Data Doctors Tech Tips

There's a common issue that I've observed over the decades with the average computer user: they know that they should be backing up their important data files, but they just haven't put together the process. It's one of the most important tasks that every computer user should be performing and with the stakes being raised, it's critically important. Loss of data is one thing, but having it held hostage by a hacker because you don't have a backup has grown to become a very real threat. The sophistication of this type of attack has grown by leaps and bounds in the past couple of years because it's generating a lot of money for the bad guys. If they get to your files, they'll use military grade encryption to lock you out and demand payment for the key to unlock the files. If your only backup is an attached local drive, they'll lock it down as well, so making sure your files are out of reach with an online backup service such as Carbonite will keep you safe and prevent the need to pay them. If you haven't been motivated yet, hopefully knowing about this growing threat will help you get over the hump.

Most of us have dreamed of being able to play a guitar but have settled for the air guitar because the learning curve is just too steep. If you haven't completely given up on some day being able to play, today's tip may be just what you need. A web resource called Coach Guitar provides virtual lessons online and via their app. You can bypass the theory and traditional lessons and dive right into some of you favorite guitar passages. They show you how to play some of the most popular guitar riffs through the use of videos and a virtual fretboard. Because they show you exactly where to put your fingers and which strings to strum, you can quickly be cranking out some familiar tunes. With the app on your smartphone, you'll have a guitar coach in your pocket whenever you need them. You can checkout their method of teaching for free and if you really want to dive in, you can opt for their premium service. Learn all about it at https://coachguitar.com

It's the weekend, which might mean that you'll end up at one of the many popular watering holes that specialize in craft cocktails. While it's great to experience it in your favorite bars, it can get really pricey, really fast. You can save a boatload of money when you learn how to make these amazing drinks yourself. Cocktail recipe books are great, buy they can only cover so many drinks in the given space, so unless you want a pile of recipe books sitting around, checkout an app called 'Mixology'. It's great because you start by inputting the ingredients that you have in your bar and refrigerator to help the search process focus on cocktails that you can actually make. Who want to scamper off to the grocery or liquor store just to make a cocktail? There are lots of ways to discover new recipes using your favorite spirits or by randomly searching through the database. It's also more than complicated cocktails as you can create special shots, punches and even no alcohol concoctions for the DDs at your party. Check out this useful pocket guide at: http://mixologyapp.com

Whenever you plan a big gathering or event, you have to figure out how you are going to invite everyone and keep track of who's coming. A quick search online will provide you with a plethora of options for sending online invitations with all of the tracking that's very helpful, but what if you want it to be more personalized and special? Sending out beautiful physical invitations through the mail really makes a statement since so much of it is done electronically these days. The problem with making that decision is that it creates a lot more work for you, because you have to collect the mailing addresses, pick out the paper and envelope and select a design that fits the event. For those occasions, there's a really cool online option called Paperless Postsand#160;https://PaperlessPost.comand#160;that can help you with both online and physical invitations. Because both of the options are combined at the same site, you can use their online tools to gather the info you need for the offline invitations. You can design everything on their website of through their iOS app

Everywhere you look on social media, you are likely to see photos of food, which some people think is cool while others think is goofy. For those in the cool camp that plan to continue posting food pics, there are a few things to remember. Item number one is your flash... never use it when you are taking pictures of food. Not only is it distracting to those around you, but it will make the food look horrible. Since most restaurants in the evening will be on the darker side, don't forget to dim the display on your phone so it isn't a beaming beacon of light. If you have your phone set to make a shutter sound whenever you snap a pic, turn that off as well while you are in close quarters with others. Switching to an actual photo app such as VSCO Cam instead of using the default camera app can provide you with more options for making the food pic look great. Learn more about this awesome photo app at: https://vsco.co/download

Did you know that the internal storage in your computer (the hard disk) is a lot like that frig you have in the kitchen? In both cases, no matter how big it is, you'll most likely fill it up. When your frig fills up, you don't go out and buy a new one, you get rid of the stuff you don't need or has gone bad and the same holds true for your computer. The challenge for a lot of you is that even if you do want to free up space, you're not sure what's taking it all up. There are a number of primary targets for getting rid of unwanted files that begins with unused programs, old videos and music as a starter. If you really want to dig into what's taking your space and where, check out a free program called TreeSize (http://bit.ly/33ovEfM) Think of all the items in your computer being organized like a tree, whereas each folder is a branch and each file is a leaf. The utility will show you how much space is being taken by each branch (or folder) on your tree so you can strategically determine what's taking the space. It's incredibly important that when you don't know what a specific folder or file is all about, you don't ever delete it and make sure you have a verified backup before you start any mass deletion.

Most people love their technology but also like the tactile feel of reading a good book. Discovering great new books to read from others is helpful no matter what genre or topic tends to be your favorites to read.and#160; There are lots of websites that use algorithms to suggest new books solely based on the books that you have already liked or read, but there's an alternative that takes advantage of other humans called Good Reads. Good Reads is one of many that uses a suggestion-bot based on what you've have enjoyed in the past, but it also offers you the ability to hook up with friends to see what they are reading... kind of what Spotify does with songs that you friends are listening to. Whichever online method you use to get new book recommendations, it's far more efficient than randomly roaming the isles of a book store hoping to score a solid read. To really make the site perform at its best, you can gather a group of your fellow bookworms to create you own private online book club. There are also public discussion groups that anyone can join to learn more from other at https://www.goodreads.com

The bad actors on the Internet will stop at nothing to exploit users and one of the most dangerous methods they use is malicious scripting. Scripts, which were created to enhance our experience on the Internet have been hijacked by hackers to take advantage of people without them knowing what's going on. Instead of providing you with relevant content based on choices you make or have made in the past, they refocus the technology to silently attack your computer when you visit rigged websites. Since the vast majority of scripts you'll encounter are actually safe and helpful, controlling when and where they run is a way to keep the dangerous ones at bay. A free tool available to users of the Firefox browser is the very popular NoScript add-on. While it's not for everyone, if you like pinpoint control over what each website you visit can run, this is a tool that lets you do that. Valid scripts are important for much of the functionality of the web, so you will have to tinker with the tool to figure out which ones are trying to deliver ads and which ones are providing functionality. This open source tool is free and will require you to learn how to use it, but if you want supreme protection from rogue scripts, checkout the details at:and#160;https://noscript.net

If you and your friends are big fans of movies like Star Wars and you have an iPhone, you're going to want this app. It's called Alien Sky and it will turn any typical photo with open sky into something from another dimension. It will let you place realistic images of planets, moons, lens flares or other inter-galactic items right into your photos and they look very real. These head turning effects will be sure to get people to stop as they scroll through their social media feeds. With over one hundred and fifty effects that you can add to any of your existing photos, there are countless ways to make out of this world imagery. It's really fun to play with old pics, especially if you turn them into black and white images before adding the effects from the Alien Sky app. For iPhone users only: http://www.brainfevermedia.com/alienSky.html

It's not often that you find yourself without your smartphone, which is why it's become our go-to flashlight for just about every situation. Depending upon your device, the LEDs can be extremely bright and a great way to shine light in a specific direction, but what if you need a more dispersed light? Did you know that there's an easy way to turn your smartphone flashlight into more of a lantern-style light? Just grab a plastic bottle of water and a large rubber band to get the job done. Start by removing the label from the bottle, then position your smartphone's flashlight directly into the center of the bottle and use the rubber band to hold it in place. Not only can it be useful in settings like a campsite or with a group of people trying to follow you, it's also a great way to notify oncoming traffic of where you are. The next time you need a different type of light from your smartphone, channel your inner life hacker with this tip!