Tips | Octa

‘Tips’ Category

Attack of the Macbook Air Clones!

June 20, 2012

Anyone who has had a chance to carry around a Macbook Air for a few days knows that it’s pretty amazing how much power can be crammed into a tiny laptop. And nobody knows it better than Intel, who provides the Intel Core i5 processors that power these wonderful silver slivers of computer. In fact, Intel is so proud of the size and speed of the Macbook Air, they’d like to see everyone carrying a laptop so luxurious- and that includes you too, Windows users! (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

Don’t Touch That Phone! Important Rules of Cell Phone Etiquette

June 18, 2012

Somewhere in history, a proper gentleman or gentlewoman is speaking on the telephone for the first time in their life and is appalled. What, no eye contact? How can you carry on a true conversation without the benefit of body language? How do we expect our tone of voice to carry through these tinny contraptions and be accurately understood when they arrive at the other end? Those complaints are most certainly outdated and old fashioned, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some lingering, post-1800s complications associated with our preferred method of long distance conversation, the phone. And to make matters more interesting, now many of us text just as much as we actually speak out loud, on the phone. To keep your own lines of communication clear, I’ve compiled some helpful tips for cell phone etiquette, from when to speak to what to say. (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

Selecting and Setting Up an iPad for the Elderly

June 14, 2012

If you’re celebrating Father’s Day by gifting an elderly person an iPad, Octa has a few tips. Read on to make sure you select the right model. Once you have the iPad in hand, set up a few basics. By optimizing the iPad for the elderly, you’ll help make sure the experience is a success. (more…)

by Nikki Braziel in Tips

Living the LEGO Life on iPhone & iPad

May 25, 2012

You can make all kinds of things with LEGO building brick toys, from castles to pirate ships to intricate working robots. However, one thing you still can’t quite create out of those colorful blocks is a touchscreen tablet computer that you can browse the web and play games on. But that doesn’t mean that the world of iPads and LEGO don’t intersect in other ways. Read on to see our favorite LEGO-themed apps and iPhone & iPad accessories. (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

Is Bite-Size Video the Next Big App?

May 21, 2012

If you’ve been bitten by the Instagram bug, you might be ripe for another social media sharing bite in the very near future. Where there are now cleverly cropped and filtered photos streaming into your smartphone and tablet, there will soon be full motion video. Among the many products vying for the title of “Next Big Thing,” video sharing apps Socialcam and Viddy are buzzing loudly for our attention. Read on to find out why.

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by Guest Contributor in Tips

Inspired by Battleship, a Retro iPad Game Roundup

May 18, 2012

We’re a little disappointed that the alien invaders in this summer’s big-budget blockbuster Battleship movie aren’t just walking, talking versions of the little plastic pegs that came with the original game. Still, we’re not complaining about more action and explosions, not to mention the possibility of hearing a serious actor shout “You sunk my battleship!” And since we’re in a retro board game mood, we’ve taken a look at what else is available for playing from the iTunes App Store. (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

Nice To Meat You: The Best BBQ iPad Accessories & Apps

May 14, 2012

With Memorial Day just two weeks away, it’s time to start planning your next picnic, and we’ve rounded up some iPhone and iPad accessories and apps to make your BBQ the best ever. (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

Use Tech to Make the Most of Mother’s Day

May 7, 2012

We’re techies, so we know how much time having a smartphone and a tablet computer has saved us in our day-to-day routines. Considering how efficient we’ve become, there isn’t much excuse for not spending a few minutes on getting our moms something great this Mother’s Day. If it’s not the opportunity you’re lacking, but the good gift ideas, read on for some helpful hints to get you on your way to favorite son or daughter status. (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

High Praise: Our Favorite Cloud Storage Apps

April 30, 2012

While it might not affect iOS users at the moment, the introduction of Google’s cloud storage service “Google Drive” (to virtually every other platform except iPad and iPhone, which are listed as “coming soon”) has driven home the concept of off-site file storage and backup with incredible force. There are no less than a dozen services available that will host your files on their remote servers, usually offering a couple gigs for free and additional space for a nominal fee. And while it should warm our hearts to know that competition is driving the cloud storage market into a frenzy of one-upmanship that has only resulted in grander and more robust offerings, it’s actually pretty intimidating to stand in front of this massive list of options. To make things simpler, read on for our recommended one-two cloud storage punch of iCloud & Dropbox, a perfect pair of services for any Apple user. (Android user? We’ll visit Google Drive once we’ve had more time to test it out!) (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips

Party on with iPhone and iPad Apps

April 27, 2012

Bringing friends and family together has never been easier, thanks to the excellent party planning apps that can be found in Apple’s app store for iPhone and iPad. Check out our list of excellent downloads that are sure to help seasoned hosts and hostesses as well as first time party throwers put on a seriously successful bash. (more…)

by Guest Contributor in Tips