7 tech gems that make life easier and save you time

Our on a regular basis gadgets make life simpler, however they are often large time sucks. 

Are you continuously checking your cellphone? You’re not alone. Faucet or click on for confirmed settings that will help you break your cellphone habit. 

Possibly you’re slowed down and annoyed by an outdated laptop computer or desktop pc. Earlier than you hand over and purchase a brand new one, you’ll be able to possible pace yours up and get extra life from it. Faucet or click on for my five-minute tech repair for a quicker PC.  

Doesn’t saving time really feel nice? Preserve going. Listed below are seven nifty methods tech can assist you streamline your life.  

1. Measure your coronary heart price along with your cellphone 

You don’t want a smartwatch to measure your coronary heart price. Cardiio: Coronary heart Charge Monitor is an iPhone app that makes use of your cellphone’s digicam to take a studying of your pulse. Place your index finger on the again digicam, and the app will measure your coronary heart price by detecting colour adjustments. Make sure you maintain your cellphone regular and hold nonetheless. It really works with iPads, too. 

For Android, Coronary heart Charge Monitor works equally. Cowl the again digicam, keep nonetheless, and also you’ll get a studying. 

Simply bear in mind, apps like this will not be a substitute for seeing a medical skilled or speaking to your physician in the event you’re not feeling properly. 

For extra smartphone smarts, take a look at this improbable listing of 10 iPhone methods I exploit every single day, and you’ll, too. 

2. Get extra legroom in your subsequent flight 

Google Flights is terrific for determining one of the best and least expensive option to get from level A to level B. However would not or not it’s nice additionally to know if you are going to be scrunched in somewhat seat the entire time?  

Get the Chrome browser extension referred to as Legroom for Google Flights. When utilizing Google Flights, you may additionally see how a lot legroom there may be per seat by the flight you chose.  

One other stable possibility is SeatGuru.com. Enter your airline and flight quantity, and you will see a map of one of the best seats with essentially the most legroom, no obtain required. 

Hitting the street quickly? Listed below are 10 journey ideas even seasoned vacationers can profit from. 

3. Submit to all of your social media accounts directly  

Social media is enjoyable, but it surely may also be a number of work. You’ll be able to spend approach too lengthy crafting the appropriate tweet, the appropriate Fb submit, an Instagram picture, then … properly, you already know. 

Right here’s a secret that influencers and entrepreneurs have recognized for years: Social media scheduling apps streamline the method. You’ll be able to create a draft of a submit with textual content, photos, or anything your coronary heart wishes. Then, choose the time you need the submit to go up. You’ll be able to create completely different variations for every social media community, too. 

I like Buffer as a result of it has a free possibility. You’ll be able to handle as much as three social media channels for free of charge. In case you run a small enterprise or have extra channels to handle, paid plans begin at $60 per yr. 

RELATED: True or false: Folks can see the embarrassing belongings you “like” on social media 

4. Observe your tax refund on-line 

Anticipating your tax refund within the mail? Right here’s an insider secret to get the submit workplace to ship you an electronic mail with photos of your mail. 

Your first cease is on the USPS web site, USPS.com.  

Right here, you’ll see an possibility to join Knowledgeable Supply. This free service sends residential and P.O. field prospects grayscale photos of the mail arriving that day. 

These photos embrace the entrance of the envelope, so your envelope will present the IRS because the sender if it is your tax refund.  

With Knowledgeable Supply, you can too handle any packages arriving, depart supply directions or reschedule a supply. 

Professional-tip: The pictures despatched through USPS solely present you the primary 10 items of your mail for that day. To see the remaining, register to your account at USPS.com or skip the e-mail altogether and use the free USPS app. Obtain for Android right here or get it for iPhone right here. 

A truck carrying greater than 100 packages in Maryland was carjacked by 5 suspects Thursday morning. The packages had been unloaded and the 2 supply drivers had been unhurt, authorities mentioned. 
(AP)

5. Promote your stuff with out assembly in a car parking zone 

Craigslist was the go-to option to promote your outdated stuff on-line again within the day. Today, there are much more choices.  

