NYT on surviving our own digital tech and the (selfish) companies that push it on us

NYT ARTICLE CLICK HERE

DON'T LOG INTO WEBSITES USING FACEBOOK - YOU ARE HACKED!

I have made no secret at http://wehocomputerrepair.com that I hate Facebook for many reasons, not the least of which is they want to know all about you so they can sell that info. One way they learn about you is by helping you log onto other websites. Gee passwords are such a pain are they not? Facebook can help by storing your passwords for all those sites.

That way, when Facebook gets hacked (as they just have) you lose your security at dozens of websites not just FB! You just gave away your internet master key! Fifty million accounts were compromised over 11 days as FB programmers watched almost helplessly.

CNN EXPLAINS: Things could get very ugly. The hackers could be trolls who decide to post a database of millions of people's private messages online for everyone to read. They could be Russian intelligence, gathering information from politicians' personal accounts and then sitting on it until just the right moment to wreak havoc on the midterm or 2020 elections. They could be blackmailers, combing through the messages of high-value targets like politicians, government officials, and wealthy individuals.

Unfortunately you just gotta make up a lot of passwords and write them down in a secure place. Don't save a file on your computer called "passwords" call it something else.

MORE ON THE BREACH: https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-hack-single-sign-on-data-exposed/

For more check out my blog at http://wehocomputerrepair.com/blog_posts_main.htm

Why Facebook is evil by John Oliver at Last Week Tonight: https://youtu.be/OjPYmEZxACM

Robocalls are driving me nuts - how about you?

Are junk phone calls driving you crazy? At http://wehocomputerrepair.com my contact info is public information and boy do losers in India know it! Almost every morning this week my phone has been ringing every ten minutes with spam calls. Sometimes it is a recording and sometimes a live Indian.

What can you do?

1. Forget government help. The do not call list is pointless.

2. If you get a live Indian be sure to talk like Apu on the Simpsons and be really insulting before you hang up.

3. Fight tech with tech - go to the apple store or the google play store and download a "call blocking" program. I use "should I answer" and it is very helpful. Only by reporting these calls to a database can this be stopped.

Unfortunately the US invention of the internet and mobile phones is now being used against us by third world losers who can make phone calls at almost no cost.

For more tech help see my blog at http://wehocomputerrepair.com/blog_posts_main.htm

August is the best time to buy a new computer

Need a new computer? Get it now! Take it from me, Don Myers, proprietor of West Hwd Computer Repair.

August/Sept. is the best time to get a new computer thanks to back to school deals. Otherwise wait till Feb. for after Xmas sales. In Weho you can try shopping at Best Buy or Target, but I recommend Frys Electronics for the best prices and selection. And the craziest store decor, as you can see by the photo below.

For more help shopping for tech and saving $$$ in SoCal check my blog post: http://wehocomputerrepair.com/computer_shopping_west_hollywood.htm

For new Mac laptop owners with bad keyboards

Apple has publicly acknowledged that the butterfly switch keyboards in some MacBook and MacBook Pro computers have given consumers some trouble, and it has launched a new repair service program that promises to fix problems with those keyboards for free, regardless of whether the consumer purchased AppleCare.

SYMPTOMS
Repeating letters
Non-appearing letters
Keys feel sticky or don't respond

MODELS AFFECTED
MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, Early 2015)
MacBook (Retina, 12­-inch, Early 2016)
MacBook (Retina, 12-­inch, 2017)
MacBook Pro (13­-inch, 2016, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2017, Two Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2016, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (13-­inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports)
MacBook Pro (15-­inch, 2016)

MacBook Pro (15-­inch, 2017)

Mac laptops are difficult to open or repair on purpose so to fix a single broken key the whole thing must be disassembled and the entire keyboard replaced (at minimum).

Apple, famous for price gouging, rarely does anything for FREE. I recommend anyone who owns the models listed above to contact the local Apple store and make an appointment to have their keyboard replaced whether it is faulty or not.

For more tech help see my website:  http://wehocomputerrepair.com/blog_posts_main.htm

FBI WARNS: REBOOT YOUR ROUTER TO STOP RUSSIAN HACKERS

At http://wehocomputerrepair.com I want my customers to be on alert for a new security threat.

