Speed up your tablet, hide your Amazon profile and more: Tech Q&A
File photo: Tim Cook, CEO, holds an iPad Pro after his keynote address to Apple's annual world wide developer conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California, U.S. June 5, 2017. (REUTERS/Stephen Lam)
Antenna Channels
Q: If I buy an antenna to get free television channels, how many channels will I get? Is there a formula or something to figure it out before I buy and install the antenna?
A: For people who like to save money, antennas are a great investment. Setting up an antenna is a tricky task; its physical placement may require troubleshooting. Unlike the "rabbit ears" era, you don't have to stand on the roof and bend the wires and shout down the living room to see whether the reception is clearer. Specialty sites will supply you with most of the information you need, based on your geographic location. You can also figure out what channels you’ll receive and whether the investment is worth it. Tap or click here to check all available TV channels in your area.
Public Amazon Profile
Q: Is it true that I have a public profile tied to my Amazon.com account? I thought you said that on your show. That's crazy!
A: In short, yes, it is true. On paper, this makes much sense: When you shop on Amazon, the company wants to learn as much about you as it can. During the holidays, these public profiles and wish lists help people buy gifts for you. Still, Amazon doesn’t make this very clear to its customers. Now that you’re aware of it, you very likely will want to make your information invisible. Luckily, that’s a pretty easy thing to do. Tap or click here for five obscure Amazon settings you should change now.
Subscribing to Podcasts
Q: How do I get your podcasts? What does it mean to subscribe to podcasts?
A: “Subscribing” to a podcast usually means that (a) you will receive alerts when a new episode comes out, (b) your device will automatically download the podcast, and (c) that you will stay up-to-date with your favorite shows. Podcasts are more popular than anyone ever imagined: by some estimates, there are more than half a million podcast series on iTunes, and a quarter of adult Americans report listening to at least one podcast per month. Subscribing helps keep you in the loop, especially when there is so much free material floating around, and it’s easy for many of us to forget what we listened to. Tap or click here to subscribe to my podcasts.
Slow Tablets
Q: My tablet is running so much slower than when I first got it. What's going on?
A: A tablet is like any other computer: it's swift and efficient when you first buy it, but over time, your tablet starts to slow down. You accumulate photos and videos and store them on your device. You download apps and run them in the background. All of this clutter will bog down its operating system. Meanwhile, there are also your search history and call logs, and many of us don’t realize that this eats up storage as well. Tap or click here to speed up your tablet and smartphone, too.
Learn Programming
Q: I'd like to learn how to program. What's a right way to start?
A: I still have fond memories of typing out code for my college programming classes. Whether or not you want to become a professional programmer, coding can be a rewarding activity on its own. There’s a certain giddy feeling that comes when a program is running correctly, and you’ve worked out all the bugs, and the computer does what you’ve imagined it doing. Back in the day, you had to take an actual course from a computer scientist; now, you can learn code online, for free. Tap or click here to learn how to code for free.
What digital lifestyle questions do you have? Call my national radio show and click here to find it on your local radio station. You can listen to the Kim Komando Show on your phone, tablet or computer. From buying advice to digital life issues, click here for my free podcasts.
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Learn about all the latest technology on the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show. Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.
