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Could a Month of Digital Detox Finally Break My Family’s Bad Phone Habits?

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My kids will tell you I ruined their lives. They’ll tell you it was useless torture. There were no silver linings. The whole thing — all of it — was a complete waste of time and energy. They’re wrong. Our monthlong digital detox was one of the best things we’ve ever done as a family. From my perspective, it was enriching, challenging, character-building, cup-filling, soul-nourishing, and lots of other adjectives adults use. It was truly one of the best ideas I’ve had in a long time, and I am so grateful that we did it as a family. (But if my kids call me an unc one more time, I’ll put them on dishwasher-loading duty for a month.) My family of four had phone habits that seemed problematically out of balance. Especially me — by being constantly connected, I was disconnected from actual, physical, tactile thing s. I would go to bed scrolling, sometimes for hours, then wake up in the morning and immediately pick up my phone again. I knew we needed a reset, and I knew ...
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The Best Parental Control Apps to Manage Screen Time (and Keep Your Kid Safer Online)

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Parental controls allow adults to set limits on their child’s smartphone use, and they serve as “training wheels” to help kids and teens build healthy tech habits. After testing 14 parental-control options on both iOS and Android devices, using them to manage our kids’ daily screen time, we’re confident that Apple’s Screen Time is the best option for iOS households, while Google Family Link is best for Android households with kids under 13. Qustodio is the better choice for Android households with children 13 and older, or if you’re looking for additional features such as setting more than two screen-time schedules. If you want notifications and closer monitoring of your child’s iPhone, we also have additional options. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/Ea9xZsv via IFTTT
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Leasing an iPhone Is Actually a Good Deal

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iPhones have never been more expensive. We looked at the financing and leasing options, and we have advice on how to navigate them. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/UG8PfET via IFTTT
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The Best Indoor Security Camera

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It’s said you can’t put a price on peace of mind. Well, we’re doing it anyway — and it’s pretty reasonable. An indoor security camera lets you keep tabs on the things at home that matter most, whether that’s your kids, your pets, or your prized vinyl collection. We recommend the TP-Link Tapo C120 , a sub-$40 indoor/outdoor 2K camera that can reliably distinguish between a variety of motions and sounds. The Tapo C120 also offers more customization options than most indoor cameras — and unlike with many competing models, all of these features work whether you pay for a subscription or opt to use your own local storage on a microSD card at no extra charge. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/bq7pyIP via IFTTT
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The Best Insulated Vest

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When you want to add a little more warmth but are seeking greater freedom of movement than a jacket allows, a vest is the perfect cozy addition. To find the best insulated vest to keep you warm on your most active days, we sent 24 adventurers with 35 vests to nine states and two countries. After all of those adventures, we’ve determined that the Patagonia Down Sweater Vest ( men’s and women’s ) is the best down vest both for technical performance and for everyday commuter or office use. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/PxqFJGb via IFTTT
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Apple Has New Parental Controls for Your Kid’s iPhone. Here Are the 6 Settings to Know About.

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Apple’s latest software update adds more comprehensive tools for parents to choose what their kids do and don’t see. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/lNphxcM via IFTTT
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The Best USB Microphones

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As more people become content creators — whether for gaming, podcasting, or music recording — the cheap microphones built into laptops no longer cut it. A USB microphone can dramatically improve the quality of the sounds you record, and it usually requires nothing more than a single connection to your computer. The Sennheiser Profile is the best all-purpose USB microphone because it sounds good, it’s solidly built, and it’s easy to use. from Wirecutter: Reviews for the Real World https://ift.tt/6LErbFD via IFTTT
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