[9/28/2022] A newborn baby brings blessings and joy to parents. And when the child is brought home, the lives of the new mom and dad are changed forever. As parents, they have more on their minds and plates than ever before.
Thankfully, there are apps to help new parents deal with the challenges of caring for a newborn, and with fast, reliable Fiber Internet from DayStarr, help is just a click away on your phone, tablet, or computer!
From keeping tabs on baby’s sleep to ensuring proper nutrition and health, the apps below will help new parents get up to speed and feel more confident in the most important role of their lives.
Health and Medical App: WebMD Baby
Let’s face it: new parents are worrywarts. And given the tremendous responsibility in their hands, it’s completely natural!
It’s no surprise that many modern parents search the internet when something doesn’t seem right with their infant’s health. The internet is full of good and bad information, which can make it challenging to find reliable sources. Wouldn’t it be nice to have an app with trustworthy information for new parents?
WebMD Baby does just that. WebMD baby has lots of information specific to newborns and infants. Parents can access over 400 articles, dozens of videos, and more than hundreds of tips in numerous categories, from the basics of baby care to pediatric illnesses and health issues.
We’re impressed with the Baby Week-by-Week feature, which helps parents understand their newborn’s growth patterns and what to expect as the crucial first weeks and months go by.
Monitoring App: Baby Monitor 3G
New parents want to stay on top of their baby’s every breath, coo, and cry. But your newborn needs sleep (and so do you!), so you need to keep disturbances to an absolute minimum.
That’s where baby-monitoring technology comes in handy. Apps like Baby Monitor 3G can help you keep an eye on your baby, whether you are just across the hallway or miles away at the office.
Baby Monitor 3G connects your device over Wi-Fi or data to the monitoring camera you keep in your child’s room. The video feed is constant, and you can receive alerts and notifications whenever your baby utters a peep. It also lets you talk to your baby so they can hear your reassuring voice! Baby Monitor 3G connects to multiple phones and tablets so that both parents can check in and observe their little one at any time.
Tasks, To-Do’s, and Tracking App: Baby Tracker
Perhaps the greatest challenge for new parents (beyond coping with the near-constant worrying and sheer exhaustion, of course!) is staying on top of the multitude of tasks and chores to meet their baby’s basic needs. It can get overwhelming. Establishing sleep schedules, and prepping for bath time, just to name a few.
Baby Tracker is an all-in-one tracking app for keeping tabs on all the tasks new parents need to tackle each day of their baby’s first weeks and months. Feeding schedules, nap times, diaper changes, and more can all be logged and tracked to ensure nothing is missed. Baby Tracker also syncs between multiple devices so that both parents can stay abreast of her needs on their phones and tablets—and share in the responsibilities, too!
Sleeping App: Huckleberry
Sleep: your baby needs it.
And you need it.
While new parents may crave sleep more than almost anything, paying close attention to the amount of sleep a newborn gets is essential to their health and growth. And Huckleberry, an app beloved by parents and pediatricians alike, can help you monitor and manage your baby’s rest while helping establish appropriate sleeping patterns.
Designed by sleep experts, Huckleberry lets you chronicle your baby’s sleep needs and schedules as they grow up. Huckleberry helps you determine your newborn’s sleep requirements as they grow and then stick to a regular, steady timetable of naps. In addition, Huckleberry’s SweetSpot feature can “predict” when your baby will need its next lie-down, helping to take the guesswork out of setting and keeping sleep schedules.
We hope these recommended apps make your first weeks and months of raising your new bundle of joy just a bit easier.
[9/27/2022] America’s economy is more competitive and globally interconnected than ever. And advanced internet technology is a massive part of decades of worldwide economic growth. But some areas of the country do not have access to high-speed internet and all of its advantages, like large metropolitan areas.
Small towns and cities, especially rural areas, have been particularly underserved and sometimes even left behind in the new global economy. Thanks to fiber internet, however, that’s quickly changing.
At DayStarr, we are proud to deliver the fast and reliable internet service only fiber can provide. And we are even more proud of how our service is helping invest in our community.
Fiber is future-proof because it’s comprised of materials to keep up with technological advances and increasing bandwidth capacity and speeds; fiber is an investment that will yield dividends for our community for decades to come.
Below we discuss four fundamental ways that Fiber Internet invests in our community’s future—and the next generation.
Without high-speed internet, small-town America would be left behind. Small businesses and farms could not compete, and families were missing out on many essential benefits of faster, more reliable internet, like streaming entertainment or video calls with loved ones.
