July Meetings 2022
July 7, 2022 - Best DIY Home Security Systems for 2022, How to Backup Your Smartphone,
How to Improve Your Cellphone Signal, Best Services for Cutting Your Cable in 2022,
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events;
small minds click on unknown links."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Club Questions
How to Improve Your Cellphone Signal, Best Services for Cutting Your Cable in 2022,
"Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events;
small minds click on unknown links."
- Eleanor Roosevelt
Club Questions
Best Home Security Systems 2022
Today’s home security systems are capable of far more than simply monitoring your home. They can integrate connected lights, locks, thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, video doorbells, and more, and allow you to monitor and control them with an app on your smartphone. But for all their appeal, it’s still difficult to compare systems because of their different components and pricing. Below are a few links to various tech websites with their picks for best do-it-yourself home security systems.
CNET's picks for best DIY security systems
Tom's Guide picks for best DIY security systems
This Old House's picks for best DIY security systems
PC Mag's picks for best DIY security systems
Consumer Report's picks for best DIY security systems
Or maybe you're really on a budget and like doing things for yourself? If so, and you happen to have an old smartphone (Android or iPhone) laying around, then take a look at this DIY solution to home security.
Today’s home security systems are capable of far more than simply monitoring your home. They can integrate connected lights, locks, thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, video doorbells, and more, and allow you to monitor and control them with an app on your smartphone. But for all their appeal, it’s still difficult to compare systems because of their different components and pricing. Below are a few links to various tech websites with their picks for best do-it-yourself home security systems.
CNET's picks for best DIY security systems
Tom's Guide picks for best DIY security systems
This Old House's picks for best DIY security systems
PC Mag's picks for best DIY security systems
Consumer Report's picks for best DIY security systems
Or maybe you're really on a budget and like doing things for yourself? If so, and you happen to have an old smartphone (Android or iPhone) laying around, then take a look at this DIY solution to home security.
How to Backup Your Smartphone
There's always the chance that you'll lose your smartphone, or accidentally drop it in the ocean. Luckily there are plenty of ways to backup your smartphone so you never have to worry about losing your precious data. If you own an Android phone, take a look at this answer from Android Authority, complete with videos and illustrated how-to articles here. For those of you iPhone users, the best backup information comes directly from Apple, take a look here.
There's always the chance that you'll lose your smartphone, or accidentally drop it in the ocean. Luckily there are plenty of ways to backup your smartphone so you never have to worry about losing your precious data. If you own an Android phone, take a look at this answer from Android Authority, complete with videos and illustrated how-to articles here. For those of you iPhone users, the best backup information comes directly from Apple, take a look here.
How to Improve Cellphone Signal
Not enough bars on your phone to make a call? or maybe there's only one spot in your home where you get any signal at all, don't worry, boosting your cellphone signal is a common problem and there are many solutions. For some basic fixes to this problem, take a look at this article from PC Magazine. And for you DIYers, here's a list of video solutions that will take only basic ingredients to get the job done.
Not enough bars on your phone to make a call? or maybe there's only one spot in your home where you get any signal at all, don't worry, boosting your cellphone signal is a common problem and there are many solutions. For some basic fixes to this problem, take a look at this article from PC Magazine. And for you DIYers, here's a list of video solutions that will take only basic ingredients to get the job done.
Cutting Your Cable 2022
If you've been thinking of cutting the cable cord to save some money, now is a great time to do so, thanks to the rise in live TV streaming services. These cancel-anytime live TV bundles mean you don't have to give up the things you like about cable: familiar channels, local/national news and live sports. All you need is an internet connection and an inexpensive streaming device before you can say goodbye to frustrating cable boxes. Below are a few links to some trusted sources picks for best cable cutting services for 2022.
TechHive's picks for best live streaming services 2022
Tom's Guide's picks for best live streaming services 2022
CNET's picks for best live streaming services 2022
ZDNet's picks for best live streaming services 2022
PCMag's picks for best streaming services 2022
To be able to take advantage of any of the above streaming services, your TV will need to be Internet ready (smart TV). For 10 ways to make your TV a smart TV, take a look at this article.
If you've been thinking of cutting the cable cord to save some money, now is a great time to do so, thanks to the rise in live TV streaming services. These cancel-anytime live TV bundles mean you don't have to give up the things you like about cable: familiar channels, local/national news and live sports. All you need is an internet connection and an inexpensive streaming device before you can say goodbye to frustrating cable boxes. Below are a few links to some trusted sources picks for best cable cutting services for 2022.
TechHive's picks for best live streaming services 2022
Tom's Guide's picks for best live streaming services 2022
CNET's picks for best live streaming services 2022
ZDNet's picks for best live streaming services 2022
PCMag's picks for best streaming services 2022
To be able to take advantage of any of the above streaming services, your TV will need to be Internet ready (smart TV). For 10 ways to make your TV a smart TV, take a look at this article.
July 14, 2022 - How to Add a Webpage Shortcut to Your Smartphone Home Screen,
Best VPN Services 2022, How to Remove Virus/Malware From a Computer,
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take, but
lose everything when you click on unknown links."
- Wayne Gretzky
Club Questions
Best VPN Services 2022, How to Remove Virus/Malware From a Computer,
"You miss 100 percent of the shots you never take, but
lose everything when you click on unknown links."
- Wayne Gretzky
Club Questions
How to Add Shortcuts to Smartphones
Often websites don't have dedicated apps, but that doesn't stop you from creating your own shortcut for your phone's Home Screen that will take you directly to your chosen website. Your shortcut will look similar to the other apps on your phone, only it will take you directly to your website's favorite page. If you're an Android user, here's a great article from LifeWire that goes over how to create shortcuts of various types. And if you're an iPhone user, take a look at this article.
Often websites don't have dedicated apps, but that doesn't stop you from creating your own shortcut for your phone's Home Screen that will take you directly to your chosen website. Your shortcut will look similar to the other apps on your phone, only it will take you directly to your website's favorite page. If you're an Android user, here's a great article from LifeWire that goes over how to create shortcuts of various types. And if you're an iPhone user, take a look at this article.
The Best VPN Services in 2022
A true VPN (virtual private network) does two important things, it hides your IP address which limits the Internet from tracking your location, and it encrypts all of the data you send/receive over the Internet, which protects you from hackers. There are a myriad of VPN services now, some are even free (altho free VPNs are not recommended due to the amount of access you need to allow a VPN), but the service you choose will have a lot to do with what you need from the service. Below are some of our trusted sources picks for best VPN service in 2022.
CNET's picks for best VPN service
PC Magazine's picks for best VPN service
TechRadar's picks for best VPN service
Tom's Guide's picks for best VPN service
Forbes Magazine's picks for best VPN service
A true VPN (virtual private network) does two important things, it hides your IP address which limits the Internet from tracking your location, and it encrypts all of the data you send/receive over the Internet, which protects you from hackers. There are a myriad of VPN services now, some are even free (altho free VPNs are not recommended due to the amount of access you need to allow a VPN), but the service you choose will have a lot to do with what you need from the service. Below are some of our trusted sources picks for best VPN service in 2022.
CNET's picks for best VPN service
PC Magazine's picks for best VPN service
TechRadar's picks for best VPN service
Tom's Guide's picks for best VPN service
Forbes Magazine's picks for best VPN service
How to Remove Virus/Malware
from a Computer
Often a virus or malware will be blamed for computer problems when nine out of ten times the problem is a non-virus-related issue, usually something related to software, drivers or a hardware issue. But if you think you've got a virus/malware, and rebooting your device didn't cure the problem, then take a look at these techniques for getting rid of a virus/malware from your computer.
from a Computer
Often a virus or malware will be blamed for computer problems when nine out of ten times the problem is a non-virus-related issue, usually something related to software, drivers or a hardware issue. But if you think you've got a virus/malware, and rebooting your device didn't cure the problem, then take a look at these techniques for getting rid of a virus/malware from your computer.
July 21, 2022 - Should You Care About Data Privacy? Starlink: The Internet To Go,
How to Use FaceTime on Android, How to Use Google Lens,
"If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more, If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough, but if you click unknown links, you're screwed."
- Oprah Winfrey
Club Questions
How to Use FaceTime on Android, How to Use Google Lens,
"If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more, If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough, but if you click unknown links, you're screwed."
- Oprah Winfrey
Club Questions
Should You Care About Data Privacy?
Lately, data privacy, or the lack of it, has become a bigger conversation for those of us that make our way along the Internet. But if you have nothing to hide, does it really matter if websites track you? The amount of data collected on you in a single day might surprise you, and it's not just your Internet usage, but even your credit card purchases and your driver's license. Modern algorithms are sophisticated trackers of most everything you do, to learn more about how they track you, and what you can do to stay more private, take a look at this article.
If you'd like to learn more about how to stop apps from tracking you, take a look at this article.
Lately, data privacy, or the lack of it, has become a bigger conversation for those of us that make our way along the Internet. But if you have nothing to hide, does it really matter if websites track you? The amount of data collected on you in a single day might surprise you, and it's not just your Internet usage, but even your credit card purchases and your driver's license. Modern algorithms are sophisticated trackers of most everything you do, to learn more about how they track you, and what you can do to stay more private, take a look at this article.
If you'd like to learn more about how to stop apps from tracking you, take a look at this article.
The Space Internet is Coming
Starlink, the brain child of Elon Musk, has been slowing launching its satellites into space for the last couple of years, the goal, high speed Internet for everyone, even those who live in rural areas. When it's finished, Starlink will basically be a giant mesh network for the entire planet. This will not only benefit rural Internet users, but also mobile ones as well. Imagine having super high speed Internet in your RV, no matter where you take it. To learn more about Starlink and Internet to-go, take a look at this article.
