Week 11
4/15: How do I?
Recording
Miss the class? Want to review? Here is our Tuesday class recording.
Quick LInks
https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/9191959460?pwd=OXh0RE9ZTVZTWElTMUQ0ZzAxQzExdz09.
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Introduction: How do I?
There are some many things that confuse us about technology. This week, we will look at four things which may qualify as things that confuse us. We will discuss the problem and then some steps to remember to keep your devices and yourself safe and efficient.
This week, we will discuss:
· Smartphone hygiene: How to keep your phone or mobile device clean
· Charging your phone: The most up to date advice for charging your mobile devices
· Clearing your apps: Should you close them right away? Never close them? We will discuss this.
· Password managers: What are they? What are some options? Why use them?
Smartphone hygiene
Why should we worry about a clean phone?
During COVID, we cleaned everything. Do we need to continue to worry about this? Yes! Here are some reasons why you want a clean phone:
Bacteria and Germs: Smartphones are breeding grounds for bacteria and germs because we take them everywhere with us — restrooms, gyms, public transport, etc. Studies have shown that smartphones can carry more bacteria than a toilet seat. Regular cleaning can minimize the risk of spreading germs.
Skin Health: Regular contact with a dirty phone can lead to skin issues like acne and breakouts, especially when the phone is pressed against your face during calls. Dirt and oil from the screen can clog pores over time.
Improved Functionality: Dirt, dust, and debris can accumulate in the ports, buttons, and speaker areas, potentially impairing functionality. Regular cleaning can prevent such build-ups, ensuring that your device operates smoothly.
Screen Clarity: Smudges and fingerprints can make your screen difficult to read, especially outdoors. Keeping the screen clean helps maintain clarity and visibility, reducing eye strain.
Longevity of the Device: Proper maintenance, including regular cleaning, can extend the lifespan of your smartphone by preventing damage and wear from accumulated dirt and debris.
Keeping your phone clean:
As we have just learned, cleaning your smartphone is more than just a matter of keeping it looking good; it's a crucial aspect of maintaining your device's functionality and your own health. Many experts recommend daily cleaning. This is a simple process with little or no special tools. Here is how to clean your smartphone (or tablet)
1. Unplug your device before cleaning
2. Remove the case (if you have one)
3. Either a lint-free cloth slightly dampened with water (not paper towels or abrasive cloths)
4. You can use disinfecting wipes designed for smartphone and mobile devices, or you can make your own (instructions below)
5. Gently wipe without too much pressure
6. Do not spray on phone and keep liquids away from connection points
7. Clean the case with same disinfectant wipes or isopropyl alcohol solution
8. Dry your phone with a dry part of the cloth
9. Occasionally sanitize your phone charger
Examples of disinfecting wipes for mobile devices:
How to make your own disinfectant solution
NOTE: It is important to use the right proportions and ingredients to avoid damaging your device. Here's how to make a safe and effective cleaning solution:
Ingredients: Isopropyl Alcohol (70% concentration or less): This is a disinfectant that can kill bacteria and viruses. Higher concentrations may be too harsh for the phone's coatings. Distilled Water: Use distilled water to avoid the minerals found in tap water, which can leave residue or potentially damage the device.
Instructions: Mix the Solution by combining equal parts of isopropyl alcohol (70% concentration or less) and distilled water in a small spray bottle. For example, mix 50ml of isopropyl alcohol with 50ml of distilled water. Close the bottle and shake it gently.
The charging port needs to be kept clean as well!
The charging port can accumulate lint, dust, and other debris, potentially leading to charging issues. However, when cleaning, it is important to avoid damaging sensitive internal components. Using a toothpick or paper clip is not generally recommended because they can be too harsh and conduct electricity, posing a risk of damaging the port or short-circuiting the device. Instead, try these options:
Use Compressed Air: A can of compressed air can blow out debris without physical contact. It's a safe way to clear out dust and lint.
Anti-static Brush or a Dry, Soft Toothbrush: If compressed air isn't enough, gently use an anti-static brush or a clean, dry, soft-bristled toothbrush to carefully remove debris.
Non-conductive Tools: If you must use an object to pick out debris, ensure it's made of a non-conductive material, such as a plastic toothpick or a SIM eject tool, applying very gentle pressure to avoid damaging internal components.
What are the recommendations for charging my phone?
Our phone use lithium-ion batteries which have a finite number of charge cycles. Because of that, there are recommendations based on the latest technology. They include:
1. The software on your phone that manages battery health. You may have something called “optimized battery charging”. These features learn your charging patterns and will wait to finish charging past 80% until you need to use your phone. This will make it OK to leave it plugged in all night.
2. Avoid 0% to 100% charging cycles: These batteries are best when maintained between 20% and 80%. So try to avoid getting it to 0% charge before plugging it in, and instead plug it in when it is around 20%. And then, when charging, try to unplug it around 80%.
3. Avoid heat: Heat is an enemy of the battery. If you charge your phone in a case, or a warm environment or are using it while charging, it can heat up and potentially degrade the battery. If you see that it is getting warm while charging overnight, you might want to reconsider your charging habits
4. Use high quality chargers: Yes, they do make a difference. Use the charger that came with your device or spend a little more on a high-quality third-party charger that makes sure that the phone is getting the correct amount of power and will be less likely to have issues affecting battery life.
5. Most modern smartphones are designed to retain up to 80% of the original battery capacity for a number of charging cycles (around 500 to 1000 cycles). This gives us about two years of use before degradation. You can check your current battery capacity in settings. (Look for battery health)
6. Check with your manufacturer for additional advice.
Replacing your smartphone's charger:
Although you do not necessarily need to use the same charger that came with your device (there is one exception which we will discuss) it is important that they are compatible to your phone. Here are some things to consider:
Type of charger: This can be either USB Type C (the newer type), MicroUSB cables (older Android phones), or Lightning (older iPhones)
Fast charging or not: Some devices have fast charging options. In this case, you would want to find an Adaptive Fast charger.
Type of port: Not only is there the port on your phone, there is also the port that is providing the power. In the past, it was mainly USB-A. However, with the newer USB-C devices, you may also find that it has a USB-C port to plug in. So, your charger needs to allow for a USB-C port.
The charger: As long as you are using the right cable or wireless standard (which is pretty easy to tell), you can use about any charger with your phone. However, avoid cheap, no brand chargers, or chargers that have been sitting around for years. For maximum fast charging, you would use the charger made by your manufacturer.
Wireless charging: Since most use the same standard, they should work with just about any phone. Different phones might charge at different speeds if the dock and handset weren't specifically designed for that device.
Exception: Apple's new MagSafe charging standard (iPhone 12 and up) uses magnets to hold it in place, which is not recommended for other phones. Apple also tells us that the officia MagSafe charger is capable of interferring with magnetic strips and chips on credit cards, security badgets, passports and key fobs, so you should be aware of that.
Clearing your apps
Clearing your apps on your smartphone involves going to the recent apps list and swiping. On an Android this can be done in one step. With the iPhone, it requires clearing each app individually (maybe they will improve this sometime). At any rate, the answer to this question is unclear. It depends on certain circumstances including the type of phone, the apps, data impact and more. Here is the general consensus on clearing your apps.
For most, it is not necessary to regularly clear apps. Both Android and iOS handle background processes in a way that minimizes the performance and battery life. In fact, the operating systems are optimized to quickly switch between apps without fully reloading them which can actually save battery life compared to closing and reopening apps frequently.
In addition, both Android and iOS have memory management systems which manage the apps running in the backgrounds. These systems prioritize memory for the apps you are currently using and put background apps into a suspended state where they use minimal resources.
There are exceptions where it might be beneficial to close an app:
Misbehaving apps: If the app is freezing, malfunctioning or using a lot of background data, closing it will stop these issues
Resource hogging apps: Apps that use a lot of battery or data in the background might be worth closing when not in use. Social media apps are an example of apps that hog your resources, such as Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and TikTok. They demand more memory, CPU cycles, storage space and data. Other resource hogging apps include Map navigation apps, smartphone games, Google photos and Spotify.
Security or privacy: If the app handles sensitive information, you might close it to make sure it is not running in the background.
Apps on your phone
What is a CPU cycle?
A CPU cycle is one that performs one basic action. For example, when you tap on an app to open there are four things that happen which make up this cycle:
Fetch: The CPU opens the app from the smartphone's memory)
Decode: The CPU follows the instruction, which is basically to "open this app"
Execute: The CPU performs the actions needed to start the app, such as loading it into memory
Write back: The CPU updates the system status to show the app is running
The impact of a CPU cycle:
Battery: The more intensive the task, the more CPU cycles are required. Faster or more frequent CPU cycles mean higher battery consumption. Your phone is designed for efficiency, which means that it may adjust the speed and frequency of the cycles. The phone slows it down to save the battery, speeding it up when more power is needed.
Data: Although the cycles do not directly affect data, the tasks may involve higher data usage, such as streaming a video or downloading large files. However, in the background, smartphones may periodically check for updates, sync data or perform other network activities. This affects the CPU cycles of your phone, and can use data.
There are also reasons why you might not want to clear your apps too frequently. They include:
· Battery saving: Frequently clearing the apps does not significantly save battery life. However, in cases where the app needs to be reloaded frequently from scratch, it may require more battery
· App slowdown: Constantly clearing apps may lead to slower app startup times because the phone has to reload app data instead of resuming from a suspended state
· Potential data loss: Some apps may not save your progress if they are not properly closed, leading to lost data.
Best practices with apps:
· Trust your operating system. Both Android and iOS are efficient at managing background processes.
· Update regularly: Make sure that apps and the operating system are up-to-date. Updates will often include optimizations for better app and battery performance
· Monitor battery usage: Use the battery usage tools in settings to identify apps that use a lot of battery and consider limiting the background activity of those apps (close them when not using). Look for battery use in settings to see how apps are using the battery.
Password Managers
A password manager is software that allows you to create, store and manage passwords for various online accounts. I have often discussed the importance of password managers, especially when we have so many that we are trying to learn, and often are asked to change them. A password manager has benefits to you:
• Security: With password managers, you can create complex passwords for each account without having to memorize them. This reduces the risk of potential breaches where you might have passwords used on various accounts.
• Convenience: You can install an app or use it as an extension of your browser, allowing you to auto-fill and auto-login to certain sites
• Peace of mind: Nothing is more frustrating than forgetting a password! With password managers, you have a constant list of all passwords, and a central place to find them.
• Password “hygiene”: With password managers, you can have better and more complex passwords and can also easily update them. Also, the program will spot any passwords which are reused or even those which may have been breached. Although you cannot change the password on the password manager, you can get one-click access to the site so that you can change it there.
Dashlane
Password managers have some common features:
· Password storage for any and all accounts
· Password generation: Let the manager create that really long password. It will be remembered so you won’t have to!
· Autofill: They will automatically fill in your username and password (as long as you are connected to the manager).
· Security: Password managers use encryption to protect your password “vault”. You only need to know the master password, which will decrypt the vault.
· Two-factor Authentication (2FA): Most offer 2FA to add an extra level of security.
Setting up a password manager (may vary among different password managers)
1. Choose the password manager you want. There are many options, with different prices and different levels. For example, you can get a password manager at no cost, but it may be limited to one account. Some of them may limit the data they store. If you pay a little, you can use the same password manager on all of your devices.
2. Create your account. Once you decide the manager, download the application, or visit the website to create your account. You will at this point create a master password. This is very important! Make sure that this is strong, unique, and memorable. You might have to memorize this, so keep that in mind. Do not put this master password into any program or file that others may see.
3. Install the browser extension or install the mobile app. This allows you to easily integrate the password manager and will allow features like autofill and auto-login.
4. Add passwords: There are several ways to add a password:
a. Manually: Enter the login details for each website directly into the password manager
b. Import: Many existing password manager programs allow you to import saved passwords from another account directly
c. Browser extension: Once you have set up the browser extension, you will be prompted when you visit a site which has not been saved to save the login to the vault.
5. Generate new passwords: This is a great time to look at those reused or easy to guess passwords. You can update them with the password generator. Save these changes on both the website and the password manager.
6. Enable Autofill and Auto-login: This will save time and ensure you are using the correct passwords.
7. Set up two-factor authentication (2FA): This will provide an additional layer of security. You can use your phone, email or an authenticator app.
8. Organize the vault: Use folders, tags or categories to organize your stored items. This makes it easier to find passwords.
9. Regularly review and update: Go to your password manager to review and update passwords, remove all accounts and make sure the login information is accurate. Most password managers also offer security audits to point out weak and reused passwords
10. Review the account: What do you do if you forget the master password? How can you securely save passwords? What additional tools does the manager offer (vault for important files, legacy contact so that someone else could access your passwords should something happen to you.)
Video: Why use a password manager?
Video: How to set up 1Password
Video: How to set up Bitwarden
Examples of password managers
iCloud Keychain:
If you are entirely Apple, you can use the built in Keychain, the password manager. This allows you to use passwords on all of the accounts. Make sure you are saving to the cloud.
Setting Up iCloud Keychain on iPhone: Make sure that you are using the most up to date iOS version, and that you have enabled two-factor authentication. Then:
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap your name (located at the top of the Settings menu).
3. Choose iCloud.
4. Scroll down and tap Passwords & Keychain.
5. Turn on iCloud Keychain.
6. You might be asked for your passcode or Apple ID password during this process.
Using iCloud Keychain: Once enabled, iCloud Keychain will autofill your information (such as Safari and app usernames, passwords, credit card details, and Wi-Fi passwords) on any device you approve. It will also allow you to share passwords and passkeys with trusted contacts.
To find your saved passwords and passkeys:
On your iPhone or iPad, go to Settings > Passwords
On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Passwords & Keychain.
Using Shared Password Groups (available in newer iOS and macOS versions):
These groups allow you to securely share passwords and passkeys with family members and trusted contacts.
You can set up shared password groups on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
Turning Off iCloud Keychain:
If you decide to turn off iCloud Keychain:
Your password, passkey, and credit card information will be stored locally on your device.
An encrypted copy of your Keychain data remains on iCloud servers.
When you turn iCloud Keychain back on, your passwords and passkeys will sync to your device again.
Important safety note: iCloud Keychain protects your information with end-to-end encryption, ensuring the highest level of data security.
Browser password managers:
Some web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) have built in password managers. These will remember passwords used on their browser. They provide a decent level of security and convenience, but may not be as effective and safe as password managers. Here are some considerations:
· Your browser password manager will encrypt your passwords with your account password. So if you forget your account password, you cannot access the stored passwords. Also, the encryption strength and model may vary among browsers.
· There is no master password. Instead it relies on your account password. If that password is compromised, your saved passwords would be as well.
· Browsers are a major target for hackers, and any security flaw can put these passwords at risk. Your browser provides updates regularly that should help with this; make sure and update the browser whenever it suggests that.
· Syncing across devices: You can sync your passwords across devices if you are signed into the same account. But remember it needs to be the same browser. So if you use Chrome on your computer and Edge on your phone, you will not be able to access them.
· Browsers may not also have the same level of backup and recovery that passwords managers have. If you lose access to your account, recovering saved passwords may be challenging.
· Browser password managers may also lack the features of a password manager such as password sharing, two-factor authentication support and security auditing.
Video: What about using the browser?
Video: More pros and cons on storing passwords on browsers. Similar to the video above, but offers even more reasons why not to use browser password managers.
Video: How to set up your Google Password Manager.
Third party password managers:
Choosing a password manager can be challenging, especially when your technical skills are not great. Still, it is very important and worth the time and effort you put into it. Unless you are only Apple (in which case, iCloud Keychain is probably your best bet), a third party password manager is preferable to a web browser one. Although not everyone agrees on the best one, here are some of them that seem to be recommended on several websites.
Bit Warden: https://bitwarden.com/
Free for one user with unlimited devices or $40/year for family use
1Password: https://1password.com/
$36/year
Dashlane: https://www.dashlane.com/
$60/year with more features
NordPass: https://nordpass.com/
Free or $71/year with premium services
What about LastPass? Unfortunately, it is no longer recommended. Free is limited to one device and it has experienced more security breaches than any of the other managers mentioned here. If you are just getting started, it would be best to use one of the other password managers.