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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Outgoing Email, Roadrunner and the iPhone

I have had this question twice now over the last month, so I decided to take the time to write it up in case anyone else might need it.

The Problem

While you can easily set up your Roadrunner.com email address in your iPhone, sending email is more problematical. You can send email if you are connected via WiFi, but sending mail when using the cellular data network fails. It seems your iPhone cannot connect to the outgoing email server.

The Solution

When researching this problem for the first client to ask, I came across this tech note from Apple.com

iPhone: What to do if you can't send or receive Mail

This tech note gives you the steps necessary to select an outgoing email server provided by AT&T specifically for iPhone users. This outgoing mail server should work regardless of your connection to the Internet.

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Thursday, April 26, 2007

Live from the Library - All things blogging...and more!

TechnologyIQ LogoAll Things Blogging and More

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Thursday, March 08, 2007

Live from the Library - March 8, 2007

TechnologyIQ LogoWe talk about Mind Mapping, some online mind mapping applications and more.

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Saturday, February 17, 2007

Computing for the Everyman - Part 2 - The Least You Should Know

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We live in a high-tech world these days, whether we like it or not. That said, you don't need to know "everything" about your technology, but you should know "something." Below I have listed some information and a series of skills that you should know in order to allow yourself to be productive with your computer. If you find that you are missing one or two of these items, let's get together to complete your technology education so you can start doing even greater things with your computer.

System
Speed of Computer
Amount of Memory
Amount of Hard Disk Space
Version of Windows or Mac OS X
Important user names and passwords

Applications
Know how to create a new, blank document
Open an existing document
Save a document
Save as... (and why you might want to do that)
Know WHERE you saved the document
Print a document
Create a PDF of a document

How to properly restart and shutdown (and know why)

Delete a document (safely)

Access a web site
Navigate a website i.e. follow links, go back, etc.

Download a file/program
Install a program
Remove a program

Access email (that has been pre-configured with email account settings)
Send email
How/when to use CC
How/when to use BCC (very important)
Reply (and when to use)
Forward (and when to use)
Delete
File email into folders
Why to organize files into folders

File Management
Create new folders
Move/save files into folders
Why to organize files into folders
Copy/Save As... a document to floppy, CD, network drive, etc.
Burn documents to CD for sharing or backup

There are probably a few more items I could include here, but I consider these the basics. If you are familiar with this information and these operations, you are well on your way to computer mastery. Over the next few weeks, I will start to breakdown this list and give you specific examples on how to acquaint yourself with each and every one.

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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Computing for the Everyman - Part 1 - Introduction

TechnologyIQ logoby Douglas E. Welch, techiq@welchwrite.com
Reader/Listener Line 206-338-5832

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Whenever I am talking to the average, non-geeky, computer user I often hear complaints about how complex, how confusing and how aggravating computers can be. Along with that, people are scared...scared of losing their data, scared of damaging their computer and scared of pulling their hair out. (SMILE)

It doesn't have to be this way nor should it. One of the first things I try to do with anyone I work with is to put them at ease. I assure them that, short of attacking their computer with a baseball bat (which I have known a writer to do after one too many crashes), there is little they can do to hurt their computer. I encourage them to play with their computer, trying out its functions on small, non-critical projects, like a letter to a friend or typing up some notes. All of this is meant to encourage them to familiarize themselves with the computer in a non-threatening environment. Just like becoming familiar with a new car or a new toaster, comfort is one of the most important aspects of starting to use your computer.

Next, I will ask each client or attendee to my Internet Seminars at my local library, to make a list of what they want to do with their computer. These lists should be in the form of tasks they want to accomplish with the computer, instead of vague references to printing, using the software, managing their files. Rather, I want to see items like:

• Instant Message with my grandchildren
• Print envelopes from my printer
• Research my family genealogy
• Make free phone calls over the Internet

Once we have this list, I can really begin to teach these people something useful. First, we attack one of the tasks from the list, say writing a letter. Then I show them how to open a program, add their text to the document and how to save it. Throughout that lesson, I am constantly throwing in the fundamentals of each of these steps. For example, to start a program I will have them click on their Start Menu (for Windows user), then click All Programs, then the program itself.

Then, I quickly explain to them that all programs on their computer can be opened in this same fashion. If they are looking for a specific program, they can follow these steps and then look through the menu until they find it. I might go even deeper in explaining how menus work the same in every program, regardless of its purpose. I might show them the Edit menu and explain how Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste will ALWAYS be found in this menu, regardless of the program they are using. In this way, by the time we are done with our lesson, individuals have learned not only a specific step-by-step operation, but also much of the underlying fundamentals that make it easier to use ANY program on their computer. Even despite the Windows versus Mac battles of the past, these operating systems are more alike than ever before.

The fact is, learning these fundamentals that apply to any computer or technology, allows you to address almost any technology questions you might have. Much like elementary and high schools are focusing on "learning how to learn", as well as absorbing raw facts, technology users need to be learning the underlying principles of all technology, so that, even when they encounter an unknown device or computer, they can still begin using it almost immediately. I have much that same experience when I am visiting my wife's relatives and I am forced to speak Italian for 99% of my day. For the first few days it is very tiring, but around the 3rd day there is a change, a "click" that occurs and I find myself thinking in Italian instead of trying to translate everything to and from English. This same "click" occurs with technology, and much more quickly than you might think.

This is my goal in this on-going series of posts on TechnologyIQ. I want to help you get to the "click" that allows you to understand any technology, as if it were your native tongue. I can guarantee you, when it occurs, your friends and family will be amazed and wonder aloud how you became some a technology expert.

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Thursday, February 08, 2007

Elsewhere Online: Google Opens Gmail To All

Gmail LogoUpdate: (2/8/07, 8:37 pm): Hmmm...maybe not so much...yet. It seems that the open signup is appearing to some users, but not others. In the meantime, if you want a Google account, email techiq@welchwrite.com and I will send you an invite to Gmail, making the who issue moot.

Finally! Now you don't need to get an invite from a friend or co-worker. Get yourself to http://gmail.com and cook yourself up a fresh new email address.

With all the changes going on in the ISP (Internet Service Provider) business and everyone forcing their users to use a new email address, why not sign up for Gmail and have an address that will last forever (or at least until Google goes bankrupt. (SM ILE).

Even better, you can get your Gmail on your cell phone and there's even a podcast which can tell you how to get the most out of all of its features..the Gmail podcast, written and hosted by my fellow Friends in Tech member, Chuck Tomasi.

Google Opens Gmail To All

Reader Russian Art Buyer lets us know that GMail is now open for all ("Google Mail" in the UK). The service is no longer by invitation only. This welcome page shows an ever-increasing amount of storage available per user, currently about 2,815 MB.

(Via Slashdot.)


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Thursday, February 01, 2007

Service: Leave yourself a (text) message with Jott

Jott Screen ShotThis interesting new service passed through my RSS feeds today. I make a point to check out anything that might be moderately useful or even just interesting.

Jott allows you to call a phone number and speak up to 15 seconds of any message you like. This message is then transcribed and emailed to you. My initial test worked well, with 100% recognition of a 10-12 word sentence. I sometimes make audio notes to myself using my phone, but I think this would be a bit more useful, as I can easily cut and paste the message into a to-do item when I get home, instead of typing it in myself.

Will the wonders of the Internet ever cease? I certainly hope not!

Link: Jott

Source:
Leave yourself a (text) message with Jott

Want to send yourself a note? A reminder? An idea? Just pick up your cell phone and dial Jott. The service not only forwards recorded messages to you via e-mail, it also transcribes them into text.

(Via Lifehacker.)
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Friday, January 05, 2007

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