The gaff banner by: @brulaw
"Even as an adult I find it difficult to sleep on Christmas Eve. Yuletide excitement is as potent as caffeine, no matter your age." - Terri Guillemets
21st December 2018/Issue #297
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giffgaff Happenings
by bluemoonbaz
December 6th's outage Goodwill fund
The goodwill fund has been set at £1,000,000. :o
Over a million members have voted those who chose to have credit and those who donated it to charity. The charity chosen by giffgaff is Crisis, a charity working hard to support people who are homeless.
At this time of year, it can be very dangerous to live and sleep on the street alone. For all the details on how much credit the members will get and how much is going to the charity, click here.
Build a snow dog for your community profile
We all had some fun last year trying to build our giffgaff snowman, so its time to build a trusty companion for our friend, so from now until the end of January 6th - you'll earn yourself some ingredients to build one to display next to your posts.
There's a snowflake, some sticks, a carrot, some coal, and a woolly hat. just get involved in the community to find your parts.
Once you have the set Just head to
the Build page and make your snow dog.
Refer a friend - December Prize draw runs till Monday 31st December.
Don't forget to take part in this fantastic competition, automatic entry is applicable for any new activation by your friends or family if they activate an eligible SIM from you.
You can also enter for free up to 15 times here. So what are you waiting for 😛 it's well worth trying for £1,302 cash prize for you and another £1,302 cash prize to give to your friend!
Plus, 5 runners up prizes of a Samsung Galaxy S9 for you and one for your friend. No purchase is necessary.
Blog Highlights
by jammydodge
Moto G6: king of budget smartphones
As far a smartphone royalty goes, the iPhone sure takes the top spot but when it comes to budget phones Motorola takes the throne. In the market for a phone that performs like a flagship but on a tight budget, then why not check out the new Moto G6. In this in-depth review, abdulf takes a look at all the features that pack a punch without hitting your bank balance too hard. Pop over and give it a read.
New rule means you can switch mobile provider for free
We all know giffgaff doesn't tie you down with contracts but say you were part way through a contract with another provider and wanted to switch. It would be pretty difficult and such a palaver right? Well, why not join shadylady in her latest blog as she explains how a new Ofcom rule removes the need to make the dreaded call to your network provider. Check it out now.
Top 10 Huawei Mate 20 Pro cases and accessories
If you're lucky enough to have got your hand on this mega smartphone complete with 4 camera lenses, then you'll be needing a superb case and some handy accessories. From armoured cases to screen protectors and charging pads, wsjudd's jam packed blog has it all. Why not head over to the blog and see what you need to get you started.
Tech Developments
by revilo10
Account Security - A Warning
Usually on Tech Developments, I like to feature a product or service each week that's caught my interest, but sometimes somethings come to my attention that I must use this space to warn you about security breaches or other related things. This week, in the run up to Christmas, I've been chatting to a lot of people in various communities across the internet, and a few of my fellow giffgaffers here, and this has raised the issue of account security. In the past I've run articles based around a few apps that can help keep you secure, but I thought I'd compile a more comprehensive list of both warnings, tips, and apps for you today.
First and foremost,
never ever use the same password on anything, ever, as simple as it may seem, this is a big problem. Many people think that their password, even if it is somewhat complex, can cover everything. This is not the case. Passwords are a weak security point if you use them over and over. All of my passwords are randomized, over all of my accounts. To keep a track of your passwords (As it's impossible to remember all of them!), I recommend using a password manager like
LastPass, which will not only keep all your passwords safe and secure, but will also warn you of breaches and reused passwords.
Another issue I came across is phishing and email scams. Criminals are becoming more and more advanced, and they can replicate the emails of large corporations with complete accuracy, and they will exploit various social loopholes in order to get your information. However, all you need to do to stop this is keep your wits about you, and ask yourself if the email you are reading fits both of the two Rs (Yeah I made my own abbreviation) 1. Reasonable (Large companies will never ask you to "verify" certain information, for example) and 2. Reputable - Check the sending email address, check if the email uses your name or information directly, check if the links in the email redirect to an official site of the company contacting you. I recommend using a site like virustotal.com to scan files, links and other things you may come across to check for safety.
Check for HTTPS, so to put it simply, most secure websites nowadays should run on HTTPS (Check before the // on any website you visit), and you should be wary of entering any information on a site that doesn't use HTTPS. And our final security issue is
software updates - no matter what your device, it is important that through all your apps and operating systems, you keep them up to date. As developers include security patches which address the latest security threats facing their app, which stops hackers using old exploits in software to gain access to your information.
I hope some of this advice helps you, have a wonderful holiday season! See you next week.
Say Hello!
by kathleen414
Photo Of The Week
by brulaw
This week's featured photo is Canary Wharf At Night by @bobrobinson. Here's some of the comments: "Lovley picture never knew London could look so nice." (fender1982), "Wish I could see something like that from my bathroom window" (soundmike), "That’s a great photo! And what a fantastic view - sadly, my bathroom doesn’t even have a window." (irenahalder), "That a better view than I get" (illneverrememberit), "What a great view" (frenchielove)" and "Great picture , "I am absolutely rubbish at taking pictures if I ever do a good one I will post it here" (clikasarus).
Click here to see the original post. Thank you, everyone, for the excellent shots, keep them coming!
Festive Tips
by toxiic
Hello everybody, this week I’m back with a set of tips you can use over this festive period – as suggested by the members on the Tips and Guides Board.
Keeping carrots fresh shouldn’t be an issue with alanscarr’s tip: Peel the carrots ASAP, top and tail them, seal them in a resealable plastic bag then put them in the fridge. Thanks alanscarr, I’m sure the reindeer will love them!
bobrobinson wants to remind everyone to include batteries in the presents you give at Christmas time, especially if you’re giving a gift to a child. Thanks for that Bob, we all know how eager children can be on Xmas!
bobrobinson also suggested that we all keep the receipts to the products you buy. Just in case, I guess 😉 !
antiochean suggested that we should step back from the hype of the festive times and instead give thanks to what Christmas is all about – hope, joy, peace and love. A nice take on that, antiochean, thanks.
bobrobinson shone light on the importance of preparing frozen food early, so make sure you do your research on the defrosting times of the food you plan to eat on certain days, plan ahead. Bob – you’re on a roll!
I wish you all a very merry Christmas (albeit an early one). On behalf of the team, thanks for your support this year. Here’s to 2019! If you like what you see, then check out my Content Archive here.
Thanks for reading
Brought to you by @jammydodge.
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