Year: 2019

It’s hard to imagine a busier time in the typical family kitchen than during the holidays — when not only do the meals tend to be more elaborate, but they also serve the centerpiece of many family gatherings. Add in the fact that holiday meals usually feature (often many) more guests than the typical household breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and it’s enough to make even the most experienced of cooks feel the heat. But there’s no need to get overwhelmed. With the help of modern technology, the cooking-related stress can be at least somewhat eased as an array of smartphone...

Read More 8 Cooking Apps That Can Ease Anxiety in the Holiday Kitchen

These days, seasonal merrymakers looking for new ways to celebrate the holidays don’t have to limit their festive flair to their attire, their homes or even the physical world — they can deck out their devices, their playlists and other elements of their virtual worlds, too! For those looking to add some digital tinsel, trimmings and bows to their online, on-device and on-screen lives, these holiday-themed virtual accessories offer some great ways to show off their seasonal spirit: Merry music They don’t call Mariah Carey the unofficial queen of Christmas for nothing — her 1994 hit “All I want for...

Read More Brighten the Holiday Season With These Techy Treats

Thanks for visiting Santa at our FTC locations. We hope you had a good time and are getting ready for the holiday season. Click here to purchase additional photos or photo gifts via SmugMug. Santa Photo Day Dates 11/18 Manning – Click here for Manning photos 11/19 Sumter – Wesmark – Click here for Wesmark photos 11/20 Sumter – Shaw – Click here for Shaw photos 11/21 Bishopville – Click here for Bishopville photos 11/22 Kingstree – Click here for Kingstree photos 11/25 Lake City – Click here for Lake City photos 11/26 Johnsonville – Click here for Johnsonville photos

Read More Thanks for visiting Santa!

There’s good reason the holidays are widely considered to be “the most wonderful time of the year.” During this season of joy, Americans’ generous spirits tend to shine especially bright and people seem to open their hearts — and their wallets — a little more readily than usual. The resulting boost in consumer spending, of course, represents one of the most lucrative times of the year for retailers. In fact, many attribute the name of the nation’s biggest shopping holiday, Black Friday, to the opportunity it gives retailers to boost annual profits and, for many retail businesses, to move from...

Read More 4 Online Shopping Scams to Avoid This Holiday Season

With the holidays right around the corner, there’s no doubt that many laptops, smartphones and tablets will soon be wrapped up and placed under the tree. And while these devices are sure to delight their recipients, the digital world unfortunately can present a range of dangers for child and adolescent users. But with the right precautions, parents can keep their children safe from any online predators or other dangers that might be lurking. Those who have decided their child is old enough to use an internet-connected device should consider these five tips for keeping young users safer while navigating the...

Read More 5 Ways to Keep Kids Safer Online

Most owners of smartphones know all too well that it’s easy to let that little screen take up big chunks of their attention and time — and even, many would argue, begin to take control of their lives. These devices can pull users away from valuable face-to-face time with family members, keep them from fully concentrating on the tasks at hand or prevent them from full “in the moment” enjoyment of life and leisure activities. In short, smartphones can become a serious distraction. But with a few strategic practices, smartphone users can take control of their devices (and their lives),...

Read More 5 Easy Ways to Take Control of Your Smartphone (Rather Than Letting It Control You)

An August report from marketing-research firm Nielsen confirms what has long been becoming apparent: Streaming television content is now the norm in the United States. More than half of American adults — 56 percent — now watch web-based TV content, the report says. The percentage is up from 48 percent in 2018 and 40 percent in 2017, exhibiting steady growth in the number of people classified as streamers. The attraction to streaming content is clear. With around 85 percent of U.S. adults owning a smartphone as of 2018 and with more media services and networks making their content available via...

Read More Continuing Its Rise, TV Streaming Hits a Major Milestone

Without passwords, much of the internet and its contents are unavailable to web users. And without strong security, consumers expose themselves to undue hassles, identity-theft risks and, perhaps most threatening and concerning, the potential for losing money. As such, the password serves an important purpose as a frontline defense in the cyber community web users create for themselves. Most people don't need the level of security applied to a corporate environment — however, good security and strong passwords are a must for all. Consumers should consider these five tips for stronger online security: Consumers should utilize online tools like password...

Read More 5 Tips for Stronger Passwords, Security and Security Answers

Whether a consumer is the type who must have the latest gadgets or who prefers to hang onto an outdated device for as long as it will still do the job, there comes a time with smartphones that an upgrade is imperative. And no matter which of these camps the phone owner falls into, a common question always presents itself— what should be done with the old device? As long as it’s still in working order, even a generations-old smartphone can find new life after being retired from day-to-day usage. Here are seven options worthy of consideration: A camera for...

Read More 7 Great Ways to Reuse an Old Smartphone

More than two decades ago, the World Wide Web became available to the public, linking together ideas, information and technology faster than the world had ever seen and fundamentally changing the way people communicate. But with great power comes great responsibility, especially as it pertains to monitoring the online activity of young internet users. As beneficial as the internet can be in consumers’ daily lives , it can also present the most potent forms of negativity and danger for children and adolescents when the proper boundaries and restrictions are not put in place. In today’s world, more and more devices...

Read More How to Keep Children Safe Online