We've all seen them before: those little icons that show up in our taskbars next to the clock. They come in all sorts of shapes and colors. *But, what do they mean?* The specific icons may vary depending on your operating system of your computer, but they will usually have similar functionality. While some of them are fairly self-explanatory, others can be a bit more confusing. Let's take a look at what some of the most common taskbar icons mean. … [Read more...]
September 16, 2022 By Computer Techs
August 26, 2022 By Computer Techs
6 Tips For Organizing Your Gmail to Avoid a Bottomless Inbox
How often have you missed out on an appointment, paying a bill, or responding to an important message because the e-mail notice got lost in your cluttered inbox? Every day, we receive lots of e-mails, both important and unimportant, which can be overwhelming. Due to the numerous amount of e-mails, it can cause unnecessary stress, including taking up time to clear them out and differentiate between the important and unimportant. One thing that quickly fills up e-mail inboxes is newsletters, e-mail circulars, catalogs, and event invitations. These e-mails contribute to the build-up of e-mails in your inbox. According to Marketing Charts, 84.5% of e-mails in the inbox are promotions, … [Read more...]
July 22, 2022 By Computer Techs
You May Not be Using All the Great Features of Your Browser
Web browsers are your gateway to the internet or World Wide Web. Browsers contain a lot of features that make your online experience more efficient. This includes things like tabs that allow you to open different web pages at the same time, and “bookmarks” or “favorites” that let you save website addresses so that you don't have to type-in or search for frequently visited websites. Some of the most popular browsers are Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Apple Safari, and Opera. These browsers have many useful features to help you get things done with ease. While some features of the browsers are known, others are either unknown or under-utilized, Here, we'll discuss … [Read more...]
July 8, 2022 By Computer Techs
Use This Clever Acronym (SLAM) To Identify Dangerous Emails in Your Inbox
Cybercriminals are continuously targeting naïve individuals. They do not discriminate when it comes to defrauding people. They'll obtain money from anyone - young, old, poor, and rich. The American Journal of Public health notes that about 5% of adults get scammed yearly. In the United States, older adults lose about $40 billion per year due to cyberattacks. Cybercriminals can easily exploit the information of an older adult, which can be obtained through smartphones or computer systems. Unfortunately, senior citizens are easy targets of cybercriminals because of their inexperience with using technology. Many older citizens have social media accounts, surf the internet, and use credit … [Read more...]
June 28, 2022 By Computer Techs
New option for home internet service – should you switch?
Wireless carrier T-Mobile is expanding their services to include Home Internet in some areas of Reno/Sparks. Assuming you are in their limited service area – should you switch? Why you may want to switch If you’re on a budget, at $50/month TMHI is less expensive than most AT&T and Spectrum internet plans.*TMHI is available in some rural areas that are under-served by AT&T and Spectrum.If you’re in an area served only by AT&T’s legacy DSL service with speeds less than 6 Mbps, and Charter/Spectrum is not an option. * Low-income households may qualify for a discount of up to $30/month on internet service from many providers through the Affordable … [Read more...]
June 24, 2022 By Computer Techs
Keep your smartphone safe
Today's smartphones retain a lot of personal data that you likely wouldn't want to get into the wrong hands. Below is a list of just some of the data that can be accessed if someone got into your smartphone: Someone can receive one-time passwords via text message or authenticator app that can be used to reset account passwordsImpersonate you by being able to send and receive calls, email and text messages on your behalfImpersonate you through any social networks apps that you useAccess any notes, passwords or private pictures you may have storedReset your phone and sell it How you can protect your smartphone The most important thing you should do is to protect your smartphone with … [Read more...]
June 24, 2022 By Computer Techs
Is Zelle Safe? How To Protect Yourself When Using Payment Apps
Payment apps like Zelle and Venmo are a customer favorite because they are a convenient, fast, and easy way of electronically exchanging money between others. Zelle’s popularity and quick exchange of funds between one bank and another attracts more than just new customers. Unfortunately, it attracts hackers and scammers too. With so many headlines about Zelle scams on the news lately, many users can’t help but wonder about the platform’s safety. Scammers target Zelle users and siphon off their hard-earned money through phishing scams. The truth is, Zelle is safe as long as you are careful, and you pay attention. By the time you’re done reading this article, you’ll know more about Zelle … [Read more...]
June 10, 2022 By Computer Techs
Has Your Computer Been Hacked, or Is It Another Phishing Scam?
How many times has this happened to you? You’re on your computer reading, catching up with friends on Facebook, or searching the internet when a pop-up window shows up claiming that your browser has been hacked or blocked. If it's your first time seeing such a message splash across your screen, you've been lucky until now. Every day millions of computer users all over the globe see such messages whenever they surf the internet. And no, it doesn't mean that your browser has been compromised. It's simply pop-up phishing designed to scare you into calling the number, which scammers use to target unsuspecting victims. What Is Pop-Up Phishing? Pop-ups are generated by websites to offer … [Read more...]
May 20, 2022 By Computer Techs
4 Dangerous Scam Text Messages You Should Delete Immediately
Email open rates typically range between 20 and 30 percent while SMS stands at a staggering 98 percent. 90 percent of texts are opened within three seconds of receipt. The average text is read within 90 seconds of receipt while that number is 90 minutes for email. This characteristically rapid response for text messages makes them a popular avenue for SMS scams and phishing – sometimes called “smishing”. Scams after all require that the target respond quickly before they have a change of heart or think their decision through. The average text is read within 90 seconds of receipt. That metric is 90 minutes for email. The speed and regularity of reading and … [Read more...]
May 18, 2022 By Computer Techs
How and Why to Use Browser Tabs
The internet is a huge part of our daily lives. Whether you’re communicating with family over Zoom, checking what your friends are up to on Facebook or buying your weekly groceries, you no doubt use an Internet browser most days of the week – either on your computer, tablet or smartphone. Internet browsers have a host of cool tricks and functions that make the browsing experience more pleasurable and straightforward. To make the most of these features, you need to understand what they are and how they work. One such feature is the use of multiple browsing tabs. Tabs enable you to open multiple websites in one browser, without cluttering your desktop with too many browser … [Read more...]