Data Doctors Tech Tips

With the ability to capture extraordinary images with our smartphones, discovering tools to enhance those images is an ongoing exercise for us. As great and sophisticated as these digital cameras are, we don't always take the very best shot, so editing the image later can save the day. An all-time favorite resource for us is called FOTOR and it's a tool that can be used through a web browser or mobile app. This incredibly powerful, but easy to use tool has a plethora of features including a post shot HDR option. By combining multiple images of the same shot, the software can detect the best of each image and combine them into one. If you want to make your subjects look like models, the beauty tools are spot-on for getting rid of blemishes and wrinkles.and#160; Fotor is free to use and located at: https://www.fotor.com The mobile apps can be downloaded at: https://www.fotor.com/mobile.html

The mysterious workings on the Internet starts with your computer and whichever DNS server it uses to find things online. Domain Name System Servers make it possible for you to be guided to websites you type in, which are actually a bunch of numbers in reality. By default, the company that you pay to gain access to the Internet also provides this valuable service, but there's a very good reason to consider using an alternative. Switching to another company's DNS server can make things more reliable and provides hard to defeat parental and content control tools for anything that connects through it. My favorite free service is located at OpenDNS.com, because it's easy to use, effective and efficient. The best way to use this type of service is to change the DNS settings in your home or business router, which forces your rules on everything that connects to it. Learn more at: https://www.opendns.com/home-internet-security

When it comes to checking the weather, just about any app will do if you're just looking for the basics. For those looking for a little more detail, I suggest checking out the Weather Underground app. The app gets down to business with data when you click on the 'More' tab on the main screen. All of the most important data is displayed, including a UV index and an indicator of how widespread the flu is in that area. It offers radar maps along with the temperature in orange being reported by each weather station. Temperature indicators on the map in red indicate a privately owned weather station that is sharing its readings. Finding a specific weather station can be very helpful in rural areas or when there is a huge elevation change in a small area. You can scroll down to get an air quality index and even see what type of moon you can expect that evening. If you love data as much as I do, check out the free Weather Underground app for both Android and iPhone users.

One of the main reasons that I love to travel to new destinations is to discover new cultures and traditions. If you're really good at doing intensive research online, you can probably uncover the road less traveled, but if you want a little help, check out the Culture Trip website. You can start by typing the name of any city you're thinking of visiting to get tips on the coolest neighborhoods, best galleries, museums, and the best restaurants in the area. You can find tips for budget accommodations, walking tours and even suggestions on what to do if you only there for a layover. Find the best bookstores, antique shops, nightlife and cafes along with foodie destination and actual foods that you should try while visiting. This is a welcome departure from the popular review websites because the content is carefully curated by professionals using stories to help you better understand your options. Visit https://theculturetrip.com to download their app and start exploring the world through its culture.

If you use an Apple smartphone and Apple computer, you know how tightly integrated the notifications can be across both devices. If you're an Android user, you can actually take this awesome ability to another level by using Crono on your computer and smartphone. You start by adding Crono to your browser as an add-on, then download the app and follow the on-screen instructions to sync the devices. You then have the option to allow alerts from virtually any app on your smartphone to start popping up on your computer. You can also copy items to the clipboard on your computer and send it to your smartphone and vice versa. It's also a simple way to share files back and forth and dismiss phone calls or send text messages from your browser. It essentially allows you to deal with notifications from your computer's browser the same way you do on your phone. To learn more and download the tools, visit https://crono.app

If you have kids or grandkids, you know how much time they like to spend staring at a small screen and how hard it can be to get them to put down their devices and go play outside. Well, if you can't beat em, join em! You can use their love of smartphones to get them to want to go outside, using an app called Mission Adventures. The app is designed to make going outside an interactive adventure complete with a plot and tasks. You start by setting a route on a map to set up your adventure with a focus on a park or hiking trail that you'd like to explore with them. Once your destination is set, the app will lead your kids on an adventure along the route by using markers on the map, various questions and instructions that make the walk more like a game. It's like geocaching combined with a Choose-Your-Own Location-based Adventure for both iPhone and Android devices. Search for Mission Adventure in the app stores.

Most of us have a bucket list, but mainly in the metaphoric sense that never really becomes a physical list. Creating an actual list and keeping track of all those things you want to do and experience helps make your dreams a reality. An app called Soon was created for all those things, big and little that you want to experience. That must-see movie, must-hear musician, must-visit restaurant or anything that you hear about can be kept as a reminder in the Soon app. The app makes it easy to file each item in categories like movies, restaurants, TV shows, books and so much more When you add an item from their database, all of the details that you'd normally have to go search for gets included with the item. You can add your own notes after you've done each item, which makes it easy to journal your experiences as you do them. The Soon app http://www.soonforever.co is free and available for both Android and iPhone users.

Long exposure photography has the ability to create some amazing shots of motion, but it generally requires expensive equipment and the technical knowledge of how to manually set up the shot. Well, if you have an iPhone, an app called Spectre takes both the expense and the complications out of capturing long exposure shots. It uses artificial intelligence for the exposure to take the guesswork out of how long the shutter should stay open and it even helps you keep the shot stabilized. If you love those soft water exposure shots of running rivers or waterfalls and would like to be able to turn a night shot of a freeway into a river of light, this app is worth the three bucks. It's also a great way to make people in a crowded area disappear into the background as anything with motion automatically gets blurred. Spectre is a really easy app to use, so you'll be capturing those professional looking long exposure shots in just minutes!

Whether you're a vegetarian or not, you most likely have friends that are, which is something to take into consideration when you decide to meet up at a restaurant. Using the various search options for finding vegan or vegetarian options can work, but if you want a more focused way to search, check out a website and app called Vanilla Bean. With over 35 thousand locations in more than 80 countries in their database, they can help you find restaurants that specialize in vegan or vegetarian menu items or those that cater to omnivores, vegans and vegetarians alike. They also let you know if the restaurant offers gluten-free or lactose-free options as well as organic, local, raw food or fair trade items. Vanilla Bean also includes price range indicators as well as reviews from other users. Whether you want to start eating healthier or just want to make sure your vegan friends will have something to enjoy when you go out, Vanilla Bean will help you discover what's near you where ever you may be. Learn more or download the app at https://www.vanilla-bean.com

With so many devices that have the ability to take a picture these days, improving your knowledge when it comes to the elements of photography allows you to take better pictures. Whether you're using a smartphone, point and shoot camera or a DSLR, knowing what to do and when can be learned a lot easier with an app called Elements of Photography. It's like having a photography instructor right on your phone or tablet. You can go through all the chapters at your own pace, which uses interactive examples to make it a lot easier to understand what is being taught. Start with the basics like focal length and shutter speed and progress to more advanced topics as your understanding of photography grows. When you find yourself in a specific scenario, you can go right to that portion of the app to get the tips when you need them the most. Elements of Photography is a free app and available for both iPhone and Android devices.