Author: Kayla Matthews

Computers are finicky devices. Although the current generation of hardware is much easier to work with than earlier models, modern systems still need to be maintained, updated and protected from outside threats — and that still might not be enough.

Even in the best-case scenario, computers are known to fail from time to time. The good news is that most of them provide telltale warning signs well in advance.

How do I know if I need to upgrade my PC?

1. Slow system speed

Your system probably doesn’t perform nearly as well as it did when you first brought it home. There are numerous strategies to help restore the original speed and performance of a laptop or desktop PC, and some of these tricks are quite helpful. Defragging your disk drive, removing junk files and physically removing dust from your PC’s case all go a long way toward  restoring your computer to its former glory.

But if you’ve tried all of the methods without any luck, it’s probably time to upgrade. You might be able to struggle by for another year or two, but the rapid development of technology makes it even harder to catch up if you do fall behind.

2. Frequent crashes or virus infections

Every computer is prone to virus infections, but most of these threats are mitigated by modern antivirus or anti-malware protection. Even if your system is infected, the effect on a healthy computer is typically minimal.

If you find that a recent virus is wreaking havoc on your desktop or laptop, or if you experience frequent or regular crashes, it’s probably time to upgrade your entire computer.

3. Software incompatibility

Is your computer capable of running the latest applications and utilities? Can you play new games with your graphics settings at the maximum? Unless you bought your computer secondhand, it was likely compatible with all of the software on the market at the time.

If you find that you now have to pass up the newest and most exciting games, or if you find it difficult to find compatible drivers for the latest software, it’s probably time to begin shopping for a whole new computer.

4. Showing its age

Computers are like humans — no matter how hard they try to hide it, their true age always comes to light eventually. There are several signs to look for when trying to determine if your system is too old. Odd or unexpected noises, internet lag and the appearance of the infamous “blue screen of death” are all telltale signs that your computer is just too old.

As a general rule of thumb, many computer enthusiasts upgrade their systems every four years. Not only does this ensure compatibility with the latest software and hardware releases, but it also helps safeguard your system against the most recent viruses, malware, and cyber-threats.

Upgrading your PC on a budget

Although brand-new components are expensive, it is possible to upgrade your PC while maintaining a tight budget. Refurbished hardware and used hardware mean different things, but both types will help keep your costs to a minimum.

The term used typically refers to pre-owned hardware. Unlike refurbished equipment, there typically aren’t any guarantees to the remaining performance of the device.

Authorized refurbished equipment undergoes a remanufacturing process and extensive testing before it’s made available to consumers, and many refurbished items include a limited warranty of some kind.

Don’t wait until it’s too late!

It’s easy to get aggravated when your desktop or laptop is struggling to perform at acceptable speeds, but tech-savvy users know that this is a sign of an outdated system.

Whether you’re experiencing system bottlenecks, frequent crashes, or software incompatibility, it’s important to recognize what your computer is telling you and respond promptly.

Not only does this let you get a jump on any serious problems, but it could help you prevent data loss or corruption in the future.

Data breaches and major hacks are a dime a dozen these days.

Recently, Saks Fifth Avenue and Lord & Taylor experienced a wide-scale attack, which resulted in the corruption of more than 5 million customer credit and debit card numbers.

The information was stolen thanks to a unique software planted within their point-of-sale and cash register systems.

The attack siphoned a continuous stream of financial details, up until last month when it was discovered.

It is now one of the largest known breaches of a major retailer, alongside Target’s 2013 breach, Home Depot’s 2014 breach, and 2017’s Equifax breach.

It begs the question, how do hackers manage such attacks? What tools and systems do they use to gather all that sensitive information?

How hackers make their mark

One of the most common forms of attack is called phishing, which essentially clones an official portal or website making you think you’re visiting an actual brand’s page.

Generally, they trick you into providing personal information when you try to log in, such as payment information.

Ransomware is another common attack, which seizes a system and data and then demands a monetary payment to re-access.

Unfortunately, even after payment, those affected hardly ever get access to their data and systems back.

