From michael at coolhelp.com.au Sun Feb 17 19:33:43 2019 From: michael at coolhelp.com.au (Michael Kean) Date: Sun, 17 Feb 2019 19:33:43 +1100 Subject: [CCC News] Assorted News 59: Hard to Catch! Message-ID: In this edition: *Hard to Catch / Surviving Busy Times.* *Using an SMS app to track jobs.* *Who still uses Voicemail?* *Access your computer from anywhere - AnyDesk.* *GST Fun...* *Back on the Gas!* *Caz underemployed.* *Tell your story on air?* *----------------------* *Hard to Catch / Surviving Busy Times.* Some people have found me unusually hard to catch lately. There's a few reasons for this. One is that I've had a couple of largish, time-critical projects with the tomato farm. One of these was over the Christmas / NewYear break, and the other should be finished this week. As a result, I took my holiday break in late Jan / early Feb instead. Another reason is I'm also donating about five hours a week (Thurs / Fri late morning / early afternoon) to 2ARM as co-manager, which is going well. Not done for financial gain, but to help keep the station running for my radio presenter friends and the community. (And because it's fun!) When I get busy, I end up prioritising business customers and (often unintentionally) those who communicate via SMS over those who use Facebook Messenger, send emails or use Voicemail. *Using an SMS app to track jobs.* [image: image.png] One of the side-effects of modern technology is that people can now contact me on the phone, by SMS, by Voicemail, by email, by Facebook Messenger, via Facebook pages manager, by WhatsApp and occasionally by hand-written notes at CT Electrics. That's seven different places to remember to check for messages. During these busy times I've found an unusual way to better keep track of who's waiting for help. The SMS app I use on my phone is called Pulse SMS . It has a handy feature where you can 'archive' messages, so I leave the messages there that are either still waiting to be addressed, or waiting to be invoiced. It means there's only one place I have to check after each job to keep track of who's waiting; and once they're finished I just swipe right and they disappear, but are still accessible if needed. If I draft a new message or reply it pushes them to the top of the list, sort of like a 'priority' change, and when it's time to go to a job, I just click the relevant name in the list and the GPS takes me there. It's not foolproof of course, as I have to remember to check the calendar and the other places as well; but for a person with limited mental multitasking abilities like myself; it's helpful. The ability to create, reply to and schedule messages from the computer is also handy. (Not everyone appreciates a text after 11pm I suspect...) *Who still uses Voicemail?* As you saw above, there's seven or more places for me to check. By far the worst of these is 'voicemail'. Here's why I have almost stopped using it at all now. - Have to listen in a quiet environment with good reception - Have to transcribe the message (Can't easily do this while walking.) - Often have to listen more than once (from the beginning of the message) to double-check the details. - Most are left from landlines, so can't text a reply. - Returning a call often results in no answer / telephone tag. - Returning a call requires standing out of the wind. - Landline-only users are often older people who get pension discounts from myself, but thus may fall to the end of the queue at busy times. - All the above takes time and concentration. There are of course times when someone has no choice other than to use voicemail from a landline - such as a dead mobile or living in an area without reception. I usually know who these people are though. For entertaining reading, click these links on the demise of voicemail and the general decline of telephone calls . *Access your computer from anywhere - AnyDesk* You might have heard of TeamViewer before - a program that lets you or someone else control your computer from another location via computer or smartphone. TeamViewer is good, but their licensing is incredibly expensive; and will sometimes block casual users if it thinks you've used it too much. AnyDesk is a similar program, but never nags you. It's free for private use, and only around $100 a year for business use, compared to $600 a year for TeamViewer. *GST Fun...* Many years ago, there was a law that said 'if your turnover is less than $75,000 per year, you don't need to withhold and charge GST.' As a result, I've enjoyed being "GST Free" since 2007 when the threshold was increased from $50,000 to $75,000. It's generally easy for me to stay below this amount since I'm so cheap, but the downside is businesses can't claim the GST if they get me to buy an item on their behalf, so I usually recommend businesses buy big ticket items themselves. Residential customers get to enjoy the cheaper rates, and I don't have the hassle of completing BAS statements. As a side note I've been on $70 an hour since 2012 - some people feel this is too cheap and happily pay extra. Others feel even $50 an hour is too high - money and value perception is a funny thing! Guess who gets priority if I'm busy ;-) *Back on the Gas.