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[Tip] How to Reset Forgotten User
Account Password in Windows 10
https://www.askvg.com/tip-how-to-reset-forgotten-user-account-password-in-windows-10/
Windows 10 'Lean' is a smaller edition
of Windows 10 for devices with 16GB of storage
Windows 10 Lean is Windows 10 on a
diet. Featuring a much smaller footprint, Windows 10 Lean is
designed for devices with 16GB of storage and ensures t
hose devices can remain up to date.
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-lean-smaller-edition-windows-10-devices-16gb-storage
Windows 10 April 2018 Update reportedly
breaking some critical PC features
Both third party and Microsoft-built
apps have stopped working on some machines.Irish security
developer Safer Networking has released Spybot –
Search & Destroy 2.7, a new version of
its Windows free and paid-for anti-malware tool.
https://www.pcauthority.com.au/news/windows-10-april-2018-update-reportedly-breaking-some-critical-pc-features-490428
A very early look at the Cloud
Clipboard experience in Windows 10
https://www.ghacks.net/2018/05/10/a-very-early-look-at-the-cloud-clipboard-experience-in-windows-10/
How to Use Apple Service Diagnostic to
Troubleshoot Your Mac
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/apple-service-diagnostics-mac/
Amazon Music’s app adds hands-free
listening, courtesy of Alexa
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/24/amazon-musics-app-adds-hands-free-listening-courtesy-of-alexa/
How to Manage Startup Programs in
Windows 10’s Settings App
https://www.howtogeek.com/351537/how-to-manage-startup-programs-in-windows-10s-settings-app/
Useful Shortcut Keys in Ubuntu
https://www.maketecheasier.com/useful-shortcut-keys-in-ubuntu/
Google is making a dent in the Amazon
Echo's dominance, and one research firm even says it's in the lead
- Canalys said the Google Home
beat the Amazon Echo in Q1 2018.
- Strategy Analytics doesn't see
that much of a lead but shows Google is making a dent.
- China has been a big growth
area for smart speakers.
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/05/23/google-home-versus-amazon-echo-market-share.html?__source=yahoo%7Cfinance%7Cheadline%7Cstory%7C&par=yahoo&yptr=yahoo
Turn Your Phone Into a Powerful PC (?
only the newest ones)
There's no excuse for Microsoft not
making an 'Xboy' to rival Nintendo Switch
Microsoft is blowing it by not having a
handheld gaming strategy. This is why.
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/turn-phone-powerful-pc-140000271.html
Windows 10 quick tips: 10 ways to speed
up your PC
Want Windows 10 to run faster? Take a
few minutes to try out these tips, and your machine will be
zippier and less prone to performance and system issues.
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3029168/microsoft-windows/windows-10-quick-tips-10-ways-to-speed-up-your-pc.html
Apple is giving $50 refunds to anyone
who replaced an iPhone battery last year
http://bgr.com/2018/05/23/apple-iphone-battery-replacement-cost-refund-how-to/
Google Duplex Is Classist: Here's How
to Fix It
With Duplex, the Google Assistant can
trick people into thinking it's human. It's cool, but ultimately
turns service workers into inconvenient interfaces.
Google can do better.
https://www.pcmag.com/g00/commentary/361111/google-duplex-is-classist-heres-how-to-fix-it?i10c.encReferrer=&i10c.ua=1&i10c.dv=14
Google Lens updated with smart text
selection and real-time lookup
It's a slow rollout, but the features
are bound to land on your phone soon enough.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/24/google-lens-smart-text-selection-real-time-lookup/
Google I/O 2018: What's New with Google
Assistant, Android P, Maps and More
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/google-io-2018-google-assistant,news-27169.html
Google Declares Victory for HTTPS in
Chrome 69 [Nice]
https://gizmodo.com/google-declares-victory-for-https-in-chrome-69-nice-1826118352
There's no excuse for Microsoft not
making an 'Xboy' to rival Nintendo Switch
Microsoft is blowing it by not having a
handheld gaming strategy. This is why.
https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-just-wrong-not-making-xboy
Spybot – Search & Destroy 2.7 adds new
Start Center screen, improves malware search
Irish security developer Safer
Networking has released Spybot – Search & Destroy 2.7, a new
version of its Windows free and paid-for anti-malware tool.
https://www.pcauthority.com.au/news/spybot-search-destroy-27-adds-new-start-center-screen-improves-malware-search-490296
Extract email addresses and other data
from files on Windows
https://www.ghacks.net/2018/05/09/extract-email-addresses-and-other-data-from-files-on-windows/
The 10 Best Free Movie Streaming Sites
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/best-free-movie-streaming-sites/
Inside Facebook’s anti-sex trafficking
hackathon
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/24/facebook-child-safety/
How to Upgrade to the Latest Version of
Ubuntu
https://www.howtogeek.com/351360/how-to-upgrade-to-the-latest-version-of-ubuntu/
What Is a PPA in Ubuntu, and How Do You
Use It?
