| Author |
Message |
Juju2bigdog
Member
10-27-2000
| Wednesday, December 14, 2016 - 9:45 pm 
I am right-handed but used a mouse on the left for many years. I am fully mouse-ambidextrous now. It was amazingly easy to learn to mouse left-handed, and I am really old, although not as old as some people here.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Thursday, December 15, 2016 - 12:41 am
I mouse with the right hand because my mouse sits to the right of my chair.
But I purposely use my left hand sometimes on my touch screens, on purpose, which is good for the brain.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Saturday, December 17, 2016 - 11:15 pm
New Q: I now have an extra cell phone does anyone know how/where I can donate it to help battered women.
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Tishala
Member
08-01-2000
| Saturday, December 17, 2016 - 11:42 pm
Dipo that's so thoughtful of you. I googled and just got results for LA, but I'm sure you'll get results for our area if you enter "donate cell phone battered women"
And good for you!
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 11:35 am
Thanks, Tishala, I wasn't sure how to start.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 7:01 pm
Another New Q: I just got an Echodot. Now I know I can google, but what is the point of this device? Is it just a homebound Siri?
I have some misgivings about these type devices, I feel like they have the ability to spy on me all the time if I hook it up.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 11:16 pm
Dipo, can't really tell you what the point of the device, but I will say that I have TWO Echos. (Dots are basically mini Echos.) I'm in a one bedroom condo. Music by voice request. I love that. But that's far far far from everything it can do / knows. Sort of internet by voice. I didn't read this whole article as yet, but maybe it will answer some of your questions. Link
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 11:30 pm
Thanks Colordeagua, it was a gift from one of my customers that are very high tech, LOL.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Sunday, December 18, 2016 - 11:38 pm
Ok I read the entire article and I still don't know why it would be useful, LOL. I don't have a problem turning my lights or TV on and off myself, and I maintain a shopping list on the fridge door, hahahaha.
Plus I am not going to invest in anything else to make it more useful, and the most useful thing it seems to do is play music, which I never do, I enjoy music, but it just isn't my top thing.
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Kitt
Member
09-05-2000
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 12:36 am
"Alexa, what can I do with my Echo Dot?"
Using it as a timer is a useful one I'd think. Other than that and music I don't see much use either.
Just in case you're the paranoid type, it's always listening to you (when in range) because it has to be ready to respond if you say "Alexa..." Which means that every conversation you have is going to the cloud to be checked. Not checked in an NSA way but still, it's being fed across the network. Much like if you speak next to your voice controlled phone (the "OK google" or "Siri..." ones).
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 6:56 am
I use my Echos for the alarm feature. I'm not on any drugs, but my dog has to take a pill at 9:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. for medical reasons. Rely on my noggin to remember. Ha ha ha. Echo's repeating alarm sounds off twice a day. I'm in a condo. We have common washers and dryers -- not in-unit. Set alarms for when washer and dryer (on another floor) are done to the exact minute.
It's a dictionary for definition and spelling. Thesaurus. Weather any place in the world. Distance between two cities in the world. Amazon owns the IMDB so you can get some info about movies, TV, actors, etc. by voice. Etc., etc., etc.
I love it.
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Jeep
Member
10-17-2001
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 7:14 am
I've just been given an Echo Dot as well and wondering what I'm going to do with it.
As far as I can tell, for me it's just a modern, updated, more technical version of the "clapper"......"lights on, lights off"! LOL
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 12:08 pm
Hahahaha, Jeep, good one.
Colordeagua, I have four timers, 2 in the kitchen and 2 on my desk. I use them to make me get up from the computer every 30 minutes. I also use them to time my washer/dryers, our machine are not in the units either.
So fun to here what everyone does with them.
The only thing I can imagine it would be good for would be to verify I am alive every day, LOL, but I guess it would have to be connected to some sort of service for that.
Since I live alone I guess if I wanted someone to talk to I could use Alexa but I just talked to my computer, the cats and the TV.
