Data Doctors Tech Tips

Did you hear the awesome news? Mark Zuckerberg is going to give away his money to a thousand lucky users of Facebook! He's going to give away forty-five billion dollars and if you're lucky, you could be chosen if you simply copy and paste this message yourself! It's pretty amazing how many of your Facebook friends still fall for these over-the-top hoaxes and turn into copy/paste zombies when they see something they think the world should know. A big part of the problem is that way too many users just assume that since their buddy posted it, it must be true and safe to repost. One of these misguided posts quickly gets out of control when the entire network becomes copy/paste zombies. We've seen it so many times, we created a fun little warning video that we poste whenever we see users posting things they clearly didn't checkout first. The next time you see someone becoming a copy/paste zombie, use our little educational video which is posted at DataDoctors.com/radio to gently educate your friends. https://youtu.be/vR-UuGz0U2E

It's the season for family and friends to gather and if music is something that plays a big role in your get-togethers, I've got a suggestion for a very democratic way for deciding which songs get played and in what order. It's called Festify and it's a really simple add-on service to Spotify that unlike other options, doesn't mandate that everyone at your party has to install a special app. Festify makes use of Spotify Premium accounts, which you can get as a free 30-day trial if you want to test the system out. Once Festify is setup on your computer, connect it to your sound system and them give your guests a custom link and your party code to connect to the partly playlist. All of your friends and family can add any song that exists in the Spotify catalogue or vote for songs that are already added to the playlist from any smartphone. To really get things going, send the info out in advance of your party so your guests can start adding their favorite tunes before they even get there. It's the best and easiest group party DJ platform that we've ever used. Check it out at http://getfestify.com

If you're a regular user of word processors and spreadsheets, you're probably familiar with the power of macros which can record a string of command that can be assigned to a simple key combination. Well, if you're an iPhone user, there's a tool that exists that allows you to create macros for your smartphone with an app called Workflow. Workflow gives you the ability to automate various processes and interactions between lots of apps on your phone by dragging and dropping the combination of tasks you desire. There are over 200 actions that can work with everything from contacts to Calendars, Browsers, Maps, Reminders, Music, Photos, Cameras, AirDrop, Facebook, Twitter, Dropbox, Evernote, iCloud Documents and much more. For example, if you're a road warrior and often have the need to search for a local coffee shop, you can create a single tap process using the Workflow app. What makes this app even better is the plethora of pre-made workflows that have been created by others that have been shared in the gallery; you can quickly leverage the great ideas of other people! . If you want to boost the power of your iPhone, checkout Workflow in the Apple App store. https://my.workflow.is

Using wi-fi on an airplane has become commonplace with just about every airline offering this convenience, which is especially useful on long flights. Because everyone on the flight is sharing the same data connection, it's not going to be the fastest thing you'll ever use, but when you need it, it's better than nothing. Most of us travel with multiple devices that you'd sometimes like to connect at the same time, but it's not worth paying extra for each device. When those situations arise, don't forget that your laptop computer can be turned into a wifi hotspot, which would allow you to share that expensive connection connection with your other devices. Both Windows and MacOS computers can be setup using Internet sharing options that allow you to connect your smartphone, tablet or any other device to the same connection. It's helpful anywhere you might get charged by the device for Internet access, such as a hotel. If you're a Windows user and find the built-in option a bit too complicated, checkout an app called Connectify Hotspot which can make it much easier. The links to instructions for both Mac and Windows are posted at DataDoctors.com/radio Mac - http://imore.com/how-turn-your-macs-internet-connection-wifi-hotspot-internet-sharing Windows - http://howtogeek.com/112050/how-to-turn-your-windows-8-laptop-into-a-wireless-access-point Connectify Hotspot - http://www.connectify.me/hotspot

It's common knowledge that phishing scams and general spam are widely used by hackers to set traps in order to exploit their victims. Most of us have our guard up when it comes to catching these tricks in e-mail, but it's not the only place where you are likely to run into these traps. An approach commonly known as 'comment spam' has been growing in popularity for a while and it's getting worse. In the beginning, it was pretty east to spot the posts about working from home or other out of context messages, but the bad guys are getting more clever. When breaking news stories hit the internet or any social media or news sites, comments from users around the world is sure to follow. You may see posts that seem to be making a good point with links to learn more, so you need to be just as suspicious as you are with links in email messages. Even when you are convinced that a comment is legit, avoid clicking on the link. Instead, do your own manual Google search for the posted information as a precaution to this new form of trickery.

The latest form of pop-up security scams appears to be tricking a lot of users because of their cleverly designed and convincing wording. What you'll see is a pop-up that appears to lock down your browser, alerts you that your computer has been infected and then tells you that you need to call a toll free number to have a "certified security expert" help you get rid of it. The latest scams are not limited to Windows computers as a MacOS version of this convincing scam has been popping up around the web as well. The scam can be planted in malicious links posted on social networks, in convincing email messages, all over user forums and even in the comments section of many websites. Something to keep in mind is that none of the legitimate security software programs will ever post their toll-free number as their primary action, because they generally don't want you to call them. Well designed security software can block all the known attacks as well as malicious websites and can detect infections when a scheduled or manual scan is performed. They'll never pop-up their toll-free number so now you know it's a big red flag!

The smartphone has become a digital pacifier in the digital age for many households because they tend to do a good job of pacifying most kids. It can be a godsend especially in a crowded restaurant or anytime you need to keep a restless child from becoming disruptive in many social settings. However, giving kids full access to everything on your smartphone is kind of a dangerous way to go, so understanding how to 'childproof' your mobile devices is pretty essential these days. Both Android and iPhone devices have many built-in options to control access that just need to be activated, but not many parents seem to be aware of how to do it. Controlling what apps your child can use, Internet access, whether they can make purchases or not and blocking in-app purchases are just the beginning of the options you have. Every device and operating system has its own set of procedures and options, so if you're unsure where to go, I've posted a link that covers Android and iPhone users at DataDoctors.com/radio iPhone and Android: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2921718/2-easy-ways-to-child-proof-your-android-or-ios-device.html

Professional athletes often study themselves using very sophisticated slow-motion capture technology to analyze their every motion. Did you know that your smartphone is a really powerful computer that can be used in this same way with the Technique app from Hudl? Whether you're a coach, an athlete or just a supportive parent of a an up and coming athlete, anyone can review and breakdown the motions in your child's pitches, their golf swing or virtually any activity in any sport. The app also allows you to add annotations and notes so you can provide suggested tweaks and also share the videos. It also allows you to match up and synchronize two separate videos so your child can see a side-by-side comparison of their motion compared to a pro or to chart their own progress over time. You can also pan and zoom within any of the videos so you can focus attention on a specific detail for an even better understanding of lessons. The features in this free app are pretty amazing and can be helpful to anyone striving to improve in an type of physical activity. The link to the free downloads are posted at DataDoctors.com/radio http://get.hudl.com/products/technique

What do bedtime and doing math have in common? As it turns out, adding math to bedtime stories is a great way to improve a child's mathematic skills, according to University of Chicago. The study showed an increase in achievement in a measurable way when families used an app called Bedtime Math. The app combines images, stories and math so a child and their parents can solve math problems in a fun way. The study showed measurable results even if the app was used just once a week. Whenever I hear about a research paper that touts a specific product, I get a little suspicious, but the Bedtime Math app is free for both Android and iPhone users. For parents with math anxiety, it can be especially helpful, because the study showed the parent's anxiety had an impact on the child's progress. Bedtime Math is not just for young kids; there are varying levels of difficulty that can be a challenge to just about everyone in the family. Checkout this fun way to improve math skills at http://bedtimemath.org/apps.

You know the vital importance of CPR when anyone is in trouble, but most of us have no idea what to do. The difference between life and death can be just a few minutes, so the more you know what to do, the better it will be. And there are lots of other first aid situations that you may encounter, but most of us aren't really prepared to deal with those either. If you're looking to be a little more prepared when life's unexpected situations pop up, install the Red Cross First Aid app on your smartphone. The Red Cross has compiled lots of critical advice for common emergencies so that it's in the palm of your hand when you're faced with a critical situation. The content is pre-staged within the app, so even when you don't have a cellular signal, you can still get the step-by-step information to many common situations. This isn't one of those apps you'll use every day, but it's pretty obvious why you should have it on your phone. We've posted the link are at DataDoctors.com/radio http://www.redcross.org/mobile-apps/first-aid-app