Mrs PC. Computer Teacher Bristol

Protecting Children online

2018-09-11T04:39:00.002-07:00

This is very thorough. It was sent to me today by someone who read my last blog entry on protecting children online.

Here is a link to the full article.
https://www.vpnmentor.com/blog/the-ultimate-parent-guide-for-child-internet/

The article has helpful summaries on each section with actionable items for the parent/teacher.

GDPR

2018-06-13T09:18:00.001-07:00

GDPR. General Data Protection Regulation.

You probably noticed a flurry of emails relating to data protection before the cut off date of 25^th May. Each were worded slightly differently. Some urged you to reply or fill in a form, and others assumed that by reading the information you were being given, that you consented to hearing from that company or organization. Some pleaded with you and offered freebies for staying on the mailing list. It really was both overwhelming and annoying.

It was however a good chance to clear up any unwanted marketing emails from your inbox and to give a clear indication about what information you allowed companies to hold about you and how you wanted to be contacted by them.

What was it all about and why does it matter? There is now so much data gathered about us by the websites we visit. Things were getting out of control and our data wasn’t securely protected enough, or private enough, and it was being accidentally or deliberately leaked, so something had to be done. The legislation is very far reaching, and on the whole a good thing, to bring data protection into the 21^st Century.

We should all now be more secure. But what data are we talking about? This is the sort of thing.

Name
Address
Email address
Photo
IP address- eg your computer’s address
Location data
Online behaviour (cookies)
Profiling and analytics data

Race
Religion
Political opinions
Trade union membership
Sexual orientation
Health information
Biometric data
Genetic data

So when companies gather information about you, or you fill in a form and give data, they now have to protect it carefully and only collect what is strictly necessary.

The type of data must also be carefully stored and if possible encrypted so others can’t gain access to it.

GDPR also applies to small businesses like mine. I do keep records of clients – for example name, address and phone number. I ensure this is securely stored and never send out mailshots or other marketing information. If there are clients of mine who I have seen in the past who are unhappy for me to keep their information on file, I would urge you to be in touch. There are quite a few people for whom I don’t have email addresses and was unable to contact about the new regulations.

I keep the information so that I can recognize that I have seen people in the past, and can therefore offer a better service. When people need technical help, I need to give details to Gordon, my technical helper but always ask for permission to do this. He keeps details on file, and we are both very careful with the data we store.

The legislation and fines are aimed at large organisations and a bit of a minefield for small traders. We can only do our best in the circumstances to interpret the new laws, and comply with the new demands. We would like to reassure you that we have your data protection in mind and only keep what is strictly necessary.

Just so that you know…you now have the now have the right to:

information about the processing of your personal data;
obtain access to the personal data held about you;
ask for incorrect, inaccurate or incomplete personal data to be corrected;
request that personal data be erased when it’s no longer needed or if processing it is unlawful;
object to the processing of your personal data for marketing purposes or on grounds relating to your particular situation;
and much more!

Hope that gives you peace of mind. Happy Computing.

Passwords

2018-03-01T10:15:00.000-08:00

If you forget your password it’s quite a big job to reset it, requiring you to click “Forgotten Password”, then check your email for a link, click on a link, make a new password and remember what it is. Sometimes I find myself doing this for clients on every site they use For example: BBC, Amazon, M & S, Sainsbury, Easyjet, Apple ID etc

If you forget your passwords to common sites, you will find that you spend all your time resetting the password and getting frustrated rather than enjoying your time online. So write down all your passwords in a little book. Each site you log onto should have a different password. If you change your password, write down the new password and the date you changed it! It is perfectly safe to do this, as most hacking happens online. It would be rare for an intruder to find your password book and use it.

If you have an Apple device you will have an Apple ID (your email) and a password. It is vital that you know what these two are and why they are important. They are required when you want to download an App, buy music, log into the iCloud, use Facetime or iMessage. It’s what keeps your Apple device working so don’t lose it or forget that it’s needed.

On Windows you will have a Microsoft account, which is linked to Outlook mail and also Skype. It’s a total palaver if you forget your password. Write it down!

You need a password to set up your email. You won’t need to use it unless you need to set up an email on another device, but you still need to know it a password exists in your email account.

New users are often helped in store or at home to get their technology all set up and working. In so many cases however in all the excitement, the use of ID and passwords are not sufficiently explained.

Just a note that a passcode lock which you use to unlock the device is not your password. The passcode lock can be alphanumeric, a 6 digit or 4 digit number, a pattern, a fingerprint or face recognition. The passcode can be set to be required immediately or after a period of time that you can decide. You don’t need to add a passcode for your device if you don’t want to. If you travel with your device you should use a passcode to protect your data.

For novice users, the passcode can cause frustration and difficulty, so I advise putting it on after the user is a bit more accustomed to using the technology.

If you have more than one device, your ID and password are used to keep them all talking to each other and syncing. If you move house or change your phone number, don’t forget to update your information in the settings.

Best practice is never to share your ID or password with others, even family members. It works best if you have your own and you are in charge.

You will also need to learn to make memorable passwords. Strong passwords use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols. 8 digits is a good length for a password.

If you have locked yourself out of your iPad or laptop because you have forgotten your password or passcode, you are not alone. However don’t be defeated and leave your technology unused. I see this happen so often and it’s such a shame. Seek help and learn to love your technology.

New Year’s resolutions

2018-01-16T11:55:00.002-08:00

Hope that you have all had a great Christmas and New Year. It’s so refreshing to take a break from work, technology and screens to see friends and family. Technology seems to have encroached a lot in my life, and I have begun wondering if it’s always a good thing.

Our family are great fans of board games and jigsaw puzzles. It is a relaxing way to spend time together. There is also nothing better than a winter walk, all wrapped up against the cold. I have always preferred to read a book rather than watch TV. My best memories don’t involve a screen or computer. It’s not to say that I don’t enjoy my job! The best bit about what I do is meeting and helping people. Face to face interaction is so important in our lives.

In a world where everyone seems busier, and people multitask all the time for example texting while walking; I wonder if it’s good for you to be so glued to a screen, whatever size it is. When I see couples having dinner in a restaurant and both of them are engaged with their mobile phones, and scarcely talking, or people almost being run over because they are so unaware of their surroundings. It makes me think about technology and it’s impact on our lives. Perhaps it is not always a good thing.

A few times recently I have left my phone at home, albeit accidentally, when going out. I didn’t miss having it, and there was nothing momentous that needed my attention when I returned. I felt that I could focus more on the moment without a phone to distract me.

If you were looking for a new Year’s resolution, and hadn’t thought about what you could do differently this year, you could try having time away from a screen. Leave your phone behind at times, or turn it to silent. Maybe even turn off the Wi-Fi at home for a period of time or have a day off technology every week. It’s worth a thought.

Another good resolution would be to do some housekeeping on your devices. It is a really common problem to run out of storage on phone, tablet and computer because they contain too much stuff. It is pretty boring, but you can clean them up by deleting anything you don’t need. We take so many photos on our phones, and they take up a lot of space, so that would be the first thing I would suggest that you attend to. Make sure that they are backed up, wherever you keep your photos, but don’t keep so many on your phone. Move them to a cloud based storage area, onto a computer or external drive. You can also clean up any apps that you aren’t using.

Deleting old emails is another way of clearing space on your devices. On laptops you can also clear out any documents you no longer need, delete your downloads, remove any programmes you aren’t using and empty your bin.

Many of my clients are stressed out by their technology because they don’t feel in control of it. I hope that I can make a difference by demystifying what they see, explaining it, so that they can relax and feel more confident with what they are doing. There are many shortcuts that can be put in place to make the experience less troublesome. Passwords cause more problems than anything else. My last suggestion for a new year’s resolution is to ensure that all passwords are written down in a safe place. The most important ones are the password to unlock your device, the one for your email, and if you are an Apple user, your Apple ID.

Wishing you all a happy new year and stress free computing.

Podcasts, Radio Player and Audible

2017-11-28T10:21:00.002-08:00

If you have a smartphone or tablet, you could take advantage of using it to listen to any radio show from anywhere in the UK or further afield. Radio playing Apps are free, and you can save a shortcut to your favourite show and listen using Wi-Fi. So you no longer need a radio. The sound quality is excellent, and it’s easy to use.

You can catch up on your favourite BBC radio shows with the iPlayer radio app. This is useful if you have missed something special or were busy at the time, or only got to listen to part of the show.

Podcasts are downloadable radio shows on any subject. First you need to download the Podcast App, and then you can subscribe to any radio show that is available as a podcast. You will be spoiled for choice. The programmes download onto your device, and really don’t take up much room. Unlike iPlayer programmes, they don’t expire. You can set up your device to delete programmes once they have been listened to, so you don’t clog up your storage space, and you can re-download them if you want to listen again.

If you are a fan of BBC Radio 4’s “The Archers” for instance, you can subscribe to a daily podcast or the weekly omnibus, so you can ensure you don’t miss out on the events in Ambridge and it means you can listen whenever is convenient, and not just at the set times of 14.02 and 19.02.

