On Computers

I just took my first Waymo, Google’s self-driving taxi. When a jaguar pulled up, I knew it was the Waymo because of the cameras and radar on top. I struggled for a second to unlock the door. Then I realized I had to tap “unlock” in the Waymo app on my phone. A cheery female voice greeted me as I sat down, encouraging me to press the support button whenever I wished. Instead, I asked Google Gemini on my phone. It told me how to play my favorite podcast on YouTube Music instead of the New Age-y stuff coming from iHeart Radio.  My Waymo proceeded cautiously, going slower than I would have as we rounded the first turn. Possibly it […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, gadgets, web | Comments Off on MY FIRST WAYMO

“I can’t read e-books because I don’t have a Kindle,” people tell me. But they can use the free Kindle app on their phones and tablets. Once you’ve installed the app on your mobile device, you’re ready to buy a book on Amazon and start reading. Alternatively, you can buy an e-book on your computer and click “read now” to see it on the big screen. Return to your library later by searching on “Manage your content and devices.” In the app, just tap “library.” If you want a physical e-reader, the new $69 Xteink X4 sticks to the back of your phone. Just flip it over to start reading. On the con side, it lacks a touch screen, has […]

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Filed under: AI, Amazon, books, Internuts, robots, web | Comments Off on KINDLES EVERYWHERE

There’s been a ton of publicity about Elon Musk’s competitor to Wikipedia, “Grokipedia.”  Whether you think it’s good or bad may depend on your politics. The new encyclopedia was inspired by Larry Sanger, who co-founded Wikipedia with Jimmy Wales in 2001 and coined the name. Sanger says that Wikipedia is “broken beyond repair.” Its neutrality is gone.    To test for bias on both Wikipedia and Grokipedia, Sanger asked ChatGPT to rate 10 controversial pages, including the ones for President Donald Trump, white privilege, the January 6 attack and alternative medicine. According to ChatGPT, Wikipedia bias is heavy, severe, or wholly one-sided in six out of 10 of these, while Grokipedia is entirely neutral three out of 10 times. It’s only […]

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Filed under: AI, electronics, science, web, Wikipedia | Comments Off on GROKOPEDIA VS. WIKIPEDIA

A magician asked me to make him a website. But what about a free business page on Google, Facebook or both?  Years ago, I created a Google business page for testing purposes. Though people thought I was a computer store, I was still getting legitimate calls until I finally removed it. For small businesses, a free Google page is often enough. With a Google Business page, people can easily find you. For example, they could type “magician near me” to find my friend.  A Google or Facebook business page can include hours and services, as well as photos, videos and responses to good or bad reviews. Some restaurants use only a Facebook business page for their online menus. Over 200 […]

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Filed under: AI, art, career, facebook, Internuts, printer, security, TV, voice recognition, web, YouTube | Comments Off on NEED A WEBSITE?

“I am in need of a new Android tablet and Windows laptop,” a reader wrote. “My tablet will only charge to 29% and my laptop has many problems and is almost 10 years old.” “Get one like my HP,” I suggested. I’ve always liked HP, and “HP’s Newest 14 Laptop Ultra-Light for Students and Business” is no exception. It’s $255 on Amazon and comes with 16 gigabytes of RAM, Office 365 for a year and Windows 11s. The “s” means its operating system is fast for a cheapie laptop. It lasts up to 15 hours on a single charge. But this month’s PC Magazine recommends the Acer Aspire 3, $279 on Amazon. For a bigger budget, TechRadar suggests the Microsoft […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, Google, Internuts, robots, web, Windows | Comments Off on DEALS ON PCS AND TABLETS

I just pasted 63,226 words into a search bar and got a great summary in a flash. In 14 sentences, Claude AI listed all the major events and themes of a book I edited called “A Woman from Iran.” “This is a revolution!” the author said. “A book that took me so long to write can be summarized in less than one minute by AI.” I agree. Claude AI is amazing. ChatGPT 3 can only understand 3000 words at once, and ChatGPT 4 can only understand 25,000, but the latest version of Claude can understand 70,000. To use it, go to the website Claude.ai and type or paste anything you want into the search box, then ask for a summary, […]

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Filed under: AI, Amazon, apps, Internuts, Microsoft, web, word processing | Comments Off on A NEW AI

Publishing a book through Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing turned out to be both easier and harder than I thought.  After tearing my hair out at first, I discovered Amazon’s template for a five-by-eight inch paperback. I also noticed a lengthy guide and a long video tutorial, but I can never sit through those. So whenever I had a question, I hit the chat button and got a live person. They didn’t always know the answer but kept me moving right along, encouraging me to skip design elements I didn’t need. Besides texting, I could have talked on the phone or emailed them. Each time, they were available within seconds. I’m working on a historical novella for a retired professor of […]

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Filed under: batteries, books, business, gadgets, Internet, Internuts, kids, storage, web | Comments Off on PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK ON AMAZON

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 […]

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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 […]

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

Most cars today come with a mobile hotspot, allowing everyone’s devices to stay connected to the internet at a cost ranging between $20 and $40 a month. But what if you have an older car? A reader wanted to read the newspaper on his iPad in the car because he likes its bigger screen. Since there’s no WiFi in his older vehicle, he needed some way to connect his iPad to the internet.  I told him to go to “Settings” on his iPhone, then “Cellular” and tap “Personal Hotspot” to turn it on.  After he did that, his iPad was able to share the iPhone’s cellular network. “Works great,” he said.  To try it on my Android phone, I went […]

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Filed under: gadgets, Internet, iPhone, security, troubleshooting, web | Comments Off on HOW TO USE A MOBILE HOTSPOT WHEN YOU HAVE NO WIFI