https://www.maketecheasier.com/what-is-ppa-in-ubuntu/
Strategies For Maximizing Your Social
Security Benefits
https://www.forbes.com/sites/catherineschnaubelt/2018/05/23/strategies-for-maximizing-your-social-security-benefits/#5b8841c566f0
The Strangest Social Security Benefit
You Can Get
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/strangest-social-security-benefit-212900088.html
Fuchsia and the future of Android
Google's mysterious new operating
system is assumed to be a replacement for Android and Chrome OS —
but what if the situation isn't actually so simple?
https://www.computerworld.com/article/3275786/mobile-wireless/fuchsia-android.html
Behold: The thinnest iPhone X clear
case on the planet
http://bgr.com/2018/05/24/iphone-x-case-amazon-thinnest-clear-case/
Congress Releases 3,500 Russian-Made
Facebook Ads
The ads show how easy it was for trolls
to ape activist causes to rile up Americans.
https://tinyurl.com/yad2cwo6
FBI seizes domain behind major Russian
botnet
By doing so, authorities can prevent
reinfection and put a stop to the botnet.
FBI seizes domain behind major Russian botnet
Android P Features: What's New in
Google's Next OS
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/android-p-features,news-26604.html
North Korea May Be Secretly Selling
Face Recognition Tech Abroad Through Front Companies
https://gizmodo.com/north-korea-may-be-secretly-selling-face-recognition-te-1826118165
Windows 10 April 2018 Update review:
It's about the little things
The next Windows 10 feature update is
here, and it's packing lots of new changes and refinements. Here's
our full review!
https://www.windowscentral.com/windows-10-april-update-review-2018
Siri curses like a sailor when asked
for an innocent-sounding definition
Wash your speaker out with soapy water.
https://www.pcauthority.com.au/news/siri-curses-like-a-sailor-when-asked-for-an-innocent-sounding-definition-489968
Notepad gets extended line endings
support in Windows 10
https://www.ghacks.net/2018/05/09/notepad-gets-extended-line-endings-support-in-windows-10/
The 3 Types of Antivirus Scans and When
to Use Each One
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/antivirus-scan-types/
Facebook is asking users worldwide to
review their privacy settings
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/24/facebook-is-asking-users-worldwide-to-review-their-privacy-settings/
The Best New Features in Android P,
Available Now in Beta
https://www.howtogeek.com/351812/the-best-new-features-in-android-p-available-now-in-beta/
Ring Doorbell Doesn’t Keep You Safe
After Password Change
https://www.maketecheasier.com/ring-doorbell-password-change/
Internal documents reveal Apple knew
the iPhone 6 was more likely to bend than previous models
Turns out #bendgate was real
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/5/24/17389220/apple-bendgate-internal-documents-iphone-6-plus
Apple Store hints you shouldn’t buy a
new MacBook Pro until after WWDC
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/apple-store-hints-shouldn-t-204402951.html
Windows 10 tip: How to turn on System
Protection and create System Restore points
One of the oldest Windows recovery
tools, System Restore, is disabled by default on most Windows 10
installations.
Here's how to re-enable this
still-useful feature.
https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-tip-how-to-turn-on-system-protection-and-create-system-restore-points/
What is Reddit? A beginner’s guide to
using the front page of the internet
https://www.komando.com/tips/460129/what-is-reddit-a-beginners-guide-to-using-the-front-page-of-the-internet
First Look: Share the Same AR Space
With Google's Cloud Anchors
Imagine multiplayer augmented reality
games, redecorating a home, or painting a virtual mural with your
friends, even if they're all on different smartphones.
https://tinyurl.com/y8fzsnrc
Lenovo continues to struggle as a
smartphone maker
PC sales are on the up, though.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/24/lenovo-continues-to-struggle-as-a-smartphone-maker/
Google Assistant Will Soon Make Calls
on Your Behalf (Really)
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/google-assistant-io-2018,news-27171.html
Facebook Partners With D.C. Think Tank
to Combat Election Meddling
https://gizmodo.com/facebook-partners-with-d-c-think-tank-to-combat-electi-1826114902
Xbox can play the long game with its
exclusive titles, but not forever
A bit of a meme has been developing
around Xbox's first-party lineup, which frankly hasn't been as
grand as its competition as of late.
https://www.windowscentral.com/xbox-can-play-long-game-its-exclusive-line-time-running-out
Review: Fitbit Versa
Bored of your fitness band? Welcome to
the ideal smartwatch for casual health-tracking...
https://www.pcauthority.com.au/review/review-fitbit-versa-489900
Microsoft plans to change Alt-Tab
behavior on Windows 10
https://www.ghacks.net/2018/05/09/microsoft-plans-to-change-alt-tab-behavior-on-windows-10/
How to Convert a PDF to PowerPoint
Presentation
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/convert-pdf-powerpoint/
Box expands Zones to manage content in
multiple regions
https://techcrunch.com/2018/05/24/box-expands-zones-to-manage-content-in-multiple-regions/
Gmail’s Smart Compose Basically Writes
Emails For You And It’s Live Right Now
https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/gmails-smart-compose-basically-writes-emails-for-you-and-its-live-right-now/
How to Fix No SIM Card Detected on
Android
https://www.maketecheasier.com/fix-no-sim-card-detected-android/
Okta's Chrome plug-in tells you when
hackers have your password
And yes, it does have a system to avoid
leaking your password itself.