One of my favourite shows is Desert Island Discs, and you can not only listen to the ones in the current series, but go back to the very start of the programmes and listen to all the archived ones from 70 years ago as well.

There are podcasts on every subject, from Science, History, Comedy, Technology, and all are free.

In my opinion, some services are worth paying for however. Amazon’s Audible subscription is one of those. As ever you need an app, which you can download for free, but you need to pay monthly for the service if you want to download a book per month. It’s £7.99 per month to do this, and you can try it out for a month first for free.

Most audio books are expensive, costing over £20 or £30, so it’s very good value. The books are read by trained voice actors and really bring the story to life. You can listen to the story any time, both at home, or while driving.

If you have a Kindle, you can spend a little extra on your book to enable Whispersync, which will read your book to you. This means you can alternate between reading or listening to the book, according to what you are doing.

You can switch from reading to listening within the Fire Tablet or Kindle app. Or you can switch between reading on one device and listening on another. For example, you can read on your tablet and then listen on your smartphone, and, thanks to Whispersync for Voice, you'll never lose your place.

There is so much audio output for you to enjoy, and if you find your house is too quiet, or you are ill or have a long journey or want to be distracted from your everyday life; there is plenty to listen to, either live, on a podcast or through an app on subscription. So don’t miss out on what’s happening on the radio just because the programme is on at a time that doesn’t suit.

Back to school

2017-09-01T09:29:00.001-07:00

It's amazing that it's already 1st September, and children are going back to school.
Now is a time to learn new things and start afresh.
Consider Open University, buying some new equipment or starting a project like a photobook so you can give a gift made by yourself at Christmas or design yourself a Christmas card.

Is Mrs PC a real person?

2017-08-01T10:33:00.001-07:00

Some people seem to be under the impression that Mrs PC isn’t a real person. I would like to set the record straight. I am real, and a woman too! As it’s summer and many of you are in holiday mode, my thoughts for this month’s article were to shed some light on what I get up to at work and in my spare time, and what kind of person I am rather than focus on my usual topics.

You may imagine that I am geeky and remain indoors in front of a screen as my preference, looking pale and unhealthy, however you couldn’t be more wrong. Of course I do use a lot of technology in my life and love it (most of the time). Life without my iPhone, podcasts and iPlayer would be unthinkable. Teaching IT means that I have to be indoors when I am working, but I am a very outdoorsy person in my spare time.

I have a very inquiring mind and enjoy learning new skills. One of the benefits of my job is that it keeps me up to date with technology. What I like most is when my students teach me something new, or they discover something we are both looking for during a lesson moments before I see it. I also love new gadgets and learning how to use them.

My job brings me into contact with all sorts of people at all kinds of different stages in their lives and with wonderful interests or jobs from ages around 40-90+. I am a very sociable person so I enjoy meeting new students and forging friendships over time with those who see me regularly.

I am married, and my husband and I have been together for over 25 years- expect you are now calculating my age! We have 2 children who are grown up but haven’t quite left home yet. We all enjoy spending time together as a family and share a love of the outdoors and walking with our dogs. When the children outgrew bucket and spade holidays in Devon, we started to visit the Yorkshire Dales, and continue to enjoy our holidays there every year. Our favourite Dale is Swaledale. There is no mobile phone signal and it is a true escape from city life.

I spend a fair amount of time training for my hobbies of skiing and mountaineering. In training I run, cycle and go to the gym as well as hill walk. I have to be fit to do the type of skiing I love. It is called ski touring. It is a form of backcountry or off piste skiing. The skis used are normal width, but super lightweight with special bindings, which allow the heel to rise for walking uphill, but clip into the boots for a secure ride downhill. Climbing skins are used for uphill skiing, and detached for the downhill. They allow you to glide forward but stop you from running back downhill. The huge advantage of this kind of skiing is that you can go anywhere. You don’t need a ski resort or lift, and can enjoy the silence and beauty of the mountains as well as wonderful powder skiing if you are lucky. My family don’t share my passion for ski touring or mountaineering!

When on any trip or outing, I take lots of photographs, and have always enjoyed photography. My goal after every trip is to create something from the photographs, such as a photobook or a short movie with photos and videos and a soundtrack. To my shame, many of these projects are unfinished or not even started, and my desk is quite often littered in paperwork to catch up on. I could really do with a clone of Mrs PC to come along and help me. If you know anyone, do please ask them to get in touch!

Happy summer holidays. Enjoy your technology, and have fun with it.

Mobile phones and modern life. A movie.

2017-06-11T10:06:00.000-07:00

What does Mrs PC actually do?

