On the topic of conserving iPhone battery use, many technicians will jump at the chance to suggest you turn off Background App Refresh. This is the function that permits applications to check for updates in the background when you’re not actively using them. I, however, recommend a more flexible approach: Instead of turning it [...]
Ever wondered about keychains? I’m sure you’ve heard of them. They often dangle from a bag or belt loop. Or entertain babies. Occasionally, they even provide the resources to open locks. The same concept plays out on your Mac and iPhone. The keys are your account names and passwords. The locks are the websites [...]
You’re thinking this is a post about a competing operating system, right? How dare I?! Actually, it’s about those rectangles you use every day that provide a peek into your data, documents, and drowning — online, that is. Yes, those windows. How do you keep them organized? How do you remain focused on what matters? How [...]
As an observer, I’ve long been fascinated by the sounds of the world. My first album was The Sounds of Nature, which I realize never made it into my digital collection when I imported my CDs onto my computer 20 years ago. Since 1994, I have grown my music library with now over 8,000 songs that, [...]
Overflowing inboxes is a hot topic among my clients and I regularly help folks form a habit of unsubscribing from email newsletters they aren’t reading. But what about the content you do want to read sometimes and just don’t want competing for your attention? To remove subscription stimulation, there’s Really Simple Syndication (RSS). RSS is a way [...]
“The DNS (Domain Name System) is the phonebook of the Internet” (Cloudflare). When you enter a URL in a web browser, your computer first contacts a DNS server to find out the actual address hosting the website. What is DNS Really? When you send a letter by snail mail, the postal system needs [...]
macOS Big Sur being out might be yesterday’s news but I just upgraded. The new version supports Macs from 2013 and later except for the Early 2013 MacBook Pro and the 2013 iMac. Among my first impressions, I’ve found a few changes that reduce my productivity and a few others that actually benefit me. [...]
When you get a new Mac, Apple’s Migration Assistant utility makes it really easy to migrate all your data from your old one. Even if all of your documents are stored in one cloud or another, your third-party applications and settings are not, and some other personal data might also be only on your [...]
Have you been anxiously awaiting my approval to upgrade to macOS Big Sur? Get some insight to ensure you and your Mac are ready for a whole new world. Okay, maybe not entirely new, but there are some revolutionary changes in this version of macOS. Be prepared so your eyes and hands aren’t visually [...]
I discovered SeeClickFix several years ago and have used it in Berkeley, Oakland, and D.C. to report potholes, traffic signal glitches, and more. The app partners with municipal governments so citizens can request repairs to issues they discover on their way. What is 311? Per Wikipedia, “3-1-1 is a special telephone number supported in many communities in Canada [...]
