Your App Lady

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 33

Welcome to series 1 episode 33 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

Nintendo came out with a new line of accessories for the Switch game system. Nintendo Labo's cardboard accessories can interact with the Switch in a number of ways. One of the kits has pre-cut pieces that users can build pianos that play musical notes. Another kit has an RC car that can be controlled with the gaming console.

The kits are aimed at children ages 6 to 12. They are set to go on sale starting April 20, 2018. The variety kit -- which includes projects like a fishing rod and piano -- will cost $70. The robot kit will sell for $80. The Nintendo Switch ($300) is sold separately.

For more information:

http://money.cnn.com/2018/02/06/technology/nintendo-labo-diy-cardboard-toys/index.html

Featured App: Open Table

Available for iOS and Android

Make online reservations, read restaurant reviews from diners, and earn points towards free meals. OpenTable is a real-time online reservation network for fine dining restaurants.

Tech Tip

How to clean your Earbuds

• Use a gentle cleaner, like a mix of dishwashing detergent and warm water.
• Use a gentle cloth with a small amount of soap mixture. Too much soap could leave a residue on your earbuds, and too much water could ruin your earbuds.
• If there is dirt or dust in the metal part of your earbuds, brush them with a dry toothbrush to dislodge the dust.
• Some earbuds, like Apple's In-Ear Headphones, come with removable (and replaceable) silicone covers, so try removing them and cleaning those separately.
• Never submerge your earbuds in water. You will damage the wiring.
• Only clean your earbuds when they are detached from your phone or other device!

https://www.popsugar.com/tech/How-Properly-Clean-Your-Earbuds-7686915

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 32

Welcome to series 1 episode 32 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

Amazon's Fire 7 and Fire HD 8 tablets can now be used as hands-free Alexa speakers. This feature is currently available on the Fire HD 10. Amazon is expanding it to other tablets. Both compatible models, the Fire 7 and Fire HD 8, were released last year. Once the latest software update rolls out to the devices, you will be able to use Alexa's full array of voice commands whenever the tablet's screen is turned on.

For more information:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/4/4/17197730/amazon-fire-7-hd-8-tablets-hands-free-alexa-new-feature

Featured App: Apps Gone Free

Available for iOS devices (iPhones and iPads).

I use this app daily to find high quality free apps. While every day hundreds of apps reduce their price to free for a limited time, many of them are not worth downloading. AppsGoneFree finds the apps worth trying out. Each app includes a summary and a link to the App Store. The app features 4-6 apps a day.

Tech Tip

How to Dispose of An Old Laptop

If you can't give away or sell an old laptop, here are directions on how to safely get rid of it.

Step One: Back Up Your Computer

Store your files on an external hard drive or back up your data using iCloud if you have a Mac.

Step Two: Sign Out of Everything

Sign out of all your applications and software. Make sure none of your login information is stored in your keychain or any other app or software on the computer. Then wipe your hard drive. Here's the full guide to deleting everything off your computer.

Step Three: Recycle Your Device at an E-Waste Location.

• Apple Recycling Program: Apple accepts old devices online at any Apple store. If your Mac or PC has any monetary value, you'll receive an Apple gift card in the amount it's worth.
• Gazelle: Gazelle is another reliable buyer that will take your old devices. Similar to the process above, all you have to do is enter your laptop's serial number and ship it to its processing center using the prepaid shipping supplies they send to you.
• Best Buy: You have the option of dropping off your old laptop at any Best Buy store for proper disposal.
• Staples: If your computer has any value, you have the option of trading it in store for a Staples eCash Card, or sending it in through an online process.
• Goodwill: Drop off your laptop to any Goodwill collection center. According to its site, "One working computer given to Goodwill is worth 5.3 hours of career counseling."
• Find a local drop-off center in your area: Do a quick search to see if any nearby stores accept e-waste. Many manufacturers, office supply retailers, and even hardware stores will be able to take your laptop off your hands.

https://www.popsugar.com/news/What-Do-Old-Laptop-44666387

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Episode 31

Welcome to episode 31 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

Apple recently submitted a proposal to add 13 new emojis to the Unicode Consortium. They include a prosthetic arm and leg, hearing aids, as well as people using sign language and a wheelchair.

Apple worked with the Cerebral Palsy Foundation, the American Council of the Blind and National Association of the Deaf, to develop the emojis.