So I may just be giving it to Goodwill, after I write a nice thank-you note. That will probably surprise the heck out of my customer since they will be expecting an email.
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Seamonkey
Moderator
09-07-2000
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 12:38 pm
Dipo, with a new item like that, you could donate it to any group that uses silent Auctions to raise funds.
I have an Echo and have never used it.
My FitBit has alarms, I use light switches and the voice would probably bug my cat. Only I get to bug the cat.
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Roxip
Member
01-29-2004
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 1:08 pm
I user a timer to force myself to clean. I set it for a specific period of time and then I can't stop cleaning for that period of time...otherwise my house would NEVER get cleaned because I'm easily distracted. (The TV has to stay off during that period of time and if the phone rings I have to reset the timer after my call ends).
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Texannie
Member
07-15-2001
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 2:02 pm
I use mine for music, reading me recipes while i cook, play jeopardy...but mostly music.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Monday, December 19, 2016 - 3:18 pm
LOL, Roxip, I do the same thing. Normally I set it for 15 minutes and have to clean something in the house.
But since I am working on a contract job, I am using them to take breaks from the computer.
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Jimmer
Moderator
08-30-2000
| Tuesday, December 20, 2016 - 7:10 am
According to Apple, Siri doesn't listen to your conversations and send information to Apple in order to know when you say "Hey Siri". All processing happens locally.
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 1:00 pm
New Confusion: I have the weirdest thing going on. I have hardwood floors all through the house, I am in a condo on the second floor. I just went into the kitchen and it seems like water is coming up through my floors, at the seams. (It just rained pretty hard)
There are no pipes under the floors and I can't find any leaks in the kitchen, dishwasher wasn't running, etc. It is just so odd.
The are is in the middle of the kitchen, just on the other side of the island, which is not near a water source, it is on rollers.
Any ideas? I don't even know what type of person to call, floor repairman, plumber, dectective, hahahaha.
Any ideas?
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 1:35 pm
It doesn't sound good Dipo. Could it be busted pipes in your foundation, or maybe condensation?
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 2:35 pm
Lakecat, no pipes, I was wondering if maybe there was a slight hole in one of the exterior walls that could seep into the space between the concrete and floor insulator stuff. I need to go check on it again, see what is going on.
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Lakecat
Member
10-01-2006
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 3:01 pm
That's sounds plausible. We had an interior wall leak that seeped up from the floor. I'd call a plumber and see if you can get him out there today, otherwise it may mean Monday.
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Karuuna
Board Administrator
08-30-2000
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 3:21 pm
You should call soon. Are your downstairs neighbors home? You may be leaking through their ceiling
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Dipo
Member
04-23-2002
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 4:12 pm
I did call the HOA, I am afraid that they may be off for the holiday already. So far the water seapage has stopped. I will check with my downstairs neighbors. I doubt there is a problem with them since there is a large slab of concrete between us. The only leaks that have gone between units have been down the walls where the pipes are. Let's hope that stays true.
I have seen this one before when my dishwasher leaked but I haven't run it in days, so that can't be it.
It is just so natural that this would happen right at Christmas! I swear it is a homeowner curse, LOL.
I think I will go and get the blowdryer on it and see what happens. I did notice that my freezer door wasn't totally shut, so maybe it was dripping water that ran to the middle of the room.
Fixed that and now will see what happens, also running the dishwasher so I can see if I have a leak there.
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Colordeagua
Member
10-24-2003
| Friday, December 23, 2016 - 10:20 pm
Dipo, I'm in same kind of location -- 2nd floor in a condo building. Check your plumbing / pipes as much as you can in the kitchen. Maybe it was the open freezer.
We have in-house condo association so board members are unit owners. They're contacted first if problems are building related. If it is a unit problem, there is person to contact who knows how the building "works" (not a unit owner). She's kind of a "super". Unit owners pay her. Problem is her personality. I'm am NOT the only one who thinks so. I've found my own handyman. 
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