If you’re thinking about buying a new laptop, especially as a Christmas gift, here’s everything you need to know about Apple’s new generation of Macs.
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Buying or selling a smart home? Read this first
Even with a sluggish housing market, there are buyers and sellers. Are you one of them?
As more and more people welcome smart technology or IoT (Internet of Things) devices such as lighting, appliances, and security systems into their homes, it’s most likely the house you’re selling or buying is considered a smart home. Tap or click to discover what you should buy first when making your home smart.
Since IoT is still relatively new, many people have little experience in buying or selling a smart home. If this is your situation, you probably have questions like what steps you need to take if you’re buying a home and inheriting a stranger’s smart tech? What if you are listing your own home and plan to leave smart devices? We’ve got answers. Here’s some information you’re going to want to read before you sign on the dotted line.
Here’s a smart home, there’s a smart home
It’s estimated by the end of this year; there could be around 50 billion connected devices, many incorporated into homes. Chances are you either currently own a smart home, or will buy one in the future. Tap or click to reveal how big tech wants to make all your smart devices work together.
Whether you’re trying to sell a smart home or buy one, there are some things you need to know first. Let’s start with sellers.
If you are selling
If you’ve invested a chunk of money into upgrading your house to a smart home, you want to make sure you see a return on your investment while keeping any personal data associated with your smart gadgets out of the hands of the new owner.
- List all the smart devices. A thermostat may be obvious, but what about the fridge or the sprinkler system?
- Decide what is staying and what you intend to take with you.
- Remove admin access and all personal info for every connected device you’re leaving or discarding.
- If possible, reset all the devices to factory settings.
- Replace any device that you intend to take with a comparable non-smart device.
- Inform potential buyers what stays and what goes with you.
If you’re buying
What if you’re not selling a smart home, but looking to buy one? If you are hoping to find a house loaded with gadgets, there are a few steps you need to perform before you take ownership.
- Determine which gadgets you want to keep.
- Review the warranties. Some do not transfer owners.
- Reset all the devices and check the privacy and security settings.
- Create your secure accounts with 2FA and unique passwords.
- Take all the usual steps to secure your IoT devices.
How to digitally sign a PDF
If you’re starting a new job or receiving documents to sign for projects, there may be a number of pages that require your signature. One big problem could be you don’t have access to a printer to print the documents and you don’t have a scanner to upload them once you sign. So what do you do? Luckily, there’s a simple solution to get your documents from point A to point B. We’ll show you how to solve this annoying problem in a quick and easy way.
Best things to buy before and after Christmas
We all know there can be some incredible deals leading up to Christmas. Black Friday and Cyber Monday especially offer huge savings that are difficult to turn down. But many people might not be aware that there are some deals that come after Christmas that can be even bigger money savers. Here are some of those deals that you might get now, and some to wait until after Christmas to take advantage of.
Don't buy these creepy gadgets that take away your privacy this Christmas
Gift-giving season is here at last, and some of the hottest items on the list will likely be connected toys and gadgets and Internet-of-Things appliances.
To help you choose which gadgets deserve their place under the Christmas tree, Mozilla, the nonprofit organization known for its Firefox browser, just released its “Privacy Not Included” list for 2018.
An unexpected way to make extra cash on the web
Good website names are in high demand, and people are selling domains for figures that would astound you. In this episode of Komando On Demand, Kim looks at the practice of selling website domain names and social media handles. She talks to Asen Kehayov, an ethical hacker and founder of InForceCyber.com, about how to be safe when buying and selling domains.
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Should you trust social media influencers?
Open/download audioSocial media started as a way to connected with friends and family and share snippets of our everyday lives. But now social media is a full-fledged business, and influencers are the pros hard at work trying to impact our buying decisions. Can you really trust what they post?
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Fake Viagra is not a good thing
Open/download audioBuying drugs online without a prescription is just a bad idea in general. Fake drugs can make you sick. Or, as is the case with Viagra, you’ll get more than you bargained for.
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8K televisions are on the way but the price isn't worth it
Open/download audioAt the annual Consumer Electronics Show last month, companies like Samsung, Toshiba, Sony and LG made a big deal about their new 8K televisions. Other than the fact that there is hardly any 8K content available, there’s another hard fact that will keep you from buying one.
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What to buy the day after Christmas
Open/download audioNow that all the presents are opened, and the big day is past, let’s look at the top items to buy right now – the day AFTER Christmas. In this episode of Consumer Tech Update, Kim looks at the top items we should be buying now that Christmas is over from tech to decor.
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3 apps to help you sell your stuff
Less than 20 years ago, when we wanted to sell our unwanted or older furniture, toys, books, or anything else, we would have a yard sale. Ten years ago, we would use eBay or Craigslist to sell the same items. Well, times have changed yet again and there are newer, even better ways to sell those unwanted, unused items. Apps have become the new marketplace, and these three are the cream of the crop.
How to earn extra cash selling your domain name
Open/download audioYou’ve probably heard of flipping real estate and on the web, a domain name is a piece of digital real estate. Good website names are in high demand and people are selling domains and making big bucks. In this episode of Komando on Demand, Kim looks at the practice of selling website domain names and how people are making good money at doing it. Kim also talks to Asen Kehayov, an ethical hacker and founder of InForceCyber.com, about how to be safe when buying and selling domains.
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6 pro Alexa skills you’ll use every day
Alexa is no longer “new.” The smart-tech revolution is now in full swing, and Amazon Echo is at the heart of it. According to Edison Research, nearly 40 million people own voice-activated speakers, which is about 1 in 6 U.S. adults. Now it’s time to see what Alexa can really do. Most users know how to select songs and search the internet for information. These skills are handy, but they’re only the tip of the digital iceberg.
Stop robocalls, free TV, anonymous browsing and more: Tech Q&A
Each week, I receive tons of questions from my listeners about tech concerns, new products and all things digital. Sometimes choosing the most interesting questions to highlight is the best part of my job. This week, I received questions about ways to stop robocalls, how many channels would come with a television antenna, how to browse the internet anonymously and more.
8 reasons you should buy Apple's most basic iPad instead of an iPad Pro
The iPad is one of the most iconic Apple gadgets on the market and everyone was excited about the latest changes. With competition from cheaper gadgets from Amazon and other Android-based tablets, the new features at the same price point was definitely the shot in the arm that Apple needed to make the basic iPad relevant again.
12 texting tips you didn’t know the iPhone could do
Texts used to be handy; now they’re an integral part of our lives. We hold entire conversations via text. We exchange GIFs, emojis, and videos with ease. Not sure what kind of butter to buy? Text your spouse a picture of two brands to get the answer. Wouldn’t it be nice to know some texting tricks?
Breaking down the Bitcoin – everything you ever wanted to know but were too afraid to ask
Open/download audioYou’ve probably heard about Bitcoin, but like many, are completely confused by the new digital currency. Bitcoin’s value is soaring, but there are so many questions surrounding this fairly new cryptocurrency. Listen to me FREE Komando on Demand podcast as I answer the questions you’re too embarrassed to ask and find out the pros and cons of buying and selling Bitcoins.
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Buying a new TV
Open/download audioHow can you tell when a TV screen is to big?
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