2015
Google Tip 6 : Google is your new weatherman
Just ask Google for "Weather" and it will give you the weather in your area. Ask for "Weather in XX" and it will give you the weather in that location. I'm heading to San Francisco in February for a CIO conference and want to know the average temperature so I just search for "weather in san francisco in February" and Google provides the answer <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/7875c418b0.jpg" alt="">
Google Tip 5 : Use Google as a nutritionist
Everyone wants to be healthier by eating more fresh foods but fresh foods don't come with nutrition labels. Use Google as your own private nutritionist. Searching for "brussel sprouts", Google presented me with: <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/0f3162d888.jpg" alt=""> Google has nutritional information on over 1000 different fruits, veggies and processed products. How many carbs in a cup of white rice? Google knows <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/1ac8b64882.jpg" alt="">
Google Tip 4 : Get updated sport scores, schedules and rankings
I can ask Google when the next game for a particular sports team is. In the above example I can see the Canadiens are playing the Predators on Jan 20 at 730PM in Montreal. I can also check the scores of the last Montreal Canadiens game versus the Islanders by simply searching for "montreal canadiens vs islanders" <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/6fc57e1832.jpg" alt=""> Let's say I know nothing about the NBA and want to know what teams are in the NBA, I can search Google for "
2015 will be the year of targeted stealthy malware
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”]Image by spencer used under Creative Commons License [/caption] 2014 was the year of the hack. The year of the spectacular hack. You know this because these major incidents were reported in your run of the mill 6PM news show (not just the tech press). As we start a fresh new year, what can we expect? This isn't your father's malware Virus' and malware started out (in the early days of computing) as a way to show hacking was possible but didn't harm anything.
Google Tip 3 : Get updated flight information
Enter a flight number in the Google search box and it will show you the up to date departure and arrival time information.
Google Tip 2 : Find anything you need
I travel many times during the year and when in a foreign city, I use Google to find things I may need (pharmacy, bank, restaurant, etc). In the above example, I searched for a Pharmacy near a Montreal landmark. I can search for anything else my heart desires. This is incredibly valuable when traveling to a location you have no knowledge of. Plus the ratings and telephone numbers are right there for immediate use. <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/2554d34f7e.jpg" alt="">
Sony A6000 is the ultimate travel camera
A question I receive regularly is “What camera do you travel with and why?” Here is my answer to that question. <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/920f5b436e.jpg" alt=""> I have been a happy Canon shooter for the last 7 years. I use to own a tone of Canon glass (lenses) and accessories but they are all gone. Replaced by something I wouldn't even have though of 6 months ago, a Sony A6000 mirrorless camera. It has turned out to be the best everyday and travel camera for the average Joe.
Google Tip 1 : Set a Timer
You can use Google as a timer. Just enter "Set Timer for XX minutes" and voila. At the end it will beep. <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/34ad35743b.jpg" alt=""> You can also set a timer for a specific time by entering it as "Set timer for hh:mm". It will set a countdown timer to that specified time and again beep at the end. You have to press OK to stop the beeping. Pressing the little square box makes the timer go fullscreen
WayTools TextBlade may be the ultimate portable keyboard
Truth is typing on a slab of glass just isn't efficient. Even with the larger iPhone 6 plus, iPad mini or Ipad Air 2, typing is acceptable at fast. Typing on glass is much slower than typing on a traditional keyboard (because of the tactile response which means you don't have to look at the keyboard). Over the last 20 years, I have tried hundreds of portable keyboard and only a small handful have actually been "good" or usable in the field.
How to browse LinkedIn profiles anonymously
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”]Image by Pierre (Rennes) used under Creative Commons License [/caption] LinkedIn is a critical business tool for many professionals. It can be incredibly useful for research, communication, strategy building and corporate intelligence. Social Network privacy is a difficult concept for most users to understand. Social Networks are built on their ability to track you and then use that information to generate money. Facebook does this by leveraging your network to generate custom sticky newsfeeds. LinkedIn uses this information to entice users to "
CUBA to deploy public WIFI
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2107”]Image by Les Haines used under Creative Commons License [/caption] As tensions between the US and CUBA subside, it is safe to assume that the government will slowly release the grip it has held on its population. CUBA's second largest city (Santiago de Cuba) will be getting public WIFI from the state owned ETECSA telecom company. Prior to this development, citizens and visitors have had to use internet cafe provided workstations to access the internet. This means that users will now be able to use their own devices to browse the internet.
