Microsoft urges users on Windows 10 to switch over to Edge or other modern web browsers.
We get asked often at our Decorah office, how much or how often should I charge my laptop or cellphone batteries? Most Lithium-Ion batteries do best if kept between 35% and 80%. Here are some tips to help get the most use out of your battery! Batteries have changed dramatically over the past 20 years, especially in the computer world. Most people have either a laptop, cell phone, or one of each, but did you know that the battery in these devices has a predetermined life?
Find out what you can expect for various types of computer repairs.
Computer taking forever to start up? Here are some potential causes behind it running slow.
Learn about why we love being located in Decorah, Iowa to celebrate the annual Nordic Fest event.
We don't only repair computers in beautiful Decorah, Iowa, we also design and host websites for residential and business customers. We work to remove the usual stress and long waiting period involved when building a website. Here's what we offer when building a website for you: Quick turn around from concept to completion No web knowledge knowledge required Modern and professional website design Responsible/mobile-friendly websites that work on any device
According to World Backup Day , 30% of people have never backed up their data, 113 phones are lost or stolen every minute, and 1 in 10 computers are infected with viruses every month. Backups of your data should be an ongoing process throughout the year, but March 31 marks a good point to remind those who haven't to make it a priority on their to-do list. We know the importance of data firsthand from helping customers in Decorah and the surrounding area when working to recover it after a hard drive goes bad. Even in a recovery process, not all data can always be recovered. The best defense always is to regularly backup your data to a cloud service to ensure it's safe and secure. While external storage drives or USBs work as one way to backup data, they too can break, get stolen, or become lost. We always recommend our customers to invest in a cloud storage solution such as Microsoft OneDrive , Apple iCloud , or Google Drive . Cloud storage is always a better solution because it doesn't rely on physical hardware you need to keep track of or worry about its security. Cloud backup solutions are often cheaper in the long run as well because it's easy to add additional storage if you're running out of space. Backups of your data should include personal computers, smartphones, and tablets. Most newer smartphones have built-in automatic backups enabled by default, but it's always a good practice to double check that's enabled on your device. It takes less time checking that your data is properly backed up versus the time required to try and recover it from an accident or hardware problem. Stress Less Tech in Decorah is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., to help you with creating a backup plan that's tailored for you and is as stress free as possible. We ensure the backup process doesn't get in your way and is automatic so you don't have to worry about it. Give us a call at 563-387-9703 or email at support@stresslesstechsolutions.com to get your data backed up today.
A new vulnerability was discovered in Broadcom and Cypress Wi-Fi chips, which are the world's two most used chips in wireless-enabled devices. Referred to as Kr00k, the vulnerability targets the information that is sent through wireless signals. Usually this information is encryped ensuring that only the sender and receiver can read that information. But with Kr00k, that information can be decrypted by hackers to steal personal information. Devices that are prone to this vulnerability include Amazon (Echo, Kindle), Apple (iPhone, iPad, MacBook), Google (Nexus), Samsung (Galaxy), Raspberry (Pi 3), Xiaomi (Redmi), and access points from Asus and Huawei. Researchers estimate more than a billion devices could be affected by the vulnerability, which is easy to see with the huge number of smartphones that include those WiFi chips. Here in Decorah it's not difficult to go about your day and run into someone that is using either an iPhone or Galaxy smartphone. This is why it's important to keep on top of security updates on any device that connects to the internet, especially through WiFi or wireless connection. Fortunately, many of the companies listed were notified about the vulnerability and worked to release updates to fix the issue. Here's a checklist to follow to ensure you're protected against the Kr00k vulernability: Enable automatic updates on your device. Ensure that within your device's Settings area that system and security updates are set to automatic download and install. With automatic updates set your device will receive important updates once they're available versus having to wait for you to install them. Check that the latest updates have been installed successfully. Sometimes issues can occur such as the smartphone running out of space preventing your device from installing the latest update. It's a good practice to regularly check that updates are installing successfully and checking that your device is up to date. Upgrade to the latest operating system version if possible. To ensure your device is receiving the latest features and security updates it's always a good practice to ensure you're running the latest operating system. Sometimes older devices are unable to run the latest operating systems and will require an upgrade to a newer device. Only connect to WiFi networks you trust. Free and public WiFi networks can be handy, but also dangerous if sending sensitive information over them. Connecting to a public WiFi network with a device that isn't running the latest security updates is even more dangerous. If you're going to use a public WiFi network it's more important than ever to ensure your device is up to date. Keep your home WiFi network secure. Best practice when running a WiFi or wireless network in your home is to ensure it's secured properly with a password. Your wireless router should also be set with a unique administrative password. Most wireless routers are shipped with a default password that could easily be changed without you knowing. Contact Stress Less Tech for help with any of the checklist items from checking that your device is to up to date or securing your wireless router. We're available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Give us a call at 563-387-9703 , email at support@stresslesstechsolutions.com , or stop by our Decorah office location at 2427 Tamarack Dr Rd.
The new RTX 2000 series is on the way and they are going to be a serious upgrade for any PC Gamers out there! Whether you’re looking for a gaming Computer or a work computer we can build it for you. If interested in more information you can stop by any of our office locations: Decorah, Waukon, and West Union.
At Stress Less we like tech, it’s what we do. As the holiday shopping season kicks into overdrive, we are bringing you 12 of the most requested, most wanted tech gifts for 2017. Check back each business day between now and December 19th for another must have tech item and why you should check it out. In 2015 Sphero released their app-connected robot, BB-8, to tie-in with Star Wars the Force Awakens. Now, with this year’s release of The Last Jedi, Sphero has done it again with two new droids, R2-D2 and BB-9E. R2, of course, moves on treads and can move sideways if wanted or he can bring out his third leg and use it to lean back and navigate tougher terrain like carpeting. R2’s head turns, and he has plenty of lights and sounds from built-in speakers, something BB-8 didn’t have. You can draw a path with your finger on the app and R2 will follow it. There’s also a button to have R2 “flip out” so to speak, where he shakes and makes noise before falling over. Like its droid brothers, the BB-9E droid uses the same app as the other two and can be controlled via app or voice commands. The three droids are in scale with each other and 12-inch action figures. Sphero is planning add new ways for the droids to interact with each other and their surroundings. Right now, you can have them watch Rogue One or The Force Awakens, and the droids will react at certain points thanks to scripted points in the movies and the app listens for these cues to cause the droids reactions. If you’ve got a Star Wars fan on your list this Christmas, no doubt they’ve already got these little guys on their list. At just $180 for R2-D2 and $150 for BB-9E, they are affordable enough to get both…assuming you can find one. As is the case with most items on our list of Top 12 Tech Gifts, these droids are in short supply but revered by Star Wars fans all over. Happy Holidays and good luck on the tech hunt from all of us here at Stress Less Tech Solutions!