For more information:

https://www.theverge.com/2018/4/3/17193020/apple-emojis-disability-representation-media-carrie-wade-interview

Featured App: Spending Tracker

Available for iPhone, iPad, Windows and Android

I use Spending Tracker everyday to increase my awareness of how much my family is spending and how much we are saving. Spending Tracker is easy to use and helps me feel more control over my money.

I track expense by the month but the app allows you to choose to track expenses weekly, monthly or yearly. You can also set a budget in the app.

You can schedule repeated transactions daily, weekly or monthly as well as export data to CSV for use in a spreadsheet or export the data to a PDF for viewing and printing.

I was able to edit expense and income categories and add custom categories.

I can also sync my entries on Spending Tracker on all of my iOS devices. The data can be backed up on Dropbox.

Tech Tip

Wrestling with AutoCorrect?

I often find that autocorrect changes my words incorrectly. I finally found out how to correct this!

This article says that the keyboard's dictionary file may have saved incorrect entries. If you do not have a lot of custom words you have saved and want to start over so the auto-correction tool learns new words from now on, you can delete the old dictionary. To do this, open the Settings app on the home screen. Next, select General and scroll to the bottom of the list. Select Reset and then Reset Keyboard Dictionary. You may be asked to enter your passcode. Then delete the old dictionary.

If you do not want to delete the current dictionary, you can turn off the auto-correction tool and make other adjustments in the iOS keyboard settings. Tap the Settings icon on the iPhone's Home screen and choose General. Scroll down the screen and select Keyboard.

If you have a tendency to repeat typos in certain words or want to expand abbreviations into full phrases, tap Text Replacement to set up automatic replacements as you type.

For more information:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/06/technology/personaltech/auto-correct-iphone.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Ftech-tip&action=click&contentCollection=personaltech®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=13&pgtype=collection

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 30

Welcome to series 1 episode 30 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

I am excited about this news! I found an article on using technology to clean your house. There are many cleaning devices, but my favorite are these fuzzy balls.

They look like a toy, but they are actually great for cleaning. The LOHOME Automatic Rolling Ball Electric Cleaners come with machine-washable microfiber covers. They are balls covered with microfiber that are designed to roll around your floor picking up dust and dirt.

Many reviewers say they were impressed at how well the product cleans! It can even fit under furniture, so you don't have to worry about moving the couch for a deep clean.

Get the LOHOME Automatic Rolling Ball Electric Cleaner on Amazon for $12.99

For more information:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2018/04/04/10-gadgets-that-will-make-spring-cleaning-a-breeze/33521945/

Featured App: Moppa Maths

Moppa Maths is an interactive math app for 5-7 year olds. This game-based app lets them explore the magical world of numbers through six animated characters. The app has several mini-games designed in collaboration with preschool teachers. The app addresses the following math concepts: number bonds, number recognition, addition, subtraction, and buying and selling.

Preschoolers can also mix and match sea creature gear to make a scuba costume or make music with the Blues Blubber band.

Tech Tip

Preserving Your Child's Artwork

We have all had the experience of feeling overwhelmed with the clutter of our kids' artwork and simultaneously feeling guilty for getting rid of it. Your phone or tablet can solve this problem for you.

There are several mobile apps that allow you to photograph your children's art work and archive them. This can be a convenient way to save (and share) the memories. Keepy (for Android, iOS and Kindle) is one app in this category and offers the ability to record audio and video on the saved schoolwork from the child. Canvsly (for Android and iOS) is another app for saving and organizing your kids' art and school projects.

Once you have created the photos and clips, you can save the art or school work on file-sharing sites like Dropbox, Apple iCloud, Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive

For more information:

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/15/technology/personaltech/preserving-those-refrigerator-door-masterpieces.html?rref=collection%2Fcolumn%2Ftech-tip&action=click&contentCollection=personaltech®ion=stream&module=stream_unit&version=latest&contentPlacement=5&pgtype=collection

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 29

Welcome to series 1 episode 29 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

Setting up an iPad for coding is my greatest feat as a computer user.

This will help:

https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2018/3/27/17152482/ipad-pro-web-development-setup-how-to-terminal-apps

Featured App: Beer Untappd

For iPhone and Android

Discover and share great beers, breweries, and venues with your friends, while earning badges for exploring beers of different styles and countries.

Discover nearby venues, events, and beers that you'll love, keep track of the beers you like and create lists for later. You can get alerts when your favorite verified venues add new beers.

Even find new venues with great beers, anywhere in the world!

Also follow your friends and see what beers they're enjoying

Tech Tip

The Files app will bring every single file you have on an iOS device, such as your iPad and iPhone, into one single app. You can also add other file-storage services like Box and Dropbox to access your files on your phone.

