Fitness with FitBit

I've recently purchased a FitBit device so that I can pay closer attention to my activity level and overall fitness.  I like the dashboard that gives me steps, distance, and other statistics at a glance.  I can also track my sleep, my food intake and any exercise.

Once  I reach my steps goal for the day, it vibrates and flashes on my wrist, so I know that I've made it.  It's nice to get that little bit of feedback.

Unfortunately, it does not register steps when I use a stationary bike.  That's a bummer, but it's perhaps a good excuse to buy either a treadmill or elliptical machine.

There are a lot of great fitness apps, including pedometers and other trackers, that are available for my smart phone, as well.  I'll have to try out a few and give some thoughts on them here... stay tuned.

I'm way too sedentary most days, so I really need to "step" it up... wish  me luck!

Small Business Saturday is 11/28!

Have a favorite shop in your local downtown?  I know that I have a few.  The "official" small business Saturday event is always Thanksgiving weekend, so it's coming up on 11/28.  I'm not sure who started this concept, perhaps some retail association, but it's a great idea.

So get out there and start your holiday shopping on Saturday, 11/28 at all of your local shops.  The small business owners will really appreciate it, and it's a big help to your whole community.

If you're local to the western suburbs of Detroit, try downtown Milford or Howell for some unique shops with great gift ideas.  Maybe I'll see you there!

Fall Clean Up for Your PC

The colors are changing outside, and I'm thinking now would be a good time to do some basic maintenance on your PC in order to improve performance.  As always, if you need assistance with any of these tasks, feel free to contact me.


Here are some suggestions, including links to some free tools:

1. Do you have old photos or other files that you no longer need on your hard drive, but can't totally delete?  Purchase an external hard drive and move them off your hard drive and onto the external drive as an archive.  
2. Backup your essential files, if you're not doing it already.  You can use a tool like Microsoft's Synctoy to easily run a comparison of selected folders and back up any files that have changed since your last run.  To download and install Synctoy, which is easy enough for a novice to use it, click here, it's free.  If you have a backup tool such as Ghost, set it to run automatic backups for you on a regular basis (again could use your external drive).  This is good practice for your own protection.
3. Run a tool like CCleaner to get rid of old browsing history and other junk files that can clutter your PC and degrade performance.  Download CCleaner here.  There are several versions, including a free one.
4. Start using a password manager, such as RoboForm, rather than using the same password for everything (or writing them down).  Download RoboForm here.  There are free and paid versions, but I recommend the "Anywhere" version so that you can use it on all of your devices and any changes you make are synced.
5. Set up a DropBox account, if you don't have one already.  Take advantage of their feature which automatically uploads a copy of the photos from your phone, so that you have a backup (and easier access to them).  It's also great for sharing files with friends, family and business associates.  Download DropBox here.
6. If you have an anti-virus package, and you're not running scans automatically, you should run a scan right away.  Also, turn on the automatic scans so that you don't need to remember to do it regularly, it is dangerous not to do it often.  Hackers and scammers don't take vacations...
7. Apply any windows updates that are pending for your system.  If you don't have them set to update automatically, you should consider it, especially if you don't do regular maintenance yourself.

Are Phone Conversations Becoming Extinct?

I have two sons, ages 10 and 13.  I've recently noticed that they avoid using our house phone as if it's a rabid animal about to bite them.  Neither of them have mobile phones yet, so if they want to contact a friend, they typically ask me to call or text the mother.

One day recently I refused to make the contact for my older son, since he has the phone numbers of his friend (both home and mobile).  I forced him to actually CALL his friend himself. What a revelation.   He could barely use the house phone (and habitually uses the speaker function rather than holding it to his head, oddly).

What the heck are we teaching our kids?  Is it really such a big deal to call and actually SPEAK to someone?  What will he do when he gets a mobile phone later this summer?  I suspect that he'll use it almost exclusively to text, rather than to actually make phone calls.  I'm curious to see how that pans out over the next few months... stay tuned.

I suspect it's laziness that is at play here.  I mean really, is it that much more effort to call and have a 5 minute conversation?  Especially if the person you are trying to reach is not responding to your texts?  My kids just have no idea about the normal etiquette for contacting people.  When you try to text someone and they don't respond, then try to call and they don't answer - it's pretty obvious that they are not home or not available.  Calling them repeatedly is not going to change anything, and you're being a pest!  Yet another thing that I'll be teaching them, starting now.

New Wireless Network Router has "Parental Controls"!!

Recently we've purchased a new router for our home wifi and we've discovered a nifty new feature. We had our old router for several years, so of course the technology and available bells & whistles have changed a lot.

