Essential Tech Tips for Your Travel Adventures!

As temperatures rise and vacation dreams beckon, it's time to gear up for a season of travel. But before you hit the road or board that plane, let's talk tech! Keeping your technology safe while traveling is essential to ensure a stress-free and enjoyable journey. From protecting your devices from theft to safeguarding them from extreme temperatures, there are easy things you can do to keep your tech in top-notch condition.

Beware of public Wi-Fi. Your personal information is at a much higher risk of being stolen on a public network.
Power up safely. Beware of using unfamiliar charging stations, as they may contain malware or pose a risk of data theft.
Save passwords and valuable info in LastPass. Store credit card, driver's license, and passport numbers, plus account passwords for instant access.
Stay cool. Keep devices away from direct sunlight or hot vehicles. Instead, store them in the shaded or use insulated bags designed for heat protection.
Know optimal operating temps. Avoid pushing gadgets beyond their temperature threshold. If you notice your device becoming excessively hot, power it off and allow it to cool down before using it again.
Give them breathing room. Ensure there is adequate airflow around devices to prevent them from overheating.

Learn More About Tech Safety This Summer

Digital Accessibility Matters

What does accessibility really look like in technology? Pitt strives to make all digital content accessible. If you run into inaccessible content, report it so we can make improvements and get you connected. Learn more about Pitt’s digital accessibility efforts.

Know When to Deny Duo

Many of us barely think about when and why we get a Duo prompt. But if you get a notification when you aren't actively logging into a system, it should raise the alarm bell. If you aren’t logging in, deny the Duo prompt, change your password and alert the 24/7 IT Help Desk.

Bask in Outdoor Wi-Fi

PittNet Wi-Fi is the high-speed network that provides access to University computing resources, the internet, and external research networks. Summer is a great time to study outside. If you’re on campus and want to connect in the sun, connect to outdoor wi-fi. Learn where you can get online outdoors while enjoying the summer rays.

Avoid Cybersecurity Landmines

The hardest thing about avoiding a security breach is understanding what to look for. As we’ve gotten more tech-savvy, so have hackers and scammers. Here are four traps laying in wait for you and how to avoid them.

Don't approve a Duo prompt that you didn't initiate.
View other email accounts in Outlook rather than forwarding your Pitt email.
Verify an email, even if it appears to be from a trusted account.
Log into accounts directly, rather than clicking links or buttons in an email.

New Pitt Password Manager Features

Pitt Password Manager (LastPass) has launched new features to keep you safer online: Dark Web Monitoring and increased Password Iterations. Check out how LastPass can help keep your passwords, account numbers, and other personal info safe and secure.

Streamlined Zoom Experience

Zoom is now streamlining the Join Meeting experience. There will be fewer screens to access a meeting and you'll see a preview of your video before joining the meeting. Learn more now to make your future use of Zoom easier!

Just Keep Computing!

Here's your gentile reminder that labs, printers, and the 24/7 IT Help Desk are available all summer long! Whether it's summer classwork or keeping in touch with classmates and instructors, your computing accounts and resources are here for you. Stay updated on summer hours of various facilities and the equipment they contain, or connect to the lab no matter where you're spending your summer through the Virtual Computing Lab.

Getting a New Device Over the Summer:

If you're looking to update your device between academic years, see Pitt IT's laptop recommendations and get the best prices and discounts as a Pitt student. Then, add your devices to your MyResNet account if you plan to live in a residence hall next year.

If you get a new phone or tablet, add the device to get Duo prompts so you can log on with ease. Go to Accounts Self-Service - Security - Add Devices; click "Send Me a Push" and then add your device.

Check Out Panther Bytes Blogs You Missed

A little behind on reading our Pitt IT blogs? No worries, we've got you covered:

LinkedIn Learning Courses

Recent graduates: be sure to make use of LinkedIn Learning before you lose access at the end of the summer. Log in at linkedinlearning.pitt.edu to check out these new courses:

Generative AI for Business Leaders
Nano Tips to Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking
Disability Readiness for Leaders and Managers
How to Research and Write Using Generative AI Tools
Migrating ASP.NET Core Web Applications To Azure
Customer Service: How to Manage Your Customer Queues