The FBI is advising users of consumer-grade routers and network-attached storage devices to reboot them as soon as possible to counter Russian-engineered malware that has infected hundreds of thousands devices.

Known as VPNFilter, the malware allowed attackers to collect communications, launch attacks on others, and permanently destroy the devices with a single command. The report said the malware was developed by hackers working for an advanced nation, possibly Russia, and advised users of affected router models to perform a factory reset, or at a minimum to reboot.

Unfortunately many people don't know what a router is or where it is in your home.  FIND IT. It is the box you got from your cable or phone company that brings the internet into your home.

1. Pull out the power cord.
2. Wait 20 seconds.
3. Plug it back in.

It may take up to five minutes to come back online.

If you do not do this the virus could:

1. Slow your net connection
2. Attack another computer on the internet
3. Read or manipulate EVERYTHING going in and out of it

That means it could watch everything you do and send false information to you, such as fooling you into thinking your banking website has a false amount of money in an account vs. the true amount.

Best of all is to reset your router completely to factory settings, but that would also reset all wireless networks and passwords, and most people don't know how to deal with this.

FOR MORE:  https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/05/fbi-tells-router-users-to-reboot-now-to-kill-malware-infecting-500k-devices/

For more tech tips go to my blog at http://wehocomputerrepair.com/blog_posts_main.htm

Laptop batteries CAN explode!

https://youtu.be/2Z9190ruyIM

LAPTOPS CAN EXPLODE! Leaving the battery in your laptop all the time while keeping it plugged into the wall all the time is bad! It won't overcharge but heat from the computer wears it out. And being 100% charged for years also wears it out. It is best, if you are actually using the battery, to keep it charged at 40%-80% at all times for longest life.

On rare occasions batteries have even exploded like the defective on in the video below. For more tech tips see my West Hollywood Computer Repair website http://wehocomputerrepair.com/blog_posts_main.htm/

Mac users infected with virus for THIRTEEN YEARS!

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2018/01/man-charged-in-malware-mystery-that-allegedly-spied-on-mac-users-for-13-years/

MAC USERS GET VIRUSES TOO!  Every mac user should use a virus checker even if they think they are safe.  A "new" THRTEEN YEAR OLD Mac virus called "Fruitfly" has been spying on people. The virus author sat in Ohio monitoring people's behavior using "creepware!"

Prosecutors said defendant Phillip R. Durachinsky used the malware to surreptitiously turn on cameras and microphones, take and download screenshots, log keystrokes, and steal tax and medical records, photographs, Internet searches, and bank transactions. In some cases, Fruitfly alerted Durachinsky when victims typed words associated with porn. The suspect, in addition to allegedly targeting individuals, also allegedly infected computers belonging to police departments, schools, companies, and the federal government, including the US Department of Energy.

For more tech help see my blog at: http://wehocomputerrepair.com/blog_posts_main.htm

Hewlett Packard laptop batteries keep exploding!

Hewlett Packard is not the computer company it once was. Years of layoffs and budget cuts have taken their toll.  Now these idiots are having to recall laptop batteries because they keep exploding!

The potentially affected batteries were shipped with specific HP ProBook (64x G2 and G3 series, 65x G2 and G3 series), HP x360 310 G2, HP ENVY m6, HP Pavilion x360, HP 11 Notebook Computers and HP ZBook (17 G3, 17 G4, and Studio G3) Mobile Workstations sold worldwide from December 2015 through December 2017.

If you own one of the affected computers you can find more info on the recall here:  RECALL INFORMATION

For more help like this go to my tech blog at TECH BLOG.

Expensive screen cleaners are a rip off - just use vinegar!

Expensive screen cleaners for your laptops and TVs are a total rip off. They cost up to $20 a bottle and contain the same soap as in shampoos just watered way down.  Instead, just mix a bit of white vinegar with water and it works just as well!

