Is Print Dead?

All News … All the Time

How do you get your news? Our generation was raised on print newspapers, and as long as I remember, my family subscribed to home delivery of several newspapers every day.  Eddie and I continue this tradition – in both New York and Florida we get two or three newspapers delivered every morning during the week and more on the weekend. Growing up I also remember watching The Huntley-Brinkley Report on the evening news. For an hour each night, these two eminent journalists objectively and insightfully reported events of the day. 

Earlier this month, waiting on line to make a purchase at Barnes & Noble, I overheard a young man behind me say to his companion that he was about to buy a newspaper for the first time ever. I would venture that the same statement could be made by the majority of younger people who are part of the “millennial” generation.

I have to admit that while Eddie reads his morning papers, I read the electronic version on my iPad. However, what sets me apart from the younger generation, is that I choose to get my news from the electronic versions of traditional print media, while the majority of the millennials depend almost exclusively on social media for their news. According to a new survey from the Pew Research Center, as of August 2017, two-thirds (67%) of Americans report that they get at least some of their news on social media, with the largest percentage in the 18 to 49 year old group. The social media outlets used for news include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Reddit, Snapchat, Tumblr, Instagram, LinkedIn and WhatsApp. 

What is interesting, and more than a little scary, are the reports that more often than not the so called “news” available on these social media site are manipulated to present a particular point of view, if not downright falsehoods. These social media outlets are able to trace the viewing habits of their users, and tailor “news”  delivery to the specific viewpoints of each particular user. I visit Facebook often, and the “news” posts on my Newsfeed are in accord with my political leanings. While I might find this gratifying, it provides a very one-sided view of the world. I also don’t trust the posts on my newsfeed as necessarily true without checking the veracity of the information in other sources. 

As for television news, times have certainly changed since my family watched Huntley and Brinkley after dinner. Television news today is on a 24-hour cycle, and most of the offerings are far from objective. Each of the 24-hour news channels cater to viewers with very specific political viewpoints, and sometimes important news stories are relegated to the background, especially if they run counter to the political leanings of the network. 

What does all this mean to us as senior citizens in this brave new world? This is one of the technology related topics I plan to explore in 2018. Until the new year, I wish everyone a very happy holiday season. The online version of OnMouseClick can be found at onmouseclick.blogspot.com.

All I Want for Christmas

When I began writing OnMouseClick in 2004, I wanted to write a technology column that would help readers feel more comfortable interfacing with their computers. At the time many TR Times readers were novice computer users, and the early columns were designed to make the learning curve a little less steep. Fast forward thirteen years and very few people still need help using a computer. 

Recent columns have focused on the proliferation of electronic devices in our lives, and with Christmas less than a month away, today’s column is a lists some suggested tech devices you might want to add to your list for Santa.

If you enjoy drinking smoothies, the NutriBullet’s Balance Blender is designed to make the process easier. The blender connects to your iOS or Android phone via Bluetooth, and the companion app provides recipes with step-by-step instructions and nutritional information. The blender is available on Amazon for $180.

To fill your home with music, you can ask Santa to bring you a Sonos sound system. The company offers a full range of wireless, internet connected speakers that can all be controlled by a smartphone, tablet or computer app. The speakers offer high quality sound and range in price from $150 to $500.

Wearable devices to monitor your fitness have been hot items for the past several seasons, and each year they get more sophisticated. Fitbit is probably familiar to most of you. The least expensive devices, starting around $50, keep track how many steps you take in a day, while the company’s newest device is a smartwatch that provides personal coaching with on-screen video for $299. Garmin also offers a full range of fitness monitoring devices. The Vivo line of wearable smartwatches are tailored to a specific sports, such as running or cycling, with prices starting around $120. Both Fitbit and Garmin work with Bluetooth connected iOS and Android apps that allow you to keep track of your fitness, compare workout results, and share you stats with others.

The Apple Watch is another option for monitoring fitness. While the watch does much more than monitor fitness — such as answering phone calls, sending text messages, and telling time — it tracks workouts, acts as a GPS, and keeps track of your heart rate, even when not working out. The watches start at $249 for the entry level model.

If you are planning to ask Santa for a video streaming device to attach to your TV, there are several offerings — Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku and Chromecast. All interface with apps downloaded to your smartphone or tablet, which can also function as a remote control for the device. Prices start at under $30 for the least expensive devices and top out at $149 for the Apple TV.

Are you dreaming of having a robot clean your house? The iRobot Roomba 690 cleans carpets and hardwood floors, is controlled by an app and can even be controlled from outside the home. When the iRobot finishes its tasks, it returns to its charging port to wait for the next assignment. It is priced under $400.

If foreign travel is in your future, you might want a pair of Google Pixel Buds. The wireless earbuds have the ability to translate 40 different languages in realtime when paired with a iOS or Android device. The headset, which is available for $159 from the Google Store (store.google.com) is a fascinating device and will be featured in more detail in a future OnMouseClick column.

When your smartphone is always with you, and even doubles as your go-to pocket camera, a portable battery charger might be a lifesaver. Anker offers a full line of compact and affordable chargers, priced between $20 and $40, that work with Apple and Samsung products.

And speaking of things that are always with you, do you find yourself wondering where you placed your keys or wallet on a regular basis. I know I do, and Santa can help by bringing you a Bluetooth tracking device like the TrackR Bravo. This tiny, 1 1/2” square device can be attached to anything. Then, instead of searching around for your keys, you open the iOS or Android app on your phone and voila a map shows you their exact location. The TrackR Bravo, one of several similar devices available from Amazon, sells for $29.

I just hope Santa has an app to help him navigate his rounds, keep track of who gets which gift, and when the reindeers need to rest. I wish everyone very Merry Christmas The online version of OnMouseClick can be found at onmouseclick.blogspot.com.

We cut the cord …

It’s that time of year again. Those of us who are snowbirds, batten down the hatches up north and head towards the beckoning winds of warmer weather in the south. While we chose this lifestyle, some aspects of having two homes often produce dilemmas, and our subscription to cable TV is one of them. This fall we took the plunge and cancelled our cable TV service in New York. This week’s column is the story of how and why. 

In New York we subscribed to what is known as a Triple Play Cable TV package from a regional provider. For one set price we received cable television, internet connection, and a landline telephone. While it is possible to place the services on suspension during our months in Florida, doing so would have eliminated whatever promotional prices we were enjoying for the length of the contract. Until recently we paid our monthly charge over the winter, receiving nothing in return except our telephone line which was connected to our security system.

A few years ago that changed when our cable provider (we’ve been with both Optimum and Verizon over the years) began offering On-the-Go viewing, featuring a small selection of networks that could be viewed away from home over the internet. Most of the offerings were on-demand (with commercials), and a few networks actually offered live TV. In our household we like to avoid television with commercials as much as possible, so we limited our viewing of live broadcasts to two of our favorite networks, CNN and CNBC. For the rest of our viewing time, we would watch shows on Netflix or catch up with prime time viewing on Hulu, which broadcasts most TV shows the day after they are aired live. 

Early last March I wrote a column about internet steaming services that were entering the market as an alternative to traditional cable TV. These services offer both live and on-demand television content through the internet. For snowbirds like us, subscribing to one of these streaming service would mean that we would have access to live television at both our homes and during our travels. 

The services I covered in the column included Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and AT&T Direct Now. Later in March Hulu debuted its own live TV service, and as we were already Hulu subscribers, we thought this was a service worth looking into. According to the promotional material available, all of the networks we like to watch stream live in New York, and the ones that do not stream live in the Tampa area are available on-demand. In addition, included in the monthly subscription fee is the entire Hulu streaming library that we were already getting, as well as 50 hours of cloud-based DVR. 

Before committing to cutting the cable cord for good we needed to eliminate our landline telephone, which we accomplished by connecting our home security system to a cellular network. We took advantage of Hulu’s free week trial of the service to see if it would really meet our needs, and after the first week we were sold. 

This past October all the pieces were in place and we cancelled our cable service and landline phone, retaining only the internet connection, which we were able to turn off when we left for the winter. Hulu is more than meeting our needs for television programming, and we are saving a substantial amount of money in the process. The cost of the monthly Hulu Live TV subscription is $39.99, which includes limited commercials when streaming and 50 hours of DVR. We pay an additional $4 a month for the commercial free version of the streaming library. HBO, Showtime and Cinemax can also be added to the package for $14.99, $8.99 and $9.99 respectively. 

If you are contemplating using one of the live TV streaming options there are a few things to bear in mind:

1. As of today, live TV cannot be streamed directly to a Smart TV. Be sure to find out what devices work with the service you chose. Our Hulu Live TV works with Apple TV (4th Generation), Amazon’s Firestick and Roku. 
2. Not all networks can be viewed live in all geographic regions. In the New York metro area ABC, NBC, and CBS can be viewed live. However, in the Tampa area, they are only available on-demand. 
3. You must have a reliable internet connection. At TR we have a Centurylink DSL line which works well with streaming.

So far we are very pleased with the decision we made, and I will keep you posted if there are any changes during the season. To find out more about the Hulu Live TV service, visit www.hulu.com. 

Spring Cleaning and Cyber Safety …

As this is the last TR Times until next fall, I thought I would leave you with some suggestions that might be helpful in keeping your electronic devices safe and in tip-top condition. 

Make sure the operating system on your devices is up-to-date. Apple, Microsoft and Google periodically update software when problems or vulnerabilities are discovered. The best practice is to install updates whenever you are notified that they are available. A caveat to that is that sometimes it is not possible to update older devices. If you are using a computer or mobile device that is too old for updating, you might consider trading up. This is especially important for those of you who bank and shop over the internet.

Keep your applications up-to-date. Developers are constantly tweaking their software to make it more efficient and to work effectively with operating system updates. Both Apple iOS and Google Play update apps automatically as long as you keep the feature turned on in settings. 

Reevaluate your passwords. Passwords have become one of the major banes of our existence.  We need passwords to unlock our mobile phones and tablets, enter secure websites, receive emails, and utilize any number of websites and apps that are password protected. But as annoying as it is to manage all these passwords, taking the easy way out — using the same, simple password everywhere — makes you vulnerable to a variety of threats. You should use different passwords for each website, app, tablet and phone you use or visit and especially for the more sensitive websites. 

The method I use for making up passwords is to write a sentence that relates to the website and use the first letter of each word in the password, substituting numbers for numerical words and symbols for others. As an example, if I needed to create a password to access the Travelers Rest website, I might make up the sentence spending our fall winter and spring in Florida at Travelers Rest on johnston road. Because most passwords need to include numbers and symbols I will substitute 0 for words that start with o and an ampersand (&) for the word and. Also, it is usually required that some letters need to be uppercase, and in this example the first letters of Florida and Travelers Rest are capitalized. The resulting password would be s0fw&siFaTR0jr. Note that experts suggest that length is the most important factor in creating a secure password. Another method for designing a difficult to guess, long password is to string a bunch of unrelated words together. You might also want to consider using password management software that stores your passwords and automatically fills in usernames and passwords.  

Finally, last week WikiLeaks struck again releasing a trove of data detailing how the CIA hacks into cell phones and Samsung smart television sets to spy on targeted subjects. Late night comics had a field day making jokes about the topic, while millions of people had to stop and think about who might actually be spying on them. The answer for 99.9% of the population is "nobody." The directive of the CIA is to monitor foreigners who may be of threat to the United States and its citizens and by law the agency is forbidden to spy on American Citizens. I am sure that no one reading this has to worry about being spied on (even the Canadians) through their Samsung Smart TV. 

Users of Apple devices and computers might want to check out a new Facebook Group for TR residents which can be found by searching Facebook for TR Apple Users. The Facebook group was created as a forum for TR Apple Users to ask and answer questions related to using Apple devices. 

As I sign off for the season, I want to give a big thank you to my husband Eddie, who is my muse and first line editor. OnMouseClick would not be the column it is without him.  Wishing everyone safe travels and a happy and healthy summer.

Did you know that?

Warren Buffet, known in the financial world as the Oracle of Omaha, is a genius when it comes to investing and making money on those investments. In a February 27 interview on CNBC he disclosed that Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate he founded and controls, currently owns 133 million shares of Apple stock worth approximately $17 billion. What was his reasoning? He stated that there is an "incredible stickiness" to the company's products. Once people buy one device, they tend to upgrade to another Apple device a few years later. Looking around TR it is obvious that the iPhone is very popular here, and I wonder just how many of you know about some of its little known features. 

Did you know that you can use the iPhone as a flashlight, or that you can use it as a hotspot to connect other devices to the internet? How about transferring photos to your iPad or Apple computer with the touch of a button, or viewing your iPhone or iPad screen on your television set if it is connected to an Apple TV device? Except for the flashlight, all of these features work with bluetooth, a short-range wireless technology that connects mobile phones, tablets, laptops, computer and other electronic devices. You do not have to be connected to a wifi network for bluetooth to work. Turn it on in device settings and you are good to go.

• The iPhone as Flashlight —  The iPhone camera flash can be turned on to use as a flashlight. To turn it on, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center. Tap the flashlight icon in the lower left corner to turn the light on; a second tap will turn it off. There is an added feature if you are using iOS 10 — press and hold the flashlight icon and you can choose bright, medium and low light.

• Using the iPhone as a personal hotspot — If you need to connect a computer or tablet to the internet in a location without wifi or whenever you are worried about the internet security of the local wifi connection, the iPhone can be used as a mobile hotspot. To use this feature go to SETTINGS and turn on Personal Hotspot. On the device you want to connect (does not have to be an Apple device) select the iPhone as the wifi network connection (the name of your phone will show up in the list of available wifi networks). Each wireless carrier has restrictions on the plans that allow for the use of personal hotspots and the number of devices that can be connected to a mobile hotspot at one time. An advantage to using your iPhone as a mobile hotspot when away from home is that the connection is secure and safe to use for your financial transactions.

• Transferring photos between devices — If you, or anyone else you know, uses an iPad or Apple Computer you can easily transfer photos from one device to another with AirDrop. The only caveat is that the devices need to be in close proximity. To turn on AirDrop (on both the iPhone and iPad) swipe up from the bottom of the screen to bring up the Control Center. Tap AirDrop and select Everyone. Once AirDrop is enabled on both devices, select a photo in the Photos app and touch the square icon with an arrow pointing up, located on the bottom left of the iPhone screen and top right of the iPad screen. Tap on the name of the receiving device when it appears on the screen, and the photo will be sent to the receiving device. AirDrop can also send photos to and from Apple computers.

• Airplay on Apple TV —  If you have an Apple TV device connected to a television set you can send anything that appears on your iPhone or iPad screen to the television screen, including videos and photo galleries. Select AirPlay Mirroring from the Control Center and you iPhone or iPad screen will appear on the television screen.

Addendum to last week's column: On Tuesday, February 28 Google officially announced YouTube TV. Set to work with Google's Chromecast streaming device, or with a smart TV with Chromecast built in, it will feature all four major networks, Disney Channel, FX and ESPN as well as the YouTube Red service. It will also include an unlimited DVR that never runs out of space. The service will initially be introduced in limited markets, and activation dates have yet to be announced. 

Cutting the Cord …

Most of us probably remember watching TV with rabbit ears and later when a cable connection was first introduced into our homes.  The cable channel selection was pretty good, the reception was excellent and the prices were reasonable. However as more channels offerings were added, the price of connecting to a cable system continued to rise. According to a September 16,2016 article in Fortune Magazine, the average household cable bill in 2016 was $103.10. For many of us, it is confusing to determine exactly how much we pay for television viewing, because TV service is often bundled with internet and landline telephone service. However we slice it, we pay a substantial amount to watch television, and as snowbirds, it often means paying year-round for a service we use less than half a year. 

The term “cord cutting” has come to define cancelling traditional cable television and watching television offerings over the internet. There are many ways to cut the cord, and the method you chose depends on what you watch and how much you watch it.

If you want access to live programming, there are three viable options currently on the market — Sling TV, PlayStation Vue, and AT&T Direct Now — and several more on the horizon. All are available to stream through the devices covered last week — Apple TV (4th Generation), Roku, Chromecast and Amazon Fire, as well as some Smart TVs.

Sling TV was the first service to offer live streaming without a cable subscription. It also has the lowest base prices, but there are drawbacks, including some channels available only in a limited number of metropolitan areas. For example, in our zip code 33523, live streaming of NBC is not available and ABC is not available either live or delayed viewing. Subscriptions start at $20 a month for a 30+ channel offering that includes ESPN, but not NBC or FOX. For $25 a month you get over 40 channels, including all NBC channels and FOX, but not ESPN. For $40 a month you get a complete lineup of both packages and other channels are available as add-on packages (some $5, some $10). HBO, Cinemax and STARZ can also be added for $15, $10, and $9 respectively. Sling TV is reported to be developing a cloud-based DVR function, but it is not yet operational. 

Playstation Vue, which despite its name does not require a Playstation device for viewing, is more expensive, but has a more extensive lineup of channels in the Tampa area. For $30 a month you receive over 40 channels, including FOX, CNN, CNBC, ESPN, and NBCSN, as well as ABC and NBC on-demand. For an additional $5 you get Fox Sports channels, BEIN Sports, and NBA. There is also a $45 package with even more channels, including the Cooking Channel and BBC World, and for $65 HBO and Showtime are included. HBO and Showtime can also be added to any of the less expensive packages for $15 and $11 respectively. Playstation Vue includes a cloud-based DVR function that lets you record, pause and rewind live TV, and fast-forward through commercials on recorded shows.

The newest live streaming service, DirectTV Now, offers 60+ channels for $35, 80+ channels for $50, 100+ channels for $60 and 120+ channels for $70 per month. The $35 plan includes ABC, NBC, CNN, CNBC, ESPN, FOX, and MSNBC. The service does not currently offer a DVR, but it is reported to be coming soon.

As if researching these three service isn’t enough, several new entrants are poised to become available in 2017. Hulu is set to offer live-streaming early this year. The service promises to include all of the current Hulu offerings plus access to live TV and cloud-based DVR for under $40. A channel lineup has yet to be announced. Finally, Google is rumored to be ready to unveil YouTube Unplugged sometime in early 2017. The pricing and channel lineup are not yet know, but it is expected to cost between $24 to $40 a month.

If you are contemplating cutting the cord, make sure you do your homework. You want to be sure that the service you choose offers the channels you enjoy watching. On the plus side, all the services offer a 7-day free-trial and can be cancelled at any time without penalty. 

Find out more at Sling TV, PlayStation Vue and AT&T Direct Now.

Online Streaming, Revisited …

I had requests from a few OnMouseClick readers to revisit the topic of steaming media. I wrote about this last season and, as with just about everything in technology, there has been changes and advancements since then. The choices available have become exciting but also sometimes complicated and confusing. We no longer have to settle for what the cable or satellite providers decides will be available to us. As informed consumers, we are slowly taking control of our media choices and viewing. In our own household at TR, Eddie and I receive all our entertainment and information streaming from the internet via apple tv, Sonos, and Samsung smart TV’s.

For decades broadcast television was limited to a small number of networks, restricted by localities, captured by an antenna and stopped broadcasting at midnight. Most of us probably remember having a television set with rabbit-ear antennas. All that changed with the introduction of cable in the mid-1980s. Although initially very expensive and slow to catch on, by the start of the new century, most televisions were connected to either a cable or satellite system which offered hundreds of channels. How many channels you received was no longer determined by where you lived, but by how much you were willing to pay. 

Change is once more upon us — television content can be streamed over the internet watched on computers, mobile phones, tablets, and wifi enabled television sets. Until recently, most of this content was prerecorded, but that too is changing.

The most popular streaming services are Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. The first two are monthly subscription services. Netflix subscriptions range from $8 to $12 a month, depending on quality of the video and how many screens you want to be able to watch simultaneously. Hulu subscriptions are $8 a month with commercials and $12 commercial free. Amazon Prime Video is included in a yearly Amazon Prime membership of $99, or monthly for $11. Both Netflix and Amazon Prime Video are commercial free. 

There are differences in the offering of each service. Netflix streams television shows (from past seasons), original content, and movies. The previous season of prime time American shows generally becomes available when the new season premiers on broadcast TV. Eddie and I have been Netflix subscribers since the beginning, and over the years we have watched many excellent, under-the-radar shows we would never have known about, many of them from the UK, Canada and Australia. 

While Hulu does not feature the quantity of television shows and original content offered by Netflix, it streams most television shows from NBC, ABC, FOX and several cable channels the day after they debut on broadcast TV. When we are at home in New York, we DVR the shows we enjoy watching and then view them at our convenience while fast forwarding through the commercials. At TR we just wait a day, or more, and watch the shows without commercial interruption on Hulu.

Amazon Prime Video features a more limited offering of television shows, but they do feature a wide variety of movies and some quality original content. While not as comprehensive, it is an inexpensive choice if you have an Amazon Prime membership. 

In order to stream these services on a television set, you need a reasonably fast wifi connection and either a wifi enabled Smart TV or a steaming device connected to a TV. It is worth noting that most of the so-called “smart” television sets are limited in how much content they can actually stream, and even if you have one of these televisions, you may desire a streaming device. The most popular devices are Apple TV, Roku, Chromecast and Amazon Fire. They range in price from $30 for the lowest end Chromecast to $199 for the most expensive version of Apple TV. Before making a purchase I recommend doing a Google search for reviews of streaming devices. Reputable reviews can be found at PCMag.com, ZDNet and CNET. Direct links to reviews will be available in the online version of the column.

