Technology Tip:
Keep up to date with the new iPhone 5 announcements. Click the link below:
Have a great day!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Technology Tip: iPhone 5 announcements
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Technology Tip: Remove your name from Facebook social ads
Technology Tip:
Remove your name from Facebook social ads
You may have your friends in groups on Facebook so that when you share a piece of information you can pick which group(s) will see it. For instance, you may post about a personal accomplishment that is more relevant to your family than your co-workers or old classmates, so there's no need to share with everyone. Basically, tailored share settings on Facebook are great if you only want to divulge some of your personal details to specific people.
Unfortunately, the Facebook social ads can easily draw attention to
details about your personal preferences to everyone who has you added as
a friend. If you're not sure what I'm talking about, these ads appear
near the right-hand side of the page and will say "John Smith likes
this." It's true that people could just navigate to your Facebook
profile to see the things you're interested in, but at least that's not a
literal advertisement with your name attached to it popping up on their
own pages.
So instead of telling everyone on your Facebook that you watch Jersey
Shore as a guilty pleasure, just disable your name from appearing next
to any of the advertisements. Here's how:
Step 1: Log in to your Facebook account on the Web.
Step 2: Open the small menu with the down arrow to the right of your name in the top right-hand corner and select Account Settings.
Step 4: Click the link at the bottom that says Edit social ads setting.
After this adjustment you'll stop sharing information about your interests with everyone on your friends list.
Have a lovely day!
Monday, September 10, 2012
Technology Tip: Use your voice to take pictures with the Samsung Galaxy S III
Technology Tip:
Use your voice to take pictures with the Samsung Galaxy S III
Some
Android
smartphones have a dedicated camera shutter button, or at least a
button combination that takes a photo. Usually, it's on the top of edge
of the phone, and it works well when you're trying to hang onto the
phone and snap a shot at the same time. If your only camera button is
onscreen, as in the case of the Samsung Galaxy S III (S3), you can
actually tell the camera when to take a photo instead of tapping the
button.
To do this you'll need to enable voice commands for apps, which can
be done in just a few simple steps. Here's how to get started:
Step 1: Press the Menu button on your device and then tap Settings. Scroll down to and tap on Language and input.
Step 2: Tap the slider next to Voice cmd for apps so that it displays a green On label.
Step 3: Open the Camera app; when you're ready to take a photo, just say "Shoot."
The camera will focus automatically and take the photo for you --
hands free! "Shoot" isn't the only word that will trigger the shutter;
you can also use "picture," "photo," "cheese," and evidently some other
random words will work too, but not all of them. I tried "candy" and it
worked, too!
Have a great day!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Technology Tip: Great apps for Students
Technology Tip:
Great apps for Students
In a previous blog we talked about the best apps for teachers. Now we are going to talk about the best apps for students.
App #1: Dictionary.com
You don't have to be a wordsmith to
appreciate the Dictionary.com app. Compatible with the iPhone,
Blackberry, Android, and more, Dictionary.com is a dictionary and
thesaurus that provides access to nearly two million words.
Named a top iPad app for college students by U.S. News and World
Report, you don't need an Internet connection once you've downloaded the
app. This means that the entire dictionary and thesaurus are available
offline.
The Dictionary.com app also says words aloud when you tap the speaker
icon - something PCWorld.com describes as "a killer feature."
App #2 - Chegg
Not a fan of long lines at the bookstore? One
way to avoid this might be the app that lets you rent textbooks right
from your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
What's the coolest feature? You can scan a book's bar code with the
iPhone's camera, which allows you to compare prices from different
stores and sites, or set up a rental of the textbook.
The app is also listed among the "14 Best iPhone Apps for College
Students," according to TheDailyBeast.com, a news site dedicated to
breaking news and sharp commentary.
App #3 - Sleep Cycle Alarm Clock
Sleep - or lack thereof - can be a problem
when it's time for that early morning class. But with the Sleep Cycle
alarm clock app, you could potentially avoid those groggy mornings.
Using an accelerometer that monitors your sleep movement, the Sleep
Cycle alarm clock wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase. In
theory, this means that you should wake up feeling more rested and
relaxed for those early bird classes.
The Sleep Cycle alarm clock is compatible with the iPhone, iPod
Touch, and iPad, and received five stars from 148Apps.com, a website
that provides reviews of applications and games.
App #4 - Mental Case
Thanks to smart-phones and state-of-the-art technology, flashcards have gotten a high-tech makeover.
Meet the app called Mental Case.
Like flashcards, this app enables you to create mental notes, but it
uses plenty of bells and whistles. The virtual flashcards include text,
images, and, yes, audio. They can be presented as slideshows, too, with
the capability of sharing your notes with others via your iPhone, iPad,
or Mac.
Mental Case recently landed on the list of "7 Great Apps for the Back
to School Grind" by phillyBurbs.com, a suburban Philadelphia news
website.
App #5 - EZ Read
Take the fear out of studying Shakespeare
with the EZ Read app. It is designed to help demystify literary classics
on your iPhone or iPad.
The free app contains access to SparkNotes.com, the popular website
with free study guides for literature, poetry, and other academic and
cultural subjects. EZ Read enables you to browse plot summaries and
character descriptions or take quizzes on everything from George Orwell
to geometric proofs.
"While your teachers might not approve of EZ Read, your social life will," notes TheDailyBeast.com.
In other words, EZ Read might temp students to skip reading their books in favor of skimming through the application's pages.
To EZ Read or not to EZ Read, that is the question.
Have a great weekend!!
Sleep - or lack thereof - can be a problem
when it's time for that early morning class. But with the Sleep Cycle
alarm clock app, you could potentially avoid those groggy mornings.
Using an accelerometer that monitors your sleep movement, the Sleep
Cycle alarm clock wakes you up during your lightest sleep phase. In
theory, this means that you should wake up feeling more rested and
relaxed for those early bird classes.
The Sleep Cycle alarm clock is compatible with the iPhone, iPod
Touch, and iPad, and received five stars from 148Apps.com, a website
that provides reviews of applications and games.
App #4 - Mental Case
Thanks to smart-phones and state-of-the-art technology, flashcards have gotten a high-tech makeover.
Meet the app called Mental Case.
Like flashcards, this app enables you to create mental notes, but it
uses plenty of bells and whistles. The virtual flashcards include text,
images, and, yes, audio. They can be presented as slideshows, too, with
the capability of sharing your notes with others via your iPhone, iPad,
or Mac.
Mental Case recently landed on the list of "7 Great Apps for the Back
to School Grind" by phillyBurbs.com, a suburban Philadelphia news
website.
App #5 - EZ Read
Take the fear out of studying Shakespeare
with the EZ Read app. It is designed to help demystify literary classics
on your iPhone or iPad.
The free app contains access to SparkNotes.com, the popular website
with free study guides for literature, poetry, and other academic and
cultural subjects. EZ Read enables you to browse plot summaries and
character descriptions or take quizzes on everything from George Orwell
to geometric proofs.
"While your teachers might not approve of EZ Read, your social life will," notes TheDailyBeast.com.
In other words, EZ Read might temp students to skip reading their books in favor of skimming through the application's pages.
To EZ Read or not to EZ Read, that is the question.
Have a great weekend!!
The free app contains access to SparkNotes.com, the popular website with free study guides for literature, poetry, and other academic and cultural subjects. EZ Read enables you to browse plot summaries and character descriptions or take quizzes on everything from George Orwell to geometric proofs.
"While your teachers might not approve of EZ Read, your social life will," notes TheDailyBeast.com.
In other words, EZ Read might temp students to skip reading their books in favor of skimming through the application's pages.
To EZ Read or not to EZ Read, that is the question.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Technology Tip: New App: Lost Photos for Windows and Mac
Technology Tip:
This article was reprinted for cnet
Like rummaging through a box of old photo albums, using Lost Photos
shows you all of the forgotten picture attachments lying dormant in your
e-mail account. What's more, it downloads them onto your machine, and
offers tools for sharing them directly with your social-network
services. You can use it with your Gmail, Yahoo, AOL, RocketMail, and
yMail accounts, and even your (defunct) MobileMe account. Plus, its
developers continue to add access to others.
Lost Photos'
interface is about as straightforward as it gets. When you first open
the program, type in the log-in information for one of your e-mail
accounts, and hit Find My Photos. By default, the program ignores any
attachments smaller than 8K, which is good for avoiding company logos
and other unimportant elements from e-mail signatures. If you like, you
can change this via the options screen. You can also choose to ignore
images in GIF format or images received before a certain date.
Unfortunately, though, you can't set any other specific search
parameters and there are no downloading options.
If you've been
using the same e-mail account for a long time, then prepare to wait a
while as Lost Photos does its thing. For me, it took the program about
an hour to sift through over 6,000 e-mails and find about 1,000 photos.
So, don't be surprised if it takes more than a few minutes for you.
The great thing is that even while Lost Photos is still digging
through your account, you can start looking through old photos. You can
control the thumbnail viewer at the bottom with your arrow keys, and
click any picture to view a larger version. There are also options to
post a photo directly to Facebook or Twitter, or attach it to an e-mail
using your default client. You cannot, however, share multiple photos at
once.
As clean and simple as it is, Lost Photos' interface is
also its biggest pain point. The thumbnail viewer accommodates only four
photos and can't be resized to add more. Now, imagine my displeasure at
having to use this tiny panel to scroll through my 1,000 photos. It's
easy enough to view downloaded pictures in Windows Explorer or Mac
Finder, but still, the interface could use some major improvements. It
would also be nice to have a few sorting options in there.
Usability
issues aside, Lost Photos is an awesome app. It performs as advertised,
and is perfect for anyone with one or several e-mail addresses. In any
case, I can almost guarantee the app will come up with some old pictures
that you completely forgot about. Whether that's a good thing or a bad
thing is another story.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Technology Tip:
Since summer has come to an end you may become very busy with school, working more etc. This means organization becomes a very big part in your life. Reach for your trusty iPhone because there is most certainly an app (or 50) that will help you pull it all together and navigate your busy daily life. Listed below are five great organization apps.
reQall
Having trouble recalling your day-to-day activities and to-do's? Download reQall
for your iPhone, an app that manages your ideas, tasks and more. You
record whatever you need by voice or text, and can use email, IM and
more. The reQall app also makes it easy to organize your lists -- by
dates, locations, times and keywords.
