Data Doctors Tech Tips

Being a huge fan of dual displays on my work computer, working without them just seems unimaginable. But when I hit the road and need that extended display space, it isn't practical to lug a second display around, unless that second display is an iPad.and#160; Mac computer users have been able to use an iPad with their Macbooks as a second screen, but did you know that Windows users can do the same thing? It's possible through an app called 'Duet Display'.and#160; Just install the program on your computer and the app on your iPad to start using it as a second computer desktop display. This setup allows you to drag anything you're working on from your desktop to the iPad, which is helpful when working with large spreadsheets or when you need to do a lot of copying and pasting.and#160; Duet Display will work with Mac or Windows systems and iPads or your larger iPhones using the charging cable as a connector.and#160; It's quick to setup and free atand#160;https://www.duetdisplay.com

If you're a business owner or employee that has to track your mileage on a daily basis, there are a plethora of apps available to allow you to manually keep track of your driving, but wouldn't it be better to use the built-in GPS in your phone to automate this tedious task? An app that does this very thing is called "TripLog GPS Mileage Tracker" and it puts the smart back into your smartphone. Triplog can also track parking fees, fuel costs, tolls and other common driving expenses for a more complete trip report. An excellent feature of the app is that it simply require you to plug the phone into a power connector or use your Bluetooth connection to automatically start tracking your mileage once you go more than five miles per hour. It also automatically stops tracking your mileage, when you disconnect your phone from power or from your car's Bluetooth, so it eliminates a lot of the human error. The basic features of Triplog are free with optional premium features if you feel they are worth spending money on. https://triplogmileage.com

If you're a business owner or employee that has to track your mileage on a daily basis, there are a plethora of apps available to allow you to manually keep track of your driving, but wouldn't it be better to use the built-in GPS in your phone to automate this tedious task? An app that does this very thing is called "TripLog GPS Mileage Tracker" and it puts the smart back into your smartphone. Triplog can also track parking fees, fuel costs, tolls and other common driving expenses for a more complete trip report. An excellent feature of the app is that it simply require you to plug the phone into a power connector or use your Bluetooth connection to automatically start tracking your mileage once you go more than five miles per hour. It also automatically stops tracking your mileage, when you disconnect your phone from power or from your car's Bluetooth, so it eliminates a lot of the human error. The basic features of Triplog are free with optional premium features if you feel they are worth spending money on. https://triplogmileage.com

As the world of social networking continues to grow, you aren't limited to only the most well known options such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. More obscure networks that serve a niche based on race, religion, gender, age, or any special interest group are available and for those that are fishing enthusiasts, there's a social network for that. It's called "FishBrain" and it has millions of users that will connect you with fishing fans in over 200 countries. It's an interesting resource that's designed to provide information and connections to those that love the sport of fishing. You can share and track fishing spots, compare your technique and bait options and compete with others as you record your catches using the network. With over 330K catches and more than 50k bait options, you can engage with thousands of other anglers right from your mobile devices. The network and apps can be accessed at: http://fishbrain.com

As the world of social networking continues to grow, you aren't limited to only the most well known options such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. More obscure networks that serve a niche based on race, religion, gender, age, or any special interest group are available and for those that are fishing enthusiasts, there's a social network for that. It's called "FishBrain" and it has millions of users that will connect you with fishing fans in over 200 countries. It's an interesting resource that's designed to provide information and connections to those that love the sport of fishing. You can share and track fishing spots, compare your technique and bait options and compete with others as you record your catches using the network. With over 330K catches and more than 50k bait options, you can engage with thousands of other anglers right from your mobile devices. The network and apps can be accessed at: http://fishbrain.com

For most households with kids, an iPhone or iPad has become an electronic babysitter of sorts, but allowing a young child to have complete access to your mobile device is pretty risky. An underutilized option in Apple's operating system can make it easy to protect your sensitive info before you hand it to your child. It is referred to as 'Guided Access' and it will allow you to completely lock down your device and only allow a single app to run. Once you turn it on, you simply select the app you want allow, then lock the system to only that app which will keep your child from accessing anything else. If you want to allow access to a number of apps, using the 'Restrictions' settings to specifically lock down individual apps may be a better way to go. Both options can be setup relatively quickly using the 'Settings' menu without the need to be very technical. The how-to links for both options are posted here: Setup Guided Access: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202612 Setup App Restrictions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304

For most households with kids, an iPhone or iPad has become an electronic babysitter of sorts, but allowing a young child to have complete access to your mobile device is pretty risky. An underutilized option in Apple's operating system can make it easy to protect your sensitive info before you hand it to your child. It is referred to as 'Guided Access' and it will allow you to completely lock down your device and only allow a single app to run. Once you turn it on, you simply select the app you want allow, then lock the system to only that app which will keep your child from accessing anything else. If you want to allow access to a number of apps, using the 'Restrictions' settings to specifically lock down individual apps may be a better way to go. Both options can be setup relatively quickly using the 'Settings' menu without the need to be very technical. The how-to links for both options are posted here: Setup Guided Access: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202612 Setup App Restrictions: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201304

For all you frustrating iPhone photographers that work hard to get that awesome shot just to have it come out blurry so often, today's tip is for you. You can always take many shots in a row to help improve your odds of a clear pic, but in many cases, the blurry shots are because of the movement created every time you tap to snap the shot. Holding perfectly still and tapping gently on the screen also helps create clean shots, but there are a couple more ways to take pictures that a lot of probably forgot or didn't know they have. One alternative is to use the volume buttons on the iPhone, which turns the process into more of an old-school camera method specifically when holding the phone sideways. If you plug Apple's famous white earbuds in, you can use the volume buttons on those headphones to take a picture as well. Using the earbud volume control to take a picture can be handy when you're trying to take a candid shot or if you are using a tripod. Whichever way you go, always remember: hold still longer!

For all you frustrating iPhone photographers that work hard to get that awesome shot just to have it come out blurry so often, today's tip is for you. You can always take many shots in a row to help improve your odds of a clear pic, but in many cases, the blurry shots are because of the movement created every time you tap to snap the shot. Holding perfectly still and tapping gently on the screen also helps create clean shots, but there are a couple more ways to take pictures that a lot of probably forgot or didn't know they have. One alternative is to use the volume buttons on the iPhone, which turns the process into more of an old-school camera method specifically when holding the phone sideways. If you plug Apple's famous white earbuds in, you can use the volume buttons on those headphones to take a picture as well. Using the earbud volume control to take a picture can be handy when you're trying to take a candid shot or if you are using a tripod. Whichever way you go, always remember: hold still longer!

If you've had enough of all of the inconveniences of getting on a conference call, especially if your joining from your smartphone or tablet, today's tip is for you. If you're the one responsible for creating the session, think about making a change from the old way, with a much better new way. A web tool known as "UberConference" is the best conferencing platform I've ever used because it's justand#160;better than the old school options.and#160; No more typing in a long PIN number when you're on your phone or put up with the constant bleeping as people enter or exit the call. You can avoid having to wonder who's on the call or who is currently talking because it's all on your display visually. The host is always in control making it easy to mute individual participants that subject the group to their on-hold music when they put you on hold.and#160; You can also record sessions, provide screen sharing and plenty of other awesome features that will greatly improve the call for everyone, whether they are joining via their computer or smartphone.and#160;and#160; Try it yourself atand#160;http://www.uberconference.com