Starting with iOS 16, you can unsend or edit a sent message when texting someone who also has an Apple device. An easy way to tell if you are messaging a person with iMessage is the color of the messages. If the person also has an iPhone or iPad, the messages are blue. If the person you are messaging is not using an iPhone or iPad, the messages are green.
In order to unsend a message, it needs to be within two minutes from when the message was originally sent. To edit a message, it needs to be within 15 minutes of when the message was originally sent.
Unsending a Message
To unsend a message, long press on the message you want to unsend. Next, tap on either undo send.
If you unsend a message, the message will disappear from the other person’s message view. Please note: the person you are messaging must have iOS 16 or higher installed on their device. Additionally, they will see a notification that you unsent a message.
If you edit a message, there will be a note next to your message saying it was edited. A video example of a message being unsent:
If the person is looking at their phone, they will see a message notification and be able to see the message, but will no longer be able to see or read it once the message is unsent (as long as they have iOS 16 or higher).
Editing a Message
If the person who received the message taps on the edited text, they will be able to see a history of the edit or edits.
The previously edited message or messages will display slightly faded. If there are multiple edits, they will all be shown.
Have you unsent or edited a message? Let us know in the comments!
If you’re using a laptop, you may want a quicker way to get things done. Luckily, both Windows and Macs have a huge list of keyboard shortcuts. In this post, we’ll go over Windows keyboard shortcuts. Stay tuned for a Mac edition!
Windows
On a Windows computer, most shortcuts involve a combination of keys which often include the Windows key, CTRL, and ALT.
With keyboard shortcuts, press multiple keys on the keyboard at the same time to preform actions.
Control Keys
CTRL + C = Copy. First, highlight a word, block of text, or click on an object. Next, hit CTRL+ C. Copy adds the object to the clipboard so it can be inserted (pasted) later.
CTRL + V = Paste. Paste inserts the copied text or object to the current place in the document or into a new file explorer location. Go to the area where you want to insert the copied or cut text or object. Next, hit CTRL+V to paste the copied text or object.
CTRL + X = Cut. Highlight a word or block of text in an editable document such as a Word document, Google Sheets or Excel Spreadsheet. Using Control + X will delete the selected text and add it to the clipboard. When you are ready to paste it, use CTRL+V or other methods for pasting.
CTRL + F = Find. To find a particular word or phrase in a document or on a webpage, hit CTRL+F to open up a search box. If the word or phrase is found, the document will advanced to the first instance of the word or phrase. Depending on what program you’re using, the word or phrase may be highlighted as well.
Copy, cut, and paste can all be used in File Explorer as well. To duplicate or move files around, click on the file and use any of the keyboard shortcuts.
CTRL + Z = Undo. Made a mistake? CTRL + Z undoes whatever action was last performed.
CTRL + Y = Redo. Hit CTRL+Z by mistake? CTRL+Y redoes what was undone.
Windows and Alt Keys
ALT + TAB = Switch between the current open window to the most recently accessed window. Quickly hitting ALT+TAB will automatically go to the most recent window accessed. To access a different window, hit ALT+TAB, hold down ALT and then tap TAB to choose a particular window.
ALT + Windows Key = See all the current open programs on one screen. This is also a way to easily create separate desktops. For more info on separate desktops, check out this helpful article from Microsoft.
Windows key + L = Lock your PC. This will show the screen seen when you first log on to the computer. If you use a password to get on to your computer, you will need to re-enter your password to access your computer after hitting Windows + L.
Windows key + D = Show or hide the desktop. If you have any Windows open, this will minimize them all and show your desktop. If you are viewing the desktop, hitting CTRL+D will switch to the most recently used window.
Function Keys
If your keyboard has a row of Function Keys (F1, F2, etc), there are also some helpful shortcuts using those keys.
F2 = Rename a file or folder in Windows Explorer. Select the file you want to rename, and then hit F2. You can quickly rename the file.
F3 = When using web browser (such as Chrome, Firefox, or Edge) or Windows File Explorer, quickly pull up a search box to search the web page or for a file or folder.
ALT + F4 = Close the current window.
Those are just a sample of the many, many keyboard shortcuts available. To see a complete list, check out this helpful article from Microsoft.
It’s happened to the best of us. You found a book at the library or bookstore that sounds great based on the blurb. You start reading and it seems familiar and can’t help but wonder, have I read this before? With Goodreads, you can easily check to see if you have already read a book.
Goodreads is a website that helps you keep track of what books you have read and what books you would like to read. There are also many other features of the website (and app!) that include reviews, book giveaways, recommendations, and more.
Getting Started
You have the options of creating an account with Amazon, Apple, Facebook, or your email address. Note: the Goodreads website and app have slightly different layouts. In this post, I will be covering the website, which is accessible in a browser on mobile or desktop devices.
Shelves
Once your account is created, you can start adding books to your shelves. By default, you are started with the standard shelves: Read, Currently Reading and Want to Read. You can make additional custom shelves as well by clicking or tapping on the add shelf button. For example, I have a shelf called Upcoming Releases, for books I want to read that haven’t been released yet.
Searching and Browsing
To find a book to add to your shelves, start typing in the search box. Results will auto populate based on what you’ve typed. When you see the book you’re looking for, click or tap on the title. When searching for an author or something with more than one result, hit enter on your keyboard or tap on the magnifying glass icon to see all the results.
Once you get to the results screen, you can limit by title or author. There are also other ways to filter your search by using the tabbed categories for the results. Groups are a social feature of Goodreads where users discuss certain authors, genres, topics, etc. The Quotes tab displays results for quotes (from books, authors, etc.) featuring the search term. People displays users with that search term. This is how you can search for people you know that may be on Goodreads. Listopia displays user created lists featuring that search term.
Book Listings
The main page for a book displays the average rating from Goodreads readers, a summary of what the book is about, the genres readers have tagged it, the length, and when it was first published.
On a listing for a book, there is the option to add the book to one or more of your shelves. Clicking or tapping on want to read adds the book to your to-read shelf. To add it to a different shelf, click or tap on the arrow next to want to read. Since Amazon owns Goodreads, if the book is available on Kindle format, the Kindle price is displayed. Adding a book to any of your shelves other than want to read or currently reading automatically marks the book as read.
To write a review, click on the number of star you want to give the book. From there, choose whether or not to add a review in addition to the rating.
Scrolling down farther on the book listing page, you’ll see if any of your Goodreads friends have read the book and beneath that, reviews from Goodreads readers. You can filter by the number of stars a reviewer gave, search for a word or phrase used in a review, sort by when the review was written, which edition, and the language of the review written.
Find New Books to Read
There are many ways to find books to read with Goodreads. I have found great suggestions by searching for a book I enjoyed and on the book’s listing, scrolling down to readers also enjoyed.
Once you have rated a decent amount of books, you can view recommendations from Goodreads based on titles you previously rated. On the top bar, click on browse and then recommendations.
Here are recommendations sorted by your shelves. Mouse over or lightly tap on a book cover to display a brief summary of that book. There is also a because you added field, which shows why Goodreads recommended that title.
Genres
Another great way to find books is browsing a particular genre. Click on browse and then genres. There is the option to add your favorite genres for easy access.
Within the genre, there are new releases within that genre, related genres, blog posts from Goodreads, giveaways for books in that genre, and the most read books that week in that genre. Mousing over any of the book covers shows the same synopsis discussed earlier.
On the genre pages, there are also related reader lists and the most popular books overall in that genre. Also on the genre pages are new releases from authors you’ve read.
Friends and Communities
If your friends or family are on Goodreads, you can send them a friend request. Once they accept, you are able to see the books they’ve read and rated, along with any book reviews they’ve written.
Once you have added friends, you will see updates on the Goodreads homepage when friends have added a new book or entered a giveaway.
In addition to being able to add friends, you can follow your favorite authors and get updates when they release a new book. There are certain authors that have added the books they have read or are currently reading.
Giveaways, Awards, Blogs, and More
But wait, there’s more!
Goodreads has frequent book giveaways! Enter to win copies of books.
Every year, Goodreads holds their annual Readers’ Choice Awards where readers vote for their favorite book within particular categories.
Readers can challenge themselves by entering the yearly book challenge with the goal of reading a certain number of books. Throughout the year, Goodreads gives you progress on how you’re doing towards reaching your goal. For example, they tell you “you are three books ahead of schedule” based on how many books you’ve read so far that year and how many you have challenged yourself to read.
Last but not least, the library has our own Goodreads profile where library staff rate and review books they’ve enjoyed.
Have you used Goodreads? Let us know in the comments!
You’re listening to the radio or watching TV and a song comes on that you don’t know. You like the song, but how can you find out what it is? Luckily, there are built in features on your smartphone that allow you to name a song in seconds!
Apple
Starting with the release of iOS 14.2 in 2020, Apple devices offer built in song recognition, just by asking Siri, the built-in digital assistant. In your Siri settings, if you have “Hey Siri” enabled, simply say, “Hey Siri, what song is this?” when a song is playing. Another way to quickly activate Siri is to hold down the Home Screen button iPhones with a home button or hold down the power button on iPhone 9 and later.
You’ll get a screen that Siri is listening and then a screen will pop up with the name of the song.
To see a history of songs you have identified, download the Shazam app from the App Store. To see more detailed instructions, check out this helpful article from Apple.
Android
On Android phones, there is a similar method. Touch and hold the home button or say “Hey Google” and then ask, “What’s this song?”
Google Assistant will name the song and give you options to share the song, watch the video on YouTube, or add to a playlist on YouTube Music. Google has written a helpful article with more detailed instructions.
Use the Google App
You can also identify songs with both iOS devices and Android devices by using the Google app. The neat thing with the Google app is that in addition to identifying a song by playing it, you can also sing or hum it yourself. This is handy in case you have a certain lyric or melody stuck in your head.
Open the Google app and tap on identify song by listening. Another option is to tap on the microphone icon and then tap search for a song.
When I attempted to sing a song, I got a 48% match of the song I was singing.
Then again, my singing voice isn’t the greatest, so you may get better results. I only got a 34% match when I attempted to hum a song.
Have you tried identifying a song with your smartphone? Let us know in the comments!
Recently, the OverDrive app was discontinued. In its place is the Libby App. Until recently, Kindle Fire users were unable to access the app on their devices. Luckily, this has changed!
The Kindle Fire app is now available for download in the Amazon App Store. The Kindle Fire Libby App is available for Kindle Fire models made in 2020 or newer. It is also available on the following models:
Device
Year
Fire HD 10
2017
Fire HD 8
2018
Fire HD 10
2019
Fire HD 8
2020
Fire HD 10
2021
Fire HD 10 Plus
2021
Fire 7
2022
Fire HD 8
2022
Fire HD 8 Plus
2022
When visiting the Amazon Libby App download page, there is a box listing if your model of Kindle Fire is compatible with the app.
After downloading the Libby App on your Kindle Fire, there is an option to read e-books either on the app itself or on the built in Kindle app on the Kindle Fire. For more information on how to deliver e-books to your Kindle App, check out our helpful Tech Tips article.
