Tag Archive for tablet

Protect Your Kids from Cyber Space

This is good for everyone, but I worry more about our kids.  They see the power draining out of their phone or tablet, spot a public charging station, and say “why not?”

The reason “why not” is that hackers are getting into those stations and waiting for someone to use them.  At that point, they hack into the phone or tablet and install malware or suck up all the data contained on it.  Despite what we’d like, kids store pictures nobody else should see, personal data that can be used to open a credit account, family information that could make it easy for buglers to visit our home while we’re on vacation, passwords and security codes, even show a pattern of behavior that gives potential evil-doers more opportunities to abduct our child.

Using any charging station should be safe IF the phone is turned off while charging.  That’s a big IF with kids, though, who don’t want to miss a single tweet.  Consider protecting your kids (and your family) with an inexpensive USB cord that allows charging but not data-transfer, and make sure they carry it with them and leave their other cord home.

Yes, parenting is getting harder and harder.  Our kids are sure worth the effort, though, aren’t they?

You Mean We Have to Talk?

Applebee’s wants to force us to talk over our meals. Well, on Tuesdays, at least. They’re thinking about establishing “No Tech Tuesdays,” when they’d ban electronic devices (except, of course, the new tablets they’re installing at their tables).  If we don’t have use of our gizmos, what are we supposed to do while we eat?  If they expect us to have a conversation, I fear that they’ll have to retrain many of us.

I admit, though: as a person who enjoys talking with my meal partner but often has to listen to game noises and business dealings with Asia coming from a nearby table, it sounds like a good idea to me.