On Computers

Big data centers use a huge amount of electricity. But that’s changing. Someday soon, we won’t have to pay higher electricity prices because AI is hogging our power. AI’s new Large Language Models are saving energy, because processing happens locally on our devices rather than via power-hungry remote servers. For example, PrismML, founded by Caltech scientists, shrinks AI. Instead of giant data centers, their AI models can work on devices as small as the iPhone 17. What’s more, they take up only 1.5 gigabytes and can be downloaded for free at PrismML.com. But PrismML’s “Bonsai” is not for casual users. It’s for tech enthusiasts who want to tinker with their own private AI, as well as developers, researchers and hardware […]

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Filed under: AI, health, how-to, Internuts, robots, security, social networks, Sports | Comments Off on FROM BIG AI TO INVISIBLE AI

“If I am sitting in my recliner and decide to make a quick copy of something from my iPad, I would like to do that without having to go to the other room to fire up the printer,” a reader wrote. Like most printers, his connects over Wi-Fi. “So what would be a good battery-operated printer that I could place on a nearby table, to bring the power switch within easy reach,” he asked. I recommended leaving his current printer on instead. Both laser printers and inkjets use only three-to-five watts of electricity in idle mode, much less than other appliances. There wouldn’t be the slightest blip in his electricity bill.  What’s more, keeping a printer on all the time […]

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Filed under: apps, education, Internuts, iPad, printer, social networks, Uncategorized, YouTube | Comments Off on LEAVE THE PRINTER ON TO EXTEND ITS LIFE

For her 11th birthday, my niece got a $36 Bluetooth speaker that plays music, lights up in multiple colors and calls her friends. The Hetyre Night Light Bluetooth Speaker is a 6-inch tall reading lamp, nightlight, music player and alarm clock. My niece said the alarm woke her up with the sound of birds. “My parents thought there were birds outside fighting,” she said. “It sounded like a battle.” She figured out all the features without reading the manual or asking her parents for help. For the toddler crowd, there’s the PlayMonster “OK to Wake,” $20 on Amazon. It has multiple colors, five levels of brightness and turns green when it’s okay to get out of bed. I first heard […]

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Filed under: AI, analytics, astronomy, gadgets, health, Linux, social networks, text messaging | Comments Off on KID TECH

“You’ve been hacked!” Those words spilled out all over a friend’s computer screen. Then her phone rang. The caller said he represented U.S. Bank, which happened to be her bank. “You’ve been hacked,” he repeated, giving her his fake employee badge number. Then he got permission to install an app to control her computer from afar. After that, she called her bank. They told her to come in and set up a new account. Then she asked a techy friend to fix her computer. He probably used Windows recovery options. But she still couldn’t sleep. So when I dropped by, I ran a McAfee virus scan, just to be sure. I wasn’t expecting any problems, because I would have seen […]

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Filed under: AI, Android, art, Internuts, photos, robots, security, social networks | Comments Off on HACKED!

A reader told me he can’t invite all loved ones to his neighbor’s memorial service because he can only find the guy’s Facebook friends. He wishes every senior would provide good contact information before they pass away. “We neighbors had been caring for him and making arrangements for his last days, which we knew would be soon,” he wrote. “However, he left no address book. He burned out on technology and had not used his cellphone in years.” At least Facebook was helpful. In fact, Facebook is so helpful, I’m tempted to let my late husband’s account go on forever. But this means his old friends will continue to get birthday reminders every year, and his name will still show […]

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Filed under: Amazon, facebook, Google, Internuts, photos, social networks | Comments Off on MEMORIALIZING A FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

The first time I tried the OpenSwim headset from Shokz, I found myself wanting to swim longer and faster. It literally brought music to my ears. But I had a heck of a time getting it adjusted properly. First I jumped in the pool, then tried to stuff my ponytail and headset under my cap. It makes a kind of ring around the back of your head, using bone conduction technology to bring the sound to you.  But I kept adjusting not just the fit, but the volume. It seems louder underwater, though it had to compete with my splashes. The second time I tried the OpenSwim, I thought “phooey.” I just couldn’t get it adjusted right. Of course, it’s […]

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Filed under: gadgets, Internuts, social networks, trends, Wikipedia, word processing | Comments Off on SWIMMING TO THE BEAT

You’ve probably heard of the Peloton exercise bike. Now there’s a Peloton rowing machine. But is it better than the inexpensive machine my mom bought when I was 15? The Peloton Row, at $3195, costs at least $3000 more than my rower. But it’s a lot fancier. It has a 24-inch high-definition display and a slew of videos with rowing instructors. Instructors can be great. At a rowing class in California, I raced six others indoors, looking up at a big screen to see who was ahead. The class was taught by Xeno Müller, an Olympic medalist. He made me work harder than I ever had before. Peloton says that with every stroke, you’re using 86 percent of your muscles. […]

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Filed under: apps, games, graphics, health, Internuts, social networks | Comments Off on NEW PELOTON ROWER VS. OLD-FASHIONED KIND

“Is 5G quicker than 4G?” a reader asked. “That would be my only incentive to upgrade.” It depends on the map. T-Mobile has the broadest coverage. Its 5G reaches 9,000 zip codes in over 3,000 cities, more than AT&T and Verizon combined, according to whistleout.com. If you’re in a dead zone, 5G wouldn’t matter. With good 5G, you can experience virtual reality, augmented reality and automated driving. You can download even a full 8K movie in seconds, at top speeds of 20 gigabits per second. With 4G, your best speed is only one tenth of one gigabyte per second. But even that’s fast. It’s enough to enjoy video chatting, movie and music streaming. Did you know that even so-called dumb […]

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Filed under: facebook, Gmail, Google, kids, phones, robots, social networks | Comments Off on ARE 5G PHONES WORTH THE UPGRADE?

There’s a new social network in town. It’s called “Stimulus.” They had me with “cash giveaways.” So far, Stimulus has given out over $100,000. In their welcome message, a middle-aged guy with a strong Italian accent says: “You’re like me. You’re tired of all the fake accounts that spoil all the fun. Stimulus is a happy social network where brands and generous people give away money to earn attention. Brands need attention to grow, people need money to live. Stimulus helps both.” I was sold. I clicked on a post saying “don’t forget your lima beans,” and was immediately entered into a $500 giveaway. Winners will be announced in three days. Next, I clicked on 10 more giveaways. Each one […]

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Filed under: apps, Internuts, kids, Kindle, photos, science, social networks, Windows | Comments Off on A NEW STIMULUS

I just whipped through my email in record time using “Shortwave” for Gmail. Shortwave was created by two guys from Google who figured out how to declutter everything. Ironically, Gmail is about to get even more cluttered. Take a look at the preview of the version rolling out this month. I love how Shortwave bundles similar emails together. That way, if the whole group looks like junk, I can sweep it off my plate in one fell swoop. This is stuff I normally would have looked at, wasted time on, been sorry I bothered. But when the subject line of a bundle gives me an instant idea of what’s inside, I have more will power. For example, in a subject […]

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Filed under: apps, email, Gmail, Internuts, security, social networks | Comments Off on SHORTWAVE SOLVES THE GMAIL PROBLEM