2017-05-16T13:50:00.001-07:00

I thought that this month I would just tell you what I do. Perhaps this will give you the courage to get in touch if you were considering it but a bit afraid. Many people often consider having a lesson for a long time before they finally pluck up the courage to pick up the phone or send an email. My phone is almost always on silent as I don’t like calls to disturb the lessons when I am teaching. The majority of folk leave a message on voicemail and I call them back. Slightly annoyingly, my mobile doesn’t work well at home, so the best place for me to take calls is in the garden! I can respond to emails easily and quickly, so if you can’t reach me by phone and are able to send an email, that is a great way to get hold of me. The address is info@mrspc.co.uk

It is nice to have a chat about the kind of things that help is needed with so that I can make sure that I am the best person to help. My expertise is in teaching people how to use their devices. Technical issues, such as problems/viruses, or setting up new equipment is best left others who are specialists. I rely on Adam, my technician to assist with this. I have 2 other specialists, Bob who designs websites, and Tony who can help with spreadsheets.

Lessons are usually for an hour, and take place using your equipment in your own home. Most of my work is in Redland, Henleaze, Stoke Bishop and Sneyd Park. I charge less than a plumber for a call out, and about the same as a personal fitness trainer in a gym.

If I am teaching a total beginner, I will usually start with email, and then go on to how to search online using Google. Many people contact me as they have trouble with filing and photographs, and I help them to tidy everything up and understand where everything is so they can find it easily. My aim at all times is to give confidence and to ensure that people know their way around what they are using and the right vocabulary to describe what is needed.

I work using Windows and Mac, and help a lot of people make the transition from Windows to Mac. I have days where all my lessons are using Apple products. Quite often people have more than one device, such as a laptop, tablet and phone and that adds a level of complexity and a fair amount of time skipping between jobs that are needed to make everything work smoothly.

As I teach, I ensure that everything I cover is written down as we go along, as it is often a lot to take in and many folk are a bit stressed by their computers, so don’t always absorb everything on the day. I always set homework. I would expect students to go over their notes, and always set tasks appropriate for the person’s level. Some students are very good at homework, and others wait until an hour before the next lesson or apologize that it’s not done as I arrive. Some things never change!

One lesson may be all that is required, or several depending on what is needed. There are some folk I have been teaching for many years as they keep wanting to know more and keep buying new devices. I don’t do courses because every lesson is tailor made and there is no point teaching things that aren’t useful to the person learning. I judge the speed of the lesson and try and cover as much as possible in the time, if the person can keep up, but if not, I slow it down to their level.

Age is no barrier to learning. My oldest client is nearly 90. My work is mainly with retired people but not always. I mainly teach individuals but also couples or small groups.

Don’t get left behind when it comes to technology. Enjoy and embrace it and do get in touch if I can be of assistance.

Don’t panic! Try not to fall victim to online trickery.

2017-04-18T11:28:00.002-07:00

It’s awful to think that there are so many people out to try and catch us out online. Cyber criminals spend their time trying to obtain personal information about us to help them to access our data, potentially steal our identity, or worse, our hard earned cash.

You can protect yourself by having a high level of skepticism. If something sounds too good to be true, your gut instinct is probably right. If an email arrives to tell you that you have inherited a large amount of money or won a prize, be suspicious. What scammers want is for you to be duped into clicking on the links (always web addresses in blue with a line underneath), which will inevitably be contained in the email. Never click if you aren’t sure.

Recently I was almost fooled by a couple. They are getting more and more sophisticated. One was a fake parking fine, telling me that I had parked illegally on private land at a certain date and time. The fine was large, and the email urged me to click to find out the full details. As you can imagine, this was quite a surprise and I was shocked and annoyed and almost clicked, but something made me think it might be fishy… I consulted my diary to find out what I had been doing on the date specified and realized it couldn’t be true. Then once calmer, I checked the address the email had been sent from and the supposed company collecting the money. Both were made up of course.

It is important to remain calm in stressful situations involving your computer. Never click anything unless you are sure.

This last week I have had several fake emails from Amazon, just like this one.

They are designed to throw you into a panic. Even seasoned users of the Internet could be fooled by this one as it looks so real.

  Dear Customer,   Your ID info@mrspc.co.uk was used to purchase Kärcher K2 Full Control Home Pressure Washer ( £87.99 )  From Amazon Store on a device that had not previously been associated with you.  If you initiated this purchase, you can disregard this email.  In case you did not initiate this purchase, please visit our Help Page for full refund:

http://invoice88account.amaz-secure.id532usr.30supportapp.fr/inv051acc/index.php?email=byinfo@mrspc.co.uk

To cancel the transaction and to confirm that you are the owner of the account. 

