April Meetings 2024
April 4, 2024 - Apple Users Targeted - Apple Adopts RCS - Google Deleting Tons of Data - Tech Trends of the Future (video) -
"I love eating chocolates off a conveyor belt and squashing grapes with my bare feet, but I will NEVER click on an unknown link." - Lucille Ball
Club Questions
"I love eating chocolates off a conveyor belt and squashing grapes with my bare feet, but I will NEVER click on an unknown link." - Lucille Ball
Club Questions
Apple Users Targeted
There's a new scam in town and it's targeting iPhone users. Apple users are now being targeted by an annoying "reset password" attack. If the hackers have your email and phone number, that might be enough to initiate this attack. According to KrebsonSecurity, the attack starts with unsuspecting Apple device owners getting dozens of system-level messages, prompting them to reset their Apple ID password. If that fails, a person pretending to be an Apple employee will call the victim and try to convince them into handing over their password. To learn more about how this attack works, take a look at this article.
There's a new scam in town and it's targeting iPhone users. Apple users are now being targeted by an annoying "reset password" attack. If the hackers have your email and phone number, that might be enough to initiate this attack. According to KrebsonSecurity, the attack starts with unsuspecting Apple device owners getting dozens of system-level messages, prompting them to reset their Apple ID password. If that fails, a person pretending to be an Apple employee will call the victim and try to convince them into handing over their password. To learn more about how this attack works, take a look at this article.
Apple Adopts RCS
Rich communication services (RCS) may end up making texting for everyone (not just iPhone users) better in many ways. If you're an Android user and ever texted someone with an iPhone, you know about green vs blue text bubbles. In the coming update to iPhone operating system iOS18, Apple is planning to adopt RCS for its texting feature. To learn more about how this change for iPhones will affect everyones texting, take a look at this article.
Rich communication services (RCS) may end up making texting for everyone (not just iPhone users) better in many ways. If you're an Android user and ever texted someone with an iPhone, you know about green vs blue text bubbles. In the coming update to iPhone operating system iOS18, Apple is planning to adopt RCS for its texting feature. To learn more about how this change for iPhones will affect everyones texting, take a look at this article.
Google Deleting Tons of Data
Google's business model is to collect data from all its users, all the time, so why are they deleting tons of personal data ? As a part of a class-action settlement, Google is making tweaks to its Chrome web browser's Incognito mode and will purge 'billions of data records.' If you use Google Chrome as your internet browser and want to find out more about how this settlement might affect you, take a look at this article.
Google's business model is to collect data from all its users, all the time, so why are they deleting tons of personal data ? As a part of a class-action settlement, Google is making tweaks to its Chrome web browser's Incognito mode and will purge 'billions of data records.' If you use Google Chrome as your internet browser and want to find out more about how this settlement might affect you, take a look at this article.
CNET Looks at Some of the Future Tech Trends
April 11, 2024 - Congress Deals with Online Privacy - Millions of Americans Could Lose Internet Access - CNET's Best Antivirus Software for 2024 -
"I've always done it MY WAY, but my way never includes clicking on any unknown links, baby." - Frank Sinatra
Club Questions
"I've always done it MY WAY, but my way never includes clicking on any unknown links, baby." - Frank Sinatra
Club Questions
Congress Deals with Online Privacy
Congress may be closer than ever to passing a comprehensive data privacy framework after key House and Senate committee leaders released a new proposal on Sunday. The bipartisan proposal, titled the American Privacy Rights Act, or APRA, would limit the types of consumer data that companies can collect, retain, and use, allowing solely what they’d need to operate their services. Users would also be allowed to opt out of targeted advertising, and have the ability to view, correct, delete, and download their data from online services. To see how this new act of Congress might affect your online life, take a look at this article.
Congress may be closer than ever to passing a comprehensive data privacy framework after key House and Senate committee leaders released a new proposal on Sunday. The bipartisan proposal, titled the American Privacy Rights Act, or APRA, would limit the types of consumer data that companies can collect, retain, and use, allowing solely what they’d need to operate their services. Users would also be allowed to opt out of targeted advertising, and have the ability to view, correct, delete, and download their data from online services. To see how this new act of Congress might affect your online life, take a look at this article.
