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1 Little Known Way You Can Save Money When Booking Your Vacation

3/21/2017

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Travel, cheap flights, flights, vacation, computer skills, Mike Klubok, Computer Concierge NY LLC, computer skills, New York City, NYC, New York, Manhattan, computer training, computer repair
Using The 1 Browser Setting Mentioned Can Save You Money When Booking That Vacation Online

Would you like to save money when you go online to book your next vacation?  I cannot think of anyone who when booking a vacation compares prices for the “exact” same thing and takes the more expensive cost.  With the summer travel season approaching, many of us will start to book our summer travel plans online if we have not done so already. There is one not well known way that could be a money saver when you book that next vacation.

Did you know there is one setting on your browser that can save you money when booking your vacation? It is not one that many know about.

That setting is incognito mode.  Many websites including travel sites put cookies on your browser.  Cookies are what a website puts on your computer to get information about you when you visit their site. Have you ever allowed a website to remember your login information when you go to it?  That is because a cookie from that website was placed on your computer. When you visit a website to book a vacation, the cookie placed on your computer will remember that you are interested in an itinerary resulting in a higher price the next time you visit that site. When you visit a website in incognito mode, your browsing history, cookies or search history are not saved. When you return to the website, it cannot see that you were there before. Note:  This incognito tab does not make you anonymous on the internet. Your internet service provider can see the pages you visit as it normally can.

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So now you probably are asking “How do I use the incognito setting” or words to that effect. If you use the Chrome or Firefox and it is not opened, right click on the respective icon.  After right-clicking, for Chrome select “New incognito window” and left click. For Firefox after right-clicking left click on, “New private window”. If the browser is already opened; in Chrome go to the upper right-hand corner and left click where you see the 3 dots going vertically. Then left click, “New incognito window”. For Firefox, go to the upper right-hand corner and left click where you see the 3 lines going vertically. Then left click, “New private window”.

Travel, cheap flights, flights, vacation, computer skills, Mike Klubok, Computer Concierge NY LLC, browsers, computer training, computer repair nyc,
Icons for the browsers mentioned. The Safari browser is not shown. It is the default browser for Apple products
If you are using the Microsoft Edge browser, open the browser. Then go to the upper right-hand corner and left click where you see the 3 dots going horizontally. Then left click, “New InPrivate window”.

Internet Explorer users don’t have it so easy. You need to first open the browser. In the top right-hand corner is an icon that looks like bicycle spokes for your chain. Left click on it. Go to “Safety” and left click on that as well. Where you see, “InPrivate Browsing” you guessed it, left click there as well.

Last but not least, is the Safari browser. If you are using Safari on a mobile device, look for 2 squares where one looks partially inside the other. Depending on your version, it will be either on the lower or upper right side of the Safari browser.  Select that and then select “Private” Then select “Done” If you are using Safari on a Mac then after opening it click on the “File” menu. Then select “New Private Window” You also can hold down the {Command} and {Shift}  keys and type “N”

So, remember the next time you book your vacation online to do it incognito.

If you want to know more ways that you can better get a travel deal online or other technology tips, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .


Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:
  • Taking Tech Precautions in Advance of An Impending Hurricane, Blizzard, etc
  • 9 Things You Need To Do To Guard Your iPhone Privacy
  • 5 Tips To Improve Your Use of Gmail
  • Is Your Smartphone's Flashlight App Spying On You?
  • How To Get Off Those Annoying Email Lists
 
And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.


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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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.

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9 Things You Need To Do Now To Guard Your iPhone Privacy

3/8/2017

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 iPhone, new iphone, iphone apps, iphone security, computer skills, Mike Klubok, Computer Concierge NY LLC, computer repair in ny, training,
The Right Settings Will Go A Long Way To Enhance Your iPhone Privacy
Apple’s iOS 10 operating system is Apple’s latest operating system for its mobile products. It comes with options to guard your phone’s privacy and you should give strong thought to enabling them.  Here are 9 things you can do to better guard your iPhone or iPad privacy.

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  1. Minimize your lock screen access – If you have a passcode lock on your phone (and if you don’t then add it right now) go to “Settings” then to “Touch ID & Passcode”.  Where you see “Allow Access When Locked”, disable “Siri”, “Wallet” and “Home Control” People should not be able to access these without knowing your passcode.
  2. Use a custom alpha-numeric passcode – the current iPhone passcode default is a 6-digit number. You can do better. In “Settings” go to “Touch ID and Passcode”.  From there enter your current passcode and then tap on “Passcode Options”. Then select “Custom Alphanumeric Code” A longer password is hard to crack than a shorter one. If you do not have a passcode that put one on your phone pronto! An article I wrote a while back will tell you more. Click here
  3. Don’t Blindly Join Wi-Fi Networks – Go to “Settings” then “Wi-Fi” and enable “Ask to Join Networks”. When activated you will not be able to join a network that you do not know about unless you agree to do so for that specific network. You won’t be logged into a network that you would rather not be in.  An untrusted network may be a bad network.
  4. Stop Your iPhone From Tracking You – If you connect to Wi-Fi while you’re at a location, your phone can track you.  That is unless you go to “Settings”, “Privacy”, “Location Services”, “System Services” and “Frequent Locations” and turn this option off. Clear the location history by hitting the “Clear History” button for even more privacy.
  5. Enable “Find My iPhone” – Should your phone get lost or stolen, this could enable you to locate your phone.  Go to “Settings” “iCloud”, “Find My iPhone” to enable this function. For good measure also enable “Send Last Location”. When your phone’s battery is critically low, your phone’s location will automatically be sent to Apple. Should you lose your phone, you can find out how to recover it by clicking here.
  6. Always require password with every app purchase – Do you have children? Are you concerned about your financial security? If you get prompted to require a password for purchases made from your iPhone select “Always Require” to protect yourself.
  7. Don’t Let Apps Upload Your Data – Ever wonder how Facebook suggests contacts, LinkedIn determines people you may know? Allowing your phone’s contacts to be accessed by them is one way they get this information. Go to “Settings” “Privacy” and select apps like contacts, photos, or email. Then move the slider on or off for the apps you wish to allow or not allow access to.
  8. Set up 2-factor authentication – You may consider this a pain, but it could be the difference between a hacker accessing your data or not. Having your user ID and password is not enough. When you log into an account where you have enabled 2-factor authentication, a code is sent to your phone.  You need to provide this code in addition to your user ID and password.  I wrote about this a while back and the article is helpful for you to understand this. Note that since this was written that there are some variations of this but the intent is the same. Click here for article
  9. Limit Ad Tracking – Ever wonder how ads you see appear to correspond to your own interests and preferences? Part of this is without enabling the “Limit Ad Tracking” option, you are allowing Apple to supply some of your user information for advertising purposes. To enable this option, go to “Settings”, “Privacy” and “Advertising” “Limit Ad Tracking” and enable this.  

Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:
  • 5 Tips To Improve Your Use of Gmail
  • Is Your Smartphone's Flashlight App Spying On You?
  • How To Get Off Those Annoying Email Lists
  • 8 Ways To Get More Life From Your Smartphone's Battery
  • Do NOT Do This 1 Thing With Your Passwords
 
It’s never too late to start guarding your iPhone’s privacy so why not start now.

Feel free to forward this to anyone you feel would benefit from this.

If you want to know more about iPhone tips or other technology issues, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .  Which of these iPhone privacy tips have you started to do? Can you suggest one not mentioned here?
Creative Commons License
Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside and Forest Hills NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.
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5 Tips That Will Improve Your Use of Gmail

2/28/2017

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Gmail is the most used and many including myself consider it the best free email service today but are you aware of some of these ways shown below that can help you to better use it?
                                                      
 
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  1. Multiple Inboxes – Do you have more than 1 email? Do you have an email for work and one for personal use? You don’t have to log into each account individually to get email for it.  With your selected email account you also can send and receive email for up to 5 additional email accounts. So with your personal account you also can send and receive email from your business account. Go to the “Accounts and Import” tab in “Settings”
  2. Check Out Email Labs.  In the “Labs” tab in “Settings” is Google’s testing ground (as they describe it) for features that are shall we say “pilot features”.  These can change, break or be discontinued anytime but while they are available you want to take advantage of them. They also could become standard down the road.  This could take years however.
  3. Create another email address with a dot – this is not nearly as complicated as it sounds. By inserting or deleting a dot between any characters in your email address, you create another email address.  It will still go to your same email account. This is because Gmail does not recognize dots as characters in an email address. Mike123456@gmail.com is the same as Mike.123456@gmail.com and Mike.1.2.3.4.5.6@gmail.com. This is a good way to organize email.  One friend has your email address at Mike123456@gmail.com and another has it as Mike123.456@gmail.com.  All of these will go to the same inbox. I can filter my email according the email address used. Further if you subscribe to an email list, you can use a variation of yours using dots to see who is sending your email to a spammer. If you get other email sent to that address, you know who is giving them the address.
  4. Use Gmail shortcuts – like Windows, Gmail has shortcuts for you to get the task done faster. From any screen in Gmail press the “?” key. You will then see a list of all shortcuts you can use in Gmail.
  5. Block Users –  Tired of getting email from someone you asked not to send you email, or mail from a store that you have not used in a year? With Gmail you can block them. Next to the reply arrow is a drop-down arrow.  Click on it and where it says “Block…” (… being the name of the sender) click “Block…” and then confirm that you wish to block it. You will no longer see emails from them in your inbox. It will instead go to your “Spam” folder.
These are just 5 ways to improve your Gmail experience.  What Gmail tips and tricks are you using?
 
Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:
  • Is Your Smartphone's Flashlight App Spying On You?
  • How To Get Off Those Annoying Email Lists
  • 8 Ways To Get More Life From Your Smartphone's Battery
  • Do NOT Do This 1 Thing With Your Passwords
  • 10 Ways To Make Better Use Of Your Smartphone Camera
Creative Commons License
Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Computer Concierge NY LLC operates in Queens NYC. We provide expert computer repair, computer training and other technology services in the Queens NYC area. This includes Queens| Bayside| Bellerose| College Point| Douglaston| Floral Park|  Flushing| Forest Hills| Great Neck| Jackson Heights| Jamaica Estates| Kew Gardens| Manhattan| New Hyde Park| North Hills| North Shore Towers| Rego Park| The Bay Club| Williston Park| Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside New York vicinity.  These include zip codes: 10003| 10017| 11005| 11020| 11021| 11022| 11023| 11030| 11355| 11356| 11357| 11358| 11360| 11361| 11362| 11363| 11364| 11367| 11374| 11375| 11415| 11418| 11423| 11426| 11427| 11432  Our online services are provided in NYC as well as worldwide.
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7 Things You Absolutely Do Not Want To Do Online

1/10/2017

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internet safety, internet safety for kids, computer skills, Computer Concierge NY LLC, Computer repair queens, computer training queens
This Cat Isn't Doing Any Of These 7 Things Online Mentioned Below - (Picture from Wikipedia)
 
The internet has opened up many avenues for us that weren’t there before we all started to get online. Facebook, online dating, bill paying online are just a few things that have come as a result of the internet. But just like when you drive a car you should not pass red lights because it is dangerous, you should avoid doing the wrong things while online.  Here are 7 things to not do while online in the interest of internet safety:
  1. Use the same passwords on multiple sites – So who is guilty of this one? Do you have the same key for your car, home, storage, etc? Of course not.  Know why?  Well you probably do.  If you did, if someone got one key they would have the key to all. So if you have the same password for your email, Amazon, bank accounts, credit cards then all someone has to do is get your password and they have the keys to the kingdom. So if you have the same passwords for all sites, start creating new passwords right away.
  2. Posting online when you are going on vacation and coming back online or some variation of - I have a friend of mine who posted on Facebook the Saturday morning he was leaving for New Orleans that he was going to Pat O’Brien’s for drink that night.  I was able to call him in time to tell him not only that Pat O’Brien’s is packed on a Saturday night but also to delete the post. People did not need to know that he was away.
  3. Doing financial transactions from a public Wi-Fi network without taking precautions – Especially if it an open network. There may be hackers on the network who could get access to your personal information if you do.  You need to use a good Virtual Private Network (VPN) if you want to access sensitive information on a public network.
  4. Don’t open attachments from an unfamiliar email address – If you receive an email from an unfamiliar person or an email address with an attachment, do not open the attachment. It could be a virus or other malware and your computer could become infected. For that matter don’t click on web links from someone unfamiliar either.
  5. Not having internet security software on your computer – I have seen this one a little too often and I am including security software that has expired. Make sure you have updated security software on your computer.  It will diminish the chances of you getting a virus or other malware on your computer.
  6. Make sure you log out of a public computer – I remember volunteering at the Central Queens Y in Forest Hills once and while working with someone told him the importance of logging out of his accounts when he was done (it was on their computer). What happened when I finished working with him? You guessed it, he started to leave without signing out of his email account. I promptly reminded him that he needed to log out.  This was a bigger issue in the days before smartphones and tablets. If you use a computer at a hotel, library or other public place make sure you log out of any accounts when you are done using them. Do you want a stranger to have access to your email, Facebook or other online account?
  7. Don’t post incriminating information online. I tell people, “What you put out there is out there” Some of the things I have seen out there will make you flinch. A Facebook post complaining about their boss (are they Facebook friends with them also? Also not good if one of their Facebook friends is friends with the boss), a copy of a driver’s license or passport (yes I saw someone post this on LinkedIn) so be careful with what you post.
There are quite a few online things that you should not be doing. These are 7 of them. By not doing these things you will improve your safety and security while online.

Have you done any of these 7 and if so which ones? Has it come back to haunt you?

Feel free to forward this to others who may benefit. If you want to know more about online safety or other technology aspects, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com  


Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:

  • How To Quickly Get The Name Of That Song For Free
  • Use Google Maps To Get You To The Church On Time By Bus
  • 12 Ways To Be Safe When Doing Your Holiday Shopping Online
  • You Can Send That Fax For Free From Your Computer
  • 1 App That Will Save You Money At The Pump

 
And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.


Want some good and FREE computer tips delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for email updates. We will not sell your email address to anyone.


Computer Concierge NY LLC operates in Queens NYC. We provide expert computer repair, computer training and other technology services in the Queens NYC area. This includes Queens| Bayside| Bellerose| College Point| Douglaston| Floral Park|  Flushing| Forest Hills| Great Neck| Jackson Heights| Jamaica Estates| Kew Gardens| Manhattan| New Hyde Park| North Hills| North Shore Towers| Rego Park| The Bay Club| Williston Park| Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside New York vicinity.  These include zip codes: 10003| 10017| 11005| 11020| 11021| 11022| 11023| 11030| 11355| 11356| 11357| 11358| 11360| 11361| 11362| 11363| 11364| 11367| 11374| 11375| 11415| 11418| 11423| 11426| 11427| 11432  Our online services are provided in NYC as well as worldwide.

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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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How To Quickly Get The Name Of That Song For Free

1/3/2017

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Shazam, Shazam app, music recognition, Shazam online, what song is this, songs, what’s the name of this song, Computer Repairs, Computer Skills, computer repair in ny, Computer Concierge NY,
Can't Remember The Name Of That Song? All Is Not Lost

Has this ever happened to you? You’re in a store or restaurant and you hear a song that you can’t remember the name of it. You sit or stand there trying to think of the song title and you can’t.  The song brings back good memories, but despite that you still are unable to remember the name of it. Well if you’re one of the 100 million users of Shazam you would use it and quickly get that song’s name and then possibly get a sense of deja-vu.
I put it on my phone a few years back because I could be in a store, restaurant or other place and I hear a song that I wish I knew the name of. Matter of fact I have a confession to make.  A few months ago, I was driving and heard a song on the radio that for the life of me I couldn’t remember the name of. It was bugging me. I was able to pull over to the side of the road so I did and got the name. I used Shazam to get it in less than 30 seconds.
So now you’re wondering how do I do it.  Well the first thing to do is to download the Shazam app to your phone. It works for both iPhones and Androids. When you hear the name of a song you want to get the name of, go to the Shazam app on your phone. Touch the Shazam icon and you will see a “Listening” message.  A few seconds later “Voila” you know the song’s name.

Now here is some more good news. After you download the app create a Shazam account. Now if you lose your phone or get a new one, your searches move with you to your new phone.  How is that for a good app? Note that I have not received any compensation or assurances, hints, discounts, etc of compensation from Shazam.  

Now if you are any type of a music lover, you will want to download this app.  Imagine now when you hear a song you won’t go crazy trying to remember its name. You’ll open Shazam and shazam, get the name of it.  I was in Chile last week at a rooftop hotel and heard a song that was familiar but I couldn't think of the name of it. I used Shazam and got the name quickly. Try it and let me know what you think.

