Jonathan and LD continue talking about computer security basics for everyday people like you and me! How Not To Get Hacked – Part 2 Simple things, things to look for, and more!
Our predictions for 2020! (1/4/20 Part 1)
Last week we graded ourselves on our 2019 predictions. We nearly broke 60% right as a group, but not quite. Predictions 2020 – Part 1 How will we do this year?
Its the intro to our SHOPPING SHOW! (12/14/19 Part 1)
Its the holidays! There are sales! So, whether you celebrate or just need to upgrade, this is a great time to buy! We talk about how we decided which computers to talk about plus take your calls! What Do I Need to Look For? *Sorry but the last few minutes of this program were lost due to technical difficulties
We braved Costco and Officemax to find these deals! (12/14/19 Part 2)
Its time to buy! And with the deals here on Maui, its a great time to do so! Computer Prices On Island! Are you upgrading to a new computer? Buying a laptop for a student? Do your folks need to replace a dying machine? This is your show!
The Price of Not Upgrading (12/7/19 Part 1)
Sure, your old computer has been faithful. You’ve had it for years. But are you doing yourself any favors by keeping it? Upgrade or Replace? Old computers become harder to fix, more expensive to maintain, and software support gets harder to find. And lets not start about protecting it…! Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about the Price of Not Upgrading in this hour!
The Time Has Come for Windows 7. Now What? (12/7/19 Part 2)
Windows 7 is being retired. It will no longer be receiving updates. Is it time to move on? Yes. Yes it is. Time to Change OSes Jonathan has finally been won over, and we talk why you should move over. Benefits of Windows 10, how to change the interface, and more! https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 http://www.classicshell.net/
Web Browser Extensions – making your browser better! (10/12/19 Part 1)
The humble web browser is probably one of the most commonly used pieces of software out there. It works hard running web apps, playing videos, music, and just getting stuff done. But, did you know you can make it better? Browser Extensions Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about web browser extensions: what they like, and more! Now, where do you get them? The browser’s OFFICIAL STORE. Its much safer than downloading from random websites! NoScript blocks scripts, only allowing what you want! Lightbeam shows you where your internet cookies are going for any given website. Where is your data going? AdBlocker+ helps keep obtrusive (and sometimes dangerous) ads from driving you crazy! NewsGuard is Sam’s favorite and only extension which helps him get initial gauging of websites. Flash is one of those most popular plugins, but its dying! We mention this so you know. Password managers abound, but get one from a reputable service. The Mercury Reader is a Chrome extension that will let you have a “Reader Mode” for websites! Adobe Reader for PDFs! Privacy Badger helps keep trackers from tracking you! It tells them “stop!” and if they don’t? It’ll block them!
Botnets: badware getting better and smarter… grrr… (9/21/19 Part 1)
Don’t call it a comeback! Emotet has been going to the gym and on a diet. What is Emotet? And what is a botnet? Bad Botnet! Bad! No Biscuit! How to recognize Emotet – https://blog.malwarebytes.com/botnets/2019/09/emotet-is-back-botnet-springs-back-to-life-with-new-spam-campaign/ Deeper reading – https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2019/09/worlds-most-destructive-botnet-returns-with-stolen-passwords-and-email-in-tow/ What is a botnet? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botnet
Backups, Protection, and a New PRIZE for our DRAWING! (9/21/19 Part 2)
Our friends at OfficeMax/Office Depot in Kahului have given us a family sized prize for our next drawing! Protecting your PC! Why is this relevant? Why, we’re talking about backups and protecting your computing devices!
Books have Chrome! Chrome of Books! (9/14/19 Part 1)
Today we talked about Chromebooks! They’ve come a long way over the past few years. Tune in as we talk about: Is the ChromeBook for me? Chromebooks pros: Websurfing and webapps! Android apps! Chromebooks can run Android apps now! Relatively inexpensive for modest machines, although better machines in terms of build quality and specs are available (even up to $999!) for serious/professional users. Chromebook cons: You can’t buy and download big, full-professional programs like Adobe Creative Cloud, Final Cut Pro, FULL Microsoft Office, etc. You’re stuck with web apps or Android apps. You can’t buy and download Windows or Mac games. You’re stuck with web games and Android games. Chromebooks generally do best with wifi or an internet connection. Without internet access you lose access to a lot of functionality. Things to consider Design. Is it a laptop or a convertable/2-in-1? Touchscreen? How well is it made? Stylus support? What sort of ports? USB? HDMI? How much RAM? 4g is minimum recommended for light use. 8g or more for heavier use, demanding Android apps/games, etc. 16g is going to be overkill for most users. CPU. Many will have Celerons or similar low-end CPUs which is okay for casual browsing and light use (Celerons, ARM, m3’s), but the nicer ones can have i3, i5, and i7 CPUs. Storage! 32g is probably a safe starting point, but if you want to keep files locally, download Android apps, etc., consider 64gb to 128g. If you plan to do photo editing or video editing then look for more. Budget. Be …