Oklahoma and Alabama now have AI-powered vending machines that don’t dispense snacks; they sell bullets. American Rounds says their facial-scanning tech can verify the age of a buyer. I’m sure it’ll be able to detect if someone’s wearing a mask or a ton of makeup, too, right?
3 apps to digitize physical photos and negatives
Your smartphone makes it easy to share photos with anyone at any time. But unless your phone is your first camera, you may have some old negatives. You can get them developed or scan them into your phone to view and share easily. Tap or click here for tips on converting negatives into digital photos.
A physical scanner is one route you can take to digitize your photo collection, but (surprise, surprise) you can also use an app. Here are three great options.
PhotoScan by Google Photos
Google
Google’s PhotoScan is a free app for iOS and Android that scans your photos multiple times, then stitches all the images together to remove glare and improve the quality of the final image. The app works on matte, gloss prints and photos inside or outside albums.
RELATED: Tech how-to: Colorize old black-and-white photos
You take the initial picture of the image with your smartphone, then take four additional shots according to the app’s instructions. The app uses an algorithm to detect and crop the photo area, automatically detect the edge, correct the rotation and correct the perspective to show a frontal view.
PhotoScan is as easy to use as taking a photo with your camera:
- Open the PhotoScan app and hold your phone above a photo.
- Tap the capture button to take pictures, which will save them to your device.
- Move your phone around to get the circle over each of the four dots.
- After the photo is processed, tap the photo thumbnail.
- Select a photo to rotate, adjust the corners or delete.
You can use Google Photos to store and organize your scans. From there, you can edit your images and share them with others.
4 suspicious behaviors to avoid at the self-checkout line
Self-checkout stations are convenient and often less stressful than waiting for a clerk. Is it worth the risk of being taken aside and questioned? We have an easy way to make your dollar stretch on groceries. But today, we’re here to talk about self-checkout safety precautions you should be utilizing.
QR codes used in warfare
You won’t believe how powerful scanning one of these malicious QR codes is. Plus, the app that turned into a marketing nightmare, three must-have downloads and OpenAI’s duet shows just how far language models are coming.
👁️ Eye see the point: A new device from OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, called the Orb will scan people’s eyes to provide biometric identification, helping to fight the growing deepfakes (paywall link). The goal: To have an Orb in every home to scan our eyes for verification when banking online and other similar transactions. Interestingly, Altman’s AI is pushing the very tech used in developing deepfakes …
QR code scams are out of control - How to protect yourself
Imagine losing $15,000 in just a few seconds. It happened to a woman who scanned a QR code to take a survey and instead downloaded malware that drained her bank account.
QR codes are those black-and-white dot-based images you scan to open websites, menus and apps. You name it. But they’re also a sneaky way in for scammers, so much so that the FBI is warning you to think twice, too.
Best apps to convert old photos and negatives to digital
Forget scrolling through your phone’s endless photo gallery to find something. Here’s a pro trick to locate any photo you want in 30 seconds or less.
If your photos aren’t backed up, this is your reminder to do it now. You’d be heartbroken should you lose all those memories. Tap or click for the foolproof steps to make the job easier.
🅿️ Thieves are slapping fake QR codes on parking meters: The stickers are placed over the originals to look legit but redirect you to sketchy links or phony websites. Pay directly at the meter or look for a kiosk. If scanning a code is the only way, use a credit card and scan the site for spelling errors, blurry images or strange logos.
MILF (Man, I Love Football!) alert: The NFL is rolling out facial authentication at stadiums starting with Thursday’s season openers. The new system will verify the identity of thousands of staff, players and media. No scanning for fans (yet). Get your ticket scanned as usual on game day.
🔫 Change is inevitable, except from vending machines: Several grocery stores in four states, including Oklahoma and Alabama, now have AI-powered vending machines that don’t dispense snacks; they sell bullets. American Rounds says their facial-scanning tech can verify the age of a buyer. I’m sure it’ll be able to detect if someone is wearing a mask or a ton of makeup, too, right?
This powerful duster is so good I stopped using compressed air
When you think of electronics and dust, what comes to mind? Yep, a good old can of compressed air. But here’s the problem: It runs out so fast. Before you know it, you’re halfway through getting the crumbs out of your keyboard and the can is empty.
Scammers have a new money-stealing trick: Fraudulent QR codes on parking meters
In many cities around the country, finding a parking spot can be a nightmare. When you manage to get one, you also have to contend with the parking meter. Never lose your car in a parking lot again with this clever trick.
Shocking reason Apple is going to scan your photos
Everyone’s worried about Apple scanning our iCloud photos, but is this anything new? Listen now for a clue it’s already happening.
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Paying with the palm of your hand
You’ve heard of opening your phone with your fingerprint or scanning your face to get on a plane. But what if you could pay for your groceries with your hand? Here’s how it works.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Free download to recover deleted photos, videos and documents
Sometimes, things seemingly go from bad to worse when you’re dealing with data. It’s easy to mistakenly delete important documents, videos or photos. So, what do you do if you accidentally delete that once in a lifetime moment you captured on video?
5 common tech problems gone with these easy solutions
As someone who has answered numerous questions about all things tech and digital for years, I can tell you the problems never end. Some problems are more mundane but no less frustrating. Maybe it’s a computer that won’t stop crashing, lost logins or Bluetooth devices that won’t stay connected.
iPhone trick: Use the Notes app to scan documents
Ever wished you had a portable scanner in your pocket to digitize important documents? What if you had one all along, and you just didn’t know about it?
There are plenty of document scanning apps on the iOS App Store and some are better than others. But why download one of those when you already have the power in your hand?
10 things you didn't know your iPhone could do
Many Apple fans are extremely passionate about their devices. They can tell you every little trick or setting you can get to, from interesting things to do with Siri, to turning on Night Mode. But, there are some things that those experts might not even know. Here are 10 interesting Apple tricks you probably did not know.
Developers spying on your Gmail? Here's how to disconnect third party apps from your Google account
