DESIGN TECH TONICS

What’s All The Interest in Pinterest?

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 19:24:00 +0000

The minute you say the word “Pinterest” amongst a group of people, no matter what their profession, you get a resounding chorus of “Oh, I love that site!” The site calls itself “…a virtual pinboard to organize and share things you love.”

WHAT MAKES PINTEREST SO COMPELLING?

When asked what people love about it, the answers range from just liking to look at pretty things, browsing to get ideas for a craft, cooking, sewing, or home decorating project, and just needing something different to do with spare time. Delving deeper and asking when people “pin” or browse on the site, it’s usually when they’re sitting around, often in the evening, after dinner, while watching TV. It’s become a new form of flipping through magazines to look at pictures to get ideas.

It’s also seems to be a form of socializing, but in a very solitary way; you search for ideas via pictures and find others with similar interests. You follow them and they can follow you, and a social group gets built, but without the necessary conversations that take place on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.

You can share and “like” other peoples’ images, and this is an excellent way to build your boards.

When you find something online that you want to share, you can “pin it” and a link to that site will be automatically included in the image.

Adding your comments to each image adds your personality to your page and is encouraged. Others can also comment on your pins and comments, and a dialogue is developed if you so choose.

JOINING PINTEREST

Like any exclusive club, to join Pinterest you have to be invited. It’s a very compelling marketing strategy that seems to be working extremely well for them as their stats for new members are enviable for any start-up. If you want to be invited, click HERE to be taken to their page where you can request your own invitation.

Joining Pinterest requires an invitation.

Once a member, you can use your Facebook or Twitter account to sign in, and on your settings page can choose whether you want your pins to be seen on either or both of these sites. But it's not necessary to login this way; you can have your own login name and password if you prefer.

Logging in to Pinterest is easy.

Some controversy is building around how people follow you and how you get new followers that you haven’t specifically chosen; it seems that in addition to your choosing your followers, Pinterest is choosing them for you. To read a more detailed article about this, please click HERE.

RULES AND ETIQUETTE

There are rules and etiquette to be a better participant. An excellent article with lots of great information for the beginning, intermediate, and advanced user has been published and, rather that reiterating its 56 points, here’s a link to help you be a better “Pinterest-ist” (my own word) or “pinner,” as they call you. The title is a bit mis-leading; it's a good read for anyone interested in Pinterest. To read the article, please click HERE.

All the “boards” you create are available for anyone else to see, so being appropriate is one of the most basic rules of this road.

You can create as many boards on as many topics as you like. Some people are using them as inspiration boards for their clients’ projects, but my single objection to the site is that you can’t select which boards you’d like to keep private. My “work in progress” process isn’t something that I necessarily want the whole world to see. I’ve voiced this concern to the company and hopefully, in a future update Pinterest will make this an option.

PROMOTING YOUR PRODUCT OR SERVICE

Additionally, now companies with products and services to sell are jumping on the Pinterest bandwagon to find their audience. Naturally, there are rules to follow here, but they’re pretty basic and self-evident. They are:

It’s not just about pretty pictures; develop a strategy so you don’t waste time putting up random images,
Draw your prospective clients to you by making yourself irresistible,
Leverage Pinterest for SEO to drive more traffic to your site.

Again, some controversy is developing around Pinterest’s use of affiliate link-swapping and commissions, so if you’re pinning products for your business, be sure to read their policy statement very carefully. For a link to an article about this, please click HERE.

UPDATE: Want to learn more about how Pinterest is driving consumer traffic to brick and mortar stores? Here's a case history with a flow chart as evidence. Click HERE to read it.

UPDATE: Pinterest is not just for looking at pretty pictures and finding places to buy stuff. Non-profits have discovered the benefits of sharing information here as well. To read more about how they're using the site for social good, click HERE.

UPDATE: Even home schoolers are benefitting from Pinterest by using it as a social, connectivity tool. To read more, click HERE.

COPYRIGHT ISSUES?

As I've pinned images, I wondered about copyright issues, and I've chosen not to pin some of my own photographs because I don't want them out there without my own controls on them. To read my post on how to track usage of your images, please click HERE.

The question of copyright abuse has been raised as it relates to one's posting of photographs on the site. To read an excellent article about it, please click HERE.

UPDATE: If you want to read another article about how to use Pinterest without violating copyright laws, click HERE. But the way the article describes it, I seriously doubt if anyone will use the site this way as it basically refutes what Pinterest is all about.

WHAT ELSE IS THERE?

There's another player in this field; it's called Clipix and does much the same thing that Pinterest does but with one outstanding difference - on Clipix you can keep some of your boards private. To me that's a big deal.

Clipix is a site similar to Pinterest.

Now that you’ve been set on the Pinterest path, don’t blame me if you get sucked into its black hole of time and don’t come out for hours. It can be quite addictive, or at least, so I’m told.

P.S. If you want to see what I'm pinning, including some interesting tech stuff, click HERE.

UPDATE: If you want to read what Forbes Magazine says about Pinterest's success and why it's so appealing to users, click HERE.

UPDATE: If you like keeping your Klout score, then here's a site you may like for keeping your Pinterest clout score: PinClout.com.

UPDATE: If you want to read about the psychology behind Pinterest's success, click HERE. Hint: it has to do with our instinct to forage and collect.

Information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Pinterest.

Traveling to China? Don't Phone Home!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:34:00 +0000

One of the many benefits of smartphones and laptops is that it’s easy take your office with you, so to speak, and electronically patch in to your company’s main computer, catch up on emails, and transfer important documents back and forth. It’s also easy to talk with associates, friends, and family as if you were just across town instead of half way around the world.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that if you’re doing this from China, you’re not the only one checking in to your computer. Electronic spying is a big business in China and many companies suffer the consequences of this when their employees travel abroad and “phone home.”

With corporate spying taking on new dimensions, many companies insist that their employees “travel naked” when going to China. No, this doesn’t mean that the TSA has put new demands on you as you go through airport security; it means that you don’t take your laptop or smartphone with you. Instead, you travel with “loaner” devices that are erased before you leave the United States and wiped clean the moment you return. No Bluetooth, no Wi-Fi, no letting the phone out of your sight, and turning off the phone when in meetings and even removing the battery from the device. And no using the camera in it. It means connecting to the home office computer through encrypted, password-protected channels and copying and pasting passwords from a USB thumb drive and never typing in a password directly.

Why all this paranoia and secrecy? This is now SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) for officials at American government agencies, research groups and companies that do business in Russia and China. Why? Because digital espionage is big business, that’s why.

“If a company has significant intellectual property that the Chinese and Russians are interested in, and you go over there with mobile devices, your devices will get penetrated,” said Joel F. Brenner, formerly the top counterintelligence official in the office of the director of national intelligence.

Once upon a time, corporate hacking was just the work of corporate moles or disgruntled former employees. That’s no longer the case. With the proliferation of smartphones and the ability to plug a computer into the Internet and network to a company’s mainframe computer, being able to remotely steal proprietary corporate information has gotten easier and easier. The now-preferred modus operandi is to break into an employees’ portable device and leapfrog into an employers’ networks, leaving no evidence of this being done.

Cyber thieves seldom leave a footprint.

Statistics on the frequency and impact of this type of corporate theft are scarce because affected companies are reluctant to go public with information about the breach for fear of its impact on company stock prices. But many companies have strict policies in place about how their employees can and cannot use their devices when traveling to certain countries.

As quoted in the New York Times, “The Chinese are very good at covering their tracks,” said Scott Aken, a former F.B.I. agent who specialized in counterintelligence and computer intrusion. “In most cases, companies don’t realize they’ve been burned until years later when a foreign competitor puts out their very same product - only they’re making it 30 percent cheaper.”

“We’ve already lost our manufacturing base,” he said. “Now we’re losing our R.& D. base. If we lose that, what do we fall back on?”

Does this affect you when you travel abroad? It depends on who you work for, what type of work you do, and the circumstances under which you’re traveling. Before you leave, check with your employer to see if they have any policies in place about cyber security. But just to be on the safe side, it’s wise to assume that it could affect you and the company you work for, so err on the side of caution, and yes, do be a bit paranoid.

BIG BROTHER IS THY NAME GOOGLE?

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:23:00 +0000

NOTE: (Feb 23rd) This fast moving topic has had several updates since the writing of this article. Several are posted at the end of it.

Effective March 1^st, 2012, Google is changing their privacy settings. This means that anyone who has registered with a Gmail, Calendar, Maps, YouTube, Blogger, Chrome, Picassa, Earth, SketchUp, Reader, Google+, Wallet, and other accounts owned and managed by Google, will be affected by this change.

