Consumer Tech Update

When it comes to software development and deployment, rushing is never the right answer. Just ask the company that created the tech behind the embarrassing Iowa caucus. What's the solution? I have a novel idea. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where there's fear and uncertainty, there are criminals waiting to pounce. If you're glued to your phone or computer reading about the coronavirus outbreak, be wary of news coming from anyone you don't know. I'll tell you why certain files could spell disaster for your data. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Online dating is a minefield. I'm not talking about awkward hellos, mixed signals or ghosting. I'm talking sexual predators that lurk in online dating and "hookup" apps, looking for their next victim. Now the government is stepping in to find out how protected users really are. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The coronavirus has people scared — there's no doubt about that. Naturally, people are turning to Google for answers. And you'll be shocked at just how much one search term is blowing up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you worried about your privacy? Do you want to protect your personal information? If you're like most Americans, you answered yes. But saying it and meaning it are two different things. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About 20% of American adults get their news through social media. And with a public health scare — the coronavirus — dominating headlines, fake news is spreading like crazy. What rumors are floating around and what should you do if you see them? I've got the scoop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Long gone are the days of believing you can use major social media platforms and keep your info private. But a new option on the market takes things even further — connecting you with other users using facial recognition software. Yes, it's as creepy as it sounds. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Apple and Google refuse to unlock the smartphones of criminals, so police are taking matters into their own hands. Learn how the NYPD is working to crack the encryption codes of iPhones and Android devices. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

So much of your information is available for anyone to find. Not just your phone number, address or Social Security number — I'm talking much more personal. You know exactly what I mean if you've taken one of those mail-order DNA tests. So why are these once-popular kits taking a nosedive? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No matter how impressive your resume, it doesn't matter if you can't get it into the right hands. And with companies using artificial intelligence to screen candidates, you need to know how to get past the bots. Don't make these silly mistakes that will curtail your search. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Surveillance cameras are virtually everywhere, and government officials are reportedly worried they may be in the sky too. If you have a hobby drone, learn why its days might be numbered. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wearables aren't just accessories like smart watches and fitness trackers anymore. A California startup has a prototype for augmented reality contacts, shown off at this year's CES in Las Vegas, that might blow all those failed smart glasses out of the water. Would you buy a pair? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We think of Big Tech in the abstract — huge companies that control vast amounts of data and make a shocking amount of money. But how powerful are they, really? The biggest names in tech are worth more than you might believe. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A serious Windows 10 flaw has the National Security Agency sounding the alarm. The intelligence agency is urging users to update the operating system as soon as possible, due to a risky vulnerability that could affect 900 million devices.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There's not much sadder than the look in my dog Abby's eyes when I leave the house each morning. Most dog owners feel the same way, and tech companies are jumping in to help with content tailored for our furry friends. That's right — a podcast for pups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Equifax's 2017 data breach compromised the credit and personal data of millions of Americans. Now the settlement has been agree upon, and your window for making a claim is rapidly shrinking. If you were impacted, file your claim now. Here's how. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The federal government and big tech have long battled over balancing user privacy and law enforcement access. Now U.S. Attorney General William Barr is calling for Apple to unlock iPhones involved in a terrorist attack, and the question of backdoor access looms larger than ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you replace your tech with the latest and greatest, what do you do with what you were using before? Stash it in a drawer? Pack it up to put in storage? It's time to bust out those old devices because they just might be worth big money. Can you guess how much a first generation iPod sells for? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CES, the annual tech trade show underway in Las Vegas, showcases the best of the best in the digital world. But there are always some misses in the bunch, too. Check out my list of CES 2020 fails, from a toilet paper delivery robot to a not-so-smart assistant. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CES is a tech lovers paradise, and journalists and fans are going crazy over all the announcements and reveals. As always, cars, artificial intelligence and impressive new gadgets are stealing the show. I'll tell you about some of this year's standouts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices