Page 10 - index

· OK Google lets you do things like
search, get directions, and create re-
minders. For example “OK Google do I
need an umbrella” to see if there is rain
in the weather forecast. To use “OK
Google”, make sure you have the lat-
est Google Search App and turn on
“OK Google detection” in settings.
· Cortana is an App with which you can
use your voice to make a call, send a
text message, search the web, or open
another App. Cortana can help you:
schedule a meeting, set a reminder,
get up-to-date weather or traffic.(Note:
you need a Microsoft account to use
Cortana.)“Hey Cortana” seems to be
tied to the “Notebook”, and thus is set-
up in the Notebook-Settings, which
may not be obvious. (You get to the
Notebook-Settings by clicking in the
search bar on the Taskbar, then se-
lecting Notebook [the square icon un-
der the home icon], and finally Set-
tings.)
· Alexa is the name of Amazon’s assis-
tant that comes with the Amazon Echo.
Echo is a wireless speaker and voice
command device. The device consists
of a 9.25-inch tall cylinder speaker with
a seven-piece microphone array.
“Alexa”, the “wake word” is always on
and can be changed by the user to ei-
ther “Amazon” or “Echo”. The device is
capable of voice interaction, music
playback, making to-do lists, setting
alarms, streaming podcasts, playing
audio books, and providing weather,
traffic and other real time information.
It can also control several smart devic-
es. Echo requires a Wi-Fi internet con-
nection in order to work. The Echo
must be plugged in to operate since it
has no internal battery.
If these personal digital assistants are suc-
cessful, many more may show up. I just read
that the company that brought us the Sound-
Hound App also has a personal assistant
called Hound that they hope to embed in oth-
er applications so that those Apps can be
voice controlled. Imagine setting up an Uber
ride by voice. (If you will recall, SoundHound
is like the Shazam App, just hum a tune and it
will tell you the tune’s name.) With all these
personal assistants around, we certainly will
never have to feel lonely.
10
Technical
Support
Find Your Tech Support
Match
By Nancy DeMarte, 1st Vice President, Sarasota Tech-
nology User Group, FL
May 2016 issue, Sarasota Technology Monitor
www.thestug.org
ndemarte (at) verizon.net
We all run into occasional problems with our
computers and digital devices. Finding the so-
lution can be a nightmare, especially if the
problem is unique or you are not fluent in tech
terms. There is a wealth of support available,
but it’s a matter of finding the right kind of help
to fit your kind of problem and your learning
style. Let’s take a look at some of the popular
support options and the kind of people who
might benefit most from them.
Good options for people who learn best by
reading:
Website support: A visit to the website
most closely related to your problem can often
give you the answers you need, even if your
device is past warranty. If your computer isn’t
working properly, for example, or you need to
update drivers, you can go to the website of
the computer’s manufacturer and search its
Support pages. If you need help understand-
ing how to use a certain feature of your de-
vice, you can go to the manufacturer’s site
and download a User Manual for your model.
Or you can try the Frequently Asked Ques-
tions list (FAQ). These are questions most
commonly asked about the product with an-
swers by support professionals. Most large
sites also have Discussion forums where you
can post a question or search through ques-
tions on your topic and find answers.
Google it: Some people say that whenever
they have a tech problem, they type it into the
Google search box and often find the answer.
This approach is fine if you can sum up your
issue accurately and choose the right website.
Be aware that not all independent blogs or
tech help sites have correct information. And