In the case of large-scale data breaches, such as those Saks encountered, hackers will take advantage of security vulnerabilities within their internal systems.

In the most recent case, the thieves gained direct access to payment systems and stole data from customers making purchases at retail brick-and-mortar stores and online. The major Target breach involved a similar attack.

In Equifax’s case, the breach was a bit less complicated. Hackers gained access to the companies virtual system and made off with data files containing sensitive details.

If and when these data files are not properly protected — using encryption or the like — the hackers can read sensitive information contained within the files.

It’s not a secret that for these kinds of attacks, negligence is one of the most damaging problems — they can easily prevent or stunt using proper security measures.

The problem with modern attacks and breaches is that the onus for proper security belongs to everyone, from the store, to the systems and electronics providers, to even you, the consumer.

It’s such a fragmented responsibility that it’s truly tough to maintain in any reasonable manner. You can do your best, but there’s no guarantee the other involved parties will.

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t focus on maintaining personal security when you can, however.

It’s important that companies have both in-store and online security measures in place, such as real-time notifications, two-factor authentication, verification checks and captchas.

Even an unsecured CMS can have serious repercussions, which is why brands must also practice good security too.

How can you protect your data?

While many of the above descriptors are generalized, hackers tend to use the same methods and vulnerabilities to gain access to various systems.

What we didn’t cover is the common issue of improper personal security.

1. Use strong passwords

Using strong passwords with a healthy combination of upper and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and symbols, can make it more difficult for anyone to guess or discern your account info.

More importantly, never use the same password across various accounts. If one is compromised, then hackers are smart enough to try using it for other accounts associated with your particular email or username.

They could effectively gain access to even more accounts and information using the one password.

It’s good practice to use strong passwords, never reuse them and never share them with friends, family or colleagues. Software like Lastpass can keep tabs on your passwords so you won’t forget.

Lastpass Download Lastpass

2. Mind companies’ reputations

Pay attention to a company or website’s reputation before handing over your personal details. Providing an email for a newsletter subscription is not necessarily so risky.

But allowing a retailer to save your credit and billing info for later can be dangerous. It’s possible to make purchases on a website or storefront, without saving this information — putting an awful lot of trust in the organization to protect your data.

3. Use cash or credit

Try to avoid using debit cards and bank cards which offer direct access to your funds.

Instead, opt for a credit card when making online purchases, or buying goods and services from a party you don’t know well enough.

Most credit card companies and services offer fraud protection. While thieves could access your credit card number, they cannot directly access your bank funds.

4. Always review your statements

Pay close attention to your online and banking statements and keep an eye out for fraudulent or strange activity.

The sooner you realize and file claims when something happens, the better off you’ll be both financially and security-wise.

If you think something is wrong, simply get in touch with your card provider and have them cancel your current variant and send a new one. They will often do this with no hassle, especially when potential fraud may have occurred.

5. Enable real-time notifications

Some financial providers and institutions even offer real-time notifications for purchases and changes on a card or account.

If you have the option, always enable these features so you’ll get up-to-date reminders on what’s happening with your account.

6. Enable 2FA when applicable

You should also enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for any accounts or personal logins where applicable.

This forces you to enter a temporary code — sent either to your phone through text, a mobile app or email — to verify your identity before accessing your account.

It ensures your information and accounts are not compromised, even if the connected passwords are. You need a second layer of security details to gain access, hence the name two-factor.

Stay aware of hacking trends

The best line of defense, at least on a personal level, is to remain in touch with what happens around you.

Pay attention to the major data breaches happening, and if you’re affected or believe you may be, then start paying closer attention to your credit reports and financial statements.

Naturally, you should do this already, but it’s still an important step to note.

Finally, make use of all the additional security measures and processes available to you, such as two-factor authentication, security pin numbers, and strong passwords.

So long as you adamantly protect your own personal security, it will serve as the last line of defense if and when a company you shop with drops the ball.

Major changes that affect the workplace tend to cause mixed emotions. That’s true in the case of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the connected devices under its umbrella.

