Virtual Christmas: Using technology to have fun

As the omicron spreads in the UK, there is a high possibility of disrupting Christmas plans, whether people try to limit their contacts or isolate. But the fact people might not be able to meet in person doesn’t mean that all the celebrations have to be gone.

The festive environment will not be the same, but people can still join their family and friends virtually and enjoy their time.

Here are some ideas for the festive period:

Video calls

Most people choose to use this option, using almost any device with a camera, even though tablets or laptops are ideal for longer chats.

Zoom is one of the most accessible services available for most devices, for free for up to 40 minutes at a time.

For people using the Apple ecosystem, FaceTime is the best choice and very easy to use. Now people can also invite others using Android or Windows devices for calls.

Google users have the possibility to use Meet on Android and other devices. Advice for this festive season is to place a tablet or any other device at the end of the table if you can’t make a gathering.

Chats can get boring quickly. In this case, people can try party games during video calls. People can draw using their iPads, and others can see the process.

Quizzes are also very popular on video calls.

The list of activities during video calls is constantly growing. The latest addition is watching videos or listening to music simultaneously. Apple launched its new SharePlay that makes this process easy. People can find it on FaceTime in the latest software updates.

During a FaceTime call, people can start watching a movie, TV, or listening to the music in an app, including TikTok, Pluto TV, Disney+, Apple’s Music, and TV, after tapping on “play for everyone.”