For more money saving tech tips go to http://www.wehocomputerrepair.com

Lawsuits against Apple piling up in wake of battery scandal with Iphones

CLICK HERE FOR STORY ON APPLE LAWSUIT

Apple is being sued left and right for deliberately slowing down older phones when the software is updated. Although there are good reasons for this they never told their customers why they did it. The bottom line: If you apple phone is running slow now just replace the battery. Unfortunately that is hard to do unless you work for the apple store. For more tech help go to my blog at MY BLOG POSTS

Well well the gift giving season has brought lots of tech toys. Which need set up! And don't forget rechargeable batteries. http://www.WehoComputerRepair.com is your January jolt of tech handling. The Weho tech solution since 1998.

Horrible Experian hack now sucks in T-Mobile customers

The Experian Hack of 2017, in which millions lost all of their personal data to hackers, has now sucked in T-Mobile customers. The German telecom giant used Experian to do credit checks on its new customers. Now THEIR data has also been sucked up by hackers. I am here to protect my clients, and potential clients, in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills. To find out if you have been affected by this data breach go here: . For more on dealing with hacks, phones and tech problems go to my blog:

My website is now cell phone/tablet friendly !

At long last I finally re-wrote my website http://wehocomputerrepair.com to be mobile friendly and look great on a phone. Now it's easer to find out about my services or even make a payment while you are not paying attention to your driving!

THE HACKING OF U.S. CONTINUES AT NUKE PLANTS

THE HACKING OF U.S. CONTINUES AT NUKE PLANTS https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/06/technology/nuclear-plant-hack-report.html For more on protecting yourself in the digital age check my website http://wehocomputerrepair.com/protecting_your_information.htm

Recycle that junk West Hollywood!

DUMP THAT JUNK! Recycle your e-waste and shred confidential docs in West Hollywood this July 29: http://www.weho.org/city-hall/city-departments/public-works/environmental-services/document-shredding-and-e-waste-collection Cell phones alone contain rare earth elements that terrorists in Africa use to fund their wars and environmental destruction. Every phone recycled means less power to those scumbags. For more computer help and advice go to my blog at http://www.wehocomputerrepair.com//blog_posts_main.htm

How to make cell phone batteries last all day!

MAKE YOUR CELL PHONE BATTERY LAST

West Hollywood loves shallow things. Weho also loves its cell phones. Everyone is relying on them, addicted to them, all the time.  City hall even bought signs telling pedestrians to look up from their devices while crossing the street!  Seriously, multiple (often drunk) people have been hit at crosswalks in West Hollywood, often because they were glued to their phones. With that kind of popularity keeping your gadget charged all day is now more important than ever. Here are some tips: 1. Vibration: turn it off if possible. It's a huge power eater. 2. GPS: Constantly monitoring your global position takes power and prevents the phone from "sleeping" to save juice. Turn it on to use Lyft or Uber, then turn it off again. 3. Opening and closing apps: let apps you use often keep running. Don't close and re-open them all day long. I'm looking at you, Grindr. 4. Constantly re-charging your phone is better for it than letting the battery go to 0% before re-charging. Topping off and constantly recharging is good. 5. The Facebook app is huge drain on batteries even when you turn it OFF. Uninstall it. 6. Instagram also gobbles up battery power and storage pre-loading images and videos. Uninstall it. 7. Screen brightness: the lower you go the more power you save. 8. Beat the heat: don't leave your phone in the hot sun or a locked car. High temperatures ruin the battery over time. Air vents should be dust free. 9. Basic Black Wallpaper: modern phones with OLED screens use power slower showing black. Up to 18% less. And it's easier on your eyes. 10. Ad-Blockers: an ad you block is one less ad for your processor to display. Fortunately this website does not show ads. But I HATE AD BLOCKERS for my ad based websites. Don't kill our ad revenue with blockers!  I'm conflicted :( For more consumer tech news go to http://www.wehocomputerrepair.com

Windows 10 - Microsoft's pushiest product ever!

WINDOWS 10 THE PUSHIEST, MOST INVASIVE WINDOWS EVER!

Windows 7 was Microsoft's last broadly popular version of its flagship product, the Windows operating system.  That is the version of Windows most folks here in Hollywood or Beverly Hills use.  Windows 8 was a mess, Windows 9 does not exist, and we are now on Windows 10. Don't get me started on how stupid these product names are.  Microsoft has a monopoly on the Windows brand, and it is a big brand indeed.  They can pressure their customers because there really isn't another choice for a program that runs a personal computer (sorry Apple fans your market share is puny.)

The problem with Windows 10 is the staggering amount of spying and manipulation it does.  Not even the Church of Scientology does so much spying!  Some of this behavior can be turned off but you have to make that effort yourself.  By default Windows is set to be maximum intrusive. That is because Microsoft GAVE AWAY millions of free copies of Windows 10.  If you aren't paying for a product then you ARE the product.

SOME OF THE THINGS WINDOWS 10 DOES

•    FORCED UPGRADING:  During the period Win 10 was given away for free Win 8/7 owners were constantly pressured to upgrade using some tactics that could be considered malware hacks.  My lawyer went to bed one night, woke up, and found that his two Win 7 PCs had magically upgraded themselves in the middle of the night to Win 10.  If you know what you are doing this upgrade can be rolled back in minutes, but most people don't know how or even if they should.

•    LOGS EVERYTHING:  It logs its users time on Windows 10 but also their time using Microsoft Edge... and gaming... and streaming games... and counting your search queries... and every single time a user opens a photo. Read the Windows 10 EULA (contract), privacy blogs and Error guides and you'd have no idea your images were being tallied or your gaming sessions logged and this separates it from rivals. At least Google, Facebook and Apple admit when they are watching.   Even your browser history (where you go on the internet) and your keystrokes are being watched. Microsoft claims this is to serve you better and make error reporting more robust. Uh huh.

•    INSTALLS ANYTHING IT WANTS:  By forcing updates on you and deliberately not providing much info on what the update does it can pretty much put anything on your PC.  And, although updates can be delayed, you can't prevent them from happening.

•    DISPLAY ADS IN THE START MENU

•    ANALYZES YOUR PERSONAL DATA:  Signing in with your Microsoft email account means Windows is reading your emails, contacts and calendar data. The new Edge browser serves you personalized ads. Solitaire now comes with ads. Using Cortana – the voice-driven assistant that represents Redmond’s answer to Apple’s Siri – reportedly plays fast and loose with your data too.   “We will access, disclose and preserve personal data, including your content (such as the content of your emails, other private communications or files in private folders), when we have a good faith belief that doing so is necessary to.”

•    CONSTANTLY TALKS TO MICROSOFT:  Even with all the intrusive features turned off as possible one researcher found Win 10 constantly is talking on the internet.  Eight hours later, he found that a completely idle Windows 10 machine had tried over 5,500 connections to 93 different IP addresses. 4,000 of these were Windows connections and 51 of the IP’s belonged to Microsoft. After leaving the machine alone for 30 hours, Windows 10 attempted connections to an additional 113 non-private IP addresses, which is akin to placing a sign on your network saying “now open to main in the middle (MiTM) attacks.”

•    SPREADS ITS PRIVACY SETTINGS ACROSS 13 DIFFERENT SCREENS: Just try getting all your settings straight with THAT layout scheme.  Was this done on purpose to make it hard to turn off spying? Of course!

For detailed instructions on how to deal with this spying and turn most of it off read the "Paranoids Guide to Windows 10."

EXPERTS ONLY:  For those who are experts at computers (and being paranoid) use this utility to get even more control.
 
