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Health & Fitness

Everyday Tips from the ComputerMom – Summer Safety

Vacation travel, hot days at the beach, kids out of school looking for entertainment – summer brings its own challenges for your technology.

 

Vacation travel, hot days at the beach, kids out of school looking for entertainment – summer brings its own challenges for your technology.  Here’s a compilation of some of my best tips to keep your technology safe over the summer.

 

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Travel Safety

I cannot tell you how many clients I hear from who returned from a vacation only to find that their email accounts have been compromised.  Before you log in to any site on public Wi-Fi, check the web address in your browser.  If it shows “https”, the "s" is for secure, and you should be relatively safe.  If the web address starts with “http” think twice before typing your password, as that information is being transmitted to everybody on the network unencrypted.  If there is someone else on the network looking to collect passwords, you’ve just given your credentials away!

One solution is to bring your own secure internet connection with you, either a cell phone with a data plan that you can tether to your laptop, or your own personal Wi-Fi hotspot.  Here’s a link to a low cost Wi-Fi hotspot that might be a good option.

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I always nag my clients to install all of their operating system, Java, and Adobe updates.  Apparently criminals also know this and are trying to exploit the need to update software.  The FBI recently published an alert about malicious software masquerading as normal updates when connecting to hotel Wi-Fi.  If you are planning to head off on a trip, especially an international one, check for all your important software updates before you leave home!

 

Sun, Sand and Surf

It sounds obvious, but don’t leave delicate electronics in hot cars for long periods of time, especially in direct sunlight. You'd be amazed at how much damage the sun can do to plastic.  So take that iPhone off the dashboard!

More and more beachgoers are reading books on a Kindle or Nook, keeping up to date on an iPad or other tablet, or tossing cell phones or iPods into the beach bag. Sand and water can wreak havoc on electronics, so here are some ideas to keep your gadgets safe at the beach - or handle the problems if you don't!

 

Heat and Dust

I don't care how clean your house is, your computer is full of dust, and it's killing the poor thing, especially in the summer heat.  You would be positively appalled if you knew what I see when I open up a computer, so get proactive right now!

Here's what you need to do. March down to Staples or OfficeMax and pick up a can of compressed air. Choose a nice bright sunny day, disconnect your computer, take it outside and open up the case. Don't be scared, that part is easier than you think, there are just a couple of screws or a push button latch, you can do it! After you get the case open, spray the inside with compressed air until the dust stops flying.

Laptops are more problematic as it's not nearly as easy to get into the case. Make sure you unplug your laptop and remove the battery first. If your system has a removable bottom take that off, otherwise just blow compressed air through all the vents. You can damage the fan by forcing it to spin too fast, so hold the blades in place temporarily with a paper clip or toothpick to stop the fan from spinning while you are blowing the dust out. Your computer will thank you!

 

Kids and Computers

I could write a whole book about this topic, but one of the simplest things you can do to guide your kids to safe sites is to install a little program called Web of Trust.  WOT is an Internet security add-on for your browser that provides community based advisories about whether or not a website is trustworthy.  WOT keeps you and your kids safe by steering you away from potentially risky websites.  Make sure to install WOT in each browser you use – Firefox, Internet Explorer, Chrome – and teach your kids to check for the little green, yellow, or red lights near the top of the browser or next to links before going to a site. 

Here’s to a safe and enjoyable summer!

 

Julie Marto, the ComputerMom, has been providing friendly and personal computer support and training in Medfield and neighboring communities for over 16 years.  For more information visit www.thecomputermom.com

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