Bookmarking & browsers

At the meeting yesterday someone, I believe it could have been John, asked how you could move bookmarks from one browser to another. It’s a good question, and I’ll try and answer it below, but perhaps an alternative answer is even better and that’s what this post will also address. But first, exporting and importing bookmarks for the common browsers.

However Microsoft has been changing it’s browsers quite a bit over the past couple of years. Internet Explorer was phased out for a bespoke re-write which was called Edge; this in turn was then completely re-engineered to use the same Chromium platform as Google Chrome, Brave and others, which was called NEW Edge. Confusing eh!?

Internet Explorerread this article [Internet Explorer 11 was the default browser for Windows 10, but you may find that it’s been replaced in one of its automatic upgrades by Edge]. For all older versions of Internet Explorer including ones for versions of Windows older than Windows 10 – you might like to look at this article.

Edge – if you’ve got the NEW Edge browser rather than the old legacy EDGE version (which should still be on your machine, as should Internet Explorer 11, if you’re running Windows 10) – this is probably the easiest way of exporting your bookmarks/favourites from a Microsoft browser. Alternatively you should look to see how you can run Internet Explorer if you’ve got the OLD Edge installed on Windows 10. Then you could use the notes above for Exporting from Internet Explorer. Alternatively upgrade either of them to NEW Edge and use the first link in this paragraph to export your Favourites. Simples!

Note: Exported Microsoft Favourites (Bookmarks) are stored as .htm (HTML) files.

If you’re using Brave this article explains how you can Import and Export Bookmarks.

There must be a better way, and there is! You could use a third-party application such as Evernote, which can not only store Bookmarks, but also whole articles through the installation of a Browser Extension which allows you to “clip” content to a “note” in your Evernote datastore held in the cloud. Evernote has long been a favourite piece of software of mine and I pay an annual subscription to get an extended service from it, but there is a really good free version which you can use to trial it and see if you like it. The screen shot shows that you can save the whole article, or just part of it. [One great feature is that it only saves the article, not the additional content, sidebars, panels, etc which often hold ads.]

Alternatively, you could use a Bookmark Manager such as diigo. Again this sits as an extension in your Browser and every time you want to save the link to a website, you click on the diigo extension, and perhaps add some tags to help you find the site at a later date …

… and after pressing Save Bookmark, it saves the page with a brief excerpt …

Finally there’s Pocket which combines bookmarking with a facility for offline reading of webpages. This used to be a great feature when trains didn’t have good WiFi and you could catch-up on your reading, but it’s still a very useful way of storing web content for reading away from the Internet and it’s the way I store all articles that I come across that I’m going to use in Computer Group meetings. Again, you can install a browser extension for all the major browsers that makes it very easy just to click on a webpage and it’s immediately saved and synchronised to any device that has Pocket running on it.

Looking at the bar in the browser above (Brave) you can see icons for LastPass, Pocket, Feedly, diigo, Evernote, AdBlock Plus, GoFullPage (full page screen shot), Push to Kindle, and Flipboard plus the extension to open the Extensions Library. Of course the screen shots for an Android or iOS device would be different; these are just taken from a browser running on a desktop or laptop.

Extensions are really neat, BUT only install ones from the Extensions Library of your Browser. Generally Chrome Extensions will work in Brave. That’s probably a topic for another post at some later date.

Notes from Zoom Meeting – 23rd April 2020

I thought it might be a good idea (correct me if I’m wrong) if in addition to any posts that might be generated from the meeting – which I was delighted to see 14 members attended – that I wrote a couple of notes about it.

Covid-19: The main topic of conversation was the difficulty in getting deliveries arranged for shielded people. David H related how his wife had only just (after 6 weeks) received a letter to tell her that she should be considered to be vulnerable and thus shielded – we have other members who are also in that category. Anyway, the problem is getting in touch with a Supermarket to get you on the list for priority deliveries. In Wales that’s compounded by the fact that the letter does not contain a NHS number (as I understand it) and yet the supermarkets require that information. Duh!

It would appear in England that those in the vulnerable category are getting free drops of food – even if they don’t want, or need them and it’s impossible to opt out easily. [We have a friend that’s arranged to take them to the local food bank.] It also appears that the supermarkets are responding off the peg so-to-speak and are approaching customers to offer deliveries even if they’re not regular customers and they would prefer their regular supermarket to reach out to them. Again duh!

This is an unfortunate set of circumstances. On the positive side the number of click’n’collect slots from our local Sainsbury’s seem to have increased – even if the alternatives picked off the shelves for us, are not what we would have wanted – how do you interpret a request for an oatcake into a ginger biscuit????

I’ll put this into the Covid-19 Topic – so please comment there and update my understanding – if I’ve got it wrong!

[Update eConsult]: I forgot this when I wrote up the notes at first. Just a quick note for you to see if your GP Surgery’s website has a link to eConsult on it – as well as My Health Online which you can sign-up for to get repeat prescriptions and book appointments … sometimes! Anyway eConsult gets you to fill-in a form that explains your symptoms as best you can, and asks if you have a preferred doctor from the practice who you’d like to ring you back. My experience was that I got a call back within a couple of hours. Really much better for non-serious consultations that you think can be handled without a face-to-face session. I can see that things will never be the same again. I can see that I’ll be asking my doctor to “zoom” me after I’ve first filled in an eConsult referral. Interesting times!

Screen capture on Windows: Apparently there is piece of software called Snipping Tool in Windows that does the trick, here’s an article that shows a number of ways of solving that issue. On the Mac, you can use a combination of key strokes to Copy screens, or sections of screens to the Clipboard, from which you can Paste the contents to a program. Here’s an article that shows you how to do this on a Mac. On an iPhone you can capture your screen and take a picture that goes to your Camera Roll in this way, and can create a screen recording like this, on Android you take a screen shot this way.

Digital HDS Antenna: Well, it appears Christine that the Dragons Den might well have been taken in by this product sometimes called TV Fix, but also DigitalHDS and TV Brite. The reviews are not good. Let’s pass on …

Sharing Notes between iPhones: Yes you can do that Don, and yes it might be useful for creating shared shopping lists – always useful at a time like this – but my recommendation would be to use Evernote which means you’re not restricted to just a Mac, you can use it on a Windows and also from the web, and share notes that way as work on them collaboratively. Evernote has replaced a word processor for most of my notes taking and writing. Gets 5* from me, and I pay for it too now!!

Have I been pwned?: Another use case for this very handy website that tells you whether your email address has been hacked is a check on your password – just click on this link and supply your “favourite” password to see if it’s out in the wild!

Problems with Nest and Google accounts: An issue we couldn’t really provide an answer to. In fact, I had difficulty understanding (not Margaret’s fault, I’m just not familiar with the product). Paul suggested that maybe trying to use a different email account with the device might allow you to get admin rights back. I really don’t understand this, so I suggest that Margaret might put it up as a Topic in our Forum – perhaps someone outside the Group might be able to help?

[Update We will fix your PC]: Forgot this in the first write-up of the notes. I’ve put a “plug” for Neil in the Computer etc. Forum.

Creating a Zoom meeting: I promised to produce a quick video showing how you can Schedule a meeting as a host, rather than just be on the receiving end. Here’s the video.

New website: I demonstrated the features of the new website using the Screen Sharing facility in Zoom. In feedback to this it was suggested that perhaps there ought to be a facility to add a Photograph to a Profile – I promised to look into this. If you have a WordPress account, this gets picked up automatically, but it should be possible to optionally add a Profile picture. I also pointed at the way of creating a Movie using Quicktime Player (goto Method 2) on the Mac. I’m sorry, but I can’t find an equivalent, easy way of doing it on Windows – it must exist!

Finally, by way of light relief, here’s a video I had thought of showing with you at the end of the call. The Project Manager’s nightmare. Enjoy …

 

 

Video-calling, new use for Kindle/Evernote, different realities? – 14th November 2019

