Lifestyle

By Best Buy Lifestyle

03 Dec: Cheers to 25 years: Celebrating the First Text Message

Each day billions of text messages are sent out across the world.

But on Dec. 3, 1992, there was only one. That’s the day the first text message was delivered, setting up a major change in how we communicate.

Neil Papworth, then a 22-year-old test engineer working at Sema Group, sent the phrase “Merry Christmas” from a computer to the mobile handset of Richard Jarvis of Vodafone (who, at the time, was at his office Christmas party).

“I was fairly confident it would go through because of the testing that we’d done prior to that moment, but of course you’re always thinking that it might fail!”

By Best Buy Lifestyle

30 Nov: Make Computer Security Day Part of Your Holiday Season

This time of year, it’s the big-name holidays that get all the attention. But we can’t forget about a less-heralded day that’s important: Computer Security Day.

You didn’t know Nov. 30 is Computer Security Day? Then you also might not know the key steps you should take to secure your devices. We talked with Geek Squad Agent Derek Meister to learn more.

Here are his top five tips.

Updates

Regardless of whether it’s a computer, smart phone, tablet or home security camera, keep your systems updated, Derek says.

By Brynn Albrecht Lifestyle Sustainability

22 Nov: 5 Ways to Shop Sustainably at Best Buy

As you’re browsing for the latest tech this holiday season, you can feel good about your purchases while helping to protect the environment. Here are five tips for shopping sustainably at Best Buy.

1. Look for ENERGY STAR®

At Best Buy, we’re committed to providing our customers with a wide assortment of sustainable products, including ENERGY STAR electronics and appliances. These products are certified to use less energy than standard models. That helps you save money on your utility bill and protect the environment.

By Jill Farina Lifestyle

21 Nov: This Holiday Season, Mind Your Manners … Modernly

It’s a classic holiday picture: A large family sits at a well-set table. Grandma presents a roasted turkey, while Grandpa looks on fondly. And everyone has their smartphones placed carefully next to their plates.

Wait, what?

OK, the classic picture might have changed some. But what it represents — spending time and sharing what we have with loved ones — stands the test of time.

Today’s version of that picture might indeed look more like this: A turkey perfected in a pressure cooker.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

17 Nov: How to Get Great Photos at Your Holiday Gatherings

Holiday gatherings are right around the corner.

And whether you attend one or 21 holiday gatherings, you’ll want to take pictures that capture the moments you wish you could relive over and over. The perfect family shots. The expressions on your kids’ faces. Close-ups of holiday decorations.

We talked to Grant Foreman from the Camera Experience Shop at our Best Buy store in Jacksonville, Florida, to get a few holiday photo tips.

Group shots

The holidays provide a rare opportunity to get photos of your extended family members or far-flung friends.

By John Vomhof Jr. Lifestyle

13 Nov: Cut the Cord? Here’s How to Watch Your Favorite TV Shows

It’s time to grab a warm blanket and settle in for a full slate of fall TV. All of our favorite shows are back for new seasons, and we get our first look at the new breakout hits. Plus, sports fans can revel in a full lineup of football, basketball and hockey.

But what if you’re one of the 22 million U.S. adults expected to cut the cord by the end of 2017? Have no fear. It’s possible to stay on top of the action without being tethered to a costly cable or satellite package.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

24 Oct: Oh Babies! Agent Adjusts to Life as Father of Quadruplets

At first, Geek Squad Agent Joe Odom and his partner, Danielle Thrasher, were thrilled that they were going to have a baby.

Then they had an ultrasound, and it looked like Danielle might be carrying two babies.

“She said, ‘We’re having twins, I told you,’” Joe says. “I said: “No we’re not. Calm down honey, we’re going to have a baby.’”

At the next ultrasound a week later, things had changed. “They said, ‘yep, you’re going to have triplets,’” Joe says.

Spoiler alert: They had quadruplets — all girls.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

23 Oct: 5 Ways PopSockets Have Changed the Phone Game

My younger siblings collect them, my coworkers hoard them, and my grandma has gone two weeks with one and cannot imagine going back. I’m talking about PopSockets.

Accordion-like discs stuck on to the back of phones, PopSockets have become a popular go-to accessory (just check out the celebrity social media feeds that show them off.)

Sure, they provide a fashion statement, but they’re practical, too. Here are five things to know.

Selfie obsessed?

As phones and tablets become larger, having a dependable way to hold (and not drop) them is more important than ever.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

20 Oct: Act of Kindness Lifts Spirits of Boy Displaced by California Wildfires

Kindness showed up unexpectedly this week for 10-year-old Dylan, who lost his Santa Rosa home to the California wildfires.

Dylan and his parents were forced to flee their house in the middle of the night with barely anything. As they drove away, the fire engulfed their neighborhood and destroyed the houses.

Dylan’s parents sent him to the Seattle area to be with relatives while they stayed behind to deal with the damage. To keep his mind off the loss, his aunt brought him to visit Issaquah’s Eastside Fire and Rescue, where he met Lt.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

16 Oct: Wipe That Virtual Desktop Clean

Is your computer desktop a ghastly sight?

While October is mostly known for ghouls and goblins, it also contains National Clean Your Virtual Desktop Day. So if you’ve ever struggled with a screen covered in icons, today is your day.

We talked with Geek Squad Agent Daniel Hughes from Rapid City, South Dakota, about how to clean up your act and organize your computer desktop.

Be aware of what you have on your computer

Agent Hughes’ best piece of advice: Know what’s on your computer.

By Best Buy Lifestyle

09 Oct: Best Buy Qualifier Wins Nintendo World Championships

Besting 23 opponents in games of the past and present, Thomas “Ito” Gonda of California won the Nintendo World Championships over the weekend in New York City.

Thomas — a 21-year-old computer science student at San Diego State University — unseated defending champion John “Numbers” Goldberg during a best-of-three final series of Super Mario Odyssey on the Nintendo Switch console.

The victory ended his status as a lifelong runner-up, Thomas said.

The Nintendo World Championships, held Oct. 7, featured head-to-head competition on games like Mario Party 2 and Donkey Kong Country Returns.

By Natalie Albers Geek Squad Lifestyle

29 Sep: If Your Wi-Fi Makes You Cry, An Agent Can Help

My woes with home Wi-Fi started with monthly text messages from my wireless carrier days before the month was up: “FYI, you’ve used 90 percent of your shared data…”

Our inadequate Wi-Fi was responsible for mounting consternation, including but not limited to:

Whining from my gamer child: “MOOOOOM. This isn’t working! It’s BROKEN!”
Frustration from my husband, “Why can’t I do anything on my tablet?”
And the dreaded spinning “buffering” circle that displayed while streaming my fave home remodeling show.

We’d been eking by with a spotty wireless network, and we’d been doing it

for too long.

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