5 Technology Tips That WILL Help You

Or, things you thought you knew but didn't.

1. If you scroll down web pages, use the space bar...don't lift the mouse or pointer to the vertical scroll bar at the right. Tap the space bar to go down a page. Hold shift and tap the space bar to go back up a page.

2. Also on the web, make the text larger by holding down the Control key and hitting + to make the text larger. Hit the + again while holding the control key to go larger again. Hit the - along with the control key to make the text smaller. I use these daily because of my vision disability. Large text is necessary for me.

These work on every web browser. For the Mac, you might have to hold the Command key.

3. When typing on a mobile device (smart phone or tablet), don't switch between keyboard styles to get to a period at the end of the sentence and then capitalizing the next letter. Instead hit the period TWICE and it will do all three things for you! That's right, hitting the period key twice in succession will place a period, then a space and capitalize the next letter.

4. Google is for more than searching, folks. If you want to track an airline flight, type the airline name and then flight number and hit enter. Google gives you the status of the flight at that moment.

5. Google as a dictionary. Type the word 'define' and then the word and the definition appears. No need to hit enter. For instance, type the word bluetooth and see the definition.

Please share your tips in the comment box below.

 

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Now Where Is The iPhone/iPad User Manual?

I've written an article that reveals where the iPad/iPhone User Guide is hidden but, with iOS 7, they have changed the hiding place.

Apple makes a very good, well written and very easy to understand User Guide for the iPad and iPhone. I've used them many times and included screen shots in blogs. I strongly recommend having it available when you want to get quick and easy instructions.

Now that iOS 7 has been released for upgrade and will be included on the next versions of iOS devices, getting to the User Guide is very important. There are some great new features to iOS 7 that I like very much.

iBooks

The new iPad and iPhone User Guides are now FREE books you view in iBooks. iBooks is Apples version of Kindle and found in the App Store. Don't worry--it's FREE and the User Guides are FREE too. A great advantage to the User Guide being in iBooks is that you have all of the advantages of iBooks and for me, with my vision disability, is just plain terrific. I can enlarge the text and see the guide contents without having to scroll from side to side as I would with a web page of a PDF document.

1. Open the iBooks app and touch the Store button.
2. Search for iOS 7
3. Choose the one you want and download it to your iPad or iPhone

You can also download a PDF version of the User Guides too if you like. Go to this link.

If you haven't upgraded to iOS 7, the User Guides are a bookmark in Safari...the very last bookmark.

Photo Booth is a Fun Camera App for iOS

Having fun with your new found gadget is the ultimate for me and here's a FREE app I think you'll love to play around with it. It's called Photo Booth and it's actually included with your iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad Mini.

 

There are 9 effects you can apply to camera views where you then snap the picture. Those 9 effects are: X-Ray, Light Tunnel, Stretch, Mirror, Normal, Twirl, Thermal Camera, Kaleidoscope and Squeeze. Take a look at some sample pics and give it a try yourself. Just have fun. My favorite effects are Kaleidoscope and Twirl but I'm sure you'll develop your favorites too.

9 Views via the iPad

 

 

Android has a few similar apps and I especially like Effect Booth. FREE

 

A Cool Smartphone Compass with a Twist

I recently had the need for a compass and took a quick browse through the Google Play Store and found Smart Compass and gave it a whirl. Not only does it do the compass as expected but the compass is beautifully super imposed across the camera view. What a cool look and I liked it alot.

Smart Compass is for Android and FREE. There is a PRO version that has additional features and for only 99 cents.
Sure, iPhone has a preinstalled compass but I really like how Smart Compass works with the camera.

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iOS 7 for the Vision Impared

Now that iOS 7 is out, here is how I have my iPad set to assist with my vision disability.

 

Fist, the clean and lots of white space are very good for my vision. There is very good contrast between text and background and that is necessary for me. Otherwise, there are only two things I've changed to make things really work for me.

• Enlarge the font
• Make the text bold

 

I just need larger text to be able to read and the iPad does this very well. The newly advertised "clean" interface is really good but a bit thin for me so I just make the text bold.