Millions of Americans Could Lose Internet
By as soon as May, more than 23 million US households risk being kicked off their internet plans or facing skyrocketing bills that force them to pay hundreds more per year to get online, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The looming disaster could affect nearly 1 in 5 households nationwide, or nearly 60 million Americans, going by Census Bureau population estimates. Lawmakers need to act to save a critical government program known as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the benefit provides discounts on internet service valued at up to $30 per month to qualifying low-income households. To learn more about the ACP and what the government is doing to save it, take a look at this article.
By as soon as May, more than 23 million US households risk being kicked off their internet plans or facing skyrocketing bills that force them to pay hundreds more per year to get online, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The looming disaster could affect nearly 1 in 5 households nationwide, or nearly 60 million Americans, going by Census Bureau population estimates. Lawmakers need to act to save a critical government program known as the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), the benefit provides discounts on internet service valued at up to $30 per month to qualifying low-income households. To learn more about the ACP and what the government is doing to save it, take a look at this article.
Best Anti-Virus Software for 2024
Computers are expensive -- often costing well into the thousands. While they may not need a whole lot of maintenance, one way to protect your computer and keep it going for longer is to use good antivirus software, especially if you use a Windows based computer. Viruses and malware attacks can not only risk your data and personal information but also damage your computer, costing you even more money. To see the best picks for anti-virus and malware applications from CNET, take a look at this article.
Computers are expensive -- often costing well into the thousands. While they may not need a whole lot of maintenance, one way to protect your computer and keep it going for longer is to use good antivirus software, especially if you use a Windows based computer. Viruses and malware attacks can not only risk your data and personal information but also damage your computer, costing you even more money. To see the best picks for anti-virus and malware applications from CNET, take a look at this article.
April 18, 2024 - ChatGPT Gets Another Update - Beeper App Has Plans for Texting - Samsung Sales Tops Apple -
"The easiest way to use your Kenergy, is to just make sure you never click on any unknown links." - Ken (friend of Barbie)
Club Questions
"The easiest way to use your Kenergy, is to just make sure you never click on any unknown links." - Ken (friend of Barbie)
Club Questions
ChatGPT's Newest Update
AI just keeps getting smarter: another significant upgrade has been pushed out for ChatGPT, its developer OpenAI has announced, and specifically to the GPT-4 Turbo model available to those paying for ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise. OpenAI says ChatGPT will now be better at writing, math, logical reasoning, and coding – and it has the charts to prove it. If you use ChatGPT to answer your questions and you want to learn more about the latest updates, take a look at this article.
AI just keeps getting smarter: another significant upgrade has been pushed out for ChatGPT, its developer OpenAI has announced, and specifically to the GPT-4 Turbo model available to those paying for ChatGPT Plus, Team, or Enterprise. OpenAI says ChatGPT will now be better at writing, math, logical reasoning, and coding – and it has the charts to prove it. If you use ChatGPT to answer your questions and you want to learn more about the latest updates, take a look at this article.
Beeper App Has Plans for Texting
Beeper, the upstart messaging app that attempts to corral all your messaging services into one inbox, is being acquired by Automattic, the giant that runs Wordpress.com, Tumblr, and a number of other hugely popular web properties. The deal closed last week and was announced officially on Tuesday. Along with the announcement, Beeper is also opening up its app to everyone for the first time across platforms, shutting down its waitlist for good. There’s a fascinating backstory here on all sides of this acquisition. For Beeper, it comes a couple of months after Beeper launched a new app called Beeper Mini that found a way to let Android users tap into the iMessage protocol and become blue bubbles in the Messages app. To learn more about how Beeper might change the way you text, take a look at this article.
Beeper, the upstart messaging app that attempts to corral all your messaging services into one inbox, is being acquired by Automattic, the giant that runs Wordpress.com, Tumblr, and a number of other hugely popular web properties. The deal closed last week and was announced officially on Tuesday. Along with the announcement, Beeper is also opening up its app to everyone for the first time across platforms, shutting down its waitlist for good. There’s a fascinating backstory here on all sides of this acquisition. For Beeper, it comes a couple of months after Beeper launched a new app called Beeper Mini that found a way to let Android users tap into the iMessage protocol and become blue bubbles in the Messages app. To learn more about how Beeper might change the way you text, take a look at this article.
