Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can I replace the rechargeable batteries in my solar lights with better ones?

Posted on January 7, 2026

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Question from Sue: I have 16 solar deck lights around the railing of my deck.

These lights are a little over a year old and their cheap AA rechargeable batteries now only last about an hour or so after the sun goes down.

I really like these particular lights so I’d prefer to replace the batteries instead of the lights themselves.

Can I safely replace the old rechargeable batteries in these lights with something like Energizers? [Read more…]

Why communication coverage matters for First Responders

Posted on January 7, 2026

Ever lost cell signal in a stairwell or an underground garage and instantly felt cut off?

Now picture a firefighter mid-rescue in that same stairwell, trying to reach their team. Or a paramedic deep inside a crowded stadium, unable to transmit a patient update. When lives are on the line, communication isn’t a bonus—it’s the spine of the entire operation.

In this post, we will discuss why reliable signal coverage is essential to how first responders function and why infrastructure can’t afford to lag behind the demands of their work. [Read more…]

Q&A: Why are there so many Chrome processes running on my PC?

Posted on January 6, 2026

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Question from Tammy: Hello Rick. Thanks for all the great computer tips you post. They are a BIG help!!

Now I guess it’s my turn to ask a question.

When I load Task Manager it shows 11 processes running at the same time for Google Chrome even though I only six tabs open.

Could that be because my PC has a virus? [Read more…]

How to see which Android apps have access to your Contacts (and optionally revoke it)

Posted on January 6, 2026

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If you have a smartphone or tablet, you’re probably aware that the apps on your device have permission to access certain features and caches of info that are present on the device.

While it’s true that you have the option to revoke most any permission that an app might claim for itself, do you actually take the time to review your apps’ permissions and revoke the ones the apps really don’t need in order to perform their stated functions?

If you’re like most folks, the answer is probably no. [Read more…]

Did you know the Windows Clipboard can store multiple items?

Posted on January 5, 2026

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One of the biggest frustrations for Windows users has always been how the Clipboard will only store the last item that was “Copied” or “Cut”.

In other words, when you copy or cut an item to the Clipboard, the data that was previously stored in the Clipboard was over-written by the newly-copied or cut data.

There are several great third-party Clipboard tools that will force the Clipboard to store multiple items, and some of them are quite good.

However, Windows 10 and Windows 11 have a “Clipboard History” tool that allows the Clipboard to store multiple items that can be “pasted” at any time with a simple keystroke combination.

[Read more…]