News & Articles

Newsletter for April 2025

Decoder Rings and TikTok

Boomers likely remember those cool decoder rings circa 1950's with Captain Midnight Badges, Ovaltine Decoder Rings with Little Orphan Annie and Lone Ranger Decoder Rings.

I remember watching the mailbox with gleeful and pensive anticipation and that I was going to be a part of some secret society. As the weeks went by, waiting, wondering, dreaming of things that could be. When they finally arrived, my excitement peaked as I decoded secret messages. I felt so included, so special.

If you’re not a Boomer, then I am sure you have had some similar experiences. Fast forward to today’s fascination with social media and TikTok in particular. According to Copilot, “TikTok's magnetic pull lies in its unique blend of entertainment, creativity, and connection,” which is like the fascination of a decoder ring, don’t you think?

I have been outspoken about the privacy issues with TikTok that reports on everything you do to the Chinese Communist Party. I didn’t like it years ago when I railed against it publicly. And I was right to be concerned. Unlike the decoder rings of the past that hid your messages TikTok outright shatters that privacy. But times may be a-chang’n.

The Feds have stepped in and mandated a change of ownership to continue to exist as a company operating in the US.That’s why I have instructed my crew to sign up and be part of the TikTok insanity, remembering the old saw, if you can’t lick-um, join-um. I hereby surrender.

VPN – A New Scheff in Town

For years we have been touting the benefits of Virtual Private Networks (VPN) as it is used to secure traffic from the user (you) to your chosen web site. Through it all, in our opinion our customers’ experiences have not produced acceptable results. Various issues have resulted from our tests and user results. For example, VPNs have interrupted some anti-virus applications, others will experience a loss of Wi-Fi access, and the largest problems occur with the loss of Internet connection speed while using it.

If Internet security is needed for you (think: stock day trader, bank transactions, etc.), there’s a new option in the Microsoft Edge browser. We haven’t finished our testing yet, but it looks like this applet will do the trick. If you decide to give it a try, please let us know your results.

To access the benefits of this VPN offering use the EDGE Internet Browser and is not available for Chrome, Safari, Duck-Duck-Go or any other method of surfing the web.

“Microsoft offers a VPN service called Edge Secure Network, which is integrated into the Microsoft Edge browser. Here are some key features:

Privacy and Security: It encrypts your internet connection, hides your IP address, and protects your browsing activity from third parties and hackers.
Automatic Activation: The VPN activates automatically when needed, such as when connecting to unsecured Wi-Fi networks or visiting non-HTTPS websites.
Free Data Allowance: Users signed into Edge with a Microsoft account receive 5 GB of free VPN data per month.
Built-in Convenience: Since it's part of the Edge browser, there's no need for additional software or extensions
Location Obfuscation: It obscures your specific location while still allowing access to geographically relevant content,” according to Microsoft Copilot.

Optional setup help is available. No monthly charges. Locally supported through CUSA Care.

So, What’s Wrong with This Picture?

Let’s say you just received a bill from the Geek Squad, PayPal, Netflix or Amazon and the bill says you just purchased something from them. And you know you didn’t, scam alert!

In a panic you call the “support” number to “fix” the error. The guy on the other end says he needs access to your computer to fix the error, and you let them in. What are you nuts? Some guy you never met, from a country you never heard of wants access to your computer and you let them in to see your passwords, bank accounts and personal information. You may as well open your front door leave the house and hang a sign on it saying, “Help yourself to anything.”

No. If you need help, call us. Paste this number on your forehead 925-672-9989 for ComputersUSA! We speak English, we fix problems, you know where we live. Get a clue.

Newsletter from March 2025

Are You on Edge?
Are you concerned that your current web browser isn’t as secure as it should be? Are you getting pop-ups that you know, or suspect, are scams? Do you dislike the thought that your Internet surfing is being recorded and tracked, and that information is being sold? Very good questions with one simple answer, you have the wrong browser.

Google Chrome is currently the dominant web US browser with 2/3 of the marketplace.

Chrome tracks ALL your moves on the Internet. Chrome does not stop, or even attempt to stop, web scams. They sell your browsing history as well. The reason why you get so many fake offers or phishing* scams is because Chrome encourages it by selling their list to anyone with cash. Even nefarious companies and hackers.

It takes AI Defenses to Fight AI Attacks.
Microsoft Edge protects you against many cons, it has better security due, in part, to their new scam blocker. Microsoft’s Edge recently introduced what they call a Scareware Blocker with an AI brain exclusively for the Edge Internet browser.

Edge’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) is constantly looking for browser attacks then automatically updating, remembering this type of attack and defeating these pop-ups and phishing* issues. Best of all, the blocker is built into Edge, which means no additional apps or programs to install. Call us for setup (for a nominal fee) or DYI it by going to Microsoft Copilot and input this, “how to install scareware blocker.”

*Phishing means bad people are sending you some scary message that says your computer is locked or you owe a bill that isn’t real. Then they want you to call tech support with a phone number outside the US. This is BAD.

Scareware Blocker Defined
According to Microsoft, “Scareware is a type of malicious software designed to trick users into thinking their computer has a security threat, like a virus or malware. It often presents alarming messages or pop-up ads claiming that the user's system is infected, urging them to purchase or download unnecessary, potentially harmful software. The goal is to scare users into taking actions that benefit the scammers, either by stealing money or installing more malicious software.” This goes for that 800 number they want you to call. DON’T CALL IT.

It's always a good idea to use trusted antivirus software and stay cautious of unsolicited alerts or pop-ups. If you ever encounter scareware, don't panic, we recommend calling us if you suspect the message is suspicious.

Your Computer - In Dog Years

How old is your computer and should you try and keep it? If you purchased your computer, tablet or laptop before 2017 it’s time for a new one. Sad but true, they age faster than dog-years. (Examples, Dog-years: 1 human year = 7 dog-years. Computer-years: 1 human year = 14 Computer-years.)

Support for Windows 10 ends October 2025.

Windows 11 requires a CPU that is an Intel 8th Generation or higher, or if you have a CPU that is an AMD Ryzen 3 3100 or higher. In order to stay current with the latest technology in security and advanced features it’s time to upgrade and migrate your data to your new device (computer, etc.).