Top 5 Tips When Using Your Phone Overseas

Travelling overseas is probably the best way to spend the holidays. Nothing can refresh your mind, your body and your spirit than being immersed in a new place and gaining new experiences as you go along. Travelling is also, by far, one of the most exciting and most fun to document in your life. And where else but on social media.

Hence, travelling overseas also puts that pressure of having and finding a way to stay connected to the internet. Aside from documenting your travels immediately as it happens, you also need a steady access to the internet to check on your flight, weather updates, directions and even translating words and phrases you are too shy to ask from a local.

Follow these tips below so you can enjoy your international data roaming perks without going home with such a big shocker (a.k.a. your phone bill).

1.      Ask your service provider for different international data roaming options. Even before you fly out, ask your mobile carrier the different MB allowances you can opt for international data roaming. This will help you control your use of the internet while you are overseas, and also help you manage your bill as you get back home. Inquire about data packs also that your service provider has as this is cheaper than pay-as-you-go rates.

2.     Check the international roaming rates in the country that you are visiting. There are free online tools that will show you the countries which you can use your phone for international roaming and the rates that apply accordingly.

3.     Buy a local SIM card. If you are considering this, make sure that your phone is unlocked so it can accommodate the local SIM.

4.     Detect Wi-Fi hotspots. If you want to enjoy free access to the internet, look for Wi-Fi hotspots. You can access free Wi-Fi in malls, coffee shops and (if you are lucky) in your hotel room.

5.     Let your friends and family send you a message than call. You get charged for every call your phone receives when you are overseas. For any favours you have left for your friends and family back home, let them know about it well since they don’t need to call you. If your number at the office is diverted to your mobile, make sure to tweak your settings to avoid roaming charges for received calls.

6.     Use your internet lightly. Make your itinerary months or weeks before your flight. This will help you avoid the excessive and heavy use of your mobile internet. With a mapped out itinerary to refer to, you do not have to consult Google to verify every so often. Come prepared for your vacation, to say the least.

7.     Turn off your cellular data when not in use. Maximise your international data roaming allowance by using it only when necessary. Take pictures of your travels and upload them preferably later on once you get back to your hotel room. Further, turning off your cellular data prevents you from updating your background applications and receiving email updates. 

For the 21^st century traveler, having a mobile phone is a non-negotiable. If you cannot travel without your mobile phone, these tips will certainly let you enjoy your inevitable need to access the internet without going overboard your monthly limit. 

The 2014 Guide to the Internet: Round Up of Terms Every Beginner Should Know

You'll be surprised at the different Internet terms that not only beginners are unaware of, but also among those who have been using the Internet for a long time on a daily basis. To address this information gap, we have here a 2014 guide to Internet terms for beginners – and the not-so-beginners alike. 

Internet and the Web: Is there a difference?

The Internet is a system of networks that connects computers from all over the world using a protocol called TCP/IP. What started as a communication experiment for the military, the Internet we know today is a public platform where anyone can freely broadcast want they want to say and share. To access the Internet (and contribute to it), you need to have an Internet connection. This connection can be provided privately by an ISP or publicly from a Wi-Fi network.

The Web is short for World Wide Web. A subset of the Internet, the Web is that portion of the Internet that we are most familiar using. We view the Web using a web browser software. Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari and Mozilla Firefox are examples of popular web browser software that we use.

http: VS https:

HTTP is a an acronym that stands for hypertext transfer protocol. When 2 computers communicate with each other, it follows a certain protocol of communication. HTTP is the default protocol that displays on our web browser when we browse a web page using its URL address.

The only difference between http: and https: is the latter is secure. You will notice https: on your web browser if you are on a website that requires a username and a password. If you need to access your bank account, transfer payment to a merchant or share sensitive information, the web browser should be encrypted with https: for your security and protection.

URLs

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locators. It is the address that you put on your web browser when accessing internet pages and other online media such as images and videos.

There are several parts of a URL address, but let us keep it short and simple here.

Typically, a URL address such as 'http://www.google.com' has 4 parts. 'http://' is the protocol. 'www' is the host name. 'google' is the subdomain name. '.com' is the domain name. Collectively, 'www.google.com' is the resource name.

IP Addresses

IP addresses are like home addresses. It is unique per household. For instance, if you are having pizza delivered, you need to let the delivery guy what your exact address is or else he can just send the pizza to anybody else. 

The Internet works the same way. Without an IP address, information cannot be received. Whether you are accessing the Web using your smart phone, your tablet computer or your laptop, a dedicated IP address (it is formatted in numbers) is assigned to your device.

Blogs

Blog is a contraction for 'web blog'. Blogs these days are like diaries without a lock. It is a highly public way to express your feelings. Both professional writers and amateurs have turned to blogs to share their expertise and ideas on a wide range of topics. Digital marketers have likewise used blogs in advertising their brand.

ISPs

ISP is an acronym for Internet Service Provider. It can be privately owned or a property of the government that allows you to explore the Internet. An ISP can offer you different internet services such as fibre broadband, fixed wireless, ADSL or mobile internet. You can select your preferred monthly data allowance and speed depending on what the ISP offers.

Child-Proofing 101: Steps to Safeguarding Internet Use at Home

If child-proofing the corners and sharp edges of your home is important, the same level of caution (and even more) should be applied when it comes to the internet. Kids as young as 4 or 5 know how to use computers. They can play with interactive games offline and online, and there are older kids who know their way around websites more even adults. Below, we share with you 5 simple steps to safeguarding your child (or children's) internet use at home.

Print for guidance, save for constant reminder, or share this with other parents you know!