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https://killexams.com/exam_list/ExinKillexams : Master your Steam Deck with these 22 tips and tricks
While Valve’s awesome $399 Steam Deck is a capable enough gaming system out of the box, some of its best features are easy to miss.
If you know where to look, you can customize the Steam Deck to your liking, minimize annoyances, and even expand your game catalog well beyond the built-in Steam storefront.
Here, then, is a lengthy list of tips and tricks for the Steam Deck, loosely arranged from simple to more advanced:
Know your quick commands
Jared Newman / Foundry
Long-press the Steam button, and you’ll see a list of quick commands you can invoke from anywhere. A full list appears in the above screenshot, but here are a few that you should try committing to memory:
Adjust brightness: Steam + Left Stick Up/Down
Force game shutdown: Steam + Long-press B
Take a screenshot: Steam + R1
On-screen keyboard: Steam + X.
Temporary cursor: Steam + Right Stick or Trackpad. Use R2 to click.
Get game suggestions
Jared Newman / Foundry
Not sure what to play on your Steam Deck? A couple suggestions:
From the home screen, scroll down, then over to the “Recommended” tab. Steam will helpfully suggest untouched games from your backlog.
Hit the Steam button and select “Library.” The first tab (“Great on Deck”) suggests games that are fully-optimized for the portable.
Try playing some of the smaller-scale, indie games you’ve been neglecting. Chances are they’ll be easier to pick up and put down than, say, Elden Ring, and they may burn through less battery life as well.
Check your battery life
Jared Newman / Foundry
Tap the battery icon at the top of the screen to quickly bring up the Performance tab. You’ll see a measure of projected battery life at the top.
Suspend and resume
With the Steam Deck, there’s no need to quit your game between play sessions. Just press the power button, and the Deck will enter sleep mode. Press it again to quickly pick up where you left off, even a day or two later.
(It’s still a good idea to save your game between sessions if possible, and of course putting the Steam Deck to sleep during multiplayer will probably get you booted.)
Don’t miss Night mode
Jared Newman / Foundry
If you’re gaming on the Steam Deck before bed, consider turning on Night mode to cut down on blue light from the screen:
In Quick Settings: Head to the ⚙ settings section and toggle Night mode under the “Other” heading.
In Settings: Look under the Display tab to schedule Night mode and adjust the tint level.
Minimize distractions
Jared Newman / Foundry
Getting notified about friend activity during a game is annoying enough on the desktop, but it’s even worse on the Steam Deck, where screen real estate is limited. Turn off these alerts under Settings > Notifications.
Browse in-game guides
Jared Newman / Foundry
Need help with the game you’re playing? Instead of reaching for your phone, hit the Steam button, then select “Guides” to bring up Steam’s player-contributed tutorials. Use the arrow buttons at the top to scroll through each page. (Hey Valve, a search function would be nice.)
Tweak your performance profiles
Jared Newman / Foundry
The Steam Deck’s Performance menu has lots of tweakable knobs to fine-tune performance, visual fidelity, and battery life, separate from in-game settings. Access this menu by hitting the … button, then selecting the 🔋battery icon.
A few options to consider:
Enable “Use per-game profile” before making any changes here. That way you can adjust settings on a game-by-game basis instead of across the board.
To maximize the Steam Deck’s battery life without major visual compromises, drop the Refresh Rate slider down to 40 Hz, which will also cap the framerate at 40 frames per second.
If you prefer smoother framerates over higher resolution, set the Scaling Filter to “FSR” and set FSR Sharpness to 4 or 5. Then, use in-game settings to choose a resolution lower than 1280×800, such as 1152×720 or 960×600. The FSR upscaling will restore some of the sharpness without affecting framerates.
Choose a default storage location
Jared Newman / Foundry
If you’re expanding Steam Deck storage with a MicroSD card, set your default storage location under. Settings > Storage. Highlight either the internal drive or the MicroSD card, then press X.
You can also easily move games between storage devices from this same menu. Just highlight the game, then press Y.
Learn to touchpad type
Jared Newman / Foundry
While using the Steam Deck’s on-screen keyboard, put your thumbs on each trackpad and slide them around. You’ll see a circular cursor for each thumb over the left- and right-hand sides of the keyboard, and you can either click the trackpads or use the triggers to type. There’s a learning curve, but eventually it feels more convenient and accurate than using the touchscreen.
Change your keyboard
Jared Newman / Foundry
Head to Settings > Keyboard to choose between alternate styles for the on-screen keyboard. You can also visit the Points Shop to acquire additional styles at 5,000 points apiece.
Check Steam Deck compatibility
While Steam has an official “Deck Verified” program that checks for game compatibility, don’t neglect ProtonDB either. This community-built site can provide additional insights for games that don’t have an official stamp of approval, along with tweaks that might get them into a playable state.
Use the button remapper
Jared Newman / Foundry
If you have a lot of old PC games that weren’t made with controllers in mind, the Steam Deck’s button remapper is a killer feature. To use it, press the Steam button while playing a game, select “Controller Settings,” then hit the “A” button.
Don’t scoff at the Steam Deck’s Remote Play feature, which lets you stream games from your desktop computer. It can come in handy for several reasons:
You’ve got limited time or scarce storage space to obtain more games.
You want to conserve battery life while maximizing visual fidelity.
You want to play a game that doesn’t natively support the Steam Deck yet.
To stream from your PC, hit down arrow next to the “Install” or “Play” button for any game, then select your computer from the list. Hit the “Stream” button to launch a remote play session.
Add a lock screen
Jared Newman / Foundry
To enable a PIN on the Steam Deck, head to Settings > Security. You can add lock screen when waking up the console, or just when switching to desktop mode. The latter’s especially important if you’re logged into email or other sensitive accounts while using the Steam Deck desktop.
Enter Desktop mode
Jared Newman / Foundry
The Steam Deck’s true potential comes from entering Desktop mode, which provides a full Linux-based environment for installing more software—even from competing digital storefronts.
To enter the Steam Deck’s Desktop mode, hit the Steam button, scroll down to Power, and select ”Switch to Desktop.” Then, navigate with these controls:
Right trackpad for cursor control.
R2 and L2 for left and right click, respectively, or click the right trackpad for a left click.
Steam + X for the on-screen keyboard.
Note that if you shut down the Steam desktop app, the touchpad click and on-screen keyboard will stop working.
Install more software
The easiest way to install non-Steam software on your Steam Deck is through the Desktop mode’s Discover store. Click the icon that looks like a shopping bag, and you’ll see a wide range of programs to install, from Spotify and Discord to DOSBox and GZDoom.
Once installed, you’ll find these programs in the application launcher by clicking the Steam Deck logo at the bottom-left.
Add non-Steam apps to Gaming mode
Jared Newman / Foundry
You don’t need to be in Desktop mode to launch desktop apps. Instead, you can add them to Game mode for easy access.
