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Five Things You Should Know About Batteries – Y-Not Tech Services | Lethbridge, Alberta

May 29, 2018 by Tony Whitney

Five Things You Should Know About Batteries - Y-Not Tech Services | Lethbridge, AlbertaWe all use devices with batteries in them. From our smartphones and laptops to smartwatches and iPads, all of our gadgets contain batteries. So here are 5  things you should know about to help make sense of your batteries.

Lithium-Ion Powers Most of Our Devices

Almost all current devices use Lithium-Ion Batteries. They have advantages over previous types like Ni-Cad but come with their own set of quirks. Myths abound concerning how we should care for batteries. One Myth I can lay to rest is that Lithium Ion batteries do not have a ‘memory.’ Ni-cad or possibly a type of battery that came before it did have a sort of memory, that would cause the battery to lose capacity based on how much of the battery’s power was used each cycle. With these, it was important to fully discharge the battery before charging it up to maximize its capacity. This is not true of Lithium-Ion Batteries. Moving forward, everything on this list will refer to Lithium Ion Batteries.

Your Laptop Will Not ‘Overcharge’ The Battery

I’ve seen people claim that you should remove the battery from your Laptop as soon as it is charged if you are plugged into the wall to avoid overcharging and damaging the battery. The truth is that your laptop will stop charging the battery when it reaches 100%. Then the laptop will simply monitor the battery while using AC power to operate the machine. Over time, the battery will still lose part of its charge, and the laptop will top it up as it does.

Your Battery Will Lose Capacity Over Time

A battery has a limited lifespan. Most of them are around 500 charges, but different manufacturers and varieties will have different lifespans. This means that over time, as you use a battery it will lose capacity and start holding less and less of a charge. Eventually, the battery will get to the point where it hardly makes it from the desk to the couch. Then it’s time to replace it! Did you know that Y-Not Tech Services can find a replacement battery for almost any device? Contact us for a quote.

Batteries Do Not Like Heat (Or Extreme Cold)

Batteries are designed to be used within a certain temperature range. Luckily, that range is also the range that humans are generally pretty comfortable in. However, if your device is creating excessive heat, like say a powerful laptop being taxed while playing graphically demanding games, your battery can be affected. High heat can cause damages to a battery and cause it to lose capacity. The same is also true for cold, but it’s generally well below the freezing point where damage can occur – like using your phone outside on a lovely Canadian winter day…  In most circumstances, the heat of the phone will be enough to keep it going, but some devices are prone to shut down in wintery conditions.

Your Battery Might Need to Calibrate

If your device battery is depleted, but the device itself was still reading 20% left, the battery might need to be calibrated. This means letting the device learn how much capacity the battery has left. The most common way to do this is to simply let the battery deplete all the way and then charge it up to full. Most devices are designed to re-calibrate under these conditions. Refer to your device manufacturer for more information on battery calibration or contact Y-Not Tech Services to have us calibrate your battery for you.

Batteries can be a confusing and often frustrating part of dealing with technology. Learning about the batteries that power our gadgets can help us to understand why they behave how they do, and help us get the most out of them.

Personally, I think the most important thing to remember about batteries is that they do wear down over time and sometimes replacing them can breathe new life into our devices. To get a quote to replace a problem battery in your life, book an appointment:

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Filed Under: Lesson

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Get Back to Brand New with a Refreshed Computer | Y-Not Tech Services – Lethbridge, AB

May 8, 2018 by Tony Whitney

Get Back to Brand New with a Refreshed Computer | Y-Not Tech Services - Lethbridge, AB

Get Back to Brand New with a Refreshed Computer

Remember how well your computer ran when you first brought it home? It was booting so fast, files were whizzing around at light speed, and no matter how many tabs you had open, nothing was slowing that baby down. It was spotless, inside and out. Then one day you turned it on and everything was so slooooow, taking forever to do anything – and that was only if you could even find your files in all the clutter. All that zip and speed you loved so much was gone

The good news is you probably DON’T need a new computer, you simply need what we call a “format and reload” to:

Clear the clutter: Over time as you install applications you collect icons, files and options everywhere. They’re not necessary, they’re not used, but they were installed automatically ‘just in case’. It’s a bit like when your overnight guest shows up with a massive suitcase and then claims a shelf in your bathroom. Those applications are making themselves at home in a big way! All that uninvited clutter is slowing your system down and making it hard for you to find the things you need. Simply put, it’s a mess. Our technicians can clean your system back to pristine in no time.

Beat viral overload: Is the virus really gone? Sometimes a virus has multiple layers and can bury itself so deep even your anti-virus doesn’t see it. Despite getting the all-clear from your anti-virus, you might also be seeing the damage from the infection. Perhaps the virus made a mess of your internal file structure, left pieces of code all over the place, or deleted files essential for smooth running. When an infection has been cleared but the system is still running slow, we recommend dropping it into our store asap for a check-up and refresh.

