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:
2:22 PMHigh Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
While the rest of the internet was busy dissecting the iPhone event invitation and digesting the unprecedented leaked official renders, Apple quietly launched a new repair program for the soon-to-be-outdated iPhone 8.
Apple has apparently determined that “a very small percentage of iPhone
8 devices contain logic boards with a manufacturing defect.” Here’s
everything you need to know about getting your phone fixed:
Apple
says affected devices may experience unexpected restarts, a frozen
screen, or won’t turn on at all. It sounds a lot like the battery issue that affects older iPhone models.
Which iPhones does the program cover?
Apple says only iPhone 8 devices are included in the replacement program. It does not extend to the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X.
I bought my phone on launch day last year. Is it covered?
Yes, Apple says all phones manufactured between September 2017 and March 2018 are eligible for replacement.
I don’t live in the U.S. Am I still covered?
Yes. Apple says the affected models were sold in Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Japan, Macau, New Zealand, and the U.S.
How do I know if my phone is affected?
If you’ve been experiencing any of the issues above, then you probably have one of the bad logic boards. To be sure, you can enter your serial number on this page to
see if your phone is eligible for a repair. You'll need your serial
number, which you can find by going to the Settings app, tapping General and then About.
Contact Apple Support to arrange mail-in service via the Apple Repair Center.
My phone isn’t eligible but I’ve been having issues. What do I do?
Hurry
up and get to an Apple Store before your warranty expires. The iPhone 8
launched on September 22, 2017, so all phones are still covered under
the Apple’s warranty, whether or not an extended AppleCare+ warranty was
purchased.
No, Apple will repair eligible devices free of charge.
I’m on the iPhone Upgrade Program. Should I just wait for the new phones?
If
you’re able to deal with the problem for a couple weeks and were
planning on upgrading anyway, then sure. Once the new phones go on sale,
you’ll be able to swap your affected iPhone 8 for a new phone just like
usual.
2:15 PMHigh Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Yesterday, Microsoft announced the availability of Office 2019
to volume licensing customers, promising general retail availability in
the coming weeks. Unless you’re a business customer looking to upgrade
and you’re not ready to move your Office life to the cloud, this
probably won’t matter to you.
What is Office 2019?
Office 2019 is the stand-alone, perpetual license version of Office.
It’s just like Office was in the days before the subscription-based
Office 365 was in play. You make a one time purchase, and you get to
keep on using it as long as you want—on one PC or Mac. The consumer
version, Office Home & Business 2019, isn’t available yet, but
Microsoft has announced the price—$249.
That sounds okay. Why not avoid a subscription fee for Office 365 and buy a perpetual license? Well, there are a few reasons.
Microsoft Is Clearly Downplaying Office 2019
That screenshot above is from Microsoft’s Office 2019 landing page,
and it starts right off with equivocating language: “For customers who
aren’t ready for the cloud” is partly straight talk and partly subtle dark pattern
manipulation. Microsoft clearly designed Office 2019 as a stop gap for
companies that aren’t ready to move to a subscription-based model. Fair
enough. But it also starts digging at you a little bit and making it
clear that you’re missing out if you’re not going with Office 365.
Scroll down a bit past two whole feature points (“create with ease” and “simplify your work”), and you get to this:
Not trying real hard to sell us on the whole Office 2019 deal, are they?
The truth is that back in May,
Microsoft decided to freeze the code for Office 365—a continually
updated subscription version of Office—and issue that as Office 2019. It
doesn’t even have all the features that Office 356 has right now, just a
subset of those features.
It’s pretty clear that going forward, Microsoft is considering Office
365 the real version and Office 2019 pretty much an afterthought
required for customers that have resisted the subscription model.
Office 365 Still Offers More Features and Is Probably a Better Deal
So let’s talk a bit about Office 365. Yes, it might sound like a pain
to pay yet another subscription fee, but believe it or not, it’s a
pretty great deal.
Take the Office 365 Home subscription, for example. It runs $99 per year, and this is what you get with it:
Six different users can install the full desktop version of Office
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, and so on) on however many
devices they want. The only restriction is that each person can only use
Office on one of their devices at a time—not a big deal. They also get
access to the mobile and online apps.
Each of those six users gets a full terabyte of OneDrive space all to themselves.
Honestly, it’s hard to find that good a deal just on that much
storage space, let alone access to the Office apps. We’ve done a full
write up of why Office 365 is such a great deal,
so we won’t go into full detail here. But do the math. If you’ve got
five or six people who need access to Office on some different PCs,
you’re looking at over $1,000 for Office 2019 licenses (a bit less if
some of them qualify for the education edition). That’s a solid ten
years of Office 365 subscription goodness.
RELATED:Why Microsoft’s Office 365 is a Great Deal
Plus, let’s take a look at how Office 365 compares to Office 2019.
Office 2019 is a buy it once, and you’re done until you buy another
version deal. You’ll get security updates, but no big feature updates.
Office 365, on the other hand, gets updated regularly with new features.
Oh, and one other thing. Office 2019 will only run on Windows 10 and
on whatever are the three most recent versions of macOS. Yes, the macOS
requirement shifts for some reason. According to Microsoft: “When a new
version of macOS is released, the Office 2019 for Mac Operating System
requirement becomes the then-current three most recent versions: the new
version of macOS and the previous versions.” It’s a little strange.
Office 365, on the other hand, currently works with Windows 7, 8, and
10, but also uses that three-version shifting scheme for macOS.
How Does Office 2019 Compare to Office 2016?
Office 2019 does offer some of the new features incorporated into
Office 365 since the release of Office 2016. This includes features like
the following:
Improved inking in all the Office apps
A PowerPoint Morph transition that lets you create the appearance of movement between similar slides
Some new chart types in Excel
A Focus Mode in Word that hides onscreen window elements to help minimize distraction.
A Focused Inbox in Outlook that keeps your important messages separate from all the less important ones
Some better integration with the newer Microsoft servers and services (like Teams)
There are some more features we didn’t list, but it’s not much,
honestly. Businesses might be interested in upgrading, especially if
they’re using some of those services and need better integration. But
for home and small business users, there’s nothing that compelling
there. If you’ve already got Office 2016 and it’s working well for you,
there’s not much reason to upgrade.
If you’re sporting an older version like 2013 or 2010, then yes,
there’s a lot of interesting stuff in the newer versions. But still,
subscribing to Office 365 is probably the better bet. You’ll get better
support, more features, and a cheaper price tag in the long run.
For those that had no idea that this happened, essentially hackers
abused a security hole in the “View As” feature on your profile that let
you check whether your profile had private information visible to other
people, friends, or the general public. Ironically this feature,
designed to help you protect your privacy, had a huge bug that would
actually temporarily log you in as the other user. Hackers then figured
out how to harvest tons of information this way.
Facebook has now confirmed
that hackers stole access tokens for “only” 30 million people, not 50
million. For 15 million of those people, the hackers were able to get
phone number, email address, or both. And for 14 million more people,
the hackers were able to get a lot more information, like username,
gender, relationship status, religious, birthday, and a ton of other
information including things you’ve searched for.
We now know that fewer people were impacted than we
originally thought. Of the 50 million people whose access tokens we
believed were affected, about 30 million actually had their tokens stolen.
You can check whether you were affected by visiting the update page on Facebook’s Help Center
and scrolling down to the bottom, where you’ll see a notice like this,
which will indicate whether you were or weren’t hacked. As you can see,
my account was not accessed.
So What Does This Mean for Me?
It’s worth noting that details like those accessed by hackers are
often used to guess security questions and access other, more useful,
accounts. There has been a huge increase in CryptoBlackmail,
where hackers steal information about you, and then send you detailed
threats to expose private information about you if you don’t pay them.
1:49 PMHigh Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
The iPhone's Bedtime
feature is a sleep app, an alarm clock app, and a sleep tracker app all in
one. Best of all, since Apple wants to help us all get a better night’s
sleep, Bedtime has been included in the Clock app since iOS 10.
Now, don’t panic; Alarm is still very much alive within the Clock app too,
but Bedtime has the added benefit of allowing you to see how much sleep
you’ll get with the sleep schedule you have, and it will also remind you when
it’s time for bed each night. If you’re like me, you want to see “just one
more” episode of that show you’re obsessively watching, which means you’re
also going to be tired at three in the afternoon tomorrow. Let the Bedtime
feature in the Clock app help you set a better schedule. Here’s how to
use Bedtime on your iPhone to help you improve your sleep health.
Another
benefit of the Bedtime feature in the Clock app (one of my favorites) is that
you have different ringtones available for waking you up. The tones found in
Bedtime are meant to slowly lull you out of sleep instead of startling you
awake. The Health app will also use the information gathered from Bedtime in
the Clock app to show your sleep analysis. You can set Bedtime to go off
every day or only on specific days. Let’s jump in, and we’ll go over all of
your options.
How to Enable Bedtime in the Clock
App
Open
the Clock app on iPhone.
Tap
the Bedtime tab at the bottom of the screen.
At
the top, toggle on Bedtime.
From
here, you can drag each end of the circle to change your Bedtime and
Wake time easily. At the center, it tells you how much sleep you will
get if you go to sleep and wake up at the times you’ve set.
For
example, I’ve set the Bedtime to 10:25 pm and the Wake time to 6:40 am,
which means I would get 8 hours and 15 minutes of sleep.
Share this tip with a friend:
Below
this circle, you’ll see Sleep Analysis. This lets you look at your
week of sleeping at a glance. To see how you’ve slept in the past, tap
More history. The Health app will open.
How to Change Settings: Set
Alarm, Cancel Alarm, Change Alarm Clock Sound, Set Bedtime Reminders
This part
will teach you how to change what days of the week Bedtime and Wake goes off,
when you’re reminded to go to sleep, the Wake Up Sound, and Volume. To access
this:
Tap
Options in the upper left corner of the main screen in Bedtime.
The
first option you’ll see is Days of the Week. Tap each day of the week to
turn Bedtime on or off for that day.
Next
is Bedtime Reminder. Tap this to change when it will remind you about
your Bedtime. It can alert you at Bedtime, or 15, 30, 45 minutes, or 1
hour before.
Below
that is Wake Up Sound. Tap this to change the sound that wakes you up.
Go
back to Bedtime Options. The last option is Volume. If you’re a heavy
sleeper, turn the volume all the way up.
1:25 PMHigh Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Getting a fresh operating system from Apple is usually an occasion
for celebration as we explore new features and upgrades. We've come a
long way since the early days of iPhones and iPads, and Apple's iOS 12
is the latest step forward in the journey.
Now that iOS 12 is
available for most Apple devices from recent years, it's time to dive in
and discover the latest and greatest it has to offer. Most iPhones and
iPads dating as far back as 2013 can handle the new system, so check to
see if the update is available if you haven't already installed it.
The
new features in iOS 12 cover a lot of different angles. They will help
you get a handle on your screen use, make Siri more useful, and keep you
in touch with more people than ever before. There's plenty of fun to be
had as well. Here are 10 things you can do with iOS 12 that are new and
better than ever before:
1. Manage your screen time
One
of iOS 12's most interesting new features is one that actually
encourages you to moderate how much time you spend on your Apple device.
Screen Time can be found in your settings. This is where you can access
a detailed usage report showing how much time you're spending staring
at your screen, and which apps you use the most.
If you find your
Screen Time report a bit shocking, then you can take some steps to
control your use. The simplest way to to do this is to set a downtime
schedule and also set time limits for apps. You will find those controls
in the Screen Time settings. Click or tap here for more tips on getting a handle on your screen time.
2. Set up Siri shortcuts
If you're ready to get more out of Siri, then head to the App Store and download Apple's free Shortcuts app.
The app enhances Siri to help you set up personalized shortcuts that
work with your apps, including favorites like Maps, Music, Photos, and
Safari. You can then run those shortcuts by talking to Siri using voice
phrases you set yourself. You can choose from a large gallery of
shortcut suggestions, or make your own. Running out of space on your phone? Click or tap here to learn about 3 apps that can help free up storage.
