Chris found my Desert Computer Tutor blog and signed up to to receive notifications of new posts. I checked out his blog and found his gem for Veterans Day. He’s a writer and shares my love of technology. Technology puts us in touch with new friends and brings the world closer together. Thanks Chris! You Rock!
Category: Helpful Websites
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Thank You To Our Troops and Their Families
Feeling deep gratitude today for the sacrifices of our troops and their families and praying that our nation will come to it’s senses soon. We need leaders who can think outside the box…who will listen with true understanding and compass
ion…who are open to new approaches to achieving peace and economic security for all. I know we are on the brink of a global higher consciousness–the Tipping Point, and I look forward to seeing The Shift soon.Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial Site: Notable Deaths & Obituaries | Legacy.com.
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Should You Use Your Facebook Login To Create New Accounts?
I’ve been helping an artist friend of mine get her art uploaded to internet sites marketing.She asked me what it means when she is invited to create and account for a website using her Facebook login.
I have run into this also, and have been meaning to look into it. (When in doubt, I don’t do it.)
Here is the info I found on logging in using our Facebook login. I’m glad I finally looked into it.I appears that in some cases, an app company is just trying to streamline the account set up process for us so we don’t have to fill out another form and they don’t have to create a form to fill out.In other cases, the company may be harvesting information about you and posting commercials to your wall.The bottom line is that you need to take the time to read the agreements and choose carefully.Below are two articles that explain the options.http://www.sctimes.com/interactive/article/99999999/CUST/120213001/Why-Sign-Facebook?nclick_check=1
http://thepcspy.com/read/never-login-with-facebook/I clicked on the Facebook’s Application Settings screen link in the second article to check my settings.Here is how it looks. They are all sites that I trust.App Settings
You have authorized these apps to interact with your Facebook account:-
Yelp
August 23Edit
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TripAdvisor
August 23Edit
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Meetup
August 22Edit
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bitly
August 9Edit
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MyCalendar – Birthdays
April 26Edit
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Bing
More than 6 months agoEdit
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Pandora
July 29Edit
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Blue Mountain eCards
July 12Edit
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WordPress.com
June 1Edit
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AWeber Email Marketing
July 8Edit
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Facebook Platform Opt In
More than 6 months agoI probably will not be using my facebook login to create new accounts in the future, but if I do, I will read the fine print first.I always appreciate your questions. I love doing research and keeping “up to speed.”
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Find Wi-Fi On The Go
This app is awesome!
JiWire uses your phone’s GPS to find nearby Wi-Fi hotspots. It even gives you directions.
It’s especially useful here in the desert when you want a nice air conditioned spot to chill and get some work done.
(I personally love Panera Bread on Hwy 111 and 74…I even do tutoring sessions there sometimes.)
Imagine how helpful it will be when you are traveling out of town on vacation or business.
3G (phone) service is pretty slow sometimes, and many people have limited data plans, so this app is really helpful on so many levels.
You can sorts hotspots by service provider, which is helpful if you have a deal with AT&T or T-Mobile.
Looking for coffee? You can sort by hotspot location type.
It also sorts by Free and Paid services.
JiWire invites you to submit new locations to help keep its database updated.
I just downloaded and tested it and it came up wiith 26 free wifi hot spots within a radius of my home in So. Palm Desert!
Cost: Free! Makes my little techie-loving heart flutter with joy!
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Your Can Save a Life
A friend sent me this and you must see it.
This is technology at its finest! An inspiring and instructive video, the 911 system, a dispatcher coaching on a cell phone, the coolest automatic defibrillator gadget, and a life saved! Brought tears of joy to my techie loving soul. You have to see this Heart Rescue Video
My next thought was, “there must be an app for that,”and a little research revealed that indeed there is!
It would be ideal if there were two or three people to help, one to look at app, one to do the work, and one to go get that that very cool defibrillator gadget! But if the app inspires one person to call 911 quickly and try CPR instead of standing around in confusion and fear, then there is a better chance that lives will be saved.
Kudos to The Heart Rescue Project and the American Heart Association!
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Stop Unwanted Mail
Catalogue Choice is a Free service to opt out of catalogs, coupons, credit card offers, phone books, circulars and more. You can even add companies that are not already on their list.
- Reduce clutter by opting out with Catalog Choice
- Protect your privacy by removing your name from marketers’ database
- Help the environment–with over a million members and growing, they are saving natural resources.
Create an account to opt out for free Sign Up Now -
What to Do With Your Outdated Gadgets?
Our gadgets get outdated faster every year! But don’t just let them collect and clutter your home or office. You might be able to get some money for them; and if not, you can recycle them and get them out of your way.
In any case, be sure to erase your data first. Even if you’re giving away an old phone to a close friend or relative, you still don’t want them snooping around in your contacts, text messages, photos and email.
Fortunately, erasing an iPhone or Android phone isn’t difficult at all. You just have to know where to look.
Before erasing, make sure you backup the old phone. For an iPhone, connect it to a Mac or PC and launch iTunes. Follow the onscreen instructions to perform a backup of your apps, settings and other data.
For an Android, backup important files to your PC or an external drive. Sync your contacts with Google cloud or your Gmail account.
To erase an iPhone 3GS or 4, go to Settings>>General>>Reset. Tap Erase All Content and Settings, then press the big red button that says Erase iPhone. The phone will give you an estimate of how long it will take.
You erase the iPad and the iPod touch the same way. Make sure your gadget is fully charged or plugged in before starting. Sometimes the process can take a while.
If you want to double check, you can check the mail, phone, calendar and message apps to verify that everything is gone. If you sync the device to the computer again, it should show up as a new gadget.
For an Android gadget, press Menu and tap Settings. Select SD & Phone Storage and then tap Factory data reset. Tap Reset Phone. All your information, apps and the SD card will be gone.
Some manufacturers modify how Android works on their gadgets. If you don’t see the above options, check your phone’s manual or contact the manufacturer’s support website for specific instructions.
If you have a newer older gadget, you can make back some of your money by selling it. I recommend CashForLaptops.com I sold my mom’s old laptop and got $60 for it. It was so easy. I applied online, they mailed me the packaging and label, kept me updated by email and paid promptly. They didn’t want my old Blackberry but, hey, it was worth a try.
If you can’t sell it, then please recycle it. The easiest way is to drop things off at Best buy in Palm Desert.
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Share Your Vacation Photos
As many of you have discovered, it isn’t always easy to email photos to your friends and family. The reason is that email service providers have placed limitations on the size of file transfers. The best way to share photos is to post them on a website and send your friends and family a link so they can go there and view them. Some sites even provide options for others to add their photos. This is particularly helpful if you have attended an event and want to pool all the photos. Everyone can enjoy each other’s photos. You can even choose which ones you want to print. Another advantage, is that you have your photos in another place for back up.
There are many sites that will host your photos with no charge. When you get to a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can upload multiple shots at once and unload your memory cards for tomorrow’s adventures. All of your shots will be displayed in a beautiful digital gallery.
Shutterfly – is a popular photo-sharing community. It gives you an interactive Web page to display all of your pictures, and your friends and family can comment on your photos. The site displays your photos as a gallery, slideshow or a digital photo book. If you want a physical book, Shutterfly will print one for a fee. It includes basic photo editing, including filters and a red-eye removal tool. There is also an APP that allows you to post photos to social media sites right from your Web album or iPhone.
WinkFlash is a site designed to turn your photos into prints. It handles everything from an 8×10 poster to a canvas to hang on your wall. You don’t need to purchase anything to store your photos, though. It has an email feature so that allows you to snap a picture with your mobile device, compose an e-mail and send it later when you have access to Wi-Fi. You can email pictures to your friends as well. If you want to share on social media, simply copy and paste your page’s link to Facebook or Twitter.
Snapfish has all the usual ways to upload photos, but it adds Facebook and Flickr as well. There’s even a handy mobile app if you like to snap pictures from your smartphone. In addition to prints and posters, Snapfish will turn your pictures into just about anything. You can put photos onto an iPhone skin, water bottle or even a kid’s growth chart! Snapfish makes it easy to decorate your whole home with your favorite photos.
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Extend Your Smart Phone Battery
The tips in the video above apply to all smart phones. She has additional tips for iPhones in this article: http://www.komando.com/toolbox.aspx?mode=print&id=12719If this is all too technical and makes your eyes glaze over and your brain lock up, just call me for help.In Joy,Mardi
The Desert Computer Tutor 