Computer on …

The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has closed up shop for another year, but some of the technologies and gadgets introduced in Las Vegas earlier this month will someday become part of our everyday life. I experienced CES vicariously from TR, and this week and next I will share some of the products introduced at the show. One surprise feature of the show was the number of cool things aimed not at millennials, but baby boomers. Our age demographic is a force to be reckoned with, and notice has been taken by technology companies.

It is alway fun to take a look at products that are considered “concept ideas.” These are products that are not yet ready for the marketplace, but can only be described by one word — cool! Two of these cool products are television sets from LG and Samsung. LG’s 65” TV rolls up into a box and can be raised to different heights to display various aspect ratios. A movie that would typically have black bars on the top and bottom of the picture on a traditional TV can be set to a size that will display only the picture on the roll up TV. 

Samsung’s television of the future is called The Wall, a 146” diagonal screen that hangs on the wall like a picture. While the screen is large, the size and shape of the actual TV picture can be customized to display a wall sized picture, or a smaller picture with the surrounding area set to blend into the wall it is mounted on. No dates were given when either of these two TVs will be available to  purchase.

Another product in the “Cool” category is the FoldiMate. Promised for late 2019 release, it is a robot with the sole purpose of folding your clothes. Feed clothes into the front of the FoldiMate and in minutes they come out folded to your specifications. While this may be cool, I cannot imagine why anyone would buy it for their home, but the company is taking pre-orders on their webpage at foldimate.com, which also features a video of the robot in action.

Robots were everywhere at CES this year, and many of the robots are designed to react to human emotions. Robots are being designed to read and react to a person’s emotional state. The Japanese company SoftBank introduced Pepper, a human shaped  robot that was designed as a companion with the ability to receive emotions and adjust its behavior accordingly. According to cnet.com, it is “capable of interpreting a smile, a frown, your tone of voice . . . and non-verbal language.” Pepper is already being deployed in SoftBank Mobile stores in Japan, and is beginning to be marketed for Japanese homes. One envisioned future use for Pepper is a companion to the elderly in healthcare facilities.

Blue Frog Robotics introduced Buddy, a companion robot designed to be part of the family. It can play with and teach children, offer assistance in the kitchen by suggesting recipes and answering the phone, entertaining the family with music and videos, and keeping track of the family calendar and to-do-list. Buddy, as a one-robot alarm system, can patrol the home when the family is away, can issue an alert when something is amiss and has a temperature sensors to monitor for fires and flooding. It can also function in elder care by reminding when to take medications, issue an alert for falls, and provide companionship. Buddy is expected to be available soon and price should start at around $1500 for the base model.

The surprise winner of the Best of CES 2018 Award was My Special Alflac Duck, a cuddly robot designed by InSproutel in collaboration with the Aflac Cancer Center. The robot  was created to provide comfort to children diagnosed with cancer. The robot duck can mirror the child’s care routines, such as chemotherapy, feeding and bathing. The duck comes with smiley and frown face circular tokens that a child holds to the duck’s chest to express feelings, and it can dance and quack for entertainment. Aflac’s objective was to give a My Special Alflac Duck to every newly diagnosed childhood cancer patient in the US by next winter, at no cost to the families.

In next week’s OnMouseClick I will tell you about some of the products from CES that will be ready for the marketplace in the very near future.

What do you have in your pocket?

As I write this column the annual Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is taking place in Las Vegas. It is the world’s largest electronics trade show where companies gather to launch products ready for the market place and introduce ideas still on the drawing board. Many of the technological marvels making their debut at the 2018 show will one day become as ubiquitous as our mobile phones, others will quickly fade into oblivion and some will never see the light of day. 

All of us at Travelers Rest are “of a certain age,” and it is mind boggling to think of all the technological advances that have been achieved since the mid-twentieth century. Forty years ago computers filled entire rooms, telephones had dials and math students were still learning to use slide rules. 

Do you remember when you purchased your first handheld calculator? My father was the first in our family to buy a Texas Instrument Calculator to use on his job in the early 1970s. I don’t remember the cost, but I know it was expensive. A few years later calculators became more affordable and I purchased one for myself. It was an amazing device. It fit in my pocket or pocketbook and I took it with me wherever I went.

Fast forward almost fifty years and I still have a handheld device in my pocket, one that is ostensibly a telephone, but it does so much more. These mobile devices are tiny marvels and they have the computational power of a room full of mid-twentieth century computers. With them we can make telephone calls, snap photographs, calculate numbers, keep our calendars and address books and so much more. Used as an interface, our “phones” can monitor our fitness when connected to a wearable fitness monitor, function as a remote control for TVs, turn on and off the lights in our houses, and show live-feed video when someone rings the bell at your front door, even when you are away from home.

Over the next few weeks I will cover some of the technological innovations being introduced this week in Las Vegas, as well as introduce you to ways you can use your smart phones to interface with other devices. Meanwhile, I thought I would update TR Times readers on the ongoing “experiment” of cutting the cable cord at our house. 

As I wrote back in November we are subscribing to Hulu Live TV instead of cable TV, and as such we have the same service in Florida as we have in New York. When we arrived at TR in early November, we had only been using the Live TV feature of Hulu for a few weeks. In New York, where we are connected to the internet with a cable company, our downlink speed are up to 50 Mbps (megabits per second). In comparison, at TR we are limited to our Centurylink DSL, with a maximum downlink speed of 10 Mbps. 

That being said, the plus to our internet based TV is that we have the same service in New York and Florida, and we can even watch TV on our mobile devices when we are on the road. Over 50 broadcast and cable networks are available to watch live, and while CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX are not available live in all geographic areas, they are available on demand. The service also includes a DVR function to record shows for later viewing, although playback includes commercials.

The drawbacks include the occasional freezing of the picture while watching live TV, which occurs with some frequency here at TR when the downlink speed fluctuates. However, that does not occur up north with our higher internet speed. We don’t have that problem when watching shows that are streamed on Hulu, Netflix or Amazon Prime, only with the live TV, which we watch mainly for news and financial broadcasts.

The other negateve is the DVR functions. It does not include user programmable functions for setting recording times. We record a nightly broadcast on CNBC which often runs a minute or two past the scheduled end time of 6:00 p.m., and invariably we miss those last few minutes on Hulu, as there is no way to set the time for a recording to end. In NY we always set the end of the recording at least a few minutes longer for program overlap and news flashes.  You also cannot fast forward through the commercial on recorded programs, although that feature is available with Hulu’s enhance DVR service for an additional cost.

All in all, switching from cable in New York to Hulu Live TV was a good move. We have more access to programs and networks during our months in Florida, and we are saving a considerable amount of money.

What was that password?

If you read last weeks column, I hope you have begun to change your online passwords and making them more secure. But how are you going to remember all these new passwords? Even following last week’s recommendation, using mnemonics can quickly  become overwhelming. I added up all the passwords that are important to my husband and me, including ones used sporadically and some created for one-time use, and I counted over 200 passwords. Not too many years ago I kept an alphabetized notebook of all our passwords and it was a big relief when I found an alternative – a password manager. But what is a password manager and how does it work? 

Password managers store and retrieve login information for all your online accounts. They utilize a downloaded app on your computer and mobile devices as well as plugin extension browsers. You need only enter a password before using the password manager, and that is the only password you have to remember. All the others will be stored securely in the password manager. Each password manager has its own method for entering credentials, and most of them allow for importing credentials from other sources, such as other password managers and spreadsheet files. 

Once installed, the browser plug-in automatically fills in the username and password associated with the websites you visit. The more sophisticated data managers require a yearly subscription fee, almost all offer a free trial, and some offer a free version with limited features. A key feature to look for in a password manager is the ability to sync passwords across all your devices, regardless of the operating system. Other advanced features include the ability to enter passwords for applications, not just websites, and the inclusion of a password generator that can create long and complicated passwords. 

The password manager we have been using for the past several years is Keeper, from Keeper Security, Inc. (keepersecurity.com). Included is unlimited password storage, syncing across all our devices, secure cloud backup, fingerprint login for newer devices and even password generation. We use the Keeper app on all our devices, making it easy to make additions and updates. Updates made to one device are automatically sync to all the other devices in a matter of seconds. The Keeper plugin on our browsers requires password activation each time the browser is launched, as does the app on our iPhones and iPads. I have the fingerprint option turned on for my devices, and when I open the Keeper app, I hold my finger over the Home button on my iPhone or iPad to effortlessly unlock it.

Another feature I really like about this app is that you can store more than just login information and passwords. Each record allows the creation of multiple, unique fields. As an example, many sites require security questions, and I can create a field for questions and answers as needed. I can easily store customer care phone numbers, the emails we have on file and any other unique information. For us, Keeper  acts as a security vault for vital information. You can also create folders in the app for organizing entries. What would happen if one of my devices fell into the wrong hands? The Keeper Security does not keep a record of master passwords, and only five attempts at entering a password are allowed and then all of the information stored on the device is erased.

While writing this article I came across an excellent 2018 review of password managers on the PC Magazine website, PCmag.com. The review covers ten paid password managers, selecting four as Editors’ Choice. The price of subscriptions for the reviewed password managers are from $12 to $40. The one we use is $30 a year for one user and $59 for up to five users. The article includes a link to free password managers, but the only one that offers advanced features, including syncing across devices, is LastPass (lastpass.com) It can only be used by one user and does not work with applications, but you can upgrade to a paid version for additional features.

A New Year’s Resolution to Keep

It’s that time again … time to make resolutions designed to make us a better person in the New Year. People everywhere are promising to lose weight, get organized, exercise more and eat a healthier diet. However the odds are that by the end of January most resolutions will be nothing but a faded memory. According the the New York Times, “By Jan. 8, some 25 percent of resolutions have fallen by the wayside. And by the end of the year, fewer than 10 percent have been fully kept.”

I have a suggestion for a New Year’s resolution that all of us, including myself, should make and promise to complete in early 2018 – change all our online passwords.  They should all be changed on a regular basis, at least every three to six months, and with all the recent cyberattacks, this advice could not be more relevant. It is very important to use strong passwords, and to use different passwords for every password protected website and app. 

What is a strong password? One that is difficult for another person, or computer, to guess. Characteristics of a strong password are:

• A minimum of 8 characters.
• A mix of uppercase and lowercase letters.
• A mix of letters and numbers.
• The inclusion of at least one special character such as @, #, $, %, ?.
• One that is not written down on a piece of paper. 

A good password needs all of these characteristics plus one more thing. It needs to be easy to remember, and thus you should create passwords that can be remembered with a mnemonic. A mnemonic is a memory tool that aids in remembering information – an example of a mnemonic is ROY G BIV for the colors of the visible spectrum (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) or the rhyme we all learned to remember the number of days in each month of the year (30 days hath September …).

Before you can create a strong password, you should have an idea of what constitutes a weak password.  Some examples of weak passwords are:

• Single words that can be found in the dictionary, in any language.
• A single word with some of the letters replaced by numbers (e.g., pa33w0rd).
• A repeated character or a series of characters (e.g., AaAa, 12345, abcde).
• The name of a family member, pet, or famous person.
• Numbers based on family members ages and birthdays. 

A few ideas for creating strong passwords are:

• Think of a sentence and use the first letters of each word, substituting numbers for number words, adding a special character and using one or more uppercase letters. (e.g., I am trying to think of a good password and my brain is mud = iaT2T0agp&mbim).
• String together three or more words that do not make any sense together (e.g., bird tractor citizen, adding a number or two, an uppercase letter and a special character = biRd#trActor3ciTizen).
• Add “padding” to make a password longer. Padding is a series of keystrokes that would not in themselves make a good password, but can be added to good passwords and make them better. (e.g., !!!!goOD59road)))!?).

Naturally, you can make a very secure password by stringing together random letters, numbers and special characters, but such a password would be impossible to remember. Even using the mnemonic tricks listed above, remembering all your necessary passwords can be extremely challenging. The solution is to use a password manager, a topic that will be covered in next week’s OnMouseClick.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and password protected 2018. The online version of OnMouseClick can be found at onmouseclick.blogspot.com.

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.