Your Technology Tutor

09/20/2024

"Message In a Bottle" (21st Century version)

04/26/2024

Are you connected to someone on Facebook or another social media platform whose posts regularly irk you?
Whether it's politics or some other topic - there is a way to stay connected for social or professional reaseons, but avoid their rants or posts that cause you to think "look at them, being annoying again!"

You can mute or snooze them. “This can preserve your mental wellbeing while maintaining social or professional networks,” she says.

Read more in this article:

Experts say setting boundaries online creates a healthier digital environment and helps preserve your mental wellbeing

02/11/2024

SuperBow TV Coverage... made possible by this technology:

12/23/2023

A great gift or stocking stuffer is the AirTag from Apple.
It’s one of my newer, favorite travel gadgets.

You likely have heard of these - small discs that you connect to your iPhone. You can identify their location from the “Find My” app. I have these on my keychains and put them in my luggage when I travel.
Recently I could not find my keys so I was glad I had this attached - I checked the FineMy app and discovered they were at my home (ok, good). I used the “find” option in the App and it led me to my closet. Then I used the “Play sound” option and it chirped. I had to click multiple times as I rifled through my closet and found the keys were in a pants pocket. Success!

You can see in the attached pic I also checked in the FindMy app while sitting on our planet at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, Thailand. We had just boarded and I wanted to confirm both bags made it out of the airport onto the flight and yes. I could rest comfortably knowing my luggage was with me.

I was talking with a friend whose luggage was lost while traveling. They went to the carrier’s luggage office at the airport (where the FindMy app showed their suitcase was) and were led into a room full of hundreds of bags. They used the “find” option to head straight to their bag and voila! They were reunited with their belongings. They said the airline staff were amazed.

There are all kinds of accessories for AirTags that allow you to attach them to a variety of items. I do have the keychain attachment but I don’t use the luggage straps. Instead just tuck an AirTag deep into your suitcase - if there’s a secret pocket that’s good. I put mine into a sock or one of my travel nylon bags that holds my tech goodies.

10/04/2023

Remember those Emergency Broadcast Alerts growing up? Well today you’ll get an updated version of that:

If you have a mobile phone and you live in the US you’ll receive an Emergency Alert today at 11”20AM Pacific Time (2:20PM Eastern)

The message that will appear on your phone will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

FEMA, in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA).

The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities. Both tests are scheduled to begin at approximately 2:20 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Oct. 4.

The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all consumer cell phones. This will be the third nationwide test, but the second test to all cellular devices. The test message will display in either English or in Spanish, depending on the language settings of the wireless handset.

if you’re watching TV (Broadcast TV, not cable channels) you’ll also receive an alert at the same time.
The EAS portion of the test will be sent to radios and televisions. This will be the seventh nationwide EAS test.

FEMA and the FCC are coordinating with EAS participants, wireless providers, emergency managers and other stakeholders in preparation for this national test to minimize confusion and to maximize the public safety value of the test.

The purpose of the Oct. 4 test is to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level.

09/15/2023

Flashback Friday
Looks so archaic but I have to admit I actually used this VCR. Anyone else?
It was "cutting edge" at the time - though I was more favorably impressed with Sony's Betamax products at the time. Arguably most would say that VHS won the "competition" for which would dominate consumer use due to marketing.

09/09/2023

Do you know about the SOS feature on iPhone 14?�It could save your life and your family’s.

I’ve known about this feature baked into the iPhone 14 (and 14 Pro/Max) models but heard this story from the Lahaina (Maui) files that cements the true value of this technology. To summarize, the SOS features is a combination of hardware and software that couples with a partnership with Globalstar’s 24 low orbit satellites. It can establish a signal using these satellites to get an emergency message when you have no cellular service using voice or text messaging.

For one family surrounded by flames in the Lahaina fire with no cellular service they were able to connect with a dispatcher who sent a fire unit to their exact location and they are alive today because of it. You can read that store here:
https://www.macworld.com/article/2027967/iphone-14-emergency-sos-via-satellite-hawaii-maui-wildfires.html

The feature (like the Crash Detection function in iPhone 14 or higher) will alert your chosen family or friends to your situation.
Make sure to set up your Emergency Contacts in your iPhone to take advantage of this feature. You can read about this SOS function via this Apple Support article: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT213426

NOTE: We are advised NOT to use this service without an actual emergency - but there is a Demo function available (in this same Apple Support article) that you can use to better understand and practice this service.

05/06/2023

Do you keep receiving notifications about a Facebook Post you commented on?
In today's Tech Quick Tip Chet Davis - Your Technology Tutor teaches you how to simply turn off notifications for a Facebook Post you no longer want to hear about. When you comment on a FB post you are automatically added to the Notification List - that means anytime anyone else posts a comment you will be notified.

Sometimes this is helpful - for example, if it's a location or restraunt you want to visit, another comment might provide useful information. But if it's something you added a comment to whether controversial or just a beautiful photo (like my example in the above video) then I don't need to read any others comments... here's how you turn it off (or On)

05/01/2023

Do you have a habit of regular power cycles?
I’ve been advocating this for years and many different types of technology from computers to dedicated video, editors to iPads and smart phones.
What is the power cycle? Simply the active turning your device off, powering down and leaving it off for a few minutes to allow the power to drain out of the circuits and then turning the device back on.
A lot of folks may confuse on a tablet or smart phone, putting the device to sleep, which is not the same. A power cycle requires that it’s truly turned off not just the screen going dark.
Sometimes a computer circuit or program can be stuck in a loop, causing your device to perform erratically or to not function at all. The act of a power cycle stops this program loop, essentially resetting a device with the intention of allowing it to function properly again.
I use this this past week, we have an electronic range/oven, and the control panel was not responsive. The control panel was displaying the time but none of the controls would respond to touch. So I shut down the circuit breaker for the range left it off for 3 to 4 minutes and then turned it back on. And as I hoped, it did reset the device and is now functioning properly again.
So for you with your personal devices, whether it’s a computer, a tablet/iPad or a smart phone I also recommend this habit once a week. Maybe on a Saturday or a Sunday do a power cycle, turning the device off entirely for 2 to 4 minutes and then turning it back on.
You can also do this any time the device appears to not be functioning properly. If it’s still behaving badly, then it’s time to connect with a technical support option.

01/16/2023

This little, affordable technology tool has helped a lot of people in recent weeks, identify where their luggage is.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnepBbis_U6/?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=

01/16/2023

This little m, affordable technology tool has helped a lot of people in recent weeks, identify where their luggage is. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CnepBbis_U6/?igshid=NDk5N2NlZjQ=