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CK Daily Updates

CK Daily – 4.15.2021

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In This Issue: RJ45 Ethernet Extender Adapter | New Facebook Features | News to Start Your Day

We all know April 15th is a big day – it’s Tax Day! Due to Covid-19, the IRS has extended the filing season until May 17th for federal income tax returns, so if you were stressed about getting your taxes done today, you’ve still got some time! 

The CK Daily – Learning the Art of Patience

Happy Thursday!

Over the last few years, I have been working on the art of having patience. My family and I are planning to go on a long-awaited trip to Orlando, Florida on Memorial Weekend. Believe it or not, this trip was planned in 2019 and has been rescheduled 3 times due to threats of hurricanes and the pandemic but the time has finally come! We are headed to Orlando regardless of what Mother Nature of the Pandemic Says! 

Since it is a short trip, I figured it would be best to fly to Orlando instead of driving. We are talking about a 5-hour difference between flying and driving from Atlanta. I’ve set my price alert to be notified when the price of the flight decreases, and I have been watching it like a hawk. According to the “Cheap Flight Gods,” I am supposed to find a flight for $65 ROUNDTRIP! That is SUPER CHEAP!!! Now, it may be on a crappy airline but hey, as long as we get to our destination safely, right? 

As I wait for the flight prices to lower this week, I’ve begun to think about the art of having patience. Why am I so stressed n finding this low ticket price, if the company already confirmed with me that they will notify me when the price drops? That the hard part of having patience, believing whatever is said will be done. 

What are some techniques you use to make sure you don’t unnecessarily stress out? Teach me your ways!

Shanyce

Product Spotlights & Updates:

The RJ45 Ethernet Extender Adapter helps you check difficult or hard-to-reach Ethernet ports. Use this in conjunction with an ethernet tester to check for bad ports! This useful adapter has a full range of motion up to 180 degrees which is especially handy for ports located at the rear of a piece of equipment. This unassuming device is a perfect addition to the network engineer’s toolkit!

Facebook Lets You take the Wheel on Two Big Features

The social media giant has added new settings to help you customize your feed and community. Facebook is making it easier to control what you see when you browse their platform. The changes give you more options for who and what you see if your news feed, and who can interact with the things you post. 

The updates let you customize your Facebook news feed, and give you the ability to choose friends whose posts you want to prioritize. You can also swap between the usual feed, determined by an algorithm, and one that is sorted chronologically, with the newest posts first. Finally, you’ll be able to control who can comment on any public post from a menu of options. 

Want to know how to set these features up to fine-tune the way the site works for you? Check it out here!

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,875,822 active COVID cases, 24,696,161 have recovered and there have been 578,098 deaths. 
  • NASA’s $800 million Mars lander is in an energy crisis. The lander is going into hibernation to save power since its solar panels are covered in dust. InSight will shut down science instruments to keep its electronics warm through the Martian winter but a dust storm could tip the scales and drain its batteries, possibly killing it for good. 
  • Amazon announced the second-generation version of its Echo Buds headphones. The new ones are smaller and start at $99 while offering some of the features found in Apple’s $249 AirPods Pro. The version with the wireless charging case costs $119.99.
  • Target is testing a new way to deliver online orders with a special facility that sorts packages and contract workers from Shipt that help drop them off at customers’ homes. This strategy could make their e-commerce sales more profitable and fend off larger and sometimes speedier rivals.
  • Richard Garcia and Dominique Horton bonded over a love of coffee and the culture surrounding it. Seven years later, the Lawrenceville couple will start roasting and serving up their own cups of joe. Reyna’s Espresso and Sweets will open on West Crogan Street in the heart of downtown Lawrenceville. They will begin with serving coffee, espresso-based drinks, smoothies, tea, and desserts!

CK Daily – 4.14.2021

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In This Issue: Cisco 2960S 48 Port PoE+ Switch | #TechTips | News to Start Your Day

April 14th is National Gardening Day! Grab your shovel and favorite seeds, and kick-off a beautiful year of homegrown bounty! Happy gardening! 