For more information:

https://www.popsugar.com/news/photo-gallery/43717316/image/43717573/Meet-app-might-make-you-more-productive-Files

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 28

Welcome to series 1 episode 28 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

Apple's Education Announcements

The star of the announcement was the new "affordable" iPad with stylus support. Affordable is in quotations because it costs $299 for schools, but $329 for everyone else — the same price as iPad's 9.7-inch tablet announced last spring. The biggest update with this iPad is that it'll finally work with the $99 Apple Pencil ($89 for students / teachers), which was previously only supported by the iPad Pro.

Most of the updates are in the software, with a new version of iWork that incorporates support for, of course, the Apple Pencil. Pages, for example, now include a Digital Book Creation tool that lets teachers and students build books together by adding pictures, handwritten notes, and hand-drawn illustrations. Numbers can now be used to create lab reports, and Clips will get new kid-friendly filters to encourage them to express themselves digitally.

Notably, teachers will also be able to mark up documents on Pages with the Apple Pencil, similar to how they might grade a paper.

A new app, Schoolwork, is designed for teachers to manage their classroom digitally. Schoolwork allows teachers to hand out digital assignments to students, such as homework, activities, and mark due dates on various projects.

"Everyone Can Create," essentially bills the new iPad as the ultimate creative classroom tool for students to learn and express themselves. The curriculum focuses on four areas: music, video, photography, and drawing, with tools like Clips and GarageBand

For more information:

https://www.theverge.com/2018/3/27/17155688/apple-event-2018-news-highlights-recap-ipad-education

Featured App: Vivino

Free for both Android and iOS.

A wine companion app, Vivino (Android, iOS) boasts a photo label recognition system that can quickly bring up information for a given wine, complete with reviews, ratings and tasting notes. If the app can't automatically identify a particular vintage, Vivino's own team of wine experts can manually identify it for you with time. In addition to label scanning, users can browse the app's database of wine reviews, save their favorite wines, get recommendations for wines from within the app and find out where to buy wines nearby. You now can order wines within the app in supported countries, with a premium tier offering its members free shipping.

Tech Tip

Use this site to generate a QR code for your Wi-Fi network. It will require the network name, password, and network type. Print out the QR code and attach it to your wall. Have Android friends scan the QR code to automatically configure your Wi-Fi network's settings on their phones. BAM!

Go here to get it: http://blog.qr4.nl/QR-Code-WiFi.aspx

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 27

Welcome to series 1 episode 27 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

New Blackberry phone model with physical keyboard.

The BlackBerry KeyOne is a collaboration between BlackBerry and TCL. This is an Android phone with a physical keyboard, combining the traditional features of the BlackBerry phones of an excellent battery life and a priority on security, with the functionality of an Android phone.

The BlackBerry KeyOne retails for about $550.

For more information:

https://www.digitaltrends.com/cell-phone-reviews/blackberry-keyone-review/

Featured App: TV and Movie Tracking

When I attended SXSW, I sat by a film student from NYU. He shared two of his favorite apps with me.

trakt.tv - iShows TV

Trakt is a platform that does many things, but primarily keeps track of TV shows and movies you watch. It integrates with your media center or home theater PC, so everything is automatic. You can also check in from your mobile device.

We also make it easy to find where to watch movies and TV shows on hundreds of streaming sources such as Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and iTunes.

LetterBoxd Free or pro

Available for iPhone, iPad and Android

https://letterboxd.com/apps/

Letterboxd is a social network for sharing your taste in film. Use it as a diary to record your opinion about films as you watch them, or just to keep track of films you've watched. Showcase your favorite films on your profile page. Rate, review and tag films as you add them. Find and follow your friends to see what they're enjoying. Keep a watchlist of films you'd like to see, and create lists/collections on any given topic.

Tech Tip

Never get lost in a mall again or go without food in an airport with Apple's updated Maps app. The app will now have detailed maps of airports and malls across the world, showing you where different shops, restaurants, and even restrooms are located. Search the map or airport you're going to and start exploring.

For more information:

https://www.popsugar.com/news/photo-gallery/43717316/image/43717578/See--depth-maps-malls-airports-Maps

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

http://traffic.libsyn.com/yourapplady/YAL-025.mp3

Show Notes

Episode 25

Welcome to episode 25 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

An article on the Forbes website said that there is a report that Apple is planning to release a new, less expensive MacBook Air. They anticipate that it will be released in the second quarter of 2018. Not very many details were reported. Hopefully this new MacBook will be under $1000 and allow more people interested in switching from a PC to a Mac to be able to afford the new MacBook Pro.

