6 Things You Should Know About the HomePod

Apple’s HomePod smart speaker is a unique little device that sounds amazing for its size, but there are probably a handful of things you don’t know about it that you should.

Of course, you probably already know about some of the HomePod’s quirks, like how it doesn’t have Bluetooth capabilities and that you can only use Apple Music if you’re wanting to control music with your voice. However, there are a few odd “features” you should know about before you think about picking one up at the Apple Store.

The Power Cord Is Attached Somewhat Permanently

One of the first things you’ll notice when you open up the box to your HomePod is that the power cord is already connected to the speaker. Even giving it a decent tug doesn’t disconnect it.

This is because the power cord is meant to be attached permanently to the HomePod speaker, although only somewhat so. Many daring users have discovered that pulling hard enough will disconnect the power cord and reveal a proprietary connector, but it’s clear that it’s really not meant to be disconnected willy nilly—Apple warns that this could cause damage to internal components.

There’s No Mute Button or Switch

On the Amazon Echo, there’s a mute button right on top of the device so that you can quickly mute the microphone and prevent Alexa from triggering. The Google Home has the same feature, although it’s a button/switch on the back of the device, making it a bit harder to reach.

The HomePod, however, has no such button or switch at all. The good news, though, is that you can still mute the microphones by saying “Hey Siri, stop listening”, but in order to unmute it, you have to head into the settings in the Home app to re-enable it.

Out-Of-Warranty Service Is $300

The HomePod comes with one year of AppleCare, and you can tack on another year for $40. After that, you’re at the mercy of paying full price for any malfunction to which the HomePod succumbs.

You’ll want to sit down for this, though, as the out-of-warranty cost for servicing a broken HomePod is $280 with a $20 shipping charge tacked on. This means you’ll pay roughly 85% of the cost of a new HomePod just get your current one repaired.

The good news is that if the power cord needs repairing (which is likely the most common scenario), Apple will only charge $30—even if it’s out of warranty.

It’s Impossible to Take Apart Without Breaking It

While Apple secretly prides itself on making their products difficult to open up and repair yourself, you can still bust open iPhones with relative ease. However, the HomePod is a completely different story.

During their teardown, iFixit wasn’t able to get into the HomePod without cutting it open—there’s some super-strong adhesive holding the whole thing together that even the best of consumer-grade tools couldn’t handle. So out comes the hacksaw.

When you send your HomePod in for repair to Apple, it’s likely that they have a special machine of their own that softens the adhesive and allows them to open it up without actually damaging the plastic. Unfortunately, that special machine isn’t available to the public.

It Could Damage Your Wooden Furniture

If you have a piece of wooden furniture that’s finished with any kind of oil, you might want to think twice about placing your HomePod on it, as the silicone on the bad could react negatively with the wooden finish.

Keep in mind that this isn’t a HomePod issue necessarily, but rather just a wooden finish problem—some finishing oils can be rather fussy with different types of materials in the first place. And silicone is one of those materials.

To prevent this from happening, you can use a coaster underneath your HomePod or just mount your HomePod to the wall to keep it off of all surfaces to begin with.

You Can’t AirPlay to It from a Mac

Even though the HomePod doesn’t come with Bluetooth support, you can still beam music from your iPhone or iPad to your HomePod over AirPlay, but you can’t do it from your Mac.

It’s a bit odd, considering you can even use your Apple TV and beam the audio to your HomePod, but Macs aren’t supported. It’s possible that functionality could arrive in the future with the release of AirPlay 2, but right now you can only use your iOS mobile devices and your Apple TV to AirPlay to your HomePod.

Image from iFixit

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Geek Trivia: The First Host Of Saturday Night Live Was?

Answer: George Carlin

Saturday Night Live first aired on October 11, 1975 and featured, right out of the gate, the format we’re familiar with today: an opening monologue delivered by a guest host, live music, and a series of sketch comedy acts. On opening night, the host was none other than comedy legend and iconoclast George Carlin. Aside from the darker (and more present) hair and a voice a bit sharper and less gravely due to age, the mannerisms and passions of young George Carlin are quite similar to his newer material that fans might be more familiar with.

