The Desert Computer Tutor

Category: Productivity Tools

  • Great Apps for Computers and

    Apps are not just for smartphones and tablets. Many apps are web based and accessed through your web browser. You don’t have to have a smart phone or tablet to use some of the most popular apps.

    However, when people buy smartphones or tablets, they often ask me what apps they should know about.  I’m always happy to make suggestions based on antheir lifestyle and interests.

    Since you may have received a gadget as a holiday gift, I thought it would be a good time to tell you about a few of my favorites apps and programs. You may already be using some of these but you may discover some new ones to try. Enjoy!

    Entertainment and Media:   

    NetflixNetflix let’s you watch an unlimited number movies and television shows online for only $8.95 mo. You can train it to make suggestions for you based on the movies you watch and how you rate them.  You can even set up separate profiles for individual family members!  And, there are no commercials!!!

    You can connect your gadget to your TV and watch movies on it too.

    chromeCast

     

    Chromecast from Google $35


    roku

    Roku Streaming Stick $50

     

    appleTvApple TV $99


    spotify

     

    Spotify let’s you listen to music for free.  It even has playlists by subject or genre. The variety is astounding and there are no commercials!!!

     

    YouTube

     

    YouTube is a must for doing research on any topic that can be best explained with a video.  Think recipes, repairing things, movie previews, songs, lyrics, instructional videos, and answers to absolutely any question under the sun.

    shazam

    Shazam listens to songs on the radio, TV or movies. It identifies the song title, shows you the performer, album, lyrics and links you to sites where you can purchase.

     

     

    Productivity:

    dropboxDropbox is a great app for cloud storage and sharing.  When you put files in there, you can access them from anygadget or computer.  I use the phone app to play audio files of lectures and seminars. It’s super easy to learn and you get 2GB of storage for free.  By referring your friends to Dropbox, you can earn up to 16GB of additional space.  Sign up here

     

    office 365

    One of the most popular productivity tools for home and business is Microsoft Office. Unfortunately, Office documents don’t always play nice with third-party apps. Now Microsoft has released the Microsoft Office Mobile app.   It lets you open, create and perform basic editing on Word, Excel and PowerPoint files no matter where you are.

     

    mintMint.com and its app  (Free, and available for Android and iOS) links to your all your bank accounts, credit card accounts and loans so you always know just how much money you have and how you are spending it. You can set up spending categories and create a budget for each category. I love it for keeping track of my income and expenses for paying my taxes.

     

    The weather channelThe Weather Channel app and weather.com show you the current temperature, the hourly forecast and the next 10 days of weather.  Also you get a customizable radar map, video clips, severe weather alerts and beach conditions. It’s better than your gadget’s built-in weather app.

     

     

    free wifi finder

    You don’t want to burn through your cellular data plan when you are out and about or on a trip, so you need to useWi-Fi whenever possible. You can find free Wi-Fi locations with the Free Wi-Fi Finder app.

     

    Dating:

    match

     

    Match.com app has earned the top spot in dating apps and is my favorite.

     

     

    pof-logo

     

    POF.com (Plenty of Fish) is very popular here in the desert and is free.

     

    google mapsNavigation:

    Google Maps is my favorite navigation app.  I especially appreciate that it invites you to submit corrections.  Youget an email thanking you for your help and then a follow up email when the corrections have been made.

    uberUber is an app-based transportation network that uses a smartphone application to receive ride requests, and then sends these trip requests to their drivers. Customers love using the app to request rides and to track their reserved vehicle’s location.  Uber’s drivers use their own cars and there is a variety of types of vehicles available, from Town Cars to SUVs and more.  One of my friends is a driver for Uber and just loves it.  It’s a win-win for everybody.

    Other Popular Apps

    Here are some other popular apps that I don’t find the time to use very often, but you might enjoy.

    Save Money  

    RetailmenotThe RetailMeNot app helps you find promo codes and coupons for more than 50,000 physical and online stores, including grocery stores. You can save and store coupons for later, and share the savings with your friends through social media.

     

     

    Photo EditingSnapseed-icon-medium

    Snapseed is the top app for photo-editing and VSCO Cam is gaining ground in popularity.

    Social and Sharing

    Pinterest

     

    Pinterest, WhatsApp and Snapchat are the top apps in messaging and texting.

     

    instagram

     

    Instagram and Facebook are considered the must-haves for social sharing. The Facebook app got me interestedin using Facebook more often because it is so easy to use.

