News that Geeks Care About

Samsung is Bloating Everything with McAfee—Even Smart TVs

Samsung has a long-running relationship with McAfee. And while it’s bad enough that it bundles this nigh-useless junk on its computers, it’s “extending” this partnership to the S10 and all 2019 Smart ...

Cameron Summerson Feb 27th

Wi-Fi Cams Do More Than Just Record Video

The main purpose of Wi-Fi cameras is to record video, but that’s not the only thing they can do. Modern Wi-Fi cams are sophisticated pieces of hardware and they can do a lot more than simply record video....

Craig Lloyd Feb 27th

Early Adopter Pain Is Real, But We Need It For Progress

New tech products are usually expensive, semi-useless, and buggy. When describing the feeling of first-generation tech, a certain phrase comes to mind. No, it isn’t “buyers remorse,” it’s “early ...

What Is SD Express and How Much Faster Is It?

SD cards are about to get bigger and faster. The new SD Express standard will increase the maximum capacity and speed significantly. SD Express cards are backward compatible with your current hardware, but you’ll need ...

Josh Hendrickson Feb 26th

What’s New in Chrome 73, Arriving March 12

Chrome 73 is set to hit the stable channel on March 12, 2019. Google’s new browser update features the beginnings of a built-in dark mode, tab grouping, media key support, and more picture-in-picture powers....

Android Gets FIDO2 Certification for Quick, Secure Web Logins

You’ve long been able to log in to mobile apps like banking and credit institutions using biometric verifications, but with FIDO2 certifications, this same convenience is coming to the web on over half of all Android de...

Cameron Summerson Feb 25th

4 Smarthome Hubs You’ve Never Heard Of (And Why You Shouldn’t Use Them)

Hubs are often the backbone of the smarthome, and you can pick from an extensive list of hub manufacturers. But not all smarthomes are made equal, and not all are worth your consideration. Here’s a few to skip....

See All Your PC Games in One Place With Playnite

If you’re a PC gamer, you probably use too many game stores. Steam, Epic, Origin, Uplay, Twitch, GOG, Battle.net, Bethesda—it goes on and on. Playnite is a universal library for all your PC games, and it’s o...

Chris Hoffman Feb 23rd

Facebook Is Killing Onavo, Its Spyware VPN App

Facebook is shutting down Onavo, the controversial data collecting app. But the company plans to continue spy-like research in the future.

Andrew Heinzman Feb 22nd

Google and Amazon Are Killing the Smarthome Hub, and That’s Great

Since the dawn of the smart home, the smart hub has been the brains at the center of the operation. But, thanks to Google and Amazon, hubs are less necessary and may soon become a thing of the past.

You’ll Have to Replace Your $160 AirPods Every Few Years

AirPods are one of Apple’s most beloved new products. But, if you love them so much that you use them every day, expect the irreplaceable batteries to only last a few years at most.

Why You Can’t Buy a Self-Driving Car in 2019

Self-driving cars have been on our minds for a while now, and manufacturers seem to be making progress every day. But when will you have a self-driving car in your driveway?

Which is Cheaper: Printing Your Own Photos or Using a Printing Service?

With the rise of inexpensive online photo printing services, inkjet printers have fallen out of favor. But, as with any DIY project, some people claim that it’s cheaper to print photos at home. Is that really true?...

How to Block Trackers in Firefox (Without Installing Add-ons)

Websites track you online to show you targeted advertisements, and Firefox 65 is just the latest browser to help you opt out. You can now block tracking content online without the need for a third-party add-on....

Brady Gavin Feb 19th

Alexa, Siri, and Google Don’t Understand a Word You Say

Voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri have come a long way in the last few years. But, for all their improvements, one thing holds them back: They don’t understand you. They rely too much on specific v...

5 GHz Wi-Fi Isn’t Always Better Than 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi

Are you having trouble with your Wi-Fi connection? Try using 2.4 GHz instead of 5 GHz. Sure, 5 GHz Wi-Fi is newer, faster, and less congested—but it has a weakness. 2.4 GHz is better at covering large areas and penetrat...

Here We Go Again: 127 Million Accounts Stolen From 8 More Websites

Several days ago, a hacker put 617 million accounts from 16 different websites for sale on the dark web. Now, the same hacker is offering 127 million more records from another eight websites.

Chris Hoffman Feb 15th

Windows 10 Will Finally Offer Easy Access to Linux Files

Windows 10’s April 2019 Update brings a long-awaited feature: Support for easily accessing, viewing, and even modifying Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) files from File Explorer or via the command line....

Chris Hoffman Feb 15th

Are IR Scanners in Phones Bad for Your Eyes?

New Apple and Samsung phones use infrared light to verify your identity. It’s like a hands-free version of the fingerprint scanner. But can the infrared lights used for Face ID and Iris Scanner hurt your eyes?...

Google Glass Isn’t Dead; It’s the Future of Industry

Google Glass lived a short, sad life. And when you look back, it feels like a bit of a dream. But the dream isn’t over yet, because Glass has found itself an industrial career.

How to Get Settlement Money If You Bought a Vizio Smart TV

Last year, Vizio was sued for reportedly spying on customers and using this data to target ads. This resulted in a $17 million class-action lawsuit that is now paying customers who bought a Vizio smart TV between February of ...

Cameron Summerson Feb 13th

Change Your Passwords: 617 Million Accounts Were Stolen Across 16 Different Sites

Right now, anyone can go on the dark web and purchase the account data of 617 million people across 16 different websites for less than $20,000. This account data includes birthdays, email addresses, full names, and hashed pa...

Andrew Heinzman Feb 13th

Why Do Some Websites Block VPNs?

One of the only ways to protect your right to privacy and information online is to use a VPN. Some websites infringe on those rights by blocking VPNs, but they do it for a good reason.

Get Your Dark Mode Fix with Google’s New Chrome Theme(s)

Did you know Chrome has themes? Most people probably realized this at one point but since forgot. Google wants to remind us that themes in Chrome are a thing with a bunch of new internally-designed looks for your favorite bro...

Cameron Summerson Feb 12th

No, Smart Meters Aren’t Dangerous to Your Health

Before you head off to search for what smart meters are, you need to hear something very important: Smart meters, like any other device that emits radio frequency radiation, do not pose any risk to your health....