Hello, and Happy New Year!
Rick’s Daily Tech Tips Update for Saturday, January 1, 2021.
Topics covered in this issue…
• My bi-annual gadget cleaning and maintenance routine
• 12 New Years Resolutions for staying safe in 2022
• Q&A: How can I block all websites from accessing my location?
• Q&A: Why do they call them ‘Buffalo Wings’ when they come from chickens?
• Info about my photo / file recovery service
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Today’s Quick Tip….
My bi-annual gadget cleaning and maintenance routine
Twice each year I give my computers and mobile devices thorough physical and digital cleanings, and now that January has arrived its time for their winter clean-up. (The summer clean-up will take place in June).
I won’t go into any great detail here since computers and mobile devices vary so much, but the following is a broad overview of my semi-annual maintenance routine.
First, I give each device a physical cleaning…
1 – Use a can of compressed air, a data-vac or an electric air duster to remove all the dust that has accumulated inside the fans and cases of my laptops (when practical) and desktop computers. Ditto for the physical keyboards.
2 – Blow any accumulated dust out of all USB ports, HDMI ports and other types of ports.
3 – Blow loose dust from the surfaces of all computer screens.
4 – Check to make sure all fans are operating properly and make any needed repairs if one or more of them are mal-functioning.
5 – Use some electronics screen wipes to gently, but completely remove all accumulated dirt and grime from every computer and mobile device screen.
Next, I give each device a digital cleaning…
1 – Run virus and malware checks on Windows PCs with multiple on-demand antivirus apps plus the free version of Malwarebytes.
Mac desktop machines and MacBooks get a scan with Malwarebytes for Mac.
2 – Use a good antivirus app (personally, I like AVG for Android) to make sure my Android devices are virus and malware free. (Apple’s iOS-based mobile devices don’t really need to be checked for malware.)
3 – Uninstall any unused (and unnecessary) programs and apps from every computer and mobile device.
4 – Run Disk cleanup on Windows machines and optimize storage space on Macs.
5 – Clear out every cache I can find on every device.
6 – Check every device for pending security updates and install any that are found.
That’s pretty much it. These maintenance routines take a bit of time (especially if you have multiple devices) but it pays huge dividends in terms of enhanced performance, security and extended product life.
The latest from Rick’s Daily Tips…
• 12 New Years Resolutions for staying safe in 2022
I’m generally not all that fond of New Years Resolutions, but the ones mentioned in this post can help keep you, your devices and your money safe in today’s dangerous world.
• Q&A: How can I block all websites from accessing my location?
A reader asks for help with blocking websites from asking for access to her location. This post has step-by-step instructions.
• Click here to see today’s ‘Picture of the Day’.
Every morning I post a new photo that I find inspiring, intriguing, or just plain beautiful to look at. Jumpstart your day by checking it out.
Pro blogging tip…
Rick’s Daily Tips is hosted by InMotion Hosting. Click here to find out why.
Rick’s Daily Pick…
Asus AX3000 WiFi 6 Dual Band PCIe Wireless Adapter (#ad)
Do you have a desktop PC that you’d like to upgrade with WiFi 6 capability?
With this little device you can as long as the computer has an open PCIe slot.
Today’s post from ‘My Daily Smile’…
Q&A: Why do they call them ‘Buffalo Wings’ when they come from chickens?
Everyone knows Buffalo Wings come from chickens instead of buffaloes. So why are they called Buffalo Wings? This post has the answer.
Tech news that caught my eye…
• Airlines ask FCC to again delay 5G rollout near airports beyond January 5
• A program for cheaper internet for low-income Americans has just launched
• Opinion: Apple ditched Intel, and it paid off
• BlackBerry to end support for its classic phones on January 4
• Canon’s flagship DSLR line will end with the EOS-1D X Mark III
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Rick’s Photo / File Recovery Service…
Do you have precious photos and/or other irreplaceable files that you’d like to recover from a non-working computer?
Chances are I’ll be able to recover them for you, even if the machine won’t turn on or start up correctly.
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Thanks so much, and have an amazing day.
Your tech buddy,
Rick Rouse
https://www.ricksdailytips.com