What happens when there’s a rogue clone of you running around?
5 ways to connect when you’re apart for the holidays
Christmas Eve is here. It’s a time for joy, laughter and cherished moments with loved ones. I know how busy this day can get, but a little bit of tech-savvy can help make it even more special.
Here are five quick and simple ways to use technology to connect with family and create memories without taking up too much time.
1. Share a quick video call
Even if you’re rushing between cooking, wrapping and organizing, a video call makes you feel close to distant loved ones. Apps like FaceTime, Google Meet or Zoom make it easy. I text in advance to agree on a time since folks are running around today.
- Pro tip: Set a timer for 10 minutes to say hello, show off your tree or share a quick holiday toast.
2. Snap and share holiday photos
Capture candid moments of your Christmas Eve fun and share them with family using Google Photos, Apple’s Shared Albums or even a private Facebook group.
- Pro tip: Use apps like Canva to create quick, festive photo collages. It’s fun and you’ll be happy to look back on them later.
- Facebook tip: Create a private group to upload and comment on photos throughout the night. It’s a fun way to be “together” from afar.
3. Send a digital holiday card
If you haven’t sent cards this year, it’s not too late! Hit up Canva (free), Adobe Express (30-day trial) or Paperless Post (about 25 cents per card). Choose a template, whip up a greeting and send it in just a few minutes — no printing or trip to the post office required.
- Why it works: A quick note of love and holiday cheer can mean the world to someone who may not expect it.
4. Watch a movie together from anywhere
How to rock a remote interview: Tips for shining over the phone or on video
Remote interviews are the present and the future. Why? The pandemic forced many companies nationwide to move to a remote system nearly overnight.
Now that we’ve been operating remotely for a while, many employers have seen the positive benefits of having remote employees. Increased productivity is one of them.
So much swiping: You’re deep down a webpage on your iPhone. Tap the clock in the top left or the battery at the top right to zoom all the way up. On most Android models, tap the very top of the screen.
Global tech outage wreaks havoc
A software update by CrowdStrike took down tons of computer systems around the world. Banks, businesses, hospitals, and more were all impacted. Plus, Amazon Prime Day updates and Zoom’s demand for a return to the office.
The LA fires: The sheer destruction is overwhelming, and it may be some time before we fully understand the lives lost and the toll taken. My heart is with everyone affected, and I’m keeping you all in my prayers. As a homeowner in an evacuation zone, I fear the worst for my own property, but material things pale in comparison to the loss of life and safety for so many. This 3D map allows you to zoom in and explore the impacted areas. It’s a stark reminder of the fires’ far-reaching devastation.
3.8 million miles
From the sun’s surface. That’s how close NASA’s tiny Parker Solar Probe will get. It sounds far, but temps are still 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit at that distance. It’ll zoom in at 430,000 miles per hour, breaking its own record as the fastest human-made object in history.
🔍 Zoomed in? In all kinds of programs, you may have zoomed in by accident and you need to get back to normal. On a Mac, press Cmd + 0 (zero). On a PC, it’s Ctrl + 0. (Bonus: Zoom in and out with Cmd/Ctrl and the plus and minus keys.)
Zoom’s post-pandemic Hail Mary: Now that many folks are back in the office, Zoom wants to stay relevant. Their new AI Companion 2.0 has an avatar that can talk for you and adds a panel in all your meetings with notes about previous convos, plus related emails, calendar items and uploads. If it works, it sounds pretty sweet.
A U.S. senator was deepfake duped: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin, D-Md., had a Zoom call with a scammer posing as Ukraine’s former foreign minister. The deepfake looked and sounded just like the real guy, and the scammer pressed for Cardin’s opinions on sensitive foreign policy and the upcoming election. Cardin got suspicious and the call ended. It’s still unclear who was behind it.
This Zoom feature isn’t even remotely funny: Zoom’s new AI companion takes notes, summarizes meetings and even tells you who talked most. Click the magic wand icon below the main video window to use it. You can ask it for a quick update or to pull out action items from the discussion, too. Fine print: Available for paid plans only.
Zoom-zoom: On YouTube, double-click the right side of a video to skip ahead 10 seconds. If the intro’s still playing, double-click again to skip it. Another option: Hit the right arrow to jump ahead 5 seconds.
Stop squinting to read the text on your phone: Instead of messing around in your settings, do it the easy way: Find the text you want, pinch your fingers together, then spread them apart (the classic zoom-out motion). Works in messages and most other apps. You’re welcome!
🤳🏻 3 Android photo tips: 1.) Double-press the power button to quickly launch the camera, even when your phone’s locked. 2.) Don’t ask a stranger to take a pic. Open the camera app, select Timer and turn it on. Select from a delay of two, five or 10 seconds. 3.) This one’s basic, but not everyone knows it: Open the camera and tap the screen to focus on a certain point. Love this when I want to zoom in on something specific.
📸 iPhone editing trick: Use this next time a pic is almost perfect. Select an image and zoom in using two fingers. The option to crop your photo will appear on the top right of your device. Tap it, crop or adjust your pic using the editing tools, then tap Done.
The future is now: A Texas hospital now lets patients see their doctors via hologram. The Holobox beams a high-quality 3D image that makes it seem like the doc is sitting right there. Why this over Zoom? Doctors can see the patient’s full body. The catch? The machine costs $42,000, so expect to pay up for 3D visits.
🤏 Easy zoom: If you only have one hand free to use your Android phone, zoom in or out in Google Maps by double-tapping on the map and holding your finger down on the second tap. Then, move your finger up or down.
I’m surprised so many people don’t know this: On Zoom, Google Meet and most other video-chatting platforms, you can hit the spacebar when you’re muted to talk again. You have to hold it down. You’re welcome!
Mac trackpad tricks: If you tilt two fingers on your trackpad at the same time, you’ll rotate images and graphics. Double-tap with two fingers to zoom in (then back out) of a site or PDF. Lots more ideas here.
Hard pass: Zoom CEO Eric Yuan wants to bring AI clones to the platform. “Digital twins” will attend meetings on your behalf and even make decisions, freeing up your schedule and maybe leading to shorter workweeks. Uh, no. Digital Kim is not making decisions for Real Kim.