Waiting game: The wired model of Google’s Nest Doorbell is glitchy. After lots of complaints, it’s finally getting a fix. No confirmation on when, but it’s still good to know, in case you were considering replacing yours.
CEO snark
When Jeff Bezos was CEO, customers would email him complaints. He would forward those complaints to department heads with just one character. What was that one character?
Overwhelmed with spam texts? Do this now
Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.
Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.
A swing and … a miss: From the someone-is-getting-fired files, Apple’s FineWoven cases have attracted so many complaints that they’ve been slapped with a “frequently returned item” badge on Amazon. If you’re after a new case for your iPhone, I like this one (50% off!) and this one.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Neighbors bashing you online? Check Nextdoor's top trending discussions
The web is chock full of hilarious snippets and screenshots of neighbors gone wild across the country, all documented in the Nextdoor app.
Like the house blasting “Sweet Child O’ Mine” for three days straight. Hey, there are worse songs. Or how about those friendly people around the corner offering free (already cut open) avocados and expired salad dressing? Umm, pass.
Study: These cities are targeted most by identity theft
Identity theft is no joke. The FTC reports 441,482 cases of credit card fraud in the U.S. last year alone.
All told, the Commission received 1.1 million total identity theft complaints.
About time! FCC passes new rules to block (some) spam texts
SMS scams come in many forms, and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is finally cracking down on perpetrators with a new piece of legislation. This action focuses on the service provider’s role in protecting its customers.
7 things to do after a hacker breaks into your computer
I always feel sympathy when I hear about hackers breaking into someone’s computer. I felt terrible when Phillis from Orlando Beach, FL, called the show and said hackers stole $150,000 from her brother’s PC. If you’ve ever been hacked, you know how scary it is.
Here's what adding your number to the National Do Not Call Registry does
Most people don’t even reach for their phone when caller ID doesn’t identify the caller. When it says unknown caller or private, there is a good chance it’s a robocall or a telemarketer. Tap or click here to see the top five scam calls and what you can do to get them to finally stop.
Outlook is getting a huge redesign - Here's a sneak peek
When you want to discuss a promotion with your boss, you send an email. When you want to file a complaint with a company, you send an email. Email carries weight and formality lacking in other forms of communication such as text messages.
This mistake could make getting into your Google account almost impossible
Your devices and accounts should always be secured with strong, unique passwords. There’s no excuse to use credentials you can easily remember, as password managers can fill in the information for you.
Being locked out of your account is a frustrating experience, but it’s better than having one that’s easily hacked. If you find yourself locked out, be careful who you turn to for help. It’s just another opportunity for scammers to find a new victim. Tap or click here for more.
The world complains about these consoles, mobiles and laptops the most
They say the cream always rises to the top. On the opposite side, the scum sinks to the bottom. For every beloved Apple and Android product, there’s an equally-loathed item that users vent about on social media.
Electronics Hub wanted to see which devices people complain about the most. Its team created a complaint detection tool that analyzed thousands of tweets that mentioned popular tech products. They used Twitter because it’s usually the No. 1 place people go to when they want to scream into the social media void.
New law protects you from surprise medical bills after an emergency
You can’t escape medical expenses. Whether you are on regular medication or treatment, have an annual checkup or experience an unplanned visit to the doctor, the bills will follow.
You could be on prescription medication to treat a temporary ailment or a lifetime plan. Either way, you could be facing some hefty costs. Fortunately, there’s a way to save up to 80% on your prescriptions. Tap or click here to learn how.
Looking for an e-bike or scooter? The BBB says avoid this company
A few years ago, scooters seemed to be everywhere. You couldn’t walk down the sidewalk without seeing a kid whizzing by. Since then, they have fallen out of favor, with many turning their attention to e-bikes. Tap or click here for our review on a popular ebike.
A new rule lets debt collectors message you on social media - Here's what they can and can't do
Social media connects us to others — but not all those connections are good. Sometimes you’ll come across people you’d rather not see or, even worse, an old friend trying to lure you into a pyramid scheme.
Curiosity is natural when you get a new friend request, but be careful. It could be a jealous former lover, an acquaintance trying to pull one over on you, or even a scam. How do you spot these malicious friend requests? It’s not always easy. Tap or click here for some tips on making better decisions on social media.
It's Giving Tuesday - Spot the tricks scammers use to fool you into throwing away money
With the holiday season upon us, many people in need are turning to charity for assistance with food, bills and other living expenses.
Do you give charitable donations during the holidays? Retailers like Amazon are making it easy to donate safely without the risk of getting scammed. Tap or click here to see how to donate to charity through Amazon.
Super easy way to report potholes, downed trees and other nuisances
Navigating through traffic with bad drivers can be stressful enough. Tap or click here for three map apps that are better than Google if you have multiple stops.
But you don’t need the added frustration of dodging potholes and downed trees. While there isn’t much you can do about other drivers’ skills, you can report potholes.
Sextortion emails are scary and effective - Victims out $8M so far this year
Scammers will do almost anything to get their hands on your personal information. Even though your social media accounts are of high value, photos of you in compromising situations can also yield a big reward for them. This is called sextortion and has been increasing at an alarming rate.
5G utility boxes are going up in front yards without notice
How shocked would you be if an unsightly metal utility box popped up on your front lawn — seemingly overnight? These boxes are not part of an elaborate inter-state art project and have nothing to do with the mysterious monoliths.
Easy way to keep Chrome from slowing down your computer
There’s almost nothing more annoying than dealing with a slow computer. The only thing that makes slow load times and lags worse is being on a tight work deadline.
Even with regular upkeep, computers can slow down due to glitchy programs or tools, causing your programs’ issues. There are tricks you can try to speed up slow browsers, but these tricks won’t speed up slow CPUs.