When it comes to thanksgiving, my family is fairly traditional. We all come together on one night, indulge in a dangerous amount of turkey, stuff our faces with pumpkin pie, laugh a lot and then lounge on the couch in a food coma. But I would be lying if I said technology was not a part of our family dinners, just as it has become an integral part of many others’. From trying new recipes on Pinterest, to Skyping with our loved ones, we’ve probably all been there and have already started for this coming Thanksgiving. So how has technology impacted Thanksgiving?

Pinterest/ Recipe Websites

Online food websites like Pinterest and recipe blogs are my go-to’s when I’m looking for unique and scrumptious Thanksgiving dinner ideas to whip up for my family and friends! So why not enhance your traditional Thanksgiving dinner by using the internet to as your key recipe platform this Holiday season! Go ahead, spice up that mashed squash with a new vegetation dish like an Autumn Roasted Veggie Salad!

 

Or, what about using that delicious leftover turkey for a Next Day Turkey Primavera!

 

Snapchat Photos

 ‘Tis the season to use Snapchat Holiday filters with your family and friends. Entertain the younger crowd by Face Swapping with a squirrel!  Or, show your friends what dad looks like in a turkey outfit! Share some laughs this Thanksgiving with the countless customizable filters available to you through the Snapchat app.

 

Facetime/ Skype

Everyone has a busy life- especially around the holidays. You may have family members living in different cities, or family and friends that are just unable to make it. But not to worry; technology has allowed us to spend time with our family, even when they are far away. Developments such as Skype, video calling and Facetime have connected the world with just the click of a button.

How to use Facetime: If you have an iPhone, the Facetime app is already installed. As long as that family member also has an iPhone, just call their number through the Facetime app and voila!

How to use Skype: Download Skype onto your device and then set up your account. Once your account is set-up you can add your family member’s by searching for their Skype name. When they accept your request, you can call them at any point in time. If more than one family member is away, use the conference call feature to connect with everyone at the same time!

 

Electric Carving Knife

We’ve all been there, sitting patiently around the table, waiting for that juicy Thanksgiving turkey to make an appearance- and hoping you’re not the one who has to carve it! Anyone who has carved a turkey understands why even the sharpest knife in the drawer has no comparison to an electric carving knife. Follow this link for the best new electric carving knives you can try out this Thanksgiving! https://www.smarthome.guide/best-electric-knife/.

Tech Support for Family Members

How do I use the camera on this phone? How can I lower my data usage? Why does my phone run out of battery so quickly? The Wi-Fi in my house is always cutting out on me, how can I improve it? How do I know if facebook is actually safe? They say I need a modem and a router, what does that mean, what’s the difference? Tech questions are a constant at family gatherings, so why not brush up on some of your technology lingo with these blogs so that you can help family with any of your questions and impress them with all of your technology knowledge.

Link TV

After dinner, take your food comma to the couch and tune into your favourite shows with Link TV. Missed your show during family dinner? No problem, with Cloud DVR you have the ability record a show and then watch it at another time! Use Restart TV to restart the big game, so never have to miss the first touchdown! You can also watch a thanksgiving special from yesterday with the Catch-Up TV feature!

 

As technology changes, so do our Thanksgiving traditions. We should take this time to be thankful for the advancements that help bring our family closer together and ultimately make our lives a little simpler.  Don’t forget to utilize these technological developments to make for the best Thanksgiving yet!

TV is not a service that Execulink is unfamiliar with. For over 20 years, Execulink has provided TV to several communities in Southwestern Ontario. Well, we’re excited to announce that we’ve expanded our service area with the launch of Link TV we are now able to provide many more customers with an awesome TV experience!

Now Available In Your Area

Link TV is now available to Execulink Internet customers in the following cities and surrounding areas: Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Toronto, Waterloo, and Woodstock.

Why Now?

So you might be wondering, why are you expanding your TV services now? Well, Link TV has been an evolving service that has required a lot of testing and tinkering. We now have it at a spot where we are confident that it will deliver the awesome experience you deserve!

What is Special about Link TV?

