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7 Tech items I would take to college

HP 41CV Programmable Calculator
HP 41CV Programmable Calculator

I graduated from college almost 10 years before computers started being a main stream college accessory. I would love to be a student again not only because I enjoy learning, but I would love to have access to the technologies today’s students use every day.

The most advanced piece of tech I used in college was the HP 41 CV programmable calculator with the magnetic card strip reader attachment. I loved that calculator, and to this day, it is the only kind of machine I have truly programmed. Yikes, sorry for the geek flashback.

If I was going to college this fall, I would take and useRead More »7 Tech items I would take to college

My iPhone applications after 10 months

iphoneapps
Click photo for full size view

From 1997 through August of 2008, I used only Palm based handheld organizers then the Visor Phone, Palm Treo 300, Treo 600, and Treo 755p.  I purchased an iPhone in August of 2008 because the iPhone proved itself in its short year of existence to be a valuable product, added the ability to allow third party applications, and gained access to the faster cellular networks. With very few exceptions, I couldn’t be happier and haven’t missed my old Palm products.

I use my iPhone for many more functions than just the phone. So almost a year later, I took the following screen shot of the additional software I have added to the iPhone (some of it free, some of it purchased). I added 42 applications to my iPhone so far. Of these 42, I use maybe 8 of them regularly, and the rest sparingly.

After looking over this list, most of my apps are free ones. That could mean I’m either one cheap SOB or there are some excellent free applications out there. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle.

Here’s the breakdown:Read More »My iPhone applications after 10 months

Email of the Week – 006

Get a Hold
photo credit: glindsay65

QUESTION

Name: Kathy

From: Grand Junction

OS: Windows XP

———————-
When I go into different web sites I get this message:
ERROR
A runtime error
has occurred?
Line 30
ERROR: Object required
Yes No

This occurs quite frequently can you tell me why and what I can do about it?

ANSWER

This error is usually due to Read More »Email of the Week – 006

Does the Operating System matter any more?

Bowl of clouds
photo credit: kevindooley

I tweeted the question yesterday on whether the computer operating system (OS) really matters any more. The response from the Twitter community was less than overwhelming so I want to pose the same question to you, the HelpMeRick.com community.

My contention is that more and more computer functions get done in a web browser. I rarely use any other computer program other than my browser these days. I don’t print much, I share my photos online, I compose spreadsheets and word processing documents online, I edit photos online, I manage my web site online, I store my important files online,  and much more. And more applications are born every day that make the speed of my Internet connection more important than the speed of computer.

And the wonderful thing, to me, about performing all these functions online, is I can literally sit at anyRead More »Does the Operating System matter any more?

2 laptop suggestions for college students

Hats Off
photo credit: jarnott

Millions of high schoolers will be graduating soon and will be leaving for their respective campuses (campii?) at the end of the summer. These students will more than likely go to college with a computer…probably a laptop. I would like to suggest two possible laptops ideas for these students.

Both of my ideas involve good systems that will allow college kids to word process, chat, email, listen to music, watch DVD’s, browse the web wirelessly(for school research of course), create presentations, spreadsheets, download and edit photos and much more. Neither involve Windows and thus don’t require a degree in computer security and maintenance. One of the computers costs between $1200-1800 and the other costs less than $700.

My recommendations stem from first hand accounts from parents whose college kids call home frequently with tales of woe about a slow, non-functioning new computer. Students need to have their computers operational, and running around to the campus IT people or dropping the computer at a fix-it shop for expensive repairs. These two recommendations will keep calls home for repair money, tales of woe, and computer down time to a bare minimum.Read More »2 laptop suggestions for college students

How to add a web application to the iPhone home screen – Video Tip

Popular demand (among new iPhone users) prompted me to add this quick, yet helpful iPhone tip. Don’t worry non-iPhone users…there is a tip for you at the end of the article…keep reading or skip to the end!

To add a web page or application you frequently use to your iPhone home screen:

  1. Start Safari
  2. Navigate to the page you want to add
  3. Tap the Add Bookmark button at the bottom of the screen (+ sign)
  4. Tap Add to Home Screen
  5. Type the name you want to attach to the bookmark or accept what is given
  6. Tap Add in the upper right hand corner


That’s it, easy, but extremely handy!Watch the short video below to see this tip in action.

Have your Mac start a program when you start the computer

If you are a Mac user and want a program to start automatically, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Apple from the upper left hand corner
  2. Click System Preferences
  3. Click Accounts in the System section
  4. Click your user name
  5. Click the Login Items button.
  6. Click the “Add (+)” button underneath the listed items
  7. Find the program you want to automatically start at bootup, and double-click it
  8. Close all your open windows

Customizing your iPhone home screen – Video Tip

This is a pretty specific tip for a relatively new device, but with WalMart now carrying iPhones more and more people will want and need to learn how to take advantage of their investment. The iPhone is a wonderful little tool…IF you learn how to use it and make it work for you.

One of the first things you can do with any piece of technology is customize it to fit your needs. With the iPhone, learning to customize the interface makes the unit more usable for you. This week, I show iPhone users how to customize the location of their icons on the iPhone launch screen or home screen.

  1. Touch and hold your finger on any icon
  2. When the icons start to jiggle, take your finger off the icon.
  3. Now you can drag any icon to any position by touching and dragging it to a new location or even a new screen by dragging it to the left or right edge of the screen.
  4. You can also drag the default icons off the toolbar at the bottom and drag the ones you use most often to the toolbar
  5. When you are finished moving your icons to positions that work best for you, push the button at the bottom of your iPhone.

As always, these tips make more sense by watching the video! And even if you aren’t an iPhone user, I think you will find it interesting to see the kind of tech that can be found in a phone today.

Don’t buy a new computer yet

2009 is upon us and computer prices are incredibly low, but if you can wait a year to buy a new computer, I would highly recommend it. Why? Microsoft plans on releasing the next version of Windows either late in 2009 or early in 2010. All indications point to the earlier release since Microsoft is anxious to bury Vista.

Using the Macintosh Dashboard – Video Tip

This week’s tip is for those of you who have taken my advice and moved over to the Macintosh world. The Mac has a nice feature that remains unused for many new Mac users. It’s called the Dashboard. The Mac Dashboard consists of literally hundreds of helpful or just plain fun, customizable widgets that can be instantly viewed or instantly pushed out of view. Mac computers ship with a couple of dozen widgets ranging from calculators, conversion programs, translation programs, weather gadgets, post-it type notes, and much more.

If you don’t find any Dashboard widgets that work for you, I explain how you can search Apple’s vast library of downloadable widgets…most of which are free.

Watch my how-to video below to learn how to make the most of your Mac Dashboard!