Wednesday, 01 September 2021 10:06
About That Worrying Message Saying Your Password Has Been Breached…
Written by Adam Engst
In iOS 14, Apple added a feature that warns you when one of your website passwords stored in iCloud Keychain has appeared in a data breach. We’ve fielded some questions of late from people worrying if the message is legitimate, and if so, what they should do. What has happened is that online criminals have […]
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Wednesday, 01 September 2021 10:05
The Plug Is Mightier Than the Puck: Wireless Charging Is Wildly Inefficient
Written by Adam Engst
In 2017, Apple added support for Qi wireless charging to the iPhone 8 and iPhone X, and with the iPhone 12 lineup, it introduced its own MagSafe wireless charging technology. There’s no denying the convenience of wireless charging, but keep in mind that it’s extremely inefficient compared to wired charging. Individually, that may not matter […]
Wednesday, 01 September 2021 10:04
Frequently Asked Questions Surrounding Apple’s Expanded Protections for Children
Written by Adam Engst
Apple’s recent announcement that it would soon be releasing two new technologies aimed at protecting children has generated a firestorm of media coverage and questions from customers. Unfortunately, much of the media coverage has been based on misconceptions about how the technology works, abetted by uncharacteristically bungled communications from Apple. It’s not inconceivable that Apple […]
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Wednesday, 01 September 2021 10:03
When Should You Upgrade to macOS 12 Monterey, iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15?
Written by Adam Engst
September is here, which means that Apple will soon start releasing major upgrades for all its operating systems. Apple previewed these releases at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and many people have been testing the public betas since. Once Apple judges macOS 12 Monterey, iOS 15, iPadOS 15, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15 to […]
Wednesday, 01 September 2021 10:02
Solve Networking Puzzles with Powerline Networking and MoCA
Written by Adam Engst
For most homes and offices, a standard or mesh Wi-Fi network works fine for providing Internet access throughout the building. And when higher throughput is necessary, it’s usually not that difficult to pull Ethernet cable from room to room. But some buildings seem almost impervious to networking—imagine thick brick walls that both block Wi-Fi signals […]
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Wednesday, 01 September 2021 10:01
Need to Share Files Securely? Try Password-Protected ZIP Archives
Written by Adam Engst
Imagine you’re staring at a file or folder—perhaps confidential employee information that you need to send to your accountant. If attaching it to an email message makes you think, “That doesn’t seem like a good idea,” award yourself a gold star! Sending sensitive files via email is a bad idea, partly because the email could […]
Monday, 02 August 2021 11:08
Ever Have Trouble Printing? Try a Different Printer Driver
Written by Adam Engst
Some clients have reported problems with HP laser printers failing to print. Sometimes there’s an error. Other times, the print job just disappears into the ether. It’s unclear why this is happening or how widespread it is, but here’s a workaround that can help. Create a new printer configuration by clicking the + button in […]
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Monday, 02 August 2021 11:07
Nightstand Mode Makes Your Apple Watch a Helpful Bedroom Companion
Written by Adam Engst
Most Apple Watch users charge their watch every night, putting it on a charger as part of a bedtime routine. If that’s you, make sure you’re not missing one of the Apple Watch’s best features: nightstand mode. When you enable it in the iPhone’s Watch app, in General > Nightstand Mode, a charging Apple Watch […]
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Monday, 02 August 2021 11:06
The Mac’s Magic Shortcut to Trashing Files and Photos Quickly
Written by Adam Engst
Sure, you could select a file in the Finder and choose File > Move to Trash or drag it to the Trash in the Dock. Similarly, you can trash selected photos in Apple’s Photos app by choosing Image > Delete X Photos, or by pressing the Delete key, but both of those methods result in […]
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Monday, 02 August 2021 11:05
Filter What’s Showing in Photos to Focus on Specific Types
Written by Adam Engst
You know you can make albums and smart albums in Photos, and do searches to find photos that contain particular objects. But what if you want to separate photos from videos, identify which images in an album have been edited, or pick out just the ones you’ve favorited? For that, use Photos’ filters. On the […]
Do you have a child heading off to college soon? As you’re undoubtedly aware from high school, a computer is essential for a college student. If you haven’t been paying close attention to Apple’s Mac lineup, you might wonder which model makes the most sense. First, don’t buy anything without first checking with the college. […]
