Your daily dose of practical, easy to follow tech tips!
Many Windows 10 users have discovered that their machine’s Windows installation has been deactivated, and a number of them have messaged me asking what’s going on.
In a nutshell, Microsoft is experiencing an issue with their Activation servers that’s causing some Windows 10 installations to lose their “Activated” status.
Whenever you visit a secure website, the data flowing between your web browser and the site’s server is encrypted (converted into code that is very difficult to understand and use without having the decryption key).
Encryption is a big deal because it helps protect your personal information from prying eyes and hackers. You’ll know you’re visiting a secure website when the URL in the address bar starts with https: instead of the usual http:. [Read more…]
Do you dream about working from home and being your own boss?
If so, you’re certainly not alone.
Truth be told, most everyone fantasizes about earning a good living from the comfort of their own home at one time or another.
The fact is, it is entirely possible to do just that, but there are so many scammers out there claiming to offer legitimate work from home opportunities that the many real work at home opportunities get lost in the clutter. [Read more…]
Question from Denise R.: I just bought a new Dell laptop because my old Acer stopped working. The Acer came with a great pair of headphones bundled with it, and I’d like to get a new pair that’ll work equally well with the Dell.
I’ve seen headphones priced anywhere from $5 to $400, and I don’t really know how much I need to spend to get a good pair. I’ll be using them mainly to watch Netflix in my dorm room. I’d appreciate your advice. Thanks.
Rick’s answer: Hi Denise. If you like the headphones that came with your old laptop, you can always just use those with your new laptop instead of buying a new set. That’s assuming they still work well of course. [Read more…]
If your PC is running Windows 10 and have your user account protected with a password, you are no doubt familiar with the Lock Screen.
That’s the screen with the pretty picture on it that loads right before you get to the Login Screen.
Some people like the Lock Screen for its aesthetic value, but I happen to find it irritating because it’s simply an extra screen that I have to get past in order to log in to my Windows account. Therefore, I have disabled it.
If you’d like to disable the Lock Screen on your computer as well, follow the steps listed below. [Read more…]