Ask A Tech

Ask A Tech

Using Home Assistant Webhooks with Text-to-Speech: A Quick Guide

Home Assistant allows for smart home automation using webhooks to trigger text-to-speech (TTS) actions. Users can create an automation to handle incoming webhooks, processing data in JSON or form-data formats. By following steps to set up the webhook and send data, users can enable audio playback through a specified media player.

Read More
Ask A Tech iOS

Should You Close Apps on Your iPhone? The Truth Behind Battery Life and Performance

Many iPhone users believe that closing apps saves battery life, but this is a misconception. iOS suspends apps, using minimal resources instead. Apple advises closing apps only when unresponsive. To conserve battery, focus on disabling Background App Refresh and managing location services, as iOS optimally manages resources for performance and battery efficiency.

Read More
Ask A Tech Reviews

What do you use to charge your devices?Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand – A Versatile and Stylish Charging Solution

Get on Amazon The Belkin MagSafe 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is designed to provide a seamless charging experience for multiple Apple devices. With its magnetic alignment for the iPhone, dedicated charging spot for the Apple Watch, and a charging pad for the AirPods, this charging stand is perfect for those who love a clutter-free and […]

Read More
Ask A Tech

How to remote reboot an Axis Camera via FTP.

Remotely rebooting an Axis IP Camera via FTP Here is the process to reboot the camera remotely via FTP. 1. In Windows, open the Command Prompt 2. At the command prompt, type in (without quotes) “FTP <ip address of the camera>” 3. You should be now asked to enter a username. Enter the username and […]

Read More
Security
Ask A Tech Technology

How secure is it to use a VPN, and Do you need one?

How secure is a VPN? A reliable virtual private network (VPN) can be a safe way to browse the internet. VPN security can protect from IP and encrypt internet history and is increasingly used to prevent snooping by government agencies. However, VPNs are not able to keep you safe in all scenarios. If you are […]

Read More
Ask A Tech

Touch ID isn’t working on your Mac?

Do you have one of those new keyboards from Apple with Touch ID? Better make sure you have the proper version of MacOS and a Mac with Apple silicon. If you can’t unlock your Mac using Touch ID, can’t enroll a fingerprint, or can’t use Touch ID to enter your password, learn what to do. […]

Read More
Ask A Tech

What does it look like inside a Hard Drive?

Ever wanted to see what it looked like inside a Hard Drive?

Read More
Apple Ask A Tech

Allow Cookies in Safari

What to do when your site needs cookies using Safari.

Read More
Apple Ask A Tech

How to reset your AirPods and AirPods Pro

You might need to reset your AirPods if they won’t charge, or to fix a different issue. Put your AirPods in their charging case, and close the lid. Wait 30 seconds. Open the lid of your charging case. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, go to Settings > Bluetooth and tap the More Info button  next to […]

Read More
Security
Ask A Tech

Retrieving passwords from veeam backup servers

One of our readers asked this question. So here is the answer. This requires that you have Admin access to your Veeam server and have installed SQL Management studio. From SQL management studio (of any SQL management interface access method) run the following again the veeam management database: SELECT TOP (1000) [id] ,[user_name] ,[password] ,[usn] […]

Read More