YouTube shortcuts

Merry day-after-Christmas!  I hope you had a special day yesterday with family and friends.

So, if you happen to be using YouTube today to learn how to use one of your new gifts or fix something that got broken during the holiday, these YouTube shortcuts might come in handy:

Use the Space or K key to pause the video.

J and L will go backward/forward 10 seconds at a time

M will mute.

Super handy!

Want a new smartphone?

Is your smartphone battery running out before the end of the day?  Is it slow to react to your touch?  Are you wanting to take better photos? 

Then you may want to check out these articles before deciding which phone is best "for you."

iPhones

Androids

Don't own a smartphone and wanting to know more about your choices

Merry Christmas!  Maybe Santa will leave one of these devices in your stocking?!  :-)

Oops! Undo

Have you ever accidentally closed a tab while you were browsing on the internet?  To reopen the most recently closed tab and get back to what you were doing: 
On a Windows computer, simply press Ctrl + Shift + T
On a Mac computer, press Cmd (Command) + Shift + T 
Another "undo" key combination to remember in case you accidentally erase words in your email or document as you are writing it:
Windows - CTRL + Z
Macs - Cmd (Command) + Z
These keyboard shortcuts have been timesavers for me the past couple of weeks when I've been shopping online!

Microfiber - the perfect cleaning cloth!

Looking for a perfect stocking stuffer for everyone on your list? Check out these microfiber cloths! These are wonderful for cleaning screens of computers, phones, tablets, TVs, eyeglasses....the list goes on and on.

I always carry one of these Fuzzy Fingers in my purse and pull it out whenever my phone screen or iPad becomes so smudged I can't stand it any longer. It does an amazing job!

Although the above links are for online venues, you might be able to find something similar at WalMart or Target.  

Happy holiday shopping!

New iPhone & iPhone YouTube channel

Last evening, Apple launched a dedicated channel for iPad and iPhone users.  The account features highly-produced tutorial videos explaining all sorts of iOS features from how to change your wallpaper to deleting your phone call history.

The videos range between 1-2 minutes in length with captions available for accessibility.  Each video shows a person's hand walk through each step of the process, along with on-screen bullet points.

The launch included a selection of 10 videos; it's not clear how often Apple will update the channel with new videos, but it looks promising!

Do you know someone who would like to subscribe to the weekly Tuesday Tech Tips email? Please share this link: http://bit.ly/tuesdaytechtips2017

Protect your device by always installing the updates

No matter what operating system you use, you will always want to have the latest version installed.  Hackers work around the clock looking for vulnerabilities; not keeping your computer/device up-to-date is an open invitation to an attack from the outside.

Usually you are alerted when updates are available, but remember to follow through by downloading and installing them because they are designed to protect you from the latest threats.

Want to see if you have any updates available?

1) On a Windows 10 machine: Click on Start (window icon in the lower-left corner of your screen) >> Settings >> Update & Security >> Check for Updates.

2) On your Mac: Click the Apple logo at the top left of your screen >> About this Mac >> Software Update.

Happy Thanksgiving and if you are in the market for a new computer, keep your eyes on the Black Friday/Cyber Monday ads.  There will be some great deals BUT read the specs carefully to make sure it is the model you want.  :-)

Scroll down a webpage....quickly!

If you are reading a rather long article on the internet OR if you want to skim a webpage, DON'T pick up the mouse and use the scroll bar to scroll down the page!  That takes too much energy and time.  :-)

Simply tap the space bar on your computer to scroll down one page at a time.  Want to scroll back up the page--- hold down the Shift key and tap the space bar.  Give it a try!

Maybe you'll have time for an extra cup of coffee/hot chocolate with the time saved from this little tip!  Enjoy.

Motel/hotel scam

I usually feel that I am pretty good at recognizing a scam, but when I read about this one online yesterday, I felt it was something I might have fallen for. I tried to verify the scam but couldn't find any conflicting information, so I think it is accurate.  Knowing that many of you travel, I want to share the scam with you.

The phone rings in your motel/hotel room. You answer and the person on the other end says the following: ‘This is the front desk. When checking in, we came across a problem with your charge card information. Please re-read me your credit card numbers and verify the last 3 digits numbers at the reverse side of your charge card.’

Not thinking anything wrong, since the call seems to come from the front desk you oblige. But actually, it is a scam by someone calling from outside the hotel. They have asked for a random room number, then ask you for your credit card and address information. 

The complete article is located here - http://www.thedailyberries.com/beware-new-hotel-scam-checking-hotel/   It seems that some hotels have safeguards in place to prevent this from happening, but not all.  We just need to continually educate ourselves about ways to protect our personal information.

Snipping Tools for Computers and Smartphones

Do you ever wish you could save just part of a webpage (maybe a recipe or news item)?
Or maybe you are having problems with your computer/phone and want to save or send a "picture" of what the screen is displaying?  If so, these tips are for you!

