It might seem grim to think about it, but what happens with your iPhone if you die? Have you considered that maybe your spouse or family members might want access to your pictures and text messages on your phone for their memories or to see what happened to you last? While it’s not something we think about often, it’s a good idea to discuss this topic with your family members- especially older parents- so that it’s easier if and when this comes up later down the road.
Starting in iOS 15.2, you can set up a Legacy Contact for Apple devices, which makes it easy to decide what happens to your data when you die. Lifehacker.com recently reviewed this process and showed us how easy it is to set this up- and it’s a great thing to set up now in advance: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-pass-on-your-iphone-data-after-you-die-1848213939
While you’re at it, also consider setting up an Emergency Contact on your phone. This sets up who is notified if you are hurt or in an accident, and is a great resource for first responders and medical professionals that need to get ahold of your family. That is set by going to Settings –> Emergency SOS –> and Emergency Contact (or in Settings –> Health –> Medical ID). It’s also a good idea to add health conditions like allergies or chronic health conditions to this record that might affect emergency care you would receive.
While you might not be there to thank me for this timely reminder to set this up….but your family or next-of-kin will be quite thankful!
We’ve had some questions on that “Momo Challenge”, and if we think it’s a real threat. What is it? News stories are making the rounds of kids YouTube videos having hidden clips 1/2 way through the videos suggesting kids to hurt themselves or others, with ‘Momo’, a scary doll, scaring them into doing it. Personally, the image of ‘Momo’ is scary enough (it’s a bust from a horror movie sculptor, and its meant to catch your attention…which is exactly what it does!)
So, what’s the verdict? Spoiler alert…it’s both! YouTube, and Kids YouTube have never been something you should let your kid have free reign of- period. There are probably some rare instances where YouTube videos were hacked and ‘spliced’ with suggestive content, but it’s very few and far between, and now erroneous news stories are glamorizing it. All this extra attention makes the media- and kids- want to google “What is Momo”, and try to find these videos themselves…which is exacerbating the problem. This is nothing “new”; this is actually a few years old, but it’s gaining popularity now because it’s being shared on social media and people are spreading news articles about it without considering the source or accuracy.
Bottom line: If you’re going to let your young kids watch YouTube, watch it with them and subscribe to trusted channels where you have vetted the source and approved it. Also, be cautious about what you share online, and try to verify accuracy or research before sharing a post with others. No technology use should be unattended- whether the app is “designed for kids” or not.
Many of you know I recently took a trip overseas to Italy…and while I didn’t want to think about it, the possibility of losing my phone or getting it stolen was a real threat. Not only would the inconvenience and expense be huge while on vacation, but it would be a HUGE security breach if my phone were to end up in the wrong hands. The fact is it’s more damaging to lose our iPhone than to have our wallet stolen (think about that for a moment….because it’s very true!). I talked about the threats of passwords that were “socially engineered” before, and just how much damage it can do if someone gets ahold of all of your online accounts (get a refresher on what this is here: https://www.webroot.com/us/en/resources/tips-articles/what-is-social-engineering). Fortunately, there are some great preventative steps you can- and should- take now before you get your phone stolen, you lose it, or it stops and you need to upgrade.
Turn on Find My iPhone: Open Settings, click on your name, select “iCloud”, click “Find My iPhone”, and make sure it’s on (the button is green). If you lose your phone, you can go to any computer or other iPhone, go to iCloud.com and sign in with your AppleID username/password, and you can track where your phone is with a fairly accurate map. If the phone is lost, and you think it has the potential to fall into unknown hands, you should activate “Lost Mode” while on iCloud.com, to protect your data.
Ensure You Have a Backup: Likewise, making sure you have a good backup is key to prevent problems. Most of our clients use the nightly iCloud backup…when your phone is plugged in to power and charging for the night, and connected to wifi, it will automatically backup to iCloud if you have space (if you don’t….upgrade your iCloud.com storage space, it’s well worth the $2.99/month). However, just because you think this works, doesn’t mean it always is. Check it by opening Settings, click on your name, select “iCloud”, and click “iCloud Backup”. Make sure it’s turned on, and verify the date it last backed up. If you don’t have wifi, or don’t like backing up to “the cloud”, plug your phone into your computer, and manually sync it with iTunes every few weeks, or at least before you take a big trip.
Password Protect It!: We say it all of the time, get a good password. But this means multiple things. First of all, put an unlock code on the phone so that it requires a code, your fingerprint, or FaceID recognition to unlock the phone. Second of all, make sure you know your AppleID password, and it’s a good, strong password, and you don’t need to look it up anywhere to remember it. Your credit card is tied to your AppleID, as is your emails, and if someone can get into your AppleID account, they can do a lot of damage, so make sure that password is secure.
Two-Factor Authentication: We’ve talked about this in the past, but it’s also very important in the off-chance that your phone is lost or stolen. This will require two steps for anyone to gain access to your account…it will require them to know the password AND provide a txted or emailed code for verification. We STRONGLY recommend making sure this is set up, and that you add a spouse or trusted friend’s phone number to the list of “trusted phone numbers” so that if your phone is stolen, you can be in contact with this other person to verify your identity. Here’s how to set up two-factor authentication if you haven’t done it already: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204915
If you’ve seen this pop-up at the top of your gmail, you know it can get annoying and more prevalent as time goes on. Luckily, it’s fairly easy to understand what’s going on, and we have some great tips to share about how to fix it.
Much like every other online service nowadays, Google/Gmail has a unified box of space they give everyone, which is generally 15GB of space. This amount of space comes free with each google account created, and is shared between their multiple apps and programs (like Google Photos, Google Docs, and Gmail). For $1.99/month (or $19.99/year), you can upgrade your Google space to 100GB, so if you’re the type of person who doesn’t want the hassle of regular cleanup or maintenance, that’s the simple solution to the problem. For everyone else, keep reading.
When you get the notification that your Google account is out of space, you need to identify the culprit. The easiest way is to go to your Gmail inbox, and scroll down to the bottom of the page. At the lower left hand side of the screen, it will tell you how much space you’re using (and list it in red if you’re close to exceeding that space). Click on the ‘manage’ button below it, If you click on manage, it will show you where how much data you have stored between the different Google apps.
The easiest place to start cleanup is in Gmail. In the search box in on the gmail website, type “size:25000000” in the search box. This will search for all emails that are over 25mb in size. Start at the bottom of this list (or through previous pages to find the oldest ones), and delete any of these emails that you feel are no longer important to keep. Probably many are old junk videos and attachments you don’t even need anyway. If you feel you need to be a little more specific, you can further specify your search by saying “in:sent size:25000000”. This will identify any files that you have sent that are over 25mb in size. Again, scroll to the bottom of this list and delete the emails that you probably don’t need anymore. When you’re done, don’t forget to delete your Trash (and Spam) folders to clear out that space you just freed.
After you have done this, it should free up a significant amount of space (might need to refresh your inbox or give it a minute or two to update the change). If it doesn’t, look at what is in your Google Drive (maybe old presentations or files you no longer need are still associated with your account), or look at your Google Photos (have you set your phone to auto-backup, or joined someone else’s photo album which makes that count against your storage space?)
If I lost you back at the top of this email, don’t hesitate to reach out for more help. We don’t need anyone maxing out their space or paying a yearly reoccurring fee just because they don’t know how to manage their space. Visit us at www.canyonero.org for more information.
Yesterday, I got a call from a frantic woman who had no idea what to get for her nieces for stocking stuffers. Sure, little kids are always easy, but once they hit that pre-pubescent stage where ‘kid toys’ don’t cut it, it can sometimes be incredibly hard to find the perfect gift. I’ve been asked by several people to point out a few of my favorite tech stocking stuffers, and give people some ideas on great, practical items to round out their gift giving. Please be advised….these items mentioned below are ones I’ve actually bought, used, and recommend to others- which is really important (not ‘bought at a discount in exchange for a positive review’ or anything either). In this day and age, our Facebook and Google feeds are pushing products that the seller paid to endorse…and in many cases, those cheap products from foreign manufacturers get horrible reviews and probably don’t even work if they’re meant to work with electronic devices like cell phones or tablets, so it’s important to read credible reviews from people you know and trust before purchasing. Regardless, here are a few last minute gifts I strongly suggest picking up for those “special” people in your lives:
Dual USB Charger: The more devices we have, the more we need to plug in. Did you think they could ever perfect the small white little USB charger that plugs into the wall? They did….they gave it 2 USB ports, allowing you to charge two devices at once. It’s a necessity….right up there with food and water….(ok, but for some of us it is). This little friend from Aukey is wonderful….he actually helps charge your devices quicker, AND lets you charge two at a time through one slim plug. Grab a few….one for your laptop bag, one for that kitchen counter charging station, and anywhere else you want to eliminate clutter.
Longer & Stronger iPhone Cables: If you have a smartphone or tablet, you know how dirty or dingy and delicate those cables from the manufacturer can be. When I first saw people making reinforced braided iPhone cables, I quickly purchased them up, and to this date- and several brands later- I’m still using all of them. Do your friends and family a favor and gift them some braided smartphone cables. The key is to make sure they are Apple MFI Certified (quality parts that are verified to work with Apple products and not be counterfeit). Here’s the ones I like: Amazon Basics, Anker.
Bluetooth Speaker: I’ve had a little portable, bluetooth speaker since they first came out. Then, last year, I noticed it would no longer charge and was out of warranty because the internal parts broke. I searched high and low, tried several (and I mean TONS) of brand and non-brand name devices, and stumbled across this Anker SoundCore Sport XL. Sure, it’s portable, waterproof, and durable, but more importantly, it sounds really full- with a built-in subwoofer- and works like a charm. I couldn’t be happier with the purchase, and it comes with me on beach vacations and more.
Sleeping Headphones: I bought these Cozy Phones over the summer, and loved them so much, I just bought a pair for my daughter to use on car trips. They’re comfortable, fit like an ear warmer headband, and have little headphone speakers built inside so you can listen to music as you drift off to sleep. They’re well made, have a super-long cord, and make listening to sleep-inducing stories or meditations a breeze. Check out their adorable Kid ones, or the new Bluetooth ones!
Battery Packs: It’s inevitable….you’re running out the door, and you realize your phone or tablet has no charge. Prepare for such natural disasters by having a battery pack in your briefcase, car, or purse so you can quickly recharge on the go. They’re cheap, effective, and always a good backup plan to have. Like I mentioned above, steer clear of the super cheap models (from the Dollar Store or Five Below), as they tend to have an incredibly small battery, and might not even give a phone a whole charge. Purchasing a larger one can often times charge iPads or tablets as well, and require a recharge less often, but also take up more space, and cost more money. I have been a fan of these Anker ones (for those wanting a more battery life), and their slimmer model here to keep in my purse. Don’t attempt a day trip to a zoo, museum, or theme park without one!
Touchscreen Gloves: This might seem like a no-brainer, but this time of year, gloves are always nice. In the last few years, many gloves are coming out with ‘touchscreen fingertips’, or different fabric on the fingertip to make it so you can still use your smartphone. This is a novel idea, but I’ve noticed some work better than others. The neoprene-type gloves seem to work the best- because they’re slim fitting and have a good fabric on the pointer fingertips. Knitted or cotton options don’t work as well, and often take several tries, and I’m not a fan of those funky open fingertip gloves because your fingers still get cold and chapped. I have both the Isotoner gloves, and the Head gloves (which are at Costco), and found them both equally good.
Hopefully, I’ve given you a few ideas to help make the gift giving frenzy less stressful. I would LOVE to have you comment below about other tech gifts you have or think are a great gift for others!
Sadly, most of us have been there: you have either received a spam email from someone in your address book that they clearly didn’t intentionally send you, or worse, you realize your account has been compromised and has been sending these messages out to others. Sometimes its an obvious fake, but other times, the links or the email content can be deceiving and hard to tell if it’s really a legitimate email or not. If you’ve realized that your email address was sending spam out to others, or you accidentally clicked on a link someone sent you that you thought was valid, your first and immediate step is to CHANGE YOUR PASSWORD. Use a unique username/password combination that isn’t used at other sites for the most security, or set up two-factor authentication. Most times, simply changing your password will stop the problem, and if you have no other symptoms, no further virus checks on your machine or device are needed.
So with the thousands of emails we get daily, how do you help navigate through these emails to spot phishing/spamming emails? Here are some great tips to live by:
Verify The Sender: is it using a valid address from someone you know? Is the sent-to field blank or filled with names you don’t know?
Consider The Content: would this person really be sending you great deals on pharmaceuticals from Canada? Question if it seems valid before clicking on any links or downloading any files that are attached.
Check The Link: If there’s a link in the email, hover over the link with the mouse and make sure both what is written in the email (and the link address where it will actually take you) are the same and appear to be a valid http://www site. If you’re asked to log in somewhere by following a link (like a bank), never use that link, and go directly to the website itself.
Look At Spelling & Grammar: often times, spam will be riddled with poorly worded or spelled items, or weird characters in the email. This is often an indication that it wasn’t translated well, and should be an instant red flag.
Be Leery of “Urgency” or Attachments: common tactics to get your attention are alerting you to an “urgent overdue bill” or something that would make you click on the attachment. If it was really that urgent of a situation, the sender would probably have called versus sending an email.
Luckily, spam filters built into most of our email programs are getting better at hiding the millions of junk and spam email messages that are sent every day, but occasionally, new ones come through the cracks. Do your part to help the spread of this….if you receive a spam message from a friend, reply to the email, or call/txt them and have them change their email right away to stop the spread of spam and harm to others. Let’s live by this rule: the only kind of spam any of us want is the kind we can buy in a can!
