Jumping Back In!

2025 has been a busy one and left me little time to attend to my blog. I’m jumping back in, especially with all of the inquiries about wether or not to upgrade to OS X Tahoe, iOS 26, and iPadOS 26. I have upgraded to all three and plan to address features and issues in upcoming blog posts. In the meantime, here is my quick assessment.

All three upgrades have some great new features, but I have found myself having to fiddle around to get what I needed in iOS 26 and iPadOS 26. If you decide to upgrade plan on that! I have also had an issue with my messages syncing across devices. While I cannot be sure the issue due to the upgrade, I suspect that the issue is with the new feature of categorizing SPAM and UNKNOWN callers into separate categories. One feature I do love in iOS26 is HOLD ASSIST. No longer do you have to listen to annoying music while on hold. Hold Assist will let you know when a live representative answers the phone. So far, I like OS X Tahoe and have experienced no issues. I enjoy the ability to customize my folders with colors, emojis, etc. My one complaint so far is that disk encryption is automatically turned on during the upgrade with only a small notification as to where your recovery key is and how to use it. Pay attention to that if you upgrade!

More to come in the days ahead! In the meantime, please take a minute to look at an upcoming speaker event at The Georges in Lexington, VA. So so many of my clients have expressed their fondness of a blogger who calls herself “Tales of An Educated Debutante” on Instagram and Facebook. Come see her! I’ll be there for a fun evening and you can’t find a more fabulous place to listen and relax than at The Georges.

Keep backing up!

Lisa

Urgent: Update to iOS 18.1.1 for Security Fixes

Apple has issued iOS 18.1.1, an emergency iPhone update that you should download and install as soon as possible. Apple is reporting fixes for two serious security vulnerabilities which are already being used in real-life hacks. Other than that, Apple has not given much information about what it has fixed because they want to give users as much time as possible to update before more “bad guys” get hold of details of the security vulnerabilities.

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency also issued a warning telling users to update to iOS 18.1.1, iOS 17.7.2, Safari 18.1.1 and Sequoia 15.1.1 as soon as possible. If you have Apple Devices, please check and do these updates! They say Apple updates are important because “a cyber threat actor could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.”

Keep backing up,

Lisa

iOS 18 Adds Cool Home Screen Options

I’ve never been one to play around with my iPhone and iPad Home Screen too much, but iOS 18 can get fancy. It can also make your Home Screen more secure or should we call it secretive! iOS 18 adds a feature that allows you to lock and hide apps. Seems like a good idea to hide some apps, like your financial or other apps with sensitive information. How about hiding a dating app when you should not be using one?!

I decided to give it a try and hide my financial apps. Here’s how:

• Press and long hold the apps icon
• Click on Require Face ID
• Opt to Hide and Require Face ID or simply Require Face ID if you don’t want to hide it

Your hidden app icons will be moved in your App Library to the category called Hidden and the apps will not be visible. Tap the Hidden category and your Face ID will cause the icons to appear. To unhide the app icon, follow the steps above but choose Don’t require Face ID.

I fooled myself today. I put all of my financial apps in the Hidden category on Friday. Today I needed to pay someone by Venmo and I could not find the app. I fussed with it for a good 10 minutes and forgot that I had hidden all of my financial apps!

Keep Backing Up,

Lisa

iOS 18 Adds “Send Later” Feature to Messaging

Send Later has been a very useful tool in the world of emailing and has been around for a while. Apple’s new iOS 18 has added Send Later to Messaging! Texting is an immediate way to communicate, but it is not always convenient for a person to receive at text immediately . . . when you wake up at 5 am and have a great idea to send to someone or it’s 8 pm your time, but over in Rome, it’s 2 am.

To use Send Later:

• Type your text
• Tap the + sign next to your message
• Choose Send Later
• Schedule a send time for your message

You can also go back to the message you have scheduled to send and edit the message or the send time.

