January Meetings 2024
January 4, 2024 - Changes to Amazon Prime - AI Helps Seniors Fight Loneliness - AARP's Wrap Up on Tech for 2024 - Menu Updates -
"Happy New Year! Let's hope that 2024 is a great year, and don't forget to Never Click on Unknown Links." - Father Time
Club Questions
"Happy New Year! Let's hope that 2024 is a great year, and don't forget to Never Click on Unknown Links." - Father Time
Club Questions
Changes to Amazon Prime
The new year brings lots of changes, some good, some not so good. One of the not so good ones is coming from Amazon to all of its Prime members. Amazon Prime members will need to start paying an extra $2.99/month for the privilege of remaining ad-free on Prime Video. If you're an Amazon Prime member and want to know more about this change, take a look at this article.
The new year brings lots of changes, some good, some not so good. One of the not so good ones is coming from Amazon to all of its Prime members. Amazon Prime members will need to start paying an extra $2.99/month for the privilege of remaining ad-free on Prime Video. If you're an Amazon Prime member and want to know more about this change, take a look at this article.
AI Helps Seniors Fight Loneliness
Intuition Robotics has created a robot that can help seniors fight off loneliness. The device, named ElliQ, which looks like a small table lamp, has an eyeless, mouth-less head that lights up and swivels. It remembers each user’s interests and their conversations, helping tailor future chats, which can be as deep as the meaning of life or as light as the horoscope. To learn more about this new AI powered robot, and hear some stories from actual owners of ElliQ, take a look at this article and video.
Intuition Robotics has created a robot that can help seniors fight off loneliness. The device, named ElliQ, which looks like a small table lamp, has an eyeless, mouth-less head that lights up and swivels. It remembers each user’s interests and their conversations, helping tailor future chats, which can be as deep as the meaning of life or as light as the horoscope. To learn more about this new AI powered robot, and hear some stories from actual owners of ElliQ, take a look at this article and video.
AARP's 2024 Tech Wrap Up
It's a new year, and AARP is doing its annual wrap up of tech for seniors and the rest of us. They go over lots of stats on who's using tech and what they think of it (most seniors are still skeptical of AI). Tech has become multi-generational, no longer relegated to the young, for example 89% of Americans over 50 own a smartphone. With the price of most tech becoming more affordable, tech devices are found thru-out the home now, from smart fridges to smart home security. To learn more about how seniors use (and don't use) tech devices for 2024, take a look at this article.
It's a new year, and AARP is doing its annual wrap up of tech for seniors and the rest of us. They go over lots of stats on who's using tech and what they think of it (most seniors are still skeptical of AI). Tech has become multi-generational, no longer relegated to the young, for example 89% of Americans over 50 own a smartphone. With the price of most tech becoming more affordable, tech devices are found thru-out the home now, from smart fridges to smart home security. To learn more about how seniors use (and don't use) tech devices for 2024, take a look at this article.
It's a New Year
Remember all you Clubbers, it's a new year and that means that the Computer Club website (the one you're on right now) has changed its menu to reflect the new year. Under the "meetings" button on the top menu, you will now see the year "2024" and also "archive." If you roll your cursor over the word archive, you will see all the other years covered on this site (2019-2023), and by rolling your cursor over any one of those years, you will see each month. This is how you can navigate your way around the archive of Club Meetings. Of course, you can always just scroll to the bottom of ANY page and use the search box to look for any subject you like. There's lots of tech info on this site, and more to come in 2024.
QUIZ - Can anyone see the other change that is on the Club website?
Remember all you Clubbers, it's a new year and that means that the Computer Club website (the one you're on right now) has changed its menu to reflect the new year. Under the "meetings" button on the top menu, you will now see the year "2024" and also "archive." If you roll your cursor over the word archive, you will see all the other years covered on this site (2019-2023), and by rolling your cursor over any one of those years, you will see each month. This is how you can navigate your way around the archive of Club Meetings. Of course, you can always just scroll to the bottom of ANY page and use the search box to look for any subject you like. There's lots of tech info on this site, and more to come in 2024.
QUIZ - Can anyone see the other change that is on the Club website?
January 11, 2024 - CES 2024 - The Decay of Online Platforms - Google Fixes Android Issues -
"Up, Up and away - from these Unknown Links." - Superman
Club Questions
"Up, Up and away - from these Unknown Links." - Superman
Club Questions
CES 2024
The annual tech trade show, Consumer Electronic Show (CES), is back for another year where we'll see some of the most impressive tech reveals of the year. If you're not exactly sure what CES is, it's a rollout of all the latest tech gadgetry that's currently available to the public. It takes place in Las Vegas and over the course of several days, various tech manufacturers show off their latest and greatest devices. This year promises to have lots of AI integrated into lots of devices. To learn more about what CES is and what it will be featuring this year, take a look at this article.
