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Last-Minute Father’s Day Gift Guide

By Tracey Dowdy

I feel like Father’s Day crept up on us this year – anyone else? 

A whopping 75% of Americans are planning to celebrate Father’s Day, but of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation, 58% will be doing so virtually. Thanks, COVID-19. But whether you’re face to face or screen to screen, if you’re one of the millions of Americans looking to snap up a great last-minute Father’s Day gift, this guide should help.

Outdoor speakers. There are hundreds of options available, so take a minute to consider your budget and what features – portability, sound, wired/wireless – are most important to you. This list from New York Magazine can help you narrow down your choices. 

Wireless Charger. Tech Radar tested the top wireless chargers available to determine the pros and cons of each. Their list is from last year but still packed with solid options at a variety of price points and for Android and iOS phones. 

Bar Accessories. CNET has a fantastic list of bar accessories and drinkware – including a couple of bar cart options – to upgrade dad’s bartending game.  

Grilling Accessories. Good Housekeeping isn’t just for stain removal tips or pound cake recipes. It’s list of 14 Best Grilling Accessories, According to Cooking Experts has everything from skewers and spatulas to mops and thermometers. 

Tech and Gadgets. Tech Crunch’s list of The Best Father’s Day Tech Gifts Under $100 includes gift ideas for all dad’s hobbies including music, fitness, gaming, reading, tinkering, and much more. 

Coffee and brewing accessories. Roasty, whose slogan is “Brew Coffee So Good It’ll Make a Hipster Cry,” has a wild list of coffee brewing gadgets including a Vacuum Coffee Syphon, Mind Reader Coffee Condiment Organizer, and a Coffee Drip Scale/Timer, all available on Amazon Prime. 

Smartwatch. Tech Radar has a comprehensive list of 2020’s best smartwatches for both Android and iOS fans. They evaluated features like the design, options, battery life, specs, and price then ranked it against the competition.

Subscription box. A subscription box is literally the gift that keeps on giving. Crate Joy’s 21 Best Subscription Boxes for Father’s Day has options from jewelry, microbreweries, gadgets, accessories, and gaming, and sports. You name it, there’s a box for that.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits, and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

Tech Trends/Lifestyle, How To, home

Working From Home? Here’s How to Improve Your Wi-Fi

By Tracey Dowdy

Aside from acting as a nanny, nurse, teacher, supervisor, principal, janitor, lunch lady, CEO, and intern of your homeschool/office, how’s working from home going? 

Between online learning, video conferences, and – let’s be honest, extra screen time for the kids so you can finally get some work done – but slow wi-fi may be making all of that more difficult. 

There’s a lot of reasons your wi-fi connection is lagging. There may be too many devices connecting to one channel, users engaging in bandwidth-heavy activities like streaming videos or gaming, outdated hardware and drivers, or even the way your router is positioned. 

If it’s any consolation, internet and cell plan-tracking site, Whistle Out surveyed hundreds of consumers who had recently transitioned to working or studying from home. Their results uncovered that more than a third of consumers reported that a weak or nonexistent internet connection had interfered with getting work done.

If you want to Scooby-Doo the reasons behind your internet issues, start with a speed test. There are plenty of options available with varying degrees of accuracy. CNET recommends the Ookla Speedtest, and Lifewire has a list of reliable options as well. 

The test will tell show your current upload and download speeds for the device you’re running the speed test on. It will also tell you the ping, which is a latency measurement determining how long it takes data to travel back and forth to the server you’re testing with. Move around the house and run the test a few more times to get an idea of the average speed. 

If the download speeds are less than half of the internet plan you’re paying for, or if the upload speeds are much lower than your download speeds, you’ve pinpointed what needs improvement. I live in an older home with solid construction, and my husband’s home office is far from our router, on another floor. To remedy his slower speeds, we bought an inexpensive plug-in range extender that boosts the internet signal. CNET has a great resource to help you decide which is best for you. 

Latency isn’t an issue unless you’ve got a lot of devices running on your network, or you’re sharing bandwidth with family members. Try running speed tests while your kids are playing a game online, or your partner is in a video chat with their office. If that ping number seems to be erratic, there are steps you can take, but your best option is to separate their activity from yours. To learn how, follow the steps outlined here.

It may be as simple as repositioning your router. Make sure it’s up off the floor, with nothing obstructing it – on a shelf or bookshelf is ideal. Try repositioning the antenna to see if that impacts your speed. If none of that helps, you may need to upgrade your router or buy a range extender.  

