January Meetings 2022
Jan 6, 2022 - Smartphone Hacks for Android, Does Android Really Need Antivirus? Microsoft is Forcing Windows 11 on Me?
Please Don't Start Your Year Off with an Unknown Link! DO NOT CLICK THEM!
Club Questions
Please Don't Start Your Year Off with an Unknown Link! DO NOT CLICK THEM!
Club Questions
Smartphone Hacks (Android)
A smartphone is like a little computer, and just as complicated. And a 'hack' is more akin to a 'tip' when it comes to smartphones. Hacks often provide faster ways to do things on your phone, or different ways of getting to information you need. With the plethora of phones available now to Android users, the variety of hacks is nearly endless. Here's a list of Lifehackers top 40 hacks for Android devices.
A smartphone is like a little computer, and just as complicated. And a 'hack' is more akin to a 'tip' when it comes to smartphones. Hacks often provide faster ways to do things on your phone, or different ways of getting to information you need. With the plethora of phones available now to Android users, the variety of hacks is nearly endless. Here's a list of Lifehackers top 40 hacks for Android devices.
Does Android Need Antivirus?
The short answer is, yes, it does. As an Android user your experience will be enhanced by installing/running a recommended, well documented antivirus app from a trusted source, like the Google Play Store. Many factors come into play to answer this question, to learn more about why your Android device needs an antivirus app, take a look at this article.
The short answer is, yes, it does. As an Android user your experience will be enhanced by installing/running a recommended, well documented antivirus app from a trusted source, like the Google Play Store. Many factors come into play to answer this question, to learn more about why your Android device needs an antivirus app, take a look at this article.
Is Windows 11 Being Forced on Me?
Windows 11 rolled out in early October of this year (2021) and it's in the best interests of Microsoft to get a copy in the hands of every Windows user. But is Microsoft forcing you to upgrade? What if you like Window 10? Don't worry, you've still got plenty of time to decide, for one, official support for Windows 10 isn't ending any time soon. Also, the longer you wait, the more bugs they find/eliminate. To learn more about how to upgrade to Windows 11, who gets it for free, and lots of other stuff about upgrading, take a look at this article.
Windows 11 rolled out in early October of this year (2021) and it's in the best interests of Microsoft to get a copy in the hands of every Windows user. But is Microsoft forcing you to upgrade? What if you like Window 10? Don't worry, you've still got plenty of time to decide, for one, official support for Windows 10 isn't ending any time soon. Also, the longer you wait, the more bugs they find/eliminate. To learn more about how to upgrade to Windows 11, who gets it for free, and lots of other stuff about upgrading, take a look at this article.
Jan 13, 2022 - Why Does My Phone Stop Charging at 80%? Tips on Improving Your Smartphone's Battery Life, Who is DuckDuckGo?
Unknown Links Don't Have Your Best Interests at Heart
Club Questions
Unknown Links Don't Have Your Best Interests at Heart
Club Questions
Why Does My Phone Stop Charging at 80%?
Some of you may have noticed that your smart phones don't charge all the way to 100%. In recent years, smart phone technology has added the ability to extend the life of your battery. One of the techniques to increase your phone's battery life is to prevent over stressing it, now the phones do that automatically. To read more about why your phone charging has changed, take a look at this article. Android also has a similar feature called, adaptive charging, introduced by Google in 2020. To learn more about how this feature could be affecting your phone, take a look at this article.
Some of you may have noticed that your smart phones don't charge all the way to 100%. In recent years, smart phone technology has added the ability to extend the life of your battery. One of the techniques to increase your phone's battery life is to prevent over stressing it, now the phones do that automatically. To read more about why your phone charging has changed, take a look at this article. Android also has a similar feature called, adaptive charging, introduced by Google in 2020. To learn more about how this feature could be affecting your phone, take a look at this article.
Tips on Improving Battery Life
One of the biggest concerns of any smartphone user is, battery life. With all the new features modern phones sport, and the thinner and lighter they get, the more important the battery is. For the phone's designer, it's a balance of size and power, but there are things that every user can do that will improve the battery life as well. To learn more about how you can get more out of your smartphone battery, what really works and what doesn't, take a look at this article.
One of the biggest concerns of any smartphone user is, battery life. With all the new features modern phones sport, and the thinner and lighter they get, the more important the battery is. For the phone's designer, it's a balance of size and power, but there are things that every user can do that will improve the battery life as well. To learn more about how you can get more out of your smartphone battery, what really works and what doesn't, take a look at this article.
Who is DuckDuckGo?
DuckDuckGo is more of a what than a who. It's an online search engine that emphasizes security and privacy for its users. Are you listening, Google? DuckDuckGo has a variety of ways you can use their service, from their online website/search engine, to apps for iOS and Android devices, to browser extensions. "We don't store your personal information, ever." To learn more about what this search engine has to offer, take a look at their home page.
DuckDuckGo is more of a what than a who. It's an online search engine that emphasizes security and privacy for its users. Are you listening, Google? DuckDuckGo has a variety of ways you can use their service, from their online website/search engine, to apps for iOS and Android devices, to browser extensions. "We don't store your personal information, ever." To learn more about what this search engine has to offer, take a look at their home page.