Best Lightning Cable for iPhones and iPads
Every Apple mobile device user (iPhone, iPad or iPad mini) needs lightning cables. A question I receive regularly is: “Aren’t all Lightning cables the same? They all look alike” The reality is that you can buy a lightning cable on sites like Aliexpress.com for around $US2 from ads like this. <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/71c454471d.jpg" alt=""> But should you? The answer is a resounding NO! Although most lightning cables look alike, they are very different on the inside and it is the inside that really counts.
Evernote releases document scanning app for IOS
There are dozens of document scanning apps for IOS but you have to stand up and take notice when document management titan Evernote jumps in. I have been testing it for months and it works really well. If you have a ScanSnap Evernote edition, you can even control it from the App ( but the app takes scans using your smartphone camera). I tested it with receipts, documents and cards. The app did almost perfect automatic improvements every time. Download it from iTunes (link)
Monotasking is the new productivity hack
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“1000”]Image by John Ragai used under Creative Commons License [/caption] I wrote an article called an end to multitasking in 2011 (Link). It explains why multitasking is actually bad for productivity. So you should stop multitasking.
David Allen : How To Hack Your To-Do List
David Allen is the master of masters when it comes to simple and efficient productivity hacks. His Getting Things done is the no questions asked ultimate reference to handling your day to day work overload properly and elegantly. Epipheo interviewed him about how to manage your to do list... It's also a 2 minute primer on GTD. Worth watching. Related Articles: The four truths about Getting Things Done (GTD) Tickle your way to better organization The Getting Things Done Workflow (GTD)
Play 2000 DOS Games for Free
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“1280”]Image by Jeramey Jannene used Under Creative Commons License [/caption] If been in the computing business for a long time. I remember the old "classic" DOS based games that provided hours or days of senseless fun. Sure you could download an emulator, find the games and run them but most people would quickly give up. The Internet Archive has just added over 2,000 classic MS DOS games that will bring back memories of years gone by. The great thing is that you play these games via your browser instantly.
Google Cast is Chromecast for Audio to speakers, receivers and other tech
Google Cast for Audio is Google's famous ChromeCast tech updated for audio streaming to third party devices. By using the Cast button in supported apps (IOS, Android, browser), you will be able to send audio to any Google Cast for Audio supporting device. We saw people "hack" ChromeCast dongles with HDMI Converters to create makeshift audio receivers using the cast protocol but this is a much more elegant solution and it beats the crappy audio quality of bluetooth.
Download the "Here's the Metal Compilation" for free on Google Play
Google Play Music is offering the "Here's the metal compilation" for free. It is a 13 track album of heavy metal songs. Download it for free here (Link)
My 6 best Android apps
[caption id="" align=“alignnone” width=“2500”]Image by JD Hancock used under Creative Commons License [/caption] The Google Play Android App store has over 1M apps but there are a handful of apps I found really useful in 2014 and they tend to be the first apps on a new phone and the apps I use most often. 1 - Drippler <img src="https://ekiledjian2.micro.blog/uploads/2025/17ce8a811d.jpg" alt=""> Drippler is a neat little app that provides reviews, tech tips, updates and app recommendations in a well designed easy to use Android app.
Effective Executives Lead By Example
Close your eyes and think back to an executive you worked with (or for) that was truly inspiring. Someone so incredibly motivating that everyone around him/her seemed to work better, faster and more efficiently. What did this person possess that motivated everyone around them? When you meet someone like this (and they are few and far between), it feels like they were born for that job. But as explained in my previous article (Answering the most important leadership questions (Link)), these leaders are made and are not born with these skills.