Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: How do I back up my paid Android apps?

Posted on October 28, 2026

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Question from Tabitha: I’ve had my current Android phone for three years and I love it, but I finally decided it was time to upgrade to take advantage of newer technology.

I haven’t decided on a new phone yet, but I know it’ll definitely be an Android.

The problem is I have several paid apps that I don’t want to lose when I switch phones.

How do I back up the apps from the old phone so that I can reinstall them on the new one?

[Read more…]

How to safely check your email and text messages

Posted on October 27, 2026

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The security breaches that are in the news virtually every week are constant reminders of the dangers of opening links and attachments in emails and text messages.

Always remember that you need to be extremely careful about clicking links in emails and text messages, even if the messages appear to have been sent by someone you know and trust. [Read more…]

Pet Peeve: Offers you literally can’t refuse

Posted on October 26, 2026

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Regular readers of this blog know that I love recommending free software that’s truly useful every chance I get.

These days some of the best software around can be downloaded at no cost whatsoever.

That being said, a disturbing new type of “ad” has started popping up while using some free programs and apps. I call these annoying ads “offers that you literally can’t refuse”, and they work something like this: [Read more…]

Why disabling your phone’s Location Services won’t hide your location

Posted on October 25, 2026

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Most people assume turning off a mobile phone’s GPS/Location Services will prevent others from being able to track their location via their phone.

Well here’s a little tidbit of info for you: It really doesn’t.

[Read more…]

Why you should always scan your PC for malware before taking it to a repair shop

Posted on October 24, 2026

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As you probably know, malware infections can cause all kinds of strange problems on Windows PCs.

That’s why if your computer starts acting strange all of a sudden it could very well be infected with a virus or some other form of malware.

Most malware infections can be removed by running a thorough series of scans with the free tools mentioned in this post, but there are some strains of malware that might need to be removed by an experienced computer tech.

I recommend that you always run your own malware scans (if it’s possible to do so) before you take your PC to a repair shop for ANY type of service or repair, even if you don’t believe the issue is malware-related.

[Read more…]