Donald Trump Out to Destroy Amazon

Note: This is my last blog for a couple of weeks as I am about to leave for Chicago, then Indianapolis for the Indy 500 Race.

Tech News and Opinions

Trump Will Not Rest Until Amazon Is a Smoldering Pile of Radioactive Ash

The president reportedly tried to gouge Jeff Bezos for billions. Sounds like the good old days of Richard Nixon.

White House eliminates cybersecurity coordinator role

There was near universal agreement that the cybersecurity coordinator position was important. But the White House disagreed

Why Google and Microsoft are doubling down on their free email services

For consumers, the e-mail services are largely free to use, so why are Microsoft and Google still locked in what appears to be a heated horse race e-mail?

Comcast charges $90 install fee at homes that already have Comcast installed

$90 fee may be required even if you buy your own modem and plug it in yourself.

Google Parent Company Drops 'Don't Be Evil' Motto

Alphabet, which took over as Google’s new holding company on Friday, has dropped the tech giant’s “Don’t Be Evil” mantra from its code of conduct.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

How to Get Started With Usenet, the Best Alternative to Torrents

Read on to learn how to ditch Torrenting and enjoy super speeds and selection on Usenet.

How Google’s New Storage Pricing Compares to Microsoft, Apple, and Dropbox

Google’s subscription storage service has a new name: Google One. Some prices are dropping and customers will also get customer support from an actual human for the first time.

As Windows 10 April 2018 Update lands, Microsoft lists old features being cut

Microsoft reveals the features and apps it's deprecating or removing from the Windows 10 April 2018 Update.

How to Create, Edit, and View Microsoft Word Documents for Free

There was a time when you had to have Microsoft Office installed to create, edit, or even view a Microsoft Word document. Thankfully, that’s no longer the case.

How to download your Facebook data

What exactly does Facebook know about you based on your profile?

Mobile Computing

Microsoft To-Do for iOS

Microsoft's To-Do app, the successor to the popular Wunderlist task manager, gives you an easy way to track your tasks and organize your day.

Google News vs. Apple News on iOS

We went hands-on with Google News to check out the new features and to see how it compares to Apple News, the built-in news app that's available on the iPhone and the iPad.

Avoid Battery Drain on iPhone with These Settings

There are various iPhone settings that will increase your iPhone’s battery life. Continue reading to learn 14 of them

The 44 best Android games of 2018

The headline speaks for itself.

Best Android Phones in 2018

When money's no option, these are the absolute best Android phones you can buy.

Best Android Tablets in 2018

Like most things, there is no one Android tablet that's right for everyone. Whether you want the stylish look and thin profile of the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3 or the sort-of-tablet Pixelbook, or anything in between, there's a tablet that will work for you.

Senate Votes to Save Net Neutrality

Tech News and Opinions

Senate votes to restore net neutrality: Here's how every senator voted

In surprising vote Wednesday, the Senate voted to restore the Net neutrality policies previously repealed by the FCC, thanks to a handful of Republicans joining Democrats in a last-ditch effort. Next, it goes to the House.

This Is Ajit Pai, Nemesis of Net Neutrality

The competition is stiff, but Pai may be the most reviled man on the Internet.

Facebook deleted 583 million fake accounts in the first three months of 2018

That's more than a quarter of Facebook's 2.2 billion monthly active users.

New $10 YouTube Music Service to Launch Next Week, Replacing Google Play Music

The rebranded service includes personalized playlists, intelligent search, support for background playback and music downloads for offline listening.

Amazon cuts Whole Foods prices for Prime members in new grocery showdown

Whole Foods debuted a much-anticipated loyalty program that offers special discounts to Prime customers, including 10 percent off hundreds of sale items and rotating weekly specials.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Avoid iTunes Bloat With the Windows Store Version

Installing the Store version of iTunes eliminates these unnecessary background processes and makes your PC boot faster.

Google One cloud storage gives you 100GB for $2 per month

Google One is the new way you'll buy online storage from Google, taking over from the company's previous Google Drive storage plans.

Windows 10 tip: Use an ISO file to create a bootable USB flash drive

Your emergency repair kit should include a recovery drive that contains the installation files for the latest Windows 10 version. Here's how to create this indispensable tool quickly and easily.

Close All Open Programs With One Click

Close All is a small but very useful utility that will close all open applications in Windows with a single click. It also lets you choose individual applications to close or leave open.

The Best Laptop Docking Stations for Every Laptop

There’s nothing quite like plugging in a single cable to turn your portable laptop into a full blown workstation. Here are the docking stations to do just that.

Mobile Computing

Three iOS tricks you're probably not using

Apple has packed a lot of features into iOS. Problem is, you can't use them if you don't know they are there.

