10 Ways to Get the Most Out of Technology

[Gerald]

Your gadgets and computers, your software and sites — they are not working as well as they should. You need to make some tweaks. But the tech industry has given you the impression that making adjustments is difficult and time-consuming. It is not. And so below are 10 things to do to improve your technological life. They are easy and (mostly) free. Altogether, they should take about two hours; one involves calling your cable or phone company, so that figure is elastic. If you do them, those two hours will pay off handsomely in both increased free time and diminished anxiety and frustration. You can do it.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/30/te...ref=technology



Note: December 29, 2010

[Platapus]

On a related note, I received an Ipad for Christmas. Very cool. But I find myself in a technological quandary: I have in my hands, a technological solution, but I don't have a problem this technology can solve. Kinda embarrassing. I find myself in a position of trying to find something this Ipad can do for me.... Which is not exactly how technology is supposed to work.


So my addition would be the 11th way to get the most out of your technology: Make sure you have a technological problem that your new technology can solve for you.

For those with Ipads and an addiction to Uboats, there is an Enigma simulator for the Ipad. Go figure!

[Sammi79]

Mostly seems to advise storing a lot of your personal stuff... photos, music etc ONLINE where 'god' knows who may look at it.

(probably only for marketing research mainly)

But do you really want to give them that information? so they can twist their marketing strategies to snag in more people? There is also a reference to Apple software - ITunes in particular which IMO should be ERASED on sight. (honestly my opinion of ITunes as a music player couldn't be worse, I've tried it and tested it a lot) I think the original content of the link is biased toward marketting giants like 'Apple' and although 1 or 2 of the points are good advice, out of 10, this is a poor list.

My advise would be :-

1. Never install any Apple software on a Windows based PC ever. Not ever.

2. O.K, you need Acrobat Reader or PDF files will not view. But only acrobat reader (lite free version) and even that will hijack your comp one day telling you you must have an update (and of course all other running programs at that exact time will be irrelevant (to the Adobe updater) at this point).

3. When you get a new PC/Laptop with windows, it will be bundled with a whole plethora of software which will try its best to convince you you need it when in reality it will only cause you problems. First things to delete are :- Norton (anything), McAfee (anything), Kaspersky (anything), Microsoft Word/Calc etc.. (anything)

4. download AVG latest free version link : http://free.avg.com/gb-en/download-avg-anti-virus-free
and follow the installation instructions carefully. Be sure to UNCHECK the box 'install yahoo toolbar crap' or 'install any other extra crap' when it pops up.

5. Install Malwarebytes Anti-Malware free version (MBAM) from : http://www.malwarebytes.org/mbam.php,execute it, select 'update' then run full scan. This is the best, most thorough malware/virus checker scan I have ever seen.

6. In time, you will benefit from a 'cleaner' program that will manage temp files, clean the registry etc. I use CCleaner from Piriform again it's free, personally I was happy to donate for their software. Link : http://download.cnet.com/ccleaner/

7. Right, I'm running out of advice here so I'll finish up. Simple internet rules. - 'buttons' or 'links' can be manipulated so when you click them, a (rogue) program is installed and/or executed on your system. BE CAREFULL! If it's the download link for AVG11 free then it is most probably checked regularly (a few times a day) and therefore safe to use. Use your better judgement.

8. Don't get an IPhone (my boss insists I have one for emails?!?!) and if you do, use it as a phone - make and take calls/txts. This will ensure never having to plug it in to your PC again, thus negating the need for ITunes!! Hoooray!!!

9. IPads are so last years news. Who's got one of them Windows tablet things? I wanna hear from you.

10. In short when you get a new comp, delete EVERY piece of commercial software that was bundled with it and immediately install reputable free equivalents. This will save you time which is precious and many, many headaches in about 30 days time, when the trial software expires and leaves you open to every marketeer on earth. (and probably some who aren't)

[Gerald]

Number six, a good but sometimes underestimated tools,

[papa_smurf]

2. O.K, you need Acrobat Reader or PDF files will not view. But only acrobat reader (lite free version) and even that will hijack your comp one day telling you you must have an update (and of course all other running programs at that exact time will be irrelevant (to the Adobe updater) at this point).

I use Foxit reader to view PDF's. Its free and you can edit PDF's, and does not hijack your computer like Acrobat will

[Sammi79]

Originally Posted by papa_smurf

I use Foxit reader to view PDF's. Its free and you can edit PDF's, and does not hijack your computer like Acrobat will

Hmmm I shall check that out, thanx.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Sammi79

10. In short when you get a new comp, delete EVERY piece of commercial software that was bundled with it and immediately install reputable free equivalents.

Why the inordinate love for "free". I have just the opposite viewpoint. There is nothing free when it comes to software.

When some company "gives" me "free" software, they have to get their money from somewhere/someone. Now why would someone pay a software company to give me free software? Out of the kindness of their hearts?

As I get older, I find that frequently I can't afford free any more. It is too expensive.

[the_tyrant]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Why the inordinate love for "free". I have just the opposite viewpoint. There is nothing free when it comes to software.

When some company "gives" me "free" software, they have to get their money from somewhere/someone. Now why would someone pay a software company to give me free software? Out of the kindness of their hearts?

As I get older, I find that frequently I can't afford free any more. It is too expensive.

