How to disable Copilot in Microsoft Word

Microsoft has integrated Copilot, its generative AI tool, into Word, Excel, and other Microsoft 365 applications. There are many benefits to using Copilot—which Microsoft is quick to point out—but it may not be for everyone. For example, with some layouts in Word, Copilot will superimpose its icon over the text (and possibly cursor) beneath it, as shown below.

Disabling Copilot in Microsoft Word is a simple process. If you ever want to reenable it, that can be done easily as well. To disable Copilot in Word, follow these steps:

• Select the File tab (upper left)
• Select Options (lower left)
• Select Copilot
• Uncheck the box next to Enable Copilot
• Select OK

How to display the IP address on an HP LaserJet 4250 printer

When an HP LaserJet 4250 printer is on and ready to print, the only thing displayed on the screen is "Ready."  However, you can set your printer to display its IP address.  Displaying the IP address isn't always necessary but can be helpful -- it prevents having to hunt through the onscreen menus to find it when you need it.

Follow the steps below to display the IP address for an HP 4250 printer.  (You can turn the IP address display off at any time by following these steps and selecting "Off.")  These instructions also apply to the other printers in this series, including the LaserJet 4200, 4300, and 4350.

From the ready screen, press the down arrow button to bring up the menu.  Scroll down through the menu options until you see Configure Device, then press Select (the green button with the check mark on it).

Scroll down through the Configure Device menu until you come to System Setup.  Press Select when System Setup is the highlighted choice.  Then scroll down to Show Address and press Select.  

Two choices will be displayed on the screen: Auto and Off.  The one with the asterisk (*) next to it, which will probably be Off, is the active choice.  To turn IP address display on, use the up or down arrow to highlight Auto, then press Select.  A message will be displayed to let you know that the new setting has been saved.

When you exit out of the menu (by using the Back button) the printer's IP address will be displayed under the word "Ready".

🛈 IT departments often use stickers to denote printer IP addresses.  By setting the printer to display its IP address on the ready screen, you can avoid having to tag each printer.  It also eliminates the headache of having to re-tag each printer if you ever need to change its IP address.

(Originally published on Helium.com, 2011)

How to replace the battery in a Relic ZR11812 watch

Why pay a jeweler to replace the battery in your watch when you could do it yourself?  A decent watch repair kit only costs about $20 and can save you money even after only one or two uses.

Replacing the battery in a Relic Bailey Stainless Steel Watch can be done in under 10 minutes by following the steps below.

You will need:

• Replacement battery (SR621SW / 364)
• Watch back removal tool (or precision needle nose pliers)
• Tweezers (or precision needle nose pliers)
• Precision flathead screwdriver (or thin-bladed knife)
  
  

🛈 These instructions were written for the Relic ZR11812 Bailey watch, but they also apply to similar Relic models.

⚠ Always be careful when taking a watch apart not to damage the face or scratch the watch.

1. Remove the back cover

To get to the battery, you need to take the back cover off.  There are several notches cut into the edge of the cover; use the watch back removal tool to grip two of these notches, then turn the tool counter-clockwise to unscrew the cover.  (The watch back removal tool can be adjusted by moving the two prongs to the correct distance from each other, then tightening the movable prong.)

Once the cover is unscrewed, remove it and place it somewhere safe.  There is a thin black gasket on the inside of the cover; be careful not to lose this gasket.

2. Remove the old battery

With the cover removed, you'll see a plastic circular piece with a wide bar going across the back of the watch.  Pull this piece straight out with a pair of tweezers or small pliers.

The battery will now be exposed.  There are a couple of tabs holding the battery in place.  One of these tabs is on a movable arm -- use a small flathead screwdriver or thin knife to push this arm away from the battery and pop the battery out.

3. Install the new battery

Insert the new battery into the battery cavity, with the side with the writing on it facing up (away from the front side of the watch).  Push the battery under the two unmovable tabs first, then pull the movable tab away and slide the battery in place, then let the movable tab return to its position.  If the battery is correctly in place, the watch will start ticking again (unless you have the knob pulled out).

4. Close the watch

Reinstall the plastic round piece, with the wide bar covering the battery.  Then place the back cover (with gasket in place) back onto the watch, and turn it clockwise by hand until it starts to get tight.  Tighten it completely using your watch back removal tool or precision pliers.


(Originally published on Helium.com, 2013)
(Disclaimer: I may earn a commission on Amazon sales made from links in this post.)

Energizer batteries on sale at Amazon

Amazon has a great deal on Energizer batteries right now -- 48 batteries (24 AA and 24 AAA) for just $23.07. That's less than 50 cents per battery, a hard-to-beat price. It's a limited time deal but no specified end date, so best to buy now before the price goes back up.

These batteries have a shelf life of up to 10 years, so even if you don't need them now, this is a great time to stock up at an amazing price.

(Disclaimer: I earn a commission on Amazon sales made from links in this post.)

(Image by PublicDomainPictures from Pixabay)

How to opt out of LinkedIn using your data to train AI models

LinkedIn is making changes to its privacy settings. One of those changes involves feeding user data (your data) into the company's generative AI (GenAI) models to help train them. Users in the UK, European Economic Area, and Switzerland are not yet impacted by this change, but users in other areas of the world may automatically be opted in.

See below for how to opt out of letting LinkedIn train its GenAI models on your data. These steps apply to the desktop version of the website, but should be similar for the mobile version.

• While logged into your LinkedIn account, click the "Me" icon on the bar across the top of the screen.
• From the drop down menu that appears, select "Settings & Privacy".
• Select "Data Privacy" on the left sidebar.
• Select "Data for Generative AI Improvement".
• If the toggle for "Use my data for training content creation AI models" is set to On, select it to turn it Off.

How to find the IP address for a Konica Minolta bizhub 368e copier

To view the IP address for a Konica Minolta bizhub 368e multifunction printer that's connected to a network:

- Tap Utility on the home screen (near the bottom)
- Tap Device Information

The IP address (IPv4 and/or IPv6) will be displayed on-screen.

How to change the paper size on a Ricoh Aficio 3035 / 3045

Many of the older lower-volume Ricoh copiers use the same basic system for setting the paper size in a paper tray.  There is a dial located either in the front or the back of the tray, and depending on where you set the dial, the system looks for that size paper.  If the dial is set wrong, the copier will jam.

On a Ricoh Aficio 3035 or 3045, the paper dial is located in the back left section of the paper tray.  If you have four paper trays on your copier, each tray will have its own dial.  (Other Ricoh Aficio models that are set up the same way include the 350, 450, 1035, 1045, 2035, and 2045.)  The paper dial is just a green plastic wheel with several common paper sizes and orientations, and it must be set correctly depending on what size paper you have loaded in the tray.  The paper size that shows through the little cut out in the back of the tray is the size that is currently selected.

If you are using a special size paper that isn't shown on the dial, set the dial to the asterisk (*) to signify a non-standard paper size, and you can specify the exact page size in the copier's user settings.  To get to the paper size settings, press the User Tools/Counter button on the operation panel, then on the touch screen select System Settings.  Go to the Tray Paper Settings Tab.  There will be a button labeled Tray Paper Size: Tray 1, as well as additional buttons for each paper tray that the machine has.  Touch the button for the tray you are using, and choose the paper size from the list that appears.  (You can scroll down to see more sizes.)

If the size you are looking for is not represented, press the Custom button, and you can input the paper dimensions manually.  Use the number pad to enter the width and length in inches, and press OK to save your selection.

Any time you change the paper size or orientation (for example, if you change from 8.5" x 11" portrait to 8.5" x 11" landscape) you have to change the dial as well, to let the copier know what dimensions to look for when it feeds the paper through.  If you try to run copies with the wrong paper size selected, the machine will detect timing errors and show a paper jam.

(Originally posted on Helium.com, July 2010)

(Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay)