Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Contents
1. a Link dialog box with Edit permission selected box and choose which kind of permission you want on this link Edit the default means people can view your selected file and use Office Online to make minor edits without signing in to Microsoft Other permission choices are View only best for web pages or blogs and Public which make files searchable by anyone even without a link After you have chosen the permission level click Share Get a link to How to Find a Lost Create link and along web Nicainneat dace address will appear in the a re i box Fig 4 You can shorten tat the link by clicking Shorten Shared with https onedrive live com redir resid A76970A34E5F2765 2958 amp at link below the box Which is ea noen nici in nane omii useful for posting the link to Create another link a website but also makes it easier to guess The last step is to copy the link to the clipboard and paste it into an email web page or a social media page if that option is Figure 4 Long link option in the Get a Link dialog box checked See more about sharing files at this link http windows microsoft com en us onedrive share tile folder With a little practice you will find the sharing process much easier than when SkyDrive OneDrive s ancestor first was introduced Sharing files is one valuable benefit of OneDrive Even if sharing is not something you intend to do remember the o2. on the market The continued development will be in making products do more and do it better It may go from the ability to track and measure health and fitness to actual diagnosis of disease Entertainment is big now of course but it shows no signs of slowing down The personal game devices and the online gaming continue their rapid growth What is just starting its big growth is the streaming of movies and shows The trend is driven by the growing reluctance to be tied to a television set for one s entertainment It will be very interesting to see how these areas develop and grow over the next decade Tech Armor case for iPhone6 There are many cases available for the new iPhones One of the best is Tech Armor s case for iPhone6 there s also one for the iPhone6 Plus The new iPhones are different in several ways thinner larger and with screen that is rounded at the edges The Tech Armor case handles all of these Not only is it attractive being a steel gray color but it is tough enough to protect your phone from bumps drops scratches and knocks The case has a slightly rough _ surface making it easy to grasp and hold The cutouts for the various buttons are well done making it easy to press the buttons when needed The back is clear plastic hard and protective of the iPhone back The case does not come with a screen protector but Tech Armor has that too The case comes with a lifetime warranty and is rea
3. products google chromecast http www pcmag com article2 0 281 7 2422300 00 asp https www google com chrome devices chromecast apps html https support google com chromecast hl en topic 3447927 https support google com chromecast answer 2998336 https www google com chromecast backdrop DATALINE January 2015 13 Can You Believe A Good Computer for 200 gt lt IA By Dave Berger CompuKISS 4 ompu K ISS www compukiss com dberger at compukiss com WITH Sandy Berger Remember when a good computer cost about two thousand dollars Well you can now purchase a new computer one tenth of that And the 200 computers that are becoming available at that price are ultimately more powerful than those expensive computer of old Wow A good computer for 200 How is that possible now Well not only have hardware prices tumbled but Microsoft is coming to the aid of the average computer buyer They are trying very hard to compete with the current sales of Chromebooks which have recently picked up in popularity Microsoft is helping computer manufacturers and purchasers by lowering and in some cases eliminating the cost of the Windows operating system This is being done to combat Chromebooks which have recently picked up in popularity Chromebooks are laptops that run on the free Google Chrome operating system rather than on the Windows operating system Many of them are selling in the 200 range So Microsoft is offeri
4. your online banking and other sensitive accounts a Silent Firewall to shield you DATALINE January 2015 2 from hackers and an Anti Spam module The cost is 39 year but there s a way to earna free copy fa Overview Jfavast FREE ANTIVIRUS 2015 You are protected cverytning up to date All snielas active Q Quick scan Browser Cleanup Smart scan Prr amp Home Network Security fa SecureLine We found evidence of Grime on your PC 5 bloatware programs slowed the launch of this PC 12 system registry tweaks that can speed up your PC 2 6 GB of space you can free up Optimize My PC Want to get a free copy of Avast 2015 You can with Bob s Avast Friend Referral Link http www avast com en us get 6Y 7QxHvD You can even get the PAID VERSION FOR FREE by earning Avast Karma Points with your own referral link What s this all about Full details are at the end of this article Avast Free 2015 also includes demo versions of premium security tools The SecureLine VPN option is a free three day trial of a fully encrypted proxy service using it hides your IP address and Web surfing activity even from your own ISP A one year subscription costs 60 GrimeFighter analyzes your system for junk files bad registry entries and other junk that can slow your system but to fix the problems you ll need to pay 20 Or you can use Privazer the free cleaner upper recommend The free Mobile Backup trialware co
