Siri, Cortana, Alexa, and Hey Google are all great voice assistants. This is a good thing, and a very useful feature of modern computers, smartphone, and more! However, your voice doesn’t stop with you. It goes from your device to the internet and onto a cloud server somewhere “out there,” only to return back with instructions the device understands and executes. Listening Up! Oh, and sometimes people listen. Computers can’t figure us humans out entirely. How to stop Alexa, Siri, and Google: https://slate.com/technology/2019/08/how-to-stop-alexa-google-siri-recording-human-review.html (thanks Alert Internet Surfer Perry!) How to stop Cortana: https://lifehacker.com/how-to-configure-windows-10-to-protect-your-privacy-1716204024
Yu-Es-Bee See? Whuzzat? (8/10/19 Part 1)
USB, short for Universal Serial Bus, came about in 1996 because computers used to have WAY too many different plugs/connections. From USB 1 to 2 to 3 to… C! Wait, what? USBisms USB-C is the newest member of the USB family, but its a different looking plug! In exchange for this small headache, do you get anything in return? You bet! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USB-C https://www.howtogeek.com/211843/usb-type-c-explained-what-it-is-and-why-youll-want-it/ https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-usb-c-hubs-and-docks/ https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/understanding-usb-cable-types-one-use/
Scams Scams Scams Scams… (8/10/19 Part 2)
So, we’re getting more scams again, so its time to update! Always Another Scam We’ll give you a quick overview of scams coming via: email text voicemail social media phone The bad guys don’t rest! So learn to defend yourself!
Do you leave your house key under the mat? (7/27/19 Part 2)
So, your local police department want help catching the bad guys. You want to help, right? But, to do so, they insist that you always leave your house key under a door mat so they can always have access to your house “when they need it.” They promise they won’t tell anyone about the key, and promise nobody will ever abuse it. Back Doors, and Why They are Bad Sounds great, right? Law enforcement has been asking for weaker encryption and “back doors” in encryption for decades. They insist it’s only to get “the bad guys,” won’t get abused, and doesn’t really pose a risk to the public. Bologna, you say? We agree. Join us as we talk about that! https://www.technologyreview.com/s/614003/trumps-justice-department-calls-for-encryption-backdoor-law/ https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/09/fbi-weaker-encryption-is-a-worthwhile-tradeoff-for-law-enforcement-access-to-data/458622/ https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2013/05/caleatwo This podcast is brought to you by Audible!
But do you own it? DRM and you 101 (7/13/19 Part 1)
When you buy something digitally, do you actually own it? Are you sure about that? Do You Own It? Wouldn’t it be a shame if it went up in a puff of smoke? Many digital things you buy can get Digital Rights Management (DRM), be it eBooks, music, software/apps, movies and more. While its understandable for renting or borrowing, what about something you’re buying? We talk about this and offer our thoughts on the matter! https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/ultraviolet-is-shutting-down/ https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/3k3wkk/microsoft-ebooks-will-stop-working-because-its-shutting-down-a-drm-server https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2013/12/cant-stream-that-christmas-movie-you-bought-on-amazon-blame-disney/ https://io9.gizmodo.com/amazon-secretly-removes-1984-from-the-kindle-5317703
The Kihei Fire followup: How was your disaster? (7/13/19 Part 2)
Well, we’ve certainly been having fun here on Maui! Its been a hot, HOT summer, and while we escaped the 4th of July with no bad fires? It seemed we couldn’t stay lucky for long… Disaster Preps Given the Test! So, how did our disaster preparedness go? How did yours go?
R.I.P. Windows 7? (7/6/19 Part 1)
Windows 7 will be passing away in January 2020. Sort of. In a meaningful way it is indeed reaching its end of life, but… uhm… yeah. Its simple and complicated and… The End of Windows 7? – Part 1 Don’t worry! It won’t suddenly stop working on you! But what does it mean? Jonathan, LD, and Sam explore that for you!
What’s the cost of moving to Windows 10? (7/6/19 Part 2)
So, what do you need to consider when looking at Windows 10? Will all your hardware work? All your software? How much does this cost anyhow? Will it cost a fortune? The End of Windows 7? – Part 2 Jonathan, LD, and Sam talk about this and take your calls!
You’ve got audio: now what? (6/22/19 Part 2)
Are you make planning to make music using a home studio? Want to start a podcast? Narrate an audio book? All things Audio – Part 2 What to do now? Got music you made and want to sell? https://www.wikihow.com/Sell-Music-Online How to start a podcast! https://lifehacker.com/how-to-start-your-own-podcast-1709798447 Got the narration bug, and recorded an audiobook? https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G201014330
Shopping 101: Be Savvy! (6/15/19 Part 1)
Are you getting ready for back to school shopping? Got to get stuff you need? Looking for some upgrades? Well, we’re here to help! Shopping Basics – Part 1 Set a budget. List what it’ll be used for. List what you NEED List what you want (negotiable, be honest) Research / read reviews Look for gotchas / additional buys (not everything comes with everything) Spending too much or too little is bad, but differently so. Do you need to revise the budget?