Boot-up
Visits. We agreed visits to the Barclays ‘Maker Space’ which Mario will arrange for us after Christmas, and also a visit to the new BBC Centre after Easter.
Fred has offered to contact Brains and their new brewery at Cardiff Gate for a visit before Christmas. This has fallen through – should we have a social event instead; maybe at Cornerstone?
I have agreed with Mario that I will make the arrangements for the ‘Maker Space’ visit.
News and other issues raised
Posting to the blog – thanks Jim; you’re all welcome and able to post.
A thumbs-up for “We will fix your PC” – Renee and Margaret …
“Located on Parc Ty Glas directly opposite Bannatynes Health Club. 39 Lambourne Crescent Cardiff Business Park CF14 5GG.
Mon – Fri 9 – 17 30 Sat 10 – 14 30. No appointment needed.
Friendly. Experienced. Local. No fix no fee. Free quote.
Phones repaired whilst you wait.
iPhones fixed within 15 – 60 minutes.
iPads repaired the same day.
Walk in service. 02920 766039. 07999 056096″.
… personal recommendations from at least three members!
An update for older iOS (Apple) devices – linked to GPS signals changing which mean location-based services on old iPhones/iPads would cease to work.
New Apple MacBook Pro announced … in time for Christmas. Anyone got £2500 to spare for the base model.
Gear Guide
Has anyone bought, or obtained anything recently they’d like to tell us about? It doesn’t have to be a computer, laptop, tablet or phone – just something that’s digital, ie used a computer processor in some way?
Bluetooth transmitter [Marilyn, David]
Augmented reality on a phone [Jim]
Apps Galore
That slot in the meeting where members are encouraged to share their experience (and possibly excitement) at a new app they’ve started using for their smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop machine.
Using a Kindle, or a Kindle app (desktop or tablet) in a novel way. An attempt at a demonstration??
Removing content from a Kindle Device and deleting it from your Amazon account
Another use for Evernote – Evernote Web Clipper extension. Demonstration.
What’s IT all about?
Not this week
Video-calling
Facebook Portal – and options
Can you trust Facebook Portal devices with your Privacy – surprisingly … possibly yes! It works with Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp and makes use of Alexa.
What are the alternatives?
Google Hangouts – multi-point video-conferencing (Personal if using Chrome/Brave and logged-in to your Google account) and Google Duo – new point-to-point video-calling (Personal – same advice applies).
Apple Facetime and Group calls
Amazon Alexa and Echo
Always Skype (from Microsoft) – same flexibility as Google Hangouts
and of course video-calls in WhatsApp
A review from Time magazine of the alternatives.
 
 
 
 
 

A new year starts … and finally we look at Evernote – 13th Sept 2018

Boot-Up
Welcome
Issues & follow-up
We had a demonstration of the Beacon member website from Alison Firth;
David Hughes described the latest scam he’d been alerted to as it appeared to come from him and was going to a friend in the same membership organisation. As this person was a hotmail users, I suggested it was more likely they had had their email account hacked, rather than his gmail account. Last year we looked at Have I been pwned which allows you to check whether an account you have might have been compromised.
Digital Projects – I explained the idea behind Digital Projects – I showed this list as possibilities or examples of projects …

  • Buying a new computer;
  • Building a website for a project, hobby or for the family;
  • Family history software;
  • Under the hood – breaking down a PC into its components;
  • Building a server;
  • Using Linux to bring life to an old laptop;
  • Adobe Lightroom Training;
  • Video-editing for beginners including on a tablet (iPad);
  • Audio – analogue and digital working together;
  • More with Google Photos – further steps to link cameras and computers, and working with tablets.

News
Apple event yesterday – new iPhones and a new Apple Watch. You might like to watch the keynote speeches on your computer.
New privacy and security features in Google Accounts – you might wish to review your privacy settings in the light of GDPR legislation.
BT hike costs of email offering – ways of avoiding the increased charges for an email service from BT. IT’s going up from £5 a month, to £7.50 if you don’t have a BT line/account.
Fact checking – a review of websites that are allegedly “fair” and which have no obvious political leaning and also ones that debunk “fake news”.
Split-ticketing – an article that explains how a group managed to save c.£950 on a return journey by using the split-ticketing website. [Sianed told us that some train managers are happy to do this as well !!!]
Topics for today
What is a browser? Look at this article which I wrote this week “Just Google it…” – it essentially suggests you should use a browser, ie Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Edge, Opera or Brave rather than the Google app on your smartphone or tablet for a better internet experience.
Thought grazing – features and demonstration. I explained the difference between the Public-facing pages on the site and the Private area available for Cardiff U3A Computer Group members (and past members). I’ll write some notes on how to post a note on the site and how to comment on posts before the next meeting.
Evernote – Here’s a Guide/manual to using Evernote. I gave a demonstration of how I use Evernote. Colin (I think) asked whether it could be linked to a Calendar – I said I would check and I’d report back in a reply/comment to these notes.