Q: I’m one of those stubborn people who, despite the fact that Microsoft no longer supports XP, still uses it. I am using good anti-virus software and have the firewall enabled. Just how much at risk am I? — Name withheld
A: It’s hard to know how risky that is. The problem with XP isn’t virus protection or firewalls. It is this. Hackers almost routinely probe operating systems to find vulnerabilities that let them slip into a computer. When Microsoft still supported XP, it would fix those vulnerabilities almost as fast as they were found. It would issue automatic online patches that rewrote the part of XP that offered a way in. Now that Microsoft doesn’t do that, if a major vulnerability is found, it won’t be fixed. Frankly I haven’t seen reports of that happening — of hackers finding a new way into XP. However, it’s entirely possible that they will and that would put all your information at risk. And the fact that mass invasions haven’t been reported doesn’t mean they haven’t happened. After all, it is unlikely that hackers would mention those vulnerabilities publicly until they had taken advantage of them as long as possible. If you insist on continuing to use XP — I recommend that you do not — don’t be taken in by the offers you’ll see on the web promising to take on the job of support that Microsoft abandoned. They can’t do it in the way Microsoft did.
Q: HP has a new program offered with certain printers — cartridges are mailed to you each month. For instance, if you use 50 pages per month the cost is $2.99 a month. If you use 100 pages the charge is $4.99. —Mary Goodenough
A: I guess folks will have to decide for themselves if that is a bargain. I do know that I spend more on ink each year than the purchase price of a good printer.
Computers, tablets, HDTVs and the like make a big pop under the tree but — after the holidays — there’s an even bigger pop when your bank account deflates as credit card bills arrive.
Buying something that expensive as a surprise gift is a huge risk. For instance, I usually know just the model I want. If you guess wrong and buy me something else, I’ll tell you the gift is wonderful — polite fellow that I am — but I’ll be secretly disappointed.
Besides, the period after the holiday, when sales begin, is often the best time to purchase a big-ticket item. That’s why today’s gift list is designed to be affordable. Everything here is under $100 and most of the items are in the $20 range. And these are gifts that work for anyone on your list, even folks who think a hard drive is a long road trip to Des Moines.
The motion passes
This is definitely not a romantic gift. Surprise, dear, I’ve bought you a light switch. But it’s something that would be appreciated in my own house. It’s a motion-sensitive light switch that turns lights off when no one is in the room. Here at Technology Ranch one of us usually ends up getting out of bed each night to switch off lights we didn’t notice. It would make a nice stocking stuffer at prices ranging from $12 to $50 or more. You can see a wide variety of them by going to Amazon and entering the search term “motion sensor light switch.”
Watch it
Many of us have been using streaming video for years. I think it’s a terrific entertainment bargain. For instance, a Netflix subscription starts at $8 a month. That’s cheaper than a single premium channel from the satellite or cable folks. And Netflix is just the start. There’s Hulu, YouTube and many more sources — some of them free — for all sorts of television shows, movies and cartoons. One of the cheapest ways to get started streaming to your big screen TV is Chromecast from Google. It’s just $35. For a wider variety of programming and a better device, you can check out the offerings from Roku or Apple.
Add a little Kindle to the fire
I admit it. I was once totally against these little devices used to read what are called e-books. I liked — I still do — holding a real book in my hands. But I read a lot of books each week. And when traveling for weeks at a time, using a Kindle means I don’t have to pack an entire suitcase full of books. Some people find a Kindle works as a complete replacement for paper books; others find it’s worth owning for times when the convenience of storing many books makes sense. Of the e-readers on the market, the Kindle from Amazon makes the most sense. Even the cheapest ones work great. Just go to Amazon and type the name Kindle into the search engine. I favor the $79 model, but you can get a fancy one for much more.
Singing in the shower
We all do it, but most of us shouldn’t. So instead of singing, why not listen to some music in there? You’ll need a waterproof speaker that connects to a music source wirelessly. And the Abco Tech Water Resistant Wireless Bluetooth Shower Speaker fits the bill. It’s just $17 at Amazon. Just type the name of the device into the Amazon search box and you’ll be taken to this unique device. Now when they say your gift ideas are all wet, you’ll have to agree.
They’ll get a charge out of this
On a recent trip, I brought along more chargers for our various gadgets than I did clothes. After all, we had the iPad, two iPhones, a Mac laptop, my camera with its rechargeable battery, a GPS and a tiny ham radio that uses rechargeable batteries. Most any time of the day something was charging. It would have been nice to have something like the Wallport R2200 Dual USB Universal Rapid Charger. It plugs into the wall socket and then furnishes two USB charging ports. All this for $18. You can find it on Amazon using the search box.
The key to typing happiness
Lately we’ve been taking our iPad along — with no other computer — on some trips. It’s small and light; the battery lasts a long time; and we can do almost anything we’d do with the computer. But there have been times when I needed to type more than a few sentences. If you have tried that using the iPad’s onscreen keyboard, you already know it can be a pain. Adding a small keyboard is easy and affordable. I like the offering from Logitech for $70. Besides giving me a real keyboard, the thing is designed to prop up the iPad. That means — with a monitor in front of your face and a keyboard at your fingertips — it’s very much like using any laptop computer. You can find the Logitech keyboard here: www.logitech.com/en-us/product/tablet-keyboard-ipad
If none of these items feels right for your family and friends, don’t give up. Just follow my lead in selecting high-tech gifts that are both affordable and appropriate for anyone.
Good luck with your shopping. High-tech gifts can be fun even when high-tech is low-priced.
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