Thursday, October 17, 2013

WINDOWS 8.1 IS AVAILABLE AS A FREE DOWNLOAD TODAY

If you haven't heard the announcement yet - Microsoft released the new Windows 8.1 update/upgrade today.

It is a free upload for any of you who are using Windows 8 on your computers, laptops or tablets...

Here is a link to the MSN website that made the announcement this morning and clearly outlines many of the issues addressed with this update/upgrade.....


This update is specifically designed to address many of the gripes people have had with Windows 8, the dramatically different operating system that attempts to bridge the divide between tablets and PCs.

So again, this Window 8.1 update is free for current owners of Windows 8; downloads started at 7 am this morning in New York, which corresponded to the start of Friday in New Zealand.

Simply go to the Windows Store app to find it.  Here is the link for their app store if you don't have it in your favorites...



As they noted in their MSN announcement  "it may take a few hours for updates to reach everyone. Computers with Windows 8.1 already installed will go on sale Friday local time. That's also when people will be able to buy stand-alone copies of Windows 8.1."

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

October Computer related classes at MCC - Come join us

On behalf of all of us at MCC, I hope you all had a healthy and enjoyable summer and no matter where you traveled, that you did it safely..  I'm sure you'll agree that it's hard to believe that it's already fall and time for me to begin another new season of classes..   

As promised, we intend to repeat our entire cycle of classes from October into May 2014.  Based on  many requests we received, we modified several classes which are now 12 hrs. long/, including Internet Basics & Advanced and Email; Word including working with tables; Excel including doing Mail Merges for letters and mailing labels and of course our Picasa Photo Editing, Facebook, Twitter & other Social Media, and the very popular Creating books & other great gift ideas with your text & digital photos - All are Twelve (12) hours, so three "3" 4 hour sessions.  We also added a few new classes including one 4 hour workshop for "cloud computing" which is so popular with all of our RV'ers and brought back our popular 4 hour workshop in November to create those fun "Santa & Holiday Letters".  Cassuandra Pham will continue to teach a variety of Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod and Android Smartphone & Tablet workshops and classes..  

Everyone in our community is welcome to take advantage of our wonderful Hodel Library on campus.. Stop by and get a library card, feel free to use our computers and bring your own paper and print what you need.  Pam Galovich and her library staff are wonderful and will answer your questions so stop by and visit them.... and remember, MCC offers many other great classes in a wide variety of fun & interesting subjects - from genealogy, health, dance, painting, genealogy, sculpting and many more all year long...Visit the Mohave Community College website: www.mohave.edu; visit our campus at 1971 Acoma Blvd in Lake Havasu.. So check them out or Call Registration 928-855-7812

As always, if you are thinking about taking any class at MCC, be sure to register ASAP.. We don't want you to show up for a class, thinking you'll register after the class, only to learn class was postponed due to low enrollment.. So try to register, and if something comes up and you can't attend we can move your class or refund your money...  And remember you are always welcome to bring your laptop to any of my classes... 

The Colorado River Computer Club meetings have resumed for the new season.  They are open to the public and held the first Tuesday of each month at the Mohave County Library - 1770 McCulloch Blvd, Room B (K-Mart parking lot area)... Next meeting is Tuesday evening, November 5th - New Users Group with the Groups Vice President, Larry LaRue, meets at 6pm and the Guest Speaker begin at 7pm..  These meetings are open to the public and very worthwhile... Visit their website: www.crccaz.com

The following is our schedule for October ~ so be sure to stop by the campus OR check the mohave.edu website OR call MCC OR email me and we will gladly help you find what you need... 