The following statement comes from Google to their users:

“We're getting rid of over 60 different privacy policies across Google and replacing them with one that's a lot shorter and easier to read. Our new policy covers multiple products and features, reflecting our desire to create one beautifully simple and intuitive experience for your users across Google products.

“We're excited about the improvements we are making across our products and appreciate your support. You can view the new privacy policy at http://www.google.com/policies.”

Translated into user-friendly language, what this means is that Google is collecting information across all these platforms to stitch together a more complete profile about you and your interests. What this really means is that Google will be able to better target advertising to you.

Google says that it won’t sell this information to advertisers, but if they have a few more quarters of poor earnings performance, I believe that eventually they will sell this valuable information to advertisers, who would be happy to know more about you and will gladly pay for it.

Information in seemingly unrelated accounts that are being held in a silo-type model will get shared in this new, merged approach, so what you watch on YouTube and what you receive in your Gmail in-box will become related. For example, if you watch an NFL clip on-line and you live in San Francisco, they could send you advertisements for 49er tickets to your Gmail account.

AND YOU CAN’T OPT OUT!

“Google’s new privacy announcement is frustrating and a little frightening,” said Common Sense Media chief executive James Steyer in a quote given to the Washington Post. “Even if the company believes that tracking users across all platforms improves their services, consumers should still have the option to opt out — especially the kids and teens who are avid users of YouTube, Gmail and Google Search.”

HOW ELSE IS YOUR ACTIVITY BEING TRACKED?

Additionally, Google can collect information about users when they activate an Android mobile phone, sign into their accounts online or enter search terms. It also stores cookies on people’s computers so they know which Web sites are being visited, or use its popular maps program to estimate the location where the user is.

Google’s position as presented by Alma Whitten, Google’s director of privacy for product and engineering, as stated to the Washington Post is, “If you’re signed in, we may combine information you’ve provided from one service with information from other services. In short, we’ll treat you as a single user across all our products, which will mean a simpler, more intuitive Google experience.”

HOW CAN YOU PROTECT YOURSELF?

If Google is already deeply embedded in your life, there’s not much you can do to un-embed them at this junction short of discontinuing your use of the services they provide. But this isn’t necessarily a practical solution since what they provide is beneficial, which is why you signed up for it in the first place.

Having said all of the above, users who have not registered on Google or any of its other sites, such as YouTube, Chrome, etc., are not affected by the new policy.

But that’s probably not you since they provide valuable tools that you like.

GOOGLE’S SEARCH ENGINE

The first and easiest line of defense is to stop using Google as your search engine when you’re logged in. You can change the preference of the web browser on your computer(s) and smartphone so that they will default to Bing or Yahoo instead of Google. This way Google won’t see what you’re looking for and won’t have your search history on file (yes, they do keep it forever). Or, you can simply log out of Google and use the Google search engine anonymously. Your choice.

GMAIL

If you’re using Gmail, your next line of defense is to change your email provider. This is definitely more challenging since you’ll have to notify all your friends, clients, vendors, family, etc., of your new email address. But it’s do-able if you find yourself barraged by unwanted marketing materials in the future.

OTHER GOOGLE PRODUCTS

Personally, I’ve opted not to give them my calendar and address book in the first place. I had a very “Big Brother” feeling about them way back then, and now I’m being proved right (big whoop). Sorry.

As with the Google search engine, you can browse and watch videos on YouTube without being logged in. You just won’t be able to save or share them until you are.

Moving forward, I won’t be using Google Wallet any time soon since I don’t want my buying habits tracked by anyone other than the credit card companies that I’ve authorized. And I’m certainly not interested in advertisers of competing brands than what I purchased bombarding me with promotional material.

If you don’t know about ALL the products that Google offers, here’s a link to a handy list. You might find something new and useful here because they do, in fact, provide excellent products. Click HERE to see the complete list with links.

WHAT DO THE FEDS SAY ABOUT THIS?

Hopefully, as this rolls out and the public gets wind of how their information is being shared, the cry will be loud and it will be “Give us an opt out capability!”

But right now, the FTC, the regulators of this type of stuff, is looking at whether Google is running afoul of antitrust rules because of the way they’re using their dominance in the on-line search world to favor its own business lines.

So far, the FTC has declined to comment to the press about any interaction between Google and regulators on this new privacy change.

Time will tell, and we shall see. Stay tuned…

UPDATE: Google has agreed to a Do Not Track function. To read more, click HERE.

UPDATE:

Tips for keeping your browsing private

If you’re truly paranoid about your Internet search and browsing history (and I won’t ask why), this video will show you ways to avoid having your activity tracked once and for all. To view it, please click HERE.

UPDATE:

Use Google's own tools to opt out of ad networks 

In Google’s privacy policy are links to services that let you view and manage the information you share with Google. Some of the personal information you volunteered, while some of it is collected by Google as you search, browse, and use other services.

To view almost everything Google knows about you, open the Google Dashboard. You can access all the services associated with your various Google services: Gmail, Google Docs, YouTube, Picasa, Blogger, AdSense, and every other Google property. This dashboard also lets you manage your contacts, calendar, Google Groups, Web history, Google Voice account, and other services.

UPDATE: If you’re a Social Media, mobile or digital junkie, and/or you want to know more about how to maximize Google’s useful products and tools, then this article is a must read for you. It contains links to 15 Google related blogs from “The Ultimate Guide to Google’s Hidden Tools.” Click HERE.

Information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Google.

POWER UP YOUR SMARTPHONE WHILE ON THE GO

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 18:46:00 +0000

If you’re one of the many millions of people who carry a smartphone, and who isn’t, then you’ve probably had the awful experience of it running out of power (aka “juice”) while you’re out and about. There’s never a good time for this to happen, so what do you do?

Once, unbeknownst to me (and it only happens once before you learn the lesson the hard way), I left the house with my smartphone’s power supply almost empty. I arrived at the restaurant and discovered my dilemma when I tried to call to find my missing dining partner. Desperate for a jump start in the restaurant, I asked the management if they had a power plug that fit my smartphone. Fortunately, someone on their staff had one, and I gratefully recharged while dining. Needless to say, I left a hefty tip for the extra service they provided.

If you’re at someone else’s house, and they have the same type of device as you do, you can usually get a charge from their power plug. And if you’re in your car, you probably (or should) carry a power plug that fits into a port in your car and so you can power up while on the go.

CHARGE WITHOUT A PLUG

Do you know that there are other handy solutions so you can re-charge your smartphone without plugging in to a wall outlet? Yup, clever little devices exist so you can boost your device’s power supply with external hardware when absolutely necessary. No wall plugs required while out and about *.

Depending on the type of smartphone you carry, there are a number of different products that fit on or around your device, or attach to it in some way to provide you with the power you need. Some fit on your smartphone and simultaneously function as a protective case. Choose the one the works best for your expected usage and device.

Mophie Juick Pack for the iPhone and soon Android phones.

MOPHIE is a popular multi-purpose juice pack for the iPhone (and soon for Android smartphones). It’s a protective case for your iPhone that’s sleek, and simultaneously adds battery life to the device; it purports to double the battery time, depending on what you’re doing with the device. It comes in a variety of colors to suit your personal style best. I like the red one so I can easily find my iPhone at the bottom of my handbag.

Third Rail adds a battery to its protective case on your iPhone.

THIRD RAIL is a slim case for the iPhone with an add-on battery. It’s bulky when you add the battery to the case, but the trade off is that it also has a USB port and cable so you can simultaneously charge other devices from it. Multiple batteries can be stacked for even more power. Perfect for the road warrior in the family.

RichardSolo 1800 adds juice, but it's not a protective case.

RICHARDSOLO 1800 is an external juice pack with cable to the smartphone. It’s not sleek or elegant, but it does the job when you need more power while on the go. Make sure you purchase the right one for your smartphone type.

New Trent iCruiser is an external power pack with multiple plugs for all your devices.

NEW TRENT iCruiser provides a whole kit with plugs, external add-on battery, and even a pouch so you can carry all their stuff in one neat place. The iCruiser IMP1000 11000mAh External Battery Pack and Charger works for the iPad2 iPad, iPhone 4S, 4, 3Gs, 3G (AT&T and Verizon), iPod Touch (1G 2G 3G 4G 5G), HTC Android EVO, Blackberry, Samsung Galaxy S, Droid, Nintendo, Sony PSP, and much more.

Of course, one day we’ll be able to cut the cord entirely when power plugs will be a thing of the past; we’ll juice up either solarly, magnetically, or magically. Until then, we’ll just have to plug in somewhere.

To read about all the things I carry in my handbag for smartphone juicing and other emergency functions, please click HERE.

* Sooner or later all these external battery solutions need to be charged themselves, so it’s yet another device that needs to sit somewhere with a cable attached to a wall outlet.

These are just a few solutions of the dozens out there and the information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of vendors shown.

Watch Media on Computers, Tablets, Smartphones, and TV's Too!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:12:00 +0000

The most interesting trend in technology this year will be how to watch TV shows, movies, news, sports, and videos other than on television in real time.

It can mean watching on a TV set, sure, but via a differently delivery system than in the past. It also means watching content on computers, tablets and smartphones too.

Scheduling, content selection, and minimal advertising are all motivators for an audience to gravitate to these alternatives.

Google calculates that there are 5 billion (yes, with a “B”) people worldwide watching 5 hours of content per day. That’s a huge audience with a huge potential.

THE DIFFERENCE THIS CAN MAKE TO YOU

WATCH TV ON YOUR SCHEDULE!

First, I’m challenged to commit myself to a network’s schedule because a show I like is on when I have other plans. I’d rather watch TV when I want to watch it than when I have to.

For example, this past weekend PBS re-ran all the episodes from season 1 of a series that I like, this in anticipation of season 2 starting next week; a way for new viewers to be brought up to speed and old viewers to revisit the show. But I didn’t want to sit in front of my TV all day. So instead, I watched the series on Netflix via streaming. I could watch for a couple of hours, do something else, come back, watch some more, pause to refresh my glass of whatever, etc. Grateful as I was for the reruns, I had cut the tether from the network and lived my life on my schedule, not theirs.

WATCH TV WITH FEWER COMMERCIALS!

Secondly, the announcer’s statement, “The following is brought to you with limited commercial interruption,” is music to my ears. Why? Because the average 60 minute television show contains 15 minutes of commercials; that’s 25% of an hour spent watching commercials in just one show. Multiply that by two or three one hour shows in an evening, and I’d have spent an entire hour watching commercials, many of them repeats. I have better things to do with an hour of my time than watch commercials!

25% of a 1 hour TV show is commercials!

Now that I have alternatives that include fewer commercials, why should I watch the same show with more of them?

HOW THIS IS POSSIBLE

Cable TV providers, network web sites, applications, and software give the erstwhile TV viewer alternatives for watching their favorite shows and movies on their own schedule with the ability to pause, stop and otherwise live one’s life in one’s own “real” time, not on the schedule of the networks and, coincidentally, their advertisers (but that’s another subject entirely).

These alternatives include but are not limited to YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, TiVo, Slingbox, Xbox, Wii, PlayStation, cable system providers like Comcast / XFinity, satellite company Dish network, and many hardware manufacturers who make multiple function devices like DVR’s that connect to your cable provider so you can record and watch later, and BluRay players that network into your WiFi sytem so you can stream content and watch at your convenience.

Most networks have apps so you can watch their shows on your devices
and web sites to watch on your computer.

They have all have given us the freedom to watch movies and TV shows on our television sets on our own schedules. And now dozens of apps exist so we can also watch them on tablets, and smartphones when we’re away from home or not in the same room as the TV with this capability.

WHAT WILL THE FUTURE BRING?

The next big thing from Google (owner of YouTube), Apple, and numerous hardware manufacturers and software developers is that they are all vying to create the best delivery system for content and to lock up that content to ensure that viewers watch via them.

I’m also looking forward to the day when it won’t require six remote controls to switch from one type of viewing to another (yes, I know about Universal remote controls, but have you ever tried to configure one?), and where all the TV’s in the house function the same way.

True, we’ve had recording devices for years that have given us freedom from commercials and network schedules, but there’s some very exciting stuff in development.

The real challenge for individuals, no matter what the delivery system, is to find the time to watch content and simultaneously live life somewhere other than on the couch in front of a screen. Do I see jogger’s glasses with a built-in movie viewing capability in our future?

Jogging glasses, anyone?

Is this too many screens for one car?

Why not? We already have cars with screens built into the front seat head rests so passengers in the back seats can watch movies instead of the scenery. Sigh….

As the saying from TV’s golden era goes, “stay tuned to this channel.” I'll bring you more information about these innovations as they emerge in the near future.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Outdoor Sports Channel, BlueLine.ca, useit.com,

Track Your Package? Sure. Track Your On-Line Images? Now You Can!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:22:00 +0000

If you’re a creative type and post pictures of your work, you’ve probably wondered about how to prevent your images from being reproduced on other peoples’ web sites without your permission. If it’s happened to you and you know about it, you’ve probably uttered the “GRRRR” sound, or worse, in response. Most people don’t even know when their images have been reproduced elsewhere as most of the time no one bothers to ask permission, hence no “GRRRR” sound.

Creating a watermark on the image is one way to discourage this type of cyber-theft from happening, and there’s a lot of software out there to help you do this. A guick Google search for “watermark software” will help you find them. But what if you don’t want a big, fat, not necessarily pretty, watermark smack dab in the middle of that beautiful picture of your work?

There’s an alternative that, in addition to putting a discrete mark on your image, allows you to track where else that image is appearing. It’s called DIGIMARC FOR IMAGES, and does just that. Their web site says, “Digimarc for Images allows you to communicate your ownership and other information about your images with a digital watermark that persists wherever they may travel across the Internet.”

The company has two levels of this type of service, and naturally there’s a price difference. The basic package ($49 per year) communicates ownership info and usage rights, while the more expensive professional package ($99 per year) is the one that allows you to track on-line usage.

How It Works

Digimarc’s software creates digital data that’s embedded into all forms of media (photo, video, music, or other content). For example, with a photo image it’s a plug-in that’s pre-installed in Adobe Photoshop and then is included in jpg and gif image files.

Digimarc's descriptive web site image of how their service works.

Digimarc’s web site includes six helpful video tutorials that walk you through the process from how to digitally watermark your images to how to “beat the villain” and communicate your information.

Reversing the Process

What if you want to find out the information contained in a Digimarc’ed image? Also, what if you want to share more information about your company or product that someone can access from this image?

It’s called “Digimarc Discover™,” and of course, there’s an app for that, both on Apple’s iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch), and Android based devices. The above link will take you to their web site where you will find information about the product and links to the appropriate app store for your device. These apps are free.

Other Information That A Digimarc’ed Image Can Convey

In addition to useful information about the creator of an image, this mark can convey a lot of other information; i.e., more product details than just what an image can say,

Beryn Hammil Designs' QR Code

Some tech people consider this to be another form of QR codes. I’ve written several posts about this technology, and to get up to speed, suggest that you start reading the series of them here: “What’s QR Code And Is It Right For Your Business?”

Digimarc’s FAQ page for the Discover app has lots of answers to commonly asked questions, and might be a good place to start your research.

Full Disclosure

In the spirit of full disclosure, I’ve had difficulties with the Discover app for my iPhone 4S. The FAQ section suggests updating to the latest version of iOS, which of course, I have, but the app still isn’t functional for me while I’ve had no trouble with QR code reading apps.

Additionally, I read magazines on my iPad, and often will use my iPhone with QR code reader apps to get more information from the ads I see there. The Discover app will not read the icon on an iPad screen. I’ve been in touch with the company to let them know and they say it’s something that they’ll review in upcoming product development meetings.

In Conclusion

There's much happening in the realm of expanded information sharing, and I believe that right now we're experiencing just the tip of the iceberg with both Digimarc's Discover and QR codes, so stay tuned. As more information becomes available I'll be sharing my thoughts and opinions about them.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Digimarc and Hot Topic Needs to Stop Stealing Art

Mastering Siri is Like Training a Puppy

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 16:19:00 +0000

You’ve finally gotten your new iPhone 4S and have been trying to figure out the best way to get its voice-activated assistant, Siri, to work with you to fulfill your every wish. Well, maybe not your every wish, but at least the ones that your new iPhone can fulfill.

Mastering Siri is Like Training a Puppy

There are lots of things Siri can do, and some it can’t, so setting your expectations to a realistic level is the first, most important lesson you need to learn to get it to work properly.

It’s sort of like training a puppy; it’s not so much about training the dog as it is about training you – getting you to understand what it’s capable of doing and knowing when you're expecting too much of it.

Building Your Relationship With Siri

I live in a state where the law says that you can’t drive and talk on a cell phone that’s held to your ear at the same time, so “hands free” is the mandatory mode for cell phone use while driving. This makes Siri a truly valuable a tool.

Used through the BlueTooth headset that’s synced to my iPhone, Siri and I can create appointments, set reminder notes, and make phone calls, among other things, without taking my hands off the steering wheel. Before you try this in your car, I suggest you sit with your iPhone at home and practice a few commands.