Samsung Sales Tops Apple
Samsung is once again back on top of the global smartphone market after losing the spot to Apple in the December quarter. According to fresh IDC data for the first quarter of 2024, Apple witnessed a 10% drop in shipments due to competition heating up in the Android space. The Cupertino-based company shipped 50.1 million iPhones, down from the 55.4 million units it shipped in the same period last year. To read more about the battle to sell the most smartphones, take a look at this article.
Samsung is once again back on top of the global smartphone market after losing the spot to Apple in the December quarter. According to fresh IDC data for the first quarter of 2024, Apple witnessed a 10% drop in shipments due to competition heating up in the Android space. The Cupertino-based company shipped 50.1 million iPhones, down from the 55.4 million units it shipped in the same period last year. To read more about the battle to sell the most smartphones, take a look at this article.
April 25, 2024 - The Cloud Under The Sea - Apple Issues New Blow to Google - How to Check if a Website is Safe -
"In cyberspace, beware the ruse, Don't click on links, just hit refuse! For in those URLs, danger lurks, Unknown paths bring nasty quirks." - Dr. Seuss
Club Questions
"In cyberspace, beware the ruse, Don't click on links, just hit refuse! For in those URLs, danger lurks, Unknown paths bring nasty quirks." - Dr. Seuss
Club Questions
The Cloud Under The Sea
Ever wondered just where the "internet" is? Well, it's everywhere, but mostly under the sea. There are hundreds of thousands of miles of internet cable crisscrossing the ocean floors and what happens when they break? If, hypothetically, all these cables were to simultaneously break, modern civilization would cease to function. The financial system would immediately freeze. Currency trading would stop; stock exchanges would close. Banks and governments would be unable to move funds between countries because the Swift and US interbank systems both rely on submarine cables to settle over $10 trillion in transactions each day. To learn more about this under water internet and how it is cared for, take a look at this interactive article.
Ever wondered just where the "internet" is? Well, it's everywhere, but mostly under the sea. There are hundreds of thousands of miles of internet cable crisscrossing the ocean floors and what happens when they break? If, hypothetically, all these cables were to simultaneously break, modern civilization would cease to function. The financial system would immediately freeze. Currency trading would stop; stock exchanges would close. Banks and governments would be unable to move funds between countries because the Swift and US interbank systems both rely on submarine cables to settle over $10 trillion in transactions each day. To learn more about this under water internet and how it is cared for, take a look at this interactive article.
Apple Issues New Blow to Google
Apple has just dealt a new blow to arch rival Google after making an AI decision that will appeal to all iPhone users. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman,Apple’s iOS 18 AI capabilities will function entirely on the device—your iPhone—so there is no need for cloud processing. The iOS 18 AI move is a huge win if you care about iPhone privacy, but it isn’t surprising, given that Apple is known for its strong focus in the area. It also sends a strong message to Apple’s biggest rival Google’s Android that the iPhone maker will do everything it can to win in the AI battlefield as competition ramps up. To learn more about this iPhone update, take a look at this article.
Apple has just dealt a new blow to arch rival Google after making an AI decision that will appeal to all iPhone users. According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman,Apple’s iOS 18 AI capabilities will function entirely on the device—your iPhone—so there is no need for cloud processing. The iOS 18 AI move is a huge win if you care about iPhone privacy, but it isn’t surprising, given that Apple is known for its strong focus in the area. It also sends a strong message to Apple’s biggest rival Google’s Android that the iPhone maker will do everything it can to win in the AI battlefield as competition ramps up. To learn more about this iPhone update, take a look at this article.
How to Check if a Website is Safe
The first step to avoiding fake websites is to know what you'll see if you ever inadvertently land on an unsafe site. Most modern browsers are designed to make navigating the internet easier and safer. If you visit a site with known safety issues, the browser will usually inform you by presenting a full screen warning about the dangers of continuing to that page. To learn 11 simple steps to making sure the website you're visiting is safe, take a look at this article.
The first step to avoiding fake websites is to know what you'll see if you ever inadvertently land on an unsafe site. Most modern browsers are designed to make navigating the internet easier and safer. If you visit a site with known safety issues, the browser will usually inform you by presenting a full screen warning about the dangers of continuing to that page. To learn 11 simple steps to making sure the website you're visiting is safe, take a look at this article.