* I've taught myself how to install and program a replacement LPG computer for the Commodore. (Original one died when a battery terminal came loose.) The ten year assessment and solenoid valve replacement cost less than $300. How much longer LPG will be available remains to be seen of course! 8% cheaper in Guyra than Armidale. Ultimately I still want to go electric. Petrol / gas and gearboxes are the landlines of the car world. *Caz underemployed.* My wife Caz is a trained nurse (AIN) and carer, but also keen to learn new skills or work in retail. She'd like to be a copper, but has to wait a couple more years before she's eligible for citizenship. She has intermittent casual work in Guyra and Tingha but would like more. So, if you'd like to try employing a leprechaun, let me know. She has her own car, etc. *Tell your story on air?* I'm thinking of doing a new segment on 2ARM where people - particularly those who are housebound or in care - can have a recorded chat with me to tell their story or create a playlist for a show on the radio. If you are interested, or know anyone interested, let me know :) --- Well, that's it for another newsletter! Hope life is treating you well. :) Cheers, Mike. You can subscribe or unsubscribe at http://auzzie.net/mailman/listinfo/ccc -news_auzzie.net -- *Proprietor, Cool Country Consulting.* Trading Hours: 10am to 8pm weekdays. Web: http://coolhelp.com.au/ SMS: 0427 644 825 Messenger: http://m.me/coolcountryconsulting -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 37184 bytes Desc: not available URL: From michael at coolhelp.com.au Tue Oct 22 20:34:55 2019 From: michael at coolhelp.com.au (Michael Kean) Date: Tue, 22 Oct 2019 20:34:55 +1100 Subject: [CCC News] A caution for QuickBooks / Reckon users. Message-ID: G'day! Long time no write. Sorry about that, have been flat out with the 2ARM studio upgrades, now complete. An article has come to my attention: Reckon is apparently attempting to kill off older versions of QuickBooks by remotely deactivating them or refusing to re-activate them - likely hoping it'll force you to get a subscription. I'm still keeping an eye on this situation. It might be possible to delay or stop this by blocking QuickBooks using the firewall app on your computer. For more info, see https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/9z8pmvl9 Cheers, Mike. -- *Proprietor, Cool Country Consulting.* Trading Hours: 10am to 8pm weekdays. Web: http://coolhelp.com.au/ SMS: 0427 644 825 Messenger: http://m.me/coolcountryconsulting -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From michael at coolhelp.com.au Sat Nov 30 21:26:51 2019 From: michael at coolhelp.com.au (Michael Kean) Date: Sat, 30 Nov 2019 21:26:51 +1100 Subject: [CCC News] Assorted News 60 - End of WIndows 7, and more... :) Message-ID: In this edition: *The End of Windows 7... What to do...* *Pausing Windows 10 Updates...* *Useful Apps or Android...* *Boost still the best?* *WiFi Calling. (Use a mobile without reception.)* *Facebook Scams - how to protect yourself.* *Free TV Channels on your Computer / Phone / Smart TV* *Finding Good Electricity Prices.* *Radio News...* *Opinion: World Economy.* *The Mystery of CCC Pricing. * *Caz is OK :)* *----------------------* *The End of Windows 7... What to do...* Just like XP before it, Microsoft is soon to end support for WIndows 7. What this means is that they won't be putting out regular updates for your computer - at least not unless some big bug comes along. This mainly means it will become unsafe to use Internet Explorer. However, if you're using Firefox, Chrome, and any free or paid antivirus other than Microsoft Security Essentials, you'll still be pretty safe for a good while yet; as those programs update independently of Windows. You're at a slightly higher risk, but not catastrophic. You don't have to upgrade. *What if you want Windows 10?* If you've decided you'd like to move to Windows 10, the good news is it's still free. All you need to do is go to the Microsoft Website and download the Media Creation Tool . This will step you through upgrading your computer to Windows 10, without the need to reinstall your programs and files. Of course, backing up your important files first is a good idea as there's no guarantee that Microsoft won't blow them away by mistake. *What if your computer is really slow?* In most cases, if your computer is under 12 years old; it's the hard disk that makes it run slow. I can replace that with an SSD for $35 plus the cost of the drive - typically these are between $35 and $80 . You can expect to see a dramatic speed increase, typically at least a 4x speed improvement. --- *Pausing Windows 10 Updates...* Microsoft's Quality Control has been quite bad lately . (Mind you Apple has been bad too .) Updates have caused various problems for people's computers. Fortunately there are a number of ways you can control them to some degree - which gives Microsoft time to fix their stuffups before you get stung. The easiest way is to tell your computer you're on a "Metered Connection" - this will stop it downloading most updates without asking permission first. Unfortunately, the way to do this varies depending on which of the several versions of WIndows 10 you have, but it's pretty easy to do. This document covers the most common methods. --- *Useful Apps for Android...