Easy Ways to Take a Screenshot or Snippet Using a Computer or Smartphone:

A) For Windows computers:

1. From the start menu search for Snipping Tool and open it.
2. Click on New.
3. Using the + draw the area you would like to snip. Or from the Mode drop-down arrow select the snip type: Free-Form, Rectangular, Window, or Full Screen.
4. You can annotate the snip by using the pen or highlighter. There is even an eraser in case you need to make a change.
5. From the menu you can choose to save the snip, copy it, or email it. 

B) For Macs (Apple computers):
To snip a section of the screen

1. Simultaneously type Command, Shift, 4.
2. When the cursor changes to a cross +, drag a box around the section you want to copy and release the mouse.
3. The screenshot is automatically saved to the desktop. 

To snip the entire screen

1. Simultaneously type Command, Shift, 3.
2. This will save an image of the entire screen.
3. The screenshot is automatically saved to the desktop.

C) For iPhones  - https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT200289

D) For Android phones - https://www.greenbot.com/article/2825064/android/how-to-take-a-screenshot-on-your-android-phone.html

Small pdf - online converter

Sometimes we want to convert files; from pdf to Word, from Word to pdf, JPG to pdf, etc.  This is a handy website to use to do that and much, much more: https://smallpdf.com  No account is needed.

Just give it a quick try then you may want to bookmark it for future use.

2018 Drug Plans for Seniors - Which One is Best for You?

It's that time of year again!  You can review, compare and join a 2018 drug plan now through December 7, 2017.  It is strongly recommended that we seniors annually review our drug plans so there are no surprises.  Premiums change as do the tiers for drugs we presently take.

There are 3 different methods you can use to review your plan:
1) Make an appointment with a local pharmacist and ask for their help in determining what is best for you. Be sure to take your Medicare card and your list of medicines with you.

2) Make an appointment through the Lyon County Extension Office for SHICK (Senior Health Insurance Counselors of Kansas) ; they start making appointments today, Oct. 17.  Be sure to take your Medicare card and your list of medicines with you to your appointment. Phone number:  341-3220

3)  If you'd like to explore the Drug Plan options yourself, the medicare.gov website is excellent!  https://www.medicare.gov/find-a-plan/questions/home.aspx  We used it last year for us, and then I used it for my mom BEFORE we went to an appointment with the SHICK program for her. Results were identical. The website is exactly the same one the SHICK program used last year (and my guess is that pharmacists also use the same website).
If you'd like help using the website, there are 5 video tutorials (anywhere from 1-5 minutes in length):

Getting Started
Entering Your Prescription Drugs
Selecting Pharmacies
Refining and Sorting Plan Results
Comparing Plans

Whatever method you choose, please review your present plan.  Costs can change dramatically from year to year, so even if you choose to stay with the same plan next year, at least you can know what the increase in premiums or drugs will be.

Equifax, Part 2

What have you done to protect yourself?

The number of affected consumers has reached over 145 million according to the findings of the cybersecurity firm who completed their investigation into the Equifax breach.  The big difference between this breach and others that have occurred in past years is that criminals may have stolen your birthdate and your social security number.  You can't just get replacements for those pieces of your personal data!  It will be "out there" forever.

Many articles have been written with recommendations as to what we as consumers should do, and there seems to be some consensus, although you will have to decide yourself as to what you want to do.  Remember,  hackers and cybercriminals count on us being lazy with our online accounts. So, do what you can to maintain your security!  

1)  Check out www.equifaxsecurity2017.com to see if your data was compromised.
2)  Consider enrolling in the free 1-year monitoring provided by Equifax for ALL consumers whether their data was compromised or not.
3) Monitor your credit card and online accounts regularly for unusual charges.
4) Change your passwords, especially on financial accounts.
5) Be extra careful about emails, links, and phone calls.  Equifax will NOT call you.
6) Enable two-factor authentication on online accounts if given the opportunity.
7) File your taxes as soon as you get the needed information; file before a criminal uses your personal information to do this.

YouTube tips

Do you frequently use YouTube?
Do you stay away from YouTube because of your slow internet connection?

If you answered "yes" to either of those questions, you might want to quickly skim these 5 tips for using YouTube  (watch the video or below the video you can find the print version on Kim Komando's website).
https://www.komando.com/tips/313492/hidden-youtube-secrets/all
I was only familiar with 1 out of the 5 tips; hope they are helpful to you, too!
(I find Kim Komando's tips to usually be very, very helpful BUT I dislike clicking through all the pop-up advertising......but, of course, I don't want to pay a subscription fee so I put up with it.)  :-)

Which is bigger - a petabyte or zottabyte?

Terabytes? Petabytes? Yottabytes?  What do those words mean? How do they compare? There are so many terms to remember in the field of technology that it is hard to keep them all straight!  

I'll give you a tip, though. When asked the questions below, your correct answer will probably be  _______ GB (gigabytes).
"How large is your cellphone?"
"How large is your computer's hard drive?"
"How much cellular data do you have on your phone?"

The chart below might be helpful, too.  To move up each level from the bottom to the top, multiply by 1000 (or 1024 to be exact)!

• A yottabyte (YB) is larger than a 
• zettabyte (ZB) is larger than an .... 
• exabyte (EB) is larger than a...
• petabyte (PB), which is larger than a...
• terabyte (TB), which is larger than a...
• gigabyte (GB), which is larger than a...
• megabyte (MB), which is larger than a...
• kilobyte (KB), which is larger than a...
• byte (B)

--and it takes 8 bits to make one byte.  A bit is the amount of storage required to store one character of text. 

I smile when I think about when I first started teaching in the computer lab at the middle school; the hard drives in the computer lab were measured in megabytes (MB) and we thought that was wonderful!

Times have changed.  Some day yottabyte will be part of our every day language, I suppose.

iOS 11 - Apps that won't work any longer

Today's tip is for iPhone and iPad users:

iOS 11 is reported to be ready for release today.  We'll see.  I'm eager to download it on our phones and iPad because of some great new features!  

Once iOS 11 is installed, though, there may be some apps on your phone or iPad that no longer work....unless their developers decide later to do an update.

To check out the apps that will no longer work after iOS 11 is installed, go to Settings - General - About - Applications.  I found 45 apps that will no longer work on my iPhone, but I have to admit that I only use one of those on a regular basis, so it won't be a big loss.  I probably downloaded the others just to take a look at them when they were recommended in an article I was reading.  :-)

Keeping my fingers crossed that my phone will show the update is available later today!  (Our phones have displayed some strange behaviors the past two weeks; I'm hoping it is just because Apple is getting ready to roll out this new app!)

Equifax breach - what should you do?

I've written and re-written the "tip" below multiple times over the last 10 days and am still not totally sure about the recommendations.  I'd love to hear from you if you have different information or suggestions!

The Equifax breach continues in the news.  Hopefully, you all have read about the breach and may have already taken some steps to minimize possible damage.

I've watched the news; I've read the news.  One this is certain:  You should not ignore this breach; you need to take some actions to protect yourself. It seems there are some recurring suggestions and I've listed those below but I'd welcome responses/suggestions from all of you.

1)  Visit https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/ and scroll to the bottom of the page.  Click on the Potential Impact button to check your vulnerability.  However, it is safe to say that MOST of us had identity information that was stolen from Equifax.  (Our son living in Germany is the only one in the family who appears to be "safe.")

2)  Use the above link to Enroll in the complimentary year of free credit file monitoring being provided by Equifax.  

3) Consider putting a freeze on your credit....with all three reporting agencies (Equifax, TransUnion and Experian). This is a great article explaining how/why to do that.

4) File your taxes as early as you possibly can next year before a scammer can claim your tax refund.

5)  Monitor and continue to monitor for years to come your credit card statements.

6) Request a free credit report from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax on a rotating basis - one company every 4 months.  Put a reminder on your calendar to do this.  You can request one report per year and this will not hurt your credit score.  Spreading them out every 4 months will allow you to regularly monitor your credit reports.

Backing up to the cloud

Are there items on your digital devices that you would be absolutely lost or devastated without? Pictures? Financial files? Important information for other accounts?  Genealogy information?

If so, the recent tragedy in Texas only serves to remind us that if we are not backing up to a cloud service, we should find a way to do that.

A family relative in Texas was rescued in the middle of the night by her son.  She woke up to the sound of dripping water and when she stepped out of bed, her feet were in 2-3 inches of water.  By the time her son arrived, they waded out of the area in chest-deep water.  It was harrowing; she had no time to collect belongings.....didn't even have her shoes.  Scary.

Now, she will begin the process of rebuilding her life.  Everything she owned is gone.  Pictures of her late husband and brother.  Financial files.  Everything.

Most of us back up important files, BUT usually on an external hard drive.  But, in addition to that, you should also be storing your important things in the "cloud." "The cloud" simply means you are storing your documents on some computers that someone else owns so that if something happens to your house, your documents/photos will still be retrievable on another computer.  If you aren't sure if you are backing up to the cloud we probably need to talk about that one-on-one.  

However, if you are using one of these services -- iCloud, Microsoft One Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox, Google Photos, etc. then you are backing up to the cloud IF you are actually using them to upload all of your files automatically OR if you regularly copy your documents or photos to them.

I plan on spending one of our class sessions on "the cloud" this fall.  I know we have briefly discussed it before but last week's hurricane stresses the true importance of making sure our electronic files will always be there for us.

