February's Digital Life from Lökwest - text scam alert, a tip you can't miss, CES updates, and the home of the future!
Another month of 2021 is under the belt - it must be time for some freshly curated tech news!
Our featured article this month is a little thought piece I wrote recently while optimizing websites. You may be surprised what you learn about life rather than code from this article!
Then, take time to read about a new text scam and what you shouldn't do with your new iPhone. We've also included a new article on the new Samsung phone (it's cheaper this year), and a tip worthy of a sticky note.
The biggest electronics show of the year, CES, was virtual this year, but that didn't stop us from picking out some highlights for you. Closing out, let's take a step back to yesterday's home of the future. And don't forget to watch for upcoming details of my next Zoom talk in February.
Thanks as always for tuning in!
[FEATURE] From our blog
Life lessons learned from optimizing websites — ow.ly
That guy above isn't me, but it's how I feel at times when doing tech work (particularly back-end coding and optimization). As with many industries, a lot of the work that we techies do goes unnoticed. In fact, if things go well, you shouldn't notice what we do. Things should just "work" magically. That doesn't mean the magic behind the scenes doesn't provide life lessons applicable to everyone!
Two important alerts
If you get a text message for a free year of Netflix, you’re being scammed — bgr.com
The Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker has received “numerous reports” about text message scams offering a free year of Netflix in recent weeks. Use caution with all text messages, just like you do with e-mail. These types of scams are on the uptick.
Apple: Keep iPhone 12 and MagSafe Away From Medical Devices — gizmodo.com
Although Apple has long acknowledged that its iPhone 12 lineup and MagSafe accessories may interfere with medical devices, such as pacemakers and defibrillators, it recently released additional guidance for people who use medical devices. Here's what you need to know.
The new Samsung phone is cheaper this year!
The Samsung Galaxy S21 Is Here: Polished, and at a Lower Price — ow.ly
The three Galaxy S21 phones are $200 to $400 less than the S20, feature cameras with up to 100x zoom, and connect to the new C-band 5G networks. The top model supports the S Pen, but otherwise, improvements are iterative. Check out all the features here.
A tip worthy of a sticky note
How to Take a Screenshot on Almost Any Device — www.howtogeek.com
I get this question all the time - how can I share a picture of my screen? If you don't know, today's the time to learn. Get these shortcuts, put them on a sticky, and amaze everyone the next time you share your screen!
From the Consumer Electronics Show
This year's big show was 100% virtual. Outside of the annual $50000 huge TVs, here are a few interesting highlights:
Masks, disinfectants, air purifiers and touchless technology are CES 2021's answer to COVID-19 — www.cnet.com
Lots of technology revolving around personal health was featured at the show. This is some of the tech that may help define our new normal, even after this pandemic disappears.
ColdSnap is the Keurig of Soft-Serve Ice Cream Makers — ow.ly
Why didn't I think of this? Or why didn't they have this when I was a kid! I don't know how this will work if it actually gets out in the wild, but a Keurig for ice cream sounds great to me! The ColdSnap is a CES Innovation Award Honoree that can make frozen treats from premade pods in less than two minutes.
Here are the robots taking the virtual stage at CES 2021 — ow.ly
Robots were a big trend at this year's CES. Several companies are touting smarter and smarter virtual companions in light of last year's events. Check out a few ideas here. Oh, and in case you missed the Boston Dynamics robots do a scary cool dance to "Do You Love Me" - here's an encore. Tech is getting amazing, but when you look at even this technology, it makes what our own bodies do even more amazing!
In tech history...the home of tomorrow!
Now that we've talked about the future of tech from CES, let's look back at the future of tech in the 1950's. This classic 10 minute video will have you both laughing and amazed. Although the "micro-fiche" recipe screen part-way through is hilarious, it's not too far off from the Echo Show or Google Home. Enjoy the "Westinghouse All Electric House" 🙂🙂
Join the next Zoom talk
You can be one of the cool kids like the video above. All you need to do is sign up for my next Zoom discussion. This month, I'll be reviewing "the Cloud" again. Despite most people using cloud computing every day, it's still a nebulous term for many (yuk yuk). If you're still confused about where you're storing your things, how to clean up the cloud, and more, stay tuned.
I'll be sending an e-mail announcement with more details soon!
Incidentally, here's a representation of what "the cloud" looks like in real life: