This year, we continued to see tech adapt more to our lifestyles (instead of the other way around).  Gadgets ranging from smartphones to Bluetooth speakers are becoming more and more durable and water-resistant so we no longer need to constantly baby them.  Smart speakers like the Alexa and Google Assistant along with home automation are helping us through the daily grind.  And streaming services are allowing us to watch and listen to what we want when we want (and to finally cut the cord on cable).

Thanks so much for taking time to stop by my blog and YouTube channel this year to check out my reviews! It really means a lot to me and I hope I’ve been able to help in your purchase decisions.

Here’s to a healthy a happy 2018!

• Looking for some holiday music to help you celebrate? Check out the best streaming Christmas stations.
• Did you find some new tech under your tree? Learn how to secure your devices from hackers.

The post Merry Christmas appeared first on Technically Well.

• LEDNut Inflatable Solar Light: http://amzn.to/2hW2rB7
• MiPow PlayBulb Candle: http://amzn.to/2hVUvQa
• Anker SoundCore: http://amzn.to/2hWS7Zw
• iClever BoostSound Speaker: http://amzn.to/2gSUfoY
• Anker SoundCore Sport XL : http://amzn.to/2gSEn4l
• Anker PowerCore Speed 20000: http://amzn.to/2gSEoFr
• PowerAdd Apple Watch Stand: http://amzn.to/2gIJkt4
  •  Save 15% with code JGU944DT through 12/19
• Manything Security App: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/manything-home-security-camera/id639672976?mt=8&at=10lNPr

Music Beat Produced By Chris Hayes Music (http://www.itschrishayes.com)

The post Holiday Gift Ideas Under $60 for 2016 appeared first on Technically Well.

It seems to happen every year: someone unexpectedly gives you a gift and you don’t have a present in return.  Or it’s Christmas Eve and you suddenly remember that you completely forgot someone on your list.

While email gift cards can work in a pinch (assuming the person checks their email Christmas Day), physical gift cards seem to work out best for holiday giving.  These gift cards peel off of a sheet that reveals a unique serial number on the back.  You can head to Amazon’s website and use the serial number to load up some cash on the card.  It’s then ready for giving.

It’s great that Amazon is including these blank “flex gift cards” so I have some in my holiday arsenal for last-minute presents.   Thanks for helping keep us sane during the holidays, Amazon!

The post Brilliant! Amazon Begins Automatically Including Flex Gift Cards With Your Order appeared first on Technically Well.

Up to a few years ago, backing up your photos meant purchasing an external hard drive, plugging your camera into your computer, copying the photos to your computer, then copying the photos again to an external hard drive.  Given this complicated process, many shutterbugs put off backing up their photos until it was too late.

However, we now mainly take pictures with our phones, which gives us many automatic, cloud-based options that simplify the back up of our precious memories.  Let’s take a look at the different available services.

• Google+: Put the Google+ app on your iPhone or Android device, and it will automatically offer to back up your images for free.  If you allow the service to downsize your phone to a still-printable resolution, you get unlimited storage!  The photos go to a private album and are not shared until you explicitly do so.
• Flickr: This Yahoo-owned service allows you to store up to 1 terabyte (!!) of photos, plus you can download them at a later time at full resolution (not many sites allow this).  Just install the Flickr app on your phone and allow it to automatically upload new photos whenever you open the app.
• iCloud: Apple’s cloud system is more of a temporary online storage solution.  Your photos (and videos up to 15 seconds) are automatically stored in your iCloud Photostream for 30 days only.  However, during this time, they are also copied to your other Apple devices (such as your iMac or Macbook) for permanent storage.  So while your photos may not be preserved “in the cloud” indefinitely, you will have multiple copies (if you have multiple devices setup for iCloud) in the event of a hard drive failure on one of your machines. UPDATE (2014): The new iCloud Drive in iOS 8 allows you to store your photos on iCloud permanently, but it deducts from your free 5GB of storage.  However, editing a photo on one device automatically syncs those changes to your other Apple devices.
• NEW Amazon Prime Photos: Amazon announced unlimited storage for Prime members in 2014.  There are apps available for iOS and Android that automatically backs up your photos at full resolution to Amazon’s Cloud Drive.

So which one should you use?  If you’re an Amazon Prime member, then Prime Photos is probably your best bet for unlimited storage.  However, if you find yourself taking pictures with your iPhone and later editing them on your iPad, then iCloud Drive works great for keeping everything in sync between your device. Flickr is also a solid solution and 1 TB of storage is likely enough for everyone.  So pick your personal preference and rest easy knowing that your photos are backed up.

The post Preserving Those Holiday Memories: A Review of Online Photo Storage Solutions appeared first on Technically Well.