Master Your Cognitive Skills With HumanBenchmark

Master Your Cognitive Skills With HumanBenchmark

 

HumanBenchmark is a powerful online tool that measures and tracks your cognitive abilities, including reaction time, memory, and problem-solving skills. Learn how to use it effectively to sharpen your mental edge.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 28, 2025

How sharp is your mind? 

Can you react faster than the average person? 

Are your memory and problem-solving skills up to par? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Test your skills at HumanBenchmark.

Whether you're a gamer looking to boost reflexes, a student improving focus, or just someone curious about cognitive abilities, HumanBenchmark is a free and easy-to-use online tool that lets you measure and improve your brain’s performance.

HumanBenchmark is a website designed to test various cognitive skills through interactive challenges. 

It provides statistical data to compare your performance with others and allows you to track improvements over time.

Unlock Your Local Library: A Complete Guide to Mastering the Libby App

Unlock Your Local Library: A Complete Guide to Mastering the Libby App

Discover how to access thousands of ebooks and audiobooks for free with the Libby app. This Cool Tip provides step-by-step instructions and tips to maximize your digital library experience.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 27, 2025

Have you ever wished you could carry an entire library in your pocket? 

Or perhaps you've longed for a way to enjoy audiobooks during your daily commute without breaking the bank? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use the Free Libby App with your local library.

In an age where digital content reigns supreme, libraries are evolving, and the Libby app is at the forefront of this transformation. 

This powerful tool connects you to your local library’s digital collection, offering a wealth of ebooks, audiobooks, and magazines—all for free. 

How to Use the Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 for Everyday Tasks

How to Use the Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 for Everyday Tasks

Discover how to harness the versatile Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 for productivity, creativity, and everyday tasks beyond gaming. This Cool Tip unveils the hidden potential of this powerful toolset for all users.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

February 26, 2025

Have you ever wished you could record a tutorial without downloading additional software? 

Or monitor your system performance in real time while working on a crucial project?

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use the Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11.

While the Xbox Game Bar in Windows 11 is primarily designed for gamers, its versatile features can be utilized for much more than just gaming. 

From screen recording to system monitoring and even social media management, the Game Bar can be a game-changer for professionals, students, and casual users alike.

How Grok 3 Transforms Game Development: Build an Asteroids Clone in Minutes

How Grok 3 Transforms Game Development: Build an Asteroids Clone in Minutes

Discover how xAI’s Grok 3 empowers anyone to create JavaScript games like an Asteroids clone with minimal effort, revolutionizing game development for novices and pros alike.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 25, 2025

Imagine crafting a fully playable video game in less than five minutes—without writing a single line of code yourself. 

What if an AI could transform a simple idea into a nostalgic Asteroids clone, complete with spaceship controls and asteroid-busting action? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use Grok 3 to create a game.

Welcome to the world of Grok 3, xAI’s latest AI marvel, which is rewriting the rules of game development. 

As a technologist with years of insight into cutting-edge innovations, I’ve seen tools evolve, but Grok 3’s ability to generate functional JavaScript games from plain English prompts is nothing short of revolutionary. 

New Text Functions in Excel: REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT, and REGEXREPLACE

New Text Functions in Excel: REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT, and REGEXREPLACE

Explore the new text functions in Excel—REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT, and REGEXREPLACE—that are revolutionizing text analysis and manipulation. Learn how these functions can enhance your productivity and streamline your data processing tasks.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

February 24, 2025

In the realm of data analysis, Excel has long been a trusted ally for professionals across various industries. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Try the new Regex text functions in Excel.

With the introduction of new text functions—REGEXTEST, REGEXEXTRACT, and REGEXREPLACE—Excel is poised to elevate its capabilities even further. 

These functions leverage the power of regular expressions (regex) to simplify complex text operations, making data manipulation more efficient and precise.

What are These New Text Functions?

Regular expressions, or regex, are sequences of characters that define search patterns, commonly used for string searching and text parsing. 

