A guy tried getting ChatGPT elected as the mayor of Cheyenne, Wyoming, but voters shut that down fast. Google secretly scraped $5 billion worth of data, moped thieves stealing AirPods Max, and Chick-fil-A is launching a streaming platform.
Buy this, not that: Best and worst tech of 2020
Credit: Amazon.com
With each year comes brand new or otherwise updated tech. But just because those gadgets get more advanced doesn’t mean they’re all good ideas.
Some are poorly constructed or just aren’t that useful, while others pose a huge risk to your privacy. Tap or click here to see which tech products made Mozilla’s annual “Privacy Not Included” report because some might surprise you.
With the new year only days away, we’ve put together a list of the very best and worst tech of 2020. Keep reading to find out what you should stay away from and what’s okay to buy if you’ve got some post-Christmas money to spend.
The 5 gadgets of 2020 to stay away from
The following five products make up our picks for the worst tech of 2020, based on factors like your privacy, gimmicks and outrageous prices. Let’s start with Facebook.
1. Facebook Portal
Let’s face it — there are already plenty of privacy concerns when it comes to the internet-connected tech we continue to bring into our homes, especially when it comes to smart speakers and smart displays. Take the right precautions in setting them up and you should maintain some level of privacy, but what about one that’s made by Facebook?
Facebook wants to know as much about you as possible, through your Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp accounts. And tap or click here to find out the shocking amount of data the company tries to harvest from your iPhone and its other apps.
Now Facebook thinks it’s a good idea to bring its hardware home with the Facebook Portal, which was first released in 2018. Its main purpose is to easily video chat with your family and friends who also have Facebook accounts, but it does so much more — like continuously listening and tracking your movements.
It’s one thing for Facebook to follow you around the internet, but bringing the creepy company directly into your living room takes it to a whole new level. Stay away from the Facebook Portal.