How To Get on the Do Not Call List & What To Do When It Does Not Work By now, many are fed up with incessant and unwanted telemarketing calls and have put their phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. The federal database, which was started in 2003 following the passage of the Do-Not-Call Implementation Act of 2003, requires callers making sales calls to personal phone lines to refrain from contacting the individuals on the list. As of 2022, the registry included nearly 244 million phone numbers. So what steps should those people on the list who...

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When young, inexperienced drivers are getting behind the wheel, safety concerns are always paramount for their loved ones. And for today’s teenagers, who are learning to navigate the roads in the digital age, the potential for distracted driving might be higher than at any other point in history. (After all, young drivers in preceding generations did not have to deal with potential distractions such as incoming text messages or emails.) Consider this: According to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), drivers ages 15 to 20 accounted for a higher percentage of distracted driving-related fatalities than any other...

Read More How To Prevent Distracted Driving: 5 Tips for Limiting Cell Phone Distractions in the Car

In the past, when on-the-go workers needed an internet connection for their digital devices such as laptops and tablets, they were forced to flock to coffee shops, libraries and other (often crowded) places offering public Wi-Fi. But thanks to an increasingly popular capability delivered by today’s smartphone technology, these workers now have a new and much more flexible option for connecting. How Does a Mobile Hotspot Work? Mobile hotspots relay your mobile data connection from a phone or dedicated hotspot device to your other WiFi devices, allowing you to connect laptops, tablets, and even printers to your cellular data as...

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Once a term used almost exclusively by tech types, VoIP (an acronym that stands for “Voice over Internet Protocol”) has come to the forefront in recent years. In the digital era, the acronym has become more widely recognized by everyday Americans and the technology it represents has become more commonly used in average U.S. households far and wide. But just what exactly is this telephone service also referred to as “internet telephony” and “IP telephony”? Consumers interested in knowing more about the technology and its benefits can take a deeper dive below. What is VoIP? At its most basic definition,...

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In today’s digitally driven era, consumers use the internet for an array of purposes, ranging from the critically important to the downright trivial. But whether they are using their connections to get crucial work done, keep up with friends and family, follow current events or catch the latest cat video, internet slowdowns and stalls are universally loathed. Fortunately, though, getting the internet back up to speed does not always have to involve calling in specialized IT help. Sometimes, the fix can be quick and easy. When connection speeds become an issue, consumers can check for these six common causes of...

Read More 6 Things That Can Slow Down an Internet Connection

According to the most recent available FBI crime statistics, Americans fell victim to more than 1.1 million burglaries in 2019, accounting for an estimated $3 billion in property losses. Further, more than 60% of the year’s burglary offenses targeted residential properties. But homeowners are certainly not defenseless against these crimes, especially in the age of the internet. Even when away from their residences for extended periods of time, they can maintain high levels of protection and surveillance by using today’s connected technology, along with a few recommended security practices. Consumers looking to keep their home, loved ones and belongings safe...

Read More Home Security Tips You Never Thought Of: 5 Tech Tools for Home Security

In the modern educational world, students’ primary learning tools go well beyond the pencils, paper, chalk and chalkboards that powered most classroom instruction in the past. And one educational tool, in particular, has become a go-to resource inside the classroom, at home and in a broad range of other off-campus learning locations: the laptop computer. Built to support learning and schoolwork on the go, a laptop enables students to easily access a world of digital learning resources via the internet. It can also help students perform school-related research from nearly anywhere with an internet connection. Among the many other benefits...

Read More 6 Ways To Choose the Best Laptop For Students

In today’s connected homes, when internet speeds are insufficient, the impacts can extend well beyond a sluggish connection for surfing the internet and sending emails. Poor connection speeds can also have negative effects on the household’s communications capabilities, its entertainment options and even its security, among other things. Further, for any residents who might work from home, on-the-job productivity can suffer greatly, too. But in most cases, these issues can be remedied with more bandwidth, also referred to as a faster internet connection. For those who might be wondering whether an upgrade could benefit them, here are six signs to...

Read More 6 Signs a Household Needs More Bandwidth

For many 21st century parents, keeping kids’ screen time in check seems to be a never-ending challenge. But sessions spent on computers, tablets and smartphones do not always have to represent time poorly spent, even when the devices are in the hands of young children. For parents looking to limit the unproductive activities such as selfies, video games and trivial YouTube videos, a wealth of parent- and teacher-approved educational websites can also be found on the internet. Those seeking to put a positive spin on screen time can consider sending their children to these seven enriching and worthwhile websites, many...

Read More 7 Sites That Can Make Kids Excited About Learning