Taking care of aging parents? Here's a simple way to keep an eye on what's happening
Independence, safety and peace of mind. These are the most important elements for seniors living at home and their loved ones. Parents who wish to maintain their independence by living alone can be a double-edged sword. You’re happy they’re still self-sufficient, but you’re nervous about what can happen in an emergency.
It’s not just you: Social media notifications are out of control
Here’s something social media companies don’t want you to know: They’ve been making changes so they can make more money. One way is by amping up the number of notifications pushed out to users.
For example, your Instagram account received up to 12 more notifications this past January than last July. Fortunately, you can opt-out. I’ve got you covered.
Hey, big spender: A database for Winstar, aka “the world’s biggest casino app,” was left unsecured, exposing players’ names, phone numbers, and email and home addresses. I’ll wager you’re going to end up on a ton of phishing and text spam lists.
😏 Dig deep: The White House says a new plan to “cryptographically verify” videos of President Biden is “in the works.” That’s right — the WH is working on ways to prevent AI-generated deepfakes from spreading. Really? Now? I suggested this a full 18 months ago.
Your future depends on your dreams: Samsung’s Galaxy Watch just got FDA approval to detect sleep apnea. Look for the feature to be added to the watch this year and, in true Apple fashion, next year in the Apple Watch. Btw, sleep apnea affects around 25% of men and one-tenth of women in the U.S.
Maybe don’t look for a job on Facebook: An ad campaign is pushing “digital advertising” jobs. Click it, and you’ll end up with password-stealing Ov3r_Stealer malware on your machine. Stick with LinkedIn, folks.
🦠 Bacteria Turner Overdrive: Scientists swabbed smartwatch bands, and the results are nasty — everything from E. coli to staph. A crazy 95% of bands tested positive for bacteria. The dirtiest bands belonged to healthcare workers. So many sources of ick! Grab the wipes.
🏠 There’s always that weird roommate: Zillow’s solution to high rents and housing shortages is a new feature that lets you sublet a room in your apartment or house. Renters can post, too. Get ready for a new level of Zillow strangeness to scroll through.
Flip or flop? If you’ve ever wanted a foldable iPhone, Apple’s testing one out and hitting the same problems as everyone else — bulky when bent, easy to break and pricey, with that annoying display seam and finicky hinges. Don’t hold your breath. We won’t see it till 2025 … maybe.