Gizmoe

This is your December edition of Gizmoe - the sixth and final edition in 2013.

Gizmoe will also be posted on our website www.seniornet.co.nz

Technology highlights in 2013

on 11 December 2013.

Its been another year of massive change so I thought listing the highlights would be useful (scary for some!). Heres my brief list:
Deep Learning. With loads of computational power, machines can now identify

objects and translate speech in real time. Is this the start of artificial intelligence?
Additive Manufacturing. GE, the worlds largest manufacturer, is on the verge of using 3-D printing to make jet parts. The new industrial revolution? Memory Implants. An eccentric neuroscientist believes he has deciphered the code by which the brain forms long-term memories. Will implants for people suffering long term memory loss soon be possible? Smart Watches. The designers of the Pebble watch understood that a mobile phone is more useful if you dont have to take it out of your pocket. The watch makes a comeback? Google Glass. This technology allows users to take photos, videos, surf the web, send messages and more, all hands-free. Its almost ready to launch, will you get one in 2014? Responsive Web Design. This allows websites to respond to the device it is being displayed on, providing optimal viewing on any device. Responding to our preferences to connect to the internet from any device.

Thank you To all the volunteers and our many valued supporters thank you so much for being part of SeniorNet, we value your time and the vitality you bring to the organisation. Have a happy and relaxing Christmas.

Grant Sidaway Executive Officer

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You the Grandkids and your Tablet!

Maybe you get to look after your grandchildren a fair bit and maybe you have a tablet device, then maybe you could introduce them to each other. Here's a selection of some of the best apps for toddlers.

iPad Apps for Toddlers

Endless Alphabet

Endless Alphabet allows users learn the alphabet by sliding "talking" letters into place to spell various words. They are then rewarded with an amusing animation illustrating the definition. Its free to download.

Press Here

Based on the Herv Tullet book, Press Here which gave children instructions to follow involving printed dots and swirls the Press Here app is more of the same. However, this time there's less imagination needed for the wonderfully simple games and animated activities. Its US $1.99 to download.

WeeApps As you and your grandchildren read about the likes of Charlie the Chipmunk and Eli the Elephant, kids are encouraged to find the first letter of the animal in the animations. They also get to practice drawing letters on an interactive sketchpad. This app will cost you US $2.99 to download.

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Sound Touch

When children tap illustrations in Sound Touch, they're played a corresponding noise when the photograph of the pressed object appears. There are five images and sounds for each of the 72 objects, which include animals, vehicles and musical instruments. Sound Touch will cost you US $4.99 to download.

Intro to Mathematics

Intro to Math introduces children to the numbers 0-9 through a series of games and activities that include things like arranging rods from longest to shortest or learning to draw numbers by tracing them on the screen. Its $4.99 to download.

Android also have swag of great apps for toddlers too

ABC for Kids Teach your grandchildren to write the letters of the alphabet while having fun! ABC for Kids is an educational game It features: Human voice for Alphabets Image of each Alphabet On touch you can listen to sounds again

Slideshow is Available where you can sit back and watch your grandchild learn. ABC for kids is free to download.

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Educational Games for Kids

Teach your grandkids with fun, they will learn alphabet, numbers, colours, shapes, days of the week, months of the year and much more. The educational game shows children the alphabet letters and teaches them to recognize letters as they appear. As a result, pre-schoolers learn the letters sounds much faster. Educational Games for Kids Its free to download.

Kids Shapes

A hands-on, real-life way for kids to learn shapes. Wouldn't it be just wonderful if there was a simple game for pre-schoolers and kindergarten-aged children that made learning shapes enjoyable? There is! It's called Kids Shapes.

Kids Shapes is free to download

The move toward Apps and away from so called traditional software continues at pace. In June 2009 when things just got started in the Apple app world there were a mere 50,000 in October, this year the one millionth app was listed with 475,000 native to the iPad. Android has a touch under 900,000 apps with Microsoft some distance behind at around 120,000. Heres where to go for apps:
Apple iPhone and iPad the App store https://itunes.apple.com/nz/genre/ios/id36?mt=8 Android Google Play https://play.google.com/store Windows - http://windows.microsoft.com/en-NZ/windows-8/apps#Cat=t1

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Great offer from Westpac Bank SeniorNet is pleased to announce a new corporate sponsor Westpac New Zealand Ltd. Westpac is the first bank that SeniorNet has worked with, and we are thrilled to have them on-board.

Banking has changed considerably since Westpac opened its first New Zealand branch in 1861. However despite there being safer and easier ways to bank, many older New Zealanders are still primarily using cash and cheques. Working with Westpac, we will be running a number of workshops to help you make the most out of banking technology including how to use Eftpos and ATMs, how to shop safely online, and how to use internet banking. Trust me learning these new skills will change your life!