The CK Daily – The Great Outdoors

Happy Wednesday! It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through the week! I took some time off last week and got to spend it in the north Georgia mountains. The weather was absolutely incredible which means I got to spend a lot of time outside (which is kind of my thing!). I’m an avid hiker and it always amazes me how spending time in nature always results in such a mood boost. I’m noticeably happier and more relaxed after a hike, and sometimes it seems like that mood boost can last for days!

The topic of how spending time in nature can affect us has interested me for a while which has led to reading up a bit on it over the years. Some of the research that has been done is fascinating. Here’s a fun fact: A study out of Japan found that people who spent 40 minutes walking in a cedar forest had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol (think blood pressure and immune system) when compared to those who spent 40 minutes walking in a lab. Isn’t that interesting!? And that’s just one of the physiological effects that have been discovered. Obviously, I’m not a doctor or a scientist, so don’t take my word for it, but if it interests you, do some digging and you might be inspired to spend a little more time outside!

Rebecca

Product Spotlights and Updates:

Today we’re spotlighting the Cisco Catalyst 2960-S Series, 48 port PoE+ switch – WS-C2960S-48LPS-L. This powerhouse of a switch provides Layer 2 connectivity with a 370 watt PoE budget. With 48-gigabit ethernet ports and additional 4 SFP ports, this switch will work perfectly for growing businesses and offers flexible setup options. This unit also comes with an array of Cisco SmartOperations features which include Smart Install, Auto Smartports, and Smart Troubleshooting that help you set up and manage your switch efficiently without a lot of headache. If you need to stack these switches to create a unified switch with a single IP address, you can do so by adding an optional FlexStack module, giving you, even more, power and flexibility. 

#TechTips

Minimizing Blue Light

Have you ever felt your eyes strain or had a headache from staring at your computer for too long? Blue light may be to blame.

The sun naturally emits blue light during the day to help keep us awake. But too much artificial blue light from our computers, laptops, phones, and other devices can cause sleep trouble and eye strain. Not only that but the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock, can fall out of whack. Here are a few ways to restore your sleep and reduce discomfort.

To adjust the color temperature and reduce blue light on your Windows devices, select Start > Settings > System > Display > Night Light Settings. Under Schedule, set Schedule Night Light to On. You can select your own custom times or click the Sunset to Sunrise option. Please note that night light isn’t available for devices using DisplayLink or Basic Display drivers.

To adjust these settings in your Mac, you can utilize Night Shift. Simply go to System Preferences > Displays > Night Shift. You can then select your hue and set a custom schedule.

Since blue light comes from the sun, too much of it in the evening will tell your body it’s still daytime. You can turn on Dark Mode, Night Light, or Night Shift on your tablet or mobile device by visiting the display settings. Adjusting your device to a warmer color hue a few hours before bed will help your body wind down and prepare for sleep.

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,868,958 active COVID cases, 24,626,413 have recovered and there have been 577,191 deaths. 
  • Apple has officially announced its press event on April 20th. New products are expected, including new versions of the iPad Pro and AirTags. 
  • Astrobotic has signed a contract with SpaceX for the launch of its Griffin lunar lander, carrying a NASA lunar rover, on a Falcon Heavy in 2023. 
  • The IRS plans to begin sending monthly payments from the new $3,000 child tax credit in July. The new significantly expanded child tax credit was included in the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan. Under the law, families will receive an annual benefit per child ages 6 to 17 for the 2021 tax year. 
  • Moderna has stated its Covid-19 vaccine was more than 90% effective at protecting against Covid and more than 95% effective against severe disease up to six months after the second dose. 

CK Daily – 4.13.2021

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In This Issue: CablesAndKits 1080p Webcam | #TechTips | News to Start Your Day

Call up your friends and pull out that Scrabble board, because today it’s National Scrabble Day! Originally named Lexiko and then Criss-Cross Words, Alfred Mosher Butts eventually settled on the name Scrabble. Any big Scrabble fans out there?!

The CK Daily – A-A-Ron

Two of my favorite things, Jeopardy! and the Green Bay Packers. Combine them and you get Aaron Rodgers hosting the show that many of us sharpen our minds watching along and answering questions with a question. The round-robin of show hosts has sparked the debate amongst friends and family alike.  

Who should replace Alex Trebek full-time? 