What’s particularly interesting is listening to the live audience’s reaction to his routine. The act was a comparison between football and baseball. Carlin opened with a few jokes about football and its relationship to European colonialism that largely fell flat with the audience (the jokes might fair a bit better with audiences 30-40 years on), but salvaged the routine, if audience laughter is any indicator, by lightening up and using his characteristically animated face and movements to highlight the differences between the two sports. You can relive that bit of history by watching it on the SNL YouTube channel here.

Image courtesy of Saturday Night Live/NBC.

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Five Tools to Analyze and Get the Most Out of Your Steam Library

It only takes a couple of big Steam sale benders for your library to end up an unwieldy, overgrown monstrosity in desperate need of taming. Whether you’re trying to work your way through your massive backlog of games, or are just curious how much time and money you’ve spent on your most valuable gaming account, these tools can help.

Your Steam library is probably full of games you want to play, but where do you start? One easy way to narrow it down is starting with the games that won’t take too long to get through. How Long to Beat can help you find out which games will take up the least time. Enter your Steam ID and you’ll get a list of your games, with an estimate of how long it will take to finish each one. You can sort the list alphabetically, or based on how long it takes to finish the games (whether shortest to longest or vice versa).

The estimates are determined based on data from members of the How Long to Beat community. If you want a bit more detailed information, you can search for a specific game on the site to get an even better idea of how long it would take for you. You can see how long it takes to complete the main story, the main story plus side quests, or even how long it would take to completely 100% a game. So whether you like to enjoy a good story or obsess over every achievement, you can get a decent idea of how much time you’ll be investing in a game.

Steam’s built in library software is okay, but when you’re trying to sort through your library to find a new game, it’s a little sparse. Steam Backlog fills in the gaps You can filter your library by categories like singleplayer, multiplayer, or tags so you can see everything in your library that fits that criteria. If you’re in the mood for a solo RPG, or an MMO shooter, you can click a couple buttons to find everything in your library that fits the bill.

You can also add games to your own custom Collections. These operate as smaller, sub-libraries organized however you like. You could, for example, add all of the games you bought on Steam sales because they were cheap, then filter through them with the normal categories, without having to dig through the games in your library you’ve already played.

You’ve probably spent more money on Steam than you realize. For some, staying in ignorant bliss of that total may be more of a blessing. However, if you really want to see just how much money your account is worth, the SteamDB Calculator can show you. Since it can’t know exactly how much you paid for a game, it provides an estimate. On the low end, it shows how much all your games cost at their lowest prices. On the high end, it shows how much all your games are worth if you bought them all today. The difference between the two might make you feel better or worse, depending on how many of your games you bought at full price.

It also shows you how much time you’ve spent playing your games, with a breakdown of the average price you’ve paid per game, as well as the average price per hour of gameplay (both of these calculations exclude games that don’t have a price, so they might by slightly skewed). To get your stats, just head to the site, enter your Steam profile ID, and click the appropriately-labeled “Get disappointed in your life,” button.

Even if you’re not interested in calculating the value of your Steam library there is one little (easy to overlook) gem of a feature included in the SteamDB Calculator: an “I’m feeling lucky” button that will launch a random Steam game from your library. It’s perfect for those times you’re sitting paralyzed in front of your vast library.

The only thing worse than finding out how much money you’ve spent on Steam might be finding out how much time you’ve spent playing the games you’ve bought. Still, we’re all about enabling you to make informed choices in your life. Wasted Time shows you how much time you’ve spent across all of your Steam games. Just enter your Steam profile ID and find out how many hours you’ve wasted over the life of your account.

It doesn’t end there, though. Scroll down a little farther and you can see the Hall of Shame. Here, you can see the top 100 Steam users, based on how much time they’ve spent playing Steam games. So, there’s a silver lining here. Maybe you don’t want to see just how many days of your life have been spent in Steam, but as long as you’re not placed on the leaderboard, it could be worse.