    Sports

    watchESPN

     

    WatchESPN.com is the most popular app for sports fans.

     

     

     

    Fitness

    MyFitnessPal is the top fitness app.my fitness pal

     

     

     

     

    Do you have any favorite apps to share?

    There are thousands of apps and recommendations from friends is the best way to sort through the maze.  Do you have some favorite apps not mentioned here?  Post your comments below so everyone can benefit from your ideas.

  • A Small Gift With A Huge Benefit

    The Gift of Knowledge  

     

    At this holiday time when we focus on our desire for more peace and joy in the world, it seems fitting to tell you about a techie tool that is changing the world for the better — Wikipedia

     
    Jimmy Wales

     

    I love Wikipedia!  I use it all the time to find answers to questions and the meaning of new terms.  When I think about how this extensive body of knowledge is available to everyone in the world at no cost, my heart just leaps with joy.  What an amazing resource!  This is modern technology at its best. If you have never used it, please take a look here . You will love it!!!

     

     

    This time of year, Wikipdia.org puts up a banner asking for donations so that it will not have to resort to posting ads.  Since we all complain about ads on websites, it would serve us to make a donation now.  The good news is that if everyone who uses it paid only $3.00 the fundraising goal would be met!

     

    Features and BenefitsWikipedia

    Here are the reasons that Wikipedia, one of the world’s five most popular web properties, asks for financial support from its users and why you might want to participate. (Adapted from an appeal letter by Founder, Jimmy Wales.)

    1. Has a small number of paid staff, just twenty-three.
    2. Wikipedia content is free to use by anyone for any purpose.
    3. Annual expenses are less than six million dollars.
    4. Wikipedia is run by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation, founded in 2003.
    5. At its core, Wikipedia is driven by a global community of more than 150,000 volunteers – all dedicated to sharing knowledge freely.
    6. These volunteers have contributed more than 11 million articles in 265 languages.
    7. More than 275 million people come to the website every month to access information, free of charge and free of advertising.
    8. Wikipedia.org is committed to a world in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the sum of all human knowledge.
    9. Your donation helps cover the increasing cost of managing global traffic to one of the most popular websites on the Internet.
    10. Funds also help improve the software that runs Wikipedia — making it easier to search, easier to read, and easier to write for.
    11. Wikipedia.org is committed to growing the free knowledge movement world-wide, by recruiting new volunteers, and building strategic partnerships with institutions of culture and learning.
    12. Wikipedia.org is the largest encyclopedia in history, written by volunteers.
    13. Your donation will help keep Wikipedia free for the whole world.

    Gratitude

    world peaceBelow is the thank you email I received after making my donation.  It will show you the scope of their amazing work in the world.  I hope it will inspire you to use the service, if you haven’t already, and motivate you to donate.

     

    Thank you for your invaluable gift of bringing knowledge to every human around the world. My name is Lila Tretikov, and I’m the Executive Director of the Wikimedia Foundation. Over the past year, gifts like yours powered our efforts to expand the encyclopedia in 287 languages and to make it more accessible all over the world. We strive most to impact those who would not have access to education otherwise. We bring knowledge to people like Akshaya Iyengar from Solapur, India. Growing up in this small textile manufacturing town, she used Wikipedia as her primary learning source. For students in these areas, where books are scarce but mobile Internet access exists, Wikipedia is instrumental. Akshaya went on to graduate from college in India and now works as a software engineer in the United States. She credits Wikipedia with powering half of her knowledge.
    This story is not unique. Our mission is lofty and presents great challenges.Most people who use Wikipedia are surprised to hear it is run by a non-profit organization and funded by your donations. Each year, just enough people donate to keep the sum of all human knowledge available for everyone. Thank you for making this mission possible.

    On behalf of nearly half a billion people who read Wikipedia, thousands of volunteer editors, and staff at the Foundation, I thank you for keeping Wikipedia online and ad-free this year.

    Thank you,  
    Lila

    Lila Tretikov
    Executive Director,
    Wikimedia Foundation
    donate.wikimedia.org

  • OpenOffice.org

    Sometimes I Feel Stupid Too!  Computer User Feeling Stupid

     

    One of the biggest challenges for me in my work is that so many of my clients say they feel so stupid.  No one is stupid!  One of my goals in my work is to help my clients feel better about themselves.

