Digital tips
We have introduced a new section on digital tips that we hope will help some of you to harness some of the opportunities (and challenges) that smartphones, tablets and internet connectivity provide us with.
Hotspotting
‘Hotspotting’ or ‘tethering’ is the use of your smartphone or tablet as a modem (which picks up internet signals) for another device. This may be old news for many – if not, it means you can access the internet where internet access is poor or not working but you do have mobile phone coverage. You can connect your laptop or desktop computer to the internet using your smartphone or tablet’s data via a hotspot.
If you don't have a phone plan that includes data (or doesn't include much data) you may get a huge phone bill at the end of the month if you hotspot and then watch videos on your computer or forget to turn it off and use it for longer than intended.
On your iPad or iPhone
- Go to Settings, then to ‘Personal Hotspot’. (Note: On some smartphones, you may need to go from ‘Settings’ to ‘Connections’ and then to ‘Hotspots’.)
- Tap ‘Personal’ or ‘Mobile Hotspot’, then tap the slider to on (the lock icon appears at top right on an iPad).
Instructions for hotspotting on an Android device
On your laptop or desktop computer
- Click the up arrow at bottom right of screen to show more options.
- Click the wireless (or globe) icon.
- Select the phone, iPad or iPhone ‘secured’ (depending which one you have used to turn on Personal Hotspot).
- Select ‘Connect’.
How to scan documents using your iPhone or iPad
This is great if you want to scan multiple or single pages and save or send as a pdf rather than as a picture or photo. For example, you can print forms, fill them in, sign, and then scan and send back. You can also sign forms and send them on. Note that for Android phones, you can scan using the Google Drive app.
- Go to ‘Notes’ and open a new note.
- Press the camera button (some phones may have a + instead).
- Select ‘Scan Documents’.
- Hold your phone over the document and tap to scan.
- You can drag the corners (see below) to tidy up the edges (or retake). When happy, tap ‘Keep scan’ and it will tell you it is ready for the next one (ie for multiple pages) until you are done (‘Save’).
Then, in ‘Notes’, you can upload the pdf to a folder, email or message.
Sign the document
- Open the document in ‘Notes’ (tap it).
- Select the upload pic at the top and then select ‘Markup’.
- Tap + and then signature, and you can scrawl your signature (see below but neater). Then tap ‘Done’.