Author Topic: The Technophobe Reader - Technology Help (Read 213609 times)

LarryHanna · « **Reply #80 on:** April 14, 2011, 11:38:34 AM »

Welcome to The Technophobe Reader

Cartoon used by permission of the artist

Confused about Ihpones, Ipods, Ipads, Itouch, Androids, or anything else electronic? Don't know what a "text" message is? Don't have a Nook or a Kindle and don't know the benefits of an e reader? Feel left out of the rush of the new technology and wonder what all the shouting is about?

Have a new Iphone, Ipod, Ipad, Nook, Kindle, or I headache or are considering same?

Ask your question here! Other sufferers may be able to direct you to a source for help or help with their own experience.

This discussion has no "expert" moderator, we offer here no professional advice but we may be able to answer out of our own experience, like the cartoon above, the blind leading the blind,

or list places you CAN find help.

Annie, it is nice to see familiar names and also to get to know some new folks. My wife is still very much into quilting and I believe she passed the magazines on to others after she had gone through them. Believe me she has plenty of books and publications on quilting, gets quilting info from the Internet discussion sites and watches quilting videos. She recently completed a lovely quilt and gave it to a good friend of hers. She loves putting the quilting blocks together but doesn't look forward to putting back on quilts. A couple of days ago she made a couple of neck pillows to replace some we had used for a long time.

I do not use Yahoo mail so really can't speak from experience. I do use the Chrome browser and have also used G-mail as my e-mail address for two or three years and really like it. They provide so much storage space that you don't have to worry about saving too many messages.

jane · « **Reply #81 on:** April 14, 2011, 12:09:25 PM »

Larry...did it take you a bit to get along with no toolbar in chrome? I seem to have to stop and hunt for my Favorites, etc. I've only downloaded it again recently, but not sure about the lack of a toolbar and ease in finding my own links, etc.

pedln · « **Reply #82 on:** April 14, 2011, 01:54:09 PM »

Rosemary, are you saying that for the younger crowd email is "passe?" (Pass say). Good grief.

I have an analogy to your tale of your son Freddie and his snail mail dilemma -- the lack of knowledge about how some things we take for granted work. I was riding with my DIL when she received a cell phone call from her daughter. Catie, who had only recently got her driver's license, was at the gas station. She needed gas. "Well, get it," said her mother. "How do you do it with cash?" Catie asked.

rosemarykaye · « **Reply #83 on:** April 14, 2011, 02:29:59 PM »

Pedln - that is funny

, and sounds all too likely. (My own problem at the petrol station is coming to terms with those awful self-service pumps, which are appearing more and more in this area. I remember when we lived in Newfoundland, the boy not only came out and put in the petrol for you, he also cleaned your windscreen for nothing. Now you are lucky if there is a person to take your money.)

Yes, I'm afraid email is passe for the young. Anna uses it to communicate with Old People like me, but never with her friends. Freddie only uses it when he wants money and knows he has to communicate in some way that I can cope with. I don't think Madeleine (youngest) uses it at all - it's all Facebook and texting with her. Even some of my own friends seem to be abandoning it, although when they buy smart phones (which I don't have) - which seem to enable them to read emails on their phones - they seem to go back to it a bit. They don't want to have to sit in front of a screen, even a laptop - my best friend wants to be able to read her emails whilst watching TV.

I wish people still wrote letters. Joyce Grenfell used to churn out several every day before she got up - though of course they had 4 or 5 postal collections a day then, and she also had a housekeeper who did everything for her, so could stay in bed scribbling till lunch time if she wanted to. Having said that, even on the rare occasions when I have that opportunity, I find myself wasting time messing about on the laptop - I start off thinking I will just check my messages while the kettle is boiling, then an hour later I realise I really should get dressed...

R

LarryHanna · « **Reply #84 on:** April 15, 2011, 07:20:49 PM »

Jane, I use the Speed Dial feature and have the main websites I visit shown as small graphics on the new tab screen. I also use Bookmarks Bar above the reading area of the screen for the folders of bookmarks I use often and they are always available to click on and select the bookmark I have in it. I used to have several hundred bookmarks but eliminated most of them a while back and just keep the more active one. I find using the Google or Bing search engine to find a site works very well.

jane · « **Reply #85 on:** April 15, 2011, 09:16:12 PM »

Thanks, Larry. That may solve my problem!

jane

jane · « **Reply #86 on:** April 16, 2011, 11:59:21 AM »

It'll be interesting to see if this trend continues:

Article is dated April 15, 2011:

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- The publishing tide is shifting fast: E-book sales in February topped all other formats, including paperbacks and hardcovers, according to an industry report released this week.

E-book sales totaled $90.3 million in February, up 202% compared to the same month a year earlier, according to a study from the Association of American Publishers.

