Data Doctors Blog - Computer Repair and Data Recovery Discussion - Columns

How to use Wolfram Alpha

Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:51:00-0700

A friend told me about the Wolfram Alpha search engine but when I tried to use it, I was lost. What's it for? - Jaime

Wolfram Alpha ( http://www.wolframalpha.com ) isn't a search engine in the traditional sense, it's actually a 'computational knowledge engine' as described by its creators. Instead of getting a list of potential sites that may contain information that you seek (like Google and Bing) Wolfram Alpha will actually compute answers to your query via its massive structured databases. To put it in plain English, it's the greatest tool ever created for parents that are trying to help their kids with their homework! Answers to general math, algebra, trigonometry, astrology, geography, chemistry or just about any factual based question you may have. Want to know the answer to 1/4 * (4 - 1/2)? Need a really extensive mortgage calculator (mortgage $300,000)? Want to get the technical info on Bambarakanda Falls? Want a technical analysis of soybean futures? Wolfram Alpha is your new best friend. Want W.A. to analyze your Facebook data? Just type Facebook report and hit the "analyze my Facebook data" button to get an extensive report on how you use Facebook. If you have an up and coming songwriter that is struggling for a word that rhymes with umbrella, ask Wolfram Alpha! Want to know what the weather was on the day you were born? Ask for the weather in the city of your birth on your birthday. Want a graphical representation of a second cousin twice removed? Just ask! The next time you want to wish someone a happy birthday on Facebook, type their month and day into W.A. to learn trivia related to their birthdate. Trying to fill in the letters for a difficult crossword puzzle? Type an underscore ( _ ) for letters that are missing along with the letters that you know (example: _al__la__). Looking for anagrams, cryptograms or acronyms? Just ask! Need to compare two historical figures? Type their names separated by a comma: Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison. If you really want a new look at the weather in your area, just type 'weather' or if you are about to travel, type 'weather in new York city' to get an amazing amount of data on the weather patterns where you are headed. For web designers, you can ask W.A. for the hex or RGB value for common colors; for those researching demographic or income data for a specific city, simply type the city and then the desired data set: Boulder income. If you have friends or business associates in other countries, you can ask W.A. 'time in Zurich'. You must think a little different when entering queries into Wolfram Alpha and you may want to start with basic words and build from there. You can also take the power of Wolfram Alpha with you on your mobile devices by downloading their mobile app for most of the popular platforms: http://products.wolframalpha.com/mobile
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How to Print from your iPhone or iPad

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 12:04:37-0700

I would like to print from my Gmail account on my iPhone or iPad to my printer, but it doesn't come up in Apple's print option on either (device). Any suggestions? - Daryl

As we all spend more time on our mobile devices, the desire to print something we are reading or have downloaded becomes more likely. Apple has made provisions for this likelihood with a feature called AirPrint built-into its operating system (iOS 5 or later). In order to use AirPrint, you must have a wireless printer that is setup on the same Wi-Fi network as your iOS device that is supported by AirPrint. You can check to see if you printer is supported by reviewing the resources posted on Apple's website: http://goo.gl/ulHCL . Unlike a computer, not every app you use on your phone or tablet can use AirPrint; in general Mail, Photos and anything you are looking at in Safari can print (including Gmail). Many third party apps may also try to make use of AirPrint which you can check by clicking on the 'action' icon (the sweeping arrow at the bottom of a printable item). There are a number of apps you can purchase that will allow you to turn the computer that's connected to your printer into a print server for your mobile devices, but I prefer a free option that Google offers. If you have Google's Chrome browser on your computer (Mac or Windows), you can setup Google's Cloud Print which will allow you to print from virtually any mobile device (via the browser) from anywhere. Unlike Apple's AirPrint which required that you are on the same wireless network, Cloud Print allows you to print to your home or office printer from anywhere in the world because it connects via the Internet not a local Wi-Fi network. To setup Cloud Print, open your Chrome browser and type 'chrome://settings' in the address bar (without the http://) then click on the 'Show Advanced' settings link at the bottom. Scroll down to the 'Google Cloud Print' section and click on the 'Add printers' button. If you aren't currently logged into your Google account, it will ask you to do so (make sure you use the same username and password you use for your Gmail account). Once you are signed in, you will see a blue button that says 'Add printer(s)' which will register the currently available printers attached to your computer to the list. Clicking on 'Manage your printers' will let you see various printing options that should include your local printer as well as a really useful option called 'Save to Google Docs'. Instead of printing to physical paper on a specific printer, you can create a Google document that is an electronic version of what would have been printed. This can be very handy if you travel and want access to these 'printed' documents from anywhere (just click on the 'Drive' option at the top when you are logged into Gmail or your Google account to access them). Once this is setup, go to your Gmail account or any Google Doc via the browser on your phone or tablet and tap the down arrow in the upper right corner whenever you are viewing a message that you want to print. You can now print to that specific printer from your iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle, Android, laptop or any Internet connected device that has a browser as long as you log into the same Google account that you used to setup the printer. If you need to print from more apps and want other power features, checkout the various offerings from PrintCentral: http://goo.gl/5536T
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Parental Controls Tips in iOS & iTunes

