BoomerTECH Adventures is about answering questions, and we get a lot of them. Here are four recent questions we received from clients about an array of tech issues followed by our answers.

Remember that BoomerTECH Adventures in an Apple-focused company. As Maine educators, we were each involved in schools using Apple computers and our niche has always been that. While we also receive questions about Windows, Android and other systems (and we do have a passing familiarity with these systems), our clients use iPhones, iPads, Mac computers and Apple watches.

So don’t be surprised that our examples and answers are Apple device focused. Even if we don’t specifically mention it in every instance, in nearly every Apple example there is an equivalent app or feature that works on Android phones or with the Windows operating system. We’ll leave it up to you to make that transition!

As you can see from our responses to these questions, we help our clients find resources (articles, videos, forums) that help them answer their questions. That is our goal.

1. Can I use the Apple app, Find My App, to locate a lost iPhone from my Windows computer?

You should be able to do this, although, it won’t be as seamless as syncing your iPhone to a Mac computer. More recently, larger tech companies have made it easier to make these kinds of connections, but it takes some doing. Here are two articles that suggest using Apple’s iCloud for Windows that allow for integration between these two systems.

• howtogeek.com/674922/how-to-integrate-your-iphone-with-a-windows-pc-or-chromebook/
• popsci.com/diy/apple-apps-for-windows/

2. Apple just released its latest iPhone 15 … four different models. Should I buy one of these to have the latest features or save some money and buy an iPhone 14?

I’m ready to upgrade from my iPhone 11 and still considering the possibilities as you are. Based on my preliminary research (and because I need to have the latest phone for my BoomerTECH Adventures work) I’m leaning to the iPhone 15 Pro. Several articles suggest it is the phone to have given improvements to the camera, slightly smaller size and a number of other features. The iPhone 14 is a good phone and cheaper, but already one year old. The ultimate question is whether you want to pay a bit more to have the latest technology.

Here are two articles that may help you make your decision:

• digitaltrends.com/mobile/iphone-15-vs-iphone-14/
• tomsguide.com/news/iphone-14-vs-iphone-15

3. My husband and I have iPhone 8s, and we’re having problems with them both shutting down while in use. Our phones often now go silent in the middle of talking to someone.

While your iPhone 8s are at or are reaching the end of their effective lives, they should still be working for you for a while longer. A couple of suggestions:

• Is your phone’s software up-to-date? In Settings > General > Software Update you should be using iOS 16.6.1. If not, you should have an update to make right there. (Also, do you see an upgrade for iOS 17? Some iPhone 8s will support iOS 17, but others will not.)

• Have you done a full shutdown recently? Press and hold the side button until the power-off slider appears. Drag the slider, then wait 30 seconds for your device to turn off. Leave your phone off for a minute, then turn it back on by pressing and holding the side button until the Apple symbol appears. Restart your phone. A simple restart can often fix minor software glitches.

• Could your husband see what kind of cellular reception he had in Milbridge? Has that changed? Was your phone not connecting as well in Milbridge?

• When your phones go silent when you are talking to someone, are you out and about and connecting through cellular (AT&T) or are you at home using your Wi-Fi connection?

That said, the phone going silent while talking is a puzzle. I’ve never had that happen except when I go into a “dead zone.” I have ATT also, and there are definitely places where coverage is spotty, but you said you’ve had no problems in Milbridge before.

The iPhone screen will often go dark while talking — a feature that saves on battery — but you should be able to continue the conversation. The screen should light up again just by touching it.

Here is an article that may help with these issues: tinyurl.com/22dvdh7k.

4. What do you recommend for the best security program to protect my computer from viruses, malware and pop-ups?

I assume you have a Mac computer? If so, there are enough safeguards built in that you should not need security software. Have you had issues with your computer where you feel you need security software?

Here is a section from a recent article about whether you need security on a Mac computer:

“So should Mac users start panicking? No. Mac malware does pose a risk that users should be aware of, but it doesn’t follow that Macs absolutely must be equipped with antivirus software. Such products have their advantages and you may choose to install one for more peace of mind, but we don’t view them as essential for the Mac.

“For one thing, there are measures put in place by Apple at the operating system level that should protect Mac users from the worst malware threats. These built-in security features make attacking a Mac particularly challenging. They include Gatekeeper, which blocks software that hasn’t been digitally approved by Apple from running on your Mac without your agreement, and XProtect, which is Apple’s own antivirus built into macOS and inspects every app for malware.

“As you can see, Apple goes to great lengths to protect you from malware by making it almost impossible for you to download it in the first place, let alone install it. Additionally, Apple does a pretty good job of keeping on top of vulnerabilities and exploits; if your Mac needs to be protected from these, a patch will quickly be pushed out over auto-update.

“Thanks to these features, before you can install an app, your Mac will check it against a list of malware, and even if there is no reason for concern it will not make it easy for you to open an application from a developer that hasn’t been approved.”

One of the most important elements of our work with BTA clients is to teach them to develop research and search skills so they can answer their own questions. That’s why we suggest articles and videos for them to search for their own answers. We hope you will continue to ask questions about your personal technology and work to find the answers.

BoomerTECH Adventures (boomertechadventures.com) provides expert guidance and resources to help Boomers and older adults develop competence and confidence using their Apple devices. Boomers themselves, BoomerTECH Adventures rely on their skills as educators to create experiences that meet individual needs through videos, Zoom presentations, tech tips and timely blog posts.

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