Archive for the ‘Smartphone’ Category
In part 2 of this week’s series we will be discussing how you can empower your smartphone or tablet and make your holidays easier, by learning about all of their most futuristic features.
Let’s face it, we’re a long way from the ease of a Star Trek communicator, and we don’t have cool holodecks yet. At Geek Squad we realize every year the things we use to talk to each other don’t seem to get simpler, but more and more complicated!
“What does this button do again?”
With a plethora of apps available for today’s digital devices, you can do so much more than just stay in touch. Whether it’s a video chat with your Aunt on the other side of the country, a step-by-step instruction manual for cooking the perfect turkey, or keeping track of the calories to help get a head start on your New Year’s resolution, unlocking the full potential of your smartphone or tablet actually can help to reduce stress.
What do I need?
To take advantage of the latest mobile apps, all you’ll need is a smartphone or tablet! This can include any Android or Blackberry mobile device, or an iOS Apple device like an iPhone or iPad. Before checking for the latest apps, you will also want to check to make sure you have the latest operating system updates for your phone. With Android and Blackberry you can check for a ‘System Update’ from the settings menu on the phone. With an iPad or iPhone all you need to do is connect it to your computer running iTunes.
What can I do?
While they aren’t quite up to StarTrek communication standards, your mobile device is surprisingly strong! Ultimately, the possibilities are limited only by our creativity. Here are a few holiday suggestions to maximize your device:
Whether you’re trying to perfect that holiday meal, stay in touch with the family, or keep an eye on your waist line we are here to help! As always, Agents are standing by 24/7/365 at 1-800-GeekSquad and on Http://www.geeksquad.com to help combat techno stress. Just don’t ask us how long to cook the turkey. It won’t end well for anyone involved.
-Agent Laura M.
Every day, Counter Intelligence Agent Laura M, of Precinct 329, heroically removes malware and saves the personal lives of computer users in Maple Grove, MN. She has a vitamin D deficiency from playing too many video games. She likes animals and books.
A recent survey shows 46.7% of shoppers will purchase holiday items online this year. Unfortunately, there are people out there looking to “scrooge” your holiday shopping experience. Regardless of how you shop online, keeping your online identity safe is crucial.
In part of our mission to police technology and protect the world, Geek Squad Agents have prepared tips to keep you safe while shopping online. Here are a few ways to ensure your identity remains safe while grabbing those hot deals on Cyber Monday.
Our mobile devices are replacing computers for more of our common tasks each year, and this year’s online shopping season is no different. There are a few special security concerns that come with using a mobile device to shop online. While shopping on the go this year, be sure to follow these security precautions to keep you and your digital wallet safe.
Remember, Geek Squad Agents are there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our primary mission is keeping your techno-stress at bay, whether that is providing you with some preventative tips, or saving the day when everything seems to be going wrong; we’re here when you need us.
-Agent Patrick B.
Summer is fast approaching! Families are piling in the car and setting out on the Nation’s highways and skyways in search of an inexpensive and stress-free vacation. Here at the Geek Squad, we want to make sure you know about a few technologies available that will help ensure your vacation is safe, efficient and a little less stressful.
Perhaps one of the most obvious tech gadgets in use today when on vacation is the GPS unit. This relatively simple-to-use device allows you to not only get easily from point A to point B, but also allows you to find new places of interest once you get to your vacation destination. What you may not know is that some newer GPS units also allow you to navigate a route using less fuel, monitor your fuel consumption and avoid traffic. Savings in the wallet and savings in time! Check out a GPS that offers live traffic reports such as a Garmin or TomTom. To get even fancier, Garmin has an accessory (ecoRouteHD) that ties your Garmin ecoRouteHD compatible GPS into your vehicle’s computer-control system to provide you with live engine data, including miles-per-gallon and engine trouble codes, right on your Garmin GPSs screen!
The smartphone is another tech tool that can help you save some cash. For example, a slew of applications are available on the market that allow you to see average area gas prices. Some applications, including GasBuddy (iPhone/Android), AccuFuel (iPhone/iPad) and GasBook (iPhone), even help you calculate whether or not it is wise to drive out of your route to save a few cents at a cheaper station. Smartphones and tablet devices can also help keep those back-seat drivers occupied by providing endless choices of entertainment. I’m sure I don’t have to tell you “are we there yet?” gets very old very quickly.
