The Problem: Summer travel, heat exposure, and high photo counts leave phone batteries draining quickly. Do This Instead: Run a quick battery health check. Note: Turning this off for non-essential apps (like shopping or travel apps) saves battery without stopping push notifications. iOS (iPhone) Open Settings and tap Battery. Scroll…
The Problem: Browser tab clutter builds up fast. Having 30+ tabs open isn’t just visually distracting — it slows down your computer. Do This Instead: Use built-in tab suspension features instead of keeping everything active. Chrome/Edge: Click on the 3 dots in the top right corner Go to Settings and…
Summer thunderstorms happen, or sometimes it is just too hot to go outside. Do This Instead — Play a cross-platform, family-friendly digital games (like the official “Ticket to Ride” or “Monopoly” apps) that can be play on a tablet or phone with family members, even if they are miles away.
People take tons of photos on summer trips, quickly filling up their phone storage and cloud space with duplicates. Do This Instead — Use the “Burst” shot trick for action shots (like jumping into a pool), but spend 2 minutes at the end of the day deleting the 14 blurry…
When packing for a summer getaway, people always seem to forget one crucial cord or brick. Do This Instead — Dedicate a small zippered pouch strictly to travel tech. Pre-pack it with one long charging cable, a portable power bank, a wall brick, and an extra pair of headphones. Keep…
There are reminders all over the news that you need to be prepared; whether you are camping, boating, hiking, or hanging out at the beach you need to know what to do in the case of an emergency. There are some things your phone can do to help. For…
Trying to read a laptop or phone screen outside under direct summer sunlight is nearly impossible, causing major eye strain. Do This Instead — Turn on Dark Mode (or high-contrast mode), which makes text much easier to read outdoors. Go to Settings, then Display, then click Dark Mode. Bonus: Polarized sunglasses can actually make some…
Summer travel means spending time in airports, cafes, and hotels, where hackers love to set up fake networks with names like “Free Airport Wi-Fi.” Do This Instead — Avoid logging into bank accounts or typing passwords while on public Wi-Fi. If you need to check something sensitive, turn off your computer’s…
With summer temperatures soaring, leaving a laptop, phone, or tablet in a parked car can permanently destroy the battery life or warp the screen in less than an hour. Do This Instead —Treat your tech like a pet, if you wouldn’t leave a dog in the car, don’t leave your…
We spend so much time cleaning up our digital files that we often forget about the physical machine. Dust, oils from our skin, and crumbs don’t just look messy — they can actually cause your computer to run hotter or make your keys stick. Now is the perfect time to…
Many of us have a habit of simply closing our laptop lids or letting our computers go to “sleep” at the end of the day. While this is convenient, it never actually gives your computer a fresh start. Over time, “ghost” processes and tiny software errors pile up in the…
Every time we use an app or a website, we leave behind “digital exhaust” –small trails of data like our location history, what we’ve searched for, and which apps have permission to see our contacts. Over time, this builds up and can compromise your privacy. This week, we are going…
We all have that one folder on our computer — usually the “Downloads” or “Desktop” — that has become a graveyard for old PDFs, random images, and installers we used once. Let’s get it cleaned up by using the One-Year Rule: If you haven’t opened it since last May, it doesn’t…
Many operating systems include AI-driven tools to help with productivity. While these features can be useful, they also run in the background and use resources like memory and processing power. If your computer feels sluggish, turning off these background tasks can provide a noticeable speed boost. Here is how: For…
If your devices seem to be asking to update more often lately, there’s a good reason. A new AI technology called Mythos from Anthropic has changed the game by finding security gaps in software faster than ever before. Companies like Apple, Microsoft, Google, and Amazon have been using Mythos to improve their…
Want to turn an email into something you’ll actually act on? Outlook makes it ridiculously easy. Just drag and drop any message onto the Calendar icon to create an event, or onto the To Do icon to turn it into a task. Give it a try: Open Outlook and go…
We’ve all been there: you’re sending a professional resume or a formal inquiry, but your email address still reads sk8r_boi_2004@gmail.com or something equally nostalgic (and slightly cringey). While our email addresses often feel like a permanent part of our digital identity, they don’t have to be. Most Gmail users can now change…
We spend the majority of our digital lives staring through glass and plastic, yet most of us wait until the dust bunnies start forming before we actually clean our hardware. If your view is currently obscured by fingerprints and mysterious smudges, it is time for a refresh. 50% Distilled Water: Tap…
Ever feel like you are hunting for a needle in a haystack when looking for info on a website? Stop scrolling through every page and let Google do the heavy lifting for you. Next time you need to find something specific, try this: Type site: followed by the domain name, followed by…
I’m a little embarrassed to say that I didn’t know this was a thing. The creativity of scammers is unbelievable. There are CAPTCHA tests that are getting you to download malware when you think you are solving one of those annoying I AM NOT A ROBOT tests. Take a look at one…
If you feel anxious every time you look at the top of your browser, you aren’t alone. For many, those dozens of tiny, unreadable tabs represent an overwhelming “to-do” list that never ends. There is a simple, built-in tool that can help you: Tab Groups. By bundling related pages together,…
We’ve all been there . . . the website isn’t working and someone asks “Have you tried clearing the cache?” I know it is the first question I ask when someone says their website doesn’t look right. It’s equivalent to “Have you tried rebooting?” You could dig through the browser…
There are so many ways to tighten up the security of your WordPress site: Strong passwords 2-Step Authentication Keeping WordPress core and plug-ins up-to-date Running security plug-in like Wordfence Regularly checking for malware . . . and the list goes on and on. Let’s start with the easiest two —…
I freely admit that I geek out on stuff like this, but you just might find this one as useful as I do. This feature is available in Windows 10 and 11, so it’s been around for a bit but a lot of people don’t know it exists. Windows key…
If you watch the Superbowl for the commercials, then you saw Ring Search Party where the lost dog is returned home. I love happy endings and would love to see every dog returned to its loving home, but the first thing that comes to my mind with this commercial is…
Recently I’ve been looking at Automations that are available on iPhones to help out a family member. This one struck me as useful for many people. Check out her YouTube instructions . . .
It was announced over the weekend that an additional 48 million Gmail credentials were exposed. This wasn’t a new leak but an updated number from previous leaks. The new total is over 149 million accounts compromised. So what does “exposed” mean? In this case it means that a list of usernames…
We’ve all done it . . . You’re on your computer typing a message, you press Enter thinking you are providing a break in the wall of words, but instead the message sends. You have more to type so you send another message, and another, and another. Instead of just pressing Enter .…
Let’s start off the new year with a less cluttered Gmail: Gmail has a built-in tool that shows what is taking up the most space in your inbox. Start by clicking here — Clean up space. You will see a breakdown of what is using space and options for removing unnecessary…
We all use a lot of images — for your website, social media, and marketing. But have you ever wondered how to find the origin of an image? Or if a photo you want to use is safe from a copyright perspective. Or if that plant in your yard is…
Last week I wrote about spotting AI generated images (more like not being able to spot them). The generators are getting so good. How do YOUR AI images look? Do they need some work? Are you having trouble getting the results you want? Let’s see if we can improve your images. First, what AI says to…
Seeing is no longer believing. With the newest updates to AI Image Generators, there are so many COOL things you can do . . . merge up 14 images to create a new image, change backgrounds, adjust camera angles, and the list goes on and on. With the newest updates…
Unless you have already turned it off, LinkedIn is using your data to train AI models. To turn it off: Open LinkedIn Click on your image at the top of the screen Click on Settings Click on Data Privacy Change Data for Generative AI Improvement to Off
Nobody wants their Zoom meeting to be taken over by an uninvited entity. It even has a name — Zoom Bombing Let’s make some adjustments to your Zoom settings so you have help prevent this from happening to you. Most of the following suggestions can be found in the Account…
There is a setting that you may want to turn off in Gmail. It is a relatively new setting. This setting allows Google to use your data to train their AI models. If you want to turn it off, here are the steps: Open Gmail and click the Settings gear icon in…
I’m constantly watching videos/reels/shorts by other techie-types (yes, I’m that geeky😆). Ryan Kennedy is one of my go-tos for phone tips. His YouTube channel covers a range of tech stuff. I saw this one today on FB. I didn’t know you could navigate text this way on an Android phone (you learn…
Take a look at the email below. I received it Oct 30 at 2pm. Does anything stand out as odd? Here’s what I notice . . . The font and color for Office 365 is wrong The Microsoft logo boxes shouldn’t be touching each other There isn’t a reason for…
There are several things you can do to customize the Gmail desktop to work better for you. Here are a few options: Rearrange the apps in the 9 dot area (aka Google Waffle) Combine the inbox or expand it out (adjust in Settings/Inbox) Adjust the background color to ease eyestrain…
When was the last time you use ChatGPT, Gemini, NotebookLM, or one of the other AI options? Did you get the results you were expecting? Some AI Models can do some things really well and other things not as well. For instance, Gemini 2.5 Pro handles complex/logically thinking better than…
If you have a paid Calendly account, you can allow the person scheduling to choose the duration of the meeting. Why would you want to do this? In my case, I want to allow clients to choose between 15 and 30 minutes collaboration calls. This helps reduce the issue of going over…
Last week’s tip was all about a Chrome Extension that helps you keep track of prices as they go up and down on Amazon. After that tip came out, a few people asked me to explain Extensions and why they would want to use them. Extensions are little add-ons you can…
Amazon Prime Days are coming soon and I’ve always wondered if the price drops are legitimate. I’ll be trying the Chrome Extension Keepa. It shows the price of a product over the last 3 months, full year, or since it’s been on Amazon. On the Chrome Browser: Click the 3 dots in the right…
Can you believe it’s been 8 months since the last time I reminded you to change your passwords? Where has the time gone? We all know that we should be changing our passwords on a regular basis. Some companies force you to change them regularly, but for those of us…
Have you ever tried to read a website that has a recipe on it that sounds yummy, but you can’t see the recipe because of all the ads, pop-ups, and long story. Next time do this: Copy the url Go to Chat GPT and enter this prompt Extract just the…
We all know how to copy and paste text. And you may have noticed that when you copy from a source document, you’re copying both the text and its formatting. But what if the formatting doesn’t match your destination document? The quick solution is to paste without the formatting. In Microsoft Word, if you…
Got an Android? Tired of using two hands to take a screenshot. Try this: Tap Settings Tap Accessibility Tap Interaction and Dexterity Turn on Assistant Menu Now you have a floating menu that allows for easy clicking for Screenshots, Power, Menu Settings, and more. NOTE: The Assistant Menu may cause WhatsApp to crash.
Let’s clean up some of those subscription emails that are clogging up your Gmail. Open Gmail Click down arrow next to More on side menu Scroll down and click Manage Subscriptions Review the list of subscriptions and click Unsubscribe on the far right Enjoy your cleaner inbox.
Got an iPhone? If you have a soft case or a case where you can touch the Apple logo, then you have access to a “secret” button. Let’s set it up: Tap Settings Tap Accessibility Tap Touch Scroll down to Back Tap Choose Double Tap or Triple Tap Select an…
Instagram’s newest “feature” makes your location known without your permission. The new map feature on Instagram let’s people know where you are. Want to turn it off? Method 1: Through DMs / Instagram Map Open Instagram Go to your Direct Messages (DMs) Tap the map icon at the top of your…
Does this happen every month or so, and you just want it to go away? You get the notice below — you click the X and go about your day — next month, same thing. Now What??? It’s a bit of a scare tactic to get you to upgrade. Some…
Whether you’re running a business from your laptop, managing emails, or posting to social media, online threats are everywhere. Take a look at some of the current scams right now and how you can protect yourself: Deepfakes, Altered Images/Videos, and AI You now have to question everything! Does it seem…
Let’s play with the Google Gemini app . . . If you haven’t already, download the Google Gemini app on your phone and log in (free version works fine for this). Open the app Click the + Choose Camera Click the circle to take a picture Click Attach Type “What do you see?” in…
Continuing with Canva Tips & Tricks . . . did you know you can post your Canva creation directly to you social media??? No need to download the image, then upload it to social media. It’s just a couple of clicks to connect your LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, etc. to Canva. Then…
Do you say please and thank you to AI when you are instructing it to do a task? It can become a habit to ask AI to do a task starting with please and ending in thank you. It’s not necessary to use those phrases and it actually costs the…
How many times have you shared a file in Canva for someone to use as a “template” only to have them edit your original file? As the person receiving the file, it’s easy to forget that any changes you make to the file can be seen by the owner. That’s…
Although AI is getting better all the time, you still need to do some work to get really good results. The next time you are asking AI to do something, try this formula. Goal: Define the desired outcome. Actor: Tell the AI who to become. Instructions: Break down the task into clear steps. Template: Describe…
Last week, I knew there was an email that I needed to send on Monday morning and I also knew I didn’t have time to send it. There are a couple of ways I could have solved this issue (send it Sunday, draft the email on Sunday and hit the…
Google is now offering U.S. college students free access to its advanced AI tools along with 2TB of cloud storage. This includes features like AI-powered document summarization, writing assistance, and smart organization tools, plus space for storing files. Students will need to verify their eligibility with a valid .edu email…
If you are like me, you occasionally hit the wrong emoji to react to a message. It can be rather embarrassing to click the “angry” emoji when you meant to click the “thumbs up” emoji, then scramble to change it before anyone sees that angry face. There’s a solution .…
Continuing with the Email theme, let’s take a look at some of the do’s, don’ts, and probably shouldn’ts of using AI in email. DO DO use for brainstorming DO use for grammar checks DO use for proofreading DO use for rewording awkward sentences DON’T DON’T rely solely on AI for…