To do so, launch the Steam app while in Desktop mode. Then, hit the “Games” tab in the top menu and select Add a non-Steam Game to My Library. If the app or game doesn’t appear in the list that pops up, use the “Browse…” button to find it, then hit “Add Selected Programs.”
When you return to Game mode, you’ll find these games in the “Non-Steam” section of your library.
Install alternative game sources
Jared Newman / Foundry
After getting comfortable with Desktop mode, the next step is to bring in games from storefronts other than Steam. Some options to consider:
Heroic Games Launcher provides access to your Epic Games Store and GOG libraries and is available through the Discover store. A separate utility called HeroicBashLauncher can automatically add these games to your Steam library, complete with artwork.
Lutris provides access to the above stores and more, and is also available through the Discover store.
Emudeck makes it easy to play classic game emulators through the Steam Deck’s Game mode, assuming you have the necessary game files.
Need to move some files to your Steam Deck from another computer? Instead of swapping thumb drives back and forth, check out Payload. Install this free app on both your computer and the Steam Deck (in desktop mode), and you can transfer files over your Wi-Fi network just by dragging and dropping.
Consider a USB hub
For serious Steam Deck desktop users, a cheap USB hub with HDMI output can be an invaluable addition. Plug it into the Deck’s USB-C port, and you can add an external mouse and keyboard while outputting video to a monitor or TV. (A proper Steam Deck dock may also be worth considering, official or otherwise.)
Deck out your Steam Deck
Jared Newman / Foundry
To take Steam Deck customization to the next level, install Decky Loader, which extends the Deck with a wide range of user-made plugins. Want to swap out the Deck’s menu sounds or add control your music through the sidebar menu? Decky Loader makes it easy to do so. It’s also the best way to add cover art for non-Steam games, using the SteamGridDB plugin.
To install Decky Loader, visit the project’s GitHub page from Desktop mode and click the obtain button at the top, then run the installer from your Downloads folder. After installation, return to Game mode, and you’ll see a new 🔌 plug icon in the … sidebar menu. Hit the store icon at the top of the menu to browse for plugins from there.
Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:40:00 -0600Author: Jared Newmanentext/htmlhttps://www.pcworld.com/article/1501480/master-your-steam-deck-with-these-22-tips-and-tricks.htmlKillexams : Transportation Infrastructure
Mon, 13 Feb 2023 01:12:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.cnbc.com/transportation-infrastructure/Killexams : Why data infrastructure remains hot into 2023 even as the economy cools
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Despite the economic downturn, a crowded market and high valuations, there’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity upon us. We don’t mean the buzzy concepts like the metaverse or NFTs or Web3. Instead, we’re talking about data infrastructure.
The term infrastructure doesn’t typically generate a lot of excitement. But it’s nevertheless one of the most interesting investment sectors, now thanks in part to the pandemic.
The prize for a startup that becomes an integral part of the data stack is massive. There is an opportunity for a winner-takes-all outcome, as well as the potential to build a decacorn, or a startup with a market capitalization of $100 billion.
And even if that doesn’t pan out, startups could still be acquired by one of the existing data infrastructure mainstays like Snowflake, Fivetran, DBT, Tableau or Looker. For example, Streamlit, the three-year-old startup that developed an open-source project for building data-based apps, was acquired by Snowflake for $800 million in March 2022. That’s not a shabby outcome.
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Why companies are doubling down on data infrastructure
Let’s revisit 2020. The pandemic accelerated a shift to remote work, telehealth, zoom calls and Netflix streaming. It also skyrocketed demand for last-mile delivery of Amazon packages. Combined with supply-chain constraints, consumer behavior was forever altered.
From a business perspective, the COVID-19 crisis rapidly accelerated the adoption of analytics and AI. More than half (52%) of businesses accelerated their AI adoption plans to help alleviate skills shortages, boost productivity, deliver new products and services and address supply chain issues.
For example, snack giant Frito-Lay ramped up its digital and data-driven initiatives, compressing five years’ worth of digital plans into six months. They delivered an ecommerce platform, Snacks.com, in just 30 days and leveraged shopper data to predict store openings, shifts in demand and changes in tastes to reset product offerings all the way down to the store level within a particular zip code.
But when pivoting quickly to meet new needs, many businesses realized their existing data stacks couldn’t cut it. They faced challenges with long turnaround times to untangle and set up infrastructure, as well as slow response times to new information — not to mention incredibly expensive journeys to insights.
Businesses now need to move to a sustainable operating model, replace long-term commitments with plug-and-play flexibility, evolve from one-off analytics to operational business intelligence and lead with data governance rather than considering it an afterthought. In other words, businesses need a modern data stack.
And data infrastructure is here to stay for a simple reason: Companies will always need data and consumers and businesses will only generate more of it. The amount of data created and consumed worldwide in 2022 will be in the range of 97 zettabytes, or 97 billion terabytes, and it is growing more than 19% year over year. In addition, the power of data in determining a company’s success will only increase moving forward — as will the number of tools for aggregating, connecting, storing, transforming, querying, analyzing and visualizing that data.
Where VCs are placing their beta
Pitchbook reported that the top 30 data infrastructure startups have “raised over $8 billion in venture capital in the last five years at an aggregate value of $35 billion.“ Data infrastructure is unique in the sense that there’s a data pipeline, where data moves throughout the various parts of an organization. This involves aggregating and connecting data, storing it and making computations, transforming it and ultimately visualizing it.
This means investments in data infrastructure companies remain intriguing despite an overall slowdown in VC investments — and, as a result, startups are uniquely positioned to weather the economic downturn.
According to Hansae Catlett, VP at Bessemer Venture Partners: “Many data infrastructure startups have an opportunity to become part of the modern data stack. There will always be room for a startup that can fill in a key technical hole of the stack that remains open or solves a key business problem. As re-platforming continues to unfold, opportunities exist to even unseat recently established players like Snowflake and Looker as part of the canonical data stack. Data infrastructure advancements are driven by secular trends — cloud adoption, growth in data — so despite the downturn, we believe this momentum will persist.”
That’s why VCs are placing their bets on both sides: data infrastructure technology and business applications.
Data infrastructure technologies include next-generation Snowflakes, real-time processing for analytical and operational needs and machine learning (ML) toolkits. Business applications encompass data analytics that empower business users to act like data scientists and data analytics for specific verticals.
Unicorns and M&A on the horizon
Given the massive opportunity for a winner-takes-all outcome in data infrastructure, valuations will continue to be high. That’s because those startups that become locked into this new ecosystem early—even if they are just a small piece of the overall whole — will inevitably become the go-to provider for everyone else who uses the data stack. That also means there’s ample potential for a return, even at the unicorn valuations we’re seeing now.
Data infrastructure will also likely see more M&A in early 2023 because this economic climate will create a do-or-die situation for many companies. There’s a lot of great technology being built, but not all of today’s startups can mature into standalone companies.
Meanwhile, there are many niche problems across the data stack and those problems might not be large enough for a top data infrastructure company. But, they can still present exciting opportunities for new companies to incorporate into their products.