5. DAT ALINE Published by Santa Clarita Valley Computer Club We re User Friendly Volume XXVII Issue 1 Serving the Santa Clarita Valley CA since 1988 Editor Judy Taylour Wednesday January 14 2015 e e 9 e Meetings Security is Everyone s Business SCV Senior Center Knowledge is King Ignorance leads to 22900 Market Street Computer Infection Identity Theft Newhall CA 91321 or Worse Presented by www scvpcg org Bob Gostischa Avast Evangelist 6 00 pm Bring your favorite gadget or one you got as a holiday present from someone or to you from you and tell us a little bit about it and how you use it What s New in Avast 2 Antivirus 2015 7 00pm Bob s presentation focuses on ordinary computer users rather than IT geeks and clearly In This Issue iene ane explains the following topics peels e The loopholes and pitfalls of using a computer and Computing in the browsing the Internet Cloud Security amp Learn to decrease the likelihood of becoming a Sharing in MS victim of the many common scams that await the OneDrive uninformed user Google Chromecast e Some of threats that hide in unexpected places Inexpensive e The difference between Privacy and Security and Competitor to Cable what you can do to enjoy both amp Satellite e Android Smartphone and Tablet safety and security Entertainment recommendations Can You Believe A Good Computer for Bob will also discuss programs that
6. ck bought her a Noot Extendable Self Portrait Handheld Stick Monopod from Amazon It is an extendable pole with a phone mount It comes with a Bluetooth remote that can be paired with your phone to actuate the camera shutter What Do Want in 2015 I m not much for making New Year s resolutions though there are a few things I d like to accomplish or improve on in 2015 related to technology tend to buy a lot of tech items and accessories to experiment with These are mosily inexpensive items like adapters or cables but sometimes they are more significant have a new Windows 7 desktop PC that bought a while ago but have yet to set up to use bought it to replace my XP desktop computer but for a number of reasons have not found the time to make the trade I d like to get my new PC running in 2015 and shut down my last XP desktop computer for good DATALINE January 2015 6 With my desktop PC so old primarily use my Windows 7 laptop I d like to improve the laptop s performance by putting in a larger hard drive and more RAM ld like to do the same for my wife s laptop have a box full of VHS video tapes that I d like to digitize These are home videos of my kids growing up have a device for converting them just need to set it up again and do it also have boxes of photographic slides that need to scan to JPEG files Once again I ve got the scanner and have a process but just need the time to finish the job wo
7. d be fine An easy way to roughly figure Wi Fi signal strength is to connect a smart device to the Wi Fi and note the signal strength bars precisely at the location where a stick device would be A connected In my house our bedroom TV is a distance from the bam Wi Fi router with several walls in between giving only a 3 bar Wi Fi strength where the Chromecast is currently connected to that TV To improve the signal strength purchased a deeply discounted factory refurbished major name brand Wireless N Range Extender and mounted it on the stand directly below the HDMI port on the bedroom TV now my phone shows all 5 Wi Fi signal strength bars indicating a very strong signal which has dramatically improved the performance of the stick device Either as a replacement for or as a substitute to cable and satellite TV service these stick devices may be a very cost effective way of cutting the cable as my daughter did As inexpensive as these stick devices are and with the entertainment capabilities that they provide one of these new stick devices may be a worthwhile investment WEBSITES https www google com chrome devices chromecast index html http en wikipedia org wiki Chromecast https www google com intl en_us chrome devices chromecast index html http www google com intl en chrome devices chromecast index opt a html http finance yahoo com news streaming chromecast passes apple tv 150024539 html http www cnet com
8. de an informational resource that was unimaginable when was a child The same information that Warren Buffet or Al Gore can get off the Internet is also available to a relatively poor call center worker in Bangalore i and to a political dissident in China Unfortunately while we Transporter platform aboard U S S have so far managed to avoid nuclear war we are presently a fighting on the cyber battlefield with North Korea and other foreign governments as well as criminals ae C al a cD CG a STG f MNN g Da A AR TIAR i i a Where will technology take us in 2015 didn t make any predictions last year in my column so have no crystal ball errors to answer for now might as well make a few technology predictions for 2015 1 Computer sales will be up in 2015 while tablet sales will be flat or down compared to 2014 I m still using Windows XP at work so there are probably a lot of companies out there like mine that will be looking to upgrade and possibly buy new computers when Windows 10 is released mid year On the flip side think almost everyone that wants a tablet has one now and upgrades are not that compelling 2 The paperless society is still a long way off While we are doing a lot to reduce the amount of printed material we use it won t be going away in 2015 While see more coupons offers and deals being redeemed on smart phone screens by shoppers still have to buy new prin