Eddie and I have an older model Apple TV (3rd Generation) and an Amazon Fire. The Amazon device is the size of a USB thumb drive and plugs directly into an HDMI port on the back of the TV. It is more limited in scope than our Apple TV, but works for us when traveling.

At home we use the Apple TV, and have been happy with it, although most reviewers favor Roku devices. We are currently considering upgrading to the newest model of the Apple TV (4th Generation), mainly because some of the newer streaming offerings are not accessible on the older model. One reason for sticking with Apple over another device is that CNBC, which Eddie watches regularly, streams live on Apple TV and prerecorded on Roku. Before making a purchase, it is important to be certain that the device you choose will deliver the content you want.

All of the steaming devices and Smart TVs feature a variety of channel offering, some featuring live broadcasts such as CNN, NBC, TBS, ESPN and PBS to name a few. However the live broadcast offerings are not free. To view the content you must be a cable subscriber and need to sign in with your cable username and password. Generally this only has to be done once a season but it is usually necessary to do this for each channel you wish to view.

You may have heard the phrase "cutting the cord" in reference to discontinuing cable TV service and relying solely on streaming. Next week OnMouseClick will look at several new services that will allow you to actually “cut the cord." Some of these services even offer, or are promising to offer, cloud-based DVR. To quote Bob Dylan, "the times they are a-changin’.”

Reviews from CNET — 

Best Media Streamers of 2017

Which Steamer Should You Buy?

Reviews from PCMag.com —

The Best Media Streaming Devices of 2017

Reviews from ZDNet —

2016's five best internet media streaming devices

The Camera in My Phone …

All mobile phones come with a built in camera — and a camera app to make it work. In addition to the native apps that come with the phones, there are a many third-party iPhone and Android camera apps that include a variety of extra features not found in the native apps. Today’s column will cover a few techniques for getting the best possible images with your mobile phone camera, and for ease of understanding I will limit my coverage to the native iPhone Camera app. Android users should do a Google search to locate camera apps with equivalent features.

iPhone users might not be aware that Apple introduced Live Photos in 2015, a type of image that combines a three-second movie file and a still image file when you take a picture. Live Photos offers a brief moment in time including a short animation of the image — a nice feature when you want it. Unfortunately the feature is turned on by default, and for most users it is not something you want to see all the time. To turn Live Photos off, tap the circle with concentric rings at the top center of the Camera app screen (see image). The icon is yellow if the feature is active, white if it is turned off. Tapping the icon switches between active and off. Whichever setting you choose remains set next time you open the app.

 The following are a few features and tips that will help improve your mobile phone photography.

• Focus – All camera apps have an auto focus feature, but you can change the focal point (point of interest in the image) by tapping on a specific area of your screen. On the iPhone a yellow box appears when you select a new focal point. If you keep your finger on the screen until the letters AE/AF appear at the top of the screen, the focal point is locked in place, even if the camera is moved to recompose the image. 

• Exposure – Lighting plays an important role in taking good photos, but sometimes we find ourselves taking photos in less than perfect lighting conditions. On an iPhone you adjust the overall exposure of your image by selecting a focal point and moving the small sun icon that appears next to the yellow box — move it up to increase or down to decrease the exposure. The exposure also remains locked when the focal point is locked.

• HDR – Another way of solving lighting problems is by using a process known as HDR, which stands for high dynamic range. It is a process that has long been used by photographers to create balanced exposures, closer to what the eye actually sees. The iPhone Camera app includes an HDR feature that takes three shots every time you tap the shutter button — one at the correct exposure, one slightly under exposed and one slightly over exposed. The camera app combines all three exposures into one image with color and detail in both the light and dark areas. The HDR feature can be set to on, off, or auto by tapping the HDR icon at the top of the screen. If you set it to auto the Camera app detects when lighting conditions warrant using the HDR feature. One caveat is that by default both the HDR photo and the normal exposure photo will be saved, taking up additional space on your phone. If you want to save only the HDR you need to go to Photos & Camera under Settings and turn off “HDR Keep Normal Photo”.

• Burst Mode – It is difficult to capture moving objects, be they NASCAR race cars or grandchildren playing tag on the front lawn. Apple has made it easier with Burst Mode. Simply keep holding your finger on the shutter button and the camera will continue to take pictures until you lift your finger. When finished, touch the image in the lower left corner of the screen to see the of image the Camera app selected as the best. Touch the word Select…, appearing in blue below the photo, and scroll through the photos to select the ones you want to keep. 

• Fast Access – When you want instant access to your camera it can be opened directly from the lock screen. With iOS 9 or earlier swipe up on the camera icon in the lower right corner, with iOS 10 swipe left from the right side of the screen. 

• A Few Additional Tips – For stability hold the phone with both hands and keep elbows close to your body. As an alternative to using the virtual shutter button, press the iPhone's physical volume control or plug in the earbud cable and use its volume control to take a picture. When your finger is not touching the phone there is less chance of camera shake and blurry images.

Phone-ograhy has come of age …

Our generation has witnessed major changes in photography over the decades. I’m sure most of you remember using Brownie Instamatic or Polaroid cameras. We now live in the age of digital photography; Kodak and Polaroid cameras are only memories and it is almost impossible to buy film cameras or film. For most of us the go-to camera is the one in our mobile phone, something we probably never envisioned even ten years ago.