 

All necessary changes are done in Setting > General > Accessibility

1. Turn Larger Text to On.
2. The next page has the slider adjustment to the desired text size.
3. Then turn on the Bold Text.

 

Once Large Type is turned on, I slide the slider bar to the right to the desired size. As you can see, I use one step down from the largest text size.

 

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iPad Tip: Improve Battery Life by Stopping Programms Running in the Background [iOS 7] Update Sept 20

The iPad (iPhone and iPod Touch) leaves apps in the background when you choose a new one. You can see these apps by double-pressing the Home button. What you may not know is while most of these apps just sit there waiting for you to return to them, others are running and drain your battery.

Apps that use GPS and your location, music playing apps, Internet phone apps like Skype and apps using Newsstand or Weather can drain the battery. To avoid this, close the apps running in the background.

Watch this 1 min 47 sec video demonstration.

You can close any or all of the apps by again, double tapping the Home button to see, what Apples calls the multitasking screen. In iOS 7, you see each running app and a large screen of the app right where has been left off. Do a ONE [update] finger swipe upward to "throw the app off to close it. Don't worry, the apps won't be deleted.

This method works on all iOS 7 iPads, iPad Minis, iPhones and iPod Touches.

 

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iPad Tip: Save Battery by Stopping Apps Running in the Background [iOS 6 and earlier]

The iPad (iPhone and iPod Touch) leaves apps in the background when you choose a new one. You can see these apps by double-taping the Home button. What you may not know is while most of these apps just sit there waiting for you to return to them, others are running and drain your battery a little faster than normal.

Apps that use GPS and your location, music playing apps, Internet phone apps like Skype and apps using Newsstand can drain the battery. To avoid this, close the apps running in the background.

Watch this short, 2 minute and 43 second  video demonstration.

 

You can close any or all of the apps by again, double tapping the Home button and then do a long press on one to get them to jiggle. Tap the red circle with the horizontal white line to stop the apps. Don't worry, the apps won't be deleted as this only occurs when the icons jiggle from the main screen.

This tip works for the iPhone, iPad Mini and iPod Touch too.

Google Keep is my New To Do List of Choice. Here's Why.

I wrote a brief review of Google Keep a while back and gave it high marks but it wasn't ready to replace Any.Do as my to do list app. However, things have changed. Google has just updated its FREE To Do List app with the ability to add very fancy reminders.

 

 

 

Not only is Google Keep easy to see, easy to enter quick lists but now it has alarms to remind me to get those things done. Not just any alarm though. You can set an alarm based on where you are. Doesn't this situation happen to you. You are out and about and get home and remember that you had to get to Home Depot for some items and you drove right by them. Google Keep's new alarm will sound off when you drive by Home Depot. Actually, you choose a location based alarm right on your list. But wait, there's more...

 I can include a photo or photos on my list. My Home Depot list includes pictures of plants I need for my yard. My wife liked some jewelry so I took a picture to remind me at Christmas time. The sky's the limit for lists now.

 

Google Keep's  cards are very easy to create. Just tap, type or say what I want. Then tape Done.

 

Google Keeps card style is so elegantly clean, my poor eyesight doesn't hinder me to read the cards. Hard to admit but Google Keep reminds me of an iPhone looking app. Freaky.

 

Oh, did I say that Google Keeps is FREE but only for Android. There are two apps for iOS called App for Google Keep but not produced by Google. One is a FREE version while the other is $1.99. I tried the free version and it doesn't stack up and don't recommend it. While Google produce a version for iOS? We'll see.
 

 

Like I said, I reviewed Google Keep when it first came out and I liked it but went back to my previous favorite Any.Do. But now I believe I have a new favorite. The only possible problem is that there isn't an iOS version. I love that I have my To Do List on both my Android phone as well as my iPad. For now, I'm going to use the browser for Google Keep on the iPad.

 

Google Keep is available for Android, Chrome and on any web browser and it's FREE.

My 6 Favorite Travel Apps

Kayak is my favorite app for investigating flight schedules and costs. Its screen is easy to use and easy to read. I can watch fare changes by setting up an alert on a particular route. This helps me decide when to "pull the trigger' on the purchase of a flight. When I see the fare and schedule I like I can click right on the screen to go either the airline site or other travel sites to make my purchase. Kayak is FREE and available on iOS, Android and even the web. Kayak is a Universal app for iOS which means it looks perfect regardless of iPhone or iPad.