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 18:10:14-0700

I saw your video on how to turn off in-app purchases ( http://youtu.be/9P4wFB6d7gM ), but what if I want to allow my son to buy age appropriate items on his iPod touch but limit how much he can spend? - Daniel

The parental controls built into the Apple (iOS) mobile devices and iTunes are actually pretty full featured and will allow you to set up just about any level of control to meet your specific needs. Our recent video was to help parents turn off a loophole that some unscrupulous app developers have been exploiting to get young users to inadvertently make purchases while playing what the parents thought was a free game. This exploit generally targets younger audiences that might not understand or care about words like 'buy' or 'purchase'. If your kids are older or you want to allow them to be responsible for themselves but with parameters, you'll like the flexibility that Apple has developed for parents. All of the controls on the mobile devices are located in the same area and the process starts with turning on 'Restrictions' (Settings -> General -> Restrictions). When you tap the 'Enable Restrictions' button , you will be asked to set a 4 digit passcode that acts as the gatekeeper to these restrictions, so make sure to use a different code than the one that you use to lock the device down. The top section allows you to turn off Internet access (Safari), the Camera app, Facetime, iTunes, installing apps, deleting apps, Siri and explicit language. This simple ON/OFF is what most parents use when their child is grounded and not allowed accessed to specific features or a great way to make sure young children don't end up on the Internet without supervision. The next section allows you to control the level of content that you will allow your child to access. If you don't want them having access to music or podcasts with explicit language or movies, tv shows and apps that are adult oriented, this is where you control those options (and turn off in-app purchases). There are a plethora of other options you can control while you are there that are fairly straight forward and may or may not be important to you. To control how much your child can spend, you could simply buy gift cards via the iTunes program or from just about any retail store that sells gift cards, but this only works if they have a separate iTunes account that isn't attached to your credit card. If you want to setup a monthly allowance for your child so you don't have to constantly buy gift cards, you can do so via iTunes (make sure you have the latest version). Log into your iTunes account and go to the iTunes Store link or button and make sure you are on the Home page. Look for the Quick Links section on the right hand side of the page and click on the 'Send iTunes Gifts'. When the page opens, look for the 'Learn More About Gifting' link in the bottom left hand corner and click it then scroll down to the Allowances section to Set Up an Allowance. This link should also work as a web shortcut if you are on the computer that has your iTunes account: http://goo.gl/bIjCU You can set up amounts from $10 - $50 per month that rolls over if your son wants to save up for a larger purchase and you can adjust or cancel it at any time by going into your Account Information page. It's very important that you use the Apple ID associated with your child's iTunes account and device in order for this to work. If they don't have their own account yet, you can set one up for them, but make sure you update their device and iTunes with the new Apple ID.
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Should I Use a VPN on Public Wifi?

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:27:23-0700

Is a VPN the safest way to use an unsecured (public) Wi-Fi connection? Are there other ways to stay safe? Are there any free VPNs out there for personal use? - Kevin

By now, most everyone has heard about the dangers of using public Wi-Fi connections for accessing sensitive information or websites. I'll start by explaining the actual dangers and then the various methods of reducing your chances of being victimized. Open Wi-Fi connections are called 'open' because they allow anyone to connect to them without a username or password. The 'anyone' can include those with malicious intent that can setup on these open networks to 'sniff' unsecured bits of data (called packets) while it looks like they are sipping their coffee and posting to Facebook. Unsecured transmissions when you are looking at the latest sports scores on ESPN.com or watching a YouTube video isn't a big deal, because there isn't anything sensitive in those transactions. If, however, you are accessing your bank account, logging into your e-mail account or other sensitive transactions, you want to make sure your browser is using 'https:' which adds the secure socket layer (SSL) and encrypts the data between your computer and the website. This doesn't prevent another person connected to the open network from capturing your data packets, it just means that they have to take the additional steps to decode all the encrypted packets in order to even see what you were doing, which is generally too time consuming for an unknown outcome. These days, websites that require a username and password will automatically serve your browser a secured page (https), so using a personal VPN isn't as necessary as it once was. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are really designed for connecting securely to a trusted remote network via an unsecured public network (the Internet) so that all transactions not just browsing are secured (e-mail, file transfers, etc.) They can also allow you to be anonymous or look like you're connecting from another country, so you can access sites that are generally off limits to foreign users (like the BBC's live Olympic video feed that we couldn't access from the US). My suggestions for being safe on public Wi-Fi is to avoid doing anything sensitive whenever you connect to them altogether. For sensitive transmissions, use the e-mail client on your smartphone or use a smartphone app for your bank and always via your cellular provider's network, not a public Wi-Fi connection. If you have the ability to tether your computer or tablet to your smartphone's cellular connection, that's another way to avoid the ongoing security risks imposed by using a public Wi-Fi connection. If you aren't using the same connection as others, you can't be exploited by them. If you really feel the need to use a personal VPN service, you can try using the free version of AnchorFree's HotSpot Shield ( http://anchorfree.com ) if you don't mind an ad banner being added to the top of your browser window. As with any program, it will add overhead to your computer so don't install it if you are already experiencing performance issues and browser crashes or things could just get worse. It's also not uncommon to notice a speed difference when connecting via a VPN, so that might be another reason to stick to my previous suggestions instead.
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Can I Legally Copy My Commercial DVDs?

