A sneaky preview of our December 2018 issue

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NEWARK Issue 68 Issue 43

USELOCALLY

DECEMBER 2018 www.uselocally.co.ukYour Number 1 FREE MAGAZINE for all things local

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Technology

Use Locally - Issue 68 December 2018

It used to be so simple. The only technology you needed to think about at Christmas was a bunch of AA batteries, and setting the video for Die Hard. Now, though, things are a bit more complicated. Even the humblest toys are packing processors, using obscure batteries or demanding an overnight charge before you can use them.

Investing in stacks of AA batteries is still a good idea – go for rechargeable ones; they’ll cost more to begin with but they’ll save you a fortune in the long term and they’re better for the environment too – but we’d also recommend having some smaller AAAs and a square 9V battery to hand too. That latter one’s for the smoke detector that’ll start beeping incessantly on Christmas Eve just after all the shops have shut. It’s worth checking individual gifts before you wrap them to see if they need particular batteries: while AA and AAA are the most common, some require LR44s or CR2032s – easy enough to get from the nearest shop, but unlikely to be sitting in your second drawer. If they’re gifts, providing the right batteries too will make you very popular.

It’s wise to have a small toolkit handy, or at least a small crosshead screwdriver. Children’s toys, especially big plastic ones, are often screwed to the packaging. Even worse, some use cable ties so you’ll need scissors handy too.

Don’t worry if devices such as Pay As You Go phones or handheld devices don’t come with chargers: most such devices use the same

How to have ho ho ho, not oh no no

THE CHRISTMAS TECHNOLOGY SURVIVAL GUIDE

micro-USB chargers as Android tablets, Kindle e-book readers and other common bits of kit, so there’s no need to get more. If Santa’s bringing pre-owned Apple devices you might need to provide a lightning cable to charge them: not all pre-owned devices come with the original cables.

One of the biggest technology pains at Christmas is the big download: from new tablets to games consoles, it seems that everything requires a software update before you can do anything. That’s a particular pain with Xboxes and PlayStations: games often won’t let you play online without the most recent version of the system software. Naturally, the worst possible time to download that is on Christmas morning when everybody in your street is doing the same – if you can, it’s a great idea to install the updates in advance so everything’s ready to go on Christmas Day.

It’s also a good idea to prepare for the worst: make sure you have a note of and receipts for any expensive tech items that will be in your home over the Christmas period (some insurance policies automatically increase contents cover over Christmas, but not all do), and if younger children are being given anything droppable it’s a very good idea to invest in a protective case. That’s a lesson we’ve learnt the hard way – even a cheap case can protect an expensive iPad. If you thought the speed of light was fast, you haven’t seen how quickly a four-year-old can accidentally crack an iPad or smartphone screen.

Images above left to right - Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet, Energizer charger and AA batteries, Sony

PlayStation 4 special edition games console. Image bottom left - Boompods charging cables.

6 Use Locally - Partners with Invest Newark & Sherwood, the business arm of NSDC

Use Locally - Issue 68 December 2018

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Short Story

Christmas s Carol

Chris and Sophie had become engaged after what Chris’s parents, Kevin and Jenny, considered a bit of a whirlwind romance, so inviting Sophie’s mum over for Christmas dinner had seemed emed like a good way for the two families to get to know each other.

Carol had arrived earlier than expected, accompanied by a �����������������������������

����� reindeer antlers and a crate of stout.

“I’ll just park myself here.” She wedged herself at the kitchen table. “Pass me a bottle will you?”

“I’m surprised our Chris didn’t offer you a lift,” Jenny said, taking a glass off the shelf. “It’s not how we brought him up, is it Kevin?”

Carol knocked the cap off f her stout on the edge of the table. “Men! My third husband treated his python better then he treated me.”

“Have you been married three times, Carol?” Jenny stirred red the bread sauce nervously. This was news.

“I wish I’d stopped at three.” Carol shook her head. “Mind you,” she added with a belch, “I’m currently young, free and single.” ���������������������������

��� menacingly at Kevin, who affected a sudden fascination ation with the contents of the cutlery drawer.

“Let’s hope divorce doesn’t

run in the family,” Jenny laughed nervously, “for all our sakes.”

“Nah, my daughter’s got her head screwed on right.” Carol waved her almost empty glass. “Of course, she was engaged to that chap from ���������������������������

�� �����������������������������

����� your horses I said to her, do you really want your curtains smelling of crab sticks?”

“When was this?” Jenny asked casually, turning down the gas under the pan of sprouts.

“It was after she’d called off the wedding to that other chap, who worked on the bins.” She adjusted her drooping antlers. “I wasn’t

nt keen on him. He had really long arms.”

“Is that right?” Jenny nudged Kevin.

“And then there was thatt fella from Hartlepool.” Carol reached for another bottle. “I’d say, on average, she gets engaged every six months. I’ve stopped bothering the hat shop now.”

Jenny looked at Kevin in alarm.

“I wonder what’s holding the love birds up?” Jenny folded up a tea-towel decisively. “Kevin, could give me a hand with something in the hall?”

“Certainly love.” Kevin followed her, relieved to be

out of the kitchen. “Well that’s

Christmas ruined,” Jenny whispered to him at the foot of the stairs. “Why’s that?” Kevin said.

“Haven’t you been listening?” She wrung her hands on her apron. “Sophie’s going to break our poor boy’s heart.”

“Here they are now,” he said, as the front door opened.

“Sorry we’re late.” Chris, his arms laden with gifts, leaned over to kiss Jenny’s cheek. ek.

“Merry Christmas.”

“What held you up?” Jenny said. “And where’s Sophie?”

“We got talking to the Chadburns over the road.” He pushed the door shut with his foot. “Their nutty aunt hasn’t turned up and they’re panicking. Sophie and Rose are helping them call the police.”

“Who’s Rose?” Kevin asked, relieving Chris of his load.

“Sophie’s mum,” Chris said, taking off his coat.

“Then who’s Carol?” Jenny asked.

“Carol? That’s what the missing aunt’s called.” Chris sounded surprised. “Apparently she’s a bit of a handful.”

By Jackie Brewster

30 Use Locally - Partners with Invest Newark & Sherwood, the business arm of NSDC