July Meetings 2023
July 6, 2023 - How to Create Bookmarks - How to Use Facebook Messenger -Best Secure Email Providers - Password Strength Tester Website - QR code Email Scams
"A wise traveler navigates the digital path with caution, for in the realm of unknown links, dangers lie in wait, like hidden dragons beneath tranquil waters." - Chinese Proverb
Club Questions
"A wise traveler navigates the digital path with caution, for in the realm of unknown links, dangers lie in wait, like hidden dragons beneath tranquil waters." - Chinese Proverb
Club Questions
Creating Bookmarks
- Browser Bookmarks: Most web browsers allow you to create bookmarks by clicking on the star icon in the address bar or using the keyboard shortcut (e.g., Ctrl + D for Windows or Command + D for Mac).
- Right-Click Method: Right-click on the webpage you want to bookmark and select the "Bookmark" or "Add to bookmarks" option from the context menu.
- Bookmark Manager: Access the bookmark manager in your browser to organize and create bookmarks in different folders or categories.
- Bookmarks Toolbar: Drag the website's URL or icon from the address bar to your bookmarks toolbar for quick access.
- Bookmarklet: Some websites provide bookmarklets, which are small tools or scripts that can be dragged to your bookmarks bar to enhance website functionality.
- Browser Extensions: Certain browser extensions allow you to create and manage bookmarks, often providing extra features like capturing screenshots or annotations.
- Social Bookmarking Sites: Use social bookmarking platforms like Pinterest, Pocket, or Delicious to save and organize websites you want to revisit later.
- Sync Across Devices: If you use a browser account, like Google Chrome or Firefox Sync, your bookmarks can be synced across devices for easy access.
- Third-Party Bookmarking Tools: Utilize third-party bookmarking tools or apps that offer advanced features for bookmark organization and sharing.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Some browsers support keyboard shortcuts to bookmark a page, such as Ctrl + D (Windows) or Command + D (Mac).
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How to Use Facebook Messenger
- Log in: Open the Facebook app on your mobile device or visit the Facebook website on your computer. Enter your login credentials (email/phone number and password) to log into your Facebook account.
- Access Messenger: Once you're logged in, you can access Messenger in two ways:
- Mobile: On the Facebook app, tap on the Messenger icon at the top-right corner of the screen. It looks like a speech bubble.
- Web: On the Facebook website, look for the chat bubble icon located in the top-right corner of the page. Click on it to open Messenger.
- Start a conversation: To start a new conversation with someone, follow these steps:
- Mobile: Tap on the "New Message" button (pencil icon) at the top-right corner of the Messenger screen. Enter the name of the person you want to message in the search bar and select their name from the results. Then, type your message in the text field at the bottom and tap the send button (paper plane icon).
- Web: Click on the "New Message" button (pencil icon) located on the left sidebar. Enter the name of the person you want to message in the search bar and select their name from the results. Then, type your message in the text field at the bottom and press Enter or click the send button (paper plane icon).
- Send messages: To send a message to an existing conversation, follow these steps:
- Mobile: Tap on the conversation you want to reply to or continue. Type your message in the text field at the bottom and tap the send button (paper plane icon).
- Web: Click on the conversation you want to reply to or continue. Type your message in the text field at the bottom and press Enter or click the send button (paper plane icon).
- Add media: You can also send photos, videos, stickers, or other media files in Messenger:
- Mobile: While composing a message, tap on the "+" icon to the left of the text field. You can then choose to attach a photo, video, sticker, or other media from your device's gallery or use other features like voice recording, location sharing, etc.
- Web: While composing a message, click on the "+" icon to the left of the text field. You can then select to attach a photo, video, sticker, or other media from your computer.
- Manage conversations: You can manage your conversations by organizing them into different categories:
- Mobile: Swipe left or right on a conversation to archive it, mute notifications, or delete it. You can also tap and hold a conversation to access additional options like marking it as unread, forwarding it, or blocking the person.
- Web: Hover over a conversation to reveal options like archive, delete, and more. Click on the gear icon to access additional settings for the conversation.
Best Secure Email Providers
Most of us use Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook for our email needs, but what if you want an email address with a higher level of security? Are you looking for an email service that doesn't always track what you write and who you write to, they exist, but they aren't free. Below is a video that goes over a few of the most popular private email services.
Most of us use Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook for our email needs, but what if you want an email address with a higher level of security? Are you looking for an email service that doesn't always track what you write and who you write to, they exist, but they aren't free. Below is a video that goes over a few of the most popular private email services.
How Strong is Your Password?
