Apps and 9 and a half minutes for a cup of tea…

By | November 19, 2018
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Last time I mentioned about the amazing range of apps you can get for phones and tablets – and how almost anything you can think of, you can find.

But it occurred to me I missed out one important thing – the apps you already have on your phone, tablet or PC.

You see, when you buy it, it doesn’t only come with the bare bones – just the system that makes it work.

There’ll also be a whole range of things already on there.

For example, here I am sitting at my desk at work – and one of the things waiting for me is to work out how many more copies of a particular book we need to print so we don’t run out.

So I need to look at how many we have, how many people are buying each month and so on… and I’ll want to use a calculator to do it. (Yes, I know I could do it on a bit of paper instead but it’s quicker (for me at least!) with a calculator!)

I could go and get an actual calculator – but there’s one built into my PC. I can find it in the start menu or just tap the Windows key, type calc and press enter – and there it is. It’s got all the features I need – you can use it in standard mode or turn it into a scientific one.

It’s not something I’ve installed – it came as part of Windows.

And if I’m not at my desk when someone asks me a question I need a calculator for, my phone has one built in, too. I just tap on the symbol to get the list of all apps and look for the one labelled “Calculator”.

Similarly when I’m cooking (I’m not the good cook in our house – Jules does the actually nice food… but sometimes I cook if she’s busy or whatever). I might need a timer – so I get my phone, go into the list of apps and tap on the clock – then on stopwatch or timer.

There are other apps built into most phones, tablets and PCs, too. Calendars to check what day of the week your birthday falls on, apps for taking notes, apps recording voice or other sound – all sorts.

They don’t always have sensible names, which can be confusing. But most of them do.

Anyway, just like last time I wasn’t trying to say you should all download a guitar tuner app (though I know a few did after I recommended it!), this time I’m not trying to say you need to start using the calculator on your PC or phone.

But if there’s a particular thing you need and your PC or phone or tablet is to hand, it might be worth just checking if you already have an app to do it. You might find that you already have just what you need without even knowing it!

9 and a half minutes with me for a cup of tea…
As you know, I recently brought out a new course called Windows 10 Made Simple. It’s proving very popular and I’ve had some lovely comments from people who’ve started going through it – saying how helpful they’ve found it.

If you’ve joined it I hope you’re finding it helpful.

If you haven’t, it occurred to me that it’s one thing me telling you I think it’s really helpful. But it would be better if I show you.

So that’s what I did. I sat down with a cup of tea and a video camera and recorded a short video to tell you a little bit about it and then show you how it works.

Why not have a look? Pop the kettle on for a cup of tea (or coffee if that’s your drink of choice… or Glenmorangie if you’d rather, though it’s a bit early as I type this…)

It’s only nine and a half minutes so it won’t take much of your time and you might find it interesting.

Here you are – here’s where you can watch it.
As before the full written information about the course is here.

2 thoughts on “Apps and 9 and a half minutes for a cup of tea…

    1. Emma - The Helpful Book Company

      Hello John,
      Thank you for letting me know, I’ll pop an email across to help you.
      Thanks
      Emma

      Reply

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