 

Trip Advisor is a great place to get reviews of great places to visit when traveling. Trip Advisor is very common internationally and I've used it in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico most recently. Check out Cabo Flyboard for one of the greatest water activities I've ever attempted. My cousin provides reviews from her home in Florence, Italy and I get to see lots of fun things to do there. Trip Advisor is very similar to Yelp and available on iOS, Android and the web, all for FREE

 

Gate Guru, which is owned by TripAdvisor,  has an itinerary saver like TripIt but what Gare Guru does so well is show all of the Food, Shops and Service locations at each of the gates within an airport.  It even includes ratings from other travelers too. There's nothing more frustrating than getting off a plane and wanting to find a shop or restaurant that has good quality. Gate Guru is available for iOS, Android, Windows Phone  and is FREE.

 

 

FlightTrack my app of choice to see when flights are late or on time. The Android interface is new and quite nice. I poetically like the view of the flight in progress and shows a plane superimposed on a map. Kind of cool. FlightTrack is available for iOS ($4.99 FREE for iPad if you already purchased for iPhone), Android ($4.99). There is a PRO version with additional features and cost.

 

Tripit is used to store my itineraries and travel plans. When I get an email confirmation of any type of travel I forward the email to Tripit and it is reformatted in consolidated and easy to read view of all travel plans for a particular trip. Tripit is FREE but has a PRO version too which can notify you of gate changes as well as fare changes for potential refunds. It is available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7, Blackberry  and the web.

 

 

AMTRAK is an app on iOS and Android along with a web site. The app provides the ability to check a schedule, book a reservation, have the ticket on the app instead of paper and even see if the train is early or late. Over the last few years I've ridden AMTRAK and enjoyed the experience very much. It is not the cheapest method of travel but, by far, the most relaxing. The food is surprisingly good and the price is as expected--a little higher but not outrageous. I've done one 3 night trip and got a roomette which can sleep two but via an upper bunk. Comfort what top notch, there were restrooms and even showers very close buy and a car attendant to take good care of you and to make sure your room is clean. They even help to get your reservations for meals. Getting a sleep care, like the roomette, includes 3 meals per day. Check it out. Both Apps are FREE.

 

NOTE: Since these apps are mostly used for travel, the iOS versions are for the iPhone and not optimized for the iPad.


Please feel free to share your favorite Travel Apps too. I'd love to hear about them.

Misplace your Phone - Find it Easily (Updated Sept 3)

[Updated Sept 3, 2013]

How can one loose a smart phone you say? It happens more often than you think. If it hasn't happened to you then count yourself lucky. Heck, even forgetting where you put the phone happens doesn't it. You can call the phone but what if you had it set on vibrate or connected to an ear piece. Here are two apps, one for Android and the other for iPhone, to help you thwart the potential lose.

Android recently introduced the Android Device Manager (ADM) service and it's FREE. It's not an app you get from the Google Play Store but a feature you can now turn on. Go to Settings / Security / Device Administrators. Tap to put a check at the Android Device Manager box. Then go to the Android Device Manager Dashboard.

The feature I most like is that you can ping the phone and it will ring at maximum volume even if the phone was set to vibrate. If the phone is lost or stolen, you can see where the phone is on a map to assist in retrieving it. Worst case, you can send a signal to wipe the phone so you data is not available to anyone else. The feature I wish it had was to lock the phone so it is unusable to anyone. For now, you can find or wipe it clean.

Apple has their Find My iPhone found in Settings / iCloud. Turn on Find My iPhone (or iPad). Then get the Find My iPhone app from the App Store and run on another iOS device if you phone is lost.

UPDATE: If you loose your iPad or iPhone go to www.icloud.com/find  and log in with your Apple ID and password to discover where your devices  and decide what option to take. Even make your device show a message and phone number to call so the person can return it post haste. Nice.

Above All, set up a pin code or password for your smart phone so no one can get to your apps or data if they find your phone.

