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About autocreate740

I am a senior citizen retired after working for 50 years in various professions. I find social media intriguing, blogging uplifting, and technology in general a welcomed challenge. My newest interests are Aromatherapy and Essential Oils. I have recently acquired an Aromatherapist Certification from the New York Institute of Aromatics. I write about all of these interests as topics on my various blogs. I am hopeful that the posts I create bring information that is useful and moves my readers to explore more.

Privacy Online? What a Concept!

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I am sure you heard about the recently published articles regarding online privacy.  How sure can we be that the people who are watching us, are people we want to share our views and Internet behavior/habits with?  I think this is something we want to have control over, but, how much can we control?

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Jennifer Valentino-DeVries of the  Wall Street Journal reported on this topic in a February 16, 2012 article, ‘How Google Tracked Safari Users’.  The article discusses the use of “cookies’ being stored in a person’s computer to track online activities. Many online ‘savvy’ users are well aware of this common practice; however, Apple users thought Apple’s Safari Web Browser was defaulted to block this type of tracking.  You can get the full article details via  How Google Tracked Safari Users – Digits – WSJ

I wondered what others were thinking about this, and found some excellent points made by Alan Thompson, Principal Consultant, Marketing Analytics – July 29, 2011 article,  Is online privacy a realistic expectation?  Thompson makes some excellent points; such as he says Users benefit from free APPS , and without tracking the owners of these APPS can’t provide meaningful targeting for advertisers. In other words, without ads, charges would be required for the Free Apps users load on their devices.  He points out that we (users)  do have the choice to read and accept terms and conditions.  Many of  us often just ‘accept’ the terms without reading what they are because the benefits to us outweigh the privacy risks. We want to use these free Web Apps and services and have free access to information, therefore our privacy could be compromised.  In 2011 Thompson stated that the focus on mobile apps and privacy were not new, and that data aggregators have been collecting information on households for many years.  The first data aggregator that came to my mind was Nielsen reports.  You can read more about the various ways data is used in the article via Is online privacy a realistic expectation? | Tellabs Blog | Telecom News & Industry Trends | Tellabs News.

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 As consumers of these ‘Free APPS, Services and Information’, what can we do to be creative in protecting ourselves from these marketing strategies?
♦ Google has made a serious effort to find solutions for the privacy concerns of their users and provides  some ways to protect yourself. These are some of the tools available to you:  Encrypt searches, use Google Chrome, check Web History controls, use Gmail Chat “off the record”, Opt-out-install of Google Analytics Personalization.

♦ Make sure to visit Google’s Dashboard, via Privacy tools – Google, which has the guidelines for changing your privacy settings.

You can make a proactive choice in handling how some of your online habits are evaluated :).  I hope this is helpful.

APP Therapy?

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As Benedict Carey writes in Science Times . . . a new generation of apps may soon offer psychotherapy on the go. In the past few years, researchers have been testing simple, video-game-like programs aimed at relieving common problems like anxiety and depression. These recent results have been encouraging enough that investigators are now delivering the programs on smartphones — therapy apps, in effect, that may soon make psychological help accessible anytime, anywhere, whether in the grocery store line, on the bus, or just before a work presentation.via Coming to Your Smartphone: Therapy Apps – NYTimes.com.

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These days, many of us complain about the 24 hour response lives we are leading due to Smartphones, iPads, Laptops, Twitter, Facebook, Email, Internet, the SOCIAL MEDIA THING!  We want a break!  Now it seems, even our relaxation and therapy will  come from a computer!  The ‘Relaxation Response‘ is now available in various  APPS.  No Kidding!

♦ The Relaxation Response,  a term coined by Herbert Benson in a book of the same name, where he describes his research into the effects of meditation via Relaxation response – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

I am eager to see where this will lead us in the future since it seems  there is a serious discussion about the potential help these APPS may offer. The following excerpt is a brief description of what to expect. You can click the link at the end of this short description to read the full details.

♦ Objective: This exploratory study examined the potential of mobile phone technologies to broaden access to cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and to provide in-the-moment support. ♦ Methods: We developed a mobile phone application with touch screen scales for mood reporting and therapeutic exercises for cognitive reappraisal . . . and physical relaxation. via JMIR-Mobile Therapy: Case Study Evaluations of a Cell Phone Application for Emotional Self-Awareness | Morris | Journal of Medical Internet Research.

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Android cell phone users will want to take this opportunity to check out some of the APPS already on the market to help you with relaxation techniques available for Android cell phones.  Some favorites appear below, and are available, with many others at this  link  http://www.androidfreeware.net/tag-relaxation.html

Rainy Jungle – A rainy jungle view over a river and a stimulating hail of the raindrops for your relaxation or deep sleep.
Guide to Psychotherapy – Learn The Basics About The Healing Power Of Psychotherapy.
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iPhone and iPad users can find a great choice for meditation and relaxation APPS by clicking the links below.
I hope this is helpful 🙂   PEACE!


APPS Celebrate Black History

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Black History Month, or National African American History Month, is an annual celebration of achievements by black Americans and a time for recognizing the central role of African Americans in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating black history. via Black History Month — History.com Articles, Video, Pictures and Facts.

Both Android and Apple are celebrating Black History Month with interesting APPS.  There is an exciting selection to choose from.  Take a look and see what meets your personal interest.

ANDROID APPS:  Description – Are you searching for facts and information about the lives of famous and important black people in history? Discover all the facts about the inspirational lives and achievements of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, and other famous and noteworthy black history people.Maybe you’re a teacher looking for ideas for Black History Month activities…a student researching a project… or a concerned parent who wants to make sure that their kids are fully aware of the many famous African Americans who can inspire them to follow their dreams. Nearly 100 profiles are included.via Black History People – Android Apps and Tests – AndroidPIT.

ANDROID App Screenshots

iPhone APPS for History and Inspiration

The Black History Month iPhone app offers pre-selected images that are relative to the time of celebration. A short description is available for each image, which can be used for your phone’s wallpaper or incorporated into the Gallery. For 99 cents, the iPhone app also includes a soundtrack for a full slideshow effect.

For an iPhone app that offers some perspective on Black History Month, there’s Then and Now Series: Black History. A relevant resource, this $1.99 iPhone app is also great to share with the kids. Learn of those that have made an impact in recent and distant history, with an easy-to-use interface offering information about 100 influential people.

For a more basic perspective, the 99-cent African American History iPhone app offers the run down on important African-Americans and their achievements. With a “This Day in History” option, you can also receive daily information made relevant throughout the entire month of February.

Aside from basic history quotes, African-Americans have had an impact on the country’s film culture as well. Check out the TCM iPhone app to see what related films will be included in February’s lineup. The free iPhone app also gives information about each film, its cast and crew, and its influence on America and cinematography.via iPhone and Android apps to celebrate Black History Month – iPhone app recommendations – Kristen Nicole | Appolicious ™ iPhone and iPad App Directory.

I hope you enjoy these APPS. 🙂

Phone Security

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Everywhere lately I am reading about how to protect one’s identity from phone loss or theft.  In recent weeks it is even more so.  This topic is without doubt something we all need to be aware of, and should do  something about.  Are you at risk of putting your identity in jeopardy because you have not taken the steps to add restrictions on your phone?

What are your risks today?  Have you ever lost your phone?  Do you think security on your device is important?  Don’t think so ? Below is a small part of an article that appeared in the New York Times recently.  I urge you to click on the link after the brief summary to get the full story.

Chuck Bokath would be terrifying if he were not such a nice guy. A jovial senior engineer at the Georgia Tech Research Institute in Atlanta, Mr. Bokath can hack into your cellphone just by dialing the number. He can remotely listen to your calls, read your text messages, snap pictures with your phone’s camera and track your movements around town — not to mention access the password to your online bank account. via Protecting a Cellphone Against Hackers – NYTimes.com.

Enough said?  Below are  recommendations  on how to begin protecting yourself from compromising the safety of your personal information.  In the New York Times article one of the smartphone security companies  mentioned is Lookout, Inc.  Check out the information below and get started with protecting your cyber identity.  🙂

♦ Award-Winning Security That’s Easy to Use Your smartphone is vital to your work and everyday life. Lookout provides award-winning security to protect you from viruses, malware and spyware, the ability to backup and restore your data, and tools to help locate lost or stolen phones. Lookout’s unique cross-platform, cloud-connected applications are designed to be lightweight and efficient while delivering the best protection possible. via Smartphone Security | Mobile Device Security for Smartphones.