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 17:09:47-0700

I am trying to find a way to legally copy DVDs we own to an external hard drive for storage connected to my laptop. When we take long road trips it would be nice to not have to haul all our movies along. - Bill

Copyright laws are extremely complex and when it comes to encrypted DVDs in particular, it's so complex that it requires a legal expert to explain what you can or can't do with the DVD movies that you purchase. So I went to my go-to legal resource on technology issues, Maria Crimi Speth, a partner at Jaburg & Wilk ( http://goo.gl/NG4y3 ) who focuses on intellectual property and Internet law to get some clarity on this common question. According to Speth "It is a violation of Copyright law, specifically the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), to circumvent the encryption of a DVD (or any technology). There are exceptions, but they do not include "space shifting." The Library of Congress defines 'space shifting' as the copying of complete works to permit personal use on alternative devices. So, when you purchased your DVD, it was intended to be viewed on a DVD player and fair use laws do not extend that viewing to your other non-DVD devices. The exceptions that allow for circumvention of the copy protection are short portions (never the entire movie) for criticism or comment in non-commercial videos, documentary films, non-fiction multimedia ebooks offering film analysis or for educational purposes in film studies. The other exception allows for the purpose of research to create specialized players for people that are blind, visually impaired, deaf or hard of hearing. The bottom line is, as soon as you break the copy protection (using a decryption program) so you can copy the movie, you have technically broken the law. Many websites will claim that you are free to make copies of your commercial DVDs and include links to decryption programs, but you will technically be breaking the law if you choose to do so. There is a legal solution that may help you with at least a portion of your movie collection, if you want to extend what you own to include 'space shifting'. Walmart's Vudu online video service has a feature called Disc to Digital ( http://goo.gl/Hj6Ye ) that will allow you to store your DVD collection on their cloud service. You can then watch them on any device with a web browser (tablets, laptops, smartphones, etc.) as well as many smart HDTVs, blue-ray players, gaming consoles and streaming media devices such as the Roku Box. The rub for most people is that you have to take your DVDs to a Walmart store so they can validate the movies for your account and it costs $2 per movie, unless you want to upgrade a standard resolution movie to HDX which will cost you $5 each. Walmart doesn't actually do any conversions, it simply verifies that the movie is in their catalog, is an original and that it hasn't been used for this purpose before (they will stamp the inside ring of your discs). When they are finished with the process, they give you your movies back, so you could sell them to recoup the conversion charges. It may seem like you are paying twice for the same movie, but what you are really paying for is an extension of the copyright to your other devices (the ability to space shift). Not all of your movies will necessarily be in their catalog, so you may want to do a search on the Vudu website before you haul your collection to the store.
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Free vs Pay Antivirus Protection (revisited)

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:17:23-0700

I use Microsoft Security Essentials as my "seatbelt" for protection plus I am as careful as possible. Is this enough or should I get Trend Micro. Not both, right? - Jonathan

The debate about Free vs Pay antivirus rages on across the Internet and there really is no 'one-size-fits-all' answer to that question, but your second question is easy. Never both as they will detect each other as threats and create lots of performance issues. All antivirus programs (free or pay) provide good security against known threats; it's the growing unknown threats that are the bigger concern. Some security experts estimate that 30 million new attacks emerge every year! In our 25 years, we have routinely switched brands for a number of reasons, so whatever may be our pick this year, could easily change in the next 5 years. We have 3 main criteria we use to evaluate all of the security software that we install and recommend to our customers. These criteria are protection, impact on performance & how much 'nagging' the program does to convince you to buy more protection. Protection is obviously the biggest key and your behavior and your need to protect less discerning users (like kids, veracious teenagers or less tech savvy users that might fall for common social engineering tricks) will determine if a free program is enough protection. If you are the only user, you are fairly aware of the common tricks used to infect users and you rarely wander onto unknown websites, a free anti-virus program should suffice. Our primary recommendation for a free program is Microsoft Security Essentials, because it does the best overall within our 3 criteria. There are plenty of other high performing free programs, but most of them have a habit of nagging you to step up to their pay version. Microsoft doesn't have a pay version, so the whole nagging to upgrade issue will never occur. If, however, you have children or less conscientious users, I'd recommend a more robust security suite that can do a better job of protecting them from themselves. We currently install Trend Micro's security suite on our customers computers because it has a very different approach to fending off the fast growing unknown threats via it's cloud based security. Instead of having to download the latest updates in order to get all of the current protection, Trend Micro incorporates an additional cloud-based protection layer they call the Smart Protection Network that blocks access to malicious websites as a preventative measure. The speed in which malicious websites are created on compromised legitimate websites is illustrated by a single attack last year that used nearly 2,000 different web addresses on 291 sites to exploit users all in one day. Rather than a single point of protection from a simple antivirus program that must process and identify everything when it gets to your computer, Trend takes a multi-layer approach to block it before it ever gets to your computer. Having said that, one of the biggest mistakes anyone can make is assume that they have superior protection therefore they can click on anything they want because they will be warned. Nothing on the market can provide 100% protection against all of the newly formed exploits that appear on a daily basis. Essentially, they count on getting the user to open a file or click a link that is booby-trapped, so you have to do your part to stay safe by being paranoid of everything.
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How to Disable Java to Avoid Hackers