The expansion of fiber internet infrastructure is altering the landscape, putting small-town America on a level playing field with more densely-populated regions. Fiber internet also allows smaller communities to attract new businesses and investment, attractive well-educated and highly skilled younger people who previously departed for larger cities.
With fiber, you and your family are far less likely to choose between a great job opportunity hundreds or thousands of miles away and your hometown. Fiber internet technology doesn’t just help you stay connected to other people—it’s also helping you stay in your community and keep the ones you love closer.
Online and internet-based jobs are no longer “the careers of the future”—they are the jobs of the present.
Recent estimates indicate that between a quarter and a third of all workers now work at least a substantial amount of their regular hours remotely. DayStarr’s Fiber Internet is helping to fuel the remote working trend—and helping attract new workers right to our community.
Relocation—or “recruiting” remote workers away from major cities and to smaller and often more scenic, relaxed regions, is another significant trend in American life. And relocation, made possible by fiber internet, can be an engine to power sustainable economic growth to help our community thrive.
Today’s workforce depends on fast, reliable internet. So, fiber internet draws talent to our small communities to work their jobs from home or even the local coffee shop. Fiber internet helps keep our families together and attracts new families into our community, too! As a result, the local economy is boosted, from restaurants and shops to other small businesses and service providers.
Today’s schools go well beyond chalkboards and desks. Resource-rich curriculums bring a swath of learning materials from all over the world into the classroom via the internet.
Fiber’s reliable internet means teachers can easily access and share resources with their students, greatly enriching the learning environment and improving educational outcomes for our children. By bringing these critical educational materials and tools to our schools, fiber internet makes perhaps its most crucial—and longest lasting—investment in our community.
Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural-related businesses also benefit from access to fiber internet. From up-to-the-minute weather information to soil and moisture data and access to global markets, fiber helps small farms and rural communities thrive.
Fiber improves connections to governmental and regulatory agencies, speeding up permitting and sharing crucial information. Even handling claims and communicating with insurance companies is faster and easier with fiber internet.
Farmers and ranchers can also learn from the endless amounts of online knowledge, from more efficient growing and irrigation methods to veterinary first aid for livestock. Fiber also connects agri-businesses to cost-cutting tips and commodities analysts to learn about shifting market trends so our farmers don’t fall behind their global competitors.
The above are just four ways DayStarr and our Fiber network is investing in our community and the next generation. Whether helping to grow our economy, grow young minds, or grow agricultural products, our high-speed, reliable Fiber Internet will sustain them all.
[9/20/2022] As summer draws to a close and your young scholar prepares for another school year, it’s time to get them stocked up on necessary supplies. And as technology has improved just over the past year, it’s also time to consider new devices and tech to make this a productive and engaging school year.
With the high-speed Fiber Internet from DayStarr, your child can utilize this new tech at home, giving them an edge on learning and helping them explore their world.
Below we highlight some of the best devices your student can use and break them down by grade level. The grade level groupings compare the tech based on durability, versatility, educational needs, uses, power, speed, and other factors. Each grade level has unique technology needs, so the devices needed change as your child progresses.
The three types of devices highlighted below—tablets, e-readers, and laptops—could be used at any grade level depending on the maturity and responsibility of the child. And in many ways, kids can use each device in tandem.
For example, an e-reader, which we suggest at the middle school level, can be helpful for all grades and ages. And high school students could also benefit from a tablet, in addition to the laptops we recommend.
Read on to discover our best device recommendations for all grade levels!
Elementary School—Time for a Tablet
We recommend more durable devices to protect against drops, bumps, and even the occasional toss for an elementary school student!
We are also mindful of devices that are easier to hold and handle in their smaller hands.
Consider purchasing a solid, well-protected tablet like the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition to meet most elementary school children’s needs. This tablet, which comes with a built-in, rubberized protective case and an 8-inch display, is designed specifically for younger children.
Parents will also appreciate the monitoring and control features and Amazon’s two-year replacement policy. You may also consider the slightly larger Fire HD 10 Kids Edition, which features a 10-inch screen that some elementary school kids (and middle school students) can easily use.
Middle School—E-readers Stimulate a Lifelong Love of Reading
As reading requirements intensify in middle school, including longer novels and literature, parents should consider a dedicated e-reader for their children.
E-readers include features created specifically for reading books and other texts like articles without the distractions of multi-use tablets or smartphones.