Our new Linksys router offers better coverage in our house as well as better speed.  It also offers a "parental control" feature that lets us set specific times when specific devices may be on the wifi.  This means that I can set it to shut off the wifi to our PS4, iPad minis and any other specific device at bedtime!  We are loving that, although the accompanying moans and groans from our kids were pretty loud at first.  Now if I could just set an automatic "off" time for all of those same devices to make them totally unusable at a certain time, that would be even better...

The router came nicely boxed and it was very easy to set up.  I had it working within just a few minutes.  Some of its other features include:

• a web-based dashboard to change settings, passwords and use the parental controls
• an app to give access to those same things on a mobile device
• it's dual-band, which means that I have two different networks that I can join from my devices - a faster option and a slower option.  It's nice to be able to hook up my work computers to the faster network and give the kids the slower one.  
• offers "guest" networks, too, with their own passwords, separate from my main network
• parental controls to turn wifi on/off for any specific device, or set specific times when it is available

Here is a link to a description of the specific router that we purchased (from Staples):
http://www.staples.com/Linksys-WRT1900AC-Dual-Band-Gigabit-Wireless-Router/product_1051171

Happy wifi!

Travel Tips

A while back I mentioned that I was requesting a "Known Traveler Number" from the TSA in order to make travel simpler.  I went through their process, paid my $85 and got my number back within just a couple of weeks.

Since that point I have traveled several times and I've been 'selected' for the pre-check line at security every time.  The pre-check line is always shorter than the regular line.  I also don't have to take off shoes or belts, and I don't have to take my laptop out of my bag.  It's been a huge help to make security checkpoints a much less time consuming part of travelling.  I don't think pre-check is available at every airport in the US but it's been at every airport I've used so far (a handful).

There are other similar programs, so you should see the TSA website for more details on the differences and which one might suit you best.

See this link for more information:
http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/participation-tsa-precheck

Next I need to renew my passport which expires in a few months.  I found an online form that I could fill out and print, so I didn't have to write the application form by hand.  All I had to do was write my check for $110, put in a passport photo and my original passport, and mail it off.

Please note that there are websites out there that will do the process for you, for a fee.  It's really pretty simple so I don't recommend going that route.

See this link for passport request and renewals information with the US government:
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english.html/




Safe travels!

iPhone 6 Issues

I love my iPhone 6.  I got it in October after a three year long relationship with my iPhone 4s.  It was dying so I was ready for a change.

Unfortunately, I dropped it after only having it for six weeks.  I didn't have a protective enough case on it, so the screen shattered.  Thank goodness for the Apple Plus protection plan, because they replaced my broken screen quickly and for a nominal cost.  It was totally worth the $99 for the plan.  Please note - when taking in an iPhone for repair, it is always a good idea to do a full backup in iTunes first.  According to the Apple Geniuses, there's always a small chance that your data could be lost during the repair process (for example, if my replacement screen had not connected successfully to the unit).

I am sad to report that today, my iPhone 6 is now acting oddly.  I tried to use the camera earlier and it would only display a black screen.  When I tried to go back to the home screen, the screen went totally dark and has not come back on again.  If I hold down the home button, I do hear Siri's voice sometimes, so it is still working.  I was able to do a full backup to my computer also, so at least I haven't lost any data.  Looks like I'll have to visit the Apple store again and get another new screen.  Sigh.  This is not how I wanted to start my weekend.

New Year, Clean Slate

Feeling like you'd like a fresh start with your technology in the new year?  Here are some clean up tips and other things to consider for your life with technology.

Clean up Your PC - download & use these tools
CCleaner - to clean out the junk on your PC
DeCrapifier - to remove bloatware that might have been pre-loaded on your PC
SyncToy - to create backups easily to/from your PC or any flash drive
DriverMax - to update all of the drivers on your PC

Some of these are totally free, some have a nominal charge beyond a trial period, but all of them are worth using periodically to maintain the performance of your PC.

Organize Your Digital Photos
Organize your folders for photos by year, month and event, such as 201412 Xmas, 201404 Spring, etc. so that you can easily find the images you need.  Don't leave all of your digital images on the memory card unless you're actively going to use that card to print them at the local WalMart or whatever.  You need to copy them onto a PC or into the cloud - it is WAY too easy to lose those tiny memory cards and without a backup somewhere, you are screwed!!

Back up Your PC
You can use an external hard drive or flash drive, depending on the amount of data you have.  Tools like SyncToy or Ghost can create backups of selected files or of your entire computer.  It's definitely a good idea to have an image copy of your entire PC, just in case your hard drive dies completely.  Be sure to include backups of your photos, which may require a large amount of space.  You should store your backup drive in a safe place away from your PC if possible.  Ideally, keep it  in a fireproof safe in a different room of your house, so then you're likely to actually be able to recover from a fire or flood.  If you keep your backup and your PC together all of the time, you greatly increase the chances that if a catastrophic event occurs, you'll lose both.