For more information on the "top" cloud storage for 2017, you may want to check out this article:
http://www.techradar.com/news/the-best-free-cloud-storage 

Anti-virus Aware

Anti-virus questions from two different people this week have prompted this topic today.  :-)
1)  For PC users (non-Apple products), Avast Free remains the anti-virus program of choice.  You do not need pay for this.  NEVER click on any of the promotions from this company to say that you want to Upgrade. You don't need anything more than the free version.  It may ask you to renew annually, but at that time all you need to do is Select the free version....nothing more. Avast is available at avast.com.

2)  More is not better.  Running two anti-virus programs does  not give you twice the protection.  It usually only causes conflicts within the computer and a possible slowdown.  (Although I have read the Windows Defender, a component of Windows 10 can run in the background while Avast, but I''m not 100% convinced.

3) Mac users (devices are from Apple) do not need to run anti-virus protection.  It is not needed and you may experience a slowdown in your computer if you install protection.

Facebook email - real or scam?

Facebook users, have you ever received an email from Facebook like this one below?  On Saturday, I received two of these emails within a couple of minutes of each other.  I had been on Facebook earlier that day but had not had any trouble logging in to my account. So, why did I get these emails? Hmmmm.


Were they scam emails?  That's what I thought at first, but after looking at the actual "From" address and googling some of the key words in the email, I found that the emails had indeed come from Facebook.  Hmmmm.

Then I wondered, "Had someone else been trying to log into my account?" Possibly.

So, I decided the best thing to do was to change my password. I did NOT clink on the link in the email (a definite no-no), but I accessed the settings of my Facebook account, and immediately changed my password......just in case. (Settings - Security and Login - Change Password)

Lesson of the day for me:  If in doubt about security of my accounts, change password......but NOT by clicking on the link in an email.  I know, I know, it's a pain--- something new to remember or write down.  And, remember, you will then have to login with the new password on each device you own.  Ugh.  Safety comes with a price...either financial or in time. But, it's the price we have to pay for all the conveniences provided by today's technology.

Capturing the Lunar Eclipse

Do you plan on taking photos Monday during the lunar eclipse?

Many of us will probably have our cameras or phones out during the lunar eclipse on Monday, but very few of us will end up with photos of the moon and sun that are very satisfactory.  Much information can be found on the web for "photography tips and tricks" for this big event, but most successful pictures will be created by cameras and phones with special attachments and filters purchased specifically for this event.

So, what does that  mean for us amateurs?
1) Enjoy the event.
2) Get your protective glasses now if you don't already have them. Use them throughout the whole event unless you travel to a location that will have 100% coverage area for a couple of minutes.
3) Take photos and video of what is happening around you during the eclipse. Record people's reactions and comments during the event.  (Go to the zoo to observe how this affects the animals).
Caution: DO NOT USE A FLASH OF ANY KIND!  You will ruin the dark adaptation of everyone's eyes, and will spoil the show for them all!!
4) Or, just savor the experience. Use your eyes and senses to experience this once in a lifetime event.

A little computer humor!

One of you recently forwarded this email to me.  I laughed out loud while reading and then when I read it to John I could hardly read for all my laughing.  Don't take it too seriously; enjoy this conversation between a customer and a pizza parlor.  :-)

Hello!  Is this Gordon's Pizza?

No sir, it's Google's Pizza

Did I dial the wrong number?

No sir, Google bought the pizza store.

Oh, alright - then I’d like to place an order please.

Do you want the usual?

The usual?  You know what my usual is?

According to the caller ID, the last 15 times you’ve ordered a 12-slice with double-cheese, sausage, and thick crust.

Okay - that’s what I want this time too.

May I suggest that this time you order an 8-slice with ricotta, arugula, and tomato instead?

No, I hate vegetables.

But your cholesterol is not good.

How do you know?

Through the subscribers guide.  We have the results of your blood tests for the last 7 years.

Maybe so, but I don’t want the pizza you suggest – I already take medicine for high cholesterol.

But you haven’t taken the medicine regularly.  4 months ago you purchased a box of only 30 tablets from Drugsale Network.

I bought more from another drugstore.

It's not showing on your credit card sir

I paid in cash.

But according to your bank statement you did not withdraw that much cash.

I have another source of cash.

This is not showing on your last tax form, unless you got it from an undeclared income source.

What the heck?  Enough!
I'm sick of Google, Facebook, Twitter, and WhatsApp.
I'm going to an island without internet, where there’s no cellphone line, and no one to spy on me ...

I understand sir, but you’ll need to renew your passport ... it expired 5 weeks ago.

What do you think? Is this the future? I'm not concerned, but I guess it is something to think about.

Problems? Restart!

Having problems with your digital devices - TV, desktop, laptop, tablet, phone? Restart.
We've been having a variety of connectivity issues here at our house recently with our TV, internet, and smartphones. In every instance except one, a restart of the device solved the issue.  So, before you call a technician, remember.....Restart. Restart. Restart.  (yes, try it more than once).

Don't you wish we could "restart" our bodies?  Hmmm....maybe that is what sleep is for??  :-)

Setting a default search engine

Do you have a favorite search engine?  Is your browser using it as the default?

If you aren't sure which search engine you are using or don't know how to set it as your default, check out this video (made especially for YOU).  :-)

Google is my search engine of choice, but I know some of you like Bing or Yahoo.  It really is just a personal preference.  We tend to like what we are familiar with.  :-)

Share your vacation pictures online.....later

Want to share photos of special activities or vacation on Facebook or Instagram? WAIT until you are back home.

Social media allows us to easily follow our friends' activities and share our own special experiences, but when we do that we are giving out information that could compromise our safety.

If you are taking and posting a photo from 50, 100 or thousands of miles from home, you have just potentially told millions of strangers that you are not at home, your home is not occupied and that it will be awhile before you return home.  It creates an opportunity for someone to "help themselves" from your home while you are gone.

In addition, to reduce undue risk:
1) Don't post any status updates about your vacation or activity while you are still away.
2) Don't tag fellow vacationers; they likely don't want that information shared about themselves either. Wait until you are back home to share pictures.
3) Don't post upcoming travel plans on Facebook.  Your family are the only ones that need these plans.

Just remember, feel free to share your special activities online, but AFTER you are back home.

Don't kill your phone's battery!

If you plan on trading in your cellphone or other mobile device every 1-2 years, you don't need to read any further.

However, if you don't like the price tag attached to new smartphones and tablets, you may appreciate the tips below:

1)  Don't charge your phone every night.  Let your device almost run out of charge before plugging it in.

2) Update to the latest software.

3) Avoid extreme heat (temperates above 95 degrees F.)

4) Remove certain cases when charging.  If you feel your phone getting hot during the charging process, remove the protective case during the process of charging.

If you want to read more of the "whys" behind these tips, check out this article.

3 Ways to Stay Safe

Happy 4th of July! Hope you all have a fun, SAFE holiday!

And, for electronic device safety remember:

1) Install updates....particularly the Security Updates.
Last week another cyberattack occurred throughout the world.  Computer experts once again reminded people to always install updates to help keep electronic devices safe....at least as safe as they can be at any given moment in time.

2) Don’t click
While surfing the web don’t click on pop-up ads or unfamiliar links.

3) Don’t Reply
Never respond to an email or click on a link in it if it is from an unfamiliar source.  Just Delete!

Restart

Restart!
Is your computer or phone acting strangely?  Restart.

Is your device (phone, tablet or computer) sluggish?  Restart.

Are you concerned about viruses?  Restart your computer regularly (PC's) which should allow any security updates to be installed.

Remember:  Restarting a device will solve 95% of most issues with electronic devices.

Now, if I could just figure out how to "restart" myself in the middle of the day!  :-)

Tab key

Do you use the Tab key on your computer keyboard?

My mom is spending some time with us this week as I help her learn all about her new desktop computer.  She's doing very well, but one of the things I discovered yesterday is that she has never used the Tab key...except to indent a paragraph.

So, my tip(s) for today (or maybe just a reminder):  When you fill out any form on the internet, use the Tab key instead of using your mouse each time to move to the next box (field).
Example:  First Name [Tab]  Last Name [Tab] Address [Tab] City [Tab]

What if you get to a drop-down menu?  Often, you can just type the first letter of the word you are looking for.

What if you make a mistake?  Just use Shift+Tab.

The Tab key can also be helpful when composing an email to move between the To, Subject, and Body fields.

Alt +Tab can be used on your computer to quickly switch between programs you have open on your computer.  For Mac users, Command +Tab.  Give it a try!

DuckDuckGo - a Google alternative

I'm intrigued with a search engine I read about this week.  DuckDuckGo isn't new; it's been around several years, but I think it may be worth trying.

DuckDuckGo bills itself as "the search engine that doesn't track you."  It promises to not use cookies to track your searches and does not collect any personal information while you are using it.  Even your IP address is hidden.  This article goes into more detail if you are interested in learning more.

Let me know if you are already familiar with it or have any feedback to share. Meanwhile, I'm going to see if I can switch from Google.com for awhile to give DuckDuckGo a try!  

Use the Tab key

Did you know that you can quickly move from one field to another on an online form by using the Tab or Shift + Tab keys?

If you are filling out an online form, e-mail, or other text field you can quickly move between each of the fields by pressing the Tab key or Shift+Tab to move back a field.  (You don't have to move your mouse to each box and click...just use the Tab key).

Facebook Impersonators

If you use Facebook, at some point you've probably received a "Friend Request" from someone who is already one of your friends.  This means their account has been hacked.  Most of us just "ignore" the request, but there really are a couple more steps you should take.  (Thank you, Ginger Lewman, for the tips).

"Unfortunately, too many really smart people make the wrong choice: they ignore it. And the impersonation continues and dupes more people and spreads like wildfire. It’s like swatting flies — if we ignore them, they only breed and end up bothering us more!

In 2017, we want to be better digital citizens and help each other out when we see this. There are 2 things you want to remember when you see a fake-friend requesting fake-friendship:
You 1) REPORT and 2) BLOCK. And in that order.

When we all immediately REPORT and BLOCK, the fake account is reviewed by Facebook and frequently taken down. The more of us who report, the quicker it is taken down. And the more often you report, Facebook remembers you as a good person and listens to your reports quicker (I think).

Here are a couple links to help you 1) REPORT and 2) BLOCK (in that order)

• How to report a FB account that is impersonating you:
  https://www.facebook.com/help/174210519303259
• How to report a FB account that’s impersonating someone else:
  https://www.facebook.com/help/167722253287296 "

Ginger Lewman works for ESSDACK in Hutchinson, KS (formerly employed by USD 253, Emporia)

Google Photos update

Annually, Google brings developers together from all over the world to showcase new products and updates.  Last week, no new products were showcased but some pretty impressive updates/features were shared.

Those of you using Google Photos to create a backup of your photos might be interested in two impressive new features that gives you the ability to :
1) easily share your photos with others, and
2) create both soft cover and hard cover books from your photos
This video showcases these two new features.

A reminder for Windows users this week:  Remember to install updates as recommended by your computer.  Doing this helps keep your computer safe from viruses and hackers.  Many of you have computers that have been set to automatically install updates as they are shut down.  If not, click Install when you are notified there are updates waiting to be installed.
Caution:  If the message asks you to pay or upgrade to a premium account, that is not a Windows update.  You should never have to pay for a necessary Windows or Avast update for your computer.

Boost your smartphone's speaker

Do you ever wish the music or sound coming out of your smartphone was louder?  Do you ever worry about not hearing the alarm you set on your phone?

Try putting your phone (speaker on the bottom)  in a glass cup or bowl or even a plastic cup. You can get up to a 20% boost in your sound by doing this.  Experiment.

If you'd like to watch a quick 1-minute video showing how to do this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14rkzbWQpxM

Zedge has it all - ringtones, wallpapers and more

Would you like to personalize the ringtones on your smartphone?  Or choose a different wallpaper (background)?

Then you may want to check out Zedge - http://www.zedge.net/app/
The Zedge app is rated MUCH higher for Android phones (like Samsung, LG, Google, Motorola, etc.) than for iOS (iPhone) since a recent update.  So, if you are an iPhone user you may not find it has a lot to offer right now.

Deleting Google History

Some of you have expressed concerns about all the data that is being collected regarding your online activities.  Here is a quick 2-minute screencast I created to show you one way to delete history that Google services have collected on you ...... since the beginning of your use.  It may be a task you want to do every couple of months.

http://screencast-o-matic.com/u/uTc/google

PayPal

Paypal.com is a free service I use when purchasing items online from companies unfamiliar to me.  The advantage for me is that by using PayPal, I don't have to give my credit card to the company I am purchasing from.  Only PayPal has that information which they use to charge your credit card upon your purchase.

(There was a GREAT 5-minute segment with the Paypal CEO on CBS Good Morning last Thursday!)

How it works:
1) Go to Paypal.com and set up an account.
2)  Then when purchasing items online, if given the choice, choose PayPal (rather than your credit card.)
3) You will be directed to the PayPal website where you will be asked to log in with your PayPal account information.
4) After giving your approval for the purchase, you will be re-directed back to the original retail website to complete the transaction.
5) PayPal will send you a confirmation of the purchase as well as the company from which you purchased.

2 more comments:
1) PayPal is a secure website and the company provides purchase protection for many items.
2) If you like to use points from your credit card, you will still get your points because PayPal will charge your credit card for the purchase.


Have a great week!

Jeline
Tuesday Tech Tips archive - http://tuesdaytechtidbit.blogspot.com

Charging your smartphone more quickly

Smartphone users -

Do you ever need your phone to charge more quickly?  (Maybe you forgot to charge it overnight and now you are going to be gone all day?)
Put it in Airplane Mode when charging; you will notice a marked difference in how quickly your phone returns to full charge.

Airplane Mode can also save battery life if you are out and about and afraid your phone will not make it through the day. It can also be a safeguard if you hand your phone to a grandchild to play games or watch videos.  They will be prevented from accidentally sending messages or making purchases.

Don't know how to put your phone in Airplane Mode?
**Android users - http://www.wikihow.tech/Put-an-Android-Phone-Into-Airplane-Mode
**iPhone users - Swipe up from the bottom of your phone to reveal the Control Center and tap the airplane icon.  https://www.cnet.com/how-to/how-and-when-to-use-airplane-mode-on-iphone/

What does Airplane Mode do?  It turns off all wireless connections - WiFi, Bluetooth and cellular meaning you won't receive text messages, phone calls, and emails. It was designed for use when flying to keep cellphone signals from interfering with FAA communications, although that is widely disputed today.