Technology can also help keep you safer when you are away. Digital cameras can be used to take a backup picture of vital documents such as passports or the condition of your rental car. GPS routing can be utilized at home before you leave, so you can let loved ones know your expected travel and arrival times. Smartphone and tablet applications that share your live location can also be shared with loved ones for a little extra peace of mind on those long-haul trips. Some people even leave their webcam-equipped computers on at home so they can log in via an internet connection and view get a live view of what is going on in the house.
Below is a short checklist you may find useful in planning and executing your vacation travel. Enjoy your adventure and keep it safe:
• Plan route in the GPS, write down times/dates and share with loved ones via email or written letter
• Take pictures/make photocopies of important documents as backups in case you lose the originals.
• On the day of departure have a list ready of all accessories: Do you have power cords, charters, batteries, and mounts for all your gadgets? Would an all-in-one power supply or charger help cut down wires?
• During your trip use your phone, portable DVD or tablet as a source of entertainment.
• Check in with your loved ones periodically by phone or email, especially if you have to deviate from your planned route.
• Always remember to have a map as a backup. GPS units are not infallible and should not be your only source of navigation whether you are in the car or on the trail. Please, use your head, it is the best safety device you will ever have!
As the effects of natural disasters bring us together to help those in need, Geek Squad wanted to take a moment to share some lessons on how social media and mobile devices can play a role in that assistance.
Products from shoes to bathroom scales have built-in tweeting, and at least one innovator has created an app that tweets everything that he watches around the house via TiVo. It may make your head spin to think that the same microblogging service helped serve as the groundwork for revolution in the Middle East as well as a key tool for finding loved ones after the tsunami in Japan. Obviously, not all tweets are created equal. It should come as no surprise, then, that scammers are always waiting to exploit the next big tragedy via these networks.
Here are a few tips to help you stay safe while assisting others:
- If you are being solicited by a stranger for donations, consider who they may be and what their credentials are. You can never be too careful with your financial information.
- Use reliable and reputable sites to research any charities to which you are considering contributing.
- If you have trouble finding a relief effort that you can verify as legitimate, turn to major organizations such as the American Red Cross. (Best Buy recently donated $100,000 to this group for storm relief efforts)
- If you do not want to donate via credit card, consider a text message donation. (More on this below)
- If you live near an area affected by a natural disaster, such as the recent wave of tornadoes in the south, search Facebook for groups that are organizing volunteer efforts.
Most tweets and Facebook posts soliciting donations no longer redirect you to a website where you enter a lot of personal information, or even to a PayPal link to donate directly through that method. Many of these solicitations now take the form of “Send ‘KEYWORD’ to 12345 to donate $5 to the relief efforts.” The phone number is a “short code,” which is a shortened phone number specifically designed for receiving text messages. This donation method sounds so easy… so how does it work?
Text message donations have been around for several years, but only recently came into the mainstream after the Haiti earthquake. The way these work is simple. First, you send a specific word to a specific phone number. Then, the donation will appear on your cell phone statement. This is an easy way to donate from the road if you can’t get in front of a computer, and most major charities and disaster relief funds have this capability. As always, make sure you check the legitimacy of the campaign before donating! We’ve included two resources below to help you get started.
RESOURCES:
http://www.bbb.org/us/charity/ – The Better Business Bureau’s U.S. charity division, a repository of information about legitimate and illegitimate charity efforts .
http://blog.charitynavigator.org/2011/04/us-tornado-disaster-relief.html – A list of some charities and what they are doing to help with the storm relief efforts.
It uses the same system used now to spell out words, such as 1-800-GEE-KSQUA converting to 1-800-433-5778, or in the days of telephone operators where PennsylvniA 6-5000 became 726-5000. As you type in single numbers that standard for one of 3 or 4 letters, it cross references that with a dictionary of words to find out what word you may be typing. It is not flawless, because there are a number of words that are spelled by the same four numbers (for example, 5646 spells both “join” and “logo”), however most systems will present the most common word, and then offer you a chance to pick other options. However the benefit is that instead of using non-T9 text messaging systems where you would have to hit the 5 key three times to move from “j” to “k” to “l”, you can just hit the 5 key once and it figures out from context which letter it should be.
You are on the road. In a strange city. Heading to an appointment. At a location you’ve never been to before. In heavy traffic. (And heavy rain). And you are running a little late.
To add insult to injury, add in a paper printout map – you not only have misery refined, you have a very good possibility of ending up in a ditch. (Or somewhere worse).
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