Would you wear a pair of high heels for a hike in ‘Iao Valley? Or go ballroom dancing in steel-toe construction shoes? Ever saw someone tap-dance wearing diving fins? Which Fits? – Part 1 Even if its the best of what they are, the wrong shoes are simply the wrong shoes. Computers are no different, believe it or not! Today we’re talking about Windows, Macs, Chromebooks plus tablets and phones! What do you need? Well, sit right down, and let us listen! Oh, and if you’ve not seen Avengers Endgame yet? You might want to read this article by PC Magazine on how to limit spoilers! https://www.pcmag.com/news/368011/how-to-avoid-spoilers-online
Picking out your perfect match! No, not for dating… (4/27/19 Part 2)
Its love at first sight. Smart, beautiful,and right there looking back at you. Do you make the move? Which Fits? – Part 2 Okay, okay, so maybe buying a new computing device isn’t quite a romantic comedy. But like signing up for a dating site, there’s some questions you should ask yourself about your perfect match! And we get into that. Windows? Mac? Chromebook? Tablet or Smartphone?
Surfing the Internet 101! (3/9/19 Part 1)
If you’re here, you probably typed AlertInternetSurfer.com! Well, why did we name our website that? Because that’s what we want you to be! So, in our ongoing 101 series we go into Surfing The Internet! Computers 101 – Safe Surfin’ Tired of Internet Explorer? Edge? Safari? Try out a new browser today! Mozilla Firefox – https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/ Google Chrome – https://www.google.com/chrome Opera Browser – https://www.opera.com TOR Browser – https://www.torproject.org/ Vivaldi Browser – https://vivaldi.com/
Updates! Keep’em Running! (3/9/19 Part 2)
When you’ve got a car, be it brand new, used, or a hand-me-down, one of the first things you learn about is the humble oil change. Later, its new tires. Brakes. There’s a bit of upkeep to keeping your car running! Computers 101 – Updating! Your computer and devices are the same. The operating system plus programs and even hardware get updates from time to time. Some are fixing problems, some improve performance, others add features. But, how do you do it?
Printers 101: we cover the basics! (1/26/19 Part 1)
Paperwork, hobbies, crafts… printers are super useful peripherals for you home and office! Can they connect wirelessly? Via smartphone and tablet? What kinds are there? Prices? ARRRRGH! Printers 101 We’re here to help! We’ll be talking the basics about printers this hour!
Computers 101: Home Computing Peripherals (12/15/18 Part 1)
Desktops, laptops, smartphones, and tablets all great! You can go online, do work, play games, and generally do whatever you want. But, their capabilities can all be expanded by using PERIPHERALS! Really, Mostly Printers… A peripheral can be anything from a printer, external storage, streaming-to-TV, or even something fun like a game controller! Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about these and more!
Net Neutrality & the CRA Update (12/8/18 Part 2)
Net Neutrality update! Net Neutrality Update Its a marathon, its not a one-and-done, and we’re helping you to keep up with it. We firmly believe that low competition creates complacent, non-customer focused companies, and we’re not alone! http://stopthecap.com/2018/11/08/net-neutrality-violated-nearly-every-u-s-wireless-operator-is-throttling-you/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/12/fcc-still-hiding-possible-evidence-of-russia-meddling-in-net-neutrality-comments/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/12/attverizon-lobby-misunderstands-arrow-of-time-makes-impossible-claim/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2018/12/ajit-pai-buries-2-year-old-speed-test-data-in-appendix-of-762-page-report/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/03/senate-votes-to-let-isps-sell-your-web-browsing-history-to-advertisers/
Passwords and… SANTA! (11/24/18 Part 2)
First off, Mr. and Mrs. Claus came in to join us this hour! They talk about where they’ll be this month, plus where you can find them! Want to find out more? Passwords and Santa! They’ll be at the Kihei Public Library on Saturday, December 8th 2018 from 10:30am til 12:30pm. They’ll also be at Maui Makers on Sunday, December 9th 2018 10am til 2pm. Then there’s the Hansen Toy Drive on Saturday, December 1st 2018 from 4pm til 8pm! Look them up and get more details at https://www.facebook.com/mauimrandmrsclaus/ Anyhow: Recycling is good unless you’re talking about passwords. Reusing a password is bad internet hygiene (dare we say unsanitary!) and can cause all sorts of problems for you. So, what do you do about that? Well, glad you asked! Time for a 101 on Passwords and Password Managers! https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-password-managers/ https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2407168,00.asp https://www.wired.com/2016/01/you-need-a-password-manager/ https://www.xkcd.com/936/
Q&A Second Story is OPEN! (11/3/18 Part 1)
Your skill are one of your biggest assets! And, thanks to the wonders of your brain, you can learn new things, new skills, update things and more! Some people can learn great on their own, but some folks really benefit from time with a teacher. Welcome to Maui Computer Learning with Ben! Q&A now has Q&A Second Story! Its a classroom where you can learn more about a variety of subjects with one of the best teachers on Maui! Got a business or a non-profit? You can invest in your greatest asset: your people! https://www.inc.com/chad-halvorson/5-reasons-you-should-be-investing-in-employee-development.html https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/01/29/why-development-planning-is-important-neglected-and-can-cost-you-young-talent/#5c9bf9d56f63 https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-10-reasons-keep-learning-all-time-deb-calvert https://www.inc.com/aj-agrawal/4-reasons-why-we-should-never-stop-learning.html
Stingrays! Security! Phones! YOU! (10/27/18 Part 1)
What is a Stingray? Its a fake cellphone tower that law enforcement can deploy to intercept cell phone signals. And frankly, if the bad guys have it, then the spies probably do. And we’re sure the organized crime bad guys do too in some places! Why Encryption? Maybe you don’t feel you’re important enough to worry about this sort of thing, but our elected officials do. And some of the things they could/should be doing you can do too! What to learn more about Virtual Private Networks? Go to https://thatoneprivacysite.net/ Want to encrypt your phone? Best check with your smartphone’s manufacturer!