All posts tagged organize

How to Set Bookmarks on your iPhone

Yesterday’s blog post covered how to set bookmarks on your iPad. I was going to include the iPhone in that post, but the bookmarking process is just different enough to deserve its own post.

How to set up bookmarks on the iPhone:

Go to your favorite website in Safari. For this example, I chose Goodreads.

Tap the action-arrow at the bottom of the screen.

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Several choices will pop up. Select Bookmark.

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This new screen (below) will pop up. It gives you the opportunity to re-name the bookmark. Once you do (or don’t do) this, just tap ‘save’.

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When you want to SEE the websites that you have bookmarked, just open Safari and tap on the BOOK symbol on the bottom of the page.

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You will see all of your bookmarked websites (and a few that Apple has already bookmarked for you). Tap on any of them, and you are taken to the linked website.

Screen shot 2013-03-06 at 7.27.02 PM

5 Comments
by sharechair on May 14, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Beginners, How to's, iPhone, iPhone tips, Organization, Tech Tips
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on May 14, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/05/14/how-to-set-bookmarks-on-your-iphone/

How to Set Bookmarks on your iPad

As part of my month-long anniversary series, some posts will include information covered previously. Hopefully this way new readers get to see things they missed and older readers might be reminded of things they have forgotten. (This “forgetting” thing happens to me, too!)

photo credit: wikipedia

photo credit: wikipedia

I use “bookmarks” on my MacBook all the time, and back in the early days of using my iPad, I greatly missed this feature. I soon learned, however, that you can bookmark on your iPad, and it is easy to do.

(You can also set bookmarks on your iPhone, however it works differently than the iPad, so another post will be dedicated to setting up bookmarks on the iPhone.)

The Bookmark Bar on the iPad is very handy. Once you have it set up, whenever you go to Safari, you will see your favorite websites (ones that you have bookmarked) right across the top of the screen. Just touch one and you will be whisked right to the website.

So let’s set up the Bookmark Bar on the iPad. We start by activating it in Settings.

Here is how to use the Bookmark Bar on your iPad:

Open Settings > Safari. Look for “Always Show Bookmarks Bar” and turn it “on”.

Close settings, and launch your Safari app.

Go to a website that you visit frequently.

Now, touch the sharing arrow up at the very top left of the page. A menu will appear and one of the choices will be “Bookmark”.

Touch “Bookmark” and a new box will pop up. Make sure “Bookmarks Bar” is your choice, and tap “SAVE”.

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That’s all there is to it. The next time you launch Safari, look up at the top of the page, (just under the search boxes) and you will see the names of all the websites that you have added to the Bookmark Bar. Tap any of them to zap yourself straight to your favorite website.

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Screen shot 2013-03-06 at 7.27.02 PM

4 Comments
by sharechair on May 13, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, How to's, iPad, iPad tips, Organization, Tech Tips
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on May 13, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/05/13/how-to-set-bookmarks-on-your-ipad/

Hey, Kindle Readers: View All Your Highlights in One Place

Screen shot 2013-03-27 at 7.19.26 PMWhen you read, are you a highlighter? This is a new habit for me. In the past … the very-long-ago-past …. I would highlight in textbooks for courses of study (yes, they had big heavy textbooks back in the stone age :) ). That was really all the highlighting I ever did….solely for the purpose of going back to study those important bright yellow parts.

But today, when you read a Kindle book, you often run into passages that have been highlighted by other readers of the book. This made me think about doing some highlighting of my own.

And highlight I did. It’s so easy…. just touch the text on a Kindle Paperwhite and slide your finger. Poof! You have just highlighted a passage!

Now here comes the super cool part: You can now go to the Amazon website and see ALL of your highlights (from any and all of the books you’ve highlighted) all in one place.

(If you haven’t highlighted anything on a kindle book, perhaps you should make a few, and then come back to this post.)

