Issue: 003

Tech Tips, Tricks & Cybersecurity Advice – No Jargon, Just Help

Hey Techie,

Welcome to Issue 003 of The Grandson Techie!
Today we’re launching our Tech Emergency Prep Kit—a step-by-step mini-series to help you prepare for those "oh no" tech moments before they happen.

Let’s dive in:

🧰 Tech Emergency Prep Kit – Part 1: Back It Up or Risk Losing It All

Imagine your phone or laptop disappears today. Would your photos, contacts, and important files be safe?

Let’s make sure the answer is yes.

📱 Back Up Your Phone:

iPhone:

• Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup

• Turn it ON and tap Back Up Now

  **Might need to pay for more storage

Android:

• Go to Settings > Google > Backup

• Turn on “Backup by Google One”

💻 Back Up Your Computer:

Mac:

• Use Time Machine with an external drive or back up to iCloud

Windows:

• Use File History or back up important folders to OneDrive

💡 Grandson Tip: Set up automatic backups and forget about it—until it saves you one day.

🛡️ Cyber Tip: Don’t Take the Bait – Spot a Phishing Email Fast

Scammers love sending fake emails that look official. And with the use of AI now they can be very convincing.

Even the professionals can fall for it. Troy Hunt, a cybersecurity guru who runs a security website just fell for one. Here’s his story.

Here’s how to spot them:

1. Urgent tone – “Your account will be locked!” is a red flag

2. Strange sender or links – Hover over to preview the real URL (internet link address)

3. Generic language or typos – “Dear customer” isn’t how real companies greet you, though AI is fixing most of these now.

What to do:
Never click—go directly to the official website or app to check.
And if something feels off, it probably is.

⚡ Quick Tech Trick: Pin Your Favorite Tabs

Want your email, calendar, or task list ready every time you open your browser?

Pin your most-used tabs:

• Chrome / Edge / Firefox: Right-click the tab > Pin

• Safari: Right-click > Pin Tab

📌 They stay fixed in place and open automatically next time.

💡 Grandson Tip: Great for morning routines—start with your digital essentials, always ready.

🕹️ Gadget of the Week: Apple Air Tag

Losing your keys, wallet, or sanity? Enter the Apple AirTag—a tiny disc of tech wizardry that whispers, “I got you,” every time your stuff decides to go AWOL. Attach it to anything you care about (pets, backpacks, that one remote you never find), and suddenly you're less “Where is it?!” and more “Found it before my coffee cooled.”

It’s like Find My iPhone, but for your entire lifestyle. With AirTag, your lost items send you a digital breadcrumb trail like loyal little homing pigeons. Sure, it’s technically just Bluetooth and UWB magic—but it feels like you’ve hired a private detective for roughly $29.

Bonus: it pairs with your iPhone faster than you can say “Where did I leave my—oh, never mind.”

That’s it for this week!
Next time, we’ll dig into Part 2 of the Tech Emergency Prep Kit: locking down your logins the right way 🔐

Stay safe and savvy,
—Your Grandson Techie

P.S. Know someone who hasn’t backed up their phone in years? Forward this—be their tech hero.