Some of you may have read the article I wrote last week about staying connected with the people you care about whilst applying the social distancing rules. At the end of the article I said I would be back with some activity ideas you can do with the apps or devices to keep in touch and have fun when you can’t have that face to face contact. So here are some things you can do to stay connected.
Netflix Party – Obviously going to the cinema with friends or family is not an option at the moment. So, what about all watching the same film or TV show from your own houses? If you all have a Netflix account you can use the Netflix party chrome extension, choose a film that you all want to watch, and Netflix Party will synchronise video playback and add group chat. As it is chrome web browser extension this only works on laptops and desktop PC’s.
Strava – For those of you who are competitive when it comes to your daily exercise why not give the Strava app a go? It is a free app and if you just use the basic edition it does not require a subscription. It works through GPS and you can pre-load a route to run or cycle whilst connected to WiFi so that you do not have to use your data whilst out. The app will then track your progress whilst running or cycling, monitor speeds and how far you have travelled. You can share the route with a friend, and they can run or cycle the same route and compete with you. You can follow people on Strava, have competitions and even give kudos.
Socially distant disco JQBX – So if dancing or listening to music with friends is more your thing why not try a socially distant disco? JQBX is an app that links to your Spotify and is free to use. You can join a party, be a DJ or just listen to music with other people anywhere in the world.
Houseparty – Is a free video chat app where you can join your friends and start your own party. It also has the added feature of being able to play group games such as Pictionary and Trivia so you could have your own virtual pub quiz.
Zoom dinner date – Many of us are missing that time we would normally spend sharing meals with friends, family or loved ones. Why not have a Zoom dinner date? Cook the same meal set up your zoom meeting through your zoom account and then chat over dinner.
There are many activities we can still carry out through online video chats or through apps during this difficult time to keep up that contact with people these are just a few examples. So why not give it a go?
Access: technology is an assistive technology consultancy service specialising in supporting clients with brain injuries within the medico-legal sector.
Please do contact us on domore@accesstechnology.co.uk if you wish to know any more about how to use the devices and apps listed above.
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