Use a Password Manager
I can't stress it enough - you need to use different passwords on all of your most frequently visited websites, especially any that have your credit card details, your financial information or other sensitive personal information!  I know that is a LOT of passwords to remember, but password manager software is the key to keeping your sanity.  I recommend RoboForm, which is low cost, easy to use and has several useful features.

Turn on Your Router's WPA2 Password
Keep the bad guys out of your wifi network so they can't steal your data or your bandwidth.  Check your router's documentation to find out how to login to the admin function and set this up, and do it now.

Use Firewall and Virus Protection
Everyone should already know about these, but I would be remiss not to include them.  If you don't already use both a firewall and a virus protection software package, get them and start using them right away.  You are just asking for your identity to be stolen or for your PC to be compromised without these tools.

Small Companies Bought by Huge Companies - the Death of Independence?

Yesterday I saw an announcement that a small video game firm called Mojang has been purchased by Microsoft.  My kids both love the game Minecraft, as do many of their friends, and it's a product of Mojang.  I had no idea that Mojang was such a lucrative company that they would attract the notice of a Goliath like Microsoft.

The original creator of Minecraft has also announced that he's leaving the firm as part of the Microsoft deal.  It's a bit of a sad thing that such a creative guy has to be cut off completely from the product that he created.  Of course, when he originally built it, he had no idea how popular it would become.  According to his own farewell statement, he's not been working on Minecraft directly for a while, but he's one of the original founders of the company.

When the big fish gobble up little fish like Mojang, it's a bittersweet thing for me.  In one sense, the purchase of your company by a larger one is a sign of great success.  It shows that you've built something of great value ($2.5 billion in this case).  In another sense, it's the end of an era for your company.  The culture of the firm will no doubt be absorbed by Microsoft now, especially since several key people are all leaving Mojang, including the Minecraft creator, as part of the deal.

While my own company is unlikely to be acquired by Microsoft, it does make me think about being in that situation.  Sometimes it's both good and bad to be as successful as Mojang apparently is/was.

Best of luck to "Notch" and all of the former Mojang folks in their future endeavors.

iPhone 5 vs 6 - How to Decide

I'm due for a new mobile phone and I currently have an iPhone 4s.  I've loved my iPhone so I'd like to upgrade to one of the newer Apple models, but I'm not sure whether I'll go for the 5 or one of the new 6/6+ models.

I'm sure a larger screen would be nice, but the 5 is already bigger than my 4s.  Is it worth it to me to pay more for the "latest and greatest" to get one of the 6 models?  I'm not sure.  I think I need to see the 5 and 6 side by side, in person, and see how they actually fit in my hand, pocket, etc. to compare.  I've read a few reviews of the new features on the 6 and I may or may not need to newest model.  Usually the previous model is available at a big discount so my aversion to high cost may win out.

Once the 6 phones are actually available in store, I'll have to go check it out.  I'll post again once I've done the comparison and made my choice.

Using KTN for Easier Travel

Have you traveled by air recently and noticed a shorter security line at the airport with a sign posted for "TSA Pre-Check"?  Or have you been lucky enough to have a notation on your boarding pass that said something like "TSA Pre-Check"?

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) now has a program called Pre-Check which selects random air passengers to go through that shorter line at the airport security point.  They are not required to remove their shoes or belt, nor to take their laptops out, when passing through security.  Obviously, getting through airport security is a much simpler process without those conditions.

If you'd like to increase your chances of being selected for the Pre-Check line, you can request a Known Traveler Number (KTN) with the TSA.  It's a simple process that you can initiate online.  You have to visit one of the TSA's local offices to finalize the process and provide a set of your fingerprints.  Then they do a full background check on you.  If you can pass the background check then they create a KTN for you.  There are some conditions that you should read before you start this process.  It does cost $85 but it's good for five years.

See this link for more information:
http://www.tsa.gov/tsa-precheck/participation-tsa-precheck

Once you have a KTN, you just need to include it in any airline reservations that you book.  You can also add it to your profile if you have an online account with any of the airlines, so it will be automatically included on any future reservations.

I've recently gone through this process and found it pretty simple.  I started my application online and booked an appointment to go to the office.   When I arrived, they took me right in, reviewed my online application with me and helped me to use their digital fingerprint machine to create my fingerprint images for my records.  The whole thing only took about 10 minutes.

