Tech Q&A: Improving your iPhone's home button, setting up a live stream

Illustration file picture (REUTERS/Kacper Pempel).

Hate iOS 10 home button changes

Q: My iPhone used to unlock by touching the finger scan. Now, I have to wait for the phone to unlock and then press the finger scan. Is there a way to unlock the phone without pressing the finger scan?

A: In iOS 10, Apple uses your iPhone or iPad’s screen to show notifications and widgets. If you want to bypass this and get to your home screen quickly, enable Rest Finger to Open. Go to Settings >> General >> Accessibility >> Home Button and enable Rest Finger to Open by sliding the toggle to the right. Now you can just place your finger on the Touch ID sensor to unlock your phone. Click here for other iOS 10 features, including deleting Apple's preinstalled apps and using the new fun Messages app.

Live streaming under water

Q: We raise turtles, frogs and koi in a 30,000-gallon pond. We want to live stream video underwater a few times during the day and night. Any suggestions?

A: Use a GoPro Hero3 or 4 action camera in its waterproof enclosure. Connect the GoPro to a smartphone via Wi-Fi and use apps such as Periscope or Livestream to stream footage directly from the GoPro. You can submerge the camera on a mount and monitor footage on your phone's screen. The GoPro's battery life is about an hour and a half when the camera is set to 720p and the Wi-Fi is enabled. If you plan to stream at night, you’ll need a separate lighting source. Another option is to use a waterproof enclosure with a standard video recorder. Click here for acrylic globe options and tips on waterproofing the electrical cords.

Remove search results from Google

Q: A woman called your national radio show and asked about removing information from Google searches. Can you tell me more?

A: This caller was concerned because her signature appeared on a website. I recommended that she use Google's URL removal tool. Google will ask you a few questions about the content you want to remove and the address of the content, and it will review the situation. Google usually responds quickly to requests to remove sensitive information like Social Security numbers, bank accounts, credit cards and images of signatures. Click here for more information and the links you need to remove search results from Google.

Tech and education

Q: My daughter's homework assignment asked her to use Wikipedia as a source for her research. Is Wikipedia reliable?

A: Wikipedia contains a wealth of interesting information, but it shouldn't be trusted as a reliable academic source. Content on Wikipedia is written collaboratively by anonymous users, which means anyone can contribute. The site has a peer review process to prevent errors, but there have been several instances where false information has been published. Talk to your daughter's teacher and recommend Scholarpedia.com. It uses the same concept as Wikipedia, but you must be a university faculty member or researcher to contribute, and all contributed content is reviewed by other experts. Click here for other questions you should ask your child's teacher.

Free photo editing software

Q: On your national radio show, I heard you mention a free alternative to Photoshop. What was that software called again?

A. Paint.NET, which you can download for free, is a cross between Photoshop and Windows' MS Paint. The tools are easy to use and include options for using layers to add text, patterns, shapes and gradients to any photo. You can also sharpen images, remove red eye and add special effects such as motion blur. To try it out, click here for step-by-step download instructions.

From buying advice to digital life issues, be sure to listen or download my podcasts. Click here to find your local radio station. If you are looking for topics about everything digital that you can listen to on your phone, tablet or computer, click here for my free podcasts.

On the Kim Komando Show, the nation's largest weekend radio talk show, Kim takes calls and dispenses advice on today's digital lifestyle, from smartphones and tablets to online privacy and data hacks. For her daily tips, free newsletters and more, visit her website at Komando.com.