     

    No one is born with all the information they need in order to navigate life.   We either educate ourselves or we “wing it” based on what we are told by others (who may or may not have the best information).

     

    Even those of us who take the time to do research, study and practice, will make mistakes. It’s part of the learning process.

     

    My goal is for you to benefit from my mistakes and those of my clients.

     

    Here are some really useful tips based on my work in the field this past week.

     

    Great Money Saving Tip

    OpenOffice.org

    There is a great free office suite called Open Office that looks very much like the apps in Microsoft Office and has many of the same tools.  You don’t need to pay for Microsoft Office suite.

     

    The Pitfalls

    The address for Open Office is www.openoffice.org not “.com”  There is another site, http://www.openoffice.us.com that looks reputable but will download a bunch of malware programs on your computer.

    firefox-os_logo-wordmark_RGB-vertical-300dpiThe Solution    Google Chrome

    You should be using Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome.

     

    If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer as your web browser, you are at risk of getting add pop ups installed on it and having your home page changed to something you don’t want.  This is called “hijacking your web browser”.

    Norton Internet Security

     

    If you have installed the W.O.T (Web of Trust) extension on your web browser or if you are using Norton with Internet Security, you will see a notification that http://www.openoffice.us.com  is not safe.
    (Buy Norton from Dom at Desert Cow Computers and save $20.) www.mydesertcow.com

     

     

     

    Do a Google search for reviews of any app you are considering downloading before you proceed.

    The Rules In Review

    • Use the right web browser and search engine
    • Have safety extensions on your browser
    • Do your research
    • Be sure you are going to the reputable site

     

    If none of his makes sense to you, just call for an appointment.

    The promise of successEverything will be OK.   We’ll do it together.

     

    Hope this helps you “make peace with the ups and downs of modern technology.”

     

  • The Joys of Airplane Mode

    Airplane Mode for Travel

     

    Many of us will be traveling and visiting family this time of year.  Here are some tips to enhance the peace and joy of your holiday season.

    Using Airplane Mode on your smartphone isn’t only useful for flights. The feature can prolong your battery life or allow you to unplug and enjoy some uninterrupted family time. Here are some surprising ways you might want to use it.

    1: During a flight

    Screen shot of Settings for Android

    If you have been on a flight in the last few years, you have heard the constant reminders from the flight attendants to turn off all electronic devices. Once the plane has reached an altitude of 10,000 feet, cell phones can be used in airplane mode.

    To activate Airplane Mode on your phone, simply go into the Settings app and turn it on.  There are shortcuts to do this, depending on the type of phone, (ask me to show you on yours next time we see each other) but this method will work for everyone reading this article.

    Once Airplane Mode is activated, your phone turns off both the Wi-Fi and cellular connections. This means you will no longer be able to make or receive calls, texts, or e-mails, or browse the Internet — anything that requires a data connection will not work while Airplane Mode is activated.

    Wi-Fi can be turned back on and connected to a network while phone is in Airplane Mode.  If you are lucky enough to be on a flight with Wi-Fi, you can turn just the Wi-Fi connection back on and send emails, browse the Internet, or send instant messages.  (Again, just go into the settings app and turn the wifi on.)

     

    Screen shot of Settings for iPhone

    2: To unplug for awhile

    Airplane Mode is a great way to unplug in order to spend some quality time with your family or just take a break from the beeps that seem to control our lives sometimes.

    Putting your phone in Airplane Mode puts you back in control. You may be surprised how quickly you forget that your connection is turned off, and how peaceful your evening can be.

    This is also a great way to silence your phone during important meetings. Don’t worry, all of your messages will be waiting and will download as soon as you turn Airplane Mode off.

     

     

    3: While traveling internationally

    Screen shot of Airplane mode on iPhone

    Traveling across borders can be an expensive affair for you and your wireless carrier. International roaming charges are very pricey. One way to avoid the extra roaming fees is to activate airplane mode on your phone and only use Wi-Fi hotspots while you travel. You won’t be able to receive text messages or phone calls, but you will still be able to check your e-mail, use instant messaging, and browse the Internet over a Wi-Fi-only connection.  (You can let people know you will be out of town and suggest they communicate by email until you get back.)

     

     

     

     

    screen shot of movie on phone

    4: While the kids play games or movies

    Your smartphone can provide a welcome distraction for your young kids or grand kids. However, as you can imagine, kids will start pushing and tapping anything they see on the screen.  You don’t want them accidentally dialing phone numbers or sending random texts. If you are going to let your favorite little people play games or watch a movie on your phone, turn on Airplane Mode before you give your phone to them. This not only prevents them from calling anyone, but it also stops push alerts from interrupting their game or movie.

     

    5: To save battery

    screen shot of battery status on iPhone

    We have all been in a situation where we suddenly have a low battery and no access to a charger. One way to help slow down battery drain is to turn Airplane Mode on. When your phone is on, even with the screen off, it is constantly searching for and monitoring data connections. Turning those connections off with Airplane Mode will save battery, allowing you to make calls only when you absolutely need to.

  • Microsoft And Apple Finally Playing Together Nice? Not!

    I always love hearing from my clients and friends when they have an idea or a question.  It keeps me up to speed with your needs and concerns and provides me with the opportunity help others as well.  I enjoy doing the research and making the mistakes, so you don’t have to.

    Recently I received this email,

    office 365You should check out this offer of free software from Microsoft and Apple.  It really works, though it is available from the “Cloud” and is likely a bit slow.  I have their version for PC’s on my computer, and I pay $99.00 per year to use it!  This version, being free, and downloadable from the Apple App Store, looks worth a shot!

     

    I was aware of this new service and have been meaning to try it.  This week I finally had the opportunity.  I was very disappointed.

    I’m helping a client format his auto biography for self publishing on CreateSpace.com. He wrote it entirely on his iPad! (No, he didn’t write it using the touch screen keyboard.  LOL  He has a wireless keyboard for it.)
    At first I thought we could collaborate on the document using the new iPages for iCloud service but it was sorely lacking in editing tools. (It’s in Beta, or test version.)

    pages on cloudEver the “Queen of the Work-around”, I copied and pasted the doc into my Microsoft Word app.  Next, I signed up for the free month trial of Office 365 online so we could collaborate on the cloud.

    MS-Office-for-iPad

     

    Then, I  directed my client to download the free Microsoft Office app for iPad. Alas, it only gave him the ability to read the doc!

    Microsoft, doesn’t say a word about that in the promotional information online! You have to subscribe to Office 365 and pay a monthly fee in order to have editing capabilities.

    computer-frustration-815492-m
    My client could have signed up for the free month trial but you know what it’s like to set up a new account with password and credit card info, and you have to put it on your calendar to cancel the service in 30 days before you get billed on auto-pay.  I wasn’t going to suggest that he go through all that for one project.  So much for “the boys” collaborating on the cloud!  We are back to emailing attachments.

    It’s a challenge to keep up with all the changes but somebody has to do it. I enjoy doing it and always appreciate your help. Hopefully, sharing my experiences in the field will spare you from wasted time, money and frustration.

    victory-1095383-mKeep those questions and ideas coming. Remember to consult with me about what you want to accomplish before deciding on what to buy (apps as well as gadgets).

    Let me give you an orientation on how to use your new products and services so you can get your work done quickly, easily and efficiently.

    Whom do you know that could use my help?  I promise to take good care of them.  Call me today!

  • Convenient & Affordable New Service for You!

    Convenient & Affordable
    New Service for You!join.me

    From time to time, clients have said they wished they could have me on a “retainer” to answer a quick question or get them out of a jam.  We have discussed a subscription service where people would pay a monthly fee, but most people wouldn’t need help every month. This week, the subject came up again and my clients said they would love to be able to “pay as needed”  They suggested that I charge $60 hr. (to keep the math simple) and bill in 15 min increments (to make it worth my time).  I thought it was a great idea and a real win-win solution. I’m excited to be offering this this as a new service.

    I will be happy to answer your questions on the phone, by remote access into your computer, or by email. This is a great option for people who need some help, but don’t need a whole one-hour appointment in their home.  Bring me all those niggling questions and frustrations and let’s get you back to full enjoyment of your techie tools.  Call me today for an appointment!

  • FYI for Current Users of Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod

    FYI:  For Current Owners of Apple Gadgets:

    Ipad And Iphone

    The iOS 8 update is available now for users of iPhone 4 and later, iPad 2 and later, iPad mini and later, and iPod touch (fifth generation).

    You may have to delete some things in order to have enough memory to install the update.  It can take quite a bit of time to look at your apps’ usage and decide what to delete.  (Go to Settings > General > Usage)

    I had to dump 2 GB on my iPhone 4s.  I chose to keep my music for my workouts and dump a lot of photos. I also dumped a bunch of apps I wasn’t using very often.  I didn’t care about them anyway so it was a good incentive for me to do some clean up. I will run the update and report back in next week’s Techie Tip.

