On Computers

“Hi, Joy,” a reader wrote. “My brother is not computer savvy but needs something to access the internet, mostly for research and online purchases. What have you found that is easy and not expensive?” I like HP computers. My only mistake was buying their cheapest version, a laptop with the “Windows S” operating system. It didn’t last two years. But my HP desktop is still going strong eight years later.  For traveling, I got an HP 17 laptop for $380 from HP.com last June. I love its big roomy keyboard and 17-inch screen. But it also has a fast-enough processor, (the Intel i5), enough RAM (eight gigabytes) and a 256 gigabyte solid state drive. If you don’t need to carry […]

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Filed under: computers, education, gadgets, health, kids, passwords, security, virus | Comments Off on GETTING A NEW COMPUTER

The new $597 WavWatch 2.0 is on my wrist. If I put it up to my ear, I can hear the high frequency sounds it’s emitting. The low hums can be heard a foot away. It sounds hokey, but apparently the human body, in response to specific sound vibrations, can get a wellness tune-up. The “WavWatch Fanatics,” a Facebook group with over 6,600 members, swears by it. They say they sleep better and feel less joint pain. Some are no longer depressed. Is it just the placebo effect? According to a study published by the National Institutes of Health, low-frequency sound stimulation in patients with fibromyalgia produced statistically significant improvements in pain, sleep and mobility. But the test subjects weren’t […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, computers, health, Internuts, wearables | Comments Off on WELLNESS WATCH

I’m terrible at programming. But with artificially intelligent help, I can hack it.  At the website Claude.AI, I learned how to make a text-based adventure, the kind familiar to those who remember when DOS was king. Though Claude did nearly all of the work, I was able to add my own story line.  First Claude explained that it was crucial to check off a certain box when downloading Python, the free programming language available at python.org. Naturally, I forgot to check that box. But then the Microsoft Store app in Windows popped up, with the word “get” next to Python 3.13. Claude said this version would make installation even easier. Then he gave me everything I needed to know to […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, computers, Internuts, kids, science | Comments Off on CLAUDE CODE

The new ChatGPT-5 is wiser than the last one. It wouldn’t have encouraged a man to eat sodium bromide, which literally drove him crazy. The guy’s goal was to lower his sodium use, so he asked GPT-3.5, the most recent free version, if the bromide would be a good substitute. It said yes. But sodium bromide causes hallucinations, grotesque rashes and more. Eventually his body had thousands of times the tolerable dose. Fully psychotic, he spent three weeks in a mental hospital. The doctor made him drink water to flush it out. Still delusional, he tried to escape. Finally, he was cured. When I asked ChatGPT-5 how his answer would differ from the previous GPT, it said it would have […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, wearables | Comments Off on NEW CHATGPT-5 OFFERS BETTER REASONING

The new Google comes in two modes, regular and AI.  “AI Mode” takes you on a deep dive. To try it on your phone or computer, do a Google search on “AI Mode” and turn it on, or if you see a laboratory beaker, tap it. I started by asking:  “Were Native Americans typically more savage on a day-to-day basis than the early colonists?”  AI Mode pointed me to Historum.com, which suggested that Europeans viewed Native Americans as “savage” due to customs like scalping. But it also said that Native Americans viewed European colonists as “savage,” because they killed or injured Native populations, ignored tribal land rights and tried to convert Natives to Christianity. The second link, from Quora.com, said […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, gadgets, games, Google, Internuts, music | Comments Off on DEEP DIVE WITH THE NEW GOOGLE

I gave only a temporary email address to Sharper Image, but they started bombarding my Gmail account immediately, three times a day. It started happening right after I signed up for “Email on Deck.” The purpose of a temporary email address is to shield your main address from view. Theoretically, after an hour or a day, the temp address vanishes, taking all spam with it. But what happens if the temp service sells your data? You get inundated. It’s better to sign up for a second regular service. Besides Gmail, I use AOL, Yahoo and Xfinity. I don’t bother looking at these accounts until I know that a coupon or something special has arrived. This works well. New Features Coming to […]

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Filed under: business, computers, email, Google, science | Comments Off on AVOIDING EXCESS EMAIL

After helping a friend start a Spanish Club, I became addicted to Duolingo, the free language app. Then I discovered the power of free, artificially intelligent assistants. I started with Microsoft Copilot, then tried ChatGPT and Google Gemini. I asked each of them if they would chat with me in Spanish on a beginner level. It was great fun, though I kept going back and forth between them and Google Translate to find out what they were saying and what I should say back. Later, I discovered that they would translate each question for me. All I had to do was ask. All three talked to me like I was a friend. Copilot kindly pointed out exactly where I made […]

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Filed under: apps, computers, education, email, Internuts, TV, video | Comments Off on AI HELPS WITH LANGUAGE LESSONS

Nothing’s going to happen when I let Office 365 expire. It won’t blow up, taking my Microsoft files with it. But if I’d done nothing, Microsoft would have erased 40 gigabytes worth of files after a grace period. That’s how much storage space I was using beyond the five GB of free storage allowed in Microsoft OneDrive online. Everything you save in “Documents” and other folders under the “Personal” heading in File Explorer are also stored in your online OneDrive account, so it’s easy to fill up. You can find out how much storage space you have left by going to OneDrive.com, clicking the gear icon, and choosing “options.” I retaliated by moving files to Google Drive, then deleting what […]

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Filed under: AI, batteries, computers, math | Comments Off on OFFICE 365 DISASTER AVERTED

Shopping between Black Friday and Cyber Monday brings you the best deals. But it’s also the best time for scammers. I once ordered pants that never showed up. When shopping online, look for “https” in the address bar. If it doesn’t have the “s” for security, leave. Also watch out for deals that sound too good to be true. Avoid unknown retailers. Two-factor authentication is also highly recommended. If the Hilary Clinton campaign had used it for its email accounts in 2016, for example, hackers couldn’t have gained access to the 50,000 sensitive emails belonging to her campaign chairman. Nor could the hackers have controlled the inboxes of her staffers, according to “Fancy Bear Goes Phishing,” by Scott Shapiro. Finally, […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, facebook, health, robots, shopping | Comments Off on HOLIDAY SCAMMING

“I am in need of a new Android tablet and Windows laptop,” a reader wrote. “My tablet will only charge to 29% and my laptop has many problems and is almost 10 years old.” “Get one like my HP,” I suggested. I’ve always liked HP, and “HP’s Newest 14 Laptop Ultra-Light for Students and Business” is no exception. It’s $255 on Amazon and comes with 16 gigabytes of RAM, Office 365 for a year and Windows 11s. The “s” means its operating system is fast for a cheapie laptop. It lasts up to 15 hours on a single charge. But this month’s PC Magazine recommends the Acer Aspire 3, $279 on Amazon. For a bigger budget, TechRadar suggests the Microsoft […]

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Filed under: AI, computers, Google, Internuts, robots, web, Windows | Comments Off on DEALS ON PCS AND TABLETS