Katherine Swarts – Page 3

Smart Screens and Smart Speakers: 4 Ways You Can Use Them at Home

Smart screen: Audiovisual technology that connects all smart devices in a home or other building/facility. Can be operated by touch or voice. Also called a “smart display.” Smart speaker: A voice-operated audio system that can also connect smart devices. A…

Building a Well-Connected World for Senior Adults

BridgingApps’ programs for senior adults include “Well Connected” presentations for our local Front Porch affiliate. Usually there is one Well Connected event each quarter, in either English or Spanish, with a dozen or so attendees. The most recent (in Spanish)…

Avoiding Digital Scams: 5 Things Everyone Should Know

This post is dedicated to everyone working to expose and stop scams, including: What would you do if: In every case, the first thing to do is not follow the message’s instructions—or, for item (d), not text back to tell…

young adult girl with down syndrome smiling next to laptop

World Down Syndrome Day: Celebrating Opportunities for People with Down Syndrome

[In 1999, a genetics counselor told us] that our child would never be able to read, write, or count change. –Mother of a young adult with Down syndrome I was completely frightened when I was given the news, [but our son…

Reading Comes in Many Forms

Today’s post recognizes March as National Reading Month. We also salute two recent “reading days”: Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss’ birthday, March 2) and World Read Aloud Day (the first Wednesday in February, or February 5 in 2025). According…

Five Ways to Encourage Children to Read

March is National Reading Month. Any time is a good time to teach the joys of reading. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, one in five U.S. adults is “functionally illiterate” and cannot: What Does It Mean to…

Walk With Me 2025: Wayfinding, the Afterparty, and Other Things New Participants Should Know

ESGH’s annual Walk With Me (WWM) fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, April 12, at the Houston Zoo. If this is your first time joining WWM (or visiting the Zoo), here’s what you should know. Getting Around What’s This “Afterparty,” Anyway?…

AT for Everyone

We salute everybody working to bring assistive technology (AT) to the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People Of Color) demographic. “BIPOC” comprises most people who identify as “nonwhite” races or ethnicities, including Asian American, Native American, Hispanic/Latinx, and many others. Check…

woman on video conference at desk with cat sitting next to her

Reasonable Accommodations in Your Own Home Office: Dealing with Kids, Pets, Non-Work Devices, and Distractibility Issues

Thanks to Walter Prescher, BridgingApps Digital Navigator, who provided the idea for this article. Walter’s household includes six kids (ages 16 to 4), two cats, multiple dogs (including one service animal), and a turtle. For nearly 14 percent of working…

About Fintech and Houston Money Week

It’s said that “money talks”; but how many people speak its language? According to the World Economic Forum, half of U.S. adults are financially illiterate—lacking the knowledge and skills to make sound financial decisions. And fewer than 30 percent of…