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:38:50-0700

The Department of Homeland Security recently sent out a warning stating that we should disable Java because of some new threat. Should I disable Java and if so, how do I do it? - Sarah

Java is a universal programming language that is used on the Internet for lots of utilities, business applications and games so they can be run via your browser instead of installing a special program to your computer. Java has long been a target of hackers because it's so universal and it allows them to attack any type of computer (Mac or Windows) whenever new security holes are discovered. Virtually every computer connected to the Internet has Java installed, which gives the hackers a much bigger group of victims to target. The Department of Homeland Security's CERT (Computer Emergency Readiness Team) division did send out a warning last month because of a very serious 'zero-day' exploit that was discovered. Zero-day refers to the time it takes the hacking community to create code to exploit a newly discovered security hole; in other words, the day that the hole is discovered there is code on the Internet trying to exploit it. It used to take some time between the discovery of a new security problem and the release of malicious code, but it's a high-stakes race these days. The hackers want to exploit as many people as they can before a 'patch' is created to fix the security hole. In the case of Java exploits, all you have to do is visit a booby-trapped website to be attacked, which is why the recommendation to disable Java was sent out. Oracle, the company that owns Java, released a patch to fix the recent zero-day exploit, but many in the industry are suggesting that you consider disabling Java altogether to avoid future exploits. There is no way for anyone to know whether you specifically need Java or not, so the best way to figure it out is to temporarily disable it in all your browsers to see if what you do on the Internet is impacted. If you don't run into any websites that you care about that require you to have Java (you will usually get an error message), then you can uninstall it and eliminate ever being victimized by future exploits. If you do have the need to use Java on occasion, you can always enable it on an 'as need' basis, which is kind of a hassle, but it's a safer way to operate. To disable Java in your browsers, start by making sure you have the latest version by going to http://www.java.com/download . After you run the installation program, Windows users can go to the Control Panel and look for the Java icon to launch the Java Control Panel (or use Windows search for Java Control Panel). Mac users need to go to System Preferences to open the Java Control Panel. Once it's open, click on the Security Tab and uncheck the box in front of 'Enable Java content in the browser'. If you find that you do need to run Java for certain websites that you trust, I prefer to use Google Chrome as it always asks you if you want to allow Java to run so you will always be aware when a website is trying to use it.
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Sniff out Keyloggers Before you do your TAXES!

Fri, 08 Feb 2013 11:10:43-0700

Is there an easy way to see if I have a hidden keylogger on my Windows 7 computer before I start doing my taxes? - Don

Tax season is what we refer to as 'Christmas for Hackers' because they know that lots of us will be typing very sensitive information on our computers to prepare our returns. There are a number of threats that can compromise your computer, but few are as disconcerting as a keylogger. If a malicious keylogger can sneak its way into your computer, it sits silently in the background recording every keystroke you make and can send the daily 'transcript' to a remote hacker. Grabbing your valuable data, such as bank credentials, social security numbers and e-mail passwords takes seconds with an automated script. Keyloggers tend to be fairly sophisticated programs that can masquerade as typical operating system processes, so detecting them can be a little tricky. A sign that you should have your computer looked at by a knowledgeable person starts with how long it takes your computer to start up. If it's substantially longer than when it was new, you likely have extra processes running that could include malware. A quick self-check can be run by opening the Windows Task Manager (right-click on the Taskbar at the bottom to start it) when you first turn your computer on and reviewing the number of processes running. A well maintained computer will have between 40-50 processes running. If the number is 60, 70 or 80+, for a variety of reasons, you should have your computer looked at soon. Not only will it uncover any potentially hazardous malware, your computer will run significantly better without the extra load. While you have the Task Manager open, click on the Processes tab and click on the 'Image Name' column header to sort the processes alphabetically. Scroll down towards the bottom and look for the 'winlogon.exe' process. There should only be one, so if you see more than one instance of winlogon.exe you should stop using your computer immediately and have it examined. Unfortunately, many of today's keyloggers are written to hide from this quick check, so just because you don't see more than one instance of winlogon.exe, it doesn't mean that you don't have a keylogger installed. Another indication that you should be concerned is if your CPU usage meter (click on the Performance tab) is showing a lot of activity even though you just started your computer and you haven't opened any programs yet. Your CPU should be idling in the 2-3% range with no programs (other than Task Manager) open. While you are reviewing the performance charts, take a look at the Physical memory usage to see if you need more memory (RAM). If the blue line in the Usage History is half way up or higher, adding more RAM should provide you with a noticeable improvement in speed. Ignorance is not bliss when it comes to computer security, so if you have any indications that your computer isn't quite right, make sure you have it looked at before you start your tax preparation. If you don't have a trusted resource to examine your computer, schedule a free 1015EZ checkup with Data Doctors. In 10-15 minutes, we'll tell you if you have any reason to be concerned: EZ!
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New 'Ransomware' Attacking People & Businesses

