Google is offering two online video courses aimed at turning ordinary mortals into Google “Power Searchers” who can use the search giant’s most sophisticated tools to quickly search, research complex questions, and find the most pertinent results. You might be surprised by how well that pays, and by the might of your own Google Fu. Read on, grasshopper...

If you buy a new computer these days, it will most likely come with Windows 10. Some people still prefer Windows 7 or 8.1, and I respect their right to make that choice. But Microsoft doesn’t. The folks in Redmond are refusing to dish out security updates to many Win7 and Win8 systems. But there's a way to get around that. Read on!

For the past few weeks, I've been writing a series on router security, and in this final installment I'll tell you what I think it the MOST important security feature that your router should have. “Self-updating” is the basement floor of my house of router standards. I can’t imagine Windows without self-updating, and keeping a router’s operating system patched is no less critical. Read on for my recommendations on secure, self-updating routers...

You may be aware that your router has a “guest network” feature, and you may think you know what it does. But a guest network is useful even when you do not have visiting relatives or friends. Let’s look at guest networks in detail and see how one can protect your home from cyber-intruders constantly...

Can you name the computer so massive that it required a one-acre building, four stories high? If you're worried about bugs in your software, how would you feel about snakes in your hardware? And what really happens when you eat a Kit Kat bar the wrong way? This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and, comment!

I am still stunned by the free gift that Nicholas Jitkoff has given to all Internet users! Appropriately released on the USA’s Independence Day, July 4, it’s a way to create websites that exist independent from any hosting service. The uses of Jitkoff’s gift, named “itty.bitty,” are many, and so are their implications for the privacy and freedom of all Internet users. Here is how it works, and some examples of what it can mean for you…

As home network owners become more aware of security threats that target routers they are asking, “Does my security suite defend my router along with the other devices on my network?” Let’s look at some of the most popular security suites and see exactly how they protect routers, if they do so at all. Read on...

Avast and AVG are two of the most respected names in Internet security software. But many consumers don’t know that they became one company in October, 2016, when Avast bought AVG for $1.6 billion. Since then, the two software brands have remained distinct. But under the hood, they have grown more alike. There are still some differences in important features that may sway your choice. Let’s compare Avast Free Antivirus to AVG AntiVirus Free...

Summer is traditionally a slow time for tech news. Big conferences, where important research and product releases are officially announced, are held in the Spring and Fall. But publishers need stories to publish, so if news does not materialize it must be manufactured, and if its manufactured outrage, all the better. Outrage gets more clicks than anything rated “G” on the Internet. Read on the see why I'm ranting today...

If the first cyber attack happened 184 years ago, does that prove Al Gore is a time traveler? Why is Mickey Mouse so happy about new security procedures at Orlando International Airport? And what's the best low-tech way to keep school kids from cheating on standardized tests? This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and, comment!

“The third time’s the charm,” they say. We’re about to find out if that adage holds water in the case of WiFi Protected Access, the security protocol and certification system developed by the WiFi Alliance of industry heavyweights. The WPA3 protocol is finally ready and will start appearing in products like routers and network adapters before the end of 2018. Read on to see what the problems were with earlier versions, and what to expect in WPA3...

Do you ever get the feeling your doctor is too busy typing notes into a laptop to hear what you are trying to say about the symptoms you are experiencing? No, it’s not just you who thinks so; according to a recent survey of over 500 physicians who use electronic health records (EHR) systems every day, all of that mandatory note-taking is interfering with patient care. Read on to learn what doctors say is wrong with the computerization of healthcare, and how they want it to be fixed...

Why do our brains tell us to instinctively ignore security warnings on the computer? Did the European Parliament just ban Grumpy Cat? And what technological advance did you miss on National Selfie Day? This issue is guaranteed to make you 146% smarter -- you'll see why. Read, think, and, comment!

This article is part of a series on the subject of router security. In this article, we will examine one type of router vulnerability and learn how to protect your system from hackers and malware that seek to exploit this type of vulnerability. Our subject today is, “unnecessary open ports,” a very common vulnerability. Read on...

Never mind the death of Net Neutrality. A bigger threat to the wallets of Internet consumers looms as social media platforms give content producers the tools to charge monthly subscription fees to consumers. But is that a bad thing? Read on for the forecast, and the pros and cons of a paid Internet social life...