Okay, it’s official, I absolutely love my iPad Pro.  I have owned it almost five months, now, and find that I am using it more and more, each day.  I am certain that my new found appreciation of the tablet has to do with the Apple Smart Keyboard, an accessory that makes iPad feel more like a moble desktop than a tablet. 

What I am discovering is that I enjoy the fusion of the hardware keyboard and the touch screen.  This makes what are sometimes challenging websites for my PC and/or Mac computers much more easily accessible.

I find that I am using a much wider range of iOS apps on iPad than I ever would have on iPhone because of the convenience of the Smart Keyboard.

For example, I now manage all of the administrative functions of this group on my iPad where as I used to only manage it via my PC.  Simply put, the experience is better on iPad than on a desktop; iPhone is simply too small and there is the issue of not having an easily accessible hardware keyboard for iPhone.  Yes, I have a Apple Bluetooth keybord for iPhone but I much prefer to use the iPad Smart Keyboard.

For so many years I was of the opinion that the VoiceOver experience on iPhone would/should be the same on iPad.  I was completely wrong on this point.

I’m seriously thinking about activating the LTE feature on the tablet but have not yet done so because I use it, primarily, at home.

I have decided not to install any financial / money management apps on it because the iPhone works just fine and I do anticipate using iPad on a public Wi-Fi sooner or later, assuming I do not activate LTE or make use of my tethering option.

Now I’m not suggesting that I would buy a tablet instead of a Mac or PC computer; but I am saying that the tablet certainly augments both my web browsing accessibility experience and my confidence in terms of accessing various software applications and challenging websites.

In short, it is a wonderful addition to my other technology, not a replacement for it.

As a ten-year iPHone user, it has taken a little time to get used to iPad and its advantages and, in some cases, its disadvantages.

It will be interesting to discover how Apple will further increase the distinction between iOS and iPad OS, this fall.

I had planned on installing the beta of iPad OS on my iPad Pro but, I am enjoying using iPad so much that I find that I have no desire to test the new OS until it is much more stable (smile).

Just thought I would post this for those of you who may be considering iPad.  If you do decide to move forward with a purchase, I cannot stress enough the important, in my opinion, of also buying, if not the Apple Smart Keyboard, then at least an iPad-compatible BlueTooth Keyboard.

In the Journey,

Mark

Now on GoodReads.

About 10 days or so ago, I had a bit of an emergency in which I needed some cash.  As it turned out, I was not near any of my local bank branches.  Since time was absolutely of the essence, I decided to withdraw some money from the nearest 7-Eleven convenient store ATM.  

As an aside, I had not used my debit card, in a foreign ATM, in over eight years.  This, in no way, was intentional; just a curious happenstance.

Regardless, on this particular day, I withdrew the money necessary to address the emergency, at hand, incurring a sir charge of $2.95.

Two days later at approximately 7:30pm, I received a notification, via my iOS banking app, that a ATM debit card withdrawal of $402.95 had just occurred.

Upon receiving this notification, I, via my banking app, immediately cancelled my debit card and ordered a new card complete with a new PIN.

Given that (1) I had never had an unauthorized debit card transaction occur in the past, (2) I had recently, for the first time in 8 years, used a foreign ATM, and (3) the amount included a sir charge of $2.95, it did not take long to determine from where the thieves acquired my debit card information.

Upon subsequent investigation by officials, it was discovered that this particular ATM had, in fact, been compromised.  Just so you know, the stolen money was credited back to my account.

It should be noted, however, that the ATM from which the theft occurred was not the same ATM from which my information was obtained.

My point, however, is that but for the fact that I was immediately notified that a transaction had taken place, the thieves most likely would have absconded with even more money from my account and, ultimately, the bank.

So, I fervently urge all of you to enable either app push notifications and/or SMS transaction alerts for all of your financial accounts.

In closing, here are some interesting facts I learned from those who investigated my case:

First, over 90% of debit card cash withdraw thefts, in the United States, take place at ATMs located in either convenient stores or gas stations, primarily because they are privately owned and not subjected to the same daily physical security scrutiny as those located in actual financial institutions.

Second, when one has to use a foreign ATM, it is much safer to use an ATM located in an actual bank / credit union branch.  This is to say, if you are a Chase customer, for example, and you need cash, it would be much safer to use a Bank of America ATM than any stand-alone private ATM.

Third, if one must absolutely use a private, stand-alone ATM, one should immediately change the PIN associated with that debit card upon completion of the transaction.

I hope you find this information useful and that you never experience any unauthorized charges on any of your accounts.

Sincerely,

Mark

In light of recent world events, I decided to re-post the following list of personal codes of conduct, by which to live, that are commonly referred to as the Native American Code of Ethics.

These principles are simple yet powerful, demanding yet gracious, timely and yet timeless.

