 Winter in Bayside NY. Picture taken by Mike Klubok of Computer Concierge NY LLC. With the impending arrival of the 2013 blizzard please look at the attached link. http://mashable.com/2012/07/03/charging-solutions/ about some ways you may be able to recharge your devices in the event you lose power. (If you are charging your phone inside a garage make sure the garage door is opened.) Cell phone towers may be down and you may lose internet service but keep in mind that most smartphones have a built in light that could come in handy during these times. Also at this time if you are not using your cellphone, keep it charged. Use your phone as sparingly as possible to preserve power. Dim the display on your smartphone to preserve power. On a personal note, since I will not be using my cellphone during the evening I will be turning it off to preserve my battery in case we lose power. Also use text messaging to reach out as this is likely to be more successful. One thing people did after Hurricane Sandy was to use wireless networks where free Wi-Fi is offered such as Starbucks (inside or outside).
Before retiring, it will be a good idea to disconnect electrical power to televisions, computers, printers, etc. Have copies of any prescriptions. Use a smartphone if you have one or a phone with a camera to take a picture of them.
If you bank online, you may want to make sure that all bills that need to be paid in the next several days are accounted for and that you have money in your accounts to cover any recurring and other payments that you have set up. If you lose power, you may not be able to pay these bills and transfer money between accounts till power is restored.
Most of all be safe. Unless you absolutely have to go out, stay indoors. Being safe is of utmost importance. Use common sense. Fill up water bottles, tea pots, etc..
As always I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 for your technology problems.
My Facebook page provides information on the current goings on in the technology field. There are tips to better use your technology. For timely information, please visit and "Like" my page. Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside, NY vicinity. Our web services are provided worldwide.
More and more people are doing some or all of their holiday shopping online. It can be exciting to see all the online bargains that are out there. Shopping online can be safe if you follow the online safety tips below: 1. Make sure your security software which includes anti-virus protection is up to date. Not having up to date security makes you an easy target for viruses and other unwanted intrusions.2. Only shop at a secure site. A secure site has “https” at the beginning of its website address. “https” means that the site is secure and that it encrypts the information that it sends. 3. Don’t use a public wireless network. In the event there is a keystroke logger on that public computer you are using or sniffer intercepting data over a public Wi-Fi network you do not want to put information out there that can compromise your personal information. See my post on computer safety in public. http://computerconciergeny.com/3/post/2012/09/computer-safety-in-public.html4. Use credit cards instead of debit cards. Credit cards offer a much better level of protection when compared to debit cards. Further a debit card may put a freeze on your bank account that is in excess of the amount you are purchasing.5. Always monitor your account statements to ascertain that there are no unauthorized charges to your account. An aside here is to NEVER give out personal information should you receive a phone call, email, letter, etc mentioning that there is an issue with your account. Hang up (if it is a phone call) and call the number on the back of your credit card. The person calling could be trying to get personal information from you in order to steal your identity. 6. As more and more purchases are being made from mobile devices, password protect your smartphone and/or tablet. Should it fall into the wrong hands, personal information is much more difficult to get. 7. Don’t let browsers store passwords for you. Further you should have a different password for every account you use and the passwords should be difficult to crack. See my post on creating strong passwords. http://computerconciergeny.com/3/post/2012/06/you-need-secure-passwords-for-your-accounts-how-to-make-one.html8. Don’t use public computers. They are only as safe as the security the computer is using. Again see my post on computer safety in public. http://computerconciergeny.com/3/post/2012/09/computer-safety-in-public.html If you still decide to use a public terminal make sure that you log out after using it. 9. Phishing scams are more common at holiday time. If you receive an email saying that personal information is needed (passwords, social security numbers, birthdate, etc) do not give this information out. Someone may be trying to steal your identity. 10. Many credit cards offer a temporary credit card that allows you to set an amount and timeframe for using it. Think about using one from your credit card provider if they offer it. 11. Don’t click on links in emails as they may not take you to the site you think you are being taken to. Many phishing scams involve emails from what seem like legitimate sites such as banks, online stores, etc but actually send you to a phony site where they can gather your information to steal your identity. 12. For those who are still concerned about shopping online, when you go to a restaurant do you pay by credit card? If so, that card goes through your waiter, cashier and who knows who else. There are a few chances to get the information needed to charge purchases to the card. One last thing. Trust your gut feeling. If something appears shady during any part of the purchase process it very well may be, do not complete the transaction. Leave the site.
If you have additional questions about shopping safely online, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com
My Facebook page provides information on the current goings on in the technology field. There are tips to better use your technology. For timely information, please visit and "Like" my page.
Here’s to wishing all of you a very Happy Holiday Season.
Computer Concierge NY LLC provides expert computer and technology services in the Queens, NY area. This includes Albertson, Bayside, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellerose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside, NY vicinity. Our web services are provided worldwide.
You probably have heard about Facebook sharing too much of your information.
Hopefully, you also are concerned about what Facebook does with your information. Ever wonder how they suggest "friends" to you or how the ads you see appear to be aligned with your interests?
While Facebook does not have the best track record regarding privacy, there are a few things you can do that can improve your privacy on Facebook.
Given Facebook's privacy policy, which seems to constantly be changing, you'll want to set up your preferences where you have as much control as possible. One in 10 Facebook users in the US ignore Facebook privacy settings. That is 13 million people.
More than 60 percent of apps users do not use privacy controls. If you have not already done so, the first thing you need to do if you are allowing others to see your date of birth is to make sure no one can see your birth year. By clicking on "Update Info" go to "Basic Info." Under your birthday, make sure that the option under your birthdate does not enable the year to be shown.
Doing this makes it more difficult to steal your identity. It usually is also a good idea to set your telephone number to be seen by "Only Me." There also is probably no need to put your address on Facebook as well.
Regarding the other information about you, you should determine what you are comfortable sharing and with whom. I worked with a client recently who did not want to put too much information about herself and then decided to put and share her hometown in the hope of finding some old friends. Most of my information and posts I share with friends only. That is my personal comfort zone.
In "Privacy Settings," you'll likely want to set your default privacy to friends. Under "Timeline and Tagging," you'll want the ability to review posts friends tag you in before they appear on your timeline. Turn this option "On."
In "Privacy Settings" under "Apps You Use," you can edit the settings for your apps. In the individual apps, you'll likely want to limit who can see the posts the app makes for you to "Only Me."
There are more ways to increase your Facebook privacy. These are just some of them. As Facebook's settings are subject to change, you should review yours every so often. Regardless of your privacy settings, you always want to be careful of what you post on Facebook. If you have specific questions regarding your Facebook account, I am available at (917) 572-3468.
Computer Concierge NY LLC, provides expert computer and technology services in the Bayside, NY area, Including Queens, Albertson, Bayside Hills, Bay Terrace, Bellrose, College Point, Douglaston, Floral Park, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Kings Point, Lake Success, Manhasset, Mineola, Munsey Park, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, University Gardens, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside vicinity.
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