The holidays can be a "whirlwind of activity,” according to AT&T and Sprint Guardian, which sent along some handy tech tips to keep stress to a minimum this holiday season.
AT&T's tips include:
- If you’ve got a newer smartphone, consider leaving behind the heavy camcorder and camera and using your phone’s built in HD camera instead. It’s lighter and quicker, and makes sharing photos and videos much easier.
- Schedule your calls ahead of time, so you can chat with Aunt Mary early in the morning, before you get caught up in the kids opening presents.
- If you’re heading on a long drive to see family, don’t forget to pack a car charger for your phone. You’ll want to hug and catch up when you get there, not scramble to find a wall outlet.
- If you use AT&T, check out the Family Map app, which tells you how long it will take family to get to your house. The Time Zone app also helps with making sure you’re not calling Cousin John in London in the middle of the night.
And Sprint Guardian offered these smartphone tips for parents buying a phone for their child this holiday season.
- Monitor your child's talk, text and app use habits.
- Lock your child's phone during dinner, school, late at night or while driving.
- Set up automatic location checks to be notified when your child makes it safely and on time to school or other destinations.
- Protect smartphones from mobile threats, such as malware, spyware and phishing.
- Protect and manage family mobile devices, including backing up photos, contacts and call history.
