My women's group wanted to see a live memorial service in New Hampshire on a big-screen TV in Chicago. Here's how I cast it from the church website to my TV.
First, I went to the website in the Google Chrome browser on my Windows computer. Then I clicked the three vertical dots in the upper right and chose "cast." Up popped my TV as one of the choices. The ladies were delighted.
If you're casting from an iPhone or iPad, you may need a TV with Apple TV built in, or at least one that's compatible with AirPlay. Once you've got it, follow these steps. First, start up a video on your phone or tablet. Next, look for the little rectangle icon that has a triangle at its base. Tap it to see your casting options. If you don't see your TV on the list, your TV isn't compatible. When I tried it, I only saw my neighbors' TVs. But when I looked at new TVs at BestBuy.com, it appeared that most major brands now have Apple TV built in. Alternatively, you can use the Replica Screen Mirroring app.
THE BARD LIES
According to Bloomberg, the employees who initially tested Bard, Google's artificially intelligent chat service, said it was a "pathological liar." In their tests, it gave incorrect instructions on how to land a plane and how to scuba dive, both of which would have resulted in death. Google launched the Bard despite employee recommendations to hold off. But CHATGPT isn't without criticisms either, and both are getting smarter by the minute. If either try to write this column for me, I'll punch them in the nose.
INSTAGRAM TIP
I never seem to have family photos at the ready when everyone else is passing their phones around. To make them handy on Instagram, tap the bookmark icon that appears below each post. This will add the post to your "Saved" folder. To see them again, click on your profile picture, then click the bookmark or the word "Saved."
CHROMEBOOK NEWS
Soon, all Chromebooks that are still getting updates will have software that toggles on to block the microphone and camera automatically. That way you won't need a handkerchief placed over the camera or a physical switch. To activate the software switch once it's available, go to "Settings," then "Security and Privacy," then "Privacy Controls."
A WRISTBAND FOR YOUR PHONE
Who needs an Apple Watch when you can wear your whole phone on your wrist? The VUP Wristband Holder, $16 on Amazon, fits any phone size from 4 inches to 6.7.
It sounds great for biking, walking, rock climbing or cooking. Rather than stopping to get out your phone, you'd just look at your wrist. It can even rotate 360 degrees. It seems especially handy for GPS directions and adjusting music. One couple say they use it while dog walking and playing Pokemon Go. But you may want to adjust the display in "Settings" on your phone so it stays on for the maximum time. It would be hard to unlock it while on a bike, unless you use facial recognition.
A GOOD INTERNET SPEED
According to highspeedinternet.com, 10 megabits per second (Mbps) is considered a good upload speed. Around 100 Mbps is good for downloading, they say. But my upload speed is only 4 Mbps, and my download speed is only 29. Both seem plenty fast. Check yours out at speedtest.net.
NO MORE WINDOWS 7 AND 8 SUPPORT
If you use Windows 7 or Windows 8, you may be irked that support for Google Chrome users ended recently, leaving you slightly vulnerable. That could be bad news for at least 100 million computers, according to The Verge.
The combination of an unsupported browser and an unsupported operating system could be risky, experts say, but if you avoid clicking on suspicious links or going to questionable websites, you should be fine. A friend of mine used a Windows 98 computer even into the Windows 10 era with no problems. It may have helped that she browsed the internet with AOL's Shield app.
WHO DO YOU TRUST?
Women's health apps are the least trusted apps in America, especially Ovia, according to a study by DataRecovery.com. In the data category, people don't trust Hinge. For shopping, they don't trust Klarna. But potential users say that if companies paid them to use the app, 66% would be more open to data collection.
INTERNUTS
"Floating Solar Panels." Search that phrase to see an article in ZMEScience. It's estimated that if 30% of the world's reservoirs were covered with solar panels, they would generate almost 10,000 terawatts of power a year, which would continuously power 2 billion homes.
"Peugeot's Inception Concept Car." Search that phrase to learn about an electric car with electronic steering. Its batteries are smaller than a standard car's, and are on the floor, which makes the car more spacious inside.
Joy Schwabach can be reached by email at joy.schwabach@gmail.com.