Jan 20, 2022 - What is Partitioning a Hard Drive? How to Let Someone Use Your Computer, Without Seeing all Your Stuff, Make Your Old Laptop Last Longer,
Unknown Links are Here to Steal Your Information - No Clicking!
Club Questions
Unknown Links are Here to Steal Your Information - No Clicking!
Club Questions
Partitioning Your Hard Drive
When you set up a new hard drive or buy a computer, the drive likely comes with a single partition. But you can cut up the 'pie' that is your hard drive into many different slices, if you want. You might want to run another OS on your computer, you can create a whole new partition for that, and there are many other reasons that you might want to partition your hard drive, but there are also down sides to creating partitions. To learn more about what a partition is, what it does and whether or not you might need one, take a look at this article.
When you set up a new hard drive or buy a computer, the drive likely comes with a single partition. But you can cut up the 'pie' that is your hard drive into many different slices, if you want. You might want to run another OS on your computer, you can create a whole new partition for that, and there are many other reasons that you might want to partition your hard drive, but there are also down sides to creating partitions. To learn more about what a partition is, what it does and whether or not you might need one, take a look at this article.
How to Let Someone Use Your Computer
Maybe a good friend of yours is visiting you, suddenly they need to check their email and want to borrow your computer. How can you let them use your computer without having them see all your personal stuff? Every computer comes with a solution to this dilemma, it's called a Guest User Account (or something similar). Once you set up a guest user account on your computer, you can easily log out of your personal account and let friends or acquaintances log in to the Guest User Account (most don't even need a password). To learn more about how to set up a Guest User Account on just about every device, take a look at this article.
Maybe a good friend of yours is visiting you, suddenly they need to check their email and want to borrow your computer. How can you let them use your computer without having them see all your personal stuff? Every computer comes with a solution to this dilemma, it's called a Guest User Account (or something similar). Once you set up a guest user account on your computer, you can easily log out of your personal account and let friends or acquaintances log in to the Guest User Account (most don't even need a password). To learn more about how to set up a Guest User Account on just about every device, take a look at this article.
Make Your Old Laptop Last Longer
Before you decide to buy a new laptop there may be a few things you can do to revive it. But, before you touch your laptop to address any issues -- including cleaning -- you should back it up. The unwritten rule is this: If you don't back up your laptop, it will experience a catastrophic failure. But if you do, then nothing will happen. Because that's the way the universe works. After backing up, you're ready to learn all the tips and tricks from CNET on how to make your laptop last longer.
Before you decide to buy a new laptop there may be a few things you can do to revive it. But, before you touch your laptop to address any issues -- including cleaning -- you should back it up. The unwritten rule is this: If you don't back up your laptop, it will experience a catastrophic failure. But if you do, then nothing will happen. Because that's the way the universe works. After backing up, you're ready to learn all the tips and tricks from CNET on how to make your laptop last longer.
Jan 27, 2022 - Best VPN Services of 2022, What is Email Threading? How to Tweak the Apple Mail App,
If you don't KNOW the Link, don't CLICK the link.
Club Questions
If you don't KNOW the Link, don't CLICK the link.
Club Questions
Best VPN Services - 2022
There are many virtual private network (VPN) services available online, but many of those so-called VPNs are secretly stealing your data instead of protecting you. This year's list of best contenders includes some companies that have been around for a while. To learn more about how and why you might want to use a VPN, and then see some of CNET's top picks, take a look at this article. Then go into detail on all of their VPN choices including services offered and pricing.
There are many virtual private network (VPN) services available online, but many of those so-called VPNs are secretly stealing your data instead of protecting you. This year's list of best contenders includes some companies that have been around for a while. To learn more about how and why you might want to use a VPN, and then see some of CNET's top picks, take a look at this article. Then go into detail on all of their VPN choices including services offered and pricing.
Email Threading
Email threading, or the way your email company organizes the way your emails appear in your inbox, can get confusing if the thread gets too long. Once you've written your friend, then replied a bunch of times to her replies, your email thread can get hard to follow. The good news is that all of this can be adjusted in your online email account. There are lots of different ways you can have your mail presented to you, it's just that you have to dig a little to find the controls. To learn more about how to change your Gmail or Yahoo Mail threading (and lots of other options on how your mail is presented to you), take a look at this article.
Email threading, or the way your email company organizes the way your emails appear in your inbox, can get confusing if the thread gets too long. Once you've written your friend, then replied a bunch of times to her replies, your email thread can get hard to follow. The good news is that all of this can be adjusted in your online email account. There are lots of different ways you can have your mail presented to you, it's just that you have to dig a little to find the controls. To learn more about how to change your Gmail or Yahoo Mail threading (and lots of other options on how your mail is presented to you), take a look at this article.
Apple Mail App
If you're an Apple user, then you're probably familiar with the Apple Mail App. Like most email applications, Apple's Mail App has lots of features, both easily visible and also hidden. If you've ever wanted to tweak the settings in your mail inbox, for example, maybe you want to get rid of those floating previews? if so, you will find the video below helpful.
If you're an Apple user, then you're probably familiar with the Apple Mail App. Like most email applications, Apple's Mail App has lots of features, both easily visible and also hidden. If you've ever wanted to tweak the settings in your mail inbox, for example, maybe you want to get rid of those floating previews? if so, you will find the video below helpful.