Assess incompatible software: Installing a new piece of software can sometimes produce unexpected results. While your system met the hardware and operating system requirements, maybe it’s simply not playing nice with your other applications. Maybe they’re fighting over the same resources, system files, or clashing with one of your hardware components. Clearly, something isn’t quite right, but you’re not sure what. Our team loves to play detective and get your system back to normal.

Archive older files: Some of your files are definite keepers, long term. Your photos, recipes, accounts etc, they’re all important to keep – but are they important to keep sitting on your desktop? They’re not just slowing your computer down, you’re at risk of losing them in a crash. It’s much safer to archive them to an external drive or cloud storage, simply let us know what you’d like to keep.

What exactly is a computer refresh? It’s like a car tune-up, but more flexible. Rather than tick the boxes saying we’ve changed the oil, cleaned the filters etc, we treat each computer as a unique case. Sometimes we can tune it up in a few minutes, and that’s all it needed. Sometimes it’s worth starting over like day 1.

We can reinstall Windows and migrate your data (photos, docs, emails, bookmarks, etc), putting back only what you WANT to keep. The rest of the clutter that built up over time or piggy-backed on a virus gets flushed away. We can also set up your email and install any devices you need, like printers. It’s doing whatever is necessary to give you a fresh start with your computer, but keeping the essentials.

Ready to get back up to speed? Book an appointment:

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Filed Under: Lesson, Services

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How to Google Safely | Y-Not Tech Services – Lethbridge, AB Computer Help

May 1, 2018 by Tony Whitney

How to Google Safely | Y-Not Tech Services - Lethbridge, AB

How to Search Google Safely

We all love our Google, quickly finding everything we need on the Internet. It’s replaced dictionaries, encyclopedias, instruction manuals, newspapers and in many cases, even doctors. However, sometimes your search results aren’t the real thing and can be downright malicious. Here’s how to search safely: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson Tagged With: Google, malicious links, malware, security

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Is Your Home Wi-Fi Keeping Up? Updated September 2020 | Y-Not Tech Services – Lethbridge, AB

April 24, 2018 by Tony Whitney

Is Your Home Wi-Fi Keeping Up?

Is Your Home Wi-Fi Keeping Up? | Y-Not Tech Services - Lethbridge, AB

UPDATE: In September of 2020 everything below still holds true, but it’s all amplified big time. This year, our home wifi has been stretched further than ever before with increased Work-From-Home, School-From-Home and even more Play-From-Home as many entertainment and recreation outside the home has become restricted or disappeared completely. The biggest recommendation I can make here is to get a Mesh Network for your home. Mesh will increase the strength and speed of your wifi throughout your home and decrease dead-zones. Read on for tips that apply to your traditional Wifi and Mesh:

Wi-Fi has forever changed the way we live, work and play. We can surf the internet on the couch or by the pool, look up a recipe in an instant, and even connect our lights to voice control. It’s no wonder it was accepted with open arms, but is your Wi-Fi as good as it needs to be?

10 years after Wi-Fi first made its way into homes with those mysterious rabbit-eared boxes, it’s evolved into a juggernaut of speed and accessibility that we can’t do without. Think about how many wireless devices your home has – the average home has at least 10 devices connected wirelessly to the internet, many have more.

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson, Services

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What to Do if Your Hard Drive Fails | Y-Not Tech Services – Lethbridge, AB

April 17, 2018 by Tony Whitney

What to Do if Your Hard Drive Fails

What to Do if Your Hard Drive Fails | Y-Not Tech Services - Lethbridge, AB

If your hard drive is going bad, chances are strange things are happening and you’re a little panicked. It’s where you put your digital memories, your household files and maybe that thesis you’ve been working on for months. As far as you’re concerned, that hard drive IS the computer and failure is not an option. Perhaps it was overheated, knocked around or came from the factory with a flaw. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson, Services

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How to Stay Safe from Scams and Malware on Facebook | Y-Not Tech Services – Lethbridge, AB

April 3, 2018 by Tony Whitney

How to Stay Safe from Scams and Malware on Facebook | Y-Not Tech Services - Lethbridge, AB

How to Stay Safe from Scams and Malware on Facebook

At last count, Facebook has clocked up over 2.7 billion users, which makes the platform more attractive than ever for scammers and hackers. While you may be logging in to share your latest family photos or catch up with friends, the chances of accidentally triggering a scam or malware are increasing daily. Here’s how to stay safe on Facebook and stop the spread. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson, Uncategorized Tagged With: facebook, malware, scams

