Podcast: Battle Born Tech

Getting Fancy with Stupid Pop-ups

Battle Born Tech
Battle Born Tech
Getting Fancy with Stupid Pop-ups
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BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

Getting Fancy with Stupid Pop-ups

This week on Battle Born Tech, our callers get into the zone and battle stupid pop-ups. Diane struggles to find her screen under notices from “McAfee”. We set our browsers to don’t ask, don’t shill.

Joan is locked in the Windows store with her new computer. We look at S mode, Smart Screen and Smart App control.

Esteban wants to have certain apps in specific windows on this screen. Fancy Zones from Powertoys helps him with he decorating.

See last week for more on our caution that old browsers with old insecure ways of code talking are not welcomed on today’s secure websites. (the “s” in https://) 

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

“Diane with so many problems on her computer.” 

“Probably your browser is probably to blame”

“With much imagination, does it look like a wave?”

“Do you know what S mode stands for?”

“That was a better answer than mine.” 

“Parallel Skunk Works”

“BBT Link with a dot between the L and the i-n-k (for the latest) https://bbtl.ink/stats” 

“It’s a little geeky not too much. You can handle it.”

“Store, Secure, Security Scary, Stupid, Store, School, Strict, Safe, Simple, Streamlined, Sandboxed, or Stifling” 

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Browser HiJack

A browser hijack occurs when a malicious web page forcibly takes over your browsing experience without your consent, using tricks like looping pop-up dialogs, fake virus warnings, or fullscreen mode to trap you. The goal is to panic you into calling a fake support number or downloading malware. If it happens, force-close the browser with Alt+F4 (Windows) or Cmd+Q (Mac) — and never call any phone number shown on the page.

TLS

Stands for “Transport Layer Security.” TLS is a data encryption technology that provides secure data transfers from websites to users. Older computers with older browsers containing no longer secure cryptographic suites cannot access current websites since TLS has been updated.

Power Toys 

A free suite of utility tools built by Microsoft to give power users greater control over their Windows experience. PowerToys was never an independent company, it has always been a side project developed internally at Microsoft, originally dating back to the Windows 95 era.  The suite includes handy tools like FancyZones for custom window layouts, PowerRename for bulk file renaming, a color picker, a keyboard remapper, and many more.

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

775-241-3571 or [email protected]

Bright Lights, Old Macs

Battle Born Tech
Battle Born Tech
Bright Lights, Old Macs
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

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BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

Bright Lights,
Old Macs

This week on Battle Born Tech, our callers’ computers. Robin’s iPhone is so bright she has to wear sunglasses at night. We spelunk in accessibility settings for a solution. We ask for a better one from listeners or from Apple.

Ron rescues his dongleless mouse from the ecycle bin by discovering a Unifying product line from Logitech. Bluetooth is even more universal but more expensive.

Robin comes out of the closet with her husband’s old All-in-One Mac. We suggest web applications but the browser’s old TLS definitions probably stop that use. Applications already Aon it will work, but new ones cannot be added. 

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

“I would pay money if my phone didn’t tell me what’s happening in the world.” 

“Get into your dark place and give us a call.”

“Unless you want the FBI knocking at your door.”

“Boy those were crazy years.”

“I’m so glad you are taking questions now.” 

“I’m on team husband right now.”

“Might be a gotcha somewhere.” 

“That would be a very battle born techy thing to do.”

“Dance with the one who brought you.” 

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Cap’n Crunch Whistle

In the mid-1960s the prize in Cap’n Crunch cereal boxes produced at 2600 Hz tone that was used to take over phone switching systems. 

TLS

Stands for “Transport Layer Security.” TLS is a data encryption technology that provides secure data transfers from websites to users. Older computers with older browsers cannot access current websites since TLS has been updated.

Color Warmth/Temperature

Warmth is how light feels while Color Temperature is a technical measurement in Kelvin of light, 6500K is daylight bulb (outside is 10,000K) and crisp and blue, while 2700K is amber looking candlelight bulb. 

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

Call
775-241-3571

Losing Face

Podcast cover art for Battle Born Tech on KNVC FM 95.1. A cracked smartphone screen displays a wide-eyed surprised emoji face with yellow skin. Dramatic crack lines radiate across the screen. Electric sparks appear at the top corners. Text reads: Battle Born Tech, Losing Face, April 7 2026. Dark navy background.
Battle Born Tech
Losing Face
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

Click for More Info

BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

 Losing Face

Christy and Joe talk Tax Scams, iPhone Face ID challenges, Apple genius bar exam, archived shows, getting more room on a hard drive, and updating the Internet.

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

  1. Lee has a face that won’t crack his iPhone.
  2. Steve wonders where the previous Battle Born Tech shows have gone.
  3. Keith needs more room for taxes!
  4. Teresa has found something wrong on the internet.

“IRS does NOT take gift cards for payments.” 

“I’m glad you didn’t call me…what did you do?”

“You don’t see the cracks over the radio” 

“The cutting of the fingers is not good.”

“What the web gives…the web can take away” 

“Don’t forget the treat!”

 

https://xkcd.com/386/

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Polarized

Polarized light is light waves that have been filtered to vibrate in only one direction, so intensity is cut in half.

Linux

Linux is a free, open-source operating system kernel that comes in many variations.

Screen Protectors

Special glass, film, or even plastic that covers a phone screen and protects the screen from scratches and cracks.

Recycle Bin

 

Where deleted files are stored until emptied with right click on the desktop icon. Use can hold down the SHIFT key and delete the files directly and permanently.

NAS

 

Network Attached Storage. A group of hard drives in a case  connected to a network that is used for storage by computers on the network.

Cache

 

Cache, which is pronounced “cash” (not “catch” or “cashay”), stores recently used information so that it can be quickly accessed at a later time. – TechTerms

 

 

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

Call

775-241-3571

email

[email protected]

Your Windows Roots Are Showing

Battle Born Tech
Battle Born Tech
Your Windows Roots Are Showing
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

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BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

 Your Windows Roots Are Showing

Christy talks to callers about bar codes, home pages, installing Libre Office on Linux (A classic it hurts when I do this; stop doing that answer!)

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

  1. Lee calls about his bar code scanner gun that doesn’t know its a keyboard
  2. Donna can change her home page on a WordPress website.
  3. Lee downloads a Linux tarbell file but really just sudo apt install or the GUI package manager from the desktop.

“Light can be both a particle and wave at the same time.” 

“For those who are not following along…why are you listening to this program?”

“USB is a wonderful thing and a little dangerous too” 

“Hides it in different places…you do not expect.”

“Out in the wilderness vibe coding” 

“Your Windows roots are showing…need to get those touched up for Linux!”

 

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

CDC mode

CDC (Communications Device Class) mode emulates a serial COM port allows two-way communication between the scanner and computer for status and control. Requires a driver for a serial port.

HID

Human Interface Device drivers for keyboards, mouse, trackball, handheld scanners, foot switch and anything that gets info from the human to the computer. Only one way communication.

SCSI

Small Computer System Interface (pronounce SKUZZY) an old mostly external interface for hard drives and scanners that could be daisy chained together replaced by the faster SATA, Firewire, or USB connections.

Widgets

 

Are used by themes to add information and elements to a webpage, such as a map, address, image slider.

Debian Linux Distro

 

One of the oldest distros of Linux know to be stable and reliable. Linux is just a kernel (the core of an OS). A distro (distribution) is when someone takes that kernel and bundles it with a package manager, desktop environment, default apps, and configuration to make a complete, usable operating system. 

Tarbell

From “Tape Archive” an non- compressed method of combining files and directorys into a single file. 

