August 2014 Edition – Monthly Mini-Bytes

Two Device Security Tips for Back to School Keep Your Friends Close, but your iPhone Closer (or iPad) Let's face it: Kids lose stuff at school, but there are a few things that you can do with them to ensure that their iPads and iPhones don't end up in the lost and found... or worse. Put on a Passcode Putting a passcode on your iPhone or iPad is the easiest way to secure it. For iOS 7 users, simply go into Settings -> Passcode (or Touch ID & Passcode on the iPhone 5s) and create one. Make sure that you write down the code. If ever forgotten, the device needs to be completely wiped and set up from scratch -- all data will be lost. Enable "Find My iPhone/iPad" Go to Settings -> iCloud where you can toggle Find My iPhone/iPad on. This will allow you to log into iCloud.com from any web browser and not only locate your device, but also lock it, display a message, or even erase it completely.

Choosing a New Monitor Sometimes It Hertz Not long ago, I carried around a 17-inch MacBook Pro weighing in at almost seven pounds. It had a big screen and was a wonderful machine overall, but it was cumbersome.  Now, the new 13-inch MacBook Pros are light as a feather and can be easily hooked up to a quality monitor to expand your workspace at the office. I'm typing this article right now staring at my 23-inch Apple Cinema Display. You can have the portability and back-saving weight of a small but powerful laptop, yet the real-estate of the monitor of your choice. Plus, with AirPlay and an Apple TV you can also use your 90-inch 4K curved TV as a display, too. And why wouldn't you want to? But when selecting a monitor, the current myriad of choices can be daunting. There's Full HD, Ultra HD, 2K, 4K, and variations of flavors therein.  PCMag.com has put together an article for graphic designers on choosing the best monitor. Now, many of us don't need a monitor that a high-end designer may use every day, but the article can help you understand all that lies on the external display playing field these days. You can read it here: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2456236,00.asp Passwords, Data Breaches, and You Thoughts and Best Practices By now you all must have heard or read about the massive data breach of 1.2 billion or so usernames and passwords by a Russian hacker group. Unfortunately, news like this over the past year has become more commonplace, although what makes this instance so shocking is the sheer size of the theft.  There's a lot of advice out on the internet as to what you should do to protect yourself from these types of attacks. It boils down to a few common principles: Don't use the same Username and Password with every account. Create secure passwords of at least 8 characters with numbers, letters, and even symbols, if sites allow it. Write down your Usernames and Passwords and keep in a secure location. Change your Usernames and Passwords if you suspect that they have been stolen. Monitor your accounts and email for any funny business. Watch your financial accounts closely, reconcile statements, etc. This article from IT World shares 'Five Ways to Better Protect Your Passwords' that are very easy to implement: http://www.itworld.com/security/430802/russian-hacker-breach-five-ways-better-protect-your-passwords   CNET's Seth Rosenblatt has a different take on the matter, though I'd rather err on the side of caution. You can read his article here: http://www.cnet.com/news/why-you-shouldnt-be-scared-by-the-largest-data-breach/