Most e-readers feature pleasing background lighting, textured fonts, simple note-taking, and highlighting tools. And the middle school years may just be the best time to introduce an e-reader to your child.
The Kobo Clara HD e-reader is an excellent choice for middle schoolers (and high school students, too). The Kobo Clara HD is compact enough to hold with one hand and carry from home, on the bus, and from the classroom to the library.
It also features a 6-inch display screen with an impressive 300ppi (pixels per inch) and multiple lighting options to select throughout the day and night. In addition, the Kobo Clara HD enables students to open and view many different files and e-publications (far more than Amazon’s Kindle), and you can rent titles instead of purchasing them.
It also has outstanding battery life that can go weeks without recharge!
High School—Laptops for Multifunctionality and Power
When your student reaches high school, it may be time to bite the bullet and buy them a great laptop.
Tablets, such as the iPad or Amazon Fire, have improved in processing speed and various applications. But they are likely not robust or diverse enough for high school students.
We highly recommend Apple’s “entry-level” laptop, the MacBook Air M1.
Though it clocks in as Apple’s least expensive laptop, it’s also among Apple’s most innovative. For example, the Air M1 utilizes Apple’s new silicone chip technology specifically designed for use with macOS software.
And rather than using cooling fan technology (which weighs down laptops) to prevent overheating (and accompanying system slowdowns), the Air M1 has an aluminum heat spreader to disperse heat more efficiently. Its battery life, lasting upwards of 18 hours, is outstanding for a laptop, letting your high schooler get through the school day and beyond on a single charge.
We have two final machines you should consider.
First, for high schools using Chromebook’s academic programs (like Google Classroom), the HP Chromebook x360 14c, with its 13.3-inch display and Intel Core i3 processor, is a first-rate choice that will suit most high schoolers. It’s also a 2-in-1 device, meaning your child can use it as a tablet.
For fans of Windows-based machines, the Gateway GWTN141 is an excellent budget choice that might even suit middle schoolers. It sells for $500 and is packed with features, an Intel Core i5 processor, and 10 hours of battery life.
All the devices above can help give your child a leg up on their education, no matter their grade level. Once these devices connect to DayStarr’s Fiber network, their learning opportunities will never end!
[9/13/2022] Home internet service is no longer just an afterthought. It’s just as essential as any other utility, like power or water service.
The internet provides endless sources of entertainment, news, productivity, and connection to friends and loved ones worldwide, so it just might be the most important feature of your home for some family members!
Many communities have multiple home internet service providers to choose from, and you may even receive regular ads in your mailbox or see them on billboards across town.
But with all the various companies and their marketing materials, technical jargon, and incessant statistics about internet speeds and prices, it can be confusing to know how to choose the best home internet service.
At DayStarr, we understand that choosing Internet service can be frustrating. We try to provide straightforward, clear information so you can make the right choice for you and your family.
To assist you, we’ve put together a list of four “red flags” to look out for when shopping for home internet. By conducting some research and performing your due diligence, you should be able to find Internet service that suits your family’s needs.
Red Flag #1: No Upload Speeds Listed
While internet service providers’ download speeds appear exceedingly fast in their internet ads, you’ll often see no information about their upload speeds.
Despite its importance to home internet service, many ISPs treat upload speed as an afterthought.
Good upload speeds are essential for transmitting data from your devices to other servers. This includes tasks like email, gaming, or online video conference calling.
Poor upload speeds are almost always to blame if you’ve ever been frustrated by frozen screens during online video conferences on Zoom or Skype.
And many ISPs (especially larger national companies) do not prioritize strong upload speeds and don’t advertise their slower upload speeds, either.
So when you’re conducting your research, be sure to check out the upload speeds as well as download speeds. And remember that fiber-based ISPs provide much faster upload speeds due to fiber’s higher bandwidth.
Red Flag #2: Data Caps and Limits
No matter how much an ISP brags and boasts about its internet download speeds, check if its plans include a data cap.
A data cap is an overall limit on internet usage, set explicitly by your ISP.
Because some ISPs utilize older technology, which has less bandwidth to spread among their customers, data caps are set and enforced to ensure that no single customer gets too much data per month.
This can lead to the dreaded slowdowns some customers experience toward the end of the month.
To avoid this problem, select an ISP that employs faster internet with higher bandwidth, like fiber. But whatever you do, check to see if the provider has data caps—and if they do, look for a different provider!
Red Flag #3: Bait-and-Switch Pricing
Another red flag to look out for is too-good-to-be-true pricing, which is merely an “introductory” price. But then, your bill is suddenly higher after the introductory rate expires.
Reputable internet service providers will stay relatively consistent with their prices and are upfront about their internet service costs and fees. Keeping pricing reliable and within customer expectations is almost as crucial as offering consistent, stable internet.
Red Flag #4: Long Waits to Speak with a Customer Service Agent
Perhaps the simplest and most important test a consumer can make when choosing an ISP is to pick up the phone and call a company’s customer service team.
Then, monitor how long it takes to get an actual human being on the phone. Unfortunately, many larger providers cannot handle the volume of customer calls or respond promptly.
Conversely, local fiber providers are small enough to have a well-trained and personal customer service staff to meet their customer’s needs. So pick up the phone and test it out for yourself!
These four “red flags” will help you avoid the pitfalls of home internet service.
So, think about them while you’re doing your homework. And as always, you can easily reach our friendly and knowledgeable team members who can answer any of your questions or concerns about home internet service. Feel free to reach out to them!
[9/6/2022] Esports are on the rise—and it’s no longer just the domain of digitally savvy teenagers or young professionals.
Esports—short for “electronic sports”—takes the hobby of online gaming against friends and transforms it into a competitive sport.
Esports even has spectators, complete with leagues, analysis, commentators, and organized fans!
The rise of esports is a made possible by faster and more reliable internet, like the internet available in your community through us at DayStarr and our cutting-edge fiber technology.
And through Fiber Internet, gamers can compete in esports games and tournaments, and spectators can enjoy cheering on their favorite esports gamers and teams with pristine streaming quality.
We’ll discuss the growth of esports worldwide and why it’s time to start taking esports seriously. And we highlight how esports is providing outstanding opportunities for economic growth and career development, too.
Global Viewership of Esports is On the Rise
Recent statistics show that, in America, there were about 81 million esports spectators in 2021 alone. That astounding statistic ranks esports viewership higher than Major League Baseball and NBA basketball viewers—both longtime, multi-billion-dollar enterprises.
But Americans aren’t the only people captivated by esports. Its popularity extends across the world, from Asia to Europe. And its viewership has been growing exponentially every year.
Recent market research indicates the audience for esports will expand to over 530 million people worldwide by the end of 2022.
And a glance at the viewerships of certain key esports competitions on Twitch, Discord, and similar apps shows events draw audiences larger than recent NBA basketball finals games!
Significant Business Investment in Esports
It’s not just gamers and spectators who notice esports’ potential. Businesses and financial investors are watching closely and putting substantial funding into esports platforms and infrastructure.
In early 2022, the owner of the Washington Wizards basketball and Washington Capitals hockey teams announced his company was investing millions of dollars in building a 14,000-square-foot esports live-event-and-entertainment center right located by Capital One Arena in downtown Washington, DC.
Such investments are increasing the profile and prestige of competitive esports and attracting more attention from the business community.
Careers Connected to Esports
As a highly technical field, esports requires many seasoned and talented professionals to create the industry’s magic.
Software engineers, graphic designers, IT specialists, electrical engineers, voice actors, composers, scriptwriters, and game designers are just a few of the well-paid careers essential to esports.
However, esports’ economic impact extends well beyond the design and execution of the games.
There is an entire market devoted to esports. Esports have dedicated websites and news reporters, which have multiplied recently. And as esports are popular worldwide, translators familiar with the nuances of esports jargon will be in demand. Plus, there are plenty of opportunities in advertising and merchandising.
Even local communities benefit economically from esports. Small businesses profit from the economic growth associated with esports spectators, who can enjoy local restaurants, food, and other venues, especially during tournaments.
High School Esports Teams
With the advent of esports, competitive high school sports have moved well beyond the most common team games like football, basketball, soccer, and baseball. And high school level esports teams, even high school leagues, are buzzing with action—and growing by the year.
The High School Esports League is America’s largest organization for high school esports and partners with more than 2,100 schools across the country to help facilitate competitive esports at the high school level.
Many other online platforms also host amateur high school tournaments and competitions, helping broaden the reach of esports and providing opportunities to foster new talent.
Additionally, high schools are developing and offering academic programs and curriculums related to esports. These educational modules cover essentials like computer science, programming, information systems technology, gaming history, and related subjects.
College Esports and Scholarships
Of course, esports extend beyond the high school level, too, and college-level esports are thriving on campuses across America.
