Tech travel tip you’ll use on every vacation

Open/download audio

You’re halfway to the Airbnb or airport and, oops, no internet or data connection. In 60 seconds, the super simple step to make sure this doesn’t ruin your plans.

Tags: internet, tech


3 steps to make your (or a family member's) phone safer

When it comes to tech questions, I’ve gotten them all. More than ever, I’m hearing from people inundated with requests from older family members to fix their devices.

Maybe they clicked a bad link, and their computer is acting up. Tap or click for eight signs it’s infected with malware or other malicious software.

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Why is blinking required to walk?

Have you heard the theory that it’s impossible to keep your eyes open when you sneeze? That’s just one strange fact of life. Another is that you can’t walk without blinking. Is that true? The surprising answer is yes. But why is this the case, and what does it mean about our biology?

Audio deepfakes: How hackers are stealing your voice

By now, you’ve probably seen a deepfake video or two come across your social media feed (hey, that deepfake Tom Cruise is pretty convincing). Did you know that deepfake audio is even easier to mimic? 

To show how flawed voice authentication can be, computer scientists figured out a way to fool the technology in just six tries. Keep reading to learn more about how they did it and how to safeguard yourself.

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How to clean up junk files on your Android

Unless you’re a professional photographer, there’s not much need to carry a camera. Your smartphone is quite advanced and can be used for anything from point-and-shoot images to full-on photoshoots. That said, the pros can work wonders with a phone camera.

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The legendary song that became the Rick Roll

It’s the ultimate internet bait-and-switch: Someone sends you a link (say, an important article you really need to read!), you click the link, and you hear, “Never gonna give you up/ Never gonna let you down!” How’d Rick Astley’s 1987 song become synonymous with good-natured internet trolling? Did the guy know he had a hit on his hands? (Spoiler: Nope.) And who invented the Rickrolling meme? These questions and others are answered in this fun video. Seriously, it’s worth a watch. My favorite viewer comment: “He lived long enough to see himself become a legend. That is a blessing.” Right?!

The real reason TVs are so cheap: No more privacy

If you’ve ever dreamed of owning a big-screen TV, you couldn’t be around at a better time. That’s because TVs are much cheaper today than just 10 years ago. Sadly, the luxury comes at a steep cost — especially if you value privacy.

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Sluggish browser? 5 ways to speed it up

Is your browser running slowly? We will use the four major market contenders for this quick optimization guide: Chrome, Firefox, Edge and Safari. Tap or click here for details on browsers focused on privacy.

Read on for five ways to optimize your browser and prevent sluggish performance.

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Turn your iPhone into a full-fledged webcam

With most video chatting platforms, you must download a large program, create an account and log in. Then you’ll have to figure out how it works. But there’s one great option that fixes all that. Tap or click here for a free video chat program that doesn’t require an account or even your name.

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Best way to do your financial work online

I was on Jean Chatzky’s podcast talking about scams and how to avoid getting taken. (She’s fabulous, by the way!) Jean asked me the best way to bank online.

I explained how you should have two laptops or computers. Use one for email, surfing the web, doing work, that sort of thing. The other should be your dedicated financial work computer. You can use an inexpensive Chromebook.

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AI toys: Cool or creepy?

In the not-so-distant future, you could walk in on a teddy bear reading a bedtime story to your child. Not just any story, a saga customized based on everything the toy knows about your child — their likes, dislikes and deepest secrets. All thanks to artificial intelligence (AI).

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