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The Hottest Tech Gadgets for Unforgettable Christmas Gifts in 2023

Category: Streaming

The Hottest Tech Gadgets for Unforgettable Christmas Gifts in 2023

By Krista Lockhart
Gaming
Streaming
Technology
November 1, 2023
2023 Best Tech Gadgets

Christmas is just around the corner, and if you’re wondering what tech gifts will make your loved ones’ eyes light up, you’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we’ll share our picks of the top tech gadgets to consider for your Christmas shopping list in December 2023. Whether you’re shopping for a gadget guru, a fitness fanatic, or a home chef, we’ve got you covered.

Smartphones and Accessories

Latest iPhone or Android Model: Stay ahead in the smartphone game with the latest models offering improved performance and features. Check with your cellular provider for pricing and availability.

Wireless Charging Stand: Keep devices juiced up without the hassle of cords with a wireless charging stand and valet tray.

Apple Air Tags: This gadget will allow them to keep tabs on their items via the Find My app.

 

Wearable Tech

Smartwatches: Like the Apple Watch Series 8 or the Samsung Galaxy watch 5. From fitness tracking to message notifications, smartwatches are the perfect gift for those looking to stay connected and active.

Fitbit Fitness Trackers: Help your loved ones meet their health goals with a fitness tracker that monitors activity, sleep, and more.

 

Home Tech

Amazon Echo Show 5: One of the best tech gifts in its price range, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is a cool smart display with a built-in camera and speaker.

Smart Meat Thermometer: The Bluetooth-enabled cooking gadget will allow them to always cook meat to perfection. It has a companion app giving users step-by-step cooking instructions and notifying them when their food is ready.

Robot Vacuum Cleaner: Give the gift of a clean home with a robot vacuum that can be controlled through a smartphone app.

Skylight Smart Digital Picture Frame: This beautiful digital frame by Skylight is a great tech gift, allowing recipients to view and interact with their cherished photos on a high-quality 10-inch touchscreen.

Smart Wall Lights: Their glow can change in millions of colors, ranging from various white temperatures to dramatic shades like purple and blue, to name a few.

Tidbty: The gadget can display relevant information like weather, upcoming calendar appointments, and live scores from their favorite sports, among many other bits, on an old-school screen with clearly visible dots.

Petcube Per Camera: Petcube’s Wi-Fi-equipped Bites 2 camera is pretty much the best tech gift you can get the pet parents in your life.

 

Gaming Gadgets

Xbox Series S: The surprisingly elegant, reasonably priced rig can deliver high-performance, high-resolution gameplay at up to a brisk 120 frames per second.

Backbone One iPhone Gaming Controller: Available with a Lightning or a USB-C connector, the accessory rocks a complete set of buttons, thumbsticks, and triggers for console-grade gameplay anytime, anywhere.

Oculus VR Headsets: Dive into immersive gaming experiences with virtual reality headsets and accessories.

 

Kitchen Tech

Temperature-Controlled Smart Mug: It keeps any beverage warm, and you can control all the settings directly through your smartphone via a mobile app.

Smart Coffee Maker: Brew a perfect cup of coffee with a coffee maker that can be controlled via a smartphone app.

CHEF iQ Smart Pressure Cooker: Equipped with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and an LCD color display, the connected gadget will help the recipient conquer hundreds of recipes.

Self-Cleaning Water Bottle: The nontoxic technology will allow users to seamlessly sanitize the bottle’s interior, as well as the water inside it.

 

Streaming and Entertainment

Streaming Stick or Device: Upgrade the entertainment experience with streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, or Amazon Fire TV.

Waterproof Portable Speakers: The Bose SoundLink Flex Bluetooth speaker is a great tech gift for any music enthusiast. It is incredibly elegant, and plenty durable with an IP67 rating for water resistance (it can even float!)

Wireless Headphones: Delve into immersive music or movie experiences with high-quality wireless headphones.

Jimu Robot Mythical Series FireBot Kit: This dragon-shaped JIMU Robot by UBTECH is a great gift for young tech enthusiasts.

 

Writing, Cameras, and Photography

GoPro HERO11: GoPro’s latest HERO11 Black action camera is a great gift for adventure enthusiasts.