9. e market do not need external devices to connect to the internet as they are already capable of receiving alternative internet based entertainment through an Ethernet or Wi Fi connection Since she does not yet have a new smart TV one of the devices that she uses is the Chromecast device from Google A Chromecast device which Google refers to as a digital media player looks very similar to a common USB flash drive and is about the same size and weight but has an industry standard HDMI plug rather than the USB plug DATALINE January 2015 10 found on a typical flash drive Specifically a Chromecast device is 2 38 long 1 38 inches wide and 0 47 of an inch thick and weighs 1 2 ounces Inside where the magic takes place is a Nexus Q microprocessor CPU with 512 MB of fast DDR38L RAM and 2 GB of storage Power is supplied through a standard micro USB plug and power source included similar to the chargers and plugs used on most of today s smart phones The standard HDMI plug on the end of the Chromecast plugs directly into an available HDMI port on the TV most newer TVs have multiple HDMI inputs and Chromecast receives the digital media through Wi Fi utilizing the common 802 11 b g n protocols at 2 4GHZ Obviously the user needs to have a decent home Wi Fi system in order to utilize the Chromecast The device itself is readily available in the big box stores discount stores online retailers and direct from Google and carries a
10. ely Next you download the WeMo app There is one for Apple as well as Android You next connect through the app to the WeMo network then to your home or office network Once this is done the app searches for devices When it finds the bulbs it stores them and takes you to a page where you can set up your rules The rules involve On time Off time and day s of the week There is also an Away From Home setting which is different from the standard setting One other feature is the ability to fade in or out when the bulb turns on or off With the bulbs and the app you have control over your lighting no matter where you are provided you have Wi Fi 3G or 4G service Belkin has other devices in the WeMo line Light Switch Switch Motion Crock Pot Holmes Heater Holmes Humidifier Mr Coffee and Holmes air Purifier About WeMo Vendor Belkin www belkin com us Price 100 additional bulbs 30 gt Stove HAPPY oece 2 Ke 243 NEW YEAR iO FRIENDSHIP CHAMPAGNE raman HEALTH 1081 2O 7 SE FITNESS PARTNERSHIP D FESTIVE P PANCE PROSPERITY x FREEDOM SATISFACTION n GOOD LUCK 3 amp 3 iT WEALTH HAPPINESS Aail a ADVANCE HOPE v MONEY DATALINE January 2015 18 At the December meeting we finally had the opportunity to review the AARP TEK video Using a Tablet to Enhance Your Senior Years Here are some of the comments Leanred more info on how the apps are loaded Presentation was short amp intere
11. hip Application Please Print Membership Benefits Name Around Town Address Mark Thomas Computer Support 26117 Rainbow Glen Drive Newhall 91321 661 250 7440 mark marktcs com 65 20 discount on Onsite support In your house support also available iPhone iPad screen repair City State Zip Home Phone E mail Rogers System Specialist Various Discounts 25570 Rye Canyon Ste A Valencia 661 295 5577 Give Judy s telephone number for the discount 661 252 8852 Areas of Interest Level of computer skills please circle Novice Average Expert Mail to SCV CC 18727 Nadal Street Canyon Country CA 91351 DATALINE January 2015 20 The information appearing in this newsletter is distributed solely for use by SCV Computer Club members Permission is enthusiastically granted to reprint all or any part by similar non commercial publications provided credit is given to the author of the article and the DATALINE The publication of information in this newsletter constitutes no guarantee of accuracy and its use by readers is discretionary All opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the SCV Computer Club The SCV Computer Club is dedicated to supporting the needs of its voccshinncendincy members and to the exchange of information about computers ee peripherals services hardware and software through meetings its apcug web page and the distribution of this newsletter qP An Internati
12. l and international TV news stations and many other apps Often we may see something online or on our smart phones that we would like to view on the big TV screen Chromecast can handle that According to Google Whatever you re listening to or watching you can cast it straight from your Windows Mac or Chromebook directly to the TV To cast from your laptop just add the Google Cast extension to your Chrome browser Owners of Android smart phones or tablets can broadcast directly from their screen to the TV using the appropriate app Chromecast devices are popular with users receiving over 400 billion programs in the first year source Google According to the news site Gigaom in an article dated December 7 2014 Streaming on Chromecast passes Apple TV Amazon Fire TV in US the author Kevin C Tofel explains What happens when you offer the combination of a simple user experience a growing choice in streaming apps and a low cost You sell a lot of that product and people use it That s what happened in 2014 to the Chromecast according to Parks Associates who say that Google s 35 streaming stick now trails only Roku players in the U S when it comes to streaming content While Roku released a competitive stick device during the summer of 2014 larger Roku streaming players have been on the market much longer than the Chromecast Amazon who is no slouch when it comes to introducing and implementing new technologies will be ship
13. les share them with individuals or make them public First choose the files or folders you want to share by clicking the checkbox in the top right corner of each file or folder Then click Share in the top toolbar This gives you two options for how to share Invite People or Get a Link To invite specific people to Invite people view your Enter contacts to send an email with a link to this item Connect your Get a link IE E fe ee Facebook account to OneDrive to send a link to your Facebook friends selected file s click ee kis Snared with Invite People A Nancy DeMarte Fig 2 Type GD Anyone with this edit link email I thought you d be interested in this article addresses or names from your contact list in the address bar Add a quick note and if you want recipients to be able to edit the file click Recipients can edit When ready click Share and a link is sent to the recipients via email Invite people to How to Find a Lost Document docx Recipients can edit Figure 2 Invite People dialog box in OneDrive DATALINE January 2015 8 If you want to Share Get a link to How to Find a Lost send a file to a Document docx group of people ams apg website use the Ee i Get a Link ie iii AAA ET EEEREN option Fig 3 First select the file s checkbox and then click Share in the toolbar This time click Get a Link Click the down arrow at the right end of the link Figure 3 Get
