Cyber Monday has been called "the Super Bowl of online theft." The linked article also reports that $113 billion in consumer loss is the result of cybercrime. Many of us now worry more about our keystrokes getting logged than our wallet being snatched. Here are a few things to keep in mind to help protect your personal financial information as you deal-hunt on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and every day.
Know Where You're Shopping
Would you hand your credit card to someone selling bootleg blu-rays from a van? Approach online sellers the same way. Often, a simple internet search for an unfamiliar store name can quickly confirm or disprove whether a site is legitimate. Do you own review of the site, too. Click the About Us and FAQ links to make sure they lead somewhere. Look for contact information (or at least a mention) of real people who provide customer service. If something about a site seems odd to you, don't enter your info.
Guard Your Info
Only enter information such as credit card numbers, SSNs, passwords, etc. on sites that you know are legitimate and secure, and only enter the information that's needed to complete the sale. Use PayPal or another third party payment service. That way, you can enter your credit card or checking account number once, have it verified, and then shop everywhere that payment service is accepted without giving stores any of your information. Even on legit, secure sites, don't store your credit card info for future use. Don't give yourself or others an opportunity to make impulse buys in the future.
Limit the number of cards you're shopping online with at the same time, to keep better track of your spending and more quickly notice any fraudulent charges on your bill. And change your passwords regularly, especially on websites that handle financial information. Make your passwords easy to remember but hard to guess, and make sure they're at least 8 characters long and contain caps, numbers and/or symbols. Use different passwords for banking and other personal business than you use for casual memberships to shopping or discussion sites – the latter are less likely to be kept secure.
Be Vigilant
Always check for the green type and/or green highlight in your browser, along with a lock icon, before entering your credit card info. If your browser bar is yellow with the triangle or some other color instead of green with a lock, drop an email to the site's customer service. If it's a good site, they'll get back to you so you can give them your business.
Know who has access to your "personal trivia." I'm not saying you have to set your Twitter to private, just know what information is out there. Ever notice that many of the "secret questions" websites give you to retrieve a lost password often show up on "random question" chain-posts that people are encouraged to share with everyone in their network?
Be wary on WiFi. I don't know anyone who does all their computing with a wired connection anymore, although I still hear people suggest that as a method of staying safe. Be twice as vigilant when shopping online at the coffee shop as you are when shopping from home. It's a good idea to only use PayPal or your third party payment service when you're on public networks, if you spend money at all.
Let Your Hardware and Software Work for You
Whether you're browsing on a laptop, desktop, smartphone or tablet, familiarize yourself with clearing your cache, deleting your cookies, and other ways to clean up after yourself online and keep your information private. Close websites, applications and windows when you're not using them. Don't download new programs until you've researched and verified them. Find out what types of virus protection or scanning software are already installed on your devices, and how they can help you.
Know how to uninstall smartphone apps (or computer programs) if they slow down your device or otherwise irritate you. Although the app universe is apparently designed to make you feel exactly like a kid in a candy store, take a step back and find out what you'll be eating.
Keep Tabs on Your Tabs
Stay aware of your own credit card use, and know what type of purchase and fraud protection your credit cards offer before you need it. Find out whether you have insurance or warranties on purchases, and how to dispute a charge. Many credit cards have helpful value-adds that we forget to take advantage of. They can most likely be found in the booklet with the really tiny print that comes with a new credit card, or on the website.
Review your credit card and bank statements as soon you get them. Even if you know you spent too much money and would prefer not to think about it, double check to make sure you're the one who spent it.
Check your credit around Spring each year. You're entitled to a free credit report from Experian,TransUnion, and Equifax once a year, and you're not required to join any trial credit tracking memberships to get it. One shortcut is to apply for a credit card you don't qualify for. Your rejection letter should explain your right to check your credit report and how to do it.
Catch the Deal Next Time
If everyone got all the deals, they wouldn't be deals. If you feel that a purchase won't be secure, or if a site looks sketchy to you, step away from the computer and try again later, or buy the item somewhere else. We can promise you, you'll see plenty more deals on this site.
