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Rye, NY 10580

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Cut the Cord Now : Cancel Cable & Stream TV Online

July 28, 2022 By Dominick

Free yourself from your costly all-in-one broadband service subscriptions and explore cheaper streaming TV services. With yearly increases and less need for the hundreds of cable channels that go unwatched consider cutting the cord. The time has come to live stream TV. Costly cable prices continue to rise. What’s the solution? Get with the times, only pay for internet and stream all your TV needs. 90% of cable channels go unwatched and yet we still see yearly increases to the cost of our cable!

The Internet Can Deliver Your TV, Movies and Shows.  It Is Not Limited to Email and Facebook.
The Internet Can Deliver Your TV, Movies and Shows. It Is Not Limited to Email and Facebook.

Cable television has been our source for quality TV shows and movies for a long time. But now you hear people talking about the most popular shows they aren’t referring to cable channels, but streaming services. These services have original content such as Netflix’s Stranger Things, Hulu’s The Handmaids Tale, Netflix’s Bird Box and more. The best part? They arethe same quality and original content for a fraction of the price! People who have cut the cord and now stream are saving. The savings may run over a $1,000 dollars a year!


Now, we can still watch some of our favorite shows without the hefty cable bill we see every month. Here are some tips on how to cut the cord and transition into streaming your TV effortlessly.

Cable TV Alternatives:

Whether it’s your favorite news, network or sports channel you don’t want to give up, you don’t have to! A number of streaming services now offer a Live TV package that is still way less costly than your cable bill. This means you get all the great benefits of live TV plus all their streaming TV shows and movies. Company’s that offer this are YouTube TV, Hulu, Sling TV and Philo. 

Pick the Best Streaming Device For You.

There are a number of quality streaming devices to choose from such as Amazon Fire Stick, Roku or a Smart TV with built-in streaming apps, my recommendation? Invest in an Apple TV, with an Apple TV all your data from your iPhone get transferred over creating an even more seamless transition. 

Find The Best Streaming Services For Your Needs.

Don’t subscribe to all of them. It’s not necessary, if you do it will end up costing the same monthly payment as cable. The key is to knowing the type of content these services offer and what type of content you want to watch. Let’s break this down in order to pick the right ones:

TV, Netflix, Movies, Sports, Streaming
The Internet Can Deliver Your TV, Movies and Shows. It Is Not Limited to Email and Facebook.
  • YouTube TV. YouTube has come up with a Live TV package that gives you all the benefits of Live TV and recording your favorite shows! Plan starts at $64.99/month.
  • Netflix. One of the first streaming services and still a favorite. Netflix has a variety of TV and movies as well as original TV shows and movies. You really can’t go wrong with this one. Netflix starts at just $9.99/month.
  • Hulu. Like Netflix Hulu offers plenty of TV and movies options as well as original content. They do differ on what network shows and movies they have. Depending on your favorite content you will be happy with either. Hulu however does offer a Live TV option, which means you get the benefit of their streaming TV plus live TV. Hulu starts just $6.99/month and their Live TV option is $75/month (Which now also includes Disney+ and ESPN+)!
  • Disney+. If you have kids or are a Marvel fan then Disney+ may be a must have for you. It goes without being said you’ll get access to all Disney movies and TV shows plus Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and National Geographic. Plans start at just $7.99/month and they also have a bundle deal where you can get Hulu, Disney+ and ESPN+ for $19.99 (this bundle does not include Hulu live). 
  • Discovery+. This is a newer streaming service but a must have for any House Hunters, Barefoot Contessa or Married at First sight fan. You get access to all of HGTV, TLC, The Food Network and so much more! 
  • Amazon Prime TV. With an Amazon Prime account you can stream TV shows, movies and their own original content like Flea Bag. You can also purchase or rent premium content.

These are just some of the streaming services available today. Think about what TV and movies you like to watch and see which option/options would best suit your live style, alternatively you can sign up for their free trails and see which ones you prefer! 