Is it too early to tell? Have any of the people who have stepped in as Guest Host been strong enough to take over the job of a legend? Do you have a favorite so far between Ken Jennings, Katie Couric, Dr. Oz, Mike Richards, or my favorite A-A-ron?

Corey

Product Spotlights and Updates:

Happy Tuesday! Yesterday we shared some video recording tips, hopefully, you found those helpful. Today’s we’re sharing one of our Deals of the Week, the CablesAndKits 1080p webcam. Perfect for all video conference platforms!

This webcam is perfect for Zoom, Skype, Teams, and any other video conference platform. The quality of the 1080p allows you to share videos with clear and fine detail. In addition, the built-in wide-angle microphones matches users’ voice quality to the crystal clear video quality and makes it feel like you are face to face.

#TechTips

Keyboard shortcuts have been around for decades, but many folks still do not use them. when you’re trying to get the most out of your workday, these basic shortcuts can help you save time and energy, providing an easier and quicker method of navigating and executing computing commands. Here are a few of the most useful shortcut keys you’ll want to use: 

  • In your web browser, if you hold the CTRL + A buttons down together, you can select everything on a particular page. 
  • Want to go back in your web browser? Hold the ALT and Left Arrow. 
  • In Microsoft Word, Shift and F7 together will get you a thesaurus lookup in Microsoft Word. 
  • Minimize all windows by hitting the Windows Key + M and conversely Shift + Windows Key + M to restore windows that were minimized with the previous keystroke. 
  • One of the most important keyboard shortcuts you can use is the Windows Key + L, this will lock your computer so that when you leave your workstation no one can mess with your desktop. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,855,520 active COVID cases, 24,561,404 have recovered and there have been 576,339 deaths. 
  • The FDA is asking states to temporarily halt using J&J’s Covid-19 vaccine after six people in the U.S. developed a rare blood-clotting disorder.  
  • Taco Bell plans to open its first digital-only restaurant in the U.S. on Wednesday in Times Square. The simplified design is expected to keep employees from becoming overwhelmed. 
  • President Joe Biden has met with executives from key companies to discuss the global chip shortage that has hit automakers and spurred Intel Corp to announce that it plans to make chips for car plants at its factories in the next six to nine months. 
  • The deadline to file a 2020 individual federal return and pay any tax owed has been extended to May 17th. The Treasury Department and the IRS moved the date to give filers, tax preparers, and the IRS itself more time to adjust to disruption from the coronavirus pandemic. 

CK Daily – 4.12.2021

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In This Issue: 3-Ply Protective Face Mask | Video Recording Best Practices | News to Start Your Day

Each year, National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day on April 12th recognizes one of the top comfort foods in the United States. Why wouldn’t it be when we’re talking about bread grilled to perfection, and warm, gooey, melted cheese. Any big grilled cheese fans out there?! 

The CK Daily – Refreshed!

It’s Monday again! I took a few days off last week while my kids were on spring break! We had a great time getting away from our normal daily routines, relaxing, and spending time together. I’m feeling refreshed and ready to tackle a new week! 

So question for you: how do you handle your first day back after taking time off? 

Chris

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Stay safe & comfortable with CablesAndKits 3-Ply Protective Face Mask, 50 Pack. No marks on your face, uncomfortable strings, or tears; only safety! Keeping anything from dust, pollen, and other airborne pollutants from entering your system. These masks are also much more lightweight compared to others, preventing any traces from being left on your face. Stay protected while maintaining comfort with the soft & smooth ear-loop fitting! This week, these masks are 70% off! Grab them while you can – at such a low price!

Video Recording Best Practices:

While we are all hopeful the days of fully virtual classes and/or work meetings are numbered, chances are, the video will continue to be used frequently for presentations, meetings, and even inclement weather days. Here are a few tips to enhance your videos and audio from your devices, even while on a budget. 

For the best lighting, position your desk facing a window if possible. The natural light will not only make your face look bright and clear, but it will increase video quality by reducing pixilation. Make sure you are not sitting with a window behind you, as it will create too much brightness and give you a dark silhouette.