By the late-1990s digital cameras were starting to become mainstream, and by 2010 just about everyone had replaced their film cameras with digital. The more serious among us used DSLR cameras (digital single-lens reflex), the digital equivalent of a 35mm single-lens reflex camera, and most snapshot cameras, know as point & shoot cameras,  were digital as well. I carried a small point & shoot in my purse so that I would never be without a camera. In 2011 I bought my first iPhone, an iPhone 4, but I didn’t use the camera much because the quality of the photos it captured did not match the quality of my point & shoot. Over the next few years as I upgraded my phone, first to an iPhone 5 and then an iPhone 6, the quality of the photos kept improving. I often found myself taking a photo with my DSLR or point & shoot, and then taking the same photo with my iPhone as well. Eventually I stopped using the point & shoot, because the iPhone 6 photos were just that good. What really surprised me is how infrequently I found myself using my DSLR.

As some of you might know, I consider myself a fine art photographer, and photographs of mine have been accepted for exhibit in a variety of juried art shows. Last summer I was privileged to have a photograph accepted in the 2nd International Phone-ography Exhibition. What made that exhibition unique is that all of the displayed photographs were taken with a mobile phone (the majority iPhones), and the quality of the work was outstanding. Over three hundred photographers submitted entries and thirty were chosen by the juror to be printed and displayed. At the show’s opening, the other 270 photographs were available for viewing on a computer screen, and the quality of the images easily rivaled photographs taken with single-lens reflex cameras.

In September Apple introduced the iPhone 7 and I was excited to buy one — specifically the iPhone 7 Plus which features dual lenses. The main lens is the same lens found on the previous model, the iPhone 6s(28mm), a moderately wide-angle lens which is similar to lenses found on most point & shoot cameras. (Note: the wider the angle of the lens, the wider the field of vision.) The second lens is a telephoto lens(56mm) that brings objects closer to the viewer. In September I traded in my iPhone 6 for an iPhone 7 Plus and I couldn’t be happier with the camera.The photo quality is better than that of the iPhone 6, and I love having a telephoto lens available immediately.

Last season I wrote about wide-angle, telephoto, and macro Moment Lenses that attach to my iPhone (also available for Android phones). The lenses are made of high quality glass and work flawlessly. The Moment wide-angle is an 18mm lens that offers an even wider field of vision than the native lens, (the photo that was selected for inclusion in the Phone-ography exhibition was taken with a Moment wide-angle lens) and the macro lens is designed for extreme close-ups. I still use both of these lenses, but the Moment telephoto lens is roughly equivalent to the built-in telephoto on the iPhone 7 plus, and has become superfluous.

In an in depth comparison of images from a high-end DSLR camera and a mobile phone camera, the DSLR image is superior, but only marginally. I still use my DSLR and its 300 mm telephoto lens to bring distant objects closer than I could ever get with my iPhone. But for most of my day to day shooting I need nothing more than my iPhone. As the now popular saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you when you. 

Next week I’ll cover some tips on how to shoot the best photos possible with a mobile phone camera. Until then, the online version of OnMouseClick can be found at onmouseclick.blogspot.com.

Keep it Private …

Earlier this season a OnMouseClick reader told me that every time he connects to the TRRWIFI wifi network, he receives a message informing him of “security recommendations”. He uses both an iPad and MacBook online, and all Apple devices deliver this same warning when connecting to an unsecured wifi network. He had heard that a VPN might be able to protect his network connection, but wasn’t sure what it was and how it worked, and suggested a column on the topic. This column attempts to address, and simplify the issue. 

We know that the TRRWIFI network is an open, unsecured network, but what exactly does that mean? In simplified terms, a data signal initially travels over a wired network to a routing device called a router. For TR that means that fiber optic cables deliver the signal to a main router in the park. The signal is then “routed” to other locations, either through additional wires connected to the router, or it is broadcast over the air as wifi signal. 

A router that broadcasts a wifi signal is known as a hotspot. A hotspot is considered protected if users must enter a password on their device before gaining access. If the router is unprotected, or open, anyone in range of the wifi signal has access to everything sent over the network. When you use an open network, you are vulnerable to anyone with a malicious intent. The chances of a so called “cyber attack” happening at Traveler Rest are relatively low, but not impossible, and it is important to protect your sensitive data, especially if you do online banking, shopping or investing.

If you purchased an antenna to connect to TRRWIFI, the signal the antennas captures from the nearest hotspot is sent to a router inside your house or RV and, assuming your router is password protected, unauthorized users are prevented from accessing your data and devices. But if you connect directly to TRRWIFI, you should consider taking steps to keep your data, and devices, secure. 

The answer to protecting your data is to use a VPN, or Virtual Privacy Network. A VPN encrypts the data sent to and from your devices, allowing you to connect to the internet safely and privately. You can compare a VPN to a home security system — it keeps your valuables safe and everything else outside. 

How does this work? To use the internet we all must have an ISP, or Internet Service Provider, which for TRRWIFI is Brighthouse Networks. When you connect to the internet you are actually connecting to a server at your ISP, and from there you connect to the internet. When you use an VPN service, everything you send from your computer is encrypted and sent to a server at the VPN to be unencrypted before it goes to your ISP.  Data leaves and enters your computer covered in a virtual cloak of invisibility.