For more information:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quickerbettertech/2018/03/11/apple-is-planning-a-cheaper-macbook-and-other-small-business-tech-news-this-week/#3ffa0be5eb7c

Featured App: Marble Math and Marble Math Jr. by Artgig Studios

Available for iOS, Android, Kindle Fire

Marble Math suitable for 9-12 year olds.

Using Marble Math, your child can practice basic math skills on a phone or tablet by rolling or dragging a virtual marble through a series of mazes to solve the math problems.

Marble Math is a fun, engaging way to practice math concepts. It is much more fun than a worksheet!

Artgig Studios also has Marble Math Jr for ages 5-8. It is also an engaging app that helps early elementary students practice mental math.

Marble Math Multiplication is similar and targets only multiplication problems.

Tech Tip

Alexa frequently talks back to us when we weren't talking to her! To avoid this you can turn off the microphone on your Echo by tapping the microphone button found on the top of your Echo. This will also give some piece of mind for people who are concerned about safety and privacy.

For more information:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/20-best-amazon-alexa-skills-tips/

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Series 1 Episode 20

Welcome to series 1 episode 20 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

Global smartphone sales have not been firing on all cylinders for several years now but Gartner's latest figures record the first ever decline since the analyst began tracking the market all the way back in 2004. (Though it's not the first analyst to call a decline.)

Gartner's figures peg sales of smartphones to end users in Q4 2017 at nearly 408 million units — a 5.6 per cent decline over its Q4 2016 figure.

It says No.1 ranked smartphone maker Samsung saw a year-on-year unit decline of 3.6 per cent in Q4, while sales of Apple's iPhones fell 5 per cent in the holiday quarter, though it says Cupertino stabilized its second-place marketshare.

For more information:

https://techcrunch.com/2018/02/22/gartner-reports-first-ever-global-decline-in-smartphone-sales/

Featured App: Inspiration Maps VPP by Inspiration Software, Inc.

Available for iOS.

Inspiration Maps began as computer software.

It is a great mind mapping/graphic organizer app that helps you get your thoughts from your head onto paper. The paid version has many templates to chose from. After completing the template, you push one button and all of the information you entered on the template becomes an outline.

This app is great if you need to organize your thoughts into blog posts, papers for classes or emails. Children in second grade or above will also benefit from it.

Tech Tip

Alexa Skill that gets you to exercise, with one of more than 30 fitness-related skills.

My favorites are the 5-Minute Plank Workout, which gives you six sets of core and various plank exercises with short rests in between.

After you enable the skill, just say "Alexa, start five-minute plank," and you're off. I also really like the Five Minute Workout: Core and Cardio, for short blasts of exercise throughout the day, and the 7-minute-workout skill. If you say, "Alexa, start 7-minute workout," Alexa suggests top rated exercises based on various muscle groups.

She also helps with yoga, guided meditation, and can now integrate with Fitbit too.

For more information:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/columnist/2017/12/25/10-things-you-didnt-know-your-amazon-echo-could-do/971951001/

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]

Your App Lady

Show Notes

Episode 23

Welcome to episode 23 of the Your App Lady Podcast!

All about apps and tech that I love and use every day.

On each episode, I'll talk about recent tech news, recommend apps that I use myself and leave you with a great tech tip.

Tech News

I'm at SXSW as I record this. In this episode, I discuss all the fun and educational events I have attended so far.

Featured App: Story Dice by Thinkamingo

Available for iPhone, iPad, Google Play, Amazon, Blackberry and NOOK

Story Dice is a great tool to use for prompts for ideas for plot, character, and setting. The app can be used for prompts for telling written and oral stories. It is a great tool in the classroom and in speech therapy sessions.

Tech Tip:

Look for apps for any conferences or events you attend.

Thanks for listening to Your App Lady today!

Share the podcast with your friends, they'll thank you for it!

Get our newsletter and stay up to date by clicking here.

Betsy can guide you through designing (or redesigning) your app or websites. Contact her at [email protected] or 713-542-8118 to get details about working with her.

Follow me

Twitter: @yourapplady

Instagram: @yourapplady

Facebook: @yourapplady

LinkedIn: @BetsyFurler

Website: www.yourapplady.com

Voice over work by John Swasey - VO Producer -281-794-6551

[email protected]