Before you buy anything, try changing your router’s channel. CNET’s Ry Crist says, “The 2.4 and 5GHz frequency bands that your router uses to send its signals are each divided into multiple channels, just like the TV channels that you can pick up with an antenna. Your router uses a single channel at a time, and if you’re using the same one as a neighbor, for instance, then that interference might slow your connection. To change that channel, navigate to your router’s settings on your computer. The best options are channels 1, 6 and 11, which don’t overlap with one another, but your router might also have an “auto” setting that can determine the best channel for your situation.” 

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

Apple Pay
Tech Trends/Lifestyle, How To, home

Set Up Apple Pay on Your iOS Device

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By Tracey Dowdy 

Since it was introduced back in 2014, Apple Pay now dominates the mobile payments space in the U.S., surpassing even Starbucks. It’s taken a minute for the app to become so widely used – according to a report from Co-Op Financial Services found that as of January 2019, just 12% of Apple Pay users were based in the U.S., with 88% elsewhere. 

If you’re not familiar or if you’re unsure if it’s secure, understand that Apple Pay is basically a digital wallet on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or Mac. It enables you to securely pay in restaurants, make purchases when online shopping or in retail stores, and make in-app purchases. You can even use it to send and receive money to friends and family through Messages. Since it’s introduction, Apple has added support for transit cards as well as loyalty cards.

And, even though there’s an image of your credit card in Apple’s digital Wallet, your card number is not stored on your phone or on Apple’s servers. Apple Pay uses a user-specific device number as well as a unique transaction code to process your payments and protect your private information. It’s actually faster and more secure than typing in the password for your debit card or swiping your credit card at checkout.

If you’re interested in setting up Apple Pay on any of your Apple devices, CNET has a great How To Use Apple Pay video that walks you through how to add credit and debit cards to Apple Pay, configure settings and use Apple Pay both in stores and online. Or, follow these simple steps to get started. It’s easier than you may think. 

Add a credit or debit card

  • In Wallet, tap +. You will be asked to sign in with your Apple ID.
  • Choose one of the following:
    • Add a new card: Position your iPhone so that your card appears in the frame, or enter the card details manually.
    • Add your previous cards: Select the card associated with your Apple ID, cards you use with Apple Pay on your other devices, or cards that you removed. Tap Continue, then enter the CVV number of each card.

You may be able to add your card from the app of the bank or card issuer.

 Next, set the default card and rearrange your cards.

Note: the first card you add to Wallet becomes your default card for payments. To set a different card as the default, move it to the front of the stack.

  • In Wallet, choose your default card.
  • Touch and hold the card, then drag it to the front of the stack.
  • To reposition another card, touch and hold it, then drag it to a new location.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

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Tips When Gifting Tech

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By Tracey Dowdy

No matter how tech-savvy or tech-challenged you are, there are things to consider when gifting technology to someone else. Apple or Android? Google Smart Home devices or Amazon Alexa compatible?

There’s no need to stress, just follow these simple guidelines to avoid giving a gift the recipient can’t or won’t use. 

Find out which operating system they prefer. For example, if they’re Android phone user or PC fan, then Apple products like an Apple watch may not integrate seamlessly. Or, if they’re using a Google Nest Hub, an Amazon Alexa isn’t the best choice. Look for products that work across platforms like a Roku or Fire Stick that work with most TV’s, or select wireless earbuds or smartwatches (just not an Apple Watch) are generally compatible with any type of smartphone. If in doubt, include a gift receipt for easy exchanges. CNET has a great smart home compatibility chart to help you navigate your options. 

Consider hidden costs. Whether you’re giving a laptop or headphones, keep in mind any accessories that the recipient may have to purchase. If you’re unsure, Ask the salesperson if the device is ready to use right out of the box. For example, if you’re gifting headphones, remember many smartphones have eliminated the headphone jack, so consider whether you should include a dongle with your present. Or, if you’re gifting a laptop, should you include a case or allow them to choose their own. If they’re someone who is hard on their devices or works in a rough environment, consider whether an extended warranty or protection plan is necessary.

If you’re gifting a smartphone, it’s important to know which carrier they are or will be using to ensure the phone is compatible with their service. CNET’s Jason Cipriani suggests specifically asking which wireless carrier they use or choose an unlocked phone. These days, most smartphone makers offer an unlocked version that will work on almost all wireless carriers, across platforms, however, not every carrier feature might work, particularly Wi-Fi calling, which is tuned to specific networks.

Consider privacy concerns. With stories in the news of smart home devices being hacked, be mindful that not everyone is comfortable with this type of technology in their home. Even though it appears to be the WiFi network and password that have been hacked in these cases, many people still have reservations and would not appreciate a smart home device. 

Look at software support. Some smart devices, like phones and laptops, require the user to regularly update their software. It’s not difficult, but may be intimidating to some users. Other smart devices like speakers, Alexa, and Chromecast run their updates in the background making them a good choice for less tech savvy gift recipients. 

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

Tech Trends/Lifestyle, Online Safety, How To, home

Is Google Big Brother-ing You?

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By Tracey Dowdy

Did you know that everything you do while you’re signed in to your Google account – and even some things you do when you’re logged off are part of your Google profile? 

That doesn’t just include your Google searches, it includes every song you listen to, Twitter rabbit hole you fall into, cooking video you watch, and even whether you’re using an Android or iOS smartphone. Perhaps even more concerning, Google Maps tracks you wherever you go, remembers the route you take, when you arrive and what time you leave, even if you don’t open the app. 

With everyone from Facebook to Dunkin Donuts admitting they’ve fallen victim to data breaches, Google announced they had created a privacy hub that allows users to access, delete, and limit the data Google can collect from you. The downside is that navigating all the terms and conditions, sorting through what you need and don’t need, and deciding if the features you’ve turned off leave you vulnerable, can be confusing, to say the least. 

These tips will help you sort through the jargon and limit what – and with whom – you’re sharing information.

The first step is to find out what information you consider private GooglTracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.e considers public. 

To see what Google is sharing about you: 

CNET suggests that if your goal is “to exert more control over your data but you still want Google services like search and maps to personalize your results, we recommend setting your data to autodelete after three months. Otherwise, feel free to delete all your data and set Google to stop tracking you. For most of the day-to-day things you do with Google, you won’t even notice the difference.”

  • Open a browser window and navigate to your Google Account page.
  • Enter your username
  • From the menu bar, select Personal info and review the information. At this point, you can change or delete your photo, name, birthday, gender, password, and any other email addresses and the phone number connected to your account. 
  • If you’d like to see what of your information is public, scroll to the bottom and select Go to About me. From here you can edit and delete, though there’s no way to make your account private. 

To review Google’s record of your online activity:

  • Sign in to your Google Account and choose Data & Personalization from the navigation bar.
  • Scroll to Activity Controls and select Web & App Activity to see a list of all your activities that Google has logged.
  • If you want Google to stop tracking your web and image searches, browser history, map searches and directions, and interactions with Google Assistant, uncheck both boxes. Otherwise, move on to the next step.
  • Next, click Manage Activity. This page displays all the information Google has collected on you from the activities mentioned in the previous step, dating back to when created your account.
  • You can set Google to automatically delete this kind of data either every three or every 18 months by selecting “Choose to delete automatically” and choose your timeframe. 
  • You can opt to delete part of all of your activity history manually. On the activity bar, go to Delete activity and choose either Last hour, Last day, All-time or set a Custom range.
  • Once you choose an autodelete setting or manually select which data you want to be deleted, a popup will appear and ask you to confirm.
  • To make sure your new settings are saved, go to Manage Activity and make sure whatever’s there (remember, if you deleted it all there shouldn’t be anything there) only goes back the three or 18 months depending on what timeframe you selected in step 5.

Access Google’s record of your location history

  • Sign in to your Google Account and choose Data & Personalization from the navigation bar.
  • Scroll to Activity controls and select Location History to see a list of all your location data that Google has logged.
  • If you want Google to stop tracking your location, toggle off.
  • Next, click Manage Activity. This page displays all the location information Google has collected on you as a timeline and a map, including places you’ve visited, the route you took there and back, as well as frequency and dates of visits.
  • To permanently delete all location history, click on the trash can icon and choose Delete Location History when prompted.
  • If you want to be sure your location data disappeared, start over with Activity Controls in step 2, then after Manage Activity in set 4 make sure the timeline in the upper left corner is empty and there are no dots on the map indicating your previous locations.

Manage your YouTube search and watch history

Again, CNET recommends setting YouTube “to purge your data every three months. That’s just long enough that YouTube’s recommendations will stay fresh, but doesn’t leave a years-long trail of personal data lingering behind.”

 

  • 1. Sign in to your Google Account and choose Data & Personalization from the navigation bar.

