ASA Weekly Tech Tips and News for January 12, 2018

Pixabay.com

As with many security threats, more information comes to light as experts delve deeper into the program. The Meltdown and Spectre threats, caused by the Intel processor flaw is no different than previous events in that regard. This week it became apparent that it will not be an update and done situation. Some PCs did not handle the patch well, so Microsoft stopped pushing it out to those PCs, although many PCs did receive the patch. It's also evident that the patch will noticeably slow your PC down. Additionally, the latest advice is that we will all need to update our firmware, using a patch provided by the device manufacturer (HP, Apple, Dell, Lenovo, etc.). Some firmware patches are already available, some are coming soon, and many for older PCs will never come. The first article below explains in detail how check to see if your PC is protected, and what to do if it isn't. Mac users will need to wait for the next update, and most Android phone users may need to wait even longer - until the phone manufacturer and carrier push out updates. There will be more updates to come, with the permanent solution being that we will need to upgrade/replace our technology sooner than we would prefer - but only after a better processor becomes available and tech manufacturers start building devices that include it, which will take quite some time. In the meantime, every technology user needs to become more educated and concerned with secure procedures to protect their information. As we've seen over and over again, no tech device will ever be completely secure, and we all need to be aware of the threats and how to dodge them. Here is a good place to start for security tips. You can also search the archives of this blog in the right column, search the tags below for terms like security, phishing, 2-step verification, internet safety, online privacy, ransomware, etc., or simply Google "safe computing" or "computer safety". Finally, continue to stay tuned for further developments and advice. You do not need to be a tech expert to become an informed user. The more we rely on technology for pretty much everything the more important knowledge becomes. (End of lecture.)

• How to Check if your PC is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre
• Google's Online Tutor Turns You Into a Master of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and More
• G Suite Updates:  Search Within a Folder in Google Drive
• EDU in 90:  Engaging Parents & Guardians with G Suite for Education
• How to Quickly Copy Questions from One Google Form to Another
• 8 Tips for Making Movies with Google Photos
• Hundreds of Smartphone Apps are Spying on Your TV Watching. Here's How to Disable Them
• Three Good Sources of Fun and Interesting Math Challenges
• MySimpleShow - Create Explanatory Videos

How to Check if your PC is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre

How to Check if your PC is Protected Against Meltdown and Spectre, from How-To Geek  by Chris Hoffman
In case you missed it, Meltdown and Spectre are the Intel processor flaws discussed in last week's blog. If you updated your anti-virus software, checked the list to see which AV programs have the necessary update, and ran Microsoft updates - well done! Unfortunately, there may be another step we all need to take, such as updating the firmware. If the maker of your PC pushes out an update, make sure you run it. This article outlines exactly what you need to do to at least check if your PC is protected against the Intel processor flaw uncovered a couple weeks ago. The steps are clearly spelled out and illustrated, but if you are uncomfortable trying it yourself, please contact the person or company who normally handle your PC repairs and have them take care of it. This is something that you will need to follow up on. Please make sure you back up your computer as well - either with an online service, or with an external hard drive.

Google's Online Tutor Turns You Into a Master of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and More

Google's Online Tutor Turns You Into a Master of Gmail, Calendar, Docs, and More, from Make Use Of by Saikat Basu
I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. There is a built-in tutor for all the apps in G Suite in the form of a Chrome extension. This means you must be using the Chrome browser to use it. (Not Firefox, Safari, Internet Explorer, Edge or any other browser.) All ASA user accounts (your @asagr.org account) already have this extension force installed in your Chrome browser. Read the article to see how to use it to learn Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar, and the rest of the G Suite apps as you use them.

G Suite Updates:  Search Within a Folder in Google Drive

You can now narrow down your search for files in Google Drive. It is now possible to search within a specific folder for a file, rather than searching your entire My Drive. Full details and demonstrations are available in the G Suite Updates blog. You should begin to see this new feature in the next two weeks.

EDU in 90:  Engaging Parents & Guardians with G Suite for Education

How to Quickly Copy Questions from One Google Form to Another

8 Tips for Making Movies with Google Photos

8 Tips for Making Movies with Google Photos from Tech & Learning by Lisa Nielsen
Wondering about the best way to share those classroom photos or document a class event? Don't just share the photos, make a movie with them. It's simple and free.

Hundreds of Smartphone Apps are Spying on Your TV Watching. Here's How to Disable Them

Hundreds of Smartphone Apps are Spying on Your TV Watching. Here's How to Disable Them, from How-To Geek by Michael Crider
Does it creep you out to think that game you play on your phone is listening to what you watch on TV? Some find this to be an invasion of privacy, while others don't really care and consider it the cost of using the app. If you do care, you can disable the permissions for that app.

Three Good Sources of Fun and Interesting Math Challenges

Three Good Sources of Fun and Interesting Math Challenges, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Give your students some math problems that relate to real world situations with these free resources.

MySimpleShow - Create Explanatory Videos

My SimpleShow - Create Explanatory Videos, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Have your students create a quick video explaining how something works, or demonstrating how to do something. This also incorporates writing, as a written script is required to complete the video.