https://www.cnet.com/au/news/chrome-plug-in-tells-when-hackers-have-your-password-okta/
The best Chromebooks
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/best-chromebooks-buy-now-131506136.html
Windows 10 April 2018 Update problems:
Users struggle with mystery 'black screen'
Is third-party antivirus to blame for
the latest Windows 10 update issues?
https://www.zdnet.com/article/windows-10-april-2018-update-problems-users-struggle-with-mystery-black-screen/
Best jobs for people over 50
https://www.komando.com/tips/461150/sponsored-best-jobs-for-people-over-50
Tired of Waiting, Apple Cancels $1B
Irish Data Center
Originally announced in February 2015,
Apple is giving up on trying to build the new facility.
https://tinyurl.com/yaep3753
Apple's new iPhones may have the first
7-nanometer chips
Bloomberg reports that the new chips
will power Apple's upcoming trio of iPhones.
https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/23/apple-iphone-7-nanometer-chips/
Google Maps' New AR Feature Is So
Awesome We Want It Now
https://www.tomsguide.com/us/google-maps-directions-new-features,news-27172.html
Nest Devices Went Offline Last Night,
Disabling Some Key Features
https://gizmodo.com/nest-devices-went-offline-last-night-disabling-some-ke-1826102663
At Build 2018, Microsoft will continue
to form the foundation for ubiquitous computing's future
If you blink, you may just miss how the
world of computing is changing right now.
https://www.windowscentral.com/microsofts-future-building-backbone-ubiquitous-computing
Android’s New Gesture Controls Are
Exactly the Change the Pixel Phones Need
https://www.reviewgeek.com/3623/androids-new-gesture-controls-are-exactly-the-change-the-pixel-phones-need/
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Comments by -- Bob Primak --
Re. Recent FYI Postings: Week of May
13-19, 2018:
Re. FYI#1261 (Sun 5/13/2017):
Apple hit with lawsuit over the
“completely reinvented” Macbook keyboard it rolled out back in
2015
I can't say they didn't deserve this.
Apple completely denied the problem for way too long, and still
hasn't done anything to repair or replace affected keyboards.
Intel Postpones Patching 'Spectre NG'
CPU Flaws
It's better to do things right than to do
things right away.
Print documents and images remotely
from wherever you are
I store documents for later printing in my
Google Drive. Google also has CloudPrint. This service allows
remote printing without opening up a home PC to the Internet and
leaving it on all the time. So there's a reduced risk of hacking
into the home PC.
Only the printer is exposed, and it can
wake up or go to sleep depending on whether or not there's a print
job coming in. My Epson wireless all in opne functions as a
network printer.
There's also a specific Epson Connect
service for remote printing to that printer. Google CloudPrint
also works with Android devices and Chrome OS. I forget wehther it
will work with Linux,
but as long as there's a Chrome Browser in
there (not the open source Chromium Browser) it should work just
fine on that platform as well. I don't do Apple, so I don't know
if their products can use CloudPrint, but I think they can.
The point is, you don't have to allow full
access to your home PC in order to have remote printing.
You weren't hacked, Google tells Gmail
users who received spam from themselves
The method behind the spam glitch
was spotted last year but ignored by Google
This was not account hijacking. In other
words, it was a back end attack on the server side, not a front
end attack. So changing your password would do nothing to stop the
spam. Something similar happened to me some years ago with Yahoo
Web Mail.
They also took a long time to track down
the issue and get rid of the problem.
The Best Windows 10 Apps
I am no fan of Windows Store Apps. They
are almost all lame and inconvenient to use. I find the same
applies to Windows 10 itself, plus the nightmare of automatic
updates. So I seldom use Windows for anything anymore. But I do
use a couple or three of these apps.
The FCC Plans To Kill Net Neutrality On
June 11
The Senate has passed a bill to stop the
end of Net Neutrality for the most part. But it still needs to
pass the House, which is doubtful. Then our President needs to
sign the bill, which is very doubtful.
People are already forming some very
strong opinions about Google's wild new technology that sounds
like a real human on the phone
Like it or not, this almost-human bot is
the wave of the future. Where similar bots are used, I often find
them to be more consistent in their responses than human operators
or representatives. As with many places where there is a human or
a machine,
I prefer the machines. they are simply
more reliable most of the time and faster to use. Cashiers can
make mistakes and like to chat, so I use automatic checkouts.
Sometimes tech support can also be
delivered better with a bot than a human. Bots ask questions until
the precise issue is uncovered, and they are nearly infinitely
patient with users who have to try something several times before
it works for them. '
Windows shops be warned: New Internet
Explorer bug lets hackers hijack your system
A Chinese cybersecurity firm has
discovered a "double kill" bug in Internet Explorer that it said
is already being used by possible nation-state hacking groups.