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 16:40:16-0700

I've heard rumors that there are viruses that can take over your computer and demand a ransom to allow you back in. Can this really happen? - Kris

This form of exploitation does exist and has actually been around since the early days of personal computing. The first known instance of what is called 'ransomware' actually goes back to the late 80's and variations of the scam have been evolving ever since. If you or anyone you know is ever hit with any type of ransomware, under no circumstances should you pay the ransom. Today, one of the most common instances appears as a warning from the FBI accusing you of illegally downloading copyrighted material or child pornography and demanding that you pay a fine to avoid prosecution. The malicious program pops up a message that says that you have been blocked from using the computer until you pay the fine via a MoneyPak card or other obscure payment systems in hopes that they can scare you into paying quickly. The FBI/Police version of the exploit started hitting computers worldwide last year and has been playing a cat and mouse game with the security world ever since. There are a lot of places on the Internet that have manual removal instructions for tech savvy users that the ransomware authors are also seeing. As removal instructions are posted, the malware authors modify the virus code to render the instructions useless and the game goes on. For instance, most of the previous versions would allow you to boot to 'Safe Mode' so you could remove the malicious code, but now it blocks access to Safe Mode altogether. Anyone that gets hit by this scam needs to have a full security check done on their computer, because this is a clear indication that they haven't been keeping up. Simply removing the code and not plugging the holes that allowed it to happen will likely mean being right back in the same place in the near future. Most users are being hit because they haven't kept their operating systems and antivirus software up to date, which allows them to get hit just by visiting a rigged website (a.k.a. drive-by download). A much more serious version of this exploit is hitting businesses via a common remote access tool built into Windows-based Servers known as RDP (Remote Desktop Protocol). Ransomware hackers are scanning the Internet (kind of like in the movie War Games) looking for RDP connections that are using default port settings with easy to break passwords. Once they break the password, they can access the entire corporate network (even attached backup drives) and run a script that will seek out common business files and encrypt them, which locks the owners out. They then display a demand page with a timer stating that you have one week to pay the $3000 ransom or it goes up by $1000. Each week that you wait, the ransom goes up by $1000. Data recovery from this attack is nearly impossible, so you can only recover data if you have an off-site backup that wasn't attacked. Here's what we are doing for our business customers: - Set accounts to lock for 3 minutes after 3 failed attempts - Make sure all remote users have very secure passwords (15 characters or more) - Change the default port for RDP access - Make sure you have a daily off-site backup procedure - Make sure you have the latest RDP patches from Microsoft To avoid this current exploit altogether, businesses can turn off RDP and use an alternate remote access solution such as LogMeIn ( http://logmein.com ) or GoToMyPC ( http://www.gotomypc.com )
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Making Windows 8 work like Windows 7 vs Downgrading