And just like the numerous Top Ten lists ubiquitous during the college search, there are even college rankings for esports competitors to consider and academic programs that develop and promote the esports industry.
There’s even a collegiate esports association, the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). Currently, 175 colleges and universities in America offer varsity esports programs recognized by NACE. In addition, scholarships are often offered for both varsity and junior varsity programs, which help further cultivate and nurture talent.
There is over $16 million in collegiate scholarship money available to esports gamers, with some scholarships worth thousands of dollars per student. That kind of financial support can make an enormous difference for many families and even decide whether a promising student can attend college.
Fiber Internet Fires-up Esports
Esports teams and players—whether pro, amateur, or student-athlete—all need reliable Internet to compete and win. Reliable Fiber Internet, such as the DayStarr Fiber, is faster than cable internet because it transmits internet through light.
Fiber internet can transmit data for gaming and other applications 20 or even 30 times faster than traditional copper-based cable internet.
As any esports competitor will tell you, those speeds and a reliable connection are essential to the esports community and industry—and to rack up wins that make national and global champions.
Resources for Navigating Tech Use with Your Kids
[8/30/2022] Parenting in the 2020s comes with complications that did not exist less than a two decades ago. And technology—especially smartphones and tablets—add to those complications.
From the distractions of texting and gaming to “addiction” to social media and the constant concern over inappropriate online content, today’s tech can be very problematic.
At DayStarr we understand that technology can raise parents’ eyebrows and blood pressure. But it also makes life more efficient and easier.
To address some of your concerns, we’ve compiled a list of resources to help parents navigate tech use to keep kids safe online and manage time on smart devices.
These resources provide valuable tips on using tech to monitor your kids’ devices and online use. It also includes advice for talking to your children—and fellow parents—about the risk of tech oversaturation.
Read below to learn more about resources to promote digital wellness in your family.
waituntil8th.org
waituntil8th.org is an outstanding resource to start learning more about how early exposure to smartphones and tablets can impact your child’s life.
It features helpful information about excessive tech use that is easy to share with fellow parents and others in your community.
waituntil8th.org encourages parents to delay purchasing their child’s first smartphone until they are at least 14 years old.
In addition, waituntil8th.org offers tools and support for parents trying to limit and monitor their kid’s tech use.
Two Books by Experts on Today’s Digital World
Social scientists and psychologists have been studying the effects of digital technology use on humans, especially younger people.
As new data becomes available, experts publish their findings and offer advice for navigating the digital world.
We recommend two books to parents wanting to help keep their kids safe and productive while on their devices, without completely disconnecting them from their tech either: Screenwise by Devorah Heitner, and The Tech Diet for Your Child & Teen: The 7-Step Plan to Unplug & Reclaim Your Kid’s Childhood (And Your Family’s Sanity) by Brad Marshall.
Each book recognizes our modern digital world’s virtues but also acknowledges the need to cultivate a healthy, sustainable relationship with technology through limited screen time and a proper balance of off-device activities.
They also suggest strategies parents can employ to improve online safety and—perhaps just as helpful—for talking with your kids about responsible and limited tech use.
The above resources are a great start for parents wishing to teach their kids healthy online and digital habits while limiting their screen time.
By learning and sharing these strategies and tips, you can be more confident that your children will be savvy, conscientious tech users without being overly dependent on those devices.
[8/23/2022] Every year, more American seniors—over 55 million of them, according to AARP—are living independently and “aging in place” in their homes.
Our seniors can enjoy peace of mind for a safer, more secure home life. And given the rising costs of senior living facilities, many elderly adults are better off financially remaining in their homes.
But the elderly and their families are rightly concerned about the health and safety of remaining independent in their own homes, especially if they live alone. The concern of a medical emergency or fall is ever present.
Fortunately, technology has dramatically improved safety and security at home—the kind of safety and security to keep seniors living independently in their homes.
And with today’s technology, seniors and their families can rest assured that they can enjoy their golden years and independence for far longer.
At DayStarr, we do more than just provide the fast, dependable fiber internet you’ve come to count on for entertainment and productivity. We develop and maintain networks that keep your service as reliable as possible to facilitate life-saving technology in your home.
By utilizing today’s smart home technology and other safety and security features—enhanced by our Fiber Internet—seniors can confidently enjoy their retirement in their own homes.
Below, we highlight some of the technology available to seniors today to help them live at home more independently and safely than any previous generation before.
Personal Emergency Response System
Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS), such as One Call Alert or Medical Guardian, form the cornerstone for seniors to be independent and confident while living at home.
