Data Doctors Tech Tips

Stop motion video animation apps for your smartphone have been around for a while, but an app called Stikbot takes an entirely different approach. This free app works just like all the other stop motion apps you may have tried; take an initial shot and a ghost of the image remains as a guide so you can setup your next frame. For example, you can create a video of a fork moving around a plate by ensuring that the plate is lined up in each frame while you repeatedly move the fork around. Where the Stikbot approach differs from others is through their optional figurines that can be purchased for around 10 dollars. These figurines are specifically designed to help you make amazing stop motion videos with the flexible limbs and suction cups on the hands and feet. It's a clever combination that can be the start of a movie making career or a just a great way to waste some time. Get the free app and see some examples at http://www.stikbot.toys/about

Our smartphones are pretty amazing, but they're only as amazing as the user using them. It's not very likely you have discovered all of the features or hidden tricks that these tiny bundle of technology have to offer, unless you're a hardcore techie. So if you're looking to get smarter and discover more of the features on your phone, good news: there's an app for that! The app is called Drippler and it's available for both iPhone and Android users for free. Drippler presents useful tips, hidden features and general updates as well as valuable how-to documents that can help you with everything from extending battery life to discovering lots of hidden options that you probably had no idea existed. Think of it as the your own compact tech advisor that helps you keep up with all the changes on your smartphone. The app is platform specific, so you'll get tips and how-tos that apply to your operating system and mobile device. All these free tips and tricks for your specific smartphone are just a download away. Just look for Drippler in the Apple and Google App Stores!

If you're considering using webcams to monitor your home or business, there are a plethora of options in both wired or wireless configurations. But a wireless webcam really isn't wireless if you have to plug them into an electrical outlet, right? Not only does this make them unsightly, it can drastically limit where you are able to setup the webcams. If you want a truly wire-free option, take a look at Netgear's Arlo security webcams. They are HD webcams that are also weatherproof and use long life battery system so they truly are wireless. They are not made for constant streaming of video, they're designed to provide a motion sensing monitoring system that alerts you when motion is detected. I've been using them to monitor a rental properties front and back doors when it's not being used, so I get an alert any time someone approaches the house along with an option to watch a 10-second video to see what's happening. Instead of paying a monitoring service, you're alerted directly via your smartphone! Check it out at https://www.arlo.com that's A R L O.com

With the flu season right around the corner, taking steps to avoid others that are sick is always a good idea. Just like Doppler radar can scan the skies for indications of bad weather, the Sickweather app scans social media and collects reports from other users to keep you abreast of potential outbreaks near you. It's really great because it allows you to check for reported infections in just about area as easily as you can check for the chances of rain. Sickweather keeps tabs on Facebook and Twitter posts with words like "I'm sick," "the doctor says I have bronchitis" or "My kid has the chicken pox." Any of the public posts that include location info will get added to the database in real-time in addition to reports by other users of the app. The app was able to detect the early start of the flu season six weeks ahead of the CDC in 2012, so this app could be a great way to stay ahead of any outbreaks. Sickweather is available for both iPhone and Android users or you use their website at http://sickweather.com to view live maps any time.

If you've ever had to call tech support, you know that one of the first steps in the troubleshooting process is to restart your computer. It's amazing how many problems that this simple step can solve and when it comes to common Internet related problems, there's an equally easy step many people overlook...clearing the browser cache. The cache which is spelled C A C H E is a copy of items that have been downloaded from previous surfing sessions. By reusing items that are already in the cache, your computer, smartphone and even your tablet will load a website much faster because it doesn't need to download every element from the Internet. But on occasion, elements used from your cache can actually cause a website to no load properly, especially on pages that require you to sign-in. So, the next time you are experiencing problems with a specific website, try the universal fix of clearing your cache first. If you're not sure how to clear your cache, I've posted a link to instructions for the most common browsers at DataDoctors.com/radio http://www.refreshyourcache.com