Just go to https://amazon.kindle.com/

Look across the TOP of the screen, and you will see this:

Screen shot 2013-03-27 at 6.34.05 PM

Notice the words “My Highlights”? Click on that. (You will probably be asked for your Amazon password at this point).

You will now find yourself on the page of highlights. Your highlights.

I’m really enjoying looking back at all the passages that I particularly felt worthy of remembering, all laid out for me to remember. This is truly a wonderful feature that I am just beginning to use, but one that I know will become a regular go-to for me.

p.s.
(There are several other really great features on this page, and I’ll be sure to cover these in future posts.)

18 Comments
by sharechair on March 27, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in eBooks, How to's, Kindle, Kindle Fire, Organization
Tagged , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on March 27, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/03/27/hey-kindle-readers-view-all-your-highlights-in-one-place/

How to Find a Buried App on your iPhone and iPad

photo credit: Daniel Y. Go via photopin cc

photo credit: Daniel Y. Go via photopin cc

I have so many apps, that most of my icons are folders. Folders full of apps. (Good thing you can’t put folders inside of folders. :) )

I could stop here and look up the count to share with you, but I won’t, because it’s embarrassing. Just know… there are lots of apps on my iPhone and iPad.

But before I beat myself up too much, I will point out that I know I am NOT alone. I know that there are many other people (not just me!) who have oodles of apps. And folders too.

Oodles of folders full of apps.

If this describes you, you may have discovered that sometimes it is hard to find an app. No matter how you try to organize your screens, no matter how many folders you make, somehow you just can’t find the app you need.

Here is a quick way to find that needed app:

Put your finger on the left side of your home screen and swipe to the right.

This will bring you to this blank screen with a search box on the top.

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Start to type in the app you are looking for. You can see here that as I started to type “Bookworm”, I didn’t get very far until it appeared right at the top of the list. Once the elusive app appears, just tap on it and it will open.

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8 Comments
by sharechair on February 25, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, Gestures, How to's, iOS6, iPad, iPad tips, iPhone, iPhone tips, Organization
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on February 25, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/25/how-to-find-a-buried-app-on-your-iphone-and-ipad/

How to Save a Photo that You Receive in a Text Message: (part of the) Very Beginners Series

* Occasional posts will contain how-tos and/or hints for VERY new users of iPads, iPhones or Kindles. All new users welcome! Non-tech speak, not terribly detailed, just basic device-enhancing goodness. All part of this Very Beginner Series.

Please share with any beginners (Mom? Dad? Grandma?) in your life.*

DSC00005The other evening I was having dinner with a friend, a new iPhone user, and she wanted to show me a few pictures …. but she had to find them first. These photos had been sent to her in text messages, and she was going back through the messages to find the photos.

And so, as I watched her scroll back through her messages, the blogging bell went off in my head. “This should be a beginner post!” So here we go.

Here is how you save a photo that you receive in a text message:

Tap on the photo or the arrow area to make the photo larger.

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Once you see the larger photo, tap the action arrow up at the top of the phone.

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A new screen will pop up with all sorts of choices. Select “save to camera roll”.

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That’s all there is.

Now when you want to look back at the photos that you received, just go to your Photos app (the sunflower) and select “camera roll”. The newly saved photos will be there at the end of the photo page.

9 Comments
by sharechair on February 19, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Beginners, Camera, How to's, iPhone, Organization, Very Beginner Series
Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on February 19, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/19/how-to-save-a-photo-that-you-receive-in-a-text-message-part-of-thevery-beginners-series/

Freecycle “Changing the World One Gift at a Time”

Screen shot 2013-02-17 at 7.00.09 PM

If you are not familiar with Freecycle, I am excited to be the one to let you in on this fabulous group.

It is a worldwide network with over 9 million members, where people give away stuff and also get stuff … all in their own neighborhood!

It costs nothing to participate, and the rewards are great.