The sender was supposedly Amazon.co.uk, or so it appeared. In fact, by clicking on the address to check, I found this address hidden acldz8362@shaw.ca I then knew it was a scam. Do always check the return address of any email you get that you are unsure about or that causes alarm.

If you receive an email from a friend, and they are sending you a link, but you weren’t expecting to hear from them, and you feel it’s a little odd, they have probably had their email address hijacked. Do let them know. It’s easier to give a friend a call on the phone to check if they really did send the email, than click and risk an infection on your computer.

Your bank will never email you - remember that if nothing else.

Stay safe online! Happy Computing.

Playful technology

2017-02-01T11:12:00.002-08:00

Drones

Whilst away some of my adventures were recorded by a friend who had a drone. This is certainly a wonderful toy to play with. He had the Phantom 4 Plus which has a range of about 7km. The top of the range ones are not cheap. Jessops sell them for £1800! The quality of the filming and stills that can be captured by them are simply superb. Learning to fly one is a very good option and could save a lot of damage in the long run. There are courses in Bristol. There are even Quadcopter Holidays for the real drone geeks out there.

Before you get too carried away with a drone, it is worth noting that current rules state that you cannot fly one within 150 m of a built up area, within 50 m of a person, vessel or vehicle. You must fly it where you can see it. Not above 120m in height or 500 m horizontally. There is a whole minefield of legislation being considered after near misses with aircraft, bridges and people as well as worries over privacy. They are also very noisy.

Drones are amazing playthings and allow you to see areas you know well from a totally new perspective.

Virtual Reality Goggles

It is amazing how cheap these are nowadays! I tried one last month which used a phone as the screen and it was £45 for the experience. It used an app and allowed me to ride on a rollercoaster, and look up, down and from side to side.

I felt very motion sick almost immediately! Roller coasters are really not my thing, but it was very realistic. I wondered if I could train myself to like them, or not to feel sick by using one regularly. Comments would be most welcome on this subject!

Virtual reality goggles can also be tethered to a game like Playstation, so that you are totally immersed in the experience. These are much more expensive- anywhere from £500-£1000, and include the sound as well. I can’t help wondering how you avoid bumping into walls, but I expect you use them whilst seated.

Home Robots

This is much more appealing to me. I could definitely get excited about a robot hoover and have a few friends who use them. Homevac Electrics on North View sell them and demonstrated one for me. They work on a programme and get on with the job and go back to their base station to recharge. Not sure what our dogs would make of it though.

Amazon are selling something called Amazon Echo a small box that can do big things.

Here is what it can do:

Plays all your music from Amazon Music, Spotify, TuneIn and more using just your voice
Fills the room with immersive, 360º omni-directional audio
Allows hands-free convenience with voice control
Hears you from across the room with far-field voice recognition, even in noisy environments or while playing music
Answers questions, reads audiobooks, reports news, traffic and weather, provides sports scores and schedules, and more using the Alexa Voice Service
Controls lights, switches, thermostats and more with compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Hive, Netatmo, Nest, tado° and others
Always getting smarter - Alexa updates through the cloud automatically and is continually learning, adding new features and skill.

Isn’t technology great?

Happy New Year!

2017-02-01T11:11:00.001-08:00

I am back safely from my travels part 1 and about to embark on travels part 2.

During the month of February Paul Airs is covering all aspects of Mrs PC work, teaching as well as technical.

I will be back in action from March 2017. Looking forward to seeing you all again!

Mrs PC is off on adventures soon. Taking a sabbatical.

2016-07-21T12:25:00.000-07:00

Those of you who have got to know me over the years, through having lessons with me, will not be surprised to hear that I am taking time off to dedicate myself to some serious adventures.

I have always enjoyed the outdoors and mountains in particular. Skiing is one of my passions.
2016 is a year with a significant birthday for me, and I have chosen to take some time off to train for and to go on an expedition which involves boats and skis and being out of touch with civilisation for a month. No Wi-Fi and no emails, no Facebook, no calls. It will be a bit of a culture shock for someone as addicted to technology as me.

I am starting my sabbatical in August 2016.

After family holidays, I will be training in the Alps in September, and working hard on fitness before leaving for a very remote destination in Mid November. Will be back in time for Christmas and starting back to work in January 2017.

Goodbye for now, and see you all again next year!

Should I install the Windows 10 free update?

2016-06-06T05:19:00.003-07:00

Should I install the Windows 10 free update?

On the 29^th July 2015, Microsoft announced that current Windows 7 and 8.1 customers would be offered the chance to download and install Windows 10 as a free upgrade. Windows XP and Vista users have to pay for the upgrade, so it is not quite such an attractive option for them.

