What's the latest way to smuggle malware into your computer? What do drones, Walmart, and Hamburger Helper have in common? And should you worry if Grandma starts communicating with a lampshade? 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 time you visit a website or otherwise traverse the Internet, you leave tracks. Some of that is just the way the Internet was designed, and some is a little more tricky. If you're interested in enhancing your online privacy, or hiding your online tracks with web privacy tools, read on...

A reader asks: 'Sometimes I hear a click-click sound from my hard drive, but it's only occasionally. Does this mean my hard drive is going to crash soon? Are there any tests I can run to check the health of my hard drive?' Read on to learn the tell-tale signs of impending hard drive doom, and some things you can do now to protect your data...

Cybersecurity agencies of the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom have kindly compiled a list of the top poor “cyber hygiene practices” that allow hackers, crackers and even slackers to compromise a victim’s computer. The report identifies common exploits that may allow unauthorized person to gain access to a poorly secured system. The Cybersecurity Advisory was published as a joint effort of the FBI, NSA, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security, the UK's The National Cyber Security Centre, and security agencies in New Zealand and the Netherlands. Read on to learn which security mistakes you must avoid...

A computer is like a car in one respect: both tend to accumulate junk in hard-to-reach places. Cleaning out your car can be a messy, sweaty job with plenty of opportunities for back injuries. Cleaning out a PC is a more civilized affair. Here are some free tools to clean up your hard drive, improve system performance, and make sure your backups run smoothly...

Can you find the name of a person or business if all you know about them is a phone number or street address? What if all you have is an email address or a photo? This type of search is called a reverse directory lookup. Learn about the free and fee-based reverse search tools you can find online...

Will humans outnumber little green men on Mars by the end of this decade? Can we trust Amazon reviews? How easy is it to crash Google Docs? And can you pay your mobile phone bill by watching ads? 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!

An operating system is a complex beast. If things go wrong with Windows, it can be difficult to track down the source of the glitch. But you can put away the screwdriver, sledgehammer and chainsaw, because there are plenty of free troubleshooters you can use to fix most problems. Here's my recommended list of free Windows problem solvers…

What should you do if you don't want your phone number and address showing up in Google search results? If you commit a crime while vacationing on the Moon, will you be arrested by Canadian Mounties on horseback? And have the robot overlords finally replaced human workers in Amazon warehouses? 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've used Time Machine on a Mac (or had to listen to a Mac owner brag about it), and wished there was something similar for Windows, here's good news. File History is a cool feature available in Windows 10 and 11 that can save your bacon by automatically making multiple backup copies of your important files. Here's how it works...

Can a billionaire extend the light of consciousness just by purchasing a social media platform? Which flavor should you vape if you want to mazimize the damage to your internal organs? And how much money will you save if you buy iPhone replacement parts from Apple and fix your own phone? 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!

Anti-virus programs are awesomely sophisticated these days, featuring heuristics, real-time monitoring, blacklists, reputation systems, and still... they don't always keep bad things out of your computer! YOU are the last line of defense against hackers and malware, so you should be familiar with these telltale symptoms that your computer, smartphone or online account has been compromised...

When your Internet seems sluggish, 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, as well as 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...

Have you made the move from Windows 10 to Windows 11? If you've already upgraded, here are some tips for getting the most out of the Windows 11 experience. If you're holding off, and your PC has the required hardware, check out these five new features that await you when Windows 11 arrives on your screen.

Has life been discovered on Jupiter? Can a sneaky text message drain your bank account? Are the Netflix Police going to crack down on password sharing? What the heck is Oreo-logy? And what are the mushrooms trying to tell us? 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!