Sports Channels:

If you’re a sports fan, cord cutting may be hard since cable TV gives you access to not only home games but matches all over the world and many regional sports networks are stuck on DirecTV stream. You can still stream sports content with major sports organizations offering streaming packages like MLB.TV, NFL Live and NBA League Pass, if you are a die hard sports fan these may be worth considering. If you only follow a team or two you can simply choose a Live TV streaming platform.

Premium Channels:

A hard part about cutting the cord may be your access to premium channels such as HBO, Starz and Showtime where you can watch content like Game Of Thrones, however all of these channels have cut out the middleman and you can now access them on their stand alone streaming services (HBO Max, Showtime Anytime and Starz). These can be accessed through apps or via your Apple TV.

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Before you cut the cord, make sure you have a strong internet source, if you have weak WiFi you won’t be able to enjoy streaming services. If your internet is not fast enough, or has dead zones, we can fix that. Read more about that here.

It is worth your while to find out what type of internet speed you have. It may be necessaryto upgrade it before you cut your cable. . If you reside in my area of Westchester Country, NY or Fairfield County, CT then your providers are Altice(Optimum) or Verizon Fios for internet.


If you need help making the switch or installment, you can contact Dominick for further assistance. 

Get In Touch

Filed Under: Cable TV

The Best Way To Keep Your Passwords Safe

July 9, 2022 By Dominick

Changing the passwords regularly seems like a tedious and daunting. But it is in your best interest. Your computer has sensitive and important information. If your credentials are in the wrong hands the damage will be a burden, costly and time consuming to repair. Hackers are becoming more advanced and always have new tricks. We’re now seeing more and more major data breaches such as the recent T-Mobile breach. 

Password stolen
Learn best practices for keeping your sensitive information safe and secure from getting into the wrong hands.

Changing your credentials regularly reduces your risk of exposure. Think about how we use the internet. It’s an integral part of our daily routines. We shop online, email, check our bank accounts, pay bills, watch TV, schedule doctors appointments and much more. Are you using the same password for multiple accounts? If you get hacked and you have reused credentials other accounts are at risk.


  • Why you should be changing your passwords 
  • When you should be changing your passwords
  • Password best practices
  • Offering help and resource to help you manage your passwords.

Why Change Credentials?

If you use the same password for multiple accounts it can lead to multiple hacks across all your accounts. What a headache that would be.

Prevents use of saved passwords in the case of a lost or changed computer. It’s convenient now to saved passwords. Just click and the save automatically. What if your computer is lost or stolen ? AYour sensitive data is now being accessed by someone. Changing your passwords will relieve your worries. Those saved passwords are irrelevant. You’re protected.

Prevents consistent access to your accounts. If a hacker gains access to your account they may just take what they want and leave. But sometimes hackers continue to access different accounts and information about you over time to steal your identity. Prevent this. Have multiple passwords and change them frequently. 

password security

When Should I Change It?

Have you logged in recently? I s that the first password ever used? A stagnant account is subject to a hacker gaining access. If you u haven’t used an account in a year consider deleting the account if it is going unused or simply update your password.

It’s too simple and personal to you. As stated above it has only been recently that accounts are encouraging us to use strong passwords and if yours is too weak it can easily be subject to hacking or if your password is too personal such as a birthday, children’s name or address. 

Change credentials immediately If you are made aware of a data breach consider. When the T-Mobile data breach occurred millions of T-Mobile customers had personal data exposed. T-Mobile encouraged changing passwords to make sure customer information and identity was safeguarded. 

Shared access. If you have shared your account login with someone. IE: Netflix or Hulu. It’s a good idea to change your credentials to avoid them getting into any of your other accounts. 

Logging in at public places. After you’ve logged into one of your accounts at a public place, such as a library computer, it is good practice to update those credentials. If you do, you’ll avoid leaving a digital footprint behind for someone to access. 

