Tech Refresh: Alexa privacy, Twitter's new strike system, mobile gaming

March 5, 2021

Yes, your smart speaker is always listening for the wake word, but there’s another privacy concern you need to know about. Plus, Twitter has a new five-strike policy for people caught sharing misinformation, and you may qualify for $50 off your internet bill each month. Then, the team talks all things mobile gaming.

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Privacy warning: Do mental health apps share your data?

No matter what you do online, your privacy should be a priority. Whether you’re shopping or working, your information and data are at risk.

There are ways to protect yourself, including changing your browsing habits, keeping your devices updated and more. Tap or click here to see how a virtual private network can help keep you safe.

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Sell your Dr. Seuss books and make money now

Updated 03/04/2021: Since we first published the article, eBay has removed certain listings of books by Dr. Seuss, claiming they violate its offensive materials policy.

Times are tough, and many people are selling their stuff to make ends meet. Even if you weather the pandemic storm, it never hurts to make a little extra money during spring cleaning.

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Amazon is banning books and films they don’t like

Big Tech companies have so much power that even a small step creates an earthquake that ripples throughout the world. For instance, Amazon has quietly adopted a new policy against any books or movies with material it considers hate speech.

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Secret way to rearrange multiple iPhone apps at once

You’d be surprised at what you don’t know when it comes to your smartphone. Even if you think you know it all, an update is always right around the corner to change that.

Samsung sells more smartphones than any other brand and the Galaxy reins as its most popular model. You may already love your Galaxy, but what if it could do more? Tap or click here to get the most out of your Samsung Galaxy.

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Sick of creepy personalized ads? Facebook is trying hard to change your mind

Apple’s upcoming iOS 14.5 update brings with it a host of new features like face mask unlocking and crowdsourcing accidents. Currently available in public beta form, the official release isn’t expected until later this month.

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10 surprising smart home devices you didn't know about

For a long time, smart homes were more trendy than commonplace. Now, technology is taking over the home, making our lives easier than ever before.

You probably know about smart switches, lights and music players. Actually, there are a ton of other devices you may not have imagined could be digitized. For example, smart forks and frying pans can make your dinner routine a breeze.

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Uh oh, Roomba vacuums 'drunk' after firmware update

Virtual assistants and autonomous devices make our daily chores around the house a lot easier. While they can’t put the kids to bed yet, having a semi-autonomous robot to vacuum the living room is a good start.

If you’ve never owned a robot vacuum, you’re missing out. These amazing machines take all the effort out of keeping your floors clean, and you might be surprised at just how great they work. As amazing as they are, glitches can arise. Tap or click here to see how one model could easily short circuit.

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God Mode:' Windows 10 trick shows all your settings in one place

Setting things up in Windows 10 can be tricky. Beyond readily available features, not everyone will think to tinker with other settings. While it is a good idea not to change settings you are not familiar with, there is an easy way to have Windows perform to your liking. Tap or click here to get rid of the junk in your Windows 10 Start menu.

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PSA: Flash is dead. Don't fall for this phony alert

Adobe has officially ended support for Flash. It came as no surprise, really, as several security issues have plagued Flash over the years. Tap or click here to see how cybercriminals recently hid malware in a spoofed Flash update.

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How to make sure Big Tech really isn't listening

Our privacy is decreasing as we become more reliant on our devices. We enjoy the convenience of voice recognition and commands, but these features expose us in ways we might not be aware of.

Whether we consented to it or not, our smartphones, speakers and home devices are always listening. In most cases, they need just a “wake word” to activate. Tap or click here to find out if your iPhone or Android phones are listening.

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