Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: How do I stop the pictures on my phone from rotating?

Posted on July 12, 2022

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

Question from Mariana: I just got my first smartphone and I love how I can use it as a camera!

I love taking pictures with my phone but when I go to look at them I sometimes need to rotate it to see a particular picture right-side up.

The problem is when I rotate my phone the pictures rotate too so I’m always looking at them from the same (wrong) angle. The orientation of the picture doesn’t change and I can never look at it the right way without getting a crick in my neck.

How can I prevent a picture from rotating when I rotate my phone?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: What’s the difference between System Updates and Software Updates?

Posted on July 12, 2022

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

Question from Mike: Can you explain the difference between ‘System Updates’ and ‘Software Updates’?

Rick’s answer: I’ll be happy to do my best, Mike. Thanks for asking.

In a macro sense, both of those types of updates are ‘software updates’ since its code to some body of software that’s being updated.

However, there are indeed differences between the two from a general usage perspective. [Read more…]

Q&A: Why can’t my PC access the files on my Android phone?

Posted on July 11, 2022

Question from Alex: I used to be able to plug my Android phone into my Windows laptop and copy the photos from the phone to the computer.

However, I tried that this morning and when I opened the phone in File Explorer it said “This folder is empty.”

I haven’t changed any settings on either the laptop or the phone so I don’t know why File Explorer can’t see the photos that are on the phone (there are tons of them).

What am I missing here? [Read more…]

Scam alert: Be wary of duplicate friend requests on Facebook

Posted on July 10, 2022

Facebook is a wonderful venue for sharing information, photos and fun with friends, but unfortunately it is also a haven for scammers.

Every post you see and every message you receive must be viewed with a skeptical eye if you want to avoid falling victim to those who are out to cause you grief or separate you from your money.

Now there is a type of scam making the rounds that is even more insidious than most. Scammers are making virtual copies of real Facebook accounts by copying the photos and info from the real account’s “About” page to the fake ones. They then send friend requests to the friends listed on the real account.

[Read more…]

Q&A: How can I determine the actual model number of my MacBook?

Posted on July 10, 2022

Rick’s Tech Tips Newsletter

Question from Paul: I went to an estate sale and bought a used MacBook.

How can I determine the exact model number? I’m eager to find out exactly what I bought. LOL [Read more…]