Use offline maps for navigation

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Planning a trip to the countryside? Before you head out, give this one-minute podcast a listen for a handy Google Maps trick.

Tags: Google, podcasts


How security pros use TikTok without handing over personal data to China

I’ve been saying it for months: Get TikTok off your phone.

It’s not the only China-based app you need to worry about. Temu, the app that lets you “shop like a billionaire,” isn’t worth the deals. Here’s why — and what to do if you’ve been using it.

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Using tech to escape bloodhounds

The internet’s most famous engineer, Mark Rober, is at it again. This time he is using his high-tech smarts to evade bloodhound detection. Will his skills help him escape, or will the dogs emerge victorious?

Google’s Dark Side: 5 search terms to avoid at all cost

Ever Google search for coupons or promo codes? You’ll probably waste 15 minutes putting in codes that don’t work. At worst, you’ll end up on a malware-infected site. Use these proven tricks to save money instead.

Streaming is expensive, so you might be tempted to look up free TV shows or movies. Don’t do it. There are seriously sketchy sites out there. I put together a list of ways to get free movies and shows you can trust.

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Runway star

YouTuber Kevin Ray records airplanes takeoff from the Los Angeles International Airport. And he’s a huge hit. Thousands watch hours of his airline vids.

Race to a million

Ever love a car so much you just couldn’t give it up? You have to watch this fun video. High Mileage Reviews is a channel that, well, it’s pretty self-explanatory. They find vehicles that have been well loved. This one takes a cake: A 1980 Toyota Hilux pickup with 1 million miles. 👀 The coolest part? All those miles are from one owner. That’s the equivalent of driving from New York City to Los Angles 360 times! I don’t even want to drive from California to Arizona

Smartphone specs 202: Refresh rate

We’ll call camera specs, storage and operating system (OS) (yes, I’m team iPhone) Phone Shopping 101. Sensor size is just as important as camera megapixels. If you take a ton of pics and videos, go for higher storage. Pick the OS that makes you happy.

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“Poe” now lets you build a chatbot – Is it the real deal?

Is the real destiny of chatbots less job-stealing algorithms and more like helpful pets? Poe (a project from Q-and-A service Quora) makes a strong argument for the fuzzier future, offering tools to design dedicated chatbots.

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Looking for a long-lost relative? Try these steps to find them

As many as 23% of American children live without at least one parent. The good news: in our internet world, finding them is easier than it would have been in the past.

Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to set out on an investigative journey yourself. Where should you begin when searching for estranged or missing family members? Here are the steps to finding long-lost relatives.

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Space lasers and what they are used for

In the early days of rocket science, researchers wondered how an astronaut would communicate with Earth once they reached the moon. One scientist thought shining a bright light back to our planet was a good idea. Even though that was decades ago, his suggestion wasn’t far off. Today, lasers are used for a variety of space communications, and how they work is incredible.

Here are the 5 social media companies tracking you the most

Your privacy is at risk if you have an internet connection. Every app and service tracks you to some degree, with some playing fast and loose with your data. Here are the most invasive apps.

It’s no secret that social media companies track almost everything you do, but which are the worst offenders? Check out the full report below.

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