Tech Tips and News for October 24, 2019

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Here's a creepy story just in time for Halloween. In the latest breach of privacy news, while we know Amazon and Google employees review conversations recorded by their home assistants, Alexa and Google Home, at least they are only listening when the user has prompted them to. There are now a few third-party apps, approved by Amazon and Google, that are listening in all the time - even after you tell your home assistant to stop. In some cases, the app even prompted the user to divulge passwords. I would guess these apps won't be approved for long, but who knows how long this has been going on, or who the next culprits will be. Use those assistants with care, my friends, and choose your apps carefully. Speaking of Halloween, there are lots of helpful tricks and treats in the posts that follow, including plenty of Halloween-themed games for your class. Trick or treat safely and responsibly.

• Alexa and Google Home Abused to Eavesdrop and Phish Passwords
• How to Avoid Internet Fraud, Scams, Phishing, and Other Cybercrime
• How Windows 7's Extended Security Updates Will Work
• How to Fix Sound Problems in Windows 10
• How to Add and Customize Widgets on the iPad Home Screen
• G Suite Updates:  Customize Text Size and Position for Captions in Slides, Set Profile Picture for Gmail and All Google Apps
• Spice Up Your Slides with 600+ Free Design Templates
• How to Use Google Drive to Share Videos
• How to Share "Make a Copy" Links to Your Google Files
• Educandy - Quickly Create Educational Games from Word Lists
• How to Find and Edit Thousands of Halloween Games for Your Classroom

Alexa and Google Home Abused to Eavesdrop and Phish Passwords

Alexa and Google Home Abused to Eavesdrop and Phish Passwords, from ARS Technica by Dan Goodin
Most tech conveniences come with a trade off on privacy, but this one is quite alarming. There are a few Amazon- and Google-approved apps that pass themselves off as random number generators and horoscopes, but are actually listening to conversations at all times - even after you tell Alexa or Google to stop. These are malicious third parties, not Amazon or Google, who are listening to all the conversations in your home. Use your home assistant with caution. Even if you don't use these particular apps, more are sure to follow.

How to Avoid Internet Fraud, Scams, Phishing, and Other Cybercrime

How to Avoid Internet Fraud, Scams, Phishing, and Other Cybercrime, from PC World by JD Sartain
I like the broad range of this article. How can you tell if a website is legitimate? How to tell if a retail site is safe? How do I know if an email is a phishing attempt?

How Windows 7's Extended Security Updates Will Work

How Windows 7's Extended Security Updates Will Work, from How-To Geek by Chris Hoffman
In case you've missed this discussion in previous posts. Windows 7 will stop receiving security updates after January 14, 2020. Security updates are what keep your devices safe to use online. So basically, for the average user, that means it's time to replace your computer.

How to Fix Sound Problems in Windows 10

How to Fix Sound Problems in Windows 10, from How-To Geek by Kevin Parrish
Resolve the sound mystery.

How to Add and Customize Widgets on the iPad Home Screen

How to Add and Customize Widgets on the iPad Home Screen, from How-To Geek by Khamosh Pathak
The Today View has changed in iPadOS13. Here's how to find and customize it.

G Suite Updates:  

Customize Text Size and Position for Captions in Slides

Last year Slides added the ability to display the speakers words in real time as they are presenting, with a feature called Captions. Now users can adjust the font style and size of those captions in the slides so they can be seen better. Learn how to make those changes in the G Suite Updates blog.This feature should become available in the next couple of weeks.

Set Profile Picture for Gmail and All Google Apps

Oddly enough, until now, you could set your profile photo for Gmail, but it wouldn't show up in the rest of your apps unless you set it in Chrome too. That is now changing, and one profile image will be for Gmail as well as the rest of your G Suite apps. If you have a profile pic for Gmail, but not for apps (or vice versa) you can select the image you use for all. You just need to visit About Me to set it. (You can also set all kinds of other info about you there, too.) If you have different images, you'll be automatically prompted to select one image for both. Clear as mud? I'm not sure why there was more than one profile image to begin with, but at least it's being consolidated now. As always, full details can be found in the G Suite Updates blog.

Spice Up Your Slides with 600+ Free Design Templates

Spice Up Your Slides with 600+ Free Design Templates, from Control Alt Achieve by Eric Curts
Tired of the few templates Slides has built in? There are several sources for templates in this post, including those for presentations, graphic organizers, planners, rewards and more.

How to Use Google Drive to Share Videos

How to Use Google Drive to Share Videos, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Students do not need YouTube to share their videos.

How to Share "Make a Copy" Links to Your Google Files

How to Share "Make a Copy" Links to Your Google Files, from How-To Geek by Brady Gavin
So you want to share a file with a co-worker, but you don't want him or her to alter your current file. Did you know you can force them to make a copy before opening the document?

Educandy - Quickly Create Educational Games from Word Lists

Educandy - Quickly Create Educational Games from Word Lists, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Once you create your account and enter your word list, let the games begin. Games include quiz games, memory, hangman, word search and crosswords.

How to Find and Edit Thousands of Halloween Games for Your Classroom

How to Find and Edit Thousands of Halloween Games for Your Classroom, from Free Technology for Teachers by Richard Byrne
Kahoot! has you covered!