As an introductory offer, Westpac has made available a Term Deposit special rate just for SeniorNet members! You dont have to be a Westpac customer to access this just pop into a branch and they will help you set up an account. For more details please refer to the promotion below.

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Lamentation from Archie MacDonald SeniorNet Is the place Where I go to learn the idiosyncrasies Of computers and tablets Become familiar with the programs I have chosen to use Which often eludes me at a critical time? You remember your school days When the shadow of the tutor darkens your keyboard You discuss subjects not found in Mr Jones manuals You frown because you have forgotten what you learnt in Files and Folders You hide behind I must be getting old We growl, for when we are young School terms were long and holidays short Now school is all holidays But thats because of our age Here I go again its nice to hide behind SeniorNet is closed for Christmas We miss our friends, especially the tutors SeniorNet is the star of our week Perhaps I should stop reminiscing Because the grey spots on the paper you hold Will give away as the tears flow I am bored and its only the first week of the holidays Oh well just remember when you see me next I will be older and maybe more forgetful As it is 4.20am as I write and my driver is picking me up at 8.30 to go to Gore I had better have another coffee MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAY

Archie is a member of SeniorNet South (Invercargill) and is famous for his writing which he generously shares with other members. He wrote the above on the morning of a recent regional meeting held in Gore.

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A worthy cause A group of retired blokes in Nelson have got together and fully restored a 1975 mini to raffle in aid of cancer. It has been an amazing and humbling project for all involved with sponsors donating everything down to a personalised number plate for the car. Sponsors have also donated a very generous line up of prizes for 2nd, 3rd and 4th prize. The raffle will be drawn late January and the men hope to raise $200,000 for the Cancer Society. Tickets can be purchased online through Country Trading Co. a Nelson mail order company. To visit the raffle page on their website and buy tickets go to: http://www.countrytrading.co.nz/products/cancersocietyminiraffle-1. You can also see photos of the progress of the restoration on the Country Trading Facebook photo album page https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.763334477025340.1073741836.470688749623249&t ype=1&l=190e919565

Upgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1

Having trouble upgrading from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1? Neal Utting (Hamilton) did, and his experience could help others with problems. When Windows 8 came out he installed it (to be able to learn about it) on a partition of his hard drive, but has kept using Windows 7. Then when Windows 8.1 came out he wanted to upgrade. The instruction to upgrade is to click on the tile in the Apps Store in Windows 8 but he found that there was no Windows 8.1 tile to click on. He tried downloading the file from the Microsoft website, but this couldnt be installed because a couple of necessary files were not available. He then realised that the problem might be that he hadnt opened Windows 8 for some months, and that the Windows 8.1 tile was probably included in an update, when Windows 8.1 was released. After 67 updates were downloaded and installed the Windows 8.1 tile appeared, and he could then update.

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Prove who you are online, quickly and easily

With online fraud and identity theft on the increase, being able to prove who you are online has never been more useful. RealMe is the new way to do just that. Created by the government and New Zealand Post, it's highly secure, and has been specially designed to be trusted by New Zealand businesses. This makes signing up for online services like getting a bank account or mortgage quicker and easier, with no more needless trips to the branch. It's also completely free to sign up for and use. Sign up now at www.realme.govt.nz

All I want for Christmas

According to the Guardian Newspaper the biggest sellers will be tablets. John Lewis, the big retail chain in the UK, expects to sell a tablet computer every 15 seconds during the festive period. Apple's thinner, lighter iPad Air will be on many wish lists also, and Google's Nexus models will do a brisk trade, but the biggest selling piece of electronic equipment this Christmas is forecast to be the iPad Mini. "Tablets were top of the electrical category last year and they will be again this year," said Neil Saunders of retail consultancy Conlumino. Many tablets will end up in the hands of children, for whom screen-swiping often has more attraction than dressing dolls or assembling wooden railways. Perhaps as parents if we whine in similar tones our kids

The LeapPad

will relent and buy us a Tablet!

The dilemma for parents is whether to opt for an educational tablet especially designed for children, such as the lower cost LeapPad, or give in to the harassment and buy an adult tablet. One deciding factor is choice the best e-books and games, such as Angry Birds or Temple Run, are largely unavailable outside the Apple and Android realms. "There is the biggest reluctance from the parents' point of view these are quite expensive things to break," said Saunders. "You can see why people have cashed in on making kids' versions of tablets, but the truth is when they get to five or six, they want the iPad because that's the thing they can do most on. We will see 'cascading' parents will get the brand-new model and pass the old tablet down to the kids." The last thing we want is hand-me-downs from our kids those days are well behind us yes? Page 8 of 8