I post them here as a token of my respect for the past, my appreciation of the present, and my hope for the future.

Most Sincerely,

Mark

NATIVE AMERICAN CODE OF ETHICS

1.
Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak.  

2.
Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy – and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.

3.
Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it, for, you.

4.
Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.

5.
Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.

6.
Respect all things that are placed upon this earth – whether it be people or plant.

7.
Honor other people’s thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal expression.

8.
Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.

9.
All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.

10.
Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.

11.
Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. It is part of your worldly family.

12.
Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and water them with wisdom and life’s lessons. When they are grown, give them space to grow.

13.
Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will return to you.

14.
Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this universe.

15.
Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self, Emotional self, and Physical self – all need to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.

16.
Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will react. Be responsible for your own actions.

17.
Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not touch the personal property of others – especially sacred and religious objects. This is forbidden.

18.
Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if you cannot nurture and help yourself first.

19.
Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on others.

20.
Share your good fortune with others.

May The Great Spirit Smile down on you and keep you and yours safe

May the trail rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the sunshine be warm upon your face

May the rain fall soft upon your fields

And, until we meet again, may The Great Spirit hold your hand in the palm of his hand.

I hope you enjoy this approximately 30 minute episode of the 1940s Suspense radio drama, “The House in Cypress Canyon”, published here as a Candle Shore Podcast.

Mark
Episode: The House in Cypress Canyon

In this approximately 14 minute episode of the Candle Shore Podcast, join CBS 60 Minutes as it examines the raising of the Costa Concordia, the largest passenger ship to ever capsize.

Mark
Episode:  Raising The Costa Concordia

The following tip comes to us from SimpleHelp.net.  It’s definitely a keeper.

Mark

HOW TO INCREASE THE SIZE OF THE MENU BARS IN WINDOWS 10
From SimpleHelp.net

With just a few clicks, you can resize the “menus” in Windows 10 so that they’re much more visible (and way easier to click and/or “tap”).  This is particularly helpful if you’re using Windows 10 on a tablet or touch-screen device. 

1.
Start out by clicking the Windows 10 “Start” button and select Settings.

2.
Select System from the list of Settings.

3.
Make sure that Display is selected in the left column, scroll down to the bottom of the Display options and select Advanced display settings.

4.
Scroll down to the bottom of this screen as well, and select Advanced sizing of text and other items.

5.
Here we go: first, select Menu from the ‘drop down list’. Second, decide what new font size you want to use. The default is 9, I’d suggest trying out 12 first and see if that’s large enough for your needs. Finally, click the Apply button.

6.
Now open any application that has a Menu Bar – it’s bigger! :) If it’s not big enough, simply change the Menu font size to something higher and click Apply to try it out. When you’re happy with the size, just exit out of this window. That’s it!

The other day, I discovered Daily Craigslist App, an iOS utility that just happens to work wonderfully with VoiceOver, Apple’s software screen reading solution for the blind and low vision.. 

This app allows you to easily browse Craig’s List on your iOS device.

Below is a link to the free version of the app but there is an ads-free version available, as well.

Daily Craigslist App (Free Version) – Mobile Shopping & Classifieds by Lifelike Apps, Inc https://appsto.re/us/0ClkA.i

Enjoy,

Mark

In this approximately 15 minute episode of the Candle Shore Podcast, join CBS 60 Minutes as it explores how some of the best whiskeys in the world are distilled.

Mark
Episode: The Water of Life

Thanks to my trusty Smartphone app, in conjunction with my favorite web browser, I have resolved several issues with companies with whom I do business including Samsung, AT&T, Apple, my local water company, one of my banking services, a local restaurant chain, a grocery store, and a shopping facility (just to name a few) via Twitter. 

I am convinced that my issues would not have so quickly been resolved via any other channel. 

In one instance, for example, I Tweeted a problem at approximately 11:55pm, that had previously gone unanswered via traditional channels including email and telephone, and received a response within 10 minutes.  Time of day notwithstanding, this was not an isolated response time.

So, I want to encourage anyone who is trying to reach a particular developer of an app, or has questions about a product or service, technology related or not,  to strongly consider using the power of  Twitter to make your voice herd or to simply make contact.

Turn Twitter power into your power and get things done.

Mark

If you want to have Siri speak your current location, as of iOS 8.3 or later, simply say, “Tell me where I am” or ask, “Where am I?”

Happy Traveling.

Mark

In this approximately 13 minute episode of the Candle Shore Podcast, join KFI AM640’s Bill Handle as he discusses a failed attempt at using the “Stand Your Ground” defense in Texas.

Mark
Episode:  Stand Your Ground Takes A Fall In Texas

One of my friends, until now, has fervently refused to setup either a Touch-ID or PIN on her iPhone 6, despite my suggestions to the contrary.  She said she thought it was too much trouble.

