Technology frustrations

Often, I find that things that stump and frustrate me can be really simple to fix.  I just have to research and learn or ask the right person-one who already knows.

Take this posting for example.  I am STILL learning the mechanics of this blog.  I had thought that what I type was saved automatically every several seconds as I type.  I know that I have seen that message run across the bottom of the screen.  So, when I was interrupted after starting this post, I didn’t even think about saving it.  I’ve only saved the draft a few times.  (Usually I finish a post in one setting.). Well, when I returned, after logging in again, I found the post was gone!  I certainly hadn’t expected that.  After reading and experimenting, I’ve found that the automatic saving only occurs after the draft has been saved.  So now I save whenever I leave the computer.  It an easy fix that only takes a second.

Another technological thing that has been frustrating me was the Maps on my iPad.  For several months, whenever I tried to get directions it would give me a message of ‘no transit directions’, even when I entered exact addresses.  I tried rebooting but it didn’t help.  I wondered about re installing app but was reluctant to do it since Maps was factory installed.  So I waited, using the internet and mapquest instead, still frustrated.  This went on for several months.  Then when I was at my son’s I mentioned it to my daughter-in-law.  She looked at it a few seconds, then told me I had it set for bus route.  She showed my the little icon (or are they called widgets now?) at the bottom.  I had never really noticed them before.  There is one for car, bus, and walking.  How simple!  I was so glad it was a quick fix and very happy to have Maps working again, though I did feel a bit silly.  Sure glad I waited on the re-install idea.  I wonder when/if I will ever learn to think about how I might be the one causing the problem, instead of something or someone else?

Just now, in previewing this post I realized I need to learn what a widget really is.  My grandson was the one that told me about them, but he really didn’t know the ‘icon’ terminology so didn’t know if they were the same or not,  So back to researhing.  Not wanting to spend a lot of time, I just read a few sites explanations.  As I understand it, a widget is an app icon that can indicate whether the app is active or not.  They are on the widget dock of smart phones.  And that is all I really care to know about them.  Just enough so that I know what my grandson is talking about.

Back to the iPad, I just learned to type the word correctly.  I had been typing IPad and kept getting the red wavy line for a misspelled word.  If I had been using an old operating system I could understand it since the iPad is fairly new.  But I have Windows 7.  So I tried different ways and found that the capitalization is a bit weird.  Apple named it the iPad.

While traveling with one of my sons, I learned that Maps on my iPad is run off GPS.  Now I understand why, even though I don’t currently have a data plan, the map app still shows me where I am.  But maybe that is only the case when I have previously run a direction route while connected to WiFi.  I’ll have to check that out.

I also learned something very helpful to me about the iPad.  I really just stumbled on it.  One day I was typing and noticed a little round globe like symbol.  This was after the Maps episode.  I guess that caused me to be a little more observant of detail.  Anyway, imagine my surprise when I realized it can change the keyboard so I can type in letter accents!  That will be so helpful on my Spanish posts.

After reading my last technology post, my daughter commented that there is a built in tape recorder on smart phones.  I was going to have her show me when we got together, but nether one of us remembered.  I asked by daughter-in-law, but she didn’t know since she doesn’t use it.  So I researched.   I found my IPhone has a built in app for audio record.  I looked at my phone but didn’t see the icon.  I finally found it in the productivity folder.  (I like to create folders for my apps, so it doesn’t clutter my screen.)  I must have put it there when I first got the phone.  I plan to use it next time thoughts come to me when I’m driving.   My phone is a 3G and only has about a half hour of time, but it will still be handy.  The 4G have much more run time.

When publishing my blog,, one thing that I tend to overlook is the tags.  I am usually so interested in getting the post completed and published, that I forget about the tags.  But I have learned how to add them, using my laptop, after I’ve published the post.

Another thing I just learned which made me feel really silly since the fix was so simple.  I switch from my iPad to laptop a lot.  Sometimes I have my posts open on both.  I usually have other tabs open with other sites I’m looking at too.  One day when I was switched back to working on this post on the laptop,  I noticed that the left side of my screen, where the mechanics of the post are located, was larger and was overlapping the post.  I couldn’t understand what had happened.  I tried shrinking them, but couldn’t.  I tried closing down other posts on both iPad and laptop and logging in again.  It was still like that.  It wouldn’t have been so bad-even though it overlapped where I type-except I really don’t have much luck adding the tags with the iPad and typing is easier with the laptop.  So I have been switching back and forth.  Frustrating.  When typing today, I suddenly thought about the maximize/minimize on the laptop.  Often on sites with smaller print I maximize the screen.  So I tried maximizing the screen.  Sure enough, my screen was back to normal, except that the layout was crazy from where I had moved things around trying to correct the overlap,.  But after some time spent moving them around, I now have the mechanic tabs again on the left where they are more handy.  So even though I felt silly, I really learned two things–the minimize/maximize and how to move tabs around on my post screen.

Well this  is one post I certainly didn’t finish in one sitting, not even in a day.  It’s a good thing I’ve learned how to save.  Ive been working on it a couple of weeks!  When I  started this blog I really wanted to do a post a week. But as is often the case, life has a way of changing my plans sometimes.  So I’ve had to do this blog in bits.  Glad to have it completed now, and I’ve even added the tags!  Now I just have to publish this.  Oh, and post my new blog address to facebook.

Tags: iPad, spanish, Technology