Will high-tech advances make your life easier? Or will smart devices make your job obsolete?

Let’s take a look at some of the most likely ways the IoT will alter things at work and explore the pros and cons of such developments.

How the IoT will affect your job

1. The reduction of repetitive tasks

One of the positive aspects of the IoT on employees is that it’ll probably mimic the assembly line by reducing repetition in the work environment, especially when the IoT devices learn from past experiences.

From that point on, the humans who used to handle those jobs can spend more of their time on rewarding and mentally challenging work.

Think about how some repetitive tasks, such as typing, can cause problems like carpal tunnel syndrome (though this is rare). Still, severe cases require surgery and may make a person who types a lot for a living unable to work as efficiently.

However, many IoT devices recognize voice commands, theoretically allowing people to type less and talk more.

2. Less employee autonomy

There’s also a possibility that the IoT will adversely affect your ability to make some decisions, mostly because as devices try to deliver convenience, they may make it so that you don’t have to choose.

Consider an IoT-enabled coffee maker that learns what time you get to work and has your favorite brew waiting when you arrive.

Or what about a thermostat that knows you like to drop the temperature by a few degrees in your office each afternoon to help yourself stay alert?

Both of these examples already exist, and they’ll become even more prominent in workplaces, as well as homes.

Although you can change settings so that the gadgets don’t keep doing things that don’t suit your preferences, the fact that the smart devices know what you want before you ask may make you feel stripped of free will.

3. Better data collection

As mentioned above, IoT gadgets that help humans take care of tedious work could give them more time to do other things. Those devices can also capture data that accumulates during workdays, allowing managers to analyze that information and make wiser decisions.

According to some estimates, it’s possible to process up to 90 percent of invoices without human intervention. That statistic shows how automation could drastically affect the workforce of the future.

Because processing data is only one part of the equation, some companies offer platforms help business leaders see all of them with one interface.

The Google Cloud IoT Core service provides users with the infrastructures and services necessary to manage numerous connected devices at once, thereby facilitating better data usage over time.

When managers efficiently use those gadgets and the information they compile over time, it should be easier to make profitable choices, increase employee productivity and create an all-around better work environment.

4. The possibility of unintended career changes

It’s not difficult to find alarmist articles about how the IoT and related technologies could steal jobs.

According to one study carried out by Harvard academics, 47 percent of U.S. jobs are in the “high risk” category for being replaced by automation. (Curious if your job is going to be automated? You can check here.)

However, it’s important to realize how the IoT is also creating jobs people hadn’t previously imagined. That’s happening inside and outside the United States. For example, Aruna Sundararajan, a government telecommunications leader in India, believes the IoT will create up to 15 million new jobs in the country over the next few years.

Instead of thinking the worst and assuming the IoT might make you unemployed, now is the time to prepare for what’s ahead and gain the knowledge needed to start working in an IoT-centric role potentially.

Depending on factors such as your age, the field in which you work and how much you like your job, you might have thought you’d stay in your current position until retirement.

Shifting into a different role might seem scary at first because you’re making a move you hadn’t planned for.

However, the specialization required by many IoT jobs means they also offer higher-than-average salaries. Even if you hadn’t thought of changing careers, your decision to do so — or at least keep the option in mind — could help your career and boost your bank account balance.

Pros and cons

Based on this list, you can see there are pros and cons associated with the growing prevalence of the IoT in today’s workplaces.

In the best-case scenario, employers should take their workers’ concerns into account when implementing emerging IoT technologies, while workers should stay continually alert for ways to develop their skills in case a career change becomes the best option.

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IoT and the smart home

Do you lose your phone all the time? Whether at a friend’s house, in a car or lodged in between couch cushions, we have all had that moment of panic when we realize we misplaced our phone. Maybe you left in your other pair of jeans, or maybe it fell out of your pocket at the gym.

Thankfully, there are now more ways than ever to track your phone and keep you from losing your most valuable electronic device forever! No matter if you lose your Android phone or iPhone, these tools will help you quickly recover your device and notify you of its last known location.