  • iPhone VS Android — “The Boys Slug It Out For Another Round”

    iPhone Vs Android
    “The Boys” Slug It Out For Another Round

    Apple and Google went for another round in the competition for market dominance this week as Apple launched it’s larger iPhone 6 models and its iOS 8 operating system for all its gadgets.

    iOS 8 has has some very cool new features and I noticed that many of them are features that Android phones have had for a long time.  (I have used both and currently use an iPhone.)  My son, Jason, who is convinced Android is far better than iPhone and hated to see me switch, sent me this hilarious joke about the news.

    Reaction to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has been lukewarm. Many have accused Apple of playing catch up with rivals such as Samsung, rather than leading the way. An image titled 'Dear iPhone 6 users: Welcome to 2012' has gone viral, (pictured) which lists new Apple features that have existed on Android phones for years

    I asked Jason if he thought I should wait to install the update until the bugs are worked out and the app developers have more time to fix their apps to work with it, and he said,

    Jason Griswold's profile photo

    “Nah, that’s for normal people, we are in tech…we live to have our world turned upside down.”

    He’s so funny!  But it’s true.  I love the challenge, the adventure and being able to make your transitions easier by sharing my experience.

    Who do you know that…

    • Is trying to decide whether to buy an Android gadget or an Apple gadget
    • Needs help with updating to iOS 8
    • Wants a tutorial on the changes and new features or
    • Wants to learn more about their Android phone

    Please let me know so I can help them “make peace with the ups and downs of computer technology.” 

  • Video Calling Is Such Fun!

    skypeHave you ever done video calling? It’s really fun and I’m finding that many of my clients use it to stay in touch with their children and grandchildren.

    You can get loved ones together on the same group video call — in just a few clicks. You can even show your screen. It’s great for making travel plans, group decisions or sharing your holiday photos with everyone on the call. Whether you’re planning a party or just want to catch up with friends and family, group video calling lets you get together with everyone all at once — no matter where they are.

    Last Christmas, I was visiting my daughter and her fiancé in Colorado and we opened gifts with his family in Texas via the Skype app on their big screen TV. It was so much fun…almost as good as being together in person. What a great way to bring families together! I highly recommend it.

    The Skype app is free and can be downloaded to your computer and all your gadgets. The people you want to video call, have to have the app too and have to accept your invitation.  To see how it works on Skype Click here

    If you use Apple products you can use Face Time. The people you call, must be Apple product users also so they can use the Face Time app. See how to do it

    If you, and the people you want to video call, have gmail accounts, you can do video calls right from gmail, or you can use the free Google Hangouts app. See the instructions here

    If you, or someone you know would like personal tutoring to learn how to do this, or if you want to invite a group of friends and learn together in a “Play Shop,” just let me know. Thanks!

  • Pre-purchase Consultation Questions

    One of my services is consulting with people to help them choose the best computer or gadget for their individual needs.  So much frustration can be avoided by buying the right product in the first place, and I have already test-driven quite a few of them in order to pave the way for others to have a more pleasant experience.  See my previous posts for the gruesome details.  LOL

    Here are the questions I use for my consultations.  Please forward this to your friends and relatives so they will have it when they are considering a computer or gadget purchase.   They will thank you for it.

    1. What is your budget?

    2. What is the size of the notebook that you are considering?

    3. What screen resolution do you want?

    4. Do you need a portable or desktop replacement laptop?

    5. How much battery life do you need?

    6. Do you want to play games with your laptop? If so then please list the games that you want to with the settings that you want for these games. (Low, Medium or High)?

    7. What other tasks do you want to do with your laptop? (Photo/Video editing, etc.)

    8. How much storage (Hard Drive capacity) do you need?

    9. If you are considering specific sites to buy from, please post their links.

    10. How long do you want to keep your laptop?

    11. What kind of Optical drive do you need? DVD ROM/Writer, Blue Ray ROM/Writer, etc ?

    12. Please tell me about the brands that you prefer and the brands that you don’t like and explain the reasons.

    13. What country do you live in?

    14. Please tell me any additional information if needed.

    Additionally… you should consider available support options in your area. If you buy something abroad, will you be able to have it fixed near where you live? Does the warranty apply? How quickly do local accredited technicians fix laptops?