Playing it Safe on Facebook

With so many people on facebook, hackers and spammers are having a field day spreading their mischief among the world's largest social networking site.

Most often users may see that a friend's account is posting unusual messages.

Don't click that link!  Or your account may suffer the same fate.

But if this happens, here is what facebook says you should do:

 If your account has been taken over and used to send spam, you should follow these steps immediately:

• Reset your Facebook password. You can do this by clicking the "Forgot your password?" link on the login page or by going to the Account Settings page once logged in.

• If you can’t reset your password because the email address you use to log in has changed, or if your account has been disabled, visit our help page.

• Make sure you have up-to-date security software on your computer, run a scan, and remove any malicious files. If you don’t do this, and your computer is infected, your account may be taken over again. If you don’t yet have protection for your computer, you can download a complimentary six-month subscription of McAfee security software. Learn more on the Software tab.

If a friend’s account has been taken over and used to send spam, you should follow these steps immediately:

• Tell your friend to check out this Page and follow the steps above.

• Warn those who received the spam not to click on it, and to delete it from their Walls and Inboxes.

In addition, here are a few more tips to keep in mind.

• Don't click on unusual links, even if posted by one of your friends.
• Use the "mark as spam" button to remove a post and mark it as potential spam post. Click the "x" after a post to access the "mark as spam" option.
• Don't download applications that you are not sure about.
• If you think your account has been hacked, go to www.facebook.com/hacked to alert facebook and lockdown your account.

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Check In with Foursquare

Do you want to be a mayor?  That could be a lot of work in the real world.

But you can become the mayor of your local Starbucks.  Or local hangout.  Just for being close by.

And by using the new Foursquare app on your iPhone, Android, Palm or Blackberry device.

Foursquare is a social-networking app enables users to connect with friends and discover new places and things to do around town.

You'll earn points and badges based on how many times you check-in to certain locations.

And if you check-in often enough, you can become the mayor.

So, what's the point of being the mayor of a location?

Mostly bragging rights.

However, some Foursquare-friendly locations offer a free premium like discounts and free items just for checking in or becoming the mayor.

Go check it out.  Learn more at Foursquare.com

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Let Google Search Your Desktop

UPDATE 6/1/2015.  Sadly, Google has discontinued the Desktop Search tool.  Microsoft dramatically improved the search function within Windows and Google's normal business model of displaying ads next to search results would creep people out when displayed next to results from a PC's disk drive. (Although DS never did that, there was no way to make money for Google in the future).  While there are some other apps, Google's was the best.
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Where did you put that file?  Or that email?

Searching for documents on your PC can be a nightmare.  So many documents.  So many emails.

Sometimes it's like searching for a needle in a haystack.

But Google offers an elegant solution.

Their free program, Google Desktop, indexes your hard drive the way Google's own servers index the Web. Your search results are returned on a web page similar to when you do a real Google web search.

After you download and install the software, Google Desktop gets to work indexing your hard drive.  If you have a lot of files, this can take a while.  Just sit back and relax.

You'll be able to find those files in no time.

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Yahoo Upgrades New Mail to All Users

Yahoo has started making its newest version of its e-mail service available to all of  its 284 million users.

The company unveiled a test version of the new service last fall. 

The redesigned service now includes integration with a number of social media including Facebook and Twitter into Yahoo's e-mail service. Users can post messages to Facebook and share notifications and updates from Twitter and Facebook from a new Updates tab.

Users can chat with Facebook, Windows Live and Yahoo Messenger contacts within Yahoo Mail.

Users can upgrade to the new version online. A demo video is also now online.

How to Take a Screenshot on an iPhone

Do you ever need to take a screenshot on your iPhone?

You're in luck.

This mostly unknown feature has been built into the iOS operating system since version 2.0.

To capture the screen image or take a screenshot just press the Home button and Sleep/Wake (On/Off) key at the top of the mobile device simultaneously at the same time.

You'll hear the camera shutter click and your screenshot will be saved the camera roll on your phone.

You can then view and send your newly saved image to others by email or SMS like all other photos.

Now you know!

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Don't be Smurfed! Beware of in-App Purchases

UPDATE 6/12/2015: Since this post was originally posted in 2011, both Google and Apple have improved their online stores to warn users that apps have in-game purchases.  Nothing like losing some court cases and refunding millions of dollars to get a company to change.  But parents should keep their passwords safe and ensure the settings are secure so that in-app purchases must be approved.

When is a Free Game not free?

When you can buy in-app items that cost real money.  Your money.

To the shock of many users, free games, downloaded from iTunes onto mobile phones, allow users to purchase items for the games from within the application itself.

Many parents have received unexpected and costly iTune charges because they allowed their children to use their iPhone or iPods with the mistaken belief that these games were "free".

This problem is not just limited to Apple devices.  But the iPhone devices and the iTunes store have made the headlines.

A well-documented story appeared in MSNBC late last year and involved the iPhone game "The Smurf's Village.

While The Smurfs Village is indeed "free" to download, items within the game can cost.  Especially, apparently, smurfberries.  At $59 a pop for a cart.

So what can you do?

1. Update your iPhone, iPod or iPad to the latest version of the iOS operating system.  This updated version requires the iTunes to be re-entered before an in-app purchase can be made.
2. Keep your iTunes password safe from other users.
3. Go to Settings, General and change the In App option to not allow purchases within applications.
4. Always read the notices before you download an application from the iTunes store.  And open it again to read any notices about the option to purchase in-app items.

So with a little knowledge and common sense, you can avoid being smurfed!

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Zip It

Do you need to send someone a large number of files?

You don't have to attach dozens of files into your email.

Just use the built-in Zip feature of Windows.

The Zip format is a widely used process to compress large files into a "zip" file.  The resulting file is smaller and can contain numerous files created by a variety of applications.

This was especially important before the days of high-speed internet when dial-up ruled the online world.

But zip files can still be useful to keep all files together when you send them to recipients.

There have been a number of utilities to create zip files for years.

But most people don't know that you can create zip files without these tools just by using the function built into Windows.

Here's your step-by step guide:

• Create your email message and click Attach File.
• Use the file selector to option to find the files you want to attach.
• Choose all of the files you want to zip. Use the Control key to choose more than one.
• Bring up the options window by right-clicking any of the selected files and then choose "Send To, Compressed (zipped) folder"
• Attach your new Zip file to you e-mail.

Wasn't that easy?