12/4: Holidays and technology

Agenda:

Questions from last week (Your cellular phone)

Presentation

Homework

Go to an online site and see how you can order something online.  Review their return policies and privacy. Consider comparing prices.  Check your credit card to make sure that it is correct. 

Find a holiday movie on your favorite streaming service.  While you are at it, look for a holiday playlist  Consider setting up your own.

If you have an Amazon Echo device, set up a holiday routine (or any routine).  Link as many things as you can.

Use resources provided to research charities to find one that is reputable.  

Use the drop down list to discover activities that you can attend during the holiday season.  

Check out any of the additional links for other holiday related things.  

Quiz

Using technology for holidays

In this lesson, we will look at things associated with the holiday season and how to use technology to do a better job.  Feel free to share what you have used in the past to enjoy your holiday season.

Online shopping and safety

We do a lot of shopping during the holiday season.  And we are encouraged by the frequent sales and promotions.  We have just had Black Friday (now more online than in person) and Cyber Monday (more in person).  How do you know if a site is safe, and how can you compare prices while ensuring online safety and privacy?

Finding Deals and Comparing Prices

Use Price Comparison Websites and Apps: Websites like PriceGrabber, ShopSavvy, and Google Shopping allow you to compare prices across various retailers. Apps like Honey or CamelCamelCamel (for Amazon products) can track price history and alert you to price drops.

Sign Up for Newsletters and Alerts: Many stores send exclusive deals and early sale alerts to their email subscribers. Use a dedicated email address for shopping to keep your primary inbox uncluttered.

Follow Favorite Brands on Social Media: Brands often announce special deals and promotions on their social media platforms.

Check Out Daily Deal and Flash Sale Sites: Websites like Amazon and Groupon offer time-limited sales.

This might be subjective, but some ideas for price comparing online

Never completely trust these sites.  They are also trying to make money.

Price aggregators use software to collect and compare prices.  They often have affiliate links.  

Ensuring Online Safety and Privacy

  While shopping online is convenient and offers a wider variety than in person, there is the risk of safety and privacy.  Here are some of the ideas for making sure that you stay safe online.

Shop on Secure Websites:  Look for URLs that start with “https” – the ‘s’ stands for secure. Check for a padlock icon near the address bar, indicating a secure connection. Use Strong Passwords and a Password Manager. Consider using a password manager to keep track of your passwords securely. Avoid Shopping on Public Wi-Fi.  Instead, try a VPN (Virtual Private Network) or wait until you are on a secure network.

Be Wary of Too-Good-to-Be-True Deals: Extremely low prices can be a sign of a scam. Verify the legitimacy of the retailer before purchasing.

Use Familiar Websites: Stick to well-known retailers or do thorough research on new or unfamiliar sites before buying.

Keep Software and Apps Updated: Ensure your browser, antivirus software, and apps are up to date to protect against the latest security threats.

Monitor Bank Statements: Regularly check your bank statements for any unauthorized charges.

Be Cautious with Personal Information: Only provide necessary information for a purchase. Be wary of requests for information that seems irrelevant to the transaction.

Use Secure Payment Methods: Credit cards generally offer better fraud protection than debit cards. Consider using payment services like PayPal for an additional layer of security.  You might consider creating a unique credit card for online shopping.

Read Privacy Policies: Understand how your data will be used and whether it will be shared with third parties.

Be skeptical on reviews:  Reviews about a company or product from a wide variety of review and retailer sites, search engines, app stores, and social media platforms. Check several sources and consider where a review is posted, who wrote the review, and the reviewer’s history. And don’t rely on star ratings alone because some reviews and ratings are fake or misleading. Fake reviews can be positive or negative. 

Read the seller’s information about shipping and delivery, and check out the return policy:  An FTC rule requires sellers to ship items as promised in their ads.  If a seller doesn’t promise a time, it has to ship your order within 30 days after it gets your name, address, and payment, or permission to charge your account. Many sites offer tracking options that let you see exactly where your purchase is and an estimate when you’ll get it. If you pay by credit card but don’t get the item, disput the item.  

Keep records:  When you buy something online, be sure to keep information about the company name and website, what you ordered, the date you ordered it, and what you paid.  Also note the seller’s return policy, all email, text, and other communication you have with the company and your credit card or bank account statements that show how you paid for the product. 


Helpful links: 

Scams while looking online for bargains: https://www.fdic.gov/resources/consumers/consumer-news/2022-12.html, https://www.wellsfargo.com/privacy-security/fraud/bank-scams/online-shopping-scams/

Tips on online shopping:  https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/online-shopping



Make sure to be safe when purchasing online.

These are review tips for businesses to improve the accuracy of their reviews.

Amazon sellers will create fake ads.  Verified purchases on Amazon means that the review is connected to a purchase.  Listen to hear more.

From Khan Academy, some tips for shopping online especially for unfamiliar sites.

From AARP, tips to avoid scams on social media shopping

From Capital One, how to create a virtual card for shopping online

Streaming holiday entertainment

A streaming service is a subscription-based service that offers streaming content without requiring a cable or satellite TV subscription. It allows users to access movies, TV shows, and other content directly over the internet, without the need for a traditional cable TV or satellite subscription. These services offer a variety of content, including original programming, movies, and TV shows, and can be accessed on a variety of devices, including smart TVs, computers, tablets, and smartphones.