How to Find a Lost Android Phone

If you lose your Android phone, there are several different options to search for your device.  There is a phone finder feature integrated directly into your device from Google, as well as a number of third-party apps and solutions to get to the bottom of things.

Find Your Device with Google

The easiest method to use is Google Find My Device which is built directly into all Android phones using Google Play Services as well as any phone that runs Android 2.3 or newer. You can search ‘where is my phone’ in Google for the service to start looking for your device.

You can use the Find My Device options to set a new password, ring your phone from afar and more. While you can configure this service ahead of time, to ensure the best access to your device, you can also log in and get data even after you have lost your Android phone. By the use of wifi and GPS data directly from the phone, your Google account will provide you the very latest information on where you might have left your favorite touchscreen device.

Third-Party Apps

While Google offers a solution to find lost Android Phones, there are many third-party options in the Play Store that will allow you to locate and secure your device. One of the best is Cerberus Anti Theft, a free application which can communicate with your phone in several different channels. The app allows remote control of your Android device through the apps web portal login, and it can automatically alert you when you have a potentially lost device.

Lastly, you can send your phone text messages from another device to lock down and track your device even after it has gone missing. By taking remote photos, using the alarm function and displaying a message that remains on the screen, you can lock down a lost phone and prevent usage by any would-be thieves.

How to Find a Lost iPhone

The easiest – and only way – to find your lost iPhone or other Apple device is to use the native feature called Find My iPhone. This app comes on every iOS device and displays a map to help you easily locate and manage your lost electronics. To fully track activity, however, you have to have access to another iOS device or computer with the Find My iPhone app.

While the missing iPhone is turned on, it will send data when connected to the internet, but if this feature is turned off, there may be no way to contact the phone. The phone can display a message while in communication with this software to contact the missing owner, and the data on the phone can be wiped remotely if needed. One great feature about the Find My iPhone software is it requires an Apple ID and password to reactivate this feature, meaning that crooks who have your device may end up not being able to fully use the device.

Use Google Maps as a Timeline

While there are not a lot of other options specifically for iPhone users, if you use Google maps on your Android or iOS device you can look at your timeline page that may have more detailed information about your history. If you drop your device and look for its last location, this timeline tool may show you the last time your phone connected to the web and your Google account.

Call or Text Your Missing or Lost Phone

This one may seem obvious but sometimes sending a phone call to the missing device might reveal its location or help you get a better idea of where to look. Even if your ringer is not on, the vibration motor in your Android or iPhone can often send sounds into whatever surface it is resting on and allow you to pinpoint the spot.

No matter where your phone is, losing your precious device with all your personal information inside of it can be a stressful experience. While it is hard to tell exactly where phones are located without some assistance, each of these special tools can help find your lost Android or iPhone and get your data back into safe hands.

Maybe you went over to someone’s house recently, saw a smart product in action, and decided you can’t live without it. Or maybe you read about how some smart products are extremely energy-efficient, and you want to know how much they might reduce your bills.

The smart products market has become so vast that it’s not wise to buy without doing some research first. There are factors to weigh and characteristics to be aware of before taking the plunge. Read on to learn how to make smart decisions about smart products.

A buying guide to purchasing smart products

1. Consider the initial price, plus money or time saved

When you’re surveying the market for a smart device, don’t consider only the upfront cost; add in costs for accessories, replacement parts, and other necessities into the equation.

When you read reviews about the products that catch your interest, aim to get rundowns from people who have owned the items for a while. They’re the most likely sources to give you a genuine glimpse of the money you could save through long-term ownership.

In some cases, a smart product won’t save you money, but it stops you from wasting so much time. If you hear a lot of feedback saying that people get more done by using a smart product that recognizes voice commands, for example, you might realize that a product that performs as well as people say is certainly worth whatever it costs.

Don’t let a steep upfront price immediately convince you to look elsewhere. Instead, think about the benefits you could receive as time passes by owning that product. Conversely, also examine whether you might spend more time learning to use a smart product than actually reaping its rewards.

