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Technically Speaking - Helping you survive and thrive in the Digital Age

Dear Friend,
If you're thinking about buying a new "gadget", you might want to wait a while. Many new products come out in time for the holiday shopping season - that starts about the first of August! Android just released not one, not two but three new smartwatches in addition to the four they already have. And four more smartphones to boot. Apple is 99.99% certain to release the iPhone 6 with bigger screens and maybe a smartwatch or two possibly a new Apple TV and new iPads in the next two or three months. Busy, busy.

Not to be left out, Microsoft just announced the third iteration of their Surface Windows tablet/laptop combination. These devices are usually praised as powerful PC laptop replacements but considered difficult to operate for the casual user. Finally, the iPhone 6 is likely to be a best seller since a very large number of iPhone users have the 3 and 4 year old models (4 and 4s). The version 6 could come in two models - one extra large phone/tablet (phablet).

And if you missed what Dilbert and Wally have to say about the Internet of Things, check out last month's issue.

Gary

What do you think of Facebook's psychological experiment?
If you're big in social media, you really should read what Facebook just revealed and decide whether you approve or disapprove. In summary, they manipulated the information users received to see if it would influence their behavior - i.e. what they posted. This article gives a good summary that is well worth reading and here's what ComputerWorld had to say. This situation is unfolding just as Google is starting to censor some of its seaches! You can read much more about the "right to be forgotten" here - a landmark legal ruling.

Samsung tablets? have we got a deal for you - a lot of deals actually
I'm always shocked by the number of people who shoot in the dark when they make mobile tech purchases (remember people, these are real computers and not just $400 toys). They go out to buy a Samsung tablet since a friend had one - with no idea there are 22 different models of Samsung tablets available today. They end up buying one of the four models on the shelf of the local electronics store. What kind of decision process is that?

Here’s what Android fan and guru JR Raphael says about the current bumper crop of Samsung tablets. I'm sure there are many fine tablets on the list but they are not all created equal so just buying any old Samsung tablet is not the answer.

Click and buy - what could be easier
Buying stuff is getting easier all the time. I recently purchased an external DVD drive - computers are increasingly shipping sans DVD in case you haven't noticed. I picked up the box, scanned the bar code with my iPhone, entered a password and clicked OK. I walked out the door without any assistance from an employee. This is an example of mobile device purchasing that will increase because Apple has several hundred million credit cards already on file - point, click and buy!

8 steps for preserving those precious memories
We all cherish the few photos we have of generations past but how much time do we give to preserving the pictures we take today. In the past, the cost and difficulty of taking candid shots means we have virtually no record of what our grandparents looked like as youngsters - except an occasional family photo of everyone lined up in the living room or around the dining room table on a holiday.

Today it's easy and nearly free to take pictures by the thousands and show them to friends and family around the world. However, we rarely print photos so we don't have the "shoe box" to pass along as our ancestors did - barring fire or flood. I intend to write much more about this perplexing issue next month but for now here is a quick list of steps you need to take to create your own "digital shoe box".

1-Decide which pictures to preserve
2-Collect photos from relatives
3-Decide on the best format
4-Edit, organize and describe each picture
5-Write the narrative including a family tree
6-Decide where to store them (hint - not on Facebook or Picassa!)
7-Decide how to back up the files
8-Make sure others have access to the collection

Each of these steps will be explained in detail next month.

July 2014
Issue 57

Who I am and what I do

My lifetime passion has been explaining technology to non-technical audiences. I've been a programmer, project manager, system designer and independent consultant. I've taught at the high school and university level,5published numerous articles and given hundreds of lectures across the US and abroad. In my spare time I volunteer for several social service organizations and enjoy my photography hobby.

How I can help you

I will work with you to develop an educational program suited to your association, business or other group - long or short, basic or advanced. Popular topics include:

• Small group roundtables

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• Mobile devices in business
• iPad tips and tricks
• Apps, apps and more apps

• Technologies and companies to watch

• Why good cameras take bad pictures

• How things work - from your PC to the Internet

Click here for more information on these topics.

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