Computers FOR THE FUN OF IT  ~ LSC 062-121, 8:30am-12:20pm, Tues& Wed, Oct 8 & 9 - Two 4 Hour classes reviewing computer hardware, software, printing tips, keyboard shortcut tips, customizing desktop-changing backgrounds, create shortcuts, using quick launch bar, Start Menu, Task Bar, control panel & much more…  

DIGITAL CAMERA BASICS ~ LSC 100A-121, 1pm-4:50pm, Tues & Wed, Oct 8 & 9 - Two 4 hour classes-Intro to digital cameras; pixels, camera lingo, basic how to’s, move photo’s to your PC with memory card & memory card reader, organize photos on your PC using Windows Explorer; save photos to portable drives Bring your digital camera to class  

LAPTOP, TABLET & eReADER BASICS ~ LSC 102-121, 8:30-12:20pm, Thurs & Fri, Oct 10 & 11 – Two 4 Hour classes We will help you learn to to use your eReaders, Tablet, Laptops, Notebooks, Netbooks and understand differences; also how to use "apps", how to download books & other media from libraries & stores, what accessories are needed, how to get around the internet & WiFi Basics, shortcuts, security & more. – Bring your laptop, tablet, eReaders if you have one 

SOCIAL NETWORKs: fACEBOOK, tWITTER& bLOGGING ~ LSC 080-121, 1pm-4:50pm, Thurs, Friday & Tuesday, Oct 10, 11 & 15 - Three “3” 4 hr classes introducing & discussing Social Networking, Including Facebook, Facebook’s Timeline; Privacy Settings;  Add/Change/Remove Photos-Posts-Friends, etc; Basics of Twitter & Smartphones; Basics of Blogging, posting, commenting; You’ll Create Your Own Blog; Templates; Add Ons: Links, Photos, Slide Shows, Blog Tools & more   

WORD-CREATe GREAT LOOKING DOCUMENTS ~ LSC 068B-121, 8:30am-12:20pm, Saturday mornings, Oct 12, 19 & 26 - Three "3" 4 hour classes-reviewing the basics to open, create, save documents; highlight; cut-copy-paste, set & change margins; create letters, envelopes, labels& use clip art, word art to enhance documents, invitations, how to work with tables to create schedules, resumes, questionnaires & flyers & lots of printing tips  

FIND/ORGANIZE WHAT’S ON YOUR PC ~ LSC 068C-121, 8:30am-12:20pm, Tues& Wed, Oct 15 & 16 - Two 4 hour classes Using Windows Explorer to find what you’ve saved on your PC; organize your work, files & photo’s to find them quickly& easily.  Learn to back up your pc, photo & documents with portable flash & hard drives, memory cards and memory card readers.. Bring your laptop, camera and/or flash drives to class 

HOW TO SKYPE OR GOOGLE VOICE  ~ LSC 103-121, 1pm-4:50pm, Wednesday, Oct 16 - One 4 hour workshop learning how to use Skype and/or Google voice to make free phone calls & web calls worldwide from any pc or smartphone.. lots of tips 

PICASA PHOTO EDITING ~ LSC 081-121: 8:30am-12:20pm, Thurs, Fri & Tues, Oct 17, 18 & 22 – Three “3”- 4 hr classes to learn to edit & print digital photo’s using Picasa (this is free Google software); learn to upload photo’s from your camera and/or scanner to the PC& learn to order prints online; how to create a quick movie with music or a wonderful collage; use Picasa online web albums; use face& geo tagging& learn to update your edited photos to a variety of vendors for printing and/or creating great gifts - Bring your digital camera to class  

WINDOWS 7 & 8 OPERATING SYSTEM ~ LSC 100-124, 1-4:50pm, Wednesday, Nov. 7 – One 4 hour workshop helping you get more comfortable with Windows 7 & 8 and the many Features & Improvements (vs XP-Vista), such as Desktop customizing; Use Libraries to manage files; Jump Lists vs Task Bar or put taskbar back; Run apps; Shuffle wallpaper & screen savers; System Tray; Media Player; Alerts vs action centers & more  - You are always welcome to bring your laptop, but this is especially true if you are using Windows 8