The annual tech trade show, Consumer Electronic Show (CES), is back for another year where we'll see some of the most impressive tech reveals of the year. If you're not exactly sure what CES is, it's a rollout of all the latest tech gadgetry that's currently available to the public. It takes place in Las Vegas and over the course of several days, various tech manufacturers show off their latest and greatest devices. This year promises to have lots of AI integrated into lots of devices. To learn more about what CES is and what it will be featuring this year, take a look at this article.
The Decay of Online Platforms
What is the decay of online platforms? It's the gradual decline in quality on any given website. For example, your favourite social media networks are now filled with ads and recommendations for stores and products you know you never asked for. And of course whatever is happening on X (Twitter) under Elon Musk. Experts call this the ensh*tification of the internet and it's happening everywhere online. To learn more about how online platforms decay over time, take a look at this article and listen to the audio of the story.
What is the decay of online platforms? It's the gradual decline in quality on any given website. For example, your favourite social media networks are now filled with ads and recommendations for stores and products you know you never asked for. And of course whatever is happening on X (Twitter) under Elon Musk. Experts call this the ensh*tification of the internet and it's happening everywhere online. To learn more about how online platforms decay over time, take a look at this article and listen to the audio of the story.
Google Fixes 100 Android Issues
December was a hectic month for updates as firms including Apple and Google rushed to get patches out to fix serious flaws in their products before the holiday break. The Google Android December Security Bulletin was a hefty one, fixing nearly 100 security issues. The update includes patches for two critical issues in the Framework, the most severe of which could lead to remote escalation of privilege with no additional privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation, Google said. Apple also had to issue some last minute fixes for some security issues on their devices. To learn more about what you need to know about the important updates you might have missed during the month, Take a look at this article.
December was a hectic month for updates as firms including Apple and Google rushed to get patches out to fix serious flaws in their products before the holiday break. The Google Android December Security Bulletin was a hefty one, fixing nearly 100 security issues. The update includes patches for two critical issues in the Framework, the most severe of which could lead to remote escalation of privilege with no additional privileges needed. User interaction is not needed for exploitation, Google said. Apple also had to issue some last minute fixes for some security issues on their devices. To learn more about what you need to know about the important updates you might have missed during the month, Take a look at this article.
January 18, 2024 - What to Do if You've Been Hacked - How to Clear History on Android - What Info do Apps Collect? - Search Engine Breakdown - All About Cookies -
"Sometimes, after it rains, I come out and wriggle around on the pavement, that may seem dumb, but at least I don't click on Unknown Links." - An Earthworm
Club Questions
"Sometimes, after it rains, I come out and wriggle around on the pavement, that may seem dumb, but at least I don't click on Unknown Links." - An Earthworm
Club Questions
What to do if You've been Hacked
When your email, credit card, or identity gets hacked, it can be a nightmare. Knowing what to expect can be a help; knowing how to head off the hackers is even better. There are lots of ways hackers can try to get your information, thru email phishing, thru text messages and even thru some of your favourite websites. To learn more about what you can do if you think you've been hacked, and how to stay more secure from hackers, take a look at this article.
When your email, credit card, or identity gets hacked, it can be a nightmare. Knowing what to expect can be a help; knowing how to head off the hackers is even better. There are lots of ways hackers can try to get your information, thru email phishing, thru text messages and even thru some of your favourite websites. To learn more about what you can do if you think you've been hacked, and how to stay more secure from hackers, take a look at this article.
How to Clear History on Android
Clearing your browsing history on an Android phone is relatively easy and there are several options for clearing available to you when you clear your history. Most Android phones use Google Chrome as their web browser (it comes built in to the phone), so the video below goes over how to clear your browsing history on Google Chrome app. If you use a different browser (IE Firefox), clearing your data history is very similar, so take a look at the video below for tips on how to do it.
Clearing your browsing history on an Android phone is relatively easy and there are several options for clearing available to you when you clear your history. Most Android phones use Google Chrome as their web browser (it comes built in to the phone), so the video below goes over how to clear your browsing history on Google Chrome app. If you use a different browser (IE Firefox), clearing your data history is very similar, so take a look at the video below for tips on how to do it.
What Info Do Apps Collect?
