When I host a nationwide radio present and podcast about all issues tech, digital safety is all the time in each program. Take your own home’s router, for example. An outdated mannequin can put your whole community, information, and something related to it in danger for hackers. Tap or click for five reasons you need to replace that old router.
Other methods of defending your digital life don’t require spending a dime. Tap or click for four quick security checks you can do now for free.
Then there are these safety tips a little bit nearer to dwelling. Whether you’ve gotten a full home or reside alone, there’s loads you are able to do to really feel safer the place you reside.
1. Connect together with your neighborhood
Getting to know your neighbors could be the most effective methods to really feel safer. If you haven’t, introduce your self. You’ll really feel higher figuring out the neighborhood has your again.
You can get to know the broader neighborhood, too, by NextDoor. Create an account to attach with individuals who reside close by. Just prepare for a wholesome dose of drama. I’ll always remember once I noticed a publish about somebody driving too quick. Ahem, it was me.
A extra enjoyable option to get to your neighborhood is to affix a purchase nothing group. This is the place neighbors cross round objects they now not use. Let’s say you are upgrading your TV and must do away with the previous one. Rather than undergo the difficulty of promoting it, ask if anybody close by wish to come and get it.
Tap or click here to check out a safe way to give away and get free stuff in your neighborhood.
2. Set up your cellphone for emergencies
Your cellphone is all the time with you and is usually a lifeline in an emergency. A sensible step is to activate your cellphone’s emergency SOS function. When triggered, this may name emergency providers and ship notifications and updates to your chosen private emergency contacts.
Set up emergency contacts in your iPhone
• Open the Health app and faucet your profile image > Medical ID.
• Select Edit, then scroll to Emergency Contacts.
• Tap the Add emergency contact button, then choose a contact. Add their relationship.
• Hit Done to verify your modifications.
To name emergency providers:
• Press the aspect button and one of many quantity buttons till the Emergency SOS slider pops up.
• To name emergency providers, drag the slider.
• You can even proceed holding the aspect and quantity buttons to contact emergency providers routinely.
Once the countdown ends, your cellphone will contact emergency providers.
RELATED: Apple watches save lives, too. Turn on these features right now.
Set up emergency contacts and SOS in your Android
• Open the Safety app, and check in to your Google Account.
• Tap Settings, then Medical data so as to add information like blood sort, allergic reactions, or drugs. Tap the merchandise within the checklist you wish to replace.
• Tap Emergency contacts, then Add contact and select the prevailing contact you wish to add.
Now you have to activate your Android’s SOS function:
• In this similar app, faucet Safety & emergency after which Emergency SOS.
• Turn on Use Emergency SOS.
• You can even activate Play alarm sound to play a loud sound when Emergency SOS begins.
• Decide which emergency actions ought to set off once you use Emergency SOS. Turn on the actions you wish to use: Call emergency providers and Share information with emergency contacts.
To name emergency providers:
• Press the Power button 5 instances or extra. A five-second countdown begins earlier than emergency actions are began. To cancel Emergency SOS, swipe Cancel to the suitable through the countdown.
• After the five-second countdown, emergency actions are began relying in your settings.
Are you a caretaker for somebody in your life? If you’ll be able to’t all the time be collectively, a variety of nice tech will help. Tap or click here for more information on the fantastic Alexa Together service, including links for the Alexa devices you’ll need to use the service.
3. Make it appear to be you’re dwelling, even once you’re not
Whether you’re at work for the day or off on a weeklong trip, there are methods to make it appear to be your own home is occupied despite the fact that it’s empty. Mechanical or good dwelling timers can flip lights and a stereo or TV on and off.
Tap or click here for a great outdoor smart plug pick at a good price.
Tap or click here for an affordable indoor smart plug.
Have an Echo speaker? Alexa Guard is sort of a pair of ears you permit at dwelling. Your Echo machine will hear for glass breaking, smoke alarms, or carbon monoxide alarms. You’ll get an alert in your cellphone if these sounds are detected.
Alexa Guard can even routinely flip any related good lights on and off to make it appear to be you’re dwelling. Tap or click for steps for this and four other clever ways to use your Echo and Alexa that you’ll wish you knew sooner.
4. Install a wise safety system
Home safety expertise has come a great distance for the reason that days of elaborate hard-wired techniques with prolonged, costly contracts. You can now customise a system in your dwelling that features precisely what you need and even set all of it up your self.
SimpliSafe is a sponsor of my nationwide radio present, they usually’re an organization I all the time suggest. Of course, there are a lot of choices at completely different worth factors.
The most cost-effective doesn’t translate to the most effective. I’d keep away from the discount basement fashions you will discover on-line. Tap or click for the essential features of home security cameras.
5. Think earlier than you publish on-line
We are likely to wish to publish each thrilling second in our lives on social media, but it surely won’t be simply your mates who’re watching your adventures. If you preserve a public profile, anybody can see you’re exploring a brand new metropolis removed from dwelling.
The easiest resolution is to not publish private data on social media, together with your trip schedule. Wait till you get again to share images and movies.
If you are decided to share in actual time, no less than remember to prohibit your accounts to trusted family and friends. Tap or click here for 10 Facebook privacy and security settings you need to change right now.
Keep your tech-know going
My widespread podcast is known as “Kim Komando Today.” It’s a strong half-hour of tech information, tips, and callers with tech questions such as you from all around the nation. Search for it wherever you get your podcasts. For your comfort, hit the hyperlink beneath for a latest episode.
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Listen to the podcast here or wherever you get your podcasts. Just seek for my final identify, “Komando.”
Learn about all the most recent expertise on the Kim Komando Show, the nation’s largest weekend radio discuss present. Kim takes calls and dispenses recommendation on immediately’s digital life-style, from smartphones and tablets to on-line privateness and knowledge hacks. For her every day tips, free newsletters and extra, go to her web site at Komando.com.
The views and opinions expressed on this column are the writer’s and don’t essentially mirror these of USA TODAY.