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News: Possible BSOD After Windows Update

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Installing Windows Updates is always a recommended function. Microsoft releases updates monthly on “Patch Tuesday” to update, secure, and improve Windows. Sometimes however these updates cause problems, after release. December 2022 patch Tuesday update is one of those times. Microsoft has received reports of a possible blue screen after the December Windows Update is installed.  Today’s post will go over the details and workaround if you have the issue. BSOD After Windows Update

BSOD After Windows Update

 

The Issue Reported After December Windows Update 

There are a number of items updated with the December Patch Tuesday. The issue appears to be specific to KB5021233, that after installing and rebooting triggers a blue screen of death (BSOD) on the computer.

BSOD After Windows Update

If you notice closely, at the bottom of the BSOD the error code will be 0xc000021a.

According to the Microsoft Technical Note

After installing KB5021233, there might be a mismatch between the file versions of hidparse.sys in c:/windows/system32 and c:/windows/system32/drivers (assuming Windows is installed to your C: drive), which might cause signature validation to fail when cleanup occurs.

The affected versions: Windows 10, version 22H2; Windows 10, version 21H2; Windows 10, version 21H1; Windows 10, version 20H2

BSOD After Windows Update

Microsoft WinRE Mode  

The following Information has been released by Microsoft. In BOLD will be additional notes/info added by Tech Geek and More, to simplify the information.

Workaround: To mitigate this issue on devices already experiencing it, you will need to use Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE) with the following steps:

The Windows Recovery Environment should come up when your computer isn’t able to fully boot into Windows. If you are in WinRE then you will be seeing the following screen
winre-menu

  • You will need to enter Windows Recovery Environment. If your device has not automatically started up into WinRE.

To enter WinRE – If you are stuck on the BSOD, hold the power button on your machine, until it powers off, and then keep holding it for a count of 10 (seconds). Once you have powered down, hold down the physical Shift key on the keyboard and turn on your machine. 

Windows Keyboard Shift Key

Keep holding the shift key until you see a message about Entering Windows Recovery Environment. 

 

Workaround Once In WinRE Mode 

  • Select the Troubleshoot button.
  • Select the “Start recovery, troubleshooting, and diagnostic tools” button.
  • Select the “Advanced Options” button.
  • Select the “Command Prompt” button and wait for your device to restart, if needed.
    • Your device should restart to a Command Prompt window. You might need to sign into your device with your password before getting to the Command Prompt window.
  • TYPE the following command  

xcopy C:\windows\system32\drivers\hidparse.sys C:\windows\system32\hidparse.sys

BSOD After Windows Update

It should look like the image (above), and then hit enter. That will copy the correct file to fix the issue

**Important: If Windows is not installed to C:\windows you will need to modify what you are typing to the location of your Windows install. For 99.9% of you, Windows is installed on C:\, which is the default location, unless you had a geeky family member do a custom setup for you.

  • Once the previous command completes, type: exit and then hit enter 
  • This should bring you back to the main WinRE Screen. Select the “Continue” button.

  • Windows should now start up as expected.

Important: It is not recommended to follow any other workaround than those recommended above. We do not recommend deleting the hidparse.sys from your Windows\System32 folder.

 

Final Thought 

This doesn’t affect everyone, so these steps are only if you do actually see the BSOD.  Microsoft is working on an update that will properly fix this for all those affected, but in the meantime, this workaround should keep you running.

 

Source

BSOD After Windows Update

How To: Xbox Game Pass Activating Codes

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How To

With the holiday season upon us, some Xbox users may be getting gift cards to Xbox Game Pass, a specific Xbox game (or game add-on), or a card with a dollar value to add to their Xbox account.  Today’s post will go over how you activate the code that you receive with the card. Xbox Game Pass Activating Codes

xbox-live-logo

 

About The Xbox Gift Card 

Anyone who has ever purchased a gift card has most likely seen the Microsft Xbox Cards. The cards can be specific to a game/game add-on, the Game Pass service, Xbox Live, or just a dollar amount that you can add to your account.

When you purchase the card, at a store or online, you get a code which is what you enter on your Microsoft account, to activate the benefit.

 

 

The following steps will go over how you add the gift card code to your account.

Using Xbox One

    1. SIGN IN TO YOUR XBOX ONE (MAKE SURE YOU’RE SIGNED IN WITH THE MICROSOFT ACCOUNT YOU WANT TO REDEEM THE CODE WITH).
    2. PRESS THE XBOX BUTTON TO OPEN THE GUIDE, THEN SELECT HOME.
    3. SELECT STORE.
    4. SELECT USE A CODE
    5. ENTER THE 25-CHARACTER CODE THAT’S DISPLAYED ON THE BACK OF THE CARD, OR THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE. THEN FOLLOW THE PROMPTS. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HYPHENS, THE SYSTEM TAKES CARE OF THOSE FOR YOU.