There’s an old truism that’s popular among privacy advocates: “If you’re not paying, you’re the product.” Your age, interests, purchasing habits, frequented locations, health, and social map are all valuable pieces of information that comprise a digital shadow, which can be packaged, bundled, and sold to the highest bidder. Getting the local grocery store app may seem like it makes your shopping easier, but not if that grocery store is collecting all your personal data and selling it. If you get your apps from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, you can check out what each app is collecting in the way of data before downloading the app. This is why it's always recommended to get your apps from a verified source, rather than a third party app vendor. To learn more about what data is collected from you and where it might go, take a look at this article.
There’s an old truism that’s popular among privacy advocates: “If you’re not paying, you’re the product.” Your age, interests, purchasing habits, frequented locations, health, and social map are all valuable pieces of information that comprise a digital shadow, which can be packaged, bundled, and sold to the highest bidder. Getting the local grocery store app may seem like it makes your shopping easier, but not if that grocery store is collecting all your personal data and selling it. If you get your apps from either the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, you can check out what each app is collecting in the way of data before downloading the app. This is why it's always recommended to get your apps from a verified source, rather than a third party app vendor. To learn more about what data is collected from you and where it might go, take a look at this article.
Search Engine Breakdown
For the sake of brevity, I will only be talking about the three biggest search engines, Google, DuckduckGo and Startpage. Google.com is arguably the world's best search engine and brings back the best search results in most cases, but the downside is that Google's business model is built on data collection. Any Google product, is Always tracking you and collecting your data, if this doesn't concern you, then go ahead, use Google.com for your searches. If it does concern you, then you might want to consider Startpage.com, this search engine prides itself on its privacy features and does every thing it can to keep its users from being tracked. As for its search results, it pays Google.com for the use of its search algorithms and therefore has very similar search results to Google.com. DuckduckGo.com is another privacy based search engine, doing its best to keep its users from being tracked as well, unfortunately it uses its own search algorithms and they are not as sophisticated at Google's, making DuckduckGo searches sometimes lacking the results you might get thru Google or Startpage. Ultimately the search engine you choose is up to you (and there are many other, lesser, search engines out there, some geared to specific searches, like law search engines, etc). I personally recommend Startpage.com as it gives you both a certain amount of privacy and stellar search results. These search engines are all available online for free.
It's important to note that search engines are NOT web browsers, Google Chrome is a browser, Google.com is a search engine. A search engine will always have a specific web address, web browsers are apps that allow you to travel all over the Internet. For more info on the best web browsers available now, take a look at this article.
For the sake of brevity, I will only be talking about the three biggest search engines, Google, DuckduckGo and Startpage. Google.com is arguably the world's best search engine and brings back the best search results in most cases, but the downside is that Google's business model is built on data collection. Any Google product, is Always tracking you and collecting your data, if this doesn't concern you, then go ahead, use Google.com for your searches. If it does concern you, then you might want to consider Startpage.com, this search engine prides itself on its privacy features and does every thing it can to keep its users from being tracked. As for its search results, it pays Google.com for the use of its search algorithms and therefore has very similar search results to Google.com. DuckduckGo.com is another privacy based search engine, doing its best to keep its users from being tracked as well, unfortunately it uses its own search algorithms and they are not as sophisticated at Google's, making DuckduckGo searches sometimes lacking the results you might get thru Google or Startpage. Ultimately the search engine you choose is up to you (and there are many other, lesser, search engines out there, some geared to specific searches, like law search engines, etc). I personally recommend Startpage.com as it gives you both a certain amount of privacy and stellar search results. These search engines are all available online for free.
It's important to note that search engines are NOT web browsers, Google Chrome is a browser, Google.com is a search engine. A search engine will always have a specific web address, web browsers are apps that allow you to travel all over the Internet. For more info on the best web browsers available now, take a look at this article.
All About Cookies
If all the cookies you've accepted online were real, you'd probably be on a weight loss program by now. Almost all the websites you visit welcome you by asking you to accept cookies. If you're like the average internet user, you do so without thinking twice, just so you can get to what you came for. But are cookies safe? what are they really used for? and should I allow cookies or not when a website asks me to allow them? For the answers to these and many more questions about cookies, take a look at this deep dive into the world of internet cookies.
If all the cookies you've accepted online were real, you'd probably be on a weight loss program by now. Almost all the websites you visit welcome you by asking you to accept cookies. If you're like the average internet user, you do so without thinking twice, just so you can get to what you came for. But are cookies safe? what are they really used for? and should I allow cookies or not when a website asks me to allow them? For the answers to these and many more questions about cookies, take a look at this deep dive into the world of internet cookies.
