Tag Archives: FaceTime

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

Make Your Virtual Thanksgiving Fun

By Tracey Dowdy

With the recent surge in COVID cases, many of us are heeding the CDC’s warning regarding holiday gatherings and opting for a virtual Thanksgiving with those we love. Though sharing a meal via a video conference is something few of us could have anticipated this time last year, there are still ways to make your holiday memorable in all the best ways. 

First, choose the platform you’re going to connect through. Zoom has lifted its 40 minute limit on free accounts from midnight ET on Nov. 26 through 6 a.m. ET on Nov. 27 so your dad doesn’t get cut off in the middle of his classic “Thanksgiving of ‘82” story. Other platforms like Skype Meet Now, Google Meet, Jitsi, Facebook, and WhatsApp all offer free video conferencing, with differing levels of service and features. Take some time over the next day or two and determine which features are most important for your crew. 

Platforms like Brightful, Board Game Arena, and Tabletopia allow you to play hundreds of new and old games online. Plus, many of your favorite board games are available as apps for your iOS or Android device, and several have online multiplayer modes so you can play while voice or video chatting with your family and friends. ZoomJam created sociable face-to-face games to play with family and friends through video chat, with a dozen games to choose from. And, if all seems to be going well and you’re looking to ruin everything, Hasbro allows users to play their most popular games, including Monopoly, through their site. A few years back, they set up a hotline for players to call and settle those savage Monopoly disputes – here’s hoping it makes a comeback this year. 

As with all video conference calls, be mindful of what’s in the background. There’s been countless horrifying or hilarious – depending on who you ask – stories of video conferencing fails since we all started working from home back in March. Remind everyone when the camera is live and when your mic is on. If you want to keep your mother in law from judging your housekeeping even from out of state, consider downloading or selecting a custom background for your video chat. Of course, Zoom offers its own selection, and Apple’s FaceTime will allow you to chat as your memoji avatar. 

Apps like Teleparty (formerly Netflix party), Amazon Prime Watch Party, and Hulu Watch Party allow you to watch a movie together, all from the safety and comfort of your own home. Most require a subscription, so keep that in mind as you choose a platform. Make Use Of has a more comprehensive list of options. Watch2Gether not only offers video options, but it also allows you to listen to music, do karaoke, or even “go shopping” so you can still hit those Black Friday sales together. 

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, App Collections, How To, home

New Features Coming in iOS 14

By Tracey Dowdy

Hey kids, Apple’s doing it again. iOS 14, slated to be released this fall, comes with a whack of fun new features that will make you love your phone even more, and make Android users smile. More on that later. 

For me, one of the most exciting new features allows users to pin a conversation to the top of messages. If you don’t get a lot of texts in the run of a day, this may not seem important, but at a time when many of us are still at some level of quarantine and several states are rolling back re-opening plans, keeping in touch via text is more essential than it’s ever been. For me, having my family group text pinned to the top saves me scrolling through multiple texts from coworkers and friends. To pin a contact or conversation, swipe to the right across any thread. 

Not only can you pin a conversation, but you’ll also be able to tag someone in a conversation when you want to get their attention. This will transform the way we communicate in group texts and be a relief to everyone who hates group texts but doesn’t know how to escape without being rude or missing out on the occasional piece of useful information. You’ll also be able to reply directly to a message to create a sub-thread within the conversation to avoid blowing up everyone’s phones in the group. Although we’ve always had the option to start a separate message, this keeps it all within the same thread. To tag an individual, use the @ symbol just like you do on other platforms.

Not that most of us will be traveling abroad any time soon, but iOS 14 has a translation app built-in. Instead of using Google’s Translate app on your iPhone, a native app will convert text or hold conversations with someone who speaks a different language. Current languages include English, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Arabic, Portuguese, and Russian. 

Users have two options. Type the word or phrase you want to be translated, or tap on the microphone on the bottom of the screen to use voice-to-text. Once you’ve finished typing or speaking, the app will translate it to your selected language. I wish I’d had this in France when my Uber driver and I were on opposite sides of a busy street and couldn’t find each other. Though the word “ibis” is spelled the same in French and English, trust me, it’s pronounced quite differently. 

If you need more than the pronunciation of a word or to have a sentence translated quickly, turn the phone to landscape mode and tap on the mic icon. You don’t need to press and hold – the phone will continue to translate the conversation. 

iOS14 will finally allow users to add widgets to their home screen, a feature Android users have had since 2008. Widgets contain more information and are more functional than app icons, so Apple is pretty late to the party on this one. Instead of swiping to the left of the home screen, you can add them directly to your display. You’ll be able to choose from multiple sizes, and the intuitive Smart Stack widget will show you information from numerous apps when it thinks you need it. For example, it will bring up your calendar, the weather app, and drive time for your commute when you wake up. You can choose to continue to view widgets in Today View off to the left side of your main home screen, or, drag and drop a widget from the Today View onto your home screen.

A second “Android’s had that for years” feature is an app drawer that Apple calls App Library. The feature will auto-sort all your apps into folders, making it easier to find all the apps installed on your phone. To access, swipe left on your home screen, and choose one of three ways to find the app you’re looking for: 

  • Check in one of two folders at the top of the screen: Suggestions (recently used) and Recently Added (newly installed apps). Both will automatically update to adjust which apps are in either folder.
  • Search for your app by name in the search field at the top of the screen.
  • Tap to see an alphabetical list of your apps.

Bonus – App Library pairs with another new home screen feature allowing you to hide pages of rarely used apps.  

Finally, iPad’s popular video in picture-in-picture that creates a thumbnail image of a video that continues to play even when you’re on another app or screen is coming to your iPhone. The feature allows you to switch to a different part of your phone, without pausing or stopping your video. You can drag PiP around your screen, adjust the size of the video by pinching and zooming or even temporarily hide it off the edge of your screen. To exit PiP, tap the X to close. It works with FaceTime video calls and Apple TV, podcasts, Safari, FaceTime, iTunes, Home, and any third-party app that supports PiP on iPad. 

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.

home, Tech Trends/Lifestyle, Social Networking

Free Video Chat Options While Social Distancing

If you’re like me, your family and friends are spread out over several states and even internationally. But, one of the good things that have come out of our shelter in place or self-quarantining orders is that many of us have a little more time on our hands to reach out and catch up. The descriptions of the options below refer to the free version of each of these platforms. The paid versions offer more features. 

Depending on the purpose of your chat, some platforms are better suited than others. Zoom surged in popularity once everyone started teleworking, but has been plagued with security concerns in recent weeks. Don’t worry – there are plenty of other options for you to choose from. 

My office has been using Jitsi for our team meetings but is a solid option for non-work related chats too. Compatible with Android, Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux systems, you can join a meeting through the Jitsi app or directly from your browser without creating an account – the meeting organizer simply sends a link to the “room” you’ll be meeting in. Users can customize the meeting URL and exchange messages and emojis during the video conference through an integrated chat.

Google Hangouts allows you to video chat with up to 25 people, with up to ten of you visible onscreen at once. It’s arguably the most user-friendly. seamlessly integrates with Google Calendar and Gmail, and doesn’t cap the amount of time you can chat where others set a time limit. Zoom, for example, limits you to 40 minutes if there are three or more people on the call. Google Hangouts has an app on iOS and Android but works just as well on your desktop or laptop. It also  

Your family and friends are likely familiar with Facebook’s Messenger app which we primarily used for sending messages. But it also offers a video chat option, making it a solid choice for those who are on the social media platform all the time anyway and may not be comfortable with creating another account or figuring out a different platform. To start a chat, simply go to Messenger, type the names of your Friends you’d like to chat within the “To:” field, then click on the video camera icon in the top right corner. Facebook will call them, all they have to do is answer the call. 

If you’re an Apple device user, FaceTime that wants to chat with other Apple users, FaceTime is the way to go. If you have an iPhone, iPad or Mac, it operates seamlessly, letting you start a video chat with up to 32 of your contacts (remember, iOS users only) just as you would a phone call or text message. If your Wi-Fi or data connection is weak or you have a poor phone signal, you have the option to do an audio-only call. 

Skype, the granddaddy of them all, is available for iOS, Android, Windows, and Mac, offers video and audio calling, and a messaging feature. Its user-friendly interface supports up to 50 people on the same audio call but the number of video callers depends on what device you’re using.  You can also record, save and share your video calls, and even incorporate live captions and subtitles. 

Houseparty is currently the third most downloaded app on the iOS app store in the United States — behind Zoom and TikTok — and comes top in the United Kingdom. Available on Android, iPadOS (for iPad users) and macOS (for Mac users), the app allows “partygoers” to chat, take quizzes, and play games like “Heads Up,” and “Quick Draw.” Once you’ve downloaded the app, you can add your “friends” via your contacts or by pairing with Facebook or Snapchat. Users can invite up to eight friends to join their a “party” and there is the option to “lock” the party so that only invited guests can join.

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.

Stacey Ross on The Online Mom, home

Fun Ways to Connect With Grandparents via Technology

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By Stacey Ross

My kids and their grandparents share a thriving digital relationship with one another, whether it’s playing (remote) checkers on a Sunday morning, sharing what projects they have been working on via video chat, or even getting some tutoring in for upcoming science tests! Technology that allows intergenerational ties to flourish is a real gift, especially since not all grandparents are a quick drive up the street!

Mary Larmoyeux and Nancy Downing wrote a valuable book, The Grand Connection: 365 Ways to Connect with Your Grandchild’s Heart, which encourages the relationship between grandkids and their grandparents, offering fun activities and stories to help strengthen family ties. The authors encourage grandparents to learn new technologies to stay in touch with loved ones. The book prompted me to share and explore how other families reach out this way.

Here are some ways families are getting on board:

Emailing and texting: My kiddos don’t yet have smartphones, but they do have tablets. They use Talkatone to text with their grandparents and email to exchange photos, whether they’re from nature hikes or an afterschool activity. Just an update every now and can brighten everyone’s day – and there is an extra-special glow when the grandparents get a goodie in their in-boxes!

Video conferencing

“My kids FaceTime with my mom all the time. As adults we FaceTime with my grandmother, too. We called her from my sister’s wedding reception so she could “be there!” ~ Rachael Nash Wunderlich, founder of Adventures in Wunderland

“We have started to leave Skype video messages for Grandma and Grandpa instead of just a voicemail. The kids get a kick out of seeing themselves record it and my parents just love it!!” ~ Elaine McGhee of ThriveMomma.com

Like the idea of seeing one another while talking? If you own a personal computer with an Internet connection and built-in or clip-on camera, you are all set for Skype or FaceTime. The applications are free, and connecting with other users is the fun part! I love that my kids use these methods to show their grandparents what current projects they are working on or share their latest dance moves!

Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter

As kids get older, they can have fun engaging with their loved-ones through their social media accounts. I love watching inter-generational connections become meaningful ties, enabling families to stay connected in a more robust way than just by phone. Whether they are sharing photos from a road trip, funny videos they found on the Internet, or they just want to send a sweet message, family members can embrace simple ways to give a shout out that can be quite endearing.

Creative apps

My kids and their grandparents use the Magisto and FXGuru apps to send fun videos or photos and also use apps such as PhotoFunia and CollageMaker when they want to get creative. It gives them a big laugh and allows them to reflect either on the outings they had together or include one another in photos when they were unable to be present in person. Their personal creations are great trip mementos too!

Katie Tynes, a mom in my San Diego community, encapsulated so very well the benefit that technology plays in intergenerational communication: “We have always lived away from my parents due to our military life. Thanks to Skype, FaceTime and phone calls, my daughter has grown up with them and formed a bond that is stronger than anyone could wish for. They’ve read stories to her, listened to her learn to read, spent hours playing dolls and even attempted checkers, which was a riot to watch.”

What activities do your kids do to engage with their grandparents? Do you see open opportunities for them to grow in that area? Do share!

Stacey Ross is an online consultant, social media enthusiast, freelancer and owner of SanDiegoBargainMama.com. A former teacher and middle school counselor, she is now a mom of two who researches and freelances about lifestyle topics involving family and well-being.

App Collections, home

Create and Customize Your iPhone’s Memoji

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By Tracey Dowdy

Back in June, Apple introduced Memoji stickers you can use in your messages, comparable to those available from Snapchat’s Bitmoji. The stickers work in iMessage, as well as other services, like WeChat and work with any device with an A9 chip or later.

With the iOS 13 update – available now for iOS – user’s Memoji’s get even more diverse skin colors – including green – piercings, makeup, and you can customize your teeth with gaps, braces, or even missing teeth. You’ll also notice more accessories options, like hats, glasses, earrings, braces piercings, and AirPods.

Memojis are another attempt by Apple to personalize your device in an attempt to make it stand out among the competition.  While Samsung phones also have AR Emoji avatars users can create, the 3D renderings were off-putting to some users, and Samsung downplayed the feature when it launched its Galaxy S10 phones. Google has yet to come out with its own competitor for Memojis, though many customers use third-party apps like Bitmoji. Memoji avatars are embedded into the new iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Max Pro, and with the update, you can use your Memoji in iMessage, FaceTime, Notes, and Mail, and many other of your favorite apps.

To personalize your Memoji, in your Messages app, tap the Memoji icon, select the three-dots and then tap New Memoji. If you already have a Memoji, you can edit, duplicate or delete it. Plus, users now have the option that instead of using an emoji when messaging friends, you can use personalized Memoji stickers. Once you design your Memoji, your iPhone automatically creates a sticker pack for you.

You can find your Memoji stickers in the Messages app, Mail app or if you’re using another app, tap the emoji icon and your Memoji stickers will show up on the left.

To create your Memoji:

  • Open Messages and tap the textbox to start a new message, or go to an existing conversation.
  • Tap, then swipe right and tap New Memoji
  • Customize the features of your memoji — like skin tone, hairstyle, eyes, and more
  • Tap Done

For more complete instructions on how to create your Memoji, click here or here.

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.