Learning The Commands

Again, like with a puppy, some words are easier for Siri (and a puppy) to understand. “Sit,” “Stay,” and “Come,” are easy for a puppy. “Call...” “Email...” and “Remind me…” are similar to Siri – the instructions are clearly stated at the beginning of the request and Siri can easily grab onto that word and knows what to do next.

Simple Commands

• Phone: “Call John.”

• Messages: “Tell Sam, I’ll be right there.” or “Send message to Sam.”

• Calendar: “Set up a meeting with Beryn Hammil at 9.”

• Reminders: “Remind me to call American Express.”

• Maps: “How do I get to The Marriott Hotel?” (Currently US only.)

• Mail: “Email Tom about WWDC.” or “Search email for Tom Jones.”

• FaceTime “FaceTime Peggy.”

• Music “Play [name of song]”

• Weather: “What’s the weather for today?”

• Stocks: “What’s Apple’s stock price?”

• Clock: “Wake me up tomorrow at 10 a.m.” or “set a timer for 10 minutes so I can take the cake out of the oven!”

• Contacts: “What’s John Jone’s address?”

• Notes: “Note that I spent $30 on lunch today.” or “Search for notes on books I want to read.”

• Safari: “Search the web Masa’s restaurant.”

• Find My Friends: “Find Susan Smith.”

With many of these commands, Siri will ask you a question to which you need to respond so it can fulfill the request. If you have more than one phone number for a person and you didn’t state “Call Mary Jone’s mobile phone,” Siri will ask you which phone number you want her to dial.

More Complicated Requests

Your requests can include several functions, and you need to be trained for the best way to make them. Here’s an example of how Siri will interact with you to give you the best results. (Obviously, you will not be doing this while driving.)

You: I have a flat tire on my car. Where can I get my tire fixed?

Siri: What kind of place are you looking for?

[On the screen, Siri displays two options: tire stores or towing services.]

You: Tire store.

Siri: I found 7 tire shops… three of them are fairly close to you.

[Siri then provides on-screen list of tire shops that link to Google maps and business entries.]

You can then ask Siri to call someone specific to let them know that you’ve had a flat tire and will be late to the meeting.

Dictation

If you want to create a memo, email text, note to yourself, create a Facebook entry or Tweet, or prepare the text for a letter that you’ll send later, and have them include correct punctuation, Siri can do this for you. But it requires that in addition to the words, you describe the punctuation you want included.

Most frequently used punctuation commands:

• new line - move to the next line

• new paragraph - to start a new paragraph

• all caps - to make the next word all uppercase

• all caps on … all caps off - to make part of what you say uppercase

• no caps - to make the next word lowercase

• no caps on … no caps off - to make sure part of what you say is all lowercase

• space bar - to prevent a hyphen from appearing in a normally hyphenated word

• period

• comma

• apostrophe (in most cases apostrophes are automatically included)

• exclamation point

• question mark

• ampersand

• asterisk

• open parenthesis

• close parenthesis

• open bracket

• close bracket

• open brace

• close brace

• dash

• hyphen

Many apps in your iPhone include a microphone icon so you can dictate a message, Tweet, or create a note directly into them. It’s located on the lower left corner of the screen. Press it and Siri will start and you can begin dictating your message. (Again, this is NOT something to do while driving.)

There's a slight delay between the time you dictate and when the actual words appear. Be patient.

TIPS

Syntax is important to help Siri understand your intent.

Not Good:

You: I want to change the time on an appointment on my calendar"

Siri: I'm not aware of any appointments about 'An appointment.”

In this example, Siri couldn't figure out the semantics of scheduling – a command had been initiated but didn't give the full information. The more you tell Siri in one sentence, the better it handles the request.

Good:

You: Change my calendar on November 30. The appointment will not be at 7 p.m. It will be at 1 p.m."

Siri: OK, I'll make that change to your appointment. [Pause] Are you ready for me to schedule it?

JD: Yes, please.

[Siri carries out the action successfully.]

Note that the words “change” and “appointment” were early in your request and gave Siri action words to grab.

In Conclusion

The puppy analogy can go on and on; a gentle voice works best, speaking slowly and clearly makes understanding easier, and the more you speak to it, the better it understands you.

While your puppy may not be able to do this, with proper training Siri can!

Apple’s web site has useful information about Siri and helpful tutorials. For a link to it, click HERE.

Now that you know how to work with Siri, enjoy the newest relationship in your life. May it give you as much pleasure as a well trained puppy!

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Cartoon courtesy of J. True, images courtesy of Apple and Beryn Hammil

Hardware In My Handbag - Staying Functional Longer

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 16:56:00 +0000

There used to be a time when I carried just a few things that were necessities for a lady to have with her; lipstick, a compact, tissues, a comb, a little black address book.

Today, I find that my handbag has become a virtual toolbox filled with hardware to keep me connected. In addition to the above-mentioned items, which are still a necessity, less the address book, I carry no fewer than 9 pieces of gear to keep me functional. They are;

What the well-dressed woman carries in her handbag.

1. Smartphone (iPhone being my device of choice)

2. Verizon’s MiFi - a business card sized device that enables me to create my own secure wifi hot spot.

3. Supplemental power pack for the iPhone – in case the phone runs out of juice.

4. Mini flashlight (attached to the power pack by a string) - just in case I’m in the dark and the iPhone is out of juice and its flashlight app won’t work.

5. Electric power adapter for the iPhone - in case my power pack expires too.

6. BlueTooth headset – enables me to simultaneously drive and talk hands free (it’s the law in California).

7. Earphones for the iPhone - in case the BlueTooth runs out of juice.

8. Square – a device that plugs into the iPhone’s ear jack so if someone wants to make a credit card payment to me I can take it.

9. iPhone stand – in case I’m in a situation where I want to create an easel for my iPhone (makes for an handy mini-presentation device).

Naturally, most of these items reside in their own little carrying case so everything is neat and tidy.

Of course, there’s also the power adapter for my iPhone in the glove compartment of my car so I can power up en route, but this doesn’t count as a handbag item.

Part of the reason for all this “stuff” is that I live in an earthquake prone area and if I’m unable to get home after a sizable tremor, I still want to be functional. All the items except numbers 8 and 9 will help me do that. Perhaps that’s just my Girl Scout “Be Prepared!” mentality kicking in, but one can’t be too cautious, can one?

What’s in your handbag (or briefcase)? Could you and your smartphone stay in touch for more than just a few hours if you can't get home? Think about it…

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

photo by Beryn Hammil

Love Reading? Now It's Easier Than Ever!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 20:49:00 +0000

One of my favorite things about smartphones and tablet devices is that they make reading books and magazines so much easier than reading the printed version of same.

A FEW REASONS WHY

Since they’re all good, in no particular order of preference, here are just a few of my best reasons why I love reading on my tablet and smartphone;

· Adjustable font size: words are easier to see.

· Self illuminating: you don’t have to have a reading light on so if your partner is sleeping, you won’t disturb him or her.

· Take them with you: when traveling, it’s no longer necessary to debate which book or magazine to take with you on the trip; you can take them all!

· Acquire new books and magazines easily: just a few clicks and you can download new books and magazines from anywhere.

· Read while you’re out and about: If you have a time while commuting on the train or bus, or you find a few extra minutes while waiting at the car wash or doctor’s office, you can pick up where you left off in that best-seller.

· Create bookmarks and notes: Depending on the app, you can easily return to a specific place and make notes to yourself. Some apps even let you share these notes with other readers of the same books.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

No matter what type kind of smartphone or tablet you’re using, there’s an app that lets you read on it. In fact, there are several. And many of these apps let you sync between devices so you can pick up your place from one to another.

For example, if you’re reading a book at home on your iPad and have to leave the house, you can pick up where you left off in your iPhone while you’re out. And then you can go back to your iPad and the app will sync to the last page you read on your iPhone.

Again, in no order of preference, here are just a few of my favorite apps from the many that are out there. All them are free to download, but all require that you create an account and have a credit card on file for easy purchase and download.

KINDLE – all devices plus PC and Mac

This is the grand-daddy of book reading apps. It’s available for iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, Windows 7, Mac, and PC. Click on the device that’s right for you and you’ll be taken to the correct download page. If you have more than one device, be sure to download the app for each, that way you can sync back and forth as I mentioned above. You’ll need an account at Amazon.com to purchase books, but the app makes it easy to set up.

Kindle also allows you to borrow and download books from your local library. To read details about how to do this, read my article, “Getting Books From the Library Just Got Easier Thanks to Amazon and Kindle.”

iBOOKS – Apple devices and computers only

Apple has entered the reading books and magazines on-line business with their iBooks app. And now, with their new operating system, iOS 5, you can automatically sync between Apple devices to keep your place. In addition to books that you can purchase, they have a comprehensive library of free books, many of which are the great classics. You’ll need an account on iTunes (Apple) so you can download to your device(s) and make purchases.

STANZA – Apple mobile devices only

My first e-book experience was on a Stanza app years ago, and I was immediately hooked on this wonderful way to read books. The app is so well-reviewed that it’s worth noting here and I encourage you to look at it as well.

NOOK

If you’re a Barnes & Noble Nook user, you’ll be happy to know that there’s an iPad app for it, so you can read your Nook books, magazines, and newspapers on this device too. In the spirit of full disclosure, the iTunes user reviews of this app aren’t wonderful, and I’ve had no experience with it. Just sayin’.

ZINIO – Magazine reading app

Apple and Android mobile devices. Mac, Windows, and Linux desktops

This app is one of my personal favorites; I can download, read, and archive my favorite magazines, create libraries of images for future reference, and make bookmarks in each magazine. It lets me carry dozens of magazines with me on my iPad, something that would be impossible to do with the printed versions.

A debate exists about which e-reader app is the best, but I believe that you should try them and see which one suits your needs best. Just like a recommendation about a book, you have to read a bit of it before you know if you’ll like it.

NOTE: Apple's "Newsstand" is now part of the suite of iOS 5 applications that enables you to sync books, magazines, and newspapers between your Apple devices via iCloud. I'll be addressing this in a future article about iCloud, so stay tuned.

Also note: there are literally dozens of apps for reading books to children, but I haven’t included any of them here. It’s just too big a topic for this article.

UPDATE: For a link to an excellent article about which are the most popular e-books and why, as well as information about which publishers are supporting this platform, click HERE.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Apple, Zinio, Amazon.com, OnlyLink

Updating your iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch to iOS 5 is Easy!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:39:00 +0000

Apple's iOS5 is ready to download!

If you’ve never had to update your Apple mobile device before and are confused about what’s involved, I invite you to follow these steps; they will take you through the process painlessly. Fortunately for us, Apple makes this process easy for even the least tech savvy person.

WHY UPGRADE?

iOS 5, the new Apple operating system, is designed to enable us to keep the information on all our devices in sync with each other without our having to tether them to a computer. This is called “cloud computing” and is designed for sharing information across multiple platforms (devices) and is a very nifty invention to make our lives simpler and work easier.

THE UPGRADE PROCESS

Step 1: Update your iTunes software

Before you can proceed with updating your device(s), you first need to update iTunes. This is a new version of your existing software that makes everything else possible.

To do this, open your iTunes application; you will be notified that a newer version is available. Click on “update” and let it do its thing. Depending on your computer and internet connection, this might happen quickly or not. Be patient.

Step 2: Plug your device into your computer and open iTunes.

Your phone will start to sync and backup automatically.

If it doesn’t, your device and iTunes may be set up so that you need to click the “sync” button in order to back it up. Or you can click your device name in the navigation bar on the left side, and click “back up” as well. Either way will work.

Step 3: You will see a notification on the screen that an update is available.

YOU SHOULD BACK UP YOUR DEVICE BEFORE YOU UPDATE IT. As a reminder, iTunes will prompt you to back up if you haven’t done so already. But just in case it doesn’t do step 2 automatically, click “Check for Update” under the Version section.

Step 4: The new software downloads itself.

Now click on "Download and Update." This process takes a bit of time, so be patient. It’s working hard to update your device to iOS 5.

Once downloaded, it will install itself into your iPhone 3GS or 4, iPod Touch (third and fourth generations only), and iPad (both 1 and 2) and will restart your device.

Step 5: iTunes will prompt you to something.

You will be asked to either set it up as a new device or restore it from a backup. Choose to RESTORE FROM BACKUP and select the backup you just made.

Step 6: Your device will reboot when the backup is done.

When iTunes detects the device with its new operating system installed, it will start to sync any apps and games that were in your device before you made the change to the new operating system.

NOW WHAT?

If you have more than one Apple mobile device, you’ll need to do this update process for each of them.

There, now you’re done updating. See how easy that was, and you’re ready to back up in the cloud.

WHAT’S THE CLOUD?

After the update to iOS 5 you’ll have the option to use iCloud updating.

If you’re using MobileMe to keep your devices in sync, you’re familiar with the benefits of this, but if not, you’re in for a real treat!

“What’s this?” you ask. Cloud computing enables you to keep your multiple devices and computers in sync with each other without their having to be connected with cables and wires.

What this means is that any changes that you make to your address book, calendar, and Safari bookmarks will automatically be made in those apps in your other devices.

Additionally, and new even for MobileMe users, your music library, pictures in your device’s camera, the books you’ve stored in iBooks, your photographs, IM’s, and information in some of your other applications will automatically sync across to your other devices as well.

By June, 2012, in order for your Mac computer(s) to stay in sync with your Apple devices, you'll need to have the new Lion OS installed in them. This will affect those of us who are currently syncing via MobileMe as this service will be going away next year. If you want to read more about Lion OS and if it's right for you, click HERE to see an earlier article that I wrote about it.

In addition this major change, there are lots of other things included in the upgrade and I’ll be posting more about them once the dust settles, so stay tuned.

If you want more information, there’s plenty of it on Apple’s site, so click HERE to go directly to it.

Oh, and all this is FREE! What more can you ask for!

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Apple.

What's New With Apple's New iPhone 4S

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:52:00 +0000

The long awaited announcement from Apple about the newest iteration of the iPhone gave us something new, and something not so new.

What’s not new is that’s it’s not an iPhone 5. Rumors swirled for weeks prior to the announcement that it would be faster, sleeker, have a larger screen, and perhaps even make your bed in the morning. Only one of these is true (and it’s not about your bed!).

What we did get is the iPhone 4S. Yes, it’s faster than the previous model, the iPhone 4. And it has lots of capabilities that we didn’t know we needed, including a “virtual personal assistant” (is this where making the bed comes in? I don’t think so, but it can remind you to do it yourself.) Read on.

The iPhone 4S looks no different than the earlier version, but what’s inside is seriously different. Here are just a few of the improvements:

INCREASED DOWNLOAD SPEED

When it comes to downloading content from the web and playing games on your smartphone, it’s all about speed. The new iPhone 4S promises to deliver at twice the speed of the iPhone 4, which is faster than the iPhone 3GS.

BETTER CAMERA

The camera is better and smarter, and the ability to take videos that have a more stable picture is there too, so if you rely on your iPhone (or any other smartphone for that matter), to take pictures while you’re out and about or on vacation, you’ll love the quality of these images.

The new iOS 5 lets you synch your devices through iCloud

iOS 5

The new Operating System (iOS) allows you to synch your iPhone 4S and other Apple devices with iCloud. While this is new, it’s not limited to the new iPhone; this iOS will be downloadable via iTunes for the iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPod Touch (third and fourth generations), the iPad, and iPad2 on October 14^th.

iCLOUD

Instead of having to synch your Apple devices (iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Touch,) with a cable, you’ll be able to store content on iCloud and wirelessly push it to your other Apple devices. This means that now everything stays in synch with each other across all your linked devices; photos, music, calendar, address book, mail, documents, apps, iBooks, backups, Find My iPhone, and now, Find My Friends. Most of this could be done before, but we needed to use third party software to accomplish all of it. Now it can be done directly within the iOS 5 and iCloud.

To learn more about the new iOS 5 and iCloud, click HERE. It will take you to Apple’s information page that includes a video about it.

Siri is your new Virtual Personal Assistant

SIRI – Your Virtual Personal Assistant

Siri is voice-activated software that understands your verbal commands and knows what to do about what you’ve said. It responds to you with a voice, so it’s completely hands free to use. It sets reminders, places phone calls, takes dictation, finds what you’re looking for, and more. It just won’t make your bed for you, sorry.

SPRINT

Now you have a greater choice in carriers for your iPhone 4S; in addition to being able to purchase it for use on AT&T and Verizon's networks, it will also be available on Sprint’s network.

MORE INFO FROM APPLE

If you want to watch a video from Apple that tells you more about the new iPhone 4S, click HERE. On the same page you’ll also find additional information about each of these new functions and abilities.

WHEN IS IT AVAILABLE?

The iPhone 4S can be purchased in the Apple store from October 14^th on, as well as from AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint. From October 7^th you can pre-order it on Apple’s web site.

DO YOU NEED A NEW iPHONE?

