PC Ninja

There are STEM gifts galore this year for the young coders and builders in your family. TechCrunch has rounded up some ideas including products that let kids design their own arcade games, program little robots (or dino-bots), snap together circuits, build a game controller, learn coding languages, and much more! Keep those kids doing something educational and fun with their tech time at home! https://techcrunch.com//gift-guide-22-stem-toy-gift-ideas/

** Per State Representative Barry Jozwiak** Protect Against Scams this Holiday Season The Office of Attorney General is reminding us to protect against common online scams that may increase in frequency this holiday season.... These scams include email and text phishing, in which you are directed to enter personal information on a fraudulent website; deliveries being stolen from your front porch; credit card skimming, particularly at ATMs, gas pumps or other payment kiosks; online pop-up advertisements claiming you’ve won a prize and encouraging you to click a link, which likely contains a virus or will make your device susceptible to being hacked; and online marketplace deals promising access to the latest popular toys and games that are difficult to find. To protect yourself from scams, consumers should: Set up email or text alerts with your credit card company or bank, so you’ll be alerted quickly to all purchases, including fraudulent purchases. Install the latest security updates and run virus scans regularly on your computer or mobile device. Never use your home’s smart device, such as Alexa, Siri or Google Home, to find a customer support number for any company, and never have the system dial it for you. Go directly to the company’s website or call the number on the back of your credit or debit card, or the number on your billing statement. Never pay with a prepaid gift card, CashApp, or Venmo or wire someone money when you’re trying to buy a gift online. Use your credit card, not a debit card, for better protection. Anyone who believes they may have been scammed should file a police report and file a complaint with the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General by clicking here (http://links.pahousenews.com/q/Zc5oo1Lld_tFQVuJKvEOfWlAAR_O).

Looking for some nifty tech gifts in this time of social separation? Check out this 69 News What the Tech? segment! With the Square Off Kingdom chess set, you can play chess against artificial intelligence (or others with the board around the world), including self-moving pieces using a robotic arm beneath the board! Or if you miss the gym, the Mirror Interactive workout mirror brings live fitness instructors to your home. Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who's the fittest of them all?

It's Giving Tuesday! There's still time (today and whenever you'd like) to donate to your favorite charities and causes! As you do, here's a few reminders again about safety in making purchases or donations online: check that the website is secure (https), use a credit card rather than a debit card, beware of fake website/links, and connect on a secure (not public) network. https://blog.techsoup.org//4-tips-on-how-to-give-safely-on