Once brushed aside as “Luddite hysteria,” the addictive power of technology (and smartphones in particular) is now taken quite seriously by scientists, policymakers, and even Apple shareholders. Research has shown decisively that too much “screen time” is harmful, especially to children. Here's an analysis of the problem, and some tips on breaking free...

The driver’s license is arguably the most important document in your wallet. It conveys not only permission to operate a motor vehicle, it actually gives you permission to exist officially and engage in commerce. Will a digital driver's license on your smartphone soon replace that card in your wallet? Here's what you need to know...

It seems like just another data breach story of corporate carelessness and individual incompetence until you read what kind of data was leaked. Then comes the surprise, followed by shock and outrage: Anyone on the Internet could track the location of any phone. Read on...

Yesterday I forgot where I left my keys. Perhaps if my brain had more free memory available, I would have remembered that I set them down on the tool bench in the basement. Like your brain, a computer works better when there's plenty of memory available to execute tasks and process information. So let’s see how we can address a low-memory situation before it becomes a real problem...

In many tech troubleshooting articles you’ll find a way to fix a problem that involves “editing the Windows registry.” There’s always a dire warning attached, along the lines of, “Do not attempt to edit the registry unless you know what you’re doing! One wrong registry edit can render your machine unusable!” That's true, but with a bit of caution, you can safely edit the registry. Here's what you need to know...

I have always been a fan of free software; all but a handful of the hundreds of programs I have recommended over the years have had a free version as well as a paid one. Every top-tier anti-malware suite offers full-spectrum protection in its free version. So why pay for any of it? Here's my take on the paid version of one popular Internet security product...

Is there an app that can make sense out of a baby's babbling? Will robot dogs be fetching your newspaper soon? And why do the laws of physics prevent us from knowing the exact location of IBM's new quantum computing lab? 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 call a fine restaurant, talk to a maitre d’, reserve a table, and later find out “he” was a souped-up version of Siri, does it really matter? You got your reservation, and probably got it more efficiently than if you had talked to a human being. Well, to some people this scenario is the stuff of nightmares. Should humans get full disclosure when they're talking to a software robot with the ability to carry on intelligent conversation? Read on...

It’s been more than a decade since “cord-cutting” entered our lexicon. The term refers to consumers who have canceled their cable TV services and rely on Internet video services such as Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Video, and Hulu, over-the-air broadcast TV, or some combination of the above. The promise of cord-cutting was “big savings.” But have those savings materialized? Let's do the math -- read on...

Did you know that you can get fast Internet access without paying a faceless corporate internet service provider? There's a grassroots movement that's connecting people via community mesh networks, and it's exciting to see it grow. Here's the scoop on mesh networking...

Are you interested in researching your relatives and ancestors, or creating a family tree? Are you looking for good software or websites where you can do genealogy research?' You've come to the right place! Read on for some of the best online genealogy tools...

Is it really possible for hackers to steal your face? Why is a new document released by Microsoft causing geeks to injure their fingers? And can you replace a visit to the eye doctor with a visit to a website? 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!

The fifth generation of cellular networking technology is imminent. This new 5G tech will explode several logjams in the river of cellular data traffic, enabling more than just faster mobile download speeds. Let’s take a look at 5G’s capabilities and their implications for all of us...

Microsoft’s OneDrive cloud storage service now comes installed by default with Windows 10. That OneDrive folder is on your File Explorer tree and there is no getting rid of it, even if you deactivate the OneDrive app. Microsoft wants OneDrive to be always part of your Windows experience. So let’s see what OneDrive can do, and why MS is pushing it so hard...

Facebook has long faced withering criticism for bombarding users with ads in their news feeds, groups, sidebars, and anyplace there might be as scrap of white space. The ads are supposedly targeted to one’s interests, but the volume, invasiveness, and what many believe is dirty, underhanded trickery makes the average person lose interest in all ads pretty quickly. Read on to learn what you can (and cannot) control when it comes to Facebook ads and privacy...