This cutting-edge technology means that help during an emergency—from a medical scare to a fall—is always at hand, even when a phone is out of reach and a family member is not there to assist quickly.
The Personal Emergency Response System is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
At the touch of a button, you or your loved one will be connected to emergency contacts to get help as fast as possible.
In addition, the PERS features two-way voice communication right on the device, so there is no fumbling around for a phone or even a need to dial a phone number—just a simple press of the button and the connection to trained emergency assistance is immediately available.
Smart Home Technology
Today’s smart home technology makes basic, daily tasks easier and safer for seniors. For example, by utilizing smart light bulbs, seniors can turn the lights on or off by using their voice, reducing the need for awkward positioning and bending, which can sometimes lead to falls or other injuries.
Smart light bulb voice activation also means there’s no need to search for light switches in the dark, making nighttime walks to the bathroom or kitchen far safer.
Many smart light bulbs are compatible with Amazon’s Alexa, Google Home, and other Smart Home devices, which connect to our reliable Fiber Internet.
So, your loved one can easily integrate smart light bulbs into their smart home through easy-to-use voice-controlled devices.
Smart Security
Smart home technology can also help seniors be more secure in their homes.
And recent innovations go well beyond traditional security systems like burglar alarms or surveillance cameras. Smart home security technology can integrate across the home’s fiber internet, providing protection almost anywhere in the house.
Exterior smart cameras allow a loved one to know if an unknown person approaches a senior’s property.
And indoor smart cameras can let family members check in if they cannot get in touch with their elderly parent.
Other smart home advances like glass break detectors can alert a loved one to intruders and help deter property crime.
These state-of-the-art technologies can help seniors feel safer and more secure in their homes.
As your neighbors here at DayStarr are honored to be a part of helping our seniors live more fulfilling and self-assured lives at home. And because our Fiber Internet is so reliable, you’ll be confident that your smart home and its safety and convenience features will always be there for you.
[8/16/2022] You’ve made the right choice, switched to DayStarr’s high-speed Fiber Internet, and already experiencing faster downloads and improved reliability while you’re online.
You may be wondering about some of the best ways to enjoy your new fiber internet connection.
Well, there are several things you can do to make the most of our Fiber service and improve life in your home. Faster, more reliable internet opens doors to great entertainment, more efficiency, and even cost savings.
From getting rid of cable TV and enjoying streaming entertainment to living more efficiently through smart technology and staying better connected to loved ones, fiber internet provides a new world of convenience and amenities right in your home.
Below we discuss some ideas and suggestions to make your new fiber internet work for you!
Cancel Cable and Cut the Cord
Now that you’ve switched to fiber internet, you no longer need cable—or any additional devices, wiring, and clutter that takes up valuable space in your home. And you certainly don’t need its extra bills, either. So you can now cancel cable for good!
And we’re not just talking about canceling cable internet service, but cable television service, too. Many streaming services are available for watching your favorite shows and movies online, even live news and sports. And with fiber’s quality and dependability, you can enjoy streaming them as you did with cable TV.
Sign up for Streaming Services
Since your internet connection through fiber-optic technology is faster, more consistent, and more reliable than ever, it’s time to take advantage of streaming services and outstanding entertainment available to you.
Hulu keeps you up-to-date on your favorite shows, both current and classic, while Disney+ streams old Disney films and new entertainment hits.
You’ll be hard-pressed to exhaust the number of movies and TV shows available to stream today.
You can select one of many live TV streaming apps available, too.
With a live TV streaming service like YouTube TV, FUBU, or Sling TV, you can watch live television programs, real-time breaking news and analysis, and live sports and games.
Stream Music Anywhere in Your Home
Streaming entertainment includes more than just movies, TV shows and live sports.
Today’s technology lets you fill your home with music through streaming music apps such as Spotify, Amazon Music, or Apple Music. These apps let you create playlists of all kinds. Mix your personal “greatest hits list” from a particular artist, or select a playlist from a specific music genre, whether yours is rock, classical music, country, or all of the above!
These apps can also introduce you to new artists and songs you may have never heard. They also create lists of music the app “thinks” you may enjoy based on your prior selections and preferences. And you can ask these apps to shuffle songs from your favorite bands to listen to while you multitask!
Use Smart Devices and Set up a Smart Home
You’ve made the smart choice to switch to fiber internet—so why not use more smart devices?
