The Latest on Phrase Express, Oleophobic Coating, and Reader View/Mode

Phrase Express (Windows, Mac & iOS) is one of my favorite and most used software applications. I use the application to help me quickly insert commonly used text(s) into e-mails, text messages, documents, online posts, and just about anywhere I need to enter text. Sometimes I use Phrase Express to help me insert as little as a single non-standard keyboard character (an interrobang for example), and other times I use it to insert multiple paragraphs or pages worth of pre-written and reusable template text. I can’t offer you a fair (complete) overview of all the program’s features here, but I can and do encourage everyone to visit and explore the product’s website where complete product details can be found (including an online user’s manual).

An added benefit for iOS device users is that there’s also a Phrase Express app available that extends much of the product’s functionality to iOS devices. Yes, there is a learning curve and quite a bit of functionality available, but you can start simply. Something to keep in mind about the application is that over time, the more you invest in setting things up (adding your reusable texts/templates/etc.) the more useful the application becomes. To learn more, simply visit and explore the products web page at…www.phraseexpress.com (I think you’ll be impressed.)

Additional application help can be found at the product’s blog… www.phraseexpress.com/blog, and company YouTube Channel… https://www.youtube.com/c/Bartelsmedia. If you do some web/YouTube searches using search keywords like “PhraseExpress tutorial” you’ll find even more helpful information.

Bonus: You can receive a 10% discount (until December 31, 2020) on any paid versions of Phrase Express that’s purchased from the phraseexpress.com website. How? Use the coupon code “realtor2020” (without the quotes) during the checkout process. Yes, a free trial period is available, so you can give the product a try before you buy.

Oleophobic Coating

Why do touchscreens on new devices feel so smooth and what makes them so fingerprint resistant? The answer to those questions is that new touchscreens commonly have a factory applied “oleophobic coating” on them. Unfortunately, over time, factory-applied oleophobic coatings wear off with use and repeated cleaning. Fortunately, you can restore, or regain much of that new phone screen performance by applying a new oleophobic coating to the screen, or by attaching a new (tempered glass, recommended) screen protector over your current screen (new screen protectors often have factory-applied oleophobic coatings on them).

If you would like to review an article that takes you through the process of applying a new oleophobic coating, a howtogeek.com article titled “How to Protect and Restore Your Smartphone’s Oleophobic Coating” is available for you to review here…
https://www.howtogeek.com/662731/how-to-protect-and-restore-your-smartphones-oleophobic-coating/

Factory-applied oleophobic coatings last longer than those that can be applied by consumers using aftermarket products. With this in mind, another option to consider is installing a screen protector over your device’s screen (screen protectors often have a factory applied oleophobic coating on them). My experience is that tempered glass screen protectors typically feel closest to a device’s original glass screen.

Tip 1: If you decide to get a screen protector for a device, to help ease and improve the likelihood of a successful installation, you should look for screen protectors that include an installation alignment guide/frame. To help you find tempered glass screen protectors that include an installation or alignment guide/frame simply visit a search engine and use the following as your search keywords…

[Phone manufacture name] [phone model name] tempered glass installation alignment guide frame

Tip 2: If your phone’s touchscreen is not entirely flat (and instead curves down around the edges) consider adding the words “dot matrix” to your search criteria. Why? Some screen protectors add a dot matrix pattern around the outer edges to help maintain good outer edge touch screen accuracy and performance. I’ve used both, typically less expensive poorer fitting screen protectors with dot-matrix edges, and more expensive protectors that form fit better and don’t need to have a dot matrix pattern around the edges. Personally, I didn’t notice a performance difference between the two and the aesthetic difference between screen protectors with/without a dot matrix pattern on them didn’t bother me.

Reader View, Reader Mode, Article View,
Article Mode, Immersive Reader, Etc.

These days, many web browsers have some type of built-in “reader view” or “reader mode” available for you to use. The primary goal of reader views/modes etc. is to provide you with a more enjoyable and efficient reading experience. This goal is achieved by removing ads and other page elements that interrupt, clutter, or surround the page’s main text. Unfortunately, the name given to the reader view feature/capability on different browsers, platforms, etc. isn’t consistent across devices and platforms.

To help you find and learn about your web browser(s) reader view, reader mode, etc. I’ve found that doing a web search that includes your web browser’s name (Chrome, Safari, Edge, etc.), your computing platform (Windows 10, Mac, iOS, Android, etc.), and additional search keywords/phrases like “reader view,” “reader mode,” “article view,” “article mode,” “immersive reader” “add-on,” “extension,” “enable,” “flag” and “setting”…will all help you find links to relevant information.

The following link leads to some articles that address the above for some of the most common web browsers and platforms…
https://bit.ly/35mwcqe

Tip: Outline.com can be used as a universal (web-based) reader view application. Simply copy the address of a web page that you want to be cleaned up for easier reading, and then paste it into the “Enter Article URL” box that you’ll find at www.outline.com.(This works for most web pages.)

If you have any comments, suggestions, tips, or questions, you can e-mail John at john@johnvrooman.com.