The Digital Life - Ringing in December 2018
A new year - a new title! Just in time for 2019, we've decided to re-name our monthly newsletter. Welcome to The Digital Life, where we bring you technology news that's interesting, timely, and useful. You're not living life without The Digital Life!
Here's how it works - Each month we read a few hundred articles. Of those was share a couple dozen a month on social media. Out of those, we pick the best content for your monthly digest.
This month - don't forget to enter our contest, ending on Friday. We've got a few security tips following the Marriott data breach. The holiday season is here, so check out some last minute gadget recommendations. If you're in the giving mood, we have two great giving tips. Finally, check out the 100 greatest innovations of 2018 to wrap up the year.
Have a joyous end to the holiday season, and Happy New Year!
Eric
[WIN!] Our contest is ending soon
Five Year Anniversary Giveaway! - Lökwest — www.lokwest.com
🧁🎈 We're five years old! Celebrate with us with a chance to win a FREE Google Home Mini, just in time for the holidays. Get all the contest details here. We've been pleased with the response. May the luckiest person win 😀😀 Contest ends Friday!
[ALERT] More holiday shopping = more fraud
We're sorry to spoil the holiday fun, but we have to start on a serious note. As the headline says, during the holidays people are busy and there are more transactions taking place. A perfect time for the data Grinch to steal your identity.
Marriott’s massive data breach – here’s what you need to know — nakedsecurity.sophos.com
Ouch. We spared you the technical details, but here's a good synopsis from our friends at Sophos. ICYMI - The Marriott hotel empire's Starwood reservation database has been subject to unauthorized access since 2014, exposing 500 million guests. 😮
How password constraints give you a false sense of security — ow.ly
Now that you know there's been a leak, it's a good time to look at passwords. We cover this in all of our password talks - length matters! To computer scientists - it's bits of entropy. If you don't speak geek - the next time you choose a password, don't assume a crazy combination of symbols and caps keeps you safe! A must read!
A Primer on Digital Security, 2018 Edition — ow.ly
Speaking of tips, this article was passed to me from Cayenne Consulting, a national consultancy with presence in San Clemente. You can never have too many tip lists, so check out these 27 tips to keep your identity and your data safe from hackers.
Last minute shopping? We've got your gadgets.
Great, we got that out of the way. Let's move on to something fun. Surely you still have a gadget fan in your life to buy a holiday gift for!?
The Inventory gift guide for gadget junkies — ow.ly
Tech gifts are great, whether your giftee is a hardcore computer geek or someone just discovering the magic of streaming video. Here are a few nice suggestions from The Inventory.
CNET's Holiday Gift Guide 2018 — ow.ly
A more comprehensive holiday guide of all things tech. Organized by category for easy product comparison. Check out CNET's 2018 holiday gift guide for advice, reviews, and recommendations.
While you're at it, how about holiday giving?
Alexa can now help you donate to Toys for Tots and other charities — ow.ly
Amazon announced this holiday feature for Giving Tuesday. Now, you can ask Alexa to donate to Toys for Tots. She'll guide you through picking out a toy and help you order. You can even track your gift via your Amazon account to make sure it arrives! Toys for Tots is such a great organization - we're happy to see this feature!
Support healing through artistic expression — www.art4healing.org
Disclosure: Art & Creativity for Healing is one of our clients.
If you're looking for a great organization to support with a donation this holiday season, might we recommend Art & Creativity for Healing? They're a great organization using the power of healing art to help others express themselves. Most of us could use some healing art to cut through the day-to-day noise. We see the difference they make on a daily basis - check them out for yourself!
Streaming TV - the perfect holiday entertainment
You can only eat, visit, and watch so much football over the holidays. Sit back, relax, and stream a few shows! Here's your monthly streaming update:
Everything coming to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and HBO Now in December — ow.ly
Here's our favorite lineup from The Verge, covering your monthly streaming agenda. Here's everything coming to the big three this month. Lots of Netflix originals, such as Roma, Bird Box, and Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle....
10 Fire TV apps to try (other than Netflix) — ow.ly
There's more to Fire TV than Netflix! While a lot of Fire TV apps are junk, there are a few promising streaming services besides Netflix! We like Pluto and CuriosityStream for sure (look for a holiday promo on the latter). We'll probably check out a little Santa TV too! 🎄🎄
All the live TV streaming services compared: Which has the best channel lineup? — ow.ly
It's rare to find a good, readable chart comparing streaming service channel lineups. Look no further. You'll want to bookmark this one if you're thinking of cutting the cord!
In tech history - Au revior 2018!
The 100 greatest innovations of 2018 — ow.ly
[BE AMAZED!] We got a blast out of reading through this list of innovations. Popular Science has been around for years, and they don't disappoint with their 31st annual Best of What’s New list across 10 distinct disciplines.
In closing......
Your support means the world to us. Thanks for a great year! Look for lots of exciting news in 2019.
