Most of us have a drawer full of old gadgets lying around. Letting them pile up and collect dust isn’t just a waste of money but also a missed opportunity. You’d be surprised by how many useful things your old phone is capable of. In this Komando DIY, we’ve got four things you can do with your old smartphones after you upgrade.
Headed back to the office? Best way to keep an eye on your home from anywhere
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You know the stress of being a parent. When the kids were young, you jumped at every sneeze, cough and wobbly step.
Now that they’re young adults or teenagers, there are different stresses. Are they driving while distracted by texts and social media messages? At home, are they safe? Are they being responsible for getting home on time from school, not raiding your liquor cabinet and staying out of trouble?
Teenagers and young adults put themselves in a lot of risky situations. You might remember doing that yourself once. But thanks to our sponsor SimpliSafe, you can greatly reduce those risks while alleviating your stress levels.
If you’ve been working from home and with your kids all day for the past year, leaving is going to be tough. Let the pros at SimpliSafe put your mind at ease.
Basics of home safety
SimpliSafe is a lot more than an affordable, state-of-the-art home security system. It’s a system that lets you remotely monitor your home and your children. You can keep an eye on things at home while you’re at work, running errands or just out and about.
SimpliSafe isn’t like old-fashioned home security systems you used to use. Those systems require a technician to spend hours in your home, drilling holes in your walls and installing complex wiring.
You can install SimpliSafe yourself in about an hour. Plus, unlike those old-fashioned systems, SimpliSafe does not lock you into a contract. You can use it when you need it, and you can also take it with you when you move — try doing that with a wired system.
Whole-home protection
SimpliSafe provides multiple layers of protection. For instance, you can install motion detectors, Freeze Sensors to alert you when your water pipes are in danger of freezing and install the 24/7 high-definition cameras, SimpliCam, so you can watch what’s going on at home from wherever you are.
Thanks to SimpliSafe, you can protect your family from many different dangers. Incredibly, it costs less than $15 a month.
10 surprising smart home devices you didn't know about
For a long time, smart homes were more trendy than commonplace. Now, technology is taking over the home, making our lives easier than ever before.
You probably know about smart switches, lights and music players. Actually, there are a ton of other devices you may not have imagined could be digitized. For example, smart forks and frying pans can make your dinner routine a breeze.
Comparison: SimpliSafe vs. ADT vs. Vivint
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This is pretty cool. We wanted to do a visual comparison to show you how SimpliSafe is the better choice for home security, so we decided to look at two big-name competitors — ADT and Vivint.
You never know what’s going to happen when you compare a sponsor to its competitors, but we were thrilled with what we found.
SimpliSafe's winter sweater sounds the alarm when people stand too close
Sick of people standing too close to you? Here’s a great new way to enforce the six-foot social distancing rule: Sound a siren through your sweater!
That’s the idea behind SimpliSafe’s new sweater. The company that keeps your family safe and sound made its own festive garment this year, decked out in tech to inspire social distance.
How to download your photos from Facebook
There are several reasons why you might want to download your Facebook photos. You may simply want a backup, or perhaps you want to create a photo book or share them through another platform. You may also want to preserve them if you are planning on leaving Facebook and deleting your account. Ready to back up your Facebook adventures? Here’s how to save your photos for posterity.
How to delete your Facebook and Twitter accounts for good
Social media sites were created to keep us connected, but you may find yourself wanting to disconnect for good. Figuring out how to delete your account isn’t easy if you’re not sure where to start. In this Komando DIY, we will show you how to delete your Facebook and Twitter accounts right from your phone.
White-hat hacker shows how easy it is to scam even a digital pro
Stephanie Carruthers makes her living breaking into phones, private accounts and more. But don’t worry — she’s doing it to help keep you safe. This IBM privacy expert and professional hacker shows Kim just how easy it is to get fooled by a digital criminal. Check out her tips for recognizing scams and keeping yourself secure online and offline.
How to stop your smart TV from spying on you
Not only is your smart TV gobbling up your viewing data, but it also may be gathering information about your home. Can you minimize your smart TV’s snooping activities? Our advice: Turn off its tracking features. I’ll tell you how.
The workplace goes digital with virtual reality training
We’ve all had those uncomfortable situations at work. Maybe it’s a disagreement with a coworker or a tricky customer interaction — or even firing a long-time employee. Don’t you wish you could practice? Thanks to VR, AR and AI developer Talespin, you can.
Kim chats with Talespin CEO and co-founder Kyle Jackson about how the company is bringing workplace training to the digital age with its virtual human simulations.
Take the guesswork out of home security
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It’s almost a new year, and that means you’re likely contemplating New Year’s resolutions. One of them should be to make improvements to your home security system.
Start 2021 off right and keep your family safe by adopting a security setup from our sponsor, SimpliSafe. It’s Kim’s pick for lots of reasons.
How to watch ‘Die Hard’ and all your other favorite Christmas movies this season
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It’s time to revive an important annual debate: Is “Die Hard” a Christmas movie? We could argue about this all day — but if you go to Netflix, you’ll discover a shocking lack of “Die Hard” to use as evidence. ‘Tis the season to be thankful, though: If you use ExpressVPN, you can access a Netflix library where “Die Hard” is actually available.
Why digital billboard ads change when you approach
We’re exposed to as many as 5,000 ads a day. To break through the clutter, companies track and target us. Ads are getting even more personal thanks to the next generation of digital billboards. Kim chats with Frank O’Brien, CEO of Five Tier, a company that bridges the gap between the ads you see in cyberspace and the ads you see in person. His secret? The little gadget in each of our pockets: our phones.
Kim's pick for home security: Get a FREE HD camera
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Do you feel 100% confident your home is safe from thieves and break-ins? What about disasters like a flood or fire?
Not being protected is a scary way to live. The good news is it’s easy and affordable to protect you, your home and your family 24/7. With SimpliSafe, you order everything you need online at SimpliSafeKim.com, install it in under an hour and activate the system. After that, your family is protected by professional security monitoring, all with no contracts.
6 privacy and security mistakes you’re making on social media
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Pop quiz: What percentage of American adults use social media? Think about it and I’ll tell you the answer below.
From Facebook to Twitter to Instagram and all the sites in between, we’re voluntarily giving out more information online than ever. Tap or click to get a closer look at exactly what Google knows about you and the steps to erase it.
Deepfake hits the movies (classic 'Titanic' scene)
Deep fake videos can be hilarious or absolutely dangerous. This is an example of the former. Deep fake technology has come a long way and this video portrays a classic scene in the movie “Titanic” but with a twist that may make you feel just a little bit uncomfortable, to say the least.
How to apply for new work from home job that's in high demand
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Working from home became the go-to mode of labor for much of the job market during the COVID-19 pandemic. But now, as the pandemic shifts in new directions, many are wondering whether this remote work trend is here to stay.
The interesting history of coffee
When we wake up in the morning many of us go straight for the coffee. That warm smooth taste, not to mention the caffeine, is what gets us going. But, do you know the history behind that delicious wake-up call? It involves mystical people of the Middle East, a revolution in France and so much more.
Now, more than ever, it's time to protect your home
SimpliSafe
Like millions of Americans, the coronavirus pandemic most likely has you practicing social distancing. With all the uncertainty in the world, feeling safe at home has never been more important.
That’s why we want to talk to you about home security. SimpliSafe has made it easy to get protection for your entire home, without a technician or salesperson coming to your house.
The 5 best free streaming sites for movies & shows
Everyday life has changed amid the coronavirus crisis, and it can be pretty boring being on lockdown. If you don’t have access to any streaming services because money is tight, or you’ve watched everything worth seeing on the platform you do have, don’t miss this. In this Komando DIY, we have the five best free, legitimate streaming sites for you to check out. You can thank us later.