Microsoft Office is one of the most widely used office productivity suites in the world. It’s native file formats have become industry standards, (particularly the .docx format for documents and the .xlsx format for spreadsheets). And many users are quite happy with it. But there are also millions of people who continue to use Office […]
Nowadays, almost anything you attach to your computer is connected via a USB port. And next to printers, the items most frequently connected via a USB port are external drives – typically external hard drives (HDDs), external solid state drives (SSDs), or flash drives (sometimes called memory sticks or USB sticks). The “plug and play”
If your printer has given up the ghost, or just no longer prints well enough or fast enough for your needs, it may be time to buy a new one. But before heading out to the store there are a few troubleshooting ideas you should try that may bring it back to life. And if
Sooner or later it happens to everyone – you’re working away at the computer when suddenly it freezes, and no matter what key you press or what you click with the mouse there’s no response. Many users react by just pulling the plug and attempting to restart the machine, but doing that can cause other
If you’re a regular PC user, you’re probably aware that Microsoft regularly sends out Windows updates. Those updates add new features, fix bugs, and (most importantly) patch security vulnerabilities. On October 14, 2025, Windows 10 will reach its “End of Support” date, and its updates will permanently stop. Read on to find out exactly what
Wi-Fi hotspots are wireless services set up in coffee shops, airports and other public areas, enabling users to access the internet on their laptops, tablets and phones. Scammers sometimes use these hotspots in the commission of their crimes. Typically, they will set up their own “look alike” hotspot in the same area as an existing
Recently, I worked with a client to address several issues with his laptop. One of the issues was that he was seeing repeated warnings from his Avast antivirus/security software, suggesting that he needed to take certain actions. As I worked with the machine, I discovered that he had at least eight separate subscriptions to various
It happens all too frequently. A client comes to me for help with a computer emergency – maybe their hard drive died, or they got hit with ransomware, or they mistakenly deleted some files they later realized they still needed. One of the first questions I always ask is “do you have a backup?” All
Ever since personal computers first became widely used in the 1980s, their primary storage medium has been the conventional hard disk drive (HDD). Over the succeeding decades, HDDs continued to boast ever increasing capacity, speed and reliability, even as their prices kept dropping. Consider that for much of the 1980s the cost of a then
It starts when your phone rings, with the caller ID showing an unfamiliar number. When you answer, the caller (usually, but not always, speaking with a foreign accent) informs you that there’s a serious problem with your computer, and that they’re calling to help you correct it. If you believe anything they say, you’ll end