“Smart devices,” even inexpensive gadgets like Amazon’s Echo Dot with Alexa, can really make your home more pleasant than before. For example, when you pair your Echo Dot to your Spotify account, you can say, “Alexa, play songs from The Eagles.” Before you know it, you’ll be living it up at the Hotel California!
But don’t stop with these smart devices!
You can make your entire home a “smart home” and far more efficient. For example, smart thermometers can monitor air temperature and even humidity in different rooms in your house.
They can also adjust their temperature based on times of the day and other conditions, saving you around 30% off of your energy bills, according to the EPA!
Also, consider smart lighting devices, which do more than save you money—they can also make your home’s atmosphere more appealing.
Use Video Conferencing Apps to Talk to Friends and Family
Having a phone conversation can be rewarding, but it cannot beat the joy of seeing a loved one’s face and smile.
With faster internet through fiber technology, you can experience more than just a person’s voice through conversation. Using apps like Zoom or FaceTime can make you feel like you’re in the same room with your friends and family. You can stay in touch and remain better connected no matter how far apart you may be.
The above suggestions and recommendations are just some of the many ways fiber internet makes life more convenient and fun. So try them out and keep exploring!
[8/8/22] As beneficial as the internet can be to empowering individuals and enriching lives, there are negative aspects to being online.
Privacy concerns, disclosed personal information and data, hacking and security breaches, and computer viruses still plague this internet.
Here at DayStarr we do far more than provide fast, reliable Fiber internet.
We work tirelessly to deliver your high-speed internet service as safely and securely as possible. However, you still need to take steps to ensure your privacy and online security, too.
One of the most frequently cited recommendations to protect your privacy online is to use a Virtual Private Network (VPN).
But what exactly is a VPN, and how does it work? And do you really need a VPN?
Below we explain what a VPN is and discuss how it works, so you can make a more informed decision about whether to employ a VPN yourself.
What is a VPN?
A VPN is a private network that, once established and enabled, creates a secure “tunnel.” Through the tunnel, data sent and received by your devices online is transmitted to a private server, where the data is encrypted before moving throughout the internet.
In essence, then, through this process, your data is more protected and secure while you’re online.
How do VPNs work?
VPNs utilize applications to transmit and relay online data (emails, browser searches, messages, photos, videos, etc.), to secure servers via the encrypted data tunnels.
Once encrypted data arrives at these secure servers, it gets routed to its final destination, such as a website, email server, or social media app.
The VPN’s encryption process shields your I.P. address (your location online) and other sensitive personal data.
For example, instead of revealing your I.P. address, the VPN’s server’s I.P. address “becomes” your I.P. address, concealing who you are and providing extra protection.
Similarly, by using a VPN, the internet traffic you receive has gone through the same more protected process before reaching your devices.
This sounds helpful—but do I need a VPN?
A VPN is a solid online privacy and security measure.
While some cybersecurity experts still recommend them, technically, you do not need one.
Until recently, VPNs were more necessary than they are today. But technology and online security have improved markedly over the years, with many websites and apps employing strong data encryption, helping enhance online privacy.
People who regularly use public Wi-Fi, such as in coffee shops or airports, are more vulnerable to hacking and cyber-attacks.
VPNs can help protect your devices (and online privacy) in those situations. But you can employ other security and privacy protections that can safeguard your data and internet traffic without using a VPN.
Whether you use a VPN or not, please don’t forget other essential protections, like password managers, anti-virus software, and ad blockers. They can protect your identity and prevent your online activity from being tracked.
Of course, should you have more questions about online security and privacy, we can always help!
[8/2/2022] No matter the type of game you play, be it an epic role-playing title, a city builder, a tactical battle simulator, or a global strategy game, a faster, more reliable internet connection can make all the difference. When you don’t have to worry about your connection dropping, you can focus on coming out on top against your competition. And the advantages of faster internet for gaming extend well beyond the technical aspects.
Better internet means connecting and communicating with fellow players (whether you’re playing on a team or against them). And if you’re a streamer, you can be confident you’ll stay connected on platforms like Discord, Twitch, or YouTube.
Using the high-speed Fiber Internet delivered to you DayStarr, gamers can be confident their internet will keep up with their game—and create a fantastic experience!
But how exactly does fiber internet improve gaming? And why does fiber’s technological power give gamers the edge they need to best their opponents and fellow players? Can fiber actually make a difference in the results and maybe even “up your game?”
We’ll answer these questions and explain why fiber surpasses other kinds of internet to make for a superior gaming experience.
