The Thurston, Pierce, Lewis, and Mason Counties IT Experts

In order to use this function, you need to be sure of a few things:

• You have a Samsung Galaxy device (although more should be compatible soon) running Android 9.0 or later with the Link to Windows tool.
• Your computer is running the Windows 10 October 2019 Update or later (at this point, it probably should be later).
• You're connected to the same Wi-Fi network on both devices.

It is also important to keep in mind that this feature is not compatible with accounts designated as work or school accounts.

What Does This Allow Me to Do?

Simply stated, this compatibility allows you to use your Android device's applications alongside the ones on your desktop or laptop, thereby reducing the time you waste switching back and forth between devices as you go about your day.

Interacting with your applications on-screen is simple.

• A single click works the same as a single tap.
• Right clicking works similarly to the Back button.
• Clicking and holding is the same as touching and holding.
• Clicking and dragging works to select content.
• Scrolling allows you to move vertically and horizontally between apps.

There are a few limitations to this capability—namely, the fact that some apps may not allow casting to your computer's display, the fact that some will require the use of a touch-input PC, and the fact that sounds are not also cast to your PC. However, if you're someone who relies on both your PC and your mobile device throughout the day, this function will likely be of some use.

So, is this something you could see yourself using? Leave a comment to tell us why or why not, and don't forget to subscribe to our blog!

Past Flagship Phones

If you are looking to pay a fraction of what you would pay for a new smartphone, you have to first look at flagships from a year or two ago. They will probably provide the best value as they typically have comparable or superior specs to the devices released in the mid-range this year while they have better cameras, better processors, and better displays. A few options to consider are the Samsung Galaxy s9 and s9+, the LG V50 thinQ, the iPhone X, or Google’s Pixel 3+. Users can expect enough software support to make buying an older flagship a solid move. 

Samsung Galaxy A51

The A51 is one of the better phones in the A-series Samsung’s lineup, and users can see value as it is priced at the edge of the budget price point. It features a 6.5-inch Super AMOLED display, 4 or 8 gigs of RAM, and several features that flagships don’t support, like a 3.5mm headphone jack and expandable storage. Available in Prism Crush Black, Prism Crush White, Prism Crush Blue, or Prism Crush Pink, the Galaxy A51 can be found on most major carriers and unlocked online.

Samsung Galaxy A51
Body: Plastic with Gorilla Glass 3 front, plastic back
Display: 6.5-inch Super AMOLED (~405 ppi)
OS: Android 10
Chipset: Octa-core Exynos 9611
Memory: 4-8 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: microSDXC
Cameras: Rear - 48 MP (wide), 12 MP (ultrawide, 5 MP (macro, 5 MP (depth); Front - 32 MP (wide)
Sounds: Loudspeaker, 3.5mm headphone jack
Battery (endurance rating): 4,000 mAh (86 hours)
Security: In-display fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Bixby assistant
Other versions: Samsung Galaxy A-series

Google Pixel 4a 5G

Google may have backed off the flagship smartphone race in 2020, but for years they have been delivering solid smartphones with one of the best software experiences on the market. The Google Pixel 4a 5G, is 5G capable, if that is applicable to you, but the real value is the passable specs and the price point, found hundreds of dollars below devices with comparable specs. Available in Just Black and Clearly White, the Pixel 4a 5G is available in the Google store or from many major service carriers.

Google Pixel 4A 5G
Body: Plastic with Gorilla Glass 3 front and plastic back
Display: 6.2-inch OLED, HDR (~413 ppi)
OS: Android 11
Chipset: Qualcomm Snapdragon 765G
Memory: 6 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12.2 MP (wide), 16 MP (ultra wide); Front - 8 MP (wide).
Sounds: Stereo Speakers, 3.5mm Headphone Jack
Battery: 3,885 mAh
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Barometer, Compass, Google Assistant
Other versions: 4G LTE version

Apple iPhone SE

Apple’s 2020 version of their SE device looks the same as their last one. It actually looks just like an iPhone 8, which was one of Apple’s most popular devices. The new SE runs iOS on Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, and while significantly smaller than many devices you see, delivers a solid user experience for fans of the operating system

Apple iPhone SE (2020)
Body: Aluminum with Gorilla Glass front and back
Display: 4.7-inch Retina IPS LCD (~326 ppi)
OS: iOS 13
Chipset: Apple A13 Bionic 
Memory: 3 GB RAM
Expandable Memory: No
Cameras: Rear - 12 MP (wide); Front - 7 MP
Sounds: Stereo Speakers, No Headphone Jack
Battery (endurance rating): 4,500 mAh (87 hours)
Security: Fingerprint reader
Miscellaneous: Accelerometer, Gyrometer, Proximity, Compass, Siri assistant

There are many other budget devices on the market, but to get the biggest bang for your buck, you will want to go with an established brand that has support for major app stores and has a track record of building solid hardware.

Do you think you would be able to use a budget smartphone for your daily device? Leave your opinions in the comments section below and check back soon for more great technology content.

Common Types of Ransomware

As with most cyberthreats, ransomware keeps mutating, flooding the market with all types of dangerous malware. It can often be difficult to keep track of the threats. One thing is for certain, ransomware often relies on similar tactics to ultimately hold the data hostage. Let’s quickly take a look at five of the most common types of ransomware right now:

• Cerber - Cerber targets Microsoft 365 users through the use of an elaborate phishing campaign. 
• CryptoLocker - One of the most famous ransomware strains that is now just a copy of the original that was shut down back in 2014. 
• CryLocker - CryLocker uses a personalized ransom note using the encrypted files on a person’s computer or server. This ransomware locks a person out of their computer entirely. 
• Locky - Spread through phishing, this ransomware instructs users to enable macros to read the message. Once that’s complete, the malware will start encrypting files, and demanding a ransom. 
• Jigsaw - One of the worst of a bad lot. When triggered, Jigsaw will delete one or more files every hour for 72 hours. If the ransom hasn’t been paid when the 72-hour window is up, all the files are deleted. 

Steps You Should Take

No business can afford to have their data encrypted, deleted, or worse. Fortunately, there are things you can do to avoid it. Let’s take a look at 10 steps that users can take to avoid dealing with any of the above threats.

1. Never click on unverified links
2. Do not open email attachments unless they are from a trusted source
3. Don’t download files from websites you don’t trust
4. Do your best to avoid giving out personal data
5. Don’t use USB or SD Card drives that you didn’t purchase yourself
6. Keep your software patched and updated, including security software
7. Utilize antivirus, firewall, and other security software
8. Use a virtual private network on public Wi-Fi
9. Backup your data onsite and in the cloud
10. Use a mail server with spam protection and content filtering software

But, If You Do Get It…

The ten tips above will help you avoid getting ransomware, but all it takes is one time for the nightmare to happen. In the past 12 months, $380 million has been spent trying to buy back access to ransomware-infected files, computing systems, and servers. At PC Technologies, we are of the belief that there are no good reasons to buy back your data. In your haste to get control over your data, you may consider paying the extortion fee, but here are a few reasons why you shouldn’t:

• The attack might be fake
• You may not get all your data back
• The hackers could leave malware behind 
• You set a precedent that you will pay if attacked
• You are reinforcing the notion that hacking and scamming is profitable. 

In fact, there are some legislatures in the US that are looking to make paying scammers’ ransom illegal. Since multiple municipalities have already gotten ransomware and paid the fine, more hackers are targeting them. The U.S. Treasury has already stated that they are firmly against payments to any ongoing extortion, including ransomware; and, in some cases, doing so may be breaking the law.

If you would like more information about ransomware, or if you are looking to get a comprehensive backup and recovery platform in place to stay proactive against a possible ransomware attack, call the IT professionals at PC Technologies today at 360-491-2227.