Data Doctors Tech Tips

Passwords are still likely to be the weakest link in your security and you have heard me constantly warn against using the same password everwhere online. While there's no shortage of options for password management, it can just be too much to manage for some of you. If you can't find a password management tool that works for you, I have a really easy low tech system for keeping track of your passwords; write them down! Now, I do not mean attach sticky notes on the front of your display with passwords jotted down on them, I mean document them and store them somewhere safe, like deep within your smartphone. Make sure you avoid using the word 'password' anywhere in the document or the filename and develop your own form of encryption just in case someone gets to the file. For instance, use four random characters at the beginning of the real password, so you will be the only one that knows to ignore those for four characters. Honestly, if your choosing between using the same password everywhere or writing down unique passwords for each site, then write them down to avoid becoming a victim on all your accounts because of a single data breach.

If you own a home, you can most likely relate to the Tom Hanks movie called 'The Money Pit'. Even if your home hasn't become as big of a 'money pit' as the one in his movie, it can still seem like an endless list of maintenance issues are always waiting. One of the best to avoid those big surprises is by being proactive with your maintenance for items you know are going to need to be addressed over time. If you are in need of a little help in the learning and remembering areas of home maintenance, checkout an app called BrightNest. BrightNest will provide you with a customized list of tips and it helps you schedule tasks based on what your home really needs because you provide it the kind of appliances you own, your flooring and countertops and whether you have a pool or not. Beyond simple maintenance, they provide a huge collection of tips on cleaning, organizing and maintaining lots of common spaces in your home. The mobile app even provides you with alerts and reminders. It also serves as a reference guide when you are at the hardware store. We all could use a hand staying on top of those endless tasks of owning a home and BrightNest.com is free and waiting to help.

Your smartphone has been relatively safe when it comes to malicious apps as long as you only download apps from your official app store and avoid jailbreaking your device. Jailbreaking iPhones or rooting Android smartphones essentially sidesteps the controls that the manufacturer puts in place and should only be done by tech savvy users. A new scam is now bypassing all of the built-in protection by sneaking malicious apps onto your phone, even if you haven't rooted or jailbroken the factory controls. It usually starts with a well crafted e-mail or text message accompanied by a link to download a special app. If you click or tap on the link which can allow the download to be completed, it can compromise your smartphone in a new way. Once again, this underscores the importance of our long standing advice: If you didm not go searching for it, don't install it. These crafty cyber-crime rings are creating very persuasive looking messages that will most often look like they are from trusted resources through a friend's hacked account, so stay alert. If you want a little extra help identifying those malicious apps, checkout the free smartphone security apps at http://lookout.com.

When you're packing for any trip, remembering to take the right things is critical. Isn't it frustrating to get to your destination and learn that you have forgotten something important, like a bathing suit or an umbrella? An app called PackPoint offers a better way to eliminate the forgotten items travel drama, because it helps you pack based on where you're going and what you are doing. You begin by answering a few questions including your gender, destination, number of travel days and what you're planning to do. It also checks weather info at your destination and pulls together a suggested packing list based on all those parameters. Once you generate the list, you simply scroll down and check the items that you want to create your own list, including reminders to take things like mobile chargers, business cards and if it's a business trip, you VPN key-fob. When you finalize the list, you can share it via e-mail or copy and paste the items to any other program if you want. PackPoint is available for both iPhone and Android smartphones and it's free! iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/packpoint-packing-list-travel-companion/id896337401 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.YRH.PackPoint

Internet based email options are awesome because you are no longer tied to a specific computer or device to get your email. Google's Gmail is still my favorite system and if you are like me and use it virtually every day, you should get up to speed on the keyboard shortcuts which can make it even better. Shortcuts eliminate the need to move your hands off your keyboard which allows you to be more efficient. Most of the truly helpful shortcuts start with the letter G as in Gmail followed by a another character. For example, typing G then A will let you see all mail,. Typing G then D allows you to jump to your Draft messages. Typing G then C will get you straight to your contacts. If you use the option for Starred messages, typing G then S will show them and if you type G then T as in senT, you'll jump to your sent messages. There are more than 60 shortcuts that can dramatically reduce your dependence on your mouse to get the job done. To learn more about Gmail shortcuts, checkout the link that I've posted at DataDoctors.com/radio. https://support.google.com/mail/answer/6594?hl=en

