Q: I'm trying to get a security code from Microsoft so that I can access my e-mail while abroad. I need the code now, because while overseas I won't be able to receive it via an alternate e-mail address or a phone text messaging service. What can I do?
Linda Merriam, Minneapolis
A: After many complaints, Microsoft is offering an alternative to its onerous e-mail security system for travelers. Before, anyone logging in to a Microsoft e-mail account while more than 300 miles from home had to provide a second form of identification in addition to a password. This second ID wasn't made available until you tried to access your e-mail from a remote location; it was then sent to your alternate e-mail or phone text messaging service.
Now Microsoft is offering travelers another method: Before leaving home, list the PC you will take on your trip as a "trusted device." That exempts you from needing a second form of ID to access your e-mail. For details on how to tell Microsoft that your PC is "trusted," see tinyurl.com/jvydsb4. Alternatively, you could open a Yahoo e-mail account (which doesn't require travelers to have a second form of ID) and have your Microsoft e-mail forwarded there.
Q: I teach a workout class that requires music, which I play by plugging my iPhone 6 into a studio stereo system. But occasionally, some songs stop playing after a few seconds, usually in the same place each time. More recently, the same problem occurred while I was playing the iPhone through my car's stereo system via a Bluetooth wireless connection. What can I do?
Peggy Morgan, St. Paul
A: Because the problem occurs with more than one song, and in more than one location, the culprit is probably the iPhone's music-playing software. But, if you load music on the phone from a PC or Mac, the problem might lie in the computer's iTunes program. Try these fixes:
If you downloaded the songs from your computer, see if the affected songs will play in the computer's iTunes program, or on any other Apple devices you might have.
