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PCM 29: Now You Have to Worry About Ransomware!
Digital thieves can lock you out from your own computer and demand a ransom to get it and your files back. It’s called ransomware and it’s one of the most insidious schemes on the Internet. And authorities seem absolutely helpless to do anything about it. If it happens to you – and it is to a lot of people everyday – you are on your own. So listen up to this episode of the podcast as we expose the way this happens and what you can do about it. Youll learn first hand from a victim of ransomware. The first clue is a warning screen saying “this ocmuter is blocked.” The hackers…
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PCM26 Screen Time for Kids: How Much is Too Much?
The effects of too much screen time on kids can be serious: lost sleep, poor grades, social maladjustment, behavior problems, obesity. This list goes on and on. Then again, what are we supposed to do? Cut kids off completely? The answer, of course, is no. Rather, finding a healthy balance is more appropriate says Dr.Dimitri A. Christakis of the Seattle Children’s Research Institute, a leading expert on the effects of screen time and media on young people. Instead of cutting kids off, he says, parents and grandparents need to be smart about how they allow youngsters to use tech. And you can hear on this show just how important kids consider tech when PC Mike…
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PCM22: Everything You Need to Know About Getting Windows 10 for Free
Microsoft’s big plan to have Windows 10 on a billion devices in just a few years starts at the end of this month, when – on July 29 – it becomes available for free, zip, zero, zilch. But if you’re like us here at PC Mike, the soon-to-be available free operating system raised more questions than answers. So we dug into it and bring you what we learned about Windows 10 in this episode of the PC Mike podcast. Among other things, we discuss: What are you supposed to do with that “Get Windows 10” app icon that probably appeared recently in your toolbar? Why do you need to “reserve”…
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PC Mike Podcast 21: Oh No! I’ve Been Robbed!
The PC Mike Techcast has taken a few weeks off, but not by choice – it was because a couple of thugs stole PC Mike’s tech gear at the very start of a cross-country RVing adventure. It only took a few minutes, too. The bad guys took computers, cameras, recording equipment, and more, essentially turning what was supposed to be a quick dinner into an endeavor costing thousands. It was bad but thankfully no one was hurt. It could’ve been worse. So it’s on with the show, starting with Mike’s recap of the burglary and how preparing ahead of time helped lessen the impact somewhat. Among other things, Mike mentions:…
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008PCM Thinking About Getting a Drone? Better Listen to This First!
Everyone wants a drone. It’s become a billion dollar industry with hobbyists, photographers, real estate folks, commercial businesses, and farmers rushing to buy these amazing devices for their various pursuits. But the government is making it very difficult with some ridiculous regulations. If you have a drone or plan on getting one, you’d better listen to this episode of the PC Mike Techcast. The issue is that the Federal Aviation Administration’s current regulations regarding use of drones are overreaching and just plain absurd, including a rule that prohibits drone use for academic research unless researchers go through the long and arduous task of getting special permits – even researchers who flew multi-million dollar jets for…