Do you need to buy a new iPhone to get all these features? Yes and no. The faster processor, camera, Siri, as well as a better antennae are exclusive to the new iPhone 4S, but the new iOS that lets you use iCloud will be available on the iPhone 3GS and iPhone 4 when the new iOS is released on October 12^th. You can be sure that I’ll be posting information about it as soon as it’s available, so stay tuned.

What this means is that if you’re still under a contract with your phone carrier and you’ll get dinged (read “charged more”) if you want to upgrade early, then you don’t have to.

You can also still purchase the iPhone 4 and now the iPhone 3GS is free (on AT&T only), so that if you’ve never had an iPhone and want one but don’t want to spend so much, this might be a better option for you. You’ll still need a contract with a phone carrier, so review your options with each before you commit.

COMPARE MODELS: CAPABILITIES & PRICES

To compare the capabilities, carriers, and prices of the three variations of iPhones now available, click HERE for a comparison chart. All the info you’ll need is in it.

I hope this information helps you understand the new iPhone 4S. Will I be getting one? First I'll upgrade to iOS 5 and see if that's sufficient. Of course, I'll be in an Apple store when they're available and try one out. Again, I'll keep you posted.

And if you get one, please let me know how you like it.

FOOTNOTE:
As a tribute to Steve Jobs, I am not posting my thoughts about the contribution that he's made to technology and the world on this site, but rather, will continue to devote my time to sharing information about technology with you so you can become smarter and more efficient in how you use it. That would be a truly fitting tribute.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Apple.

Getting Books From The Library Just Got Easier Thanks To Amazon and Kindle

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 21:43:00 +0000

If you love reading, then you will love what Amazon has done for you!

Now you can borrow books from your local library and read them on your Kindle device or the Kindle app for your tablet and smartphone!

Really?!?! Yes! OMG! How fantastic is this? Very!!!

FIRST, SOME BASICS

For the purpose of expediency, I’ll just use the term “Kindle” from now on to refer to whichever way you’re reading; the Kindle device itself or the Kindle app on another device like the iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, or Droid and Blackberry smartphones.

Amazon.com has made it easy to borrow books from the library!

As a point of fact, there are other ways to borrow library books and read them in e-book format on your computer or smartphone than Kindle, but since this article is about what Amazon is doing with it, let’s stick to using your Kindle ready devices and app.

I’ll also work on the premise that you already have a Kindle device or the Kindle app on your smartphone and/or tablet, and an Amazon.com account. If you don’t, then you need to do this first. Why? It’s like knowing where to fill your car with gas, but if you don’t have a car, it kind of doesn’t matter.

The Kindle app can be added to your computer, tablet and smartphone

If you want to get the Kindle app, it’s free to download, so click HERE to acquire the app that’s right for your smartphone and tablet and download it for free.

You’ll also need an Amazon.com account. This will require that you sign on and create a password. This is a useful thing to have for a variety of reasons, but is necessary for the Kindle app to download books, either bought or borrowed from the library. To create an Amazon.com account, click HERE and sign in to start the process.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

First, you’ll want to check with Overdrive.com to make sure your local library is partnered with them for the delivery of ebooks via Kindle.

What's Overdrive? They’re a digital distribution company that works with, among others, your local library to make books, music, videos and audiobooks available to anyone, anywhere. Kindle has partnered with them to make library books available on their device and on their apps.

Once you’ve found your library, be sure to have your library card handy as you’ll need your membership number and ID available as there is a check-in process to avail yourself of this free service.

Next, you’ll need to be on an active wi-fi connection for the download delivery of your ebook. Once downloaded, you no longer need to be connected to read the book at your leisure anywhere you are.

Once you’re on your library’s page, you’ll be able to browse what’s available, just like you would if you were there, except it’s easier; you can enter a title or author in the search window, and up it pops.

Often, books that you want to borrow from the library are on a waiting list. This is especially true of best sellers. The same applies to this technology. (I don’t know why this is the case since it’s not a physical book, but I didn’t write the rules, I just go with them.) If there’s a waiting list, you can add your name to it by clicking on that line in the box.

If you want to find a book to download right now, you can click on the little box to show only books that are available immediately.

Another nifty thing is that if a book is one of a series, it will give you the number within that series so you won’t mistakenly start in the middle or end.

NOW WHAT?

After you’ve got all your accounts set up and squared away, and your device is connected on a wi-fi network, use your web browser to go to your library’s page (bookmark it for handy future reference), find the book you want to read, and follow the instructions to download it. You will automatically be redirected to your Amazon.com account. Click the “library” icon, and the book will automatically be sent to your device so you can open the book in the Kindle app. Once the book is in the archive there, click on it to install it and it will load on your app’s home page so you can start reading.

If you have the Kindle app on other devices you can sync back and forth so you can read wherever you are. For example: typically I read books on my iPad in the Kindle app. But when I find myself out and about, let’s say at the car wash or a doctor’s office, and have time on my hands and I want to continue reading my book, I simply open the Kindle app on my iPhone. It will sync the book on this device to the last page that I was reading on my iPad so I can pick up where I left off. When I return home and pick up my iPad, the app will sync to where I left off reading on my iPhone, so I never lose a beat.

RETURNING BOOKS

Different libraries let you choose for how long you want to keep ebooks out; 7, 14, and 21 days. Three days prior to the end of the loan period you will be sent an email reminding you that the book is due back soon. On the “return by” date the book simply deletes itself from your app. No more late fees for holding a book too long.

Of course, if you finish the book sooner, just as you would with a book you physically borrowed from the library, you should return it earlier so the next person waiting in line can read it. To do this, go to your Amazon.com account web page and click on “Manage Your Kindle.”

Now that you know how to do this, the biggest challenge will probably be finding the time to read so many books. I can help you with the tech part, but not this part. You’re on your own here.

Happy reading! And if you come across a book you love, please let me know; I’m always looking for the next great read.

FOLLOW UP

What a luxury it is to not feel obligated to read a book through to the end!

This weekend, thanks to Amazon, I was able to electronically borrow e-books from the library, and if they didn’t completely engage me, I simply returned them, again, electronically, and felt no guilt or remorse whatsoever! That’s not the case when I’ve purchased them. I’d slog through, or worse, archive them and wonder when I’d ever return to finish them. Probably never.

I’m also able to borrow and download books that would be unlikely candidates for me to have purchased, and am thrilled to discover that many of them I liked and finished. Would I recommend them? Maybe not as they’d probably be too fringe or eclectic for others in my crowd, but some editor thought enough of them to put them through, so who am I to judge?

And on that note, I’m going back to where I left off reading a book about baseball! Go figure.

UPDATE: Sharing your e-books with friends

Here’s an interesting article filled with helpful information about how to share the Kindle e-books that are in your library with your friends. To read it, please click HERE.

UPDATE: If you want to download and read books that are instantly available and FREE, then you'll want to see this list and save it. Please click HERE.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Apple, Amazon.com,

Beryn's SF Design Center "Fall Into Fabrics With Technology" Presentation

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 23:00:00 +0000

For those who were unable to attend my presentation at the SF Design Center, I’ve created these videos of it so you can view the content of the presentation here.

As was the presentation itself, here it's in two parts: “Mastering the San Francisco Design Center’s Web Site,” and “Technology Makes Us Better At What We Do: There’s an App For That!”

I've attempted to be comprehensive about what's included in my presentation, but like all things technical, there's always more and surely something will be missing that could have been useful to share, so my apologies in advance for any omissions.

To view the video in full screen mode, click on it and when the screen view changes, click on the double arrows on the lower right side.

If you want to pause a video so you can take notes, download an app, or refill your glass of wine, water, juice, whatever, feel free to do so by clicking the “pause” button on the lower left side of the screen. You can also make it full screen size by clicking on the double arrow icon on the lower right side of the video’s screen.

These videos do not include my narration, but there's enough here so you can learn from the presentation without my babbling in your ear, so relax and enjoy!

I invite you to leave comments or any questions here, or send me an email if you prefer: beryn@bhammil.com.

And for those who attended my presentation and are viewing this as a refresher, thank you again for taking the time to be there with me.

PART 1

Mastering SF Design Center's web site.

To visit the Design Center's web site, please click HERE.

PART 2

Technology makes us better at what we do:

There Are Apps For That!

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of The San Francisco Design Center, Apple, and Beryn Hammil.

Why Interior Designers Need to Know About QR Codes

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 12:52:00 +0000

Beryn Hammil Designs' QR code

Attention Interior Designers: If you haven’t already, you MUST start using a QR code reader app on your smartphone! Don’t know what a QR Code is? Don’t know why you need to know how to use it?

ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY TO LEARN? OH NO!

Let me give you one really good reason why you want to know about QR codes; because they’re appearing everywhere! Case in point – this month’s Elle Décor magazine had no less than 14 ads that included a QR code in the corner. Why? So you can find out more about the advertiser’s product or service than what that printed page can hold in its limited size.

HOW DO YOU LEARN MORE?

There’s lots of information here in Design Tech Tonics to tell you what QR codes are, how to use them, and apps to download so you can read them. You’ll also learn about ways to incorporate this amazing technology into your business plans. It soooo easy. And if you don’t, soon you’ll be left in the dust. Below are the links that will take you to each article.

HOW MY DESIGN FIRM IS USING QR CODE TECHNOLOGY

My interior design firm, Beryn Hammil Designs, already has it’s own QR code (see the QR code above) and to make it easy on you, if you click HERE, you’ll see what the results are when people use their smartphone QR code reader app to link to it. Hint; it's a dedicated page that includes links to my company's web site, the services we offer, links to our portfolio page, video portfolio, blogs, social media links, and on and on. All from that little box with squiggles in it. Amazing!

LEARN ABOUT QR CODES ON DESIGN TECH TONICS:

1. “What's QR Code and Is It Right For Your Business?”

2. “There’s an App For That – QR Reader for Your Smartphone”

3. “Using QR Code For Your Business”

4. “Designing a Business Plan for QR Codes - From Concept to Reality”

And one article that I wrote for Technorati:

“Are People Using QR Codes Yet; If so, How?”

Here are just 4 of the ads shown in Elle Décor with QR codes in them (apologies to the other advertisers, space is limited).

Please keep me posted as you venture forth in this new realm.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

My Real Life Experience With QR Codes

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 15:18:00 +0000

So I’m sitting in a coffee shop (something I rarely do), and was reading the newspaper (in print), again, something I rarely do (read the newspaper in print, that is; I read several every day, electronically).

As I’m reading, there’s a review of newly released movie, so I started reading it and there, in the corner, is a QR code. Knowing a great deal about QR codes, I whipped out my smartphone and used my QR code reader app to do what it wanted me to do; see the trailer of the movie.

This QR code leads the reader
to the movie's trailer

Scan it with your QR Code reader app.
Don't have one yet? Read on.

Imagine, sitting in a coffee shop, reading a printed newspaper, and then watching a movie trailer on my smartphone’s little screen. Pretty cool. And also pretty nifty.

Watching movie trailers isn’t all it’s good for. Oh no! There’s a whole world of really useful information out there and readily available on your smartphone via QR codes.

Want to know more about QR Code readers? Check out the several articles I’ve written about them. Who knows? In addition to watching movie trailers, perhaps your business can benefit from them too.

1. “What's QR Code and Is It Right For Your Business?”

2. “There’s an App For That – QR Reader for Your Smartphone”

3. “Using QR Code For Your Business”

4. “Designing a Business Plan for QR Codes - From Concept to Reality”

And one that I wrote for Technorati:

“Are People Using QR Codes Yet; If so, How?”

Oh, and here's the QR code for my interior design business. Use your new QR code reader app to see how I’m using QR codes to tell people about it.

Beryn Hammil Designs' QR code.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of San Francisco Examiner

Physically Challenged by Keyboards? Voice Recognition Software Makes it Easy!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 18:52:00 +0000

Typing can be a challenge for some people.

We all know how challenging it is to type on those tiny little smartphone keyboards with our thumbs, so imagine how challenging it is to type, even on a standard size keyboard, when the shape of your fingers has been altered by arthritis or other physical disabilities make typing difficult, if not impossible.

Imagine the excitement that physically challenged people could experience if they’re able to use their computers to communicate easily and fluently via emails, Facebook, Twitter, create Instant Messages, surf the web, control applications, and create documents, all without having to type a word.

Fortunately, software exists that enables people to create written documents without typing! It’s voice recognition software and it’s available for both computers and smartphones.

Brought to you by Nuance Communications, Inc., Dragon® speech recognition software, “Naturally Speaking®,” lets you “control your digital world by voice.”

No, it’s not inexpensive to purchase Dragon for your computer, but when you consider what it does, it’s a small price to pay for that level of communication freedom.

Dragon Voice Recognition Software makes typing a non-issue!

There’s a different version for PC and Mac computers, so be sure to buy the right one for your computer. Not to worry; inside the box of the product is a microphone for your computer and it’s fairly easy to set up.

For the link to the Dragon® Naturally Speaking® web site, click HERE. On their site you'll find links to the different computer versions.

There are apps for that too!

Dragon Dictation for iPhone If you want to use Dragon on your iPhone, there’s an app for that too. It’s useful for dictating emails, Facebook and Twitter posts, and creating documents when you’re away from your computer.

Dragon Remote Microphone for iPhone lets you use the iPhone instead of a microphone when you’re at the computer.

Since this is such an important tool for our physically challenged friends, I encourage you to share this article with them. They’ll thank you for it in ways you can’t begin to imagine.

HOW TO LEAVE A COMMENT:

Want to leave a comment? Feel free to do so. Where? If you’re not signed in with Google, you’ll find the tiny, little word " COMMENT" next to my name below this blog. Click on it and there's a place to type in your comments. That's it. I welcome your feedback.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Dragon, Apple

Software Can Help You Catch A Thief, But There's A Catch!

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +0000

Recently I posted the article “Lock Your Computer? Really? Why?” in which I discussed the importance of password protecting your computer, especially if it contains sensitive information that might harm others if a not so honest person got their hands on it.

Shortly after I wrote that I downloaded an excellent software application (MacKeeper) and loaded it into my own computer. It not only guards the computer from harmful viruses and cleans the hard drive, but it can also track the computer’s location if it’s lost or stolen. How? When the computer is used by the nefarious person who has it a signal is sent to a nearby cell tower and the police are notified of the location so it’s easy to retrieve. Theoretically, the bad guy also gets caught in the process.

Excellent function, but the computer won’t send its little SOS signal if the computer is password protected. Why not? Because the person who’s got the computer won’t be able to use it; ergo, no signal, no notification, no finding it.

A smartphone has this same “find me” capability built into it, and if this function is enabled the device can be password protected without losing the ability to locate it, send a message to it, or even wipe the data completely from the unit. I encourage people to do this since a smartphone can easily be lost or stolen, and with it the address book that contains friends’ personal information, etc, (see “You Lock Your House, Lock Your Smartphone Too”). While a computer probably also contains this information, it needs to be actively functioning for the “find me” signal to go out.

WHAT'S THE DILEMMA?
Finding a lost or stolen computer sounds terrific! What's the dilemma? Ah, here it is: Should the computer's password protection be activated to safeguard its contents or should you leave the computer's contents accessible so it can do its “find me” thing if someone else has it?

For discussion purposes, let's assume that all the data the computer contains is backed up so if you never see it again you will be able to retrieve its contents onto a new computer. It’s now a question of whether or not you're willing to let others have access to the information it contains.

So again, the question is whether or not to password protect your computer if this will disable the "find me" function. Only you can answer this for yourself.

My thinking is that if you don't keep highly sensitive information like bank account and credit card numbers, or viewable passwords on your computer, making it retrievable is a good thing. On the other hand, it does have your friends' and family's personal information on it. And, will the police actually use their limited resources to help you find a computer? Maybe they'll even catch a criminal in the process, but will they? It truly is a dilemma. I welcome your thinking...

HOW TO LEAVE A COMMENT:

If you'd like to leave a comment, feel free to do so. Where? If you're not signed in to Google, you'll see the tiny, little word "COMMENT" next to my name below this blog. Click on it and there's a place to type in your comments. That's it. I welcome your feedback and input; go for it!

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of softlinkz.blogspot, vladalexa.com

Unleash the Artist in You With Digital Painting and Drawing Tutorials

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:34:00 +0000

As you can imagine, I read lots of tech related articles, blogs, and posts so I can be up to date on what’s hot and relevant for the technology and equipment that I use and that I can share with you.

Every once in a while I come across an item that’s so filled with wonderful information that I want to share the entire piece in the hopes that you’ll be as excited about what it contains as I am.

In that spirit, I give you this; an entire article that contains not one but 35 tutorials on digital painting! Each tutorial shows an image and then walks you through the process to achieve the effects shown.

These tutorials presume that you already have the necessary software and understand how to use it. The lessons are intended to expand on what you already know, so unleash the artist in you and learn how to master your computer’s software to express yourself in digital painting. Who knows, there may be a whole new career in this for you!

For the link to “35 Incredible Digital Painting Tutorials,” please click HERE.

In addition, here are links to more tutorials:

▪ Back-to-School With 40 Excellent Adobe Illustrator Tutorials

▪ 50 Clever Tutorials and Techniques on Traditional Drawing

▪ 60+ Amazing Poster and Advertisement Tutorials

▪ 50 Excellent 3D Adobe Illustrator Tutorials

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of acSellerant

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:42:00 +0000

For interior designers, contractors and DIY-ers, here's some useful info to help you out: http://ping.fm/s9UfP

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Sat, 13 Aug 2011 15:34:00 +0000

Something to play with this weekend! http://ping.fm/H8d43

iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch - Tips & Tricks – Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 18:15:00 +0000

Manipulating apps on your iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch

After reading my Tips & Tricks # 1 and Tips & Tricks # 2, you should be quite proficient at using your iPad, iPhone and/or iPod Touch. Now it’s time for some helpful housekeeping information so you can clean up, rearrange and manipulate the apps and folders that have accumulated on your device(s).

1. Rearrange Your Application Icons

Tap and hold an app’s icon until it starts jiggling. Keep your finger on the icon while it’s jiggling and drag it to a new location on the screen. To send it to a different page drag it to the left or right edge of the page that it’s on and it will move to the page to the left or right, depending on which side of the screen you’ve moved it. If you put it on top of another app’s icon, it will create a folder (see #2 below). To make the apps stop jiggling, click the HOME button once.

2. Create folders for applications

Having similar apps in folders is a convenient way to find categories of apps; i.e., News, Music, Photography, etc. To create a folder, tap and hold an app’s icon and drag it until it sits on top of another app’s icon. There! A folder just got created!

Renaming your apps folders is easy!

3. Rename Folders on your iPad

Now that you’ve created a folder, you might want to change its name to something other than what automatically appeared when the folder was created. Tap and hold the folder until it starts jiggling. Tap any icon in the folder and the folder’s title appears in a white bar. To the right of the title is an “X.” Tap on that X and the name that’s there disappears and the keyboard shows up. Now start typing the new name that you want for the folder, then tap “DONE” on the keyboard and then click the HOME button. You’re done!

Deleting an app is easy too!

4. Delete apps from your iPod Touch, iPhone and iPad

After a while you may discover that not all the apps you’ve installed suit your needs, and in the spirit of keeping your device neat and tidy, and not use up valuable space in its memory, you might want to delete those unused apps. Easy. Tap and hold the app’s icon until it starts jiggling. An “X” also appears on the icon. Touch the X and confirm that you want to delete it by tapping “delete.” If you don’t want to delete it after all, tap “cancel.” It’s deleted. Or not. Then click the HOME button.

You can also delete that app from your iTunes folder next time you synch your device. Or not. It might be useful to leave it there in case you change your mind.

5. How to Force Reboot and Quit Apps

Sometimes your system will slow down or applications will freeze. You can easily recover from that incident by force quitting applications.

· Hold down the Sleep/Wake Button on the top.

· Wait for a red slider to appear. Don’t slide it.

· Let go of the Sleep/Wake Button.

· Hold down the home button and the app will force quit.

Once you’re back on the home screen the application should be closed, and you can re-open it normally again.

This should keep you busy for a while, but stay tuned for another "Tips and Tricks" to come.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Apple

There’s an App For That – Construction and Home Improvement

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Doing a remodel? There's an App For That!

Recently, I was contacted by Chase Gugenheim, an SEO specialist at Best Online Universities who writes for “Construction Management Degree,” an online site devoted to helping people become more proficient and degreed in the home improvement industry.

Chase very generously offered me a link to a comprehensive list of iPhone and iPad apps for Contractors and Home Renovators that he developed. This list is also useful for Interior Designers and anyone else interested in maximizing the usefulness of their devices for interior design and landscape work.

The list, entitled “30 Incredible iPhone and iPad Apps for Contractors and Home Renovators,” is comprised of 30 different apps along with a brief description of each app’s capability and a link to the app’s web site. Once at the web site (or blog site) you will find even more detailed information about the app and a link to iTunes where you can download it for your device. Often these web sites include information about other apps by the developer, so it’s useful information about more than just the 30 apps listed.

Measuring, adding color, room layouts? There's an app for that too!

Some of the apps included in this list are amongst my favorites for getting the work done; ColorSnap, iBlueprint, Mark on Call, Remodelista, LEED AP Building Design and Construction, Carpenter’s Helper, and Dimensions.

Rather than reproduce the list with the links, and all the other information it contains here, I encourage you to go directly to the list by clicking HERE.

These apps will make you smarter, more efficient, and better at what you want to do, and isn’t that what the iPhone and iPad is all about anyway?

And again, waves of gratitude to Chase for doing the work and sharing it with me so I can share it with you.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

A Better Way to Carry Your iPad2

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 17:14:00 +0000

We all love our iPad2’s, no question about it, but sometimes juggling all the things we need to carry in addition to it, a hand bag, tote bag, briefcase, messenger bag, loose leaf notebook, your choice of any or all of these, requires that we have more arms so we can juggle everything.

Finally, there’s something that makes juggling easier; a sleeve in which you put your iPad2 so it comfortably resides inside a loose leaf notebook, there to use whenever you need it.

The BinderPad Case makes carrying your iPad2 easier.

It’s the BinderPad Case, and is made by that great case maker, ZooGue. It weighs in at a mere 3.5 oz, and is only ½” thick with the iPad2 inside it. It’s available in two colors; black and dark grey. At $29.99, plus $4.99 shipping, it’s a great, and economical way to carry your iPad2 along with all the other things you need.

And, since schools are usingiPad2’s instead of textbooks, students of all ages will love it too.

And if the BinderPad Case doesn’t already do enough to make your life easier, it can also be hung on a wall from a pair of hooks to make the iPad2 easier to use for your cooking recipes in the kitchen.

Hmmm…. do I see a great back to school gift or holiday stocking stuffer in here? Perhaps!

To check it out on ZooGue’s web site, click HERE.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of ZooGue, picturesofnet.com

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 14:26:00 +0000

OMG! You've lost your Smartphone or Tablet! Now what? Read and learn how to find it on Design Tech Tonics http://ping.fm/UxwuR

The Need For Different Ways to Use Cloud Storage

noreply@blogger.com (BERYN HAMMIL) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:55:00 +0000

In the wonderful world of everything digital, things move fast and change is predictable. For example, several months ago I wrote about the importance of storing your files “in the ‘Cloud,’” to ensure that they’re backed up and safe from loss should anything happen to your computer(s). “Is Your Head in The Clouds About Data Backup?”

One of the cloud storage sites that I wrote about in that article, MobileMe, a cloud storage service offered by Apple, will be going away in June, 2012. For those who use this service (myself included), it means migrating what’s there to another service.

So after Apple’s announcement, I wrote a follow up article, “Disaster Proof Your Data by Storing it Off Site,” which includes lots of good information about and comparison charts of many services that offer cloud storage for your files.

What I’ve since discovered is that there’s a need for both cloud storage for everything in your computer and storing and synching files that you use often on different devices and want to synch back and forth and share with other people.

Case in point:

· Storing everything that’s in your computer: Backing up (storing) all the files that are in your computer, including the background files that allow your computer to do what it does so well, is an excellent way to ensure that if your computer is irretrievably gone, you can restore all its content on a new computer. For more details about the services that can do this, please refer to my aforementioned article “Disaster Proof Your Data by Storing it Off Site.”

· Storing and synching often used files: This refers to files that you use and update often and might need to view and edit on a variety of devices; computers, tablets, and smartphones.

Enter Dropbox and Box.net. Read on McDuff.

When you’re working on a project and want to be able to access those files from whichever computer or device you happen to be on, and perhaps share those files or just parts of them with others, then you need a service that gives you flexibility to do this easily.

Dropbox and Box.net are the two largest of the many services out there, and they seem to do it best. Each has different levels of service and storage capacity and which one you choose should depend on what your needs are. Each has an entry level that’s free, and though the functions are somewhat limited, it may be sufficient for your synching and sharing needs.

DROPBOX’s home page offers a cute little animated video that discusses the benefits and shows you an example of how it can be used. It also has a really large download button to make it easy to install it into your devices, whether they be Windows, Mac, Linux, mobile devices, or a combination of these.

BOX NET’s home page has more text, and also includes a quick tour video to help you understand what they offer and the benefits of their service. Again, all types of devices are supported.

Both services offer free trials and it might be worth your while to try each with just a few files for a couple of days to see which one you like better.

If you’d like to read a comprehensive comparison of the two, this article is quite useful: Cloud file sharing heavyweights compared – Dropbox vs Box.net.

The information contained herein is for guideline purposes only, is not intended as an endorsement of any product, and is no guarantee of the results.

Images courtesy of Dropbox, Box.net, storagenerve.com