Starlink, the brain child of Elon Musk, has been slowing launching its satellites into space for the last couple of years, the goal, high speed Internet for everyone, even those who live in rural areas. When it's finished, Starlink will basically be a giant mesh network for the entire planet. This will not only benefit rural Internet users, but also mobile ones as well. Imagine having super high speed Internet in your RV, no matter where you take it. To learn more about Starlink and Internet to-go, take a look at this article.
How to Use FaceTime on Android
FaceTime is a video calling feature baked in to iPhones for quite a while now, but until iOS 15, it was only usable by iPhones. Since the release of iOS 15, FaceTime can be shared with Android and Windows phone devices as well. On iPhones, FaceTime has proven to be an effortless way of enjoying video calls with anyone else using an iPhone, now it can also be shared with all Android and Windows phone users, to learn more about how to enable this feature, take a look at this article.
FaceTime is a video calling feature baked in to iPhones for quite a while now, but until iOS 15, it was only usable by iPhones. Since the release of iOS 15, FaceTime can be shared with Android and Windows phone devices as well. On iPhones, FaceTime has proven to be an effortless way of enjoying video calls with anyone else using an iPhone, now it can also be shared with all Android and Windows phone users, to learn more about how to enable this feature, take a look at this article.
How to Use Google Lens
Google Lens is the visual search tool you never knew you needed. Think of it as Google Search, but for images. It lets you look up information on things you see, translate and copy text from pictures, get help with your schoolwork, and much more. The best thing about it? It doesn’t require any typing. Launched in 2017, Google Lens is available for Android or iOS, and it’s integrated into Google Assistant, Google Photos, some camera apps, and the Chrome browser. To learn more about how to use Google Lens, take a look at this article, or the video below.
Google Lens is the visual search tool you never knew you needed. Think of it as Google Search, but for images. It lets you look up information on things you see, translate and copy text from pictures, get help with your schoolwork, and much more. The best thing about it? It doesn’t require any typing. Launched in 2017, Google Lens is available for Android or iOS, and it’s integrated into Google Assistant, Google Photos, some camera apps, and the Chrome browser. To learn more about how to use Google Lens, take a look at this article, or the video below.
July 28, 2022 - How to Use Group Texting Feature, Malwarebytes and How to Use it,
How to Remove Malware from Android & iPhone,
"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier,
Unless it's an unknown link, forget those things."
- Mother Teresa
Club Questions
How to Remove Malware from Android & iPhone,
"Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier,
Unless it's an unknown link, forget those things."
- Mother Teresa
Club Questions
How to Send a Group Text Message
There are basically three types of text messages you can send, iMessage, SMS and MMS messages. iMessage is native to iPhone and adds end to end encryption on all its messages, but only works between iPhones. SMS and MMS messages work on all phones, including Android. Sending a group text message can save time and sometimes money, and can be sent from any smartphone to any other smartphone, your phone will figure out which is the best method for you as you send it. To learn more about how to send group text messages on iPhone, take a look at this article. Android users wanting to learn more about sending group text messages, take a look at this article.
There are basically three types of text messages you can send, iMessage, SMS and MMS messages. iMessage is native to iPhone and adds end to end encryption on all its messages, but only works between iPhones. SMS and MMS messages work on all phones, including Android. Sending a group text message can save time and sometimes money, and can be sent from any smartphone to any other smartphone, your phone will figure out which is the best method for you as you send it. To learn more about how to send group text messages on iPhone, take a look at this article. Android users wanting to learn more about sending group text messages, take a look at this article.
Malwarebytes Anti-Malware App
Malwarebytes is a reliable anti-malware app that can scan your computer and rid it of pesky malware. The app comes in a paid version as well as a free one. The types of malware you can run into on the Internet range from merely bothersome to downright painful, luckily, Malwarebytes can handle them all. To learn more about installing Malwarebytyes on a Windows computer, take a look at this article from the developer. Or take a look at the video below.
Malwarebytes is a reliable anti-malware app that can scan your computer and rid it of pesky malware. The app comes in a paid version as well as a free one. The types of malware you can run into on the Internet range from merely bothersome to downright painful, luckily, Malwarebytes can handle them all. To learn more about installing Malwarebytyes on a Windows computer, take a look at this article from the developer. Or take a look at the video below.
For those of you using a Mac computer, take a look at the video below on how to download, install and use the free version of Malwarebytes.
How to Remove Malware from Smartphone
Both Android and iPhone devices are susceptible to malware, especially if the owner is downloading apps from places other than the official app stores for their device, or clicking on unknown links. If you suspect that you might have some malware on your device, there are steps you can take to rid your phone or tablet of the problem. If you're an Android user, take a look at this article.
And if you're an iPhone user, take a look at this article. Both of these articles show the user how to get rid of malware without having to use a third party app.
