Category: “Just Nancy”

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Speak Instead of Write Your Blog Posts

Using Speech to Text
Using Speech to Text

This past week I may have broken my wrist, my right hand wrist!  As I can’t type with my left hand and even mousing with my left hand is hard, I decided I would try speech to text. In fact I am dictating this blog post right now.

First, I bought a CMTech Studio USB microphone on Amazon. I bought it because it was inexpensive and it was an easy plug and play item . I got delivery in one day. I plugged the device into my computer and it immediately recognized it. Then I followed the very short instructions to start speaking to text.

Windows makes it very easy to integrate speech to text with a microphone. Using the dictation menu, I’m able to have the microphone listen to me and even add punctuation.

Now Instead of being worried that I won’t be able to work or send emails with a broken wrist in a cast, I’m able to talk to my computer and it will write exactly as I speak. I can then do minor punctuation and spacing corrections and still be able to get out a nice volume of content with a hand in a brace.

To turn on speech to text the first time, click the Windows icon on your keyboard and then H at the same time to open up the dictation menu. You then click the microphone in the dictation bar to allow your microphone to listen to you and then Windows does the magic and converts it into text.

You can use this very cool application in any text field. Right now I’m using the microphone to type into WordPress. I’ve also tried speech to text in Outlook and Gmail. It is really easy to use and fast to set up.

You can read more about windows speech to text at the link below.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/14198/windows-7-dictate-text-using-speech-recognition

 

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Google Strives to Become Amazon

McCord Web Services is a Google Partner and a Certified Google Ads Professional
McCord Web Services is a Google Partner and a Certified Google Ads Professional

I listened with interest at the Google Marketing Live 2019 presentation this past week to how Google will try to compete head to head with Amazon. Clearly they are afraid they are losing too much market share.

Here’s what I learned:

Google will be making all products shown on its 8 properties shoppable. You will be able to buy items directly from ads on YouTube videos from within the search results and you will be able to choose to buy it through the Google Platform or from the business owner’s website.

Google will be providing customer service when you buy it from them and will allow for simple returns as well as a Google guarantee.

You will be able to use your Google payment profile to pay for merchandise. Additionally, shopping and buying features will soon be appearing in the Google Assistant which appears to have Alexa firmly in its sight.

Google will even be making images found in the image search into shoppable ads.  Clearly from this announcement, and very tight integration of selling products into all Google properties, Google does not want to lose out to Amazon on being the premier shopping and buying platform.

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter for more interesting information that surfaces on the web from Google and Amazon.

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Viking River Cruises Internet Access

The Trouble with Travel is Staying Connected.
The Trouble with Travel is Staying Connected.

Going on a Viking River cruise in Europe? I’ve just been on one and wanted to share with you my Internet access experience so you can plan better than I did.

First, I have Verizon and I do have the Verizon Travel Pass. I expected to be able to use my own data plan with Verizon for Internet access to my business while on travel. What I found out is the following.

Wi-fi access on the boat is literally non-existent. If you sit in one of the common areas, you may be able to upload a Facebook photo and maybe, just maybe, do a Facebook messenger phone call, but do not plan on connecting your laptop or doing real work.

Even if the boat is in port, you will still have issues with connectivity. You simply set yourself up for frustration to use the boat internet.

Now, here’s the big kicker, I thought I would be able to use Verizon for my access when the boat connection was poor, but Verizon must have very little coverage in the area of Germany, France, and Switzerland along the Rhine. I found that even out of the port on a bus to a tour that I was roaming with little or no connectivity using Verizon. The ability to read email with no attachments was about the extent of what I found doable.

My recommendation is that if you are traveling on a Viking River cruise, plan on not getting online. If you do, it will be a bonus!

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Domain Name Management Tips

Here's What to Know About Domain Names
Here’s What to Know About Domain Names

Whether you have a new online business or an existing one you’ll want to review my tips on domain name management.

Review
Periodically review the domain names you own. If you don’t need one or are not pursuing that aspect of your business, save money and don’t renew a domain name you won’t need in the future.

Secure
When you start your business, secure domain name variations of your company name to protect your brand. Consider buying the .us variation in addition to the .com if you are a U.S. based business and other country extensions if you have a presence there.

Save Money
You don’t need to buy hosting for every domain name you own. You can use domain forwarding to point domains you own to your main desired domain where your website resides.

Select
New or old, periodically it makes sense to review the domain names you do own. For those you are using for your website and online presence, set your renewal in five year increments. For those you may let go in the future consider one year or two year renewals.

Need help with our domain name management? Contact www.McCordWeb.com today.