For more go to MY WEBSITE

BEST BUY'S 'GEEK SQUAD' LETS FBI CONDUCT WARRANTLESS SEARCHES

JANUARY 2017:  Best Buy's computer repair department the "Geek Squad" (what an insulting name) has been in trouble over the years as I previously detailed here.  Now they are in a really big scandal.  It all started in May 2016 at a kiddie porn trial. First let me say KIDDIE PORN IS SICK, ILLEGAL AND WRONG! But that isn't the issue here. The case in question involves Dr. Mark Rettenmaier, a gynecological oncologist in Orange County, California, who brought his desktop in to a Best Buy for repairs in November 2011.  For some reason his computer was shipped to Kentucky (first in marijuana farming last in in education spending). Why would anyone ship a computer from CA to KY to be fixed? Just give it to me right here in West Hollywood! A technician at Best Buy's repair facility in KY an image of a naked prepubescent girl on a bed in a choke collar, then informed his boss, who told the FBI. Both Best Buy employees received some payment from the FBI, as did at least six others over four years, court records show. Rettenmaier's lawyer, James D. Riddet, argues that the relationship between the FBI and the Geek Squad is "so cozy" and extensive "it turns searches by Best Buy into government searches." Court records show the "FBI and Best Buy made sure that during the period from 2007 to the present, there was always at least one supervisor who was an active informant," Riddet told OC Weekly.  Riddet says agents conducted two additional searches of the computer without obtaining necessary warrants, lied to trick a federal magistrate judge into authorizing a search warrant, then tried to cover up their misdeeds by initially hiding records. The defense in the child pornography trial alleged that the FBI used a member of electronics retailer Best Buy's tech support team, Geek Squad, to peer into the accused's computer on the hunt for evidence of child pornography. Since then, the defense's lawyers revealed that the FBI had cultivated at least eight of the company's IT "geeks" over a four-year period to serve as confidential informants, who all received some payment for turning over data. Obviously, this raises serious questions about whether sending devices into the repair shop forfeits a person's right to privacy or unreasonable search and seizure. The eight Geek Squad members in question worked in the tech support branch's repair center in Brooks, Kentucky, servicing items sent in from all over the country. Technically, users sign consent to search over to Best Buy when they hand their devices over to get fixed. This includes fine print indicating that any evidence of child pornography would require the company to hand the device over to authorities. But if the FBI paid each of its informants to pass along evidence they'd acquired in the course of their normal job, and plan to keep doing so in future cases, wouldn't that make Best Buy's employees functional agents of the bureau? A federal judge is allowing the case's defense attorneys to explore that relationship between company and government which functionally allowed the FBI to bypass the need for a warrant or acquire specific consent to search. On the first day of the inquiry, an FBI agent's testimony cast doubt on whether the initial image found by the Geek Squad member and informant technically qualified as child pornography to warrant bureau action. Another problem is that, in this case, the child pornography found was on the drive's unallocated space, i.e. space that the file system is able to use for new data, not capacity containing the files the customer wanted preserved. Accessing files in unallocated space requires going above and beyond the job the customer contracted for, as well as extra software to recover deleted data. A Federal appeals court has ruled that data in unallocated space is insufficient to prove that the user knew of its existence.  Finding files in unallocated space is HARD and takes time and expertise. Apparently the Best Buy employees were motivated by payouts from the FBI to snoop around. "The government concedes it presented no evidence that Flyer knew of the presence of the files on the unallocated space of his Gateway computer's hard drive," declared judges at the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit before overturning that conviction. "The government also concedes it presented no evidence that Flyer had the forensic software required to see or access the files. . . . Deletion of an image alone does not support a conviction for knowing possession of child pornography on or about a certain date within the meaning of [federal law]. No evidence indicated that Flyer could recover or view any of the charged images in unallocated space or that he even knew of their presence there." I don't know how information can even be STORED on "unallocated space" and I'm a PC expert!  It's possible the image was saved in a strange place by malware or a virus used to blackmail people. But the biggest issue remains whether Geek Squad technicians acted as secret law-enforcement agents and, thus, violated Fourth Amendment prohibitions against warrantless government searches. Riddet claims records show "FBI and Best Buy made sure that during the period from 2007 to the present, there was always at least one supervisor who was an active informant." He also said, "The FBI appears to be able to access data at [Best Buy's main repair facility in Brooks, Kentucky] whenever they want." Calling the relationship between the agency and the Geek Squad relevant to pretrial motions, Carney approved Riddet's request to question agents under oath.

bEST BUY RESPONDS

Best Buy and Geek Squad have no relationship with the FBI. From time to time, our repair agents discover material that may be child pornography, and we have a legal and moral obligation to turn that material over to law enforcement. We are proud of our policy and share it with our customers before we begin any repair.

Any circumstances in which an employee received payment from the FBI is the result of extremely poor individual judgment is not something we tolerate and is certainly not a part of our normal business behavior.

To be clear, our agents unintentionally find child pornography as they try to make the repairs the customer is paying for. They are not looking for it. Our policies prohibit agents from doing anything other than what is necessary to solve the customer's problem so that we can maintain their privacy and keep up with the volume of repairs.

For more on this story go here: Weho Computer Repair

Why are Apple Computer devices so HARD to open?

WHY APPLE PRODUCTS ARE HARD TO OPEN For more go to my website. Apple products are like a gated community while Windows computers are so open they can be rambunctious and insecure. One is not better than the other they are just different.  Before the invention of the Apple Store Apple's hardware was designed to be easy to open.  But once they controlled their own repair facilities they began designing computers to deliberately look great but be hard to open.  This also stabbed long time mom and pop Apple authorized repair centers in the back.  Now you need to take it to the Apple store for service. Just check the bottom of one of their beautiful laptops.  It is great looking smooth aluminum.  No ugly screws to make it easy to open!  Apple invented something called a "pentalobe" screwdriver to make their products tamper resistant.  Yes, they invented their own screwing system to screw the consumer. For a year Apple had a monopoly on a screwdriver! Pentalobe screws have been used by Apple since 2009, when they were first implemented in the 15-inch MacBook Pro. They have since been used on other MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iPhone models. Apple attracted criticism upon the introduction of the pentalobe screw; it was seen as an attempt to lock individuals out of their devices. If brought in to an Apple Store for repair, iPhone 4 models with #00 Phillips screws, if any, are replaced with 0.8 mm pentalobe screws. Third-party manufacturers rushed to produce screwdrivers that would remove 0.8 mm pentalobe screws after the iPhone 4's release in June 2010.  Trying to remove a pentalobe screw with the wrong screwdriver will strip the screw making it unremoveable.  And when you take your laptop or phone in to be repaired at the Apple Store I guarantee there is some poor slob in back surrounded by crazy screws and lots of them. Apple deliberately uses glue instead of screws too often. Or their products have too many screws, tiny screws, weird non-standard screws, require special suction cups to open, or have customized internal organs that are Apple-only.  It makes it hard for me to repair them which is just what Apple wants.  All too often I have had to tell laptop owners "Just take it to the Mac store and pay though the nose."  This also makes their products hard to recycle. RAM, the memory computers use for temporary storage, is often soldiered directly to the motherboard by Apple. This means you can't increase your laptop's memory once it leaves the factory.  And the laptop's display may be fused into a solid piece.  This means that if ANYTHING goes wrong with the screen the whole upper half of the laptop must be replaced as a unit.  Iphone and Ipad screens are similarly fused making their replacement complex.  This was done to make the phone slimmer and harder for outsiders to open. Even worse, Apple goes out of its way to make SURE replacing their batteries is a hassle.  FACT: batteries wear out after a few years and MUST be removed and replaced.  Unlike my Android phone from Samsung, Apple phones cannot be opened by consumers. Apple wants to be the ones to swap out the battery.  Its an attempt to get you to just buy a whole new phone when the old one's battery dies.  And not only are Macbook laptops hard to open, once you get inside you may find that the battery you are trying to replace is glued to the system or soldered in place! And taking that laptop to the Apple store for a new battery will set you back $400!  It turns out, in modern Mac laptops the battery isn’t just a battery. In a quest to make machines thinner, Apple made the batteries unserviceable by the user (as well as removed much of the protective covering). The battery is glued to the bottom of the keyboard which means they have to replace both at the same time (even if your keyboard works just fine).  It could also take three days to get the computer repaired. Yes, three days to swap a battery. Three days to repair something on a Mac laptop that every Mac laptop is supposed to need done before the machine fails. The battery is rated to last less than the machine for most users. Nearly everyone who buys a Mac laptop should need to replace the battery (unless they are programmed to constantly upgrade). Why? Well it turns out that battery is not just attached to the keyboard, but also the logic board which controls a lot of the computer. A very difficult repair I'm told. So in Apple's insane quest to get laptops a few millimeters thinner, a standard repair like a battery swap takes 3 days. Now it turns out that it doesn’t actually take 3 days, its just the line is really long and it does apparently take several hours per machine. Don't believe me? For more info read "Apple's Diabolical Plan to Screw Your Iphone."