Keep Backing Up,

Lisa

UPGRADES FROM APPLE: OS X SEQUOIA AND IOS 18

Last week Apple released upgrades to OS X Sequoia and iOS 18. Over the next few weeks, I will keep you posted on my favorite new features! However, one of the first I came across is so convenient that I wanted to go ahead and share it.

iOS 18 and AirPods Pro added “head gestures” that allows you to control your AirPods Pro hands free without saying a word. You have your AirPods in and a call comes in and Siri asks you if you want to answer the call. If you are in a place where you cannot take the call, you can move your head side to side and the call will be declined. Alternately, you could nod your head up and down and Siri would answer the call, all without saying a word. I love it!

Keep an eye out for future fun features of iOS 18!

Keep Backing Up!

Lisa

Stay Safe Out There

Much of what I am going to write, you will have already heard from me or someone else. Yet, I still have client after client falling for these scams, so it is worth repeating. 

The most common scam out there is a pop up on your device – computer, phone, tablet, etc. The pop up varies, but all tell you something terrible such as your computer is infected with dangerous viruses, your are about to loose all of your files and photos, or your private information has been stolen. The pop up gives you a telephone number to call. Sometimes the pop up completely freezes your device. Sometimes a voice screams at you to call the phone number and you can’t stop it. DO NOT CALL THE NUMBER! The scammer is on the other end fishing for private information, encouraging you to let them connect remotely to your computer, or trying to sell you expensive and worthless software to prevent hackers. What should you do? Press the power button on your device and hold it until the screen goes black and shuts down. Most of the time when you restart your device the pop up will be gone and no harm is done. The harm comes if you fall for the scam. If the pop up returns, it may be time for a security check.

Sadly, there are too many scams out there to talk about all of them, but another common one is a text message or email concerning a package that USPS, UPS or FedEx was unable to deliver prompting you to click a link. Hey, we all order so many things these days, you immediately click the link. Don’t do it! It too is a scam prompting action leading to bad actors. Other clients report receiving email messages about a charge to their credit card for an expensive purchase and thanking them for their business with a link to the order. You know you did not order the expensive item, so do not click the link. It too leads you to back actors trying to scam you. Instead go straight to your bank or credit card to verify there was no purchase made. 

I know, as you read this, you are probably thinking, who would fall for this. Well, it happens and it happens frequently. 

Prevention

How do you prevent these popups and scams? Sadly, these scams can pop up on devices that are protected, but there are things you can do to keep your computer safe. 

• Anti-virus software is a MUST if you have a PC. 
• I have a Mac and do not use anti-virus software, but it is very important to keep your software up to date. The updates address security vulnerabilities and fix bugs.
• Software updates are also very important for your iPhones and iPads too. Many clients hesitate to do updates complaining that it always messes something up or changes too many things. Suck it up buttercup, it will keep you safe! 
• Backup all of your devices on a regular basis.
• On the topic of software updates, there is a difference between updates and upgrades. An update improves a current operating system for your device. An upgrade replaces a current operating system with a new one. You can set your device to automatically do software updates, but you have to initiate a software upgrade.
• If you have a Mac, it is very important that you pay attention to what OS X (operating system) you are using. Apple only supports the three most recent OS X’s. So, if you are using an OS X that Apple no longer supports, you are at risk. The three most current OS X systems are:
  • Sonoma
  • Ventura
  • Monterey
  • In the fall of 2024 Apple will release Sequoia and will no longer support Ventura. Be sure to check your OS X (Apple, About This Mac) and update if needed! 
• Check your browsers (Safari, Chrome, Edge, Firefox, DuckDuckGo, etc.) for extensions. If you don’t recognize an extension, get rid of it. Many seemingly harmless extensions can let malware sneak in on your device.
• Use strong and unique passwords. Activate two-step authentication on your logins. Using a password manager can be very helpful! I recommend 1Password.

Remember when your Mom and Dad taught you to never talk to strangers? Well remember that when a stranger reaches out to you on your computer! If you are ever in doubt about anything on your computer, shut it off and shoot me a message! Take a minute today to review my prevention steps and make sure you are secure!

Keep backing up!

