Happy New Year to everyone who reads the Lahaina News. I have the best tip of the year coming up, but first I want to thank all the subscribers to the newspaper and Mark, the editor, for printing my columns.

I will continue repairing computers this year, especially Apples, and I love meeting people on the streets asking me computer questions and even getting e-mails about computer problems.

Okay, let’s get started.

Many people are turning to audio books, especially driving over the Pali in bumper-to- bumper traffic from Maalaea to Lahaina, where it’s possible to listen to several chapters. Well, I have a way for you to listen not only to e-books but e-mails and news articles — all for free.

Siri can do this little hidden trick by simply saying: “Hey Siri, Speak Screen.” To set this up on your iPhone, iPad and Macbook, go to Settings, Accessible, Spoken Content and click on Speak Selection and Speak Screen. Now you’re all set up and ready to go.

Let’s try it out. Open up Safari, go to ABC News and select a page that has text on it. Now say, “Hey Siri, Speak Screen.” Just sit back and let Siri do the talking.

If you have Kindle books or iBooks, go ahead and open up a book. Once opened on a page, say: “Hey Siri, Speak Screen.” Not only will Siri read the page, but she will continue on to the next page and so forth.

Wow… so if you have an iPad and use it to read a bedtime story at night, now you can just kick back and listen to it without swiping your finger to the next page.

Speaking of swiping your finger — did you know if you swipe your finger to the left on the iPhone before you open it up, your camera pops up ready for you to take a photo?

Apple is now letting you check your heart rate and breathing without a smartwatch and using your iPhone. First download the Google Fit App. Once you link your Google account, you’ll also be asked if you want to link the data with Apple Health.

In the Google Fit App, tap Browse at the bottom of the screen, then Tap Vitals, then Check your heart rate. Follow the prompts and place your finger over your iPhone’s rear-facing camera (in a well-lit area).

After around 30 seconds, the app will estimate how quickly your blood is pumping. Google Fit can also measure your respiratory rate by observing chest movements through your smartphone’s front-facing camera.

Follow the same directions to check your breathing by selecting Track Your Respiratory Rate in the Vitals menu. You’ll have to use the front-facing camera and sit still for 30 seconds.

Well, you have plenty to fiddle around with in this article, so have fun!

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