Data Doctors Tech Tips

If you have been noticing odd items that seem to pop-up on your computer randomly, it's very likely that they came from apps or programs that you installed. A common trick these days is to hide 3rd party software inside utility programs like Java or within printer programs during the installation process. The best way to keep junk programs out and prevent other unnecessary changes to your computer is by paying close attention to what is happening while you are installing any program. Most companies count on you to not pay attention and rely on users to tap on next, next, I agree. Another trick to sneak junk software into your computer is by convincing you that the "standard installation" is best and of course the recommended one. They may make it sound like you have to be a rocket scientist to go with the "custom installation", but when you do choose it, you'll see what they are trying to sneak past you. Start making it a point to click the custom or advanced option when installing anything new on your system so you can avoid the junk before it sneaks in. This tip is the key to avoiding attempts by software companies to take over your browser with additional toolbars, switching the default search engine or changing your start page.

The likelihood that you will end up with some electronic devices this holiday season is pretty high, which usually means you will end up with older tech that you no longer want. Keep in mind that anything with a power button or that plugs into the wall or uses rechargeable batteries will contain a lot of toxic waste, so please don't ever throw your old electronics in the trash. To be responsible, start by checking with your local charities for programs that reuse old electronics. Just because you don't want it anymore doesn't mean that someone else can't make use of it. If it is too old, then responsible recycling through a proper e-waste recycler is what you need to do. All those gadgets contain toxins that range from arsenic to lead to mercury along with a list of other toxic chemicals that wreak havoc on our landfills and groundwater when you just toss them in the trash. In the US alone, 75% of the more than three million tons of toxic electronic-waste we generate is simply thrown in the trash, which ends up contaminating our landfills because of the lack of awareness of the problem. Please ensure that you do your part this year by properly disposing of all your electronics and help the world by educating your friends to follow suit!

Not long ago, purchasing a new TV was pretty straight forward because there were only a few sizes to choose from and the increase in price as you got larger was pretty substantial. With today's hi-res flat screen displays, your options range from 26 to over 90 inches with small price increases as you get bigger. Plus, today's UHD 4K screens eliminates the concern about being so close that you end up seeing the actual pixels, so getting a bigger screen is generally always better. As a shopping rule of thumb, if you measure the distance between your seating area and where the TV will be in inches and divide it by 2, you will come up with the minimum size screen for your room. For instance, let's say your seating area is 7 feet from the screen. That calculates to 84 inches, so when you divide by two, you get 42 inches which would be your minimum screen size. If your budget has room for a larger display, doing so will create a more immersive viewing experience. And if you opt for a 4K display, the huge increase in resolution will be so high that you could double the size and still not be too close!

This is the time of year that many expect to find the best deals on all kinds of electronic gear as they're always high on holiday shopping lists. But a word of warning: the cheapest price is rarely the best deal. When you go shopping for electronics solely on the basis of the lowest price, you're often times playing right into the hands of organizations trying so sell less desirable products. The most common trick for creating the cheapest product in any tech category is through cutting corners since profit margins on electronics are so tiny. The resulting outcomes can range from batteries that don't stay charged as long, software compatibility issues and in some cases, risky security issues with the device itself. It's better to stick to name brand products from retailers that allow you to return it if it isn't satisfactory. The general rule with low priced electronics is the lower the price, the more you should research them before making any decisions. It's pretty easy anymore to find user reviews and feedback on any electronics; just do a Google search for the item followed by the word 'review'. If you can not find any type of feedback or online review on an item, take a pass or risk getting a less than desirable gadget.

The holiday shopping season is here and many of you are going to buy as many items online as you can to avoid the crowds. When you make online purchases, however, they have to be delivered, most oftento your front door while no one is home. This has led to a new type of criminal: Porch Pirates. "Porch Pirates" will tail delivery trucks so they can check out packages to nab when they figure out that no one is home. To help avoid this growing crime, try to have your items sent to a friend or neighbor's house that will be more likely to be home or when possible, send the packages were you work. You can often include special delivery instructions when you are finalizing your purchases or even leave a note on the front door if there is a better location to deliver the packages. If you're getting packages delivered to your house regularly all year long, consider the installation of a motion-sensing camera at your door that will automatically record any motion and send you a notice whenever anyone is at your door.

