Monthly Mini-Bytes - February 2022

 

Automatic Updates: Yes or No Let's be honest. The latest Apple updates have been... glitchy. I hope it's not the Microsoftification of Apple, but only time will tell. Missing Desktop items, hidden Docks, broken scanners, and mysteriously being logged in as Guest all have happened to somebody after an update. So, is it a good idea to turn off automatic updates? First, automatic updates are only automatic when they are automatic, but we all know that they are only occasionally automatic, which means they are not automatic at all. Manual intervention has been needed in many cases. And back in the old days, updates had to be done manually -- it's the way our ancestors did it, so it should work for us. Right? I say it can, but let's leave this up to personal preference. I have set my updates so that I need to process them myself. This gives me a chance to prepare in case something goes awry, instead of walking into the office in the morning with a half loaded Apple on the screen. On the Mac, to update your settings go to System Preferences -> Software Updates and choose Advanced to set your preferences. On your mobile device go to Settings -> General -> Software Updates.

The Scammers are Back! Actually they never left, but it seems like there has been an uptick in their activity. The biggest one to watch out for is the internet pop-up. It may make a loud sound and then warn you about viruses or some other horrible thing and you need to call Apple immediately or your computer will melt into a pile of goo. It's fake. 100% fake. It's not Apple. Don't call the number. You just happened on a compromised website. Navigate to a different site and it will go away. Run a malware scan with MalwareBytes if you so choose, and you could always dump your browser cache and history. Just don't ever call the number. They want to trick you to giving remote access to your computer, and that is very, very bad.

Scientists Say Too Many Apps Can Make Your iPhone Heavy

If you've had an iPhone since 2007, chances are it is packed with apps that you no longer use. Every single store or restaurant has an app these days, and every one not only clutters up your phone, but can compromise your security with tracking requests and the like. Kick off your spring cleaning by deleting apps that you no longer use. When you get down to it, it's amazing how few apps we actually use at all. To delete an app, hold your finger down on the one you choose to get rid of and select Remove App. In older versions of iOS you may just get a little X. Either way, you will probably get a little endorphin buzz from cleaning up your phone.