April, the pregnant giraffe

I've become mesmerized.

April, the pregnant giraffe in the Animal Adventure Park outside of Binghamton, NY, has become an internet sensation. Yes, there are other live animal webcams on the internet, but for some reason April, the giraffe, caught my attention last week and I'm finding it hard to not have the live feed on when I am working at my computer.  (I've even checked her progress in the middle of the night the past few nights.)  Some people have been watching for over a month!

The birth of her calf is supposedly imminent, maybe even before you receive this email that I'm writing on Monday afternoon. Contractions are occurring from time to time and other physical changes have taken place. But, it is my understanding that delivery dates for giraffes can be + or - 2 months!  You can follow her progress and maybe eventually get to see the new calf on this live stream.  (Did you know that giraffe calves are dropped 5-6 feet to the ground when they are born??)  :-/

Isn't technology amazing?? It can help us keep our minds active and learning all the time!

Tech tip for today - Only use the link in the above email to access the live stream; unfortunately, there have been LOTS of fake "April" sites springing up. They look like the "real" page, but are showing old video and, of course, asking for donations.

Printing tips - save money when you can!

If you're like me, you like to save money whenever you can! So, today I'm sharing a few tips on how to use less ink when printing from your computer.

In the video, I talk about:
1) using the Printer-Friendly icon on a webpage
2) selecting just the text you want to print
3) looking at your Print Dialogue box and choosing just the pages you want to print as well as printing in black and white
4) using the "Reader's View" on Apple products to print without advertisements and graphics

Take a look-- http://screencast-o-matic.com/u/uTc/printingtips
 The video is longer than I like to make, but I just couldn't find a way to demonstrate the tips with fewer words or by talking any faster.  :-)

Facebook - how can I save posts?

If you like to save posts on Facebook - recipes, household ideas, health tips, etc. take 75 seconds to watch this screencast!  In the past, a person had to "Share" something on Facebook if they wanted to find it later; now, there is a much easier way and more private way to do that!

Check it out - http://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/cbernN651W

Happy Facebooking!

Function Keys

At the top of your computer keyboard you will notice Fn keys - F1, F2, etc.  Do you know how to use these Function keys?  Their function will be determined by whether you are using a PC or a Mac computer.

On a Mac computer, you will also notice symbols on these keys....used to control illumination of your screen, change volume, control media, etc.  Don't be afraid to try them out!

On a PC, the Function (Fn) keys have different uses depending on what program you are working in, but check out this chart for some "general" uses - http://shareably.net/function-keys/

Don't be afraid to try them out; you can not hurt anything on your computer by doing so.  :-)

Hang up immediately!

This week's tip comes from Sharon Cutrell:

If you get a phone call from "Windows" or "Microsoft" or "The Help Desk" telling you that you have problems with your computer, HANG UP ON THEM IMMEDIATELY.

If you have a pop-up message that isn't from YOUR antivirus telling you that you need to call a number or go to a website, DON'T DO IT.  Shut down the computer and then start it up again, and don't go back to the website you were visiting (since that is where the pop-up came from).

These are the methods used by people who are trying to hack into (and lock) your computer so that you can't  EVER get into Windows or into your files again.

http://triplescomputers.com/blog/casestudies/solution-this-is-microsoft-support-telephone-scam-computer-ransom-lockout/ will give you more information about this issue.

Silencing your cell phone

Have you ever been in a meeting or at an event when someone's phone (or your own phone) begins to ring? And, it rings, and rings, and rings.....

I was in two different meetings last Wednesday and a total of 3 people's cellphones rang loudly and continued to ring because they couldn't figure how to mute them.  I will be the first to admit that I sometimes forget to mute my phone before a meeting, BUT if my phone rings at the wrong time, I know how to quickly silence it.  And, it isn't difficult.

Question:  Do you know how to quickly mute your phone when it is ringing?
Answer:  On MOST phones, tapping the Sleep/Wake button once instantly mutes the phone when ringing and sends the caller to voicemail.  (The Sleep/Wake button is the one you use to completely shut down your phone - often found by itself on the side, top or back of your phone).

I'd like to encourage you to try this out TODAY by having someone call your number (or use your landline to call your cellphone).  Try it out several times until you are comfortable with it and think you can remember how to do it.

For us seniors, this needs to be an automatic response.....unless we want the younger people in the audience turning and rolling their eyes at us while we fumble with our phones!

And, as always, let me know if you have questions.

We are headed to Pennsylvania soon to celebrate our granddaughter's 5th birthday!  Very.excited!!  So, if I forget to send out a Tech Tip next Tuesday, you'll know it is because I'm having too much fun playing with our two special girls! ;-)

What happens to online connections after I am gone?

Some of you may have seen the clip on the news last evening - "Protecting Your Digital Afterlife."  It focused on one family's inability to access their father's online business account after he suffered a series of strokes.  Yahoo would not allow them to access it and the business failed without their ability to access their father's online business records.

Yahoo is not the only company that does that.  Information on how other online companies handle your accounts after death/disability can be found here. (iCloud, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and more.)

Recently I gave some advice to my cousin who runs the family farm, "You really should make a list of all your online accounts and passwords, put them in a folder, and tell your family and the hired hand where that folder is located.  You might even want to get a red folder to make it easy to spot."

Well....I'm much better at giving advice than always following it, so watching the news clip yesterday reminded me that very soon I need to:
1) make a list of all my online accounts including usernames and passwords - banking, medical, financial accounts, Facebook, Gmail and other email accounts, etc.
2) choose a location and tell my family where the information/folder is located. And, I probably should remind them of it from time to time.
3) remember to update the list every time I change passwords or create new online accounts.

I do not recommend sending a copy of your information via email for two reasons: 1) email is not secure and private and 2) you will need to update the document from time to time and you don't want multiple copies of out-of-date information lying around.

Troubleshooting

"It's not working right! What should I do?"

Today's tip is very simple but one we ALL need to remember when our digital devices aren't performing like we want them to.  If you're experiencing problems with your phone/laptop/mobile device, do this first because 99% of the time it will resolve the problem:

Shut down the application and restart the device.
Shut down the application and restart the device.
Shut down the application and restart the device.

Problem: My phone is acting strange.
Resolution: Shut the application down and restart your computer/phone/mobile device.  
(FYI - Phones also begin to act strangely when there is a system update waiting to be installed so check that, too).

Problem: I can't close an app on my phone.
Resolution:  Shut down and restart your phone.

Problem: My browser isn't letting me open webpages.
Resolution:  Quit your browser, shut down your computer (or device) and restart.

Problem:  My computer won't let me quit the applications and shut down the computer.
Resolution: Press and hold down on the Power button until the computer/device shuts off then restart.

This will solve your problems 99% of the time!

Did you ever wish you could quickly retract an email right after you sent it?

First, turn on Undo Send

1. On your computer, open Gmail.
2. In the top right, click Settings   Settings.
3. In the "Undo Send" section, check the box next to "Enable Undo Send."
4. In the "Send cancellation period" section, set the amount of time you want to decide if you want to unsend an email.
5. At the bottom of the page, click Save Changes.

Undo sending your message

After you turn on Undo Send, you can cancel sending an email.

1. After you send a message, you'll see the message "Your message has been sent" and the option to Undo or View message.
2. Click Undo.

If you use Outlook you can also unsend right after you send an email by following the instructions found here.

Quickly increase and decrease web page font size

If you spend much time reading on the internet, you may find that your eyes get tired of reading the small print.  There's an easy "fix" for that (most of the time).

Simply hold down the CTRL key and press the + to increase the size of the font on the page and CTRL and - to decrease the size of the font.  Pressing either of these keys while continuing to hold down the CTRL key will continue to increase or decrease the font until it reaches its maximum. (Mac users will need to use the Command (Apple) key instead of the CTRL key.)

To reset the font back to the default size simply press CTRL and 0 (zero).

Taking better photos with your phone

Did you take many pictures over the holidays?

I've been enjoying looking through photos from the holidays; the time with our family just went too quickly!  With so many phones in the family a shared photo album was created at the beginning of our time together so photos taken on everyone's different devices could easily be shared among all of us.

As I've looked through those very typical Christmas shots, the pictures from our younger son certainly stand out.  Yes, he loves photography and takes a lot of pictures, but what is it that makes his photos stand out?

In search of some answers, I found a really good article with some simple tips for taking better photos with mobile devices. As I read through it, I noted that our son's photos reflected several of these tips.  If you're interested, the photography tips covered in the article are:

1. Keep your photos simple
2. Shoot from a low angle
3. Show depth in your photos
4. Align your subjects diagonally
5. Capture close-up detail
6. Include shadows in your composition
7. Take silhouette photos
8. Photograph reflections
9. Use symmetry
10. Enhance your photos with VSCO filters

What to do when a document won't open

Happy New Year!  Did any of you get a new digital device for Christmas?

Sometimes you will get an error message when you try to open a document on your computer.  This may happen when you move from an older computer to a newer one and the program that created the document is no longer on that computer or is out-of-date.

You usually do not need to pay someone to "fix" this for you.  Below are several suggestions:

1) For users of Mac computers (although PC owners might want to try this tip, too), take a look at this video. It is a VERY simple fix.
Documents won't open

2) Open another similar application on your computer that is comparable to the application that originally created the document.  Once it is open, do a File - Open and locate the document that won't open.  This works sometimes.

3)  Or, try importing the document into your Google Drive.  It will convert the document to that format and it should then open.