On Computers

We got a dog and bone for our brother-in-law. It’s not a pet, but a new “smart lock” from a company called Dog & Bone.

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We like the idea of wireless blood pressure monitors. But trying to get the new Qardio monitor to work was enough to send our blood pressure through the roof. The $99 device is supposed to work with your smartphone, so there’s nothing to plug in.

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“Sky Math” for iPad acts as a child’s virtual math tutor.

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“Amazon Instant Video,” for Android phones and tablets, allows you to download a movie for offline viewing, great for when you’re on a plane or train or otherwise out of range of a Wi-Fi signal.  Go to Amazon.com/GetAndroidVideo for detailed instructions.

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“Pikazo,” a $3 iPhone app, turns ordinary photos into works of art automatically, in seconds.  One might look like an Old Master, another a modern abstract.

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If you’re with relatives this holiday season, you may be tempted to upgrade their Windows 7 machines to Windows 10. After all, it’s free for now. Our advice: Don’t do it, or be prepared to roll it back to Windows 7. You have 30 days after installation to go back.

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“The Official Scratch Jr. Book” by Bers and Resnick, is $20 from NoStarch Press and is designed to teach you, the adult, how to teach children ages five to seven, how to create programs using the computer language “ScratchJr.”

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“#WhereIdrone” is a page on Instagram with remarkable photos taken by drones. We especially liked the aerial shot of Castle Neuschwanstein in Bavaria, Germany. The fantasy castle was one of three built by Mad King Ludwig, who bankrupted his country in the process.

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“9 Gifts for the Ultimate Tinkerer” is Engadget.com’s list of drones, robots and more.

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“This Doctor Can Quiet a Crying Baby in Seconds” has a video that’s really amazing. The technique basically involves crossing the baby’s arms in front of his or her chest, holding them at a 45 degree angle and rocking them back and forth.

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