14. mes with a 2 GB Dropbox account and stores your mobile device s data in the cloud the premium version costs 15 The main Avast interface screen includes a Store button that reveals a host of premium and freemium products an indication that competition in the Internet Security marketplace is heating up or that profit margins which rely on converting free users to paid customers are getting tighter DATALINE January 2015 3 I ve been using Avast for over a year since switching from AVG and I m giving the new Avast 2015 version a big thumbs up for some innovative new features and continued comprehensive protection from malware threats Karma Points and Free Avast Software lf you have registered as a member of the Avast online community you will see in the upper right corner of Avast Free s main screen your registered email address and a notation such as 540 karma So called karma points are awarded for various acts of participation in the community and even for being a user of Avast Free for a long time Referring friends posting to forums trying a demo feature buying a premium feature etc all earn you more karma points and status in the community With enough Karma points you can earn a free copy of Avast Internet Security Here s the fastest way to do that On the Avast main screen click the ACCOUNT tab Login to your Avast account or create one if needed Next click on the colored circle under the Logo
15. nage to sell millions of Chromecast devices their words in the first 12 months that it was available The answer is simple these relatively inexpensive items have become an entertainment tool that for many users can somewhat compete with satellite or cable TV at a fraction of the price One of my daughters recently cut the cable even though she was on a very good fiber optic system with hundreds of TV channels dozens of movie channels and other features because in her eyes the monthly cost was becoming prohibitive She also has a separate very high speed internet service which she believed could be better utilized for entertainment purposes as well as providing a reliable connection for her chosen digital telephone service She and her husband like streaming movies sports music features and other entertainment living in the Dallas area all of the local TV stations both local and network are available over the air for free using an inexpensive digital antenna hooked up to the TVs around her house By connecting her TVs to the internet using some of the readily available and inexpensive devices she has found that there is nothing that she is really missing from her former expensive cable service other than a large monthly bill By her calculations she believes that she is saving about 150 per month using these alternative devices to connect her TV to the internet in her home Some of the newer smart TVs that recently came onto th
16. ng Windows 8 1 with its Bing search engine as the OS for these cheaper PCs Although this is a special version of the operating system the only change is that Bing is the default search engine in Internet Explorer Other than that it is the same as the latest version of Windows 8 1 Microsoft is trying to stem the tide of defections from Windows and to bolster the use of its Bing search engine and OneDrive cloud storage In some cases a limited subscription to Microsoft s Office 365 subscription service may be included to entice people to continue paying that yearly subscription fee and to use Microsoft s cloud storage Hewlett Packard Dell and Lenovo are all announcing these Windows 8 1 with Bing laptops for around 200 Rumors are that a 7 or 8 HP Stream laptop may be available for the holiday season selling at closer to 100 Although the manufacturer will determine the type of device this cheaper OS will be used on it is expected that most will be laptops rather than tablets or desktops Most of the Windows laptops that are currently offered under this program have 1366 x 768 pixel resolution screens good hard drive storage either Intel or AMD processors and HDMI ports You may not want to use them for extensive video edition or CAD programs but they should be adequate for email Web surfing basic computing and light gaming DATALINE January 2015 14 One drawback of many of these laptops is poor battery life Although most ha
17. ng else you ll be able to find one of these cables for you Price 15 25 About Ventev www Ventev com WeMo by Belkin We ve known Belkin for many years for electronic gear but THE WEHO FAMILY We they recently opened a new product area for exploration Shoe Welln mo capitalizing on the use of the Internet to connect disparate things the so called loT Internet of Things received their WeMo LED Lighting Starter Set for review It contains two light bulbs and a Link device plus a set of very brief instructions The light bulbs are equivalent in illumination to 60 watt tungsten bulbs We have been urged to replace tungsten bulbs with CFL compact flash light bulbs with the incentive that illumination is equivalent but electrical usage is much lower The bulbs in this kit are LED and go further in reducing electrical usage The bulbs look like what we re used to but have some wizardry inside to allow connectivity through the Internet So what does the kit do for you It allows you to control two light fixtures separately and to turn each off or on at specified times on specified days DATALINE January 2015 17 The procedure is to plug the Link into a wall socket An LED comes on to tell you that it s connected Next you replace an existing bulb in a lamp or other fixture with one of the WeMo bulbs You can use both bulbs in the same fixture a chandelier say or in two separate fixtures Each is controlled separat
