Even before the iPhone’s Siri there were settings that allowed the blind to operate their phone almost effortlessly. You simply touch the screen and the phone gives the name of the app. Then double click to open the app. Similar to this is the Android’s built-in setting which is easy to set up.

1. Go to “Settings”

2. Select “Accessibility”

**Note** To enable or disable “Accessibility” and following settings simply check or un-check the box next to it.

A. TalkBack – this reads what’s on the screen if you tap it, including Google books.

B. KickBack – this gives you a slight push back when you click on the screen.

C. SoundBack – this makes a ‘click’ when you touch the screen.

For the iPhone Settings:

1. Go to “Settings”

2. Tap on “General”

3. Tap on “Accessibility”

**Note** To enable or disable the following settings simply touch “On” or “Off”

A. VoiceOver – describes whats on the screen.

B. Zoom – magnifies the screen.

C. Large Text – makes text larger at 20, 24, 32, 40, 48 or 56 point text.

D. White on Black – makes the screen look like a picture negative.

E. Mono Audio – makes it so that you can hear all sounds through each speakers.

F. Speak Auto-Text – lets you know of spelling corrections or suggestions while you are typing.

G. Triple Click Home – when you tap home three times it lets you turn on/off the accessibility settings.

I just came across a very interesting bit of news. Apparently Google scans your documents and can, if it determines your document violates it’s terms of service, or may be a security threat, Google can just remove your access to any file in your Google Docs. This happens without warning, and there is no recourse. You just lose access until they review your document, which after reviewing several Google Forums has taken some users up to several months to occur, and some still are denied access.

Here’s what the error looks like:

You click on the document and are presented with one link, and that’s it, no explanation of the violation, no warning:

We’re sorry. You can’t access this document because it is in violation of our Terms of Service. If you feel this is in error, please request a review.

Find out more about this topic at the Google Docs Help Center.

So what can you do about it?

1. Stop using Google Docs altogether and use Microsoft Office or Open Office, then sync the documents online with Sugar Sync or Dropbox.
2. Backup every file on your Google Docs every week. (Not terribly practical, and not what one looks for from a cloud solution)
3. Re-post this blog on your Facebook or Twitter and make a big deal about it on your blog. Maybe this will help Google improve. I love their products for their functionality, but their customer service is non-existent and it is making me reticent to recommend their business offerings or personal offerings. I’d really like to be able to recommend them, so hopefully policies like this will change or improve over time.

As a thank you to everyone who helped make Ed’s Groupon a success I have decided to blog about a new and increasingly common virus we encountered: “The Happili dot com” virus.

We were introduced to this virus when many of our clients called in and worriedly told us that all of the links, from common search engines such as Google, Yahoo & Bing, kept being redirected to Happili.com and they didn’t know if it was a malfunctioning setting but luckily Ed that it was one of the more vicious viruses out there. To protect yourself you must first know the symptoms of this virus:

1. Being redirected to Happili.com
2. Happili.com will automatically begin a scan when Windows starts and will then list existing and non-existing files as “infected” which can be removed by buying the “Happili” program.
   *****Important Note: DO NOT BUY THIS PROGRAM!*****
3. Happili disables malware tools and system utility tools and may even make display changes to your computer.
4. It makes your applications and programs display a message stating that the application or program is infected.
5. Pop-ups from Happili.com

This virus not only makes your computer much slower but there may even be a chance of invasion of privacy, of complications connecting to your network, and even identity theft.

Ed the Computer Guy has experience removing the Happili.com virus! Give Ed a call at 310-936-4385 or send Ed an email at ed@edthecomputerguy.info

To get a 50% off virus removal code follow us on Twitter or Facebook, and send us a message. We’ll get right back to you with a coupon code you can use!

That’s only a $30 flat fee to remove the Happili virus! 

Or, if you have a virus problem, you can get it removed, FREE Antivirus software, and multi-step maintenance and security check for only $29 dollars, normally $60!

You can view and buy the deal by following this link:
http://www.groupon.com/deals/ed-the-computer-guy

April is best known for “April’s Fools”, a day where laughter and silliness are celebrated and encouraged. As the old saying goes “Laughter is the best medicine” and in the spirit of the month I have found, what I consider, four of the most fun and entertaining apps.

1. Origami Fun by Groidify
In the third grade my teacher read us Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr which began my fascination with Origami. For those of you who are not familiar with this type of art, Origami is the Japanese art of folding paper in order to create life-like shapes. With this app, you can create flowers, animals and even some cool boxes (my favorite is the heart-shaped box) at your leisure. As Origami only requires a piece of paper, with this app you have everything you need for a fun-filled afternoon of creativity and imagination.

2. World Intelligence Contest by Heron Studios, CA
When I came across this app I was a bit skeptical and thought “World intelligence? Weird” but I gave it a go anyways, just to see what it was all about and wouldn’t you know it? I was hooked! The first thing I loved about this app is that its user friendly, which I appreciate, because I love games but I don’t have the patience to figure out how to “win” or “play” if the interface is too complex. This app is similar to “Who wants to be a Millionaire”. It poses trivia questions that get more difficult as the game progresses and each question is timed which adds to the fun. If you answer incorrectly the game ends.  However, they do have little cheats called “Jokers” that are helpful in getting a high score. Try it!

