Recent Comments
Comment by cal67 on Geekly Update - 23 October 2024 (October 25, 2024 12:22 PM)
Note that Adobe Fresco is only available for iPhone or iPad, so not truly for all users....
Comment by Wilfred Comeau on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 24, 2024 11:04 PM)
I have had Netflix since they began. I do believe that " Passwords " should be kept within a family household. I do allow my children to use it when t...
Comment by Sandy Jewell on Geekly Update - 23 October 2024 (October 24, 2024 01:06 AM)
Since AI looks like Al, I've named him Alfred!...
Comment by Dave White on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 23, 2024 07:48 PM)
So if you use a VPN, how does IP-based enforcement work? I also use Netflix when traveling and haven't had any issue, so it would seem that there is ...
Comment by Jean-Marc on Geekly Update - 23 October 2024 (October 23, 2024 06:44 PM)
Bob, I LOVE your Geekly updates! They are always quite interesting, and they remind me the now defunct Tourbus... If you ever plan a trip to France, d...
Comment by dan on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 23, 2024 03:22 AM)
When we first signed up for Netflix, their rules specifically allowed us to add an elderly friend (living alone nearby) to our account. That seems to ...
Comment by Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. (Oldster) on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 22, 2024 10:02 PM)
@Georgia, you are incorrect. Streaming services, such as Netflix, and Disney+, incur significant costs when they produce their own movies, Television-...
Comment by Georgia on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 22, 2024 08:59 PM)
I have no problem ripping off companies that don't physically produce a product, like say clothing or food. Their (Netflix e.g.) cost of selling each...
Comment by TW on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 22, 2024 08:52 PM)
This is being looked at incorrectly. You don't have to give anyone your password, to most streaming services, to grant them access. Most sites have a ...
Comment by Hugh Gautier on Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services? (October 22, 2024 08:05 PM)
As for sharing passwords, unless the site is totally secure, I wouldn't share a password. Oh, yeah you could, but then again you would have to make su...
Geekly Update - 23 October 2024
Was the last tattered vestige of your privacy just swallowed up by data brokers, or did you willingly hand it over? Will dorky augmented reality glasses soon replace your smartphone? Is using AI-generated content in your term paper cheating? And is there a way to circumvent Windows 11's strict hardware requirements? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!
Posted by Bob Rankin on October 23, 2024 | Category: Tech-News
Can I Share My Password for Netflix and Other Streaming Services?
The question of whether you can legally or ethically share your password for Netflix and other streaming services is a hot topic. With access to enormous collections of films, TV shows, documentaries, and more, streaming services have emerged as a crucial component of contemporary entertainment. However, the manner in which users share these services raises concerns about what is acceptable and what the potential repercussions might be. Read on for a look at the details of this question...
Posted by Bob Rankin on October 22, 2024 | Category: Video
The Most Common Computing Mistakes (how many have you made?)
You might prefer to blame hackers, cyber-criminals, and shoddy software, but the unpleasant truth is that most computer problems are caused by users. Here's the good news: there are a few basic steps you can take to avoid malware infections, data loss, and performance issues. Too often, people try to save time or money by cutting corners, and they end up paying the price. Check out my list of common computing mistakes, and how to fix (or even better, avoid) them. Read on...
Posted by Bob Rankin on October 17, 2024 | Category: Security
Try These Free Online Photo Editors
An AskBob reader says: 'I don’t have Adobe Photoshop and I’m looking for a photo editor that I can use on the go. What do you recommend for photo editing when I’m away from my home computer?' It turns out there are quite a few online image and photo editors, and the features they offer are quite impressive. Check out these free web-based image editing tools that are just a click away...
Posted by Bob Rankin on October 11, 2024 | Category: Photography
Yes, You Do Need a Disposable Email Address
It seems everyone wants your email address -- shopping sites, your bank, your doctor, the grocery store, even the vendors at the local farmer’s market. It’s no wonder our spam filters are so busy! But I do wonder which of the many entities that have my email address gave it away, sold it, or carelessly lost it in a data breach. A disposable email address provides a handy solution to this and other privacy problems. Read on to learn more...
Posted by Bob Rankin on October 08, 2024 | Category: Email
A Time Machine for the Internet?
