Technology

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09 Jun: 3 Steps To Manage Online Safety For Kids

With schools across the country closed because of COVID-19, children of all ages spent the spring learning at home. That resulted in more time online — a trend that is likely to continue as summer begins without many of the usual camps and activities.

From computers and tablets to phones and video games, kids and parents alike are leaning on technology to entertain themselves and alleviate social isolation. Technology has become an essential part of everyday life, and there are ways for parents to make sure it stays safe, fun and productive.

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09 Jun: Discover Fun STEM Activities For Kids Of All Ages

Many parents worry about their kids experiencing “brain drain” during the summer months, and that’s sure to be an even bigger concern this year as students transition from a spring of distance learning to a summer without many of the usual camps and other activities.

Just because schools aren’t in session doesn’t mean kids have to take a three-month break from learning. There are lots of activities that can provide summer fun while also unlocking their imaginations.

To learn more, we talked to Hafsa Aden, the coordinator at the Best Buy Teen Tech Center in Portland, Oregon.

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21 May: A Tech Gift Guide For The Class Of 2020

Graduation is more than a ceremony. It’s a rite of passage that honors years of hard work and dedication.

This year, the class of 2020 is having to find creative ways to celebrate as we learn to navigate life — and its big milestones — in a pandemic.

You may not be able to attend a ceremony or graduation party in person, but you can still congratulate the grads in your life with a thoughtful gift as they prepare for college or move on to their next adventure. 

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21 May: Save On Nest Thermostats This Month

At Best Buy, we’re committed to offering products that help our customers reduce their carbon footprints while saving money on their utility bills.

For the average household, more than half of the energy used is for heating and cooling1. A great way to control, monitor and reduce energy used at home is by installing a smart thermostat.

To help our customers save energy and money, we’re partnering with Google to offer deals on Nest smart thermostats this month.

From now through May 31:

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04 May: Celebrating Mom With Home-Friendly Tech

This year, Mother’s Day is going to be celebrated a little differently, adding to the challenge of how to make all the mother figures in our lives feel extra special at home or from a safe distance.

Under these unique circumstances, many of us are finding innovative ways to virtually connect and are heading online to find a gift that expresses love and appreciation for the mom who already has it all or doesn’t want anything.

Whether you live in a different city or under the same roof, here are some tools and tech gadgets that will make Mom’s life easier year-around.

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24 Apr: Tips For Staying Cyber-Savvy At Home

The phrases “stay at home” and “work from home” have become common for many of us these days. And while technology makes it possible for us to do those things more easily, it can also present new opportunities for cybercriminals.

The Justice Department has warned that criminals are trying to exploit COVID-19 fears through a variety of scams. Those include phishing emails, malicious websites and fraudulent donation requests.

For tips on how to stay safe from hackers and be our best cyber-selves, we chatted with Geek Squad Agent Zach Timlin.

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24 Apr: Spring Cleaning Tips For Your Appliances

We’re all spending a lot of time at home this spring, and that means our appliances are getting more use than normal.

To keep those hardworking machines in tip-top shape, it’s important to give them a good spring cleaning.

To learn more, we talked to Geek Squad Agent Jonathon Sprague, who has more than 14 years of experience helping customers with all their appliance needs.

“Thoroughly cleaning your appliances will extend their life and ensure they are running most efficiently,” Agent Sprague said.

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21 Apr: 7 Ways Tech Can Nurture Your Creativity At Home

Matt Polski is taking advantage of all this time at home by mixing some catchy quarantine-inspired jingles.

Creativity comes naturally for Matt, who works in marketing at Best Buy. So far, his song catalog includes “Does anybody know what day it is?” and “What do you do when you’re quarantined?”

“There are people going through really nasty situations right now. They’re losing jobs, health, family members and friends,” he said. “Hopefully these songs can give people a brief escape from external stressors.”

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13 Apr: How To Enhance Your Home Office For The Short (Or Long) Term

The home office has gone from a luxury to a necessity in the span of just a few short weeks.

That’s because millions of Americans are now forced to work from home full time amid the COVID-19 crisis. With local stay-at-home orders likely to last for weeks to come, now is a great time to upgrade your makeshift workspace into a suitable home office for the long haul.

To learn how to do that, we talked to Jade Sills, a Best Buy In-Home Advisor in Detroit.

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10 Apr: Live Healthier At Home, With Tech

With millions of Americans finding themselves doing nearly everything under the same roof because of the COVID-19 crisis, it’s become more important than ever to find ways to maintain our health and wellness from the comfort of home.

Best Buy In-Home Advisor Michael Clark is just the guy to help show us how technology can help us not just survive, but thrive. He has visited upward of 3,000 homes over the past six years to help people understand how technology can enhance their lives.

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06 Apr: 5 Tips For Optimizing Your Home Wi-Fi

We’ve all experienced the frustrations of slow, unreliable internet. There are the buffering videos, the slow-to-load websites and the Wi-Fi dead zones.

For many of us, our daily lives revolve around the internet and our connected devices. And that’s even more true since the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I’m relying on my Wi-Fi to help me work, connect with people and stream lots of shows,” said Geek Squad Agent Derek Meister, who is also working from home right now. “So, I need my internet speeds to be on point.”

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27 Mar: Tips For Staying Productive While Working From Home

With many workplaces closed to help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID19), millions of Americans suddenly find themselves navigating the challenges of working from home.

It can be hard to stay productive outside of your normal work setting, so it’s important to make sure you have the right equipment — and game plan — to make it work.

To learn more, we chatted with Derek Meister, a Geek Squad Agent who provides online support for our customers and has nine years of remote-working experience.