![]() Unfortunately, for our customers, we see dozens of computers every year that were infected when they unsuspectingly clicked on a link while using Facebook. I've been telling our customers for years, "Have you heard the saying, curiosity killed the cat"? Well, it's true. Don't click on links just because you're curious, it's better to be safe than sorry. Ultimately, we are responsible for infecting our computers because we're the person clicking on a potential threat. And, don't be fooled to think that antivirus software will protect you, even if you've spent $100.00 or more on it. The simple truth is, it won't. As far as the antivirus software is concerned, you said it was okay to click on a link or download a file. The best way to protect yourself, is to know where the threats come from when using Facebook. There's a terrific article on MakeUseOf by Kihara Kimachia. He'll show you 5 places on Facebook where potential danger can lurk and how to avoid them.
Do you remember how life was without Facebook? Probably not. The site has pervaded our lives and it is no surprise that Facebook is now prime hunting ground for anyone with nefarious intentions. -Kihara Kimachia ![]() Do you really want Facebook to share your browsing history with advertisers? I for one, do not wish to share anything with Facebook, nor do I feel compelled to use it. If you want to learn how to stop them from selling your browsing information to advertisers, read Angela's article. Given that Facebook recently announced they would listen in using microphones to find out what you’re listening to or watching on TV, and that they recently had a debacle when the public found out they’d been running psych experiments on their users. -Angela Alcorn ![]() It's important to make a few security changes to your router, so that you can better protect yourself from attacks. Crucial Changes to Implement:
"Your router is the first line of defense against hackers trying to access all the internet-connected devices in your home. Sadly, many of the top Wi-Fi routers are easy to hack. You should be concerned—and also make sure your router is set up properly." -Melanie Pinola
![]() Nothing can curb the excitement of traveling faster than having countless issues before and after arriving at the airport. Nora Dunn's article on WiseBread gives you many simple but useful tactics that will help make your flying experience a breeze. Sometimes, the time and process of just getting to — and through — the airport makes flying an agonizing experience. It doesn't have to be! Use these tips to get through the airport faster and join the ranks of savvy frequent flyers. -Nora Dunn ![]() My wife can verify that when we bought our first HTC EVO 4G smartphones (Jan. 2011), that I was a strong believer in rooting our phones and making sure that the WiFi is OFF when we left our house (more rooting info). Of course I didn't know for sure that stores were tracking us through our Smartphones. But, I was aware that as long as our phones were sending out a signal to connect through WiFi, someone could try to use it against us. Don't forget that other businesses can implement the same tactics as the stores (eg: restaurants & cafes). If you don't want to be tracked while you're out-n-about, simply shut your phone's WiFi off when you leave your house (it saves your battery as well). When you walk into a brick and mortar retail store like a Nordstrom, Cabela, or even Family Dollar, you're being tracked around the store. Not by an over-suspicious security guard, but by the store's wireless network, using your phone's Wi-Fi. The store then uses your phone to track you around the store, determine if you're a repeat visitor, see what departments you visit, and more. -Alan Henry
![]() All of us may not have an awesome snow blower like the one you see to the right but there is something we can do to improve the output of the one we do own. My main frustration each year when snow-blowing is that mother nature doesn't always offer dry, fluffy snow. More than most snow falls have quite the opposite ingredients; wet, slushy and heavy snow that just barely chugs out of the chute. This not only creates a dangerous situation in order to keep it clean but is extremely time consuming. What would normally take 30 - 40 minutes for me to clean our driveway can take as long as 60 - 90 minutes depending upon how much snow we receive. There is one simple improvement that can help a new or old snow-blower from clogging and throw the snow twice as far as before. Please watch the video below. ![]() It's bad enough that what we do online is being tracked by Facebook. Now, they have the capabilities to track what you're doing when you're offline. I don't know about you, but that's completely unacceptable to me. Don't despair, you can stop it from happening by reading Thorin's article on LifeHacker. As we mentioned, the way this data collection works is that it compares your online data with offline shopping habits. So, the easiest solution to keep it from happening? Don't use the same phone number or email address on your Facebook account as you do when you sign up for loyalty or discount cards. -Thorin Klosowski Now there's a way to root your HTC Evo 4G that has HBOOT 2.18. I recommend that you follow Max's step-by-step instructions and download the files you'll need from his website. ![]() Do you take any precautions to prevent tracking when you're surfing/shopping online? If not, you'll be amazed how much information about your online activity is being collected without your knowledge. Our clients were huge companies and one of the services we offered was to collect information about people, their demographics, income, and habits, and then roll it up so they could get a complete picture about who you are and how to convince you to buy their products. In some cases, we designed web sites and campaigns to convince you to provide even more information in exchange for a coupon, discount, or the simple promise of other of those. It works very, very well. -Alan Henry ![]() No matter what cellular service provider you may have, there are some areas that just have bad service coverage. If you live in one of those areas, then you know first hand the frustration of not being able to make phone calls from the comfort of your home. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to sit on a cell tower in order to make phone calls. Nor do I want to dance around in my house or drive at high speeds in order to capture that ever-elusive signal. Of course having a landline seems to be the only solution that will guarantee good service from home, but that comes with an additional monthly cost. For example, our landline has an approximate cost of $38/month with only 30 minutes of long distance included; that's $456.00 per year. |
ThreeTen
Always looking for new experiences, cultures and ideas to share with my friends and family. I'm a gruBBy huBBy, Dad, Grandpa x5, business owner and fuRRy cOmpaniOn
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