My Top 3 online shopping tips leading up to Christmas

With less than 4 weeks until Christmas things can get a bit out of hand in retail land.  Personally I like to avoid shopping centres altogether and take care of as much shopping as I can online so here are my top tips for online shopping success over the next few weeks.

3 - Know your delivery date

Before making any online purchase over the next few weeks whether it be via an online retailer or ebay seller, be sure to check out delivery windows so you don’t end up with Christmas goods turning up after boxing day.

2 - Shop Safe

Stick to reputable online stores or ones that you’ve had dealings with in the past.  This is a prime time for cyber criminals to hatch scams that include fake shopping websites which usually contain prices too good to be true.  Also check out contact details and return policies for online stores you deal with so you can get help quickly if there’s a problem.

1 - Shop around

One the great things about online shopping is that you can hunt around for the best price easily.  Keeping in mind that prices too good to be true could be trouble and it’s a good idea to stick to online sellers you know you can still save yourself a few dollars by spending a little more time researching prices....just keep postage prices in mind too.

Nokia launches it’s first Big Screen phone

You might remember just a few years ago mobile phones were getting smaller and smaller...but now that they are getting smarter and can carry out many tasks you might otherwise use a desktop computer for Smartphone screen sizes are on the rise.

If you take a look at some of the popular handsets around at the moment the latest iPhones have a 4-inch screen, the Galaxy S4 and Sony Xperia Z1 have a 5-inch screen and now we’re seeing screen sizes move up to 6-inches.

Nokia’s first ‘big screen’ phone is the Lumia 1520 which has just been announced to be arriving in Australia in December.  This 4G smartphone sports a full HD 6-inch display, has a 20-megapixel camera and runs on the Windows phone 8 platform.

6 inches is pretty big for a smartphone display...but maybe then you won’t need a tablet device AND a smartphone.  Get more info on the Lumia 1520 at http://www.nokia.com/au-en/phones/phone/lumia1520/

At launch the phone will be available exclusively from Harvey Norman online and retail stores.

My Top 3 Technology launches of the moment

3 - XBoxOne

Friday the 22nd of November will see Microsoft’s XBoxOne hit stores.  The price tag is just under 600 dollars and you can’t play your Xbox360 games on it but you can bet there will be plenty of people grabbing one on launch day.  Along with games, the XBoxOne will have plenty of TV, music and video on demand options plus things you expect to find on your computer like Skydrive access and Skype.  See Xbox.com.au

2 - Playstation4

Microsoft may have beat Sony to launch by a week for their new console however the Playstation 4 costs 50 dollars less.  The downside is that if you didn’t already pre-order one you may struggle to actually find a Playstation 4 console to buy before Christmas.  Like the XBoxOne, the Playstation 4 won’t play the previous console generation of games...so don’t throw your PS3 out yet.  See Playstation.com.au

1 - Western Digital My Cloud service

Unlike other cloud storage services WD’s ‘My Cloud’ is actually a internet connected hard drive that lives under your roof but can be accessed from wherever you happen to be...at work on your tablet device or smartphone.

It’s an interesting alternative to things like dropbox for people who like to know exactly where their data is being stored.  More info HERE.

Samsung launches Tablet device for kids

It’s not uncommon to see kids playing with their parents smartphone or tablet device so Samsung has decided kids need their own Tablet and have just launched one called the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids.

It’s a 7inch tablet device based on the popular Galaxy tablets but it’s bright yellow with a soft orange bumper to make it easier to hold and maybe to cushion the fall if dropped...so it looks like something for kids but it’s what's inside that counts.

The device has a pre-set kids overlay mode that includes pre-loaded content like games, e-books and educational apps plus there’s access to a special kids store online...which only parents can access with a PIN.

Interestingly the Galaxy Tab 3 Kids can also be flicked across to ‘grown ups’ mode and be used like a normal android tablet.  It costs $299 and you can get more info HERE.

Computer Vision Syndrome

Speaking of staring at screens earlier this week I spoke to Dr. Jim Kokkinakis from The Eye Clinic Sydney about a condition called Computer Vision Syndrome.

If like many people you sit in front of a computer all day, or are constantly looking at a smartphone or tablet device some of the health issues as a result of this could be eye strain, fatigue, headaches, migraines and even temporary vision impairment.

The main cause of this is of course lifestyle and work pressures but also the flicker and blue LED light which is emitted from computer screens - these are things you don’t see but are demanding on our eyes.

Dr. Kokkinakis suggested regular breaks from your screen is a great way to combat this problem but there is also a technological fix - screens that are flicker free and have modes to reduce glare and blue LED light also.

Computer monitor Manufacturer Ben Q has just released a range of screens with these ‘eye gonomic’ features. Get full details HERE.

In this week's segment I put forward 3 mobile Apps that can make life easier.

With national Teleworking week coming up next week I also discuss how working away from the office can be great for both you and your boss.

Finally, for the not so green thumbs, a new gadget to help your plants grow.  It's called Flower Power and when this sensor device is combined with a free iOS App you'll be able to monitor the needs of your plant from your mobile device.

For all the details, listen below.

On this week's 'Teching back the Night' I talk with Christian about some of the top email faux pas.

Also for those looking for an affordable, yet 'cool' smartphone, we have a quick look at the Nexus 5 and talk about an issue that some Apple device users are experiencing with their lightening connector cables since the iOS7 update.

Listen below.

Hands-free selfies with Shutter Remote

If you use your iPhone as your main digital camera and occasionally want to get in your own photos then you’ll need two things...a portable camera stand and a the shutter remote...which I've been testing out this week.

Once connected with your iPhone via Bluetooth, the small shutter remote can be used to trigger the camera shutter up to around 10 meters away but it also has other functions.

There are keys to control music playback on your iPhone plus you can call up Siri with a single button bush on the shutter remove to help with things like making calls and navigation while you’re driving...because you need to be watching the road, not your iPhone screen.

A handy remote control for iPhone, iPod and ipad, The Shutter Remote costs around $60.  Get more info on the Shutter remote HERE.

Cybercrime costing over 1 billion in Australia

Cyber-criminals continue to rake in the cash in Australia.  According to the 2013 Norton Report cyber-criminals hit 5 million victims in Australia over the past year at a cost of 1.06 billion dollars.

Top Tips for Staying Safe Online (supplied by Symantec)

1.      Defend Your Data: Install a comprehensive security suite for all devices and regularly update your security patches for all devices

2.      Be Aware of Device Policies for Work: Understand the rules and policies around using your personal devices at work and using work devices for personal use.

3.      Be Cautious in the Cloud: While cloud solutions make it easier to save and share files, be careful who can access them and what information is shared

4.      Share Personal Information on a Secure Connection: Take care with sharing personal information through the Internet, unless it is a secure connection. Always check for “https” in the web address

5.      After You Connect, Double Check: Check your credit card and bank statements regularly for any suspicious transactions and report them to your service provider, your financial institution and the police

6.      Have a Strong Password: Use  strong passwords for all devices and change them regularly

7.      Protect Your Social Network: Take a moment to check your privacy settings on all your social media accounts and where possible install two factor authentication

As we move closer to Christmas some very noteworthy pieces of hardware will be hitting stores.  Here are 3 to look out for.

3 - XBox One from Microsoft

12 years after the launch of the original Xbox games console things have some a long way in video games technology.  Yes the XBox360 is still going strong and will continue to do so for a number of years, but Microsoft’s new XBox One console sees the company almost going back to the drawing board, now using the Blu-Ray disc format for games along with digital downloads.  Cost = $599

2 - Playstation 4

It’s no accident that just 7 days after the XBox One launches the new games and entertainment system from Playstation will also hit stores.  Naturally we can expect better performance from the PS4 with faster processors and graphics capabilities, but the new controller that features a touch pad is what you might call a ‘game changer’ ...it also features a share button so you can quickly share gameplay video and images with friends.  Cost = $549

1 - iPad Air

Now i’m not for a second suggesting that the iPad you bought 12months ago is old technology, but perhaps if you don’t already have a tablet device this will be worth looking at.   Earlier this week Apple annouced the iPad Air which can be ordered from November 1.  The iPad Air is 20 percent thinner and 28 percent lighter than the fourth generation iPad and they are calling it the lightest full-size tablet in the world, promsing all-day battery life.  Cost = Starting at $598

Windows 8.1 - Available now for windows 8 users HERE.

Online Charity Scams

If you’re planning to donate to a charity be aware that scammers may present themselves via email pretending to represent a charity or non-profit organisation.

If you see an unsolicited or suspicious email asking for money, don’t click on any links within the message, simply delete it.  If you plan on giving any donations online, use a reputable charity website.  If you’re not sure or want to report a scam visit www.scamwatch.gov.au.