3. Group your notifications
It
can be challenging to wrangle your many notifications, but Apple will
give you a helping hand with a new grouped notifications feature. This
gathers notifications from the same app together and stacks them on top
of each other to help keep your notifications from getting out of hand.
Tap on the group of notifications in order to expand the stack and see
them all. You can choose to turn this feature off in the settings if you
prefer the old way.
4. Take digital measurements
Augmented
reality (AR) holds a lot of promise as a way for our digital devices to
enhance our interactions with the world around us. Apple's new Measure
app is a prime example of just how useful this can be. Measure doesn't
work with all Apple devices that can run iOS 12, but for those that are
compatible, you can use it in place of an actual measuring tape.
Keep
in mind this isn't a perfect science, so don't rely on Measure for
those times when you need to be stone-cold accurate. The old adage of
measuring twice and cutting once applies here. If you need to be
absolutely exact, then double check your phone's estimate with a real
measuring tape.
5. Turn yourself into a Memoji
If you're a
fan of Apple's cute and fun Animoji animated animal figures, then
you'll enjoy the arrival of Memoji, which is a custom animated version
of yourself available in iOS 12. You can give yourself orange skin, some
big glasses, or a bright mohawk for use in the Messages app with an
iPhone X, Xs, or XR. Memoji works just like regular Animoji, but gives
you the option for a much more personalized look.
6. Get more out of Photos
When
you open up the Photos app, you'll notice a new option down at the
bottom called "For You." This tab curates memories from your photo and
video collection. This alone is a nice addition to Photos, but one of
the more interesting features is called Sharing Suggestions. This is for
people who use iCloud Photos. It will suggest people to share your
photos with, a feature that will get more accurate as it learns over
time based on you assigning contacts to faces in your photos. Click or tap here to see how the new iPhone holds up to drop tests.
7. Track your stocks in style
Stock
market fans are going to enjoy the upgrade to the Stocks app and its
new availability on iPads. The look of the app is improved through a new
design. You can also track all of your favorite stocks and easily
access key news stories or go more in depth on how companies are
performing.
8. Use iPhone X gestures on your iPad
Fans of
Apple's iPad tablets have a couple new tricks to try out in iOS 12. The
new system brings some of the gestures from the iPhone X right onto your
iPad screen. Go ahead and try it out by swiping up from the bottom to
return from an open app back to your home screen. Now swipe up from the
bottom and hold briefly to open the app switcher. You can also swipe
down from the upper right-hand corner to open your Control Center. This
update hints at a future Apple world where the home button is obsolete.
9. Navigate better with an upgraded Apple Maps
Apple
Maps has always faced tough competition from the popular Google Maps,
but the app is getting quite a nice overhaul timed for the release of
iOS 12. Updated maps with more detailed data and better navigation are
rolling out starting with Northern California locations, including the
Bay Area. Apple plans to roll out more locations over time.
10. Talk to a crowd with Group FaceTime
How
many people can you fit into one FaceTime chat? With iOS 12, the answer
is 32. Apple's Group FaceTime is finally arriving and it can handle a
whole lot of simultaneous video conversations. You may be eager to start
chatting with your entire extended family, but you'll have to wait a
little. Apple delayed Group FaceTime, but still plans to release it in
an iOS 12 update later this year.
Apple's iOS 12 is a worthy
update for your devices. If you haven't already upgraded your eligible
iPad or iPhone, then go ahead and do it and enjoy the new features.
1:21 PMHigh Tech House Calls, Expert Computer Consulting
Apple’s
new iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max hit store shelves on Sept. 21, with the
iPhone XR set to go on sale a month later on Oct. 26. Along with the
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, and the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, you’ve got the option
of purchasing one of 7 different iPhones.
So
which iPhone should you call your own? Should you drop a
bank-account-busting $1,449 on an iPhone XS Max with 512GB of storage?
Or opt for the more affordable iPhone 7 with 32GB of space for $449?
I’ve got the lowdown to help you decide.
iPhone XS Max
Buy this if:
If you want the absolute best iPhone you can buy with the largest battery and most storage space, go with the iPhone XS Max.
