2021 August eBytes
Windows 10 and 11 move to the cloud with Microsoft's Windows 365 Cloud PC
Here’s How to Hide Your Browser Fingerprint
10 Things Every Parent With a Connected Kid Needs to Know
8 steps to cutting the cord in 2021
Slow PC? 3 common causes and how to fix them yourself
What's the Best iPad to Buy Right Now?
How to Remotely Troubleshoot Your Relative's Computer
19 Tricks to Master Google Photos
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Windows 10 and 11 move to the cloud with Microsoft's Windows 365 Cloud PC
Windows 365 takes the OS to the cloud for the hybrid work era, so businesses can stream the full Windows experience on personal or corporate devices.
From Mike Griffin - I came across this note about running Windows 10 and eventually 11 on an M1 Mac in a browser. https://macdailynews.com/2021/07/14/microsoft-announces-apple-silicon-compatible-browser-based-windows-365/
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Here’s How to Hide Your Browser Fingerprint
Browser fingerprinting is a sneaky way advertisers and others track you online. We explain how this surveillance technique works and what you can do to protect your privacy.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/you-tossed-your-cookies-but-theyre-still-tracking-you-heres-how-to-hide
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10 Things Every Parent With a Connected Kid Needs to Know
Parenting tech-savvy kids can be a tough task. We have some simple tips to help you guide your kids toward making good choices while they're online.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/things-every-parent-with-a-connected-kid-needs-to-know
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8 steps to cutting the cord in 2021
This is the year you finally switch to streaming. Here's what to do.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/home-entertainment/8-steps-to-cutting-the-cord-in-2021
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Slow PC? 3 common causes and how to fix them yourself
We'll walk you through how to fix a sluggish computer on your own.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/slow-pc-3-common-causes-and-how-to-fix-them-yourself
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What's the Best iPad to Buy Right Now?
Apple offers a bewildering number of tablets, but that means there's almost certainly one that fits your budget and your needs. Our tablet expert helps you make sense of all the iPad options and find the right one for you.
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/whats-the-best-ipad-to-buy
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How to Remotely Troubleshoot Your Relative's Computer
If you're the designated 'tech person' in your family or friend group, here's how to access a computer from afar, Mac or PC, to see what's going on.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/remotely-troubleshoot-your-relatives-computer
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19 Tricks to Master Google Photos
Unlimited photo storage may be gone, but Google Photos still has plenty to offer. Here's everything you need to know about Google's photo storage and editing service.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/tricks-to-master-google-photos
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Links - News, Tips, & Downloads
Freedom Phone: Why you should avoid it - It's basically a bunch of old hardware and unsubstantiated promises. Here's everything we know (very little) and don't (so much).
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/freedom-phone-why-you-avoid-what-to-know
Deal: Budget-friendly laptops under $500 now - These Chromebooks and laptops are still available to ship within the next 10 days.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/computing/best-laptop-under-500
Here's Why an Extended Warranty on Electronics Is a Waste of Money - Extended warranties are offered with most devices—smartphones, laptops, TVs, home appliances—but are they worth the money? Survey says: No. Here's how to protect your electronics without forking over extra cash.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/heres-why-an-extended-warranty-on-electronics-is-a-waste-of-money
10 Things to Know Before You Buy Refurbished Electronics - Buying a refurbished device can help you save money, but don’t go into it blind. These tips will help you get a deal and avoid being ripped off when buying refurbished laptops, TVs, phones, and other electronics.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/10-things-to-know-before-you-buy-refurbished-electronics
How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad - Is the storage full on your iOS device? Here's how to figure out what's taking up the most space on your iPhone and iPad so you can decide what to delete.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-free-up-space-on-your-iphone-or-ipad
10 Quick Tips to Fix Your Bad Photos - You don't have to be a professional to take top-notch photos. Follow these simple pointers to improve the quality of your snapshots.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/10-quick-tips-to-fix-your-bad-photos
Hidden Tricks Inside Windows 10 - Windows is a vast OS with plenty of well-hidden features. Make the most of Windows 10 with these expert tips.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/hidden-tricks-inside-windows-10
How to clear your iPhone cache in Safari, Chrome and Firefox - You should be clearing your iPhone cache on a regular basis. Here's how to do it in all your browsers.
https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/how-to-clear-cache-on-iphone
Google Drive tips and tricks: 9 features you might have missed - Learn Drive's secrets to get the most out of Google's cloud service.
How to Tune Up Your Windows 10 PC for Free - There are only three unavoidable things in life: death, taxes, and a Windows 10 PC that eventually runs slowly. Kick the operating system back into high gear with these useful tips that won't cost you a dime.
