Fake Emails: Phishing campaign targets Google Docs, Drive users
I’ve been seeing this a few times now where I get an email with a Client’s name or someone I know with subject heading like: “”I’ve Shared A Document” or “Important Doc File”.
The body of the email has a link to click on. It looks legit – BUT ITS NOT! DON’T CLICK ON IT.
They are trying to get you to divulge your Account Info (name and password) aka “Phishing
Best thing for you to do is change your password ASAP and make sure its a Strong Password
I see this especially from people I know who use AOL (I think AOL’s security is pretty sucky, or maybe its because the people who use it have weak passwords they created 20 years ago and still use)
Details here:
and here
Advice on Safely Updating to OS X Mavericks (Mac OS 10.9)
I’ve gotten some calls from a few people about issues arising after they’ve updated to Apple’s new OS, Mac OS X Mavericks (10.9). As it might benefit some readers here I am putting up this relevant entry in the NY Time’s Personal Tech section recently which can be found at the URL below and the text of which I have reprinted below:
Safely Updating to OS X Mavericks
Published: October 31, 2013 (NY TIMES, PERSONAL TECH COLUMN; all rights; original authors)
Q. I got a Software Update notice on my Mac saying I could update to OS X Mavericks, but how can I find out if my most-necessary programs will work with it before I update?
A. Apple’s latest version of OS X, version 10.9 and nicknamed Mavericks, was released last week. The new system is free for Mac users running OS X 10.6.8 and later. The download is more than five gigabytes and is available in the Mac App Store.
In the past, operating-system updates have been known to cause problems with existing applications on the computer, often because of changes in the ways the new system handles the old programs. Frequent crashes, erratic behavior or a refusal to start are signs of a now-incompatible program trying to run on a new operating system.
If you are thinking about upgrading, make a list of the critical programs you cannot be without and check the manufacturer’s website for any Mavericks-related updates. (Some companies may also have other support information concerting product interactions with Mavericks.) The Roaring Apps site has a compatibility table that shows crowd-sourced information about programs that work (or do not work) with Apple’s operating systems, and is a good place to get informa
tion and links to manufacturer sites.
You should also go to the Apple menu and run the Mac’s own Software Update feature to make sure you have the latest versions of everything you have gotten from the Mac App Store. Mavericks needs at least two gigabytes of memory and eight gigabytes of available hard drive space, so make sure your Mac can handle the requirements.
Before you update your Mac’s operating system, you should do one more important thing. Back up your entire computer before you start — so you have a copy of your Mac’s contents safely tucked away. (emphasis added)
ORIGINAL POST HERE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/01/technology/personaltech/starting-windows-8-1-in-desktop-mode.html
I can not strongly emphasize enough the final paragraph as regards to being sure about doing a Backup before you engage in any OS Upgrade!
Backup with Time Machine. Optionally, also do a clone your drive using Superduper.
Also when you are about to do a Major Software Upgrade, its a good time for you to examine and review all the data on your computer and decide if you can do some Spring Cleaning and pruning of things you no longer need or want or can move off to an external drive.
About RAM – Despite what Apple says about 2GB of RAM being what is requireed I think Mavericks needs at least 4GB of RAM ‘minimum’ but actually really could use at least 6-8GB or more to run well. Of course your mileage may vary. Generally I hold off major upgrades until at least at .1 update comes out when they’ve quashed a few more bugs (ie, wait until at least 10.9.1…)
Fix for Java Web Plug-In problem with Mountain Lion
The verizon site I use to check my Verizon Voice Mail no longer seemed to work. I remembered I had done a Software Update about Java 7; afterwards I could no longer listen to my voice messages on my Verizon voice mail! Argh! I knew the Verizon site was always funky and barely worked. Safari never liked it, I had to use Chrome to listed to my voice messages. But now it was useless. People were leaving me messages and I cant get them! I tried 2 browsers (Safari and Chrome) and they both did the same thing: the Verizon site said my Java was out of date – it wasnt’ it was 7, the latest version. I tried their link to ‘update Java’ and the browsers gave a “are you sure?” type security message. Long story short, it still didn’t work. I googled around for an answer and finally found the solution. I had to
“Re-enable the Apple-provided Java SE 6 web plug-in and Web Start functionality.”
I did what Apple said to do using Terminal to go back to Java 6 web plugin in Support Article (link below). http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5559?viewlocale=en_US
Java for OS X 2014-001: How to re-enable the Apple-provided Java SE 6 web plug-in and Web Start features
Learn how to re-enable the Apple-provided Java SE 6 Java SE 6 web plug-in and Web Start features in OS X Lion and later.