Unlock Deeper Insights with Google NotebookLM Plus

Unlock Deeper Insights with Google NotebookLM Plus

Google expands NotebookLM, bringing advanced AI-powered document analysis and summarization to a wider audience, while introducing NotebookLM Plus for paying subscribers, offering enhanced capabilities and exclusive features.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 23, 2024

Have you ever stared at a mountain of documents, research papers, or lengthy reports and wished for a magic wand to extract the essential insights? 

Do you struggle with synthesizing information from multiple sources into a coherent whole? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Try the new Google NotebookLM Plus.

The NotebookLM tool is evolving, and it's set to change how we process and understand information. 

But now, they have added a paid tier, NotebookLM Plus.

NotebookLM is an AI-powered tool that transforms how users interact with documents. 

Forget the Buttons! Power Off Your iPhone from Control Center

Forget the Buttons! Power Off Your iPhone from Control Center

Tired of fumbling with buttons to power off your iPhone? With iOS 18, you can now turn off your iPhone from the Control Center, making the process faster and easier. 

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 22, 2025

Ever found yourself fumbling with button combinations just to turn off your iPhone?

Turning off your iPhone has traditionally required a series of button presses—a process that, while effective, can be cumbersome. 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Try the new Power Off button in the Control Center.

With the advent of iOS 18, Apple has introduced a simple and elegant solution.

The Control Center serves as a centralized hub for accessing essential features and settings on your iPhone. 

In iOS 18, Apple added a "Power Off" button.

MapQuest's Creative Response to the 'Gulf of America' Renaming

MapQuest's Creative Response to the 'Gulf of America' Renaming

MapQuest has introduced the Gulf Map Generator, a unique tool that allows users to rename the Gulf of Mexico to anything they choose. This interactive feature offers a fun and creative way to engage with maps while sidestepping political controversy. Learn how to use this tool, its benefits, potential drawbacks, and why it’s sparking conversations online.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 21, 2025

What's in a name?

In the case of the Gulf of America, a lot.

In a bold move that has sparked widespread debate, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14172 on January 20, 2025, mandating the renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America." 

 This directive has led to varied responses from mapping services and the public alike.

While major mapping platforms like Google Maps and Apple Maps have complied with the executive order by updating their U.S. maps to reflect the new designation, MapQuest has taken a different path. 

This month, MapQuest unveiled the "Gulf Map Generator," a tool that allows users to personalize the name of the Gulf. 

Accessible through a dedicated website, this feature enables individuals to input any name they choose, generating a customized map with their selected label prominently displayed over the Gulf's expanse.

Google Tasks Gets a Powerful Web Makeover

Google Tasks Gets a Powerful Web Makeover

Google Tasks has long been a handy tool, but its new full website version brings a significant upgrade, offering enhanced organization, collaboration, and productivity features. This Cool Tip explores the new interface, its benefits, and how you can leverage it to streamline your workflow.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor

February 20, 2025

Are you tired of juggling multiple to-do lists scattered across different apps and devices?  

Do you dream of a centralized hub for all your tasks, accessible from anywhere?  

Here's a Cool Tip:  Try the new Google Tasks Website.

Google Tasks has heard your cries for help, and it’s answering with a robust, web experience that promises to revolutionize how you manage your to-dos.  

Google Tasks has been a useful tool for basic task management, but its web interface lagged behind its mobile counterpart.  

The revamped Google Tasks website offers a clean, intuitive interface that makes it easy to create, organize, and manage your tasks.  

Notepad Rewrite: Revolutionizing Text Editing with AI

Notepad Rewrite: Revolutionizing Text Editing with AI

Microsoft's latest Notepad update introduces Rewrite, a feature that leverages AI to enhance and refine text, but it comes with a catch: a paid subscription is required to access it.

By Rodger Mansfield, Technology Editor 

February 18, 2025

Have you ever wished for a personal editor to refine your writing with just a click? 

Here's a Cool Tip:  Use Rewrite in Windows Notepad.

Rewrite in Notepad is a new AI-powered feature introduced in the latest update of Notepad for Windows 11. 

This feature leverages a powerful AI model to help refine and enhance your text.