TurboTax $141M settlement, Google I/O surprises & Amazon’s TikTok clone

May 17, 2023

Plus, are online sports bettors destined to lose money? Finance journalist Randall Smith shares his findings from a Wall Street Journal investigation. Also, save big on rideshares with my Uber vs. Lyft comparison. Discover the top-paying cybersecurity jobs, free finance calculators to manage debt and cloud storage options.

Tags: cybersecurity, finance, Google, Lyft, Uber, Wall Street Journal

Smile! You’re on cam at the airport

Be on the lookout for face-scanning tech next time you fly. Airports in Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Orlando and a few other cities are using facial recognition to speed up the security process. Worth it or invasive? Depends on who you ask.

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A beer-powered motorcycle

Ky Michaelson from Minnesota has invented countless machines, holds a ton of patents and has set dozens of speed records. His latest creation: A beer-powered motorcycle that runs on a 14-gallon keg. You have to see this thing.

How to filter certain words from your Facebook feed

There was a time when the whole internet was buzzing about Wordle. People were sharing results on social media, bragging about beating the day’s game and accidentally spoiling the fun for friends who hadn’t played yet. That’s why one reader asked Kim, “Is there a way to mute words on Facebook so I don’t see my friend’s Wordle posts?”

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Tech fix: What to do when you can't download apps to your Android phone

Unfortunately, there are times when the apps you want to add to your Android won’t download. You may try and try but end up staring at the screen, waiting endlessly for the app to load on your device.

Complicating the issue is there are tons of reasons apps won’t download. Here are some steps to troubleshoot the problem and download apps again on your Android.

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5 useful apps every senior should download

Do you have seniors in your life who don’t take full advantage of their smartphones? It’s pretty standard since not everyone grew up with these technological wonders. Tap or click here for hidden apps on your smartphone and how to find them.

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The future of mowing the lawn

Robotic lawnmowers onboard GPS can leave 10% of owners’ lawns remain untouched for bees, butterflies, and whatever else. Check out this video that explains how it works.

Steve Jobs' uncashed check, ChatGPT job heist & dead phone hacks

Plus, be careful with QR codes. Clever new scams are spreading fast. How much is $1,000 worth of Apple shares in 1998 worth today? (Hint: It’s a lot!). A heartwarming Facebook story, fun ChatGPT-powered tools, video game speedruns and how to upgrade your browser with an underrated feature.

May 15 tech news roundup: Win on eBay, Google beta test, AI video giveaways

Every day in my email newsletter, The Current Tech News, I share the news you need to know. Like what you read? Get it in your inbox.

Win at eBay: New study analyzed 25 million transactions. When bidding, best to use a round percentage of the asking price. Say a seller wants $34. You’ll win the bid at $17 or 50% more often than had you bid $18 or 53%.

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Have an idea for an app? Here's why you should go for it

Have an idea for an app? Go for it. Seriously. Apple says 90% of its developers are small, with fewer than 1 million downloads and less than $1 million a year in revenue. And as a group, their revenue grew by 87% in the U.S. over the last couple of years.

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What made the penny farthing so dangerous?

In the 1800s, before modern bicycles, there was the penny farthing. It’s the iconic bike with one giant wheel up front and a tiny wheel in the back. You might not know that it caused hundreds of injuries. Eventually, the modern bike came along and was initially called the “safety bicycle.” So, why was the penny farthing so dangerous and what was the reason for the giant wheel in the first place?