Their mission statement sums it up, well:
“Our mission is to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves precious resources & eases the burden on our landfills while enabling our members to benefit from the strength of a larger community.”

Simply, this is how it works:

First, you join your local Freecycle group. (links will follow)

(After joining, I suggest you follow the threads for a few days to get a feel for the activity in the group.)

Then …. jump in! Let the group know if you have something to give away, and members will contact you if they would like to ‘receive’ your item. OR If you see something that you would like, just contact that member and let them know that you would like to have it. It’s people just shifting around their stuff. Genius in its simplicity.

I have participated in Freecycle for years. I have given away lamps, a ping pong table, outdoor furniture and more. Things that I no longer needed, but were gladly received by others. I’ve been on the receiving end a few times, as well, and the experience has been delightful. Everyone wins!

Learn more about Freecycle at Freecycle.org.

Find a group in your area and make others happy as you simplify your life and whittle down your ‘stuff’ :)

36 Comments
by sharechair on February 17, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in My Thoughts About Things, Organization, Stuff
Tagged , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on February 17, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/17/freecycle-changing-the-world-one-gift-at-a-time/

How to Make Lists in your Reminder App on your iPhone

Photo Skitch Document-13I use the Reminders app ALL the time. I depend on it. My own memory lets me down, but this app keeps me focused and spares me from making many “oops, I forgot” mistakes.

I often ask Siri to remind me to: write a note, pay a bill, pick something up at the store, etc etc etc …. And before I know it, my list is long. Really long. Silly long.

And it can get really messy if your personal reminders are woven among your work reminders. A quick look for your next crucial appointment time might be hard to find if it is wedged between ‘pick up milk’ and ‘stop at the post office’.

What to do?

Separate your reminders into lists.

Here is how you can make lists in your Reminders app:

Open Reminders and tap on the Menu in the upper left corner.

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Tap on “Create New List” and give it a title. Once you have made your title, tap “done”.

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You can make many lists. Perhaps a list specifically for your work, or a reminder list of books you plan to read. Whatever suits your life.

Just tap on the new title you created and begin to make your list.

Go back and forth between your lists by tapping the menu button.

Whew! So much easier than trying to store it all in my head. :)

9 Comments
by sharechair on February 14, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, How to's, iOS6, iPad, iPad tips, iPhone, iPhone tips, Organization
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on February 14, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/02/14/how-to-make-lists-in-your-reminder-app-on-your-iphone/

How to Permanently Delete a Kindle Book

You probably know by now that you do not have to keep all of your e-books ON your Kindle or on your device (iPhone, iPad) that uses the Kindle app. You can keep some books on your device and the rest in the Cloud as explained here.

The Cloud is great because it is basically a huge bookshelf just for you (but you don’t have to dust it :) ). It grows and grows as you add books.

But at some point, you are going to sort through the Cloud and say “What the heck am I doing with THAT book?” It happens. Especially since Amazon offers so many free books, you might find yourself regretting a grab or two (or in my case, about twenty).

Here is how you permanently delete a Kindle book:

(the important word here is permanently. If you delete books in this manner, you would have to buy them again if you want to read them.)

Access your Amazon account from your computer.

After you sign in, go to “My Account” and slide down to “Manage My Kindle”

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After you click on “Manage My Kindle”, you will be shown a list of all the Kindle books that you have ever bought. You can do lots of things from this page, but we are going to concentrate on the permanent delete.

Notice off to the right of each book there is a button labeled “Actions”.

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Touch on “Action” next to the book that you would like to permanently delete.

A drop-down menu appears. Note that one of the choices is to “delete from library”.

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“Delete from Library” is the magic button that will permanently delete your book.

Select “delete from library”, and you will get this warning message before you actually do the deleting:

Screen shot 2013-01-23 at 7.11.43 PM

I’m so glad they put that extra warning message step in the process, because that way you really know for sure exactly what you are doing.

Give the “yes” a tap and the book will disappear from your Cloud bookshelf … forever.