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5 Most Common "How do I do ..." Questions for Windows 8

Microsoft is having some trouble getting folks to embrace Windows 8 and I have experienced the frustrations from friends about Windows 8. Some things are just plain different and Microsoft did not show people how to do common tasks with Windows 8 especially with a mouse and keyboard -- not touch. I've created a 6 minute video showing the answers to my 5 most common "how do I do ..." in Windows 8.

The most common is "how do I close a program?" That's right, there isn't an 'X' in the upper right corner as Windows 7 and all previous versions of Windows.



Here are the questions I answer:

1. How do I close a program?
2. How can I see and get to already opened programs?
3. How do I see all of the "tiles" on the Start Screen?
4. How do I see all programs installed on my computer?
5. How do I shut down the computer? Unfortunately this takes 4 clicks but Windows 8.1 does it in 2 clicks.

Full Disclosure. I am using a Microsoft Surface RT Tablet with a Touch keyboard running Windows 8.1 Preview. Don't worry, learning the above 5 items will NOT hamper you in Windows 8.1--it will help you!

Please share any and all Windows 8 frustrations you may have encountered.

A Unique Alarm Clock for iPad and iPhone

I utilize my iPad as a night stand alarm clock and weather information tool while it charges overnight and have been extremely happy with Nightstand Central for iPad. I've included it in my Top 10 Most Useful Apps too. However, I came across another night stand alarm clock with some very interesting features. It's called Smart Alarm HD by Sport.com.

 

Smart Alarm HD

 

Smart Alarm HD for both iPad and iPhone tracks your sleep patterns by listening to you sleep. It can tell when you are in Deep Sleep, Lite Sleep or REM (rapid eye movement) Sleep. It will even record disturbances in your sleep and allow you to play them back. That's right everyone -- it records snoring.

 

There is a FREE version of Smart Alarm but is a bit crippled. It only records sleep for 30 to 40 minutes only. I purchased the HD version after just 2 days because I knew I would use this app regularly. The full version has been $2.99 but dropped to $.99 this week. [Update Aug 17-Price returned to $2.99]

Smart Alarm HD's goal is to help you sleep well and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. I cannot vouch for that so much but I can now state with confidence that I snore. Not because my wife says I do but because now I can hear it for myself.

 

The most interesting part is that the alarm can be set for a specific time but Smart Alarm will alter the time so you awake without a jolt from a deep sleep. I'm still testing this to be sure but the concept sounds interesting. That is, of course, if the alarm time isn't the most important event in the morning.

 

As always, I am very aware that I need to be able to see the screen well due to my vision disability and Smart Alarm HD for iPad doesn't disappoint. I can choose green digital numbers or an analog clock with white or black background. My preference is the black background. I can even touch a vertical slider on the left side to make the screen dimmer or brighter.

 

The alarm has multiple settings. It can be a simple alarm with no sleep analysis or recordings or combinations of an adjusted alarm with or without the analysis and recording.

Two notes. To start the recording and alarm, you slide the orange Start button from left to right when you go to bed. What looks like a red second hand that doesn't move is, in reality, the alarm setting indicator. Odd, I know.

 

Additional cool features include:

• Local weather in the upper right corner.
• Go to sleep with background sounds of either music, white noise, ocean waves, rain and thunder, etc. I go to sleep to the sound of Storm and Thunder.
• You can even wake up to these too.

Be aware that Plus Sports has other apps that it wants you to try, even in the pay version. It's not obnoxious but there none the less.

 

For you Android phone or tablet users, give Smart Alarm Clock or Sleepbot - Sleep Cycle Alarm. They are both FREE but I have not tried them yet. Let me know what you think.

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Human Anatomy in 3D for iPad and iPhone

Have you ever been curious about the human anatomy? Check out these 2 apps for iPad and iPhone in beautiful 3d and high resolution graphics.

[UPDATE] My wife asked my why I even wanted to look at these apps anyway. It began over 2 years ago when we both had surgeries. Me with a knee replacement and my wife with an ankle replacement (which was rare then). I had an interest in seeing what the details were surrounding my knee replacement. What did the nerves look like as I have a small place where there isn't any feeling. My wife's ankle swells most of the time and I was interested to know what the muscles and nerves were doing there. This curiosity brought me to search the Apple App Store and here is what I found.

