How to record Skype calls in 4 quick steps

When I first began creating podcasts, one of the areas that frustrated me was coming up with a consistent way to record the audio for each podcast interview. While we used Skype, I wanted a convenient way to be able to record Skype calls – whether on a PC or a Mac and to be able to use my own equipment.

Why I chose Skype to record calls

While most of my podcast interviews are with people who live in the United States, a large part of my audience is overseas. The great thing about using Skype is that it’s easy to setup – and it allows me to use my Internet connection to meet with individuals across the world.

Another benefit is that you can use Skype for audio calls. Skype also supports videos calls over Skype as well.

One other reason I chose Skype was because it’s mainly free.

To record Skype calls, follow the instructions below.

How to record Skype calls

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Top Online Tutorials For Android OS

Since 2009, the Android operating system has slowly taken over the world. Starting out as a niche OS found only on a couple of T-Mobile and Verizon phones, it’s expanded to be the most popular mobile operating system in the world. It’s found on phones, tablets, and even on computers.

One of the longstanding complaints against the operating system has always been its complexity. It’s been refined significantly over the last few years, but the fact remains that the sheer power and functionality of the OS means it can still require some guidance when you’re starting from scratch. Fortunately, there are a number of online tutorials to help you get going when you first begin with the platform.

The best source for Android tutorials might just be another Google product: YouTube. Google’s popular video sharing service is filled with demo videos walking viewers through everything from the absolute basics of Android to more complex tasks, such as hooking a device up to a television or wirelessly sharing content.

To find a tutorial, all you have to do is pick an area of the operating system that you aren’t already familiar with. Type in whatever that is to YouTube’s search field, and just add a couple of keywords such as “how to” or “demonstration video” to the end of your query. After that, sort through the results for any videos that look relevant. To save time, start by watching the videos that have the highest ratings or view counts. Most of them are extremely helpful, with narratives and visual walkthroughs for every aspect of Android that’s being taught. The only shortcoming of using YouTube for tutorials is that occasionally you’ll have a niche that’s too narrow to find a video for it, but for most basic and even advanced tasks in Android, there will be guides available.

If videos aren’t your preferred style of learning and you would rather read traditional text-and-picture guides, then the folks at the blog Droid-Life have just the solution for you. The guide can be accessed by visiting their main website and then choosing the link on the right that says Android Beginner’s Guide. The guides walk you through everything from security options for your Android device’s lock screen to setting up mobile hotspot or tethering for your device. The authors of the guides do a fantastic job of walking you through every step and every part of the process so that nothing gets lost in translation. Through the main link on their website, the guides are arranged a bit chaotically. Fortunately, there’s a search function on the site to narrow down what you’re looking at.

Sometimes, though, you’re not looking for a series of guides. Sometimes you just want a quick crash course on getting started with Android, and you simply hope to gain a glimpse of all of the functions that your new phone or tablet is capable of. If this is you, then Gizmodo has put together a wonderful guide on how to use Android. It walks you through the functions of the operatin system from tweaking settings to setting up a Google account to finding different apps. It’s an excellent overview, and they kep it brief enough that you’ll be able to read it in less than a half an hour and get started immediately.

The intimidation factor of Android has dwindled with Google’s continued refinements to the platform. There is still a learning curve. Fortunately, though, these guides help to speed up that process and ensure that you’ll be up and running with your device in no time.

This article was submitted by Lewis Jacobs, an avid blogger and tech enthusiast.  He enjoys fixing computers and writing about internet trends.  Currently he is creating a study about Clear internet and their future after Sprint purchase.

 

 

4 Takeaways from a Fireside chat with Tim Cook at Duke University

Over the weekend, I spent some time at Duke University, where I had the pleasure to listen to Tim Cook, a Fuqua school of business alumni and the CEO of Apple.

Tim Cook at fireside chat at Fuqua school of business

For anyone who knows me, I love technology. Not just the new gadgets, but learning how to incorporate it into my business and being able to then share my knowledge with others who want to do the same.

A few things to note about the fireside chat, Tim was extremely personable (that’s probably because the room only sat a few hundred people) and while Tim spoke for just over an hour, what impressed me the most was that the conversation wasn’t just about Apple’s current share price (there were a few jokes on that).

Instead, Tim talked about his experiences, what it was like to work with Steve Jobs, product development, finding your north star, and what spurred him to join Apple. All-in-all, I took a lot away from the fireside chat with Tim Cook.

Here are a few of my favorites:
Continue reading 4 Takeaways from a Fireside chat with Tim Cook at Duke University

Signature-Secret Notes and Photos App Review [video]

Signature-Secret notes & photos app review

If you store passwords, login credentials or personal information you don’t want others to access in the notes app on your iOS device or in your emails, it’s time to make a change. Storing important data like this in an unsecured location can be trouble if someone gets your device. That’s why you should consider a secure option like the app, Signature-Secret Notes and Photos. While storing this information in apps such as notes or in your email makes it easy access sensitive information when you need it, if you ever lose your device or don’t have it password protected, someone can easily access this important information. So how do you make accessing secure data like passwords and login credentials easy and secure at the same time? Signature-Secret Notes and Photos.

What I like about Signature-secret notes and photos:

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How to share photos and videos right from the Mail App in iOS

Sharing photos and videos within the Apple Mail app in iOS can be challenging.  In most cases, there’s a lot of bouncing between different apps.

Fortunately, I found a handy shortcut which let’s you attach photos and videos right from within the Mail App in iOS – an no, it isn’t copy and paste.

Here’s a rundown on this (relatively unknown) shortcut to share photos and videos from the Mail App in iOS along with a one minute video.

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My Top 20 Favorite Social Media iPad Apps and How I Use Them

For those of you who don’t know, I LOVE technology – especially my iPad.  In fact, I take it practically everywhere I go AND I use it for business – some people say it’s only good for playing games, I have to disagree, it’s very useful.

I especially use it to help me manage my social media accounts. In particular, I find it helpful in the following ways: managing social media channels, creating content for my social media channels, and curating content (aka finding content to share on my social media channels).


20 Social Media Apps for Apple iPad

Since people tend to send me questions all the time asking what apps I mainly use, I thought it would be helpful if I shared my Top 20 Social Media iPad Apps and How I Use Them.

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App of the day: PressReader

PressReader newspaper app for Apple iPhone, iPad, iPad Mini and iPod TouchA lot of people who use tablets and smartphones often say that they’re only good for one thing – playing games.  For the past few months, I’ve been using my devices for reading – not books, or articles from the Internet, but newspapers thanks to an app called PressReader.

What is really neat about PressReader is that you can carry your favorite newspaper subscriptions with you in one convenient app. For example, I can download some of my favorites – USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, New York Post and The Washington Post (among others) and take them with me without carrying a huge stack of newspapers.

So what else can PressReader do besides let me read newspapers?

What I like about this app:

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3 ways to recover a lost smartphone or tablet

In the next few days, the roads and stores will be extremely crowded.  In fact, AAA is expecting crowded roads this Thanksgiving and retailers are expecting Black Friday sales to increase 4.1 percent.  Some stores such as Sears, Target and even Wal-mart are even panning to open on Black Friday Eve to capitalize on sales opportunities.

If you’re one of the brave who plans to venture out over the holidays, it’s a wise move to take precautionary measures to protect your smartphone or tablet in case it gets lost during all of the hustle and bustle. Sure, you can store it in your pocketbook or keep it in your jacket pocket, but what do you do when those items get lost or stolen and you end up without your beloved gadget?

Protect your smartphone from getting lost with duct tape

 

Sure, you can go out and purchase another one, but that’s no fun. Not to mention, it puts a damper on the holidays. Instead, try these 3 ways to recover a lost smartphone or tablet.

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4 mobile apps to help train your brain

4 mobile apps to help train your brainConventional wisdom holds that we use just 10 percent of our brain brain cells. That’s pretty surprising, considering all of the things we do on a daily basis such as checking email, staying connected with friends on Facebook and keeping out with our social lives.  While one would think that we are working to train our brain during these tasks, in most cases, we’re not. Instead, we’re filling our heads with tasks that drive us off track and keep us from really using our brain cells.

What can you do to help train your brain?

To help train your brain there are a lot of things you can do. The most important one is to keep it busy.  This doesn’t mean to create a long to-do list and to get to work.  Instead, to train your brain, give your brain things to do that will keep it busy.  If you’re like 51% of the population that has a smartphone, you might want to consider putting yours to better use.  While these gadgets help us do lots of things between email, the Internet, social networks and games, there’s a bigger use for them – training your brain. Smartphones can in fact be a great tool to help train your brain.  We’re not talking just playing any old mobile game though (like Angry Birds), we’re talking about games that can help you train and stimulate your brain (and be fun at the same time).

4 mobile apps to help train your brain

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App of the day: Kaspersky Mobile Security

Protect your Google Android smartphone with the Kaspersky Mobile Security appWith smartphone theft on the rise, it might be time to consider investing in mobile security. No, you don’t have to hire a bodyguard or put your smartphone under lock and key. There’s actually a convenient way to provide security for your smartphone anytime called Kaspersky Mobile Security.

While most users who have had their smartphones stolen simply go out and purchase another one and spend time setting up a new device, remember, not only are you losing time when you setup a new device, but in most cases, your smartphone is your lifeline where you’ve stored lots of important data such as contacts, emails, browsing history, photos, and more – which you could completely lose.

By taking the time to protect your smartphone by adding a mobile security system to it, not only will it help you reclaim some of the time you would spend on setting up a new device, but it can also protect you in more ways than one.

What I like about this app:

Continue reading App of the day: Kaspersky Mobile Security