Tech – Techie Dad – Creative Technologist https://techiedad.me Technology, Innovation, Communication, Design, Creativity and my Kids Sun, 13 Dec 2020 19:05:07 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://techiedad.me/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/cropped-td-32x32.png Tech – Techie Dad – Creative Technologist https://techiedad.me 32 32 122488977 10 Tips to Better Protect Your Online Privacy https://techiedad.me/10-tips-to-better-protect-your-online-privacy/ https://techiedad.me/10-tips-to-better-protect-your-online-privacy/#respond Thu, 12 Dec 2019 22:18:06 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1773 Today, our privacy and security are increasingly at risk every day.

Do you own a mobile device? Do you take pictures and videos? Do you chat with other people? Do you send/receive texts, videos, or images? Do you have social media accounts? Then, just like everyone, your privacy is at risk?

The biggest threat to our cyber-security is ourselves. The way we handle our mobile devices and manage the content on these devices makes all the difference.

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Today, our privacy and security are increasingly at risk every day.

Do you own a mobile device? Do you take pictures and videos? Do you chat with other people? Do you send/receive texts, videos, or images? Do you have social media accounts? Then, just like everyone, your privacy is at risk?

The biggest threat to our cyber-security is ourselves. The way we handle our mobile devices and manage the content on these devices makes all the difference.

Here Are a Few Tips to Better Protect Your Online Presence:

1- Password Protect Your Mobile Device!

Limit access to your mobile devices, and don’t share your password.
Choose a complex password, activate face-ID, enable the wipe-my-phone feature to auto-erase your phone after numerous failed password attempts.

2- Do Not Share Your iCloud, Google Account Passwords!

Your iCloud password (iPhone) or your Google Password is not just used to set up your mobile device, this is your master password.
Sharing this password means giving remote access to all your personal data: Picture, contacts, chats, files, cloud storage, and more. Sharing this password is like giving your home keys to a complete stranger.

3- Clear Your Phone Before Sending it for Repair!

I’ve seen people share their passwords with the phone repair guy!
If you absolutely have to share your device, make sure to remove all your pics, delete chats/notes, and log out of social media apps before sharing your mobile device. Reset your passwords directly after retrieving your phone and set up two-factor authentication.

4- Stop Saving Your Passwords on Notes and Memo Apps!

Nothing drives me crazy more than seeing people’s passwords unsecured and publicly displayed on their devices. People just don’t realize that their privacy, confidentiality, and money are at risk. Passwords should never be stored on the notes and memo apps but rather on specialized secure software (i.e., 1Password, Lastpass, Dashlane, etc.).

Here are a few tips on how to better choose a password:

– Stop using 123456″ or “password” as your password.
– Don’t use your name, names of your family members or birthdays
– Passwords should be at least 8-10 digits long. Make sure you are using lowercase, uppercase, and numbers together. example: Tyi8r32wQ$#@s
– Don’t use the same password across your different accounts
– Use random passwords generated by your password managers
– Use 2 step password protection when available
– Update and change your password regularly
– Use a password management solution/app (more details here)

5- Do Not Share Sensitive Pictures/Videos!

If your photo/video is of sensitive nature, do not share it with anyone, not even with your close friends. Any picture that is shared from your device is at risk of becoming public.
Make sure to regularly download photos from your phone and archive them on your computer, don’t keep all your original pics on your mobile device.

6- Don’t Connect Your Phone to Other People’s Computers!

Many people still don’t know how to download pictures from their devices, they might give their phone to a friend to download the images. This means that for a certain amount of time, that person has full access to your device and data.

7- Nothing is Private!

Private Groups or Chats are not so confidential, after all.
Let’s just agree that private chats are not so secure. What do you do when someone on the group itself screenshots the content of the conversation.

If you really have to engage in a private chat, then make sure you are chatting with a trusted person. Remember to use secure apps like Telegram or Signal. The conversations in these apps are encrypted and can be set to auto-delete after a certain amount of time.

Remember to regularly clear and delete unused, old, or confidential chats.

8- WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal?

All three apps are secure and encrypted end-to-end. But again, nothing is ever guaranteed. WhatsApp is safe and practical for all our daily usages. But, if you are looking for that extra level of security, Telegram offers a secure voice calling system that supports multiple callers. While Signal has kick*ss secure chatting platform.

9- Protect Your Credit Card Information!

Keep your credit card information safe. It is extremely dangerous to photograph your credit card and share it via WhatsApp. Never email your credit card information. Never write your credit card details on note apps.

10- Beware of Hackers and Phishing Emails!

Don’t fall for scam emails. We regularly receive emails and messages saying that our accounts got hacked and that we need to “Urgently” click here to reset our passwords. Before you click, make sure to check that the sender is a legitimate account. For example, an authentic email from Apple would be: support@apple.com – while a fake mail would be (for example) from email support@appleicloudaccounts.com

In Short:
Delete scam emails, don’t click on suspicious links, and don’t share usernames and passwords.

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Bose SoundSports Free Wireless Headphones https://techiedad.me/bose-soundsports-free-wireless-headphones/ https://techiedad.me/bose-soundsports-free-wireless-headphones/#respond Sun, 17 Feb 2019 11:45:11 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1720 I have to admit I’m a big fan of Bose devices. They have superb sound quality and they are always beautifully designed. I just love to Netflix and chill on my phone with my noise canceling headphones on (a total disconnect), especially when I’m traveling, I just never leave home without them.

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I have to admit I’m a big fan of Bose devices. They have superb sound quality and they are always beautifully designed. I just love to Netflix and chill on my phone with my noise canceling headphones on (a total disconnect), especially when I’m traveling, I just never leave home without them.

I started off with the Bose QuietComfort 3, it’s a wired noise canceling headphone, I still love and use this device, it’s size is just perfect and can easily fit in any backpack, the only problem is that nowadays with the removal of AUX jacks from most devices, you’re forced to move to a wireless headset.

I later upgraded to the Bose QuietComfort 35 II, this is by far the best noise canceling device in the market, it covers all your ears and just clears out any external sound, the audio experience is just amazing, the downside for this device is that it is bulky to carry around. It will take baggage space.

As for the daily activities when moving around, I depend a lot on the Apple AirPods. They are amazing and just perfect for any occasion. The only problem with the AirPods is that they are not designed for advanced movement.

You can use them when walking and moving around but not for sports activities; They will surely fall and interrupt your workout. I once lost one of them on a night-run, ended up spending 10min just to find them.

A few weeks ago, I got the Bose SoundSports Free Wireless Headphones to use when working out, for jogging or when on my bike. These Earphones are just amazing, they hang to your ears like glue, you can move around, shake them, jump etc. they will just hang on. The headphones are water and sweat proof thanks to the water-repellent mesh in the open ports.

The sound quality is just as good as any Bose device, you can use them to hear music or to talk through them just like you do on AirPods.

The earbuds battery can last up to 5 hours of usage and when they run out of juice you can place them in their protective case to recharge them again. The case carries around 10 hours of battery power. A full charging session is about 2 hours time.

The only downside is that you can’t just chill on the couch using these headphones, the weight and pressure on your ears becomes a bit annoying and visible when you are not engaged in any activity.

Overall, this is the best light and wireless sound device available in the market designed for active people, they are sold for around $200 and are available everywhere.

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10 Last Minute Tech Christmas Gift Ideas https://techiedad.me/10-tech-christmas-gift-ideas/ https://techiedad.me/10-tech-christmas-gift-ideas/#respond Sat, 22 Dec 2018 11:14:39 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1661 So, It's almost Christmas Eve and you're still looking for that perfect gift. Here are some last-minute tech-related gift ideas maybe it helps a bit.

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So, It’s almost Christmas Eve and you’re still looking for that perfect gift. Here are some last-minute tech-related gift ideas maybe it helps a bit. (note: below are online prices, showroom prices may vary per country)

1- Google Home / Home Mini

$130 / $50

2- Google Wifi

$130

3- Bose SoundSport Free true wireless headphones

$249

4- Fitbit Alta HR

$99

5- Nintendo NES Classic Edition

$59

6- Apple TV 4K

$179

7- DJI Osmo Mobile 2

$139

 

8- Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

$129

9- Apple Airpods

$159

10- Anker 60W 5-Port Desktop Charger

$49

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Can 280 Characters Save Twitter? https://techiedad.me/can-280-characters-save-twitter/ https://techiedad.me/can-280-characters-save-twitter/#respond Thu, 28 Sep 2017 11:49:31 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1367 Twitter announced that it had expanded its character limit of tweets to 280, this is double the current limit of 140 characters. This new feature will roll out gradually to all users. Currently, it is being tested by a group of select active users, most famous of them all is the President of the United […]

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Twitter announced that it had expanded its character limit of tweets to 280, this is double the current limit of 140 characters.

This new feature will roll out gradually to all users. Currently, it is being tested by a group of select active users, most famous of them all is the President of the United States, referred to online as the Tweeter-In-Chief for his overly active account.
Twitter 140 Characters Limit
It is no secret that Twitter has been struggling for the past few years as many influencers and celebrities like Ed Sheeran have moved away from the social media platform.

Although two of the initial founders, Jack Dorsey and Biz Stone came back to Twitter, no major improvement in user growth and engagement has happened on the platform yet.

Twitter Jack Dorsey 280 Characters
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announcing the new limit

Even with the introduction of live streaming, customer service bots, sports-focused content, and now the 280 extended character limit. Twitter has continued to trail behind Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

Twitter Reply to Jack Dorsey 280 Characters
Replies to Jack Dorsey were not all in favor for the increase in character count

Today, Twitter has lost its status as a “social” platform and transitioned into a news source. News agencies, wires, politics and politicians and Donald Trump are what’s still keeping the platform alive. The problem is that the younger generation has already migrated away from Twitterland.

Will 280 characters bring them back?

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Apple AirPods: An Underrated Device That You Must Have https://techiedad.me/apple-airpods-review/ https://techiedad.me/apple-airpods-review/#respond Sat, 05 Aug 2017 12:37:10 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1210 When Apple announced the AirPods along the iPhone 7 back in September, I thought that they are bound to fail. I was always struggling with my wired earphones to keep them on my ears as they were constantly fall off, so I expected the same experience from the AirPods. To my surprise, the AirPods are […]

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When Apple announced the AirPods along the iPhone 7 back in September, I thought that they are bound to fail. I was always struggling with my wired earphones to keep them on my ears as they were constantly fall off, so I expected the same experience from the AirPods.

To my surprise, the AirPods are the best wireless earbuds I have ever used. I have been using them for the past 2 months now and I am in love with them. I’ve jumped around, jogged, traveled, worked on my computer and roamed around the office, and not once did they fall off.

AirPods TechieDad Size

Connecting your AirPods:

AirPods TechieDad Connect

For iPhone users, connecting the AirPods is very easy and intuitive, all you need to do is unpack and connect via Bluetooth. Once paired the AirPods will connect automatically every time removed from their charging case and placed on your ear, they will not connect if not on the ear. The AirPods will work on Android devices but with limited functionalities.

You can always check the battery status of both the AirPods and the charging case. Each earbud has its own battery life and can be used individually. I use both left and right devices when I am listening to music but prefer to use only one when making phone calls. You can also share with someone when listening to music but on a phone call, only one person can hear.

AirPods TechieDad Setup

You can customize each AirPod to setup the double-tap functionality. You can select any of these features: Siri, Play/Pause, Next Track, Previous Track or just keep it off.

Battery Life:

AirPods TechieDad Case

I have not complained yet about battery life, especially that the charging case has enough power for 24 hrs. I have been using the Airpods constantly, most of the time using one AirPod at a time for phone calls so if the battery drains out, you can charge it while using the second piece. Charging is very fast and effective.

Practicality:

The AirPods are extremely practical, on the move I can keep them in my jeans’ little pocket and use it when needed. I also love watching youtube or listening to music at night when in bed, without disturbing my wife. The sound quality is really good for such a small device, when you get sleepy just remove them they will turn off the music automatically.

Apple even introduced Find My AirPods on iOS 10.3, you can locate where you last used your AirPods from the Find My iPhone App.

I highly recommend the AirPods, they are now in high demand and out of stock in many major European cities. If you can’t physically find them, the best way is to order them online from the Apple website, they are being sold for $159. It is an expensive device but in my opinion worth the money.

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Get Ready to Pay Additional Taxes On New Phones in Lebanon https://techiedad.me/new-taxes-phones-imei-lebanon/ https://techiedad.me/new-taxes-phones-imei-lebanon/#respond Sun, 02 Jul 2017 11:29:33 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1198 As of September, you will be paying additional taxes on newly purchased phones in Lebanon. The Ministry of Telecommunications reactivated the “DII” project that was put on hold back in 2014. The ministry claims that the main purpose of the project is to fight illegal, fake and replicated phones. Technically, phones with an invalid IMEI […]

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As of September, you will be paying additional taxes on newly purchased phones in Lebanon. The Ministry of Telecommunications reactivated the “DII” project that was put on hold back in 2014. The ministry claims that the main purpose of the project is to fight illegal, fake and replicated phones.

Technically, phones with an invalid IMEI number affects the performance of the network as well being a security risk, since fake devices cannot be tracked by the security forces when necessary.

Every authentic smartphone in the world is equipped with an IMEI number, which is a globally unique 15 digit number assigned to all cellular devices, it identifies your device within the mobile network.

IMEI number

In Lebanon, 95% of phones are legal and have a valid IMEI, but around 4% have a fake or replicated IMEI.

In an interview with MTV News, Bassel Al Ayoubi (Director General of Investment and Maintenance at the Ministry of Telecommunication) says that all phones existing and operating in the market for the past three years will be functioning properly without the need to be registered.

Tourists and people traveling to Lebanon from another country will have a grace period of 60 days/year before having to register their phones.

If you are planning to get a new phone soon, then you will need to register the device and pay the additional fees.

If you have a fake device, then you will have a few months before you are forced to change it. After a certain period, a small amount of money will be automatically reduced from your mobile account every month.

How Do I Know If My Phone is Legal and Has a Valid IMEI?

A process will be announced by the ministry and the telecom operators in which the user can validate if his device has a GSMA approved IMEI or you can simply check on this website.

IMEI check

When or before purchasing a new phone the user can call the operator (Alfa or Touch) or log in to a specific website (not released yet) to validate the IMEI number, learn if the device is authentic or fake and know the amount of money to be paid since the fees vary per device model.

In short, if you travel and purchase a new device from abroad, then upon arrival to Lebanon you will have 60 days to register your device and pay for it.

If you buy a new device from Lebanon, then either you will go through the same process, or the shop would have done this on behalf of his customers. Of course, this will affect the selling price.

Overall:

I am for fighting illegal and fake devices, but I am totally against charging new and additional taxes on the Lebanese people.

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20 Best Tech Gifts for Dad on Father’s Day https://techiedad.me/tech-gifts-techie-dad-fathers-day/ https://techiedad.me/tech-gifts-techie-dad-fathers-day/#respond Sun, 11 Jun 2017 02:25:33 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1130 Dads love technology and gadgets, that’s a fact. What better thing to get them this Father’s Day other than a really cool tech gift. Here Are Some Cool Tech Gift Ideas For Your Dad This Father’s Day: 1- Navdy Portable Head-Up Display: The best Head-Up display device for his car, a safer way to use the […]

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Dads love technology and gadgets, that’s a fact. What better thing to get them this Father’s Day other than a really cool tech gift.

Here Are Some Cool Tech Gift Ideas For Your Dad This Father’s Day:

1- Navdy Portable Head-Up Display:

Navdy Techie Dad

The best Head-Up display device for his car, a safer way to use the phone while driving. It is an advanced Augmented Reality display that projects a transparent image over the road ahead. He can stay connected to the phone and the road at the same time. Get directions, receive calls, texts and control the music with Navdy without touching the phone.
Price: $399
Buy

2- Nintendo NES Classic Edition:

Nintendo NES Techie Dad

This will surely trigger some 80’s emotions. The NES Classic Edition system is a miniaturized version of the groundbreaking NES, originally released in 1985. He just needs to plug the NES Classic Edition into the TV, pick up that gray controller, and rediscover the joy of NES games. The NES Classic comes preinstalled with 30 iconic games like Super Mario Bros., Donkey Kong, The Legend of Zelda and more.
This device will stop being produced, so hurry up and get it before it is out of stock.
Price $59
Buy

3- OSMO Mobile:

Osmo Mobile Techie Dad

We all know dads love to take pictures and videos, lots of them. Osmo Mobile allows him to get the most out of the videos shot via mobile phone. The ActiveTrack technology built into the DJI GO app allows the Osmo Mobile to keep the smartphone facing the subject automatically. The Osmo Mobile’s 3-axis gimbal system smooths out the movements, turning every shot into a cinematic video.
Price: $299
Buy

4- OSMO+:

Osmo plus Techie Dad

The Osmo brings DJI’s recognized leadership in camera stabilization down to the ground and into his hands. A 3-axis stabilization system completely integrated with the camera cancels out the movements in three directions, so it stays still even if the hands shake or wobble.
Price: $649
Buy

5- Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless In-Ear Headphones:

Beats Powerbeats Techie Dad

These wireless headphones are perfect for long runs and general working out/exercise. They are sweat and water-resistant so don’t worry about the rain during the outdoor run. The battery life lasts up to 12-hours.
Price: $149
Buy

6- Bose QuietComfort Noise Canceling In-Ear Headphones:

Bose QuietComfort In-Ear Techie Dad

Bose is quite famous for its noise-canceling devices; they are simply the best. But, if you are looking for easy to carry noise-cancelling In-Ear headphones without the hassle of a big size then this is the device of choice.
Price: $249
Buy

7- Fitbit Alta Fitness Tracker:

Fitbit Alta Fitness Techie Dad

Track activity levels, workouts, heart rate, distance, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, steps, sleep patterns, and more. Alta is sweat, rain, splash proof. Alta can be worn in the shower. Battery life can last up to 5 days.
Price: $99
Buy

8- JBL Flip 3 Splashproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker:

JBL Flip 3 Speaker Techie Dad

Easily connect up to 3 smartphones or tablets to this Bluetooth speaker. Don’t submerge it, but don’t worry about it getting wet in the rain or spilling a drink (like beer) onto it. This speaker falls in the category of affordable tech gifts for dad.
Price: $77
Buy

9- Oral B Pro 7000 Series Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush:

Oral B Pro 7000 Techie Dad

Real-time feedback with the Oral-B app focuses brushing on your most important areas, tracks habits over time, motivates with helpful oral care tips, and senses when you brush too hard.
Price: $129
Buy

10- BaseLantern: Bluetooth Lantern & Power Hub:

BaseLantern Techie Dad

Techie dads would like this. BaseLantern is a portable lighting solution that doubles as a miniature smart grid. No bigger than a sandwich, the BaseLantern can light large group settings, charge phones and offer real-time battery feedback, so you get the most from your off-grid energy. Free BioLite App included turning your phone into an instant remote control for your outdoor hub.
Price: $99
Buy

11- Nintendo Switch:

Nintendo Switch Techie Dad

For the gamer dad, the Switch is one of the coolest tech gifts on the market today. It has a 6.2-inch, multi-touch, 720p LCD screen with beautiful graphics. It’s most prominent feature is portability, just undock and use as a handheld device. You can play alone, or with others.
Price $299
Buy

12- Kindle e-Reader:

Kindle eReader Techie Dad

An affordable classic tech gift. Kindle has the most friendly e-Readers that feel like real paper. It holds thousands of e-Books. No screen glare, even in bright sunlight, unlike tablets. Single battery charge lasts weeks, not hours.
Price: $79
Buy

13- Sandisk Extreme 510 – Portable SSD:

Sandisk Extreme SSD Techie Dad

This portable SSD drive is a really fast and secure way to transfer data. It has a capacity of 430GB, Read/Write speed of +400MB/s, and is hazard proof hazards such as rain, splashes, spills, dusty trails, and cushioning against falls of up to 1.8 meters.
Price: $189
Buy

You can always get a cheaper model: The Extreme 500 – 120GB
Price: $79
Buy

14- HYDRAO – Eco Water Shower:

Hydrao Techie Dad

HYDRAO helps Reduce the water usage and make significant savings. It lights up the water spray with different colors depending on the amount of water used. Powered by the shower’s natural water-flow, no external power supply is needed. It allows you to instantly control your water consumption and the energy required to heat it.
Price: $99
Buy

15- M-Audio Oxygen 49-Key USB MIDI Keyboard & Drum Pad:

M-Audio Oxygen 49 MKIV Techie Dad

For the music lovers, a versatile MIDI keyboard controller powered by USB connection from the computer. 49 full-size, synth-action velocity-sensitive keys. 8 velocity-sensitive trigger pads for beat production, clip launching and more. 8 assignable knobs for mixing and manipulating plug-ins/instruments. 9 assignable faders built in so you can mix with ease.
Price: $158
Buy

16- Najjar Raqwa – Lebanese Coffee Machine

Najjar Raqwa Techie Dad

Dads love to have coffee several times a day and preparing Lebanese coffee is a bit of a hassle. Najjar Raqwa is the first automated machine to prepare Lebanese coffee in 45 seconds. It even prepares it with “Achweh” at the press of a button. You can buy the box of 100 capsules separately with or without Cardamom.
Price: $88
Buy

17- Ipad Pro 10.5″

iPad Pro 10.5 Techie Dad

This is the latest edition of the iPad Pro series. What makes the 10.5″ special, is the size. It is not as massive as the 12-inch model but packs enough screen size to have a productive device at hand. The redesigned Retina display is as stunning to look at as it is to touch.
Price: $649
Buy

18- GoPro Hero5

GoPro Hero 5 Techie Dad

Summer is here, and you might need your GoPro to take it with you to capture your adventures on the ground, in the air, and underwater. GoPro Hero5 captures 4K video and 12MP photos in single, burst and time lapse. It is waterproof to 33 feet and captures great audio quality as well as good battery life.
Price: $399
Buy

19- OXO BREW Conical Burr Coffee Grinder with Integrated Scale

With an integrated digital scale and grind settings from fine to coarse, the Conical Burr Coffee Grinder with Integrated Scale gives you precisely the right grind to suit your tastes. The DC motor is designed to prevent overheating and the stainless steel conical burrs create a uniform grind for optimal flavor extraction. Grinds enough coffee for up to 12 brewed cups. Note: Voltage is 120V/60Hz
Price: $224
Buy

20- Google Chromecast

Chromcast Techie Dad

An affordable tech gift to stream your favorite entertainment from your phone straight to your TV. Chromecast is a media streaming device that plugs into the HDMI port on your TV. Simply use your mobile device and the TV you already own to stream your favorite TV shows, movies, music, sports, games and more.
Price: $30
Buy

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Tips to Protect Your Kids From Online Predators https://techiedad.me/protect-kids-online-predators/ https://techiedad.me/protect-kids-online-predators/#respond Thu, 01 Jun 2017 13:46:25 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1117 Let’s face it. Most kids nowadays have smartphones at a younger age. A few years back, it wasn’t common to see a 16-year-old with a phone; now most 12-year-olds have smartphones, and many of them are subject to being targeted by online predators, sex offenders, and pedophiles. Whether you gave your kids a phone to […]

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Let’s face it. Most kids nowadays have smartphones at a younger age. A few years back, it wasn’t common to see a 16-year-old with a phone; now most 12-year-olds have smartphones, and many of them are subject to being targeted by online predators, sex offenders, and pedophiles.

Whether you gave your kids a phone to check on them when they go out with friends, call you after school activity, keep in touch when they go to summer camp, or you have simply fallen victim to peer pressure and got them a mobile phone because everybody in school has one.

Whatever the reasons are for giving your young ones a mobile phone, here are some tips to keep them as safe as possible from predators, sex offenders, and pedophiles.

Create A Safe Contact List:

Make sure to add close family members, school friends, and people that they are allowed to communicate with to their contact list. Tell your kids to exchange phone numbers in school and save each other’s numbers.

Do not Answer Unknown Numbers:

Tell your children not to accept calls from numbers that are unknown or not on their contact list. There are sick people out there who call kids hoping to open a conversation with them.

Confirm New Numbers With Voice Calls:

If your children receive a chat request via SMS, iMessage or WhatsApp from a new number claiming to be a friend from school or even someone they might know from summer camp, make sure to verify the number with a voice call.

Tell your kids to inform you whenever they receive a new request so that both of you can call the number and verify in person that it is truly a friend and not an adult impostor.

Do Not Chat With Adults or Older Kids:

Young kids and teenagers are vulnerable and mostly unaware of malicious intends. Talk to your children and educate them about the dangers of communicating with adults or even older kids. A grown-up has no reason whatsoever to chat with a 13-year-old.

save-the-children-online

Keep Pictures And Profile Photos Private:

Most predators would cross-check a number to make sure a younger person owns it before approaching them. On WhatsApp make sure to set the profile photo in the privacy tab to appear to contacts only. This way only friends in the address book can see the picture and not strangers.

Do Not Share Private Photos and Videos:

This is one of the most sensitive topics to tackle; we are all guilty of taking endless selfies, photos, and videos. But, this is a must-have conversation with your kids, and it is not an easy one.

You need to advise your kids not to share personal or sensitive photos and videos even with their closest friends and relatives. Most important to learn to say no if someone asks them to do so and understand that this is not acceptable.

Children of the Street Society

Do Not Share Personal Information:

Make sure you talk to your kids about the risks of sharing confidential information about themselves, their home, family, and friends. They could be tipping off online predators, burglars and giving out valuable information and passwords.

Social Media Platforms and Online Predators:

Most social media platforms allow 13-year-olds to have personal accounts. If your kids have a social media account, then make sure that their profile and content reflects their age.

On Internet things are not what they seem

Once your kids are online, the risks of online predators become higher. They are now posting publicly and interacting with people outside their approved circle. They have additional platforms to use and most of the time they cannot validate the identity of the people interacting with them.

It is very easy for any predator to create a fake account with a fake picture to pretend to be someone else. Make sure to advise your kids to keep their accounts private and limited to their friends, and most important not to post anything without making sure it is appropriate and will not harm them in any way.

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Gaming: Nintendo Switch Does What Other Consoles Don’t https://techiedad.me/gaming-nintendo-switch-does/ https://techiedad.me/gaming-nintendo-switch-does/#respond Mon, 22 May 2017 14:27:12 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=1067 The PlayStation has been my primary gaming platform for many years now; it has everything a gamer wants: graphics, performance, versatility and connectivity. But, one thing was still missing, and that's mobility. Moving your PlaySation around is not an easy and friendly task. Remember the old Sega Genesis Ads? "Genesis Does What Nintendon't." Well, today "Nintendo Switch Does What Other Consoles Don't."

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The PlayStation has been my primary gaming platform for many years now; it has everything a gamer wants: graphics, performance, versatility and connectivity. But, one thing was still missing, and that’s mobility. Moving your PlaySation around is not an easy and friendly task.

Nintendo Switch

Remember the old Sega Genesis Ads? “Genesis Does What Nintendon’t.” Well, today “Nintendo Switch Does What Other Consoles Don’t.”

We’ve constantly been talking about the Mobile first era, well this is it. It is not just about Smartphones; it’s about being connected on your device-of-choice whenever and wherever you are.

With the Nintendo Switch, it’s love at first sight. It is remarkably small and compact for a console. It is easy to move around and set up on different TVs. All you need is to plug the HDMI connector to the TV, and you are set to go.

Nintendo Switch Console

The Switch has a 6.2-inch, multi-touch, 720p LCD screen with beautiful graphics. It’s most prominent feature is portability, simply undock and use as a handheld device. You can play alone, or with others, the two Joy-Con controllers are already included in the box. Even the games are as small as a memory card.

Nintendo Switch Games

The switch is being sold online in the US for $299, in Europe for €329 and across the middle east for around $450. All available games can be found here.

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Huawei Mate 9 Pro Review: The Best Camera Phone https://techiedad.me/huawei-mate-9-pro-review/ https://techiedad.me/huawei-mate-9-pro-review/#respond Thu, 18 May 2017 12:31:15 +0000 https://techiedad.me/?p=994 I have been using the Huawei Mate 9 Pro for the past couple of months as my primary device; I have to admit that it was a surprisingly positive experience. Once you start taking pictures with your Huawei Dual Lens Leica camera, it becomes very hard to put it down and go back to any […]

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I have been using the Huawei Mate 9 Pro for the past couple of months as my primary device; I have to admit that it was a surprisingly positive experience. Once you start taking pictures with your Huawei Dual Lens Leica camera, it becomes very hard to put it down and go back to any other phone.

Let’s admit it, in the mobile-first era; we have let go of many devices in favor of our mobile phone. Our smartphone is now a phone, a computer, a camera, a way to access the internet, connect and chat with friends, a navigator, etc.

