Planning your spring break? I shared tips with WTAM 1100 Newsradio for keeping your devices safe on Wi-Fi networks at the airport, coffee shop, or cafe during your travel.
Tag: Safety
#TechTuesday – Social Apps Your Teens Use
Teens will always find ways to use technology to socialize. Once upon a time, it was party lines, then chat rooms, and now apps.
In this week’s #TechTuesday episode on WTAM 1100 Newsradio, Bill Wills and I discuss a recent New York Times article on the range of new social media apps teens are using, including video messaging and anonymous sharing networks.
For parents who are not sure where to start with online safe behavior, I recommend bookmarking SafeKids.com and ConnectSafely.org.
In particular, consider printing out family contracts for online safety as a way to discuss the topic with kids and teens and ensure everyone understands rules and boundaries for their online behavior.
Every parent will have different approaches to their kids, but it’s important that you have these discussions early so that you can keep an ongoing communication about topics like cyberbullying and other unsafe behavior or threads online.
WTAM 1100 – Smartphone Snow Apps
Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – February 3rd, 2015:
This week has seen a lot of Winter storms hitting the midwest. While we’re still digging ourselves out from yet another snowstorm, here’s a list of apps that can be useful for dealing with Winter’s wrath:
- Plowz and Mowz – Like Uber for snow plowing. It allows you to search for on-demand snow plowing (or mowing service during warmer weather) in your area, either through the website or the smartphone app available for Android and iOS.
- First Aid – Protect yourself with step-by-step instructions first aid from the American Red Cross.
- Waze – Get a head’s up as you head into work with traffic and road hazard alerts using this free GPS app that provides information from other drivers on your route.
- Snow Day Calculator Looking to get your kid’s hopes up? Snow Day Calculator has both a web page and downloadable app that allows you to enter your zip code in and get a rough percentage chance that their school will be closed. The app was built a few years back by a middle school student who is now at MIT.
WTAM 1100 – Stay Safe While Holiday Shopping Online
Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – November 25th, 2014
The holiday season is fast approaching and more people than ever are purchasing gifts for friends and family online. Unfortunately, ’tis also the season for online crime, and cybercriminals are on the lookout for ways to interfere with your online shopping. Whether it’s your smartphone, tablet, or computer, you need to protect your personal information in order to shop safely and securely online.
Fret not, Geek Squad has tips on safe online shopping during the holidays!
Part 1: Let’s Be Safe Out There:
– Research “too good to be true” sites or offers.
– Only make purchases from secure websites.
– Use strong passwords on banking and financial online accounts.
– Whenever possible, use a credit card rather than a debit card.
– Only shop using your own computer or smartphone.
– Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi networks.
– Do not save your credit card information on the merchant’s web site.
– Be sure you understand the return, refund, and shipping and handling policies before you place your order.
Read more at at the Geek Squad Intelligence Blog.
Part 2: Scams in the Wireless World:
– Watch out for fake hotspots in popular public locations.
– Avoid clicking on links in unexpected messages.
– Be on the lookout for phishing text messages claiming to be your bank.
Read more at Geek Squad Intelligence Blog.
Need more help? Our Geek Squad Agents will be available 24/7 throughout the holidays for Online Support at geeksquad.com/chat, at 1-800 GEEKSQUAD (800-433-5778), and at your local Best Buy during normal store hours.
Statistically Cool Helmet from Icon
Motorcycle riders may have seen this helmet diagram before in discussions about motorcycle safety. It comes from a safety study by Dr. Dietmar Otte and shows where impacts were recorded on motorcycle helmets during researched crashes. It’s a strong argument for a full-face helmet, with nearly 35% of crashes involving an impact to the chin area.
A few years back, gear maker Icon made a one-off of their new Airframe Construct helmet with Dr. Otte’s diagram printed on it. They wanted to highlight how their helmets are built with those impact numbers in mind and have an extra layer of protective material around the chin area.
Clearly, the design has been much requested by Icon’s market, because the company will be bringing the Icon 1000 Airframe Statistic Helmet to stores soon.
Here’s a preview from Revzilla: