Friday, July 31, 2015

This PowerPoint Tip Will Make You the Focus

Microsoft Power Point
Who doesn't love PowerPoint?

You can really wow your audience with lots of graphics, bullets and even video.

Maybe too much.

But is your audience watching your screen more than you?

Sometimes you need to get the audience's attention to watch you and not the screen.

To do that, you'll want the screen to go dark.

 Press W or B to Make You the Focus

Pressing the W key will turn the presentation to a White screen and pressing the B key will turn the presentation to a black screen.  Use the arrow keys to resume forward or backward to the next slide.

Microsoft Power Point Black Screen

So make your dramatic selling point without the distraction of a PowerPoint slide.

You'll be the star of the show.

Enjoy!


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#Microsoft #PowerPoint

Coolest Tips in July 2015

One Cool Tip - www.OneCoolTip.com
July has been a very busy month with thousands of visitors and page views.

Some of the Cool Tips have really taken off and have been shared and viewed by thousands.

So it's worth taking note to look at the Coolest Tips for July 2015:
(based upon page views in July 2015)

1. NASA Ring Tones Just Launched
This Cool Tip is from 2011 but it tops the chart for July 2015.  learn how to download favorite NASA sounds for your PC and mobile phone.

2. Search a Site with Google
Did you know that you can use Google to search a site?  Sometimes a site's search is offline or just not very good.  Learn how you can use the power of Google to search the site to find the right information.

3. Prioritize Your Facebook News Feed
Learn how you can prioritize your Facebook news feed to see your best friends' status update.

4. Netflix Keyboard Commands
Learn how to use these keyboard commands to take charge of your Netflix video.  Stream like a pro!

5. Siri, What is Zero Divided by Zero?
Do you know about this funny Siri Easter Egg?

READ MORE



One Cool Tip.com
Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

#NASA #ringtone #Google #Search #Facebook #Newsfeed #Netflix #Siri






Thursday, July 30, 2015

Skip the Crowd, Order Online at Panera

Panera Bread
I love Panera (or as it is known locally, the St. Louis Bread Company).

Fresh bagels, bread, pastries, soups and sandwiches are staples that bring hungry guests in to their stores.

But that's Panera's problem. So many choices.  So little time.

It seems that customers are often the problem.  What to order?  What to order?

I only wish these customers could hear my mental thoughts.  "Order something.  Anything.  You've been in line for 10 minutes.  Do it now!"

But this meal time crisis can be easily averted by ordering ahead online or with the new mobile apps.

Called Rapid Pickup, the feature is designed to allow guests to order ahead for pick-up at a pre-determined time without waiting in line.

Once you've registered for a Panera account, you can place your order.  All of the menu times are available and you can customize every order by adding or removing items.  No mayo for me!

Usually an order is available at the earliest 15 minutes from ordering.  But you can also set a pickup time ahead.

Panera app
 Panera app Order screen

When your order is ready, just pick it up from the Rapid Pickup counter usually next to or across from the main cashier.  That's it!

Using this service many times, I've found few problems.  When there has been an issue (like a missing drink cup or missing item), the counter staff have resolved quickly and offered a free pastry as a gift for their error.

Panera is investing heavily to resolve its operational issues with a new program called Panera 2.0.
In addition to Rapid Pickup, Panera is also rolling out the ability to order from your table with the mobile technology and have your food delivered to your table and installing fastlane kiosks to allow guests to order in-store themselves for both Dine In and To Go orders.

Visit Panera: www.panera.com
Download the iOS app HERE
Download the Android app HERE


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#Panera #STLBreadCo #panerabread

Wednesday, July 29, 2015

Listen to Your Favorite Radio Stations Online

TuneIn
UPDATE: The Cool Tip.com Tech Tip podcast is now on Tunein Radio!  Read more about it HERE.

Technology has greatly changed how we listen to music.

We can now have all of our music in one place and take our music with us wherever we go with the advent of smart phones and tablets.

Streaming services like Pandora, IHeartRadio and Spotify have become immensely popular.

But sometimes we like to find radio stations from real places with real people.
Tunein App Screen
The best option for finding local radio stations that are available online is with Tunein.

And it's not just for music. Music, Sports, Talk, and News are all available. But for me, the best option is to be able to find local stations. There's a link to find local stations where where you are currently located.

