iTunes Smart Playlists

If you haven't yet tried the "smart playlist" feature in iTunes, I highly recommend it. Smart playlists automatically update themselves based on rules that are easy to set up. One of my favorite smart playlists keeps 45 minutes of music that is made up 1/2 with songs from my most frequently listened to songs, and 1/2 with songs I haven't listened to in over a month. And, all of the songs on the list have just the right beat for me when I'm out running. This way, every time I run, I have a fresh mix of familiar and old favorites that works just right for me at exercise time. Smart playlist creation is just one of many features of iTunes that I can introduce to you during a one-hour "Making iTune MyTunes" class.

E-Mail Overload?

Are you buried by the amount of e-mail that arrives each day, but don't want to unsubscribe from all those lists you're on? You can set rules and filters so that your important mail is always in front of you, and your mailing list mail is separated and waiting for you for when you have some free time. You can set up simple filters and rules based on the sender's name or the subject, or get very sophisticated and build lists of senders or keywords. Learn how to take control of your inbox with e-mail filters and other tricks by signing up for our in-home "E-Mail Bootcamp."

30 Second Skip

The networks and cable companies may not want you to know it, but you can skip 30 seconds ahead on your DVR with one push of a single button, instead of having to fast forward through all those commercials. Once it's set up, you just push the button once for each 1/2 minute you want to advance and, voilá, you're there. It involves programming with "discreet codes" and it's just one of many things that can be done to make your remote control a lot more friendly

Life Not What It Used To Be?

iPhone or iPod battery life got you down? I can replace your old battery with one that is more powerful and lasts longer than the original. In your home or office. In about an hour.

Snap, Crackle, IMAP and POP

Q: Which two are not e-mail account settings? A: The first two.

If you use email on more than one device... computer, iPhone, iTouch, iPad... and you are not using IMAP, your life could be a lot easier.

If you've noticed that somehow, email that you read on your iPhone is not showing up on your computer, or a draft that you wrote on your iPad isn't showing up on your iPhone, it could be that your email preferences aren't quite right and that life could be easier. See if your ISP offers IMAP as an alternative to POP.

Most ISP's provide pretty good instructions on how to set things up or switch things over.

Is it plugged in?

There is a list of questions that any electronic support technician will run through while trying to diagnose malfunctioning equipment. You can pay by the hour for them to ask you these questions, or you can do it yourself:

1. Is it plugged in? Not just into the wall. Have you checked all of your connections? You would be surprised how many times a plug will have wiggled half way out, or a helpful spouse or child will have left something unplugged without telling you. Always start with a complete connection check of all the components of a system.

2. Is it a bad cable? If the printer isn't working, for instance, try using a different cable. Grab a cable from something that is definitely working if you can, and try it between the computer and the printer. Does it work now?

3. Which device is it, really? Can you connect the printer to another computer? Does it work now? Aha! It's not the printer...

4. Does the device have a self-test? Get out your manual. Many electronic devices have a self-test routine and will pretty much tell you what is wrong, and maybe even how to fix it.

If you still can't get it to work - or just don't have the time and inclination to do the basic troubleshooting, you know how to find me!

Image Control: Lesson One

Google provides a free and useful tool for keeping tabs on what is said about you. It's called Google Alerts, and you'll find it here.

Set an Alert with your name as the key words. Set alerts using any and all names and nicknames by which you are known. To stay fully informed, set alerts for your business name, and any projects or groups with which you are intimately involved.

Now, on a daily basis, you will have a better idea of what, if anything, is being said across the web.

If it turns out to be less than flattering, there are ways of dealing with it. A one hour session on Policing Your Web Persona is available.

Otherwise, enjoy your reading and forward the good stuff to friends and family!