Most people use a simple English word as their password, like "potato." But real words are easy for hackers to crack -- once the first couple of letters are found, the hacker's computer can immediately fill in all the words that start with those letters. Here's a better way:
Use a song. Any song. Type the first letter for each word in the lyrics, starting wherever you want. For example, "Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain." This produces the password "owtwcsdtp," which for sure is not going to come up in any dictionary. Since some sites require more, Joy adds the prefix of an old phone number and the name of a street where she lived before. That way she gets a number and capital and lowercase letters. And it's easy to remember; as you type in your password, sing along. Password too long? Pick a shorter song. If you wish, use an airplane instead of an address number, like F16 or B29.
Our Readers Like RealPad
We've always been skeptical of those RealPad ads in the AARP magazine. But readers tell us this senior version of a tablet computer is really neat. RealPad simplifies the user experience. If you can put up with a shorter battery life and a less zippy performance, it could be for you.
According to user reviews, the major attractions are round-the-clock tech support, video tutorials, and decent front and back cameras. The tablet itself is about 5-by-8 inches and at 13.8 ounces feels fairly light. The screen resolution isn't as good as the iPad's, but the price is better: $189, compared with the iPad Mini 3's $399, or $230 for refurbished iPad Minis at Amazon. Viewing angles are poor, however; it's hard for anyone except the person holding the device to read the screen.
The RealPad speaker doesn't provide much volume but you can remedy this by plugging in portable speakers. Our current favorite is JBL Micro Ultra-Portable, for about $28, which we sometimes use with our iPad Mini.
On the upside, a button labeled "Real Quick Fix" fixes many problems. Free tech support, provided by AARP, can connect to the device remotely to fix any problems that Quick Fix can't handle. An AARP button gives you quick access to AARP tools, like "drug interaction checker," "retirement calculator" and "credit card payoff calculator," but you can also get these by going to its website: AARP.org.
RealPad comes with a free membership to AARP for one year. And how's this for cute: The keyboard has a "smiley" button.
A Better Remote
We felt like we had been dropped back to 1960 when we temporarily lost our TV's remote control. On modern TVs, it's difficult to find the volume control -- or any controls, for that matter. A gizmo called Pronto could have saved our bacon. (Which, after all that time trying to find the controls, was burning in the oven.)
Pronto is a $60 palm-sized device from BestBuy.com. The Peel app offers suggestions based on your viewing habits. It will show you what shows people are buzzing about on Twitter and give you a personalized TV guide.
Pronto turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a universal remote to control TVs, DVDs and set-top boxes. You don't have to search for the right remote to switch from a DVD to TV. Also: Use it to shut off the TV from the kitchen if the kids won't stop watching.
Organizing Mail on the iPad
Joy's friend Frieda asked her how to put mail into folders on the iPad. We find computers more practical for email, so we scratched our heads for a minute before coming up with these simple steps.
Tap the Mail app on the iPad and then "Mailboxes." That's Apple's term for folders. To organize your mail, tap "Edit" and "New Mailbox." Give your new mailbox a simple name like "Important Mail" and tap "Done."
Now go back to the inbox and open an email. Above the email, you'll see five tiny icons in blue. The second one looks like a tiny folder. Tap the folder and then choose the mailbox you want to store it in. The mail zooms into place. Next time you want to find something fast, tap "Mailboxes" and tap your new folder.
App-Happy Health
We were burned when we signed up for the "prime" version of Health Tap, after it offered us a free two-week trial of its doctor-on-demand service. We didn't remember that it had our credit card, so it was a big shock to learn we'd been dinged $109 per month for three months. This has become a "business model," as they say, and it's a nasty practice.
But we like the idea of using an app to get a second opinion from a real doctor. Here are a few others to try:
• DoctorOnDemand is $40 per consultation for nonemergency medical conditions. They can even prescribe drugs. Its psychologist-on-demand video consultation costs $50 for 25 minutes. It works the same, with the app or on the website.
• HelloMD, available as an app or on the Web, offers you a second opinion from a doctor or surgeon. Consultations take place through video calls. Doctors set their own rates.
• LiveHealth Online accepts insurance, if your plan covers online visits. Without it, it's $49 per consultation.
Internuts
• DwellingGawker.com has tips for turning cheap Ikea products into something more individual. It also has photos of unusual dwellings, including treehouses and condos inside old schools.
• LettersofNote.com has interesting letters from the famous and not, from poet Emily Dickinson to soldiers in World War II.
• Uncrate.com shows stuff guys supposedly want: motorcycles, skateboards, cars, bicycles, a charging station for the new Apple Watch, Swiss Army knives, etc. The only thing Bob wanted was the Swiss Army knife.
Bob and Joy Schwabach can be reached by email at bobschwab@gmail.com and joydee@oncomp.com.
SundayMonday Business on 03/30/2015