To use a VPN you need to subscribe to a VPN provider; some are free and most charge a monthly or yearly fee. The encryption used by free services is generally weaker than the paid services, and free services are most often accompanied by ads. Monthly fees ranges from $5 to $12 a month and yearly plans range from $40 to $100. The advantage to paying monthly is that you are not locked into a plan for a full year and you can cancel at any time.

As with everything, there is and upside and downside to using a VPN. The upside is that a VPN keeps your data and devices, secure from hacking and malicious intent. The downside is that using a VPN will slow down your internet connection. The first reason for the slowdown is that encrypting and decrypting data takes time. The stronger the encryption the slower the internet access, although considering the current state of computing power, this slowdown is relatively minor. Of more concern is the distance the data has to travel to the VPN server and back to your ISP server. The further it has to travel, the longer it takes. If the VPN server you use is located near you and your ISP, the process takes less time than if the VPN server is located halfway around the world (many VPN servers are located in Europe and Asia). 

If you are serious about using a VPN, I recommend reading reviews and comparisons before making a decision, and give special attention to the results of speed tests. I recommend reading the reviews published by PC Magazine (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2403388,00.asp) and CNET (https://www.cnet.com/news/best-vpn-services-2016-directory).

More of the Future From CES …

Alan Kay, a legendary computer scientist, once said, “Technology is anything that wasn’t around when you were born.”  As a member of the older generation, I have a difficult time trying to recall all of the technological advances that have been made since I was born. Every year new marvels are introduced, some which will make a positive difference in our lives and many that will quickly fade away. The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas is where many of these innovations first see the light of day. 

Last week I wrote about several innovative products that make use of Amazon’s Alexa technology, a voice-activated digital assistant that can follow simple commands. While Alexa was the obvious star of this year’s CES, there were many other products of note. Smart home products, which are gaining in popularity, can turn lights on and off by voice command, lock doors remotely from a smartphone app, and transmits video to your smartphone when someone rings your doorbell. Among this year’s more interesting, and sometimes humorous smart-home products are an under $100 home security camera, a home security drone, an adorable home security robot, and an automated cat feeder

Dlink introduced an affordably priced home security camera that includes night vision, sound and motion detection, a built-in microphone and a 120-degree field of view. Live footage can be viewed on smart-phone apps for both iOS and Android. The camera, the DCS-8000 LH, is scheduled to debut this spring with a list price of $70.

For those of you who want completely state-of-the-art home security might want to wait for the release of camera-equipped drones from alarm.com. The autonomous drones are designed to fly through the house if alerted by tripped motion sensor or an unexpected noise. The drones capture video that is then sent directly to your smartphone. There is no set release date or pricing for these drones.

The home security robot, Kuri, measuring just under two feet tall is reminiscent of R2-D2 from the original Star Wars movie. The first iteration of Kuri is designed to patrol the home using a predetermined route and can send alerts when anything is out of the ordinary. It can alert a homeowner when the dog jumps on the couch, and the homeowner can command the dog to get down through the robot’s speakers. Kuri has motion and sound sensors for detecting unusual activities and send video and sound recordings to a smart phone. It is also designed to recognize family members and can follow them around the house playing podcasts or reading ebooks. It is promised to ship by next Christmas with a suggested list price of $699.

Finally in the smart-home category is the Catpad, a device that is billed as an automated cat feeder. It has a water reservoir that pumps out fresh water, dispenses dry food at meal times, and communicates with an app to give the owner feedback on the cat’s eating habits. The device is equipped with an RFID sensor that communicates with a vet-implanted microchip, or a fob on the cat’s collar, to determine when the cat is at the feeder, and if there are multiple cats in the house, which cat is eating when. The Catpad will be available in June for $250, costing a bit more than asking your neighbor to feed your cat while you are away.

In the wearables category, the most interesting product is the Linx, a bicycle helmet from Coros. Wearing a bicycle helmet while wearing headphones to listen to audio can be very uncomfortable, not to mention illegal and dangerous. The Linx has two bone conducting speakers that play music through your cheekbones, bypassing the ear drum. The audio is linked from a mobile device and transmitted to the speakers without blocking outside noise. The helmet comes with a remote that straps to the handlebars and has a companion app that can track fitness, plan routes, and alert an emergency contact if the helmet detects a fall. The Linx helmet is available now for $200.

Healthcare is another area of interest, featuring products that can monitor vital signs, glucose, fitness levels, daily activities and even sleep patterns. This category of products has been around for several years, and each year they get more sophisticated and easier to manage and use. One new entry is something I don’t think any of us would label as a “must have,” but it is certainly unique. L’Oreal has teamed up with a technology company to create a smart hairbrush that analyzes your hair and your hair brushing patterns. The findings are relayed to an app that gives you tips on how best to take care of your tresses. The brush will be available later this year and is set to sell for $200. A representative of L’Oreal admitted that this device is not for everyone, but is marketed to the younger generation of “ … time-poor millennials.” 

If you try any of these new technologies, or anything else that is on the cutting edge, please be sure to let me know! I can be reached at onmouseclick@digitalquinn.com and on Twitter at @LindaQPhotos.

