Welcome to May! I'm happy to report that I am fully vaccinated, as are many of you, and back on a full house call schedule. So, if you have been putting off any tech maintenance, now is the time to get things done!

This month starts with a topic I'm asked about frequently - cloud computing. Next, an easy way to spot a scam. My final article addresses both built-in and add-on webcam covers.

Stay well!

Regards,

Julie Marto

508-359-8176
508-333-8176 (cell)

P.S. College student come home with a slow laptop? Drop it off with me for a tune-up and clean-up.
Cloud Storage 101
Here's a topic I get asked about all the time - cloud storage. Apple, Microsoft, Google and Dropbox all want you to store your files with them. Should you take them up on their offer? Or have you already, and you are not quite sure what you have signed up for?
Cloud storage means keeping your files on someone else's computer, accessed through the internet. Most cloud systems also offer you an option to keep a local copy of your documents on your own computer, so you can edit them even if you have no internet connection, and then sync the changes later.

Advantages to cloud storage include:

Your files are backed up - If your computer or phone fails, you can simply replace your device, log into your cloud storage account, and recover all of your files. Cloud storage systems can also offer protection against encryption viruses, as some cloud storage systems allow you to roll back files to older versions.

You can access your files from multiple systems - If you use a desktop in your office, and a laptop on the road, you don't have to worry about which system your files were created on. If you take photos on your cell phone, cloud storage can automatically send the pictures to your iPad or computer. You can even log into your cloud storage account on a friend's computer, and access your files through a web interface.

You can easily share files - If you have a need to collaborate on some or all of your files, you can create shared folders and allow others access to the files you create. Cloud storage is really the best way for small businesses to share files between employees.

You can free up space on your devices, while continuing to have access to your files - Most cloud storage systems allow you to keep all or some of your files in the cloud, downloading them on demand when you want to work with them. This is particularly advantageous if you have a system with a small drive, like a MacBook Air, and a lot of files you need to access.

Disadvantages to cloud storage include:

You are trusting your data to a corporate entity - although the major players are all big corporations with lots of security and good reputations, it is reasonable to have some concerns about giving them access to all your documents. Tax information, password lists, and other highly confidential data is no longer completely under your control. There is a possibility your account could be hacked and your personal data stolen, which is why I ALWAYS recommend protecting cloud storage accounts with strong, unique passwords and two factor authentication.

Settings can be difficult to understand - Some cloud storage systems offer to "back up" your computer and then seem to abscond with all your files. Some say they are freeing up space, but your hard drive is as full as ever. Setting up a cloud system to do exactly what you want can be a challenge.

If might be difficult to stop using cloud storage - Cloud storage companies make it easy to upload data, but they don't always make it obvious how to download your files again, and remove them from their servers. For example, iCloud Photos only allows you to download one photo at a time onto a PC - if you are a PC user who has sent all your iPhone photos to the cloud to save space, and now wish to remove them all, you will have to have enough room on your phone to store them all, or find an Apple computer to sync them to.

Cloud storage is not free - most cloud storage providers give you a limited amount of free space, and then charge a monthly or annual fee for additional storage. The major players work out as follows:
Free Storage

5GB of iCloud space included with each Apple ID


15GB of storage included with each Gmail account - storage quota will be used for Gmail, Photos, Google Drive.

5GB of free OneDrive storage per account

Microsoft 365 subscriptions bundle Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook) with OneDrive storage

2GB of free storage included with DropBox Basic
Cost for Additional Storage

$.99/month for 50GB
$2.99/month for 200GB
$9.99/month for 2TB

$19.99/year for 100GB
$29.99/year for 200GB
$99.99/year for 2TB


$1.99/month for 100GB
$69.99/year for Microsoft 365 Personal includes 1TB for one user
$99.99/year for Microsoft 365 Family includes 1TB each for up to 5 users



$9.99/month for 2TB for 1 user
$16.99/month for 2TB shared with up to 6 users
$15.58/month for 3TB for 1 user
Whether you know it or not, most of you are already using cloud storage to a certain extent. Almost all students and teachers use Google Drive, everybody with an iPhone has iCloud, and many of you have a OneDrive or DropBox folder with a few items in it. Both Apple and Microsoft will automatically opt you in to cloud storage if you are not paying attention a If you need some help making sense of what you are already using, or determining if you would like to make better use of cloud storage, give me a call!
Is it Always a Scam?
Last month, a regular client of mine called to tell me she had been tricked by a fake tech support ad that popped up on her computer, loudly declaring she had a virus and insisting she call the number on her screen to reach "Microsoft" for support. Fortunately for her, even though she called the number, something didn't feel right to her, and she hung up before they could do any damage, and called me instead.
I was unable to answer the phone when she called, but called back as soon as I heard her message. And the first thing she asked me was, "Is it always a scam?". The simple answer is, yes, it's ALWAYS a scam. But, how can I be so sure?

Simply put - it is HARD to call Microsoft Support. Or Dell Support. Or HP Support, or Apple Support, or Amazon Support, or Google Support, or any legitimate company's support phone number. They want you to go to their web site first, and work your way though many layers of screens before you ever get access to a phone number, if, in fact, they ever actually give you one.

So remember this lesson - if there is an easy number to call, it is ALWAYS a scam. Legitimate companies, for whatever reason, make it difficult to get in touch with them. Scam artists make it ridiculously easy.
Webcam Covers
With all the remote work and socializing we have been doing, people's webcams have been getting a workout like never before. This month I had not one, but three clients call me to tell me their new webcams were not working. One person had a laptop, one an all-in-one computer, and one had purchased a new Logitech webcam.
All three clients had the same problem - their new webcam came with a built-in privacy cover, and it was switched to "off". Looking on the webcam itself, each had a toggle that would slide a cover over the webcam to prevent it from capturing video until accessed.

There is good reason to be concerned about webcam privacy, as there are malicious programs that can silently turn on a webcam but disable the light. Covering a built-in webcam when not in use with a plastic cover, a removable sticker, or even a sticky note is probably a good idea. Just keep in mind, a thick plastic cover can potentially damage a laptop screen, so choose something appropriate for your particular system.

Webcam and computer manufacturers are aware of the potential security issues with webcams. So, if you get a new system with a "non-working" webcam, look for a sliding cover or an on/off switch before you write it off as broken!