This is based on combining a flaw in Ie
with a macro flaw in MS Office (Word). Similar attacks have been
demonstrated before. This attack to be successful depends ion a
phishing attack, so if you don't fall for phishing scams, you
won't fall for this attack.
Microsoft Edge Browser is not mentioned
much in the article, but Edge seems not to be vulnerable to this
attack vector.
This attack depends on a phishing attack,
so if you don't fall for the scam you won't be hacked. Still, this
proof of concept makes FIDO look more attractive, since
conventional 2FA has become vulnerable.
And by FIDO I mean the implementation
which uses hardware keys similar to YubiKey FOBs.
THREE WAYS TO KEEP YOUR HARD DRIVE
HEALTHY AND PROLONG ITS LIFE
Fragmentation is not the issue it once was
on mechanical hard drives. But it does increase qwear. Windows 10
defragments automatically as needed. SSDs do slow down over time
and as they fill up.
Trim helps a little, but this is still an
issue for some people. My Intel NUC's Samsung EVO SSD is still
going strong and fast after a couple or three years.
iOS 11.4 Disables Lightning Port 7 Days
After Last Unlock
If you don't unlock your iPhone for a
week, data transfer using the Lightning port is disabled.
This is not a bug. It is supposed to
function this way. It's better for security to leave this feature
disabled when not in active use. It should be left off by default.
The Best Linux Software
I use about half of these programs. A good
photo manager and editor is Fotoxx. I use MasterPDF to handle PDF
documents and PDF Shuffler to rearrange pages in PDF documents,
as well as to merge several scanned
documents into one PDF document. gParted helps manage external
drives and internal partitions. The Ubuntu screenshot utility
helps, and Simple Screen Recorder is useful,
if I want todocument the steps which led
to something in Ubuntu working or not working. In Fedora I use
Notepad in place of gEdit due to the XFfce desktop environment in
the Chromebook. In Ubuntu,
I have a lot of plugins for Claws Mail and
gEdit, so gEdit gets used the most for unformatted documents and
when working online. I also have the Synaptics Package Manager and
GNOME Software for Ubuntu, in place of the Ubuntu Software Centre.
Thunderbird has an advantage if used in
both Windows and Linux, as it can export and import mailboxes
across these platforms.
Firefox Moves Closer to Password-Free
Browsers
The use of FIDO, especially if it is using
YubiKey-like dongles, makes sense. Passwords are far too often
something people write down on sticky notes and keep near or on
their monitors. Definitely not secure!
Google Assistant Will Soon Support a
Lot More of Your Household Gadgets
They needed to add some organization to
the IoT. The new categories are a start in that direction, but by
no means the last word.
How to Disable Sponsored Ads on
Firefox’s New Tab Page
This is one of the new "features" in
Firefox which make me wonder how open source the Mozilla people
are anymore. They are selling out to advertising interests, and
monetizing every square inch of their products these days. This is
not the Mozilla Foundation of old.
Google’s AI advances are equal parts
worry and wonder
We cannot put off finding an answer
to AI ethics any longer.
It's not just the Duplex bot which has
people creeped out. This is how Google saw the future of AI in
2016, according to an internal video document:
GOOGLE’S SELFISH LEDGER IS AN
UNSETTLING VISION OF SILICON VALLEY SOCIAL ENGINEERING
https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/17/17344250/google-x-selfish-ledger-video-data-privacy
This is why we need regulations. What data
is retained, who has access to it, and for how long the data is
retained, all need to be spelled out. Facebook, Microsoft and
Google cannot be trusted to regulate themselves.
Microsoft's obsession with Windows is
ending, and I couldn't be happier
Commentary: It’s all about AI and
the web now.
Microsoft is moving toward modular
operating systems, modular apps in the Cloud, desktops in the
Cloud, and other hosted content. But traditional Windows Pro on
the legacy desktop isn't going away any time soon.
It will just get harder and harder to
obtain the traditional PC and OS combinations we now still have.
Smart-Home Lightning Hacks
I think they mean "lighting" not
"lightning". I would not want too much lightning inside my
apartment!
Google's News app is a tool for gaining
perspective, not an arbiter of facts
AI, not human curation, may help us
better understand the world.
The AI is not capable of insuring that the
content is fair and balanced or free from evil. Who is determining
what content is real, what content is fake, and what the bias is
in the content?
The AI is only as good as the way it is
programmed. Can we trust Google to be even-handed? I'm not so sure
we can.
Re. FYI#1263 (Mon 5/14/2018):
Why You Should Consider Business
Internet at Home (No Throttling or Data Caps)
Business Internet at home if you can get
it does have some advantages. but you can't get the Cable TV deals
and services you get with residential services. Business VOIP
phone servcie is better than the consumer level VOIP.
But if you need the TV services or the
streaming services, business class service is probably not the
best option.