You should use Decluttr to promote tech devices, like outdated telephones, computer systems, tablets, and good residence gear. There’s no must create an inventory, write an outline, add pictures, or negotiate with patrons. Merely add details about the gadgets you wish to promote, and also you get a proposal. 

You will not must dig out the outdated charger, authentic field, or any equipment. The worth you are provided is for the system solely. The payout is fairly good too. Faucet or click on for a direct hyperlink and a walkthrough of find out how to promote on Decluttr. 

For native promoting, skip the yard sale and listing your stuff shortly on OfferUp. The app is free to make use of, and you may message others, so that you need not give your cellphone quantity or electronic mail tackle. If you wish to lengthen your vary, OfferUp enables you to promote nationwide. For a neighborhood sale, cash adjustments arms in individual. For items which are shipped, funds are made by means of the app. 

Faucet or click on for obtain hyperlinks for OfferUp, together with 5 different Craigslist alternate options. 

6. Conceal your electronic mail tackle 

Among the finest methods to cease the fixed circulate of electronic mail spam is to not use your major electronic mail tackle for purchasing on-line, newsletters, and requesting data.  

A hidden trick when utilizing Gmail is to arrange distinctive electronic mail addresses everytime you want one. Simply use your major Gmail electronic mail tackle and put a plus signal after your identify and add a phrase the place you’re signing up. Say your electronic mail tackle is bob@gmail.com. Once you’re signing up for my free electronic mail publication, you’ll be able to create an immediate electronic mail tackle that’s bob+komandonewsletters@gmail.com. 

Yahoo will allow you to create a disposable tackle in your settings. 

Utilizing Apple’s iCloud, you’ll be able to have three completely different electronic mail addresses. However in the event you pay for iCloud, you’ll be able to cover your electronic mail wherever you need. 

7. Get all of your electronic mail delivered in a single place 

Talking of electronic mail, yours is probably going unfold throughout a number of gadgets. Once you ship, obtain, or delete an electronic mail on one system, it’s vital to maintain that workflow constant throughout others as properly. That approach, you do not miss essential messages or confuse others. 

To arrange syncing on all of your gadgets, go to your Gmail web site in your desktop and click on: 

• Click on the gear icon and click on Settings.
• Choose Forwarding and POP/IMAP tab.
• Underneath IMAP entry, Allow Pop for all mail, Allow IMAP.
• Scroll down and choose Save Adjustments.

You will discover a hyperlink for configuring mail retrieval by means of different platforms in that very same menu. That is essential when making an attempt to entry your account by means of third events like Thunderbird or the native Mail app on an iPhone. It is a lot simpler to arrange utilizing the official Gmail app. 

In case you use Microsoft Outlook at work, and the mailbox you wish to sync is in your firm’s Change server, it’s finest to take the gadgets to your IT division. They’ll give you the area identify and different data you might want to arrange the mailbox on different gadgets. 

Inbox feeling cluttered? Listed below are 5 must-do cleanups on your electronic mail inbox, community, and devices.  

Bonus Tip: How advertisers acquire your knowledge and goal you with adverts 

Male, 38 years outdated, married, two youngsters below 5, watched a YouTube video about garden care, visited a house enchancment retailer within the final 10 days, listened to a podcast about lawns, earns $68,000 a yr in a administration place, and lives in a sure zip code. That is how particular promoting could be as we speak. On this episode, I sit down with promoting CTO Premesh Purayil from Freestar to be taught the way it works and find out how to opt-out of the info monitoring. 

Take a look at my podcast “Kim Komando Explains” on Apple, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or your favourite podcast participant. 

Take heed to the podcast right here or wherever you get your podcasts. Simply seek for my final identify, “Komando.” 

What digital life-style questions do you’ve? Name Kim’s nationwide radio present and faucet or click on right here to seek out it in your native radio station. You’ll be able to hearken to or watch The Kim Komando Present in your cellphone, pill, tv, or pc. Or faucet or click on right here for Kim’s free podcasts. 

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Find out about all the most recent expertise on The Kim Komando Present, the nation’s largest weekend radio speak present. Kim takes calls and dispenses recommendation on as we speak’s digital life-style, from smartphones and tablets to on-line privateness and knowledge hacks. For her day by day ideas, free newsletters, and extra, go to her web site at Komando.com.