One of the concerns in this new digital age of ours is that we will lose real world contact. Rather than spending time communicating with people in real time, face-to-face, the fear is that we are spending too much time on our smartphones, smart watches and tablets. The photo above is a screenshot of one …
Author: John Grubb
I've been working on computers since 1983! I love helping people resolve their computing issues and sharing preventative measures, as well.
Old Glory Special Message
Joyce and I have a special message for you today! https://youtu.be/WFL4hiuOQDU
Just Let Me Read The Article!
Take a close look at these two pages: Have you ever come across a long article on the Web and all you wanted to do was read it without all the ads and other distractions? Well, you can actually do that in several browsers. The current Microsoft Edge which is found in Windows 10, the …
IRS Scams
In my post of January 31, 2019 (The Weakest Link), I pointed out that one of the three major ways scammers use Social Engineering to steal your money is by using fear as a motivator. It's the reason you always need to stop and think about what you are being told before you act. It …
Ask Alexa
If you own an Echo, Echo Dot, Echo Plus or Echo Show, you're already familiar with Alexa. She's who you talk to when you ask these devices questions or when you ask them to perform a task - like turn on a light. (Don't own an Echo product yet? Why not get one now? Just …
iOS 13
In my post of June 4, 2019 - No More Complaining - I mentioned that I'd post other things besides Mac Pro that happened this year at Apple's WWDC conference. One of those announcements was regarding iOS 13 and here are some of the features: Dark Mode - iOS 13 is going to bring new …
RTS Reminders
Tomorrow is June 7, 2019. It's the last day to purchase or renew a Remote Technical Support (RTS) subscription before the price goes up $10. Don't know what RTS is? Find out all about it and even get a 30-minute free trial by clicking HERE. Already have RTS but haven't renewed ahead of time to …
No More Complaining!
Sometimes, when I'm pricing a new Windows computer for someone, they will cringe at the price. They think anything over $299 is outrageous! Well, after Apple's WWDC annual conference this week, no more complaining about Windows PC prices is allowed! Apple announced the new Mac Pro computer will be priced at...wait for it... $5,999! And …
Attachment? What Attachment?
A couple of days ago, I received an email from someone who was sending me material for one of the websites I maintain for an outside company. In the email, they stated, "Here's the bio you need." Unfortunately, they had forgotten to attach the bio to the email. I wrote them back and teased them, …
Turn It On!
If you have Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise version 1903, you have the ability to run the Windows Sandbox. However, it's not on by default. Here's how to turn on the Windows Sandbox: In the search field on the taskbar (or, right-click on the Start Menu and choose Search), type "turn windows features on or …
Sandbox Fun
I mentioned earlier this week that I would post some of what's new in Version 1903 of Windows 10. (Apologies to my Mac readers - I'll have info for you once Apple announces changes for Mac sometime in June.) One of the changes in version 1903 is called the Windows Sandbox. The sandbox is available …
Like A Broken Record
I really hate to sound like a broken record. You know, the same thing over and over. Still, it seems no matter how many times I bring up this subject, either in the Question of the Week email or here in the blog, someone hasn't followed my training. Let me put this in simple terms: …
Is There A Draft In Here?
Have you ever been typing an email and have it suddenly disappear? If so, you can often retrieve it by going to the DRAFTS mailbox in your email service. Whether you get your email online through a browser or you use an email client like Microsoft Outlook, all email services have four basic mailboxes (or …
Memorial Day Message
On this special day, please join Joyce and me as we remember those who have given their lives so that America can still be "the land of the free." https://youtu.be/cL-xDkxg8pc May God bless America!
Memorial Day & Summer Hours
In honor of those who served and paid the highest price for our freedom, we will be closed on Monday, May 27, 2019. If you are an RTS PLUS customer and have a computer emergency, please use the special number to call us. You will probably need to leave a message but we will get …
Microsoft And Beyond
If you know me, you know I love anything computer-related and I'm always fascinated as to how things happened along the way. In that vein, I'm currently listening to Paul Allen's book, "Idea Man." Whether you love or hate Microsoft, this book is a must-read. (Or must-listen, if you're into audio books like I am.) …
More Throwaways!