Ticketmaster Wants to Replace Tickets
With Faces
Gaining entry to a live event could
soon require face recognition.
This goes under the category of What Can
Possibly Go Wrong?
New Apple ID phishing operation
protects web assets with AES encryption
A recently discovered email phishing
campaign was found targeting Apple ID credentials, while using AES
encryption to thwart active countermeasures against their
malicious website.
Apple has had security issues with
phishing attacks and account ID hijacking for years. They seem to
genuinely not care at all about this problem in thier services. So
much for being better with personal data than Facebook!
Ring doorbell flaw lets others watch
after password changes (updated)
At one point, the camera was exposed
for months.
This was a problem before Amazon took over
Ring. The issue has since been patched.
40 Best Google Chrome Extensions
I use about half of these extensions. Some
have been taken over by the browser itself and a few are
discontinued.
How to print to PDF in Windows
Microsoft tried for a long time to fight
Adobe's PDF format with their own XPS format. But in recent
editions of Windows 10, Microsoft has given in and now supports
the PDF format. Printing to PDF can be done from MS Office,
LibreOffice and several utilities,
including the Xodo App from the Microsoft App Store. In Windows
I've been using NitroPDF, and some people have been using
SumatraPDF. In Linux I use MasterPDF. Also,
Google Chrome Browser can download as PDf
many things from the Web. Scans can be printed to PDF with the
utilities from the manufacturers or other utilities. My Epson Scan
utilities do a good job of saving scans to PDF files in Windows.
4 Firefox extensions to install now
The right extensions can greatly
enhance your browser's capabilities, but it's important to choose
carefully.
I use some of these when I use Firefox.
But the article, in spite of being update several times over the
past few years, still shows an incorrect illustration. That's not
a fox -- it's a red panda!
8 SIGNS YOUR COMPUTER COULD CRASH SOON
And (9) you just applied a Windows 10
feature update. I hope you backed up your system and your data
beforehand!
Secret Windows Hotkey Restarts Your
Graphics Card Drivers
I did not know about this before. It might
not help me much though, as I have onboard (integrated) graphics.
Free alternatives to the most popular
computer programs
I am no fan of Sway. LibreOffice Impress
suits my tastes better. Thunderbird is especially useful if you do
both Windows and Linux, as it can export and import mailboxes
across those platforms.
Creative’s X-Fi Sonic Carrier review:
the best soundbar from 5 years in the future
A good soundbar can do wonders for TV
sound. And they don't have to be expensive to do the job. In my
present apartment I use headphones almost all the time, so it
doesn't matter for me.
THE ANDROID MESSAGING EVOLUTION: How
Google is responding to messaging app dominance
Seriously, I don't see Google's new
messaging paradigm replacing SMS messaging (Texting) any time
soon. We will not have to go out and buy new phones.
WHEN SHOULD YOU UPGRADE YOUR ROUTER?
Now is probably not the best time to
upgrade a home router. There are new WiFi standards coming, a new
TV broadcast standards (ATSC-3) and a new security protocol
(WPA-3).
All are about three or four years from
becoming widely available. I'd wait if possible until all of this
shakes out before
upgrading. That is, unless Comcast insists I upgrade my equipment.
Which they have not done so far.
Fake news is Bing's golden opportunity
to take on Google
Seriously, would you trust Bing to detect
and remove fake news any sooner than you would trust google to do
the same? I would not.
5 free programs you may not have heard
of until now
I have heard of and use ShutUp 10 and The
GIMP. The others, I'm really not so impressed.
Biometrics and the law: Police try to
unlock phone with dead man's fingerprint
Biometric authentication may be more
convenient than passwords, and harder for hackers to duplicate,
but how much protection does it offer from the law?
So tell me, how did the police get
informed consent from the dead person? The courts should be
rejecting evidence which is improperly gathered.
Lawmakers want to know how Amazon
protects Echo Dot Kids users
They asked Amazon if it collects
kids' data and if third parties can access the info.
While this needs to be verified, Amazon
says their kid-focused products are protected and data is not
collected. But if parents place an Amazon product in or near a
kids's room, they'd better know about Parental Controls,
and those controls had better be there in
the devices.
Watch out for Gmail’s new Confidential
Mode
It’s easy and useful, but Google’s
new ‘secure email’ is neither secure nor email.
If the email message resides on Google's
servers, and is unencrypted there, this is definitely not
"confidential". Secure messaging happens when neither the service
provider nor any outside party can read the unencrypted message at
any point in its journey.
This is clearly not the case with this
feature. But if Google made it secure in this way, they couldn't
monetize the content of these messages, and there goes the
business model.
Web-Based Expandable Irrigation
Controller
Low-cost, 8-station irrigation
controller expandable to 64 stations.
I wonder, how much water would you have to
save to equal the cost of buying and setting up this system?
Probably a lot.
CLEAN UP YOUR COMPUTER WITH BLEACHBIT
On Linux I use bleachbit. On Windows I
find CCleaner and Glary Utilities much easier to use and to
configure. From Linux there's Stacer, which is easier to configure
and use than Bleachbit.
