Alexa… What can you do? Phil Sorrentino, The Computer Club
(Approx. 1123 words). If you have access to an Amazon Echo or Amazon Echo Dot,
ask Alexa “What can you do?” Alexa will tell you “A lot. You can tell me to
turn up the volume, play music, create a To Do list, or look up a topic on
Wikipedia.”
Asks the Prez, Greg Skalka, Under the Computer Hood UG
(Approx. 926 words) This may or may not be the first of many question-based
columns under this title. If there are to be any more is up to you (though I
reserve the right to have a say in it as well). I received this email question
from a reader of one of my Drive Light ‘President’s Corner’ columns, as
republished in another APCUG-group’s newsletter; my answer is included in this
article.
Be Prepared, Ken Goodman, Central Kentucky Computer Society
(Approx. 469 words). It’s happened to many of us. We’ve made a mistake,
hardware crashes or an update causes our PC to go south. You never know when it
will happen, but it does.
E-mail Basic Review, Jim Cerny, Sarasota TUG (Approx. 679
words). I am going to assume you already have an email address and are enjoying
sending and receiving emails. But perhaps you are not aware of the fun and
helpful options available in all email applications. Hopefully something in
this article will push your curiosity button and encourage you to “ask google”
for more information.
E-mail Strategy, Dick Maybach, Brookdale Computer Users
Group (Approx. 1890 words). Too often, when we find ourselves in unfamiliar
technological territory, we adopt the first solution that works and ignore any
alternatives. This is a good approach for tasks that we seldom perform, but
less optimal for those4 we do every day, such as accessing our e-mail. In this
article, we’ll step back from which keys we press and which icons we click to
look at the e-mail forest.
How to Succeed in Technology, Greg Skalka, Under the
Computer Hood UG (Approx. 2344 words). You may be able to succeed in some
things without really trying but dealing with technology is not typically one
of them. While our modern lives are awash in new tech, we must often struggle
to cope with it. New innovations bring the potential for much good for our
world and our individual lives, but they can also have unanticipated negative
consequences for our planet, our society and ourselves.
Interesting Internet Finds – January, Steve Costello, Boca
Raton Computer Society (Approx. 262 words); February (Approx. 329 words); March
(Approx. 303 words).
iPad Skills, Jim Cerny, Sarasota TUG (Approx. 652 words).
The iPad by Apple is becoming more and more popular. It is a full computer that
is easily portable and so helpful for many every-day tasks, communication,
entertainment, etc.
Is it time to start a death data document? By Jerry Heaton,
Central Kentucky Computer Society (Approx. 525 words). Do you have a death data
document for your children or digital executor for when it’s needed? Jerry’s
article has a lot of good information.
Mastering Line and Paragraph Spacing in Word, Nancy DeMarte,
Sarasota TUG (Approx. 764 words). If you are a long time Word user, you
probably have had at least one bad experience with setting the space between
lines of text or paragraphs. Nancy’s article shows us how the tools for
managing spacing have increased and improved.
Mobile Highway – One Dongle to Rule Them and in the
Darkness, Bind Them, Chris Woods, Under the Computer Hood UG (Approx. 440
words). When you get a wireless mouse, keyboard or any other of a myriad of
wireless devices, what is common is that they all come with their own dongle.
Lost the dongle and you might as well as kiss it goodbye.
MuseScore: Music Composition Freeware, John Krout, Potomac
Area Computer and Technology Computer Society (Approx. 1123 words). MuseScore
is a freeware project hosted on SourceForge. It uses standard music notation;
when I downloaded and installed it I had one use in mind – my new smartphone.
Nothing Bad Ever Happens, Greg Skalka, Under the Computer
Hood UG (Approx. 1773 words). As far as technology goes, I’ve been lucky. I’ve
had very few things fail in the nearly 40 years I’ve been playing with
computers and other tech devices.
OneDrive Files on Demand, Nancy DeMarte, Sarasota Technology
UG (Approx. 649 words). The 1709 Creators update to Win10 included several
changes. One of my favorites is “Files on Demand,” a new process to make files
stored on OneDrive, the Microsoft Cloud, available on your PC and other
devices.
Power Strip Versus Surge Protector – Which Do You Need? Tim
Elder, Canton Alliance Massillon User Group (Approx. 781 words). These two devices
are quite similar in appearance, but they are definitely not
the same.
Quicken 2018 Review, Henry Winokur, Potomac Area Technology
and Computer Society (Approx. 639 words). Having gone through a lot of issues
with Quicken over the course of the last year, I thought I’d bring you my
“report.” The first thing you need to know is that Quicken is no longer owned
by Intuit.
Satellite Antenna Disk Pointing, Gregg Bruch, Idaho
Technology Users Group (Approx. 538 words). Dish antennae are used for signal
reception from geo-stationery satellites located at fixed in the sky. The
dishes typically are of one of two varieties, large and small. Dish pointing
can be a daunting task since the satellites are not visible to the naked eye;
steps need to be followed for pointing.
Securing Android, Dick Maybach, Brookdale Computer Users’
Group (Approx. 1484 words). Your PC remains at home behind locked doors,
accesses the Internet through a firewall, and has software updated regularly,
but none of this is true of your Android device.
Should you leave your computer on 24 HOURS A DAY? Joe Isaac,
Central Kentucky Computer Society (Approx. 323 words). NO! Read Joe’s article
to find out why.
Simple Game of Solitaire? David Kretchmar, Sun City
Summerlin Computer Club (Approx. 830 words). I admit it: I play Microsoft
Solitaire. Of course, it’s the most widely-played computer game of all time.
Sometimes I play for an hour or more at a time, usually while watching TV.
Remember one thing when playing Solitaire on a computer, if you an do it, it’s not cheating.
Syncing Android, Dick Maybach, Brookdale Computer Users’
Group (Approx. 1910 words). Your Android-Powered smart phone is a very capable
device, but it becomes even more useful and convenient when linked to your PC.
Take a Tour of the Office Galleries, Nancy DeMarte, Sarasota
TUG (Approx. 617 words). Did you know that Microsoft Office 2016 contains
dozens of galleries? The “Bit 3” Office applications – Word, Excel, or
PowerPoint – have the most an are adding new ones all the time.
Taking Photos on your iPad and iPhone, Jim Cerny, Sarasota
TUG (Approx. 769 words). Your iPhone and iPad are just great for taking photos.
Both devices come with the camera app already installed and it is very easy to
use.
TeamViewer, Joel Ewing, Bella Vista Computer Club (Approx.
1614 words). One way to get help with a computer problem or with a problem
using a particular application on your computer is to
physically take the computer to an expert or get an expert to make a house
call. Enter TeamViewer to help you with your computer problems at home.
TouchLock (a review), George Harding, Tucson Computer
Society (Approx. 306 words). Security is important for us all, but even more
important when you must physically secure something.
Tools for Computer Users with Impaired Vision, Dick Maybach,
Brookdale Computer Users’ Group (Approx. 1205 words). All of us must deal with
our physical limitations, especially as we age; 10% of all Americans report
they suffer from decreased visual acuity.
WaveLink Wireless Doorbell (a review), George Harding,
Tucson Computer Society (Approx. 351 words). The motion detector senses motion
and triggers the doorbell.
Working with Apps on Windows 10, Rosita Herrick, Sarasota
TUG (Approx. 722 words). Rosita is often asked how to start apps she talks
about in her classes, this article covers the Magnifier, Sticky Notes, and the
Snipping Tools + some keyboard shortcuts.