Most Windows users became aware of the update because of a new icon on their screen and a rather large marketing campaign on TV and in the press. Reminders about the upgrade have been popping up even more insistently on everyone’s computers in the last month or so, because the upgrade is only free for a year. On 29^th July 2016, you will have to pay for it. So you will have to make up your minds soon.

I am always cautious when it comes to updates, and never rush into major ones until all the glitches are fixed, so my advice at first was to wait a while. As the deadline approaches I have been repeatedly asked what my opinion is on this matter, hence this article. In fact the answer is by no means clear-cut.

Some clients have upgraded with no trouble at all, others have upgraded and then chosen to roll back to Windows 7 and some have had lots of trouble after the update, with software not working correctly, and difficulties with their printers. Quite a few people find it hard to adjust to using the new system and need a lesson to get used to a new look. So it’s a real mixed bag.

If you are using an older computer but you like your operating system, and all is working fine, then it’s perfectly acceptable to retain what you have. If you have older software or printers they may not work with Windows 10, so an upgrade may cause you all kinds of complications and distress.

Some older computers simply don’t meet the requirements of Windows 10 because they don’t have enough space on their hard drive, so you won’t have much choice. When you eventually have to retire your computer and buy a new one, it will come with the latest operating system already installed, so you will have to get used to Windows 10 at that stage. Don’t be filled with horror, it really isn’t that bad!

The biggest concern when upgrading to a new operating system is that it doesn’t go wrong. The upgrade is a big deal, and if it crashes you could lose data, so you should back up all your files and also make a system image backup of your current operating system. So if you want to take the plunge and decide to go ahead with the upgrade, then please be sure to do this first. The upgrade takes quite a while to install, so bear that in mind as well. If the update fails, or you don’t like it, you will need a back up to restore to. You can rewind to Windows 7 for 30 days after the upgrade.

If you are running Windows 8 and aren’t happy with it, you may as well try Windows 10 and see what you think. You will find it is a very solid operating system, which is fast and secure. It has a better search function and the ability to use voice control with Cortana. Updates are automatic and it is easier to snap several windows together on your screen.

Common misconceptions are that Microsoft will start charging a fee to subscribe to updates (untrue) and that they are spying on their customers with Windows 10. Data is collected to see how customers use their product and to make improvements and if you don’t want to share this information, you can opt out.

Hope this helps you to come to a decision that is right for you and your computer.

Never too old for tech!

2016-06-06T05:18:00.001-07:00

So proud of my student Pam who is very excited about her latest gadget, a selfie stick!

Mind body and soul fitness with Mrs PC

2016-04-07T14:23:00.003-07:00

I have recently been surrounded by a lot of people on diets, and carrying out New Year’s resolutions to become fitter or healthier, counting their daily steps or calorie intake, and I felt it would be topical to discuss all the options available to help you if you wanted to join in.

There are many apps, some free and some not, that can be downloaded onto your smartphone or tablet to help you to improve your fitness both in body and mind.

For the battle of the bulge my Fitness Pal is very effective. You basically put your details – age, height and weight into the app, and it will count calories for you. You have to log what you eat, and you can look up food values on the app, so it can help you to know how many calories are in common foods, or even branded foods and drinks. There is a database of about 5 million foods. You can even scan the barcode of foods to assess how many calories are contained in it. The app can help you set your goals and track your progress and motivate you to keep up your diet.

As we all know, calorie counting alone is not enough to keep you in shape, and some exercise should be thrown in to the mix as well. Most smartphones come with apps for tracking fitness. The latest software update for iPhone included an app for health. Look for the white app with the red heart. If you keep your phone in your pocket all day long, it can then be used to track your exercise- count your steps, how many floors you have climbed and how far you have walked or run. It’s incredibly incentivizing.

If you want to track other activities, you can use Runkeeper, Nike Fitness, Strava or many others. They will map your activity, be it walking, hiking, cycling, running etc and show you how far and fast you have travelled, and compare your workouts over time. You can also see how many calories you have burned.

Freeletics is an app that was recommended to me to try. It brings a gym workout to your house. It’s free, and it gives you short movies to follow like an exercise class.

Some people find that wearing a fitness watch is a good way to track both calories and fitness, as well as hours asleep. Fitbit is one of the first of these type of trackers and reasonably inexpensive. It is worn like a watch, and tells the time, your heart rate, how many steps you have taken, miles you have run, how many floors you have climbed, and hours slept. It works with an app on your phone. You can also input your food and water intake.

