On Computers

Protesters have been raging about giant data centers guzzling power, water and land. But here’s an environmentally-friendly solution: standalone apps that don’t connect to the internet. When you use free apps like Atomic Chat, Google’s AI Edge Gallery, LLM Studio, or Ollama, you sever your cord to the cloud. Unlike ChatGPT and other AI bots, these apps don’t require a web window. They allow you to download their brains to work offline. In short, by using these apps, you won’t cause electricity demand to shoot up the way it would with cloud-based AI bots. When you type a prompt into ChatGPT, Gemini and other standard AI services, your request travels to massive server farms that consume staggering amounts of electricity […]

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Filed under: AI, free stuff, phones, security | Comments Off on AVOIDING BIG DATA CENTERS

I used to dread resetting my computer to fix something major. But Claude AI taught me a new trick that makes everything easy. “Peggle,” my favorite game of all time, recently stopped working. I tried uninstalling and reinstalling it. I also asked Microsoft’s Copilot AI for help, but it sent me on a wild goose chase, directing me to uninstall a driver, run compatibility mode and try some complicated codes in the Command Prompt, or what we used to call DOS. Frustrated, I turned to Claude AI. Claude said my Peggle problem was likely caused by the latest update from the “Windows Insider Preview,” a beta version of Windows 11. It directed me to Microsoft.com to get a well-tested version […]

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Filed under: AI, health, Internuts, phones, trends | Comments Off on EASY PC RESTORATION

Without Gemini, Google’s artificially intelligent bot, I might never have figured out how to get the most out of my new Bilt credit card. Gemini is a whiz at finance. A Bilt card works like a virtual bank. Besides having its own routing number, it offers a virtual bank account number. This way you can earn points for charging your rent, mortgage or Home Owners Association fee without incurring a “convenience” fee. But you also need to make at least four other regular credit card transactions. “Could I buy a pack of gum four times?” I asked. Yes, Gemini said, but it wouldn’t be ideal. Here’s a better way to go. I could use my Bilt virtual bank account to […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, business, free stuff, Internuts, phones | Comments Off on USING GEMINI TO GET REWARDS

Given that I went to five colleges, it’s not that surprising that I switched phone services four times in four years. I would never have left Tracfone but for a mighty snafu. When I got tired of using an ancient iPhone, I had the clever idea of  moving my Tracfone SIM card to an Android phone without mentioning it to Tracfone. ​A​ year later, my account disappeared. So one day, I was left high and dry without the means to summon a Lyft. Though I couldn’t complain after ​​12 months of free ca​ll​i​ng, Tracfone’s tech support couldn’t figure out what to do with me, so I moved on. I think their support is better now.  After AT&T and Xfinity, I […]

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Filed under: AI, environment, phones | Comments Off on CHANGING PHONE SERVICE AGAIN

I’ll never forget the time Mom and I forgot where I’d parked the car. After walking around and around a huge parking structure, we finally called for help.  But there’s a much easier way to locate your vehicle these days. Place a Scosche FoundIT in your car’s 12 volt charger, aka cigarette lighter, and it will help you find your car. It’s better than an Apple Air Tag because you never have to change the battery or look for it under a car seat. Here’s how it works. First, tap the “Find My” app on your iPhone, or Google’s “Find My Device” app on your Android, which will show your car on a map. You might also ask the FoundIT […]

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Filed under: AI, batteries, gadgets, how-to, Internuts, numbers, phones, robots, trends | Comments Off on FINDING YOUR CAR

Little kids love to pretend they’re on a phone call, even on a landline that isn’t plugged in. Now they can have their own landlines. It all started when a bunch of parents decided to surprise their kids with a “Tin Can” phone at Christmas. The kids, who had been told they had to wait to get cellphones until they were at least 13, were ecstatic, especially the girls. Through landlines, they discovered the joy of the mysterious ring. Was it Grandma or a friend from school? They knew it had to be someone on their parents’ approved list, but it was thrilling nonetheless, especially if the caller left a voice message. The landline taught them to communicate without screens […]

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Filed under: apps, environment, government, kids, phones | Comments Off on LANDLINE PHONES FOR KIDS

Right after I told you it wasn’t worth switching my cell phone carrier, I switched. I knew that Consumer Cellular is touted for its budget-friendly plans and reliance on the robust AT&T network, but it took a reader to suggest it. “Consumer Cellular has been great!” she wrote. “Cut my bill for two iPhones. I now get unlimited text and calls and a good amount of data for $57 per month. Several family members have also switched. Their call centers are all US-based.” With the switch, I’m saving $15 a month, which isn’t huge. But the quality difference between Xfinity and Consumer Cellular is immense. With Xfinity, I was getting at least one dropped call a day. What’s more, the […]

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Filed under: Amazon, games, health, Internuts, iPhone, phones | Comments Off on SWITCHING PHONE SERVICE AGAIN

I loved canoeing to an Alaskan glacier, kayaking around islands and river rafting past eagles after a hike in a rainforest. But I hated the dropped calls and spotty internet on board the Discovery Princess. I blamed it on my Samsung Galaxy A16, which I bought after my Pixel 8 phone died in a pool of salad dressing. After Googling “problems with the Galaxy A16,” my suspicions were confirmed. For the entire week on the “Holistic Holiday at Sea,” my phone had problems making calls and connecting to the internet. Meanwhile, my iPhone-owning friends connected everywhere but the elevators.  For one wild minute, I considered getting the new iPhone 17 when I got back home. But I don’t need its […]

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Filed under: AI, Internet, iPhone, phones, storage | Comments Off on JUMPING SHIP

I’ve been listening to Cinderella music through my new WearIQ sunglasses. Ah, paradise. The $30 sunglasses don’t officially launch at Walmart for another couple of weeks, but I received an advance pair. Besides music, the frames are great for podcasts and audio books. My Jane Austen novels sound fabulous. The frames are large on my face, just shy of dorky. But the colors are cool: dusty blue, black, “chalk,” and brown. The tint on the lens is so light, they hardly look like sunglasses, though they offer UV protection. The privacy is great: No one can hear what I’m listening to unless they’re within three feet of me. Since they’re water resistant, I could theoretically listen while floating on a […]

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Filed under: Amazon, gadgets, health, keyboards, phones, science, video | Comments Off on MUSIC TO MY EARS

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