Do you get your Internet service from Comcast? If so, do you know if you’re renting your cable modem or own it out-right? If a Comcast tech set it up then there’s a good chance that you’re paying a monthly rental fee of about $10. If this is the case, you might want to buy your own cable modem and return the one you are renting. A new cable modem costs between $60-$130 depending upon which model you buy. You recover the cost of this new modem in 9-18 months through eliminating the rental fee. Read More from “Activating a New Cable Modem with Comcast”
Easy and Affordable Adult Content Filtering For Your Home Network
Do you have children? Would you like to configure your home network to easily block adult content? Here’s an easy and affordable way to set up adult content filtering for all Macs, PCs, iPhones and iPads on your network. Sign-up for the free OpenDNS Home service. Read More from “Easy and Affordable Adult Content Filtering For Your Home Network”
How to Quit an App on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
It’s helpful to know how to truly quit an app on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Some times apps stop working properly. When this occurs you can force the app to quit or close. In iOS version 7 and higher, here’s how to force an app to quit: Read More from “How to Quit an App on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch”
How to Turn Off your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch
Do you know how to turn off your iPhone or iPad? People often think they are turning off the iPhone when, in fact, they are only putting it to sleep. The same button is used for both functions. The On/Off/Sleep button is circled in red in the image below. [UPDATE: Fall 2014 – All previous iPhone’s have had their On/Off/Sleep button on the top edge. The recently released iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have their On/Off/Sleep button on the right-hand side, so your button could be in either of these locations.]
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How to Clean The Screen of Your Mac Laptop, iPhone or iPad
Have you noticed how dirty the screen of your iPhone or iPad gets? Finger smudges and other stuff accumulate quickly. Even though we don’t touch our Macintosh laptop screens as much as an iPhone, the screen still gets dirty. I recommend using a microfiber cleaning cloth for quick cleanings. Additionally, use a cleaning spray like OmniCleanz or iKlear for more thorough cleanings. Read More from “How to Clean The Screen of Your Mac Laptop, iPhone or iPad”
Disable Java Web Browser Plug-Ins on Your Mac
Over the past couple of days there have been news stories about a vulnerability in Java which is apparently being exploited in an effort to steal identities. The situation is not entirely clear to me and details change rapidly, but currently the Department of Homeland Security recommends that people disable the Java web browser plug-in, for each of their web browsers. Read More from “Disable Java Web Browser Plug-Ins on Your Mac”
Strengthen and Organize Your Passwords
The start of a new year is the season of resolutions. I propose that you make a resolution to organize your passwords. Build a list of your accounts and their passwords. Also, make sure those passwords are strong. In a previous tech tip I talked about how to test your passwords’ strength and how to select strong passwords. I will reiterate some of that tech tip’s suggestions and add some recommendations on creating and maintaining your password list. Read More from “Strengthen and Organize Your Passwords”
Introduction to VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)
Do you use your laptop on public wireless (wi-fi) networks? Do you own a business and want to give remote staff a way to securely connect to your office network? If so, then you should know about VPNs. Read More from “Introduction to VPNs (Virtual Private Networks)”
Sophos Anti-Virus a Free Mac Anti-Virus Application for Home Users
While viruses are not a major risk for Mac users, it’s still prudent to have an anti-virus application installed on your Mac. Sophos offers a free Macintosh anti-virus application for use on home computers. Give it a try.
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Archiving Mail’s Email Messages Using EagleFiler
Do you store thousands and thousands of email messages? Do you infrequently access many of these messages? If so, you could archive these email messages using EagleFiler. Once the messages have been archived you can delete them from Mail. Depending upon how many total messages you store in Mail, this might improve Mail’s performance.
[Update: If you don’t need to be able to readily search and view your exported messages then you might prefer to use Apple Mail’s built-in Export command. You can export an entire mailbox of messages. The export is stored as an mbox file on your Mac’s hard drive. This mbox file can be subsequently imported if you do need to look through the messages. MacObserver has a article that provides step-by-step instructions for archiving your mail using Mail’s Export command. ]
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Options for Building an Affordable Yet Professional Web Site
Would you like to build a professional-looking yet affordable web site for your business? Here are some ideas about how this could be done. Read More from “Options for Building an Affordable Yet Professional Web Site”
Take Rest Breaks Regularly Using Time Out
Do you use your Macintosh computer for hours at a time without taking a break? Do you end up with sore muscles or headaches? If so, you might want to consider taking rest breaks more often. Time Out is a free application that can automatically remind you to take breaks, even dim your screen to force you to take a break. Read More from “Take Rest Breaks Regularly Using Time Out”
Selecting an Email and Web Hosting Company
How should you pick an email and web hosting company? There are literally thousands of web and email hosting companies out there. How can you make an informed choice? This article lists some of the factors to consider when selecting an appropriate email or web hosting company. Read More from “Selecting an Email and Web Hosting Company”
Using the iPhone’s Voice Memos App
Do you find the iPhone’s keyboard too small for typing? Do you want to record a conversation, interview or reminders for yourself? If so, use the iPhone’s Voice Memo app. It’s a great way to make recordings that can be transferred to your Mac or sent as email attachments. Read More from “Using the iPhone’s Voice Memos App”
Registering Your Domain Name
The first step in registering a domain name is to find one that is available. This article is the second in a series about setting up email and web hosting for a business. The first article explains terminology like domain names and domain registrars. This article provides you with some guidance on researching the availability of a desired domain name and registering it. Read More from “Registering Your Domain Name”
Setting Up Email And Web Hosting For A New Small Business
Are you setting up a business and need to know how to set up email and web hosting? Are you confused about terms like domain name and DNS records? This article is the first of a series that will guide you through the process of setting up email and web hosting as well as explain terms you’re likely to encounter along the way. This article gives you an overview of the entire process and defines important terms. Each of these steps will be explored in detail in future articles in this series. Here’s the overview: Read More from “Setting Up Email And Web Hosting For A New Small Business”
iPad Keyboard Cases
Would you prefer to type on your iPad using a real keyboard instead of the on-screen, virtual keyboard? This week’s tech tip gives you an overview of some iPad cases that include keyboards.
Solar, Backlit, Ergonomic and Compact Mac Keyboards
Do you dislike the keyboard that came with your Mac? For the past few years, Apple’s primary keyboard has been the Apple Wireless Keyboard. It’s a good keyboard, but it’s not perfect for everybody. Some people lament the lack of a keypad. Others dislike having to replace the batteries that power the keyboard. Some folks don’t like the very flat nature of the keyboard and limited up-down movement of the keys. Last week’s tip listed ways to add a keypad. This week I describe some alternative keyboards. Read More from “Solar, Backlit, Ergonomic and Compact Mac Keyboards”
Adding a Numeric Keypad to your Mac
Do you wish your Mac had a 10-key numeric keypad? Yes, some people actually use them! For the past couple of years, Apple’s primary keyboard has been the Apple Wireless Keyboard. It’s a very nice keyboard, but it’s not perfect for everybody. Some people lament the lack of a numeric keypad. Others dislike having to replace the batteries that power the keyboard. Some folks don’t like the very flat nature of the keyboard and limited up-down movement of the keys. In a series of tech tips, I’ll offer products that address these criticisms. Read More from “Adding a Numeric Keypad to your Mac”
Quickly File Documents Using Spring-Loaded Folders
Spring-loaded folders is one of the Mac’s best features since it’s convenient and it can save you time when you’re putting files into folders. Interestingly, this feature is not widely known or used. Clients are always amazed when I show them. Below are some simple written instructions on how to use spring-loaded folders. Read More from “Quickly File Documents Using Spring-Loaded Folders”