18. onal The SCV Computer Club is a member of SCRUGS and APCUG creas Geer ee Southern California Regional User Group Summit Association of Personal Computer User Groups Contact Judy for Discount Codes Annual membership Dues 30 00 Annual Family 54 00 Senior 55 27 00 Senior Family 55 48 00 Student Membership 25 00 O Reilly User Group Program 35 Discount www oreilly com Free Shipping on orders of 29 95 amp up a aiid webucator Focal Press User Groups customized Cixstaveron LED training services One free class member learn master create www focalpress com See Judy for Free Voucher 40 Discount www webucator com www focalpress com _ PROGRAM MEMBER 35 Discount www peachpit com Wrox User PEARSON Group 40 Discount mires User Group Program iis Rhia www wiley com www informit com usergroups 40 Discount www quepublishing com promotions eBooks 50 discount 30 Discount www apress com www nostarchpress co no starch DATALINE January 2015 21
19. ow 15 years into the new millennium we don t seem as technologically advanced as I d hoped we d be We do have all electric cars but we can t due to speed limits and traffic get to our destinations any faster Air travel is safer So long as you stay off Malaysia Airlines more reliable and less expensive relative to typical wages but you can t fly any faster In fact commercial air travel in the previous millennium was faster due to the Concorde A lot of people do have robots at home but they are mostly like the timid floor DATALINE January 2015 4 cleaning Roomba my mother has not C 3PO R2 D2 or the robot in Lost in Space Our medical technology has improved greatly with CT scans MRI and DNA sequencing but we still get colds and the flu We don t yet have a tricorder handheld medical scanner like in Star Trek but with the Qualcomm Tricorder X Prize as incentive we might not be waiting too much longer We don t have Star Trek phasors but the U S Navy is preparing to field ship based laser weapons We don t have Star Trek holodecks but we do have Oculus VR headsets and some basic telepresence devices We don t have Star Trek replicators but we do have 3D printers We don t yet have my favorite Star Trek technology transporters but we do have their communicators in the form of cell phones Our smart phones are actually more capable than any handheld device Captain Kirk had The Internet and Our computers provi
20. ping by the time that you read this its new 39 Fire TV Stick as a direct competitor to Chromecast and similar devices but offers improved Wi Fi ALPHA 49 connectivity more internal memory HOUSE o E a more powerful dual core g v re processor and other technical Ni 2 enhancements Basically the Fire aa wees TV Stick offers much the same ae AN wile ei content as Chromecast but adds the hundreds of thousands of movies and TV shows currently available at no additional cost to Amazon Prime subscribers currently 99 per year which for many users is price and selection competitive to Netflix DATALINE January 2015 12 plus offers a lot of benefits in addition to streaming media such as free second day delivery of most items from Amazon The Fire TV Stick also includes a separate remote control device or the user can use a free smart device app as a remote control In terms of disclosure pre ordered an Amazon Fire TV Stick at a greatly discounted price and will review it when it arrives Since already have an Amazon Prime account will be able to utilize Amazon s massive video and TV library when the Fire TV Stick arrives One suggestion that many readers might find helpful if considering using one of these Wi Fi connected stick devices to provide digital content to a flat screen TV if the TV is physically located in close proximity to the K Wi Fi router such as in the same room signal strength shoul
21. r iPhone got her several though none were actual Apple items While we were on vacation a few months ago my wife was constantly concerned about her phones charge level My poor dumb phone can go for days on a single charge but her iPhone needed to be charged at least every day One gift picked out for her was a Patriot Fuel 1500 mAh mobile rechargeable battery www patriotmemory com It works like other portable batteries but this one has a Lightning connector for easier connection and mobile use and higher price due to the Apple licensed connector My wife used to charge her Windows phone in the kitchen but she now charges her iPhone in our bathroom where she can be closer to it at night This puts her phone in my way in the morning when I m getting ready for work Her Christmas list included an iHome Docking clock radio www ihomeaudio com which solved that problem It replaced her bedside clock radio and provides a Lightning connector for charging her iPhone and playing music through the clock s speakers We have a radio mounted under one of our kitchen m cabinets but it is kind of old My wife wanted a new one that could also play music from her iPhone got her the iLive Bluetooth Under Cabinet Music System www iliveelectronics com to replace our old kitchen radio It mounts under cabinets and can stream from most Bluetooth capable devices The item she was most excited about was a selfie sti
