Windows and Seniors

A recent serious Windows 10 malware "bot" incident here reminds me again that seniors and all versions of Windows are magnets for such attacks.  A bot can not only bring down a computer but also a network and infect other computers.  That is scary.

More and more senior users "just say no to Windows" and use almost anything else, like an iPad, or Kindle or Google tablet.  A lot less learning required, too.

Chromebooks are actually impervious to such attacks because the inner workings of the computer are not held locally and vulnerably on your local machine's memory at all.  Chromebooks work just like your browser.

Now that your old computer can be used as a Chromebook or converted with a $5 flash drive, that would be a cheap alternative. Tap or click for how to do it at http://www.neverware.com/free/#freedetails

Disclaimer:   I use (and like) Windows (10 only now) but use it only occasionally, with care, encryption active, VPN, security and updates enabled and current.

Microsoft recently announced a coming security improvement in keeping your version of Windows up to date by automatically updating it to Windows 10.

For more about Chromebook security, Tap or click for http://www.mobilegeeks.com/chromebook-virus/

Learning

My experience with helping seniors ranges from one extreme to the other.

One 95-year-old woman who had never used a computer was computer literate within an hour, exclaiming "oh, look at what I can DO!"

Another scolded me for encouraging her to get a smartphone.   "It took me all night to learn to use it".

But others just say "I just don't get it".

So how do we learn?

I faced a block when I needed to minor in history in graduate school.    I hated history and thought I had a poor memory.

The History Department head offered to help me.   Simply, he asked me to memorize 50 dates.   That's all.    That simple exercise gave me the "hooks" I needed to pull everything together.     I never had to work at memorizing dates again.    I went to top of the department's classes.

So it is selective memory you need.    Your brain will automatically connect and remember if you give it a few dozen mental landmarks.  

Tap or click for a site to get grounded if you are new at computers.

Or tap or click for a $.99 ebook on how to use your brain to learn.

Another highly effective way to learn to use a computer is to sit alongside someone else who knows how.   I learned programming that way.

My Favorite Tech

I see an awful lot of technology.  I work with all systems.

I hold no brief for any particular technology but try to help others select what is best for them. However, I do have some subjective top favorites.

I thought you might like to know what they are, especially with Christmas coming.

I like the $130 Moto G phone from Republic with a $10-25 a month plan.

I like most of the Chromebook laptops. I like the ability to turn any compatible computer into a Chromebook using Chrome Ready. Need only a $5 8GB flash drive.

I like Windows 10 way better than any other version of Windows ever produced.

I like the $150 Nexus 7 best of all tablets.

I like the new $50 Kindle Fire 7.

I like the latest Asus routers. For those who need it simpler, I like the Securify Almond touchscreen router.

I like the very cheap (<$10> Sport Stereo Bluetooth headset.

I like Amazon Prime.

I like Apple's support for all its ($$$!!!) equipment.

I like Google's innovations.

I like Craigslist and eBay.

I like The Tech Guy broadcasts and Podcasts.

There is plenty of other top tech out there but you will notice that much of it is not at the top of my list.  Think why...

I like to keep it simple.

Most of all, I like seniors determined to make the effort to learn how to use this technology to keep connected and help others.

Happy Christmas shopping and know that you need not to pay a lot for some wonderful Tech.

Breathe Life into an Old Computer

Tap or click for a page about how to breathe life into an old computer by making a Chromebook out of it.

Bottom line: For the price of 8GB USB drive ($5-10) you can create a PC stick to run as a ChromeBook on an ancient computer in just a few minutes, and run fast and well, too!!

This should be an option for a senior with an old PC.

Kindle $50

For some seniors, the new $50 Kindle 7 inch tablet might be all you need to do all your computer activity. It might be the easiest to use of all computers. Certainly it is ideal for media.

You simply slide your finger right and left across pages for books, movies, web, and so on.

You can also do your writing and communicating and shopping.

You do not have all the bells and whistles but you do have wide functionality..  There is no stereo sound, limited voice recognition, and some (overcomeable by a techie) limitation in accessing Google apps.

Yet there are ways to use the device with keyboard, display, and printer.  There is much for the visually impaired, too.   This device accommodates adding sd memory, so you can keep your music and photos for access anywhere.

Get one.