talkingDigital

Do you know the difference between the internet and the World Wide Web? Many people don’t.

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The internet is the massive network of computers that allows you to use email, send pictures via your phone, and see who’s at the door from all the way across town, using that new video doorbell you keep seeing on the home shopping channel.

The World Wide Web is the collection of websites that you access by typing an address into the web browser of your device.

It’s acceptable to say, “I went on the internet to find out if giraffes can see in color.” But it’s more accurate to say that you did your research on the web.

Everything you do on the web is done via the internet, but not everything on the internet is done using the web.

Where does social media fit in?

Sometimes you’ll hear the argument that social media is the new World Wide Web, suggesting that Facebook is the preferred channel for information. Rather than visiting www.beaconseniornews.com to read the news, for example, many people simply follow the BEACON Senior Newspaper on Facebook and let the news come to them. This is a totally acceptable way to get the news, but you don’t want to use social media as your only source for gathering information online.

Don’t limit yourself

The biggest downside of using social media sites exclusively is that they only show you what they think you should see. If you follow The BEACON on Facebook, you won’t get all of the paper’s updates. You’ll only see updates that Facebook thinks you will interact with.

It’s also important to remember that there are great sources for news, information and shopping that you’ll never find if you don’t go directly to sites like news.google.com or www.cnn.com.

But there are some things social media does better by design than the web ever could.

Social media’s advantages

If you lose a pet and don’t post about it on a Facebook page designed to help find lost animals in your area, you miss out on the best possibility of reuniting with your furry friend.

The reason it’s so effective is because when you post your lost pet update, everyone in the group shares the post on their own Facebook pages, connecting with their friends. Suddenly you have a whole network of pet sleuths helping you.

Social media is also becoming the best place to sell your used items. Unlike sites like Craigslist, Facebook shows you the first and last name—and usually the face—of the person with whom you are dealing. It’s also becoming the best place on the web for job searches, business recommendations and even product reviews.

So the next time you hear someone say, “I don’t use social media because I don’t want to see what my friends ate for lunch,” explain to them that social media has as many practical uses—like videos of cats getting scared by cucumbers.

Have you been sleeping well? How many hours did you get last night?

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Do you get up and walk around at least once an hour?

Do you feel awkward reading a text message when your phone goes off in a meeting?

Do you fumble around with your media player when you should be paying attention to what you’re doing?

Perhaps you’ve noticed that more people are wearing bulky electronic bracelets or funky, digital watch-like devices. These are called fitness trackers and they monitor how many steps you’ve taken or when you’ve been sitting too long. They may even display your heart rate or tell you how well you sleep. Some fitness trackers even control your music player.

Whether you are a fitness junkie or a couch potato, you may be interested in what a fitness tracker can do for you.

What to look for

The best fitness trackers connect wirelessly to an app on your smartphone that tracks and provides real-time reports on your activity.

Cheap trackers (under $100) generally provide basic activity monitoring, such as step counts and sleep patterns. More expensive trackers add features such as a watch, heart rate monitor and GPS. Some devices also track types of activity, laps and calorie counts.

Most devices will vibrate when you are getting a text message or phone call. Some are equipped with screens that display caller information or a summary of the text message.

The top three brands

There are dozens of fitness trackers on the market, but only three major brands tend to dominate the positive user reviews: Fitbit, Garmin and Apple.

• The Apple Watch is no ordinary fitness tracker. It allows you to install apps, make phone calls and control your iPhone, but it offers enough health monitoring features to make it a serious—although expensive—fitness tracker. The latest basic model costs around $300, but they go up to $10,000 (seriously).

• Fitbit and Garmin make a number of affordable trackers. Read reviews before making a purchase. Essentially, the more you spend, the more features you get, but the accuracy of the data is about the same across all devices.

Connect other apps

You may want to consider a fitness tracker that you can connect with other apps through your smartphone.

• MyFitnessPal is an app that lets you track your diet. If you want an extra 200 calories in your diet, your fitness tracker will report your walk or jog data and update your calorie budget in real time.

• Endomondo is an app that allows you to record your movement-based activity—runs, bike rides, swims, etc. It tracks laps and distance, and gives you real-time, audible updates through your headphones.

• Runkeeper records historical
and real-time data about your runs. It’s specifically designed for those interested in improving their running skills.

Did you ever think you’d see the day when a set of Legos would cost more than a computer?

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The gift-giving game has changed significantly. Tablet computers, video cameras, and even drones now share the same shelf space in the toy aisle as dolls, action figures and board games.

The phenomenon doesn’t only apply to the toy aisle. You’ll find affordable technology gifts in sporting goods stores, pet stores, and most niche boutiques. Below is a mini guide to help you find the right gifts.

Bluetooth headphones ($30-$200+)
Apple made news earlier this year by eliminating the headphone jack from its newest phones, but all major cell phones and most computers are equipped with Bluetooth technology that allows you to use special wireless headphone/microphone headsets or earbuds. Sound quality varies, but it is usually comparable to similarly priced wired alternatives.

Bluetooth headsets can be found almost anywhere that sells electronics. Make sure to buy a set with a built-in microphone. This allows you to take calls while listening to your device without taking off your headphones.

3D virtual reality headset ($20-$800)
2017 is going to be the year of virtual reality. Expect the market to be flooded with cameras and headsets that let you view the world of video and still images in 360 degrees. For as little as $20, you can buy a headset that allows you to clip your cell phone in and view images by moving your head. It’s an immersive experience that was once only found in science fiction.

Pebble smartwatch ($70-$250)
A smartwatch connects via Bluetooth to your cell phone to become an entirely new way of interacting with your phone and the information that surrounds you. There are a number of smartwatches and activity trackers on the market, but the Pebble is the one I usually recommend.

Wearing a device to eliminate the arduous process of pulling your phone out of your pocket may seem lazy, but glancing at your phone can be troublesome during certain activities—such as an important meeting, working out or just screening phone calls when your phone is in your purse or pocket.

GoPro/Action Camera ($50-$400)
I believe that anyone at any age can find some fun uses for a GoPro or similar action camera. These tiny, rugged cameras can be attached to cars, cats, and toddlers to create some fun videos that give you a unique point of view on the world. Many of these cameras also have features like time-lapse or underwater capabilities.

A great technology gift doesn’t have to cost a lot. The perfect gift for a child, grandchild or another loved one on your list is within reach!