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Monday, 02 August 2021 11:03
How to Take the Annoyance Out of Your Key Passwords and Passcodes
Written by Adam Engst
We constantly say, “Use a password manager!” for good reason. Password managers make it easy to generate, store, and enter strong passwords. You don’t have to decide whether or not your password is strong or weak, remember it, and type it accurately every time you log in to a website. Seriously, just get 1Password or […]
Monday, 02 August 2021 11:02
Share Files, Photos, and other Data between Apple Devices with AirDrop
Written by Adam Engst
It’s common to want to share files, photos, and other data between your devices—or with friends and family. When the desired person or device isn’t nearby, it’s easiest to use Messages or Mail. But what if you want to move a file between two of your Macs, from your iPhone to your Mac, or to […]
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Monday, 02 August 2021 11:01
Ransomware Is on the Rise: Learn How to Protect Your Macs
Written by Adam Engst
In cybercriminal circles, ransomware is all the rage. Once it has infected a computer, it encrypts all the files and then presents a ransom demand—pay up to get the decryption software necessary to recover the data. Ransomware has been in the news all year, with the Colonial Pipeline attack in particular spending weeks in the […]
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Don’t you hate it when a familiar song is playing but you can’t think of what it’s called? Or worse, when you hear a new track you really like but have no one to ask what it is? Never worry about that again, thanks to your iPhone or iPad. Back in 2018, Apple bought the […]
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It’s tempting to think that most external storage devices—whether simple hard drives or more complicated network-attached storage (NAS) units—are relatively similar because they all do roughly the same thing. However, a recent problem with older Western Digital My Book Live NAS devices highlighted that there can be large differences. In that case, hackers figured out […]
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Thursday, 01 July 2021 10:06
Live in the Future by Using Apple Pay on Your Apple Watch
Written by Adam Engst
With mask wearing over the past year rendering Face ID ineffective at cash registers, we’ve become fond of using the Apple Watch for contactless payments with Apple Pay. We recommend it highly since it’s so fast and convenient. Once you’ve set up a credit card in the Wallet app on your iPhone, switch to the […]
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Thursday, 01 July 2021 10:05
Disable Unused Sharing Options on Your Mac If You’re Not Using Them
Written by Adam Engst
Many security breaches—even high-profile ones—stem from simple oversight. There’s one spot in macOS that has long been particularly susceptible to such lapse: the Sharing pane of System Preferences. In it, you can enable a wide variety of sharing services, some of which could allow another user to access your Mac remotely. They all let you […]
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Thursday, 01 July 2021 10:04
Reopening Your Office? Now’s a Great Time to Evaluate Your IT Infrastructure
Written by Adam Engst
As vaccination rates climb, many businesses are starting to think about reopening their offices and bringing back employees who have been working from home for the last year. That’s a big decision that will undoubtedly vary from company to company, but we’d like to suggest a few things to consider. Please contact us early in […]
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Thursday, 01 July 2021 10:03
Going on Vacation? Learn How to Write an Effective Out-of-Office Message
Written by Adam Engst
For many people, increasing vaccination rates mean that long-delayed vacations are now possible, and in-person conferences are slowly starting up again too. But before you head out for the beach or the convention center, you’ll want to write an out-of-office email auto-reply message to send to everyone who tries to get in touch while you’re […]
Thursday, 01 July 2021 10:02
Don’t Cook Your Digital Devices in the Summer Heat
Written by Adam Engst
As climate change continues to wreak havoc on our weather, many areas are seeing record temperatures this summer—Seattle just recorded its hottest days ever. You may be able to trade your business suit for shorts or skirts to stay more comfortable, but your electronic gear can’t do the same. Keeping your tech cool is about […]
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Thursday, 01 July 2021 10:01
Reduce Your Email Load with Three Features in Apple’s Mail: Mute, Block, and Unsubscribe
Written by Adam Engst
Complaining about getting too much email is like complaining about bad traffic—we brought it upon ourselves, and while it’s impossible to escape entirely, it’s worth knowing how to reduce it. Apple is fully cognizant of the issue, too, and has built features into the last couple versions of Mail—on the Mac, iPhone, and iPad—to help […]