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Y-Not Tech Services’ Guide to Avoiding Scams and Fraud – Part 2 | Lethbridge, Alberta

November 21, 2017 by Tony Whitney

Y-Not Tech Services’ Guide to Avoiding Scams and Fraud – Part 2 | Lethbridge, AlbertaLast week, I published part 1 of this 2 part series on Avoiding Scams and Fraud. If you miss it, you can read it by clicking here. This week we continue with more scams and fraud tricks to watch out for and tips to keep you and your loved ones safe. Let’s jump right in: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson

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Y-Not Tech Services’ Guide to Avoiding Scams and Fraud – Part 1 | Lethbridge, Alberta

November 14, 2017 by Tony Whitney

Almost every day I hear about another person becoming the victim of fraud or a scam of some sort. Whether it’s Bank Fraud or Ransomware there are many risks out there. I hate seeing friends, family or clients fall victim. I’ve written a Basic Guide to Internet Security in the past, and over the next 2 weeks, I am happy to provide further advice to avoid scams and fraud. Let’s get right to the tips.

Y-Not Tech Services' Guide to Avoiding Scams and Fraud - Part 1 | Lethbridge, Alberta

If It Sounds Too Good to Be True. . .

Chances are it is. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson Tagged With: Computer help, computer help lethbridge, computer repair, computer repair Lethbridge, cyber crime, cyber criminals, cybercrime, fraud, scam, scams, Y-Not, y-not tech, ynot, ynot tech

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Windows 10 Has Added RansomWare Protection – Here’s How to Turn It On | Y-Not Tech Services Lethbridge, Alberta

November 7, 2017 by Tony Whitney

Windows 10’s newest update added a feature to help protect you from a particularly nasty type of malware called RansomWare. However, the protection isn’t turned on by default. This post will show you how to turn it on and help keep your files safe.

What is Ransomware again?

Ransomware is a type of malware. It’s main purpose is to hold your files for ransom. It does this by encrypting them (making them unreadable) and then demanding money in order to unlock them and give them back to you. If losing your files – photos, business documents, music, and videos – sounds painful, you’ll want to have measures in place to avoid RansomWare. I’ve previously covered a Data Disaster plan to help fight against RansomWare, and I still recommend it, but Windows 10 has introduced another layer of protection and there is no reason not to turn it on!

Windows 10 1709

Windows’ RansomWare protection was introduced in build 1709 of Microsoft’s latest operating system so in order to use it you’ll need to have build 1709. To find out if you have it simply follow these steps:

  1. Click the Start Menu Button or press the Windows key to open the Start Menu
  2. Type “about” into the search bar without the quotes
  3. Click on “About Your PC”
  4. Scroll down to the “Windows Specifications” section and look at the Windows Version. As long as you have Version 1709 (or higher) you can follow the rest of the article to turn on the protection.

If you don’t have version 1709, head over the Windows Update and check for new updates. It should be rolling out to everyone soon. If you need help you can contact me.

  1. Open your start menu once more and type in “defender’
  2. Click on “Windows Defender Security Center”
  3. Click the Shield Icon with title “Virus & threat protection”
  4. Click “Virus & threat protection settings”
  5. Scroll Down until you see “Controlled folder access” and toggle the switch to On.
  6. Finally, click on “Protected folders” to see if any important folders you use are missed. I had to add my Downloads folder.

Hopefully, this guide and the pictures were easy to follow and you know have an extra layer of protection against RansomWare! If you’re having trouble following any of it, Y-Not Tech Services will be happy to assist you. If you already have build 1709 installed we can turn on Controlled Folder Access remotely. Contact us and mention this article to get a special price of $20 flat fee to enable this feature remotely. If you don’t have 1709 we can schedule an in-person appointment to take care of it.

 

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Filed Under: Lesson

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Six Things You Should Know About Surge Protection and Your Tech Gear in Lethbridge, Alberta [Update: 2020] | Y-Not Tech Services

November 3, 2017 by Tony Whitney

 

Six Things You Should Know About Surge Protection and Your Tech Gear in Lethbridge, Alberta | Y-Not Tech Services

In a perfect world, our electrical power current would be perfectly even, never dipping or spiking. Unfortunately, we don’t live in that world and our power current is almost constantly dipping, surging or spiking. This has the potential to wreak havoc on our tech. That’s why we need surge protectors. Read on for six things you should know about surge protection and your tech gear. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Lesson Tagged With: Computer help, computer repair, lesson, lightning, surge protector

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  • Tony walked in to drop off a business card and when he walked out. 3 issues I had on my computer were gone and I had a new anti virus. Phenomenal service I would recommend him to anyone ! (from facebook.com/ynottechservices) Read More
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