Ever since Kenny, my favorite tech guru, switched careers, I’ve been hearing moans from the readers who relied on him for help. Here are a few good alternatives.

The Central Arkansas public library has online tech lessons, as does YouTube. For the library, you can register for one of their “how to” courses by writing them at digital@cals.org, or by calling 501-918-3068. Everything is free.

For more extensive help, try a “TotalTech” membership from BestBuy. It covers computers, TVs,  car accessories and more for $200 a year. With that, you get round-the-clock help by phone and chat, as well as discounted prices on stuff you buy from BestBuy.  For the stuff you buy, you get free set-up. This includes mounting your TV, assembling furniture, setting up appliances, putting together fitness equipment, enabling a home security system and more. You also get free two-day shipping. Unfortunately, the tech membership does not include assistance with your smartphone.

For  iPhone questions, call Apple. After all, that’s what you pay the big bucks for; it’s not just fancy electronics. In my experience, Apple tech people are always friendly and knowledgeable. The support number is 1-800-AplCare or 1-800-275-2273.

Android users may like Google One. It’s helped me in the past and is only $20 a year. Besides tech support on Google-related products and services, you get 100 gigabytes of storage space in the cloud.  You can talk to a tech on the phone, text them or communicate by email.

The Strangest Products of CES

A BMW iX Flow that changes colors was one of the oddest things on display at the recent Consumer Electronics Show, according to TomsGuide.com. Because it has an e-ink coating, like some Kindle screens, it can change from black to white and back again at the touch of a button. It also flashes to warn you of low batteries or to help you find your car.

Another odd one is the “FluentPet Connect.” Your dog gets to tap on tiles to speak his desires. A YouTube video shows a Sheepadoodle named Bunny who uses 52 buttons to communicate. In it, we see her press a button that means “Outside.” Starting with familiar words, Bunny’s owner taught the dog to press buttons by using them herself, then saying the familiar word aloud, then doing the action. Just don’t let one of the buttons mean “Eat.” Your dog will never stop pushing it.

A Better Browser

Vivaldi, a rival to Brave, Chrome, Firefox and others, just came out in a new version. I still use those three other browsers, but am impressed by Vivaldi’s many features.

I decided to try it after a reader wrote to tell he couldn’t open a certain page on the Tracfone website using Firefox or Chrome. But it opened quickly in Vivaldi.

I fell in love with its new side panel. For instance, it has a button for your calendar, your notes, and another for the history of where you’ve been on the Internet. You can add your own stuff too. I added my to-do list from ToDoIst.com, so I don’t have to leave Gmail to see due dates for my projects. There’s also a button for translations. Now when I get an email with foreign words, I can paste the words into the “Translate” window, choose a language and presto! I see what it means.

Vivaldi is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android. There’s no iPhone version.

Gadget of the Week

“CrazyCap” self-cleaning bottles get rid of germs. You can buy just the cap ($29 on Amazon)  and use it with a water bottle you already have, or get a bottle with the cap for $79. Either way, it has two purification modes. One kills 99.99% of contaminants and takes 60 seconds.The company suggests using it at public water fountains and tap faucets. The other method, called “Crazy Mode,” kills 99.99996% of contaminants and takes two-and-a-half minutes to purify your bottle. It’s recommended for rivers and lakes. An alternative is the $29 “Sawyer Squeeze.” Fill a pouch with water and squeeze the water into your mouth to get filtered H2O.

If you just want to find out how many total dissolved solids (TDS) are in your tap water, get a TDS meter on Amazon for $8 to $16.

Alexa Tip

Does your Alexa glow as you wander to and fro? Do you ever wonder what the yellow, green, red or blue lights mean? Just ask her. For example, try saying: “Alexa, what does the yellow light mean?” She told me it was for notifications. The red light means the microphone is turned off or you’re having a WiFi connectivity issue.

Gmail Junk

If you get too many junk emails, here’s my number one tip. Use filters to send them straight to the trash, skipping the inbox.

First, open a message. Then click the three vertical dots in the upper right and choose “Filter messages like these.” Next, click “Create Filter.” Then check the boxes next to “Delete It,” and “Apply Filter to Matching Conversations.” Though you still have to manually delete the email you started with, but from now on, your inbox will remain unclogged. It works best with the kind of notifications you get from legitimate stores and organizations.

Numbers Report

According to a study by BlueMatrix, 87% of teenagers have an iPhone. The survey included 10,000 teens in 44 US states. The average household income was $67,755.

 

 

 

Filed under: browsers, gadgets, Gmail, Google, tech support, web