Voila! It worked Thankfully I could hear my Verizon voice messages again! This site tests Java functionality; It indicated my Java plug-in now working; you can test yours and see if working. https://java.com/en/download/testjava.jsp 
IOS 7 Installation Tips
Today, IOS 7 is being released. Here are a few tips on installing IOS 7.
The most important tip:
Back everything up
BEFORE you install any major software revision, do a backup of your IOS device (iPhone, iPad, etc)
(Parenthetically I’m kind of shocked when I ask a new customer when was the last time they connected their iPhone or iPad to their computer and did a Backup (Sync) and they say, “last year” or worse…”never”)
Use iTunes or iCloud to backup all of your data just in case you run into a problem. You don’t want to risk losing any contacts, messages, photos, or any other data.
Another tip is to try to avoid problems is be sure that you are running the latest version of iTunes (and the current IOS. if you haven’t noticed already update IOS 6 to the latest version). If you haven’t updated iTunes, do it now.
HOW TO BACKUP IPHONE or IPAD
- Connect your IOS device to your computer via the cable that came with it
- If iTunes didn’t open automatically, Open iTunes.
- After a few seconds you should see your iPhone, iPad, etc. on the left Sidebar (If you don’t see the Sidebar, go up to View in the menu and select “Show Sidebar“)
- On the “Summary” tab you should see Backups: Select “This Computer” and click the button “Backup Now“. Your IOS device and its data will be backed up. Just wait till its finished before you disconnect. It can’t hurt to also to Backup Now to iCloud too (I always do both)
(another way: Open the File menu and choose Devices > Back up. You can check when you did your last backup via the Preferences in iTunes under the Devices tab)
Prior to the IOS 7 update, this might be a good time to do some “clean up” of old junk (any old media files you don’t use, photos you don’t want, apps you don’t use…etc)
Next thing is: Update your Apps.
Apps Done?
When you are ready, here’s how to install IOS 7
Rather than download a big new OS like IOS7 on your iPhone or other IOS device via WiFi, it is probably better (meaning faster) to use iTunes. Connect your device to your Mac or PC via your sync cable, and select it under Devices in iTunes and then select Check for Update. You can choose Download Only, (to install it later) but you’ll probably want to opt for Download and Update (install now).
If you don’t have/use a computer, you can also download right to your IOS device but this may take more time (update: on the day of release, people are reporting it can take hours and hour to download, probably due to the heavy volume of users at the same time)
If you are doing it that way make sure you’re connected to Wi-Fi (and might as well plug into your charger to be safe). Open Settings > General > Software Update and then tap Download when prompted. When it’s ready tap Install and you’ll be moments away from iOS 7.
IOS 7.0 will probably be soon updated to 7.01 in the next few weeks (Some more cautious users sometimes wait past the first 1.0 version)
More Info:
Apple’s Support document on Backup
TIP: How to Fix Missing iTunes Album Art
Here’s a TIP on How to Fix Missing iTunes Album Art:
Sometimes iTunes “Get Artwork” function does not get the right album cover artwork, or even worse, sometimes it doesn’t get any. One can fix this pretty easily via this nifty (free!) Dashboard Widget:
“Amazon Album Art widget makes filling in the gaps in your iTunes album art collection a breeze. Search for album art from Amazon’s comprehensive catalogue, then import it into iTunes with the click of a button.”
Whenever iTunes doesn’t get the right album artwork, I just select the song and open this widget in DASHBOARD. It checks Amazon for images and you just choose the Album Artwork you want and “Set as Album Art in iTunes”. Easy. And Brilliant.
This is definitely one of the most useful Dashboard Widgets I use. Try it whenever you find just black in iTunes where your nice album cover should be.
Steve Jobs, R.I.P.
No matter that at the back of my mind, I knew the inevitability that Steve Jobs would die from the pancreatic cancer he had battled with for about 5 years, one day. Still, when I saw the news he had passed away, I actually yelled out loud to no one, “Oh no!”. I instantly checked Twitter, and Google News for the story. The news resonated. And resonated, like a stone dropped in water, it traveled far and wide, so fast. I started to read the ever gathering Press on the story, on Jobs, on his accomplishments. Everything.
I found myself very affected by Steve Job’s death. More affected than I thought. But then again, so much of my life has been affected by Apple and its products, and so in one way or another my life was influenced by Steve Jobs. I am not alone. I think Millions of people felt this way. I saw this sentiment on Twitter and elsewhere over and over.
Here’s one tweet I ReTweeted:
“@aplusk: I never thought I could be so busted up about the loss of someone I never met. #stevejobs”
These are the Apple computers and products I’ve owned over the years: an Apple II ci, Quadra-700, Power Computing Power Tower Pro (during the clone years), a blue/grey G4 Desktop, G4 Dual 500, then a G4 Dual 1.2, a G3 bronze laptop, a Powerbook G4 Titanium laptop, a G5 Mac Pro, original iPod 5G, the original iMac G3 DV, original Mac Mini G4, a 30G iPod, an iBook, a Macbook, an aluminum iMac Intel 20”, an iMac 21.5”, the original iPhone a client gave me she had dropped, 2 Airport Expresses, a Time Capsule… the list goes on and on.
(to be continued…)
I like ALFRED !!
Like? Actually no, I confess, I LOVE ALFRED !
And for good reason! Alfred, your “Butler” Mac App is easy to love. Once you get used to using it you can’t live without it. I know I can’t live without it. I use it constantly.
Many Mac users have a hard time finding applications if they are not on the Dock. Alfred is just the ticket for this. Its an App that you can download (free) from the Mac App store or from the developer’s website.
What is it? ALFRED is an Application Launcher for Mac OS X. Set it up, then whenever you want to open an application instead of searching for it in Applications, or looking for it on the dock, or using Spotlight, all you do is bring up Alfred (tap, tap) and start to type what you are looking for (my activation setting is the Option Key double tap …and make sure its set to Login On Startup).
Then, want to open Safari? Type “saf”. hit the return key. done: much quicker and easier than using your mouse. Want to open Gmail? I type “G” and get “open gmail”; hit return; boom; it loads. Thats easy. So once you get used to using Alfred, you can do more just with the keyboard and less with your mouse.
Now I used to use GOOGLE QUICK SEARCH BOX to do the exact same things and I still have it installed. I just am now using ALFRED more than QSB.
Occasionally Alfred “misses” what you are looking for. In this case, I try QSB to search for the match. I also use SPOTLIGHT of course. But Alfred works great 98% of the time to run apps, search the Web, search Wikipedia and Amazon, and so much more (like find documents for you, and websites)
Everyone I’ve told Alfred about, also falls in love with it too. So check it out. Go to the APP STORE (under the Apple Menu – you need an itunes store/apple id account of course) or from the developers site (linked above)
btw; see my other post; the tip about using Alfred to fix your mouse “lost connection” problem FAST!
UPDATE: Since I wrote this, Alfred has past version one and now is ALFRED v2. Update your’s if still using v1.
TIP: How to fix Lost Connection / Magic Mouse
How to fix Lost Connection of Magic Mouse
TIPS THAT WILL HELP
How many times has this happened to you while using your (original, version 1) Apple Magic Mouse? All of a sudden it just freezes up. You can’t move the cursor. Dead. Uh oh! On your screen pops up the dreaded error message….”Lost Connection”. Great, you have a dead paperweight instead of your mouse. What the Frak?! $%@! What do you do? For months if this happened, my go to solution was to get my old wired mouse from a drawer, connect it, and use that to re-gain control of my cursor, by going to System Preferences. From there I would “re-connect” my wireless mouse using the Mouse Pane. Then one day I had this BRILLIANT IDEA to speed things up — HOW TO FIX THE MOUSE ERROR “Connection Lost” FAST – Simple; just use your Keyboard with some Shortcut Commands (its good to have the wonderful little utility app Alfred installed already* – you can download directly from their site here) If you get the “lost connecton” message, first address whatever the problem that may have caused the mouse connection to get lost in the first place — such as WEAK BATTERIES (yup that’s one cause) OR possibly just some bad electrical contact (which can usually be fixed by simply taking the batteries out and putting them back in) Sometime I’ve found even just giving the mouse a gente little shake fixes a bad contact issue. I’ve also fixed this if it happens too often by putting a small folded piece of paper under the metal door. Here’s a STEP-BY-STEP: JED’S KEYBOARD SHORTCUT MOUSE TRICK: 1) Activate ALFRED (my settings: ‘Option double tap’ ) 
(Great ! Now we want to get to the Mouse Pane in System Preferences…) 2) Type “mouse” as your search term. Make sure you see it (System Prefs/Mouse) as what is selected; If you need to, use your arrow keys up/down. One ‘mouse.prefPane’ is selected just hit Return. Bingo; The MOUSE Preference Pane should open. The Mouse preference pane will automatically try to find any mouse you’ve associated before and try to connect to it. Hopefully it will and should say something like “found Magic Mouse”. If it does, you should see “CONTINUE” then Hit Return. Voila it connects it and your Magic Mouse is back in action. The “trick” of course is you use your Keyboard only which you can do it in just a few keystrokes. This is a big time saver over searching for your old wired mouse, connecting it to a USB port, and using that to fix your wireless mouse problem, then disconnecting and putting it away. After doing that about 50 times and being sick of it, I dreamed up this TIP, wondered whether it would work, and lo and behold it did. This tip will work with other “keyboard shortcut apps” such as Google Quick Search Box, Launcher, Quicksilver of course too; try it out and see. I know ALFRED works. Even Spotlight will work (see below) Now to address the BIG QUESTIONS: Why does your Mouse lose the connection in the first place from time to time? Ah, this is a bit mysterious, and many reasons are possible causes. EG, Batteries may be weak OR they have simply moved and lost contact. Sometimes just giving it a light smack on the bottom can fix that issue. If that happens alot, some have found putting a piece of paper under the cover and on top of the batteries, might hold them down in place a wee bit better. PS – ALWAYS keep extra AA batteries on hand as a dead wireless mouse is simply useless! Keeping an old wired mouse around for emergencies is pretty mandatory too I think, just in case. UPDATE! I just discovered how to do this even using only Spotlight if you don’t have Alfred (or another app launcher) installed. Activate Spotlight: Type system as your search term (it should find System Preferences) If so, hit Return. Sys Prefs should open; then type “mouse”: a circle will highlight the Mouse Preference Pane. Hit RETURN ! This works too!
ADDITIONAL TIPS THAT WILL HELP KEEP THE MOUSE CONNECTED:
I realized that since I’ve dropped my mouse accidentally a few times, the issue of its losing its connection has been much worse. Here are a few tips which may help you get this fixed.
-Take out the batteries from the Magic Mouse
-Cut a small piece of aluminum foil about ½-inch square in size.
-Wrap the foil around each negative (bottom). It may not stay put but will stay just enough to keep it there
-Now you reinsert the batteries into the Magic Mouse on top of the foil.
The batteries will now have more pressure to keep them in place with the spring-loaded contact. This makes the battery less likely to be jarred away from the contact when you move the Magic Mouse.
This may be enough to fix most Bluetooth disconnect problems, but if your Magic Mouse still experiences an occasional disconnect, there’s one more modification you can try.
-Remove the cover
-Cut a piece of paper just about the size to cover the batteries. Place this paper wedge on top of the batteries
-Put the cover back in place carefully and be sure to keep the paper wedge in place (sometimes doubling the paper may help)
-The paper wedges in the batteries more securely in place, when the mouse is moved and should help with the mouse connection being lost!
So try either of both of these tricks with your Magic Mouse. For me, I’ve done both and its really fixed the issue!
Text too small in browser?
A lot of my clients complain about text being too small in their browser, whether its Safari, Firefox, Google Chrome…
Many ask me if I can “change the font size” for them and make it bigger. The answer is actually quite simple. All browsers have this Built-In already: there’s a Keyboard Shortcut command that makes text bigger (or smaller)
The Shortcut is:
COMMAND and PLUS
(command key and “+” key to make text bigger).
Same combination with MINUS key makes it smaller.
See? Easy! Try it.
This works in Safari, Firefox, Chrome, almost any browser!
ps I generally don’t suggest you make the text too large permanently in your browser settings as that can throw off many web pages to not display correctly. Better to resize them on the fly with the above trick.
What is “Cloud Computing”?
You may heard the term ‘Cloud Computing’ in the news lately. What does it mean? This image is a good illustration. The term ‘Cloud Computing’ refers to an imaginary “cloud in the sky” – actually servers on the internet – a theoretical “place” where you upload your files to, then access them wherever you are. This way you don’t need to be at your computer to get an important document. Since you put it on the “Cloud”, you can access your files (documents, pictures, music…) from anywhere you have internet access, on any device. Google has been doing it this way for a long time (Google Docs) and now Apple announced they are getting into the cloud business too (with their version to be called, iCloud) a reinvention of Mobile Me (which previously was Dot Mac). Both of these never worked perfectly and cost $99/year. Apple wants your music to “follow you” – you can play your song from your iPad, iPod, iPhone, or your computer. Anywhere you want.
iCould will be free – just as Google Docs always has been.
(from Wikipedia)
