Teleprompter solution

As I've been creating more video content for many of my blogs, including Gadget Girl Files and The Style File, I looked at options for a low-cost teleprompter. Listec Promptware Plus, which has apps for iOS and Android, is free and although it's not the nicest looking app and has crashed a couple of times during edits, the teleprompter function is stable and works exactly as expected.

Having hooked it up wirelessly to a screen, I think it's a pretty neat solution for small events or video bloggers.

For iOS: PromptWare Plus
For Android: PromptWare Plus - Android Apps on Google Play

It's here!

I am excited to have finally launched the new look for Gadget Girl Files. This design improves delivery to a wider set of devices including tablets and smartphones, and makes it easier to find and navigate the more than 70 posts already on the blog.

But the changes aren't only to the look-and-feel: there's a whole new classification schema too that groups related content by type, topic and even series such as Better You and Wireless World.

I hope you enjoy using the new layout.

Accessible options

When my other half went to the optometrist a few years back to get his first prescription of reading glasses he almost hit the bright young optometrist when she glibly told him "don't worry, it's only age-related". Although his prescription has stayed fairly static, even with retina displays and so on, he has found the increasingly high resolution phone displays make texts and emails that are difficult to read. He was tempted to upgrade to an iPhone 6 for increased screen real-estate. Surely, he posited to me, there must be an existing workaround for this.

Accessibility options, I replied. Say what?!

We often think of accessibility issues being about blindness, deafness, or a physical impairment of some sort. The simple fact of getting older doesn't typically fall into the 'accessibility' category but it does. As do a raft of other things such as language, reading age, etc... which we may not consider fall under that classification.

• On iOS you can find the full suite of accessibility options in Settings > General > Accessibility
• On Android go to Settings > Accessibility
• On Windows phones under Settings > Ease of Access

Since enabling large font, Drew's been able to receive and send txt message without having to reach for his specs. Now converted to the value of this little known configuration he intends to set up his parents' devices with similar customisations.

Clearing my inbox clutter

My inbox has been annoying me of late with the number of unread emails the majority of which are promotional. We've all done it, I'm sure: signed up for a store discount, purchased online, subscribed to the new service or created an account and forgot to uncheck the "send me other crap several times a day" box. Granted there are times I've been so engrossed in a particular thing that I've wanted those emails but now they're just part of my digital clutter.

This week I've implemented the unsubscribe mantra. I force myself to open the emails as they come in, scroll to the bottom and click that unsubscribe link. It will take a few weeks for me to reap the rewards of this but really, I think the 30 seconds I'm spending on each one will save me so much time later. It's also good for my mental wellbeing and may even save my credit card a bit of use. Yes, NZSale and TreatMe were among the culled.

There are some that I want to keep: my daily drool over the heavily discounted refurb computers from Laptopbattery.co.nz, for example are still welcome but at least I've made that conscious choice. 

Go on - you know you're being a little lazy right? A few ask you to complete a short survey but most of these unsubscribes are pretty painless. Your inbox will thank you for it and your days will start a little lighter.

As a side note, a growing number of countries have anti-spam legislation. Check out Wikipedia for what applies to yours. Email spam legislation by country

And in New Zealand, we have an anti-spam unit to whom you can report email and txt spam. Anti-Spam - dia.govt.nz