Links:

Dlink Camera 

https://www.cnet.com/products/d-link-hd-wi-fi-camera-dcs-8000/preview/

Drone

https://www.cnet.com/news/at-ces-flying-drones-are-alarm-com-home-security-moonshot-ces-2017/

KURI Robot

https://www.cnet.com/products/mayfield-robotics-kuri/preview/

Catpad

https://www.cnet.com/news/catspad-smart-pet-feeder-ces-2017/

Bike Helmet

https://www.cnet.com/products/coros-linx-smart-cycling-helmet/preview/

Smart Hairbrush

https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/03/withings-and-loreal-made-a-smart-hairbrush/

What the future holds …

Every year, during the first week in January, major players in the tech world gather in Las Vegas for the annual CES (Consumer Electronics Show). Tech companies from around the globe show off their newest gadgets and designs, giving consumers a peak into the future — both near and far off. I couldn't make it to Las Vegas, but I did visit some of the websites that cover the tech industry to find out what's "hot" and what's not. 

According to Wired Magazine, the unequivocal star of this year’s CES was Amazon Alexa. Last May Amazon introduced the Amazon Echo, a 9.25-inch cylinder that acts as a music playback speaker and connects to a voice-controlled, cloud based “intelligent personal assistant” service known as Alexa. Say “Alexa,” followed by a command that it has been programmed to understand, and Alexa makes it happen. When first introduced Alexa, and the Echo, were seen as something of a toy device, only good for playing audio (“Alexa, play the Bloomberg podcast.”) and ordering from Amazon (Alexa, reorder Tom’s toothpaste.”). Since then, Amazon has made Alexa technology available to third party developers, and the results have been phenomenal. There were dozens of Alexa-enabled devices at CES, from Smart-Home applications that control devices in our home and automobiles.

Ford Motors showed off a car that connects to Alexa by pushing a button on the steering wheel. According to the Ford Media website, the onboard Alexa can check the weather, play audiobooks, search and transfer local destinations to navigation, request news and add items to Amazon shopping lists. Vehicle owners can even control Alexa enabled devices in our homes, including garage door openers, lighting and security systems, and heating and air conditioning systems.  Say a command while sitting in your car, such as “Alexa, set the air conditioner to 72º,” and when you arrive home, your house will be at just the right temperature.

Ford’s in-car Alexa integration is scheduled to debut this summer, but owners of some Ford vehicles will be able to take advantage of some Alexa features next month. Owners of electric vehicles — the Ford Focus Electric, Fusion Energi and C-MAX Energi — will be able to use an Echo to preform certain automobile related tasks from home. Command include starting and stopping the car (not a good idea if someone else is driving it), locking and unlocking doors and monitoring vehicle readings such as fuel level and battery range. Say “Alexa, ask my FordMobile to lock my car,” or “Alexa, ask my FordMobile to start my car,” and it is done.

In the home, Alexa has been integrated with 21 new Whirlpool appliances, slated for release in 2017. As with the Ford vehicles, users must have an Echo in their home to take advantage of these unique features. A Whirlpool oven will let owners set cooking times and temperatures with a spoken command, and during cooking they can ask how much cooking time remains. Washers and dryers will also be able to give time remaining, or enable a quiet mode. Whirlpool refrigerators will allow you to change the internal temperature with voice commands. 

Last year LG introduced a line of refrigerators with an “Insta-View” screen on the door that was capable of showing images of the products inside the appliance. This year LG is adding Alexa integration. The “Insta-View” screen is voice controlled and promises to have the ability to set timers, tell you how many teaspoons are in a cup, play music, check weather, show an image of what is inside and order food from Amazon Prime Pantry. There is also an app that allows you to access the information on your smart-phone when you are away from home. If you are grocery shopping and can’t remember if you need milk, just take out your smart-phone and take a look at the inside of your refrigerator. LG has not announced when the appliance will be available.

Neither Ford, Whirlpool or LG have announce pricing on their Alexa compatible devices, but the list price of last year’s “Insta-View” refrigerator started at over $4,000. 

A note on the Amazon Echo — Since the Echo was first released, Amazon has introduced two new models. The original Echo sells for $180, the slightly smaller Echo Tap sells for $130 and the disk shaped Echo Dot sells for $50. Visit the Amazon website to compare the three devices. 

Next week’s column will cover more innovations from CES 2017.

What follows are links that provide more information on products mentioned in today's column.

Alexa:

http://motherboard.vice.com/read/why-amazons-alexa-ran-away-with-ces

http://www.marketwatch.com/video/how-amazon-alexa-won-ces-2017/D78E4A45-A287-4CC6-A5DD-B0F5776A274A.html

http://www.cnbc.com/2017/01/06/ces-2017-amazon-alexa-stole-the-show-a-bid-to-become-the-iot-operating-system.html

https://www.wired.com/2017/01/ces-alexa-in-everything/

Whirlpool

http://www.techhive.com/article/3154275/consumer-electronics/whirlpools-smart-appliances-will-be-amazon-alexa-compatible-this-year.html

https://ces.whirlpool.com

http://www.techtimes.com/articles/191204/20170104/ces-2017-whirlpool-and-amazon-partner-up-to-integrate-alexa-with-smart-appliances.htm

Ford

http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-alexa-coming-to-ford-cars-2017-1

http://www.geekwire.com/2016/ford-working-on-amazon-echo-integration-connecting-cars-to-homes/

https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2017/01/04/alexa-car-ford-amazon-shop-search-home.html

LG

https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/04/lg-refrigerator-with-amazons-alexia/

https://www.engadget.com/2017/01/06/lg-smart-instaview-refrigerator-hands-on/

http://www.lg.com/us/refrigerators/lg-LMXC23796D-french-4-door-refrigerator