Computer Tips Archives - Page 172 of 233

How to use ‘Child Accounts’ with Windows to keep your kids safe online

Posted on April 25, 2018

As you probably know, the Internet is a massive repository of information, useful tools and services that can help children learn and mature.

But there is also a downside to the web: It also has a wide variety of potentially harmful content and services that are easily accessible by youngsters.

There are a number of good child safety apps that you can install on your family’s computers, but if they are running either Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 you don’t have to install anything extra in order to protect your kids from the darker corners of the web. [Read more…]

Do use Yahoo Mail or AOL Mail? If so, new changes to their TOS totally trash your privacy.

Posted on April 20, 2018

If you use Yahoo Mail or AOL Mail (or both) you should know that the latest changes they’ve made to their Terms of Service (TOS) completely trashes your privacy.

Both of those services are now owned by Oath, the media division of Verizon.

Oath has merged their two TOSs into one and made some pretty disturbing changes in the process. [Read more…]

HazeOver helps Mac users concentrate on the task at hand

Posted on April 5, 2018

If you’re a Mac user who tends to have several windows open on the desktop at any given time, you might find yourself getting distracted at times by all the other stuff that’s on the screen.

If so, there’s a fantastic app called HazeOver that can help minimize the distractions from background windows.

In a nutshell, Hazeover dims everything in the background while keeping the active window bright and clear. You can still see everything that’s dimmed in case something important changes, but your attention will remain focused on the active window.

Here’s a short video that shows HazeOver in action: [Read more…]

How to use your Mac keyboard with virtually any mobile device

Posted on April 3, 2018

A few days ago a reader asked me if it’s possible to use a full-size PC keyboard with a Windows tablet. The answer is yes as long as the keyboard supports Bluetooth connectivity.

As I was answering that question it got me to thinking about all the Apple users out there who might have a Bluetooth-enabled Mac keyboard laying around.

As one would imagine, a Mac keyboard should be the perfect keyboard to use with an Apple device running iOS. [Read more…]

4 tips for successfully updating your motherboard’s UEFI BIOS firmware

Posted on March 30, 2018

I often receive questions about updating the UEFI BIOS firmware on a computer’s motherboard.

Horror stories abound about firmware updates that went bad and bricked the devices so many folks are understandably nervous about attempting to update the BIOS on their own motherboards.

In a nutshell, the UEFI BIOS firmware is a basic set of instructions and settings that inform your CPU about the various hardware components that are inside your PC and how it should interact with them.

If this firmware get’s corrupted somehow one or more of your computer’s hardware devices could fail to operate correctly. [Read more…]