If you’re the kind of person who wants to get every single achievement for every game, then AStats is made for you. This site features a database of every achievement you can get in a game, plus a bunch of extra information about them. On an individual game page, you can see how many people have gotten a particular achievement, as well as tags that tell you when you get an achievement through the natural course of a story, when it requires a grind, or when getting one achievement will block you from getting another (due to, for example, a branching storyline).

If you create an AStats account (or login with your Steam ID), you can also read guides for achievements when they’re available. Most of the more complicated achievements feature guides or instructions on how to unlock them. These can be anything from a simple description of where to go to find an object, to more complex guides on how to complete side quests or unlock characters.

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Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by your Steam library, just fire up one or more of these handy tools and dig in. You’ll find just the game you’re looking for in no time.

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Facebook Would Really Like to Be the LinkedIn For Everyone

The 6 Best Digital Picture Frames for Displaying Your Photos

Digital picture frames have exploded in popularity over the last few years, but the market is glutted with really low quality products. Don’t waste your money on a frame with a cruddy screen and missing features, we’ve rounded up 6 great models for you to consider.

Not all digital picture frames are equal. Cheap models have cheap display panels which means poor color reproduction, poor visibility, and a limited viewing angle. Others are bulky and ugly, which no one wants living on their wall or living room side table. Then there’s the issue of complicated controls and bad user interfaces. In particular, digital picture frames are great gifts for older relatives as you can easily share your photos with them that way, but it’s a useless gadget if they can’t figure it out. Here’s our look at the pick of the bunch that offer features like sharp screens, internet connectivity, and more.

Pix-Star 10.4 Inch Digital Photo Frame ($150)

Also available in a hefty 15 inch variety the Pix-Star 10.4 Inch Digital Photo Frame is one of the more expensive frames here, but it’s a great all arounder.

Besides offering a high quality screen that ensures your images look clean and crisp on screen, its connectivity options are extensive. You can send your photos via email, utilizing the frame’s 4gb onboard memory, as well as the device’s dedicated email address. Alternatively, you can slot in an USB stick, SDHC or SDXC card. UPnP support is also an option, so you can stream content across from your networked PC or compatible NAS server. Over 20 online providers are available to use through the frame, allowing you to easily view pictures from web based albums. These include Picasa, Facebook, Flickr, PhotoBucket, and Instagram.

To complete the package, there’s always the choice of listening to web radio stations or plugging in your USB stick or SD card and listening to music directly through the frame. In each case, it’s simple to set up lending itself to the older user market perfectly.

NIX Advance ($80)

The NIX Advance isn’t quite as feature rich as the Pix-Star but it does have one killer feature – a motion sensor. Through this facility, the frame will switch on every time you enter the room, switching back off the moment you leave. It’s a neat touch and that’s not all that works well for the NIX Advance.

Besides that, you can use it to view 720p HD video as well as photos, mixing the two together in slideshow form. There’s no dedicated email function, leaving you to use the frame’s USB or SD/SDHC ports, but it’s plug and play so it’s minimal hassle to get set up. There’s the addition of a clock and calendar function, enabling you to set your frame up to work during set hours, conserving power as well as the backlight lifespan. It also offers great viewing angles so you should enjoy high quality imagery, regardless of where you’re sitting.

Nixplay Seed ($180)

If you’re willing to spend a little extra then the Nixplay Seed is a fantastic digital picture frame. It offers a 10 inch screen and has a features list that’s a sprinkling of a little bit of everything.

There’s a motion sensor ensuring it switches on and off when needed. 8GB of internal memory storage means you’ve got lots of room for content when offline, but it pairs that with 10GB of free and secure online cloud storage so there’s a plethora of space available for your images.

It’s quick and easy to access your favorite photos via Facebook, Instagram, Dropbox, Flickr, and Google Photos, with smartphone app support streamlining the process further. Also, you can create dedicated playlists as well as get friends and family to share content, regardless of where they are. It’s pretty great at helping you feel connected at all times, although (given the price) it’s odd there’s no NAS/network file support.

One particularly great feature Nixplay has going for it is company longevity. The online features of internet-enabled picture frames usually rely on the host company keeping the lights on. If the company folds or stops offering support, you’re often left out in the cold. Nixplay has been making connected high quality frames for years (we reviewed and set up one of their frames way back in 2014 on How-To Geek).

TENKER 7-inch HD Digital Photo Frame ($54)

A budget offering, the TENKER 7-inch HD Digital Photo Frame doesn’t offer every feature you might want, but it’s a great starting point at a good price.

It supports a 1024×600 screen along with 720p and partial 1080p HD video playback and while the screen quality isn’t perfect, it’s pretty respectable. Similarly, there’s no random slideshow feature which is an unusual omission, but auto-rotate at least makes it practical for those that want to change the orientation of their frame frequently.

Where the TENKER’s real strength lies is its ease of use. Just slot in an USB drive or SD card, and it diplays your photos or video files instantly. Just don’t expect any onboard storage, or Wi-Fi connectivity. This frame keeps things to the basics.

Micca 8-inch Digital Photo Frame ($60)

Another inexpensive choice, the Micca 8-inch Digital Photo Frame is similarly easy to use, like the TENKER frame. Being slightly bigger at 8-inches, you get a little more room to view your images which come via USB or SD card. Again, there’s no set up to speak of with plug n play paramount.

Besides playing photos, the Micca frame also utilizes any music on your storage media, playing it as background music while rotating through the images. A timer setting allows you to choose exactly when you want the frame to be active during the day. It’s a little more stylish than other budget frames too, and looks much more like a conventional picture frame rather than a budget tablet.

Andoer 15 Inch TFT LED Digital Photo Frame ($98)

The Andoer 15 Inch TFT LED Digital Photo Frame is distinctly different from the others here, not least because it’s white rather than black. There’s also the pivotal fact that this frame is pretty big at 15 inches—putting it on par with a large laptop screen.

It doesn’t sport as high quality a screen as more expensive premium models (it’s only a TFT screen which is the kind of panel you’d expect in a budget computer monitor) and its remote looks pretty cheap, but it has a lot going for it. 1280×800 HD resolution gives it a fighting chance, and you can easily display photos or video files, as well as listen to music through the frame. In many ways, it’s almost like a mounted tablet, providing you with ebook, clock and calendar support too.

Crucially though, you’re buying this for its photo frame qualities. There’s no onboard media but it supports every physical storage media you could think of, and it’s very quick to set up. If you want to get straight to the point and simply have a picture frame, the Andoer does the job. If nothing else, the sheer size of it makes it a great pick for relatives with less-than-sharp vision.

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How to Get Your Art Into a Gallery

The art world can be difficult to break into, due to the competition for limited spaces in gallery shows. Getting into a gallery is a great step toward selling your art and feeling more serious as an artist. Competition is fierce, but if you are able to make your work stand out and generate attention, you can get your art into the gallery of your dreams.

EditSteps

EditVisiting Galleries and Gaining Exposure

1. Visit galleries near you. Many galleries are run by curators with specific tastes and a vision for their space. Take a look around each gallery and identify what connects all of the pieces. Speak to the curator if they are present, and ask them what kind of pieces they are looking to add to their collection.^[1]
   
   • Developing a positive relationship with the curator and becoming part of the gallery community is a great way to get yourself on their radar, even if your work might not fit their specific gallery. You never know who they might know!
2. Go to openings and network. Openings are normally on a set night every week. View and appreciate the art, but sell your own enthusiasm and skill. Approach artists, curators, and spectators to discuss the art being shown and your own art.^[2]
   
   • Have your elevator pitch in mind! Keep the discussion of your art short, especially if they don’t seem interested in discussing it. Remember you’re at someone else’s gallery and viewing someone else’s work.
3. Apply for grants. Grants provide funding for artists to continue working on projects that fit a certain theme. When you apply for grants, you expose yourself to artists and curators who are on judging panels. This will establish you as an artist who takes your work seriously.^[3]
   
4. Avoid shows that require an entry fee. These "competitions" are usually fundraisers for the organization or gallery and offer very little in terms of career advancement. It is best to save your money and avoid paying fees to be involved in a show or gallery exhibition. Legitimate galleries make money off of the sale of the art, rather than entrance fees from artists.^[4]
   
5. Create an online gallery website. Having an online presence for your work is extremely important. You can invite other local artists, or other artists with similar styles, to showcase art on a website in a digital gallery. Make sure to include the professional contact information of each artist on the website.^[5]
   
   • Include only high-quality digital images of your artwork. Once you have digital images of your work, create a website and get a professional email address.
6. Join an artist collective gallery. These galleries normally don't take a cut of your work, but require monthly membership fees. Membership will allow you to make many connections and participate in a larger body of work with other artists over a long period of time. You might also have access to group resources and a space to work.^[6]
   
   • Becoming a member can be very competitive, so you will likely still need to present your work and artist statement for acceptance.

EditSubmitting Your Art to a Gallery

1. Check gallery websites for submission policies. It is best not to approach a gallery about submitting your work until you learn their policies. If you can’t find the information online, call them to inquire about submission, or ask in person. Follow the guidelines closely to demonstrate that you respect their rules.^[7]
   
   • Some galleries do not accept submissions.
2. Email a "letter of inquiry" to the galleries of interest to you. Include illustrious examples of your work, a description of your artistic approach, and a link to your artist website. Focus on what you can offer to the gallery, rather than what they can offer you. Many curators like to collect paper documents on artists before they will show their work.^[8]
   
   • Include high-quality images of your work as attachments to the email. If they’re interested, they’ll look through your work and have a copy of it on hand.
3. Practice talking about your art. Often, you’ll have to sell yourself and your work to a curator in order to get them interested. Practice your elevator pitch and decide what makes your art exciting.^[9]
   
   • For example, if you’re a painter, you could say “I work with oil on canvas to create representative images of the contemporary, middle-class version of the American Dream. I like to focus on the imagery of capitalism and overabundance.”
4. Demonstrate how your art is different. Although curators are sometimes interested in specific types of art, they won’t want too much of the same thing. Identify how your art fits into a common theme, but stands out due to the craftsmanship, quality of work, perspective, or experience of viewing.^[10]
   
5. Evaluate what rate of commission you are comfortable with. If the gallery is interested in your work, they will inform you of their interest. Galleries make money off of the commission of the sale of art. Normally, this can range from 30-60% of the total amount paid for the piece by a collector. Have a percentage in mind, based on the listed value of your art, that you would feel comfortable accepting.^[11]
   
   • Keep in mind they are offering you a space to exhibit and sell your work that you would not have otherwise had.
6. Sign with a gallery. The gallery will present you with a contract for including your art in their space. Be clear with what you desire, but remember that they are the business owners. Ensure the commission percentage is clearly specified in the contract. ^[12]
   
   • Thoroughly read any contract you sign, as it may stipulate that you may show and sell work exclusively through that gallery.

EditTips

• Don't limit yourself to local galleries, search far and wide for the best fit.
• Persistence pays off, you may want to approach the same gallery several times over a few years. Repeat these steps until you are approached by a gallery that shows interest in your work. There are so many different types and styles of art appreciation, someone will admire your work!
• Make the paintings before you sell them.
• Make business cards, flyers, stickers. Self promotion will provide fantastic networking opportunities.
• Travel and physically expose yourself to galleries that are in your area. Visit any place that speaks to you when you walk in. Even if it has work from Warhol or Hirst in it, if you feel confident in your work and comfortable in the space, submit your work for consideration.
• Dress, speak, and behave professionally. Treat art as your full-time profession, even if it isn’t your only job.

EditWarnings

• Be prepared for rejection. Everyone gets turned down. Keep trying.
• Watch your budget. Spend as little as possible, but try to maintain a high degree of professionalism.

EditRelated wikiHows

• Advertise an Art Gallery Show
• Work in an Art Museum
• Visit an Art Gallery

EditSources and Citations

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How to Record Macros and Automate Tiresome Tasks In Microsoft Word

Macros are basic bits of programming that let you hit a quick button or keyboard shortcut to trigger a pre-recorded action. Here’s how to make easy ones in Word.

