ImOn Insider

The Internet has changed our lives in many ways. It makes it easier to pay bills, communicate, stay informed, and conduct business. But one of the biggest things the Internet has changed is e-commerce and how we make purchases. In fact, according to Pew Research Center, 79% of Americans are doing their shopping online, especially during the holidays. That is up from only 22% in 2000. The table on the right shows what products people most commonly purchased online, with clothes, shoes, and electronics taking the top spots. However, with more and more purchases happening online, it has created more opportunities for cyber criminals to steal your personal information. Here are a few tips to make sure your personal information stays safe when you make your online purchase.

Trying to remember a time before the World Wide Web, personal computers, iPads, and smart phones is comparable to trying to imagine a time before there were cars and highways.  How did we ever get anything done?  The advantages of the information age allow humankind to access and share massive amounts of information, perform commerce, and interact across diverse populaces on a grander and more rapid way than ever imagined when that first Apple PC appeared the late 1970s.  However, as with all great and amazing human achievements and technology advances, new dangers and threats emerge that we must defend against.

Email has become essential for everyday communication, both personally and professionally. Because of its importance, it has become one of the most common methods that cyber criminals use to get your sensitive information. In fact, over 90% of data breaches start with a phishing attack.

We asked one of our ImOn intern, a recent college grad, to share some ideas on key devices they would recommend for college students.-

College is your child’s first step into adulthood, they’re away from their family for the first time, and they have to start worrying about classes, future jobs and the worst… student loans. While technology can’t solve all those problems… it can help them ease into their future. Here are some key devices to help get them through college:

Last week we shared with you some of the problems that can occur when your electronic devices are exposed to the cold weather.  Now that you know what can happen, here are a few tips to help protect your technology and keep it safe in the cold.

ImOn knows that the right connections make all the difference! One connection that matters is fast Internet. Fast Internet helps you make connections, by sending and receive emails, binge watching your favorite shows, gaming to your hearts content, working from home, checking up on family and friends through social media and so much more.

It’s about that time of year again, sack lunches and homework filled evenings will soon be replaced with picnics and late summer nights. With the excitement of summer vacation, the kids will trade their backpacks and notebooks for pool toys and camping gear. But soon the excitement will fade and many of you will hear those all too common words “I’m Bored”.  So here are a few kid apps we found that will help to keep your kids entertained, but also learning, this summer.

If you are experiencing a slow Internet connection and download speeds, there may be many reasons for this. Here are a couple of things to consider:

According to the National Severe Storms Laboratory, the United States experiences 22 million lightning strikes each year. Each lightning bolt can carry millions of volts of electricity. To put that into perspective, most home wiring delivers electricity at 120 volts. With all that power, lightning is responsible for several billions of dollars in property damage each year. This is damage to buildings, communication systems, power lines, and electrical equipment. But there are a few steps you can take to help protect your electronics from lightning strikes.

If you’re like most people, the back of your entertainment center is probably a mess of wires. But, why do you need so many wires connected to your TV and what exactly do they all do?  Here is a quick reference to help explain some of the most common cables you may have and what they are used for. And if you are sick of all the messy cables, we have also thrown in a couple tips to help you organize them.