Instant Print Cameras: Bring back the nostalgia of instant photography with a modern twist.

Portable Photo Printers: Users can edit their photos before printing through a mobile app. There’s even an option to interact with the prints in augmented reality.

Digital Notebook: Reusable Notebooks allow you to take notes the old-school way, and then scan them for easy sharing or cloud storage.

As you prepare to welcome these new additions to your tech collection, it’s crucial to ensure your home network is up to the task. You will need a reliable Internet connection to have the best user experience and get the most out of your tech gadgets. Fortunately, Smart City Telecom offers an All-Fiber network designed to effortlessly accommodate all the gadgets you’re introducing to your home this holiday season.

To find out more about our lightning-fast speeds and competitive pricing, click here. Stay ahead of the tech trends and make this holiday season truly unforgettable with the latest and greatest tech gifts of 2023!

How Does Having Fiber Home Internet Benefit a Homeowner?

By Krista Lockhart
Fiber
Internet
Streaming
Technology
April 1, 2023

Fiber Internet for your home offers several benefits to homeowners compared to traditional broadband connections.

 

Faster Speeds

Fiber-optic connections provide faster download and upload speeds, which translates to quicker access to websites, streaming services, and online applications. This can be particularly useful for households with multiple users, devices, and high-bandwidth activities, such as streaming 4K video, online gaming, or video conferencing.

 

More Reliable Connection

Fiber-optic cables are made of glass or plastic, which makes them less susceptible to interference, signal loss, and weather-related disruptions. As a result, Fiber Internet offers a more stable and consistent connection than traditional copper or cable connections.

 

Increased Bandwidth

Fiber Internet for your home has a higher bandwidth capacity than other types of internet connections. This means that multiple devices can use the internet at the same time without experiencing a slowdown in speeds.

 

Future-Proofing

As more households adopt smart home technology, virtual reality, and other emerging technologies, the demand for higher internet speeds and bandwidth will increase. Fiber Internet for your home offers a more scalable and future-proof solution to meet these needs.

 

Enhanced Value

Fiber Internet can add value to a home by making it more attractive to potential buyers. In some cases, having Fiber Internet for your home may even increase the value of your property.

In short, Fiber Internet for your home provides homeowners with a faster, more reliable, and future-proof Internet connection that can improve your online experience and add value to your property.

 

Smart City Telecom delivers a 1 Gbps symmetrical all-fiber Internet connection to your Celebration home. Visit fibersignup.smartcitytelecom.com to sign up today.

Cable versus Streaming TV: How to Choose

By Debbie Burke
Cut the Cord
Fiber
Internet
Streaming
January 1, 2023

You have more options than ever before to watch TV – cable, satellite, and streaming TV.  While cable and satellite TV often offer more channels, streaming services provide more choices, are more affordable and customizable based on your viewing requirements and give you the flexibility to watch from anywhere. There are distinct differences between your viewing options.

Programming Options

While all three offer many different types of programming, cable and satellite only offer one live TV option. You are limited to the number of channels in your package and must pay for all channels, even if you don’t want them, with some add-ons available for an additional cost. Streaming TV and streaming on-demand give you many apps and services to choose from, with thousands of genres, many of which are free, that you can cancel at any time to try another.

Cost Differences

Contracts and fees substantially drive up what you pay every month to both cable and satellite providers.  Research conducted by CNET.com showed taxes and fees can add between $30 and $50 to the monthly charge.  In Celebration, the cable company charges an extra $47 a month in taxes and fees, including a $22.65 broadcast TV fee and $11.75 regional sports fee, making the $70 package with 125 channels increase to over $115 a month, without Internet.  Add 1 Gbps of Internet will bring the monthly bill over $200 a month once the promotional offers expire.

Streaming services are purchased individually, allowing you to choose which services you want to subscribe. Subscribing to these four streaming services – Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max and Hulu – will cost between $36 and $58 a month.  If you want the cable TV experience without the fees and contracts, consider a live TV streaming option such as YouTube TV for $72.99 a month, with no fees for box rental, DVR, broadcast TV and sports fees, to get over 100 channels of entertainment, news, live sports, and more.

You can cut the cable cord entirely and only use streaming services to still get the full TV experience and save money.

Benefits of switching to a TV streaming service

  • You’re not paying for a bunch of channels you don’t want or watch.
  • No taxes or hidden costs.
  • No fees for leasing equipment.
  • No contracts unless you choose to do an annual plan.
  • No waiting for a technician to come out for repairs or installation.
  • Option to go commercial-free
  • No penalty fees for early cancellation or deactivation.

For the best streaming experience, you will need at least 100 Mbps Internet service, depending on the number of people in your household sharing the bandwidth, and a Wi-Fi service plan so your streaming devices can get online from any place in the house.  In general, if you have a household of four, using a lot of 4K videos and online gaming simultaneously, you need at least 400 Mbps to effectively do all simultaneously.

Smart City Telecom delivers a 1 Gbps symmetrical fiber-to-the-home Internet connection and Home Wi-Fi to get the best streaming experience in Celebration. Visit http://fibersignup.smartcitytelecom.com/ to sign up today.

Why Upload Speed Matters

By Debbie Burke
Fiber
Gaming
Internet
Streaming
Technology
August 1, 2022
A man with a computer

With more people now working from home and doing more on the Internet, upload speeds have become far more critical than ever before. Multiple people in your home can do video conference calls simultaneously. Virtual staff meetings commonly have over 50 people on a video call. You upload huge presentations and documents.  Online gaming is going on in the other room. You start experiencing freezing and pixelated images during your call.  Your upload fails. Games start lagging and buffering. Does this sound familiar?

Every Internet connection has two speeds – a download and an upload.  Download speeds determine how fast you receive from the Internet, while upload speeds determine how quickly you can send data from your devices to the Internet.  The typical Internet user downloads more than they upload, but with more cloud-based services such as video calling like Zoom and online gaming, the need for greater upload speed is increasing.  Upload speeds impact how others see and hear you on the other end of your video conference or online game. Slow or unstable upload speeds are often the cause of broken audio and frozen screens when using applications like Zoom or Skype.

These speeds can be different depending on the type of connection that you have. Broadband services like cable have different download than upload speeds. While advertising up to 400 Mbps, most cable Internet providers only have maximum upload speeds of 30 Mbps to 35 Mbps.  With broadband, you can pull much faster than you can push, resulting in choppy calls and broken or pixelated video streams.

Most people don’t know that if you max out your upload speed, it will considerably affect your download speed. Technically, the way that data transmission works via TCP/IP, the server expects an acknowledgement from your PC confirming it received the data correctly. If the upload is maxed out, this acknowledgement will have to wait its turn, slowing your connection down.  This is one of the main reasons why symmetrical is much better than asymmetrical connections with slow upload speeds. With symmetrical 1 Gbps, your speed is always fast.

Fiber-to-the-home providers like Smart City Telecom deliver a symmetrical speed, giving you the same speed up and down. Fiber delivers a reliable connection when it counts the most so when you sign up for fiber Internet, you can expect:

  • Quicker cloud access.
  • A reliable connection that helps deliver a reliable VPN connection.
  • The ability to share files.
  • Conduct and participate in video calls/conferences, especially if there are many participants.
  • Deliver presentations over video.

To help increase your Internet speed:

  • Reboot or restart your modem, router, and other equipment can sometimes clear system errors and give you a better connection.
  • Bring your device closer to your router or move the router to a different location.
  • A Wi-Fi extender, or a whole home solution, may help if you have a larger home.
  • Connect via an Ethernet cable to get a faster, more reliable connection than Wi-Fi.
  • Conduct regular software and firmware updates.
  • Turn off or disconnect devices when you don’t need them.
  • Conduct a speed test to see what you are receiving. If your upload speeds fall below your needs or expectations, you can upgrade to a faster plan or switch to a fiber provider.

Smart City Telecom delivers symmetrical speeds, so you get the same upload as our advertised download speed.  Call 407-828-6700 today to find out how you can get Smart City Telecom 1 Gbps fiber-to-the-home and Home Wi-Fi to get the best Internet experience in Celebration. Visit fibersignup.smartcitytelecom.com to sign up today.

The 2022 Guide to Streaming Services

By Debbie Burke
Internet
Streaming
June 1, 2022

There once was a time when having a cable subscription was the only way that you could keep up with all the latest television shows, watch live sporting events, and access movies not yet released on DVD. With all the streaming services now available, you no longer need a cable subscription to access this content and so much more.

Pew Research reported that 56 percent of Americans used cable or satellite in 2021, down from 76 percent in 2015, with over 70% of people now using at least one streaming service.  eMarketer has predicted that the cord-cutting population will reach 55.1 million people in the US in 2022. Comcast alone lost 1.5 million cable subscribers last year.

The main reasons people are cutting the cord include:

  • Cable prices have increased so much due to costly content that it’s just too expensive.
  • Lack of a la carte options from cable providers.
  • Streaming gives you more choice and freedom.
  • Content created by streaming services is better.
  • You usually don’t have to watch advertisements when you stream.
  • You can watch from anywhere.

 

With so many more streaming options available, it can be difficult to decide which services are right for you. Since none of them require contracts, you can try different services and add or drop them at any time, though you may need a spreadsheet to find the shows you want to watch.

According to TechJury.net, the top 5 best video streaming services in 2022 include:

  1. Netflix is the best service overall and is the most popular online video streaming option, standard service with ads for $6.99 a month as well as a basic plan that is $9.99 a month. It is easy to use, with a seamless navigation menu and an interface consistent with all compatible devices.
  2. Hulu lets you watch TV shows as they air and download and record up to 50 hours of live content on a cloud DVR. They offer an ad-supported plan for $7.99 a month or a no-ad version for $14.99 a month. Hulu also has a Live TV option for $69.99 a month that gives full access to the Hulu library, live sports, broadcast stations, and many of the channels you currently enjoy.
  3. Amazon Prime allows you to watch the latest movies and TV shows on-demand for free with your Amazon Prime subscription. Amazon Prime is the second most popular video streaming platform for original content. Pricing options include $14.99 a month or $139 per year. Amazon also offers Amazon Video without prime for $8.99 a month.
  4. HBO offers the best premium quality TV, with the most extensive library of original, high-quality content, over 500 new releases and old classic movies, numerous original shows, kids shows, documentaries, sports, and comedy specials. HBO is a standalone service, priced at $15.99 a month.
  5. YouTube TV has the best channel line-up with 85+ channels, local and regional programs with complete local network coverage, streaming live and local sports, news and shows, on-demand video, and cloud DVR. There is no contract or cable box required. YouTube TV costs $72.99 a month.
  6. Disney Plus is now the 5th biggest streaming service, it starts at $7.99 a month and includes bundles that include Hulu and ESPN+ that starts at $12.99 a month.

While there are no monthly equipment fees, you may need to purchase a streaming media player such as a Roku device, Amazon Fire TV, Google Chromecast, a smart TV, game console, or Apple TV.

For the best streaming experience, you will need at least 100 Mbps Internet service, depending on the number of people in your household sharing the bandwidth, and a Wi-Fi service plan so your streaming devices can get online from any place in the house.  In general, if you have a household of four, using a lot of 4K videos and online gaming simultaneously, you need at least 500 Mbps to effectively do all at the same time.

Smart City Telecom delivers a 1 Gbps symmetrical fiber-to-the-home Internet connection and Home Wi-Fi to get the best streaming experience in Celebration. Visit https://fibersignup.smartcitytelecom.com/ to sign up today.

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Smart City Telecom is a full-service telecommunications company that serves the communities of Celebration, Lake Buena Vista, and Bay Lake. Smart City Telecom is the premier voice and data services provider to the Walt Disney World Co, including shops, hotels, restaurants, and transportation companies. We provide technologies that make our cities smarter places to work, live and play.

407-828-6700

Google Rating

4.4

See all our reviews
Logo Black and White

Smart City Telecom is a full-service telecommunications company that serves the communities of Celebration, Lake Buena Vista, and Bay Lake. Smart City Telecom is the premier voice and data services provider to the Walt Disney World Co, including shops, hotels, restaurants, and transportation companies. We provide technologies that make our cities smarter places to work, live and play.

407-828-6700

Google Rating

4.4

See all our reviews

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