NOTE: IF YOU CAN’T LOCATE THE STORE, SCROLL DOWN TO ADD MORE ON THE HOME SCREEN AND SELECT THE STORE TILE. (YOU MAY NEED TO SELECT SEE ALL SUGGESTIONS.) THEN SELECT ADD TO HOME.

 

For Xbox Series X and Series S Consoles  

    1. SIGN IN TO YOUR XBOX ONE (MAKE SURE YOU’RE SIGNED IN WITH THE MICROSOFT ACCOUNT YOU WANT TO REDEEM THE CODE WITH).
    2. SELECT THE MICROSOFT STORE APP FROM YOUR HOME SCREEN OR SEARCH FOR IT.
    3. SCROLL DOWN TO “REDEEM CODE” (ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE (UNDER YOUR ACCOUNT NAME).)
    4. ENTER THE 25-CHARACTER CODE THAT’S DISPLAYED ON THE BACK OF THE CARD, OR THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE, THEN FOLLOW THE PROMPTS. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HYPHENS, THE SYSTEM TAKES CARE OF THOSE FOR YOU.

NOTE: IF YOU CAN’T LOCATE THE STORE, SCROLL DOWN TO ADD MORE ON THE HOME SCREEN AND SELECT THE STORE TILE. (YOU MAY NEED TO SELECT SEE ALL SUGGESTIONS.) THEN SELECT ADD TO HOME.

If You Want To Redeem Via The Web 

    1. LOAD A WEB BROWSER AND GO TO THIS ADDRESS: HTTPS://REDEEM.MICROSOFT.COM/ENTER
    2. SIGN IN WITH YOUR MICROSOFT ACCOUNT CREDENTIALS.
    3. ENTER YOUR UNIQUE CODE THAT’S DISPLAYED ON THE BACK OF THE CARD, OR THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE, AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS TO ACTIVATE. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HYPHENS, THE SYSTEM TAKES CARE OF THOSE FOR YOU.

 

Using The Store In Windows 10

    1. SIGN IN TO YOUR PC (MAKE SURE YOU’RE SIGNED IN WITH THE MICROSOFT ACCOUNT YOU WANT TO REDEEM THE CODE WITH).
    2. PRESS THE START BUTTON, TYPE STORE, THEN SELECT MICROSOFT STORE.
    3. SELECT MORE … > REDEEM A CODE.
    4. SELECT “REDEEM CODE”
    5. ENTER THE 25-CHARACTER CODE THAT’S DISPLAYED ON THE BACK OF THE CARD, OR THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE, THEN FOLLOW THE PROMPTS. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HYPHENS, THE SYSTEM TAKES CARE OF THOSE FOR YOU.

 

For Those Using The Android Xbox Mobile App 

    1. OPEN THE XBOX MOBILE APP, THEN SIGN IN (MAKE SURE YOU’RE SIGNED IN WITH THE MICROSOFT ACCOUNT YOU WANT TO REDEEM THE CODE WITH).
    2. PRESS THE MENU BUTTON IN THE UPPER LEFT CORNER.
    3. SELECT MICROSOFT STORE FROM THIS LIST, THEN CHOOSE TO REDEEM A CODE.
    4. SELECT “REDEEM CODE”
    5. ENTER THE 25-CHARACTER CODE THAT’S DISPLAYED ON THE BACK OF THE CARD, OR THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IF YOU ORDERED ORDERED ONLINE, THEN FOLLOW THE PROMPTS. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HYPHENS, THE SYSTEM TAKES CARE OF THOSE FOR YOU.

 

Xbox 360 Redeem 

    1. SIGN IN TO YOUR XBOX 360 (MAKE SURE YOU’RE SIGNED IN WITH THE MICROSOFT ACCOUNT YOU WANT TO REDEEM THE CODE WITH).
    2. PRESS THE XBOX GUIDE BUTTON ON YOUR CONTROLLER
    3. SELECT GAMES & APPS, THEN CHOOSE REDEEM CODE.
    4. ENTER THE 25-CHARACTER CODE THAT’S DISPLAYED ON THE BACK OF THE CARD, OR THE ONE YOU RECEIVED IF YOU ORDERED ONLINE, THEN FOLLOW THE PROMPTS. DON’T WORRY ABOUT HYPHENS, THE SYSTEM TAKES CARE OF THOSE FOR YOU.

 

Final Thoughts 

Redeeming the code for Xbox Gift cards is easy.  Hopefully, the instructions above answered any questions you may have.

