Has Your E-Mail Been Hacked?
Are your friends complaining about random e-mails from you containing only a link or asking for money since you have been stranded on some remote island? If so, chances are that your e-mail program has been “hacked,” meaning that someone has accessed your contact list and sent messages to everyone on your list. Here are some simple rules to follow to minimize the risk that this will happen to you.
1. If you have been hacked, change your password immediately. Don’t use simple passwords such as birthdays, phone numbers or family names. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
2, Change your password frequently; monthly, if you are using AOL
3. Do not use the same password for your e-mail program, online banking, or shopping sites like Amazon, Ebay, etc.
4. When accessing the Internet on the road, be sure that the wi-fi location is secured. Places like hotels, parks, and coffee shops like Starbucks, are not secured since everyone has access to their networks. You do not want to enter passwords, credit card info, or other personal information in a non-secured area, since you are using a public access point.
5. If you are using a Windows computer, make sure you have installed both an anti-virus and malware program and that they have been updated.
If you any questions about “hacking” or other maintenance issues, feel free to contact me either by phone at 917 921-4518 or by e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com/bluetutorold.
Want to Control Your International Telephone Costs?
Planning a business or pleasure trip overseas? Do you have a child studying abroad? Keeping in touch while traveling to other countries can be very costly. Fortunately, there are many Internet based programs that have reduced the costs of communicating substantially, and in many cases, for free, depending on the country.
If you own a smartphone, (iPhone, Android, or Blackberry) free calls are a snap. No need to worry about placing calls for as much as $3 to $4 PER MINUTE.
While there are many services available, I suggest you look at Viber, MagicJack, and Skype. All three have the ability to communicate for free from anywhere you can access the Internet through a wireless connection.
Many of you already are familiar with Skype which offers free video chatting with a computer, tablet, and a smartphone from a wireless connection. Using Skype on your smartphone or tablet from an area without a wireless connection is not free and the costs will depend on your carrier (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc.) and the country who are in.
Viber offers free telephone calls and text messaging from smartphone to smartphone from a wireless area. Both you and the person you are calling need to have the app installed on your smartphone. The app is free.
MagicJack is a matchbook size device with a USB plug that is plugged into your laptop computer. The price of the MagicJack is $39.95 and the annual cost is under $20. It can be bought either at their website or at any electronics store (Best Buy, etc.). When you register, you select a local US number (where you live) and all calls, placed or received through the MagicJack, from a wireless area, are free.
There are a host of services available, however I am able to communicate with friends, family and business associates in other countries on a regular basis for FREE.
If you would like to discuss any of these services in greater detail, or if you have any other questions regarding how to control your international communication costs, I can be reached at 917 921-4518 or by e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com
To listen to my latest BlogTalkRadio Program, “How to Control Your International Calling Costs,” click on the site below.
2013 – The Year of Mobile Technology
Do you have the right tools to operate in the new mobile world?
Over 85% of the world population now owns a mobile phone. In the United States, there are more mobile phones than people. In 2012, over 60% of mobile phones purchased in the US were smartphones.
Do you own a smartphone? Are you considering an upgrade? Which phone is right for you, an iPhone, Android, or Blackberry? Over 25% of households in the US have a tablet. Should you have one?
If you want to make sure you are ready to be a true road warrior, give me call at 917 921-4518 or e-mail me at jblue@bluetutor.com/bluetutorold.
To listen to my most recent BlogTalkRadio program about the mobile world in 2013, click below.
Need Help Selecting the Right Techie Gift?
Confused by all the choices?
Kindles, Nooks, iPads, iPhones, Androids, digital cameras, etc. The list is endless. You want to make sure you select the right gift for your friends, family and business associates.
Before you walk into one of the many retailers offering “deals” on the latest and greatest new techie gadgets, consider the following:
Not all people are created equal. While many of us love gadgets, giving your parent or child an ipad might be something they will never be able to use. Make sure your gift is in line with their technology acumen.
Most items listed above vary in price based on their specifications. Make sure you understand the differences between basic and advanced features.
Gift certificates for books for the Kindle and music for the iPhone are just two examples.
For family or friends whom you feel might be confused by all the new technology or need to brush on their technology skills, you should consider giving them a copy of my e-book, which can be ordered and read on both a Kindle and an iPad, directly from Amazon by clicking here.
How about a gift of a few hours of computer lessons?
If you want to make sure your gifts are received with a “Wow” instead of a confused look, give me a call at 917 921-4518 or e-mail me at jblue@bluetutor.com. I can help you make the right choices.
What Boomers and Seniors Need to Know
So much technology……. So many choices
Chances are that your children are more tech savvy than you are.
Are you on the wrong side of the Great Digital Divide?
Do you have the right tools to operate in the new Mobile World?
Now available as an e-book. Order it for your Kindle
ARE YOU SECURING YOUR MOBILE DEVICES?
We are living in a mobile world. Chances are that you are using your smartphone and tablet more than your computer for e-mail and information. Are your mobile devices secure? Do you know how to find them if they are lost?
Within the next couple of years, more people will be accessing the Internet through a mobile device than with a desktop or laptop computer.
Listen in to my BlogTalkRadio program for a discussion with my guest, Neil Forster, President of Forster Technology Solutions, about what you need to know about securing your mobile devices and how to locate them if they are misplaced.
What You Need to Know About Microsoft’s Window 8
Are you in the market for a new computer? Should you be upgrading to Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system?
Microsoft has made a major commitment with its new operating system. The major shift in technology to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets has resulted in a slowdown in the purchasing of traditional desktop computers.
Microsoft has finally decided to grab market share from leaders such as Apple, Google, and Amazon with the introduction of an operating system for both desktop and tablets.
Should Microsoft be part of your future? Click below and listen to Jim Blue and Carl Mazzanti, a Microsoft Partner of the Year, talk about what you need to know before making a decision.
If you want to discuss whether or not Windows 8 is right for you, do not hesitate to contact me directly at 917 921-4518 or by e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com
Are You Using E-Mail Marketing?
What is E-mail Marketing and why should it be part of your Social Media Strategy?
Email marketing is best defined as the practice of sending an email,electronically, to a group of people on a list to sell and promote a product or service. Email marketing is immediate as all e-mails are sent simultaneously to your subscribers.
Using e-mail marketing permits you to create newsletters, announce promotions and special events, in advance, and schedule specific dates for them to be sent out.
With email marketing, you can track, at a glance, who is reading your e-mails and how many clicks you are getting on the links placed in your messages.
To learn more about what you need to know about e-mail marketing, CLICK HERE, or below to listen to my interview with an executive from the leading e-marketing company, Constant Contact.
Is It Time For You to Get a Tablet?
Apple introduced the mini iPad yesterday as the tablet wars heat up. Sales of tablets worldwide, with displays in the 7-inch range, are expected to double this year to 34 million units, and to double again in 2013, to 67 million units, according to IHS as reported in the Wall Street Journal.
So much to choose from: Amazon’s Kindles, Barnes and Noble Nooks, Google’s Nexus 7, etc. and more to come in the weeks and months ahead.
Which one is right for you and what are the differences? As I have indicated many times in the past, it depends on your needs, preferences, comfort level with the device, and budget.
The Wall Street Journal offers a price and feature comparison of the most popular tablets.
According to a recent report in CNNMoney, PC sales will decline in 2012 for the first time since 2011. This is in part to the explosive growth of the tablet market as detailed above.
Many of my clients who have never used a computer have embraced tablets for simple web browsing, e-mail, reading, shopping and viewing videos and pictures, to name a view.
IBM reports that by 2013, there will be more mobile devices than people in the world. Isn’t it time you entered the Mobile World?
If you have any questions about tablets, or any other technology issues, please do not hesitate to contact me at 917 921-4518 of by e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com. You can also access my BlogTalkRadioShow by clicking on the link below.