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Apps to monitor your kid’s online activities
As we enter a school year unlike any other, kids are set to spend more time online than ever — and parents might be wondering how to monitor their activity. PC Mike Wendland has three great choices for parents to consider. Bark monitors your child’s texts, email, YouTube, and more than 30 apps and social media platforms for issues like cyberbullying, adult content, sexual predators, profanity, suicidal threats, violence, and more. Parents receive alerts only when something problematic occurs online. The app also lets families can set healthy time limits The app is free for iOS and Android with a subscription that starts at $14.99 a month. Qustodio provides a…
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Secure Messaging Apps for 2020
When it comes to communicating with others, the ability to send instant messages with our smartphones and tablets offers great convenience. But many instant messaging apps are criticized for not offering enough privacy. Fortunately, PC Mike Wendland has three great options to ensure your conversations are safe and private. Threema lets you make end-to-end encrypted voice calls, send texts and voice messages, share videos, and even conduct polls. Messages are deleted after delivery, and local files from conversations are encrypted. Several other features are in place to protect user privacy, too. The app is $2.99 for iOS and Android. Telegram messenger app connects people via a unique distributed network of…
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Real Estate Apps for buying and selling homes
Buying a home is probably the most expensive purchase you will ever make in your life, which means it’s best to go into it with the best knowledge and information to get the best deal possible. Real estate apps can help you do this and can give you greater insight into the market where you’re looking to make a purchase, as PC Mike Wendland reports. Zillow tells users estimated home values, past sale prices, and more for virtually every home in the U.S. Owners can track their estimated home value over time and get insights into a potential sale price if you decide it’s time to move. For buyers, Zillow‘s app shows home…
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Grocery Delivery Apps
With social distancing guidelines in place as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, getting groceries can be challenging. As PC Mike Wendland reminds us, a number of apps can help you get groceries delivered right to your door. Instacart uses personal shoppers to pick up items for you from local stores. That includes the ability to order from Costco and Sam’s Club without a membership (though you will pay more than members would in the store). In some areas you can even order from liquor stores, pet stores, and pharmacies. If you pay extra you can even free two-hour delivery on orders over $35. The app is free for iOS…
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Apps to block robocalls and phone spam
Robocalls already are bad enough, but things are only going to get worse as Election Day approaches. Have no fear, however, as PC Mike Wendland is here to give you a fighting chance with apps designed to block those annoying spam phone calls. Nomorobo offers real-time protection from more than 2.5 million annoying robocallers, telemarketers, and phone scammers. Set up the app to block or identify robocalls, block calls designed to look like they come from a local number but are really unwanted calls, and even get protection from text spam and phishing attempts. The app is free for iOS and Android with a monthly subscription cost of $1.99 after…