According to Noel Yuhanna, a Forrester VP and principal analyst, Snowflake originally started with supporting tools presenting data to non-data specialists.
But recently, the platform has expanded to support broader-use cases, including data science, data engineering, and other forms of analytics.
Yuhanna adds: “We find that organizations don’t want 10 different platforms to support various initiatives, but an integrated data platform that can support multiple use cases across multiple personas.”
It’s only going to get hotter and hotter. Those who have placed early bets on infrastructure are going to see huge returns, especially as M&A heats up now through 2023.
Rekha Ravindra is a principal with Rsquared Acceleration.
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Mon, 13 Feb 2023 11:09:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://venturebeat.com/data-infrastructure/why-data-infrastructure-remains-hot-into-2023-even-as-the-economy-cools/Killexams : The Government’s Infrastructure Binge Is Coming. Finding Stocks to Play It Is Tricky.
Infrastructure stimulus and the transition to renewable-energy generation could provide a big boost to some stocks in 2023. Unfortunately, one of them won’t be around for investors to play.
That would be Atlas Technical Consultants (ticker: ATCX), which Barron’s recommended buying ahead of Congress passing the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act in late 2021, when shares were around $9. Atlas, which provides engineering and design services, inspection and certification of buildings and public works, and other construction-related services, benefited from the infrastructure-spending buzz in the following months: The stock rose to $13 by March 2022. Those gains didn’t last. By the end of the year, shares were below $6 as investors fretted over Atlas’ substantial debt load in a rising-rate environment.
Sun, 05 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.barrons.com/articles/infrastructure-binge-is-coming-stocks-to-play-it-51675294787Killexams : Best Waze tips and tricks: 15 things to try next time you drive
Waze is a great tool for getting yourself around as quickly as possible. There's a running joke that the app will send you through an active warzone and avoid traffic — even if it only improves your ETA by a few seconds. That's a big part of why it's so popular among certain crowds.
But Waze is able to do a lot more than offer up directions, and get you around faster than Google Maps. There are a bunch more features on offer, and not all of them are obvious. So to help you get the most out of Waze, here are 15 essential Waze tips you should know about.
Find the cheapest gas
(Image credit: Waze)
With gas prices at record levels, it pays to know how to find cheap gas. Waze can help you find them, with a feature that displays the price of the different types of gasoline and diesel at any given location.
Simply hit the search bar at the bottom of your screen, tap Gas stations and you'll be served a list of nearby gas stations complete with addresses, distance, and crucially gas prices. Tapping a specific location brings up a business profile with more information. Being a navigation app Waze will also tell you how to get there with a single tap.
Just be warned that every piece of information Waze has is crowdsourced. That means it relies on real people reporting and updating gas price changes, which doesn't always happen. That means you should always take what it says with a pinch of salt, and check the time it was last updated.
Planned Drives shows you when you should leave
(Image credit: Waze)
While Waze can send you on the best route when you’re on the road, it also helps to make sure you leave at the right time as well. Thankfully you can plan ahead by typing in a destination, and hitting the banner that says “Find the Best Time to Leave.”
Alternatively, you can tap My Waze > Plan a Drive and go from there. Waze will then be able to tell you what the traffic is like at any given time, and what time you should leave if you plan on making it to your destination on time. Once a trip is saved, Waze will notify you when you should leave — something that will change based on real-time traffic data
Alternatively you can also sync Waze with your calendar from the “Plan a Drive” menu, which lets the app do all that automatically.
Take back control of your route
(Image credit: Waze)
While Waze has a reputation for doing its own thing and aggressively and automatically setting your route to avoid traffic, you do still have some choices on how you get there.
The most important one is the fact you can pick your route after you’ve typed in your destination. Just hit the Routes option in the pull-up menu and pick whatever option you prefer. The pull-up menu also extra buttons that let you add extra stops to your journey, locate gas stations, eateries, and parking lots along the way,
Avoid tolls, ferries, freeways and more
(Image credit: Waze)
Waze will send you literally anywhere if it means shaving a few seconds off your ETA, but if you’d rather avoid such nonsense then you can tell the app exactly what you are and aren’t comfortable with. Just hit My Waze > Navigation and you’ll have a bunch of those options.
Waze will let you avoid toll roads, ferries, highways, unpaved roads, and difficult junctions. All you have to do is tell it exactly what you do and don’t want.
However if you are exempt from certain tolls — like my electric car is with the London congestion charge — this is the place to make that known. That way Waze won’t avoid these areas, saving you the headache of potentially having to take a longer route.
Optimize routes for your vehicle
(Image credit: Waze)
Different vehicles have different needs, and that affects how they get around on the roads. For instance, taxis are able to use certain routes and lanes that aren’t available to private cars, while motorbikes could take shortcuts on streets that are too small for a full-size car.
So by telling Waze what sort of vehicle you’re driving, it can optimize your route accordingly. Simply head to My Waze > Settings > Vehicle Details > Vehicle Type and select the one you own. You can choose from ordinary private car, with no restrictions, taxi, motorcycle, and electric.
Share your drive
(Image credit: Waze)
No matter how much traffic you dodge, travelling is still going to take time. So if you’re heading somewhere to meet someone, you can supply them a heads up before you even leave.
Load up your journey and hit Share Drive at the bottom of the screen. Then you need to hit Add contact and pick the person you’re sharing your trip with. That way they can see where you’re going, when you’re expected to arrive, and track your progress. You can stop at any time too: Just hit the Blue arrow in the bottom right corner of the screen, and then the green Drive shared icon. That gives you the option to either share with more people, or stop sharing altogether.
Offline Maps
(Image credit: Waze)
While you get the most out of Waze when it has an active internet connection, it can still be used without one — helpful if you want to be mindful of your data, or are traveling somewhere with poor cell service. It’s also really easy to accomplish. All you need to do is search for your destination, pick a route, and hit the Go Now option.
Waze will then save the route to your phone, so even if you lose your internet connection, you won’t be left completely in the dark. However, it won’t be able to reroute you around traffic and obstacles until internet service is restored.
The best part is that previous trips and planned routes are saved in your local cache, and stick around for quite some time. So you don’t necessarily need an active data connection to set up a journey - provided you’ve already got the route saved in the app.
Change the Waze Voice (or use your own)
(Image credit: Waze)
Waze gives you a bunch of options to change the voice that feeds you directions, by heading to My Waze > Voice & sound > Waze Voice. But did you know Waze also lets you record your own voice, so you can (sort of) supply yourself directions?
Go to the Waze Voice menu as above, then hit the Record new voice option at the top of the page. Waze then brings up a page of commands you have to record. You don’t need to record them all, but any that you don’t say will be spoken by Waze’s default voice.
Improve Waze by sending reports
(Image credit: Waze)
Unlike Google Maps, Waze doesn’t have a lot of data to fall back on. Instead what it knows comes from crowdsourcing that information from its users, a big part of which is sending reports to Waze.
