It’s spring cleaning season but we aren’t talking about your house…we’re talking about your screens.  Yes we’ve got tech expert Chi-Lan Lieu with tips on how to clean out your apps, detox your desktop and more!

Well if you’re feeling busy or stressed out…it may be time to spring clean.  And this time we’re talking about spring cleaning your screen time and getting those apps to start working for you a little bit better.  Joining us with all the tips and tricks is tech guru Chi-Lan Lieu.

What is one tip you have when spring cleaning our screens?

Chi-Lan Lieu: Well one of the first tips I have is figuring out what you want your apps to do for you.  I mean there are a ton of apps out there and everyone recommending all of these different apps so everyone has downloaded everything onto their phones.  So it’s important to figure out what your goals are, what your needs are and then you can tailer your social media app menu on your phone to fit your lifestyle and save you time to reach those goals.

So many apps claim to help you “stay connected,” but what are the best ones?

Chi-Lan: It’s Facebook and that’s because it has over 1.5 billion active monthly users if you can believe that.  And Facebook is just so powerful in terms of the tools it gives people to help stay connected.  Not only can you type up your status, you can add a picture, you can upload a video; but because of the popularity of Snapchat and Periscope which is all about live video feeds & interacting live with your audience be it your friends or family.  Facebook is now rolling out an option where you can do that within the app.  So you don’t have to go to another app at all, you don’t have to have your friends and family connected to you through another app, it’s all gonna be done within Facebook and it’s really exciting.

What are some great ideas for keeping up with what’s going on in the world?

Let’s talk about Twitter because it’s such an interesting app, right? It started as this microblogging social network and it’s evolved to become – among other things – an essential source for breaking news.  It’s also created this new class of reporting called “citizen journalism,” which has brought all of these different angles to stories that have affected us over the past few years.  It’s also allowed us like a deeper understanding of what’s happening on the ground even before traditional media can get out there via the radio or via the TV.  It’s just incredible for breaking news.

And when you want to discover something what helps us do that?

Well when you want to discover something new, indulging your interests and really to be inspired to be creative and learn, surveys point to Pinterest because it really does all of that.  You can just sit back and indulge in the fact that you want a vacation to Southeast Asia, you can go through Pinterest and create a board, look at beautiful pictures and plan for when that can happen.  You can take more “me” time and really relax and just discover something new that you want to try whether it’s trying something new like rocking a new style…Pinterest is just this amazing catalog of ideas and just allows everyone to try everything they’ve ever wanted.

About Chi-Lan Lieu

Taking the intimidation out of tech is where Chi-Lan Lieu excels. After more than 10 years as a tech reporter/producer, Chi-Lan has worked tirelessly to make technology accessible to the masses, and delivers fun, useful stories and tips that help viewers live a happier, healthier life.  Chi-Lan is currently the Technology & Lifestyle Expert for CBS’s hit daytime talk show, THE TALK. She’s appeared on numerous show to talk tech, including GOOD MORNING AMERICA, ELLEN, THE VIEW, TV GUIDE, E! ENTERTAINMENT, among others. She’s also hosted the groundbreaking trendspotting show, CW NOW bringing trending tech, travel, and style stories to a dedicated on-air and online audience. Chi-Lan has also been at the helm of numerous HGTV series and specials, including HGTV’S SMART HOME and LIVING ABROAD.