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-tune-up-your-windows-10-pc
Bitwarden review: The best free password manager for 2021 - The open-source champion that leaves no device hanging (looking at you, LastPass).
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Ask a Question - Send any Tips & Downloads, Ask a Question, For Sale, or articles to: TheMiningPCC@gmail.com
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Q. From a person on Nextdoor app - I'm confused about why you say that stucco is an issue for the USI fiber optics since it is installed inside the house. Back in the day, we struggled with USI when it was a square in the alley. Stucco and trees were a barrier then, but if the fiber comes through the wall, shouldn't the material of your exterior walls be irrelevant?
A. From Tom Kreuzer, a PCC Board member. Stucco uses metal mesh to hold the stucco. The metal mesh causes a Faraday cage that blocks and interferes with most signals like WiFi, TV, and cell phone inside and outside the house. The biggest problem is when a signal has to go through a wall like outside the house to a deck. If you position your WiFi router in a corner of the house the signal may have to go through an outside wall to get to a room if the router is not located in the center of the house. Even when it does not go though an outside wall the wire mesh will cause interference that affects the quality and strength of the WiFi signal. I recommend people use an app like “WiFi Analyzer” to try different locations for their router to get the best coverage. I live in a stucco house and have located my router in a closet near the center of my single story house up about 7 feet high. I also have WiFi cameras and plugs inside and outside the house.
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Q. From a PCC Member - All the sudden, my usual Chrome browser first page with my 8 favorite websites has been replaced by a woodsy picture with only a line to type in something. It's called Tab tag or something. Is there a way to get rid of it and get back to what I had before?
A. From Tom Kreuzer, a PCC Board member. Your startup page has been changed. You can change it to anything you want by clicking on the 3 vertical dots in Chrome in the top left, then click Settings/On Startup. Delete what is currently set and your page or multiple pages like I have below.
You may have gone to a site or loaded software that made the change in Chrome.
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Q. From a PCC Member – I don't know about you, but I always have much trouble connecting to a MS Teams meeting. Today for the Mac SIG I'm getting kicked off as soon as I join? With my ISP, I had to connect thru a VPN. Then, with Safari, I had to turn off cross-site tracking in Preferences.
Took me almost an hour to connect via my Mac. The trouble I reported comes after I finally connect to the server. But connecting to the server is difficult in the first place. I get the error, We can’t connect to the server at login.microsoftonline.com.
A. From Tom Kreuzer, a PCC Board member. Sorry you had trouble connecting today. You are the first person I have heard have trouble. I use Windows 10, MS Teams installed on my PC, and no VPN. I have always been able to connect to Jim's Team link and the Mac SIG with no issues. Not sure if Jim or Mike know of problems with Macs? Have you tried to load Teams or were you using the browser? Did you try a different browser like Chrome? In the past I do not recall you having any issues with Teams. We have used Teams the last year for all the General Meetings. Mike uses Zoom for the Mac and I use Skype for the Q&A meetings.
A. From Mike Griffin, Mac SIG leader. Since you are a retiree, you may have run into the Teams issue that I did. When at 3M, I used the Teams app on my iPad all the time. When I retired, I could no longer get into 3M’s network to get confirmed by the old Teams server (unbeknownst to me at the time). After retiring, In order to log in to some club or group meetings, I needed to set up a personal Teams account (which did NOT rely on a 3M designated server for verification). It may not be your particular issue, but worth a shot. Send me a direct note if you want more gory details.
From PCC Member. Thanks for your concern and suggestions. I can't recall what specific problems I've had with Teams in the past, just that I've always had problems with Teams meetings on my MacBook Pro. I do have a personal Microsoft account, but when I'm unable to connect to the server (either with Safari or Firefox), I can't log in (or download the Teams application). Since no one else has complained, my situation may be unique in that
- I employ privacy features/safeguards in the browsers I use (so that cross-site tracking had to be permitted in Safari before I could access the Teams website)
- my ISP may be throttling or blocking certain content, or their DNS servers may be overloaded (which could be why I needed to employ a VPN to connect)
I'm still trying to work out why both of these two browsers at times say they can't find the server they're directed to. (It's as if they can't resolve the name to an IP address.) And why (at least sometimes) I can connect while using a VPN. (BTW, for these purposes I'm using the free VPN Gate servers.) I suspect our ISP traffic-shaping, throttling or blocking, which I don't know how to prove, or DNS server overload.
Thanks again. I'll keep wrestling with my problems. But it's looking like I'll have to contact my ISP. (We'll see if they'll answer questions about throttling, etc.)