On Computers

A magician asked me to make him a website. But what about a free business page on Google, Facebook or both?  Years ago, I created a Google business page for testing purposes. Though people thought I was a computer store, I was still getting legitimate calls until I finally removed it. For small businesses, a free Google page is often enough. With a Google Business page, people can easily find you. For example, they could type “magician near me” to find my friend.  A Google or Facebook business page can include hours and services, as well as photos, videos and responses to good or bad reviews. Some restaurants use only a Facebook business page for their online menus. Over 200 […]

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Filed under: AI, art, career, facebook, Internuts, printer, security, TV, voice recognition, web, YouTube | Comments Off on NEED A WEBSITE?

Shopping between Black Friday and Cyber Monday brings you the best deals. But it’s also the best time for scammers. I once ordered pants that never showed up. When shopping online, look for “https” in the address bar. If it doesn’t have the “s” for security, leave. Also watch out for deals that sound too good to be true. Avoid unknown retailers. Two-factor authentication is also highly recommended. If the Hilary Clinton campaign had used it for its email accounts in 2016, for example, hackers couldn’t have gained access to the 50,000 sensitive emails belonging to her campaign chairman. Nor could the hackers have controlled the inboxes of her staffers, according to “Fancy Bear Goes Phishing,” by Scott Shapiro. Finally, […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, facebook, health, robots, shopping | Comments Off on HOLIDAY SCAMMING

“I lost 10 pounds in 10 days,” said a reader, after describing a Facebook scammer who ruined his account. “I want to cut my throat.” It all started when he obeyed a fishy text from Facebook Messenger. Immediately, his Facebook account was taken over, and the bait was sent off to his friends, then to their friends in an ever-widening circle. One guy lost $1200. Another was pressured into giving $2000. The reader lost access to his email account as well. “Want your account back?” screamed the scammer in large letters. “I want you to go away,” said the reader. “Pay me,” he demanded. Even I got the infected message, since I’m Facebook friends with the reader. It read: “I’m […]

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Filed under: electronics, environment, facebook, Internuts, security | Comments Off on SCARY SCAMMER

If you’re like me, you hate to pay Microsoft $70 a year for Office 365. But you can get a nearly equivalent version for much less, and it’s a one-time-only payment. Go to StackSocial.com and search for “Microsoft Office 2019.” It’s identical to Office 365, except you don’t get Microsoft Teams or updates. Besides Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, it includes Notes, OneNote, Publisher and Access. Its $25 price was expiring in 40 hours when I looked, but new deals arrive almost daily. When I checked, Windows 11 was $20, down from $199. Lifetime subscriptions to Babbel and Rosetta Stone, the language-learning programs, were more than 50 percent off. There were also discounts on gift cards, gadgets and toys. But some […]

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Filed under: facebook, Microsoft, phones | Comments Off on DEALS ON MICROSOFT OFFICE AND BEYOND

A reader told me he can’t invite all loved ones to his neighbor’s memorial service because he can only find the guy’s Facebook friends. He wishes every senior would provide good contact information before they pass away. “We neighbors had been caring for him and making arrangements for his last days, which we knew would be soon,” he wrote. “However, he left no address book. He burned out on technology and had not used his cellphone in years.” At least Facebook was helpful. In fact, Facebook is so helpful, I’m tempted to let my late husband’s account go on forever. But this means his old friends will continue to get birthday reminders every year, and his name will still show […]

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Filed under: Amazon, facebook, Google, Internuts, photos, social networks | Comments Off on MEMORIALIZING A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

Duolingo, the language app, is now boosted by CHATGPT-4. Thanks to artificial intelligence, it’s rolling out “Role Play.”  Role Play drops you into an imaginary scenario in French or Spanish. For example, suppose you’re bantering with a waitress in Barcelona while munching tapas. After your conversation, a robot will tell you how you did. It’s part of the new “Duolingo Max” subscription for iPhone only, which is slowly rolling out across America. In an article in a recent New Yorker magazine, the writer describes her mock session in a French cafe. After some exchanges, she said “I love you,” to the AI machine. When it asked if she would rather spend evenings alone, she said she would if everyone was […]

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Filed under: Amazon, batteries, education, facebook, health, Internuts, video | Comments Off on ROLE PLAYING WITH AI

Why are the new over-the-counter hearing aids so much cheaper than the traditional kind? Because you don’t have to pay an audiologist. Two-thirds of a hearing aid’s typical $5000 price goes for an audiologist’s professional fitting, follow-up treatment, and maintenance. But last October, the Food and Drug Administration’s ruling went into effect, allowing you to buy them without a medical exam, prescription, or professional fitting.  The Bose company, well-known for home theater and earbuds, gets great reviews for its hearing aids as well. Their over-the-counter “Lexie” models range in price from $749 to $999. Around 97 percent of users say they can hear music better, including treble tones they haven’t heard in years, according to lexiehearing.com. Around 91 percent say […]

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Filed under: AI, facebook, Gmail, health, how-to, Internuts, phones, screen capture, text messaging, trends | Comments Off on EARBUD COMPANIES NOW SELL HEARING AIDS

“Is 5G quicker than 4G?” a reader asked. “That would be my only incentive to upgrade.” It depends on the map. T-Mobile has the broadest coverage. Its 5G reaches 9,000 zip codes in over 3,000 cities, more than AT&T and Verizon combined, according to whistleout.com. If you’re in a dead zone, 5G wouldn’t matter. With good 5G, you can experience virtual reality, augmented reality and automated driving. You can download even a full 8K movie in seconds, at top speeds of 20 gigabits per second. With 4G, your best speed is only one tenth of one gigabyte per second. But even that’s fast. It’s enough to enjoy video chatting, movie and music streaming. Did you know that even so-called dumb […]

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Filed under: facebook, Gmail, Google, kids, phones, robots, social networks | Comments Off on ARE 5G PHONES WORTH THE UPGRADE?

Years ago, my mediocre piano teacher failed to show up for my lesson, even though we were meeting at her house. I heard she did it to others too.  Phooey on her. I can get the best teachers in America online, and they’re cheaper. According to a 2020 report from Thumbtack, the average in-person piano teacher charges between $40 to $100 an hour. I just got 36 lessons for $25 from TheGreatCourses.com during one of their major sales. By using the free Chrome extension from CapitalOneShopping.com, the price dropped to $18. The equivalent from a live teacher would have cost $1440 to $3600. My online teacher, Pamela Pike, won the “Outstanding Teacher Award” from Louisiana State University, among other honors. […]

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Filed under: apps, education, environment, facebook, how-to, Internuts, music, Windows | Comments Off on ONLINE PIANO LESSONS ROCK

Which is better for watching movies, a TV or a projector? Years ago, a Moroccan invited me to his apartment to meet his wife and baby. After dinner, we watched a Jacques Tati movie. Rather than use a TV, he projected it from his computer onto a big white wall. It made perfect sense. Why bother with a TV when you can get a movie-size projection? A $100 projector can give you a 10-foot wide viewing area. I saw one from Epson, a quality brand, for  $70 on Amazon. But according to CNET, TVs are the better buy, thanks to a rapid drop in prices and improvements in technology. The big ones used to cost upwards of $10,000. Now you […]

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Filed under: apps, cheap calls, facebook, TV | Comments Off on TVS ARE BETTER THAN PROJECTORS