* If you own an Android phone (Samsung, LG, Nokia, etc) here's a few apps that you might find useful. (There will be similar apps for iPhone) *Gravity Screen.* If you have a phone that is prone to turning on in your pocket and doing all sorts of weird stuff as a result, this app might be for you. As soon as you tip your phone upside down to put it in your pocket, it turns off and stays off until you hold it upright again. *Audio Recorder for Smartwatch* Probably not something you'd use often. I use it for recording voicemails left on the station's voicemail and emailing them to presenters at 2ARM. Your watch becomes a high quality tape recorder. Free from here . *Aus Phone Towers* Curious to know which mobile tower your phone's using? This app can show you on a map.. Might help you work out where to stand. *Aus Rain Radar* This simple app will show you where the rain is, and give rudimentary forecasts. Powered by the BOM. *Back Button* Is your Back Button too far away to reach one handed, or on the wrong side of the phone? This app gives you a back button you can stick anywhere on the screen. Can be handy on the bigger phones. For me, half way down the side on the right works well. *Fires Near Me NSW* This app will show you were the fires are, and you can set a 'watch area' so it'll notify you if there's a fire nearby. *Live Traffic NSW* This one will tell you if roads nearby are closed. *Fuel Check* Who's got the cheapest fuel today? This app from the NSW Government will tell you. *Live Transcribe* This app does a remarkable job of converting words to text in real time. This could also be useful if you're hard of hearing. Stick it next to the radio for fun! *Google Translate* Similar to Live Transcribe, but Google Translate can convert languages at the same time, and read the results in other languages. *Reddit Is Fun* Reddit is sort of like a cross between Facebook and a news website. Articles are listed and people can comment on them. Huge time waster, but can be interesting to get other people's perspectives on articles. Warning - not suitable for children. Reddit is fun is a good mobile app for this site, better than the official app. *Google News.* Seems everyone's trying to get into the news game. Google News is a fairly good app for this - it learns what items you're interested in. It presents articles from many major newspapers, but loads them using a special technique so there's no waiting for the pages to load. --- *Boost still the best?* Boost used to be a separate company but was purchased by Telstra. As a result, it has almost exactly the same service as Telstra including VoLTE and WiFi calling. While they have a large range of plans, the $150 a year prepaid option includes all your Australian calls plus 80GB of data. For many people, that's all you need. (Available for $135 for a short time.) Aldi Mobile is still a close second in value, but lacks some features like WiFi calling, and is no good in rural Queensland. (Check coverage maps.) *WiFi calling.* WiFi calling allows you to make and receive phone calls (but currently not texts unless you're on Optus) without mobile reception. Your home internet / WiFi reception is used instead. This used to only be available on expensive phones, but is now available on some budget phone such as the good value Samsung A20 (may be cheaper elsewhere.) Not all mobile providers support it. *Facebook Scams - how to protect yourself. * The most common way for someone to scam you on Facebook is for the to pretend to be one of your friends and contact you via Messenger. They'll usually start the conversation with something like "Hello, how are you?" An easy giveaway that it's fake is that it says "so and so is using Messneger without Facebook" The two best ways to protect yourself from this are 1 - Make your friends list visible to friends only . That way the scammers can't see who your friends are, and thus have no need to impersonate you in order to scam them. 2 - Don't reply to or share those 'too good to be true' messages. (Recent ones I've seen have been "TVs with damaged boxes to give away" or "So-and-so didn't collect the car he won after a week of phone calls" etc.) Replying or sharing these types of messages marks you as an easy target, and they'll go after your friends. For any page that is offering something for free or in exchange for sharing, click on the name of that page and see what other articles they're posting. Usually, it'll be the only post if it's a scam page. Facebook is very slow to remove these types of fake post. The other type of post to watch out for is a click-bait style article with images of well known TV celebrities shown. The most common recent one has presenters from channel 10's The Project reported with a heading "The mic was left on and this went to air..." - again Facebook is very slow to remove such scam news articles. ---. *Finding Good Electricity Prices.