Drift Innovation has been making action cameras for some time now. Today sees its latest offering -- the Ghost S -- hit stores globally. What's new this time? Well there's the usual assortment of video improvements: 1080p at 60fps, new "scene" modes and better low-light recording. There's also a dramatically improved battery, that now offers 3.5 hours of recording at standard 1080p/30fps. Impressive. But, perhaps more significant that that, Drift is stepping forward as a brand. It's no secret this market is dominated by one major player, a situation only accentuated by the recent demise of its next best known competitor. But, while all this was going on, Drift has kept its head down and concentrated hard on continually revising its products. As the marketing parlance goes, the Drift Ghost S is its best camera yet, but also a metaphorical stone from David's sling. Are we about to see the action camera market get the all important "other option" it desperately needs? We spent some time with the Ghost S -- one of the most promising candidates yet -- to find out.
To look at, the Drift design language sits somewhere between the tubular/shotgun stylings ofContour, iON et al, and the square block of a GoPro. The design might give you the impression it leans more towards being a classic "helmet" cam, but a 300-degree rotating lens means it's still suited to a variety of situations and mount positions. It sports a regular tripod thread too, so you can use a bevy of existing equipment, including some that you might already own. As with previous Drift cameras, the Ghost S has a 2-inch LCD display on one of its sides for reviewing/previewing footage, and despite a small speaker on the opposing side, the whole unit is waterproof to nine feet, without the need for an external case. Shooting on dry land? You can pop the rear panel off and access the removable 1,700mAh battery, HDMI output, memory card slot and 3.5mm mic input. If you use these ports often, there's an included extra rear cover that has tethered rubber plugs that provide access to these ports, so you won't need to remove it each time.
This is perhaps one of Drift's strongest selling points, it has almost all the must-have features you could want from an action cam built right in. On top of the above, there's WiFi connectivity, an included two-way remote (with a handy color LED to let you know what mode you're in), mobile apps for easy control and all the shooting options a wannabe daredevil could wish for (time lapse, photo burst, video and still). As for the build quality, the soft-touch finish feels good, while the rest of the camera feels reassuringly durable and solid.
Of course, none of this matters much if the camera quality isn't up to scratch, and thankfully that doesn't look like something Drift, or more importantly, prospective buyers will need to worry about. The Ghost S uses a Sony-made sensor, and in our quick sample footage, it delivered decent, sharp imaging without too much distortion -- as is sometimes a problem with wide-angled cameras (from 90 - 160 degrees in this case). We only got to test it in on a grey London afternoon, but if anything, this gave us a great insight into its low-light performance.
The sample footage below reveals an authentic reproduction of the conditions of the day, without any notable noise, or apparent deterioration in quality. This also likely means that your Malibu surf videos, or New Zealand hiking vlogs stand to look as good as you remembered, if you were to entrust them to the Ghost S. If there was any niggle we had in our hands-on time, it would be the lock mechanism on the back of the camera. Essentially, there's dial that you twist to fasten/undo the back panel. Operating this with cold or gloved fingers could soon become a challenge. It turns out, though, that Drift already thought of this, and one of the included mounts is designed so that one end serves as a sort of "key" tool that you can use to solve exactly this problem.
So, we've only had the camera for a few hours, but already we like what we see. It's clear that the Ghost S isn't short on features. In fact, much of the action camera buying crowd likely won't need anything else at all. Of course, if you have slightly more specific requirements, then you'll need to check out if Drift has the right accessory, of if there are third-party options. The inclusion of a screen and the truly solid battery-life are likely what will solve the majority of headaches that haunt the helmet cam wearer, everything else is just a bonus. Which brings us onto that price. At $400, it's right up there with the obvious competition. So you'll still want to see exactly which option fits your specific requirements. But, one thing's for sure: the Drift Ghost S isn't just another me-too camera. It's clearly the result of continuous revisions and development, and this is what the action sports camera world needs right now. A little healthy competition.
Before you begin your Cyber Monday shopping, here’s a roundup of the price matching policies offered by seven popular retailers, which will help you save even more this holiday season.
Walmart will price match a local competitor’s advertised price, with a few exceptions that vary from last year’s policy. They will only match prices of a retailer that has a physical store in your local area. The items must be identical, and have an actual price advertised. For items placed on layaway, bring in the competitor’s ad and you will receive the price difference in a form of a Walmart gift card. This is also the case for items that go on sale after purchasing them from Walmart through December 24th (details can be found in theirChristmas Ad Match Policy). They will NOT be price matching ads for Thanksgiving Day, Black Friday, or online prices. For more details, check out Walmart’s Ad Match Guarantee.