22. sonably priced About Tech Armor case for iPhone6 Vendor Tech Armor www techarmor com Price 15 screen 7 DATALINE January 2015 16 Ventev This company produces wireless infrastructure products and mobile accessories was provided with several of the mobile accessories to test Powercell 6000 This external battery can be easily charged in any wall socket The back of the charger has two prongs which fit the wall socket and fold into the charger case You can charge one or two mobile devices with the built in USB sockets one providing 1 amp output at 5 watts the other 2 1 amps at 10 watts The higher capacity output can be used for a tablet or a smart phone In fact you can charge two mobile devices at the same time if needed Price 75 Dashport r900 This is a charger too but designed to be used in your car It plugs into the power outlet in the cars dash and provides power whether or not you are near an outlet It comes with a cable for standard USB connection and also micro USB Price 40 Chargesync cables There are several versions of this product but each is designed to connect your mobile device to its charger or to another type of charger What s really great about these cables is that they are flat which means that they do not get tangled up like the round ones They come in different colors too Whether you have an iPhone with 30 pin connection or one of the newer iPhone 5 or 6 cables or even somethi
23. sting Showed interesting apps convenient Not being fancy made it clear and very easy to view Enjoyed the info on the apps These are videos the attendees would like to watch at future meetings x number of people who want to watch the video e Mobile Apps Defined xxx e 5 Reasons to Embrace Tech e Sharing Potos and Videos Online Safety XXXX e 5 Tips for Using Facebook xxxx e Creating Safe Passwords xxxxx e Staying Safe Online xxxx e Video Chatting Basics xxx The Windows demo by Bill James from the Oklahoma City Computer Club was the highlight of the meeting Bill did an excellent job of showing us what we can expect with Microsofts next operating system know I m looking forward to working with it have recommended Bill s presentation to several other computer clubs and over the next month or two he s going to be busy He s also giving the presentation at APCUG s Virtual Technology Conference on February 21 My iPad for Seniors SPRING 2014 EVENT and EXPO DATALINE January 2015 19 And the Winners were 2015 2016 SCV CC OFFICERS Logitech Keyboard Kathy Kazmer Brasident Judy Taylour Optical Motion Mouse Dave Podsadecki scvcomputerclub at gmail com Ream of Copy Paper Agnes Chaney Information Line 661 513 4612 Snail Mail 18727 Nadal Street Santa Clarita CA 91351 General Meeting 24 Wednesday month SCV Senior Center 22900 Market Street Newhall CA 91321 Members
24. suggested retail price of 35 Bargain shoppers can currently find the Chromecast on sale online for as little as 22 including a bundle of digital media streaming services Installation of the Chromecast is a simple and fast three step process Google says Plug in and Play which consists of plugging the Chromecast into an available HDMI port on the TV and powering the device through the included micro USB plug connecting the device to the home Wi Fi and then Enjoy Cast apps from your mobile device to the TV Casting apps Is the process of selecting entertainment channels using any compatible smart device attached to the home Wi Fi such as a phone or tablet including Android tablets and smart phones iPhones and iPads Chrome for Windows Chrome for Mac and Chromebooks In effect the hand held smart device becomes the remote control and the apps are the selected streaming media sources The list of streaming media apps that are available for the Chromecast is extensive and includes a large selection of both free and paid subscription services Google has an updated app directory at google com chrome devices chromecast apps html and as to be expected from Google is totally searchable or content can be displayed by genre Among the category headings are Featured New TV amp Movies Music amp Audio Games Sports Photos amp Video and More Selecting a media source from these app directories connects directly to the appropria
25. t keeps files safe on OneDrive besides just your account password Microsoft uses a code verification system when logging into OneDrive which requires two pieces of verification If you need more security MS also offers more security options You can get tips on creating strong passwords and setting up other security measures for OneDrive at http windows microsoft com en us onedrive security If you are still unsure you can always add extra security through an external provider such as with the free program Boxcryptor hitps ooxcryptor com DATALINE January 2015 7 SHARING The easiest way to share files stored on OneDrive is to start at the OneDrive website https onedrive live com Fig 71 Click the blue buttons on the right side of the home page for useful dih OneDrive pownged Carrer ADE Compare Piare Blanes Biog Support Go to my OneDrive tutorials on using OneDrive Once you cane ge for everything in your life Sign up or sign In using your Microsoft account you can do several things on this site share files get la the OneDrive app for OneDrive your tablet or phone view and edit your files upload more files from your computer and create files using the Office Online applications nd share photos videos documents and more anywhere on any device free Plus get 7 GB when you sign up Figure 1 Home page of onedrive live com website There are two types of sharing your OneDrive fi
26. te download if it is a paid or subscription app such as Netflix that information is clearly displayed prior to any purchase Among the more popular casting apps are HBO GO Netflix Watch ESPN Just Dance Now Showtime Anytime YouTube and the large assortment of digital media available from Google Play The Featured Apps include the most popular apps and includes in addition to the more popular apps listed above Nickelodeon Hulu Plus Comedy Central Sesame Street DATALINE January 2015 11 Pandora game shows Disney Starz Encore iHeart radio Major League Baseball Crackle NPR Vudu and dozens of other apps The Music and Audio lists hundreds of domestic and international streaming music sources including some local and international radio stations Personally am not into digital games but the Games section lists about 75 streaming games that can be played on the Chromecast would expect that one of the major uses of Chromecast would be to watch sports and the Sports selection may satisfy fans of most major sports Included in the Sports apps are WatchESPN UFC TV MLB TV Premium MLS MatchDay NFL Game Pass MLS Live Red Bull TV a high school sports channel and several foreign sports channels The More category includes dozens of casting apps including PBS for Kids TED Chromecast UDEMY online classes ABC News Funny or Die FM radio stations a baby monitor QVC iFood TV and Recipes religion channels loca