Most avid fans of Apple devices likely have both an iPhone and a Macbook that they use virtually every day. The folks at Apple have done quite a bit to make their devices work together quite seamlessly. But many users may not know that they can tether them together, so that your iPhone will lock your laptop when you step away and unlock it when you return. This useful and easy security feature is available from an app called 'Tether'. Simply load Tether on your smartphone and Macbook, to automatically make this happen. There's no need to worry about the Tether app draining the battery on your iPhone to make this magic possible because it makes use of 'Bluetooth Smart' which is a very low energy technology. Anyone working in an open environment that wants to control those snooping eyes will find this to be one of the best tips I've ever provided. Get more info on this free app for your Macbook and iPhone at http://hellotether.com

Most of us treat our family pets like they are human, but the reality is that they're not human, so they can't tell us what's wrong when they aren't feeling well. Taking your dog or cat to your vet is an obvious first choice, but when that isn't an option, PetMD.com stands ready to provide some help. PetMD.com is one of the most comprehensive websites available for pet health, nutrition care and feeding that I have ever seen. They offer everything from 'symptom checkers' to a comprehensive health library to an excellent explanation of vet terminology. If your pet is exhibiting strange behaviors, you can scan the emergency section to try to evaluate what might be at the root of your pet's problem. PetMD is more than just urgent issues; they offer a wealth of great info on most breeds, proper care and feeding and they can even help you come up with a name for that new member of the family. Have you ever wondered why dogs like to eat grass or what you should do when you discover a lump on your pet? PetMD offers those types of answers. By the way, this site isn't just for cat or dog owners so pet owners of all kinds will find great information at PetMD.com.

A very common question that I have been asked over the years, is "where can I send my employees to get software training"? Well, the web allows for very interactive and visual ways to learn and a website that offers a comprehensive library of easy-to-follow online tutorials is called "Lynda.com". They have more than 2500 video courses that go from the common business programs like Word and Excel to 3-D animation and just about every web language or program in use today. The thousands of training videos are setup as beginner, intermediate and advanced levels and some include close captioning. Lynda.com is a subscription service that also offers mobile apps, so you can watch courses on any desktop, laptop, tablet or smartphone and then pop back and forth without losing your place in the lesson. Any business that's looking for an inexpensive video training system should take the time to look into http://lynda.com.

Our powerful smartphones are basically the same as computers because over time, they'll build up a pile of junk files that can fill your device up. Anyone using an Android smartphone or tablet that seems to be running slower than it used to or is running out of storage space should checkout a free app called "Clean Master" because it finds all the unnecessary junk and free up valuable space in a snap. I was able to free up almost 2 Gbs of useless files from the Samsung handset that I have been using for testing lots of app over the past year. The Clean Master app shows you how much storage and RAM you are currently consuming and allows you to discover the memory hogs so you can close them down when your Android phone starts to slow down. It provides malware detection and real time protection against various web threats in addition to an app manager that makes it really easy to uninstall apps in groups. Another useful feature is the ability to see how many of the useless apps that came installed on the phone can be disabled. The Clean Master optimizer is one of my favorites that's free and available in the Google Play Store. ***This app is ad-driven, so expect lots of ads being thrown your way888

Having remote access to your computer is really nothing new, but all of the great options that used to be free, have become pay services. Anyone looking for a solid free option that is truly flexible should check out the Chrome Remote Desktop option from Google. You simply download the add-on to any Chrome Browser on the computer that you want to remotely access. Then, you can use anything: Windows, Mac or Linux-based to remotely access that computer as if you're sitting right in front of it! You can also use Chromebooks, tablets and smartphones to remote in. This means, if you had to, you could remote into your computer from your smartphone from anywhere in the world, say if you needed to grab a file. This is the most flexible, easy to use option that I know of and it's 100% free. It will only take you a few minutes to setup, so if a solid and free remote access solution is something you've been looking for, I highly recommend this one! I've posted all the links at DataDoctors.com/radio Chrome Remote Desktop Add-on: https://chrome.google.com/remotedesktop Android remote app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.chromeremotedesktop iOS remote app: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chrome-remote-desktop/id944025852?mt=8