 

 

 

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

Call

775-241-3571

email

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Help Me Before I Smash This Machine

Battle Born Tech
Battle Born Tech
Help Me Before I Smash This Machine
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

Click for More Info

BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

 Help Me Before I Smash This Machine

The FCC drops a bombshell — all new routers must be made in the USA. Christy and Joe break down what that means for your home network and your wallet. Mitch is finally ready to get home internet and needs to know his options — from traditional ISPs to Starlink standby mode. Steve goes deep on MoCA (ethernet over coaxial cable) and has a sharp warning for DirecTV users. And Donna bravely faces her Outlook email chaos, sending Christy on a wild settings safari through Credential Manager, manual configs, and Microsoft’s overzealous “helpfulness.” Plus: is your email situation even worth fixing?

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

  1. Mitch is ready to get home internet and wonders about his options.
  2. Donna considers whether she really wants to fix her email. We go on at Outlook settings safari.
  3. Steve gets up to speed on MoCA ethernet over Coaxial and warns about DirectTV.

“Used to be just your phone, a whistle and some hope to get on the Internet.” 

“I guess I’ll burn that bridge when I come to it.”

“I screwed up my email.”

“Help me before I smash this machine.”

“I never going to tell someone not to change their password…change it every day ” 

“Are you sure you want email?”

“Even though you said manual — Microsoft just loves to help you.” 

“Little better than a sticky note.”

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Router

A router is a hardware device that directs traffic between the internet and local networks and devices such as computers, tablets, phones on wifi, and smart devices. 

Credential Manager

Stores both Web Credentials with website and online account logins used by Edge and some apps and Windows Credentials: logins used by Windows itself and desktop apps (such as Outlook) on your local network or PC.

MoCA

Multimedia over Coax Alliance industry standard for sending networking data over coax with frequencies that avoid interfering with Cable TV

DirecTV DECA

 

DirecTV Ethernet-to-Coax Adapter is a incompatible standard used by DirecTV to control their set boxes. Special hardware is needed to you DirecTV and Internet on the same coax. (Unlike standard cable TV)

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

Call

775-241-3571

email

[email protected]

Uninvited Guests

Podcast cover art for Battle Born Tech, March 10 2026. A fuzzy glowing ghost with big sad eyes emerges from a desktop computer monitor against a dark blue background. White text reads "Uninvited Guests" above station info for KNVC 95.1.
Podcast cover art for Battle Born Tech, March 10 2026. A fuzzy glowing ghost with big sad eyes emerges from a desktop computer monitor against a dark blue background. White text reads "Uninvited Guests" above station info for KNVC 95.1.
Battle Born Tech
Uninvited Guests
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

Click for More Info

BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

Uninvited Guests 

This week on Battle Born Tech, our callers’ computers are playing host to some very uninvited guests.

Tom suspects something is hiding deep in his system — and he’s right to worry. Rootkits are the sneakiest squatters in computing, designed to stay invisible while they run the show. We dig out the eviction tools: Malwarebytes with rootkit scanning switched ON (it’s off by default — you have to ask for it), and the legendary Kaspersky TDSSKiller for the stubborn cases that won’t leave quietly.

Jackson’s Bluetooth speaker has its own uninvited guest: a previous user lurking in the store.  Joe helps sort it out with some hard-won wisdom — the best wireless audio today means aptX Adaptive, LC3, LE Audio, or Bluetooth 5.2+, but the catch is both your headphones AND your source device have to speak the same language. Bluetooth doesn’t negotiate. It just picks the codec both sides have in common.

We go hunting with Brian in Windows Security settings and finds something nobody invited: OneDrive ads squatting in his security panel. We also uncover the ghost of Windows S Mode, still haunting fresh Windows 11 installs under a new name: Smart App Control and explain how ransomware protection through version history is available in Microsoft’s OneDrive. Christy remembers Giant Anti-Spyware the ancestor of Windows Security.

In Battle Plans: we clear up the difference between MoCA internet over coax and the old Token Ring network — not the same animal at all — and explain why your coax cable might already be doing double duty without you knowing it.

“Uninvited Guests” — because your computer didn’t lock the door.