What Fiber Internet Is—and Why It’s So Much Faster Than Cable
First, let’s briefly discuss fiber internet and compare it to traditional “cable internet.”
Fiber Internet is delivered by fiber-optic cables consisting of skinny strings of glass that use light to transmit internet data. Indeed, fiber’s speed comes close to the speed of light, easily surpassing cable internet speeds.
Cable internet, a once-great technology (roughly two decades ago now), uses standard coaxial cables composed of copper wiring. Unfortunately, copper wires cannot handle the same amount of data or transmit it as quickly as fiber’s cutting-edge materials.
Simply put, cable can’t keep pace with fiber’s data transmission through light or fiber’s consistently higher speeds.
Faster Download and Upload Speeds
The most basic and arguably essential part of any internet technology is its download and upload speed capabilities.
Download speeds clock the time it takes to transmit data, files, and other information from an online server to your device. Conversely, upload speeds refer to how long your device takes to share data, files, and additional information to an online server. These speeds are simply fundamental to any use of the internet, and they’re especially vital to gamers, whose every reaction and decision is made in just milliseconds—and often determine whether you win or lose!
Higher download and upload speeds make for a far smoother, less jittery, more stable, and more responsive gaming experience—in other words, the kind of internet quality that may give you an edge against fellow competitors. As a result, the faster your download and upload speeds are, the better you can game.
Faster speeds get you into games much quicker, especially after an update is released. With faster download speeds, you can be among the first into the updated game—and, if your play is savvy enough, among the first victors to achieve awards and recognition—and all the bragging rights you’ve justly earned!
Higher Bandwidth
While faster downloading and uploading speeds are important, they are almost useless if not combined with greater bandwidth capacity. In simplest terms, bandwidth is the maximum capacity any particular internet connection can have.
Copper-based wires in basic coaxial cords used for cable internet are limited. Cable’s older technology cannot handle too much internet data at any moment; thus, its bandwidth is lower than fiber’s. This leads to more frequent freezes and delays—often in the middle of a gaming session—and the crashes and drop-offs dreaded by gamers everywhere.
Fiber internet bandwidth is substantially higher than traditional cable. Even in larger households with several simultaneous internet users, fiber’s bandwidth shines.
So, the higher the bandwidth, the more data can be sent to and from your device for superior gaming performance—with enough bandwidth remaining to stream your games with friends.
Low Packet Loss
One of the most frustrating technical snafus gamers experience relates to packet loss. A “packet” is a tiny collection of data transmitted over a network between an online server and your device. Packets are critical to any internet activity, from something as simple as sending an email to posting and viewing videos and gaming. But with some forms of internet, these small data units don’t arrive at their destination, causing maddening slow-downs, freeze-ups, and even crashes.
Packet loss can also impact other aspects of gaming, including hearing your friends’ voices—or even your own—sound like a robot while you’re playing on Discord! Packet loss (and low bandwidth) weakens Discord’s connection causing this distracting and embarrassing (if sometimes hilarious) side effect. Because fiber transmits data at nearly the speed of light, it can handle large swaths of packets (and data) much more efficiently. As a result, packet loss is reduced and keeps you on your game while maintaining voice quality.
Low Jitter
Just as crucial as receiving all of your data and files through packets is ensuring that the data hits your devices in the correct order. Too often, with older forms of internet technology like cable, the data that your devices need to operate—and you need to game—arrives jumbled, a problem known in the industry as “jitter.”
Fiber’s superior capacity to transmit data at a near-light speed reduces jitter, especially compared to cable. Low jitter means that your data arrives correctly and in the proper order, creating a clearer, cleaner, smoother, and more reliable internet connection—and a much better gaming experience that won’t hold you back.
Low Latency
Finally—and to many gamers, the most crucial distinction—fiber internet ensures low latency. Latency is the time between a “request” sent from your gaming device to the game’s online server and then returned from that server to your device. Usually measured by the millisecond, the lower the lag, the shorter—and the better—the response time. So, latency is your internet connection’s response time for processing requests and delivering data back and forth.
Low latency means that your device and the game’s server better capture your agility, quick decision-making, and choices that can make all the difference to gaming outcomes. In addition, fiber’s inherently low latency means you can enjoy gaming online without nearly as much lag and stutter that too often plague online games.
Fiber’s advanced technology can significantly improve your gaming experience—and maybe even give you the competitive edge you’ve been looking for against your friends! It’s just one of the many ways that DayStarr keeps you connected and helps you stay ahead of the game.