♦ Apple iPhone and iPad users can checkout the 2 links below

Protecting and Recovering Your iPhone and iPad from Loss and Theft | Security Generation.

Frequently Asked Questions About Find My iPhone (and iPad) | Security Generation.

♦  Android phone users may want to check out how to protect their phones with Norton’s beta app

Norton Mobile Security Android security appSmartphones hold a lot of valuable data: Text messages, e-mail, and even credit card numbers can reside on the device, where they’re easily accessed. If you lose your phone, you run the risk of having your identity stolen. Sure, you can set up a lock pattern, but we have seen such measures circumvented in the past.

Symantec’s Norton Mobile Security (beta) allows you to remotely lock and wipe your phone by text message, so that whoever finds it can’t immediately go on a shopping spree in the Android Market with your money. You can even lock down the SIM card so that a thief can’t swap it out to another phone. Beyond that, Norton permits you to block calls and text messages, as well as to scan your phone for malware. Although the program is still in beta until the end of the year, Norton Mobile Security is a superb choice for anyone who wants complete cell phone protection. via Protect Your Android Phone With Security Apps | PCWorld.

I hope this is helpful 🙂


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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I cannot write my post today before I acknowledge the recent reports about the manufacturing of Apple products in China.  Even more to the point,  I do not think that any one of the many Apple customers in the United States was not troubled by the report of how these products, we’ve come to love and use, are being made for our use and entertainment.

Human cost does matter.  In this country where we live to enjoy all sorts of labor laws to protect the human cost value from capitalism, we cannot close our minds and eyes to this recent, startling revelation.  We should further evaluate and listen, but we cannot ignore what is alleged.

In 1904 the National Child Labor Committee began its mission of advocating for child labor laws in the United States.  That was one hundred eight years ago. That’s only one issue.

Surely, as citizens, parents and ultimately as consumers of the products, which Apple and other companies either manufacture, or contract with others to manufacture, we will be vigilantly watching for what plans and solutions to this multi-headed hydra are proposed and implemented.  The news is disturbing; the answer is probably not simple.

There is clearly more to come on this subject.

E-mail Re-solutions 2012

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How many of us managed to ‘organize‘ our e-mail last year?  Are all of your important e-mail items  in ‘tidy, neat, easily retrievable’ folders? ¿NO?   I must confess, neither are my e-mail folders.  In fact, I am truly losing the battle of organizing my e-mail.  Like most of you, I have more than one e-mail box, and I get more and more mail each day.  Needless to say it’s a difficult situation.  So, once again we searched for some of the best ideas on how to combat (i.e., at least get a grip!) on how to handle this situation.

Some of you may have seen an article in the New York Times last year by Sam Grobart where he offers 5 easy solutions for handling email organization :).  Below is a synopsis of what I read in that article.  I suggest you click on the link after reading the brief summary to get the details.

How to organize e-mail

1 – Use SEARCH instead of organizing your mail items into folders.  I have tried this alternative, and it certainly works when you need to get access to  information quickly. Use various ways to find what you are looking for:  email username, first or last name of the sender, subject, body of the text.

2 – BLOCK  unwanted mail.  Of course you all know to cut spammers.  Check out your email service for effective ways to get others blocked from entering your email box.

3 – Do you email yourself reminders?  I’ve certainly done that.  However, when I look for those reminders later, I NEVER find the one I need! :(.  Apparently there are various services which allow you to schedule a message to reappear in your mailbox when you need it 🙂 !  Some of the suggested services are: http://www.emailaddresses.com/email_reminder.htm and  http://www.boomeranggmail.com/

4 – I am sure many of you are already using your Inbox as an address book.  Well, it may be the solution you need for keeping the latest address of all your contacts. I, however, probably would find this cumbersome when trying to find an address just to create a mail item.  I think I prefer the address book feature provided by my mailing software.  But, if this idea works for you.  Go for it !

