Ask Computer Dean

04/06/2026

Ask Computer Dean — Tip of the Day #202
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Never Miss a Birthday or Special Occasion Again!

A birthday greeting may only take a minute to send — but it can mean so much to the person receiving it.

Use your phone’s calendar to keep track of important birthdays, anniversaries and special occasions. Add the date once, set it to repeat every year, and give yourself a reminder a few days early.

That little reminder gives you time to send a thoughtful message, make a call, buy a card, or simply remember someone special on their day.

Today’s special shoutout goes to our dear friend, Cristina G.!

Happy Birthday, Cristina! Wishing you many more blessings, wonderful health, happiness, and many beautiful reasons to smile in the year ahead!

— Ask Computer Dean

03/06/2026

Ask Computer Dean — Tip of the Day #201
Wednesday, June 3, 2026

Stop Scrolling. Search the Page Instead!

Have you ever opened a long webpage, document, instruction guide, or list and spent forever scrolling for one word?

Try this simple shortcut:

On a Windows computer: Press Ctrl + F
On a Mac: Press Command + F

Then type the word you are looking for, such as:

“price”
“warranty”
“password”
“address”
“reset”

Your computer will quickly highlight where that word appears on the page or document.

On an iPhone using Safari, look for the Page Menu, then choose Search Document to find a word on the webpage.

My simple rule:
Before you scroll and scroll, try Find first.

It is one of the easiest time-saving tricks that many people forget is already built into their device.

02/06/2026

Ask Computer Dean — Tip of the Day #200
Tuesday, June 2, 2026

You Are Allowed to Simplify Your Technology

Today marks my 200th Ask Computer Dean Tip of the Day — and after all the advice about computers, phones, security, Wi-Fi, printers, backups and gadgets, this may be the most important tip of all:

Technology is supposed to make your life easier.

You do not need every new app.
You do not need every notification.
You do not need ten different ways to save the same photo.
You do not need to feel embarrassed because something on your screen is confusing.

Sometimes the best technology decision is simply to make things easier:

Choose the apps you actually use.
Turn off notifications that only distract you.
Make your screen easier to read.
Keep your important information organized.
Ask for help before a small tech frustration becomes a major headache.

The goal is not to become a computer expert.

The goal is to feel more comfortable, more confident, and more in control of the technology you use every day.

Thank you to everyone who has read, liked, shared, followed, or asked a question along the way.

Here’s to 200 tips — and many more simple, practical ways to make technology work better for you.

— Ask Computer Dean

02/06/2026

Tip of the Day #200 — Tuesday, June 2, 2026
200 TIPS LATER… HERE’S THE BIGGEST ONE

02/06/2026

Ask Computer Dean — Tip of the Day #199
Monday, June 1, 2026

Make the text bigger. Your eyes will thank you.

Your phone, tablet, and computer all let you increase text size and screen readability.

You do not need to struggle with tiny words, small buttons, or hard-to-read menus. A quick adjustment can make everyday browsing, texting, and emailing much more comfortable.

Technology should adjust to you — not the other way around.

31/05/2026

29/05/2026

ASK COMPUTER DEAN – WEEKEND TECH REMINDER #196– #198

Sometimes the smallest phone habits make the biggest difference.

Before you start taking photos this weekend, take one second to wipe your camera lens. A lot of blurry, hazy, or disappointing pictures are not caused by a bad phone at all — just a smudged lens. One quick wipe can make your photos look much better right away.

Before heading out, save the address first. Whether you are meeting friends, going to an event, visiting family, or trying a new restaurant, it helps to have the address, contact number, or meeting place already saved in your phone. It is a simple habit, but it can save you from stress, confusion, and last-minute searching.

And one more thing: download it before you need it. Tickets, directions, maps, menus, reservation details, and confirmations are much more useful when you already have them ready — especially if your signal gets weak or unreliable. A screenshot or download ahead of time can save the day.

So for this weekend, here are 3 simple reminders:

Wipe your camera lens.
Save the address.
Download it before you need it.

Small habits. Smoother weekend.

28/05/2026

Tip #195 – Thursday, May 28, 2026:

ASK COMPUTER DEAN – TIP OF THE DAY #195
Create One Folder Called “Important Tech Stuff”

A lot of tech stress happens because the right information is scattered everywhere.

A receipt is in email.
A warranty photo is in your phone.
A Wi-Fi password note is on paper.
A setup instruction is buried in Downloads.
A serial number is somewhere… but where?

My advice: create one folder called Important Tech Stuff and keep your key tech information there. That can include purchase records, warranty info, model and serial numbers, setup notes, Wi-Fi details, support contacts, and password guidance.

You do not need a perfect system. You just need one place to start looking when something goes wrong.

A little organization now can save a lot of frustration later.