Getting from here to there …

Remember when planning a car or RV trip involved packing stacks of maps for every area along the planned route. Impromptu travel, or ventures into unfamiliar areas, often required stops at gas stations to ask for directions. How did we ever mange to travel by car before the advent of automotive GPS units?

Global positioning satellites (or GPS), were originally designed for the military. The satellites were available for public use in the early 1980s, but for security reasons the military interfered with the signals, rendering them useless for precise navigation. Ubiquitous GPS become a reality in 2000, when President Clinton signed a bill requiring the military to stop scrambling civilian GPS signals. 

We purchased our first GPS in 2005. The unit, primitive compared to the model we use today, was developed specifically for Rvers by Lowrance, makers of marine GPS devices. The voice-guided navigation was a computerized female voice we named Gertrude, and we viewed a route map on a cluttered, five-inch screen. The first Gertrude was replaced with a sleek Garmin Nuvi in 2009. It featured the same-sized screen, but made better use of the viewing area, and included real-time traffic alerts. Last December we purchased our third Gertrude, this time a Garmin Nuvi 2797 which features a seven-inch screen – easier viewing for our senior citizen eyes. 

We share a single device between our car and motor home, and we appreciate the enhanced features found in our newest Gertrude (we actually call this one Gertie). Traffic reporting is much improved, the quality of the electronic voice is more human sounding, and it responds to simple voice commands. A  smartphone links to the GPS speaker via Bluetooth, and included is a lifetime subscription for updating the installed maps. An extensive points-of-interest data-base makes navigating to all types of public places relatively simple. The accuracy of the unit is such that the voice will tell you to "turn left in 200 feet at the Shell Station," and when approaching a highway ramp the voice signals which lanes to use and the screen view is a 3-D picture including realistic looking road signs and exit lanes. For example, if their is a two lane exit, it verbally and visually shows the two lanes and demonstrates which lane you should be in for your specific route.

One thing using a GPS has not done is make our use of paper maps completely superfluous. We still carry state maps in the car and RV, and when navigating unfamiliar roads I use the maps to double check our location. More than once I have heard someone tell a story about how they relied exclusively on their GPS, and ended up at a washed out road or turned the wrong way into a one-way street. While the current system of global positioning satellites are excellent, mistakes do happen, and it is better to have a backup in place. 

I also double-check Gertrude's traffic alerts with two smartphone apps, Intrix and Waze. Both apps are available for iOS and Android, and while they can also provide turn-by-turn navigation, I use them exclusively for real-time traffic updates. Intrix's excellent road alert system includes live camera feeds and detailed information about delays. Users are encouraged to add information, and when driving past a reported accident you can send notification if a reported delay has cleared. Intrix traffic reporting is available in most major population centers of the country.

Waze, recently purchased by Google, is advertised as a "community based mapping, traffic & navigation app." The app relies on users to provide traffic information, and works best in more populated areas. While not as sophisticated as Intrix, the results are both accurate and useful. When we are driving in a heavily trafficked area, I use both apps, going back and forth to garner as much information as possible, and we have used the information to help circumvent major highway delays. One caveat to remember when using these apps is that they are data and battery hogs, constantly sending and receiving information, even when working in the background. My approach is to quit both apps immediately after checking for traffic problems. 

My navigational arsenal also includes the mapping apps on my iPhone; Maps from Apple (available only for iOS) and Google Maps. Both work equally well as voice-guided, turn-by-turn navigation systems, and during our recent trip to Hawaii and California, my iPhone was our GPS. With two people in the car, a smartphone makes an excellent GPS, but it would be unadvisable to use when driving solo — looking away from the road to see the map on the small screen could prove dangerous – akin to texting-while-driving. 

For more information on the traffic alert app, visit waze.com or intrixtraffic.com. Until next week, visit onmouseclick.blogspot.com for the online version of OnMouseClick.

Keeping it Safe …

As promised last week, this week’s column is about protecting smart phones from damage, and what to do if accidental damage does occur.

