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Isolating? Here are four festive tech ideas to help stay in touch

You can use technology to stay in touch with distant family members this festive season with some innovative games and ideas.
You can use technology to stay in touch with distant family members this festive season with some innovative games and ideas.
Image: 123RF/instaphotos

As Covid-19 cases continue to rise and as yet another lockdown year draws to a close, it's inevitable that some festive plans will be dampened by travel restrictions or testing positive for coronavirus.

However, help is at hand. The head of high touch end user at Logitech video conferencing products and services, Charis Nicholas, has urged South Africans not to be panicked by any unforeseen circumstances that could kill the idea of having family-filled festivities. Instead, they should look online for solutions. 

“South Africans love spending time with their family and friends over the summer holidays, so it’s really heartbreaking when circumstances prevent that. But thanks to technology, we can still create fun alternatives to spending face-to-face time with the people we cherish this season.”

Nicholas shared four ways to link up with family despite the difficult circumstances.

Prepare a festive feast together

No festive season would be complete without delicious food, mince pies, and all the sweet treats you can imagine.

To compensate for not being with family in person, you can simultaneously prepare festive meals over a video call. You can even virtually join the merry festive feast around your different tables while far apart.

Share family memories

No matter how embarrassing they may be, it’s hard to resist sharing fun family memories during the holidays.

If you want to make this special occasion as near to being in-person as possible, consider getting premium 4K webcams for you and the family. That way, nobody misses out on those red-cheeked moments as you look back at old photos and videos and share funny stories.

Schedule a virtual movie night

There is nothing more festive than snuggling up to watch a good, cheesy holiday movie this time of year.

Thankfully, you can still share this tradition with loved ones far away, using video conferencing. All you need is the right movie, a video chat, and a minute or two of precision timing, and you’ll feel closer than ever to your family.

Have a virtual game day

The festive season has long been a time for fun, hands-on activities, and not being face-to-face with loved ones shouldn’t end that tradition.

Using whiteboard video conferencing cameras allows you to still sit around the virtual table with friends and family to play Pictionary, hangman or general knowledge. 

TimesLIVE


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