Rest of the article is here: http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/15/technology/ebooks_beat_paperbacks/index.htm?hpt=T2

mabel1015j · « **Reply #87 on:** April 16, 2011, 12:35:44 PM »

Whether you are a quilter or not, you will probably enjoy this animated graphic video which symbolizes the creativity and variety that quilters can give a piece just by changing the placement of a patch or a square. I'm going to use it in my women's history course to talk abt "women's art".

http://www.nfb.ca/film/quilt#

Jean

jane · « **Reply #88 on:** April 16, 2011, 01:14:04 PM »

Fascinating, Jean!

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #89 on:** April 16, 2011, 02:12:12 PM »

delightful film on quilting patterns Jean

ANNIE · « **Reply #90 on:** April 16, 2011, 06:02:40 PM »

I was writing a post and it just disappeared! Well, what I said was that the link of the quilting patterns were delicious, Jean. When I was quilting, I thought in the patterns that I was making at the time. I was constantly contriving the scene before me into a quilt pattern.

Larry,
Tell your wife I said "hi"and happy quilting days!!

I wish I could do all those marvelous things with my computer. Bookmarks on tabs?? Whoa! I can't imagine having that much time. or that much brain power with which to focus on the problem.

Rosemarie,
I had to laugh at you ending up on your computer way past where you planned. Have you burned anything yet? I was searching for something the other day and someone called me and I realized I had been there for 2 hours! And was starving plus very thirsty!

All of my grans text. They never look at their email and getting them to return your call is the pits. So, I did try to text but it isn't my favorite thing to do and now I have to rejoin the free text site and sign up again.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #91 on:** April 17, 2011, 09:40:02 AM »

Has anyone had experience with a Trojan or virus named Rebate Informer. It showed up on my computer. with obnoxiously annoying sign in screens. There was a shortcut symbol on my desktop. I removed it using the program removal program in my control panel. The removal apparently was successful even though at start up the sign in screen still appears, and it is still listed in my all programs list. But further attempts to remove it yields a message that the program does not exist.

A Google search on "Rebate Informer" yields many hits andcomments on removal including the procedure I followed but there are others that are quite complicated.

BarbStAubrey · « **Reply #92 on:** April 17, 2011, 12:43:41 PM »

My experience has been once you get trojan you are in for it and I end up having to call my computer guru because none of what I have to clear out my computer affects it and they have a cd they put in my computer that cleans it out - I have Open Advanced SystemsCare as well as AVG and Spybot

marcie · « **Reply #93 on:** April 17, 2011, 03:24:52 PM »

I'm sorry that you were infected with that Trojan, Harold. I browsed through a bunch of sites about it and I didn't see a definitive fix for it.

Mabel, that's a fantastic little film about patchwork quilts!!

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #94 on:** April 17, 2011, 06:51:32 PM »

Regarding Rebate Informer, I think I've got rid of it. After I made my post this morning I used my Norton start up manager to remove it from the start up routine. Now there is no reference to it in the All Program List, the control panel listings, and more important no start up screen when the computer is started up. The latter was corrected with the edit removing it with the Norton start up Manager . I THINK it's gone.

I learned one thing out of this. Every time I start up my computer I will check my Norton securrty Program to make sure all phases of my security system are functioning.

marcie · « **Reply #95 on:** April 17, 2011, 10:53:04 PM »

Good thinking, Harold!

pedln · « **Reply #96 on:** April 18, 2011, 10:44:56 PM »

Glad you got rid of your virus, Harold. I use Norton Security too, so far very pleased with it and hope it does what it's supposed to do.

The item below is from a WSJ tech news alert. (I get gazillions of them). It boggles the mind to learn what businesses are being created and how people are investing their money. It seems that advertising must be all. I understand Google, ads, etc -- sort of. But $50 million for a company that exists to help people use Twitter? And here I've been wondering how companies like Twitter and Facebook make their millions. I guess I'm behind the times.

Quote

Twitter is in advanced talks to pay $50 million for TweetDeck, an add-on program that helps Twitter users view and manage tweets. TweetDeck has at least 15 employees and contractors, most of whom are located in the U.K., according to its website. Twitter has been recruiting engineers and others in London and plans to open a U.K. office this year.

pedln · « **Reply #97 on:** April 21, 2011, 05:31:10 PM »

I just saw something about a PDF download for Internet Explorer9. I know what a pdf file is, but am not sure what at pdf Internet Explorer would be. Anybody know?

LarryHanna · « **Reply #98 on:** April 22, 2011, 05:40:26 PM »

pedln, that doesn't make any sense to me either. You certainly couldn't browse from a PDF file since that is a static document.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #99 on:** April 24, 2011, 09:59:30 AM »

Pedin, from the description given in your message above, I suspect the PDF download for Internet Explorer9 referred to a PDF file giving instructions or help regarding the installation or use of Internet explorer9.

pedln · « **Reply #100 on:** April 24, 2011, 10:07:46 AM »

That makes sense Harold. Has IE9 come out yet?

