Getting to know the basics of your computer.
Would you like to change the initial page displayed when you open Safari on your Mac? If so, follow these instructions. Fortunately, Apple hasn’t changed how this is done in many versions of Safari. These instructions will certainly work on Safari versions 5-11 on Mac OS X version 10.6.x up to macOS High Sierra (aka … Read more
A kernel panic refers to a very specific type of computer freeze. A variety of things can cause kernel panics. Below is a description of how your Mac behaves when it experiences a kernel panic so you can recognize it if this happens to you.
Read moreWould you like to make the text on your iPhone or iPad easier to read? I believe the following 3 ways to enlarge text have been available since at least iOS 7 and they continue to be available in the current version of iOS. To turn on any of these options do this: Tap on … Read more
In most situations, I tend to recommend that you buy Apple’s extended hardware warranty, called AppleCare. Apple enhanced AppleCare in 2017 so I think it’s an even more compelling option.
Read moreYou are the weakest link in your computer’s security! Please keep reading this important Tech Tip. If you’re not already aware of this fact, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the easiest way for a hacker to get into your Mac is through you. Tricking you into divulging information, installing software … Read more
Would you like to access free video training courses on Mac OS, iMovie, Keynote, Photoshop, Lightroom, InDesign, WordPress, GoogleDocs and other topics? For about 20 years, Lynda.com has offered video-based training on thousands of business, software, and creative skills. Typically, a monthly subscription costs $20-$30. I recently learned that the Seattle Public Library offers access to Lynda.com video … Read more
Please watch out for tech support phone scams. There are two types of scams. The first type are scammers who call you at home and fraudulently claim to be from some group like Apple or Microsoft. The second type are groups that you mistakenly call when you’re seeking technical support.
Read moreDoes your Mac fail to find files that you know exist when you search for them? Or, does Apple Mail or Outlook fail to find email messages when you search for them? If so, this problem could be caused by a corrupt Spotlight index. Spotlight is the name of Apple’s search capabilities built into the Mac … Read more
Would you like to add frequently used applications or documents to your Dock? Would you like to remove rarely used items from the Dock? If so, below are instructions on how to do this. The Dock is the row of icons that’s typically located across the bottom of the screen, though it can be moved. Apple … Read more
Would you like your Mac’s Trash to automatically delete files after they’ve been in the Trash for 30 days? If so, Apple recently added this feature to macOS Sierra (aka OS X 10.12). If you’re using an older version of OS X, the only alternative option is to create an AppleScript and schedule it to run … Read more
To prevent your iPhone from accumulating gigabytes of text messages, I recommend that you configure it to delete messages after 1 year. Text messages are typically quite small so they won’t consume much space, but the photos and videos that are attached can gobble up space. If you’d like to save some of these attachments … Read more
If you’re going to be buying a Mac soon, please make sure you equip it with enough storage space. Here is how you can figure out how much storage space you currently use on your Mac and some guidance on selecting how much storage you might need in the years ahead.
Read moreWhat is webmail and why would you want to use it? Webmail is a term that is commonly used in two ways. It’s used to describe web-based email services like Yahoo Mail and Google’s Gmail. Webmail is also used to describe web-based access to any email account. For the past decade or more, nearly every ISP or email … Read more
Everybody should have an off-site backup of their data. Off-site backups are good protection against fire, floods, burglaries, earthquakes and similar events. These are rare events, but over the past 20 years, I’ve seen all of these events occur and affect client data. As you design your backup system keep in mind the primary 3-2-1 rule. … Read more
I recommend that everybody keep a USB mouse and USB keyboard handy. Whether you use a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse or ones connected by USB cables, I think you should keep a spare keyboard and mouse and this spare set should have USB cables. I recommend this for a couple of reasons. The primary reason is … Read more
Would you like some guidance on selecting a new iPad? Clients often ask me to help them select an iPad since this has become a more complicated choice. When Apple first introduced the iPad in Jan 2010, there was only 1 screen-size and a few decisions that needed to be made. Now, iPads come in 3 screen sizes … Read more
Do you get emails that you do not want to receive? We all do. I hope you know that you should often click the unsubscribe button which appears at the bottom of these emails to truly stop receiving those messages. But, do you know when you should not click the unsubscribe button? Here are some guidelines: Use the … Read more
Are you trying to start using a new email address and stop using an older one? For example, are you moving homes and thus will no longer be able to keep your old comcast.net email account? Or did you change jobs and thus need to stop using your old employer’s email account? If so, here’s … Read more
An incredibly handy skill is knowing how to simultaneously select multiple files on your Mac. I’ll explain two of the most common ways to do this. Once you master these two fundamental skills you’ll be able to use them over and over again. For example, you’ll be able to select many email messages and move … Read more
I recently learned that Comcast has offered a low-cost Internet service for low-income families since early 2014. Comcast calls this the Internet Essentials program. As of April 2015, Comcast indicates that they’ve enrolled 480,000 families across the country. In August, 2015, Comcast started a pilot program in San Francisco to extend this program to low-income … Read more