4 Comments
by sharechair on January 23, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, eBooks, How to's, iPad, iPhone, Kindle, Kindle Fire, Organization
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on January 23, 2013

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/how-to-permanently-delete-a-kindle-book/

How To Open Your Apps with Siri: iOS6

photo credit: Daniel Y. Go via photopin cc

When Siri first became a part of my life, I thought that she would be little more than a clever distraction to play with every now and then.

To my surprise, I am using her more and more. Siri can really be helpful.

With iOS6, she can now open your apps. Very handy.

I know, you are probably thinking “but all I have to do to open an app is touch it….”. Yes, that’s true, but as time goes on, and your iPhone and/or iPad fills with apps, and then with folders, and then those folders fill with apps, well, soon you will appreciate Siri’s help to quickly get to an app you might not easily be able to find.

You don’t have to know where the app is located on your iPhone/iPad, because Siri knows. And she will open it for you. :)

Here is how to have Siri open an app:

Push the home button so that Siri will ask how she can help.

Say “Launch Mail” or “Open Scrabble” (I have found that “launch” and “open” are both commands that are understood by Siri.)

Wait a moment, and the app will open on your screen.

Simple and handy!

8 Comments
by sharechair on November 14, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Apps, Beginners, How to's, iOS6, iPad, iPad tips, iPhone, iPhone tips, Organization, Siri, Tech Tips
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on November 14, 2012

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2012/11/14/how-to-open-your-apps-with-siri-ios6/

How Important is Your Blogging Gravatar?

When I started blogging last spring, everything was new to me. All the WordPress buttons, the spam, the comments, the whole “like” thing, awards, uploading photos, embedding videos, all of it. (and I’m still learning).

I had always been a blog reader, but a passive one. I wasn’t involved.

So when I jumped into the blog-o-sphere, there was a lot to learn.

And one of those things was the Gravatar.

A gravatar is a “globally recognized avatar“. (“An avatar is an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user” – Merriam-Webster). So in other words, a gravatar is a representation of you, as you comment or interact in other ways around the internet.

I had seen them as I wandered the internet in my pre-blogging days. I understood that they represented people. But I didn’t think much about them.

As I set up my blog, I realized that I should make one, and I did it quickly.

I thought (a little bit) about it. “Something that links me to my blog”, I thought. I looked through my photos and grabbed a cup of cappuccino. It was a stretch. But if I was sharing a chat with friends, in comfy chairs (sharechair, get it? :) ) we’d probably have a cup of something with us …..

That was all the thinking I did about it. Very little thinking. A minute, maybe. It was done, and I moved on.

Now, after months of blogging, I’m starting to think that a gravatar is really important.

Is it?

I notice them. Do you? And if I see a friendly face, or a unique picture, I just might click on it and find an awesome blog that I would not have found, otherwise.

But that brings me to another question…. what is the best kind of gravatar?

Some people choose to use their pets as their image. Others use symbols. Flowers are popular. Cartoons are cute. Lots of people use their faces. (Or artistic pieces of their faces.)

What is best?

I must admit that the faces are awfully nice. I do feel a “connection” with those faces that I see everyday. They seem just a little more real than the symbols.

But I’m shy. So the thought of leaving my picture on blogs all over the internet makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. But yet I find those photo-gravatars pleasing. And a step more “real” than a symbol. And I’m real. I want my readers to know I’m real.

So I’m thinking of changing my gravatar. But to what? My adorable dog? A flower? A tech device? My (gasp) face? Or maybe I should just leave it alone. Who doesn’t enjoy a nice cup of cappuccino? :)

How did you make the decision?

Or … does it matter at all?

58 Comments
by sharechair on November 11, 2012  •  Permalink
Posted in Beginners, My Thoughts About Things, Organization, Tech Tips
Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Posted by sharechair on November 11, 2012

http://sharechair.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/how-important-is-your-blogging-gravatar/

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