most of the popular social networks. It allows users to edit, dress-up and improve their pictures. Instagram also maintains its own social network to allow power-users to share their work with other interested photo designers.
Photos from Instagram don’t have to stay online. Users can now easily turn their filtered photos into actual photos on canvas using CanvasPop or into desk calendars with the Calendargram app.
Google+ is a social networking site with multiple features, and is ideal for those who want to share content-rich information. It allows you to easily share personal documents, photos and links to other content, and gives live text (and video) chat options for anyone who has a Google account.
Google+ has a wide variety of features, including Google Hangouts (an online group chat tool) and the “+1 button” (which allows users to personally endorse an article or an interesting item from the Web). Google+ also allows you to categorize your contacts into a variety of groups called ‘circles.’ These ‘circles’ give you an additional level of control over who sees what you post on the network.
Google Docs has recently been integrated into Hangouts, the video chat feature of Google+. Users can pull up their documents while using the video chat feature and share their screen to for easy face-to-face tele-conference and presentation capabilities.
Pinterest is a virtual pin board where users can “pin” (collect) and store online images in collections based on their interests. Pinterest collections are great ways to collect and share photos of birthday parties, sunsets, famous quotations and favorite family recipes.
If you’re constantly surfing the web, it can be difficult to remember exactly where you saw that cute kitty picture your daughter/granddaughter/niece will absolutely love. Pinterest is easily added to your internet browser to make it easier to images from the web.
Stumped for gift ideas for the upcoming holiday season? Check out Pinterest’s gift section — it has segmented categories with different price ranges, and clicking on the image will take you to the product information.
Twitter is an online, micro-blogging social network that allows users to share and read posts. Users can follow and get tweets from friends, celebrities, news outlets, companies and other organizations. The challenge and artistry of this platform is this: each post (called a “tweet”) can only be 140 characters or less. (That’s it.)
Twitter is a great way to quickly receive updates and breaking news and updates from your friends, family, favorite sports team or news outlet. You can create different lists to direct your tweets into different collections based on their author.
To help you create lists, Twitter has a “suggestions” feature that suggests ways to categorize your tweets. Note: watch what you tweet. One of your followers can easily share (“re-tweet”) your tweets with others.
Most people are familiar with Facebook, the largest and most widely-used social media network in the world.. You can interact with other Facebook users by “friending” them and “liking” or commenting on their posts, photos, and other content they share on their wall. Companies, sports teams, politicians, celebrities and social movements all use Facebook to spread the word about their activities.
To best use Facebook, remember to keep in mind what you want to share. Check your privacy settings and make sure your public information is the kind of thing you want public. If you need help, Geek Squad Agents are available 24/7 online at geeksquad.com to help you figure out the settings.
Did you know you can now use Facebook to connect you and your friends using text messages? If your Wi-Fi or Internet connectivity is off, you can still contact your friends and family via Facebook. You can turn on text messaging so your contacts can use Facebook Messages to send you texts. Once you have activated text messaging through your Facebook account, you can send a text to 32665 (FBOOK) and send a text to be posted on your friend’s Facebook wall.
LinkedIn is a social networking tool focused on professional networking and building business relationships. It can be used for professional networking needs, and has informational tabs that compile your industry’s top news for the day for quick reference.
LinkedIn can be used to connect professionally and as a supplement to the traditional resume and business card. LinkedIn allows you to expand and personalize your professional experiences, giving you a place to put all those things you leave off the hard copy of your resume. You even have the option of adding a video onto your LinkedIn profile to give you an extra boost in impressions.
Check out LinkedIn fequently to see what your contacts and colleagues are up to. It’s a great way to stay connected professionally, and congratulate themon their career accomplishments while keeping those professional doors open.
On many social media sites, people can request to follow or friend you. If you’re not comfortable with strangers having access to your social media information, be careful who you allow into your social network. In most cases, they will have access to everything you post to the network.
There are a lot of different ways to handle the privacy settings offered by social media sites. On Facebook and many other social media sites, marking your page as private will prevent members of the general public from seeing anything but the most general information about you.
Social media websites generally undergo changes a few times every year, and most of those facelifts affect privacy settings in some way. If you notice changes on social-networking site homepages, it’s a good idea to revisit your privacy settings, and perform a quick internet search to learn more. We keep up on this kind of thing so we will be able to help you with any questions you may have.
Here’s a few general guidelines that everyone should know about social networking websites:
If the social media universe is still too much for you, let Geek Squad help.
Agent Wiebusch carries badge number #3881 and has thwarted rogue technology issues since 2004, helping clients in store, in their home or business, and now online. When away from computers, he enjoys playing sports, playing videogames, and tinkering with motorcycles, classic cars, and anything else fast.
Happy birthday, Android! One of the truths of technology is that it is always changing, and one tech area we’ve seen plenty of change in has been the world of smartphones and tablets. It is eye-opening to look back and try to remember a world before the modern mobile platforms were around.
Android was first unveiled by the Open Handset Alliance on November 5th, 2007. Less than a year later, the first Android phone, the HTC Dream, was released to the market. The Android operating system has grown since then with over 500 million devices activated worldwide.
Congratulations, Android on making it to your 5th year. We look forward to your continued contributions and innovations to the smartphone and tablet market.
Agent Derek has been removing 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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