As you might have noticed, I switched this newsletter over to using Substack. This is part of my experimenting to find the best writing platform for me. Although not as robust as my previous provider, it seems to be an easy system to set up.
And if I were more on top of things, I would’ve alerted you that Microsoft had released this year’s ugly sweater. They’ve already sold out.
Online Outages
Any given day, it seems some site is having tech troubles that cause access or log-in problems. The first place I go to is Down Detector. The site allows me to check a given domain or see a popular site. You can click an entry and see more details.
Down Detector won’t provide the problem domain’s support number, so you might want to add that to your contact list before you need it. It does show their social media accounts.
2 Tips for Online Safety
I’m a Cloudflare fan. I use their services on the website but also on my home router. While I’ve used them as my DNS provider, I didn’t realize they had something called Cloudflare for Families.
The nice thing about this free program is they have 2 IP addresses that filter for malware and adult content. Even if you don’t have kids, this is a good option to explore.
On a related note, please be careful of email links. I’m seeing too many spoofed emails these days. Often they look to come from vendors you use. There are many URL inspectors, but the one I like is from VirusTotal. It’s the only one I know that can handle short URLs. In the snap below, you can see how it expanded the Bit.ly link.
How Crowded is….
Because of the pandemic, I’m much more careful when I visit a store. I also prefer to go to places when they are less crowded, so I don’t have to wait in line. Recently, I noticed that Google is giving Live updates on places I frequent. It’s not perfect but definitely provides guidance. Just quey the business name and scroll down till you see Popular times. You should then see another item for “Live.”
Coming Soon…Excel Lambda Function
For you Excel users who have Microsoft 365, there is a new function on the way. Currently, it’s in beta on the Insider channel. Basically, it’s a function that allows you to create your own functions easily. I know that doesn’t seem logical, but the video below shows some examples.
Quick Kid Distraction - 3D Animals
Ever had a situation where you had to get work done, but a little one wanted your time? The folks at 9to5Google noticed that about 50 animals had been added to the AR collection. No Santa or reindeer, but I’m sure these additions will please the kids. The next time one of your kids wants you, teach them how to find the animals. Just remember to get your phone back.
Alternatively, you could probably take a photo of one of these creatures in your office and send it to your boss.
Copying & Pasting in Microsoft Edge
Microsoft Edge recently added a feature to use the page title and make a hyperlink if you copy a URL and paste it. For many people, this is a nice feature. However, it doesn’t suit me. Thankfully, you can turn off this feature.
In Edge, type edge://settings/shareCopyPaste
Click Plain text.
Google Takeout
Chances are you probably received an email from Google this month about changes to their storage quotas. Basically, we can’t have as much data for free. If you need to move data off their services, there is a built-in feature called Google Takeout.
The service allows you to export a copy of your content to back it up or use it on another service. Yet again, I was amazed to see Google products I’d never heard of before.
Leverage Your Internal Force
2020 wasn’t kind to many people. Lots of it was outside of our control. But…it is a matter of perspective, and you can learn from these hardships. It’s not the physical body that holds us back.
30 Day Free Trial - LinkedIn Learning (Sponsored)
Do you have time off during the holidays? Why not treat yourself to some LinkedIn courses. Besides having great online visual tutorials, they now have audio ones too. Click the image below to see the offer.
Please note that I am a LinkedIn Learning affiliate. This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers.
Thanks for reading,