How to Organize iPhone or Android Home Screens #52

This episode of What Does This Button Do was streamed live on Sep 20, 2015.

Are the icons on your homescreens scattered all over the place? Would you like them to be organized according to how you use them? Or would you like them to be simply alphabetical. Whatever you like, your screens are completely customizeable, this encore episode will show you how. Quick Tip: Google Photos Auto Edit, App: Roadtrippers

Geeks on Tour members: get your class notes here. You might want to print them out and then join with some friends to take the class. Just play the parts of interest to you by using the timeline links in the class notes, pause the video and experiment on your own device. Then take the review questions at the end and see how you did.

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

How do you Right-Click on a Touch Screen? #75

This episode of What Does This Button Do was streamed live on March 27, 2016. 

LongPress on a touch screen is like a Right-Click. LongPress means the same thing as Touch and Hold. It’s not pushing on the screen, just touch the screen then leave your finger touching the screen and see if something happens. In this encore episode, you will learn a lot of tricks on both Android and iOS devices using LongPress. From getting special characters on your keyboard, to copy/paste, to saving places on a map and more.
Geeks on Tour members: get your class notes here. 

• 1. Tip o Week: Airplane Mode to Test whether an App uses Data
  2. Beginner’s Lesson: How to “Right-Click” on your Smartphone
  3. App o week: Drippler

1. When you touch the screen and hold your finger there, we call that a ______________.
2. To get the emoji keyboard, do what?
3. T/F: Everything you can do on a computer with Right-Click can be done on a phone.
4. To copy text, you must select it first, you do this by _____________________.
5. Long pressing on a Map will do what? _________________________
6. Long pressing on an iPhone’s home button will do what? _______________________

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#121 Gmail: Two top reasons why we recommend it

This episode was streamed live on July 30, 2017. We webcast from our camper van in Syracuse, NY. Geeks on Tour members can view the Show Notes here.

We are teaching this topic because someone entered Gmail into the suggestion box (see link at right.) They probably wanted a whole class on how to use Gmail :-) We don’t have time to do that here, but we do think everyone should understand these 2 important concepts: Universal Inbox, and Device Independence. If your current system does both of these things then you’re golden! If not, we recommend using Gmail. If you do want to learn all about using Gmail, we recommend the Gmail Help Center, and Steve Dotto’s Youtube videos on Gmail.

1. Tip of the Day: Data Roaming setting
2. Beginner’s Lesson: Top Two Reasons to use Gmail
3. App of the day: Prisma

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

How to Scan QR Codes #103

Tutorial Video: Create
a QR Code Map

This episode was streamed live on December 4, 2016.

Newsletter Sign up

You see these funny looking square codes everywhere. If you learn how to scan them with your smartphone (Android or iPhone) you can see what's behind the codes here.
This encore episode will teach you how to do it!
Geeks on Tour members: get your class notes here. Note: due to a current glitch after adding security to the site, you will need to be logged in first, then click the link.

•   This week’s quick tip: using Snapseed to edit out unwanted parts of a photo
• This week’s app: RVillage: Connect with other RVers wherever you are.
  
  
• Our connection for this episode was not the best, it gets a little blurry. Here is a direct link to the short video #453 on QR codes

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#118. Smartphones and Travel in Europe

This episode was streamed live on 6/25/17. We just returned from a month of wandering in Europe and we couldn't have done it without our smartphones. Where to go? What to do? Where to stay? How to get there? How to speak the language? What to eat?
We usually use our Smartphones for Maps, Photos, and Social Networking while traveling in an RV in the US. Smartphones are invaluable when traveling in Europe. We used them for everything from managing currencies, translating languages, traveling by rail, and finding amazing lodging accommodations. You have to be connected. Let us show you how we did it. 

And ... check out our photo album from traveling in Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, and Berlin. We'll be sharing our photo taking, editing, and organizing secrets in next episode. (spoiler: it's all about Google Photos!)

