Loose ends

The theme of this week’s column is: Things that didn’t fit any other theme recently. One more way of recovering a “missing” document, cool Google tricks, and an awesome website.

 

Last week (http://rlis.com/columns/column470.htm) I mentioned a few ways to get back a Word document that I’d saved in the wrong place. Thanks to long-time reader Barb, who gently suggested that it would be pretty easy to open Word, click on File| Open | Recent and open it from there.

Well good grief. Yes! That would be way easier! I wish I’d thought of that. Thanks, Barb!

 

Google is a search engine, but wait --- there’s more. You can make Google perform a few other useful functions.

If are working at your computer and need a little reminder that the tea is going to be ready in a few minutes, open your browser and go to the Google search page. Type set timer followed by how much time you want. For instance, set timer 5 minutes.

You’ll get search results as usual, but at the top of the search results will be a timer, set for 5 minutes. Make sure your speakers are on, then go on and do other things, just don’t close your browser. The timer will beep at you when it gets to zero.

If you’re using Firefox or Internet Explorer, you’ll have to type in the commands. But if you’re using Google Chrome or the Google Search app for Windows 8 (and if you have a microphone connected) you can simply say set timer 5 minutes and get the same results.

Here’s a short video demonstrating all that: http://youtu.be/IOAjeerGDIw?list=UUOAXThem70susrdb2wLwf-Q.

While I was fooling around with --- I mean TESTING--- the Google timer and calculator, I rediscovered the website called TimeAndDate.com (http://www.timeanddate.com/date/). I wrote about this site years ago, but hadn’t visited in a long time.

It took me forever to write this column because TimeAndDate.com has so much to offer. When you first arrive at the site, you’ll see the current time in your location along with a searchable World Clock. And then you’ll see links to a Date-to-Date calculator, countdown timers, and a stopwatch/time/alarm. Then there’s weather, sunrise/moonrise, time zone calculator and meeting planner and distance calculator. Want a printable calendar? No problem. Want holidays on it? No problem.

I clicked on Distance Calculator, and found the distance between Kelowna and Toledo, OH. From that result, I clicked on the “Find suitable time to call…” link and got a table that converted time, highlighted good times in green, bad in red, and marginal in yellow, always showing the time in both time zones.

This website has so much more going on. Check it out and let me know what you think!

Have a great Labour Day weekend, and maybe take a look at TimeAndDate.com and reflect on what Labour Day is all about: http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/canada/labour-day. Be safe!

 

Do you need help with your computer? I'm here to help you and your home or business computer get along!

 

Cate Eales runs Computer Care Kelowna (http://computercarekelowna.com/) a mobile service helping home users and businesses get along with their computers. To arrange an appointment phone her at 250-764-7043. Cate also welcomes your comments and suggestions. Send email to [email protected].

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This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.