Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Will a computer tech be able to see my personal photos?

Posted on November 26, 2025

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Question from Kristen: The hard drive in my laptop has stopped working and I need to take it somewhere to have it fixed.

I’ve been taking your advice about creating regular System Image backups and I have a fairly recent backup they can use to restore everything once the bad hard drive is replaced.

What worries me is I have a lot of really personal photos that were backed up along with everything else. Will a tech be able to see them? [Read more…]

How to get text message updates about the status of your Amazon orders

Posted on November 25, 2025

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If you shop at Amazon you’re probably familiar with the emails they send letting their customers know when an order has shipped.

But did you know you can have them text you as well?

They will, and it’s very easy to set up. [Read more…]

The Modern Private Investigator: What Instagram data can (and can’t) tell you

Posted on November 25, 2025

Every story leaves a trail, even online. For journalists, researchers, and private investigators, Instagram has become one of the most revealing platforms to study human behavior. Follows, unfollows, likes, and story views form a living map of connections. But interpreting that map requires care.

Public data can expose patterns of interest or contact, yet it cannot prove motive or meaning. A sudden follow might show curiosity, not conspiracy. A quiet unfollow could mean nothing more than fatigue. Professionals who handle sensitive stories have to read these signals with discipline, separating evidence from noise. [Read more…]

Try this when an important call just won’t go through

Posted on November 24, 2025

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Have you ever tried to call someone with an important message only to discover that your cellular signal was too weak for the call to go through?

Chances are you have, and you know how frustrating it can be when you can’t place an important call.

The next time that happens, there’s something else you can try that often works even when voice calls won’t go through…

[Read more…]

3 reasons why gift cards make such fantastic gifts

Posted on November 24, 2025

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As you probably know, gift cards are extremely popular these days, and for good reason.

After all, they are easy to buy and they cost exactly the amount you want to spend!

In this post I’ll explain all the reasons why I believe gift cards make such awesome gifts.

[Read more…]