The breakdown:
The mammoth handset that only iPhone lovers with the deepest pockets will opt for, the iPhone XS Max
features the biggest display ever offered on an iPhone at 6.5 inches.
Despite that, the XS Max’s edge-to-edge screen design means the Max is
actually a hair shorter than the iPhone 8 Plus, which only has a
5.5-inch panel.
Naturally,
the XS Max comes with Apple’s Super Retina HD OLED display technology,
which offers more vibrant colors and deeper blacks than the LCD panels
found on older iPhones.
View photos
Outside of their screen sizes, the iPhone XS Max and XS are virtually the same device.
From
a performance standpoint, the XS Max includes Apple’s new A12 Bionic
chip, which features a CPU that’s two times faster than the CPU found in
last year’s A11 Bionic chip and a 50% faster GPU. The A12’s power is
especially useful when playing games and using augmented reality apps.
Then there’s the Max’s storage capacity. The base model includes 64GB of
space for $1,099, while the 256GB model will cost $1,249. The 512GB
version of the XS Max, meanwhile, costs a staggering $1,449.
The
XS Max also gets Apple’s best smartphone camera, a dual-lens, 12MP unit
with wide-angle and telephoto capabilities. The wide-angle lens has a
1.8 aperture, while the telephoto lens has a 2.4 aperture. The lower the
aperture number the larger the lens opening, which allows the camera to
capture more light. This difference between the lenses helps create the
bokeh look of Apple’s Portrait mode photos. The telephoto lens also
includes a 2X optical zoom, which means you can zoom in on a subject
without the distortion you normally see with digital zooms.
The
XS Max’s battery is rated for 15 hours of wireless video playback
that’s an hour and a half longer than the iPhone X’s battery.
iPhone XS
Buy this if:
You want the best Apple has to offer, but in a more compact package and at a better price.
The breakdown:
Apple’s iPhone XS
is a virtual clone of the iPhone XS Max, but in a smaller form factor.
You get the same processor, the same cameras, the same storage options
and display type. But instead of a 6.5-inch screen, the XS has a more
pocket-friendly 5.8-inch panel. The XS’s smaller size means it also gets
a shorter battery life than the Max: 14 hours of wireless playback
versus the XS Max’s 15 hours.
Naturally,
that also means the XS comes with a lower price tag. The base model
gets you 64GB of storage for $999, while the 246GB model will cost you
$1,149. The 512GB version costs $1,349.
iPhone XR
View photos
The
iPhone XR has all of the power and performance of the iPhone XS and XS
Max, but doesn’t have the same OLED display and lacks a telephoto
camera.
Buy this if:
You want the performance and power of the iPhone XS without the hefty price tag.
The breakdown:
The iPhone XR
is the kind of phone you’d buy if you care more about your smartphone’s
performance than anything else. Like the XS and XS Max, the XR has an
edge-to-edge screen. But unlike its pricier stablemates, the XR features
an LCD Liquid Retina HD display, which means you won’t be able to take
advantage of HDR content.
Sporting
a 6.1-inch panel, the XR slots in between the 5.8-inch XS and 6.5-inch
XS Max in terms of screen size. The XR also drops the XS’s and XS Max’s
telephoto lens, and instead uses a single 12MP wide-angle camera. You
can still take photos with a bokeh effect, but they might not look as
good as those taken with the XS or XS Max. Surprisingly, the XR also
misses out on Apple’s 3D Touch technology.
The XR does, however, get more battery life with up to 16 hours of wireless video playback.
As
far as pricing, the XR starts at $749 with 64GB of storage. For $799
you’ll get 128GB of space, while a 256GB model will cost you $899.
iPhone 8 Plus
View photos
The
iPhone 8 Plus might be last year’s model, but it’s still incredibly
powerful, packs a dual-lens camera and can be charged wirelessly.
Buy this if:
You want a big-screen iPhone, but can’t let go of the Home button.
The breakdown:
Apple doesn’t sell the iPhone X anymore, so if you still want a larger display without forking over a lot of dough, the iPhone 8 Plus is your best bet. The 8 Plus is available for $699 with 64GB of storage or $849 with 256GB of space.