But you can also search for specific locations from around the world.
  • Want to know what is going on in Los Angeles?  Check out the 24 hour news radio KNX.
  • Want to check out the pop music scene in London, UK?  Check out Heart London.
  • How about the music scene from Madrid?  Check out Hit FM 89.9?
TuneIn also has mobile apps so you can listen to your stations wherever you go. Remember streaming services can deplete your mobile data minutes so use when you are on unlimited WiFi or an unlimited data plan.

Visit Tunein: www.tunein.com
Download the iOS app HERE
Download the Android app HERE

Enjoy!

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One Cool Tip.com
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#tunein #music #radio #streaming





Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Netflix Keyboard Commands



Netflix
Netflix is a super service.  

With a decent internet connection, you can watch many new and classic shows and movies online from the comfort of your PC using Netflix.

If you are watching Netflix from a PC, there are several keyboard commands you can use to control Netflix that will make your experience better.



Netflix Keyboard Commands

F = Full Screen 
Shift + Left Arrow = Rewind 
Shift + Right Arrow = Fast Forward
M = Mute
Up Arrow = Volume Up
Down Arrow = Volume Down
Enter = Play / Pause
Page Up = Play
Page down = Pause
ESC = Exit Full Screen


Enjoy!

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#Netflix #shortcut #keyboard

Monday, July 27, 2015

Search a Site with Google

Google
Have you ever been frustrated searching a site?

It's pretty common.

Sometimes the site's search engine is not working.  

Or the site's search engine returns terrible results that are an unsorted mess.

Or worse of all, the site doesn't have a search function at all!

Fear not.

Google can return search results from a specific site.

To do this, just include Site: before the domain name and search terms in the Google search box.

For example, to search for George Bush on the whitehouse.gov site, the search entry should look like this:

site:whitehouse.gov George Bush

Google will return results from its database of whitehouse.gov with hits for the keywords George Bush

Google Site Search Whitehouse.gov George Bush


Enjoy!


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Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

#Google #Search #site #results


Sunday, July 26, 2015

Blogcast: July 26, 2016

Check out the blogcast for July 26, 2015


Enjoy!

Note: If the video does not play correctly, click HERE for the YouTube link.


One Cool Tip.com
Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

#YouTube #Email #gmail #yahoo #Facebook #newsfeed #Instagram #search #downdetector #opentable

ICYMI: Clear YouTube Search History, Using other E-Mail Apps, Prioritize Your Facebook News Feed, Search Instagram on the Web, Learn How to Check if the Internet is Down, and Make Your Dinner Reservations Online

In Case You Missed It
Another great week of Cool Tips.

Privacy is important so learn how to clear your YouTube search history.  The default mail app loaded on your smart phone may not be the most useful to access your email.  Learn how to prioritize your Facebook News Feed so you can see what you want and not see what you don't!  Learn how to search Instagram on the web for great photos.  And finally, learn how to avoid waiting in line at your favorite restaurant by making your reservation online.

Check these out these Cool Tips In Case You Missed It!

Clear Your YouTube Search History
We've told you that Google and other major web sites know a lot about you.  Where you go and what pages you click.  Today's Cool Tip is to see your YouTube history and clear it if you choose.

Default E-Mail App Isn't Always Your Friend 
The default email apps that are preloaded on the iPhone and Android devices aren't always the best solution.  Especially if you are using a major service like Gmail or Yahoo.  Learn how other e-mail apps can help you be more effective on your smart phone.

Prioritize Your Facebook News Feed
Why don't I see posts from my favorite friends in my Facebook News Feed?  Learn how to select which friend's posts you want to see first.

Search Instagram on the Web
Instagram updated its website to allow users to search the site similar to its mobile apps.  Learn how to search Instagram via the web.

Is the Internet Down?
Is your favorite web service offline?  Or is it just you?  Learn how to find out.

Make Your Dinner Reservations Online
Making reservations is often a nerve racking experience.  Are there times available?  Why can't anyone spell my last name correctly?

Enjoy!


One Cool Tip.com
Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

#YouTube #Email #gmail #yahoo #Facebook #newsfeed #Instagram #search #downdetector #opentable

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Clear Your YouTube Search History

YouTube
We've told you that Google and other major web sites know a lot about you.  Where you go and what pages you click.

Today's Cool Tip is to see your YouTube history and clear it if you choose.

To see your YouTube history, visit:
https://www.youtube.com/feed/history/search_history

You can see what you've been searching for on YouTube and you can choose to Pause Search History or  Clear All of Your History.

Enjoy!

