Triona's Tech Tips

When we talk about “the cloud,” we simply mean the Internet. It’s a new name for something we’ve been doing for a long time: using the Internet to store and exchange data. Cloud computing, however, takes this concept to a new level. Pair that with the prevalence of Internet threats and you really have to start taking a look at where your data is going.

Increased use of mobile devices only makes matters worse. Vendors are embracing the cloud as a simple way to synchronize between devices of differing manufacturers and models. What is easier for them is not necessarily better for you. I’ll use Apple’s iCloud as an example, although the problem is industry-wide.

Until now, the way to sync a mobile device to a computer was to connect the two with a cord – in the old days it was a serial cable, now it’s traditionally USB. Connect the cable, run your software, and you’re synced. But there are drawbacks to this method, especially when you have to sync more than one device, and it’s not always an intuitive process.

Enter iCloud, which promises to let you sync all your iDevices with ease. Apple’s web site proudly states, in classic Steve Jobs style:

“iCloud stores your music, photos, documents, and more and wirelessly pushes them to all your devices. Automatic, effortless, and seamless — it just works.”

Yes, but what does that mean, exactly?

Where once your data went through a simple cable from your mobile device to your computer, now it traverses miles of network and resides in one or more data centers. Syncing one contact between two devices sitting less than an inch from each other now involves millions of dollars in IT infrastructure. Creepy, when you think about it, and not very environmentally friendly either.

Consumers seem willing to make the trade-off, if mobile and cloud revenues are any indication. To be honest, I don’t think most people think about it. This complacency can easily lead to increased security risks. Imagine the stuff on your phone: contacts, calendars, all sorts of information you’d never trust to a complete stranger. But that’s exactly what you’re doing when you using cloud services to sync. New services like iCloud let you sync even more information. Pretty soon everything you do on an electronic device will be on the Internet.

Or has that already happened? I described my recent experience evaluating iPad RSS apps and my realization that the only decent products, not to mention all the award-winners, required the use of Google Reader. This means that you have to put all your feeds – the blogs and web sites you subscribe to – on the Internet. Never mind the free speech issues and Big Brother implications that the government could watch and/or censor what you’re reading, what if I don’t want to put my feeds in the cloud? They only need to reside in two places: my computer and my iPad.

But the apps with the features I wanted required Reader, so I held my nose and accepted the inevitable. That is becoming the only option if you want the functionality these products promise. A few – a very few – vendors include options that allow you the same functionality without using the cloud, but the process often feels like a kludge. They don’t want you to do it that way. They want you where it’s easy (and cheap) for them to deal with you and your data.

I’m in IT, so I’ve got computer security on the brain. The average person doesn’t and that concerns me. For most people technology is a black box that they hope, as Jobs said, “just works.” The cloud makes that easier, but at what cost? I think it’s important that we think about the implications of technology before diving headlong into its use.

In today’s Northwest Herald I talk about how mobile security is a growing threat to businesses and consumers alike. Here are additional resources that can help.

First, the basics: recommendations on security software. These are all reliable vendors in the security arena and have mobile products available for a variety of platforms.

• Kapersky Mobile Security
  http://usa.kaspersky.com/products-services/home-computer-security/mobile-security
• ESET Mobile Security
  http://www.eset.com/us/products/mobileantivirus.php/
• Webroot Mobile Security For Consumers
  http://www.webroot.com/En_US/consumer-products-mobile-security.html
• Intego VirusBarrier iOS (Apple iOS only)
  http://www.intego.com/virusbarrierios/
• Trend Micro Mobile Security (Android only)
  http://us.trendmicro.com/us/products/personal/mobile-security-for-android/

Next, I wanted to expand on what I said about using mobile technology to keep up with the latest threats. One of the best ways to do this is to subscribe to technology-related RSS feeds. I’ve talked about RSS before. It’s like getting regular headlines automatically updated to your computer or mobile device. There are a wide variety of RSS apps, but you’ll find most of them will require you to use either Google Reader or their own cloud-based technology to sync your feeds. And speaking of feeds, here are some to try.

• Triona’s Tech Tips RSS Feed
  • You can also subscribe via email by clicking here or sending a message to techtips-request@guidryconsulting.com, subject subscribe.
• Security Feeds For Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, and US-CERT. Note that these might change as this post ages.
  • http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/security/rss/bulletin
  • http://rss.lists.apple.com/security-announce.rss
  • http://blogs.adobe.com/psirt/feed/atom
  • http://www.us-cert.gov/channels/alerts.rdf
• Sophos Naked Security
  • http://feeds.feedburner.com/NakedSecurity

One last piece of advice. Go into the settings of your mobile device and turn off any sharing that you’re not using. Periodically monitor your privacy settings on mobile devices and online sites, because they won’t necessarily stay the way you set them (thanks a lot, Facebook).

I never thought I’d be nostalgic for the days when installing software meant stuffing disk after disk into a floppy drive. Today’s fast Internet installs make the old days look positively antiquated. I’m delighted with the convenience of being able to install a new game utility at a moment’s notice. And one thing I find that I miss about the old days is the ability to try software before I buy it.

Case in point: I recently evaluated RSS readers for iPad. Leaving aside my annoyance that almost all of them require Google Reader (what if I don’t want to put my feeds in the cloud?), it wasn’t possible to test the apps without buying them. I ended up buying a couple of apps that couldn’t do what I wanted, which is great for the developers (and Apple) but not so good for a budget-conscious citizen.

I don’t expect something for nothing. Developers put valuable time and skill into creating these programs and they should be compensated. But I don’t want to buy software I can’t use, either. Even if its only $0.99 (and most of these apps were in the $5-10 range), the cost adds up. Some developers offer “lite” versions which is great. I’d like to see more of that.

While I’m on the subject, developers need to create decent Web sites that describes their apps’ features in full detail. Check out the site for Reeder, which is an excellent RSS app, not that you’d know it from the site. There’s a whole lot of design without much substance. For pity’s sake, could we have a feature list, a support page, maybe even some frequently asked questions? There’s some information here, but not enough and it’s hard to find. You need to tell people at a glance what they’re getting for their $0.99 or $5 or $10, or whatever.

In other words, today’s developers could stand to grab some nostalgia from the old days, when software came in a box that told you everything you needed to know.

Since the 1980s I’ve been fixing computers that won’t start up, won’t print, or can’t find files. The Internet adds an extra level of complexity, but we’re still facing the same basic tech support problems.

1. Your computer won’t start up.
There are three possibilities: your computer isn’t getting any power, it can’t find the hard drive, or there’s something wrong with your system software. The latter is by far the most common, and may be the result of a virus, a program conflict, or just bad luck.

First, try powering your computer down. If it doesn’t start up, follow the prompts on the screen. But don’t expect your PC to work properly in Safe Mode, which is meant as a diagnostic tool only. Once you’re in you need to find what caused the error and fix it. Likely suspects are new programs or devices. Run your virus scanner not just once, but several times. If your startup failure is caused by a virus you may need a tool like Malwarebytes to get rid of it completely. Reboot several times to make sure things are working, and make an immediate backup (but don’t overwrite the old one in case you still need it).

2. You can’t print.
Once again, three possibilities: the printer has no power, it’s not connected to the computer, or there’s a software error. Let’s assume you’ve tried rebooting and you’ve checked the cables. If you’ve printed successfully in the past, then it’s probably a problem with the software or file. Try a different file as well as a different program. You can look up any error messages or misbehavior on the printer’s support site. As a last resort you can unplug your printer, remove its software, and reinstall according to manufacturer instructions.

3. Your data is missing.
The default directory for Windows XP files is My Documents. In Vista and Windows 7 it’s Documents, as it is for Mac users. But this is just the default location; files can be saved almost anywhere. If your file or folder isn’t where you expect, try searching for it by name or date.

What if all your data is gone? If your desktop also looks different, you may be logged in under the wrong account. Check under the Start menu in Windows or the Apple menu on a Mac to see your login name.

In the previous case the data was simply misplaced. What if it really is gone? The sooner you try to recover a file, the better your chances of success, although it’s far easier to recover from a backup. In truly grim situations you might have to send your drive to a data recovery service.

4. You can’t get on the Internet.
Sometimes it’s not your Internet connection, just one specific program. But if none of your Internet applications are working and a reboot doesn’t help, it’s time for some diagnostics.

First, check your cables and the lights on our router and/or DSL modem. As I explained in a previous article, you should familiarize yourself with what “normal” looks like for your setup so you know what “not normal” looks like. Power everything off and back on, wait a few moments, and try again.

If it’s a wireless problem you may be able to connect with a wire, and this is a good way to determine if it’s just the wireless or the whole network.

5. You can’t open an attachment.
This almost always means your computer doesn’t know which program to use. You should be able to open anything with a common file type: TXT, DOC, PDF, JPG. But you might receive an attachment created in a program you don’t have. One common example of this is receiving a DOCX file, the new Word format that replaced DOC. If you can’t open DOCX files you either need a plug-in for your word processing program (typically free to download) or the person who created the file needs to resave as DOC.

Once you get the hang of common tech support problems, they waste less of your time.

Well, I didn’t exactly grow up with him, but I did see him every day — his picture on the computer magazines on my shelf, and his company logo on the very first computer I ever owned. He was a geeky kid among the rest of us geeky kids. He loved computers and he wanted everyone else to love computers, too.

Which may seem odd to today’s Internet generation, but back in the 1980s it wasn’t cool to be a nerd. Steve helped change that not only by being enthusiastic about computers, but by making them easy for everyone to use. That may seem obvious now but at the time it was revolutionary.

Of the original Apple pair, Steve Wozniak was more of a nerd’s nerd. He loved the technology for its own sake. Steve Jobs saw the business potential. That man could sell you dirty dishwater and make you think it was champagne. I guess we should all be glad he wasn’t a used-car salesman. But he wasn’t one to sell you junk. An Apple computer, to use their marketing phrase, “just works”. And that made us love him all the more.

I doubt I’d be where I am today without Steve Jobs. Not only did he have an enormous influence on my career as an IT professional, but he also demonstrated the joys (and pitfalls) of entrepreneurship. When it came time for me to consider starting my own business, I was inspired by his example. He believed that work and play don’t have to be mutually exclusive, and that the best job in the world is the one you love.

I’m not worried about what’s going to happen to Apple without Steve Jobs. His spirit infuses the company he created, and his philosophy will continue to drive the business. Of course there will be changes, but Steve himself was never one to sit still. He would be the first to tell us all to keep innovating.

Steve Jobs taught me that you can keep your nerdiness while still being a savvy businessperson. But I think his most important lesson was that you can live your dreams and inspire others to do the same.

(I’ll be sharing some of my thoughts on Steve Jobs’ passing soon. In the meantime here’s my latest article from The Northwest Herald.)

Computer glitches have a tendency to build up until you’re ready to toss your machine in the trash, but fixing small problems can prevent larger ones later on…

One of the things I mention in the article is taking control of your startup programs, all those little icons that show up in the lower right corner (Windows) or upper right corner (Mac). Some of these are vital, like your antivirus, but others can be removed in order to free up memory and reduce program conflicts.

You can disable these one by one, but how about an easier way? Windows XP users can use msconfig by going to Start, Run and typing “msconfig” (without quotes). Microsoft has some additional advice for Windows 7 users here. You can also use the free Microsoft utility AutoRuns which works on Windows XP and up.

Mac users will find startup programs in System Preferences, Accounts, Login Items. You can also manipulate login items via Terminal, but I don’t advise you to do that unless you’re familiar with UNIX because there’s potential to seriously screw up your machine.

I’m a big fan of programs running only when I need them, so I like a minimum of startup items. But you want to make sure you’re not disabling too much. Obviously your antivirus has to stay. Program updaters also need to stay because it’s the best way for you to keep your computer patched and secure. Before disabling a program, write down its name so you remember what it was in case you need to re-enable it later.

Yesterday’s big Apple event fizzled with the news that the much-rumored iPhone 5 is actually the iPhone 4S. I was interviewed by the Northwest Herald about whether this was a mistake for Apple.

“I think there was a lot of expectation – anybody’s in a difficult situation to follow Steve – but I think it was pretty lackluster,” said Triona Guidry, a freelance technology writer and owner of Guidry Consulting in Cary. “In my head, I was trying to compare it to the season finale of a TV series* – every season finale has to be bigger and bigger until it gets to the point that you can’t do it anymore.”

“For whatever reason, they decided not to do an iPhone 5, and the initial reaction is that’s a big mistake,” Guidry said. “As one person said, they could have quite easily put it in a different shiny case, and none of us would be the wiser. But that’s not what they decided to do.”

What struck me most about Apple’s unannouncement was how bummed everyone was. It’s hard for Apple to keep topping last year’s Biggest Event Ever, but you can’t alienate the masses, either. By failing to deliver (or to manage expectations ahead of time) Apple has lost ground. With no boost from iPhone 5 sales it may be a bitter holiday season, especially with the Amazon Kindle Fire on the iPad’s heels.

If, at their next event, Apple can pull off something so crazy-stupid-awesome we all forget about what happened yesterday, they might regain some of the ground they’ve lost. But I don’t think this is necessarily indicative of Apple without Steve Jobs. As I said to the Northwest Herald:

“The question is why they would do it that way, especially with so much expectation on this,” she said. “But then again, Apple’s smart. Maybe there’s something behind the scenes going on that we don’t know about. That’s the only thing that’s going to turn this around for them.”

Apple does make mistakes** but I’ve learned not to underestimate them. For all we know they did this simply so they can sit back and chuckle while the rumor mill REALLY goes into overdrive.

* Like whether a second Big Bang tops a bomb that will destroy all of reality. I won’t even get into what happened this season.

** Let’s hear it for the Newton, the Lisa, the Mac IIvx, and all of Apple’s less-beloved products.

If you’re worried about your kids’ Internet safety, you’re not alone. The rapid pace of tech innovation often leaves parents feeling lost, but the latest parental control software gives you the ability to keep up with the trends.

One of my current favorites is a freebie from an old friend. Symantec’s Norton Online Family lets you protect all the computers in your house from one convenient web-based control panel. What’s nice about Norton Online Family is that it works with both PC and Mac. First, set up your initial account on the Online Family web site, then add accounts for each child based on age. You’ll receive emails notifying you of any blocked sites or unwanted activity, and as the parental administrator you can permit or deny sites as you prefer. The default settings work great for blocking popups and ads on the sites your kids visit. And did I mention, it’s free?

There are some other freebies available to you if you have Windows 7 or Mac OS X Snow Leopard or Lion. The latest versions of these systems include improved parental control features.

I’m often asked if kids can get past parental controls. Of course they can, if they try hard enough. Using your computer’s built-in features offers resistance to “accidental” attempts to disarm the safeties, but I think a better deterrent is good old-fashioned communication. Even using the term “parental control software” can put your teen into a combative stance. Instead, call it what it is: part of your Internet safety arsenal. There are good reasons to protect kids’ computers that have nothing to do with parental trust. Stuff you don’t want will appear on even the most innocuous sites, or the sites themselves can be redirected somewhere unsavory. With parental control software you have an added level of protection on top of your antivirus software.

In my column in today’s Northwest Herald I talk about the risks of using older systems like Windows XP:

Now, think about poor Windows XP. Itʼs 10 years old, so the criminals have had ample opportunity to discover and exploit its weaknesses. Antivirus programs arenʼt as effective as their counterparts for Windows Vista and 7 because Windows XP canʼt run the newer features.

Vital new versions of programs such as Internet Explorer arenʼt available for Windows XP, and to make matters worse, just having the old version of the program on your computer renders you even more vulnerable to viruses.

Yet weʼre using this ancient, bug-riddled system to share all sorts of personal information. Itʼs like leaving your brand-new iPhone on the seat of a beat-up car with broken locks. The forced upgrade cycle is true for any computer system, including Macs, tablets, smart phones and other devices. Technological advances result in new security risks, which in turn result in eventual obsolescence.

When you don’t plan your computer expenses, you end up buying whatever’s on the shelf and paying more than you might have otherwise. Usually it’s because your existing computer has crashed and you’re in a crisis, which is not the best time to be making decisions about big expenditures. What if you watched the sales, waiting for the right computer at the right price? What if you planned your computer upgrade instead of having it forced on you when you least expect it? We all get into firefighting mode when it comes to our computers and sometimes it doesn’t occur to us that there might be an easier, less stressful way.

I think the best time to do an upgrade is during your least busy season. If it’s a big upgrade you might even want to consider telling your customers your office is closed for a short time. It’s far easier to focus on your computer infrastructure if you’re not fielding calls, and the time saved in reduced computer problems will more than make up for any lost productivity.

If you’re a consumer, the most important message to take home is this: An old computer is a dangerous computer. Don’t let cybercriminals ruin your life by stealing your identity, and make it harder for them to hurt others by keeping your own computer protections in place.

There’s a dizzying array of e-readers available, but ultimately it boils down to three frontrunners: Amazon’s Kindle, Barnes and Noble’s Nook, and the Apple iPad. They’re all good choices depending on what you’re looking for.

But first you should know the difference between a tablet and an e-reader. Tablets like the iPad offer more than just e-books because they have apps which expand their functionality. But these features come at a price: tablets are usually more expensive than e-readers like the Kindle or the Nook.

Reading books electronically is simple. You buy your books online and download them to your device. You flip pages by swiping your fingers, and you can create multiple bookmarks or make notes. You can buy just about any book in digital format. In fact, e-books are often less expensive than their paper counterparts. You can even get many free e-books online or via your local library, and you can switch your magazine and newspaper subscriptions to digital for additional cost savings.

In general, I recommend an iPad if you want maximum features, and a Kindle or a Nook if you are on a budget and primarily interested in pure reading. While other tablets exist, the iPad is by far the most popular. Not only can you read books but, thanks to the App Store, you can perform all manner of light computing tasks (and, yes, play games). Apple’s iBooks is positioned to become to books what iTunes is to music. If you want the best in newspaper and magazine subscriptions, go with the iPad.

Amazon is the existing e-book giant. Their Kindle technology is well-regarded. They specialize in making e-reading an easy experience, and the quality of their electronic ink is second to none. Barnes and Noble’s Nook also gets high praise for the quality of its electronic ink. There’s the standard Nook and the Nook Color, which is a bit like a stripped down iPad. There are some apps available for it, whereas the basic Nook is only an e-reader. The Nook Color also supports video. However, reading newspapers and magazines on e-readers can be a disappointing experience compared to the richness of the iPad versions.

Does buying one device over the other tie you to that type of device forever? You’ll be buying your books through the service of whomever you choose, so bear that in mind. There are apps that allow you to read your Nook or Kindle books on your iPad, iPhone, or computer, which expands your options. And books in the standard ePub format can be read almost anywhere, as can PDFs.

I decided to go with a Nook Color for now, with a plan to buy an iPad 3 (or iPad 2 Plus or whatever they’re going to call it) when it becomes available. All in all, I’m enjoying the e-reader experience. I can carry around 3,200 pages worth of George R. R. Martin in my purse and not strain my shoulder. An unexpected benefit is that I no longer have to worry about having enough bookshelves… but I do have to watch my wallet, because the ability to buy books with the swipe of a finger is far too tempting.