On Computers

Three months ago, my history club had a talk on the history and future of robots. The speaker, who has a PhD in artificial intelligence, predicted that five years from now, every home would have one. This sounded incredible at the time. Now it sounds plausible. Back in 1981, an IBM personal computer cost $5000 if you included the monitor and other essentials. But that didn’t stop people from buying them, especially as the price dropped. With robots, the price is falling faster. Now you can get one for $1500 or less. The $1500 Posha is a countertop robot chef with 1000 recipes up its sleeve and counting. In an article in The Verge, I read that it made a […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, Internuts, robots, security, spam, virus, wearables | 1 Comment »

When a new dentist said I needed a crown, I was suspicious. But should I have been? “You’re not being paranoid at all,” said TheRealRealTalk, an artificially-intelligent chatbot available at Poe.com. “Your Spidey-sense is tingling for a good reason! Here’s the deal: New practice owners often have massive loans to pay off, and suddenly everyone needs crowns. Funny how that works, right?” The new dentist wanted to rush the surgery because she was going on pregnancy leave a few days later and claimed I could have a cracked tooth in a few weeks. But I decided against it. A week later I asked for X-rays to be emailed to me so I could use them to get a second opinion. […]

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Filed under: AI, Apple, gadgets, iPhone, security, TV | Comments Off on ASKING AI FOR DENTAL ADVICE

Years ago, my mom put a sign on our door that said: “Back in 30 minutes, come on in.” The thieves loved it. Of course, Mom could have avoided the robbery, including the theft of my class ring, by giving her handyman a code to get in. But smart locks weren’t a thing back then. So I got excited when Nuki sent me their Smart Lock. It didn’t work with my condo’s deadbolt, but my techiest friend was happy to try it out. His door didn’t even have a deadbolt, but he bought one for $16. After installing it, inserting the Nuki was “a piece of cake,” he said. “You could do it.” A smart lock is great for a […]

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Filed under: AI, apps, books, business, gadgets, security, Windows | Comments Off on THE PERFECT LOCK

When I tested a smart watch for kids, it made me feel dumb.  The X6Play watch from Xplora Technologies, $170, couldn’t connect to my 5G WiFi because it’s 4G. So I couldn’t do the required update until I set up a WiFi hotspot on my phone. Naturally, I wasted a lot of time before contacting tech support. The soul of a kid watch is its ability to stop strangers and bullies from harassing your child, while keeping parents in the loop. But I couldn’t set up a “Trusted Contact” list because I couldn’t find “Contacts” in the app settings. Tech support wasn’t any help either, but a techy friend found it after a couple of false starts.  The X6Play has […]

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Filed under: Internuts, kids, robots, security, Windows | Comments Off on SMART WATCHES FOR KIDS KEEP PARENTS IN THE LOOP

My 91-year-old neighbor almost lost $100,000. She would have been wiped out completely if she hadn’t run to the bank. The scam started when she clicked on a message that appeared to be from PayPal. It told her she owed $500 and asked her to call. Unfortunately, she let the person who answered the phone take control of her computer. It didn’t seem odd to her, because Apple tech support often does that, with great results. But this was not Apple.  When her web browser automatically filled in the password for her online bank account, the scammer was able to initiate a funds transfer. But something he said reminded her of a previous scam. So she hung up and called […]

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Filed under: AI, GPS, robots, science, security, virus | Comments Off on ALMOST SCAMMED

As I stood outside a California restaurant waving goodbye to a friend, my phone stopped working. Had I been hacked?  Even before it stopped working, it had slowed to a crawl. Then, just as suddenly, it sprang back to life. That’s how I was able to order a Lyft to get back to my sister’s house. Before I could enter my destination, however, the app thanked me for scheduling a ride with my pet. It also assumed I was going to a Monarch Beach resort. Weird. I don’t have a pet and I wasn’t headed for the resort. I hopped into the Lyft anyway, explaining to the driver, who spoke limited English, that I was going to a different address. […]

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Filed under: Android, Internuts, security, text messaging, Virtual Reality, virus | Comments Off on HACKED!

If you’re tired of paying an accountant to do your taxes, just ask the Internal Revenue Service. Their partners might do it for free. If your income is $84,000 or less, regardless of your tax situation, you can get free tax software and step-by-step assistance. First, go to IRS.gov, and click “IRS Free File options.” Then click “IRS Free File.” You can get free help in person in your own community if you’re 60 or older, or earn $67,000 or less, or need language support, or have a disability. Click on the button that says: “IRS VITA/TCE.” It stands for “IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE).” If you don’t qualify for a free […]

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Filed under: batteries, business, education, gadgets, health, phones, robots, security, virus | Comments Off on FREE TAX ACCOUNTANT

A magician asked me to make him a website. But what about a free business page on Google, Facebook or both?  Years ago, I created a Google business page for testing purposes. Though people thought I was a computer store, I was still getting legitimate calls until I finally removed it. For small businesses, a free Google page is often enough. With a Google Business page, people can easily find you. For example, they could type “magician near me” to find my friend.  A Google or Facebook business page can include hours and services, as well as photos, videos and responses to good or bad reviews. Some restaurants use only a Facebook business page for their online menus. Over 200 […]

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Filed under: AI, art, career, facebook, Internuts, printer, security, TV, voice recognition, web, YouTube | Comments Off on NEED A WEBSITE?

A reader asked me how he might safely donate a computer to a local refurbishing group. “Our son-in-law takes the hard drive out and destroys it with a hammer,” he said. “Is that the best way?” Unless you have business secrets or a celebrity past, you probably don’t need to destroy or remove perfectly good equipment. Instead, try the free Windows program “Eraser,” which uses Department of Defense-level data destruction algorithms to get rid of files permanently. For Macs, there’s “Clean My MacX Shredder,” $40. Both are highly recommended by TechRadar. But for most people, a factory reset is enough. Even for an expert, it would take specialized software to restore your files after a reset, which often doesn’t work. […]

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Filed under: 3D Printing, AI, apps, art, career, printer, robots, science, security, text messaging, trends, voice recognition | Comments Off on GIVING AWAY OLD COMPUTERS

“I lost 10 pounds in 10 days,” said a reader, after describing a Facebook scammer who ruined his account. “I want to cut my throat.” It all started when he obeyed a fishy text from Facebook Messenger. Immediately, his Facebook account was taken over, and the bait was sent off to his friends, then to their friends in an ever-widening circle. One guy lost $1200. Another was pressured into giving $2000. The reader lost access to his email account as well. “Want your account back?” screamed the scammer in large letters. “I want you to go away,” said the reader. “Pay me,” he demanded. Even I got the infected message, since I’m Facebook friends with the reader. It read: “I’m […]

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Filed under: electronics, environment, facebook, Internuts, security | Comments Off on SCARY SCAMMER