I use the Pages app on my MacBook Air to write my articles for the Lahaina News because after Catalina and Big Sur, you can’t use older 32-bit versions of Microsoft Word, and you’re forced to buy Word 360. So if you don’t want to spend the big bucks, you can use Pages.

But wait!! You can also use Text Edit, which comes free on all Mac versions. You don’t get all the whistles and bells, but in a pinch you can whip out a quick resume.

The nice thing about Pages is that you can use the Export option to convert it to a Microsoft Word document. There’s a couple really neat features using Pages that I want to show you today. It’s called Image Gallery, and what it does is allow you to place more than one photo in your document — and they are stacked on top of each other instead of side by side, which saves you space.

To do this, you need to have Pages open to a new document. Click on Insert at the top and choose Image Gallery. Then open up your Photo Library. You have two separate screens showing side by side. Let’s choose three or four photos by clicking on one with your mouse, holding down the shift key and clicking on another two. Once they are all selected, drag them over to the Pages window screen, where there is a new box labeled “Drag Images Here,” and release your mouse. You can view each photo stacked on top of each other by clicking on the right > key. You can also insert a video in the Image Gallery by dropping it in the Image Gallery box.

Now if you use Pages on your iPhone or iPad, a document opens up in Reader Mode. That means you can only read the contents of your document. So what’s the fun in that ? Actually, if you look at the top right of your screen, you’ll see EDIT — clicking on it now puts you in Edit Mode where you can add or delete text. You’ll also notice a small circle with three dots inside it next to the Edit box. If you click on it, then you can do other features like Print, Export, Share and send a message or e-mail.

The coolest thing is called the Presenter Mode. It puts you in a special mode like reading off a teleprompter. You could also Auto Scroll. So with Auto Scroll turned on while using your big iPad, you can set the speed for slower automatic scrolling up if you never finished the third grade. And if you’re planning on running for president in 2024, and the Rotary Club schedules a virtual Zoom event, you can use this teleprompter mode speech to get you a quick landslide victory!

Here’s another trick that you might like. If you hold down the option key and click your mouse on the very top righthand corner of the screen that shows a double arrow, the page becomes full screen. If you double-click the very top, it shrinks it back to its original size.

Did you ever get an e-mail document where you had to sign it and send it back? Well, I have the best solution ever for doing that. First thing is to open up your e-mail and print out the document. Next, lay it on a flat table and take your iPhone and snap a picture of it. Now open up Photos on the iPhone and choose the photo of your document. On the top right is a circle with three dots in it. Click on it and choose Markup. You’ll notice a bunch of pencils below, so click on the + sign and then on Signature. Here is where the fun begins.

You can create your own personal signature by clicking on the Add or Remove Signature. So don’t just stare at it — click on it. A new screen pops up where you can tap the blue +, and a new screen pops up where on the bottom line, you can use your finger to create your new signature. Don’t attempt this if you’ve been drinking all night long.

Click Done, and your signature now appears on the document page; you can slide it around to the exact spot where they want you to sign, and you can shrink the box, too.

Here’s the cool part. Next time you need to sign the divorce papers, your signature is saved, and you don’t need to go through the process to create another one. Crack open another beer and celebrate!

Send your computer-related questions to MauiMist@aol.com.