 

  • Scroll to Activity controls and select YouTube History to see a list of all your location data that Google has logged.
  • If you want Google to stop tracking your YouTube search and viewing history completely, turn off the toggle on this page.
  • Next, click Manage Activity – a comprehensive list of every search you’ve ever made and every video you’ve ever watched 
  • To set Google to automatically delete your YouTube data either every three or every 18 months, select “Choose to delete automatically” and select your timeframe.
  • To delete part or all of your activity history, on the navigation bar choose “Delete activity by” and choose either “Last hour,” “Last Day,” “All time” or “Custom range.”
  • Once you choose which data to delete, a popup will appear and ask you to confirm. 
  • To make sure your YouTube data is gone, start over with Activity Controls in step 2, then after Manage Activity in step 4 make sure whatever’s there (remember, if you deleted it all there should be nothing) only goes back the three or 18 months you selected in step 5.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

 

 

Tech Trends/Lifestyle, Social Networking, How To, home

Is it Time to Disable or Delete Your Instagram Account?

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By Tracey Dowdy

 Instagram influencers live their lives on a very public stage – that’s the whole point of being an influencer. They share everything from their favorite granola to their favorite brand of underwear, and everything in between. As it turns out, Instagram inadvertently gave many users a taste of what it’s like to give brands, marketers, and total strangers access to their private information and preferences. According to Tech Crunch Security Editor Zack Whittaker, “A massive database containing the contact information of millions of Instagram influencers, celebrities and brand accounts has been found online. The database, hosted by Amazon Web Services, was left exposed and without a password allowing anyone to look inside. At the time of writing, the database had over 49 million records, but was growing by the hour.”

The database was owned by Chtrbox, an Indian marketing company that connects influencers to brands looking to promote their product or service. Instagram (owned by Facebook) has since revoked Chtrbox’ access to its platform.

Since its inception, Instagram has morphed from a simple photo-sharing platform to an imitation of Snapchat or Facebook, with advertising cluttering your feed. For some Instagram users, the breach was the last straw. If you’re one of them, you can delete your account but it isn’t easy to do from within the app itself. Patrick Holland has a step by step tutorial on CNET’s How to Do It All YouTube channel that will walk you through beginning to end.

Keep in mind, once it’s deleted, it’s gone forever – you will not be able to recover it. If that seems harsh and you just want a break, consider disabling it for a while. By logging out, you have the option to resurrect your profile once you’re ready, but whatever option you choose, be sure to download your data. This is especially critical if you’re deleting your profile – there may be photos in your stream that you’ve forgotten exist but will be important to you down the road – because again, once it’s gone, it’s gone. You can request your download through your browser or through the app, but realize this isn’t an immediate download. It will take time for Instagram to collate all that data, and prepare it for downloading.

If you’re still unsure which option is best, check out Holland’s tutorial Instagram: How to delete or disable your account to determine which is best for youTech

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

 

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Spot Fake Reviews in Online Retail

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By Tracey Dowdy

Amazon likes to think of itself as a level playing field for sellers where the best products rise to the top through honest feedback posted in the product reviews. In a perfect world, consumers buy a product or service through Amazon and then post a genuine review, free from any kind of incentive from the seller.

However, that ideal is far from reality. A Buzzfeed News story uncovered an entire industry built on fake reviews. The competition among third-party sellers is intense, so much so that shady sellers offer “black hat” services to boost rankings and help the seller appear higher than they should in search results.

Renee DiResta, director of research at cybersecurity company New Knowledge, told BuzzFeed News, “The extent to which sellers go to game the system, and the amount of resources they devote to doing it, [are] a testament to how Amazon’s recommendation and ranking algorithms shape consumption. While Amazon repeats that ‘even one fake review is too many,’ the fact remains that manipulative tactics from dishonest sellers make honest business owners afraid that they can’t remain competitive. And when manipulation is successful, it’s Amazon’s customers who are the victims.”

Amazon has made an effort to police manipulation of its marketplace, but a business model this successful is difficult to rein in. It’s so successful, a YouTube search for the term “super URL” results in heaps of tutorials on how to game the system and manipulate product and service rankings. These black hat consultants hide in plain sight attending and even speaking at Amazon seller conferences and events. Many have Facebook pages promoting their services.

Where does that leave us as consumers?

Rick Broida, a Senior Editor at CNET, offers two valuable tips for identifying fake reviews on Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart and other online retailers.

First, make use of Fakespot, a site that evaluates product reviews using artificial intelligence to identify fake reviews. Just copy and paste the link to the product’s page, then click “Analyze.”  Even better, add the Fakespot extension to Chrome for immediate results. Just hit the Fakespot icon while you’re on the product page, and it will instantly tell you whether what you’re reading is legit or not. You can download the Fakespot app for both iOS and Android, so you always have reliable information at your fingertips.

Currently, Fakespot works on Amazon, Sephora, Best Buy, WalMart, Steam, TripAdvisor, and Yelp.

To give perspective on the scope of the problem, Fakespot found that over 50% of Walmart’s product reviews were “unauthentic and unreliable.” Best Buy, on the other hand, had less than 5% fake reviews.

Once analyzed, Fakespot provides a letter grade – A to F – based on the total number of reviews and the percentage that were flagged as unreliable or fake.

Another option is ReviewMeta, that exclusive screens Amazon reviews. They are clear from the moment you click on the site that their analysis is an estimate, not a fact. “ReviewMeta is not able to determine which reviews are ‘fake’ and which are not with 100% accuracy.  We’re simply looking at different trends and making a ‘best guess’ estimate about the reviews.” They also caution that a Pass/Fail/Warn does not necessarily indicate the presence or absence of a fake review.

“ReviewMeta is not able to determine which reviews are ‘fake’ and which are not with 100% accuracy.  We’re simply looking at different trends and making a ‘best guess’ estimate about the reviews.”

So instead of a letter grade like Fakespot, ReviewMeta shows you product reviews with the questionable ones removed.

The challenge here is that the two sites often provide different results, sometimes very different, so you’ll need to trust your instinct. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

On the other hand, just because a product has fake reviews, that doesn’t necessarily translate to an inferior quality product, and, just because a product is first in the search results, you don’t necessarily see the best option. For example, if you’re shopping for a cheaper version of an OtterBox phone case, a search of “off brand otter box” will bring up over 8000 results. When I clicked on the first option with 4.5 stars, Fakespot gave it a C, while the first option on the second page with only 3.5 stars earned an A. The first phone case analysis comes with the warning, “Our engine has analyzed and discovered that 64.7% of the reviews are reliable,” while the second says, “Our engine has profiled the reviewer patterns and has determined that there is minimal deception involved.”

At the end of the day, the adage “buyer beware” is still your best defense.

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

 

Tech Trends/Lifestyle, home

Do Fitness Trackers Really Help You Lose Weight?

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By Tracey Dowdy

When the first wearable fitness trackers became popular in back 2014, “The Year of Wearable Technology,” individuals looking to improve their overall health and encourage them to exercise thought they’d discovered the Holy Grail of fitness. Since then, they’ve been used to monitor weight and to supporting healthier habits, including sleeping, eating and exercising by millions of users.  But the question remains, are they actually effective in promoting your health and fitness?

Scott Stein, Senior Editor/Reviews – Wearable Tech at CNET,  recently wrote a piece, “I Wear Fitness Trackers all the Time… and I still Gained Weight. Here’s Why.”  In his story, Stein writes, “I’ve always hoped that a smartwatch could be the Marie Kondo of my future health, eliminating the distractions, focusing on the real goals and clearing my cluttered, easily distracted mind. Instead, every day I get notifications, messages and occasional end-of-day “close the activity ring!” reminders.”

Stein asserts that while great for tracking steps and reminding you to get up and move around, an individuals’ “holistic health picture isn’t contained on the watch.” For example, his Apple Watch can remind him to close his fitness rings, but it doesn’t accurately measure calorie intake vs. calories burned.

More importantly, research has found that some of the devices produced inaccurate fitness data, which may affect users lifestyle and fitness goals or potentially lead to unnecessary activities. Fitness trackers use different sensors to collect data, and most products, regardless of brand or maker, use heart rate to calculate the number of calories burned, and motion sensors are used to measure movement. The problem is, “Heart rate alone is not an ideal indicator of calorie burn,” says Adam Sinicki of Android Authority. “The assumption is that when the heart pumps faster, you are creating a demand for oxygen and energy and thus probably engaging in an activity that is ‘costly’ from an energy perspective.” Of course physically fit individuals like my brother in law Ken, who regularly runs marathons, have lower resting heart rates than someone like me, who regularly runs her mouth. Factors like blood and air pressure, the ambient temperature of your environment, as well as your current mood can cause sudden heart rate changes.

A 2015 study by the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that fitness trackers frequently overestimated total sleep time, provided inaccurate data about the distance an individual traveled, and miscalculated number of calories burned.

