Need Help Selecting the Right Techie Gift?
Confused by all the choices?
Kindles, Nooks, iPads, iPhones, Androids, digital cameras, etc. The list is endless. You want to make sure you select the right gift for your friends, family and business associates.
Before you walk into one of the many retailers offering “deals” on the latest and greatest new techie gadgets, consider the following:
Not all people are created equal. While many of us love gadgets, giving your parent or child an ipad might be something they will never be able to use. Make sure your gift is in line with their technology acumen.
Most items listed above vary in price based on their specifications. Make sure you understand the differences between basic and advanced features.
Gift certificates for books for the Kindle and music for the iPhone are just two examples.
For family or friends whom you feel might be confused by all the new technology or need to brush on their technology skills, you should consider giving them a copy of my e-book, which can be ordered and read on both a Kindle and an iPad, directly from Amazon by clicking here.
How about a gift of a few hours of computer lessons?
If you want to make sure your gifts are received with a “Wow” instead of a confused look, give me a call at 917 921-4518 or e-mail me at jblue@bluetutor.com. I can help you make the right choices.
What Boomers and Seniors Need to Know
So much technology……. So many choices
Chances are that your children are more tech savvy than you are.
Are you on the wrong side of the Great Digital Divide?
Do you have the right tools to operate in the new Mobile World?
Now available as an e-book. Order it for your Kindle
ARE YOU SECURING YOUR MOBILE DEVICES?
We are living in a mobile world. Chances are that you are using your smartphone and tablet more than your computer for e-mail and information. Are your mobile devices secure? Do you know how to find them if they are lost?
Within the next couple of years, more people will be accessing the Internet through a mobile device than with a desktop or laptop computer.
Listen in to my BlogTalkRadio program for a discussion with my guest, Neil Forster, President of Forster Technology Solutions, about what you need to know about securing your mobile devices and how to locate them if they are misplaced.
What You Need to Know About Microsoft’s Window 8
Are you in the market for a new computer? Should you be upgrading to Microsoft’s new Windows 8 operating system?
Microsoft has made a major commitment with its new operating system. The major shift in technology to mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets has resulted in a slowdown in the purchasing of traditional desktop computers.
Microsoft has finally decided to grab market share from leaders such as Apple, Google, and Amazon with the introduction of an operating system for both desktop and tablets.
Should Microsoft be part of your future? Click below and listen to Jim Blue and Carl Mazzanti, a Microsoft Partner of the Year, talk about what you need to know before making a decision.
If you want to discuss whether or not Windows 8 is right for you, do not hesitate to contact me directly at 917 921-4518 or by e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com
Are You Using E-Mail Marketing?
What is E-mail Marketing and why should it be part of your Social Media Strategy?
Email marketing is best defined as the practice of sending an email,electronically, to a group of people on a list to sell and promote a product or service. Email marketing is immediate as all e-mails are sent simultaneously to your subscribers.
Using e-mail marketing permits you to create newsletters, announce promotions and special events, in advance, and schedule specific dates for them to be sent out.
With email marketing, you can track, at a glance, who is reading your e-mails and how many clicks you are getting on the links placed in your messages.
To learn more about what you need to know about e-mail marketing, CLICK HERE, or below to listen to my interview with an executive from the leading e-marketing company, Constant Contact.
Is It Time For You to Get a Tablet?
Apple introduced the mini iPad yesterday as the tablet wars heat up. Sales of tablets worldwide, with displays in the 7-inch range, are expected to double this year to 34 million units, and to double again in 2013, to 67 million units, according to IHS as reported in the Wall Street Journal.
So much to choose from: Amazon’s Kindles, Barnes and Noble Nooks, Google’s Nexus 7, etc. and more to come in the weeks and months ahead.
Which one is right for you and what are the differences? As I have indicated many times in the past, it depends on your needs, preferences, comfort level with the device, and budget.
The Wall Street Journal offers a price and feature comparison of the most popular tablets.
According to a recent report in CNNMoney, PC sales will decline in 2012 for the first time since 2011. This is in part to the explosive growth of the tablet market as detailed above.
Many of my clients who have never used a computer have embraced tablets for simple web browsing, e-mail, reading, shopping and viewing videos and pictures, to name a view.
IBM reports that by 2013, there will be more mobile devices than people in the world. Isn’t it time you entered the Mobile World?
If you have any questions about tablets, or any other technology issues, please do not hesitate to contact me at 917 921-4518 of by e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com. You can also access my BlogTalkRadioShow by clicking on the link below.
What is Pinterest?
Pinterest is a Virtual Pinboard, one of the many social networking tools available that allows you to organize and share ideas with others. You can upload images and “pin” them to relevant boards. Other Pinterest users can browse your “boards” and comment on individual items. You can browse other users’ “boards” and comment on their pinned items.
Businesses are now successfully using the site to increase traffic, sales and leads. To learn more about Pinterest, click on the link below to listen to my BlogTalk Radio Program to hear my interview with Robin Colner, the President and Founder of http://digistarmedia.com/.
Does Your iPhone Battery Need A Boost?
Are you scrambling to find an outlet to recharge your iPhone by mid-afternoon? Well, Mophie is the answer to your power outage. Mophie is an ultra-thin case that houses a rechargeable battery that virtually doubles the battery time and serves as a protective case for your phone. Although is adds width and weight to the phone, the difference for anyone using a simple protective case is not that great.
I’ve been using the mophie charger for several weeks and find that it is no longer necessary to charge the battery during the day.
To find out more about Mophie, you can visit their website at www.mophie.com to determine which of their products fits your iPhone model.
If you have any questions about Mophie or any other technology issues, please do not hesitate to contact me at 917 921-4518 or by e-mail, at jblue@bluetutor.com. In addition, you may access my BlogTalkRadio program “Keeping Technology Simple” by clicking on the link below. On the program, I discuss the latest technology with experts in the field each week.
Do You Know What You Are Eating?
Are you confused by the nutrition labels that appear on items when you go food shopping? Are you concerned about whether you are eating the right foods? Need to control sugar, artificial ingredients, additives, preservatives and carbohydrates? Well, you’re in luck – thanks to an app on my smartphone, Fooducate, I am able to scan the barcode on packages and review not only the ingredients of each item, but also learn about its nutritional value.
Fooducate works on all Apple and Android mobile devices. All you need to do is download the Fooducate app to your smartphone, scan the UPC barcode of a product in question, review and analyze the information found in each product’s nutrition panel and ingredient list, and see recommended alternatives. Fooducate has a rating system for each item based on its nutritional value.
If you want to learn more about mobile apps, do not hesitate to give me a call at 917 921-4518 or send an e-mail at jblue@bluetutor.com. Also, you can listen to my BlogTalkRadio program, “Which Mobile Apps Do You Need,” by clicking on the link below anytime.
What is Viber?
Viber is a free application for calling and texting other Viber users who have also downloaded and installed the app on their mobile phones. It works on iPhones, Androids and Blackberries. The voice quality is excellent as long as you have Internet access.
Why use Viber?
- No registration required
- Instantly integrates with your contact list
- Excellent for making phone calls and texting globally, country to country
- No need to be signed into an account – phone will ring automatically
- Free when calling from a Wi-Fi area.
- Available through a 3G/4G data network (calls use your data plan)
Excellent app for people who are traveling overseas who need to maintain contact with other Viber users in other countries.
If you have any questions about Viber or any other technology subjects, my phone number is 917 921 4518 or e-mail me at jblue@bluetutor.com. Please visit my website, www.bluetutor.com to register for my updates and special offers.
Tune in to my BlogTalkRadio Show to hear all about the relevant technology news of the day.