Today, she called me and told me that she, upon returning from a short vacation with her family, accidentally left her phone in her sister’s house, approximately 800 miles away. 

While her sister will FedEx the phone back to her, my friend was afraid that her sister would and, according to her, most likely did, snoop on her phone.

She truly laments not having taken the time to setup her Touch-ID and password.

I’m telling you, lock it down before it’s too late (smile).

Mark

In the olden-days, back when Windows Mobile 6.1 was the latest and greatest mobile OS on the planet, as it ran flawlessly on my beloved Samsung Blackjack 2, during the hustle and bustle of daily life, I would sometimes, very rarely mind you, find myself taking out my frustrations on my wireless device, said device being referred to these days as a Feature Phone, by, let us say, pressing the keys a little more enthusiastically than normal (smile). 

Being the calm, cool, and collective person that I have become since then, believe it or not, as hard as it may be to fathom, I still find that, oh so rarely you understand, there are occasions when my enthusiasm, the result of unexpected or unwanted daily events, attempts to rear its ugly head as I interact with my now beloved iPhone 6 Plus. 

Such attempts always fail as I have discovered that, on my iPhone 6 Plus, especially when VoiceOver, Apple’s software screen reading solution for the blind and low vision, is enabled, the touch-screen is much more responsive when I use a lighter press/tap/swipe then a heavier one.

So, if you find that your touch-screen device is not as responsive as it once was or not as reactive as it should be, after making sure its surface is clean, try using a soft smooth hand rather than a hard rough heavier one. 

Remember, light and easy does it.

Mark

I have recently become a huge fan of both the CVS Pharmacy website and, more importantly to me, the CVS iOS App. 

As an F.Y.I., in the area in which I live, there are over 11 CVS Pharmacies staffed with some of the nicest pharmacists and pharmacy technicians I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting.  These people really care about their customers.

I am posting this to let you know that the CVS Pharmacy iOS app is marvelously accessible via VoiceOver, Apples’ software screen reading solution for the blind and low vision. 

For the first time in my life, I can independently access and manage all of my prescriptions with confidence and privacy.

To iOS VoiceOver users, whether you’re a new customer or a dedicated, longtime fan of the company, grab the app, setup an online account via either the app or their website and enjoy.

A heart-felt thanks to CVS Pharmacy for making medicine more manageable for the blind and low vision.

Mark

I am absolutely in love with the Passbook App and Apple Pay feature on my iPhone 6 Plus.

The number of brick & mortar stores in my area that accept Apple Pay transactions via the NFC protocol is relatively high.  As a result, I find myself using my iPhone to make purchases at least once a week, sometimes even more.  

The one thing I would like to see added to the Passbook app is the ability to quickly and easily add store reward cards without first having to install a store-specific app.

Now I am well aware of the fact that there are a growing number of third-party apps and websites that will facilitate the creation of a passbook pass, however, given the recent data security breeches across the web, I am reluctant to give out any private purchasing information to third-party, and as far as I am concerned, unvetted entities.

Given my recent success with Passbook, I have been considering virtualizing all of my store-specific reward cards by installing an app such as KeyRing or Stocards. 

Using such an app would allow me to quickly display the virtual card on my phone’s display allowing it to be scanned at the time of purchase. 

I was planning on downloading a few such apps this evening when, earlier today, while in a brick & mortar store, I witnessed a customer hand her iPhone 6 Plus, with a virtual reward card displayed on the screen, to a store employee in order for the employee to scan the bar code.

To everyone’s surprise, the employee dropped the iPhone.  Because of a convergence of circumstances, the phone landed on the floor.  Not good. The customer was, to put it mildly, furious. 

After having seen this, I’m not certain if I want to use virtual store reward cards if doing so means that I must first hand my device to a store employee. 

A virtual reward card on your iPhone 6 Plus, be careful who you hand it to.

Mark

In this approximately 14 minute episode of the Candle Shore Podcast, join CBS 60 Minutes as it explores the concept of mindfulness.

Mark
Episode:  Mindfulness

In this approximately 5 minute episode of the Candle Shore Podcast, I recite the original lyrics to “O Holy Night”, written by Adolphe Adam, as a literal English translation from the French poem.

Please accept this gift from me to you and in all things, remember to make a joyful noise.

Merry Christmas,

Mark
Episode:  Mark Recites The Original Lyrics To O Holy Night

Merry Christmas!

I hope you enjoy this approximately 50 minute audio-only version of the 1960s Rankin Bass classic Christmas television special, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, published here as a Candle Shore podcast.

Enjoy,

Mark
Episode:  Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

Merry Christmas!

I hope you enjoy this approximately 50 minute audio-only version of the 1960s Rankin Bass classic Christmas television special, Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer, published here as a Candle Shore podcast.

Enjoy,

Mark
Episode:  Rudolph The Red Nose Reindeer