When you discover malware or if your computer had a virus. You want to keep your information safe and switch them out. Hackers will give your computer a virus to gain access and steal information. A virus can expose your sensitive information. 


Best Practices

Now that you’ve learned why and when you should change your password let’s talk about best practices for your password so that you can always be protected.

Use two-factor authentication when applicable. This means to access your account your account you’ll have to go through a two step process such as a regular login and then a one-time code optin sent through text or email.

Audit your passwords. Don’t use the same passwords for multiple accounts. Don’t include your name or a series of numbers in a sequence (i.e 1234). Make them are long and varied. Always have an uppercase, a lowercase, a numeral and a special character. Example: “password” become’ “p@ssW0rD”

Stronger password? The less you have to change it. Before, it was said that you should be changing your passwords every 90 days but with all the accounts we now hold who knows how long that would take us! Recent data has now shown that a unique, strong password doesn’t need to be changed as frequently. Having said that if you find yourself in any situations mentioned above you should change your password at that time.  


Install LastPass

Make your life easier Install LastPass. It eases the pain of forgotten passwords. It leaves you only one phrase to remember.

Make LastPass, your new best friend. LastPass can be used on your computer and your iPhone. Have all your passwords in one place. Never lose or forget your password again!


Now with this knowledge hopefully you’ll know how to protect yourself from any cyber attack and keep you information safe. If you want to learn more about Lastpass or you need help installing contact me below.

Get In Touch

Filed Under: Passwords, Security, Uncategorized Tagged With: lasstpss, online safety, password

6 Things To Avoid When Making New Passwords

January 20, 2022 By bytesized

Your Privacy is Always at Risk

What is the current state of IT security?

It is commonly known that passwords are personal, more like family secrets. The rules are simple; keep it where people can’t see it, and importantly, do not share it with anyone.

Password simplicity is a thing of the past. With cyber-attacks rising, hackers have taken their game a notch higher. Numbers don’t lie; take a quick look.

  • According to Verizon, 58% of data breaches leave personal information exposed.
  • Google discovered that 68% of internet users use the same password for multiple sites.

As you can see, the risks are high. There are two main reasons why hackers can hack passwords faster than before.

  • First, hackers now use brute force attacks. Using powerful computers, hackers can process zillions of combinations related to your password in a flash.
  • Secondly, tons of personal information is now available on google and social media. Hackers take their time to find out more about you, for instance, your birth date, favorite shows, family members, cars, etc. Armed with these details, hackers can easily bypass security questions, gaining access to your account.

With that in mind, let’s avoid password mistakes.


1. Avoid Simple Ones

Now that we use the web for multiple tasks like shopping, banking, and communication, it is easy to end up with tons of passwords to remember. As such, it is to succumb to the temptation of creating simple passwords.

Do you know the most common passwords? Examples of top easy-to-remember passwords include qwerty, password, admin, and 12345679012. Take the last numerical password; its length does not make it stronger. Anyone can guess that.

What to do instead?

Use a mix of lower case and uppercase letters, numbers, and special symbols such as @ and $ to create strong and secure passwords. Using such combinations to create strong passwords slows down hackers and may discourage them completely.


2. Avoid Reusing Them On Different Sites

As we saw earlier from google, many people use the same passwords for multiple logins. This is a blatant blunder due to the following reasons.

  • If one account goes down, then the password-sharing accounts may as well follow.
  • Hackers can easily piece together the puzzles about your life and use the information to crack the rest of your accounts.
  • If you use the same password as that of an active but unused account, hackers can use it to trace your current accounts.

To mitigate such threats, create unique but easy-to-remember passwords for individual accounts.


3. Avoid Using Personal Information Within

Using personal information in this age is a grave error. Most personal details are no longer confidential, thanks to social media. Anyone can know a person without even meeting them. Therefore, while striving to create memorable passwords, avoid using;

  • Your name or that of your family members
  • Names of your pets
  • Favorite celebrities and shows
  • Street names

Adding characters or numerals to the above cannot help either. Software made to crack codes will crack it within the day. The safest bet is using a random combination.