If it is your mind you want to train, there are lots of options. I have just downloaded Fit Brains, which will help you to work on many different brain areas, and tests your speed as well. You can set a daily reminder so that you keep up the training, and it will decide which areas you need to focus on. Again your progress is tracked in the app, and you will notice that you do improve dramatically with practice. The tests start off quite simple and become more complicated. It takes about 5 minutes to complete your training. Scrabble or Sudoku would also do the same job I expect.

In our busy world, that there is often so much rushing about, that we spend very little time resting our brains, which can lead to stress overload, anxiety, depression and insomnia. Spending 10 minutes daily on a guided relaxation or meditation could be the very thing that you could try to include in your daily life. I found an app called Headspace, but there are many more. It is incredibly soothing to be guided into a state of tranquility.

Hope you may be inspired to try one of these suggestions, or to learn more about the technology you already have. Do contact me if you would like to know more, or if there are any topics you would like me to cover in future articles.

2016-03-27T04:42:00.002-07:00

Happy Easter to everyone.

Protecting your smartphone

2016-03-09T00:44:00.002-08:00

The chances of smashing your phone's screen if the phone lands on the pavement or rough ground face down is very high. It is awful if it happens to you. The glass crazes and you can no longer use your phone.

The cost of a screen repair for an iPhone is around £85.
Buying a case with a front or protecting your screen with toughened glass is a really good idea.
Take a look at this, it isn't very expensive.

Gorilla Glass

It is available from Amazon.

I found it very easy to fit to my phone's screen. A matter of a few minutes.

The first email

2016-01-26T10:23:00.001-08:00

Could you guess when the first ever email was sent and by whom?

It is an interesting story.

You can read all about it here.

Who sent the first email and when?

Beware of Facebook Hacking

2016-01-20T11:34:00.000-08:00

Do ensure that you use tight security on your Facebook page so that others can't log in and pretend to be you. At the very least, add a mobile number so that you get a text if there is a log in from an unknown place or device. If it was you, you get a code which comes as a text and you can enter to verify that it was actually you.

If you click on this article, you will find other useful information.
Tips to help you protect your Facebook account.

New Year's resolutions

2016-01-06T15:12:00.002-08:00

Wishing all my readers a very happy new year and frustration free computing in 2016.

To start the year, I thought it would be good to recap on a few things that I have mentioned in previous articles.

A new year often starts with taking stock of one’s situation and looking back over the previous year, the highs and lows and salient points. You can do this with your computer as well. Now is a good time for you to take a look at what you have on your computer tablet or phone, and decide if it’s still relevant to you in 2016.

On your computer, take a look at the Desktop- the first screen you see. Is it covered in icons you never use or have no idea about? (Icons are a shortcut to programmes loaded on your computer.) If your screen is cluttered, take a moment to discover what the icons do- double click on them to find out, and if you don’t think you will find them useful, drag them into the bin. This process won’t delete the underlying programme, but makes your screen look tidier, and you will feel more in control of your computer.

Next, take a look at your folders one by one, do this using Windows File Explorer or Finder. Are your documents and photos a mess or can you find things easily? Take time to delete anything irrelevant and create subfolders so that everything can be tidied up. If you have lots of duplicate information, get rid of duplicates. Many of my clients have lots of copies of their photos in different folders and no idea of what is where.

On your tablet or phone, look at the Apps on the main screen. Do you use them all? Are there other more useful Apps on other screens that are hard for you to find? If so, drag the Apps around so they are where you want them, or delete ones you don’t need any more. You can also create folders if you have a lot of Apps.

Make sure that you have updated all your programmes and keep your operating system up to date. Don’t ignore those annoying messages that keep popping up from time to time. If you don’t understand what the computer is trying to do, ask for help, or Google the problem. If you don’t take action, some parts may not run as well as you would like.

Run Utility programmes such as Defragmentation and Disk cleanup to delete stray files and temporary Internet files. This spring-cleans your computer’s hard drive.

Make sure you have backed up your computer, tablet or phone. I would suggest you do this regularly. Get to know how to do it, and don’t risk losing vital information or precious photographs because you don’t understand how to do it.

I would suggest that you need 2 external backups for photographs.

Once you have tidied up the inside of your computer, you can give your screen a wipe, and spring-clean your keyboard and mouse. Use a microfiber cloth and some cleaning solution. Make sure your keyboard isn’t full of dust and crumbs. Turn it upside down and tap it. For cleaning a laptop’s keyboard, turn it off, then turn it upside down and tap it lightly so all the mess falls out.

The start of a new year is a good time to tackle new challenges. For those of you who want to learn something new, I would be more than happy to hear from you and help you.

