How to delete your data from your gadgets BEFORE giving it away..

The idea for this came from the old Iphone 3GS that has a bad motherboard.  Gazelle will give me $10 for it, but have been to lazy to box and mail it.  Nevertheless, if you are not as lazy as me in this regard, this is what you should do before giving away any gadget to make sure your personal business stays that, YOUR personal business.

You could try deleting individual apps and contacts, but the odds of doing that effectively are close to zero. Instead, you want to do a complete reset of your phone to wipe out its data and restore it to its factory settings.

How you do this varies from operating system to operating system, and sometimes even device to device. These are general instructions that should work with most devices; however, it's best to check with your manual or manufacturer just to make sure.

Android: For versions before Android 4.0, press the Menu key from the Home screen and select Settings/Privacy/Factory data reset. You'll get a warning screen. Scroll toward the bottom and tap "Reset phone." If you also have an SD card in the phone (and don't want to use the data in your next phone), also make sure to check the box next to "Erase SD card."

For Android 4.0 or later, go to Settings and look for "Backup and reset." Tap that, and then, on the next screen, tap "Factory data reset." You'll get a warning screen along with a list of all the accounts you are currently signed into.

iOS: Go to Settings/General/Reset and then tap "Erase all Content and Settings." (This is specifically for Version 5; the process may differ slightly for other versions.)

Windows Phone 7: Go to the Home screen, then tap the Application Menu Key and select Settings/ System/About/ and tap the "Reset your phone" button.

BlackBerry: Head to Options/Security options/General settings, and then tap menu. Then select Wipe Handheld.

Tablet Wars continue... Barnes & Noble strikes today

Barnes & Noble announced a price cut this morning for its line of Nook tablets in an apparent attempt to better compete with the Nexus 7.

The bookseller's 16GB Nook Tablet is now priced at $199, a $50 price cut from its previous $249 price, while the 8GB model's price was dropped $20 to $179. The Nook Color's price was also cut $20 to $149.

While the move better positions Barnes & Noble's tablets to compete with Google's Nexus 7, sells for $199 for the 8GB model and $249 for the 16GB version, the price cuts also come in the face of increased speculation that Amazon will soon release new Kindes.

Amazon recently started offering a 40 percent discount on the entry-level, non-touch-screen Kindles to holders of the Amazon.com Rewards Visa credit card. Until August 15, card holders can pick up the ad-supported Special Offers version for $47, while the ad-free version goes for $65.

The Internet retail giant is expected to soon bring out three Kindle Fire 2 tablets, which like the Nexus 7, will have displays that boast pixel densities of 216 pixels per inch.

New "Ransomware" alert issued by the FBI..

The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has issued an urgent warning about a major ransomware campaign after being "inundated" with complaints from US consumers locked out of their PCs.

The malware causing the damage is called Reveton, a drive-by attack incorporating the Citadel bank Trojan platform that has caused a largely unnoticed toll of misery since the beginning of 2012. It weaves its spell by threatening victims with prosecution by the US Department of Justice (DOJ) after - it claims - detecting child porn or other illegal activity.

Victims can avoid trouble and regain control of the infected PC by paying a bogus 'fine', an option a growing number of people appear to be choosing.

"While browsing the Internet a window popped up with no way to close it. The window was labeled FBI and said I was in violation of one of the following: illegal use of downloaded media, under-age porn viewing, or computer-use negligence," one victim told the FBI.

"It listed fines and penalties for each and directed me to pay $200 [£128] via a MoneyPak order. The page said if the demands were not met, criminal charges would be filed and my computer would remain locked on that screen."

The FBI's advice is not to pay out under any circumstances and to turn to a security programme or computer support shop to remove the malware.

Unfortunately, for every complaint there have probably been several victims who have paid up without saying anything. Conceptually, ransomware is a social engineering attack that preys on people's fears of exposure (even if totally innocent) or desire to avoid hassle.

7 Tips to fix your WiFi Page added

Over the past 2 months I have had the pleasure of having Verizon visit twice to repair my FIOS service.  I would say it has been a pleasure, but only if they could give me the 10+ hours I spent waiting both days back.  For those of you who have more minor WiFi issues, a page has been added that may help you.  Check here or on the left of this page under Wireless and WiFi Issues which under the Help Desk.

Get a disposable phone number on the cheap now

Years ago, you knew that girl gave you a bogus phone number when it started with 1-800....   Times have changed now.  The new Burner app for iPhone generates throw-away phone numbers, which can be used for undercover operations or by those who simply prefer a deep layer of privacy.

With Burner, users can create multiple new phone numbers for a day, a week, a month, or longer, and manage all inbound calls, SMS messages, and voicemails for each number. Once you are finished with the number, you can "burn" it by taking it out of service and wiping it from your phone, as if it never existed.

Each number is a separate line within the iPhone, which can be redirected to your main mobile number, or go straight to voicemail, according to the Burner app blog.

The $1.99 app comes with credits to create one short-duration Burner line. Any additions to your phone-number cache require the purchase of more credits, which begin at $1.99. A discount is provided when buying credits in bulk.

To "burn" a number requires a user confirmation, but once the number is deleted, it is gone forever. Anyone who calls the burned phone number will hear a generic out-of-service message.

Android users may not yet have access to Burner, but they can shield themselves from unwanted calls with the White Pages' new Current Caller ID app, which provides a directory of information about the incoming call.

When your phone rings, it will display details about the caller's recent social updates and check the weather where they are. The feature is also available for SMS texts. Even if you're not interested in the bells and whistles, the app also provides stripped-down caller ID information.

The White Pages app is available for free download in the Google Play store.

Apple will match that price!

Apple has quietly begun price-matching other major retailers on sales of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, potentially bringing down the devices' cost by almost $50. According to a source speaking to MacRumors, the company recently gave its retail stores authorization to discount the two iPhone models upon request, though if you don't live near a retail store and buy your Apple products online, you'll be out of luck.  Officially, they will price match up to $50.