Rick's Daily Tips

Firefox releases update to patch 16 security flaws, some of them critical

Posted on February 28, 2015

Mozilla has just released a major update to the popular Firefox browser that patches 16 security flaws, three of them rated critical.

This latest version is 36.0, and if you have Firefox set to update automatically you don’t have anything to worry about as it will all be taken care of for you.

But if you have it set to allow you to install updates manually, I recommend that you update to version 36.0 immediately. And by the way, if you have Firefox set to never check for updates…well, it would probably be a good idea to change that.

Follow these steps to check if you’re running the latest version of Firefox: [Read more…]

“Mobile-Friendly” sites will soon rank higher in Google’s Mobile Search Results

Posted on February 27, 2015

Google has just announced that they will soon start giving priority to websites that are mobile-friendly in their Mobile Search Results.

This means sites that typically receive lots of traffic from Google’s Mobile Search will probably see a drastic decrease in that traffic once the change takes effect on April 21, 2015. If you have a website or blog that isn’t mobile friendly, you’ll basically have until that date to get that taken care of. [Read more…]

How to display the Task Bar at any time in Windows 8/8.1

Posted on February 27, 2015

windows-8-1 In Windows 7 (and earlier versions of Windows) it was easy to see which programs were running and access all the active notification icons. All you had to do was glance at the Task Bar.

But while the Task Bar is still alive and well in Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, it is usually hidden when viewing the Start Screen or while running a modern app. And it also tends to stay hidden when you move the mouse pointer to the bottom of the screen. [Read more…]

WordPress: The WP-Slimstat plugin has over a million blogs at risk of being hacked

Posted on February 26, 2015

Do you run a WordPress blog that uses the very popular WP-Slimstat plugin?

If so, a newly discovered security hole in certain versions of the plugin could have your blog at risk for data theft and other serious security breaches. In fact, hackers could possibly even exploit the flaw and take control of your entire blog.

If your blog uses this plugin, I recommend that you log into your WordPress Dashboard immediately and check to see which version of WP-Slimstat is currently installed. If it’s 3.9.5 or lower (or if WordPress says there’s an update available), you need to update WP-Slimstat to the latest version NOW. [Read more…]

Review: Canon PowerShot D20 12.1MP Waterproof Digital Camera

Posted on February 26, 2015

Have you ever wanted to photograph a beautiful autumn scene on a rainy day but hesitated because you were afraid the rain would ruin your expensive camera?

Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to try your hand at underwater photography but you think a waterproof camera would simply be too expensive?

Well, the Canon PowerShot D20 12.1MP Waterproof Digital Camera (#ad) makes it safe, fun and affordable to do those things, and a whole lot more. [Read more…]