There are lots of special shows offered during the holiday season.  The challenge is to find the right program.  Here are some tips on finding a holiday special right for you (and the family):

Use the Search Function: Most streaming platforms have a search bar. Simply typing in keywords like "Christmas," "Hanukkah," "New Year's," "holiday," or "festive" can bring up a variety of holiday-themed movies, shows, and specials.

 

Browse Special Holiday Categories: During the holiday season, many streaming services create special categories or sections dedicated to holiday content. These can usually be found on the home page or in the genre/category section of the service.

 

Check Out Curated Playlists: Some platforms curate playlists or collections of holiday movies and TV shows. These can include classics, family-friendly options, or new releases. To create one, login to the service and browse for content that you want to use.  When you find the title, look for an option like “add to my list” or “watch list” and click on the option.  To view, go to “my list” or “watchlist” on the site to find them.  You can add or remove as needed.

 

Look for Banners and Promotions: Streaming services often promote holiday content through banners or featured sections on their homepage. These are usually updated regularly to highlight new and popular options.

 

Read Online Guides and Reviews: Websites, blogs, and social media pages dedicated to streaming and entertainment often publish lists of the best holiday content available on various platforms.  A few possibilities:

o   Rotten Tomatoes: Holiday movies and streaming

o   IMDb:  Here are the holiday picks on IMDb

o   Decider:  A great site for seeing what is available across the services.  This link takes you to holiday movies.

 

 Use Voice Search: If the streaming service is accessible through a smart TV or device with voice recognition (like Google Home or Amazon Echo), simply saying a holiday-related command can bring up relevant content.

 

Explore Recommendations: Many streaming services offer personalized recommendations based on viewing history. Watching a few holiday titles can prompt the service to suggest more.

Examples of some streaming services

Netflix ($6.99 - $19.99 a month)

Amazon Prime ($139/year or $14.99/month)

Hulu (7.99 to 14.99 (no ads))

Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is a subscription service with Apple originals, other movies and more.  It is $9.99 a month.  This can be confusing, as there are other products as labeled Apple TV:

Apple TV the Product:  This is a streaming device to stream videos from iTunes, Amazon Prime, ESPN, Hulu, Netflix and more. 

Apple TV app:  A free app/service that is a hub for content from various streaming services including Apple TV plus.  It comes preloaded on the Apple TV product.

NOTE:  You can get Apple TV+ bundled with five other services for $16.95/month to $32.95/month using Apple One.

      Disney Plus: (7.99/mo (ads) – 13.99 mo (no ads) 


Create a playlist on Spotify.  It will be similar with other services.

A curated list for holidays entertainment  on multiple services.

Create a home for holiday ambiance

Use Smart Home Devices for Holiday Ambiance: Google Home and Amazon Echo are smart speakers that can significantly enhance the holiday experience by playing music, controlling lights, and helping create a festive atmosphere in your home. Here's how you can use these devices for holiday cheer:

Music:

Use voice commands to play holiday music.  Both Google and Amazon Echo have music playlists just for the holiday.  The simplest thing would be to say, “Hey Google, play holiday music” or for Amazon Echo, say, “Alexa, play holiday music”.  You can also name a particular album or singer as well.  

You can also create your own playlist.  The process is similar to creating a video playlist. You will login to the service and browse for music that you want to use.  When you find the title, look for an option like “add to my list”.  To hear, you can go to  “my list” on the site to find them.  You can add or remove as needed.  When created, you can also ask Google or Amazon Echo to play it ("Play my holiday music playlist.")

Lighting:

Many smart lights allow you to change colors. Create festive scenes with colors like red and green for Christmas or blue and white for Hanukkah.  Use commands like “Alexa, set living room lights to red” or “Hey Google, change kitchen lights to green.”

Use smart plugs for your non-smart holiday decorations. Plug your holiday lights or electric menorah into a smart plug. Control these with voice commands, like “Alexa, turn on the Christmas tree” or “Hey Google, turn off the holiday lights.”

Set up a holiday routine:

Maybe you are having people over.  You can prepare ahead of time with a holiday routine which you will teach to your smart home devices.  Then with just a word, you can enable your holiday lights, music, thermostat controls and more.  Your only limit is the number of smart home devices you have, provided they are all associated with one provider (Google/Amazon/Apple).  To set a routine using Alexa:

A step by step guide for setting up routines on Alexa

Controlling smart lights with Alexa

Online charity and donation platforms

Holiday season is a great time to donate to those who are less fortunate.  However, it is also a time for scams.  Do your homework before donating.  Here are some tips from the FTC:

Before donating, view this short video.

More information from AARP

More information on charity fraud from US Postal Service.

Bonus: 2023 HOliday Happenings:  Click on the down arrow

Dec. 7-10

Dec. 15-17

Dec. 21-25

Ongoing during the season


Some useful links for the holiday season

Good sites for holiday recipes:

Sites for shopping online:

Gift Cards:

Online grocery shopping:

Holiday events: