Getting Comfortable With The Basics

2023 Archive

The Gadget Gurus, we have no prerequisites. Just ask questions about previous topics. I will also review the current tech news. We will do our best to answer computers, smartphones, apps, cameras, tablets, and internet questions. So bring your tech issues and enjoy the meeting.


Jan 2, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting The Gadget Gurus, we have no prerequisites. Just ask questions about previous topics. I will also review the current tech news. We will do our best to answer computers, smartphones, apps, cameras, tablets, and internet questions. So bring your tech issues and enjoy the meeting.

Jan 9, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting Low|Cost Wireless Providers |
Project Fi is a wireless service offered by Google directly to users with coverage in 200+ countries.
Mint Mobile nationwide 4G LTE data coverage and unlimited talk and text as low as $15 a month.
Ting Their slogan is ‘Mobile That Makes Sense.

Jan 23, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Backing up data – why you need to do it! – Data loss can happen in many ways. One of the most common causes is a physical failure of the media the data is stored on; in addition, MalWare can infect your system and corrupt or encrypt files. You probably have everything saved on your PC’s hard drive. That hard drive will not live forever. To quote one of the tech geeks I follow, “there are only two types of hard drives – the ones that have failed and the ones that will fail.

Feb 6, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Navigating Google, Gmail, Calendar, Maps, Wallet, Docs… | Google provides Internet services that let you search the web, send an email, word processing, and spreadsheets.Type With Your Voice | You can type and edit a document by speaking in Google Docs. Note: This feature is only available in Chrome browsers.

Feb 20, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online MeetingLearn What A Chromebook Can Do | If you own a Chromebook, here is where you start learning how to use it. Interested in buying a Chromebook? Learn what to look for.

Mar 6, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online MeetingSettings  Settings are essential if you expect the best experience running programs from the web or directly on your computer.  Web services, social networks, webmail, and even your banking service will have settings you should pay attention to.  Many of these settings greatly influence how secure and private your online experience will be.

Mar 20, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Use Google Photo To Manage Your Digital Pictures| All photos are organized and easy to find. Pictures on your computer or smartphone are backed up safely, organized, and labeled automatically. Google Photos is my favorite tool for managing photos to share with friends.

Apr 3, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Browser – Search Engines – Research Tools A web browser or Internet browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web.

Apr 17, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online MeetingUsing Search Tools How big is the Web?  Currently, there are around 1.14 billion websites in the World. 17% of these websites are active, and 83% are inactive.

May 1, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Streaming Video Your Best TV Entertainment Value | Streaming video is content sent over the Internet and displayed in real|time. The user needs a player that can be either a browser, a set|top box, or built into a Smart TV.

May 15, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting >Privacy.com Virtual Credit Cards | put the control in your hands when you make a purchase online. Protect your card details and money by creating virtual cards at each place you spend online or for each purchase.

May 29, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online MeetingIntroduction to Spreadsheets  Spreadsheets have many uses in the organization and maintenance of information.   We use them extensively to collect and store information for future analysis or research. 

Jun 12, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Financial Tools – Budget and Tracking Tools | Getting a handle on how much you earn and spend is critical to getting control of your finances. If you have time, writing down your expenses and earnings will give you a snapshot of your monthly cash flow. Creating a budget gives you a greater sense of control and awareness over your money, and it can also help you reach specific financial milestones.

Jun 26, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting >Individual Windows User Accounts & Individual Email Addresses | You may want to work with multiple Windows user accounts on your computer for many solid reasons. Couples who share an email address between them or even have a single email address for the whole family may have issues in the modern online world.

Jul 10, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Beginner Tips | A collection of beginner tips appropriate for all Chromebook and Windows users.

Jul 24, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Services Mostly Free | A collection of services I use. You might find a hidden gem or to that will prove helpful.

Aug 7, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > This & That | A random collection of fun and engaging online resources.

Aug 21, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Working With Your Digital Pictures Online | All your photos are organized and easy to find. Pictures on your computer or smartphone are​ safely backed up, organized, and labeled automatically. Go​​ogle Photos is my favorite tool for managing photos to share with friends.

Sept 4, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Do You Think Your PC Has a Virus | A computer virus is a malicious code; viruses may also be called malware. Browser hijacking is unwanted software that modifies a web browser’s settings. A browser hijacker may replace the existing home page, error page, or search engine with its own.

Sept 18, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > What’s a Podcast? The new on-demand radio and video servicePodcasts can be videos or audio|only. I personally mostly listen to audio podcasts. I use a podcast player Pocket Casts app.

Oct 2, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Two Factor Authentication | Two|factor authentication means using two authentication methods. It is one of the best things you can do to ensure your accounts aren’t hacked.

Oct 16, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > United States Post Office – USPS | Consider creating an account on USPS.com; they have many services, including printing your package shipping labels with postage, getting notification of mail to be delivered, hold mail during vacations, and changing address. GotFreeFax.com | A Fax cover page plus three pages free, you can send two free fax messages per day maximum.

Oct 30, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Optimize Your Computer, E|mail, and WEB Use | Windows 10 has built|in real|time antivirus named Windows Defender. It automatically runs in the background, protecting all Windows users against viruses and other nasties.

Nov 13, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Back To The Basic | The “basics” aren’t just for beginners. You always hear something new or something you have forgotten because you haven’t used it for a long time.

Nov 27, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > Remote Support for Windows, Mac, and Android phones and tablets. | We have implemented a software system/tool to connect to your computer remotely. Allowing us to provide remote help installing a program, using an application, fix a problem.

Dec 11, 2023, 1 and 7 PM | Join Online Meeting > A Mesh Home Network?  | Google WiFi Mesh networking is a way for information to pass through several directly connected nodes to one another. For example, a mesh WiFi router and its satellites act to get better WiFi signals encompassing a larger area. With Google WiFi, the satellite mesh units connect wirelessly to the base unit or can be connected using Ethernet cables.

The Gadget Gurus: I will review the current tech news. We will do our best to answer computers, smartphones, apps, cameras, tablets, and internet questions. So bring your tech issues and enjoy the meeting.

Dec 25, 2023, 1 and 7 PM |  Merry Christmas

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