Tinkering With Tech

  Let’s Learn Canva with Miss Ileane! When Michael and Heather started the Tinkering With Tech community, they planned on being able to help as many folks as possible with whatever technology needs came about. What they did not anticipate was how the folks in that community would end up being helpful as well. This week’s guest is a fine example of that helpfulness. Ileane Smith is a beautiful person on the inside and on the outside. You can count on her lovely smile, her kind hearted attitude and her extremely knowledgeable mind to get you right on track with so many topics. If you don’t follow Miss Ileane already, you are missing out on a wealth of information! Be sure to visit her website for all she offers and connect with her on social media.  Visit Ileane Smith Online This week, Ileane is sharing with us about Canva, a graphic design platform used to create social media graphics, presentations, posters, documents and other visual content with thousands of templates to mak...

Let’s continue the conversation with an expert Two weeks ago Michael and Heather had a discussion regarding the audio equipment they use in the show titled “Let’s Talk About Audio Equipment for Video & Streaming” This week, in an effort to further that conversation a special guest is joining the program, Drew Merritt of HeadsetAdvisor.com Drew Merritt is joining the program to give us some insight into headsets to keep us from getting frustrated when choosing new gear. What is the Headset Advisor ? An excerpt from their website… Headset Advisor is a family owned business founded by Doug Merritt in 1994. Our mission has always been to provide you such great service you'd be our customer for life and refer your friends. You wouldn't think choosing a headset for your business needs would be a challenge. With all the different brands, models and misinformation online, it quickly gets confusing and can be a frustrating experience.  The Headset Advisors Can Help! Michael has grea...

What program do you use to edit & create digital images? Over the years, Heather has used a number of programs to produce digital images and in the last two years has been using only one program for her online work and social media content. Michael has pretty much used the same tool, Pixlr, for all these years. It is his favorite editing and creation tool for images, hands down. We are both curious to learn what you used and what you currently use for YouTube thumbnails, Instagram posts, .gif creations or blog post images.  There are so many tools available and they range in ease of use as well as price and both of those facts are why we chose to use Pixlr. We can’t wait to tell you about Pixlr and what new things they have to offer. Pixlr is a great web based and free option, but there’s more! When you arrive at the Pixlr website, you see a few options. The route you choose is based on your level of use. You don’t need to download anything, but you can if you are ever without ...

Audio Equipment, what do you use? Way back in the olden days of live video broadcasting (like 8 years ago) the most difficult thing to deal with was the echo chamber of noise that would come in when someone new to live video would join the conversation. Everyone would scramble to let the person know that if they grabbed a pair of earbuds or headphones we would be able to continue in peace. Most of us had some kind of dangling wires from the ears that extended off screen to the computer or laptop connection. So much has happened in the technology of live streaming software that we hardly ever think about how difficult it used to be. Also, how far the equipment has come to make good sounding, high quality hardware affordable and easy to implement. Michael and Heather will be discussing their personal use of audio equipment for their videos and livestreams and asking the audience for input on what they have used. Headsets to stand alone mics, what is best? It isn’t a simple one or the oth...

  Have you ever wished you had a personal secretary? Are we even allowed to say secretary anymore? I think “assistant” is the PC term, right? What about virtual assistants? What about assisted technology such as Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant? What a great way to start off the new year! Getting help from technology. Let’s take a close look at Google Assistant…what it is, how we can use it, what benefits it offers and how it can help you have a fabulous 2022! What is Google Assistant? Google Assistant is an artificial intelligence–powered virtual assistant developed by Google that is primarily available on mobile and smart home devices. Some devices may include smart speakers, smart displays and Android phones. Using voice commands you can play music, set reminders, make calls, and access Google maps and so much more. Unlike the company's previous virtual assistant, Google Now, the Google Assistant can engage in two-way conversations. Just say, “Hey Google! Read this article to me...

  What Is Tinkering With Tech?  A live show, a couple of friends, a community?  Just what Is Tinkering With Tech ? I can hear one of my favorite TV characters Sophia, say…” Picture it! Sicily, 1928…” The answer to the question doesn't start in Sicily and it doesn’t go back to 1928 but if you'll indulge me in a little history of our Tinkering Community, I think Sophia would agree, it is a story worth reading. This story begins in 2013 on the internet with rapid changes and a need to get in front of the technology just as quickly as it was being released. Michael, an early adopter of all things Google, was very interested in learning and helping others learn just about everything that involved video streaming technology and community based forums. Heather, a stay at home mom who wanted to get online and create a fun place for others to get crafty, was very technology challenged but had a strong determination to learn. The two became friends in a paid for Google Plus group w...