LarryHanna · « **Reply #101 on:** April 25, 2011, 10:43:34 AM »

pedln, yes IE9 is out. I have downloaded it on my computers but really don't use it as prefer the Google Chrome Browser and have used it for quite awhile. Before that I used Firefox as my preferred browser.

JoanP · « **Reply #102 on:** April 28, 2011, 08:43:23 PM »

Larry, Pedln, I had downloaded Explorer 9 to my computer - and from that time on I had trouble with my Macafee virus protector. After a long go-round with the technician, I was told that because Explorer 9 is only a beta program, that either McAfee or Vista, can't remember which, was not yet ready for the beta program - to wait until the Exp. 9 was out. Don't know what to believe, but do know that I went back to Explorer 8 and all my problems were resolved...

pedln · « **Reply #103 on:** April 28, 2011, 09:16:03 PM »

Thanks for the info, JOanP. I haven't downloaded IE9 and won't do so until they have the non-beta edition ready to go. Still use XP also, on the desktop.

ginny · « **Reply #104 on:** April 29, 2011, 08:01:05 AM »

Well I'm pleased to report something of a miracle and also it may be an eye opening tale.

This past week I was in the Apple store with a friend who was having an issue with her Ipad. You can make an appointment with one of their "geniuses," who will assist you with whatever issue you may be having. While we waited and I was browsing the Iphone 4 up came a young man (the store was virtually empty which was a shock, perhaps it was a fluke, have never been in there it wasn't overflowing) and here came one of their staff, a young man with a ball cap on and earring and inquired if he could help, conversation led to conversation and the issue I had with gmail and the long story.

OH? Says he, lighting up?

I can fix that. No you can't, many have tried. Yes he did.

Get this: armed with nothing but the email address, and nothing more, he managed to:

(1) skip the password
(2) skip the security question
(3) change the password,

Login to the account and display it!! On the Apple computer in the store. I was IN to the account online (the server) and I could read the 500 plus emails sent to it? And respond online.

He could NOT get it on the i phone AS a default email service, , but on the i phone I can get it on the gmail server on Safari. As to the gmail account on the i phone, he did try over and over, could not understand why it would not work, finally saying the geniuses can do it, if you make an appointment. But I can and could work it from the gmail server online and change the password, read the email, add a new email address, and make it now work and redirect to my new account.

He was a genius, himself, and he also fixed my friend's problem as we stood waiting.

So, what did we learn from this apart from my own stupidity of course? I learned how easy it is for somebody (I stood there and watched him and have my friend as witness) who really knows computers to get INTO an email account.

Which he DID do. People sending sensitive emails should consider they are not safe from somebody who really knows computers..

So I'm very grateful and now I understand why my bellsouth account was "compromised" as they said before they deleted it.

Amazing.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #105 on:** April 29, 2011, 12:59:16 PM »

Regarding the Apple Stores I have been visiting one of the local Apple stores checking out the I-pad 2, and last Monday I ordered one. I ordered it on line in order to get it equipped like I wanted. It is scheduled for May 9th Shipment. My order will include 3 extras including the cover, a gadget for connecting it to my camera, and another one for connecting it to my HD TV. The model I ordered is the 32 GB storage for WiFi access. I considered the 3G access, but after checking the details of the required AT&T or Verizon contract I ordered it with the WiFi access only. I have a fine local personal wiFi network here and just don't feel I need for the 3g with the accompanying contractual commitments.

And so much for the Nook! It works but even as a book reader I have found it tends toward being unstable and not always reliable.

Harold

mabel1015j · « **Reply #106 on:** April 29, 2011, 01:08:41 PM »

You will enjoy your ipad Harold. It's like having the library of congress and the rest of the world on your lap. I have had no problems w/mine since Sept until the last few weeks when i have had it loose connectivety about every 2or3 days. I have to disconnect the the router and the modem and reboot. It could be something about one of them and not the ipad..... Jean

maryz · « **Reply #107 on:** April 30, 2011, 05:21:43 PM »

Disaster has happened! I left my Kindle on the first leg of a two-flight trip yesterday. (Moral: do NOT put your Kindle in the pocket of the seat in front of you!)

I realized the loss when I looked for it at the beginning of the second flight, and knew exactly where I had left it. I asked the flight attendant if there was a form I could fill out. She told me that I needed to go to the Southwest baggage claim office at my final destination to file a report. I did this, and fortunately, even remembered which seat I had been in.