Windows 10's April Update Crashes
Systems With Intel SSDs (Updated)
If at all possible, hold off on applying
this update for a while longer. If you have upgraded, the current
and upcoming Windows 10 CU patches will be important to apply.
They solve some of the early 1803 issues.
The Internet of (Medical) Things:
Dangers, Risks, and Security Problems
Whenever it's medical data, and when it's
medical devices, security and privacy need to be top priorities.
Unfortunately, so far convenience has outweighed these concerns.
This has to change for medical IoT to be accepted.
How to Find Contacts in the New Gmail
So what you're saying is, the new
interface has moved things around again. Oh boy!
AI Is (Still) Coming for Our Jobs
According to Techonomy, 15 percent
of work may be automated by AI by 2030. But for every craft that
technology has killed, new jobs typically emerge. The question is,
are we ready?
Unfortunately, it takes time to retrain a
truck driver to tend machines in an IoT setting. The numbers of
entry level jobs being eliminated are well about 15%. And the
numbers of new jobs being generated is not anywhere near keeping
pace with the job losses.
Two-factor authentication hackable -
easy to spoof
Two-factor authentication may not be
the panacea of securing access to online accounts that many
believe it is as KnowBe4's Kevin Mitnick shows how easily this
defensive measure can be spoofed.
This is possible only if people fall for
phishing schemes. Replacing current 2FA with FIDO based on
hardware dongles may help push the problem farther down the road.
Weather Interlock for Home Heating -
IoT RasPi Zero & ESP12
Energy Efficiency control utilizing
Domoticz home automation server, node-red, Raspberry Pi Zero W and
Esp12 via Arduino IDE.
The problem with using weather forecasts
for controlling the in-home environmental controls is, the weather
forecasts have to be reliable for this to work well. Weather
forecasting is still not there yet.
PCMECH’S GUIDE TO PC MAINTENANCE
This article is a few years old, and it's
showing its age. Defragmenting is no longer a job for third-party
utilities. Otherwise, this covers some but not all of the basics.
Bipartisan ‘Secure Data Act’ Aims To
Prohibit Encryption Backdoors
This legislation has to get through the
House and across the President's desk to become law. There is very
little chance of all of that happening. then the law would have to
be enforced,
which would require someone with tech
knowledge to oversee the tech companies and audit their code.
Again, this is very unlikely to happen.
Re. FYI#1263 (Tues 5/15/2018):
Should You Leave Laptops Constantly
Plugged In?
Leaving modern laptops plugged in all the
time will not overcharge the battery. But it does purt extra
strain on the charger and the power supply. And it generates heat.
Heat is the enemy of all things electronic.
So I don't leave my battery powered
devices plugged in unless I'm upgrading, backing up or restoring,
or have an external hard drive or two attached to them.
How to Survive on the Road with all the
Tech Comforts of Home
I haven't invested in a travel router yet.
But I do carry a lot of tech gear with me whenever I travel.
Including a backup and recovery USB stick and a current backup on
USB media. You never know when a tech disaster will strike.
Bad guys have something new to play
with! Microsoft Excel adds support for JavaScript
THERE MAY BE TROUBLE AHEAD…
Woody Leonhard said, "What were they
thinking?" I say' "What can possibly go wrong?"
Google Chrome team rolls back the
update that muted many web games
Automating muting for Web Audio has
been delayed until Chrome 70 in October.
I never have been impressed with chrome's
ability to mute autoplay audio on inactive web pages. Hopefully
they'll figure this out someday, but I'm not holding my breath
expecting anything effective any time soon.
How to Change Your Login Name on
Windows 10
If you can't log into an account, this
becomes more challenging. Linux media may help, but you have to
know which files to delete, rename or edit.
Google Announces Google One, Online
Storage With Flexibility
For most of us who use the free version,
things will not change much. Maybe some more storage. And of
course some sort of crazy interface changes.
A line of code can crash Windows
systems, even when locked
Security researchers have found a flaw in
Windows that could allow hackers to crash a system when they
insert a USB stick with specially crafted code. The problem
happens even when Windows is locked.
Leaving autoplay enabled should not
trigger this exploit. It's based on autorun. I thought by default
Windows 10 has autorun disabled, but maybe they changed it back.
Anyway, most third party antivirus by default disables aurtorun,
so this should block the exploit.
How to Turn Off Chrome Notifications
More Chrome annoyances to turn off.
Sheesh!
The best Chromebooks
This article is out of date. The current
ASUS mid-priced Chromebook is my flip c302. I like this
Chromebook, especially with Fedora Linux running on it.
Top 5: Things to know about fileless
attacks
Fileless attacks are particularly tricky
because they don't require anything to be installed before causing
harm. Here are the basics you should know about this type of
threat.
These attacks usually begin as phishing
attacks. So being able to resist phishing schemes should offer
considerable protections.
What’s the Difference Between a Router,
a Wireless Router, and a Wireless Access Point?
Terminology around routers and
access points can be quite confusing. I'll describe each, how they
relate, and why the differences matter.