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Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

#YouTube #History #Search

Friday, July 24, 2015

Default E-Mail App Isn't Always Your Friend

The default email apps that are preloaded on the iPhone and Android devices aren't always the best solution.

Especially if you are using a major service like Gmail or Yahoo.

In the case of the iPhone and iPad, the Gmail or Yahoo apps will allow you access more information and e-mail features than are available with Apple's pre-loaded app.

One example is the ability to search archived messages.

Usually, the default time is 3 months of syncing between a hosted a e-mail service and the local device.  But with years of archived messages, the Apple mail app is of little use if you need to search for an email before then.

However, the iOS Gmail or Yahoo e-mail apps offer the ability to do these searches and other service-specific features.

And in the case of Gmail, the new Inbox app offers other great features not available in the default app found on the iPhone or Ipad.  Read the full Cool Tip about Inbox HERE.

For Android devices, the default app is good for Gmail.  Some mobile operators and device makers are slow to allow default app updates so get the latest features from Gmail directly by downloading the Gmail app yourself.

You can also download the Gmail Inbox app from Google Play HERE.  The same thing goes for the Yahoo app for Android.

Enjoy!

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#gmail #Yahoo #inbox #email

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Prioritize Your Facebook News Feed

Facebook
Why don't I see posts from my favorite friends in my Facebook News Feed?

Because the Facebook computer doesn't really know how to prioritize your News Feeds to show you posts you want to see.  

For years, a formula was developed and tweaked that assumed that you'd want to see posts from friends based upon actions such as commenting and liking each other's posts.

But that arbitrary assumption meant that we missed important updates from people we really wanted to stay up-to-date with.

Fortunately, Facebook has made an important change this month to fix this problem. 

You can know prioritize friends to see their posts First in your News Feed.  It is also easier to unfollow friends.

There are two ways to prioritize your Facebook friends to see their posts first:

1.  Profile - Go to the friend's profile and click the "Following" dropdown in the top profile header.

Facebook Following Options

By default, all friends are set to Default and you'll see posts as usual.  But to prioritize, you can select "See First" to see this friend's posts at the top of your News Feed.

You can also choose to "Unfollow" a friend.  You'll still be connected but you won't see posts.

2.  News Feed Preference - This is currently available for iPhone Facebook but will roll out soon to Android and Facebook users.  From the menu, select "News Feed Preferences".

Facebook News Feed PreferencesFacebook Prioritize Who to See First

You can then select to prioritize friends to see their posts first, Unfollow friends to hide their posts, and Reconnect with friends you unfollowed.



Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Search Instagram on the Web

Instagram Logo
Instagram updated its website to allow users to search the site similar to its mobile apps.

This new feature to the Instagram site allows users to search for hashtags, accounts and locations.

Instagram now displays "Top Posts" as well as "Most Recent" in hashtag and location search results.

Instagram Search Results - Kittens

The Instagram.com website still lags behind the iPhone and Android mobile apps in features.  But this upgrade makes the website a more valuable tool and starts to compete against Twitter more effectively.

Enjoy!

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Daily Tips for a Cooler Life!


Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Is the Internet Down?

Is your favorite web service offline?

Or is it just you?

Find out by using DownDetector.

Downdetector.com scours social media to discover when key web services have service disruption.

For example, here is the report for Twitter:

Down Detector Twitter

Just a few comments here and there.  No real problems.

Had their been major issues, Downdetector would have shown the problem and also displayed social media user's comments regarding the problem.

Downdetector monitors a number of services and providers including Comcast, Time Warner cable, AT&T, Playstation network, Xbox Live, Netflix, Charter, SnapChat, and YouTube.

Enjoy!

READ MORE

Monday, July 20, 2015

Make Your Dinner Reservations Online

Open Table
Making reservations is often a nerve racking experience.  Are there times available?  Why can't anyone spell my last name correctly?

Solve these problems by using Open Table to make your reservations.

Available online or via smart phone app, Open Table lets you search for nearby restaurants, search for times and make your reservation.

You can download the iOS app HERE and the Android app HERE.

Don't be stuck with a long line the next time you go out for dinner.  Use Open Table.

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One Cool Tip.com
Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

#OpenTable #dining #reservations

Sunday, July 19, 2015

ICYMI: Internet Myths, Deleting Facebook Search History, NASA's Pluto Images, MS Word Hidden Format Marks, Google App Status, Muting Twitter Users

In Case You Missed It
Another great week of Cool Tips.  Did you miss any of these?  All of these tips had record number of readers this week.  Unsurprisingly, knowing if Google services are down topped the list in views.