Popular streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu are creating a whole different type of television viewer - the binge-watcher. Watching the entire season of your favorite show in one sitting is becoming standing weekend event for many and the list of options of what to watch is expanding weekly. With this endless trove of choices, you may need help determining what's worth watching or what you shouldn't waste your time watching. Reviews on IMDb is one place to get some insight, but there's a website called 'Graph TV' that can be so much more helpful. Graph TV is a visualization of every IMDb rating for each season and each episode. You just click on a show to see every episode of every season's rating accompanied by a trend line representing each season or the entire series. It's a great way to see that series like Mad Men and Breaking Bad had trend lines showing great reviews while series like the Simpsons were higher rated in the early years. If ya love data like I do, checkout the link at DataDoctors.com/radio http://graphtv.kevinformatics.com/about

People that are constantly running out of space on their phones is one of the most common cries for help I get these days. It's an even bigger problem for iPhone users because there is no way to expand memory like Android smartphone owners can. Uninstalling unused apps will certainly free up some space, but dumping old pictures and video will free up much more. Getting rid of videos especially will free up lots of space because a two-minute file can take up as much space as 100 pictures. Another area that most people don't even think to address is all those old text messages, especially the ones that have photos, images or videos attached to them. The wife's iPhone had more than 5 GBs of space hogged up by those old messages because so many of them had attachments. If you're in the club that's struggling with the ongoing storage problem, I've got a number of suggestions posted at: DataDoctors.com/radio http://www.datadoctors.com/help/kenscolumns/22055

For those in business, technical or not, it's not uncommon to be in a situation where you're faced with a technology decision, especially when it comes to your web presence. All too often, a non-technical decision maker such as a CFO or CEO have tough decisions to make on the various web technologies for important projects. Whether you're a fortune 500 CEO or a small business owner, understanding how other companies are leveraging web tech can help you make a more informed decision. A useful website called BuiltWith.com can be a tremendous aid in understanding web and technology trends in general. Simply type any web URL into the site's lookup engine and you get a complete report on all the technology being used by any website, like by a competitor. You can even see their reports on web technology usage trends so you can compare the technology that you're evaluating to see if it is falling out of favor or on the rise. The http://Builtwith.com web resource is a fantastic free business intelligence tool that I'd recommend to everyone facing web technology decisions.

Have you ever been sitting in a public place using our laptop, tablet or smartphone and got the feeling that someone was snooping to see if they could get a peak at your screen? There's so much personal information that can be captured by those around you if you're not careful; It even has its own name: Visual Hacking. Whether it's the nosey person seated next to you on a long flight or the sketchy guy sitting behind you at a coffee shop, there's something simple you can do to protect yourself. Install a privacy screen, which have been around for a long time for computers and now they're available for tablets and smartphones too. They obscure your display for anyone that not looking directly at it, so those off to the sides will only see a darkened screen. On tablets and smartphones, in addition to providing privacy, they add extra screen protection for the glass. They are really simple to install as well as to remove, so anyone that spends a lot of time operating their gadgets in open public areas should checkout the link I've posted at DataDoctors.com/radio http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MScreens_NA/Protectors/Privacy

Our smartphones have become pretty handy whenever we need a flashlight because we always have them with us. They're especially useful when you need to shine light in a specific area, but there are times when using it more like a lantern would provide better light and make them even more useful. There's actually a pretty simple way to turn the LED on your smartphone into a lantern when you need a more dispersed light from it. All it takes is a rubber band and a plastic water bottle that's full for the magic to happen. Simply place your smartphone next to the bottle with the light facing into the bottle and use the rubber band to make keep it in place. It's works best if you remove the label from the bottle, but if you don't, make sure to avoid placing the light on the label. It's a handy life hack for campers, when you need to lead a group of people in the dark or in any situation where you're in need of widespread light at night. MacGyver's not the only one that can take common items and turn them into something completely awesome!