4. Avoid Short Ones

One time I asked some of my friends why they had short, simple passwords. Know what they told me? Because they didn’t want to forget their passwords. Yes, short passwords are memorable. But, the shorter the password, the easier it is to hack. 

Likewise, with the increase in computer processing speeds, a six-character password is as good as none.

Although the length of an effective password is debatable, I recommend nothing short of 10 characters. 12 to 14 characters is a good fit, too, if you are up to it.


5. Avoid ReUsing Them

It is easy to consider reusing old passwords and tweaking them a little when creating new passwords. While it may seem like an entirely new password, it is not any more secure than the old one. This is because people tend to create simple, memorable passwords to begin with. 

What is wrong with password recycling?

Passwords recycling leaves you vulnerable to credential stuffing. In this case, hackers use bots to attempt logging in to your account using the old credentials. They will keep hammering until they hit the right combination.

Needless to say, a brand new password is in your best interest. 


6. Avoid Storing Them Unsafely

Creating a hard-to-crack password is in vain if you store it improperly. Sometimes, people may create folders to store passwords on personal computers. But this carries a huge risk. In case malware attacks the computer, hackers will celebrate. 

On the other hand, some people may write passwords on sticky notes or diaries that they keep on their desks. While hackers can’t reach the notes, snooping friends of family members can access them. Or worse, burglars can make away with them, causing tons of problems. 

If you need a secure way to store your credentials, consider getting a password manager such as LastPass or Kaspersky Password Manager. Such programs help you store and lock all your passwords behind a master password. This way, you only need to remember one password.


Bonus Tip: Don’t Share Your Password

Passwords are meant to stay personal for a reason – to prevent unauthorized access. As such, do not share your personal login information with other users. 

For instance, if you share your shopping account login, you risk exposing your credit card details. What if your friend turns rogue? 

Again, if you must share your password, how you do it matters. Note that you diminish your account security if you share it via communication apps such as emails and messaging apps. It is safer to key it in for the other person as opposed to sending it. 

In a nutshell, I cannot overemphasize the importance of creating strong, secure passwords. Your banking or personal details are at stake here. Therefore, take time to create a secure password to protect your accounts. It is worth the effort.

Do you have any short, simple, or reused passwords? Have you shared your password recently? If yes, you need to consider creating new, stronger passwords now. Passwords are key to security and sources like this New York state newsletter are key to giving out current trends.

Need help with passwords, PC, or tech in your office? Reach me.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

What’s The Best Way to Backup My Files?

October 1, 2021 By Dominick

Data loss is something that can happen to anyone. It’s something all of us should be aware of. It can occur from many things including human error, software flaws, power outages, and physical damage to the storage device. Data loss can often be devastating event and cause permanent loss of photos, work documents, and other files that you do not want to be without. Backing up the data on your computer gives a separate copy of all your files. This is invaluable if loss occurs. Taking the time to backup your data is worth it, although sometimes it can be hard to figure out which backup method to use. I compare the two most popular backup methods — using an external USB hard drive and online/cloud backup. —You can determine which is the better option for you.

Should I Use An External Hard Drive ?

An easy and reliable way to secure your data is by using an external USB hard drive. I recommended that this external hard drive of 1T or more depending on how much you data you have. These days, cheap external hard drives come as 1 or 2 terabytes. That size is more than ample.

Positives and Reasons For External Drive (USB) backup

  • Process is straightforward and the major OS have procedures built in
  • Reliable
  • Easy to transport to different location
  • Small
  • Relatively Cheap
  • Back is typically quite fast

Negative and Reasons Against USB backup

  • Can Be Lost
  • Can be physically damaged and result in data loss
  • Can get corrupted and result in data loss
  • Must be backed up often otherwise it gets dated
  • Possible to run out of space

What are Online or Cloud BackUps ?