5- Chill out!  Don’t get so worked up about having a lot of e-mail.  If it’s a messy situation, consider yourself one of the many humans on the planet now suffering from the same thing.  It’s the way we live now, so RELAX ! I really liked this suggestion :-).
For more details in the original article check out this link : 5 Easy Steps to Stanch the E-Mail FloodBy SAM GROBARTPublished: September 7, 2011 via 5 Easy Steps to Stanch the E-Mail Flood – NYTimes.com.

Below are some other ideas for organizing email that you may want to check out.

Here are 4 Free Email organizers that help you in automatically organizing your emails. These free email organizers help you in prioritizing emails based on rules you specify, and based on their own intelligence. These email organizers come really handy if you have multiple email accounts, and get tons of emails daily. These email prioritization software will help you quickly get through the clutter, and focus on important emails first. All these email prioritization software are completely free. via Best Email Organizers and Email Prioritizers || Free Software.

I hope this is helpful 🙂

Using HotSpots … Guidelines…

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At the last post we offered some suggestions for using HotSpot software.  Boingo WiFi and Wi-Finder appear to be very popular Mobile Apps. Both iPad and Android  have this App available for their mobile devices.  Boingo received  great reviews, both for ease of use and customer service.

Mobile applications, also called mobile apps, are software applications, usually designed to run on smartphones and tablet computers. They are available through application distribution platforms, which are typically operated by the owner of the mobile operating system, such as the Apple App Store, Android Market, and BlackBerry App World. Some apps are free, and others have a price.via Mobile apps – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Here are some of the details that caught our attention.  We suggest you use the links provided at the end of this post to get a complete review and guidance for each App.

♦ When traveling to a new place check out the Wi-Fi access before you go.  This may help you decide on a hotel site, or a particular hotel (see below).

♦ The Blue pins on the map show free hotspots; Red pins indicate Boingo hotspots.

To check where the hotspots are at the site you are traveling to, do the following on your mobile device:

1) Click the Boingo App Logo  2) Click Find Hotspots Near Me  3)  Type the  address, or city and state of the place you’re traveling to  4) When the Blue & Red pins show up, click the View button  5) click the List button  6) click Done, a list of locations will appear on your mobile device screen (see samples below). You can also click on a place to see more details (e.g., whether the hotspot is free).  Note:  Click the images below with your mouse to see a clearer picture.

              

Check out these great websites below by clicking the links for additional information:

 ♦ Boingo Wi-Finder for iPhone Review: Finding Hotspots Everywhere via Boingo Wi-Finder for iPhone Review: Finding Hotspots Everywhere

 ♦ Musings by Annelie Näs  Digital, and more digital – ideas, thoughts and reflections via Boingo Wireless Follow-Up: Special treatment for Blogging customers?.

I hope this is helpful 🙂 !



2011 in review

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The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,000 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 33 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Are you in a HotSpot?

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In the upcoming weeks we are going to have  short bursts of information on what HotSpots are.  For example Boingo Wireless and Boingo Wi-Finder, and where you can buy or download the  free service. Also, we will look at why you would use a paid service instead of a free one.

What is  a HotSpot?

♦ A HotSpot is a site that offers Internet access over a wireless local area network with a router connected to a link to an Internet service provider. Hotspots typically use Wi-Fi technology (this was covered in a earlier post. Check the post listing if you want a detailed description).

♦ Hotspots may be found in coffee shops and various other public establishments throughout much of the developed world. via Hotspot (Wi-Fi) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

What types of  Internet access services are available to use Hotspots?

♦ Boingo Wireless is a paid service and provides Internet access

♦ Boingo Wi-Finder is a free service and provides Internet access

Below is a brief summary of information found  at Wireless Internet Reviews.  You can click the link  below to read the full description and rating of each service.

♦ Boingo Wireless has a network of Wi-Fi providers worldwide (100,000 hotspots globally).

♦ AT&T has competitive pricing  for monthly Wi-Fi Hotspot subscription packages. It’s a good choice for travelers.

♦ T–Mobile currently operates the fourth largest network in the United States. They have plans available of their network Wi-Fi Hotspots.

Click the link for detailed information: via Best Rated Subscription Hotspot Services | Wireless Internet Reviews

We will have the chance to discuss other findings about HotSpots at the next post.

I hope this is helpful! 🙂