That's a common question, how good is your password, how hard is it to crack? What was considered a strong password 10 years ago has changed, nowadays a password can be hard to crack, yet still relatively easy to remember. Gone are the days of passwords like, G0n3@r3th3D@y$, That used to be a good password, if somewhat difficult to remember on the fly. But these days something more like a simple sentence, ilikesunnydaysinitaly, are excellent passwords. But it's always a good idea to check your new password before you use it. How do you test a new password? There are lots of different free websites that will allow you to plug in your new password and test it for its level of security. One of the easiest websites to use for this purpose is https://password.kaspersky.com It is free, doesn't require you to create an account, supports a variety of languages and doesn't have a bunch of ads. Try it out next time you create a new password.
PRO TIP - If you bookmark the above link, you'll always have it at the ready when you need to check a new password. Also, some passwords require you to use things like a capital letter, a number or a special character (?!), these are easy to add into a simple sentence password, ilikeSunnydaysinitaly2!
That's a common question, how good is your password, how hard is it to crack? What was considered a strong password 10 years ago has changed, nowadays a password can be hard to crack, yet still relatively easy to remember. Gone are the days of passwords like, G0n3@r3th3D@y$, That used to be a good password, if somewhat difficult to remember on the fly. But these days something more like a simple sentence, ilikesunnydaysinitaly, are excellent passwords. But it's always a good idea to check your new password before you use it. How do you test a new password? There are lots of different free websites that will allow you to plug in your new password and test it for its level of security. One of the easiest websites to use for this purpose is https://password.kaspersky.com It is free, doesn't require you to create an account, supports a variety of languages and doesn't have a bunch of ads. Try it out next time you create a new password.
PRO TIP - If you bookmark the above link, you'll always have it at the ready when you need to check a new password. Also, some passwords require you to use things like a capital letter, a number or a special character (?!), these are easy to add into a simple sentence password, ilikeSunnydaysinitaly2!
QR Code Email Scams
Tech companies have invested significant time and energy in detecting and blocking suspicious emails based on their text content. However, scammers are finding new ways to evade these security measures, as illustrated by a recent campaign that seeks to steal accounts by sending emails without any text, targeting employees across various industries. Security researchers at Inky recently discovered a rash of fraudulent emails that bypass certain conventional spam filters by using image attachments and QR codes. The scams don't appear to have a specific target but all attempt to steal employee credentials. It goes without saying that you shouldn't scan QR codes from unknown sources. To learn more about this email scam, take a look at this article.
Tech companies have invested significant time and energy in detecting and blocking suspicious emails based on their text content. However, scammers are finding new ways to evade these security measures, as illustrated by a recent campaign that seeks to steal accounts by sending emails without any text, targeting employees across various industries. Security researchers at Inky recently discovered a rash of fraudulent emails that bypass certain conventional spam filters by using image attachments and QR codes. The scams don't appear to have a specific target but all attempt to steal employee credentials. It goes without saying that you shouldn't scan QR codes from unknown sources. To learn more about this email scam, take a look at this article.
July 13, 2023 - Sharing on Apple Devices - How to Delete Your Facebook Account - Handling a Facebook Account of a Deceased Person - Emergency SOS on iPhone - Meta's Threads App, Manage Google Chrome Passwords
"Beware, Earthlings! Clicking on unknown links holds grave dangers, as they may unleash chaos upon your digital realm. Exercise caution, verify sources, and protect yourselves from the malevolent forces lurking within the vast cosmic web." - an Alien Observer
Club Questions
"Beware, Earthlings! Clicking on unknown links holds grave dangers, as they may unleash chaos upon your digital realm. Exercise caution, verify sources, and protect yourselves from the malevolent forces lurking within the vast cosmic web." - an Alien Observer
Club Questions
Sharing on Apple
If you use an iPhone, there are a variety of ways you can share data with other people. There is an option called, Family Sharing that allows you to share music, apps, location and much more. You can also share your calendar events with someone else thru iCloud. To learn more about Family Sharing and how to share your calendar events, take a look at the two videos below.
If you use an iPhone, there are a variety of ways you can share data with other people. There is an option called, Family Sharing that allows you to share music, apps, location and much more. You can also share your calendar events with someone else thru iCloud. To learn more about Family Sharing and how to share your calendar events, take a look at the two videos below.
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How to Handle a Facebook Account of a Deceased Person
With nearly 3 billion users on Facebook, there will come a time when you may have to deal with the death of a friend or family member. There are a few things Facebook lets you do with their account, from memorializing it to deleting it altogether (altho keep in mind that Facebook keeps all the images and data that the deceased person posted forever in their servers). For a step by step walkthrough of all the options Facebook gives you, take a look at this article.
