Have you ever been confused by your computer? Are you afraid of your phone? Many of us use powerful technology every day, but we don’t always know how to make the most of it. I write weekly tech tips to educate regular people about the technology they use. I’d like to share my love of technology with you and help you make friends with your software and devices.
When you comment on someone’s Facebook post, the comments following yours get emailed to you. Don’t want these email notifications? Follow these steps:
Go to the post on Facebook (click the link in the email notification)
Click the grey arrow in the top right corner of the post
Click “Turn Off Notifications”
Similarly, if you want to receive an email anytime someone comments on a post (but you haven’t commented on it yet), follow the same steps but select “Turn On Notifications”. This is handy if you want to follow a thread but don’t want to comment on it.
Want your phone to charge faster? Turning off wireless or turning on “Airplane Mode” uses less battery power and allows your phone to charge more quickly. You can also use this technique to preserve your battery power when you’re running low.
Want an easy way to upload and share videos? First, sign up for free Dropbox and Vimeo accounts if you don’t have them already. Dropbox is great for sharing all types of files and Vimeo is good for uploading and sharing videos.
Create a Video folder in your Dropbox account, this is where you will save your video files.
Log into Vimeo and go to Me > My Settings
Click “Connect” next to Dropbox. Make sure to give Vimeo full access to Dropbox and tell it where your new Video folder is on Dropbox.
Save your videos to your Dropbox folder and they will automatically upload to Vimeo! If you install the Dropbox app on your phone, you should be able to save videos you take on your phone right into that folder too.
Want to add someone as a friend on Facebook, but don’t want them to see your status updates or photos (for example, your boss or co-workers)? Just add them to your Restricted list. Restricted people can only see posts you make public or that they’ve been tagged in.
Add a friend to your restricted list:
Go to their profile page
Click the “Friends” button, choose “Add to another list” and choose “Restricted”
Add to or edit your restricted list:
On the homepage, scroll down to the Friends section on the left and click More
Scroll down and click Restricted
In the right-hand corner click Manage List > Edit List
Choose “Friends” from the drop-down menu
Select which friends you would like to restrict. You can also search for them in the search box.
When you have a baby, it can be helpful to keep track of their feedings, sleep habits, and diapers. BabyConnect is an extremely useful website and mobile app that allows you to track all of these things and more (pumping, medicines, doctor visits, weight, etc). It also has useful charts and graphs, and can be accessed by other members of the family and caregivers. You can enter data via the website, your phone, or iPad/iPod.
Do you have a WordPress, Blogger or Tumblr blog? Did you know you can easily create new entries and upload photos on your phone? Just download one of the apps below and get blogging!
Need to do a price check while you’re out shopping? If you have a Google phone or iPhone it’s easy. Just download a barcode scanner app, scan a barcode, and see comparative prices from local stores.
You can also scan items using the Amazon app, which shows you the Amazon price, and lets you save the items to a wishlist or registry. A great way to create a registry while on the go.
Is your home or work office too quiet? Do you work better with the coffee shop ambience, but want to stay home? This website has several background soundtracks you can play while you work, such as a coffee shop, lunchtime restaurant, and university cafe. You can also install the Android/iPhone or Mac app for quicker access.
Need help using your Mac or Mac software? If you have an Apple Store near you, you can take advantage of free classes for Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPhoto, iMovie, etc. If you are buying a Mac computer for the first time, you can sign up for a full year of personal training for only $99.
Do you buy music online? If not, you should. CDs are on their way out, and digital music is the future. All you need is storage space on your computer, nice speakers or headphones, and an MP3 player. The three best places to get digital music are:
Amazon: Generally the cheapest option. Plus, they will store your purchases on their servers which you can listen to via their mobile app.
iTunes: If you use iTunes already, this is the easiest option as it automatically downloads purchases into your library.
Google Play: Like Amazon, Google will store thousands of your songs on their servers so you can listen via their mobile app or website.
When you comment on someone’s Facebook post, the comments following yours get emailed to you. Don’t want these email notifications? Follow these steps: