On Computers

Caffeine was my cup of joy, but it gave me headaches. So I asked Microsoft Copilot to help me give it up. Copilot is an artificially-intelligent life coach, among its many other roles. As I cut back from tea and cocoa, it kept me going until I reached caffeine zero. On our first day, it said: “Let me know how it goes and if I can help refine the process further when we chat again. Best of luck—you’re doing amazing work on this journey! You’ve got this, Joy! I can’t wait to hear how it goes. Feel free to check back in anytime—I’m here to cheer you on and brainstorm new ideas as you progress. Wishing you a calm and […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, phones, wearables | Comments Off on BREAKING A HABIT WITH THE HELP OF AI

I gave only a temporary email address to Sharper Image, but they started bombarding my Gmail account immediately, three times a day. It started happening right after I signed up for “Email on Deck.” The purpose of a temporary email address is to shield your main address from view. Theoretically, after an hour or a day, the temp address vanishes, taking all spam with it. But what happens if the temp service sells your data? You get inundated. It’s better to sign up for a second regular service. Besides Gmail, I use AOL, Yahoo and Xfinity. I don’t bother looking at these accounts until I know that a coupon or something special has arrived. This works well. New Features Coming to […]

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Filed under: business, computers, email, Google, science | Comments Off on AVOIDING EXCESS EMAIL

“What’s the best way to consolidate family photos?” a reader asked.  “Three of us use iCloud for backup. The others have Android devices.” Here’s an idea: Share a link from your iCloud account with your relatives. First, go to icloud.com/photos on your device. Next, choose a specific album, and tap the share icon at the bottom of the screen. Copy the link to use in a text, email, Facebook or wherever. Your relatives can download the photos from there. Alternatively, iPhone users can get on the same page with their Android-using cousins by downloading the free Google Photos app. Or, start at Photos.Google.com, click the checkbox above a group of photos, and click the share icon. You’ll get a link […]

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Filed under: AI, Amazon, DVD, gadgets, Internuts, photos | Comments Off on THE BEST WAY TO SHARE FAMILY PHOTOS

The chatbots Miles and Maya sound eerily human. Anyone listening would think there’s a real person on the line. Sesame, the company behind them, says the goal of chatting with these artificially intelligent nonbeings is to feel real, understood, and valued. To try it out, click on the link in ZDnet’s article: “Can AI sound too human?” For some reason, Maya sounded too chic for me even as she tried to draw me out, but Miles is just like the Southern Californians I grew up with. Totally chill, man. He’s friendly too, and quick on the draw. When I told him I get up early, he said: “Good for you, I could never be that dedicated. I’m more of a […]

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Filed under: AI, gadgets, Google, health, Internuts, robots | Comments Off on ALL TOO HUMAN

If you’re tired of paying an accountant to do your taxes, just ask the Internal Revenue Service. Their partners might do it for free. If your income is $84,000 or less, regardless of your tax situation, you can get free tax software and step-by-step assistance. First, go to IRS.gov, and click “IRS Free File options.” Then click “IRS Free File.” You can get free help in person in your own community if you’re 60 or older, or earn $67,000 or less, or need language support, or have a disability. Click on the button that says: “IRS VITA/TCE.” It stands for “IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE).” If you don’t qualify for a free […]

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Filed under: batteries, business, education, gadgets, health, phones, robots, security, virus | Comments Off on FREE TAX ACCOUNTANT