Backing up data — The most important component of any computer is the stored data, and a smart phone (or tablet) is nothing more than a small computer. If your phone is lost, or stops working for any reason, a recent backup ensures that your data is safe and can be transferred to a replaced or repaired device. The operative word is recent – be sure to backup your phone on a regular basis. 

iPhones have a backup and restore feature built into the operating system. Using iTunes, the free software that runs on both Macs and PCs, you can choose to back up your device directly to your computer, or to Apple’s remote iCloud service. For detailed instructions on how to preform an iOS backup, visit www.support.app.com and search for iOS backup. 

Android smart phones are a bit more complicated to back up, as they do not come with a native backup feature. There are several backup methods that can be used, and which method you choose will vary, depending on the phone manufacturer and user preference. If your phone did not come with specific directions for making backups, I suggest a Google search for “Backing up Android Phones.” 

Protecting your phone from falls — Every phone should be enclosed in a protective case, and there are hundreds of choices in the marketplace. Most cases cover the back and sides of the phone, leaving the glass face uncovered. While the phones themselves are very durable, the glass screen can crack and shatter if dropped. As mentioned in last week’s column, a case with a bumper that wraps completely around the front edge of the phone offers the best protection. If the phone is dropped, the cushioned bumper will come in contact with the ground first, and in most cases will protect the phone from damage. If you do experience a cracked screen, one of the following may apply:

Most of the time a cracked smart phone will still work, and you can choose to keep using the phone until your are eligible for a new phone from your wireless carrier. 

Or if you purchased insurance for the phone, you will have to pay a deductible, typically between $50 and $200, to receive a new phone. Applecare, Apple’s extended warranty and insurance plan, costs $99 and can be purchased within 30 days of buying a new phone. AppleCare covers any malfunction for two years from date of purchase, including accidental damage. There is no charge for hardware malfunctions, and if the phone is damaged, it can be replaced twice during the two year period, with a cost of $79 for each occurrence. Most wireless carriers offer their own insurance, covering loss as well as damage. The coverage adds $7 to $10 a month to your wireless bill, and a replacement phone, for any reason including hardware failure, will cost between $100 and $200, depending on the carrier and phone model.

If you have an iPhone and did not purchase Applecare, Apple will replace a broken iPhone on a sliding scale, based on the iPhone model: $269 for an iPhone 5, 5s, or 5c; $199 for an iPhone 4S, and $149 for an iPhone 4.

Most computer repair shops also offer screen repair and replacement, with prices range of $150 to $200.  

Other types of damage — Water damage is another common disaster that can befall a smart phone. My daughter-in-law accidentally washed her phone in the washing machine, and it is not uncommon for smart phones to take a dip in a lake, a ride on a surfboard, or a fall into a toilet. In case of submersion, immediately remove the phone from the water and use a paper towel or microfiber cloth to dry the surface. Whatever you do, do not try to turn the phone on or press any buttons. Once the phone surface appears dry, empty a bag of rice into a large container and bury the phone in the rice for 48 to 72 hours — the longer the better. Rice draws moisture out of the phone, and with luck the phone will power on once removed from the rice. If the phone is working, be prepared for some residual problems. In my daughter-in-law's case, for several months after the incident, pictures she took looked as if they were taken through a rainy window. However, the camera lens eventually dried out and the phone is currently working normally. 

A Cautionary Tale …

This week's column is a cautionary tale of problems and mishaps that could easily happen to your smart phone (or tablet), and some advice on prevention. 

Earlier this week one of my neighbors knocked on my door to ask if I might be able to help with her smart phone, an older model iPhone 4. She had no idea how it happened, but when she turned the phone on, she was presented with a screen requiring a four-digit numeric passcode — without the code the phone remained locked and unusable. She arrived at my door after futile visits to both a Verizon store, where the phone had been purchased, and to a local Radio Shack. Both stores provided no help in resolving her dilemma. My only clue as to how this passcode lock might have occurred was that another neighbor had recently updated her iPhone operating system. I recalled that built into the newest iPhone/iPad operating system, iOS 7, is a feature that requires entering a four-digit passcode when it is first set up. The passcode can be disabled, but only after it has been entered for the first time. When asked, the neighbor did not remember entering a passcode of any kind during the install.

