Tag: network

Stanford and Harvard proved AI can outpick your fund manager

Three studies. Some very uncomfortable numbers for the guy in the Patagonia vest.

Your internet provider can see every show you watch. And they’re using it against you.

You’re paying $80 a month for internet. Your provider is watching exactly what you do with it and quietly punishing you for it. Here’s what’s happening inside your connection.

We killed boredom. We might regret that.

Let me tell you a story. In 1990, a young woman sat on a delayed train from Manchester to London. Four hours. No smartphone. No earbuds. No Wi-Fi. She didn’t even have a pen. So she just sat there, staring out the window. By the time that train pulled into London, she had imagined an […]

5 genius ways to put your old tech back to work in 2026

Everyone’s curious about DeepSeek but afraid to install Chinese AI on their good computer. That old laptop is your answer. Plus four more ways your “dead” devices earn their keep.

You’re paying a VPN to protect your privacy. But who’s protecting you from the VPN?

A VPN hides your traffic from your internet provider. But that means the VPN company can see it instead. Here’s how to tell if your VPN is actually trustworthy or just another company collecting your data.

Your Ring doorbell is doing way more than watching for packages

Ring’s big game ad about finding lost dogs tugged at your heartstrings. But the same network behind that feature also does facial recognition and partners with law enforcement. Here’s the good, the bad and what you should do about it.

You don’t own a Ring doorbell. Your face is in the database anyway.

Split screen: person walking past neighbor’s house with facial recognition overlay vs. close-up of Ring doorbell camera.

Meet the scammers driving your neighborhood

Ever get one of those weird texts that says something like, “Your package is waiting” or “Click here to unlock your cash reward”? We all have. Most people figure it’s just a scammy mass text from some sketchy website. You can’t be so sure anymore. What if I told you those shady texts didn’t come […]

Your new router might be a waste of money

You’ve probably seen the sales pitches. “Get blazing-fast Wi-Fi 7 with internet speeds like you’ve never seen before. Just $600 for a new state-of-the-art router!” Let me save you money. 🤑 The reality check Yes, Wi-Fi 7 is fast. Theoretical speeds reach up to 46 Gbps. That’s 46,000 Mbps, compared to Wi-Fi 6, which tops […]

The catfisher in the minivan

Alert: This article is a spoiler for Unknown Number: The High School Catfish on Netflix.  Imagine you’re a high school girl. Your phone won’t stop buzzing. It’s not friendly DMs, texts or social media notifications. Instead, hundreds of cruel, anonymous messages flood in, calling you names, threatening you, turning your friends against you and even […]

🚗💨 Your ‘smart’ car could be days away from going dumb

Here’s something used car dealers and private sellers won’t shout from the rooftops. The average new car has 1,400 to 1,500 semiconductor chips. And high-end EVs? Try 3,000. Those computer chips power everything from heated seats to emergency crash alerts.  The problem: When the car’s network or software support ends, so do those fancy features. […]

TSA’s new travel warning: Don’t fall for ‘Free Airport Wi-Fi’

You know the drill: You hit the airport, find a seat near your gate, and your first thought is, Where’s the free Wi-Fi? You see a network called “Free Airport Wi-Fi” or “Airport_Guest” and think, Perfect. The TSA says: Stop right there. Their latest warning is the digital equivalent of “Don’t take candy from strangers.” […]

Old-school static wins the spy wars

This is one of the coolest things I’ve learned recently: Foreign intelligence agencies still use good ol’ radio to share top secrets. Even with all the powerful tech at their fingertips, radio use in espionage has actually gone up in popularity since the 2010s. Pretty wild. Russia in particular loves this technique. Why? Intelligence agencies […]

Router secrets unlocked

Your router has more to offer than just an on/off switch. One of the best ways to boost your Wi-Fi performance is to outsmart the interference swirling all around you. Let’s talk about bands. Not the type that “break up” and go on a reunion tour when they run out of money. I’m talking about […]

Your pocket scientist is smarter than you think

I read a geeky article that I think you’ll also find amazing.  Google quietly used its Android operating system to turn billions of phones into the largest earthquake detection network in human history. Your Android phone can warn you about an earthquake before the shaking even starts. It’s built right in. You can do the […]

Wi-Fi slow? It’s probably this

You pay for high-speed internet, but your current connection is slower than your mom who took nine months to come up with a good joke. Something’s off, and no, it’s not Mercury in retrograde (this time).  Enter: DNS. 🧠 Wait, what’s DNS? DNS stands for Domain Name System. It’s like your computer’s address book. When […]

This 15-digit code is your stolen phone insurance

If your smartphone was ever lost or stolen, would you know what to do? Lock it remotely, call your carrier or use a tracking app. That’s a start.

5 cool tricks for your router

You never hear anyone say, “This router is amazing. It changed my life!” It’s sad because that little guy controls your entire home’s internet.

Best high-yield savings accounts for 2025

Danielle in Austin, Texas, asked me, “I see online banks that offer really high interest rates. Are they safe?”

Dark Web deep dive: Hitmen, hacking and credit cards

Yesterday I told you all about the Dark Web. Missed it? Part 1 is here. As expected, so many of you asked me, “Why the heck would you even go on the Dark Web?” It’s my job No, really! The fine folks at the Daily Mail asked if I’d do a Dark Web deep dive […]