What Is a Macro?

A macro is really just a recording of a series of button presses, clicks, and typing. When you record a macro, you just hit record, perform the steps you want to automate, stop the recording, let Word create the programming for you, and then assign the macro to a button or keyboard shortcut. Whenever you want to perform that series of actions in the future, you just activate the macro.

You can use macros for all kinds of things. Honestly, the possibilities are pretty much limitless. For example, you could set up a macro that creates a new footer with your company information, formats the text however you like, and even inserts page numbers. So, why not just do this using a template with some boilerplate text? Well, you can. But what happens when you have an existing document to which you want to add that stuff?

You could also create macros to insert already-formatted tables of a specific size, search for a specific paragraph style, or just insert some text.

We’re going to use the very basic example of inserting some text to walk you through how to record a macro. But use your imagination and experiment. You’ll be surprised how much you can do with them.

How to Record a Macro

First, create a new blank Word document to work in. You’ll be able to save your macros in a system-wide database, so you don’t need to create new ones for each document you work on. In the blank document, switch to the “View” tab on the Ribbon, click the “Macros” dropdown menu, and then click the “Record Macro” command.

Next, give your macro an appropriate name and type a brief description. It’s an important step, especially if you’re planning on making a lot of macros. For our example, we’re going to create a kind of jokey text insertion that types the name: “Lwaxana Troi, Daughter of the Fifth House, holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed”—something we wouldn’t want to type over and over again if it were our full title.

Choose whether to assign your macro to a button or keyboard shortcut. And finally, choose where to store your macro. The default is to store it in Word’s master template (a file named Normal.dotm) so that you can use it in all your documents. But, you can also store it only in the current document if you want. Click the “OK” button when you’re done.

For the sake of this explainer, we’ll show you the creation process for both the button and keyboard. And note that you can always click the “Macros” menu button and edit these settings later if you want to change them.

If you choose the “Button” option, you’re presented with a screen that lets you choose where to store the new button. The default is to place it on the Quick Access Toolbar. Click the name of the macro in the left column, and then click the “Add” button to add the macro to the list of buttons for the toolbar shown on the right. When you’re done, click the “OK” button.

If you’re assigning your macro to a keyboard shortcut, you’ll see the screen below instead. Make sure the name of the macro is selected in the “Commands” pane, click inside the “Press New Shortcut Key” box, and then press the keyboard combo you want to use. You can choose almost any combination of Ctrl, Alt, Shift, and any other primary key, but keep in mind that you’ll need one that isn’t already assigned to a Word or Windows/macOS shortcut.

For our jokey Star Trek macro, we’re going to hold Ctrl, then press L, let go of the L, and then press T—all without releasing Ctrl. The resulting shortcut is expressed as “Ctrl+L,T.” That multi-letter expansion is a way to avoid conflicts with common default shortcuts. When you’re done, click the “Assign” button, and then click the “Close” button.

Now, you’re placed back in the main writing interface of Word. The program is in recording mode, so perform any actions you like. You can click buttons, open menus, insert objects—you name it. Word watches and records whatever you’re doing as a macro. And don’t worry about taking your time. Word doesn’t really duplicate these actions at the speed you’re performing them. Instead, it takes the actual actions you make, and creates a script to run them.

For our example, we’re just repeating our rather nerdy name and title:

While creating your macro, you can click the “Pause recording” button if you need to adjust something or make some quick notes. Click the “Resume recorder” button to continue working on your macro.

When you’re done, open the “Macros” dropdown menu again, and then click the “Stop recording” command.

That’s it. Word creates a macro from your recording and saves it as a button or keyboard shortcut (whatever you decided).

To run the macro, click the button you assigned or the hit the keyboard shortcut you defined. If you chose the button option, you’ll see your macro button in the “Quick Access Toolbar” at the very top of the window.

Obviously, this is a super simple example we’ve given you. You can use Word to create some pretty sophisticated macros. Advanced users can even manually program their own (or manually tweak their recorded macros). But this guide should at least get you started creating some basic macros.

Image credit: Mopic/Shutterstock

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