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:42:58-0700

Can you buy a new computer and downgrade it to win 7? - Joe

Microsoft's decision to take a radical departure in the user interface of Windows 8 has many of its customers asking the same question. Microsoft has always had downgrade rights in place for its operating systems, but they typically direct this option to its corporate users, so in the case of Windows 8, you only get downgrade rights with the more expensive Pro version. Frankly, the process of downgrading isn't a simple one and assumes that you will want to eventually upgrade to Windows 8 down the road. Businesses typically have an IT department that create an 'image' that is the standard for how each desktop should be setup, so it's relatively easy for them to reinstall an operating system. If you don't already have an eligible Windows 7 installation disk, the process gets really inefficient because you have to call Microsoft to explain what you are doing so they can provide you with a valid software key. A better approach would be to either purchase a new machine with Windows 7 pre-installed or use some of the apps that make Windows 8 look and work more like Windows 7. Most major retailers are force-feeding their customers Windows 8 computers, but companies that custom-build computers can still provide you with computers pre-loaded with Windows 7. This same cycle happens every time a new version of Windows is released. In fact, we were still building computers with Windows XP pre-installed for our corporate customers years after Windows Vista was released and well into the release of Windows 7. If you think that you might want to upgrade your Windows 7 machine to Windows 8 at some point in the future, take advantage of Microsoft's current $39.95 Windows 8 Pro upgrade offer that expires on January 31st, 2013 http://goo.gl/TUUkk You don't have to install it now, you can simply create an install disk for future use. The upgrade price for Windows 8 pro on February 1 will jump to $199 and the upgrade to the basic Windows 8 will jump to $119, so you can save a bunch of money if you act quickly. If you already have a Windows 8 computer and want to avoid the downgrading headaches, you can try an app to modify the Windows 8 interface to get you feeling more comfortable. A great free app to bypass the new 'tile start screen' and quickly recreate some of the missing items such as the Start button is called Classic Shell ( http://www.classicshell.net ). You can choose to create a Start menu that closely replicates Windows 7, Windows Vista or Windows XP and choose whether you want to change some of the basic navigational settings or a whole host of settings so you feel like more like your old comfortable version of Windows. Once you install Classic Shell, your computer will bypass the new Windows 8 default tiled Start screen and jump right into the Windows Explorer with a new icon in the bottom left corner that looks likethe old Start button. You will still have the Windows 8 'hotspots' active, so if you drag your mouse to the far right edge of the screen, the new controls will pop up so you can go back to the tiled interface at will. This allows you to slowly warm up to the new interface on your terms and bypass all the pain of downgrading.
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How to Recycle Your Old Electronics Properly

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 17:07:40-0700

Where can I take my old computers and cell phones to be recycled properly? - Suzanne

Your question is very timely as we come up on our bi-annual tech recycle awareness event in our home state of Arizona ( http://goo.gl/cV62p ) on Saturday, January 26th. If you live near a Data Doctors location anywhere in the country ( http://datadoctors.com/locations ), you can take your old electronics to be properly recycled year-round. We need more people to think like you so we can start reducing the amount of toxic waste we are collectively dumping into our landfills. E-waste is the fastest growing portion of our municipal waste because of our appetite for new shiny electronics and unless we all do the right thing, the environmental impact will be significant. To provide some perspective, the average U.S. household has 24 electronic gadgets (more like 40 if they have teenagers!) and most are replaced within 2 to 5 years. Every year, the world tosses 20 to 50 million metric tons of old electronics but less than 20% of it is being recycled. If it plugs in or uses batteries, it likely contains toxins and poisons such as arsenic, barium, lead, mercury, nickel and various plastics that pose health risks to us all. The impact on our ground water can cause gastrointestinal, neurological and cardiovascular problems that can lead to every type of health issue we all deplore, yet very few people think twice about chucking that old computer into a garbage bin. There are two ways to properly get rid of your old electronics: repurpose or recycle. Most people hang onto their old tech so long that by the time they get around to disposing of it, it's of no value to anyone. The 3 years that it sat in the garage or stuffed in a closet, it could have been in service for a needy family or non-profit organization, especially if it's a computer. If you don't have a church group or local charity that accepts old electronics for repurposing, check to see if the Goodwill store in your area is part of the Dell Reconnect partnership for recycling: http://dellreconnect.com/locations.php . The Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) has an online resource called E-cycling Central ( http://ecyclingcentral.com ) that has a list of e-cycling centers by state. The EPA has a resource that focuses on recycling mobile devices, PCs and televisions via major manufacturers and retailers at: http://goo.gl/FP9Q6 . Please remember, if you are disposing of an old computer, the hard drive is likely to contain personal information that you don't want in the hands of others, so make sure you wipe the drive before getting rid of it. My previous column with tips on what to do before you get rid of an old computer can be found here: http://goo.gl/YKy8j . If you are recycling or donating an old smartphone, remember it's also loaded with personal info, so make sure you take a few minutes to wipe it out as well: http://goo.gl/rwbR6 .
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Interesting technology at CES 2013

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 18:16:52-0700

What were the main highlights that you saw at the Consumer Electronics Show this year? - Pat

