July 20, 2023 – There are technical tricks that you only know if someone gives you hints.
Take the humble USB cord. If you’re constantly plugging in the wrong way, here’s the secret: the symbol on one isn’t just a mark or decoration. This symbol will point upwards if you branch horizontally. If you plug in a cable vertically, the USB symbol will face you.
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I love passing on nifty tech tips that you’ll use over and over again. Here are some goodies!
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Use a Windows PC?
On Windows, let’s keep it simple with the keyboard shortcuts you need to know.
Pro Tip: Learning a new shortcut takes time. Yes, there were times before you used Ctrl + C to copy and Ctrl + V to paste all the time and you had to make it a habit. Choose one (or more) of the tricks below and give it a try. Use it multiple times and it will become second nature in no time.
- Windows + Shift + S opens the screenshot tool. Drag the box that appears and, voila, a screenshot of what you want. It’s so much easier to send a screenshot (and even mark it up to show something to your recipient) than to try to explain in words.
- Looking for a file? Hit it windows key And start writing the name. That’s it. So simple and it saves a lot of time.
- By pressing the windows key And “.” (Period key) together open the emoji picker. You can easily insert emojis into your documents, messages or any other text field. The emoji picker also includes symbols and special characters.
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LockBit, a type of ransomware, is one of the earliest known instances of this malware targeting Mac computers. (CyberGuy.com)
For you Macs
Do you use your laptop for both work and personal life, or do you share your MacBook with someone else? There is a brilliant way to separate your accounts.
Configure different user accounts attached to different fingerprints. Maybe your work profile uses your pointer and your personal account uses your ring finger. Or you and your spouse have your fingerprints linked to your own accounts.
Hit it apple menu > System Parameters > Touch ID and password to set them up. You can register up to five fingerprints and have three active. From this screen, you can also choose what Touch ID can do, including unlocking the computer, using Apple Pay, and autofilling passwords.
MOST PEOPLE MAKE THIS MAJOR MISTAKE WHEN SHARING PHOTOS
Now onto some great keyboard shortcuts for you too.
- Control + Command + Spacebar: This shortcut opens the Character Viewer, which lets you browse and insert special characters, symbols, and emojis into your documents, emails, texts, or anything else. It works in most programs and is much easier than opening a website to copy emojis.
- Option + Command + V: When you copy text or files, they are usually pasted in the original format. Using this shortcut, you can paste the copied content without formatting. It’s the one you’ll use day in and day out.
Continue! On my site, I have a list of more awesome keyboard shortcuts for quickly locking your device, zooming, and creating a sleek virtual desktop.
Keep your technological know-how
My popular podcast is called “Kim Komando Today”. It’s a solid 30 minutes of tech news, tips, and callers with tech questions like you from across the country. Look for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your convenience, click the link below for a recent episode.
PODCAST CHOICE: $30,000 Uber horror, potentially deadly Facebook hack and robocall revenge
Additionally, Google is updating what it can collect about you online to improve its AI capabilities. I’m chatting with a guy who needs a new payment processing solution for his Christian networking group. Colleagues engaging in explicit messages, ChatGPT celebrating a wedding, and tips for getting rid of an old phone.
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Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for my last name, “Komando”.
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