Narration provided by Wondervox.

By Mark McNease

I’d heard about WhatsApp for the past few years but never took the time to learn anything about it. I figured it was just another app among the dozens most of us have on our phones, and I didn’t think I would have any use for it. Then we went on a cruise and a travelling friend of ours suggested we all download the app so we could text and call each other using the ship’s wi-fi. I wasn’t convinced, but I did it anyway … and loved it.

And then, a friend who is moving to Brazil in two weeks told me that was how he got and received calls, after I’d asked him to make sure I get his new number. “It’s the same,” he said. “We use WhatsApp.”

For the uninitiated like me, WhatsApp uses the internet to make phone calls, as well as send encrypted texts. It reminds me of Skype in some ways, but for phones, and more ubiquitous. Rather than calling a username, you’re calling a phone number that can be used anywhere in the world. (Our cell phone numbers belong to us, not to our wireless carriers, and they’re portable.)

An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting apps and technology of interest.

Whether you’re on a fixed income or not, finding great savings these days is always welcome. I’ve recently been using an app called Flashfood that let’s you choose from certain grocery items that are marked down specifically for sale through the app. Once you set it up on your phone and provide a credit card, you can view the items different departments have made available, purchase them through the app, and pick them up at the store where they’ve been offered. Today I bought feta cheese, a container of olives, and an order of sliced deli turkey, turning a $24.00+ purchase into just over $12.00.

Cat with magnifying glass sleuth hat cartoon style.  Those are the words I typed into my image creator at DALL.E 2, part of OpenAI.com.

From their website:

OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company. Our mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.

OpenAI’s mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI)—by which we mean highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically valuable work—benefits all of humanity.

We will attempt to directly build safe and beneficial AGI, but will also consider our mission fulfilled if our work aids others to achieve this outcome.

DALL·E 2 can create original, realistic images and art from a text description. It can combine concepts, attributes, and styles.

And I just did this one: fish on a bicycle paiting style. It doesn’t cost anything, either. Try it out!

An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting useful apps and technology tips for our readers.

We were walking down the street recently and my husband, who only pays for parking if there is no other option, noticed how many parking meters had no time on them, yet cars were parked beside them. Lots of cars, up and down both sides of the street. We checked the posted signs, and sure enough, they were all supposed to pay. Yet we had walked several blocks to evade the meters. What was going on?

We asked a server at the restaurant we went to, and she said, “Oh, they’re probably using Park Mobile. It’s a parking app.”

I don’t know why it had never occurred to me to get a parking app, but considering how many times I’ve wanted to park closer to our destination but had no quarters for a meter (the town in question still uses coin-fed meters), you’d think I would have gotten a clue much sooner. Which brings us to Park Mobile, one of the most popular parking apps available. Check out the features and see if it’s for you. It makes parking a breeze, and it’s as available as your nearest smartphone.

An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting useful apps and technology tips for our readers.

I haven’t been able to read anything much smaller than a billboard without my glasses for years. And I thoroughly enjoy a good meal in restaurants that are sometimes dark. Have you ever had to take a candle on the table and hold it up to a menu you can barely read? Of course you have! So try this ‘Magnifying Glass + Flashlight‘ app, available on iOS and Android. I got it on my iPhone and tried it out. It’s very basic, which is fine if you want exactly what you get: an adjustable magnifying glass with a flashlight! The only thing that annoys me are the ads at the bottom, but that’s going to be part of any free app. Ignore them and check out the appetizers!

Have an app to recommend? Email me at: Editor @ LGBTSr.com

An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting useful apps and technology tips for our readers. Have an app to recommend? Email me at: Editor @ LGBTSr.com

If you’re like me, you wonder from time to time just how much you’re spending at Starbucks, what you’re laying out for lunches every week – in my case at work – how cost-effective your spending habits are, and, very importantly, how much you’re spending versus your income every month.

I’ve been using a simple, free, very user-friendly little app on my iPhone called Spending Tracker, by MH Riley Ltd. It has the option to upgrade for the pro version at $2.99. I use the free version because all I really do with it is add expenses and income. That suits my needs. It also supports family sharing, which is a big plus if you want that. It requires iOS 9.0 or later, and is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. I’m sure there are comparable apps for non-Apple users, but I’m an all-Apple guy and this is my recommendation for those who like to keep it simple and at no cost.

An App for That is a regular feature at LGBTSr highlighting useful apps and technology tips for our readers.

A few years ago I was looking for an easy-to-use family calendar for myself and my husband. I knew all about Outlook and about sharing calendars on our phones, but I wanted something very simple, and very effective.

We’ve been using Cozi.com ever since, and we love it. It’s a single log-in for both of us, and we have it on our phones. I often log in from my desktop but I don’t need to, it’s all there on my iPhone app.

It’s a great way to see what’s on the calendar, by day, week or month, and it keeps your history as well, so you can look and see what you were doing a year ago, if you want to. Cozi also offers a lot of other options, like “Shopping,” “Meals,” contacts, birthday reminders, and a journal. I’m happy just to use it as a calendar. I pay $39 a year for the gold level membership, but you can use a free version.