200% agreed
What's so bad about paying for software? Software is a commodity, like everything else, we should pay for it

[antikristuseke]

Unless it is really made to be free, open source ring a bell?

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by Platapus

Why the inordinate love for "free". I have just the opposite viewpoint. There is nothing free when it comes to software.

When some company "gives" me "free" software, they have to get their money from somewhere/someone. Now why would someone pay a software company to give me free software? Out of the kindness of their hearts?

As I get older, I find that frequently I can't afford free any more. It is too expensive.

Should that also be true of game mods? The modders have to get their money from somewhere.

Most free software is created by programmers who do work for somebody, but also hate the "extras" that come with a lot of commercial programs, so they create a better version on their own time. After fighting with Adobe for the longest time I'm glad to find a PDF reader that doesn't infect my computer with all kinds of extra junk. The only problem I'm having now is that Adobe Reader won't let itself be uninstalled, and I can't figure out how to make it go away.

[Sammi79]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Should that also be true of game mods? The modders have to get their money from somewhere.

Most free software is created by programmers who do work for somebody, but also hate the "extras" that come with a lot of commercial programs, so they create a better version on their own time. After fighting with Adobe for the longest time I'm glad to find a PDF reader that doesn't infect my computer with all kinds of extra junk. The only problem I'm having now is that Adobe Reader won't let itself be uninstalled, and I can't figure out how to make it go away.

This is pretty much exactly how I see it. My initial rant was probably a little OTT (And I am biased against Apple thoroughly for my own reasons) but in terms of free versus commercial, what is bundled with your PC should either be included in the cost or freeware. Windows is 'free' in a sense because if you buy a new comp it will come pre-installed already paid for. Imagine if after 30 days windows refused to boot telling you your trial period had expired and you needed to wire £100+ to Microsoft. For me it is the same with internet security/Office suite software. Better the machine came with nothing than a 'trial version' that will expire unless you pay... It is little more than advertising and as such I treat it as junk and remove immediately. If a free piece of software turns out to be crap, so what? If it turns out to be good and you can afford to, then donate. I may at some point in the future decide I would like to 'trial' McAfee Internet security suite, or MS Office 2020, etc... and at that time I will download their trial versions. Until then, leave me alone.

I am not against paid for software, just against pushy marketting which revolves around the fact that a lot of people are unaware that sending a pile of cash to Norton or whoever is unneccessary. There are good freeware alternatives for all mundane computing needs. Specialist stuff it can be advantageous to pay for I.e. Image editing if you are a photographer, Music software for a musician etc... although only because the freeware versions may not quite be up to your specialist needs.

Sorry to hear you're having problems removing Adobe Reader, It is gone from my system now. Foxit works lovely.

[krashkart]

Originally Posted by Platapus

On a related note, I received an Ipad for Christmas. Very cool. But I find myself in a technological quandary: I have in my hands, a technological solution, but I don't have a problem this technology can solve. Kinda embarrassing. I find myself in a position of trying to find something this Ipad can do for me.... Which is not exactly how technology is supposed to work.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Platapus

On a related note, I received an Ipad for Christmas. Very cool. But I find myself in a technological quandary: I have in my hands, a technological solution, but I don't have a problem this technology can solve. Kinda embarrassing. I find myself in a position of trying to find something this Ipad can do for me.... Which is not exactly how technology is supposed to work.

I was considering buying one for myself when I came to the same conclusion. What it can do is, for the most part, already accomplished in superior fashion by my phone, iPod, Kindle and internet. The TV and newspaper reader is cool, and if I commuted by train I would have a good reason for it. However, I can't use it and drive and I can't use it when I ride my bike to work, so the only times that I would be using it are when I am in proximity to one of the devices that already do what the iPad can do.

[Gargamel]

Originally Posted by Platapus

On a related note, I received an Ipad for Christmas. Very cool. But I find myself in a technological quandary: I have in my hands, a technological solution, but I don't have a problem this technology can solve. Kinda embarrassing. I find myself in a position of trying to find something this Ipad can do for me.... Which is not exactly how technology is supposed to work.


So my addition would be the 11th way to get the most out of your technology: Make sure you have a technological problem that your new technology can solve for you.

For those with Ipads and an addiction to Uboats, there is an Enigma simulator for the Ipad. Go figure!

My recommendation ( I have an iPhone) is get the netflix app, and all the book apps you can. I prefer the kindle app. At least with these apps, you can entertain yourself (not in the dowly way elither) when your on the go. the ability to watch a movie while sitting outside can be nice at times. There's also a bunch of nice scientific type apps, graphing calculators, unit converters (I do use this during SH3 sessions), etc. I use the AP app for my news, so I dont have to read a paper every day. And discovery news is very good.

Take what you like to do, search for an app to see if it can make if more fun. I downloaded a lot of the readmes for the real nav mods on here, and learned how to use my phone as a "poor man's" (sic) sextant.

[Platapus]

Originally Posted by Gargamel

My recommendation ( I have an iPhone) is get the netflix app, and all the book apps you can. I prefer the kindle app.

That's my problem, I use my Sony Reader, that I got for my last birthday for my reading. I have transferred all my books to the Ipad, but the Sony is easier to carry around.

So far I have downloaded some game apps and they seem fun.