27. ter ink cartridges a couple of times a year I ve been offered email receipts from some hotels and other merchants but some merchants are going the opposite direction with their receipts recently received an Albertsons grocery receipt for a single item that was 11 inches long 5 5 inches of useful receipt and the rest useless advertising and customer survey solicitations A recent CVS receipt for one item was 26 inches long 5 inches of receipt and 21 inches of coupons It seemed like a lot of wasted paper 3 Streaming video will be up but views on small screens will be down People still don t want to watch movies on tiny screens Fortunately devices like Google s Chromecast and Amazon s Fire TV enable streaming if your TV can t Watching video on a smart phone or tablet might be good if you fly ride in a car not drive or take public transit a lot but I d rather watch at home on a big screen if possible DATALINE January 2015 5 lm dreaming of an iChristmas My wife traded in her Nokia Windows phone for an iPhone in 2014 It is difficult to understand her relationship with the iPhone It seems to always be in her hand except when she is asking me if Know where she left it She reads a lot of her emails on it and is on Facebook a lot I ll admit it is handy to be able to get instant information from the Internet wherever you are especially since all have is a dumb phone This Christmas all she asked for were i things for he
28. th in this product area over the next few years as more uses are found for creative products The Internet of Things refers to the universe of applications which connect devices to the Internet resources without human interaction There are many examples of this already in place refrigerators advising you of the need to replace food the many home situations that can be controlled by remote devices like smart phones wearable technology to monitor and measure your health quality GPS mapping in automobiles self driving cars The current state of lol has just begun and will expand dramatically in the future according to the panel Big Data Analytics refers to the collection of usage data from you and others in order to analyze and predict actions This may be to identify the products you want more efficiently to broaden product categories to better satisfy customers and increase sales and profits Whether you know it or not you are surrounded by Big Data collection and analysis Every DATALINE January 2015 15 time you use a Credit card the data associated with the purchase goes to combine with other data to better serve our needs and the needs of business An associated issue is that of privacy There is as yet no consensus about whether Big Data is good or bad whether it should be allowed or controlled in some way Digital Health is also known as Wearable Tech This is a fast developing field with quite a large number of products already
29. ther big advantages to OneDrive storage your files are safe in the cloud in case of a computer failure and you can access them any time from any computer and most tablets smart phones with your Microsoft password DATALINE January 2015 9 Google Chromecast Inexpensive Competitor to Cable and Satellite Entertainment By Ira Wilsker Iwilsker at sbcglobal net lra is a member of the Golden Triangle PC Club an Assoc Professor at Lamar Institute of Technology and hosts a weekly radio talk show on computer topics on KLVI News Talk AM560 He also writes a weekly technology column for the Examiner newspaper lt www theexaminer com gt Ira is also a deputy sheriff who specializes in cybercrime and has lectured internationally in computer crime and security You may have seen the recent TV commercials for a new device from Amazon called Fire Stick which is so new that it is just starting to be shipped Another device which recently came on the market with great fanfare is the Roku Streaming Stick Several other comparable devices are in development or recently came on the market creating a crowded field of competitive products One that has been on the market since the summer of 2013 is Google s Chromecast which has become well established with millions sold according to a July 2014 statement from Google One may wonder what all of the buzz is about and why so many companies are developing or producing these items How did Google ma
30. uld like to get more use out of my iPad in 2015 won an iPad Mini over a year ago in a drawing but don t use it that much use it as a web browsing device but not much more actually find it is not that easy to understand and use this is probably because have used Windows computers for so long even bought myself an iPad for Dummies type book but have not had time to sit down with it Hopefully can get a lot done in 2015 Right now the New Year holds a lot of promise and potential Of course once felt that way about 2014 Computing in the Cloud Security amp Sharing in MS OneDrive By Nancy DeMarte 1 Vice President Sarasota Technology User Group FL www thestug org ndemarte at verizon net Last month introduced OneDrive Microsoft s storage location on the Internet which is available to anyone with a Microsoft account MS Office 365 home personal and university account owners however got a surprise in late June their storage capacity on OneDrive was increased to 1 terabyte Since 1 terabyte 1000 gigabytes most home users can consider this unlimited storage This month we ll explore how to keep OneDrive files secure and how to share OneDrive files with other people SECURITY The main reason people avoid using online storage is the fear that files may not be secure Of course there is always the possibility that files can be hacked no matter where they are stored But there are a few ways Microsof