So for your fine reading pleasure, a recap of this week's In Case You Missed It:

Mute Your Twitter Users
Learn how to mute tweets from those you follow.  You'll still be connected and can view tweets if you choose.

Is Google Down?  Learn How to Find Out
Learn how to check Google's status page.  If services like Gmail or Calendar are having system issues, you'll know it's not just you or your PC.

Show or Hide Microsoft Word Format Marks
Learn how to show the hidden formatting marks in Microsoft Word.

NASA's Pluto Images are Amazing
The flyby of Pluto by NASA's New Horizon spacecraft brought amazing photos this week.  And NASA has made these available online including via Instagram.

How to Delete Your Facebook Search History
Facebook knows how to show you ads based upon your search history.  Learn how to delete your history.

If You Read It on Facebook, It Must Be True
Not everything you read on the internet or on Facebook is true.  Before you share a dubious post, check out Snopes for the real information.

Enjoy!

One Cool Tip.com
Cool Tips for a Cooler Life!

Saturday, July 18, 2015

Mute Your Twitter Users

Twitter
Sometimes too much is too much.

If your twitter feed is out of control because someone you follow is over-tweeting, you can mute that user.

And no one will be wiser.

You can mute a user two ways, from a tweet or on his or her profile page:

Tweet - Tap "More" (the three dots) at the the bottom of the tweet  and click "Mute"
Profile Page - Click the "gear" icon, click "Mute" from the dropdown menu.

President Obama Twitter Mute

Muted users will still see your twitter feed.  And they can always direct message you, favorite, reply to and retweet your tweets.  But you won't see their normal tweets in your feed.

You can also reverse the process and "Unmute"


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#Twitter #Mute #POTUS

Friday, July 17, 2015

Is Google Down? Learn How to Find Out

Google
Is Google Down?  How about Google Calendar?  How about Gmail?

Sometimes it seems that we take for granted that the net services we use everyday are always working correctly.

Usually it the user's PC, laptop, iPad, or Wifi that is not working correctly

But sometimes it is the service itself that is experiencing technical difficulties. .

How can you tell?

For Google services, the best way is to check Google's App Dashboard.

The dashboard gives an overview of its services.  It there is a problem, it will be highlighted.

Google provides this status overview for its paying customers who have implemented Google services within their organization.

But unless otherwise noted, the status also applies to the free consumer services.

Google App Current Status


Enjoy!

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#Google #GoogleApps #Status

Thursday, July 16, 2015

Show or Hide Microsoft Word Format Marks

Microsoft Word
Most PC users uses Microsoft Word as their primary word processor.

It's been around for years and is easy to use.

One criticism of Word has always been that there are so many features that it can easy to miss very useful ones because they get lost in the sea of menu options.

And so it is with the Show/Hide Format Marks function.

It's one of the best features of MS Word.

When you toggle on the Show Hidden Marks, you can see the specific format marks within a document, such as paragraphs, periods, and tabs.

This is especially useful to understand how a document has been created.  Are those spaces or a tab?

When they are displayed, these character marks also can be copied and pasted within the document much as a normal character.

For example, a paragraph mark that is at the end of a paragraph with formatting such as center and with different margins and tab settings can be copied and pasted at the end of another paragraph to format the second paragraph the same way.

To toggle the Show/Hide function on or off, use the Control+Shift+8 keyboard command.

In addition, the menu bar also has a  option that can be toggled to Show or Hide formatting marks.

In the example below, the Show formatting has been toggled on.  For demonstration purposes, the formatting marks have been highlighted to show them.

Screenshot - Microsoft Word Show Hide Format Marks

Enjoy!

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#Microsoft #Word #format #MSWord

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

NASA's Pluto Images are Amazing

Pluto - NASA New Horizons mission
NASA's New Horizons mission passed by the dwarf planet Pluto yesterday and has sent amazing images back to earth.

Signals from the probe over 3 billion miles away were sent back to earth on Tuesday that confirmed the New Horizons mission's flyby success.

Fortunately,NASA likes to share these images with us mortal earthlings.

To keep up with the latest technology, NASA has shared them on the social photo site Instagram.  Take a look at them at the official NASA Instagram site

Don't worry, NASA also has an image gallery on a mission website HERE.

For full information on the New Horizons mission, check out NASA's mission page HERE.

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#NASA #Pluto #NewHorizons #images #space #instagram