The EFF has brought to our attention some BAAAAD legislation that’s being drafted. Even worse, its actually bi-partisan, coming from Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT). They go into a LOT of depth, and we’ll be going over this. S.3398 – EARN IT Act of 2020 If you’re afraid of government over-reach, unintended consequences, the safety and security of your online life, and freedom of speech? This is a show for you! This’s podcast is brought to you by Audible – get a FREE audiobook download and 30 day free trial at http://www.audibletrial.com/MauiOnline . Over 180,000 titles to choose from for your iPhone, Android, Kindle or mp3 player.
Be secure on your phone! (2/22/20 Part 1)
Got a smart phone? Did you know its pretty much a computer? You probably take security seriously on your computer, so you should take it seriously there too! Mobile Security! So, tips and links to help you out! Use a PIN, Pattern, or Fingerprint reader. PINS and Patterns (android) are nice because you can change them, let other people know them if you need them to get into your phone, and you can change them. Fingerprints and biometrics are convenient, but aren’t foolproof. Also, whether or not they’re protected by the 4th and 5th Amendments is unclear right now. https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2019/01/feds-forcing-mass-fingerprint-unlocks-is-an-abuse-of-power-judge-rules/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2017/01/court-rules-against-man-who-was-forced-to-fingerprint-unlock-his-phone/ Encrypt your phone. Its an easy way to protect your data, photos, contacts, and more. It doesn’t incur much performance hit these days. If you want to sell your phone, just resetting it doesn’t make your data unrecoverable. Encrypt THEN reset. https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-reasons-encrypt-smartphone-data/ https://gizmodo.com/why-you-should-be-encrypting-your-devices-and-how-to-ea-1798698901 Don’t jailbreak/root your phone. This is often done to add customizations or run pirated apps. You can break the security of an iPhone doing this, leaving you with little or no protection. Pirated apps from outside the official stores run significant risk of having malware. If you use wifi a lot or travel a lot, get a VPN service. https://www.pcmag.com/news/what-is-a-vpn-and-why-you-need-one
Looking a little more at Web Email! (2/15/20 Part 1)
So, webmail. Webmail – A comparison Its easy to get, easy to use, but is there more to consider about it? Do you have to move a lot? Are you getting ready to change ISP? Do you have special features you need? Yeah, there’s lots to think of! https://itsfoss.com/secure-private-email-services/ https://thatoneprivacysite.net/email-comparison/ http://blogs.mdaemon.com/index.php/2017/02/09/email-safety-tips-for-end-users/
Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? (8/17/19 Part 1)
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
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
Free! Free! But is it? (5/18/19 Part 1)
Its been said, “if you’re not paying for it, you’re the product.” Its also been said, “the first one is free!” How Free Is it? When things are free or even cheap, is there a price you’re not seeing up front? How are they making their money? What’s the real cost? We talk about that this hour! https://www.forbes.com/sites/sujanpatel/2015/04/29/7-examples-of-freemium-products-done-right/#59c610646f15 https://www.symantec.com/blogs/threat-intelligence/mobile-privacy-apps NOTE: Due to a tech glitch, part of the show is missing. Hey, they even happen to us, sometimes!
Lock boxes and Gambling… uhm… (5/18/19 Part 2)
So, your friend plays a game. And in that game there are these boxes that show up. And they’re just a dollar (or so) to open. You could win some cool stuff if you’re lucky! No big deal, right? Loot! Well, it turns out they’re big money. https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2019/05/senator-hawley-announces-bill-banning-loot-boxes-pay-to-win-mechanics/ https://massivelyop.com/2018/09/17/international-regulators-co-sign-declaration-to-investigate-lockboxes-and-skin-gambling/ https://www.polygon.com/2019/5/7/18534431/fortnite-rare-default-skins-bullying-harassment
Picking out your perfect match! No, not for dating… (4/27/19 Part 2)
Its love at first sight. Smart, beautiful,and right there looking back at you. Do you make the move? Which Fits? – Part 2 Okay, okay, so maybe buying a new computing device isn’t quite a romantic comedy. But like signing up for a dating site, there’s some questions you should ask yourself about your perfect match! And we get into that. Windows? Mac? Chromebook? Tablet or Smartphone?
Updates! Keep’em Running! (3/9/19 Part 2)
When you’ve got a car, be it brand new, used, or a hand-me-down, one of the first things you learn about is the humble oil change. Later, its new tires. Brakes. There’s a bit of upkeep to keeping your car running! Computers 101 – Updating! Your computer and devices are the same. The operating system plus programs and even hardware get updates from time to time. Some are fixing problems, some improve performance, others add features. But, how do you do it?
Email 101! We talk email! (1/12/19 Part 2)
Email! We pretty much all have and use it, but have you ever wanted to know what could be done to make it better? Or what the deal with it is? Or have that one relative who simply won’t change their internet provider because of their email? Computers 101: E-mail! This is the show for you!