With nearly 3 billion users on Facebook, there will come a time when you may have to deal with the death of a friend or family member. There are a few things Facebook lets you do with their account, from memorializing it to deleting it altogether (altho keep in mind that Facebook keeps all the images and data that the deceased person posted forever in their servers). For a step by step walkthrough of all the options Facebook gives you, take a look at this article.
How to Delete Your Facebook Account
For those of you still alive, if you decide that you no longer want to be a part of Facebook, you can delete (as much as they let you) your account. They also give you the opportunity to deactivate you account if you plan to simply take a break from Facebook, but plan to return at some later date. Unlike Amazon, Facebook makes it pretty easy to delete your account, altho you have to make sure that you don't "log in with Facebook" to any other accounts for at least 30 days after deleting your Facebook account, otherwise Facebook will restore your account without even telling you. The video below shows you how to delete your Facebook account on a smartphone app, but the process is very similar on the Facebook website. To learn more, take a look at the video below.
For those of you still alive, if you decide that you no longer want to be a part of Facebook, you can delete (as much as they let you) your account. They also give you the opportunity to deactivate you account if you plan to simply take a break from Facebook, but plan to return at some later date. Unlike Amazon, Facebook makes it pretty easy to delete your account, altho you have to make sure that you don't "log in with Facebook" to any other accounts for at least 30 days after deleting your Facebook account, otherwise Facebook will restore your account without even telling you. The video below shows you how to delete your Facebook account on a smartphone app, but the process is very similar on the Facebook website. To learn more, take a look at the video below.
Emergency SOS on iPhone
Emergency SOS is a built in feature on iPhones that has a variety of features, some of which can save your life potentially. When you make a call with SOS, your iPhone automatically calls the local emergency number and shares your location information with emergency services. To learn more about how to set up and use Emergency SOS, take a look at this article from Apple Support. If you use an Android device, never fear, they also have an emergency call feature, to learn how to set up Emergency SOS on an Android phone, take a look at this article.
Emergency SOS is a built in feature on iPhones that has a variety of features, some of which can save your life potentially. When you make a call with SOS, your iPhone automatically calls the local emergency number and shares your location information with emergency services. To learn more about how to set up and use Emergency SOS, take a look at this article from Apple Support. If you use an Android device, never fear, they also have an emergency call feature, to learn how to set up Emergency SOS on an Android phone, take a look at this article.
Meta's Threads App
Instagram's parent company Meta on Wednesday debuted Threads -- billed as a text-based conversation app that will rival Twitter. According to a Friday morning Threads post by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads already has 70 million sign ups, and that number is sure to increase in the coming days. (For comparison, Instagram has 1.3 billion daily active users. At the end of 2022, Twitter had 259 million daily active users. Mastodon has 13 million total accounts.) Amid all the changes at Twitter, social media users have been looking for an alternative, such as Mastodon and Bluesky. Threads provides the option to post text, videos and photos, and the ability to engage in real-time conversations. To learn more about signing up and using the Threads app, take a look at this article.
Instagram's parent company Meta on Wednesday debuted Threads -- billed as a text-based conversation app that will rival Twitter. According to a Friday morning Threads post by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Threads already has 70 million sign ups, and that number is sure to increase in the coming days. (For comparison, Instagram has 1.3 billion daily active users. At the end of 2022, Twitter had 259 million daily active users. Mastodon has 13 million total accounts.) Amid all the changes at Twitter, social media users have been looking for an alternative, such as Mastodon and Bluesky. Threads provides the option to post text, videos and photos, and the ability to engage in real-time conversations. To learn more about signing up and using the Threads app, take a look at this article.
Google Chrome Passwords
Google Chrome is one of the most widely used internet browsers and comes with a full set of features. One of those features is the ability to store and remember all your passwords (that you use on Chrome). But where are those passwords, and is it possible to edit them? The passwords are encrypted and stored inside Chrome, and yes, you can go in there and see them and edit them if you wish. To learn more about finding all your Google Chrome passwords, take a look at this article.
Google Chrome is one of the most widely used internet browsers and comes with a full set of features. One of those features is the ability to store and remember all your passwords (that you use on Chrome). But where are those passwords, and is it possible to edit them? The passwords are encrypted and stored inside Chrome, and yes, you can go in there and see them and edit them if you wish. To learn more about finding all your Google Chrome passwords, take a look at this article.