With
a 5.5-inch Retina HD display, the 8 Plus won’t produce the kind of
vivid colors you’d find on the XS Max or XS. Instead it will match what
you’d see on the iPhone XR. The 8 Plus runs on Apple’s previous
generation A11 Bionic chip, so it won’t be as speedy as the iPhone XS,
XS Max or XR, but it will certainly hold its own.
Like
the iPhone XS and XS Max, the 8 Plus includes a dual-lens camera with
wide-angle and telephoto lenses. The Plus’s wide-angle lens, though, has
a 1.8 aperture, while the telephoto lens has a 2.8 aperture.
iPhone 8
View photos
The iPhone 8 offers the same performance as the 8 Plus, though it doesn’t have a dual-lens camera.
Buy this if:
You want a newer iPhone, but don’t want to pay a huge price tag.
The breakdown:
Apple’s iPhone 8
packs all of the power and performance of the iPhone 8 Plus without the
added bulk of that 5.5-inch display. The phone’s 4.7-inch screen and
relatively diminutive proportions make it the most pocket-friendly
iPhone in Apple’s lineup. As with the 8 Plus, the 8 comes with a Retina
HD display and an A11 Bionic chip. Unlike, the 8 Plus, though, the 8
only has a single wide-angle camera, so you don’t get that 2X optical
zoom.
The
iPhone is available with 64GB of storage for $599 and 256GB for $749.
For handsets that are a year old, those are some solid prices.
iPhone 7 Plus
View photos
The iPhone 7 Plus is the iPhone to get if you want a big-screen handset, but don’t want to fork over a ton of cash.
Buy this if:
You want a big iPhone, at the lowest price.
The breakdown:
The iPhone 7 Plus
is the classic big-screen smartphone in Apple’s garage. The handset
features the same kind of 5.5-inch Retina HD display as the iPhone 8
Plus — with the exception of the 8 Plus’s included True Tone display
feature, which adjusts the screen’s white balance depending on the kind
of lighting you’re in.
The
7 Plus comes with Apple’s A10 Fusion processor rather than the iPhone 8
Plus’s A11 Bionic. The 7 Plus also gets a dual-lens camera, like the 8
Plus, though you don’t get the 8 Plus’s auto HDR feature. The 7 Plus has
most of the features the 8 Plus has — except wireless charging and
faster speed — making the 7 Plus a solid choice for most consumers.
And at $569 for 32GB of storage space and $699 for 128GB, the 7 Plus is a handset that won’t break the bank.
iPhone 7
View photos
The iPhone 7 is the best iPhone if you don’t want a large display, and want to save some cash.
Buy this if:
You want an iPhone, but are tight on cash.
The breakdown:
Apple’s iPhone 7
is the least expensive iPhone Apple sells through its stores. You can
still pick up older models through resellers, but if you want to
purchase your handset through Apple, you should go with the 7. With a
4.7-inch Retina HD display and an A10 Fusion processor, the iPhone 7 is a
smaller version of the iPhone 7 Plus. Unlike the 7 Plus, though, the 7
doesn’t have a dual-lens camera.
For $449 you get a handset with 32GB of storage, or you can pay $549 for 128GB.
For your convenience Venmo and Zelle are also accepted for payment.
Fed up with Windows based computers?
Think an Apple Computer might be what the doctor ordered?
We can help you with that decision for free! Give us a call so we can discuss your computing needs!
Gift Certificates
What will you use your certificate for?
Making the move to an Apple laptop? My business has been running on an Apple laptop for 6 years.
You bought an iPhone. Now what? We have been working on iPhone problems since they came out and we can help.
Summer will be here before you know it. You want to surf on the internet on your wireless network from your pool. We are wireless network experts in both design and deployment.
Or you can use this gift card for any help needed (including training) for the computers in your home or small business.
The perfect present for any occasion:
Available in one hour increments.
No expiration date.
Can be used for service calls or training.
Giving a technology gift that requires setup or training? Why not add a gift certificate?