The next step was to contact Amazon and put a "stop" on any purchases from the Kindle itself. I did that as soon as I got home. It took three e-mails (mostly for ME to understand what information they needed), but by this morning, the device had been disabled. If it is ever returned to me, I can have it reactivated. In the meantime, I can read my books on my Droid phone (not my favorite, but doable). I'll give it a while to see if it comes back home before I think about getting a new e-reader.

pedln · « **Reply #108 on:** April 30, 2011, 07:57:46 PM »

Oh MaryZ, darn darn darn. I'm sure we all tell ourselves that we'll never do that, but it's so easy just to put it in that pocket while you get organized, and then forget about it. No matter how many times the warning.

At least no one can use it to buy anything from Amazon. Hopefully the airlines will find it and send it to you, though it may take a while.

jane · « **Reply #109 on:** May 01, 2011, 08:44:20 AM »

Yikes! Mary, that sounds like something I'd do. I hope the airlines find it or that your homeowner's might cover the loss if it's not returned to you?

jane

maryz · « **Reply #110 on:** May 01, 2011, 11:01:13 AM »

Hadn't thought about homeowners, jane - thanks. We are in the midst of filing our second weather-related claim this year. And we have a $500 deductible, so it might not be worth it.

I hate the thought of "shopping" for a new e-reader. I know I have to have one. I wonder if I'd be able to get access to my already-purchased books on Kindle if I decide to get a Nook or an I-pad. And, now that there are different versions, if there is someplace where I can look at different Kindles? Oh, dear. I really DO hate to make decisions.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #111 on:** May 01, 2011, 11:25:19 AM »

Oh, Mary, what a frustration! My first thought was how many books you had on it and would you have to buy them all a second time? I can see Amazon's next move - to sell an "insurance" for the books you buy

.....jean

maryz · « **Reply #112 on:** May 01, 2011, 11:28:29 AM »

jean, I already "own" the books - and they're in Amazon's archives. If I get a new Kindle product, they will just activate it to my account and restore all my books - I won't have to re-buy them. I would doubt that I could get them if I got a Nook or an Ipad - but I don't know that.

jane · « **Reply #113 on:** May 01, 2011, 02:07:12 PM »

Mary...I'm far from an expert, but it may be that there's an Amazon app that can be had on the Ipad. I know that people have "rooted" the NC and have it more like a tablet. The new update also allows for apps and all of that.

I would guess there's an Apple store somewhere in your area and somebody who could answer for you your questions.

I gather, from the talk at B*N NookColor discussions that a new Kindle is expected quite soon. You might want to check on that, but since you have an Android phone, you might not need all those bells and whistles on your ereader.

Lots to consider, for sure.
jane

maryz · « **Reply #114 on:** May 01, 2011, 02:16:29 PM »

It's going to be really hard to wait a week or two to see if mine shows up before getting a new one. Of course, if I get a new one for myself, then John can have the old one when-and-if it shows up.

LarryHanna · « **Reply #115 on:** May 02, 2011, 10:46:45 AM »

Maryz, I should think it would be a matter of changing the password on your account after having it blocked and that everything should then work as before with your prior purchases. I have the Kindle application on my iTouch and it syncs with my Kindle application on the computer. I also have the Barnes & Noble application on my iPod Touch and on my e-book reader and access the same information.

Sheila, my condolences on the loss of your dad. This is a time that is never easy and in your situation it certainly wasn't improved when you were not notified at the time. I expect many of us share dysfunctional family situation, I know that I sure do, although nothing like what you have experienced.

mabel1015j · « **Reply #116 on:** May 02, 2011, 12:39:08 PM »

Yes, Mary, i have a "kindle" app on my ipad.

maryz · « **Reply #117 on:** May 02, 2011, 07:03:35 PM »

I've just called the airline, and of course, they can't give me any idea of when or if it might be found. I'll just have to set and arbitrary deadline to hear something, and then just get me a new reader of some sort.

There's an article in our paper this morning that our library is going to start having e-books available for Kindles (don't know a start date). It didn't mention other e-readers.

HaroldArnold · « **Reply #118 on:** May 04, 2011, 06:05:26 PM »

Here is an Interesting picture. It is my home town, San Antonio,TX, sitting for its picture. I was surprised by the amount of greenery with so much of the street details obscured by trees. I know it is San Antonio by the two lakes in the southeast (Lower /right )part of the pictures. These are the Braunig and Calaveras Power Plant cooling lakes where much of San Antonio's Coal and Natural Gas Electric Generating plant are located. I was involved with the Engineering Team planning the construction of these lakes and the early Generating units constructed at these sites. My involvment was in the cost estimates and the economic studies justifying their installation. To view the picture double click the link below.

http://geology.com/satellite/cities/san-antonio-satellite-image.shtml

mabel1015j · « **Reply #119 on:** May 04, 2011, 09:59:23 PM »

Wow! Harold, that looks like an abstract painting. How cool that you were a part of building the city.

News:

Author Topic: The Technophobe Reader - Technology Help (Read 213609 times)