On Computers

I have friends who buy new iPads when theirs run out of storage space. But here’s an easy way to free up space: Offload apps you’re not using. It’s nearly automatic. Tap “Settings,” then “General,” then “Storage.” You’ll see a list of apps. Choose one and tap “offload.” You won’t lose any data associated with it. Besides, you can always tap it again to bring it back. I just saved more than half a gigabyte by offloading iMovie, which I’d only used once. Another way to go is to send photos to your computer. In Windows, when I plugged my iPhone SE into a USB port on my computer, Windows popped up with a message asking me what I wanted […]

Read more

Filed under: cameras, gadgets, Google, Internuts, iPad, iPhone, spam, trends | Comments Off on STORAGE TRICK FOR IPHONES AND IPADS

When I wrote about cellphone texting from a Windows PC, I left iPhone owners in the lurch. There’s no easy way for iPhone users to to text from a Windows computer, though a Mac works fine. “Why not use a portable keyboard with your cell phone?” several readers asked. I like a foldable keyboard when I travel without a laptop. Mine is similar to the iClever BK06, $40 from Amazon. There are dozens of cheaper models you can find by searching on “Bluetooth keyboard for phone.” I like mine because it connects to my phone as soon as I open it. Plus, it feels roomy and has the keys were I expect to see them. I also have a phone […]

Read more

Filed under: keyboards, printer, web | Comments Off on TEXTING THE EASY WAY

I remember when my sister used a stand-alone photo printer to print photos at her son’s birthday party so the guests could take them home immediately. Now you can get one that’s as small as your cell phone. The Canon “Ivy Mini Photo Printer for Smartphones” is the best pocket-sized printer for parties, according to an extensive review by TheVerge.com. Kids love the photo stickers it prints, and adults may appreciate having new faces to stick on their refrigerator. On Amazon, the printer is $99, but I saw the same ones on eBay, brand new, for $55. The prints are about the size of credit cards, two-by-three inches. You don’t have to use their peel-and-stick backing; just peel it off […]

Read more

Filed under: Amazon, browsers, cameras, cheap calls, gadgets, Internuts, wearables, web | Comments Off on PARTY PRINTER

My nine year-old Okidata color laser printer spews pale pink ink all over my documents and makes a black streak on the side of every page. Should I dump it or have it fixed? The Okidata tech support guy said the drum is busted, done in by the cheap toner I bought. I’d been buying knockoff toner from Amazon ever since I discovered that a full set of certified Okidata cartridges costs over $400. But those cartridges can print 6,500 pages in magazine quality, perfect for my greeting cards. The cheap toners don’t last and have lousy color, in my experience. In December, for example, I spent $55 on a set from “EasyPrint.” Six months later, one of the four […]

Read more

Filed under: Amazon, games, Google, Internuts, photos, printer, text messaging, word processing | Comments Off on CHEAP TONER RUINS LASER PRINTER

I was stranded. No cell phone signal, no WiFi. I blame you Tracfone.  When I got finally got back home, I checked my Tracfone app. It showed a $125 payment in December for a year’s worth of service, but my credit card statement did not. The Tracfone’s website said my number now started with “143.” That’s a scammer’s prefix, according to a telephony expert at Quora.com. I wanted out. I went back and forth with Tracfone via the chat bot on their website. They told me to use the phone or an advanced chat. When I phoned, a robot answered, saying: “Your number is being ported.” When I tried the advanced chat, it wouldn’t accept my real number. Nuts! Tracfone […]

Read more

Filed under: cheap calls, crytpocurrency, environment, Internuts, phones, trends | Comments Off on TRACFONE FAILS TO DELIVER