To send a report you need to make sure the app is centered on you, at which point an orange bubble appears in the bottom right. Tap it and the report menu will pop up, letting you report such things as accidents, police presence, hazards, fuel prices, and even issues with the map itself.
Change your mood
(Image credit: Waze)
Every Waze user appears on the map by default, portrayed by an icon that is a variation of the standard Waze logo. That icon can be changed to something else by altering your ‘mood.’ Hit My Waze > Tap the Waze user icon at the top of the screen > Select the Mood option. Once there you can change what your in-app icon looks like.
Some examples of these different moods include one that looks like a teapot, a cat, a ninja, the Sun, a zombie, and for a limited time, Halo’s Master Chief. Just be warned that not all mood icons are available to everyone, especially if you’re a brand new user. The 8-bit mood icon, for instance, is only available to Waze map editors.
If you’d rather not be seen on the map, then simply follow the steps above, but instead of opening the mood menu, toggle the Go invisible option at the top of the screen. However Invisible mode does stop you from sending a report to Waze and helping to Boost the service.
Speeding warnings
(Image credit: Waze)
Speeding is bad. Not just because it’s dangerous, but also because you could wind up with a speeding ticket. Nobody wants that, so Waze has a built in speedometer that will warn you when you’re going a little too fast.
Simply go to My Waze > Speedometer and be sure to toggle the settings for Show on map and Alert when speeding. You’ll also want to make sure the Speeding Threshold is set to the current speed limit, and that the speed limit is always showing.
Connect to music streaming services
(Image credit: Waze)
Nobody likes a silent car ride, but keeping navigation open and controlling music can be a bit of a chore. Thankfully Waze will connect to various streaming services that gives you control without having to leave the app.
Just hit the pink music icon at the top right, and Waze will show you a list of services that it’s compatible with. Pick the one you want from the list, and hit Accept when the confirmation screen pops up. Alternatively you can hit the Settings icon to be taken to a list of compatible apps with links that take you directly to the App Store or Google Play.
Compatible services include Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, Tunein, YouTube Music, and TIDAL. Apple Music support is available, but it's currently exclusive to iPhones.
Get roadside help
(Image credit: Waze)
Waze doesn’t just let you report when you see a broken down vehicle — it also has tools to summon help. Hit the orange report button on your screen and tap the red and white ‘Roadside Help’ option on the bottom right.
From here you have two options: Emergency Call will put you in touch with local emergency services, while Fellow Wazers will flag down other drivers in case they’re able to help. Alternatively some regions also have a Roadside assistance option which will let you talk to a professional who can sort your vehicle out.
(Image credit: Waze)
If you’d rather not have to stand in a line to pay at the gas station, and paying at the pump isn’t an option, Waze has you covered. The app has started rolling out a new feature that offers the chance to pay for your gas through the Waze app, saving you time and keeping you safe and socially distanced in the process.
The best part is Waze can notify you when that contactless payment is available, and will send you through the motions of contactless payment through a linked payment app. The only downside is that this only seems to be available at Exxon/Mobil and Shell gas stations at the moment.
Make Waze Carpool hassle-free
(Image credit: Waze)
Waze has given drivers the option to carpool for a while now, and recently features have been added to make it easier than ever. New features supply you the option to Auto Approve carpooling requests, without having to go through the whole process manually.
To get started with Carpool, you just need to tap the Carpool button on the bottom right hand side of the app screen. That way you can pick up some extra passengers, and potentially split the cost of the commute or get access to the express lane — leaving those solo drivers to fade away into nothingness in your rear view mirror.
Thu, 16 Feb 2023 02:51:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.tomsguide.com/how-to/best-waze-tips-and-tricksKillexams : 9 Roku tips and tricksNo result found, try new keyword!Roku devices have a number of helpful features and tricks that make them even more powerful devices. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the most of your Roku device. Remotes are ...Wed, 15 Feb 2023 00:26:00 -0600https://www.androidpolice.com/roku-tips-and-tricks/Killexams : Choosing a cloud infrastructure provider: A beginner’s guide
Sashank PurighallaContributor
The promise of lower hardware costs has spurred startups to migrate services to the cloud, but many teams were unsure how to do this efficiently or cost-effectively. Developers at startups thought they could maintain multiple application code bases that work independently with each cloud provider.
Now they’ve realized it is too time-consuming to manage, and there’s no glory in trying to be everything to everyone.
Deploying cloud infrastructure also involves analyzing tools and software solutions, like application monitoring and activity logging, leading many developers to suffer from analysis paralysis. That’s why cloud monogamy is the generally accepted operating principle for startups. But not every company has the luxury to operate within those confines indefinitely.
Realistically, it’s essential to analyze the tools available before you decide on a cloud infrastructure provider to keep application maturity and running costs in check.
You either need:
Experienced developers to maintain architectural integrity, maintainability and licensing considerations, or
A cloud platform built to adapt to the changing landscape and build, migrate and manage cloud applications.
Until you get those, here are some best practices for getting started. Let’s take a look at the issues startups face with the cloud, how to define the outcome of your cloud applications, how to know when your cloud infrastructure needs updating, and how to use a combination of tools.
Analyze where you are and learn about startup cloud struggles
When it comes to cloud infrastructure, there are two levels for startups:
It’s essential to analyze the tools available before you decide on a cloud infrastructure provider to keep application maturity and running costs in check.
Early-stage startups building their first minimum viable product. These companies want to deploy minimum cloud computing to reduce infrastructure costs and technical decisions so they can focus on product and market strategy.
Startups with products that have traction. These companies are panic about the future of their cloud infrastructure in terms of security, scalability and maintainability. However, they are not large enough to hire a team of experts.
Founders and decision-makers at both levels struggle with the depth of technical expertise required to manage cloud computing. For example, I was approached by a midmarket startup that had built its solution in AWS, but its only focus was getting it all up and running (level 1). Therefore, it had accumulated technical debt, and the cloud architecture was complex, with hundreds of servers, several dozen unique services, third-party tools, partial logging, and poorly implemented service meshing.
Then this company signed a new customer based in China who insisted on having their entire cloud solution on Azure-China, a subset of Azure (level 2). The company was clueless in this new environment.
Building parallel solutions that have parity on different cloud providers can be costly and require enormous effort. But the alternative for this company was losing an important contract. They had no choice.
To duplicate and readjust code to work on two disparate environments, the company’s developers could have faced further analysis paralysis in attempting to learn all the implementations, services and considerations involved. That’s why startups need platforms to create cloud-agnostic architecture, write code, and automate deployments to their target cloud(s) while performing relevant testing and security validations.
Work out the outcome you want to deliver
Many startups follow a “build and fix model” for cloud infrastructure. That’s because startup developers pick the first tool they see and then the company is tied down (due to licenses or tight coupling). Or they take someone’s recommendation, which may not be optimal in terms of how it interacts with other cloud layers. Then the lack of proper analysis and experimentation of available tools leads to awkward trade-offs and undesirable business blockages.