How to get a refund for iTunes or App Store purchases

How you get a refund for iTunes or App Store purchases and in-app purchases isn't obvious, but it is possible!

The new AI-powered Google News app is now available on iOS

It centers around using machine learning to train algorithms to comb through complex, fast-breaking news stories and break them down in easy-to-understand formats

Google will require some Android phone makers to roll out ‘regular’ security patches

We reached out to Google to learn how frequent the security updates will be and who they’ll apply to, but the company didn’t immediately have answers for us

How to check your Google Assistant history

See and hear everything Google Assistant has acted on.

Best Android Launchers in 2018

Want to upgrade your Android experience? Try upgrading your launcher.

Beware Your Cell Carrier

Tech News and Opinions

US cell carriers are selling access to your real-time phone location data

Four of the largest cell giants in the US are selling your real-time location data to a company that you've probably never heard about before.

Apple Slapped With Class Action Lawsuit Over Faulty MacBook Pro Keyboards

Apple’s much-maligned butterfly keyboard design has bugged customers since its release, and now its landed the company in court.

What is machine learning? Everything you need to know

This guide explains what machine learning is, how it is related to artificial intelligence, how it works and why it matters.

What is Microsoft 365? Microsoft's most important subscription bundle, explained

Microsoft 365 is becoming a centerpiece of Redmond's cloud strategy. Here's everything you need to know about what it is and how it's evolving

Google employee protest: Now 'Googlers are quitting' over Pentagon drone project

The number of employees against Google's Project Maven role grows, and they're now backed by a big group of academics.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Windows 10's best tricks, tips, and tweaks

Windows 10 is chock-full of handy, hidden new features worth exploring. Check out the best tips and tricks here.

How to 'AirDrop' Between Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android Devices

Thankfully, you have a few options for getting your many platforms to play nicely with one another—at least as far as your files go.

How to turn on Gmail's Smart Compose

Gmail's AI-infused Smart Compose is live in experimental form. Here's how to activate it.

What's new with the Settings app for the Windows 10 April 2018 Update

The April 2018 Update for Windows 10 delivers a ton of improvements and new options to the Settings, and here's everything you need to know.

How to use fonts in Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and more

Download, install, and manage your fonts with ease.

Mobile Computing

Some Thoughts on Google Photos vs Apple Photos

The improvements in Google Photos and lack of magic in Apple Photos sometimes make me wonder if I made the right choice by buying to Apple’s ecosystem and its ideology around software, data, and privacy.

iPhone: How to delete all photos

Whether you’re wanting a fresh start all together, or maybe transferring your photos to your Mac or other computer first, it can be helpful to know how to delete all photos from your iPhone.

Microsoft announces Your Phone app for Windows 10 and Timeline coming to iPhone

A new Your Phone app is hitting preview for Windows 10, Windows Timeline is coming to iPhone via Edge, and Microsoft Launcher for Android is getting Timeline support.

How to Get iMessages in Android

Shock your iPhone-toting friends by sending them iMessages from your Android phone

Android P: Everything you need to know

From new gestures to extending battery life, here's everything you need to know about Android P!

The Best Local Music Players for Android

While streaming music seems to be the most popular choice nowadays, there’s still a large subset of people who prefer music stored locally. If you’re into local music, here are the best players for Android.

The New Firefox–Browsing Without Passwords…Maybe

Tech News and Opinions

Firefox moves browsers into post-password future with WebAuthn tech

So you don't have to worry so much about phishing -- at least if websites support the new technology.

Exclusive: Google Assistant could become the most lifelike AI yet

Experimental technology, rolling out soon in a limited release, makes you think you’re talking to a real person.

The legislative Hail Mary that may save net neutrality

Websites want us to know what's at stake as Democrats attempt some political maneuvering. Here’s what you need to know.

NSA says searches of Americans' data spiked in 2017

The agency collected a staggering 534 million domestic phone records last year, up threefold on the year earlier.

Microsoft reveals the future of its Fluent Design for Windows 10

Microsoft first unveiled its Fluent Design changes for Windows 10 at Build last year, adding subtle animations to many apps and core parts of Windows

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Patch Tuesday Fixes an Internet Explorer Flaw Exploited by Hackers

The fix is part of Microsoft’s latest Patch Tuesday update for Windows 10, addressing the vulnerability discovered by the Qihoo 360 Core Security team in late April.

Twitter advising all 330 million users to change passwords after bug exposed them in plain text

There’s apparently no evidence of any breach or misuse, but you should change your password anyway

How to manage apps settings on Windows 10 April 2018 Update

Here are the steps to access and configure apps settings individually on Windows 10 version 1803.

How to free up disk space after updating to Windows 10 April 2018 Update

You can reclaim gigs of drive space after updating your system.

