Now there are light bulbs that respond to apps on your smartphone. You can control the lighting from anywhere in the world.
Filed under: apps, environment | Comments Off on A BRIGHT BULB
“Podcasts” are radio shows you can listen to with an iTunes or Podcast app on your phone or tablet. We’re using “Podcast Addict” on our Android phone. From iTunes or a Podcast app, you can find thousands of shows to listen to. Here are our favorites so far:
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AARP.org/fraudWatchNetwork has access to information about identity theft, investment fraud and the latest scams. Cell phone apps are slightly safer than using a computer for online banking, but AARP says either one is safer than mailing in a payment. If you’re a victim of fraud, call AARP’s hotline at 877-908-3360.
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“White Noise Free” for Android or iPhone/iPad has great sounds for getting to sleep. We liked “extreme rain,” “shower,” “train,” “beach,” “ocean waves,” “boat,” “chimes,” “crickets,” and “stream.” In fact, we were amazed by how many sounds we liked; normally we like one or two and the rest are stinkers. The sound quality was quite good. If you wish, the app lets you mix sounds, such as thunder, rain, and a clothes dryer. OK, skip the clothes dryer.
Filed under: apps, health | 1 Comment »
“Google Play Music” has free radio stations, and will store any music you upload for playback on any device. They start you out with a free trial subscription for their premium service, but you can continue listening for free if you choose to play music from their free stations. We thought they were excellent.
Filed under: apps, music, news, radio | Comments Off on MUSIC APPS
A reader writes that he’s been using Norton Security on his desktop computer for years, and it works fine. Now it’s up for renewal. Should he pay the $38 or get the free Avast?
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“Chrome Kills Flash.” This reads like a headline from a new comic book, but it refers to ads and pictures that use Adobe Flash to make them pop up from the Internet. (The late Steve Jobs often said how much he hated Adobe Flash.)
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Asphalt roads doesn’t last long, but few cities will put up the money for concrete or other materials. A construction company, VolkerWessels, has revealed plans for plastic roads. They last three times longer than asphalt and can withstand extreme heat and cold, down to minus 40 and up to 176 Fahrenheit. They’re hollow, making it easy to lay down cabling and pipes, and are made of recycled plastic. The company will test them in Rotterdam’s “street lab.” They’ll be on regular roads in Holland in the next three years (God willing and the creek don’t rise).
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HealthcareMagic.com gives you a doctor’s opinion from a generalist for $15, $35 for a specialist. It might not be any better than going to a doctor’s office, but at least it’s quicker and cheaper. Joy asked an orthopedic surgeon why she had femur pain; she broke it years ago as a teenager. He said it was probably either osteoporosis or osteoarthritis from the old injury. The pain was gone the next day, however, when she simply stopped doing a certain yoga move.
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A friend’s 93 year-old mother is getting a new phone so she can call a ride service to be picked up when she’s out and about. She’s never used a cell phone. We suggested the Jitterbug. We’ve mentioned this before and what we really like about it is you can talk to a human if you’re lost.
Filed under: cheap calls, phones | Comments Off on GETTING THE JITTERS
