This week, I will answer questions from the mailbag.
Today’s question is a two-part inquiry in regards to apps. RH writes: “Can you get apps for laptops or PCs or are they just for tablets and smart phones?”
My response: Sure, you can get apps for laptops and PCs. The biggest difference is that it would be a full-fledged program on a PC whereas a phone app is like an extremely trimmed down version.
In response, RH then inquired: “Do you go to the same places for computer apps? Like Google store or Amazon?”
My response: Computer programs wouldn’t all be in one central location like they are in app stores for mobile devices. Basically, the safest place to find any kind of software is on the vendor’s site but it could be available on other sites as well. Desktop versions are usually in a different location than the mobile version.
Let’s take a Google application such as Gmail. Most folks already know how to access Gmail on a computer because it is a Web-based service, use a Web browser and go to www.gmail.com. On a cell phone, however, Gmail is an app that is either already pre-installed or can be downloaded and installed from an app store associated with the respective phone platform.
Phones running Windows can get apps from the Windows Phone Store at www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store, Android phones get apps from Google Play at https://play.google.com/store, while iPhones get apps from Apple’s App Store at www.apple.com/iphone/from-the-app-store/. Although I’ve listed the respective Web sites above, on your respective phones, these app stores are easily accessible via an icon.
Perhaps, an even better example would be Google’s Picasa photo software. To get the software for a computer, one would go to Google’s Website at www.google.com, click on “More” from the line menu and then click on “Even more” from the dropdown list. This will show a page of many of Google’s various programs and platforms. Scroll down to the Media section to find the Picasa link and click on it. The program should be able to be downloaded from there.
Google Maps is also available as an online app at http://maps.google. com/?hl=en. On a mobile device, click on the app store icon, search for Picasa.
Free stuff
Get a free copy of SoftMaker FreeOffice for Windows or Linux. These free, fully functional office suites include software to do word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. FreeOffice is compatible with Microsoft Office files.
SoftMaker is offering this free software in conjunction with their Load and Help 2012 donation campaign. According to their site, for every download of the two office suites between now and Dec. 24, SoftMaker will donate “0.10 Euros to charity and development projects around the world using the charity platform betterplace.org.”
Learn more or download the software at www.loadandhelp.com/home-en.html.
Net buzzz
— Yahoo Mail received a makeover on both its Web and Android interface and gain new iOS and Windows 8 apps. Updates included in the makeover included speed enhancements and better search and notification features.
Learn more at from the official Yahoo! Blog posting at http://ycorpblog.com/ 2012/12/11/introducing-the-new-yahoo-mail/.
— Via a partnership with Aviary, Twitter has released its own photo tool in the latest versions of Twitter apps for iOS and Android. The new Twitter clients include eight filters and auto-enhancers. The apps are available in Google Play and the App Store.
Learn more at http://blog.twitter.com/2012/12/twitter-photos-put-filter-on-it.html.
E-mail me at sheila@amnews.com; fax me at (859) 236-9566; or write me snail mail at The Advocate-Messenger, P.O. Box 149, Danville, KY 40423-0149.
Today’s question is a two-part inquiry in regards to apps. RH writes: “Can you get apps for laptops or PCs or are they just for tablets and smart phones?”
My response: Sure, you can get apps for laptops and PCs. The biggest difference is that it would be a full-fledged program on a PC whereas a phone app is like an extremely trimmed down version.
In response, RH then inquired: “Do you go to the same places for computer apps? Like Google store or Amazon?”
My response: Computer programs wouldn’t all be in one central location like they are in app stores for mobile devices. Basically, the safest place to find any kind of software is on the vendor’s site but it could be available on other sites as well. Desktop versions are usually in a different location than the mobile version.
Let’s take a Google application such as Gmail. Most folks already know how to access Gmail on a computer because it is a Web-based service, use a Web browser and go to www.gmail.com. On a cell phone, however, Gmail is an app that is either already pre-installed or can be downloaded and installed from an app store associated with the respective phone platform.
Phones running Windows can get apps from the Windows Phone Store at www.windowsphone.com/en-us/store, Android phones get apps from Google Play at https://play.google.com/store, while iPhones get apps from Apple’s App Store at www.apple.com/iphone/from-the-app-store/. Although I’ve listed the respective Web sites above, on your respective phones, these app stores are easily accessible via an icon.
Perhaps, an even better example would be Google’s Picasa photo software. To get the software for a computer, one would go to Google’s Website at www.google.com, click on “More” from the line menu and then click on “Even more” from the dropdown list. This will show a page of many of Google’s various programs and platforms. Scroll down to the Media section to find the Picasa link and click on it. The program should be able to be downloaded from there.
Google Maps is also available as an online app at http://maps.google. com/?hl=en. On a mobile device, click on the app store icon, search for Picasa.
Free stuff
Get a free copy of SoftMaker FreeOffice for Windows or Linux. These free, fully functional office suites include software to do word processing, spreadsheets and presentations. FreeOffice is compatible with Microsoft Office files.
SoftMaker is offering this free software in conjunction with their Load and Help 2012 donation campaign. According to their site, for every download of the two office suites between now and Dec. 24, SoftMaker will donate “0.10 Euros to charity and development projects around the world using the charity platform betterplace.org.”
Learn more or download the software at www.loadandhelp.com/home-en.html.
Net buzzz
— Yahoo Mail received a makeover on both its Web and Android interface and gain new iOS and Windows 8 apps. Updates included in the makeover included speed enhancements and better search and notification features.
Learn more at from the official Yahoo! Blog posting at http://ycorpblog.com/ 2012/12/11/introducing-the-new-yahoo-mail/.
— Via a partnership with Aviary, Twitter has released its own photo tool in the latest versions of Twitter apps for iOS and Android. The new Twitter clients include eight filters and auto-enhancers. The apps are available in Google Play and the App Store.
Learn more at http://blog.twitter.com/2012/12/twitter-photos-put-filter-on-it.html.
E-mail me at sheila@amnews.com; fax me at (859) 236-9566; or write me snail mail at The Advocate-Messenger, P.O. Box 149, Danville, KY 40423-0149.
