Need to brush up? Microsoft offers free online training for its Office programs, including video tutorials, interactive guides and practice exercises.
🦟 Mosquitoes suck: Try the Weather Channel app’s new mosquito forecast that analyzes weather info and real-world mosquito data to predict activity by ZIP code. Download the app (iPhone and Android) > add a ZIP code > tap Daily at the bottom of the screen > and scroll down. OK, now I’m itchy.
🛤️ Stay safe: Fitness app Strava’s Heatmap feature shows popular workout routes … but it also broadcasts your location. This is fine in a busy city but risky on secluded paths. Keep your routes private: Go to Settings > Privacy Controls > Map Visibility and uncheck Contribute your activity data to de-identified, aggregate data sets.
Breathe new life into an old laptop or PC: Install ChromeOS Flex, a free, cloud-based operating system. With processing done on Google’s servers and a bare-bones interface, you’ll get surprisingly good performance. Your PC will need to meet these minimum specs: x64 CPU, 4GB RAM, 16GB storage and a USB port for installation.
Hello, officer: One of Waze’s best features is coming to Google Maps. Update the app now to get alerts when there’s a police officer on your route. I got pulled over twice in the last 30 days. We’re becoming fast friends.
💬 Add Instagram captions to your story: Click the + (plus) icon on your profile pic, and then tap the Stickers icon and select Captions. FYI: You can also get automatic captions for stories and reels on your feed. Just open Settings and activity > Accessibility > Captions and translations and toggle on Captions.
DALL-E who? Adobe Photoshop’s Generative Fill feature can generate AI objects in an image just like DALL-E or Midjourney:
- Select an area or object with the selection tool.
- With your area selected, right-click on it and select Generative Fill (or go to Edit > Generative Fill).
- In the text prompt box, describe the object or scene you want to add and click Generate. You’ll see previews of variations.
Wonder if an app is safe? Some 98% of kids’ education apps share data with third-party advertisers. AppMicroscope.org sifted through almost 1,800 apps to let you know which ones are good or bad for privacy.
Print text messages for court (or anything else): For iPhone, iExplorer lets you access, view and transfer music, messages, photos and files from any iOS device to Mac or PC. On Android, you can use SMS Backup & Restore.
Taylor Swift’s password is Iknewyouweretroublewhenyouloggedin: Swift Alert (iPhone and Android) is a Swiftie’s favorite app. It calculates when a concert starts in your timezone so you know when to tune into the livestream. It also notifies you when Taylor’s biggest hits are about to play, along with any surprises on stage.
Free 3D design app: Tinkercad lets you make 3D designs right in your browser. It’s easy enough to jump in, or you can take one of their free courses to learn how to use it. Fun link to hit when the kids or grandkids get bored this summer!
Small-biz boost: TikTok isn’t my favorite, either, but if you have a small biz, it’s a good way to reach a ton of customers. Here’s a free webinar on how to make successful TikTok ads.
✈️ I download the official app for every airline I fly: Here’s a pro tip. Look for the live activities feature in your app of choice. This generally gives you a countdown until boarding time and a real-time view of your gate and seat info in case anything changes at the last minute. Nice.
Stop looking at posts that make you mad: If you can’t unfriend your annoying cousin or old coworker, mute ‘em. On Instagram, go to the account in question, then tap the Following button. Choose Mute.
Calling all space nerds: Download WinJupos on your PC. It’s a free, fun way to travel the planets, sun and moon.
🤫 Instagram secret: Have you seen those IG posts with multiple accounts listed? You can do it, too! The Collab feature lets you add up to three pals to coauthor posts or Reels. Before you post, tap Tag people and you’ll see the collaborator option. Sweet!