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

Dear Friend,

Since technology is changing and users needs are changing I have a totally updated description of my presentations that you can view here. If you plan events or know someone who does, read through these topics that cover the gadgets people are talking about and using at home or at work. Drop me a line here to discuss how your association or business might benefit from one or more of these talks. Or feel free to call me at 612-781-4434.

If you didn't get my popular "iPad Tips and Tricks" slides last month, you can download a copy here.

And the final results are in from the May survey of smartphones, tablets and TV connections. Click here to see the complete results.

If you missed last month's issue discussing the arrival of Windows 10 and the gadget survey mentioned above you can read it here.

Enjoy the summer - Gary

Thinking about a new Android tablet?
The generally reliable publication ZDNet compares here what it believes to be the best Android tablets available today.

One question survey about the latest hot topic
The Internet of Things - iOT - is all about connecting things to the Internet so you can access and control them from anywhere in the world - all from your cell phone. I'd like to know what if any "things" you'd like to control this way. This one question survey asks you to check off any devices - thermostat, door locks, home lighting, etc. - that will all have this capability soon. Please answer the survey here even if you have no desire to connect anything at all - that's likely to be a common reaction and I want to measure that. Also I'll appreciate any comments you have about the iOT - your opportunity to vent!

These are a few of my favorite things (apps - that is)
Since apps are generally inexpensive and easy to try out I'm just going to make a list of my favorites as a starting point. You can check them out and judge pretty quickly whether or not you want to try or buy them. Click here to see the list on my blog.

My one sentence advice column - what even your best friends won't tell you. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT take videos with your smartphone held vertically - they look terrible!

Do you need an Intelligent Assistant - Amazon thinks you do
For once this really is a new kind of "thing" - the Echo can sit anywhere in your home and respond to voice commands - much like Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana or Google Now. When you say something like "Alexa (that's its name) what time is the Packer's game?", it should tell you. This is just another glimpse of the Artificial Intelligence many are predicting will radically change our lives.

Of course this assistant will be more helpful the more it knows about you. If you live in Wisconsin, it will know you mean the football Packers and not the Bulgarian quilting team of the same name. (I just made that last part up but you get the idea). Read more here. I do think the concept is great - and it could be one of the next big things - but I would definitely place mine in a lovely vase - it looks too much like a tin can for the dining room table!

Notice - your points are about to expire
Now there's a phrase that will strike fear into your heart. Nobody wants to lose out on their "free stuff" right? Loyalty rewards and scammers were made for each other. We are joining more and more loyalty programs and look forward to seeing "you've just earned a free somethingorother - maybe a cup of coffee or a toaster if you fly ten thousand miles. Unfortunately this makes us easy prey for increasingly sophisticated phishers - criminals who send messages saying "you've just earned a toaster for flying ten thousand miles". Frequently these offers will expire in only one day which can cause us to throw caution to the wind and click an infected link. Here are just a few I've received recently.

As we collect more and more of these loyalty cards, chances are the spam sent to millions of us will appear to come from a company we patronize. These alarms are the successors to random messages saying your PC is infected or your nephew is in prison which of course were the successors to "I'm willing to share my fortune with you if you just get me out of jail" beginning four hundred years ago with the Spanish Prisoner Scam. This is just another warning to be careful about clinking on links. Next month I'll post information about how to recognize suspicious web site addresses.

PICTURE THIS
If you're ready to step up your photography, consider Sony's latest gem. ILC cameras have been around for several years now. They are smaller and quieter than a DSLR because they've eliminated the mirror and pentaprism. Faithful reader and photo enthusiast Phil Z gives the SONY A6000 a thumbs up and you can read a review here. Because of their small size and excellent performance, it is likely ILCs will replace DSLR's for all but the most demanding professionals in the future.

July 2015
Issue 69

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, published 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

• Mobile Tech 101

• Mobile devices in business

• How mobile payments are changing the way we do 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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• Speaking flyer (pdf)

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