New Wireless Network Router has "Parental Controls"!!

Recently we've purchased a new router for our home wifi and we've discovered a nifty new feature. We had our old router for several years, so of course the technology and available bells & whistles have changed a lot.

Our new Linksys router offers better coverage in our house as well as better speed.  It also offers a "parental control" feature that lets us set specific times when specific devices may be on the wifi.  This means that I can set it to shut off the wifi to our PS4, iPad minis and any other specific device at bedtime!  We are loving that, although the accompanying moans and groans from our kids were pretty loud at first.  Now if I could just set an automatic "off" time for all of those same devices to make them totally unusable at a certain time, that would be even better...

The router came nicely boxed and it was very easy to set up.  I had it working within just a few minutes.  Some of its other features include:

• a web-based dashboard to change settings, passwords and use the parental controls
• an app to give access to those same things on a mobile device
• it's dual-band, which means that I have two different networks that I can join from my devices - a faster option and a slower option.  It's nice to be able to hook up my work computers to the faster network and give the kids the slower one.  
• offers "guest" networks, too, with their own passwords, separate from my main network
• parental controls to turn wifi on/off for any specific device, or set specific times when it is available

Here is a link to a description of the specific router that we purchased (from Staples):
http://www.staples.com/Linksys-WRT1900AC-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Wireless-Router/product_1051171

Happy wifi!

YouTube Videos to Replace Flash

If you'd like to embed a video on your business or personal website, one approach is to link to it on YouTube.  If you load it to YouTube, you don't use space on your website's server, and you don't have to worry about the different devices that users might have when they view it.

Most embedded videos on websites use Flash, which does not work on any Apple devices (iPad, iPhone, etc.).  That's pretty limiting if you know that you have a large audience that will use mobile devices to view your content.

I've recently tried uploading a video to YouTube and it was pretty simple.  Once it was loaded to YouTube, I was able to easily copy the link from YouTube into a client's website.  Now their video will work for anyone, even if they're using an Apple device.  And they're saving storage space on their website, which is a nice bonus.  Video files can be BIG.

Try it out and good luck!

Travel Tips

A while back I mentioned that I was requesting a "Known Traveler Number" from the TSA in order to make travel simpler.  I went through their process, paid my $85 and got my number back within just a couple of weeks.

Since that point I have traveled several times and I've been 'selected' for the pre-check line at security every time.  The pre-check line is always shorter than the regular line.  I also don't have to take off shoes or belts, and I don't have to take my laptop out of my bag.  It's been a huge help to make security checkpoints a much less time consuming part of travelling.  I don't think pre-check is available at every airport in the US but it's been at every airport I've used so far (a handful).

There are other similar programs, so you should see the TSA website for more details on the differences and which one might suit you best.

See this link for more information:
http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/participation-tsa-precheck

Next I need to renew my passport which expires in a few months.  I found an online form that I could fill out and print, so I didn't have to write the application form by hand.  All I had to do was write my check for $110, put in a passport photo and my original passport, and mail it off.

Please note that there are websites out there that will do the process for you, for a fee.  It's really pretty simple so I don't recommend going that route.

See this link for passport request and renewals information with the US government:
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html/




Safe travels!

iPhone 6 Issues

I love my iPhone 6.  I got it in October after a three year long relationship with my iPhone 4s.  It was dying so I was ready for a change.

Unfortunately, I dropped it after only having it for six weeks.  I didn't have a protective enough case on it, so the screen shattered.  Thank goodness for the Apple Plus protection plan, because they replaced my broken screen quickly and for a nominal cost.  It was totally worth the $99 for the plan.  Please note - when taking in an iPhone for repair, it is always a good idea to do a full backup in iTunes first.  According to the Apple Geniuses, there's always a small chance that your data could be lost during the repair process (for example, if my replacement screen had not connected successfully to the unit).

I am sad to report that today, my iPhone 6 is now acting oddly.  I tried to use the camera earlier and it would only display a black screen.  When I tried to go back to the home screen, the screen went totally dark and has not come back on again.  If I hold down the home button, I do hear Siri's voice sometimes, so it is still working.  I was able to do a full backup to my computer also, so at least I haven't lost any data.  Looks like I'll have to visit the Apple store again and get another new screen.  Sigh.  This is not how I wanted to start my weekend.

Google Forms - A Testimonial

Over a year ago, I set up a Google form to accept applications for a youth camp on behalf of a client.  The setup was fairly straightforward and it was quickly working well.

After the application process was completed for the year, my client gave me feedback that it worked well for them to have access to the results of the form in Google.  We've used it for two seasons and have had to do only minor tweaks for the annual dates, etc. to keep it current.

Next I'm going to create a new Google form to replace a PDF fillable form for that same client to accept the details on donated items.  Fillable PDFs are great if you use Outlook for email, but unfortunately it is not so easy to use for non-Outlook users or those who are not tech savvy.  Non-Outlook users have to fill out the form, and print or save it to a PDF file so that they can then send it as an email attachment in their email program manually.  Google forms will be much easier both for those completing the form and those receiving the information.  Stay tuned for the results of this project in the near future.

New Year, Clean Slate

Feeling like you'd like a fresh start with your technology in the new year?  Here are some clean up tips and other things to consider for your life with technology.

Clean up Your PC - download & use these tools
CCleaner - to clean out the junk on your PC
DeCrapifier - to remove bloatware that might have been pre-loaded on your PC
SyncToy - to create backups easily to/from your PC or any flash drive
DriverMax - to update all of the drivers on your PC

Some of these are totally free, some have a nominal charge beyond a trial period, but all of them are worth using periodically to maintain the performance of your PC.

Organize Your Digital Photos
Organize your folders for photos by year, month and event, such as 201412 Xmas, 201404 Spring, etc. so that you can easily find the images you need.  Don't leave all of your digital images on the memory card unless you're actively going to use that card to print them at the local WalMart or whatever.  You need to copy them onto a PC or into the cloud - it is WAY too easy to lose those tiny memory cards and without a backup somewhere, you are screwed!!

Back up Your PC
You can use an external hard drive or flash drive, depending on the amount of data you have.  Tools like SyncToy or Ghost can create backups of selected files or of your entire computer.  It's definitely a good idea to have an image copy of your entire PC, just in case your hard drive dies completely.  Be sure to include backups of your photos, which may require a large amount of space.  You should store your backup drive in a safe place away from your PC if possible.  Ideally, keep it  in a fireproof safe in a different room of your house, so then you're likely to actually be able to recover from a fire or flood.  If you keep your backup and your PC together all of the time, you greatly increase the chances that if a catastrophic event occurs, you'll lose both.

Use a Password Manager
I can't stress it enough - you need to use different passwords on all of your most frequently visited websites, especially any that have your credit card details, your financial information or other sensitive personal information!  I know that is a LOT of passwords to remember, but password manager software is the key to keeping your sanity.  I recommend RoboForm, which is low cost, easy to use and has several useful features.

Turn on Your Router's WPA2 Password
Keep the bad guys out of your wifi network so they can't steal your data or your bandwidth.  Check your router's documentation to find out how to login to the admin function and set this up, and do it now.

Use Firewall and Virus Protection
Everyone should already know about these, but I would be remiss not to include them.  If you don't already use both a firewall and a virus protection software package, get them and start using them right away.  You are just asking for your identity to be stolen or for your PC to be compromised without these tools.

Transition to new iPhone

In the end, I liked the larger size of the iPhone 6 better, so that's what I now have to replace my three year old 4s.

The transition from the 4s to the 6 was actually pretty easy.  I normally back up to the cloud only, but in preparation to switch to the new phone, I synced with iTunes, downloaded all of my purchases and then did a full backup to my computer.  Then I unplugged the 4s, plugged in the 6, and restored it from the backup.

To my amazement, it worked and all of my apps, data, etc. were loaded flawlessly.  I had to enter passwords on a couple of apps the first time that I used them (like my gmail), but other than that I didn't have to do any other setup.

My son is now using the 4s as an iPod essentially, since it does everything but make calls as long as it's connected to wifi.  In order to get the iMessage (text) function to work, I restored it to factory settings, then set it up as a new device using his apple ID.  Then we synced it using iTunes to get all of the apps he wanted (he's already got other apple devices).

It was a surprisingly pain-free transition, so I was very happy with it.  So far I'm also very happy with the phone itself.  It is much slimmer and larger than my 4s, so it feels very different in my hand.  The screen gives me a really beautiful image, very crisp and bright.  The battery life is ok so far and it's pretty comparable to when my 4s was new.  Of course I've been using it a lot more than normal, so we'll see how it does over the next few months.

Now that I've successfully done this transition, I'll know exactly what to do to prepare for my son's first fully functional phone in the future.  At some point he'll get a phone, so at least I know I can backup what he's got on the 4s and restore it to a new device (I'm assuming he'll get an apple since he loves mine so much).