As AI improves, email scams are becoming harder to detect. Gone are the days of poor grammar and punctuation making scams easy to spot (remember the Nigeran Prince???). The bad actors have stepped up their game, so you have to step up yours. Here are a few ways to help…
This tip is a bit specific, but it shows how AI can help you in surprising ways. Have you been on a Zoom call and saved the chat? Have you ever gone back to review the chat? With everything recorded including friendly banter and off-topic comments to contact info and…
Stop! Before you read any further, count how many open tabs you have in your web browser. I’m willing to bet it’s more than five tabs. If you have way too many tabs open try using Tab Groups. It is ideal if you have multiple tabs open for multiple projects. Just…
Dreaming of a fun vacation with the family or an island getaway to rest and recharge? Planning a trip involves finding the answers to a lot of questions — what’s the ideal destination for this season, when to snag the best flight deals, where to stay, what to do, which…
One of the best things about cloud storage is the ability to get to your files and photos from anywhere. Simply log into your account and access your files from any computer. It really is that simple. Dropbox* is one of top cloud storage services that allows you to save…
Is it AI or is it programming? We use AI in so many places and don’t even realize it, from streaming services to web searches to navigation apps and everything in between. Today, let’s take a look at Journeys in MailChimp. You might argue that Journeys are not AI and…
Last time, we covered different ways to back up your computer. The most common being Cloud Storage Services. There are sooo many service options available, how do you choose? You could choose by price, available options, name recognition, or any combination. For me, it’s a combination of things that lead me to…
When it comes to designing marketing materials, crafting social media posts, flyers, presentations, or creating just about any other type of graphic, Canva has become a go-to tool for its ease of use, great templates, and friendly layout. Let’s take a look at a couple of my favorite AI features that might…
Imagine losing all your family photos, important documents, or that novel you’ve been working on for months. It can happen in an instant due to a computer crash, accidental deletion, theft, or even a cyberattack. That’s why backing up your computer and phone is essential. Here are some of the…
Let’s take a look at potentially one of the most useful AI function in Zoom — Meeting Recordings and Summaries. If you have a paid Zoom account, then you currently have access to several options for notetaking. The Zoom meeting notetaker and summarizer is built in and only takes a couple…
It’s a new year and a good time to review your security to see what needs to be updated. At least once a year (ideally more often) check the following to make sure they are up-to-date: Passwords Anti-virus / Malware protection VPN It’s also important to make sure all of…
A passkey is a “passwordless” login. You may have seen Google, Apple, or Microsoft asking you to setup your passkey. Here’s a quick explanation of how they work: Instead of typing in a password, you use something you already have, like your fingerprint, face recognition, or a device you trust (like…
Let’s have some fun with your favorite GPT (ChatGPT, Copilot, etc) and get a head start of Thanksgiving menu planning. Try one of these prompts to see what Copilot could do. The answer sounds yummy. “Thanksgiving is coming soon. Please provide me a modernized menu for 10 people for Thanksgiving.…
This week is International Fraud Awareness Week, so I thought it would be a great time to remind you of important steps you can take to avoid falling victim to fraud: NEVER give personal or account information to anyone calling YOU, even if the caller says it is for “verification…
AI is moving fast . . . VERY fast. Sometimes it’s hard to keep up. How many times have you wondered “Can AI do ______?” Fill in the blank. I asked this question again just yesterday. A colleague wanted to do something that seemed a bit repetitive, so we asked…
It happens . . . your social media account is hacked. What can you do? Well, the Federal Trade Commission provides a list of links for reporting (and hopefully recovering) your hacked social media account. It’s a great place to start. Next, let family, friends, and clients know that your account was…
It’s been a while since I’ve played with Perplexity, so I thought I’d take another look at it. I started by asking “What can you do?” Here’s the summary of the answer: Information and Research Writing and Editing Learning and Education Practical Help Entertainment Conversational Support So, I figured I’d give…
Google Doc has a new feature and you might already have access (if not, it’s coming soon). Check out Tabs in Google Doc. Think of it like tabs in a notebook. Top three reasons to use Google Tabs: Organize large documents Group related content Enhance collaboration How to add a…
If you want to dive deep into spotting fakes, read this Northwestern University paper. If the paper is a bit too long for you to read (Yeah, I didn’t read through all of it either), take a look at these key ways to spot fake images: Zoom in on the image…
Did you know you can use Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for free? There are some feature limitations, but it might be worth looking into if you don’t want to work in Google.