Perhaps the biggest issue is that over time, users got very good at ignoring prompts and a third lost interest in their results after just six months. Stein summed it up best, “The fitness trackers cannot force you to be healthy, and smartwatches aren’t designed to replace doctors (in fact, the Apple Watch specifically is designed to dovetail with doctor visits). But if the Apple Watch intends to eventually be a medical tool, trainer and fitness buddy for my life — and anyone else’s — it could be a lot better at meeting me at my needs faster. After all, these apps already have years of my data: my sleep, my steps, my heart rate, my weight. Put it together already. Use machine-learning magic. Tell me the big picture. Do something that slaps me in the face the way my doctor does when she tells me I need to lose weight.”

 Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.

 

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Reuse or Recycle Your Android or iOS Device

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By Tracey Dowdy

The first iPhone shipped to customers back in June of 2007 – less than 12 years ago, but somehow, it feels like smartphones have been around forever.

In those 12 years, we’ve seen a lot of changes and updated features for our smartphones and tablets, which encouraged us to upgrade, and upgrade again, and again…to the point there’s a good chance you have an old phone or outdated tablet sitting in a drawer or taking up space on a shelf. But instead of hanging on to digital clutter, consider these options to put your old devices to new use.

Smart Home Center – With devices like Google Assistant, Alexa, Nest, Hue, Smart TV’s, and Amazon’s Fire Stick becoming more common and accessible, it makes sense to repurpose your old phone or tablet as a dedicated hub for your smart home enabled tech. You can even use them to set up a media streaming center. The simplest way is to clear unused apps and free up as much data as possible. Download the streaming apps you need, along with any tools you’re using — Google Home, Amazon Fire TV Remote, Nest, Hue, etc. – connect to the same network as the devices, and you’re good to go!

Your Child’s First Device – If you’ve ever handed off a $500 phone or tablet to a toddler, you know the gut-felt fear usually only seen in horror movies. But, handing off a phone or tablet that’s been sitting in a drawer or is being replaced with an updated version is a great idea. You’ll want to be sure to lock down any features you don’t want them to access through Parental Controls, and invest in a sturdy case as any device in the hands of a toddler is likely to take a fair amount of punishment.

 Digital Photo Frame – Remember the first digital photo frames? They were the hottest Christmas present of the year when they were first introduced, but the image quality wasn’t great, and they weren’t really reliable. But, your old Android tablet or iPad can make an excellent scrolling photo display, rolling through hundreds of photos an hour. How To Geek has a simple, easy to follow tutorial on how to make it happen on your Android tablet, and CNET has instructions for your iPad. Besides the vast improvement in image quality, both are WiFi connected, so you can set it up to automatically update to new images.

Security Camera/Baby Monitor – There are plenty of options for home security systems available, but remember, security cameras are simply network connected video cameras. Even the older versions of phones and tablets have network connectivity, so they’re perfect for use as home security cameras, baby or even pet monitors. There are many options available for both iOS and Android devices, but one that receives consistently positive reviews from experts is Alfred. The app allows any Wi-Fi connected phone to broadcast its camera feed to any other phone attached to the same account with no limit on the number of cameras you can connect to a single account.

Dedicated eBook Reader – I will always prefer an actual physical book to an eReader, but there are times when they come in handy. Using your old iPad or tablet as a dedicated reader, particularly for cookbooks, spares your cookbooks and primary device from the inevitable mess that comes from cooking and baking.

Help Scientific Research – Did you know you can take part in important scientific research with apps like BOINC for Android and DreamLab?  Both apps use your device’s processing power to run calculations for a variety of research projects – BOINC focuses on research on diseases, global warming, and space, while DreamLab focuses on finding a cure for cancer.

Recycle, Sell, or Donate – If none of these options are viable for you, you can always recycle, sell, or donate your old phones and tablets. The Environmental Protection Agency has a list of locations where you can take your unwanted tech and have it safely disposed of.  Many retailers like Target and Best Buy offer trade-in options, and the website Gazelle offers consumers cash for working or broken devices, and offers deals on refurbs, providing less expensive options when upgrading.

Lifewire has a list reviewing trade-in programs, including the good and the bad about trade-ins with Amazon, Flypsy, and YouRenew.   

Tracey Dowdy is a freelance writer based just outside Washington DC. After years working for non-profits and charities, she now freelances, edits and researches on subjects ranging from family and education to history and trends in technology. Follow Tracey on Twitter.