With midterm elections coming up, now is a great time to use your computer to access the candidates’ websites and laugh at all their promises. I pretty much sit on the middle of the fence and enjoy both sides debating each other. But the Guinness World Record for the best debate response goes to Tamara Paltin during the last mayoral race. When asked by the mayor if she could understand and manage the Maui County budget, her reply was ready… “AH, BUDGET a budget.”

You’re going to like this: Apple is adding a new feature to the AirPods in iOS 12. The free software update for iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches will enable users to activate a feature previously reserved for hearing aids. Live Listen will enable the iPhone’s microphone, and you listen through Apple’s new Airpods to hear what the other person is saying. Users will soon have the option to turn Live Listen on and set as an accessibility shortcut to adjust the volume. Spend $150 for Airpods or $2,000 for a hearing aid? No-brainer!

Let’s say you’re at a meeting and don’t want to miss your incoming notifications. You can make your notifications blink instead of making a sound, and you won’t disturb anyone around you. Go to Settings, General, Accessibilities, Let Flash for Alerts; click it on and also Flash on Silent.

Here is a neat trick that may come in handy while taking a video on the iPhone. Let’s say you’re walking down Front Street videoing all the tourists walking on the sidewalk when all of a sudden, a cosmetic store seller runs out and grabs a 96-year-old wheelchair lady, claiming their product can make her walk again and look like a 20-year-old Miss America. If you want to get a picture of him and turn it in to Lahaina Restoration Society, it’s easy to do.

While videoing him, you will see a white circle next to the red Start and Stop button. Just press on the White Circle, and you have your pic. Look for it in your Photos App.

Some users have complained that Face ID doesn’t always work on the first try, but if you swipe up from the bottom, it should work.

If you have an iPhone X, you can send a text with an animated Emoji. These animated characters speak what you record. Now Apple gives you 30 seconds instead of ten seconds, and you can create your own personal Emojis. Just select face, hair and eye color with even freckles. So, when you send someone a text, your animated face will speak, blink, wink and turn your head while talking. You don’t have to use Godzilla anymore.

Send your computer-related questions to mauimist8669@yahoo.com.