July 20, 2023 - How to Use Focus Feature on Smartphones - Vern's Corner - Edge Device - How to Share your Wi-Fi Password
"Beware the unknown links, dear reader, for they hold both the allure of hidden treasures and the peril of unforeseen danger in the realm of the digital." - Oscar Wilde
Club Questions
"Beware the unknown links, dear reader, for they hold both the allure of hidden treasures and the peril of unforeseen danger in the realm of the digital." - Oscar Wilde
Club Questions
How to Use Focus on iPhone
With iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later, Focus lets you stay in the moment when you need to concentrate or step away from your device. You can customize Focus settings and choose when you want to receive alerts and notifications, while letting other people and apps know when you’re busy. Focus mode is also available on Android devices, for a short tutorial on how to set up/use Focus in iPhone and one for Android, take a look at the videos below.
With iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 or later, Focus lets you stay in the moment when you need to concentrate or step away from your device. You can customize Focus settings and choose when you want to receive alerts and notifications, while letting other people and apps know when you’re busy. Focus mode is also available on Android devices, for a short tutorial on how to set up/use Focus in iPhone and one for Android, take a look at the videos below.
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Edge Device In computing, an edge device refers to any device that performs computation and data processing tasks at or near the edge of a network, closer to the source of data generation. A router is considered an edge device. These devices are designed to gather, analyze, and process data locally, reducing latency, conserving network bandwidth, and enabling real-time or near real-time decision-making. Edge devices play a crucial role in applications such as Internet of Things (IoT), edge computing, and distributed systems. |
How to Share Your WiFi Password
Most of us now use our phone more than we do our computers. Phone designers are making it easy to share lots of information between friends and family. Both Apple and Android have a wifi sharing feature, but depending on which Android device you are using, sharing passwords may be a bit more involved. If you are using Android, take a look at this article. For those of you iPhone users, the process is considerably easier. To learn about sharing wifi passwords, take a look at the video.
Most of us now use our phone more than we do our computers. Phone designers are making it easy to share lots of information between friends and family. Both Apple and Android have a wifi sharing feature, but depending on which Android device you are using, sharing passwords may be a bit more involved. If you are using Android, take a look at this article. For those of you iPhone users, the process is considerably easier. To learn about sharing wifi passwords, take a look at the video.
July 27, 2023 - Best Laptop Computers for 2023 - How to Delete Apps - Moving Old Files to a New PC- How Safe are Banking Apps?
"Curious minds beware, click not on unknown links, hmm." - Yoda
Club Questions
"Curious minds beware, click not on unknown links, hmm." - Yoda
Club Questions
Best Laptop Computers for 2023
It's that time again, time to round up the best laptop computers from all the different manufacturers from across the internet. As always with any "best of" lists, you need to look at as many as you can, make comparisons and see which device shows up on the most best of lists. The links below cover the gamut of the best of the best to the most affordable and everything in between. Check out the best laptops for 2023 below...
CNET's Best Laptops - 2023
PC Mag's Best Laptops - 2023
Tom's Guide Best Laptops - 2023
Engadget's Best Laptops - 2023
The Verge's Best Laptops - 2023
It's that time again, time to round up the best laptop computers from all the different manufacturers from across the internet. As always with any "best of" lists, you need to look at as many as you can, make comparisons and see which device shows up on the most best of lists. The links below cover the gamut of the best of the best to the most affordable and everything in between. Check out the best laptops for 2023 below...
CNET's Best Laptops - 2023
PC Mag's Best Laptops - 2023
Tom's Guide Best Laptops - 2023
Engadget's Best Laptops - 2023
The Verge's Best Laptops - 2023
How to Delete Apps
If you own a smartphone, you've probably downloaded an app or two from your app store. Downloading new apps is easy from either the Google Play Store (Android devices), or the App Store (Apple devices), but what about when you want to get rid of an app? Deleting apps permanently is pretty easy on both types of devices, to learn more about deleting apps from a smartphone, take a look at the videos below...
If you own a smartphone, you've probably downloaded an app or two from your app store. Downloading new apps is easy from either the Google Play Store (Android devices), or the App Store (Apple devices), but what about when you want to get rid of an app? Deleting apps permanently is pretty easy on both types of devices, to learn more about deleting apps from a smartphone, take a look at the videos below...
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Moving to a New PC
You've got your brand new computer sitting in the box in front of you, and your old, trusted laptop waiting to give up its secrets. But how do you get the old one to the new one? When it comes to Windows computers, there are several different ways you can achieve this transfer of information. You can backup your old computer to the Cloud via OneDrive, or you can use an external hard drive, or a cable connection, or, etc. To learn more about all the ways, from free to around $30, that you can transfer your old data to your new PC, take a look at this article.
How Safe is Mobile Banking?
Banking apps make it easy to handle services like depositing a check, transferring money and checking your balance -- all without visiting a physical branch. It makes banking simple and convenient. But are banking apps a safe way to manage your money? To learn some more basic mobile banking tips and how to avoid some possible problems, take a look at this article.
