Rick's Daily Tips

Heads-up: Adobe Flash will no longer be supported after December 31

Posted on May 22, 2020

Just a few years ago Adobe Flash was a major player in the Internet world.

In fact, according to some estimates it was used on almost a third of all the websites on the Internet at the time.

But over time it became clear that Adobe simply couldn’t keep Flash secure, and after several years of almost continuous security updates they decided to simply cut their losses and abandon Flash altogether at some point in the future.

Well, that time has just about arrived… [Read more…]

Q&A: Lightning destroyed my cable modem. Should I replace my router too?

Posted on May 21, 2020

Note: The links in this post are affiliate links.

Question from Kendra D.: Hi Rick. We had a pretty bad thunderstorm last night that caused a lot of damage in my area.

Once I noticed the lightning I turned everything off like I always do when it’s storming and then went on to bed.

This morning when I turned everything back on I couldn’t get the cable box or the modem to light up at all. They’re completely dead.

I called the cable company and they’re sending a technician out to replace the cable box and modem.

What I need to know is do you think I need to buy a new router too? It lights up like it always did and it appears to be working.

I’ll take whatever advice you give me because I trust you. Thanks for helping me.

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Protect your Mac from viruses and other security threats with Avast Free Mac Security

Posted on May 18, 2020

One of Apple’s most successful marketing claims has always been that simply owning a Mac instead of a PC can help keep your computer safe from malware.

For many years that claim was valid, but unfortunately that’s no longer the case.

Recent studies indicate that the number of successful malware attacks on Macs has skyrocketed in recent years, and the problem is getting worse by the day.

And truth be told, Macs aren’t really as resistant to malware as previously thought.

Of course there’s still a LOT more malware out there targeting Windows PCs than Macs, but that’s little consolation considering it only takes one malware infection to ruin your entire day, especially if you get it by ransomware. [Read more…]

Photoshop Express: A great free app for editing photos on your phone or tablet

Posted on May 11, 2020

The cameras built into modern smart phones and tablets are getting better all the time, and many of those devices already take photos that are at least as good as those taken with consumer-grade point-and-shoot cameras.

Now that most of us are carrying such capable cameras around with us 24/7, doesn’t it make sense to have a great photo editing app on our devices as well? [Read more…]