So This Happened To Me . . .

Rarely do I have frustrating technical issues, but a recent one almost sent me over the edge!

I promise, I do as I teach. Many of you know that I am a strong advocate of two step authentication on any login you have that is important to you. You know the drill, you log into an online account (or app) and in addition to typing in your password, you have to wait for a code to be sent to you via text message. It’s a great layer of security unless you don’t receive a code.

Out of the blue last week I stopped receving two step authentication codes from a couple of logins that I use frequently (ex: QuickBooks Online and Truist). I could opt to receive a phone call to get the code and that worked, but boy was it a pain. I shrugged and let it go thinking it would correct itself, but it didn’t. Then I tried logging into an account that did not have the option to receive a phone call, so I was locked out and could not access my account.

I noticed that I had also stopped receiving texts from Alice and Olivia, Farm Rio, Outdoor Voices to name a few. As annoying as they can be, I love to be alerted about a sale! I quickly decided I my issue was with my iPhone and not my logins. I checked all of my settings and there was nothing that would block text messages. I Googled, Googled, and Googled only to realize it was a common problem, but no solution seemed to work.

As a last resort, I called Verizon. It took me well over two hours and being elevated to a top tier tech support engineer to make Verizon understand my issue. FINALLY, after trying everything with the last tech, we found a fix! Stick this one away if it ever happens to you!

Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Reset, Reset Network Settings

Please be sure to choose Reset Network Settings only! Keep in mind that this will erase all saved passwords for wifi networks that you have joined in the past. You will manually need to reconnect to wifi!

Magic – I am now getting all of my two step authentication codes!

Having Trouble Finding What You Are Looking For?

Organization – Everyone has a unique way to organize files on their computer. I find that for many of my clients, there is no organization at all other than using RECENTS on their Mac or using SEARCH. Hopefully, today’s tip will help my Mac clients refine their searches.

Clients seem to know the first step which is to open Finder to search for files and folders. All you need to do is type what you are looking for and hit enter. However, did you know you could add criteria to your search to narrow the results and find what you are looking for faster? Here’s how:

• Open Finder
• In the search section, type in the words you are searching for
• Next, look for the + button near the top right of the Finder window

• Click on the + to add a field to narrow your search. You can click on the dropdown arrow to change the criteria AND you can click the + again to add further criteria to your search.

It’s January and time for organizing! I know (and you know who you are) that many of you have vowed to clean up your computers! Get to work!

Is Your Mac OS X Updated?

Apple releases a new macOS once a year and they are usually maintained and security updates are provided for three years. So, if you are running one of the three latest macOS, you can be comfortable knowing your computer is charged with the latest security updates. The last three macOS are Sonoma, Ventura, and Monterey.

I have read varying information, but I most recently read that Apple would stop supporting macOS Big Sur on November 30, 2023, today!

Check to see if it is time for you to update your macOS:

1. Click on the Apple.
2. Click on About This Mac.
3. There you will find the macOS that you are currently using.

Please take time to check! Not having a secure macOS, leaves you vulnerable to hackers. I’ve experienced it first hand with a handful of clients!

THANKFUL on Cyber Monday

I love Thanksgiving! It’s a time to stop and think about everything you have to be grateful for. I have many things to be grateful for and you, as one of my clients, are one of them. I am so blessed to do something I love and have the opportunity to work with people to solve technology challenges. Best of all is the many wonderful friends I have made in the process! 

For a limited time you can purchase my services at a reduced hourly rate!

• Have a relative or friend who is challenged by technology? Maybe they are not challenged, just need a little assistance on occasion or frequently! It’s a great gift!
• It’s getting scary out there! Hackers, Scams, Phishing. I can help keep your computer safe and clean up after security breaches.
• Are your passwords killing you? I’ve got a solution!
• Buying a new computer or device and need help with selecting what’s right for you? Need help transferring data? I can make it easy and you will learn something in the process

Best of all, I’m a real person you can get in touch with quickly!

To take advantage of my special offer, please email me, lburlee@icloud.com!