The Tech Guy Blog

Wait Until June Before Upgrading Your Mac

If you've got a Mac and are thinking about upgrading to a new model now, just wait a bit longer. Apple teased their next Worldwide Developers Conference for June 7, 2021. "WWDC21 will offer unique insight into the future of iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS" according to Apple. So just hang on to see what new models wield the powerful M1 chip (which is currently only on the Macbook Air, Macbook Pro 13", and Mac mini) as well as a possible physical redesign. If speculation comes true, these new devices will be worth waiting for.

Be Mindful When Hotspotting on Your Phone

Most cellphone devices now and days allow you to use it as a mobile hotspot to connect various devices and get internet access. However, be careful how often to use it, as you can use up a lot of data quickly depending on what you do. Most carriers have some form of unlimited data, so that is technically not a problem. But after you use a set amount of data, they will throttle your data speeds, so be mindful of your usage while hot-spotting.

Shutterfly Offers Unlimited Free Photo Storage

Since Google Photos is going to end their free unlimited photo storage in June, you may be looking for a new cloud to back up to freely. If you're a Prime member, Amazon has unlimited storage via the Amazon Photos app. However, Shutterfly also features an unlimited free photo storage service, complete with sharing abilities. It doubles as a convenient place to draw from when creating personalized Shutterfly gifts to be printed.

The 5 Things to Do With a New Router...

Here are the five things you need to do with a new router ...

1. Change the SSID and the default password.

2. Turn off WAN Administration (this allows administering the router from the outside)

3. Turn off Universal Plug n Play (UPnP)

4. Turn off WPS WiFi Protected Setup (one button log in)

5. Turn on Encryption and select WPA3 or WPA2. Do NOT use WEP. It's not secure.

Things to Accompany Your Camera For Creating Videos

If you're looking to create videos and short films/skits (for Youtube or just your school), don't shy away from buying a tripod with your dedicated camera. Keeping your camcorder stable makes a world of difference in the feel of your video. Plus, getting some lighting equipment can illuminate your subjects in dramatic ways that the sun, moon, or room light simply can't. A good microphone and audio equipment can make your dialogue sound more clear than the camera's built-in mic is capable of.

Go to HaveIBeenPwned to Check Possibly Compromised Data

The website "Have I Been Pwned", or HIBP, was created by Microsoft Regional Director Troy Hunt as a free resource for the public to check if their personal data had been compromised by a breach on the internet. You can visit HaveIBeenPwned.com and enter your email address or account password to see if either had been involved in a data breach. The way Troy has built the site ensures visitors can enter their passwords safely and securely.

Reducing Those Overwhelming Ads on Youtube

Youtube has been overwhelmed with plenty of advertisements during videos these days. They've increased it so badly, they're likely trying to annoy users into subscribing to Youtube Premium, a $12/mo subscription service that also comes with Youtube Music. It's up to you whether you want to bite their lure, but you can also block ads at the DNS level via NextDNS. If you have an Android phone, Firefox Focus works as an ad blocker and can possibly filter out Youtube commercials. Give it a try!

What To Do With Old Computers?

There are many things you can do with old computers. Obviously, the easiest thing to do it properly dispose of it through an e-waste program. Of course, make sure you properly back up and wipe your drive before disposing of the computer.

But what if you want to re-purpose the machine for something else? There are many things you can do to re-purpose the computer for something else:

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