Rick's Daily Tips

Scam alert: Beware fake update notices for the Chrome browser

Posted on July 7, 2026

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If you’ve been using the Internet for any length of time you probably know how important it is to keep your web browser(s) updated with the latest security updates.

Security holes that can allow hackers and scammers to cause all kinds of grief for innocent users are “patched” via security updates on a regular basis, so we’re all used to installing those updates as they are released.

Unfortunately, hackers are once again taking advantage of our familiarity with security updates to trick us into downloading dangerous malware onto our systems.

[Read more…]

Prevent hackers from spying on you via your PC’s microphone

Posted on July 6, 2026

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A while back I wrote a post explaining how hackers are using rogue apps and other forms of malware to spy on folks via their computers’ webcams.

That post also explains how to prevent it from happening.

As it turns out, some miscreants have been spying on us via our machines’ microphones as well. And in some ways that’s just as bad as having them spy on us via webcam. [Read more…]

5 tips for fixing a misbehaving smartphone

Posted on July 5, 2026

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It’s no secret that smart phones have literally changed the way most of us live our lives.

They allow us to make phone calls and use the Internet from most anywhere, and the list of devices they can replace by simply installing an app boggles the mind.

Truth be told, smartphones are actually just really small computers that can run programs (apps) to perform countless types of tasks.

Unfortunately, like other computers a smartphone can get bloated and inefficient over time as you add more and more apps (some of which can conflict with one another) and its internal storage gets clogged up with digital clutter.

[Read more…]

Q&A: Can you use two motherboards to make a computer that’s twice as fast?

Posted on July 4, 2026

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Question from Kyle: I won a storage auction and there were four identical desktop computers in there.

I hooked them up and found they all work.

I know these are old, slow machines. That got me to thinking.

Would it be possible to install the motherboards from two of these computers in a custom case and have them work together as a single computer that runs twice as fast as one of them runs? [Read more…]

Q&A: Is this email from PayPal real or am I being scammed?

Posted on July 3, 2026

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Question from Rita: I hope you can help me Rick, and I really could use a quick answer.

I received an email that appears to be from PayPal. It says a buyer has sent me $122.56 for an item that was purchased from my Etsy store.

I really need to find out whether this email is real or a fake. [Read more…]