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

  1. Tom wonders if he can find out rootkits. We help him dig them out. Correction: MalwareBytes Rootkit is an OPTION to turn it on. Shift+Restart will get you to reinstall Windows – with or without! your data
  2. Jackson solves a Bluetooth speaker. Joe recommends aptX Adaptive, LC3 or LE Audio or Bluetoon 5.2+ is today’s best but both headphones AND the source have to have matching codecs
  3. Brian goes on a safari in Windows Security settings. What are all these OneDrive ads!? They do some ransomware protection with version history for recovery. The echo of Windows S mode in Smart App Control in fresh installs of Windows 11. And the dangers of ClickFix cut and past to run attack.

“Nothing Works All the Time” 

“Vampire Clamps…Scary Times”

“I wasn’t there when the accident occurred.”

“Bluetooth is promiscuous.”

“I don’t know where that operating system came from!” 

“Anti-virus doesn’t protect you from being tricked by the tricksters.”

“No extra anti-virus recommended at all.” 

“Set it on fire and buy a new system.”

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Coaxial Cable

Token Ring Networking used twisted pair copper cables first shielded (Type 1) and later unshielded.  Coaxial cable was used with 10BASE2 or 10BASE5. Today’s Ethernet also uses UTP (Unshielded twisted pairs) with RJ-45 connectors.

ClickFix

Scammers instructs victims to  press Windows + R to open the Run dialog. The victim is told to press Ctrl+V and hit Enter and BANG! they paste and execute a remote malware exploit without knowing it. See our link to Charley!

MoCA

Multimedia over Coax Alliance industry standard for sending networking data over coax with frequencies that avoid interfering with Cable TV

CAT 6

 

DirecTV Ethernet-to-Coax Adapter is a incompatible standard used by DirecTV to control their set boxes. Special hardware is needed to you DirecTV and Internet on the same coax. (Unlike standard cable TV)

Codec

 

Codec is short for “coder-decoder.” It is an algorithm used to encode data, such as an audio or video clip. The encoded data must be decoded when played back.

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

Call

775-241-3571

email

[email protected]

Zoom In, Log In, Plug In

Battle Born Tech
Battle Born Tech
Zoom In, Log In, Plug In
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

Click for More Info

BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

Zoom In, Log In, Plug In

March 3, 2026

This week on Battle Born Tech, Joe and Christy welcome three callers and talk about scammers trying to butcher your piggy bank and how to use Windows games (not OneDrive!) on Linux machines using Proton.

Robert has some grandma helping tips. Fitting a webpage or reading captions on a monitor using the Zoom functions 

Billy wonders who all these people are on his company’s Linkedin Page. We give some hints to keep the staff up to date.

Steve finds out about MoCA for his internet and also what an internet switch is. After call reviews strategies for wifi placement. Christy recommends looking for gigabit switches and stay away from hubs if you find an old one. 

Last week on Battle Born Tech: Check out the fork of WINE for gaming on Linux:  Proton. Unlike Wine, Proton typically requires no configuration and is intended for the complete beginner. Just install Steam and enable Proton!

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

“Some good tips for our more senior listeners”

“Usually they put more effort into it.” 

“We’re going to need a bigger monitor.”

“Are We Still On For Lunch?”

“Just looked at it-Ugh-Delete!”

“You Can’t Control the Internet.” 

“Use the Zero option to get your windows back.”

“They mumble words…like a certain radio show.” 

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Ctrl-0 (Zero)

 Holding the Ctrl key and tapping the Zero key returns a zoomed window to 100% size.

Pig Butchering

It is the long con where the scammers give you something to begin (small investment return, love) to fattening you up for the slaughter later when they take all your money . 

WINE

Stands for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”, instead it is a compatibility layer which allows Windows programs to run on Linux by implementing the Windows system calls (API). Link to Proton alternative.