Use Best Buy’s Low Price Guarantee to price match against 19 major online retailers, including Amazon.com, Walmart.com, Staples.com, Target.com, Newegg.com, and more. They will also price match against their own online prices, and up to 15 days after a purchase is made if the item goes on sale either in one of their stores or online at BestBuy.com. They will NOT price match items on sale from Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday. For other exclusions that may apply, click here.
Target’s Low Price Guarantee allows you to price match a competitor’s printed ad or select online retailers either before your purchase or up to 7 days afterwards. Online retailers included in this policy are; Target.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com, and BabiesRUs.com. You’ll need to bring your Target receipt in order to get the difference refunded. Note that the advertised price needs to be current, for identical items, and in-stock when price-matching against online retailers. For more details and exclusions, click here.
Amazon doesn’t currently price match with other retailers, with the exception of TV purchases that are shipped and fulfilled by Amazon. Their TV Low Price Guarantee allows you to request a credit for the difference of your TV purchase if you find a lower price from a qualifying retailer within 14 days, which includes 80+ online retailers. More details and the complete list of qualifying retailers can be found here.
Newegg offers their Iron Egg Guarantee on about 80% of their products for purchases made November 1st through December 24th. If you find a lower price on an identical product from select major online retailers within 14 days of your purchase, you can request a refund in the form of a Newegg promotional gift card. This policy also upgrades you to their extended return policy, which allows you to return items by January 31, 2014. Note that Black Friday weekend (11/27-12/1), Cyber Monday (12/2), and Green Monday (12/9) sale events will NOT be price matched. For other exclusions that may apply and the complete list of online retailers included in this policy, click here.
Tiger Direct’s Best Price Promise allows you to price match against qualifying retail competitors for items that are in-stock and do not require a mail-in rebate to get the sale price (the comparison price also includes shipping costs). The refunded amount will be given to you in the form of a credit to be used only on future purchases of items sold by TigerDirect.com. Claims need to be requested no later then the advertised return period offered for the item (15 days for most electronics, 30 days for everything else). For other exclusions that may apply and the complete list of qualifying retail competitors, click here.
In a recent press release, Staples updated their Price Match Guarantee that allows customers to price match items sold and shipped by Amazon.com or any retailer who sells products in both retail stores and online under the same brand. The price match can be requested at the point of sale or within 14 days of the purchase date. All coupons and rebates are deducted from the price of the Staples product when calculating a price match. Note that Black Friday and Cyber Monday sale events will NOT be price matched. For more information on other exclusions that may apply, click here.
ePHOTOzine's Micro-Site Roundup - Find out what's been happening on our five Micro-Sites.
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Here's a roundup of the exclusive content we've got for you to have a read of on our five micro-sites this week:
On PENTAXPORTAL this week, you can take a look at some top tips for photographing seals with your Pentax camera, and check out some top Pentax sunset photos. Plus, the brand new K-3 DSLR has been reviewed on site this week, and there's news of new images from Ricoh Imaging brand ambassadors.
Over On EIZO ColorZone, you can learn how to perform a monitor viewing angle check and find out why ColorNavigator software is a great tool for aiding calibration. Plus, there's news of a new 3D CG colour management handbook that's now available.
Meanwhile, on Olympus Image Space this week, there are techniques on how to use blur creatively, and there's news on Olympus workshops taking place over the coming months with Damian McGillicuddy and Steve Gosling. Plus, news on the Olympus Impressions 'Fall' competition, and £100 accessory cashback when you buy an Olympus OM-D E-M1 camera have also gone live.
On Totally Tamron this week, you can learn some top tips for taking better photos of ice with your Tamron lens, plus there are some top Tamron portrait photos for you to take a look at. Don't forget to take a look at David Pritchard's blog the days zoom past, too, as he's been out-and-about with his newly acquired Tamron 24-70mm lens.
Last but not least, on Nikon Nation this week, you can check out some ideas and tips for on location portrait shoots, get creative with colour balance and lots more. Plus, don't miss the Nikon D5300 Cheap DSLR review and news of ono-to one training with Nikon School in December.
