Data Doctors Tech Tips

Another CES has gone by and once again, I was blown away by the various 360 camera technology on display. Not only do they take incredible panoramic 360 images, they can also capture 360 degree high definition videos as well. A quick Internet search for 360 cameras will bring up dozens of companies with an assortment of amazing capabilities. They're even available as your home security camera, some of which are combined with light bulbs. The cameras start at about $300 and offer video resolutions from basic standard up to the Ultra HD 4K standard. There are many that are waterproof, allowing you to capture underwater 360 scenes. Anyone seeking to capture outdoor experiences that's much better than the typical action-cams like a GoPro, should check out the various 360 cameras available. Tomorrow, I'll tell you all about Google's efforts to support 360 videos on YouTube.

Maintaining physical fitness requires us all to search for the workouts that you'll be able to understand, accomplish and afford. An option for anyone trying to find a starting place for getting fit could be as simple as a no-equipment workout. A famouse fitness author created an awesome collection of visual workouts that can offer a workout for any fitness level. The workouts are visually outlined with simple instructions that include how many sets you should do per workout. The programs and challenges on the site range from seven to ninety days to complete along with suggested meals which can be downloaded and printed or used with your smartphone. There are lot of other resources to help with general fitness, running and motivation to go along with help with nutrition, meal plans and recipes. Whether you're trying to get motivated to start somewhere or bored with your existing workout, the collection of free visual workouts at https://darebee.com may be just what you're looking for!

Smartphones are great but they are only as smart as the human using it. It's not very likely that you have figured out how to use all of the built-in options or hidden tricks that this amazing device has to offer. Anyone that wants to get smarter about all the features that you don't know about in your smartphone needs to know that there's an app for that! The app is called 'Drippler' which is available for both iPhone and Android users for free. It presents users with tips, features and updates along with 'how-to' info to help you with everything from getting more battery life to learning about things you had no idea your phone could do. It's an app that answers the global question of "how do I keep up with everything on my smartphone?" Both apps are platform focused, so you will get the tips and tricks that are specific to your device. Helpful tips and tricks are just a tap away no matter which type of smartphone you have. Just search for 'DRIPPLER' in your app store!

When most of us have to work with any form of official documents, there is a strong chance that you'll need to get those documents signed in from of a notary. This means taking on the hassle of finding a notary that's within reasonable range and arranging to meet with them in person. For the next time you need to get something notarized, make not of an app called 'Notarize'. The Notarize system is an online virtual notary service that is completely electronic and completely legal in all 50 states. Getting your document notarized is pretty simple, by uploading it to their system and providing offical ID, then completing the necessary items in the document and finally connecting with a licensed notary through a video call. The licensed notary will watch you sign the document which then allows them to electronically notarize, right through the smartphone app or your computer. Once the process is completed, Notarize allows you to print, save or share the newly notarized document and it's all done electronically. Having 24/7 notary service available is very convenient, but it will cost you more for that convenience with a $25 processing fee per notarization. At the moment, the Notarize app is only available for iPhone or iPad users, but keep it in mind for the next time you need a notary http://www.notarize.com

A lot of buzz this year at CES was generated by auto manufacturers that are trying to make cars much 'smarter' and more connected in their latest models. But did know that anyone that has a car that's 1996 or newer already has some 'smart car' capabilties? Under the dash of your car under the steering wheel should be a connector called the 'OBD' port (On Board Diagnostics). To take advantage of this port, you'll need an OBD transmitter connected to an app on your phone which allows you to take advantage of your cars onboard diagnostics functions, like from a company called Dash. You can you access much more than just diagnostic information after the engine light goes on, because the system helps you improve your gas mileage and can even help you find the lowest priced gas near you. The special Bluetooth device that plugs into the OBD port from Dash costs between $10 to $60 for most cars. The associated app is free and the complete rundown on the OBD transmitters is available at https://Dash.by

Most of us are using our smartphones these days to accomplish tasks that in the past would require us to sit down in front of a computer in order to get things done. I often need to copy various items on my phone like a websites, images or bodies of text so the repeated back and forth isn't very efficient. Any Android users that seeks a better way to copy various things on their smartphones, should download the 'Copy Bubble' app. Copy Bubble makes it possible to copy virtually anything from anywhere in your phone. As you copy items, you will start to see an orange bubble with a number in the middle. As you copy things in, the number will increase as the app compiles items in chronological order. Items stay in the app for you to paste until you remove them. The Copy Bubble will float over any of you apps or screens, so you can paste some or all of the copied items just by tapping the bubble and tapping the various items. Copy Bubble is for Android devices only and it's free: http://copybubble.com

The use of tabs while browsing the Internet has fundamentally changed the way we use it because it allows us to open many websites during the same session. But it's also easy for it to get out of hand by opening too many tabs with each one taking up memory, so closing unneeded tabs is a good way to keep your computer from becoming sluggish. If you've ever accidentally closed a tab, you/re forced to look through the browser History to try to find tabs you still wanted to use. Well here's a tip that will cure errant clicks when you close the wrong tab. The next time it happens, just hold down the CtrlandShift keys while tapping the letter T. The last tab you closed will come back to life without the hassle of trying to remember what it was. To restore more of the previous tabs, just repeat the process and each one will appear in the order you closed them!

I'm beginning today's tip with a little bit of geek speak: "word cloud". The term 'word cloud' refers to a visual representation of a large chunk of text; the most used words appear as bold colors or larger fonts to emphasize their value. It's a really great way to quickly pull important themes from a large amount of text by seeing it as a word cloud. Any business with an interest in customer feedback will love this tool because you can avoid the manual method of reviewing each one to uncover important themes. My absolute favorite online tool is located at http://tagcrowd.com because it's fast, easy and powerful. Simply create a single text file containing all of your feedback without having to worry about any formatting or text structuring issues. Then copy that text into their website or if you'd prefer, upload any text, CSV or word porcessing document. You can even paste in a web URL to get the same analysis done. Anyone making a presentation of a large data set will find TAGCROWD.com will find to be an excellent tool for their presentations!

I really like using dual displays on all of my computers, so much so, that when I'm on the road, I really miss them. But now when I do hit the road I can get the benefit of dual displays on my laptop using my iPad using an app called Duet Display. MacBooks owners have long been able to use their iPads with their laptops, but now Windows users can follow suit thanks to the Duet Display app. By loading the app on both your computer and your iPad, you can quickly expand your primary display to the iPad which becomes an extension of your main screen. Once it's installed and setup, you can drag any window from your computer to your iPad, which is very helpful when you are doing a lot of copy/paste work or working with a very large spreadsheet. The Duet Display system will work with Mac or Windows computers alike and will extend your display to iPads or iPhones. If you'd like to see the wonders of a second screen, give http://DuetDisplay.com a try.

Have you noticed how many different ways you communicate with all your various contacts you have in your smartphone? Everything from Phone calls, emails, texting, Twitter, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Instagram, even Skype and the list goes on. Because of this, you have to figure out which app is best for each of your contacts every time you want to reach out and manually go to that specific app to get started. If you'd like a different solution to this growing communication hassle, checkout an app called Drupe; it's spelled D R U P E. It shows you your contacts with all the various apps for communicating all on one screen. You simply drag your desired contacts to the communication app of choicer or that contact...it's a much quicker way to reach out. Drupe can also work with your calendars, reminders, Google Maps and popular payment systems like Venmo and Paypal. Drupes workflow makes so much more sense today because communicating with all your contacts can't be done in a single basic app anymore. The app is available for both iPhone and Android users at: http://www.getdrupe.com