 

News: Possible WhatsApp Data Leak

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A Possible WhatsApp Data Leak may have happened as a database with phone numbers connected to 487 million of its users has been seen as “For Sale” online. According to available info, the database has users from 84 countries in it.  Today’s post will go over the available info. Possible WhatsApp Data Leak

whatsapp

 

What Is Known

According to information, via Cybernews, someone posed an ad to a well-known hacker community saying they were selling a current database of 487 million WhatsApp user mobile numbers. According to the info, the data by country breakdown includes

  • 32 million users from the USA
  • 45 million users from Egypt
  • 35 million users from Italy
  • 11 Million users from the UK

among the user base affected. According to the review by Cybernews, the small sample they received was checked and confirmed to be legit WhatsApp users. Information like the phone numbers associated with WhatsApp accounts can be used for spam, and phishing attempts, and as a starting point for getting more info on individuals.

Meta, who is the parent company of WhatsApp, did not comment on the information, so as of now there is no clear indication as to where the info came from. Possible WhatsApp Data Leak

What Can You Do To Protect Yourself 

Unfortunately, at this time, there is no way to see if you are in the WhatsApp database unless you are willing to pay the seller for the information. However, one step with WhatsApp you should be doing is changing the following profile settings to “Contacts Only”

  • Last Seen and Online
  • Profile Photo
  • About
  • Read Receipts

You want to limit the amount of information you share with the general (global) public. To check/change these settings

  • Click on the down arrow that you will see to the right of your profile picture, then click settings

WhatsApp Settings

  • In the settings window, click on Privacy

WhatsApp Privacy Option

  • In the Privacy window that opens, make sure that the Last seen and online, Profile Photo, and About are set to My Contacts.

Possible WhatsApp Data Leak

For additional privacy, you can uncheck Read Receipts. By doing so, the check next to each message will not light up (for either you or the person who sent you a message) once you see it.  If you notice when the check next to each message goes dark green that means the person on the other end of the conversation has seen your message.

 

Final Thoughts 

There are numerous ways that the information that is being sold in the database could have been acquired. The only thing you can really do is try to limit how much info you share with the global audience of the internet. The more you make public, the more chance there is that a bad guy will find information that you don’t want to be shared.

Possible WhatsApp Data Leak

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Deal: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (CDKeys)

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Deal of the day

For those looking to get a gift for that Xbox gamer in your life, or if you are an Xbox gamer, CDKeys has a deal for you. The 3-Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership is on sale for Black Friday. Today’s post with the details.

xbox-live-logo

 

About Xbox Game Pass Ultimate

On April 18, 2019, Microsoft announced Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, a new tier that combines both Game Pass and Xbox Live Gold into a single subscription. Microsoft combined the offerings of Xbox Live Gold with the original version of the Xbox Game Pass and added the availability of games for Windows PC’s to make the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. With the Game Pass Ultimate offering, you now get 4 free games a month you can download. You also get 100 games you can access both on the Xbox console and a Windows PC.

The Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Offer From CDKeys

The normal price for the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership is 1 month for $14.99 / 3 months for $44.99. For Black Friday, CDKeys is offering a 3-month membership for $28.99*.

*The $28.99 price is for the USA or EU/UK. Make sure that you select the correct location from the drop-down menu of the screen as the codes sent are location specific.

Xbox GamePass Ultimate

 

Final Thoughts 

Finding deals on the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership isn’t very common these days. When you buy the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership via CDKeys, you will not receive a physical card, instead, you will set up an account on the CDKeys site. Once you make your purchase, you will receive your code via your CDKeys account.

You can purchase as many 3-month memberships as you wish, and when you add each code to your Xbox Account, it will just increase the time until the next renewal is due.

CDKeys Purchase Code

NOTE: There is 1 small annoyance with the purchase.  The code given to you is in a picture, so it is not able to be copied and pasted.  You will need to key in each code by hand. However, the code arrived within a minute of the purchase and worked with no issues once entered.

 

Source

UPDATE: Deal Alert: Sam’s Club 1-Year Membership Sale

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Deal of the day

UPDATE: Nov 25, 2022. 

For those looking to get a Sam’s Club Membership, Groupon has made the deal even better. Until November 28th, the membership is now $15.

Sams Club Groupon 15

 

********Original Post********

The TGM Deal of the Day is from Groupon.  Groupon currently has the Sam’s Club 1-Year Membership on Sale. Become a Sam’s Club Member Now! Shop Premium-Quality Products and Enjoy Incredible Perks, and Savings. Sam’s Club 1-Year Membership

About Sam’s Club

For those not familiar with Sam’s Club.

  • Sam’s Club is a membership warehouse club, a limited-item business model that offers our members quality products at an exceptional value unmatched by traditional retail.
  • Instead of stocking every item in every available brand, Sam’s Club merchants do their homework for our members, stocking the right products and purchasing them in large quantities, passing on the savings to our members. We also reduce costs by maintaining a simple shopping environment, often displaying our merchandise on shipping pallets so we can move new items in just as quickly as they move out.

About The Deal From Groupon 

The Groupon offer is for discounted membership for new members to Sam’s Club. The offer consists of either

  • The Standard $50 membership for $20
  • The Sam’s Club Plus Membership which is usually $110 sells for $60

Groupon Sam's Club Deal

What’s Included: Sam’s Club Membership

  • 12-month Club membership + 1 Complimentary Membership for someone in your household
  • 1% cash back on qualifying in-club purchases with Sam’s Club Mastercard®
  • Special savings in services like Tire & Battery, Pharmacy, and Optical
  • Instant Savings throughout the year on already low prices
  • Bonus Offers Program earns Sam’s Cash on dining, shopping, and subscriptions outside the Club.

What’s Included: Sam’s Club Plus Membership

  • 12-month Club membership + 1 Complimentary Membership for someone in your household
  • 3% cash back on qualifying in-club purchases with Sam’s Club Mastercard®
  • Special savings in services like Tire & Battery, Pharmacy, and Optical
  • Instant Savings throughout the year on already low prices
  • **Get 2% back in Sam’s Cash on qualifying purchases in-club (up to $500/year)
  • Free shipping (exclusions apply)
  • Free curbside pickup
  • Earn 20% more Sam’s Cash in Bonus Offers Program

Like everything else in life, there are a couple of IMPORTANT Terms & Conditions to understand.

  • Offer valid for new Sam’s Club Members only
  • Auto-renewal of your Sam’s Club membership is required upon signup.
  • Not valid for membership renewals, for those with a current membership, or those who were Sam’s Club members less than 6 months prior to November 1, 2022.

Sam’s Club 1-Year Membership

Final Thought 

For those considering getting a membership to a warehouse club (ie – Sam’s Club or Costco), this is an excellent deal. If you previously had a membership, remember your membership has to be expired for more than 6 months to qualify, make sure to use a different email than previously used at Sam’s.

Tech Geek and More is posting about this offer, to bring it to light for its readers.  TGM has no association with either Groupon or Sam’s Club and is not making any commission for this post.

Sam’s Club 1-Year Membership

Source

Sam’s Club 1-Year Membership

 

Deal: Black Friday Hulu & Disney+

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deals

If you were considering getting Hulu or Disney+, this would be the time. The 2022 Black Friday Hulu Deal is on, and it adds an offer for Disney+. Today’s post will go over the details of the offer. Black Friday Hulu & Disney

Deal of the day

 

Details On The Offer (Hulu)

The offer from Hulu is for Hulu with Ads plan for $1.99 / Month for 12 months. Usually, Hulu with ads is $7.99 / Month.

Hulu 2022 Offer

The offer does say that it is only for new or eligible returning subscribers who have not had a subscription in the past month. In addition, after the 12 months, your renewal will go to $7.99 / Month or the then-current month price. 

Hulu 2022 offer rules

TGM does not encourage breaking rules, but here is the technicality. The offer does not say anything about your husband, wife, son, daughter, roommate, boyfriend, girlfriend, a pet with an email account (yes that does happen), etc being ineligible. So if someone gets the account deal, and then you happen to cancel your account, well……that’s all we will say.

 

Add-On Offer (Disney+) 

In addition, for those looking at the Hulu Black Friday Deal, if you notice at the bottom of the page, there is an offer to add Disney+ with No Ads for $2.99 / Month more. Disney+ with No Ads is usually $10.99 / Month, so this offer gives you an $8 / Month savings.

Black Friday Hulu & Disney

 

Final Thought 

If you go for the combined Hulu and Disney+ offer, you will be paying $4.98 / Month. That is a $14 / Month savings.

Hulu Disney+ 2022 total

The deal does not have a Disney+ only offer. With the cost savings, even if you were only interested in Disney+, this deal should be something to consider. This deal ends on November 28th, 2022

Black Friday Hulu & Disney

Source: 

 

 

Software: iOS/iPadOS 16 Compatibility

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apple-logo

Like with every new software release, iOS16/iPadOS 16, there is a specific list of devices that are compatible and eligible to get the new software. One question being heard by IT techs involves “Can I get the new software version on my iPhone/iPad”? Today’s post will go over who is getting the update, and how can you see if your Apple devices qualify. iOS/iPadOS 16 Compatibility
apple-logo

 

About The iOS/iPad OS 16 Update 

The iOS/iPadOS 16 update includes a number of new features, which includes

  • Lock Screen Gallery – Where you can customize the gallery screen with a unique backdrop, and stylized view of the date/time, and the information you see at a glance. 
  • Share a photo library with your family – Share a separate iCloud photo library with up to five other people.
  • Edit a message – You can edit a message for up to 15 minutes after sending it. Recipients will be able to see a record of edits made to the message.
  • Fitness app for all iPhone users – Track and meet your fitness goals even if you don’t have an Apple Watch.

That’s just a small number of the features within iOS/iPadOS 16.

 

How To See Which Device Model You Have

If you aren’t sure what model iPhone or iPad you have, all you need to do is click the Settings icon, On the next screen select General, then select About.

iOS 16 Model Info

On the upper half of the About screen, you will see the Model Name of the device.

 

What Devices Are Eligible For iOS/iPadOS 16 

The following devices are able to get iOS/iPadOS 16

iPhone

  • iPhone 14
  • iPhone 14 Plus
  • iPhone 14 Pro
  • iPhone 14 Pro Max
  • iPhone 13
  • iPhone 13 mini
  • iPhone 13 Pro
  • iPhone 13 Pro Max
  • iPhone 12
  • iPhone 12 mini
  • iPhone 12 Pro
  • iPhone 12 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone SE (3rd generation)
  • iPhone SE (2nd generation)

iPad

  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (6th generation)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (4th generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (5th generation)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (3rd generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
  • iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
  • iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
  • iPad Pro 10.5-inch
  • iPad Pro 9.7-inch
  • iPad (10th generation)
  • iPad (9th generation)
  • iPad (8th generation)
  • iPad (7th generation)
  • iPad (6th generation)
  • iPad (5th generation)
  • iPad mini (6th generation)
  • iPad mini (5th generation)
  • iPad Air (5th generation)
  • iPad Air (4th generation)
  • iPad Air (3rd generation)

 

Final Thoughts 

When accessing the Software Update Screen, if you only see iOS/iPadOS 15.7, then most likely your device is not eligible to get v16.  However, look at the bottom of the screen and see if you have the Upgrade to IOS/iPadOS 16.  If you see it at the bottom of the screen, you should be able to select it and update to the latest version.

iOS/iPadOS 16 Compatibility

 

Source

 

How To: Outlook for Mac (Legacy)- Change Font Size

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How To

Today’s post is for users of Outlook for Mac. Specifically how to change the default font size. This post is for the legacy Mac version of Outlook. We will review the simple steps you can take to make the change and have those changes become the default.

Outlook Mac Icon

 

With these changes, you will have the ability to adjust the font size of the

  • Sidebar
  • Mail List
  • Reading Pane
  • New Messages
  • Reply Messages

 

Change The Font Size – Outlook Side Bar / Mail List / Reading Pane

The font size may not look very big in the Outlook app, depending on the size of the screen. For some having larger size text is just a necessity and changing the size of the text in the sidebar (1), mail list (2), and reading pane (3) text is the 1st step 

A diagram of the text display size options in OutlookTo change those 3 areas, follow these steps.

  • Open the Outlook app, and then Go to Outlook > Preferences > Fonts.

  • In the Font window that opens, move the slider to the left (for smaller) and right (for larger).  Once you move it, this will adjust the size of all the fonts seen in the sidebar, mail list, and reading pane.

.Move the slider left or right to change the text display size

 

Change The Font Size – New Mail / Reply Mail / Forward Mail / Plain Text Mail

Making the change above doesn’t change the font size when you create a new email or reply to an email. There is an additional set of steps to make the email messages themselves change the font size.

To change the default font for incoming and outgoing messages:

  • Select Outlook > Preferences > Fonts.
  • In the Default fonts for composing messages section click the Font button next to the composition style you want to edit. For example, click Font next to New mail to select a default font for new messages, or next to Reply or forward to set a font for outgoing messages.

outlook mac font setting

  • In the window that open, On the Font tab, you can choose the default Font type, Font Style, Size, Color & Underline, and Effects

Shows the Font tab in the Font dialog box

 

  • If you want to get extra fancy with your emails, On the Advanced tab, you can adjust default character spacing and typography

Shows the Advanced tab in the Font dialog box

Just repeat the steps for each type of email message, New Mail, Reply/Forward Mail, and Plain Text Mail. Once you make changes and click ok, those changes will become the default settings for the Outlook app on Mac.

Source: 

Microsoft – Change the font size in Outlook for Mac 
 

Deal: Apple AirPods Pro Sale

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deals

For those in the USA looking to buy Apple AirPods, BJ’s Wholesale Club may have the deal you are looking for.  Today’s post will go over the Apple AirPods Pro Sale

apple-logo

 

About BJ’s Wholesale Club 

According to The BJ’s Wholesale Club site, they started in New England in 1984 and now have locations spanning 18 states.  If you aren’t familiar with BJ’s Whole Club, you may be familiar with Sam’s Club or Costco, which are also in the same retail space.

BJ’s Wholesale Club is a membership store, with a variety of options when joining, including membership discounts for verified educators, and verified members of the military.

BJ's Wholesale Club

BJ’s Wholesale Club also has a Try BJ’s One Day Pass available, for those who would like to shop without the commitment of a 1-year membership.

BJs Try Membership

About The Apple AirPods Pro Sale 

BJ’s Wholesale Club has the (Gen 1) Apple AirPods Pro on sale for $159.99, which is a $90 savings from the regular price.  For an Apple product, that much of a discount is rare.

Apple AirPods Pro Sale

The Apple AirPods Pro includes a Wireless MagSafe Charging Case and is sweat and water-resistant. They use an optical sensor and a motion accelerometer to detect when they’re in your ears. The Apple AirPods Pro are in-ear headphones with Active Noise Cancellation.  In addition, the 1st Generation Apple AirPods Pro comes with 3 add-on ear tips (from Small to Large) that can be used to get a better fit in your ear.

The sale of Apple AirPods Pro is sold out for online orders, but local BJ’s Wholesale Club locations still seem to have them in stock (if you are lucky to have a BJ’s near you).  The sale is scheduled to last until 11/28/22.

Final Thoughts 

As always, start with the disclaimer.  Tech Geek and More does not have a financial (or other agreement) with BJ’s or Apple, and this is not a sponsored post. TGM posts this information, to try and assist its readers in finding deals that will (hopefully) benefit them.

As for The Apple AirPods Pro 1st Generation vs the newer 2nd Generation. The 2nd generation comes with 4 ear tip add-ons, that now include an extra small size.  That extra small ear tip is not included in the 1st generation model. On top of that, the 2nd Generation Apple AirPods Pro includes

  • Apple’s U1 chip with Precision Finding can assist you in locating your case if you lose it.
  • A built-in case speaker can also play a sound to help you find it.
  • A built-in lanyard loop lets you attach the case to a bag or keychain

Those are the key changes between Generation 1 and Generation 2.  For price savings, we think the Generation 1 Apple AirPods Pro is a great deal.

 

Source

 

Deal Alert: Beats Studio 3 On Sale

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Deal of the day

Deal Alert for anyone looking to buy a pair of Beats Headphones. Amazon has The Beats Studio 3 Headphones on sale for 57% off. The Beats Studio line is the upgraded edition of the headphones, with features like Noise Cancelling, which to many is really important. Today’s post will go over the details of the Beats Studio 3 Amazon sale. Beats Studio 3 On Sale

Shopping Bags

 

About The Beats Studio 3 Sale

Beats by Dr. Dre, have a number of editions, however, the Beats Studio 3 is the most complete version. Usually, the price of the Studio 3 headphones is $349, with sale prices at $299. However, Amazon currently has a couple of Beats headphones going for $149.

Beats Studio 3 On Sale

 

If you are good with either

  • Matte Black
  • Shadow Grey
  • White

you can get the headphones for $149.  The other colors range in price from $229 to $249.

 

About The Beats Studio 3 Headphones 

With the Studio 3 headphones, you get

  • Pure Adaptive Noise Cancelling (Pure ANC) actively blocks external noise.

If you are a public transit commuter, noise canceling is something you just can’t live without.

  • Up to 22 hours of battery life enables full-featured all-day wireless playback

This is especially nice because just 10 min charge can get you 3 hours of playback.  For that long trip, it doesn’t take much to keep these headphones going.

  • Take calls, control music, and activate Siri with multifunction on-ear controls

For these features, yes you can take calls, however, if you are in a noisy area the mic pick’s up all the sound around you, so I would suggest not using them as a mic unless you are in a very quiet area. The outer earpiece does have easy-to-use controls, so you don’t have to get your device to change the volume or song. For those who are using an iOS device with the Studio 3, it will also let you activate Siri from the headphones.

  • The Studio 3 headphones are for any Bluetooth device (Not only Apple).

I bring this up, as I was asked if they can be used with Windows machines, or with Android since Beats is owned by Apple.  Yes, these headphones work great with any Bluetooth device, or any device with an audio jack, as the Studio 3 headphones also come with a 3.5mm cable.

Final Thought

For starters, this is NOT a paid post by Beats or by Apple. As an owner of a pair, they are great and for the price, if you were thinking about it, this is the time to buy a pair.

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Recommended: Sensei LCD Cleaning Kit

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Shopping Bags

A regular question that comes up involves, “How do you clean your screen/equipment?”.  There are many ways to clean your equipment, and from what I have seen, not all options are a good thing.

Today’s post will go over how Tech Geek and More keeps its equipment clean.  Recommended: Sensei LCD Cleaning Kit Sensei LCD Cleaning Kit

recommended-1024x795

We have seen users clean with everything from glass cleaner, to disinfectant wipes. Usually, it involves, spraying directly onto the computer, tablet, phone, keyboard, or screen. For starters, DON’T EVER DO THAT!!!! NEVER EVER SPRAY ANY LIQUID DIRECTLY ONTO EQUIPMENT!!!!!

Equipment getting liquid inside, is one of the biggest reasons for failure techs see.

Proper Way To Clean Equipment 

For starters, cleaning any electronics should involve a microfiber cloth and the liquid used should be Ammonia-Free and Alcohol-Free. When cleaning, you should be spraying the microfiber cloth and then wipe the equipment to clean it.  If possible, have 2 microfiber clothes, so that you can use 1 as your “wet” cloth that you spray on, and 1 as your “dry” cloth that you follow up with.

The product that Tech Geek and More uses for cleaning equipment is the Sensei LCD Cleaning Kit Plus. The kit includes

  • 11.75 x 11.75″ Microfiber Cloth
  • 6.76 fl. oz Gel Cleaning Spray
  • Retractable Cleaning Brush

Recommended: Sensei LCD Cleaning Kit

The current price (screenshot via B&H) of $8.49 makes it a very affordable solution to meet your equipment cleaning needs.

Final Thought 

Tech Geek and More has no direct or indirect association with Sensei, or B&H.  This post is not a sponsored post, and TGM has no financia interest in any product or business mentioned in this post. This post is intended to explain the prefered product and steps used by TGM to clean the tech it uses.

 

Source: 

B&H NYC –Sensei LCD Cleaning Kit Plus

How to: Open a Shared Mailbox in the Outlook Client (Android / iOS)

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Shared mailboxes are used when multiple people need access to the same mailbox, such as a company information or support email address, reception desk, or other function that might be shared by multiple people. Users with permission to the group mailbox can send as or send on behalf of the mailbox email address if the administrator has given that user permission to do that. Open a Shared Mailbox in the Outlook 

Today’s post will go over the steps to open a shared mailbox, via the Outlook client for iOS or Android.

See the source image

 

How To Open Shared Mailbox 

Keep in mind the 1st step is being given access to a shared mailbox. The mailbox administrator must give you access to the mailbox, prior to you being able to access it. Once you have been given permission……

  • Open the Outlook Client on your device
    • Click on the 3 lines top left next to Inbox (On Android, it’s possible instead of 3 lines you will see your profile picture)

Outlook Inbox Image

  • When the side menu opens, click on the cog icon on the lower left of the screen.

Outlook App Settings Icon

  • On the settings screen, click on Add Mail Account

Outlook app add account setting

  • On the screen that opens after you click Add Mail Account, select Add Shared Mailbox.

Outlook add shared mailbox setting

  • Enter the exact display name of the Shared Mailbox. Once entered click “OK” / “Continue”. If you have more than 1 account already on your Outlook app, you will get prompted to select the mail account that is associated with the shared account you are trying to add.

Outlook select account to log in with

  • At this point, The shared mailbox should appear under your regular inbox on the left-hand side. Depending on the size of the mailbox, it may take some time for all prior emails to sync.

Final Thought 

This post is mainly for those who access work emails, as shared mailboxes are usually part of a work configuration. Open a Shared Mailbox in the Outlook 

News: Apple Releases macOS 13.0.1

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Apple has now released macOS Ventura 13.0.1 update. This update is intended to address some unspecified macOS bugs, in addition to addressing 2 security flaws. Today’s post will go over the latest macOS update. Apple Releases macOS 13.0.1

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This is a minor update, but due to the 2 security flaws addressed, it is important to make sure to update your Mac.

About macOS Ventura 13.0.1 

macOS 13.0.1 is the first public update to macOS Venture since its release.  The update is considered a minor update, that addresses some bug fixes.  Apple doesn’t always specify bug fixes, but some could involve wi-fi issues reported by users who updated to the original macOS Venture update.

In addition, this update also includes 2 security flaw fixes, which are

  • libxml2

Available for: macOS Ventura

Impact: A remote user may be able to cause unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: An integer overflow was addressed through improved input validation.

CVE-2022-40303: Maddie Stone of Google Project Zero

  • libxml2

Available for: macOS Ventura

Impact: A remote user may be able to cause unexpected app termination or arbitrary code execution

Description: This issue was addressed with improved checks.

CVE-2022-40304: Ned Williamson and Nathan Wachholz of Google Project Zero

Apple Releases macOS 13.0.1

Security flaw updates are important, as arbitrary code execution, means someone not directly on your machine could install something on it that you don’t want.  Just because you are on a Mac does not mean you don’t have to worry about malware.

 

How To Update to macOS Venture 13.0.1

If you have updated to the initial macOS Venture update, you will find that updating the OS is slightly different now.  To update macOS Venture

  • Go to the  Apple menu and choose “System Settings
  • In the window that opens, Choose “General” and then go to “Software Update

macOS Ventura system update

  • Click to Update Now on macOS Ventura 13.0.1

Apple Ventura 13.0.1

Final Thought 

This maybe a minor update, but it is always a good idea to keep your software up to date.

Apple releases iOS 14.5

Source(s) 

How To: Apps That Access Your Twitter

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3rd Party Apps That Access Your Twitter

There are many 3rd party apps out in cyberspace for Twitter users. Usually, you will find a 3rd party app for some specific purpose, like having 1 app show you multiple Twitter feeds. The problem is when you stop using a specific 3rd party app for Twitter, did you remember to remove the permission you granted it? Today’s post will cover how to check 3rd party apps that have access to your Twitter.

How To

From Tweeten to Buffer to Crowdfire, and many others, there are numerous 3rd party apps to improve your Twitter experience. You may use a 3rd party app for a while and then move on to something else. The problem for most people is that they forget to remove the access for the 3rd party app they are no longer using. The following steps will go over how to check what 3rd party apps have access. Plus how to remove the ones you no longer need.

Checking 3rd Party App Access On Twitter 

For starters, you need to log into Twitter itself to check what apps have access. Once you log in to Twitter follow these steps

  • On the left side, click on More, which should be at the bottom of the list.

Twitter main page

  • In the window that opens click on Settings and Privacy

Twitter settings and privacy

  • Now click on Security and account access -> Apps and sessions.

Twitter security and acct settings

  • Finally in the next window you see, click on Connected apps, under Apps and sessions.

Twitter apps and sessions

This will show you what 3rd Party Apps have access to your Twitter account.

Twitter 3rd party apps

Seeing The 3rd Party Apps – What Do you Do? 

Go through your list, do you recognize and use everything that is listed? For anything, you don’t recognize or you no longer use, click on the app from the list. You will see the name come up, tell you what access the app has, and allow you to Revoke Access. 

Twitter 3rd party apps revoke

Final Thought 

Even if most of these 3rd party apps are “harmless”, it’s always a great idea to stay on top of your security settings. Limit what has access to your accounts to only those apps that need to. Worse case, if you remove something and then figure out you still need it, all you will have to do is relink it to Twitter next time you sign in to that 3rd party app.

Source

How To: Check Active Sessions Twitter

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Check Active Sessions Twitter

At times, you may connect to Twitter on a device that isn’t yours. From logging on your work PC to logging on using a friend’s tablet. You should always log out when not using your own devices, but how can you be sure you did? Today’s post will go over how to check the open Twitter sessions you have, and what devices they are on.

How To

Checking on Open Twitter Sessions 

You should periodically check where your Twitter account is logged in from. That way you can make sure your account is only being used where you expect it to be. To check where you have an active Twiter session use the following steps after you log into your Twitter account.

  • On the left side, click on More, which should be at the bottom of the list.

Twitter main page

  • In the window that opens click on Settings and Privacy

Twitter settings and privacy

  • Now click on Security and account access -> Apps and sessions.
    Twitter security and acct settings
  • Finally in the next window you see, click on Sessions, under Apps and sessions.

Twitter Sessions setting

Here you will see your current session, plus a list of all Twitter sessions you have logged into.

Twitter active sessions

You can select each session and log out 1 by1 or you can select Log Out All Other Sessions, which will log you out of everything except the session you are on.

Some Things To Keep In Mind 

There are a few things from this list to keep in mind.

  • If you see cities / countries you have never been to? You may want to consider logging out of all sessions, and then changing your password. If you don’t have 2 Factory Authentication set up, you may want to get that set up as well.
  • Logging out of a session will prevent further actions from that session such as Tweeting, Liking, and replying. It’s possible it may not delete data (e.g., Direct Messages) that was previously cached on the device while the session was active.

Final Thought 

You have to stay on top of your settings to keep your accounts secure. Regularly monitoring things like active sessions for Twitter is an important step in making sure your Twitter account stays secure.

 

Source