January 25, 2024 - Google Has Gotten Worse - How to Bypass Online Paywalls - Flying Taxis Could Appear in 2024 - Recent Apple Updates -
"If you feel like you want to click on an unknown link, don't do it, Just Don't Do It." - Nike Salesperson
Club Questions
"If you feel like you want to click on an unknown link, don't do it, Just Don't Do It." - Nike Salesperson
Club Questions
Google Has Gotten Worse
Google.com is arguably the best search engine (for most things) in the world, but it seems like it's gotten worse over the last few years. This revelation has come from a University study in Germany. The research showed that spam sites are hyper prevalent, showing up at the top of Google's rankings in what is "a constant battle" between the sites and search engine. In other words, they write, "search engines seem to lose the cat-and-mouse game that is SEO spam." What does that mean for you and me? It means that the Google search results that we all used to trust are quickly becoming overrun by spammers. To learn more about this study and just how this affects your Google searches, take a look at this article.
Google.com is arguably the best search engine (for most things) in the world, but it seems like it's gotten worse over the last few years. This revelation has come from a University study in Germany. The research showed that spam sites are hyper prevalent, showing up at the top of Google's rankings in what is "a constant battle" between the sites and search engine. In other words, they write, "search engines seem to lose the cat-and-mouse game that is SEO spam." What does that mean for you and me? It means that the Google search results that we all used to trust are quickly becoming overrun by spammers. To learn more about this study and just how this affects your Google searches, take a look at this article.
How to Bypass Paywalls
Paywalls are mostly an thing with news websites, largely because relying on advertising income alone isn’t a viable strategy anymore, and news companies are pursuing more direct revenue sources (like monthly subscriptions). Of course, paywalls aren’t entirely a bad thing—it’s worth it to support journalism you find valuable, so by all means, if you can afford to pay to read articles, you absolutely should. But whether you lost your password, haven’t saved it on your phone, are in a rush, or are just strapped for cash and promise yourself that you’ll subscribe later, there are several ways to bypass paywalls on the internet. To learn more about how to bypass online paywalls so you can read articles for free, take a look at this article.
Paywalls are mostly an thing with news websites, largely because relying on advertising income alone isn’t a viable strategy anymore, and news companies are pursuing more direct revenue sources (like monthly subscriptions). Of course, paywalls aren’t entirely a bad thing—it’s worth it to support journalism you find valuable, so by all means, if you can afford to pay to read articles, you absolutely should. But whether you lost your password, haven’t saved it on your phone, are in a rush, or are just strapped for cash and promise yourself that you’ll subscribe later, there are several ways to bypass paywalls on the internet. To learn more about how to bypass online paywalls so you can read articles for free, take a look at this article.
Flying Taxis Could Appear in 2024
Recent milestones could put a nascent industry on track to open flying taxi services in 2024 and 2025. Questions remain regarding cost and safety, but regulators are warming up to the technology, which could save passengers significant commute time. Despite the progress, significant obstacles to broad adoption remain. The most obvious issue is likely cost. Flying over traffic with new technology is inherently expensive, but Joby and UA hope flying taxis can eventually become as cheap as an Uber ride. Another problem is safety, as the extreme weight of eVTOL batteries complicates flight. To learn more about the possibility of flying taxis, take a look at this article and videos.
Recent milestones could put a nascent industry on track to open flying taxi services in 2024 and 2025. Questions remain regarding cost and safety, but regulators are warming up to the technology, which could save passengers significant commute time. Despite the progress, significant obstacles to broad adoption remain. The most obvious issue is likely cost. Flying over traffic with new technology is inherently expensive, but Joby and UA hope flying taxis can eventually become as cheap as an Uber ride. Another problem is safety, as the extreme weight of eVTOL batteries complicates flight. To learn more about the possibility of flying taxis, take a look at this article and videos.
Recent Apple Updates
Apple has just released updates for iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches. On the iPhone the update is iOS 17.3, it's the same on iPads iOS 17.3 and on Apple watches it's watchOS 10.3. There is also an update for all Mac computer users, MacOS 14.3. All the updates include several important security updates and are recommended for all users of devices that are eligible for these updates. For more on these updates, take a look at our Apple Video page.
Apple has just released updates for iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches. On the iPhone the update is iOS 17.3, it's the same on iPads iOS 17.3 and on Apple watches it's watchOS 10.3. There is also an update for all Mac computer users, MacOS 14.3. All the updates include several important security updates and are recommended for all users of devices that are eligible for these updates. For more on these updates, take a look at our Apple Video page.