* Finding decent electricity prices can be a challenge! There is a government-run site called Energy Made Easy which seems to be a fair spot to start. The two things most people need to know are the rate (cents per kWh) and the daily connection charge. Some companies make it confusing by having higher rates then applying discounts; so it can take quite a bit of scribbling to do a real comparison between companies. Also need to watch that both figures include GST In my case, it appears I'll be going from $800 to $669 by changing from Energy Locals to ReAmped. Shameless plug: If you find ReAmped is the best value for you, use this link to sign up and we both get $50. Your situation might be different though - in my case I have off peak hot water, no smart meter and no solar. --- *Free TV Channels on your Computer / Phone / Smart TV.* All the TV Channels now have their own catch-up services. They all work on computers and most phones, but 'smart' TVs are often left out since they get old very quickly. (Add a ChromeCast to any TV to fix that.) They all let you catch up with shows you've missed, and some will have exclusive internet-only content as well. Here's the list of the free to air TV sites. - ABC iView. - Plus7 - 9Now - 10Play - SBS On Demand Some require you to sign in before you can use them - mainly for age verification; although likely they like to track you as well ;-) To find these apps on your phone, use the Play Store or App Store. Remember that these use a fair bit of data - can be around a gigabyte an hour. There are many other services such as Netflix, Stan, Disney+ etc but these all cost money, and are becoming less diversified. --- *Radio News:* I'm still volunteering as a co-manager at 2ARM , and am pleased to have introduced three new presenters, Adam and Sharon Ritchie from Guyra (Gospel ) and the mysterious "Herb" from Armidale (Bluegrass .) I've done a lot of work to upgrade the studio and automate various aspects of the station. It's all going pretty well We're all volunteers, supported mostly by sponsorship. If you want to plug something, rates start at $50 a month. If you'd like to have a go at being a presenter, come on down to the station some time and we'll show you around. Training is free :) And you know I don't bite ! --- *Opinion: World Economy.* *Last newsletter, a regular reader said he missed all the personal stuff I used to post. Most of that goes on my personal Facebook page for Friends now. Here's a little :)* I've taken a mild interest in economic matters although I know little. Generally, recessions occur roughly every ten years. However, there seem to be different things going on this time - things such as "Quantitative Easing" (Printing more money) as a way for banks / governments to get out of debt, as well as Negative Interest Rates, a contracting employment scenario, increasing and ageing population, and of course the effects of climate change. Quantitative easing can cause inflation, which makes our savings worth less. Negative Interest Rates can break a number of economic systems, and can cause people to withdraw money from the bank - hence the upcoming cash ban? It also causes people to move to the stock market, trying to keep ahead of CPI. (The CPI, by the way, ignores food and electricity prices so I consider it a deliberately dishonest figure.) While I'm hardly in the position to give any financial advice as I have no training and scarce savings; holding as little debt as possible and diversifying your savings if you're lucky enough to have some seems to be the wisest option. I can help with cryptocurrencies even though lately they've been a dog - I generally understand how they work. Precious metals may also be worth holding. Index funds and real estate are other popular options. I could be completely wrong of course - all might be under control. Perhaps I'm just enjoying catastrophising. But if you'd like to make up your own mind, perhaps check out Digital Fiinance Analytics , In The Interest Of The People , The Money GPS , George Gammon , or for an extremist, conspiracy theorist view, The Dollar Vigilante . Remember, everyone has an opinion, you need to do your own research. *The Mystery of CCC Pricing.* I haven't changed pricing for a long time. Still $70 an hour, $10 callout to 10km. ($50 for pensioners / low income earners - we're all valuable people.) Mind you, increasingly some people think I should charge more, and often people will pay me more than I ask for. This gets added to the invoice as gift - with thanks, so the invoice balances. I will admit that those who pay more will tend to get priority help when I'm busy. My costs are slowly going up. . *Caz is OK :)* Her family is genetically predisposed to aneurysms. We had a scan done, and her specialist advises there's <1% chance of her suffering from one at this time. She's not allowed to become an airline pilot though. --- *CCC Services reminder.* Current services include Websites and Web Hosting , VHS / VHS-C / Video8 / LP / Cassette / to Memory Stick , Offsite Backups .Phone and Internet Plan assistance and setup, and more :) You can subscribe or unsubscribe at http://auzzie.net/mailman/listinfo/ccc-news_auzzie.net -- *Proprietor, Cool Country Consulting.* Trading Hours: 10am to 8pm weekdays. 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