Backing up files online, or cloud backup is a more recent technique and is very popular. Services include:

  • Drop Box
  • Google Drive
  • Microsoft OneDrive
  • iCloud from Apple

Positive Factors For Online Backups

  • Easy to Upgrade
  • Access your files from all your devices
  • Cannot get lost
  • Rigourous Encryption

Factors Against Online BackUp

  • Monthly Cost can be expensive
  • Time Required for initial backup
  • Slow recovery
  • Distrust of Online providers like Google, Microsoft, or Apple

So, Dominick…What’s The Best Option for Me?

Both are great options, far better than not backing up at all. Online/cloud backup is generally the better option for most people. It’s simply more convenient, safer, upgradable, cheaper (in some circumstances) and easier than using a USB backup. However, for some people, especially those with poor internet, an external hard drive is the better option.Want to know more about how you can backup?  Reach me.

Filed Under: Home Computing, Uncategorized

Google My Business? Is It Worth The Time?

June 7, 2019 By bytesized

Google, Search, Organic Reach, Local Business, Small Business, Business Owner
Google My Business – A Service of Google

Did you know Google wants to help grow your small business? “Google My Business” (GMB) is a free service to do just that. It’s offered by Google to ensure your business is accurately represented online.

If you need help with getting your business found and validated, GMB is very much for you. You do need to participate in his Google service.. 

GMB becomes part of your inbound marketing strategy.  Inbound marketing is that part of your marketing where customers are looking for you, or looking for the services you provide.  

In short, GMB validates the legitimacy of your business.  It gives prospects an overview of who, what and where you are even before they visit your website.  It allows clients to read reviews about you. Having your favorable reviews allows prospects to have a sense of confidence and encourage them to do business with you.  It gives you an instant level of creditability.

GMB makes it easier for people to find your physical location.  It lists your complete physical address.

GMB makes it easier for customers to call you by providing your phone number.  It provides your office/store hours so prospects are more likely to call while there is someone ready to answer the phone. This prevents the frustration of calls from going to voicemail. 

GMB makes it easier for prospects to email you.

Google business makes it easier to visit your website. Your website for provides the full detail and examples of your work.

Creating the free account can drastically increase your search visibility.  Provide Google the data needed. Google ensures that information is accurately returned to those searching for you.

If you subscribe to streaming services, you can add them to your Google TV device or app. When you add services to your account, you get more recommendations on what to watch for those services. If a service offers multiple subscription options, to get accurate recommendations, you’ll need to link that service to your Google Account.

On a Google TV device
From the Google TV home screen, go to your profile picture and select Settings.
Select Accounts & Sign In.
Go to your account and select Your services.
Scroll right and turn each service on or off.
To save the selection and exit the screen, scroll left.
In the Google TV app, you can also use the tv mounted in corner for the tv
At the top right, tap your profile picture or initial.
Tap Manage services.
Select the service you want to add or remove.
Tap Next and then Done.

Tip: If you remove a service from a Google TV device or app, it doesn’t cancel your subscription. To cancel a subscription, contact the streaming service provider.
Link or unlink a service with your account
On a phone or tablet, open the Google Home app Home.
At the top right, make sure you’re signed in to the account you use on your Google TV device.
At the top left, tap Add Add account.
Under “Manage services,” tap Video or Live TV.
Find the service and tap Link or Add Add account.
To remove a linked service, tap Unlink.
To finish, follow the on-screen instructions.
Tip: If you unlink a service from your account, it doesn’t cancel your subscription. To cancel a subscription, contact the service provider.

Google Business makes it easy for your customers to leave reviews.  It’s vital to have current (and positive) reviews.  

Lastly,  your Google Business account is completely free.

Filed Under: Development, Google, Search, Small Business, Small Office Computing, WordPress

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