3. Ultra Voice Changer by UChin Kim
Okay, let’s be really honest with ourselves: We are not too cool for school so having one’s voice changed, as childish as it seems, is awesome! I came across this app by coincidence but it has brought much joy and laughter that I just had to share it. It’s a simple concept and even easier to carry out. You record your voice and then you choose the mode in which you want to hear it. My favorite is the chipmunk mode but there are quite a few to choose from. I see no down-side to this app but there are a few others, so try a few out and choose the one that suites you best.

4. Picture Puzzle Game by _Juno_
This app doesn’t seem as exciting as the ones mentioned above but don’t judge a book by its cover. With this app you can essentially create your own puzzles with the pictures you’ve taken or you can use one of the ones that come with the app. I highly recommend this app to people who enjoy photography because you can literally interact with your work.

I hope you enjoy these apps as much as I have (not going to lie, the voice changer was awesome!)

Happy April from Ed The Computer Guy, and me!

-Wendy Uken

1. Love & Romance Horoscope (AppHolding.com) 
Although I don’t particularly believe in horoscopes or fortune telling its always fun to read love horoscopes. This app is faily simple. You select your sing and you can immediately see your daily, weekly and yearly love horoscope. You can even share it via Facebook, Twitter or email. This is a fun app and I would suggesting using it for entertainment purposes only.

2. Love Messages (Explore In Android)
This app has pre-made love messages with romantic backgrounds. Its a bit impersonal but its still a good app if you want to send sweet messages to your loved one periodically. Its less time consuming than trying to create your own if you want to send one every morning as a “goodmorning” or every evening as a “goodnight” and its easy to use.

3. Say “I Love You” in 40+ langs (A.O.I Studio)
Surprise your loved one with “I love you” in a new language! This app is super easy to use, you just click on the language you’d like to learn and an automated voice will say “I love you” in that language. It is very clear so you can work on your pronounciation and say it perfectly to your special someone.

4. Love Frames for Valentine (android future)
This app has love-themed picture frams that you can use as a Valentines Day postcard. Its a simple app when you learn how to use it so I’ll give you a brief tutotial. The top left  icon of a folder with hearts is where you choose the picture you want to use. The middle icon that looks like a photoalbum is where you choose the picture frame, and the right hand icon that looks like a heart allows you to share or save your newly customized picture.

Happy Valentines Day to all. I hope you will have as much fun with these apps as I did.

-Wendy

1. Pet Master Free (GF Media Apps) – Although there are a few different apps with which you can track your dog’s vet visits, allergies etc., I’ve found this one the post helpful. You can add pictures of your dog, so if they are ever lost you have easy access to their pictures. This means that you’re not scrambling around trying to find a decent picture for the flyers and you are able to take action quicker. It also tracks medical history so you can have it handy in case you need to take your pooch to visit the E.R. unexpectedly. If you’re like me and believe in preemptive care you can schedule appointment reminders for the vet’s, the groomers and even dog-walks. It also allows you to add contacts that are specific to your dog. Its really a 1-stop app for dog management, and I’ve found it very helpful that I have my dog’s medical history, vaccination history, and all dog-pertinent information handy in a single app.

2. Spending on my dog (3 ACORN Technologies, LLC) – With the economy vascillating between “good” and “bad” it is best to be money-wise. Dogs end up being like little kids, and if you love and spoil them it can get a little pricey! Although I can’t put a price on the magnitude of my love, I can easily track my spending on the dog with this nifty app. You can track your purchases and your returns in folders and sub-folders that also allow you to access the data in the form of a chart so you have a clear view and understanding of what you are spending and where.

3. Pet Check Technology (Pet Check Technology) – I haven’t tried this yet but it looks like a good app if you are a dog-walker. You can add multiple dogs and schedule dog-walks for them. You can track the time you’ve walked and you can even take notes of the walk so if something interesting happens (i.e. Fido got a splinter trying to catch a squirrel up a tree) you can relay the information quickly and accurately to the owner. This app also allows you to SHARE the information with the dog’s owner. Pretty cool!

4. Tagg (The Pet Tracker™) - Not so long ago my dog decided to take a day-trip to the park without my knowledge (she decided it would be fun to take a vacation by herself to the park) and at the time I wished there was some way I could have known where she went without having to rely on the kindness of strangers. Now there are a variety of tracking collars on the market and my biggest complaint has been size and heft, but the Tagg Pet Tracker is slim and attractive. It also has some great perks! With the app and the collar you can see where your pets are any time. The battery life is pretty great too. Some pet-tracking collars need to be recharged every week or every few days but the Pet Tracker needs recharged only one or two times a month AND you are notified when the collar needs to be recharged, so you don’t even have to remember to check the collar. Pricing isn’t too bad either at $99.95 for the starter kit and $7.95 / month thereafter. Not bad for some extra peace of mind for your best friend.

Technology really is a beautiful thing. It allows us to enjoy our life without having to remembering all the minute details. I hope this list has been helpful in creating a more care-free life for you, at least when it comes to our furry friends.

-Wendy Uken-