HOW TO BUY & SELL ONLINE ~ LSC 101-121, 1pm-4:50pm, Tues & Wed, Oct 22 & 23 - Two 4 hour classes-Buy and Sell on Line, find what you want; searching, making travel arrangements, shopping tips, intro to online sales with sites such as eBay; eBid; craigslist & others: shortcuts & security tips 

internet and it’s many uses ~ LSC 071-122, 8:30am-12:20pm, Wed, Thurs & Fri, Oct 23, 24 & 25 – Three “3”- 4 hr classes covering a variety of internet tips & lingo, such as ISP, browser, blogger, hashtags; when/why to use F5 & F11; website basics, hyperlinks, email basics & advanced including how to send and save attachments, copy hyperlinks, reply to, forward and file emails, using “Google& Bing” to search web, images, news; translating to & from different languages; blogging and much more 

USE DIGITAL PHOTOS & TEXT TO CREATE & PUBLISH YOUR OWN BOOK & OTHER GREAT GIFT IDEAS ~ LSC 100K-121, 1-4:50pm Thurs & Fri, Oct 24, 25 & 31 – Three “3”  4 hr classes to Learn to create & publish your own book, using free book publishing software from Walgreens & CVS as well as blurb.com (for a book that’s copyrighted) using your WP skills& digital photos and learn in quantities as small as just one.  You decide: soft or hard cover, various sizes, all text, all photos or a combination of photos & text, story book or recipe book Bring photos to class (on camera or flash drive) 

HOW TO USE CLOUD COMPUTING  ~ LSC 045-122 ~ 1pm-4:50pm, Saturday, Oct. 26 - One 4 Hour Workshop to review and help you better understand "Cloud Computing" including Google Drive; SkyDrive; Apple Cloud & Dropbox-understand which are free & which charge; learn to "store/upload" your important documents, photos, music & videos in the "clouds" to access anywhere, anytime with any device..

Apples & Android Class Schedule... 
INTRO TO iPHONE (& iPods) LSC 040-123 ~ 8:30-12:20pm Tuesday, Oct. 22, One 4 Hour Workshop reviewing the basics & differences of an Apple phone vs a Smartphone/Android etc...  As with all Apple Devices, we will discuss customizing, adding APPS, syncing your information on all "i" devices, organizing your contacts, calendar, music, data-using your Apple ID and the Apple Cloud and many other features (This class is also beneficial for iPod users - Bring your "iPhone" or "iPod" with you 

INTRO TO iPAD'S ~ LSC 040-124 ~ 8:30am-12:20pm, Wednesday, Oct 23  - One 4 Hour Workshop to review the basics & differences of Apple vs. PC and review many of the basics features of your iPad - including the desktop, using APPS, maneuvering around, syncing your "i" devices with your Apple ID and or the Apple Cloud; organize your desktop and many other features  - Bring your "iPad" with you 

ANDroiD SMARTPHONE BASICS ~ LSC 043-122 ~ 1pm-4:50pm, Tuesday, Oct 22nd - One 4 Hour Workshop to review the basics of using an Android smartphone, including "swiping"; Wi-Fi and other settings; syncing with your email, calendar, contacts, "clouds accounts, organizing it all, accessories and many other features  - Bring your "Android Smartphone" with you 

ANDROID TABLET BASICS ~LSC044-122 ~ 1pm-4:50pm, Wednesday, Oct 23 - One 4 Hour Workshop to review the basics of using an Android System - whether it is a Smartphone or Tablet; including "swiping"; Wi-Fi and other settings; syncing with your email, calendar, contacts, "clouds accounts, organizing it all, accessories and many other features  - Bring your "Android Tablet " with you

ANDroiD TABLET ADVANCED ~ LSC045-122 ~ 1pm-4:50pm, Thursday & Friday, Oct. 24& 25 - Two 4 Hour Classes to review the more advanced uses of your Android Tablet - filing, syncing, downloading of apps, books and other daily services - managing photos and other aspects of your "cloud", organizing it all, accessories and many other features  - Bring your "Android Tablet" with you 


As always, if there is a specific class or topic that you would like us to consider, let us know..  These classes are designed to help you take advantage of all the new technology, so we are always anxious to hear your suggestions and comments...