In my April 15, 2019 post "Fighting Spam," I mentioned throwaway, i.e. disposable email addresses. At our seminar this month, several people asked if I would explain this anti-spam option in more depth. So, here you go! Today, I'm going to talk about Yahoo mail and show you how to use disposable addresses. Keeping in …
It Had To Be You
Or, maybe not. Yesterday, I went to a website I visit 3-4 times a week. I used a link from within my RoboForm password manager like I always do. When I reached the page, here's what I saw: This warning gave me two options: Go Back or Advanced. Although the Go Back button is the …
Which Word?
In recognition of #triviatuesday, I'm going to post something that's just fun today! (You can't be serious about computing ALL the time!) Post your answer in the comments at the bottom of the blog. From all the correct answers, I'll give away something from our seminar chest of prizes What will it be? Who knows! …
SE Via Phone
In my post of January 31, 2019 - The Weakest Link In The Chain - I talked about Social Engineering (SE). While this post was aimed primarily at Social Engineering via the computer (fake pop-ups, phishing emails, etc.), I was reminded today by one of our customers that SE can occur via the phone, too. …
Email Archives
Here at Keystone Computer Concepts, we offer as much free training as we can. This blog is a prime source of our educational info. Still, did you know that we have archives of our Question of the Week emails? If you're not on our email list (you should be!) or if you've deleted a QOTW …
The Dark Web
In this week's Question of the Week (click to read) email, we answered a customer's question about his credit card being found on the dark web. We gave a very brief definition of "dark web" but I wanted to expand that definition a bit. I'm actually going to quote and paraphrase from our October 23, …
Reboot, Reboot, Reboot!
NCIS Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs has his rules and I have mine. If you've downloaded your free copy of our Vacation Survival Kit (click on the name to view/download), you will find my Rule #1. Here it is: Whenever something strange happens to our computers, the very first thing to try is: turn the …
Model/Serial Numbers
At our seminar this past Saturday, we talked about my blog series on keeping your laptop secure. (Delete Your Laptop? and Scrambled Eggs & Data) Since one of my suggestions is that you write down the model and serial numbers of your laptop and keep them in a secure place, people asked how they can …
And On That Note…
In the last two posts, I shared information about Office 365 apps. Today, I want to mention another Microsoft app that is technically part of Office 365 and Office 2019 but is actually a free app available through the Microsoft Store - OneNote. It's one of the most under-used Microsoft apps yet it's one of …
It’s All About Microsoft Office 365 – Part 2
In yesterday's blog post, I gave a brief explanation of Microsoft Office 365 applications. Today, I pick up where I left off. Microsoft Office PublisherThis is my favorite Microsoft Office program! If you want to create flyers, brochures, banners, etc., this is the app to use. Unlike Word, there is much more flexibility in placing …
Continue reading It’s All About Microsoft Office 365 – Part 2
It’s All About Microsoft Office 365
Recently, I've received a number of questions about Microsoft Office 365. If you aren't aware already, Office 365 is a subscription service. Currently, it comes in two versions: Personal for $69.99 a year (or $6.99 a month) and Home for $99.99 a year (or $9.99 a month). This post isn't really about the two plans, …
Keyboard Shortcuts Save Time!
Keyboard shortcuts can also save frustration! The real key, though, (pun intended) is remembering all the shortcuts or at least having a handy list nearby. There are keyboard shortcuts for your device's Operating System (OS) and there are ones for individual apps, like Microsoft Office. If I was to list all the shortcuts in this …
Scrambled Eggs & Data
In my last post (Delete Your Laptop?), I mentioned that one of the ways to protect your laptop is to encrypt the data. In simple terms, encryption scrambles the data so it can't be read without an encryption key or password. If you have a laptop with an encrypted hard drive, even if hackers remove …
Delete Your Laptop
Computers have certainly come a long way since I sat down at my Commodore 64 in 1983. That's especially true when it comes to laptops. Today, we can carry a laptop, either Mac or Windows PC, that has more power and abilities than those original computers that filled entire rooms. They are light and thin, …