Posted on March 25th, 2024 by Joy Schwabach
“Before he died, my philosophy professor asked me to promote his upcoming book,” a man wrote. I was intrigued. “Surviving Technology, Lessons from Theater: The New Necessities For Living a Human Life,” by University of Texas professor Paul Woodruff, explains why theater is under attack by technology, and why that matters. Woodruff’s previous book was favorably reviewed in The New York Times, and his articles have been published widely. Tech matters a lot in entertainment. In 1876, Richard Wagner used different circuits of natural gas for stage and audience, alternately plunging the audience into total darkness, to force them to pay attention to the stage. Their inattention reminded me of an audience at a magic show I saw at a […]
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Filed under: AI, anti-virus, books, Internuts, iPhone, Mac, security, Windows | Comments Off on SURVIVING TECHNOLOGY, LESSONS FROM THE THEATER
Posted on March 17th, 2024 by Joy Schwabach
“This morning it took about four minutes to download the newspaper,” a reader wrote. “Usually, it’s only seconds.” Neither of us could figure it out, so he called his internet service, Xfinity. They said the problem was his wiring. But why, he wondered, would his download speed be 20 Mbps one day and 500 Mbps the next? After a runaround, he gave up on Xfinity and signed up for AT&T’s fiber optics service. He’s very happy with it. I like AT&T too. But I switched to Xfinity last summer when I found an unbeatable deal: internet service for $5 a month and cell service for $15 a month. But I had a heck of a time getting Xfinity to acknowledge […]
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Filed under: apps, crytpocurrency, Google, phones, scanners, shopping | Comments Off on BOOSTING YOUR INTERNET SPEED
Posted on March 10th, 2024 by Joy Schwabach
Even home computers can get hit with ransomware. That’s when the bad guys ask you to pony up, if you want your files back. But Windows now offers free ransomware protection. To turn it on, type “Windows Security” into the search box on your computer, or find it in “Settings.” Now click “Virus & Threat Protection,” then “Ransomware Protection.” It safeguards your folders and files. Gamers will want to add their apps to an access list, however, or they might not be able to open saved files. Given the juicy targets out there, it must be rare for a home computer to be held for ransom. But two years ago, a ransomware attack targeted home users through a fake antivirus […]
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Filed under: batteries, passwords, phones, security | Comments Off on NOT A CENT FOR RANSOM
Posted on March 4th, 2024 by Joy Schwabach
My membership card for a local art museum never arrived. “We don’t use physical cards anymore,” the museum staffer explained. She suggested Google Wallet. The free Google Wallet app for Android now contains my museum card, credit card and loyalty cards from restaurants and stores. It can also store virtual car keys, transit cards and vaccination cards. If I had also been able to store my driver’s license, I would have saved a lot of hassle at the airport recently when I accidentally left my I.D. at home. But the Wallet only accepts driver’s licenses issued in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia or Maryland. With Google Pay, a part of Wallet, I can use my phone instead of a credit card. It’s […]
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Filed under: Amazon, Android, apps, business, computers, Google | Comments Off on GOOGLE WALLET STORES YOUR CARDS