Price: Free
Things
If you are willing to pay for your organization app, try Things
and turn your iPhone into a perfect task manager. The creators of
Things claim that it is neither oversimplified nor too complicated -- it
strikes that perfect balance between "ease of use and powerful
features." You can manage your to-do lists, notes, tasks and
appointments.
Price: $10
eWallet
eWallet
is another pricey app, but reviewers note that it is worth the money. If
you have trouble remembering passwords, account information, card
numbers and IDs, invest in eWallet for your iPhone. This password
manager iPhone app (which also works on your iPad and iPod Touch)
securely stores all of your super-important info in one place.
Price: $10
Chomp
Chomp isn't an organization app per se, but it will save time -- and that is always welcome when you're trying to get organized. Chomp
allows you to search for other apps based on what they do, not just
what they're called. For example, you can search for "organization apps"
or "games for kids" and pull up a list of apps that might interest you.
Genius!
Remember the Milk
Now you can go to the grocery store without forgetting anything important ... like the milk. Remember the Milk
is an iPhone app that allows you to add your to-do's, sync with the
online version, organize your list with priorities, due dates, time
estimates, repeating, lists and tags, search for tasks, receive
reminders and much more.
Price: Free
Have a great day!!!
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Technology Tip: The 10 best apps for Teachers
Technology Tip:
With school just starting this is the perfect blog for teachers to learn some of the best apps that are designed specifically
for the classroom teacher. Those apps that will assist you in the
everyday little jobs that need to be done. Here is a list
of apps that you can use to make your job easier.
Keynote: $9.99
Keynote for iPad is almost as powerful as the desktop application. This
is a powerful presentation tool that has animations, slide transition
and all the features to make professional slides. It allows you to open
templates with graphics already inserted. This is purposely built to
work seemlessly on the iPad and to allow the user to incorporate other
aspects of the iWork suite. Perfect addition to any homepage.
Educate: Free
Since one of the first jobs you have to do each morning is to take the
role Attendance is a great solution for the iPad. This app has some
great features which makes it attractive to teachers; photos for each
student, recording lateness or emailing absent students. It asks if you
would like to import your address book or you can import student info
from external files. It also syncs between different devices. For the
price this is a very functional app.
Teacher Tool: Free
TeacherTool saves grades and makes suggestions for grades. TeacherTool
saves your remarks about students and presents them to you in the
upcoming lesson. It remembers the date of any grade and lets you store
comments along with it. TeacherTool keeps track of your students‘
absences. It is much safer than your traditional mark-book, as with
every synchronization on your Mac, you save an up-to-date backup copy of
all your data.
iAnnotate: $12.99
iAnnotate is a PDF reader and annotation tool for the iPad. It opens
documents from emails, fills out forms, you can sign and send out
contracts, enter notes for edits, sketch diagrams, copy text, and add
highlights or underline with the drag of a finger. iAnnotate fully
integrates its annotations directly into the PDF. This is a great tool
for teachers to mark student's work.
GradePad: $2.99
The GradePad application allows you to grade your students’ performance
directly from your mobile device. The documentation from the
application’s website explains that with this app you can Manage Groups,
Create GradePads, Do Assessments, Track Performance, and Share Data.
Manage Groups, Create GradePads, Do Assessments, Track Performance,
Share Data
Dropbox: Free
Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and
videos anywhere. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file
you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers,
your iPhone and iPad and even the Dropbox website! With the Dropbox app,
you can take everything that matters to you on the go.
Attendance: $5.99
Attendance is a universal iOS touchscreen application. It allows you to
take and keep attendance records. Its main intended use is for teachers
to keep track of records for their classes, but it can also be used for
meetings and group gatherings. Features include; unlimited courses, move
students from one class to another , photo recognition, customisable
attendance statuses.
Teacher Pal: Free
TeacherPal is a personal organizer for the teacher. It enables the
teacher to organize classes, and students. Its simple and intuitive
interface enables teachers to track the attendance, grades and behavior
of their students. Features include; simple tap attendance, grade books,
enter grade with an intuitive touchpad, import, export data files from
and to CSV files.
Flipboard: Free
This is a great app for the iPad. Flipboard allows you to set your
twitter feeds straight back to your iPad. Flipboard then re-presents it
in a magazine format. The tweets are laid out with images in the same
format as an online mag. This is great for making online textbooks for
specific classes or even further reading lists. Only the classes that
you have given the specific twitter address have access. I think this
makes tweets much more user friendly, especially to younger students who
may not be as familiar with twitter.
PowerPresenter: $1.99
PowerPresenter is an app that lets you display local PDFs, websites or
even draw on the screen as a white board. Through the Web, you can
display not just HTML but PDFs, PowerPoint presentations, Word
documents, RTF files and iWork files. This all requires Internet
connection, but if you know you do not have a connection save them as
local files.
Have a great day!
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