What's new with Windows Defender Security Center in the April 2018 Update

There's an updated version of the Windows Defender Security Center app in the Windows 10 April 2018 Update, and in this guide, we show you all the new changes.

Mobile Computing

Build 2018: Microsoft embraces Android and iOS, extends Timeline feature

At this week's Build developers conference, Microsoft shows off new features designed to connect its cloud-based services more tightly to mobile devices running iOS and Android.

The 10 best smartphones of 2018

A couple more phones have been launched since MWC and further use of others encouraged us to update the list of top smartphones

5 things you need to know about Microsoft's 'Your Phone' for Windows 10

Here are some intriguing things we learned about the "Your Phone" app this week at Microsoft Build.

How to edit Photos Memories on your iPhone and iPad

Memories is one of the best features of the Photos app. It gathers together pictures into albums that are surprisingly smart. It picks you best pictures, adds music, and more.

Best keyboard apps for Android

There's nothing like a good keyboard to turn the average user into a prolific communicator.

How to get all of Google Assistant’s new voices right now

Google Assistant is getting a new voice. In fact, it's getting six new voices. Here's how you can try them today.

Events Update: Microsoft Build and Google I/O

Tech News and Opinions

Microsoft Build 2018: the biggest announcements

There were some exciting announcements: new Windows features, improvements for voice assistants, and helpful new cloud services. Much of it won’t be widely available until later this year, but here’s the most exciting stuff that Microsoft had to share.

Everything important from Google I/O

From Gmail that writes itself to an Assistant that may pass the Turing test, Google I/O brought us a ton of enhancements to its products, almost all due to its AI and machine learning efforts.

Microsoft demonstrates Alexa and Cortana integration

The integration works by simply summoning Cortana with the command “Alexa, open Cortana.” You can then ask follow-up questions or commands like “send an email” to a particular person that you wouldn’t normally be able to do with Alexa alone.

MacBook Pro Owners Demand Recall Over Failing Keyboards

Apple's current MacBook Pro are failing at alarming rates that make the notebook a dodgy purchase, especially when they start at $1,299 and can cost as much as $2,799.

Most Facebook users in US still loyal to social networking giant, poll finds

Three-quarters of America's Facebook users say they use the social network as often or more frequently since a data scandal broke in March.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Microsoft’s new Windows 10 app mirrors your phone’s features to your PC

The app is designed to provide a mirror of a phone straight to a desktop PC, and it will let Windows 10 users access texts, photos, and notifications from their machines.

Best USB 3.0 Hubs of 2018

Can't get enough USB 3.0 ports? You need to get yourself a great USB hub.

The best and worst laptop brands 2018

For 2018, Lenovo retained its place for a second year as the best laptop vendor, but it just barely edged out second-place HP and third-place Dell.

How to Share Large Files Over the Internet

We’re going to look at a few different ways you can get large files to someone, and they’re all useful in different situations.

How to use the Windows 10 April 2018 Update's Focus assist feature to reduce distractions

If you don't want to be bothered with notifications during as specific time while using Windows 10, we'll show you the steps to use Focus assist to minimize distractions.

Mobile Computing

Best True Wireless Earphones of 2018

This definitive guide to the best true wireless earphones of 2018 explores everything you need to know before buying your next pair of true wireless earphones

To All Android Users: Make Sure to Do This Before Risk Losing Your Android Smartphone or Tablet

Previously and mostly known as Android Find My Phone, Google Find My Device is just part of Google rebranding anything related to Android to Google’s name,.

Google Assistant: 12 new tricks and tips

Google's A.I. assistant learned some new tricks while you weren't looking.

Microsoft's Android launcher can run apps from your Windows Timeline

Windows 10's Timeline feature is now decidedly more useful away from your PC, provided you use the right software.

Google announces new version of Google News, rolling out for iOS and Android

Google News will bring together artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies to filter, sort, and organize news according to storylines.

Apple is Making Serious Moves with Apple News

While Apple News was already looking good, changes to make it far more powerful and wide-reaching have been publicly visible since March.

Problems! Don’t Install the Latest Windows 10 Just Yet

Tech News and Opinions

Windows 10's April Update is causing lots of problems

Microsoft's hoping to ship a fix next week for the latest version of Windows 10, the April 2018 Update.

Cambridge Analytica to close down after Facebook data scandal

The data analytics firm engulfed in Facebook's user privacy scandal has suddenly filed for insolvency.

Windows 10: We're going to kill off passwords and here's how, says Microsoft

Microsoft wants to banish '​inconvenient, insecure, and expensive' passwords. So what's going to replace them?

Full version of AutoDesk’s SketchBook app for iOS, Mac, Android & Windows is now FREE

Autodesk® SketchBook® – the digital drawing app made for everyone who loves to draw.