Make sure you check back to the Micro-Sites regularly, as new and exclusive content is posted weekly!
Ronkonkoma, N.Y. - Sigma revealed Tuesday that a free firmware upgrade is available for photographers using Nikon mount Sigma lenses with their Nikon model D5300 cameras.
The company said it has discovered that when paired with the D5300, Sigma Nikon mount lenses containing internal motors do not properly operate the optical stabilization (OS) and Live View Auto Focus functions.
The issue is specific to lenses used with this particular camera.
The free firmware update will be available starting Nov. 20. For discontinued products, Sigma said users should contact their nearest authorized Sigma distributor.
For lenses that are compatible with the SIGMA USB DOCK, users may update their lenses via the Sigma Optimization Pro software.
Sigma customers who own a Nikon D5300 can contact their nearest authorized Sigma distributors, from the provided link, to receive the firmware update.
Going forward, all Nikon mount Sigma lenses leaving the factory will be made fully compatible with the D5300 and will carry a "D5300 compatible" tag, the company said.
Ahead of our full review, here are 44 sample JPEG photos and a 1080p movie taken with the new Nikon D5300 DSLR camera, including the full ISO range.
The Nikon D5300 is a 24 megapixel APS-C DSLR camera with no optical low-pass filter, built-in Wi-Fi and GPS, EXPEED 4 image processing engine, 3.2 inch vari-angle screen, ISO 10-25,600, 39-point AF system with nine cross-type sensors, and Full HD movies at 1080/50/60p.
A gallery of 44 JPEG photos and a 1080p movie taken with the Nikon D5300 DSLR camera.
This is a sample movie at the highest quality setting of 1920x1080 at 50 frames per second. Please note that this 20 second movie is 53.2Mb in size.
View the sample movie.Nikon struck back at Sony in a major way this week with the introduction of a (relatively) small full-frame DSLR, the Df. It's an exciting new device that continues to signal the slow but inevitable shrinking down of massive DSLRs, but whether it's an appealing purchase is another question entirely. At $2,999.99 for a body and kit lens, it's no cheaper than the cameras it's trying to replace and far more expensive than Sony's competition - so is there any great appeal to it?
Little competition for cameras in its price range At nearly $3,000, the Nikon Df is priced directly beside Nikon's own D800E and slightly beneath Canon's popular 5D Mark III. The Df can't keep up with either of those cameras - it can't even shoot video - but in reality, it's not supposed to be a direct competitor to either of them. Nikon is aiming for the pros who have long pined for a more compact full-frame camera, something with plenty of power that can also be easily carried around all day. The bad news for Nikon is: Sony's Alpha 7 does just that for a much lower price, $1,999.99 with a kit lens.
When paired side by side, Nikon's camera falls behind in a number of the more quantifiable ways. It's a little bit bigger, a little bit heavier, and has much fewer megapixels - though its megapixel count could be a good or a bad thing, depending on how concerned you are about noise and resolution. The two are pretty evenly matched on speed, with each doing a bit better than the other in a couple areas, but neither particularly trouncing the other in any of them.
The pricing of Nikon's Df makes a bit more sense when it's put beside the other half of Sony's tiny full-frame lineup, a potentially more powerful model named the Alpha 7R, but the story doesn't change much. Though the Alpha 7R costs $2,299.99 body-only, that's still nearly $450 less expensive than the Df's body costs.
Nikon's lens system makes all the differenceBut there are two really big differences between the Df and the Alpha 7, both of which will ultimately be the reason the Df might find some fans. For one, the Df has an optical viewfinder with 100 percent coverage - not an electronic one like the Alpha 7 does. And more importantly, it takes lenses on Nikon's F-mount, meaning there's a wealth of glass available for it, unlike Sony's still-spartan offerings.
For a photographer who's long been invested in Nikon's lens system, it's easy to see the appeal of the stylish and powerful Df, so long as they're absolutely certain they don't need video. But for a new buyer, the Df doesn't put up the strongest fight with its high price. The camera is an important signal from Nikon that it's paying attention to what Sony's been doing, but its price still leaves it out of reach for most - at least for now.
A few other interesting products were added to the database this week:
