Category: Tech

Update iPhones and iPads Now

A number of news sources are reporting that Apple users need to update iPhones and iPads with the latest software, version 14.4. Apple identified two security threats that have been fixed with the latest update. For more information, see the news stories in Forbes and CBS News as well as Apple‘s report.

In most cases, to update, go to
Utilities
Settings
General
Software Update

The update will take a few minutes to download and the device will power down.

–Tidelines Editors

(Imgae credit: apple.com)

 

Tech Notes: 2021 Tech Predictions

Happy New Year, Seabrookers!

As we enter the new year, we find ourselves faced with many of the same challenges that we faced in 2020. With many of us staying home more these days, technology is playing a big part in our daily lives more so now than ever before.

I thought I would start the new year by writing down my thoughts and predictions in the world of tech for 2021.

Streaming Services Will Continue to Expand in 2021
2020 was certainly the year that streaming TV and movies really took off. And what great timing for these companies to exist in the middle of a global pandemic where people were stuck at home looking for entertainment options. 2020 saw the rise of Disney’s new streaming service Disney+, in addition to NBC introducing their streaming service, Peacock. Netflix and Amazon Prime continue to be the heavy hitters in the streaming world, and they will look to continue their dominance in 2021.

This year has already seen the addition of a new streaming platform, (Discovery+), as well as CBS All-Access’s upcoming rebrand of their streaming service to Paramount+.

We are now at a point in technology where many of us have to take notice of all the streaming platforms that we are paying for and subscribing to. For years, we hoped to be able to choose our cable TV channels in an à la carte fashion. While we are now able to do that, with that ability comes a lot of separate logins and payments that could quickly add up to be confusing and more expensive than traditional cable ever was. Continue reading “Tech Notes: 2021 Tech Predictions”

iPhone Battery Issues Again

iPhone and iPad users are again reporting problems with abnormal battery drain, particularly in iPhones.

Though some thought the problem was the new iPhone 12, it seems to be the latest iOS 14.2 update that has affected many other Apple devices. An article published in iDrop News on December 7, 2020, sheds some light on the issue. To read it, click here.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: apple.com)

Scams Still Abound

Scammers don’t take a break during the pandemic. In fact, they see opportunity with people spending more time at home and on their devices. We’ve recently received a report of an Amazon scam that comes in an email.  Another scam purported to be about a FedEx delivery arrived in a text. It is imperative that you be vigilant and avoid suspicious emails, phone calls, and texts. There are several articles that do an excellent job of explaining what’s going on and you can see them here:

Top 10 Scams

Identifying Whether an Email, Phone Call, Text Message, or Webpage is from Amazon

Scams and Safety from the FBI

If you discover a scam, take the time to report it. For more information on that, see this article from the Federal Trade Commission:

Avoiding and Reporting Scams

We’ve warned before about various scams and you can look back at our 2020 posts here:

Defend Against COVID-19 Fraud and Scams (8/9/20)

A New COVID-19 Scan is Making the Rounds (5/16/20)

Beware of Fraud and Scams During COVID-19 Pandemic (3/28/20)

Protect Yourself from Social Security Scams (1/29/20)

Be safe; stay vigilant.

–Tidelines Editors

Tech Notes: The Digital Subscription Model Part 1

Happy (Almost) Fall Seabrookers!

It’s been quite a while since I last wrote a column for Tidelines. Of course, the world has changed quite a bit in the past six months. I hope everyone is continuing to stay safe and healthy as we leave the hot, humid weather behind us.

As I pondered on topics to write about, my mind kept going to the topic of “recurring costs” for the upkeep of our digital lives. What do I mean by this?

With each passing year, our lives become more intertwined with the digital world. I’ve now been in the tech industry long enough to see the evolution first hand, and I often compare and contrast the effects technology has had on our everyday lives. As a teenager, I grew to love computers through the “Windows” era, where Microsoft became such a dominant force in the industry. Then I got my feet wet in an occupation just before Apple came along and changed the game with their iPhone and iPad devices. And along the way, tech companies like Google, MySpace, Facebook, Amazon, YouTube, Twitter, and Uber all made their impressions on us. And in 2020, was there any more well-known tech company who shot their way to the top quicker than Zoom? When a tech company becomes a verb (Who hasn’t ZOOMED yet???), that’s when you know you’re a big deal.

I say all of that to say this: technology (and the conveniences it provides) has allowed us to take advantage of services and products we like. With the click of a button, we can have food delivered to our doorstep, music delivered to our home speakers, or printer ink and razor blades delivered in our mailboxes. These companies often take advantage of the “subscription-based” models of doing business by offering you the ability to sign up, provide your billing information, and “Let us do all the work.” Continue reading “Tech Notes: The Digital Subscription Model Part 1”

Gone Phishing

Cyber crooks are always devising new ways to extract private, personal, compromising data from us… whether it’s through fake Medicare calls or emails promising lottery winnings. If they’re not extracting data, they’re inserting it.

The latest phishing* expedition is related to the teleconferencing platforms Zoom, MS Teams, and Google Meet. Many of us are still becoming familiar with these and could find ourselves clicking into trouble. In some cases, hackers have sent very official-looking invitations to a Zoom or MS Team meeting and when one clicks on the link, it goes to another very official-looking site that asks for name, email, and password. If you respond, the hacker now has valuable information about you. So DON’T click.