Read 11,000 Pulp Magazines Online for Free

Pulp magazines (also called Pulp Fiction) were published from 1896 through the 1950's.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Windows 10 April 2018 Update: Act fast to delay this big upgrade

Each time Microsoft rolls out a major upgrade to Windows 10, you have the option to wait a few months before you install it on PCs running Windows 10 Pro or Enterprise. But you have to act quickly.

Google Chrome is freezing intermittently with the Windows 10 April 2018 Update

Microsoft says a fix is on the way for early adopters of the Windows 10 April 2018 Update with Chrome problems.

The Best Chrome Extensions for Productivity

They’re lightweight, easy-to-install and usually free, but the effect they have on productivity is profound.

Facebook launches Clear History feature that should have been there all along

Clear History will take a few months to build and input from various parties, but Facebook will allow users to clear their data trail--just like you can with your browsers.

Automatically Update Over 300 Windows Apps Using This Free Program

This useful program automates the checking, installation and updating of over 300 applications on your Windows PC.

Mobile Computing

6 things to know about the new free Spotify

The world's largest music-streaming service just amped up its freebie options. Here's what you need to know.

Stop Using WhatsApp If You Care About Your Privacy

If you care enough about your privacy to delete Facebook (or even change the way you use the social network) you may want to ditch WhatsApp as well.

The Best Web Browsers for Android

Your phone probably already has Chrome on it, but that’s not the be all, end all when it comes to web browsers for Android. There are, in fact, dozens of alternatives out there. Here’s a look at the best of the bunch.

Best text messaging apps for Android as of May 2018

There are plenty of great text messaging apps to choose from, and these are some of our favorites.

iOS 11 tips and tricks everyone should know

If you use an iPhone or iPad, you owe it to yourself to be able to get the most out of your hardware, and the best way to do that is to know how to get the most of iOS 11.

Best apps for tracking your HRV (heart rate variability) on iPhone

Want to track your heart rate variability (HRV)? Here are the best apps to do it.

The Windows 10 April Update is Here!

Tech News and Opinions

Sprint and T-Mobile have announced that they will merge

The merger will need to be approved by regulators and the company's shareholders. The new company will be called T-Mobile.

What the T-Mobile and Sprint merger means for you

If the deal is approved, the resulting company would be the nation’s second-biggest wireless carrier after Verizon, controlling roughly 100 million customers.

What Is OneDrive?

OneDrive is Microsoft's popular cloud storage service, but is it right for you?

Facebook's new data policy: Answers to your privacy questions

The new policy comes in at more than 4,200 words. The language is meant to be easy to understand, but that's still a lot of words to get through. We read it for you.

Microsoft is reportedly working on a leaner Windows 10 (again)

Microsoft’s first attempt to create a lighter version of Windows 10 – which it dubbed Windows 10 S – didn’t go so well. Now, it’s taking another shot with Windows 10 Lean.

Desktop and Laptop Tips and Tricks

Microsoft's Windows 10 April 2018 Update Now Available

Microsoft's latest Windows 10 feature update has an official name and a release date. You can get it now or wait till May 8 when it starts rolling out automatically. You've got questions? I've got (some) answers.

5 tips to prepare your PC for Windows 10 May 2018 Update

It's time to get your computer ready for Microsoft's next big update to Windows 10.

Windows 10 April 2018 Update: the 10 best new features

Like the previous Fall Creators Update, it’s full of small features that improve Windows 10 without dramatically changing the platform.

Microsoft is turbo-charging its Outlook app on Windows, Mac and mobile

The new features that Microsoft announced are ready right now for Windows, web and Mac users, and coming soon for Android and iOS devices.

How to finally organize your contact list

Tips and tricks for the Apple, Google, and Microsoft contact apps.

Mobile Computing

How to turn your old phone into a home security camera

If you have one or more old phones hanging around, here's a way to turn them into security cameras you can log into from anywhere.

How to invoke split screen on iPad with iOS 11

The beauty of iOS 11 on the iPad is that if you continuously use the same two apps in split screen, iOS will remember that. So the next time you launch your primary app, the secondary app will launch with it.

Keep Your Inbox Manageable With the 10 Best Email Apps for the iPhone

Thankfully, there are many email apps that are designed to help you better manage your inbox.

13 of the Best Calendar Apps for iOS and Android

While smartphones come with built-in calendars, sometimes those apps just don’t cut it. These calendar apps to a much better job.

10 best offline apps for Android

Everyone should carry at least a few apps that work offline for when the Net is not available. That way your smartphone doesn’t turn into a brick.

Top 10 Android app updates this week: Reddit, Deezer Music

We’ve found that one of the best ways to discover useful apps is to find the ones that are actually being updated by the developers rather than selecting the apps with the most installs.