Free download lets users lock up computer's sensitive data – Arkansas Online
When I left my computer at a repair shop earlier this year, I never thought for a moment that they would snoop through my stuff.
Then I saw a report from the University of Guelph in Ontario, quoted by Malwarebytes.org. It showed that technicians from six of the 12 shops they investigated had delved into personal data. Two of them copied the user’s stuff to their own drives, including photos and financial information. Most of the shops also asked customers for their login password, even when they didn’t need it. But my local Gadgetworks never asked for mine.
To be on the safe side, however, I’m using VeraCrypt, a free download from Sourceforge.net, to encrypt any sensitive files. After installation, a beginner’s tutorial pops up. It guides you through the creation of a locked storage area, and shows you how to unlock it with a click.
BEST PHOTO SERVICE
Shutterfly is always advertising deals on photo printing, photo books, mugs, and gifts. But is it the best deal?
When I visited, the site was advertising huge savings. But somehow, my 30 page, 9-by-11-inch hardcover book ended up costing $88.84. The basic book was $14, but with all the extra features they convinced me I needed, such as “lay-flat pages,” the price zoomed. I didn’t even choose all the options I could have, like superior photo quality.
I’ve had a much better experience with Google Photos. After going to the site on my computer, I clicked “Print Store.” A soft cover seven-by-seven inch book cost me $20 for 28 pages. I know from experience the pages will lie flat and look beautiful. It was much quicker to create too. The hardcover, nine-inch version costs $38, still less than half the price of my Shutterfly order.
SMART BOXING GLOVES
I’m thinking of getting my nephews the “Dribble Up” smart boxing gloves for $50. They’re getting a lot of buzz in the lists of the best tech gifts for 2022, and they look fun. You don’t even need a punching bag. The gloves work with an app on your phone, giving you a few basic moves and analyzing your performance. If you want hundreds of boxing classes, both live and on-demand, there’s a $17-a-month membership. Dribble Up also sells a “Smart Strength Ball” for bodyweight exercises and a “Smart Basketball” for kids’ dribble practice.
ORIGAMI MOUSE
If you’ve ever wished you could fold up your computer mouse and put it in your pocket, here’s your chance. The “Air.O” origami mouse ships in March for $69.
The Air.O can go for three months on a full USB charge. If it gets low and you’re in a hurry, you can get three hours of battery life in just a minute of charging. In a single quick motion, it goes from flat to mouse shaped. It’s made of “vegan leather,” and has the usual left and right buttons, plus a scroll wheel.
GETTING HELP FROM APPLE
A reader said his Facebook Messenger texts wouldn’t load on one of his iPads. I suggested he call Apple tech support, but he said he couldn’t hear them even with his hearing aid. So I suggested captions.
To get them for yourself, go to “Settings,” then “Accessibility,” then “Subtitles and Captioning.” While you’re in the Accessibility section, you can also turn on “RTT/TTY.” It lets you see a phone conversation as text while it’s happening. On Android phones, “Live Caption” can be found by tapping “Settings,” then “Accessibility.”
Alternatively, Apple users can go to getsupport.apple.com/solutions. Click on a category, then choose a problem. If you don’t see one that fits, click any of them. From there you’ll get an option to “chat,” allowing you to text back and forth with one of the reps.
EASY PHOTO EDITING
I often get frustrated trying to edit a photo in Windows 10. For me, the best solution is online.
All I have to do is Google what I want to do and add the words “Adobe Express.” For example, I typed “crop Adobe Express.” Up popped their free cropping tool, no downloads necessary. Adobe, of course, is the parent company of Photoshop, so they know what they’re doing and will not spam you. They also offer free templates for creating unique Facebook and Instagram posts, as well as posters, menus, invitations, collages, logos and more. You don’t have to sign in with an Adobe account, but if you do, they’ll save your creations, making it easy to reuse them. But I find it easier to do a Google search every time, to bring up exactly what I want. Otherwise, I get lost in all their menus.
HIGH TECH TIMER
The “Ticktime Cube” is a $59 timer that sticks on your fridge. As you rotate it, you get a choice of different time periods, which start running as soon as you set it down. Press a button to add more time. It uses a mini-USB cable for charging, no batteries necessary.
Of course, $59 is a lot for a timer. I like the “6 Pack Small Digital Kitchen Timer,” $12.49 on Amazon. Like the Ticktime Cube, it’s magnetic, just stick it on your fridge. It works great in my stretching routine. I keep one set for 25 seconds, another for 40 seconds and the others for 60 seconds and beyond.
Joy Schwabach can be reached by email at joy.schwabach@gmail.com.
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