Let there be hope...
Life has changed there is no doubt and we wanted to reach out to see how you are doing.
As we go through this interesting time, we are trying to look at this as an opportunity to focus on our family and on friends like you. Let us use this extra time to catch up and talk more. Let us cook food that is not fast, but interesting and satisfying. Let us learn to enjoy a time to try new things. Let us find ways to enjoy time at home!
Computer Security
If my client base is any experience, anyone can be a victim of a Ransomware, Malware or Virus attack.
What can you do about it?
I conduct audits of your entire computer infrastructure and apply best practice solutions to plug the security holes on your computers, Smartphones and networks.
Now offering consultations to give you the best protection possible:
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Home » Archives for April 2014
8:56 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
I was in the store the other day and saw some people ooh-ing and aah-ing over a demo of those new 4K TVs. They were going on about the detail and the motion smoothness and the vivid colors.
I’ll tell you something though; if they took it home with them they’d be very disappointed. It isn’t the TV’s fault though – any new TV is doing to be a disappointment when you get it home.
Want to get the best TV for your money? Read my HDTV buying guide before heading to the store.
That’s because new TVs aren’t calibrated correctly for your home’s lighting, so the colors will look off. I regularly get questions from disappointed buyers asking if they got a defective set.
If you buy a floor-model TV,...
12:06 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
One of the big reasons people don’t turn their computer off regularly is that it’s so slow to start up again. That’s why other power-saving options exist that are faster.
I’m sure you’ve seen the Sleep and Hibernate options. But now Windows 8 also has Fast Boot and Hybrid Shutdown built in. And then there are high-speed solid-state hard drives that can make a big difference.If your head is swimming at the possibilities, don’t worry; it isn’t as bad as you think.Since not everyone has Windows 8 or a solid-state hard drive, let’s take a look at the more universal Sleep and Hibernate first.
Sleep
Sleep is the older option, so more people are comfortable using it. Plus, on some computers – such...
11:56 AM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Summary: Dropbox has become one of the world's most popular cloud storage services by focusing on consumers. But businesses have different needs, and a recent controversial move by the company offers an opportunity to take a fresh look at alternative services that might be more suitable for your business.
Dropbox stirred up a hornet’s nest last week with the announcement that it had appointed Condoleezza Rice to its board of directors.
Part of the controversy is political. Rice was Secretary of State in the George W. Bush administration a decade ago and was part of the team that authorized the invasion of Iraq.
But the appointment is even more surprising given the former National Security...
11:45 AM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
If something about iOS 7.1 just didn’t sit right for you, no worries: Here comes iOS 7.1.1 to give it another shot.
The update came down the pipes on Tuesday for all devices compatible with iOS 7, but if you’re expecting big sweeping changes, you’re probably in for disappointment. The three issues mentioned in the release note are all fairly minor: further improvements to Touch ID on the iPhone 5s, a fix for a bug that could “impact keyboard responsiveness,” and a patch for a specific issue regarding VoiceOver when using a Bluetooth keyboard. There are also security improvements though, as of this writing, Apple hadn’t yet posted a list.
As always, iOS 7.1.1 is available both by plugging your...
6:28 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
If you’re like many people, most of your time on your computer, tablet or smartphone is spent in your
browser. It makes sense; your browser is your portal to the entire Internet.
But today I’m going to talk about a more basic browser function that surprisingly not a lot of people use to its full potential. I’m talking about bookmarks.
These make it simple to load sites you visit often, or a quick way to save pages to read later. But too often I see people manually typing in their favorite sites over and over, or leaving browser tabs open indefinitely.
So, without further ado, I’m going to walk you through creating them, organizing them and some cool tricks you can do with them.
Special...
6:19 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Dear Lifehacker,
I have a giant pile of important looking documents sitting in front of me, and I have no idea what to do with them. Some of them look pointless, but could be important. Which ones should I hold on to, and which ones should I shred?
Sincerely,
What's this Garbage
Blast from the past is a weekly feature at Lifehacker in which we revive old, but still relevant, posts for your reading and hacking pleasure. Now that tax day has come and gone, we figured it was time for a good refresher on what to shred and what to keep.
Dear WG,
We all get a ton of junk in the mail—whether it's credit card applications, insurance packets, or a 60-page retirement fund report from a job you had...
10:35 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Have you been hearing about the growing number of people who are
ditching cable and satellite in
favor of streaming online video?
That’s what has fueled the growth of sites like Netflix, Hulu Plus and Amazon Instant Video.
Streaming video gives you more options than traditional cable or over-the-air broadcasts.
You can watch movies and shows whenever you want. There are both free and paid options, depending on the service you get. You can access Internet-only videos and news, music and other digital information. It’s just better all around.
Many new TVs, so-called “smart” TVs, can connect to the Internet and have built-in apps for streaming from most online videos services – iTunes being...
10:22 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Click on this link for a troubleshooting guide to solving iPhone Battery Drain Problems:
http://www.overthought.org/blog/2014/the-ultimate-guide-to-solving-ios-battery-drain
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Carl Thorne
Expert Computer Consulting
voice: 404.229.0839 email: carlthorne@hthcatlanta.com
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10:16 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Summary: As of April 8, Microsoft will make available to all Windows 8.1 users an update for the
operating system. In order to continue to get patches, 8.1 users need to move to it soon.
As of tomorrow, April 8, all Windows 8.1 users will be able to move to Windows 8.1 Update.
Microsoft will be making the Update -- formerly known by those of us who've been tracking it for a while now as "Update 1" and/or "Spring Update" -- available via Windows Update. This just in: It will be available starting around 10 a.m. PDT/1 p.m. EDT Tuesday via the Control Panel, meaning users can manually obtain and install it. Automatic delivery of the Update will be throttled, so users may not see it show up until...
10:06 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Microsoft’s recently released Office for iPad apps (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) have some great features. Unfortunately, printing
isn’t yet one of them. Microsoft says that printing will be included in a
future update, but it wasn’t available at the suite’s initial launch.
But never fear: You can in fact print Office documents from your iPad right now. (Assuming, of course, you've already set up your iPad and printer appropriately.) All it takes is a few extra steps plus an extra app or two.
Microsoft's own OneDrive cloud-storage service, where Office for iPad apps store their files, provides the essential workaround. The trick is to get the file you want to print from OneDrive...
10:00 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
In case you missed it, the big news of the week is the “Heartbleed” bug that’s been exposing sensitive
However, I’ve gotten lots of questions asking for more detail on a specific suggestion I made for staying safe. So, here it is, in more detail.
And this advice isn’t just for Heartbleed; every computer user needs to know how to do this one thing.
I am, of course, talking about the right way to change your online passwords. Even if you think you know how, read on to make sure you aren’t missing an important step.
Controversy: There is still some debate about when you should change your online passwords in response to Heartbleed. If you change a password before Heartbleed is fixed on a site,...
9:41 PM
High Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Have you seen a suspicious charge for $9.84, $10.37 or $12.96 on your credit or debit card recently?
In the past, I’ve told you about a criminal ring based in suburban Los Angeles that went to a bank and bought the credit card numbers of 2 million customers. The crooks put small charges of less than $10 on all the cards month after month. Eventually, they stole hundred of millions of dollars.
Only 7 percent of people ever noticed the bogus charges. We talk about balancing our checkbooks and carefully vetting our credit card statements, but apparently it’s just lip service.
And now in what’s shaping up to be a similar scenario, people around the country are reporting mysterious charges...
