Your Business Quick Tip Newsletter
Vol 20 No #197 – 6th May 2021
Contents
- Software Dictation: Don’t Write it Off!
- New iPhone Feature: Turn Off Tracking
- 19 Things to Try On Your iPhone/iPad Now
- Android – Disable Tracking Too
- New Service: In-house Process Review & Training
- Join the Plastic Free July Sustainability Cause
- A Wee Excel Tip You’ll Love
1. Software Dictation: Don’t Write it Off!
Of course you know you can give your smartphone verbal commands using Siri, Bixby, GoogleVoice.
But what about dictation?
- Smartphones – Dictate your emails and text messages beautifully. Just look for the microphone in your keyboard. You’ll be amazed how well it works – including punctuation. Of course all dictation can be edited before sending.
- Microsoft Word & Outlook – Cordana has great speech recognition and a full list of English “accents” to set. Again, you’ll be shocked by how well it works. Just look for the microphone on the right side of the Home / Message Ribbons.
- Google Doc’s has dictation in the Tool Menu.
2. New iPhone Feature: Turn Off Tracking
The latest 14.5 iPhone / iPad software update gives you the choice to block data tracking across other companies’ apps and website – or allow it.
- First check you have iOS version 14.5. In Settings, go to General -> About. If it not the latest 14.5, In Settings go to Software -> Update and tap Download.
- Ensure that App Tracking Transparency is enabled. Privacy -> Tracking
Now when you download a new app, you’ll get a pop-up notification asking for permission for the app to “track”.
- Don’t want tracking at all or be bothered with asking? Turn off Tracking completely. You’ll still be able to manually control which apps are allowed to track your data individually via Settings. Privacy -> Tracking -> Disable / Allow Apps to request to track.
The toggle acts as a master kill switch that will tell all apps that you do not want to be tracked.
3. 19 Things to Try On Your iPhone/iPad Now
Like the no-tracking tip? Go here for 18 additional new features, courtesy of CNET.
4. Android – Disable Tracking Too
Kind of – in the newer models. You have to check app by app what permissions you’ve given them. With Android 11 you will find the Permissions manager page in your Settings. Go to Apps and Notifications > Permissions manager. From here you can not only see what apps are allowed to do, but you can also alter when they can access these features (choosing either all the time, only while the app is in use or not at all).
5. New Service: In-house Process Review & Training
- Do you/ staff work as efficiently as possible?
- Could your processes be streamlined?
- Are sales / business opportunities being lost?
- Do your Proposals and Presentations win the Sale?
We can help sharpen business outcomes with reviews and training on
- Technology / Cloud usage
- MS Office software skills – Outlook, Word, Excel
- Proposal and Presentation Preparation
Call +64 27 575 5359 or email today
6. Join the Plastic Free July Sustainability Cause
Have Your Office Participate in Plastic Free July is a worldwide campaign that spans 177 countries and focuses on reducing our use of single-use plastics.
It’s not severe. The focus is simple swaps – like staff to bringing in their own cutlery for your cafeteria to use instead of plastic forks and knives. Bars of soap in the restrooms instead of plastic dispensers. Perhaps a roster to empty coffee capsules for recycling. A roster of baked cookies for tea’s instead of purchased packages (for improved camaraderie too).
Here’s how in three easy steps
- There is a significant amount of support material available for office (and home). I would be DELIGHTED to send you the support material you need – logos, posters, case studies, plastic swap ideas, stories and more. Please email your interest to me now to get the ball rolling. debbie@debbiespeaks.com
- Sign up for the July campaign here. Follow on Facebook and Instagram for inspiration, updates, competitions and education
- Participate during July and beyond. Brainstorm ideas in meetings of how to reduce office usage.
7. A Wee Excel Tip You’ll Love
Did you know that if you wanted the current date to always appear in an Excel spreadsheet, you simply type this into the cell. =Today()