In another example, a button in the invitation email to “open” the meeting was actually a link that downloaded malware. So DON’T open. Continue reading “Gone Phishing”

Tech Tips with Chad

Today’s tech tip comes at an appropriate time in our world, as many of us are using our computers and gadgets much more due to the recent “Home or Work” mandates our state has implemented. As states are reopening, hackers are going to take advantage of these trying times and come up with new ways to scam people.

Recently, there have been reports of people receiving COVID-19 related text messages, with a link to another website. Be on the lookout for these and make sure your gut feeling kicks in right away on these types of messages. Never click those links on any device, as it could lead you to fake websites that could be giving out false information, or even worse, setting up a fake site that allows the unsuspecting victim to think he or she is signing up for a free COVID-19 test at their local medical facility.

These bad guys are trying to get you to give up way more information than a normal medical practice would ask for, all in an attempt to steal your identity and possibly set up a fake payment website to pay for services or even COVID-19 donation sites.

These messages could come in the form of a text message, e-mail, or robocall, so be aware on all fronts. These people could claim to be from the World Health Organization (WHO) or any other type of governmental agency, but 99% of the time, it’s someone pretending to be them.

The general rule of thumb when someone on the phone, or electronically, is asking for private information When in Doubt, Don’t Give it Out!

-Chad Droze, Compu-Experts

Reprinted with permission

QR Codes: What Do You Know?

Have you noticed these QR codes popping up in many different places? QR codes, or Quick Response codes, were first developed more than 25 years ago in Japan by automakers. They were supposed to be the future of advertising but people lost interest in them when accessing the information they provided required another app to be downloaded to one’s phone.

Today’s smartphones have cameras that are sophisticated enough to point and read the QRs. You’ve probably seen QRs on packages, bills, and product packaging. Maybe you’ve seen one on a display in a store. The user scans the code and is automatically directed to a new source of information like a webpage or coupon page or a profile from social media. Some QR codes can send the user an image, a video or a PDF. They’re used to offer more information.

Try the one below to see what you find. To do so, open the camera on your smartphone, hold your phone up to the QR:

This image should appear at the top of your smartphone over the image of the QR:

Tap on this image and you will find the answer to this question:

Looking for something to read?

Now that you’ve experimented with our QR code, you’ll be ready to read other QR codes- maybe even in your doctor’s office.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: pixabay.com; QR created at QR Code Generator)

Tips for Video Conferencing

While we are all social distancing these days, many of us are using video conferencing to stay in touch with family members and/or conduct meetings.

Here are 10 Do’s and Don’ts to elevate the overall experience of a video conference.

Do: Mute your microphone whenever you’re not speaking — even if you’re alone in the room. Background noise can be an annoying distraction and stifle any meeting’s flow.

Do: Be aware of your video settings. Check if your microphone is muted before talking. Otherwise, no one will be able to hear you

Don’t: Position your camera too low, too high or hooked onto a different monitor. Weird camera angles can be very distracting — and unflattering — during video conference calls. Make sure your camera is eye level and on the monitor you plan to use for the conference.

Do: Make sure your room is well lit (side lighting is the best). Few things are worse than having a meeting while feeling like you’re talking to someone in a dungeon. Use natural light from windows or simply turn on the overhead light in the room to brighten up the conference.

Do: Wear appropriate clothing. You never know if you’re going to have to get up suddenly or if your camera might fall. So wear clean, appropriate clothing for your video calls.

Do: Your wall art or decorations should be appropriate and your surroundings clean. If your room looks like you just hosted a party, clean it or find a different room. This also includes your desk! Avoid having multiple coffee mugs, dishes and trash on the surface.

Do: Test your microphone before you video call. Nothing is worse than trying to share something critical, and not being able to communicate clearly because your audio clarity and volume are poor.

Do: If you’re in a group call without video, introduce yourself before you talk. Consider something like “Hi it’s Jim, I have a question.” While several programs will notify you as to who is talking, conference line numbers will not. Therefore, be polite and introduce yourself.

Don’t: Check or read emails or peruse articles while on the video call. It’s easy for other participants to tell if you aren’t fully focused and present during the video call.

Do: When you’re talking, look into the camera instead of looking at yourself talking on the computer screen. It will help others on the call feel like you’re 100 percent engaged and present.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: abcnews.go.com)

 

Is Your Battery Running Low?

Now that we are using our devices more often than usual, do you find that the battery is running low faster and taking longer to recharge?

It is an easy fix, even for those of us who are not computer savvy.  The solution depends on what type of operating system your device has – either Android or Apple’s iOS.  If you don’t know what operating system you have, that’s not a problem.

You just need to do a search by going into your search engine, such as Google, and typing in “Why is my battery low on my iPad?” or “Why is my battery low on my Dell laptop?” You will find many solutions to your problem.  Pick the one that you feel most comfortable using.

You might also have a problem with the language used in these articles.  You can search for explanations of the things that you are confused about by typing it into the search engine. For instance, you can search for “Push” or “Fetch” if you are confused about how these words are being used.

If you are still having difficulty, you can always call someone from Generation X, Y or Z!

–Tidelines Editors

 

CCPL Offers Digitial and Other Resources

CCPL resources March 2020

The Charleston County Public Library (CCPL) branches may be closed, but patrons can still engage with their library from the comfort of their homes. CCPL offers an array of digital resources, programming and services, and continues to expand these offerings every day. To learn more, click here.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: CCPL)