Most home networks use either a router or
a gateway, which combines a router with a modem. Some mesh network
setups have access points. Most routers are used as wireless
routers, although dome of my devices are set up with wired
connections.
Everything Is a Subscription Now and
It’s Too Much
Although it doesn't cover everything, I
find that Linux has so far no required subscriptions. So not
everything is subscriptions. But so much of our world today has
gone over to this model that we'd best get used to subscribing to
everything.
Facebook Deletes 500 Million Fake
Accounts In Effort To Clean Up Network
There have been a lot of complaints that
Facebook's AI has been suspending or deleting legitimate accounts
and leaving fake accounts up and running.
Then Facebook has made it very difficult
to prove you are the real owner of the images and information
which has been misused. These efforts by Facebook have a long way
to go.
Microsoft hinged, bendable display
patents could create book-like business laptops
The designs were submitted to the US
Patent Office in 2016, and could be part of a Microsoft project
codenamed 'Andromeda.'
I just don't see any likely use case for
these devices.
How Could My Bank Account Have Been
Hacked if I Have Good Security?
Even with seemingly appropriate
security in place, things can happen. I'll review what things, and
the additional steps you can take to protect yourself.
It doesn't happen very often, but if
someone hacks into the bank's servers, there is nothing you could
have done to protect your account from that type of attack. You
don't control the back end, only your front end credentials.
How to Check Which Version of Ubuntu
You Have Installed
I know what version I have, but I also
know I should upgrade it sometime. I jsut have to find the time to
do so.
Amazon Prime Members to Get Discounts
at Whole Foods
After Amazon bought Whole Foods, this was
inevitable.
Adobe Patch Tuesday update fixes
confusion flaw in Flash
A patch released Tuesday by Adobe
fixes a critical confusion vulnerability, CVE-2018-4944, found in
all Flash Player versions up to 29.0.0.140.
The current Flash Player version is now
29.0.0.171.
Software Roundup: 5 of The Best Apps to
Remove EXIF Data from Images
IrfanView and XnViewMP both do a good job
of removing this type of metadata.
Spyce is a Restaurant Staffed by Robot
Chefs
I'm not sure I'd be inclined to tip a
robot.
Gmail’s Smart Compose Autocompletes
Your Emails
Here's another example of autocomplete run
amok. I would turn off this feature if I found it enabled.
Offline Support Comes to the New Gmail
I already have a desktop email client for
offline email access. I don't need something like this from gmail.
Just another feature to turn off.
Re. FYI#1264 (Wed 5/16/2018):
How to Restrict Android App Permissions
I should look these over more often. I do
look over the global system-wide permissions and I have restricted
those.
How to Share Large Files Over the
Internet
I just place the file on my Google Drive
and send out the URL to those I want to share it with. That's the
simplest way to do this.
Test Windows Defender Antivirus (or
other security software)
These tests do not work on most third
party antivirus.
Comcast is charging $90 to plug in your
modem and I’m not even angry any more
Comcast is not charging just to plug in
the equipment. Technician time is worth money. Each appointment is
scheduled for up to 2 hours. Signals and connections are tested
and replaced or repaired as needed.
The technician makes sure all devices
which are supposed to be connected to the network are working.
This includes phone services.
When my Comcast service was set up we were
given our passwords (there were several of them) and we were shown
how to use the basic features of the Comcast system. There were no
extra charges for any of this.
In some cases there are extra charges if
the installation requires more work.
Google Is Replacing Drive Storage With
More Generous ‘Google One’ Plans
GOOGLE ONE INTRODUCES CHEAPER CLOUD
STORAGE PLANS
Most of us on the free plan will not
notice much change at all. More storage most likely, and some
sorts of crazy interface changes.
6 Ways You're Using Your Headphones
Wrong
Do your headphones or earphones keep
breaking? Follow these tips to end the painful cycle of buying a
cheap replacement pair every year.
I have never had a headphone cable detach
at the earpiece end. I have had wires break or develop shorts
within the cable run, but that's about it. I've dropped headphones
on the floor countless times and they never break.
Confusion over chipmakers' debug
exception instructions prompts patching
Well, there's a new flaw and a new
security issue, and more patching and firmware updates are coming.
This is not the first of these announcements, and it will not be
the last. We are going to be dealing with these sorts of issues
for a long time to come.
Critical vulnerabilities in PGP/GPG and
S/MIME email encryption, warn researchers
EFAIL FLAW "MIGHT REVEAL THE PLAINTEXT
OF ENCRYPTED EMAILS."
Despite Efail, the sky is not falling
ATTACK ON ENCRYPTED EMAILS IS SNEAKY,
BUT IT DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ALL THAT IT'S HYPED UP TO BE.
This turns out not to be a serious as
originally thought. The attack is detectable and can be filtered
out. There is nothing wrong with the underlying security of
encrypted email.
Send Texts From Your PC With This
Upcoming Windows Feature
If this works, it might be useful in a few
situations. But generally I find little use for such a utility. I
do not want to use my PC as a phone.
