Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: Can I connect my iPhone to a TV for watching Netflix?

Posted on October 7, 2022

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Marcella: I used to watch Netflix on my computer but it got fried by lightning.

I’ve decided that I don’t really need a computer now so I won’t be replacing it.

I now watch Netflix on my iPhone but I’d really like to watch it on my 32 inch Samsung TV.

My boyfriend said I should be able to connect my phone to the TV through its HDMI port somehow, but he isn’t sure how to do it because my phone has a lightning connector instead of HDMI.

My first question is do you think I can connect the phone and TV together?

If I can, what exactly dol I need to buy? And will it be very expensive?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Step-by-step guide to completely ridding your Windows PC of malware

Posted on October 7, 2022

Adware, viruses, trojans, spyware, ransomware and rootkits are everywhere these days, and keeping our PCs free of malware is a constant struggle.

Regardless of how diligent we are at preventing malware infections they can still manage to make their way onto our hard drives and into our computers’ memory banks.

Once a PC is infected, ridding it of every scrap of malware can be extremely difficult.

But it can be done! This post explains how, step-by-step. [Read more…]

Safety alert: Pay close attention to the batteries in your devices

Posted on October 5, 2022

Rick’s Tech Tips

You probably heard about the trouble Samsung had a few years back with the batteries in their devices exploding and/or catching fire since it was all over the news at the time.

Well, I have something to tell you: This problem isn’t limited just to Samsung devices.

Truth be told, the lithium ion battery in any device can explode and/or catch fire if the conditions are right.

[Read more…]

Review: Netgear Orbi Tri-Band WiFi Router System

Posted on October 4, 2022

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

I receive dozens of tech questions every week, and many of them ask me for advice on the best way to cover a large multi-story home with a strong and fast Wi-Fi network.

I’ve written several posts about this very topic over the years, and the solution that I recommend tends to depend on the state of wireless technology at that particular point in time.

I recently had the opportunity to check out the amazing Netgear Orbi Tri-band WiFi system, and I can tell you that this is an excellent solution for ensuring that every room in your home has a strong and super-fast Wi-Fi connection to the Internet.

The Orbi system is extremely powerful, yet dead-simple to set up. Simply connect the Orbi base station router to your modem, then place the satellite unit in a central location in your home and set up your Wi-Fi network using the simple browser-based setup utility.

Here’s a very short video that demonstrates exactly what you can expect after installing an Orbi mesh WiFi system in your home: [Read more…]

Q&A: Should I buy an extended warranty for my new computer?

Posted on October 4, 2022

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Angela: Rick, I have a question about extended warranties.

I bought a new laptop last Saturday and as the cashier was ringing me up she tried her best to talk me into buying a 2 year extended warranty for almost $100.

I paid just a little over $300 for the laptop and $100 seemed excessive to me, so I declined.

Do you think I made the right decision? I have up to 30 days to change my mind and go back and buy it.

Rick’s answer: Angela, this is only my personal opinion and plenty of folks will disagree, but I think you made exactly the right choice in declining the extended warranty. [Read more…]