This year's International CES was spread out over 37 football fields and had the usual plethora of 'solutions searching for a problem', but we did see some interesting trends that might make it to your home. The most buzz was created by the Ultra HD television standard that packs 4 times the pixels into the display than today's HD TVs. The result is an amazingly sharp image that makes today's HD look like yesterday's analog tube displays. But before you list your HD TV on eBay so you can be the first one on your block to have Ultra HD, you need to understand some of the hurdles that the technology needs to overcome. The first is the price: $20,000 to $30,000 for most of the larger displays. The second is content: it takes special cameras (think 3D) in order to shoot video at this resolution, so it will be a while before there is enough content to justify the upgrade. Another major problem is the infrastructure and standards to support delivery of the content are still under development. Broadcast companies, cable, satellite and video streaming providers must also update their equipment to support delivery of this new standard once it's actually finalized. Let's put Ultra HD as a viable and affordable option on the back burner for a couple of years. Something that is more likely to impact you this year is the emergence of inexpensive and easy to use home automation platforms. Instead of having to spend a huge pile of money to transform your living space into a 'connected home', you can slowly start to add devices that connect via wifi and get controlled via your smartphone. Companies like GreenWave Reality (http://goo.gl/ESpli ), Belkin ( http://goo.gl/jtLlS )and SmartThings ( http://goo.gl/s9uT0 ) showed us innovative systems for controlling our lighting, electrical outlets, setting up security cameras, baby monitors, motion and moisture sensors and lots of other 'things' that you could add one at a time to slowly transform your house over time. One of my favorite examples came from the CEO of SmartThings who showed us a small key fob that can be attached to a child's backpack or keychain so that a parent could be automatically notified via text when the child gets home from school or leaves the house in the morning. Their system can also automatically setup the house based on the key fob so that lighting, heat or other customizable settings would automatically k ick in when it enters the house. Some of the other interesting technology at the show included affordable desktop 3D printers (http://goo.gl/NlGXN ), brainwave sensors that can control games and toys ( http://goo.gl/3pvMK ), nano coating technology that invisibly waterproofs your mobile electronics (http://goo.gl/rCSqH ) and a unending display of connected car technology from virtually every major car company. Health and fitness technology that interacts with your smartphone was plentiful, including the FitBit Flex bracelet ( http://goo.gl/sq63x ) that monitors your activity and sleep to help keep you on your fitness track. What's obvious to me after this year's show is that your smartphone is going to become a universal remote control for your life: connecting to your house, car, HVAC, media center, SmartTV, fitness regimen and just about every aspect of your life. I'd suggest you think about getting a second battery for your smartphone if you plan on participating in this connected revolution.
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Is it OK to charge my smartphone every night?

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 17:51:20-0700

Does it affect your iPhone's battery life when you charge it every night? I have found a lot of conflicting answers on the web. - Madeline

The mobile revolution is being powered (pun intended!) by sophisticated battery technology, but battery life is still one of the most common complaints from mobile users. Understanding the nuances of today's battery technology can help you balance the battery life with convenience for the best overall results. Most of today's mobile electronics use Lithium-Ion batteries, which are substantially better than the older Nickel-Cadmium (NiCad) and Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) technology. Lithium-based batteries are most common because they can store more energy in a smaller package, they don't dissipate energy as quickly when the device is not being used, they can handle more charge cycles and they are capable of charging up quicker. Older nickel-based batteries were susceptible to 'memory' issues when charging, so the general rule was to always run the battery down to near 0 before recharging. Lithium-based battery systems don't have this memory charging issue so this practice is unnecessary for today's devices (constant full discharges can actually accelerate capacity loss in lithium ion batteries, so keep the full discharges to once a month if possible). Additionally, for devices that have a 'gauge' (such as laptops) it's a good idea to let the device run all the way down every 30 charges so that the gauge can recalibrate itself. This will help keep the gauge accurate so it can properly represent the amount of power left. All batteries have a finite life, which is based on the number of times it's been recharged (often referred to as charge cycles). Apples website explains how the charge cycles are calculated: "A charge cycle means using all of the battery's power, but that doesn't necessarily mean a single charge. For instance, you could listen to your iPod for a few hours one day, using half its power, and then recharge it fully. If you did the same thing the next day, it would count as one charge cycle, not two, so you may take several days to complete a cycle. Each time you complete a charge cycle, it diminishes battery capacity slightly, but you can put notebook, iPod, and iPhone batteries through many charge cycles before they will only hold 80% of original battery capacity." You can expect 300-500 charge cycles from lithium-ion batteries before a noticeable decline in battery life occurs (down to 80%) and technically they prefer a partial discharge over a full discharge on a regular basis. Heat is actually the biggest factor in the life of any battery. The more heat it encounters, the quicker it will degrade. Leaving your battery-powered devices in a hot car or trunk or in direct sunlight on hot days will do more to kill the life of the battery than anything you do in the charging process. Never turn on or try to charge a batter y that has been overheated; always allow it to get back to room temperature or you will reduce its life (and do everything you can to avoid the high heat situations entirely). Although most recharge systems have an auto shutoff to avoid overcharging, as a precaution, try not to leave a fully charged device attached to the charger for extended periods of time (especially if you can feel that the battery is hot). For convenience sake, go ahead and plug your phone in every night as an incremental change in the overall life of the battery isn't worth the risk of running out of juice in the middle of the day!
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Tranferring data from an infected PC to a new PC

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 16:12:31-0700

I have an old computer with (Windows) XP that is running very slow (I think it has a virus). I would like to get a new computer and transfer things to the new computer but I'm afraid it will transfer the virus. What should I do? - Maureen