The only way to access the phone would be to connect it to a computer running Apple's iTunes software and preform a reset, which would wipe all data from its memory, including photographs, and return it to factory default. By connecting to iTunes you can also backup an iPhone (or iPad), and a backup can later be used to restore the device after a reset. Unfortunately in this case, the iPhone had never been backed up. 

Apple also provides all users free access to its iCloud remote storage, and when an iPhone is first set up, the user creates a unique Apple ID and password (not to be confused with the passcode). iCloud can be accessed from any computer, and photos taken with the iPhone are automatically uploaded to the iCloud. However, as my neighbor did not remember her user ID or password, and none of the possible combinations we tired worked, her photos were not retrievable on iCloud.

While we were sitting at a table on my concrete patio, I proceeded to perform an Internet search for possible answers to this dilemma. The phone was on the table between us. I reached to pick up the phone and it slipped out of my hand, landing glass first on the concrete. I wasn't initially concerned, as I have dropped my iPhone numerous times, even on concrete, and it has always been unscathed. Not this time; the front screen of the phone was covered with a series of hairline cracks. The phone was functioning, still locked, and now it was also in need of cosmetic repair. 

My neighbor finally decided that a visit to the Apple Store Genius Bar was her best option. After spending over an hour with one of the Apple technicians, she came home with her phone reset, the passcode inactivated, and an Apple ID and password for future use. She has also promised that she will backup the phone to iTunes on a regular basis. 

And my advice?

Whatever model of smart phone or tablet you use, make sure you back it up on a regular basis, because you never know what can happen. As soon as you bring it home, connect it to your computer for the first backup. 

Make sure you know your phone's user ID and password, and be sure to keep a copy in a safe location. And if the phone has a passcode (even if it is deactivated), write it down in case you need to use it sometime in the future.

As for preventing accidental breakage, when you buy a case for your mobile device, choose one with a bumper around the edges. The case on my neighbors phone did not have edge bumpers, and offered no protection in a fall. While there is no guarantee that a different case would have prevented the screen from cracking, it certainly would have provided better protection. 

In next week's column look for a review of backup procedures and advice on what can be done if you experience a cracked screen or any other accidental damage to your mobile devices. Visit onmouseclick.blogspot.com for the online version of OnMouseClick

note: while Password and Passcode have similar dictionary definitions, the word passcode is most often used when the code is solely numeric.

Going, going, gone …

We arrived home from Hawaii Thursday night, and I have to say I miss the Hawaiian weather. Perfect every day; even in the winter rainy season, the temperatures are comfortable, the rain is gentle, and the sun shines part of the day. As I said, perfect. 

Being away from home for so long made me more aware of the inherent battery drain problems on my iPhone smart phone. We used my phone as a GPS as we traveled around the island of Oahu, and earlier this week when we spent four days in San Diego, and the inevitable battery drain made me think about ways to mitigate the problem. 

No matter which type of smart phone you use, optimizing battery usage is something everyone needs. While the steps I am outlining in today's column are intended for the iPhone, they are applicable to the iPad, and most of them can also be used to optimize a Droid phone battery.

 Turn off Push Mail – When push mail is enabled, the phone is constantly checking for new mail, which is a major battery drain. To change the setting on the iPhone go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars. Scroll down to Fetch New Data and turn it off, then set the schedule for each individual email account to Manual. Finally scroll to the very bottom and set Fetch to Manually. With these settings the phone will only check for new email when the Mail app is opened. If you are using a Droid phone, you will have selected how often check for mail when you set up your email account. The longer the interval, the less drain on the battery.