Think you are good at spotting fake images. Try this quiz that was put together by Northwestern University. It will make you second guess your abilities. Take the Quiz After you accept the disclaimer, you will be shown images and asked if they are real or fake. You will then…
iCloud storage tends to fill up fast. There are several things you can do to clear some space and avoid paying for more storage: Let’s start by taking a look at what is in storage. Go to Settings > iCloud > Manage Storage*. You’ll see a chart at the top, and then a breakdown of…
We’ve covered the basics of NotebookLM in two other Tech Tips (Sept 17 and Sept 24). Let’s round out the series with a list of different ways you might want to use NotebookLM. Research any subject Studying/Reviewing class notes Creating your own personal chatbot (without coding) Collecting your parents’ (or grandparents’) stories/memories…
Cookie management is on almost every website these days. You might want to read through what you are agreeing to if you regularly click “Allow All”. It’s a bit more work, but reading through the options and unchecking some of the items and clicking “Save My Preferences” might help protect…
As promised, here’s another real world use for NotebookLM. Let’s say you have a few health issues that require you to eat differently than you are used to. Some of the instructions about what to eat and how much, seem to contradict other instructions. After getting medical advice, you now…
We all know scams are everywhere. The question is, can you spot them before you fall for them? Here are some steps you can take to be less likely to fall for a scam. Think — If it’s too good to be true OR one of your worst nightmares, it may be a…
NotebookLM has some interesting features. You can upload up to 50 source documents/links/text and it will use that information to answer your questions. It will even create a “podcast” type recording based on the documents. I tried it out with a rather dry manual and a link to some changes…
Google has made changes to Google Drive layout and function. Some items have been moved (the Suggested Folders at the top is helpful) and many of the shortcut keys have changed. Check out the updated keyboard shortcuts. Some of the shortcut keys updates make sense, some not-so-much. Take a look…
For those of you who use Siri, Alexa, or another digital assistant, did you know you can ask it to fix settings on your phone? For instance, if Siri isn’t replying to you loud enough, you can tell Siri to speak louder (or softer). This is more efficient that looking…
Take a look at what AI can create! AI capabilities are improving fast. If you haven’t looked recently, take a look at what AI is capable of creating. This video was create by entirely by AI. The people aren’t real. Can you tell? Watch on YouTube ! Do not give personal/confidential/sensitive…
Real-world AI use. I have a PDF that is 75 pages long. It’s more than I want to read right now, but I need to create a Q&A. So let’s try two different apps, Copilot and Perplexity, to create the questions and answers. Copilot and Perplexity were chosen because, using…
Passwords . . . Yep, we’re going to look at them again. With the recent large data breach, it bears repeating . . . you have to update your passwords and set up 2-Step Authentication. Thankfully, websites are making it easier to set up 2-Step Authentication (that extra little step of receiving a…
Let’s try Gemini from Google AI: Open Chrome In the address bar type @ Click @Gemini In the address bar copy/paste: Tell me what you can do Press Enter Read through what Gemini can do. It’s about the same as Copilot and ChatGPT at the moment. It might be a bit easier to…
If you have a ton of bookmarks in Chrome, you can easily search through them with just a couple of clicks. Open Chrome In the address bar type @ Click Search Chrome Bookmarks In the address bar type what you are looking for: For example: I know I have 2 library links saved…
Let’s try a useful prompt for back to school. Follow these 3 simple steps: Go to https://copilot.microsoft.com/ (no need to create an account) Cut/paste the following: Search the internet and find 3 current sources for the most reliable Windows laptop, include features and prices and where to purchase. Click arrow ! Do…
Let’s try a useful prompt for back to school. Follow these 3 simple steps: Go to https://copilot.microsoft.com/ (no need to create an account) Cut/paste the following: Act as a mom of 3 school aged children. School starts in two weeks. Make an itemized list of the best sales for school supplies and…
How many times have you been working on a project and you want to undo something you just did. Whether its a small change that you could just delete or a huge hassle to fix, the Undo command is extremely helpful. It can be used on Mac and most Windows applications. Give…