The single biggest burden when buying a new computer, is getting it to look and work like your old computer. Re-installing all your old programs, transferring and importing your data, address book, old e-mails, pictures, music, video, setting up your printer, getting it on your network and list of other things that you've likely forgotten about can take weeks to achieve. This is made even more complicated when your old computer has an infection, so it's important that you clearly understand how these infections might spread. In general, most malware either infects your operating system, browsers or individual files. OS based infections will imbed themselves in the start-up portion of Windows, so that the malicious code is activated as soon as you turn on your computer. It also allows the virus code to load itself into the working memory (RAM) so that even if you remove it from the hard drive, it can immediately re-infect your computer. Browser-based infections can be avoided by simple downloading the latest browsers on your new computer from the Internet. File-infectors were much more common in the past, but are still in circulation, so transferring an infected data file from your old computer sets you up for infection the first time you open the file. When we build a new computer for our customers and we know we need to transfer files from an infected computer, we always start the old computer from a clean boot device, such as a CD, DVD, flash drive or we will connect the infected hard drive to one of our service computers as a second drive. In all of these cases, we also have various cleanup programs (depending on the type of infection) that allow us to attack the infection on the hard drive while it's dormant. If you don't start the computer from a clean boot device, getting rid of many of today's infections can be nearly impossible to accomplish. I always recommend doing a full scan of a potentially infected computer's hard drive with a solid anti-virus program before transferring any files to a new computer. A variation of this process can be achieved by getting your new computer setup with all of its operating system updates and an updated antivirus program then taking the hard drive out of your old computer and putting it into an external USB enclosure. This will allow you start your new computer up and plug in your old hard drive so it can be scanned with your new computer's anti-virus program before you start to transfer any files. To save time, don't bother transferring any program folders from your old computer as your old programs will need to be reinstalled on your new computer anyway. As an additional precaution, avoid transferring any program files that have the EXE (executable) extension since they are common targets for viruses and are of no use on your new computer as a stand-alone file anyway. If this all sounds like more work than you want to deal with or is just too technical for you, you should shop for your new computer where they can perform these additional services for you. Some companies will include the service in the price while others may charge you $200 or more for the additional work. You need to understand if this is an additional cost to you before you make your buying decision so you don't end up fending for yourself or end up with an expensive surprise!
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Microsoft's 'Don't Get Scroogled' Campaign

Fri, 21 Dec 2012 14:33:20-0700

Microsoft is making the claim that you can't trust Google anymore because they only show search results for those that are willing to pay. Is this true? - Shelly

Microsoft recently launched their 'Don't get Scroogled' campaign to point out the differences between their search engine (Bing) and Google when it comes to shopping online. Google recently changed its policy on who would be shown when you click on the 'Shopping' option to only those companies that were willing to pay. This switch to the 'pay-to-play' model is a departure from Google's long-standing stance that seemed to say that search results should be determined by relevance, not by who was willing to pay the most. It's important to understand that this change applies only to items listed when you click on the Shopping section of Google and not anything else. Microsoft is trying to take advantage of this reversal in philosophy with a major marketing campaign that claims that Google no longer provides shopping results that you can count on. An example of how this change in philosophy might impact the average user is when it comes to items being sold by Amazon that in the past would have appeared in the Shopping results, but no longer do. Amazon (as of this writing) is not willing to pay Google to be included in its Shopping results so they are relying on their relatively high ranking in most natural search results when you are searching for specific products they sell. Google's position on this change was so that it could provide more accurate (and therefore more relevant) results for shoppers since a paying merchant will make sure that what they are selling is accurate and kept updated. Microsoft does allow online resellers to submit their information to the Bing search engine for free, but it closed off the submission process before the holiday season to 'fight off fraudulent submissions' during the high season. Technically, this means that online retailers must be willing to pay one of Microsoft's partners such as Shopping.com in order to be included in shopping results for the time being. On its face, it seems to be a different way of forcing online retailers into a 'pay-to-play model' which is why many critics are accusing Microsoft of being hypocritical. It's important to understand as the consumer in all of this is that Microsoft and Google are fierce competitors in many areas, while Google and Amazon are in a battle to be THE world's online mall. What this really means to you is that you should no longer rely on any single source when it comes to finding the best prices on anything that you are searching for online. There are a number of shopping comparison sites that for the most part are also 'pay-to-play' but they give a you much wider scope for making your comparisons. Some of the more popular comparison sites include: http://Shopping.com http://PriceGrabber.com http://NexTag.com and http://Shopzilla.com . If you are searching for a specific item with a model number, you can try using an aggregation site such as http://discountmore.com which will search 26 shopping sites at once. Another interesting site is http://TheFind.com which does not charge it's merchants but has them submit their product pages for inclusion in the results. It's also a great way to compare local stores with online stores for the best price/availability when you don't necessarily have the time to get something shipped. The times, they are a changin' and so should your online shopping techniques.
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