 Limit the use of Location Services – Many apps need location services turned on in order to work, and in some cases when the service is turned on, the app is constantly accessing the web, even when the app is sleeping. To avoid possible over usage, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and scroll through your apps. Only leave Location Services on for the apps that you use all the time. For other apps you can turn the services on and off as needed. When you finish, scroll to the bottom of the screen and select System Services. You can comfortably turn off Diagnostic and Usage, Location Based Ads, Popular Near Me, and, if you don't travel out of the Eastern Time Zone, Setting Time Zone. Finally scroll to the very bottom and turn Frequent Locations off and Status Bar Icon on.

Diagnostics & Usage – the iPhone is preset to constantly send a steam of diagnostic information to Apple. To turn it off, and conserve battery use, go to Settings > General >About > Diagnostics & Usage and select Don't Send. 

 Close Out Apps – It is good practice, every couple of days for both iOS and Android devices, to close out apps that are not being used to avoid having them run in the background. In iOS 7, double tap the home button and swipe up on the running apps that appear. On Droid devices you may need to use an app that kills running apps – follow the link at the bottom of column for more information. 

 Shut Down the Phone Once-a-Week – A smart phone, or tablet, is a small computer, and when you turn it off and back on, several processes will reset and run more efficiently. For the iPhone, hold the button on the top of the iPhone for a few seconds, then slide the Power Off slider. To turn the phone back on, press and hold the same button. On a Android phone, use the power button to turn the phone on and off. 

 Turn Off Auto-Brightness – when Auto-Brightness turned on, the phone is using sensors to constantly evaluate the surrounding ambient light, which in turn uses battery power. On the iPhone, go to Settings > Wallpapers & Brightness and turn off Auto-Brightness. When you need to manually change the brightness settings, swipe-up the Command Center from the bottom of the screen (iOS 7 only) and make the necessary adjustments. On an Android phone, go to Menu > Settings >Sound and Display. Scroll down to Brightness and turn off Auto-Brightness. 

If you would like to read more about optimizing your smart phone battery usage, read www.payetteforward.com/why-does-my-iphone-battery-die-so-fast-heres-the-real-fix (iPhone) or www.payetteforward.com/why-does-my-android-battery-die-so-fast-heres-the-real-fix (Android). Until next week, visit onmouseclick.blogspot.com for the online version of OnMouseClick.

A deal to consider …

Ever wish you had better photography editing tools available on your computer? Do you feel envious when you see what can be done with Adobe Photoshop and Lightroom, but you have been put off by the cost? Photoshop and Lightroom provide more features than the average digital photography enthusiast will ever need, but for the few who want more, Adobe has now made having the software a whole lot easier. 

I have been using Photoshop since the mid-1980's, and Lightroom since it was released in 2006. Without either of them, my work as a digital photographer would be very arduous and less enjoyable. Most people know that Photoshop is the ultimate photo editing tool. With it you can work magic on any photograph, even creating realistic looking images that never were. Lightroom was designed for photographers, with tools for sorting, cataloging, and editing. Together, these two pieces of software give a photographer every tool they could possible need to create the ultimate digital darkroom. As I write this week's column we are nearing the end of our Hawaii visit, and by the time the TR Times is published, we will be back in Florida. Since I have been traveling with only my iPad, I am anxious to transfer the trip photos to my computer and begin working on them. 

In the past, the list price for Photoshop was over $600, with Lightroom costing another $200, not to mention the additional 18-month software upgrades costing more than $200. Beginning last spring, Adobe transitioned all of its products to a subscription only format, and after a rather bumpy start, the company designed a very attractive subscription package just for photographers. For a monthly subscription fee of $9.99 a month, with a one-year commitment, subscribers get the most recent versions of both Photoshop and Lightroom, with incremental updates available for download as soon as they are released. 

Originally available only to registered owners of previous version of Photoshop, now until March 31, anyone can take advantage of this offer. For more information on the Adobe software and the subscription program, visit creative.adobe.com/plans/offer/photoshop+lightroom. 

Another application that might be of interest to photographers who use either an iPhone and iPad is SnapPen. Available only for iOS devices, this exceedingly simple program allows you to write and/or draw directly on a photo. While there are other apps that perform the same function, SnapPen is exceedingly easy to use, and writing with a finger or stylus feels as if you are writing with a pen, a feature lacking in most writing apps. 

This is an example of a photo captioned with SnapPen.

Until next week, back on the mainland, Aloha.

Storage for the iPad …

Our visit to Hawaii has been perfect. Our granddaughters are so much fun, and have an abundance of energy. We've been spending every minute we can with them, and yesterday was the first chance I had to use the Kingston Wi-Drive (pronounced wee-drive) I wrote about in the January 24 OnMouseClick.

The drive provides portable, wireless storage for mobile devices, and is the perfect solution for an avid photographer, like me, traveling with only a tablet computer. It provides additional storage, allowing the user to free up space on mobile devices.  The Wi-Drive come in 32 and 64 gigabyte capacities, works with iPhones, iPads, Android devices, and the Kindle Fire, and creates its own wireless network. When accessed through an app installed on the mobile device, a pathway is created for photos, videos and music to transfer from the mobile device to the Wi-Drive, and from the drive to the mobile device. 

The actual wireless transfer of several hundred photos from my iPad to my 64GB Wi-Drive took only a few minutes. Before making the transfer, I looked through the photos on the iPad and deleted the ones that were not worth saving. Once the transfer was completed, I was able to go back to the iPad and delete the majority of the images to free up storage space, keeping only the photos I want as part of my iPad photo album. Once we get back to Florida I will be able to use a USB cable to transfer the photos directly to my computer for sorting and editing. 

The Wi-Drive drive is small and compact, and has a rechargeable battery that is good for up to four hours of continuous use. Included is a mini-USB to USB cable and an AC wall adapter. The drive can be charged by connecting it to a computer with the USB cable, or by plugging the cable into the AC adapter. 

Last summer I read a review of the Wi-Drive, and while I found it intriguing, I was put off by the $144.95 list price. However, I was able to purchase the 64GB drive from Amazon for a $84.99, with the 32GB model priced at $78.65. 

Aloha.

Lost connection in paradise …

I am happy to report that traveling with an iPad as my only computer is working out fine. I am able to do everything I need to do, including writing and submitting OnMouseClick to the TR Times. I've been downloading my photos to the iPad, and this weekend I plan to begin using the new, Kingston Wi-Drive storage device I wrote about in last week's column. 

We are in Wahiawa, Hawaii, at Schofield Barracks Army base on the island of Oahu. Hawaii is a paradise: beautiful scenery, perfect year-round temperatures, and our beautiful granddaughters live here. What more can anyone ask? Nothing I can think of, except maybe a stable internet connection. Our son and his family just moved into their house on Scofield Barracks, and as of our arrival date, cable had not been installed. 

When Eddie & I travel we carry a Virgin Mobile MiFi, a credit card sized device that acts as a WiFi router. It connects to a cellular data network, the same network used by cell phones, and creates a hotspot for up to five devices. Virgin Mobile uses Sprint's cellular networks, and our three-year old MiFi works on the 3G network – newer devices work with 4G and LTE networks providing faster connections. Similar devices are available from all of the major carriers, but we chose Virgin Mobile, because it does not require a contract. While most hotels and RV parks offer WiFi connections, our personal MiFi provides a safe, private connection, and as a bonus, we have  internet access while driving. 

Knowing that we might need to rely on the MiFi in Hawaii, I checked the Virgin Mobile coverage map before we left Florida. According the the Map, all of Oahu is covered by the Sprint G3 network, but reality was another matter. When the MiFi worked, which was not often, the connection was extremely slow, and would regularly drop in and out. The lack of a stable connection was harder on Eddie, because he uses the internet to handle all of our finances. For me it meant no email, Facebook, or blog posts. I couldn't keep up on the news with the New York Times and Tampa Bay Times, or keep up with the blogs I follow. We were only in Hawaii four days before the cable was connected, but having to do without a reliable internet connection was a big adjustment, and made me realize that in this inter-connected world, life becomes more difficult when you don't have internet available at the click of a mouse.  