Huawei Mate 9 Pro Features:

The Mate 9 Pro is a powerful and performing device; it has a 5.5-inch 2K curved screen, Kirin 960 processor, 4000mAh battery with SuperCharge technology, Leica dual lens (12MP RGB sensor and 20MP monochrome sensor), 8MP selfie camera, 4K video, Dual SIM support, 6GB RAM, 128GB ROM.

1- Camera:

Scroll to check all the pictures in the above gallery. The pictures are not retouched, nor color corrected, only saved in lower quality for the web.

The Huawei-Leica alliance created a hard-to-beat device. Today, when choosing a smartphone, our decision is profoundly affected by the camera/picture quality. I am an advanced photographer; I usually move around with my professional camera. For the past few weeks, I have been using the Mate 9 Pro as my camera and I have taken some cool pictures.

With light painting, you can experiment and shoot like a pro

The camera menu is very user-friendly, you can quickly switch between automatic and fully manual control in an intuitive way to get the best out of your pictures. Huawei installed some pre-set modes to help you get better pics in different settings. My favorite is the light painting mode (check some of the pics in the above gallery)

2- Look and Feel:

Huawei Mate 9 Pro

Huawei is improving the l ook and feel with every device. The Mate 9 Pro is a decent looking device; its curved screen is not annoying. I was always struggling with my Samsung S7 Edge curved screen’s sensitivity especially when taking a selfie. With the Mate 9 Pro it’s not the case. The Huawei Mate 9 Pro is a little smaller in size than the iPhone 7 Plus, given that it packs almost identical features.

3- Home Button:

The home button is very responsive; it is not a press button but rather a touch sensor. The Huawei Mate 9 Pro has one of fastest fingerprint sensors; it immediately unlocks the device upon touch.

4- USB-C

If you have the new MacBook Pro then you will love the compatibility of this device with your laptop. It supports the same connectivity that was introduced with the new MacBook and requires no USB adapter in order to be connected to the laptop. You can use the native MacBook Pro power cable to connect the phone to the Laptop.

5- Battery Life and Fast Charging:

Huawei Mate 9 Pro Fast Charge

The battery life on the device is quite impressive. If you are not consuming a big amount of media, then it can last you a full day. The cool thing is that if you are running low on power a 20min charge can give you enough juice to watch a full movie and a 40min charge can give you a 100% full charge.

The details are stunning, the full resolution picture shows the little hair particles

5- Audio and Microphone:

The Huawei Mate 9 Pro features 4 microphones equipped with noise canceling technology to eliminate background noise. It also has directional audio capture for videos which gives the movie a 360-degree audio feeling.

6- Dual SIM:

Huawei Mate 9 Pro Dual SIM

If you have two lines or you travel a lot, you can use two SIM cards with the Huawei Mate 9 Pro. SIM 1 supports 4G and SIM 2 supports 3G services. From the Dual SIM management menu, you can choose which card is the default for calling and which is the default for data. There is also a very nice feature called App Twin that lets you use two different accounts on WhatsApp and Facebook without having to download additional third party apps.

The ability to capture high-speed moving elements and still manage to show the details is impressive

7- In The Box:

What I liked most about the box is that it contained a transparent phone cover, it’s a nice gesture from Huawei as most people won’t carry their devices without a protective case. Also included a USB-C cable and a USB-C to Micro USB adapter.

The earphones, on the other hand, are an ugly version of Apple’s earphones, they are not practical to use and constantly fall off my ears.

You can still get details and color depth in low light environments

8- Huawei ID:

The idea of carrying an Android phone is to have a universal Google experience across all Android devices. Hardware manufacturers like Huawei tend to create their systems in parallel to Google to backup your personal data and improve the AI on the device. The downside is that this becomes problematic and confusing for users and it becomes hard to transfer data from one device to another. What I do is disable Huawei ID and make sure I am fully functioning on my Google account, this way everything including contacts is centralized on Google rather than split on both accounts.

Foodies will love the camera on this phone. The colors, the details, everything they need for a good picture.

Overall:

Huawei did an excellent job with this device. In my opinion, it is one of the best Android devices on the market. The Dual lens Leica camera is still unmatched by any other smartphone camera and will make you fall in love with photography and the device.

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