2. Pay Attention to Popular Products

The most prominent merchandise in the smart products market has usually achieved that position for a reason. People buy something, try it, love it and encourage friends to follow suit. The most well-known brands typically also have a stronghold in the market and spend time making product improvements.

Recent statistics indicate that as of this September, Amazon sold three times as many of its smart products than Google had. Google and Amazon are two mega brands, so why is Amazon winning in this case? It has existed in the smart home marketplace longer than Google and often sells its Echo, Dot and similar products at low prices. However, you can rest assured Google has invested technology into understanding what consumers want, too.

If you make sure to include well-known manufacturers in your research instead of just focusing on up-and-coming names, you’ll see what’s available from brands that have excellent resources and access to the marketplace. It’s not necessary to steer clear from smaller brands altogether, but you should realize that by potentially buying a smart product from one of them, you might be aligning with a name that’s untested compared to the more popular companies.

3. Decide what you want to achieve

Once you nail down at least a few reasons for buying smart products, it’ll be easier to avoid buyer’s remorse. The possibilities are almost limitless when it comes to the kinds of smart products you could buy.

There are the more common options, such as thermostats, lights, and speakers. All of those could make life easier by preventing you from moving around the house so much. Plus, smart thermostats save $180 per year on average for the households that use them, so if it’s cost-effectiveness you’re after, look for similar research that indicates why a particular product could keep your expenses down.

And then there’s the “wow” factor to consider. For example, Jim Beam came up with a smart decanter that can pour your whiskey. Compared to the other products mentioned above, this is not a purchase that will save you money or time  — but it will definitely impress your friends.

Focus your smart-buying efforts by determining your smart product goals. Are you trying to cut down on boring tasks, turn your home into a more comfortable place or simply make people say “Wow!” when they walk into the room and see what you own? When answering these questions, get input from other household members, too. You might find they have unmet needs you hadn’t considered yet.

When you answer those questions, it’ll be easier to understand which features should be among your most-wanted capabilities. If you hate dealing with tech learning curves, you probably want a smart home product that’s extremely user-friendly. On the other hand, you might not mind a more in-depth and complex product if it can do all or most of the things you need at once.

Bear in mind that some features available on smart home products might seem a little gimmicky. You might also pass a judgment that they’re more trouble than their worth after hearing how numerous people mentioned the features didn’t work properly when they wrote their reviews. However, if a big reason why you want a smart product is for the bragging rights, it probably won’t matter to you that a company hasn’t perfected a feature, as long as it exists.

4. Check out the offerings from retail stores

Buying your smart product online may seem like the most convenient option — unless you have trouble setting it up or making it work. A study from Parks Associates found there will be 10 million smart products sold by 2021, and most of them from retail stores rather than websites. Even Amazon ships some of its smart products to physical stores.

It knows some people prefer to see and touch the items in person before buying them. Plus, if difficulties arise along the way, individuals can get professional insight from the store instead of solely seeking help on the phone and through the mail.

After making a shortlist of smart home items you’re excited to possibly own, see if retailers in your area have them in stock. If you find at least a few that do, go to those outlets and see if the demonstration models of the products match or exceed your expectations. During those evaluation outings, you’ll probably notice some unexpected characteristics that result in positive or negative impressions.

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5. Be realistic

A smart product might be the coolest thing you buy for a while, but it might not drastically change your life. The specifics vary depending on the type of innovation you get but expect it to enhance the way you live, not completely alter it. Most smart products simplify life by doing some of your typical tasks for you. They might also learn how you behave, then adapt accordingly.

If you’re having trouble envisioning how a smart product will improve your life, spend several hours with a trustworthy friend who owns at least one of them. Watch how that person interacts with the gadget or multiple devices, then imagine whether you’d find those same commands useful.

By keeping these tips in mind, you can discover smart products that fit your lifestyle and needs and don’t make you feel like you’ve wasted money.
Taking your time with the research process is important because it’ll help you avoid impulse buys. Also, realize that the smart home market is a rapidly evolving industry. If you don’t see an item that matches your requirements, developers might be in the middle of engineering something that does.