While your computer’s internal mic will suffice for audio, using a good pair of headphones with an internal mic will make the audio much more clear and powerful. Headphones should work with any device that has a headphone jack, such as tablets, laptops, computers, and smartphones. Try your best to eliminate any background noise, so the mic can focus on just your voice. Household items such as A/C units, refrigerators, or even jewelry shuffling around can create added background noise, so it’s good to be cognizant of your surroundings.

If you’re looking for the perfect web camera with built-in noise reduction microphone that captures natural stereo audio and filters annoying background noises to give you clear conversations, check out our 1080p HD webcam! 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,864,316 active COVID cases, 24,480,631 have recovered and there have been 575,831 deaths. 
  • NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter attempted to take flight on the Red Planet early this morning, and you’ll be able to watch live as the NASA team tracks this historic test from mission control. Should the four legs of this tiny 4-pound helicopter leave the Martian surface, it will become the first time that NASA—or any other space agency—has successfully attained powered controlled flight on an alien planet.
  • Winners of the recently announced Crystal Cabin Awards created new concepts for airplane cabins with an eye for useful, problem-solving, and modern solutions. Check out some of the most interesting designs here!
  • Disney has found the next president of ABC News. Kimberly Godwin, the executive vice president of CBS News, is in the final stages of negotiations with Disney to become president of ABC News.
  • Verizon is recalling 2.5 million hotspot devices after discovering that the lithium-ion battery can overheat, creating a fire and burning hazard. The recall impacts Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspots imported by Franklin Wireless Corp and sold between April 2017 and March 2021.

CK Daily – 4.09.2021

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In This Issue: PoE Power Injector | Friday Encouragement | News to Start Your Day

April 9th is National Cherish an Antique Day! Do you have something special passed down to you from your family? Today provides us the opportunity to learn the story and the history behind our treasured antiques. We’d love to hear the stories of the antiques you have!

The CK Daily – Eat Fresh!

Spring is finally here! Since the weather is getting nicer, it is time to work on those new spring goals. My goal this season is to eat fresher. I recently watched a YouTube video of a chef reviewing TikTok meals and something he said really inspired me to eat this goal. He kept mentioning that in all these of recipes that most of the ingredients are not alive, meaning that it hasn’t been grown from the ground or raise in a farm. Everything was either a powder or processed. It opened my eyes to view my relationship with food differently. I want to decrease how much processed food I’m consuming and take my time with preparing my meals, To live to eat, not to eat to live.

Some ways that I have worked on this goal is to try to incorporate more vegetables and fruits into my diet and cut down the number of times I order out and get fast food. I have also been swapping out powdered seasonings with the real thing when available, instead of using onion and garlic powder. It really makes a difference in fresh vegetables and herbs. It also inspired me to start a small garden! So far, I’ve been growing basil and green onions with my small window garden. I hope this has inspired you to eat fresh and take the time to appreciate your meals!

Amy

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Happy Friday! Today we’re highlighting a product you can’t go wrong with – our PoE Power Injector from CablesAndKits! This is the perfect replacement for CP-PWR-CUBE-4 and/or AIR-PWRINJ4. This Power injector will ensure your connection never fails when you need it most. Shop all our accessories and equipment to outfit your entire network. All your purchases with us come individually bagged and labeled so you can easily store and retrieve your stock. This Injector comes ready with an AC power cord. Better yet, this product is on sale this week but not for much longer! Head on over to our Deals of the Week page to grab yours today!

Friday Encouragement:

This past year has been full of uncertainty and change. And the wheels are still turning. Things are still shifting. We’re still going through the transition. Here are 8 things you need to do to survive change, uncertainty, and difficult times. 

  • Accept things that are outside of your control. 
  • Take full accountability and responsibility for what is within your control. 
  • See the stress that you face and issues you have to solve as a test for your mental strength. 
  • Focus on the possibilities and opportunities that come with change instead of the losses. 
  • Use this time to focus on connecting with yourself. 
  • Deepend your connections with those you love. 
  • Save money. 
  • Focus on your health. 

Read the full blog post from The Happiness Planner here. 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,869,253 active COVID cases, 24,122,221 have recovered and there have been 570,264 deaths. 
  • Dick’s Sporting Good has opened the biggest store it’s ever built, called House of Sports. It includes an indoor rock climbing wall, golf driving bays, and a putting green. There is also a health-and-wellness shop. Outside, it has a track and turf field. Take a look inside here. 
  • General Motors announced a halt in production at several North American plants and Ford announced additional downtime at two plats, the latest disruptions to the auto supply chain because of a chip shortage. 
  • Avengers Campus at Disney’s Anaheim Park will open on June 4th. The new area is an extension to the park and features Marvel’s mightiest heroes from Earth and the Stars. Thor, Black Panther, Black Widow, and more will be walking around the land – and visitors may occasionally catch a glimpse of trickster Loki. 
  • Britain’s royal family announced Prince Philip died on Friday at the age of 99.

CK Daily – 4.08.2021

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In This Issue: Cisco Catalyst 3560 | When Sports and Technology Play Together | News to Start Your Day

It’s National Zoo Lovers Day! Did you know that there are over 10,000 zoos worldwide and over 2,400 in the U.S. alone?! Are you a Zoo lover? What’s your favorite zoo to spend the day at?

The CK Daily – Warm Weather & Camping Adventures

Warmer weather is here! The common theme from the other daily posts this week is all around the warmer weather that comes with spring and the outdoor activities that start to take place. This one won’t be any different. 🙂

Since my daughters are on spring break this week, we’re taking them on a camping trip. This is one of our favorite things to do as a family! We decided that we wanted to try something new this year, so my wife and I got bicycles to ride. Since our girls already have bikes, this will be another activity that we can do together while camping. What activities are you looking forward to doing with your family? 

Chris

Product Spotlights & Updates:

Today’s product spotlight is the Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series PoE 48 Port Switch! The Cisco Catalyst 3560 Series PoE Switch comes with (48) 10/100/1000 Ethernet Ports and 4 SFP Gigabit Ethernet Ports, 128 MB of RAM, 32 MB or DRAM, supports 1024 VLANs, and has a PoE budget of 370W.

The Cisco Catalyst 3560 is an ideal access layer switch for small enterprise LAN access or branch-office environments, combining both 10/100/1000 and PoE configurations for maximum productivity and investment protection while enabling the deployment of new applications such as IP telephony, wireless access, video surveillance, building management systems, and remote video kiosks. 

As always, our equipment comes with our Advance Replacement Lifetime Warranty! And we also have FREE shipping on all orders over $250 through the end of the month.

When Sports and Technology Play Together:

NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California team up with Cisco Webex in pursuit of hybrid sports experiences. 

NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California are the latest in a series of strategic Cisco partnerships in the new world of hybrid sports. This partnership, which goes live today, marks the fourth sports collaboration in 2021, between Cisco Webex and major sports empires. 

For many people, the absence of live sports has been a significant void during these challenging times. Cisco’s mission is to bring sports to the masses and to make the experience as interactive, exhilarating, and inclusive as the in-person experience. 

This partnership with NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Sports California is a natural extension of that mission. Fans can get in on the action with game highlights, player-to-audience interaction, and promos surrounding their favorite Bay Area teams and athletes. Specifically, Cisco is now the official video-conferencing technology partner for NBC Sports Bay Area’s coverage of the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco Giants, and NBC Sports California’s coverage of the San Jose Sharks. Over the next 12 months, fans will see Webex technology in action as part of pregame and postgame video conference interviews as well. 

Read more here! 

Today’s News to Start Your Day:

  • As of this morning, in the US, there are 6,859,173 active COVID cases, 24,206,567 have recovered and there have been 572,856 deaths. 
  • Best Buy is piloting an annual membership program in select stores. The program, called Best Buy Beta, will cost $199.99 per year. It will include perks like free shipping, unlimited tech support from the Geek Squad and exclusive membership pricing.  
  • iPhones will soon be able to track lost items using a built-in app called Find My. The first products that work with Find My will be released next week including e-bikes, wireless earbuds, and lost item tracker.  
  • YouTube saw the most significant growth of any social media app among American users during the pandemic. The Google-owned video service saw usage grow from 73% of U.S. adults in 2019 to 81% in 2021. 
  • The NIH has begun looking at why some people have suffered from allergic reactions after receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines. The study will enroll 3,400 adults ages 18 to 69 at up to 35 academic allergy-research centers nationwide.