31. upports Otherwise you ll have to consult the user manual or Google it These are front door security precautions that many users miss so applaud Avast for these additions to the already comprehensive protection that this free security suite provides Avast 2015 Review With the 2015 edition Avast seems to be morphing into an all in one system maintenance and security suite much like Advanced System Care PC Matic and other utility suites Avast s emphasis is on maintenance issues that affect security but they may also improve system performance Avast s Browser Cleanup feature is not what its name implies to most people Instead of clearing the browser s file cache browsing history etc Avast cleans up unwanted toolbars and plugins eliminating points of vulnerability to hackers and places where malware likes to hide Keeping all of one s software up to date is another security issue Avast 2015 s Software Updater makes it a breeze You can set it to notify you when updates are available or just install them automatically This module checks for updates of operating system browser and popular applications but if you don t see some of your apps in the tool s list you ll have to update them on your own Free or Paid Version Avast Free Antivirus is the name of the free version of the Avast suite Avast Internet Security is a paid version that offers extra features such as Anti Hijack Protection to secure
32. ut link at the top right On the next screen you ll see a gray box that says Recommend Avast and earn Karma Click that link and you ll be given your own referral link which you can use to invite friends via Email Facebook Twitter or Google Recommending Avast to 7 friends can earn you a free year of Avast Internet Security 14 friends two years 21 friends three years Your friends must download and install Avast via your referral link Predictions Perceptions and Protestations By Greg Skalka President BIALA Under the Computer Hood User Group CA January 2015 issue Drive Light www uchug org president at uchug org We have completed another revolution around the sun from an arbitrary starting point and so begins a new year Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s the year 2015 seemed like a far off and futuristic time imagined back then that in 2015 people would live in space true for the ISS astronauts and other planets not true for humans but at least we can drive our RC cars on Mars Power would be clean at least we are improving abundant true and cheap at least gas prices are way down right now It seemed when I was young that nuclear power would be the solution to our future energy problems but it unfortunately had problems of its own had imagined that by now we would be living a wonderful Jetsons like life with no strife and endless possibilities Oh well at least we ve got smart phones and selfies N
33. ve a battery life of about four hours this is only half of wnat some high end laptops offer Also if you purchase one try to get one with 4GB of memory rather than 2 GB The prices on these computer may or may not be permanent but they are sure to keep the prices moving in the right direction for consumers CEAInnovate By George Harding Treasurer Tucson Computer Society December 2015 issue TCS eJournal www aztcs org georgehardingbd at earthlink net CTIALO1S Mobile September 9 10 amp 11 2015 Sands Expo and Convention Center Las Vegas brought to you by Super Mobility Week attended a program put on by CEA the parent organization that produces the Consumer Electronics Show presented in Las Vegas the beginning week of January The program included a session called Technology Trends to Watch in 2015 It covered some of the hottest subjects today 3 D printing the Internet of Things loT Big Data Analytics Digital Health and Entertainment The panel on 3 D printing stated that the technology for home use is not mature and someone trying to use the reasonably priced models available today will have difficulty using them to do anything significant The business versions however are very useful The latest James Bond movie blew up a golden Aston Martin It was created from a 3 D printer It was actually a miniature but was nevertheless an accurate replica of the car The panel anticipates high grow
34. will keep You and 200 Your Computer safe and secure The Meeting That Basic Computer Safety Tips amp simple procedures Was that will increase your security App Local Member computer so you re protected against viruses Officers Membership 59 e The benefits of installing avast Free on your worms Trojans amp rootkits Discounts Jfavast www avast com What s New in Avast Antivirus 2015 By Bob Rankin Ask Bob Rankin December 8 2014 Column Reprinted with Permission The holiday shopping season starts earlier each year and so does the release of major annual updates of security software The 2015 edition of Avast Free Antivirus arrived before Thanksgiving for instance Avast 2015 contains some features never before seen in Avast Read on for the full story and learn how you can get the paid version for free First off there s a home network scanner in Avast 2015 that have not seen in any other security suite When launched the network scanner checks your router s administrator username and password warning you to change them if they re still set at factory defaults lt warns of unencrypted Wi Fi connections or those encrypted with the easily hacked WEP protocol It checks to make sure your DNS has not been redirected and that your router is not accessible from the Internet If there is a problem Avast 2015 will display step by step instructions for solving it if your router model is one that Avast s
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