Have you ever wondered what the Internet looked like 25 years ago? The Internet Archive has been crawling the Web since 1996, taking snapshots of Web pages and preserving them for posterity. Today, approximately 835 billion Web pages, 44 million books, millions of images, audio recordings, and video, along with a million games and software programs are stored on the IA’s servers. Read on to learn how you can access the Wayback Machine, an amazing resource that offers a window into both the history and the present of the Internet...
Posted by Bob Rankin on October 01, 2024 | Category: Reference
So You Dropped Your Phone in the...
For a variety of reasons, millions of mobile phones are “drowned” each year. When your phone stops working after falling into the sink, toilet, bathtub, swimming pool, muddy puddle, lake or the ocean, can it be saved? In many cases the answer is “yes,” if you do the right things and don’t do the wrong things. If you're thinking about using rice, silica gel, cat litter, couscous, or instant oatmeal, don't waste your time. Here's what you need to know if your device is dunked, and the tale of my unsuccessful attempts to teach my phone to swim...
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 26, 2024 | Category: Mobile
Geekly Update - 25 September 2024
Can you prevent Facebook and Instagram from scraping your social media data to train their AI models? Should you hand your phone to the police, when they ask to see your digital driver's license? Is anything being done to stem the tide of phony product reviews on Amazon and other ecommerce sites? And is AI really all about creating God in our image? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 25, 2024 | Category: Tech-News
[ALERT] Fake Facebook Profile - What to do?
Today I got a message from an AskBob reader, alerting me that someone had made a fake Facebook profile in my name. The malefactor pretending to be me stole my profile picture, reposted some of my updates, and was already running a scam. Fortunately, that reader wasn’t fooled, and was kind enough to let me know about the bogus account. Sadly, this happens all the time. Here’s what I did, and what you need to know about fake Facebook profiles...
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 24, 2024 | Category: Facebook
Geekly Update - 19 September 2024
Will these new tech devices allow the blind to see and the deaf to hear? Has Toyota solved the problem of small children being left behind in locked cars? And have AI deepfakes ruined everthing? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 19, 2024 | Category: Tech-News
Here's How to Upgrade Your Older Computer (and when you shouldn't)
Is your computer bogged down with the weight of Cosmic Computer Crud that's built up over the years? Is it struggling to keep up with the latest apps and modern operating systems? Perhaps you wonder, should you junk it and buy a new one, or upgrade its hardware? The answer is highly dependent upon your specific circumstances. Here are my tips and guidelines for making that decision, and some Windows 11 considerations too...
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 17, 2024 | Category: Hardware
Optimize Your Hard Drive: How and Why
When things go bonkers with your computer, the source of the problem is often in the hard drive. One of the best things you can do to prevent computer problems and improve performance is to keep your hard drive in tip-top shape. Here are some of the most important tasks for hard drive optimization, plus some nifty (and free) hard drive maintenance utilities that make getting them done a breeze...
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 12, 2024 | Category: Hard-Drives
Geekly Update - 11 September 2024
Everyone knows that Doritos are addicting, but can they also make you invisible? Will a new Apple Watch clone transport you back to 1978? And Surgeon General warnings didn't do much to curb cigarette smoking, but will they make a difference for teens addicted to social media? Get answers in today's Geekly Update... it's jam-packed with the latest tech news. This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and comment!
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 11, 2024 | Category: Tech-News
Is Your Laptop Secure? (find out now)
Laptops are popular because they offer computing with convenience and mobility. But that makes it imperative for laptop owners to take steps to secure their laptops, and the sensitive data often stored on them. There are several simple things that you can do to keep your laptop safe. Read on to learn how to protect your laptop from theft, snooping and data loss...
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 10, 2024 | Category: Laptops
Will a Smartwatch Save Your Life?
The common wristwatch has had a technological metamorphosis in recent years, changing from a basic timepiece to an advanced, multipurpose gadget that can display notifications, make phone calls, receive messages, and play music. But in addition to those functions, the latest smartwatches can track your fitness, and even your health. With their abundance of sensors, apps, and connectivity, smartwatches are quickly taking over as a necessary component of contemporary life. Even though tracking steps and alerting users to incoming messages may have been their main functions, they now contain life-saving features that you may not have known about. But can a smartwatch actually save your life? Read on to learn some of the amazing things a smartwatch can do...
Posted by Bob Rankin on September 09, 2024 | Category: Gadgets