Link TV is not your average everyday television service.   Delivered over the Execulink network, Link TV is a versatile viewing experience that allows you to watch your favourite shows on your TV, tablet or smartphone.  You can even watch one show on your tablet while someone else is watching the big game or a movie on the TV. This can be done by downloading our Virtual Set-Top Box onto your mobile device.

Link TV also has added benefits such as Cloud DVR, which lets you record, pause, rewind and fast forward your programming. You can even restart a show with the click of a button using the free Restart TV feature. Another exciting add-on is Catch-Up TV, which allows you to watch a live TV show or event up to 24 hours after it originally aired, so you never have to miss your favourite shows!

The versatility and personalization starts from the very first step of picking your channel lineup. When signing up for the service, you’re able to choose from a variety of channel options including Single Picks, Theme Packs, build your own Pick Packs, and more. We also make sure that these options are available at an affordable, competitive price. On top of that, Link TV is a service that we offer contract free, which means that at any point, you are able to change your TV package to get the channels that suit your needs.

Where to Sign Up?

So what’s holding you back? A new flexible, personalized, and affordable TV service is just a few clicks away. If you are a new customer interested in Link TV, click here to learn more. If you are currently an Execulink customer, go to your MyExeculink account to sign up for Link TV and explore all of the different options you have to choose from to completely personalize your TV package.

 Happy watching!

The trees are starting to change, pumpkins and gourds are available in the grocery stores, the morning air is becoming crisp; it must be fall. The arrival of fall brings the return of our favourite TV shows and the launch of some notable new ones! If you are wondering what shows are playing when this fall, look no farther.  We have the ultimate guide to help you find out when your favourite shows air and on what channel!

Sunday

Fear the Walking Dead (AMC) – Sept. 10

The Walking Dead (AMC) – Oct. 22

Ten Days in the Valley – Oct. 1

Outlander (W –Network) – Sept. 10

Heartland (CBC) – Sept. 24

The Simpsons (Global) – Oct. 1

The Deuce (HBO) – Sept. 10

Vice Principles (HBO) – Sept. 17

Monday

Murdoch Mysteries (CBC) – Sept. 25

Alias Grace (CBC) – Sept. 25

Lucifer (Fox) – Oct. 2

Big Bang Theory (CTV) – Sept. 25

Young Sheldon (CTV) – Sept. 25

The Good Doctor (CTV) – Sept. 25

The Gifted (CTV) – Oct. 2

The Voice (CTV) – Sept. 25

The Brave (Global) – Sept. 25

Tuesday

This is Us (CTV) – Sept. 26

Law & Order: The Mendez Murders (NBC) – Sept. 26

NCIS (Global) – Sept. 26

The Mayor (ABC) – Oct. 3

Fresh off the Boat (ABC) – Oct. 3

Kevin (Probably) Saves the World (ABC) – Oct. 3

American Horror Story: Cult (FX) – Sept. 5

Wednesday

Arrow (CTV) – Oct. 12

Criminal Minds (CTV) – Sept. 27

Seal Team (Global) – Sept. 27

Modern Family (ABC) – Sept. 27

Speechless (ABC) – Sept. 27

Designated Survivor (ABC) – Sept. 27

Thursday

Dargon’s Den (CBC) – Sept. 28

Coronation Street (CBC) – Sept. 14

How to Get Away with Murder (CTV) – Sept. 28

Grey’s Anatomy (CTV) – Sept. 28

Will & Grace (NBC) – Sept. 28

Scandal (ABC) – Oct. 5

Chicago Fire (Global) – Sept. 28

S.W.A.T. (Global) – Nov. 2

Friday

Kindred Spirits (TLC) – Sept. 25

Blue Bloods (CTV) – Sept. 29

Once Upon a Time (CTV) - Oct. 6

Marvel’s Inhumans (ABC) – Sept. 29

Saturday

Halt and Catch Fire (AMC) – August 29

Saturday Night Football (ABC) – Sept. 2

 

There are so many great shows on this fall that you can curl up under a blanket and watch with the colder weather on its way.  Miss your favourite show? We have you covered! Use the Cloud-DVR or the Catch-Up feature with Link TV and enjoy TV anytime, anyplace! Happy Watching!

“… a total eclipse of the heart” is what runs through my head every time I hear someone mention the eclipse that is about to happen this afternoon. That’s right, there is a total solar eclipse happening today, although certain areas of the world will see the total eclipse while others will only see a partial eclipse. If you happen to be in Huston, Idaho, Casper, Wyoming, or Lincoln, Nebraska, you will be lucky enough to see the total solar eclipse, but if you are like me up and live in Southwestern Ontario, we will see a partial solar eclipse. So now the questions are when, what, and how?

When:

The solar eclipse will take place today, August 21, 2017 between 1:06 pm to 3:48 pm. The max coverage that we will be able to view will occur at 2:29 pm. The last time a total solar eclipse happened was in 1979, 38 years ago!

What:

A total (or partial) solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and earth and blocks either all of or part of the sun (depending on where you live). The longest time period that the sun will be completely covered is 2 minutes and 40 seconds. The eclipse is dangerous to be viewed with bare eyes except for when the sun is completely covered by the moon.

How:

An eclipse is not safe to watch with your bare eyes, sunglasses, or even through your phone (although you can take pictures with your phone as long as you don’t look at the sun yourself and have a filter over your lens). The dangers of watching the solar eclipse without protection is injury to your eyes or even blindness. If you are one of the geniuses who prepared for this global event and purchased solar eclipse safety glasses, go you! If you are behind on this, well it is time for arts and crafts! To safely watch the solar eclipse, you can either use eclipse glasses, solar filters for binoculars/ telescopes, or a projector. So how do you make your own projector? Look below to find two easy ways:

Box Projector:

What you will need: a long cardboard box (or two taped together) or tube, scissors, duct tape, aluminum foil, a pin, a sharp knife/ paper cutter, and a sheet of white paper.

What to do:

1. Cut a rectangular hole at the end of the box (the longer the box, the larger the projected image will be).
2. Cut a piece of aluminum foil slightly larger than the rectangle you cut out in the box (make sure your foil doesn’t crinkle).
3. Tape the foil over the rectangle and poke a tiny hole in the center of the foil.
4. Tape your sheet of plain white paper inside the box across from your rectangle.
5. Stand with your back to the sun and place the box on your head with the pin hole facing the sun while you look at the white paper.

Tip* if you are using a tube, put the pinhole at one and the white paper at the other. Then cut a rectangle at the end with the white paper for you to look through at the white paper. Stand with your back to the sun and the pinhole facing the sun. 

Simple Card Projector:

What you will need: 2 pieces of stiff, white cardboard or 2 pieces of plain white paper and a pin.

What to do:

1. Make a tiny hole with the pin in one piece of the paper or cardboard.
2. With your back to the sun, hold the paper with the hole above your shoulder so that the sun will shine on the paper.
3. Hold the second piece of paper or cardboard at arm lengths away allowing the image of the sun to project onto that piece of paper.  The farther away your second piece of paper is, the larger the image will be.

Binoculars Projector:

What you will need: binoculars, duct tape, a sheet of white paper, and cardboard.

What to do:

1. Put the binoculars on a tripod of some sort and use the duct tape to secure them.
2. Trace the lenses of the binoculars on the cardboard and cut out the holes.
3. Tape the cardboard in front of the binoculars so that the lenses stick out of the holes (make sure there is no space between the cardboard and the binoculars).
4. Direct the binoculars toward the sun and place the sheet of white paper on the ground below the eyepiece.
5. Move the paper around until you are able to see the sun’s image projected on the paper.

If you do not have solar glasses or time to make a projector, you are always able to watch NASA’s live stream of the solar eclipse at: https://www.nasa.gov/eclipselive/#NASA+TV+Public+Channel

So go outside, or stay in and enjoy watching this celestial event!

 

Sources:
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/make-pinhole-projector.html
https://eclipse2017.nasa.gov/eclipse-who-what-where-when-and-how