Oh, to be young and using technology!

We had a great two weeks with our granddaughters!  Lots of outdoor time as well as fun indoor activities.  Their parents limit the girls' time with TV and also their iPads so anytime they get to be on is a real treat for them (watching downloaded Netflix shows makes a non-stop 2-hour plane ride to Baltimore a breeze!)  

It was fascinating for me to watch the girls use technology.  The girls and I did some online browsing and shopping since our local venues are limited. Our 5-year-old and I were looking at "school shoes" on my computer on Amazon and I had to step away for just a minute.  I returned to the room to find she had ordered one pair of shoes and was ready to order a second pair (a pop-up on Amazon alerted that it was going to be a duplicate purchase and did I really want to do that).  :-/  No, our 5-year-old does not read but  had put the item in the shopping cart, tapped on all the right buttons, and proceeded to complete the order! Fortunately, Amazon allows orders to be canceled so I, of course, did that, as my granddaughter proudly beamed at me because of her success!

I wish we adults found things to be as intuitive in technology as our granddaughters do!

One last thing - the real tech tip today is for those of you who own an iPhone, iPad, or Mac.  The updates for each of those devices released on Monday do need to be installed as soon as possible.  They mainly contain security patches.  Although I have my devices all set to install updates automatically that had not happened as of this morning so I manually installed the updates.

Have a terrific Tech Tip Tuesday .....on Wednesday! Try to stay in, keep cool, and do those updates on your devices.

Tired Grandma

After spending a week in Pennsylvania, we brought our two granddaughters, ages 5 and 9, home with us a week ago for Camp Harc 2021.  Lots of fun kid activities for two weeks = one grandma with no time to spend writing on Tech Tip Tuesday. I'll make a round trip to Baltimore on Monday to take the girls home, so, maybe next week's Tuesday Tech Tip will be written on my flight home.  :-)

Have a great week!

Facebook and Two Factor Authentication

Have you ever received a Facebook friend request from someone who is already your friend?  Or have you received an inappropriate link from someone who is a friend? Solving the problem can be frustrating and time-consuming if it is your account that is the one sending out these messages. 

Here are several things to know and do to help protect your Facebook account:

1)  When friends begin telling you they received another friend request from you, look for a duplicate Facebook account that someone has created using your information.  Your account has not been hacked but has been cloned using information gleaned from your "real" account.  If you or your friends can locate that account, report it to Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/help/306643639690823/

2)  If you believe your account has been hacked (someone has figured out your username and password) rather than cloned, change your password the minute you become aware of the problem.

3)  Consider turning on two-factor authentication for your Facebook account.  This adds an extra layer of of security; it is not foolproof but does make it more difficult for someone (a hacker) to access your Facebook account,  The process is clearly explained in this video, and although the example is demonstrated on a computer, two-factor authentication can also be set up using your mobile device.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWcOzk6-VTg

Using online technology requires responsibility on our part to keep our personal information as secure as we can. Learning all we can about ways to stay safe can be time-consuming but are well worth the effort and time.

8 Settings to Never Change on Your iPhone

Today's tip is solely for iPhone users.  Oftentimes, we learn of Settings we should change on our phones to enhance our using experience.  But today's tip is about 8 Settings to NEVER change on your phone. 

If you are having problems with your iPhone, before heading to the Apple Store take a quick look at today's video to make sure these settings haven't been changed on your phone.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkMroklZYpg  

If you are an iPhone user, you may want to subscribe to today's YouTube channel; they have some great videos!  Thank you, Marilyn Buchele, for sharing this with me.  :-)

Have a great Tech Tip Tuesday wherever you live or may be traveling today!

Google Lens

Yesterday in our iPhone Users Group, we were discussing apps we use for plant identification (PictureThis and PlantNet). This discussion then broadened to include an app that not only can be used for plant identification but also for a gazillion other things.  That app is called Google Lens on Android phones and Google on iPads and iPhones.

What does the app do?

1) Identifies items around you - plants, animals, clothing, furniture, buildings, menu items and provides a plethora of information by simply pointing your phone and clicking.  The app also can look at photos you have taken and provide more information about items found in those photos. 
Example - Like the shirt someone is wearing?  Using the app, snap a picture and you will be provided with a picture of the shirt or something similar with information on where to buy it.

2) Translates text instantly - When traveling abroad, point your phone at a sign; it is instantly translated into your preferred language

3) Identifies and provides information on buildings and landmarks around you, especially helpful when traveling

4) Identify popular items on menus - Scan the menu items, tap on an item, then read the reviews/comments made by others. (This only works with restaurants that have tied into the Google Lens feature.)

5) Many, many more things

I strongly encourage you to watch this 6-minute video to quickly learn more about how to use Google Lens.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_nYU9OVCZk

And, if you'd like to read more about it:  https://www.pocket-lint.com/apps/news/google/141075-what-is-google-lens-and-how-does-it-work-and-which-devices-have-it

Google Lens (Android) can be downloaded from the Google Play Store and Google (iPhone) can be downloaded from the App store. It is also available natively in the Google Photos app.

Download the app today on this drizzly Tech Tuesday and give it a try!  I really think you will enjoy using it.

Technology and Traveling

Have you resumed traveling?  We just returned from our first post-COVID trip to Pennsylvania; it felt a little strange to once again pack our suitcases and board a plane! After 16 months of not traveling, I had to consciously think about procedures such as adding boarding passes to our phones/watches, removing all electronic devices from bags during security checks, and making sure all devices were in Airplane Mode once boarded. 

As we all move back into public spaces with our mobile devices, here are a few things to remember:

1)  Limit what you do on public Wi-Fi, particularly logging into your banking/financial accounts and checking your email, basically anything that contains sensitive data. If you have unlimited cellular data on your device you might consider turning off Wi-Fi entirely while traveling to avoid using public networks.

2) If you leave your Wi-Fi setting on when traveling or even if you are just out and about in your hometown, please do this:
In your device Settings select the option to ask permission before connecting to a network.  (On an Apple device - Settings - Wi-Fi - Ask to Join Networks - Ask.  On an Android device, the path should be similar.)

3) If you are staying in a motel or other public venue and need to leave your devices in the room unattended, please consider placing laptops, phones, tablets in a locked suitcase or safe if one is available.

4)  Avoid using the technology/business center in a motel/hotel to access your sensitive information.

Enjoy your long-overdue travels!  But for today, enjoy what promises to be a beautiful Tuesday in many parts of the country.

8 Billion Passwords Leaked Online

You've read it in the news before, I've talked about it in my classes and even in this weekly tip several times, but today's tip comes as a result of this past week's headline:  8 Billion Passwords Leak Online.

Several months ago I shared a website you can use to check if your username/password have been leaked. I also suggested a couple of things you can do to make your accounts more secure. You can re-read that post here. https://tuesdaytechtidbit.blogspot.com/2021/03/has-your-personal-information-been.html

With this recent news of leaked passwords, I'd suggest reviewing your passwords and changing if necessary:
1) If you use Chrome as your browser, go to Chrome - Preferences - Passwords - Check Passwords.  That will reveal any accounts with weak security.
2) If you're using Safari, go to Safari - Preferences - Passwords.  You will see a list of accounts and passwords and a warning sign will be displayed by any that are weak or used multiple times.

Being active online carries responsibility.  It is easy to become complacent, but staying actively involved in the management of your passwords is so very important for your security.