TechCast with Jake

California drivers still hold their mobile phones while driving which is illegal. In this episode, Jake explores the nuances and hazards of driving while using your mobile phone in California. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com

Internet service providers and phone companies are now allowed to collect your Internet browsing data and sell it to information brokers per new federal legislation. So you are on your own to protect your privacy. In this episode, Jake discusses the tools your need to guard your privacy: your choice of browser, your search engine, the browser add-ons you install can all keep prying eyes off your data and browsing history. Plus, do you need a VPN service and which should you choose? Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com

If you feel that your Internet is slow, it may just be that your WiFi network is slow. Explore the causes of a poor Wifi with Jake and what you can do to upgrade your wireless network to get the fastest Internet possible. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com

Are Macs really safer than PCs or is that just a myth? Explore what you need to know before buying your next computer when Jake discusses the truths and tales of Mac security. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com

With the 2016 election in a few weeks, Jake discusses the impact the election will have on important technology issues. These issues include privacy and law enforcement surveillance, the importance and dangers of smartphone encryption, and America's cyber-security and cyber-warfare readiness. Before you go vote, find out where your candidates stand on these important issues. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com

Jake reviews the Amazon Echo that was purchased on Prime Day and his experience with Alexa, Amazon's digitial assistant. He also discusses the Pokemon Go craze and how it gets kids outside to play and can bring parents closer to their children. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com

Like most people, you probably use your web browser just to browse the Internet. But do you know that there is a whole other world of browser add-ons (also called extensions and plug-ins) that can really enhance your Internet experience. These add-ons can block annoying advertisements, make articles more readable, allow you to read stories offline, make social media posting simpler, manage your web passwords and a whole lot more. In this podcast, Jake explores the hidden world of browser add-ons and shares his top five favorites. Jake's Five Fave Browser Add-Ons: 5. AdBlock Plus - Hides annoying website ads. https://adblockplus.org/ 4. Pocket - Saves interesting web content to read later. https://getpocket.com 3. Hootsuite - Easily post web stories and photos to your social media sites. https://hootsuite.com/ 2. Evernote Webclipper - Saves web content to your Evernote account. https://evernote.com/webclipper 1. LastPass - Securely saves all your web passwords. https://lastpass.com/f?295206 Honorable Mentions: - Great Suspender (Chrome) - Suspend Tab (Firefox) - Ghostery - NoScripts Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

If you are like most people, you have at least one old computer in your home or business collecting dust and taking up room. In this podcast, Jake discusses selling, donating or recycling your old computers so you can get the most money for it and your data won't fall into the wrong hands. He also gives tips on how to re-purpose your old computer for data backup, file/folder storage or as a media server Resources: File/folder secure erase (Win): http://eraser.heidi.ie/ File/folder secure erase (Win, Mac, Linux): http://www.killdisk.com/eraser.htm Whole disk wipe (all): http://www.dban.org/ OwnCloud file storage and data backup: https://owncloud.org/ Plex media server: https://plex.tv Kodi media server: https://kodi.tv Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

Cortana is a Microsoft's personal digital assistant for Windows 10 which can prove to be very helpful. Jake discusses how to effectively use incorporate Cortana into your daily computer habits and make you life more efficient. He also shows you how some Cortana tricks. Cortana is available with Windows 10 on your desktop or Windows mobile phone. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

A crypto virus can really ruin your day. They are a form of ransomware which encrypts your data then demands a ransom be paid to the cyber-crooks to get your files back. But you can avoid crypto viruses by knowing how to identify them and taking a few steps to avoid infection and quickly recover your files if you do get infected. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

Kids love video games but too much can create a stress within the family. In this episode, Jake discusses what families need to know regarding video games and other media. He also shares the tools he uses to help choose the right age-appropriate video games, how to effectively limit screen time, using video games as an incentive tool and engaging in other activities to create balance. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

You may have a vague notion of what a hashtag is but hashtags can be a powerful tool to get more people viewing your social media posts. In this episode, Jake discusses how to make hashtags and use them to drive traffic to your social media properties. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

Using two-factor authentication (2FA) is critical to your overall computer security and should be enabled wherever possible. Jake discusses what it is and how to enable 2FA on your email and social media to prevent your accounts from being hijacked. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

Scammers are getting really good at making legitimate looking phishing emails. But accidentally clicking a link could result in identity theft, destruction of your data, stolen credentials or severe virus infection that will cost you thousands of dollars. Jake discusses ways to identify phishing emails and the methods to avoid getting them in the first place. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

Eligible Windows users can upgrade their PCs to Windows 10 for free. But Microsoft's offer ends on July 29, 2016. In this podcast, Jake discusses if you are eligible for the Windows 10 free upgrade offer, what you need to know before you upgrade, and tips to make your upgrade process smooth and hassle free. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com.

A business' online reputation at Yelp, Google, Facebook or TripAdvisor can quickly be destroyed by a vengeful customer or misplaced review. Jake discusses the pitfalls when literally anyone can leave a review and the strategies for ensuring a good reputation. Jake's Blog: www.axicom.net/blog. Music courtesy of 8 Bit Weapon: www.8bitweapon.com