If you want to know more about smartphone apps for you or other technology, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:


  • Use Google Maps To Get You To The Church On Time By Bus
  • 12 Ways To Be Safe When Doing Your Holiday Shopping Online
  • You Can Send That Fax For Free From Your Computer
  • 1 App That Will Save You Money At The Pump
  • Do You Know These 7 Ways To Do A Better Google Search?
 
And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below. Please feel free to forward this to anyone who you feel would benefit.


Want some good and FREE computer tips delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for email updates. We will not sell your email address to anyone.

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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the , Bayside and Forest HillsNY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.


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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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12 Fantastic Ways To Better Control With The Ctrl Key

12/5/2016

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Control key, keyboard shortcuts, ctrl, shortcut keys, shortcut, shortcuts, keyboard keys, computer skills, Computer Concierge NY LLC, , queens ny computer, technology services, Queens, forest hills, bayside, computer repair in ny, training, computer skills
The Ctrl Key Can Be A Big Help To You On Your Computer
When you go home after a long day of work do you take the route that has a lot of traffic and takes you an hour to get home?  Or do you take the route that not many people use and gets you home 15 minutes sooner? If you rarely use the Control {Ctrl} key on your Windows computer, you’re doing the equivalent of taking that route with all the traffic. Most people will save a file on their computer by either moving their cursor to the “Save” icon or going to the drop-down menu and clicking on the “Save” option. Both mean that you will have to move your mouse to the top left of the screen. Pressing the {Ctrl} and then the {S} keys to save your work is taking that route home that not many people use.  It is a shorter way to do a save and there are other ways to use the {Ctrl} key to save time and better use your computer. Many of these shortcuts will also work on a Mac but you must use the {Cmd} and not the {Ctrl} key.  Here are a few of these shortcuts that are sure to save you time when you work on your computer.  Keep in mind that when pressing the second and if needed third key, your finger MUST remain on the previous key. You also want to keep your fingers on the keys only long enough to perform the desired result.  Keeping your fingers on the keys too long may produce a result that you did not intend to have happen.  Continue reading to find out 12 ways you can use the {Ctrl} key on your computer to work faster and better.
  • {Ctrl} +{Z} – Undo an action - And sometimes you can undo the last few actions by pressing {Ctrl} {Z} the needed amount of times.
  • {Ctrl} +{Y} – Redo an action  
  • {Ctrl} + {S} – Save your work – As mentioned earlier it is a lot quicker than moving your cursor to the top left of the screen
  • {Ctrl} + {+} – Make a webpage larger – This is quicker than going to the zoom menu on your browser.
  • {Ctrl} + {-} – Make a webpage smaller
  • {Ctrl} + {0} – Resets the zoom to standard size ie 100%
  • {Ctrl} + {C} – Selects range to copy.  {Ctrl} + {X} – Selects range to move {Ctrl} + {V} – Paste contents of range selected to copy or move. Oh how I like these three! They work for me with emails, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and almost any other program I am working with.  
  • {Ctrl} +{Alt} + {V} – Paste special of range selected to copy.  Good to use if you only wish to copy values, formats, etc.  I have found this to be of good use when I don’t want to copy a formula and/or a format especially when using Microsoft Excel.
  • {Ctrl} + {A} – Select all contents.  You will appreciate this one if you have ever tried typing a new website address in the address bar and it doesn’t overwrite what is already there.
  • {Ctrl} + {Esc} – To open the applications menu AKA Start menu
Hopefully you will find these shortcuts helpful when you are doing work on your computer. Once you start using them, I think you will like it enough to continue this way instead of taking the longer way to do the same thing.

 And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.

Want some good and FREE computer tips delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for email updates. We will not sell your email address to anyone.

If you already are using any of these shortcuts what are your thoughts about them?

If you want to know more about shortcuts to use your computer or other technology, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:


  • 12 Ways To Be Safe When Doing Your Holiday Shopping Online
  • You Can Send That Fax For Free From Your Computer
  • 1 App That Will Save You Money At The Pump
  • Do You Know These 7 Ways To Do A Better Google Search?
  • The Hidden Cost Of Allowing Your Security Software To Renew Automatically    

Computer Concierge NY LLC operates in Queens NYC. We provide expert computer repair, computer training and other technology services in the Queens NYC area. This includes Queens| Bayside| Bellerose| College Point| Douglaston| Floral Park|  Flushing| Forest Hills| Great Neck| Jackson Heights| Jamaica Estates| Kew Gardens| Manhattan| New Hyde Park| North Hills| North Shore Towers| Rego Park| The Bay Club| Williston Park| Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside New York vicinity.  These include zip codes: 10003| 10017| 11005| 11020| 11021| 11022| 11023| 11030| 11355| 11356| 11357| 11358| 11360| 11361| 11362| 11363| 11364| 11367| 11374| 11375| 11415| 11418| 11423| 11426| 11427| 11432  Our online services are provided in NYC as well as worldwide.

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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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You Can Send That Fax For Free Right From Your Computer

11/22/2016

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faxing, fax, free fax, fax zero, computer senior, Computer Concierge NY, computer repair in new York, computer repair nyc, computer repair in ny, computer repair, computer repair, bayside queens, queens
You Don't Need One Of These To Send A Fax To Someone – Pic From Wikipedia.org

Have you ever needed to send that rare fax to someone? Is your all-in-one printer even set up for faxing? Even though faxing is now largely considered an antiquated form of technology, you may occasionally need to send one.  I know that when my wife worked for the City of New York, there was a medical form that could be mailed or faxed but not emailed. It was a rare occasion that I would use the built-in fax feature from my all-in-one printer.

You could go to a Fed Ex location, your local Staples or other place but with costs starting at $1 per page, faxing can get a little expensive. Of course, this doesn’t include the time involved getting to a store to fax.  There has to be a better way but what is it?

A client of mine who is not able to get out often and lives in the Forest Hills section of Queens had this issue. He needed to fax a two-page document and his all-in-one printer is too far from a phone line to connect it. What I did first was to scan the 2 pages to his computer. It was now on his hard drive and from there I could fax from it.  Then I went to a website faxZero.com. There is a short form to fill out that includes attaching the file you wish to send. faxZero.com allows you to fax your 1st three pages not including a cover page at no charge. You are limited to 5 free faxes daily.  You are probably wondering what If you need to fax additional pages.  For $1.99 you are allowed 25 pages which also does not include a cover page.  For those rare times you need to send a fax it is a good deal. Note that I have not received any compensation or assurances, hints, discounts, etc of compensation from faxZero.com.  If for some reason you need to fax more often then you need to consider an alternate plan such as hooking up your all-in-one printer to a phone line to send and receive faxes but for sending that rare fax, faxZero is an economical way to send that rare fax.

If you wish to know more about faxing online or other technology issues I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .


Readers Of The Computer Concierge NY blog "Making Your Computer Personal" Also Read:


  • 1 App That Will Save You Money At The Pump
  • Do You Know These 7 Ways To Do A Better Google Search?
  • The Hidden Cost Of Allowing Your Security Software To Renew Automatically
  • Why You Benefit When You Use A Paper Calendar
  • These 15 Things Your Smartphone Has Or Will Replace

And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.


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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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the , Bayside and Forest HillsNY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Do You Know These 7 Ways To Do A Better Google Search?

11/8/2016

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There Are Ways To Do A Better Google Search. Here Are 7 Of Them

Ever wish there was a better way to do a Google search? Google is defined in the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “to use the Google search engine to obtain information about (as a person) on the World Wide Web.
While the dictionary gives a definition of the word “Google”, it does not give tips on how to do a Google search. So here are 7 ways to do a better and more meaningful search using Google. Note that the actual characters to type are in bold to not confuse you since there are times you want to use quotes in doing a search. Also searches are not case sensitive so it doesn’t matter if your search is in upper or lower case characters.
  1. Use quotes -  Want to search for a quote, a name, phrase? Put it in quotes.  Your search results will show only the same words in the same order of how the words are quoted. I use this when I am searching a name.  My results are more concise than if I did not use quotes.  Not using quotes will show results with all words that are in my search. For example if I do a search using the words hole in one without quotes, I will see results with all of the following in it: hole, in, one.  This does not matter where they appear on the webpage. If my search is “hole in one” I will only see results with that exact phrase.
  2. Use a – sign.  What this does is to eliminate the results from any search with a word that is right after the minus sign. For example if I did a search on the word mantle, I may see results that would include Mickey Mantle. If my search is mantle -mickey unless it is a paid ad I will not see results for mantle that include mickey.
  3. Search within a website: Want to search for Mickey Mantle but only on a site such as CNN? There is a way to do so.  By typing, Site:CNN.com Mickey Mantle I will only get results containing the words Mickey and Mantle within the CNN.com website
  4. Get a definition for a word.  You may get a definition for a one word search.  To be sure you get the desired definition type the following: Define:Google
  5. Search within a selected period of time. From a Google search page below the search bar are various menu items including “All” and “Images” The last choice is “Search Tools”.  By clicking on that, there is a drop down menu that includes “Any Time” Click on that and there are pre-determined time period choices or by selecting “Custom Range” you can select the date range you wish to search.  I find this effective when doing a search for remedies to computer issues.
  6. Use #and# separator. Let’s say I want to do a search about baseball great Tom Seaver and only have results about the world series.  I would do this Tom Seaver#and#world series. To do a better search, I would incorporate quotes in my search as such, “Tom Seaver”#and#”world series” The 1st example talks about using quotes.
  7. Want to see specific showtimes for a movie in your area?  In the Google search bar just type the movie name in and voila, the movie theaters and times it is showing will show on the page.  If you want to see showing times for an area not near you, type the movie name and also type in the zip code of the area you wish to see the movie in. 
Here are 7 ways that will make your Google search more effective.  After reading this and trying a few searches, what are your thoughts?

If you wish to know more about using Google or other technology issues I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

And remember you, your friends and your family can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.


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Computer Concierge NY LLC operates in Queens NYC. We provide expert computer repair, computer training and other technology services in the Queens NYC area. This includes Queens| Bayside| Bellerose| College Point| Douglaston| Floral Park|  Flushing| Forest Hills| Great Neck| Jackson Heights| Jamaica Estates| Kew Gardens| Manhattan| New Hyde Park| North Hills| North Shore Towers| Rego Park| The Bay Club| Williston Park| Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside New York vicinity.  These include zip codes: 10003| 10017| 11005| 11020| 11021| 11022| 11023| 11030| 11355| 11356| 11357| 11358| 11360| 11361| 11362| 11363| 11364| 11367| 11374| 11375| 11415| 11418| 11423| 11426| 11427| 11432  Our online services are provided in NYC as well as worldwide.

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What Is The Hidden Cost When You Allow Your Security Software To Auto-Renew?

11/1/2016

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Don't Select The Auto-Renewal For Your Security Software Until You Know The True Cost Of It
You probably noticed it when you created an account to set up your Norton or other security software.  Something about selecting “Auto-Renewal” or words similar to it regarding your software subscription.  If you’re thinking that selecting “Auto-Renewal” when your security software subscription expires in a year or two will save you time when you renew it, you are correct. But were you thinking about what the price will be when you are automatically renewed? Well you should. Were you thinking that there may be better products to do the job and at a lesser price?

Keep in mind that your credit card information is retained on your account by the vendor. Norton or any other company will usually try to say that auto-renewal is a convenience to you. This is true but did you know that you are paying for this convenience?

Your next question is something along the lines of, “How am I paying for this convenience?” Besides what I just said there is another cost.  Many times the same product is advertised for sale on the vendor’s site at a LOWER price than what you are being renewed at.  I’ll say that again with different words. The vendor renews your subscription at a higher price than what they sell to other customers.

I have my own story about this.  My son and I share the same Norton account for Norton Security.  I have it on my computer and he has it on his.  He selected the auto-renewal option and I was paying for it being the good father that I am. About 3 months ago I noted a $90 charge from Norton on my credit card.  I looked into this and noticed that my software was automatically renewed. I checked Norton’s website and noticed that they were selling the same software for about ½ the price. I initiated an online chat with a Norton representative and after about 10 minutes he agreed to reduce my renewal to the lower price. Needless to say, I also deselected the auto-renewal option.

Recently a client of mine from Forest Hills in Queens, NY was having a problem with her Norton Security program.  It required an intervention from Norton who remotely addressed the problem. I noticed that her account was auto renewed for $80. Their website had it for about ½ the price again. I mentioned this to the person I was speaking with and my client got a credit on her credit card for the difference.

So what does this tell you? Don’t select the auto-renewal option. And if you are worried that you will forget to renew when your security protection expires, fear not. You will be getting a combination of emails, popups and perhaps other notices to renew starting about a month before your security protection is due to expire. So you will not forget to renew. Just make sure that you are renewing at the lowest price the vendor is selling it for. You also may find a better security product and at a better price as well.

So who here that is reading this and has selected the auto-renew option will deselect the auto-renewal option?

If you wish to know more about auto renewal or other technology issues I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.


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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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the , Bayside and Forest HillsNY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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Why You Benefit When You Use A Paper Calendar

10/25/2016

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I Can Sometimes Choose The Picture I Want To Appear At The Top Of A Paper Calendar
I know I am going to hear it from you. Me of all people extolling the benefits of using a paper calendar and killing trees. But hear me out. There are benefits to using a paper calendar instead of an online calendar like Google Calendar such as it increases communication between you and your significant other.  If they want to schedule something for a particular date and time, they have to get in touch with you to see what your plans are for that time.  If you plan something and they made plans to get together with friends, the two of you have to communicate with each other to resolve the conflict.  On the other hand, if both of you have an online calendar that you share with each other you can see if there are any scheduling conflicts without having to check with your significant other.  So a paper calendar is good for relationships.

When I use a paper calendar, I need to carry it around with me.  It can be in the form of a day at a glance, week at a glance or my desk calendar that I carry in a briefcase, pocketbook, pocket, etc. I can go out without it, but what if I need to schedule something while I am out? I can make tentative plans with someone, or rely on my memory.  If my memory fails me I have to call a person to cancel the plans. Which plans do I cancel? Just like communicating with my significant other, my paper calendar is helping me again to communicate with others.
When I get a paper calendar how do I want to show my appointments?  Do I want to show them by the day, week or month?  I know I lack some flexibility here when comparing to an online calendar where I can change the view in an instant but I like making decisions that are etched in stone. If I buy a week at a glance calendar, I know that I will always see my appointments a week at a time.  And while I am at it, we all know that appointments can and do change or get cancelled. So I need to carry a pencil with me when I have my appointment book to enter appointments. Erasing a cancelled appointment is better done than crossing out the appointment that I used a pen to enter. And what if I reschedule for a time that I crossed out in pen?  Of course if I used an online calendar I could always delete an appointment or move it to the rescheduled time but that is too easy and I like doing things the harder way sometimes.

I also need to keep those appointment books around for several years if they have business meals or other business events written in them. We never know if I’ll will need them for an IRS audit. I know I have room in a filing cabinet or shelf in my closet to store them. If I used an online calendar, I can simply go back to 1980 to reference my business events. (I know online calendars were not around then but you get the idea) Since an online calendar takes relatively little space, there is no need to erase past events on them. And you won’t forget where you put that online calendar. There are ways to recover my password in case I forget it.
My sons still use a paper calendar. Since our children are much more tech savvy than us adults, who am I to argue? If it’s good enough for them well you know the rest. The only thing is if they lose that paper calendar or it gets destroyed, they can always try to reconstruct things. They may need to call co-workers, friends, etc to see if they scheduled anything with them but here are those communication skills coming into play. If they used an online calendar, it is in the cloud and can get it on any device having internet access.

So when you choose what kind of calendar you should use, you will use which type of calendar? ……Yes an online calendar. Yes, this was written a little tongue in cheek.  It is so much easier organizing my life, family events, get togethers with friends and business appointments with my online calendar. I can change my view, change or cancel an appointment and see it anywhere I have online access with ease. If the event is recurring, I only need to enter it once and provide how often it reoccurs. My wife and I see each other’s appointments so we don’t have to check with each other as to whether or not we already planned something. Just whether or not we want to meet friends at that restaurant we had dinner at a few months ago. It’s also free.

If you wish to know more about being using an online calendar or other technology issues I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.


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Computer Concierge NY LLC
 operates in Queens NYC. We provide expert computer repair, computer training and other technology services in the Queens NYC area. This includes Queens| Bayside| Bellerose| College Point| Douglaston| Floral Park|  Flushing| Forest Hills| Great Neck| Jackson Heights| Jamaica Estates| Kew Gardens| Manhattan| New Hyde Park| North Hills| North Shore Towers| Rego Park| The Bay Club| Williston Park| Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside New York vicinity.  These include zip codes: 10003| 10017| 11005| 11020| 11021| 11022| 11023| 11030| 11355| 11356| 11357| 11358| 11360| 11361| 11362| 11363| 11364| 11367| 11374| 11375| 11415| 11418| 11423| 11426| 11427| 11432  Our online services are provided in NYC as well as worldwide.


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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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5 Valuable Ways To Free Up Space On Your iPhone Or iPad

9/13/2016

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Both Your Luggage and iPhone Have Ways To Use Space More Efficiently
Apple just announced that their iPhone7 will have a minimum 32GB storage capacity.  This is an improvement over the minimum 16GB storage capacity. If you have an iPad or iPhone with 16GB capacity (some of which the operating system uses), you may find if you haven’t already that storage space can be a bit cramped. So what is one to do to free up some space?

Well here are 5 ways to free up space on your iPhone or iPad. Note that when I refer to iPhone, phone, etc I also mean iPad.
  1. Delete unneeded apps – All of those apps that are on your phone. Do you need all of them?  I mean do you really need every single app that is on your phone? Before you answer “Yes” to this question, go through all your apps and delete those you don’t need. You may find quite a few that you have not used in a while because you truly don’t need them. Delete those and free up some of that cramped space on your phone.
  2. Delete and reinstall apps – Apps like Facebook and LinkedIn can take up quite a bit of space. To find out which apps are taking up the most space go into Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage, then tap Manage Storage under the Storage heading. Wait about a minute or so for this to complete and you will see how much storage your apps are taking up.  Your iPhone or iPad does not have an option to clear cache like an Android unit does. To do so you need to delete the apps taking up the most space and reinstall them.  I know this can be a pain but you may be surprised at how much space you get back.
  3. Delete Pictures and Videos – Just like apps, you probably do not need to keep all the pictures on your phone. Go through your pictures and delete any you do not need. Keep in mind that videos on your phone can eat up memory depending on its size. You also can install Google Photos on your phone. By selecting your upload size to be “high quality”, you can store an unlimited number of pictures in the cloud.
  4. Clean Out Text Messages – Depending on how many text messages you have on your phone, they can take up quite a bit of space especially if they have attachments. You can set your messages to automatically delete by going to Settings > Messages > Under "Keep Messages" > Set it to 30 days or 1 Year. Don’t leave it on “Forever” You also can delete conversations by periodically swiping on a message thread and tapping delete.
  5. Upgrade to an iPhone 7 or if you are getting a new iPad get one with 32GB or greater storage. I debated whether or not to include this one but yes, buying a new iPhone is a way to get more space on it.  You will be getting quite a bit of free space by going from 16GB. If you are running low on storage and know that you will be upgrading soon you would need to free up a minimal amount of space if any. If you are getting an earlier version iPhone, my suggestion is to get one with at least 32GB of memory.
I am sure that there are other ways to clear up space on your phone.  What methods have you done to get more space on it?

If you have questions about freeing up space on your iPhone or another computer issue, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com

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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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the , Bayside and Forest HillsNY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
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1 Big Reason To Save That Activation Code

9/8/2016

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You Need To Save That Activation Code For Your Software
When you purchase a software program (AKA app) whether it be downloading it online or purchasing a disk containing the software program, many times it will come with an activation code. This may also be called a serial number or product key but in essence it is the same thing. It is a code that will allow you to complete the installation of a program and get the full benefits of it. I have had a few occasions where a program had to be reinstalled whether it be on a new computer or on the same computer. To complete the installation, I needed to have the installation code. For my own computer, I fortunately have these codes where I can readily find them if need be.

I have had instances when working with clients who had to reinstall Microsoft Office whether it be on a new computer or reinstall on an existing one.  If they did not have the activation code, they would have to purchase Microsoft Office at a cost of over $100. They could have saved that money for something else had they had the activation code. I have used a program to get this activation code for products requiring one with mixed results.  I have not succeeded at this 100% of the time. That said, what if your hard drive fails and you need to reinstall? This program would not work when I have had to do a factory restore due to a hard drive failure.  There are at times ways around this.  If the issue is with a Norton product and you have your log in information, you can usually get this information. So if you have created an online account related to a purchase of a software program, make sure you save the log in information for it as well.

So make it a small project and put the activation codes and necessary login information for your software in a safe place and as I say, “Not such a safe place that you forget where you put it.” And while you are at it, find your installation disks as well.  More and more programs can be downloaded from the internet. You can get more programs that required an installation disk previously online but the installation disk is always a good place to start.  Recently I was working with a client in Bayside who had an issue with her printer who did not have the installation disk for it. It was an old printer and I was not able to find online the printer drivers that were needed so keep those installation disks until you know that you will definitely not use the product it was intended for any longer.

If you wish to know more about storing activation codes or other technology issues I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

And remember you can get my blog and newsletter right to your inbox by filling out the form below.

Want some good and FREE computer tips delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for email updates. We will not sell your email address to anyone.

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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the , Bayside and Forest HillsNY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.


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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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How To Prevent Facebook From Viewing Your WhatsApp Data

8/29/2016

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WhatsApp is Changing Its Privacy Policy – Opt Out Your Info Being Shared With Facebook
When my son was in South America last year, we largely communicated via WhatsApp. The clarity of the phone calls we made using it was terrific. It sounded as if he was next door as opposed to being a few thousand miles away.

You may have heard that WhatsApp which is owned by Facebook will soon start sharing your personal data with Facebook. This has yet to happen but soon phone numbers, usage and other information derived from your WhatsApp account will soon be shared with Facebook.  Facebook will now start to mine your WhatsApp account for data. That is unless you one of the 2 following things:
  • If you go into your WhatsApp “Settings” and then into “Account” there is an option at the bottom as shown in the picture below that says, “Share My Account Info” Turn the slider to the left so that this is no longer enabled.  (See picture below) Now in order to convince you to share your information, WhatsApp says that your Facebook ads and product experiences will be enhanced. To that I say, “Really?” We have all heard about how Facebook uses your personal information. So my suggestion is to not allow this.
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By moving the slider to the left by “Share My Account Info”, you are not allowing your personal information to be shared with Facebook.
  • The other way to not allow your personal information to be shared with Facebook is when you see WhatsApp revised terms of service (TOS) agreement.  At the bottom, where you enable WhatsApp to share your account information is a checkbox that says that you are allowing this.  Uncheck this box so that you are not allowing this.
To completely read the important updates to WhatsApp’s TOS, click on the link.  While there are some things that WhatsApp is still allowed to do, by disabling the share with Facebook, your information on WhatsApp will not be shared with Facebook. Existing users of WhatsApp have 30 days from when receiving the updated TOS to make these changes.

If you have questions about WhatsApp or another computer issue, I can be reached at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .


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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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the , Bayside and Forest HillsNY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

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Making Your Computer Personal by Mike Klubok - Computer Concierge NY LLC is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
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You Need To Let Others Know Your Passwords  

8/4/2016

 
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Before It Is Too Late Share Your Passwords With A Loved One
Before you think that I am advocating sharing your banking, email, Facebook and other important passwords with everyone let me say that I am NOT saying that at all.  What would happen after you die and your loved ones need to access your email, banking and other important online accounts? What if you become incapacitated or start to suffer from a loss of memory? Your survivors after you die will need to put your affairs in order. Trying to obtain information without passwords can be difficult.  Note when I mention passwords I also mean other pertinent logon information such as your user name as well.

My wife and I have each other’s passwords should we need to access the other’s accounts. This includes passcodes to get onto each other’s computers, tablets and smartphones.  We also have put it in our wills that we will have access to the other’s online accounts as well.  You also should keep your contact information current for your accounts. It can save you from a big headache. In time, my sons may have this access as well but that would be a decision that would be made down the road.

You can put a list of passwords in a safe place (not so safe that you forget where) and tell a loved one where your passwords list is should they ever need it.  This certainly would include a safe deposit box provided that the person you are leaving it for has access. Just remember in both cases that should you change your passwords that you also need to change it there as well.

Should you need access to a loved one’s accounts that you do not know the password for, here is one way that may work. If you have access to their phone, they may have listed it on their account information.  A code may be sent as a text message that you need to put in to gain access to the account. Most people answer the security questions honestly when setting up their accounts although I do not advocate doing so. Click to find out why. If you are prompted to answer the security questions and know the answers then give it a go.  If the person listed an alternate email address and you know the password for that, then use that to obtain the password of the needed account. You may need to call the provider in question but note that you may be on the phone for a few hours and still may not get what you need right away.

When that time comes that we go to the next step your loved ones will have a lot to deal with besides their grief. Having access to your online accounts with the password information you provide could make that time easier for them.  They also need to have this information should you start suffering from memory loss or otherwise become incapacitated so you should start preparing this information for them now.

If you want to know more about passwords or other computer issues, email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

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P.S. if you like this post, please click a "Like" "Thumbs Up" or other like feature. Please share on Facebook, Twitter or another social media site.  Be sure to follow me on Twitter on@mklubok  and “Like” my Facebook page at Computer Concierge NY LLC .





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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside and Forest Hills NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.

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Rikki You Need To Absolutely Lose And Avoid That Number

7/21/2016

 
Virus, computer virus, scam, malware, computer virus, computer solutions, computer repair queens, computer repair new York city, computer skills, Mike Klubok, Computer Concierge NY LLC, computer repair in ny, training,new york, newyork, ny, nyc, queens, computer problems,
Be Careful About Those Incoming Phone Calls
About 40 years ago Steely Dan released a song “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number”   Within the past 3 weeks I have gotten calls from clients saying they received a message on their computer along the lines of, “Your computer may be infected” and to call the number given.  This is a number Rikki and anyone else must not call and just simply lose that number. It is a scam.

Unfortunately all three called the number in question. A so called “technician” took over their computer and made matters worse after my clients spent as much as $300 to “fix” the initial problem. In 2 of the cases I was able to remove the malware (and a computer virus just like spam, adware, and spyware is another form of malware) without much of an issue.  For the 3rd person who lives in the Forest Hills section of Queens New York I needed to do a factory restore of the computer.  Unfortunately the person did not have a backup of their files and lost pictures and important files.  Just another reason I always stress the importance of backing up your files and have written about this in the past. Click here for article.  These three people did in fact have malware on their computer.  Instead of calling the number given, they should have called a reliable computer repair person to fix the problem. Hopefully you will call me. I would have done it for less than what they initially spent and that only made matters worse. 

As an aside here, whether it be a bank, credit card company, computer service, etc. NEVER give out personal information on an incoming call or let someone control your computer unless you initiated the call process. It is very likely a scam and there are too many scam artists out there preying on people all too willing to give this out and many times the end result is bad news.

If you want to know more about being more secure on your computer or other technology issues, I can be contacted at (917) 572-3468 or email me at mike@computerconciergeny.com .

Feel free to join the conversation and post comments and questions on my Facebook page at Computer Concierge NY LLC .  There also are tips there to improve your computer skills to better use your computer, smartphone, iPad and other technology you may have or are thinking of buying.



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, Flushing, Forest Hills, Great Neck, Jamaica Estates, Kew Gardens, Lake Success, Manhattan, Mineola, New Hyde Park, North Hills, North Shore Towers, Oakland Gardens, Plandome, Rego Park, Roslyn, The Bay Club, Thomaston, Williston Park, Whitestone and Other Areas in the Bayside and Forest Hills NY vicinity.  Our web services are provided worldwide.


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