Technology - how useful is it to you?

[Lighttouch]

I only brought this subject up because of an update to Apple's computer software.

I'm only just discovering how Apple like to intertwine their 'devices'.

I've always been an Apple fan as I had to use their technology at work. You don't need to know a lot about these kind of computers as they are 'intuitive' - they just work.

The latest thing happening is that if someone calls me on my iPhone I can now take the call on my iMac - I don't miss a call if the Mobile is in another room while I'm on the computer.

Another thing is I can receive and send text messages from my iMac too.

This may not be remarkable to some people but I find it fascinating. What an interesting world we live in!

[reddivine]

Ahh, talk to Jman, he's another apple geek. Forgive me for not sharing your enthusiasm. I work and have to work with, other folks with WORD. If I send to Jman, he can read, BUT we cannot send and attachment and then edit on his computer.....incompatible software.

[Lighttouch]

Ahh, talk to Jman, he's another apple geek. Forgive me for not sharing your enthusiasm. I work and have to work with, other folks with WORD. If I send to Jman, he can read, BUT we cannot send and attachment and then edit on his computer.....incompatible software.

Hi Reddivine, Apple bundle all sorts of software with the computers, tablets and iPhone.

I also use Microsoft Offices 'Word' because most people use it. You just have to rememember to save the file as a .doc and not as a .docx which is the default Mac setting that can't be opened on a PC. http://www.microsoft.com/uk/mac/products I always go on a training course, get a student card then buy software with Educational discount - very reasonable.

Attachments are easy to send on a Mac as you just click on the file then drag and drop onto the email - couldn't be easier!

Sorry, I couldn't quite make out your point in the last sentence - please explain.

[beau]

Pretty useful to me as I can stay in contact with friends I am no longer able to visit. On saying that I think as a whole population, businesses, education etc. depend on it too much. Especially education, many of the old skills are being lost and when the technology falls over the kids are lost as they are unable to revert to other methods, for example, using dictionaries and being able to do calculations.

[tattymama]

I agree with you, beau. I find it invaluable for finding information and advice that I would otherwise have to travel to obtain, or may not know where to get the advice from. I also find it a great help in me having contact with the wider, as one of my disabilities is severe anxiety, especially mixing with other people.

[Flymo]

I also use Microsoft Offices 'Word' because most people use it. You just have to rememember to save the file as a .doc and not as a .docx which is the default Mac setting that can't be opened on a PC.

All versions of Word from 2007 upwards use .docx natively. The Windows versions of Word XP (the version of Word in Office 2002) and Word 2003 can use .docx if you install the free compatibility pack from download.microsoft.com

.docx is technically a superior format in many ways - it allows additional features and avoids some of the unpredictability with complex layouts that .doc was notorious for. I recommend avoiding .doc as far as possible and haven't had to save anything in .doc for several years. All my other applications (such an Adobe InDesign) understand .docx and my university now accepts .docx anywhere they accept .doc.

I always go on a training course, get a student card then buy software with Educational discount - very reasonable.

The rules on student discount for Microsoft Office have got a lot tougher in the past few years. I don't believe you can get any perpetual licence (outright purchase) version of Office above Home Premium with student discount now, and the licence you get forbids commercial use. You used to be able to get Office Professional as a student with no licence restrictions.

There is Office 365 University, which is a subscription product including all Office applications other than Visio and Project for four years, but this is only available to bona fide university students. Signing up for a course at the local college is unlikely to allow you to pass the verification process for Office 365 University. As courses have become more expensive with the reduction in government support for further and higher education, the days of signing up for a cheap course primarily for the discounts are really behind us.


I shall stick with my student licence versions of Office 2010 Professional Plus, Visio 2010 Premium and Project 2010 Professional on Windows that I bought at the beginning of my degree until they become too obsolete to be usable.

Attachments are easy to send on a Mac as you just click on the file then drag and drop onto the email - couldn't be easier!

I haven't come across a modern Windows e-mail client that doesn't allow drag and drop to attach a file to an e-mail. Outlook certainly does.

[Lighttouch]

I haven't come across a modern Windows e-mail client that doesn't allow drag and drop to attach a file to an e-mail. Outlook certainly does.

Luckily I've not had to use a PC. Most of my experience of people not being able to open .docx files was from PC users but maybe it depended on what version of Word they were running.

I last got Educational discount o software about two years ago when I took a night school course on Photoshop costing £80. I was able to purchase Microsoft Office and Adobe's Creative Suite CS4 for a considerable discount.

A lot of stuff now might need to be bought through the cloud - to stop pirate copies being made.

You can also use PC software on a Mac as a PC - the question has to be why and what a waste!

[Lighttouch]

NETFLIX - Digital Films

I'm with Virginmedia and it always annoys me when I see this company dangling carrots to entice new viewers to join with special offers.

I phoned and complained so they asked what I wanted. Now I'm paying less for the same bundle but they've thrown in NETFLIX for free for 6 months. Is it any wonder that Blockbusters went bust!

The technology now means you could watch movies on any digital device once you log in.

[catlover]

A friend's husband had a heart attack recently. He's now home with some sort of defibrillator that's monitored by the hospital via wifi.

[nukecad]

Our internet was down all day yesterday (and half of last Friday).

I have wifi access to both a BT router and a Talk-Talk router on different landlines so have been buffered against this sort of thing.
But both were offline yesterday (and Friday), and only the Talk-Talk is back at the moment.

I blame Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the servers were getting overloaded so they cut off us rural Northerners.