Link to Bottles Add-on

Megs & Gigs not Mips

“Megs” (Mbps) and “Gigs” (Gbps) — these just describe how fast data travels to and from your device. Like water flowing through a pipe: the bigger the pipe, the more data gets through at once. A “Gig” connection is 1,000 times faster than a “Meg,” making it better for households with lots of devices or heavy streaming. Mips is Millions of Instructions per second, how fast a computer processes.

API

Application Program Interface. Provides developers with user interface controls and elements, such as scroll bars and dialog boxes. It gives commands to access the file system such as creating and deleting files.

MoCA

Multimedia over Coax Alliance. Lets folks to use existing coax wiring (for cable TV) for internet connection with paired devices on either end of the coaxial cable. Care needs to be taken to get the correct version if cable TV or DirecTV is using the coax.

Token Ring Network

A token ring is a type of local area network where devices are connected in a circle and share data using a “token” — a small packet of data that gets passed around the network. Only the device holding the token can send data at any given time, which prevents data collisions and keeps traffic orderly. Developed by IBM in the 1980s and later standardized as IEEE 802.5, token ring technology was once a popular alternative to Ethernet, though it has since been largely replaced by modern networking standards.

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE and on-demand at KNVC.ORG

Call
775-241-3571

Driving MS Dizzy

Battle Born Tech
Battle Born Tech
Driving MS Dizzy
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CALL US SATURDAYS

9 am – 11 am Pacific

775-241-3571

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BBT from 2020

Has High Quality Stereo Recordings 

Breakmaster Cylinder composed and performs our theme music.

Driving MS Dizzy

This week on Battle Born Tech during the State of the Union address, we are seeking files and drives. Joan leaves a voicemail wanting to know about the lock screen photos, then, by voice call, we hear Joan is surprised when Microsoft’s One Drive works and moves her files to her new machine. Our second voicemail is from Lee who wants to get OneDrive on his Linux based Raspberry Pi 500. Caution: I get distracted talking about WINE, but WINE is not for OneDrive!

We are in the studio Saturdays 9 am to 11 am Pacific. Call direct to studio then or anytime at 775-241-3571 and set up a time to battle your tech!
 

“We give responses not answers.” 

“Joe, are you still alive today?”

“Now you’re the Tamagotchi.”

“Have we ruled out elves?”

“Some Bitcoin repository and can’t get it out.” 

“The ones who don’t have trouble—don’t come in!”

“They don’t call it Bitlocker but it is Bitlocker!” 

“If you are a Windows user and you go over to Linux—you’re just spoiled.”

“No Xies on Linux” 

“Bingo Bango”

“No Exes on Linux” 

All em-dashes — were made by the common number of human fingers on the keypad—ALT+0151—no A.I. was involved in their creation.
 

 

 

BATTLE PLANS

Tamagotchi

Tamagotchi is a brand of small, egg-shaped handheld digital pet devices created by Akihiro Yokoi and Aki Maita and marketed by Japanese toymaker Bandai since 1996. Players nurture a virtual pet through various life stages using a simple three-button interface. The name blends the Japanese words tamago (“egg”) and uotchi (“watch”).

Lock Screen Photos

Paste this into the file explorer window to get the directory with lock screen photos. They need to be renamed with an .jpg at the end (the extension) for most programs to display them.

%USERPROFILE%\
AppData\Local\Packages\
Microsoft.Windows.
ContentDeliveryManager_
cw5n1h2txyewy\
LocalState\Assets

Hard Drive Encryption 

Windows 11 Home does automatic data encryption if you use a microsoft account to set up your computer. (Pro uses the more robust BitLocker.) Both store the recovery key in the Microsoft account.

How to turn if off (or on)

Go to Settings → Privacy & Security → Device Encryption

WINE 

Stands for “Wine Is Not an Emulator”, instead it is a compatibility layer which allows Windows programs to run on Linux by implementing the Windows system calls (API).
Link to Proton alternative.

Link to Bottles Add-on

Tuesdays 8 PM Pacific 95.1 FM

Streaming LIVE on at KNVC.ORG

775-241-3571 or [email protected]