One thing for certain, the iPads beautiful retina display screen makes for viewing pictures and movies pure joy. Try looking at beautiful graphics of the human anatomy.

I've been looking at two apps recently and thought I would share. Both have just beautiful graphics and the ability to rotate views in 3 dimensions. It takes a little getting used to using one finger for some motions, two fingers for others and even three fingers. Both apps are the same in this regard so once I got used to one the other was a breeze. Both apps have additional modules for purchase if you have a keen interest in a particular area of the body like the brain, eyes, ankle, etc.

The first is Human Anatomy Atlas. I've taken the FREE version for a spin to get a good feel. Not all modules of the app are available in the FREE version but I got a good look at it. The full version costs $34.99 but I notice it is on sale for $29.99 for a limited time. Human Anatomy Atlas has very high rankings.

The next app is called Essential Anatomy 2 but I tried the FREE Essential Skeleton 2 to test drive it. Essential Skeleton is equal in beauty based on the graphics. It costs $29.99 with additional modules going for between $6.99 to $12.99. Essential Anatomy looks to be used much by medical schools as there is a quiz module. I suspected Doctors use this tool to explain procedures or issues to patients. They can even draw on the iPad screen, save the picture and e-mail it.

Pros

• Both have terrific graphics and use of 3 dimensional viewing
  

Cons

• The high price. $29.99 for one and $32.99 for the other.
  
• Both are very large programs and take up hundreds of megabytes of space. If your iPad or iPhone has limited space then these are not for you.
  

 

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Make Windows 8 Look Like Windows XP or Windows 7 - Yes it Can!

Unfortunately, but a stark reality, many people don't want to give up their Windows XP or Windows 7 (sorry Vista) for Windows 8. I read a nicely done blog post, The Metro Haters Guide to Windows 8.1 Preview by ZDNet writer, Ed Bott that makes that change smoother.

Personally, I just helped my mother-in-law get a new laptop and followed Ed's instructions so she would feel more comfortable and not have to work hard to get through the new look of Windows 8.

First of all, the Windows 8 Desktop looks just like Windows 7 but without a Start Button. So if this is your only complaint about Windows 8, then stop right here and just click on the Desktop tile and work from there. That's what I do but I digress.

 

However, go backwards just a little, the first thing I did was to get the Start Button back and I used Classic Shell which is FREE by the way. Classic Shell will indeed put the Start Button back, but unlike Windows 8.1 Preview, it will put the Start Menu with it! Classic Shell does a couple more things but we'll stop here. See a previous blog post of mine about bringing back the Windows Start Button

Next was to force Windows 8 to skip the new ("metro") Start Screen and go right to the Windows Desktop, like XP or Windows 7. Here I used Skip Metro Suite which is also FREE. Again, Windows 8.1, when it comes out, will do this but in the meantime Skip Metro Suite will do the trick.

 

Lastly, my mother-in-law didn't like the idea of having to logon to her laptop. I know many of you agree but there are very good reasons to do this, least of which is laptop and data security. Windows 8 has 2 things than take place when it starts. One is to log into Windows Live, an account you will create or log into when you first install or start up that new machine. And secondly there is a Lock Screen (like the old screen saver) that requires a password to get past. Again, all for good and just security.

Turning off the Lock Screen is a bit "geeky" so here goes. Hit Win Key + R and type gpedit.msc into the space and hit Enter. If Windows 8 says that gpedit.msc cannot be found is is really because you don't have the Pro version of Windows 8-you have Windows 8 Home Premium which is fine. . Don't worry though. If it opens, follow the instructions from Disabling the Windows 8 Lock Screen by Paul Thurott, a tech writer who closely follows Microsoft. If you cannot open gpedit.msc, then the Windows Registry is the place and this is "geeky" to the max.   To avoid having to go into the Registry and navigating the very long folder names, here is a link to a program that does the work for you.  See How to Disable the Windows 8 Lock Screen Without Using the Group Editor. Click the program to Disable the Lock Screen. There is also  program is to Enable the Lock Screen if and when you desire.

 

 

The second required logon, the Windows Live or Local Sign On if you don't want to do the Windows Live portion can be bypassed in Control Panel. I do NOT recommend this personally but here is what I did. Caution!--this too is a bit "techy". I went to Change her Password and instead of typing in a new password I left the password blank. See the precise steps below.

• Go to the Control Panel
• Choose User Accounts and Family Safety
• Choose User Accounts
• Choose Manage Accounts
• Choose Change an Account
• Choose the Account (typically just yours as Administrator)
• Change the Password
• Enter the Current Password
• Leave the two password spaces blank.
• Leave the Hint blank
• Hit Enter or Click OK.

 

I really apologize that these last few steps are lengthy and techy in nature and many of you won't attempt them for fear of messing something up. Frankly all, this is a good thing. However, if the result is more important, then go for it. I am not responsible for mistakes made or how your PC responds. Just a friendly disclaimer folks.

 

Speed Up That Wifi Connection

Rev up your home wifi speed as if you are connected with wire.

Recently I attempted to play a home made You Tube video via my Apple TV box and the playback was just horrible. It was frequently jerky as it had to pause while data came through. I'm pretty sure this is just because my home Wifi is a bit crowded with 2 iPads, 2 smart phones, a Windows Tablet, my Samsung TV and DVD Player and the Apple TV. Not all are being used at the same time but many are.

So I decided to search out reviews on the latest Wifi technology referred to as 'AC'. Previous technologies have been 'N', and before that 'G". I looked at a few reviews and decided upon the TrendNet AC 1750 Dual Band Wireless Router that can be purchased from Amazon.com. I placed the order and 2 days later (as I'm an Amazon Prime subscriber which gets me FREE 2 Day shipping) it arrived.

Credit: TrendNet TRENDnet’s AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router, model TEW-812DRU

$209.99 Direct from TrendNet.

First, let's talk about how a wifi router works with the modem you have at home. I have a Comcast cable modem with a wifi router attached to it. The wifi router allows me to "split" the cable connection for up to 4 other computers, printers, or external hard drives. In addition, wireless devices, like laptops, tablets, smart phones, recent TVs, recent DVD players and game consoles like Xbox, Playstation and Wii. That is a lot of hardware wouldn't you say? (see the picture below showing my cable modem on the left with the wifi router on the right).

In the past, the speed of the wireless connection of the router has been slower than when being connected with a cable. This has just been the way it it. With my recent purchase of the TrendNet Router, wifi is now the same speed as being connected with a wire. Think of your computer being a fast car and it can go 300 miles per hour when connected to a modem. Take that 300 mph car and, instead, connect it wirelessly to the router and the can't go 300 mph any longer because the wifi slows it down to only 30 mph. It's like the current wifi are tires that slow the car down. Well, I put on the latest and greatest tires and now wifi has cause up and goes 300 mph. NOTE: wifi cannot go any faster than the speed of the modem (cable, dsl or satellite--at least in today's technology).

Setup was just like my previous Linksys router. I followed the two steps in the Wizard and I was up and running.

Let me tell you...the Wifi speed is fast, fast, fast. My iPad speed increased by a factor of 100! That's right, it is now 100 times faster than before. Unfortunately that speed increase doesn't translate directly to the performance of the tablet but it did speed up app downloads by about a factor of 10 and that's pretty darn cool.

I use a web site called http://www.speedtest.net/ to see how fast my internet connection is. The important number is the download speed. Don't worry so much about the letters after the number. Check your computer connected to your modem via a cable. Then check a device connected via wifi if you have one. There are even Speed Test apps for iOS and Android.

Laptop connected via cable. 34.11

iPad connected via wifi (old router). .37 (10% of what the modem can do)

iPad with the new TrendNet Router. 31.2!

Smart phone via old router. 1.25

Smart phone with the new TrendNet Router. 33.62

I don't know why there is such a broad difference between my phone and iPad. However, I am extremely satisfied with the speed increase. App upgrades are about 5 times faster and my books load much faster too.

I purchased my TrendNet Router from Amazon.com for $134.00.

 

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