BroadbandNow is a website that helps users find and compare Internet service providers (ISPs) for their local address in the U.S. The site also provides guides for selecting and troubleshooting internet service.
Tag Archives: Apps and Utilities
Gmail Go app now available for all Android users
Gmail Go is a lightweight mail app that was previously available only on devices running the Android Go operating system, but now it is available for all Android users. Not all features in the Gmail app are currently in the Gmail Go, such as Google Meet.
Foxit free PDF Reader app
Foxit, a maker of document and imaging software, has a free lightweight PDF Reader app for Windows, Mac, and Linux as well as mobile apps for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. A list of free and paid Foxit products can be found at www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads.
Android custom distributions (ROMs) for smartphones and tablets
Android custom distributions (ROMs) are replacement operating systems for Android smartphones and tablets. This allows users to customize older devices that may not have available Android updates and extend their service life. This may erase data and void your device’s warranty. Available security updates are usually based on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP). More information is at
No More Ransom website has decryption tools for some ransomware
The No More Ransom project website has free decryption tools for many known ransomware types.
If a decryption tool is not found, one option is to replace the hard drive and operating system and save the locked drive offline. A decryption tool may become available months later to free the data at that point.
Windows File Recovery can help recover deleted or corrupted data
Microsoft has released Windows File Recovery, a new Windows Store app that may help you deleted or corrupted data. Instructions and FAQ for this are available at support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4538642/windows-10-restore-lost-files
TrueNAS CORE is the new name for FreeNAS
iXsystems announced in March 2020 that TrueNAS CORE is the new name for FreeNAS, the popular open source NAS (Network Attached Storage) operating system. This was done to unify branding with its TrueNAS Enterprise product. Additional features were added to the TrueNAS CORE product as well. Documentation for TrueNAS is available at www.truenas.com/docs/hub/.
Google Meet, Skype Meet Now and Facebook Messenger Rooms video meeting tools
Google, Microsoft and Facebook all announced changes or updates to their video meeting tools in April 2020. These are alternatives to the popular Zoom video chat software.
Video meeting tool Google Meet is now available free of charge for all users. This will be a gradual rollout within the next few weeks. Users must sign in with their Google account, but Meet works entirely in a web browser and does not require downloads first.
Skype Meet Now is a different video meeting tool which does not require a sign-up or installation. A unique Meet Now link can be requested from Skype or a web browser. Meet Now appears as a Windows 10 TaskBar icon.
Facebook has also announced its new meeting tool – Facebook Messenger Rooms. Invited attendees do not need a Facebook account to attend the video meeting and downloads are not required. Rooms is not end-to-end encrypted. This is in addition to their Facebook Workplace and Facebook Work Groups services.
Google services outages tracked on G Suite Status Dashboard
Google experienced some outages on March 26th 2020 that were tracked on its G Suite Status Dashboard. This included Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs and other services.
QuickBooks company backup files do not include file attachments
QuickBooks desktop edition does not include file attachments when it makes a company backup data file. This will cause issues if the files need to be installed on a new computer or saved as part of normal data file backups.
The attached files are stored by QuickBooks in a folder named “Attach” with multiple subfolders.
The company file and Attach folder can be found by selecting Company > Documents > Repair Attached Documents Links.
Click the Open Company File Folder button to locate the Attach folder and company file. The Repair Links button will remove invalid attached document links. 
The company file can also be found by searching for a file with name format *.QBW.