Sun, 05 Feb 2023 22:01:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://techcrunch.com/2023/02/06/choosing-a-cloud-infrastructure-provider-a-beginners-guide/Killexams : 40 iPhone Tricks That Will Make Things So Much Easier
Whether you have the latest iPhone or an older model, your device is chock-full of features and services you may not know about
Chances are, you’re not even scratching the surface of all the amazing and totally unexpected things your iPhone can do to make your life easier. These iPhone hacks go far beyond the obvious—and soon, you won’t know how you ever lived without them. After you discover new things about your favorite personal-tech device with this list of iPhone tricks, you may also want to learn how to retrieve deleted text messages, how to delete apps from your iPhone or how to screen-record on your iPhone.
Use your iPhone’s Measure app as a spirit level
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The Measure app isn’t just for measuring things. It also has a leveling feature that will come in handy for DIY projects at home. Since a spirit level (also known as a bubble level) measures how parallel or perpendicular something is to the ground, it can help you hang shelves or place works of art evenly over your mantel. Simply open the app and choose the Level option on the lower right to activate it. If you’re using the app to hang pictures, be sure to avoid these common mistakes.
Make your iPhone keyboard function as a trackpad
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If you’ve ever tried to move your cursor in a text only to find yourself stabbing at your phone’s screen with your finger, you need a trackpad on your phone. Here’s an iPhone trick that will come as a surprise to most people: You can turn your iPhone into a trackpad, as long as it has iOS 12 or a more exact update. Just start typing in an email or text message, then press and hold a finger on the space bar on your iPhone’s keyboard. When you do this, the other keys will fade to gray, and you can use the area as a trackpad. Learn more about your iPhone’s hidden mouse.
Turn your iPhone into an activity tracker
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If you always have your phone with you, you don’t really need to buy a separate fitness tracker. The Health app on your iPhone automatically tracks your steps and how far you’ve walked or run each day, just like a Fitbit does. Open the Health app that came installed on your iPhone to look at how many steps you’ve taken with your phone each day since you got it. If you have an Apple Watch or iPad, the app will send the data to those connected devices too. When you think about it, iPhone tricks like this supply you even more bang for your buck, since they decrease the need for other pricey devices. For more high-tech fitness essentials, check out these smart water bottles.
Flip a coin
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Flipping a coin to make a decision can help you wade through your pros and cons to get to the decision you truly want to make. “When we see the result of the coin toss and react with either pleasure or disappointment, we realize that we actually did have a preference for one option over another, whether we knew it or not,” writes Hal McDonald, PhD, for Psychology Today. However, not everyone carries around cash and coins these days. Your iPhone can be a convenient substitute. Simply talk to your Apple virtual assistant, saying, “Hey, Siri, flip a coin!” She will then supply you the result of the virtual coin toss. Learn more and find out how to add widgets to your iPhone.
Use your iPhone as a tape measure
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As long as you have an iPhone that’s at least as exact as the 6s, you can use your device as a tape measure. Go to the Measure app, which will supply you instructions to move your device. Hold up the iPhone and move it around, and a circle will appear; a dot will be in the middle of the circle. Now frame your iPhone’s screen so that the dot is pointed directly at the point where your measurement should start. Tap the “Add a point” (plus symbol) option. Now, slowly move your iPhone until the dot within the circle is over the point where you want the measurement to end. Tap the plus symbol once again. Your measurement should now appear. Just be warned that while this is a pretty handy iPhone trick, it isn’t quite as accurate as a manual tape measure.
Access a magnifying glass
rd.com, Getty ImagesHave you ever been practicing a magazine only to find that certain passages were teeny-tiny and impossible to read? If that happens to you again, you don’t have to rummage through junk drawers to find an old magnifying glass. Your iPhone will act as a magnifying glass with a few clicks on the screen. To access this iPhone trick, open the Control Center by swiping down from the top right of your screen. Within the Control Center, simply click on the Magnifier to open and use it. To adjust the magnification, move the slider that should then appear on the screen. (If it’s not already in your Control Center, go to Settings, click on Control Center and tap on the plus sign next to Magnifier to move it to the list of your included controls.)
Use your phone as a recording device
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Turning your iPhone into a recording device is simple. Open the Voice Memos app and press the red Record button. It will then record the audio of what is going on, much like a tape recorder does. Tap the red button again to finish the recording, then title it and save it as desired. That said, here’s why iPhones don’t let you record calls.
Transform your iPhone into a white noise machine
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Drift into dreamland easily, or focus on the task at hand anywhere you go, no matter how noisy it is. With a few taps on your touchscreen, your iPhone will become a white noise machine, blocking out annoying and distracting sounds with your own special brand of soothing, shushing background noise.
To activate this feature, go to Settings, tap Accessibility and select Audio/Visual. From there, search for Background Sounds, and toggle it on. Relaxation awaits!
Customize your flashlight to provide optimal brightness
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If you’ve ever accidentally pressed the flashlight button on a sleeping iPhone screen, you may well know the humiliation of sending its blinding light into a room as you try to turn it off. But you don’t have to worry about that kind of disruption being so severe in the future; now you can customize exactly how bright you want your flashlight to be when it turns on. Just swipe down from the top of the screen (or swipe up, depending on your model) to open the Control Center. Now press and hold down the Flashlight button on the screen. A slider will appear on your screen that you can move up and down to adjust your flashlight to the exact level of brightness you want.
Use your iPhone playlist as a sleep aid
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Have you ever wanted to fall asleep to your favorite playlist but didn’t want to burn through your battery or wake up with the music still playing? The iPhone now has a sleep timer that lets you turn off your music at a specific time. Simply go to the Clock app, tap on the Timer option on the bottom-right corner of your screen and choose the specific amount of time you want your music to play. Next, tap on the option for When Timer Ends. Now scroll all the way to the bottom and choose Stop Playing. Then all you have left to do is tap Set at the top right-hand corner of your screen. Voila! With this iPhone trick, you can enjoy your music without worrying about it playing all night long. Don’t miss these things you didn’t know your EarPods and AirPods could do.
Turn your phone into a high-tech medical ID bracelet
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Your iPhone has the power to work as an advanced medical ID bracelet. With the Medical ID function, medical personnel can instantly access necessary information about your medical needs and history from the lock screen. To set this up, go to the Your Health app and click on the Summary tab. Tap on the profile photo of yourself in the upper right-hand corner. Tap Medical ID, then choose to edit it. Now input all the information someone may need to know to act and protect your health during an emergency.
Set your phone to answer itself
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If you are often in a situation where you don’t have your hands free or can’t quickly grab your phone when it rings, you can set your iPhone to automatically pick up to ensure you don’t miss important calls. Go to Settings, open the Accessibility option, then select Touch. Next, select Call Audio Routing, then scroll down to Auto-Answer Calls and toggle it on. When you activate this feature, it will answer any incoming call and let you speak with the caller immediately. If you do miss a call, you can view (and delete) your iPhone call history.
Access the calculator’s hidden backspace button
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It’s no secret that the iPhone has a Calculator app, but many Apple customers don’t know about the hidden backspace button. Once you’ve entered a lot of numbers or started your calculations on the app, it seems like you have to press clear and start over if you accidentally press a wrong number. However, if you swipe to the left on the area where the numbers are displayed, the last number will be deleted without erasing the rest of your work.
Connect your computer to your iPhone’s hotspot
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You can turn your phone into a mobile hotspot and router, providing Internet access for all the computers in your household. Since most data plans are limited, it’s best to use this option only in a pinch. For example, if your power goes out or your home’s Wi-Fi network goes down, the hotspot can provide a high-powered way to connect. Simply go to Settings, choose the Personal Hotspot option and make sure it’s set to “on.” As long as you have a hotspot option with your phone plan, you can use the password on the Personal Hotspot page to wirelessly connect your laptop, iPad and other devices to the internet. By the way, if you want to share files between your Apple devices, you should learn how to use AirDrop.
Access the one-handed keyboard
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Your iPhone has a one-handed keyboard that’s convenient when you’re multitasking and have only one hand free. Simply go to Settings, tap on General, choose the Keyboard and toggle on One Handed Keyboard. Once there, you can choose Left if you’re left-handed or Right if you’re right-handed. You can also come back to this screen to turn it off and return your keyboard to normal.
Track your menstrual cycle and other health data
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Need to track your menstrual cycle in a way you can easily access at the doctor’s office without a lot of effort? Your iPhone can help you track your monthly symptoms (including PMS), basal body temperature, episodes of spotting and more. Go to the Health app, click on Browse and select Cycle Tracking. Now swipe the correct day for when your last period started and tap the oval option to log the date. Do this each month. If you want to add more data, scroll down and choose the category where you want to provide more information about your menstrual cycle to have it readily available.
Sign documents
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Electronic signatures are becoming an acceptable norm for business contracts, new-hire employee forms and many other kinds of documents. You don’t have to buy expensive software to sign something electronically—you can do so easily within the Mail app using the markup option on your iPhone. Open the document from the Mail app on your iPhone. If it wasn’t sent to you via email, forward it so that you can easily access it from the Mail app.
Now, go to the email and tap on the attached document you want to sign. If you haven’t downloaded it already, click to obtain it. Next, scroll through the document until you pull up the lines where you need to provide text. Tap on the lines and fill them out as directed. For the line with your signature, tap the mark-up symbol. (If you are unfamiliar with the mark-up option, it’s the small icon in the upper-right corner that looks like a pen.) An assortment of pen options will appear, along with a plus sign. Select the plus sign and then the signature option will appear. A screen will open that allows you to use your finger to sign your name. When you finish writing your signature, click done. You can then place your signature precisely where you want it on the document. While we’re on the subject, find out how to sign a document on your computer too.
Harness your iPhone’s travel-planning tools
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If you’re a frequent traveler, your iPhone can function as your personal travel planner and also act as a buddy that warns you of potential trouble. With the Maps app, you can get cycling directions, be alerted to potential red-light and speed-trap cameras on driving routes, even find guides to nearby restaurants, stores and attractions when you’re on the go. And don’t forget about the Weather app, which can help you pack appropriately, and the Notes app, where you can jot down helpful tips from friends about your destination. Trust us: These iPhone tricks will make your next vacation even more relaxing.
Find a photo based on who or what is in it
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Have you ever been daydreaming about a time you went somewhere special, like the Eiffel Tower? Or wished you could sort through all the photos you have of you and your best friend? If you want to find that special moment to post a Throwback Thursday or a Flashback Friday online, it’s possible to search for a photo on your iPhone based simply on what’s in the picture. Go to your Photos app, then click on the search bar. Your phone will offer you suggestions of people, places and things. Choose the right one or type in exactly what you’re searching for. A group of photos matching your description should appear, so you can pick the ones you want to look at, send or post online. Then learn how to take a postcard-perfect picture on your phone.
Use different (good) vibrations for each contact
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Many people know about custom ringtones, but you can also choose a different vibration notification for each friend in your contact list. That way, when you’re out with friends or in a meeting, you don’t have to check your phone every time you get a text. You’ll know just from the specific vibes when a text comes from someone you really need to respond to.
To set the vibrations for certain contacts, go to your Contacts. Select a Contact, then click Edit on the upper right corner of the screen. Scroll down and tap Ringtone or Text Tone. Next, choose Vibration, and select a specific vibration pattern for that contact when they call and text. You may choose the same vibration for their calls and texts, or specify different vibrations for their calls and texts. You can also choose Create New Vibration to customize a whole new vibration for each contact.
Locate your vehicle
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Who hasn’t found themselves in the humiliating situation of not being able to find their car in a big parking lot? Happily, the next time that happens, you can rely on your iPhone to immediately locate your vehicle and get on with your day. Before you leave the house, be sure you still have the Maps app installed on your iPhone, then check to see that your phone is connected to CarPlay or Bluetooth while in your car.
To ensure you can locate your vehicle, go to the Settings menu, and choose the Maps app. Next, scroll to the bottom of the list to the Your Car heading, and turn on Show Parked Location. The toggle button will be green to confirm that it’s on, and your phone will be all set to show your car’s location any time you park it. When you park your car, the Maps app will drop a parked-car marker so you can easily find your way back. To find your car when it seems lost, open the Maps app on your iPhone.
Use your iPhone as a scanner
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With the many changes that have occurred in the workplace since 2020, having a scanner readily available can come in handy. Whether you need to sign an onboarding document for a new job or send a personally signed note to a friend online, you can use the Notes app as a scanner. Open the Notes app and tap at the bottom to create a new Note. Tap the Camera button to select it, then tap the Scan Documents option. Place the document in front of the camera on your phone, making sure it’s centered. If your device is on Auto mode, it will immediately scan the document.
To manually capture the scan, tap the Shutter button. Next, adjust the scan to fit the page by dragging the corner, if needed. Tap Keep Scan, then select Save. If you find yourself scanning lots of documents, here’s how to free up space on your iPhone.
Translate words and phrases
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Ever hear a phrase in another language you wish you understood? Your iPhone can translate a number of languages, including Spanish, French, Russian, Italian and German, making it one of the most useful iPhone tricks when you’re traveling abroad. First, make sure you have updated to at least iOS 14. Then, tap on your phone’s built-in Translate app; at the top of the screen, choose the language you’ll be translating from as well as your target language. Next, either type the word or phrase you want to translate into the open space or paste it there from your source document. Tap Go to confirm that you’re ready for the translation, and the translated word or phrase will appear. If you want to hear it spoken aloud, tap the Play button.
Hide screenshots and photos from prying eyes
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It’s easy to keep your private photos on your iPhone hidden from others who might use your phone. Simply go to your Photos app and click on the pictures and screenshots you want to hide. Then—and this may sound contradictory to your goals—select the Share option. From the list that appears, choose the Hide option. Go back to the Photo Library to make sure the photos are now private. Your iPhone will automatically place them in the Hidden folder. You can find this folder by clicking on your Photos app, then going to the Albums tab. Scroll down below all the albums and Media Types, to the Utilities heading. The Hidden folder is there, along with imports and recently deleted photos.
If you change your mind and want to “unhide” the photos, simply select the photo and choose to move it back to the primary album of the Photos app.
Enjoy your iPhone as an old-fashioned radio
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If you get homesick when traveling and long to hear your local radio station, you’re just a couple of steps away from hearing the familiar voices of the DJs you know and love. Sure, you have options of endless podcasts, iTunes, and streaming films and television shows to keep you entertained, but stellar programming still exists on radio. Use Siri in iOS 13 and later to access more than 100,000 radio stations from across the country and around the world. Siri uses radio.com, iHeartRadio and TuneIn, so you can listen no matter where you are.
Move Safari’s address bar to the top of the screen
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This is one of those iPhone tricks that seems incredibly simple, but so many people were annoyed when Apple moved the navigation bar on Safari to the bottom of the screen. Since most people have been using top-placed address bars since they first used the internet, it was difficult for many to adjust to seeing it on the bottom. So, with iOS 15, it’s now easy to correct this and move the address bar to the top of the screen again. Simply go to Settings and scroll until you see the Safari option. Tap on it and scroll again to select Tabs. Now tap “Single Tab” to change your view of Safari to the old style, with the navigation bar at the top of the screen.
Program your phone to self-destruct
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If you have sensitive information on your phone (and who doesn’t?), you may worry about what could happen if it gets into the wrong hands. Prevent that from happening by taking the rather dramatic step of setting your phone to essentially self-destruct if someone steals it and tries to use it. If you enact this feature and someone enters the wrong passcode more than 10 times, your phone will erase everything on it. (Of course, if you frequently forget your password or have a child who plays with your phone, you may want to think twice before opting for this security measure.)
If you decide that this is the right move for you, go to Settings, choose Face ID & Passcode. Your phone will ask you to enter your Passcode. After you do that, scroll to the bottom and activate the option to Erase Data. Then, if someone steals your phone and tries to repeatedly break into it, the data will be erased and inaccessible to the prying eyes of the thief. Read on to find out whether iPhones can get viruses.
Remove annoying, unnecessary notifications
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Any iPhone user has likely received unwanted notifications. The good news is that you are actually in control of how and when you receive these notifications. First of all, if you don’t want to see a screen full of notifications every time you pick up your phone, go into Settings and tap Notifications. If you’d like to get notifications but don’t want a steady stream of them, you can choose to get a Scheduled Summary. This sends a list of all your notifications to your phone at a time you select, so you can peruse them when it’s convenient for you.
If you want to get some notifications and not others, that’s easy too! While you’re in the Notifications setting, scroll down to Notification Style. You can customize your notifications on an app-by-app basis. Simply toggle the notification option on to get notifications for the apps you want, and turn off those you don’t. Select how you want notifications to appear. When you exit the screen, the new settings should be applied. Here’s how to get rid of annoying phone notifications.
Shoot bursts of photos
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Sure, you know you can use your iPhone to take relatively high-quality photos instead of lugging around a bulky camera. Many people don’t realize, however, that you can easily use the phone’s camera to shoot bursts of photos like you would with a DSLR camera. On iPhone X and earlier models, just hold down the camera app’s shutter button. On iPhone XS, iPhone XR and later models, swipe the shutter button to the left. In either scenario, simply lift your finger to stop shooting bursts. You should definitely also know how to recover deleted photos from your iPhone.
Record your screen for work projects
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If you’re attending work meetings on Zoom or other apps with your phone, you may want to record your screen so you can access the shared data or documents later on. It’s easy to do this on an iPhone. Go to your Settings, then choose the Control Center. Next, add the Screen Recording option. Then, when you want to record your screen, go to the Control Center and simply press the record button. One important note: This only captures the visual component of your screen; it doesn’t record the audio. This works best for things like slideshows, where you only need to access the visuals.
Back up photos in the Cloud
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With just a few clicks, you can ensure that all the photos you take with your iPhone will be saved in iCloud. You can then access them from your computer, iPad and other devices. Go to your settings, then select iCloud. Next, choose Photos and switch on the iCloud Photos option. That way, your iPhone will automatically back up both videos and photos to the Cloud.
Use hashtags to streamline your Notes documents
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On social media, hashtags have made it much easier to find like-minded people and subjects that interest you. Now you can use this convenient trick to sort and organize the documents you create in the Notes app. Whether you are writing a novel and want to organize all your book-related Notes under one hashtag or simply want to gather together related thoughts on a topic, you can create hashtags to easily categorize and organize everything in your Notes app.
Simply add a tag anywhere in the note, including the title. To add a tag to one of your notes, type # followed by the tag name. Alternately, select a tag from the suggestions menu above the keyboard. Once you do this, you’ll see the text change color to confirm that a tag has been added. Learn more about hashtags and other punctuation marks you see everywhere—and about how confusing life would be without punctuation.
Use your iPhone to help you remember things
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Have you ever been on the go when you thought of something you wanted to remember later that day, only to find that it flew right out of your head? Your iPhone can serve as your assistant so you never have that frustration again. Just tell Siri, “Remind me of this …” and then tell her exactly when you want to be reminded. Your iPhone will automatically program the reminder based on your vocal command.
As an alternate way to get a little help in the memory department, snap a photo of something you want to reference later, whether it’s the menu of a restaurant or the names of your medications. Of course, it’s easy for these reminders to get lost in your primary album, so instead, create a special one just for reminders, or email the reminder to yourself. Check out these genius things highly organized people do on their smartphones.
Extend your phone’s battery charge with Airplane Mode
rd.com, Getty ImagesThis is, hands down, one of our favorite iPhone tricks. When you want to extend your iPhone’s battery, switch your phone to Airplane Mode. This is an optimal solution when you don’t need to be connected to the internet. Bonus: Setting your phone to Airplane Mode can also help it charge faster. You should also know what low power mode is and what it does. (FYI, these things are killing your smartphone battery.)
Access the hidden Caps Lock key
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When you first look at the iPhone keyboard that pops up on your screen, it’s noticeably missing a Caps Lock key. However, all you have to do is double-tap the Shift key, and it will turn into a Caps Lock key. Use it any time you need to write in all capital letters, so you don’t have to press the Shift key for each letter. And while you’re typing, keep in mind that spell check won’t catch these common typos.
Set communication boundaries with iPhone’s Focus
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With iOS 15 and later, Focus can help define how and when you interact with people using your phone. For example, you can set up a profile and away message for when you’re driving, so you don’t feel pressured to answer any calls or text messages when you need to focus on the road. If you want a week away from screen time—or just an hour to get work done—you can set your phone so it doesn’t send you notifications and other unwanted information during that time.
Simply go to Settings and choose Focus. Now, choose one of the Focus options: Do Not Disturb, Driving, Personal, Sleep or Work. Tap on the one that most closely meets your needs; then you can customize which people and apps you want to receive notifications from during your Focus period.
