I love tech articles and reviews that bust myths. There are so many out there. This one busts battery myths. 1. No, you don't have to let the battery go to zero to prolong battery life. In fact, you will probably get a day and a half of use out of most modern phones. 2. No, it won't hurt your phone to leave it on the charger all night. Modern Lithium Ion batteries won't overcharge. Really. Relax. 3. Well, watch this video and find out. I don't want to spoil all the fun.
Duet Display. I already have a couple of external portable displays that I can connect to my notebook to give me the ability to have two screens going simultaneously. This makes is easier to go back and forth between documents, and is a good way to get a bigger screen when traveling with a small notebook computer. However, I am jealous of iPad owners who can use their tablets as a second screen with this little app and program. The Android version isn't out yet; but, I will definitely give it a try. In fact, I have a 19 inch Samsung tablet in the kitchen that we use for recipes and video that would be ideal as a second screen when traveling. You can't really multitask; but, this makes it easier to go back and forth between tasks. Less downtime and more productive time.
Dragon Anywhere support%u2014Professional-grade dictation app for mobile professionals | Nuance.For $15 a month, the mobile app from Dragon, Dragon Anywhere, allows me to speak any dictation anywhere into my phone, and it immediately, and accurately, turns into a digital text file. I can use the text file for correspondence, briefs, or other documents. I can even automatically sync the documents with Dropbox or Evernote. Save your thoughts in real time. Anytime. Anywhere. What's in your phone?
Windows 10 Your Phone app can now be used to make calls from Android phones | ZDNet. I am really enjoying the Note 10+ integration with Windows 10. I can control the phone screen on the desktop when both are connected to the same WiFi network. This will make presentations that show the phone much easier, and you can even check text messages and make phone calls on screen on the desktop. This ZDNet review gives all the details.
T-Mobile Intros Essentials Unlimited 55 Plan, $55/Month for 2 Lines of Unlimited Talk, Text, and Data %u2013 Droid Life. Discounts are one of the few benefits of old age. Those of us over 55 now have the opportunity to get 40% discounts on TMobile cell service. If you need two lines, are over 55, you can get unlimited talk, text and data for $55 per month. Not bad. Of course, I prefer my Military discount of 50%. I knew all that saluting would pay off some day.
Top 5 ways to replace the headphone jack. By now, you are aware that headphone jacks are disappearing from smartphones. They are the dinosaurs of mobile music, and conjure images of a bygone age, in which millennials walk down the street with earphones attached to long cords sticking in their ears. I seldom used the earphone jack in my Note 9, opting for my necklace style bluetooth earbuds; or, more recently, my Bose Smart Frames. But, I did like listening to sports events at the stadium in real time, which required using plug in earphones as an antenna for the built in FM chip. Now, my new Note 10+ has no earphone jack, and the USB C connector doesn't cut it, since the FM chip has been deactivated by Samsung. Oh well. But, wait a minute! I still own the Note 9. I guess I will be carrying it to games from now on. Solutions to problems are sometimes obvious.
As a dedicated Samsung phone user, I am pleased that Microsoft is making the connection with Samsung devices more robust. Not being reliant on Google apps for phone specific tasks creates competition, and the new YourPhone app is pretty cool. I love the new ability to send an operating phone screen to Windows for desktop access to the phone apps as long as both devices are connected to the same WiFi network. I can't wait until the DeX interface makes this possible without a USB cable connection. Here is YourPhone running on my system. Any Android app is now accessible on my desktop.
So far, the coolest feature of the Galaxy Note 10 Plus and its tight integration with Windows 10 is the mirroring feature of YourPhone. No USB cables. No wires at all. No third party apps with buggy interfaces. Turn on the phone and the computer and the phone screen pops up on the computer. It can then be controlled on screen by the mouse, keyboard or whatever else you have attached. This is your Smartphone on steroids, and is a game changer. I shot this photo of my phone on screen showing me shooting a photo of my phone with me onscreen. Now, say that three times fast. Cool.
How to Connect the Note 10 or Note 10 Plus to a Windows PC or Laptop | Digital Trends. One of the big reasons I finally decided to bite the bullet and buy a Galaxy Note 10 Plus is the tight integration with Windows. I admit that I have been a Windows guy from day one. Windows has always been about grunt work, and I have always been a grunt. All of the early legacy law practice software apps were Windows only, so the choice was easy. These days, when more work is done on mobile phones than sitting at a desk, integration between phone and computer is essential. The 10 Plus, and the improvements to the connection, make this a no brainer. I am particularly interested in the baked in mirroring of the phone to the computer, and the ability to create a desktop environment for the phone apps. Now, roll up your sleeves, loosen the tie, and get to work.
Focals by North promise to bring smart glasses to all of us | iMore. I love the Bose Frames Smartglasses. They are inexpensive ($199), and give me ALL my notifications via speakers in the frames, with the ability to talk to Google Assistant and can make and receive phone calls. I don't want a holographic video image in my glasses, and I don't want to wear a plastic ring on my finger to navigate it. Finally, there is geek cool, which the Bose Frames are, and too geeky cool, which is what the Focal frames are. The kicker? They cost $999.