2016-01-02T01:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all my blog readers and students. Hope 2016 is a good one for you all.

Wishing you frustration free computing and a desire to learn new things.

Happy Christmas!

2015-12-24T07:59:00.001-08:00

May all your computing be jolly and fun!

Keep a note of your passwords in a special place. Don't use the same one for every site you visit.

Christmas Shopping

2015-12-01T11:35:00.002-08:00

Many of you will be getting ready for Christmas and buying presents for your friends and family. Shops are busy but full of atmosphere and lots of ideas, they open later so that you can shop after work, and are often less crowded in the evenings. If however you want to avoid queues and bustle, you may want to shop online. This can be done at any time of day, but is as about as time consuming.

Here are a few tips to help you cut down on some costs this Christmas whether you are visiting shops or online:

· Write a list and stick to it.

· Make your own presents or cook them.

· Make the most of buy one get one free.

· Gather up loyalty points and use up your vouchers on presents or food. Look out for triple points days to get more points on shopping.

· Shop when there are promotions or price matches in store.

· Use cashback credit cards. Earn money as you spend.

· Visit Aldi, Lidl, TK Max and Primark for great deals, or treat yourself to a day out at Bicester village, Clarks village or Swindon.

· Get on eBay, but check the prices against Amazon and other online retailers.

· Amazon in other countries can be cheaper despite the postage.

· Look up discount codes for online shopping at www.moneysavingexpert.co.uk and Hotukdeals.co.uk before you buy.

· Compare prices with mysupermarket.co.uk, Kelkoo and Pricerunner.

· Avoid paying postage by using “click and collect”.

· Try a cashback website such as Topcashback.co.uk and log on to shop at selected retailers and get cash back on your shopping.

· Buy vouchers but careful with the expiry dates.

On this note, I would like to mention that I offer vouchers for computer lessons, which I can customise for you to give as gifts for Christmas or any other occasion. If you know someone who is struggling with technology or is about to receive a new gadget for Christmas, this could be a good option. I would like to thank Mrs Jones who wrote in last month to propose that I should make this suggestion. She thought there would be many people who could do with a helping hand, and being taught how to do things on a PC, laptop, tablet or phone.

I teach on Windows computers and Apple, which includes Mac, iPhone, iPad as well as Kindles, cameras, smartphones. My technicians can offer help with setting up new devices and transferring data, as well as trouble shooting and Wi-Fi networks.

Lessons are an hour long and technicians and teaching is the same price per hour. Currently £40/hour. We come to you and if it’s a lesson, it’s geared around what you want to learn. There a lots of small things that can be done to make your computer time easier and simpler. We aim to give confidence so that you learn to love your computers and make the most of what you have. We have years of experience and patience really is our speciality.

Do get in touch to arrange a voucher. Send an email to info@mrspc.co.uk or call me on

07920 578194.

Wishing you and your families a very Happy Christmas and do try some of my shopping suggestions.

Dropbox

2015-09-20T12:15:00.001-07:00

Dropbox

I really can’t recommend Dropbox enough. It is free online storage/backup for important documents or photos. It will also allow you to share files easily with others.

Once downloaded on your system you will have an icon on your desktop and a new folder in your folder structure. You can copy files and photos into it as easily as you can with your other folders. Using drag and drop or copy and paste.

Whatever you put in there uploads to your Dropbox cloud and if you also download an app on your iPad and phone you will be able to access those things in Dropbox from whichever device you choose, where ever you are.

When you share things in Dropbox and other people can be invited to share and collaborate on your stuff- or in fact delete it- so be careful when sharing.

I use it for documents that I am in the process of working on. Dropbox allows me to work on whichever device is most convenient- phone, laptop or desktop and the document is always the most up to date version. No more renaming and losing files!

I also use it to share photos after a trip with friends, so that we can see each other’s photos and download the ones we want to keep.

It can be used to store important documents that you wouldn’t want to lose, such as scans of your passport, NI or NHS number, or driving licence, so that you always have the details to hand.

You get 2GB of storage free, and can add to this by recommending friends. If you recommend someone to use it, both of you get 500GB of free storage up to a maximum of 16GB.

You can also pay for a Pro version, which many people do. It costs £7.99/month, which gives you gives you a whopping 1TB of storage. The business version and up to 5 users has unlimited storage. That costs £11/per month.

It can be used on Windows, Macintosh and Linux desktop operating systems. There are also apps for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry and other devices.

The data is encrypted, so it is safe to use it.

Needless to say, this article is being written and stored on Dropbox.

So give it a try. When you download Dropbox, you get a free tutorial. It is really easy to use, and one of the best free software packages around. I couldn’t do without it.