You can also turn on Focus from Control Center. Simply open Control Center on your iPhone, then touch and hold Focus. It will bring up the full menu for you to choose the Focus you want to adjust.
Change Siri’s voice
rd.com, Getty ImagesIf you don’t want Siri to have a female voice, it’s easy to change it to a male voice. If you have a thing for Australian or British accents, you can opt for those too. Simply open Settings, scroll down to Siri & Search and choose Siri Voice to make the changes. If you change your mind, it’s just as easy to switch it back. While you’re in Siri & Search, you can also play around with hearing Siri speak in other languages. If you’re trying to learn another language, you may learn a word or two by hearing Siri speak it. Also, here are some funny things you can ask Siri to do.
Help friends find their phones
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If a family member or close friend loses their iPhone, you can help them find it with yours! According to Apple, the Family Sharing and Find My iPhone options help make this happen. Just be sure that you and your family and friends turn on the Find My iPhone option. This can also help you find your phone if you ever lose it. Under your iPhone’s Settings, go to Privacy, then Location Services. Turn on the “Find My iPhone” option. Also, under the same Location Services menu, go to Share My Location and select the name of all the friends and family members you trust to help you find your phone too. By the way—if you want to keep the conversations between you and your friends private, here’s how to hide text messages on an iPhone.
Connect your iPhone to your home wireless network
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If you have unlimited data through your phone’s service provider, connecting your iPhone to your home wireless network can seem like an unnecessary hassle. However, it’s worth it. Some downloads and updates don’t function unless you’re connected to your wireless network, so having your phone automatically connect to your home Wi-Fi when it’s available is a smart idea. Also, depending on where you live and how fast your cell phone provider’s network is, connecting to your home’s wireless network often makes surfing the web on your phone go faster.
Correct Siri for a smoother experience
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Ever get annoyed that Siri keeps getting a location wrong or telling you information you don’t need? You can correct Siri. Unlike some real-life friends we won’t mention by name, she actually listens and will change according to the information you supply her. For example, if she mispronounces a word, speak up. She’ll then let you choose the correct pronunciation and will remember it for next time. All you have to do is tell her, and she’ll offer you verbal options to choose from; there’s no need to plug anything in manually. Just keep in mind that there are a few things you should never ask Siri.
Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:00:00 -0600en-UStext/htmlhttps://www.rd.com/article/iphone-tricks/Killexams : Michigan's infrastructure is improving but funding is running out
New report likely to show slight uptick from low grade in 2018, but funding sources will disappear in next couple of years unless new money is dedicated
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — Infrastructure is something everyone wants and needs. Yet, securing funding for it is always elusive.
In 2018, Michigan received a D grade for the state of its infrastructure. Thanks to new funding streams, improvement have been made and the next report is likely to show marginal improvements. However, leaders say more needs to be done and more money needs to be dedicated to infrastructure both above and below the ground.
Kathy Crosby told 7 Action News, she recently had to spend $800 dollars to fix her car thanks to shoddy infrastructure.
“I would like to see a lot improved. Because like I said, I just had the front end done on my car from that. And I notice a lot of people on the side of the road with flat tires,” said Crosby.
She has a message for policy makers.
“Fix the roads so we don’t get these flat tires and Boost everything else. Especially the bridges, because you see chunks falling off the bridges,” Crosby said.
“Our overall infrastructure grade in the state of Michigan, we’re a D+ bordering on a C-. You know, that’s not a winning grade in the 21st century,” admitted Baruah.
He explained how the state got to this point.
“So we have underinvested in infrastructure both at a national and a state level for a long time now. We’re talking a generation or more now and it’s really showing,” said Baruah.
He explained Michigan needs to compete not just nationally, but also internationally.
“We’re getting investments now from the state and federal government. That’s good. We’re very grateful for that. But we need a more permanent funding source to really make the infrastructure improvements we need to make,” Baruah said.
He’s right. When speaking specifically about Highway Program Investment, funding sources are already decreasing in 2023 from 2022 levels. Additionally, unless new money is added, funds drop off significantly, by over a billion dollars, in 2024.
Ron Brenke is the Executive Director of the American Council for Engineering Companies (ACEC). He applauds what the Rebuilding Michigan Plan has accomplished when it comes to the roads.
“Those are great projects because they’re total reconstructs. You know we’re not putting a couple inches of asphalt overlay. We’re rebuilding those pieces of infrastructure right to the ground and those are going to be there for 30-40 years down the road,” said Brenke.
He said the American Society of Civil Engineers is expected to come out with their new report card soon.
“I think you’re definitely going to see some improvements in some areas. But there is a ton of infrastructure that is still really in poor condition,” admitted Brenke.
For instance, one of the areas of infrastructure that got the worst grade in the 2018 report, a D- was storm water systems.
“You know there’s no dedicated funding source for storm water infrastructure,” explained Brenke.
He said his means it constantly gets neglected and doesn’t see repairs.
Brenke said Michiganders need to get creative about finding new funding sources and change the way they look at infrastructure everywhere.
“It’s something we take for granted quite frankly. You know, every day people flush the toilet and just expect it’s going to work and go to lakes and expect everything is going to be clean and pristine,” said Brenke. “It needs constant maintenance, and it needs constant investment.”
Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Thu, 09 Feb 2023 23:36:00 -0600entext/htmlhttps://www.wxyz.com/news/michigans-infrastructure-is-improving-but-funding-is-running-outKillexams : Infrastructure Investments Help Power Clients' Annuities
Jonathan Gray, the president of Blackstone, said one major driver is investors’ concerns about inflation and an increased appreciation for inflation-protected hard assets.
“And, in general, I would say, our customers are under-allocated to infrastructure and want to hold more here,” Gray said.
Biden’s SOTU Address
Biden devoted much of his State of the Union address to talking about the future impact of the two new infrastructure funding laws.
“To maintain the strongest economy in the world, we also need the best infrastructure in the world, then we fell to 13th,” Biden said.
The new infrastructure law has already helped fund about 20,000 projects, and the Inflation Reduction Act will promote investments in clean energy, he added.
Chanda’s Views
Chanda said KPMG is seeing life insurers show strong interest in infrastructure projects, and especially in projects with social and environmental benefits, such as projects that help reduce countries’ reliance on coal and gasoline and increase use of renewable sources of energy, such as solar power and windmills.
State insurance regulators have complicated rules for counting assets in life insurers’ capital totals.
Regulators typically classify federal government bonds and high-grade corporate bonds as the safest investments and let life insurers include the full value of those assets in capital calculations.
Regulators require insurers to apply “capital risk charges,” or reductions in asset value, when including riskier assets in capital calculations.
Chanda said that, when life insurers invest in infrastructure projects, the following concerns could come up:
The admissibility of the investments.
The capital risk charges to be imposed on the investments.
The duration of the investments, and whether the durations match the durations of an insurer’s own liabilities.
Limits on how much of an insurer’s assets can go into any one investment.