To me, it's well worth the $85 fee to make my travel just a little less stressful.  I most often travel with my kids.  They can go through the pre-check line with me until they are 13, then they have to get their own KTN.  I'm hoping I'll never have to wait in the long "cattle call" lines at airport security again...

Non-Profit Organizations Can Benefit Greatly from a Website

I have quite a few website clients who are non-profit organizations.  They need to communicate to their members (as well as to the general public) about their events and programs in order to generate the maximum funds to support their cause.  They also want to grow their membership in order to better serve their cause.

Recently, one of my clients had this to say after their first year using my services:

"You fixed many of our problems. Membership is increasing, participation in events is way up.  We had the best fundraiser event in many years, one of our highest attendances ever, and possibly our most profitable. We have more cash than in years, largely due to the website."

If you are part of a non-profit organization, I can help you with a website, as well as other technology tools.  I often do Access databases, email marketing, Powerpoint slides and Excel spreadsheets for my non-profit clients.  The board of directors of many non-profits may not have members with the right technology skills to help with certain tasks, and that is where I am able to assist them.

Please contact me for more information.

Small Business Websites

I am in the unique position of being a web developer and retail business owner at the same time.  Last year I started designing jewelry and selling it locally.  Since I know how to create websites, I created one for my jewelry business (I already have one for my website business).

I've learned a few things about myself and business in general since getting involved in selling retail items.

It is a LOT of work to create and maintain a website to sell physical items such as jewelry.  Each item that I create is unique, so if I want to sell it on my website, I have to take photos, insert it on the site, and set up payment buttons for buyers.

I'm currently using paypal buttons since I've used them in the past and they're easy to set up on a website.  The down side is that  I have to create a unique payment button for each item.  It takes a lot of little steps to add every single item that I've created to the website so that it can be sold.  I can easily spend an hour to add just a few new bracelets or earrings to my site.  Since I'm doing everything myself, that's a significant amount of time to spend.

I'm considering signing up to sell my jewelry at a small local craft show.  I am concerned about the amount of product that I'd need to make and the cost of the inventory involved.  I don't see this business as potentially creating a large income, it's really more of a hobby, so it puts me in a somewhat unique position.  Do I want to pursue the jewelry business and actually try to make a profit?  That is the question that I've been pondering.  I don't really have a lot of free time between my full time job, my family and my other hobbies.

For now, I'm enjoying the creative process without pushing myself to make it into a real business.  It's good for me to have experiences like this in order to understand the business needs of potential clients.

Back to school time...

Next Tuesday my two sons go back to school.  I am very ready but I'm not sure that they are.  I've purchased their supplies but neither of them are excited.

We met my 6th grader's teachers last night and I found out some interesting things about our school district:

They are embracing the "BYOD" (bring your own device) attitude in the middle schools and high schools.

They're just starting this concept so they're still making adjustments to the rules, etc. as they learn about the potential pitfalls of kids bringing iPods, iPhones, tablets and other electronics to school.  They say they want to encourage kids to use them as a learning tool when it is possible and appropriate.  Personally I won't be allowing my son to take his iPod to school.  He'll want to play games on it and is likely to lose it or get it stolen.

Another interesting thing - for my son's class on "21st Century Skills", they'll be piloting the use of Google netbooks.

They are small laptops with almost no software preloaded, so the support for them should be fairly minimal.  The kids will learn how to use web based tools for socializing, creating presentations and other things.  They're going to applications like Google docs and others.  It will be interesting to see how my son adapts to applications that he's never used.  His computer time at home is usually limited and he mostly only plays games.  For him to actually have to use a computer to do project work will be interesting.

I'll post another entry in a few months on this topic regarding how it's going with the technology that my son is learning.  Maybe he can teach me how to use some of these tools, since I've never heard of the ones his teacher was talking about.  I'm intrigued...

Accuracy of Website Information - for Government Agency Transactions

Have you recently looked at a website to get information and then later found out that it was inaccurate?  Personally, I think any company or government agency who posts information to their website needs to be responsible for its accuracy and timeliness.

If I'm depending on a website to get a list of requirements for some transaction, especially with a government agency, then an inaccurate list of details could potentially cause me great inconvenience, multiple trips, etc. and of course anger/frustration.  Any government agency, such as the secretary of state or DMV, is typically hard to reach over the phone.  A a website is a perfect place for them to provide details such as requirements for their services in a place that I can find it, then use it to prepare for any transaction which must be handled in person.

Please don't make me come back because I don't have some document that you require that was not listed on your website!  And please don't put so many restrictions on the types of transactions that can be handled completely online.  It is better for BOTH of us when I don't have to come to your office and wait in line with the huddled masses.  Save my tax dollars that are spent on those clerks who move so slowly, and make as much information and as many transactions as possible available online instead!!