Articles written by Greg Cunningham
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Fake tech support (still), Alexa or privacy (not both), Gmail features
I know, I know. I can't believe it either, but apparently, those fake tech support scammers are still out there. You know, the one where a window pops up on your computer telling you about a problem...
Windows 7 nagging, smartphone diagnostics
Windows 7 nagging Microsoft won't stop supporting Windows 7 (Win7) until January of next year, but Win7 machines will soon start seeing popup messages warning of the end of support. After support...
Smartphone location data
Everybody wants the location data in your smartphone. Your carrier, your phone's operating system, even the apps running on your phone. But why? Why does Verizon, AT&T, Apple, Google or Candy Crush...
Chrome password checkup, ji32k7au4a83, 12-inch extension cords
Chrome password checkup Every time we hear about a data breach somewhere, we know that a new bunch of usernames and passwords were just stolen and are about to be used against us. Somehow, and by...
Self-driving cars
Self-driving cars: the media (whether, for you, that means reading web sites, reading physical papers/magazines, or listening to the radio) seems to be telling us that self-driving cars are finally...
Inkjet vs. laser, Chrome password checker, streaming radio
Inkjet vs. lasers You're probably tired of your printer telling you it's out of black, magenta, yellow, or cyan ink. And you're also probably tired of paying the high price of printer cartridges. And...
The end of Windows 7, plus microwave ovens and Wi-Fi
Windows 7 support ends Microsoft will stop supporting Windows 7 with security updates on Jan. 14, 2020. But don't worry, your trusty Windows 7 computer will still work, it just won't get any more...
iPhones and Windows, YouTubeTV, useful or fun websites
Sync and backup your iPhone to Windows iPhones used to pretend that Windows didn’t even exist. But since there are more Windows devices than iPhones, Apple has (probably reluctantly) provided tools...
Windows shutdown process, saved passwords on 'iThings'
The Windows shutdown process After you click "Shutdown," and before your computer actually turns off, Windows runs a bunch of processes. First, Windows checks where any other users are logged in to...
We have created a wonderful place
I've written before about the great work being done by very smart and talented people on behalf of the City of Tehachapi. It's work that has an everyday positive impact for the community, our...
Top passwords, Alexa's wake word and Instagram photos
Top passwords of 2018 A company called SplashData analyzed more than 5 million accounts/passwords that have leaked online and compiled a list of the most-used passwords for 2018. For the fifth year...
Fake tech support scams, passwords and managers
Fake tech support scams They're still out there, you know. Like chewing gum stuck to the bottom of your galoshes, those fake tech support scam "people" are still out there, stealing people's money. Th...
Internet speeds, sand and computers
Internet speed tests Do you know how fast your internet is? Do you know how fast it should be? A quick check of the bill from your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or a phone call to your ISP, will...
Windows and Mac apps
Useful apps for your computer Microsoft and Apple both pack lots of features and apps into their operating systems. For many people, the included apps are all they need to get things done on their...
'Ghosting' Facebook, techopolies
"Ghosting" Facebook Breaking off a relationship suddenly without telling the other person and then ignoring all communications from that person is called "ghosting." If you can't quite delete your...
Browsers and banking, autofill typos and casting to your TV
Browsers and banking If your computer can't connect to your bank or financial institution anymore, you need to switch your browser. Old Windows and Mac computers become "unsupported," meaning they no...
Chromebooks, dual-band routers, undo and more
What's a Chromebook? A Chromebook is an inexpensive laptop, designed to be used while connected to the internet. Most of your applications and all of your files are stored online. Why are they inexpen...
Scary smartphone stats
Addiction. There, I said it. People, Americans in this case, are addicted to their smartphones. Not you and me, though; we're fine. Other people, probably someone we know, is addicted. How...
Should you choose Apple or Android for a new phone?
Smartphones running Android by Google, or iOS by Apple, have borrowed (or stolen, see Apple Inc. v Samsung) so many features and design elements from each other that most phones look basically the sam...
Analogies
Technical stuff can be complicated, so I use analogies to help explain technical stuff in ways non-technical people can understand. CPUs, hard drive space and RAM, browsers and home pages CPUs CPU...
Email fun facts
Email, as we know it, was invented by Ray Tomlinson in 1972 while working as a government contractor on the U. S. Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET). He used the...
Fake tech support scams are on the rise
There are more crooks than ever running fake tech support scams. First it was phone calls, then poisoned pop-ups and hijacked advertising networks, and now social media. When (if) people start to...
New phone settings and fixing slow browsers
Hey, congratulations; you've got a new phone. You (or the helpful people at the store) activated your new phone and you're all logged in and ready to go. Before you go out and use your phone to shoot...
Watch out for 'mshelper'
In spite of the "ms" in the name, "mshelper" is malware that runs on a Mac "mshelper" is designed to hog all the resources (processor time, memory and hard disk) on a Mac. This can cause your Mac to...
Routers, Russians and the FBI
I cringe whenever complicated technical information makes it to USA TODAY and other mainstream media outlets. Not that there's anything wrong with USA TODAY or the other guys, they're just not...
