Do online simulations of cosmetic surgery have a negative impact on your mental health? Can a new app use your horoscope to predict winners in the stock market? Does cord cutting lead to loss of privacy? And how environmentally friendly are electric vehicles? 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!

If you occasionally need to access your own computer or someone else's from a remote location, you may already know about GoToMyPC or LogMeIn. These services are really handy if you have a friend who needs help, or you're away from home and need something from your computer. GotoMyPC's remote access service costs $44/month, and LogMeIn's free version was killed off several years ago. But you can still do remote access and screen sharing for free! Read on to learn how it works...

The simple sounding task of backing up one’s data is not so simple when you start reading advertisements and reviews of backup software. “It does full, partial, and incremental backups; mirrors and clones disk drives…” If that makes your head spin, let's take these terms and explain them all in plain English. Read on!

Will deepfake videos add even more chaos to the 2020 elections? Is artificial intelligence a gift to humanity, or an enemy of the human race? And is your aging Windows 7 computer twice as likely to be infected as one with Windows 10? 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!

Do you know how to get the most out of Google Search? Sometimes the standard search strategy – “just type in a few words” – doesn’t yield the optimal results. You may get too many results, or marginally relevant ones. The true disciples of “Google Fu” know the following secret ways to get exactly what they want from the world’s largest search engine. Read on to learn the secrets of the masters...

You might be wondering 'How fast is my internet speed?' or 'Why is my internet slow?' These are common questions, and there are quite a few definitions of internet speed and several free ways to test it. Here's the scoop on Internet speed tests, and why you definitely should check your speed every once in a while. Read on...

When your hard disk drive is crammed full of data, or the buzzing of the bearing says it’s nearing the end of its life cycle, then it’s time to consider a new drive. That used to be a simple matter of choosing a bigger drive; maybe one that spun faster; or one with speedier I/O bus. But today, your options are multiplied and decisions are more complicated. Read on...

My software strategy for several years has been to move away from commercial (paid) programs to free alternatives, preferably open source or web-based. I'll share my reasons for doing this, and some free software options that you can explore. Read on!

Experts say everyone should use two-factor authentication, but is that enough to secure your online accounts? Did Microsoft just announce that Windows is no longer important? Should you be worried about newly-discovered malware that can intercept encrypted Web traffic? And what's in those 2000-year-old scrolls? 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!

If you have an aging personal computer that's struggling to keep up with modern apps and operating systems, should you junk it and buy a new one, or upgrade its capabilities? What about the Windows 7 deadline that's approaching? If you can afford only one upgrade, which will give you the most improvement for your money? The answers are highly dependent upon your specific circumstances, but here are some general guidelines...

Over the last thirty years, one piece of software has stood out – head and shoulders – over any other piece of software. In fact, for many people this ubiquitous software has been the first thing installed on any new computer and is often used every time the computer is turned on. Can you guess what it is...?

Will bubbles in the space-time continuum make it possible for spaceships to travel faster than the speed of light? Why did a little-known librarian from a small town just get inducted into the Internet Hall of Fame? And will your next online purchase be delivered by drone, or will that annoying neighbor kid shoot it down with a garden hose? 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!

Every so often, you'll hear a scary story in the news about the spooky, dangerous “Dark Web” where criminals, terrorists, hackers, and spammers conspire to victimize unwitting Internet users. The reality is a bit more balanced and not so scary. There is a “Deep Web” that you can't access with ordinary search engines, and a “Dark Web” where people lurk anonymously for both good and evil purposes. Read on...

If you scanned that headline quickly, you might have read it as 'Your Password Is Not Strong Enough.' The point of today's article is no matter how strong your password, it's not enough to protect you. Some security tips bear repetition. I've been beating the drum for two-factor authentication for several years. I know, it sounds geeky, but it's actually a simple tool that can protect you even if your password is stolen or compromised in a data breach. Here's what you need to know...

It's convenient when coffee shops, bookstores, airports, hotels, and other public places provide free access to wireless Internet hotspots. But along with that convenience comes the danger of being digitally mugged. Here are some some simple tips you can use to make sure you're not broadcasting your business to snoops and hackers while using wifi hotspots...