SMART WATCHES FOR KIDS KEEP PARENTS IN THE LOOP
When I tested a smart watch for kids, it made me feel dumb.
The X6Play watch from Xplora Technologies, $170, couldn’t connect to my 5G WiFi because it’s 4G. So I couldn’t do the required update until I set up a WiFi hotspot on my phone. Naturally, I wasted a lot of time before contacting tech support.
The soul of a kid watch is its ability to stop strangers and bullies from harassing your child, while keeping parents in the loop. But I couldn’t set up a “Trusted Contact” list because I couldn’t find “Contacts” in the app settings. Tech support wasn’t any help either, but a techy friend found it after a couple of false starts.
The X6Play has some nice features, such as a camera for photos and videos and a step counter that rewards kids for exercising. But the phone app didn’t give me credit for the nearly 9000 steps the watch said I did so I received no rewards. What’s more, though phone calls worked well, the watch’s texting option didn’t. It listed only one person under “Contacts.” I couldn’t figure out to add more, since I’d already created a trusted contact list that works fine with phone calls.
The phone app allows parents to track their kid through GPS, but mine said the watch wasn’t connected to the phone. That’s odd, because I get a notice in the phone app every time I turn the watch on or off, so it’s obviously connected.
A better choice is Verizon’s Gizmo Watch 3,” $150 for the watch, $10 a month for unlimited text, talk and 15 gigabytes of data. It has an “SOS” button for emergencies, plus games and extras. Parents get an instant notification if a child goes outside the safe zone. Besides calling and texting, a child can use it to Facetime their trusted contacts. Battery life is good: It can last almost four days on a single charge, though in typical use, it needs to be charged daily. The reviews are mostly great.
Now Backing Up
I pay $20 a year for 100 gigabytes of storage on Google Drive. I also get a terabyte from my Microsoft Office 365 subscription. But experts say I should use offline backup too.
So I now have the 500 gigabyte Samsung 870 Evo internal SSD drive, which became an external drive when I placed it in an $8 enclosure from Orico. Despite its storage capacity, even the one terabyte version is far smaller than my phone.
An external SSD like the Evo is similar to a memory stick but about five times faster, more reliable and has a five-year warranty. The free Samsung Magician software can check its health, get updates and securely erase it.
To copy files onto the SSD in Windows, just drag and drop from your local drive to your new drive. I copied my Documents and my Pictures folders in less than five minutes. For me, drag-and-drop works better than the Windows backup routine, which I’ve had problems with.
Free Security Updates for Windows 10
Microsoft now lets Windows 10 users get Extended Security Updates for free. To enroll, go to Settings, Update & Security and Windows Update. If eligible, you’ll see an “Enroll now” button. Install the updates before the October 14, 2025 deadline, then follow a wizard to complete setup. The security updates are good until October 2026.
Making Ransomware Illegal
“Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!” was the US response to the XYZ Affair in 1798. But these days, governments and businesses often pay ransoms to get their files back or to make their infrastructure work again.
That could change if the US follows the lead of the United Kingdom, which recently made it illegal for many government entities to pay ransoms. According to Mashable.com, the new law will affect the country’s National Health Service, local government councils, and schools. Businesses can still pay hackers but will have to alert the government first.
Smart Baby’s Smart Pad
The Woddle is a smart changing pad for your smart baby. Reviews are great.
“I appreciate that this changing pad stays warm so it doesn’t shock baby awake when I change her,” said one reviewer. “The device automatically syncs to the companion app on my phone so I don’t need to remember to input anything. I’ve been able to delete a few of the apps I used to track things like breastfeeding, weight, diapers, sleep, and milestone progress.” The smart pad also compares your baby’s growth against World Health Organization standards and offers guidance and reminders in the Woddle app. It’s $325 on Amazon.
Robot News
The new R1 robot from Unitree for $5900 can move like a human. It does cartwheels, handstands, boxing, kickboxing moves, and even runs down hills. See it on YouTube.
Internuts
“Researchers create Internet so fast, you can download all of Netflix in a second.” Search on that phrase to learn how an researchers in Japan created a system that is 3.5 million faster than the average US broadband internet connection. It lets you download 18,000 movies and shows per second.