For Geeks on Tour members, here are the show notes for #118

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

Managing your Phone's Battery #69

This episode was streamed live on February 7, 2016. This month, while we've been visiting beautiful places in Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia - it has been so important to keep our phones charged! We don't want to miss any of those photos! This episode is about understanding what is using your battery and how to keep it going longer. You will learn how to find out what is using your battery and what external batteries we recommend. 

It's your choice to use your battery less, or get more batteries! You'll learn both in this encore episode of What Does This Button Do? 

1. Tip of the day: Android Touch Key Lights, iPhone Flashlight
2. Beginner’s Lesson: Managing your Battery
3. App of the day: NFL

For Geeks on tour members, here are the detailed show notes with links for episode 69,

Review Questions:

1. Name 3 of the 5 Radios in a Smartphone
2. How do you turn all radios off at once?
3. T/F You should always drain the battery completely before charging
4. To see what Apps are using battery, you can go to Settings and then ___________________
5. For most people, the biggest user of battery is _______________________
6. T/F Keeping your system and Apps up to date will help with greater battery life

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#117 Chromebooks: The Seniors' Computer

This episode was streamed live on May 14, 2017. We webcast from our home studio in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Geeks on Tour members can view the Show Notes here.
Ron Brown, the director of the Silveridge Computer Club, joins us to give us his presentation on Chromebook - The Seniors Computer. He lays out the 4 S's of Chromebooks:

1. Simplicity
2. Security
3. Save Money
4. Speed

Mr. and Mrs. Geek own 2 Chromebooks and are using them more and more. Chris is taking her Chromebook on their trip to Europe rather than her laptop.

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#116 Google Photos, My Favorite Things

This episode was streamed live on April 30, 2017. We webcast from the conference center at River Plantation RV park in Sevierville, TN. We were there for a SKP ACRE rally, so we presented in front of a live studio audience! Geeks on Tour members can view the Show Notes here.
Why do we think Google Photos is so great? This episode demonstrates the 7 features that are Chris' favorites. We also give a tip and an App of the week, and we're in front of a Live Studio Audience!

1. Lifetime of Photos on Any Connected Device
2. Search AND Find!
3. Albums to Share
4. Simple Editing
5. WOW Editing with Snapseed
6. Movies, Animations
7. Navigate to Photo

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#114 Forgot Your Password? How to Recover Your Account

This episode was streamed live on April 9, 2017. To be notified when we are live, subscribe to our YouTube channel and click the little bell for notifications.

We've seen several people recently struggling with the fact that they can't use their phone properly because they've forgotten the password to their primary account. This episode demonstrates why the account and password are so important and the steps you can take to ensure that you can recover your account when (not IF!) you forget your password.

We also have the normal beginning Tip and ending App:

• Quick Tips: Viewing Websites on Smartphones
• Beginner’s Lesson: Forgot your Password? How to Recover your Account.
• App of the Week: NPR One

For Geeks on Tour Members only: Here's your Show Notes We recommend printing them out, then watch the show with friends and LEARN!

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#113 Google Maps Tips and Tricks

This episode was streamed live on April 2, 2017. To be notified when we are live, subscribe to our YouTube channel and click the little bell for notifications.
It is not as beginning as most of our shows because Google Maps has added several cool new features and we want to show you some! We demonstrate 5 tips using Google Maps on both the Android and the iPhone, including a new feature rolling out just this week called Share Your Location and Share your Trip.
We still have the normal beginning Tip and ending App:

• Quick Tips: Deleting multiple photos
• Beginner’s Lesson: Google Maps Tips and Tricks
• App of the Week: The Weather Channel: Wind Speed Maps

For Geeks on Tour Members only: Here's your Show Notes

Here's your Review Questions!

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

Installing, Uninstalling and Organizing Apps

This episode was streamed live on July 19, 2015. It is all about Apps. Why should you install apps from the official store? (Play Store on Android, App store on Apple) How do you uninstall an app you no longer use? How do you pay for apps? How do you organize Apps into ‘folders?’
These questions and more are answered in this encore episode of What Does This Button Do?

1. Quick Tips: Charging multiple devices
2. Beginner’s Lesson: Apps: Installing, Uninstalling, and Organizing
3. App of the Week: Traillink

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

How to Free Up Space on your Smartphone

This episode was streamed live on June 26, 2016. When your phone gets full, a lot of things stop working! First we explain how to find out what is taking up the space. It's your job to clean it out. There are a couple of things that are easy to delete and usually free up quite a bit of space. We call these the “low hanging fruit.” Then we have lots of tips for a variety of techniques for keeping your phone clean.

1. Tip o Week: Straighten Horizons
2. Beginner’s Lesson: Free up Space on your phone
3. App o week: Pay By Phone

We did not do a live Button Show this week because we were teaching a different class ... one on Blogging. We turned on Facebook Live Streaming for that class, you can watch it here.

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

How to Backup your Smartphone

This episode streamed live on May 1, 2016. We are currently in our motorhome traveling from Florida to Arizona.
What do people mean when they say, “The Cloud”? What is the difference between upload, download, and synchronize. Do you need to backup your phone to your computer when you’re using all cloud-based services? These questions and more are discussed in this episode of “What Does This Button Do?”
Show Notes available for Geeks on tour Members.

#108 Chromecast for Viewing Phone Screen on TV

This episode was live on Sunday, January 29, 2017. To be notified of live shows, subscribe to our YouTube channel and be sure to click the bell for notifications.

• Opening Tip: How to Find a Lost Phone
  Both iPhone and Android have a feature to Find your lost phone. It must be turned on!
• Beginner’s Lesson: Chromecast
  Why settle for watching photos and movies on that little, bitty screen when you can watch it on the Big screen TV? The Chromecast device is only $35 - lots cheaper than digital photo frames! It's easy, we'll show you how.
• Closing App: Google Trusted Contacts
  Personal safety app to send your current location to Trusted Contacts.
• Show Notes for Members

Review Questions:

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#107 Grab Bag of Smartphone Tips

This episode was live on Sunday, January 22, 2017. To be notified of live shows, subscribe to our YouTube channel and be sure to click the bell for notifications.

• Opening Tip: Highlights from past shows at TheButtonShow.com
• Beginner’s Lesson: Grab Bag of Tips, including:
  2-Step Verification, iPhone emoji keyboard, Finding your AppleID, Take a picture with Vol button on phone or earbuds, Save Photo from Text message
• Closing App: Google Home App
• Show Notes for Members

Bonus: See Jim's video of a day scuba diving on the Lady Luck, a wreck off Fort Lauderdale.

We had a little technical difficulty with this episode and had to cut out a portion with echo. So we made a video for one tip that was cut, how to save a photo received in a text message.

Review Questions:

1. The best technique to keep your email account safe and secure is to turn on what? _______________________________
2. The volume button on your phone can double as a ________________________
3. To find the username for your AppleID go to Settings, then:
   a. Control Center   b. Touch ID  c. iTunes & App Store
4. To find the username for your Google account on Android go to Settings, then:
   a. Accounts    b. Security   c. Lock Screen
5. To save a photo received by text message takes two steps. The first step is: ____________________
6. An emoji is _____________________________
7. If a saved photo does not show up in Google Photos, check your settings under
   a. Permissions    b. Device Folders    c. Assistant

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#106 Internet Connections as you Travel

This episode was live on Sunday, January 15, 2017. To be notified of live shows, subscribe to our YouTube channel and be sure to click the bell for notifications.

• Opening Tip: Viewing Pictures - Year at a Glance - with Google Photos
• Beginner’s Lesson: Internet Connections as you Travel
• Ending Tip/App: Signal Check / Open Signal

Show Notes

A little pre-show video. Here is how we set up our studio outside the RV.

And, here is the show:

For more in depth information on this topic, please check our friends at  RVMobileInternet.com (and become a member!)