Windows 10 version 1803 microcode
update KB4100347
Watch out for these Microsoft Updates
which mess with microcode. The last one I applied in my NUC
removed some of the Meltdown protections from the firmware update
I had applied. I had to use inSpectre to restore those
protections.
Microsoft to fix Intel and Toshiba SSD
problems with Windows 10’s April 2018 Update
It seems like the Windows 10 April
2018 Update wasn't ready for the masses after all, as more issues
continue to appear.
I told you this fix was coming.
Microsoft releases KB4134661 and
KB4134660 for Windows 10
Microsoft released the two updates
KB4134661 and KB4134660 for Windows 10 version 1703 and Windows 10
version 1709 yesterday.
Woody Leonhard is still saying it is not
yet time to apply these Windows patches. I'm waiting a bit longer.
Senate votes to reverse FCC order and
restore net neutrality
Yes, but this still has to get through the
House, and then the President has to sign it. Unlikely and very
unlikely.
Do it now! Protect your router from the
Russian hackers
As previously noted, my Comcast gateway
seems not to allow changing DNS at the router. So sometimes my
choice of Cloudfare DNS is accepted, sometimes it appears to get
overridden. Anyway, remote administration can be turned off,
and unless a technician needs access, it
should be off.
How to Remove the Microsoft Store Icon
from the Taskbar in Windows 10
Unless you have removed all Microsoft
Store Apps from your device, even the "baked-in" ones, you will
need to update the Apps from time t o time. The easiest way to do
this is to keep the MS Store icon on your taskbar.
Mine stays where it is for that reason.
Just deleting a tile or icon does not remove any Windows App.
Use This Hidden Keyboard Combo to Fix
Your Frozen Computer
I did not know about this before. But I
wonder if tbhis works on my devices, with their onboard integrated
graphics.
'Android Things' Emerges From Beta as
Google Dives Into IoT
Android Things attempts to solve the
problem of bugs within Internet of Things devices by off-boarding
the security work to Google.
For device development, security, and app
development, it makes sense to have a unified platform to work
with. But I don't think Google should be controlling that
platform. At worst, they could be creating a self-contained
ecosystem within the IoT. That would be bad.
With this portable tool, your web
browser goes with you
Unless you're using a borrowed PC, you can
just install Chrome. Your settings and history and almost
everything else can be stored in the Cloud or even on a USB stick,
and then downloaded or imported.
I can think of very few use cases for a
portable Chrome browser. On most public PCs you can't run portable
apps from a USB stick due to a block set up in the PC's policies.
Zero-day flaw exploited in targeted
attacks is fixed by Microsoft
This is the Internet Explorer-Word Macro
flaw. Patched now.
How to Disable Pocket’s Sponsored
Stories in Firefox
This is another example of Firefox trying
to monetize everywhere it can. And another "feature" to be
disabled. This is getting worse than Chrome!
(Thurs. 5/17-Sat. 5/19, 2018: No
postings, no replies.)
From My Own Reading:
IT'S DEFINITELY 'LAUREL'
Here's The Original, Undistorted
'Laurel'/'Yanny' Recording
Digg May 16
2018, 12:48 PM
https://digg.com/2018/laurel-yanny-original-recording
https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/laurel
(The original distorted version was posted
on Instagram.)
So, the whole Internet has "blown up"
because a teenage girl knows how to use an audio distortion
technique to make hash of an original audio recording of a man's
voice saying a simple English word. Do these people even know how
to vet a source???
This is how Fake News wins political
elections. (I think it sounded more like "Yarry", a sort of
Yiddish/German rendition of Seinfeld's first name.)
Test where you think the critical
transition point is in this NY Times article:
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/05/16/upshot/audio-clip-yanny-laurel-debate.html
The OnePlus 6 is an iPhone X
clone—notch, glass, and all—for nearly half the price
And it still has a headphone jack.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3273706/android/oneplus-6-launch-specs-features-release-date-price.html
Carrier unlocked (Not compatible with the
Verizon non-GSM network.) Runs Android P clone "Oxygen"
(near-stock Android). I might consider this one (the 128GB model)
if I were upgrading my own phone.
Microsoft may release a tiny $400
Surface tablet to challenge the iPad
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3273569/computers/microsoft-400-surface-tablet-rumors.html
But take this with a grain of salt. And it
does run Windows 10S, or else Windows 10 Pro in S Mode. So what's
that -- about a $50 upgrade?
Roccat Horde Aimo review: This
'membranical' gaming keyboard explores new territory
Roccat pushes the boundaries with
Microsoft's Surface Dial tech and self-adjusting LEDs.
https://www.pcworld.com/article/3269491/hardware/roccat-horde-aimo-gaming-keyboard-review.html
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments by -- Joe Nowak
Pivot Tables in Excel
Wed May 23, 2018 2:11 pm (PDT
Here's 50
suggestions and mini projects for using pivot tables in Excel.
http://bit.ly/2kj2v0V
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