Aloha.

A timely experiment …

Two years ago Christmas I received my first iPad from Santa. Up until then I thought that a owning tablet computer would be nice, but It wasn't a must have device. After using it for a few weeks I changed my mind, and if you've followed this column over the past two seasons, you will know how indispensable my iPad has become. While I use my computer, a MacBook Pro Retina laptop, for serious photo editing and graphic design, just about everything else I do on a computer can now be done on my iPad. Which brings me to my timely experiment. 

By the time you read this, Eddie and I will have left for a trip to Hawaii. Our son is in the Army, and has just begun a tour of duty on Oahu. We plan to spend three weeks visiting with him, his wife, and our beautiful granddaughters.  Normally, one of the items on my packing list would be my computer. I actually cannot remember a trip of more than one or two days time when I did not take my laptop . This time, however, I am actually planning to leave the laptop behind and travel with only my iPad.

With my iPad I can send and receive email, browse the internet, store PDF versions of our travel documents, and all of my recipe files (a grandmother cannot visit without doing some cooking). I also have apps (tablet and smartphone speak for applications) for reading books, word processing, using spreadsheets, keeping database records, watching Netflix and HBO, playing games, and editing photographs. My only concern is whether or not I have enough free storage on the iPad for all the photographs I plan to take in Hawaii.

As a photographer I'll be packing a Nikon DSLR, two lenses, a point and shoot Panasonic, and of course my iPhone. During the past year my photography workflow has been to download  photographs directly to the iPad using Apple’s camera connection kit. Using a specially designed app, I can then sort through my photos, selecting keepers and deleting not-so-good images, and then transfer the keepers to my laptop. I can preform all but the last of these tasks if I leave my laptop home, but what can I do about the lack of adequate storage space on the iPad? My iPad is a 64GB (gigabyte) model, and I have approximately 20GB free. It sounds like a lot, but I tend to take a lot of photographs, especially when I am around my granddaughters.

I have ordered what I hope to be a viable solution to the storage problem. It is a small, portable drive with wifi capabilities designed to work as both a standard USB flash drive and a storage device for smartphones and tablets. The drive, a Kingston Wi-Drive (pronounce wee-drive), is about the size of an iPhone and comes in 32 and 64 gigabytes sizes. I ordered the 64GB drive, which should be adequate for my needs. 

I plan to continue submitting my columns during our trip, and I will include updates on how I am managing without my laptop. I am very optimistic and the only potential problem I see is that I will have to share my iPad with my granddaughters — but being with them makes everything worthwhile.

A Clean Start …

At the start of the new year, the New York Times published and article titled Cleaning the Mobile Germ Warehouse; a topic especially relevant to my family as Eddie was sick with bad head and chest cold for the week between Christmas and New Years.  We were home in New York, and our house was probably full of nasty little germs, and some of those germs were probably hiding in our iPhones and iPads. 

According to Dr. Durbert Guerrero, and infectious disease specialist who was quoted in the article, mobile devices are actually a source of disease transmission, and the accumulation of germs on the devices can be worse that you would find on the bottom of your shoes. Dr. Guerra is the co-author of a study about the prevalence of bacteria on iPads that was published in the American Journal of Infection Control in November. 

How can we protect ourselves from this newly discover source of nasty bugs? Most manufacturers specifically warn users not to apply window cleaners or any other cleaning products. Instead, we are instructed to wipe the screens with nothing more than a dry, soft cloth. 

However, the Times article states that using a moist, microfiber cloth will eliminate many types of common bacteria, and the moisture is not harmful to electronic devices. To take the cleaning a step further, the article recommends mixing a 1:1 solution of 70 percent isopropyl alcohol and distilled water in a spray bottle. Use the spray to moisten a microfiber cloth, and gently wipe down the screen and case of your mobile devices. It is perfectly safe method, as long as you do not spray the solution directly on the electronics. 

Keeping your mobile devices clean has secondary benefit, and that is of making it look like new when it comes time for a new smart phone or tablet. Most retail locations that sell smart phones and tablets offer trade-in on your old devices. There are also several online merchants that offer trade-ins for cash. In November, Eddie decided to trade in his three year old iPhone 4 for a new iPhone 5c. We visited Best Buy, and because the old phone was in excellent condition, he received $140. The iPhone 5c sells for $99, and there was enough left over to pay for a new case! Not a bad deal. Similar deals can be found at Walmart, Target, and the Apple Store. 

I recently traded a older model iPad for cash, through Gazelle (www.gazelle.com), an online company that buys Apple products. I submitted information about my iPad and received a online quote of its value. Gazelle then sent me a post-paid box for shipping, and once it was received and examined, I received payment via PayPal. You can also elect to receive a check in the mail. There are similar companies that take trades on most other brands of smart phones — a Google search for Smart Phone Trade In will produce a variety of web sites to visit.

I started writing this column the day after New Year’s, expecting to submit it for publication in the January 10 issue of TR Times. Snow was gently falling outside my kitchen window, and a full-blown blizzard was in the forecast. We had come north for Christmas, and because Eddie’s mother’s health was failing, we ended up staying longer than originally planned. Her not unexpected death last week changed our plans once again, and I put off submitting this column for another week. Tonight I will finally submit the column to my editors, and tomorrow we are driving south, leaving the frigid north behind.

The times they are a-changin' …

When Bob Dylan penned the lyrics to the song, The Times They Are A-Changin’, he wasn't thinking about technology, but the words are apropos. In kicking off the 2014 series of OnMouseClick columns, I have been thinking about how the use of technology has changed at TR since I began writing for the TR Times. In 2003 a majority of the residents had yet to buy a personal computer, and few of the computer owners used laptops. Microsoft was the dominate operating system, and only a handful of residents used Apple Macintosh computers. The term social media had yet to be coined, few computers were used for anything besides word processing and email, and landline telephones far out numbered cell phones. 

As 2014 dawns, things are quite different. Today, almost all households have at least one computer, most of which are laptops, and every year the number of Apple users grows. Tablets computing devices abound, and some residents have decided to make a tablet their primary computing device. The TR Information Directory lists many more cell phone numbers than landline phones, and I would hazard a guess that most of the cell phones are smartphones. 

What does all this mean for OnMouseClick? For one thing it makes me think that the title of this column is as out of date. If my speculations in the above paragraph are correct, then very few of us are using a mouse to control our computers, and a change of the column title is definitely an idea I will consider. Meanwhile, I am going to continue trying to help my readers navigate this brave new world of twenty-first century technology!

I was looking back at some of my past columns, and I came across something I wrote in 2005. I quoted Dr. Seymour Papert, the MIT professor and virtual father of educational computing, who coined the phrase "the computer as pencil." This idea was radical when he first proposed it over three decades ago, but his vision has since become a reality. In 1980 he wrote the following in the context of educational computing:

...Pencils are used for scribbling, as well as writing, doodling as well as drawing, for illicit notes as well as for official assignments. … I have shared a vision in which the computer would be used as casually and as personally for an even greater diversity of purposes. 

Papert, Seymour A.  Mindstorms: Children, Computers, And Powerful Ideas. New York: Basic Books, 1980. Print

Computers and computing devices are ubiquitous in our daily life, and they have become the pencils of this new century. The times have truly changed, and it would be very interesting to know how computers, tablets and smartphones are being used by TR residents today. If you have a story to share, please email it to me at onmouseclick@digitalquinn.com for possible inclusion in a future column.