That wireless router in your home is your primary defense against many common threats, because it prevents the outside world from gaining access to your computer. If you haven't changed the default password on your router, you're exposed to a major security issue that could compromise everything in your home. I'm not talking about your WiFi password when you want to connect, I'm talking about your administrative credentials that allows anyone to take control of your router. Every hacker knows the default passwords for every piece of equipment on the internet through sites like http://RouterPasswords.com which can allow them to attack you. A group of security experts discovered yet another type of attack that uses rigged e-mails that can allow thieves to sneak into your router if the default login credentials are still being used. Once they're in, there is very little they can't do because they can change the configuration to allow them to monitor all your activity and grab various passwords for all of your online accounts without you ever knowing it. This is one of those threats that no security program can protect you from if you happen to click on the malicious link. The very best way to protect yourself against this threat is to change your default password; if you don't know how to do it, get some help!

It's the beginning of the summer movie season and escaping to a dark cool theater with a refreshing drink is the perfect way to escape the heat. For all you movie buffs, today's tip is reminder of one of our classic apps that helps out when that cold drink causes discomfort in the middle of the movie. This app is called RunPee and it is a great resource that tells you when the best times is to run to the loo during your movie. Instead of having to guess when you should go, the app actually vibrates your phone during the slow moments so you can know when to take a restroom break. RunPee looks for 3 to 5 minutes that aren't that important to the storyline so you don't have to miss funny moments, exciting action or crucial plot twists. For parents of younger kids, RunPee lets you be pre-emptive with your restroom breaks so you won't miss anything important. The app will even provide you with a synopsis of what you missed while you were in the loo, so you don't have to have someone whispering an update. The RunPee app is available for iPhone, Android or Windows phone users all available at RunPee.com.

Every one of the major cellular phone companies is engaged in a battle to try to attract your business with some really agressive offers. But when it comes to your cellphone service, a great deal doesn't mean anything if the quality of your service where you live is weak. So before you decide to hop from one cellular company to another, you should do some homework. A helpful resource that allows you to see how Verizon, ATandT, T-Mobile and Sprint perform where you live and work is posted at http://rootmetrics.com. You begin with your city to get a rating of the performance including reliability and speed for data, voice calls and text messages so you can properly evaluate the strengths of each network. One of the most helpful features of the site is in the CoverageMap section. You can bring up detailed maps of locations where call quality is solid or spotty, where data speeds are slow or fast and whether you can get LTE service where you need it most. They also have mobile apps that allow you to generate personalized reports as you travel around and add updates to their database. The links to the helpful Rootmetrics resources are: Find your city reports: http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/rsr/usa-metros?z=united-states Explore the Coverage Map: http://webcoveragemap.rootmetrics.com/us Mobile apps: http://www.rootmetrics.com/us/products/coveragemap-mobile-app

Discuss ideas with a large group of people will often result in lots of ideas on a whiteboard or chalkboard which in turn, requires someone to take down separate notes afterwards. If it's you that ever ends up having to spend the time copying the notes from the whiteboard after a meeting, there's an app for that! Microsoft Office Lens is its name and it will save you lots of time. The app makes it really easy to take a picture of just about any document, whiteboard or chalkboard and convert it into a PDF, Word document or Powerpoint slide or deck. Not only can it digitize your notes, but it can also fix any distortion when you have to shoot it from an angle. Every time you have to capture notes off angle, you'll love how well this app makes it happen. Once you have captured an image, you can save it and share it to many of the Microsoft platforms including OneNote and OneDrive or just save it as a doc or picture file. Another awesome use of this app is for capturing and organizing business cards. The Office Lens app is completely free and available for iPhone, Android and Windows based phones.

Google is the most powerful search engine by far when it comes to the Internet, but it also means that you're usually going to get millions of search results that usually aren't relevant. To help improve the quality of search results, Google offers a large number of what they call 'query operators' and punctuation that can dramatically improve the quality of the information that gets returned. One of the lesser used 'power tools' is the "range" variable because it can filter results to quickly provide information in a given numerical range. By just typing two periods (with no spaces) between any two sets of numbers, you are asking Google to do to limit the results to those parameters, which it can do pretty well. For example, if you are doing a research project for a specific time period, you can enter Russian Revolution 1800..1900 or if you are shopping for a new phone in specific price range, type smartphones $350..$450. Remember, including the specific format of your numbers (dollars for example) will help to refine your search results even further.