Review Questions

1. A smartphone can connect to the internet via either:
   ________________  OR ________________________
2. Generally, Computers and Tablets can only connect via:
   __________________________   (with a few exceptions)
3. Cellular data almost always costs, Wi-Fi is often free
   True____ False ____
4. To improve your phone’s signal reception from a cell tower you need:
   a. Wi-Fi Booster    b. Cellular booster   c. Router   d. none of these
5. To improve your computer’s signal reception from a campground Wi-Fi, you need a:
   a. Wi-Fi Booster    b. Cellular booster   c. Router   d. none of these
6. The WiFiRanger is a
   ___ Wi-Fi Booster   ___Cellular booster     ___Router

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#105 Teaching your Friends and Family, Guest: Abby Stokes

This episode was live on Sunday, January 8, 2017. To be notified of live shows, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

• Opening Tip: Deleting apps is very different in Android vs iPhone
• Beginner’s Lesson: Teaching Tips for helping your new-to-smartphones friends and family
• Ending Tip/App: RVDumpSites

Show Notes for Members

Show Notes for Non-members $.99

Review Questions. Leave comments with your questions.

1. Where can you find the best button shows for Beginners?
   _____________________________________
2. A family member is always the best teacher
   True    False
3. When teaching, whose hands should be on the device?
   __Teacher    __Learner
4. What is the best length of time for a lesson?
   _______________________________________
5. What are the 3 steps for teaching something important?
   1. ________________  2._____________  3._______________
6. To learn more from our guest, Abby Stokes, go to her website
   ____________________________________________
   AskAbbyStokes.com

Web Browsing on Mobile Devices #28

We didn't do a live show this week, so we searched thru our archives for something useful and came up with Episode 28 which originally streamed live on January 25, 2015. There are some really useful tips and the Beginner's Lesson is just as valid today as it was then. In fact, by watching it I learned some things I had forgotten! After watching it, how did you do with the review questions? Leave us comments ok? The show starts with some talk and videos of where we were at the time in Quartzsite AZ. To see the original videos, click here. To skip the opening, go to the 6min 40 second point.

1. Quick Tips: Icon Glossary, Emailing your Lat/Lon location. 
2. Beginner’s Lesson: Web Browsing 
3. App o Week: TuneIn Radio 

For the best viewing, be sure to click the FullScreen button in the lower right corner
Show Notes and Links (for members only) Not a member? Join now.
Show Notes and Links $.99 for non-members
 
Review Questions:
1.To Browse to a website, you need a browser: Name 2
2.You can have several websites open at one time in different _________.
3.How can you go directly to a website rather than getting search results?
4.How can you save a website as an icon on your home screen – like an app?
5.Bookmarks are most useful for websites that you use All the time? Or Occasionally?

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#104 Google Photos Book Launch

This week is different. It's all about our new Book! Mrs. Geek's Guide to Google Photos.

1. Geeks on Tour Members get your eBook here
2. December Special $49: 1/2 Price. Buy the combo of the printed book PLUS Geeks on Tour Learning Library on USB
3. Sign up for Free download of Chapter 1
4. Show Notes for Everyone

This episode was live on Sunday, December 18. To be notified of live shows, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Also watch this tutorial video:

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!

#103 Scanning QR Codes

This episode was live on Sunday, December 4. To be notified of live shows, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

• Opening Tip: Photo editing with Snapseed. The Healing tool will erase blemishes and other unwanted item in a photo
• Beginner’s Lesson:Using QR Codes – scanning them and making them
• Ending Tip/App: RVillage

Show Notes for Members

Show Notes for Non-members $.99

We had some bandwidth issues in this episode. These 2 short, pre-recorded videos will help:

Can you answer these review questions? Please leave comments below.

1. To scan a QR code, you need a mobile device, an app for scanning codes and _____________________________
2. A QR code is a link to a web page, that’s all. True   False
3. In addition to scanning a printed code, some scanning apps can scan from a _______________
4. What app did Chris use to create a QR code for a location map? _____________________________
5. In Geeks on Tour materials, QR codes are used to _________________
6. What app did Chris use to erase an ugly sign out of a photo? ____________________________

---

Continue your Education with Geeks on Tour by subscribing to our Newsletters!