PUSH Articles - April 2021

First Batch

Alerts, Notifications, and Alarms - Oh, My! Dorothy Fitch (Approx. 873 words). Dorothy has started using alerts, notifications, and alarms to get her attention. Some of these come to her phone and some by email. Most of the time, she can choose what works best for me for each purpose. Of course, there are notifications that you get even if you didn't specifically ask for them, such as MD appointment reminders, books that are ready to pick up at the library, and many more.

Ambassador Interpreter , George Harding (Approx. 274 words). If you travel outside the United States, this is a product you need. It allows you to speak and understand 20 languages and 42 dialects.

Apps and Applications - Mobile and Desktop , Phi Sorrentino (Approx. 1013 words). When we talk about computer software nowadays, we typically use the term Apps, referring to any software that is running on a computer, smartphone, or tablet. The term Applications was originally used for software other than the OS, but that seems to have changed over the last few years with the migration towards mobile devices, smartphones, and tablets.

Bits & Bytes of Memory , Dorothy Fitch (Approx. 343 words). Down in these parts of AZ, south of Tucson, if your memory momentarily fails you, you might say you are having a "Green Valley moment." Your computer, of course, also has memory. Dorothy takes a look at how it is organized.

Blocking Unwanted Email , David Kretchmar (Approx. 634 words). Sooner or later this happens to all of us. You continuously receive unwanted emails, (spam) from an individual or organization. Legitimate organizations usually have an Unsubscribe button within their message, which enables you to be dropped from their email list. If you attempt to unsubscribe from a less-them-legitimate mailer you are just confirming that your email address is good and even more spam will come your way. Note from Judy - do the emails your group sends have a disclaimer and unsubscribe under the signature line?

A Brief Tour of the VLC Media Player , Tom Burt (Approx. 816 words). The free VLC Media Player, by non-profit VideoLAN Corporation, is a useful and powerful program for playing all types of audio and video files, including video DVD and Bly-ray disks. It also can convert audio and video files from one format to another.

Casting, not in the theatrical sense - Cast your data to the screen , Phil Sorrentino (Approx. 1012 words). Most modern computers have HDMI outputs so it is easy to display your computer screen on a big-screen TV, but what about displaying your smartphone screen on that same big screen?

Changing the Mouse Pointer , Cal Esneault (Approx. 340 words). A key item in the Windows desktop graphical interface is the "pointer" (controlled by either a mouse or by a laptop touchpad). Since we use it often, finding it quickly makes our sessions more efficient.

Chromebook Update , Jeff Wilkinson (Approx. 533 words). Jeff has become more interested in Chromebooks as an alternate for the Sun City Summerlin Computer Club members who need to replace an outdated desktop or laptop computer.

Computer Bun and Games , Dorothy Fitch (Approx. 385 words). We all need a little fun in our lives these days. Dorothy has links in her article to some entertaining things she has discovered.

Crossword Puzzles on the Internet, Tom Burt (Approx. 844 words). The COVID lockdown for the Sun City seniors has meant staying at home and doing much of their daily interactions with the outside world via the Internet. One of the ways he likes to fill his time and keep mentally sharp is to work crossword puzzles. While he still does some puzzles on paper with pen or pencil, he has also found he enjoys working puzzles online.

Do You Trust Your Technology?, Greg Skalka (Approx. 1586 words). These days, trust seems hard to find. Our world runs on technology, yet many of our most contentious agreements involve whether certain technologies can be trusted, or whether society can be trusted to use them correctly.

Get a Grip… GravGrip™, Frank Petrie (Approx. 679 words). Our smartphone cameras and GoPros have become increasingly sophisticated. Some can actually shoot 4K Dolby. And as picture quality has increased, you likely want to increase your production values to achieve quality results. One of the most important tools you will want is a gimbal to stabilize your moving shots and, with the aid of an extension pole, shoot from all angles, low and high.

Google Voice and Its Many Uses, Dorothy Fitch (Approx. 709 words). Dorothy recently had a use for an additional phone number. Google Voice to the rescue! Her article shows us what she learned in the process.

Having Fun Making Lists, Dorothy Fitch (Approx. 1433 words). Dorothy is an inveterate list maker. She has always made lots of lists and during the pandemic, she seems to be making more and more-probably because she has additional time on her hands. Some people might dread lists, thinking only of "to do" lists, which can, she admits, be daunting. However, she enjoys making lists and finds them indispensable. Her article features several ways of creating lists.

HD TV Technology and Content - What's New? (Approx. 1113 words). One of Tom's occasional club seminars is a review of High-Definition TV technology and sources of HD content. He decided to convert his seminar slide show to an article and update it to reflect the latest 2020 offerings.

How Do I Remove a Virus from My Browser?, David Kretchmar (Approx. 1104 words). Our computer operating systems have become more secure, so developers of malware have turned their attention to a more vulnerable target, our web browsers. Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Opera are the browsers most of us to connect to the Internet. All of these browsers can be infected by a redirect virus, despite their built-in security.

How Reliable is Reliable Enough?, Greg Skalka (Approx. 1499 words). Google defines reliability as consistently good in quality or performance; able to be trusted. We all want our technology to perform well, as we depend on it more and more in our lives. In placing a call, turning on our lights, driving to the store, checking our bank balance, or taking a commercial flight, we all want (and perhaps expect) 100% reliability in our experiences with technology.

In 2021, vow to start using a password manager, Kurt Jefferson (Approx. 530 words). Kurt keeps telling students in his CKCS classes that they need to start using a password manager. You should be using a password manager on your iPad, iPhone, Mac, Windows PC, and Linux PC. Seriously? Yes.

Interesting Internet Finds-November 2021, Steve Costello

Interesting Internet Finds-January 2021, Steve Costello (405 words)

Interesting Internet Finds-February 2021, Steve Costello (415 words)

Interesting Internet Finds-March 2021, Steve Costello March (458 words)

Intro to Geocaching, John Krout (Approx. 1779 words). What does geocaching mean? The word is derived from GEO, meaning the world, and CACHE, meaning a hidden container. The noun geocache means a box hidden somewhere, usually outdoors. The verb to geocache, or geocaching, refers to the process of the game. Another noun, geocacher, means anyone who plays the game. The game got started in the general area of Portland, Oregon in 2000.

Second Batch

The iPhone Camera is just super

Thoughts from a Clicker - Ruisch.docx

Tis the Season for Fraudulent Email - David Kretchmar

Vow to Maintain Your Home Network - Jefferson

Windows 10 Tips and Tricks - Fitch

Windows 10, S-Mode - Sorrentino

Windows Blue Screen of Death - Dan Douglas

Windows Defender and Firewall - David Kretchmar

Zoom Etiquette - Tom Burt

Keep up with your iPhone - Cerny

Linux Mint 20.1 - Esneault

Loocid anti-fog wipes for glasses - Krout

QR Codes and More - Krout

QR Codes-What They Are and How to Use Them - Fitch

React 7-In-1 Vehicle Emergency Multi-Tool - George Harding

Roybi - Harding

Safe Experimenting - Maybach

Searching for Solutions to Computer Problems - Tom Burt

Smart Home, Smarter Home - Greg Skalka

Some Useful Windows 10 Features - David Kretchmar

Stay at Home - Sorrentino

System Simulation - Maybach

The Day The Music App Died - Krout

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