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Tech Tidbits
As we enter into the twentieth year third month of the global pandemic, technology news has slowed down as much as everything else. There aren’t many things to tell you about! Here are a few bits of tech news that have caught my eye in the moments between bouts of weeping about the dismantling of our democracy – pandemic shortages, VR and Half-Life Alyx, the latest phones from Google and Apple, Comcast upgrades, and more. […] continued
Is Zoom Safe To Use?
The world has adopted Zoom for video chats with friends and family while we shelter, for good reasons: it’s free or inexpensive, it’s easy to use, and it works very well.
Naturally, there’s been a backlash, because, I don’t know, good things must be punished? So there has been relentless coverage of alleged security problems with Zoom. […] continued
Read moreThe Benefits Of Location Tracking
Having big companies track our locations is awesome. It improves our lives in ways big and small with services that are only possible because tech companies know where we are. The benefits of location tracking outweigh the risks.
Location tracking improves the world in two ways: it allows companies to provide services specifically to you; and it lets them combine your movements with information from other people and deliver services that benefit everyone. […] continued
Read moreLocation Tracking: Cell Towers, Key Fobs, And Cameras
Previously:
Location Tracking: They Know Where You Are
Location Tracking: LA LA LA I DON’T WANT TO HEAR YOU
Location Tracking: Who’s Following You? How Do They Know Where You Are?
The phone carriers – Verizon, AT&T, and the others – track the location of your phone by keeping a map of the cell antennas you connect to as you move around. […] continued
Read moreRules For Computer And Online Safety 2020
These are the rules for computer and online safety in 2020. You can download a copy here.
Only your vigilance will protect you against bad guys. You will be safe if you are cautious. Stop and think before you click on links, before you call unfamiliar phone numbers, before you install programs, and before you fill in passwords. […] continued
Read moreGoogle Real-Time Transcription Is The Coolest Technology Of 2019
You can record speech on a Pixel phone with Google’s new Recorder app, and it will transcribe the words into text in real time. You can save the text and search for words later.
You can see captions on any video or spoken audio on your phone. (Not phone calls or video calls – those bring up thorny privacy issues.) […] continued
Read moreWhy You Should Be Skeptical About 5G In 2020
Previously: 5G Will Be Important, But Not In 2020
The carriers’ 5G upgrade will change our world over the next ten to fifteen years.
That’s not the message you’ll get from the onslaught of advertising in 2020, which will urge you to upgrade your phones and your mobile plans now now now. […] continued
Read more5G Will Be Important, But Not In 2020 (Despite What The Ads Say)
We are about to be assaulted. An overwhelming advertising blitz will begin in earnest in 2020, trying to convince you that you should upgrade your phone and your mobile service contract to 5G now now now.
Maybe you’ve already begun to see advertising by phone manufacturers and mobile carriers for new 5G technology. […] continued
Read moreThe 2019 Bruceb News Year In Review
(This will be the last Bruceb News article until I recover from an upcoming business conference trip to Hawaii. Happy holidays!)
I think I accomplished two goals in 2019: writing articles about privacy and security that were so terrifying that they kept you awake at night; and making those articles so dull that they helped you sleep. […] continued
Read morePixel 4 And Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
Google has two new phones, the Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. They’re quite nice. If you had one, you’d like it. They might not tempt iPhone users to leave the Apple world, but anyone with an Android phone should consider a Pixel 4, now available through all the carriers. […] continued
Read moreInstall Google Lens, Then Remember To Use It
I’m going to give you a difficult assignment. I want you to install Google Lens on your phone. That’s the easy part. Then I want you to remember to use it until it becomes second nature. You’re flinching, right? We’re maxed out on technology and it’s tempting to use what you already know and not worry about the latest and greatest thing. […] continued
Read moreSay Goodbye To Outlook Clutter
On January 31, 2020, there won’t be any more clutter in Outlook. Oh, you’ll still get just as many unimportant messages as before, but they won’t be sorted into a Clutter folder. Instead, you’ll use Microsoft’s replacement, Focused Inbox, to read “Focused” and “Other” messages.
This only applies to a few people. […] continued
Read moreAmbient Computing: Buzzwords That Are Changing Your World
(Sonoma County fires: we have evacuated to a safe place and our house is not threatened. All of our thoughts and best wishes go out to those in danger or suffering losses.)
Hey Google . . .
- What time is my flight today?
- How long will it take to drive to Oakland Airport?
Security Tip: Use Authy For Two-Factor Authentication
I want to talk to you about two-factor authentication and why you should use Authy to generate codes on your phone.
Oh, come on! Don’t give me that look. I know you don’t want to think about this stuff. It’s roughly like having an insurance salesperson look you in the eye and ask you if you’ve thought about what will happen to your family after you’re gone. […] continued
Read moreEverything You Need To Know About Gaming 2019: Casual & Mobile Games
All of the interesting developments in technology in 2019 are happening in the video game industry, a result of new technologies combined with savvy marketing to draw in audiences of all ages, driven by far larger amounts of money than you realize.
Everything else in technology is on autopilot. Very little has changed in the two years since I wrote this in Technology Is Boring: “Our technology world is built around phones, computers, and ecosystems of services and apps. […] continued
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