File photo. (REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton)
Windows 10 shares your Wi-Fi
Q: I heard Windows 10 shares my Wi-Fi connection with anyone in the area. Is this total invasion of privacy true?
A: Windows 10 includes a feature called Wi-Fi Sense that lets your friends and other Windows users connect to your network. But it’s up to you to choose to share it. If you do, Microsoft will store your encrypted password on its servers. When visitors who have Wi-Fi Sense enabled show up, Windows logs them into your network automatically. But no one ever sees your Wi-Fi network’s password, and you can make it stop. Click here for steps to stop Windows 10 from automatically sharing your Wi-Fi with others.
Hackers take over and drive a car into a ditch
Q: I've seen the articles on your site about hackers taking over cars and making them run off the road. Is there anything I can do to stop hackers from taking over my Dodge truck?
A: You’re talking about the recent news that UConnect-equipped Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Ram and SRT models made after mid-2013 are vulnerable. People with these models need to get a USB device from the manufacturer to upgrade their vehicle’s software. Better yet, call your nearest dealer and set an appointment for them to do the upgrade for you. If you have not seen the video, click here to watch hackers take over a vehicle, shut it down, engage the brakes and much more using a laptop located anywhere in the world. Scary stuff!
Facebook notifications are driving me crazy
Q: Facebook is blowing up my phone with alerts! Help me, Kim!
A: You’re not alone. Who wants their phone buzzing or beeping every time a friend posts something on their wall or completes a game level? You can take control of notifications in the Facebook app. Open it and go to the App Settings area. Tap "Notifications" and you have a huge range of things you can control. Set whether a notification triggers a vibration, flashing LED, or ringtone. Choose if notifications show up on your lock screen. Set exactly which activities – wall posts, comments, friend requests, etc. – set off notifications. Or you can just turn off all notifications if you want some peace and quiet. If you use Facebook a lot, click here for 4 more tricks, including new status updates and privacy controls.
#BabyRP is a real danger
Q: My daughter posts pictures of her kids all over the Internet. The kids are on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Flickr and probably more places I never heard of. You were talking on your national radio show about people pretending kids’ pictures they find online are their own kids. Can you tell me more about this?
A: Did you know that new parents post an average of 973 photos of their children on social media before their fifth birthday? Seems harmless, unless you're oversharing, right? Wrong. Some 17 percent of those baby photos have no privacy restrictions at all, leaving them wide open for use in a new online role-playing game called #BabyRP. It's stealing baby photos for "virtual adoptions," kidnapping and other made-up scenarios. I wrote more about this on my site. Click here for the link your daughter needs to read.
How to take better Android photos
Q: Whenever I try to take photos of things far away on my Android, they turn out blurry and of a not-so-great quality. Why is this happening?
A: Chances are you are using the zoom feature. Most people don't know that the zoom doesn't actually bring subjects far away into focus – it's actually more of a crop tool. That's why your images are coming out so blurry. To fix this, take a shot with the zoom off and then go back to the image in your Android's photo gallery and crop the image. Once you've mastered the art of cropping, learn even more Android tricks to help you take photos like a pro.
Bonus: Cost-free Windows apps
Q: My husband is thinking about getting Windows 10 but he doesn't want to spend extra money on apps you need to make the upgrade worthwhile. Is there anything we can do to get around this?
A: I have good news for you both! There are a bunch of free apps, services and programs that you can install for your Windows 10 upgrade. Get things like movie players, email programs, storage services and more with the Windows Live Essentials software pack. Click here to read more about Live Essentials and get the download link.
On the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com. Kim also posts breaking tech news 24/7 at News.Komando.com.
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