I don’t see myself in this: Omnia is a smart mirror, scale and smartwatch hybrid. Stand on the base, and it’ll take your weight and measure your heart health, then it’ll pull in data from any other tracker you use. The AI assistant gives real-time feedback out loud. Reminds me of Lululemon’s Mirror, which was a total flop.
Your IP address: What it is and why you need to protect yours if you care about privacy
Using the internet is a complicated affair. It may not feel like that to you as a user. You click on your browser and get on with your day — it’s as easy as pie.
Behind the scenes, though, is a whole different story. It’s full of numbers like your Internet Protocol (IP) address, basically your digital home address. This numeric label distinguishes your phone or computer from other devices worldwide.
When you type in a website, your computer translates that into numbers, searching the site’s IP address and loading it onto your screen. Just as money makes the world go round, so, too, do numbers keep the internet chugging along. But your whole digital world can crash when someone snatches your IP address.
An exposed IP address puts you in danger
Your IP address plays a significant role in sending and receiving data online. It’s tied to sensitive information, like your online identity and location. If someone tracks down this number, they could use it as a starting point for nefarious purposes.
Sadly, it’s easy for strangers online to find your IP address. It’s a huge vulnerability: They could hack your device or steal your identity. Or they could enter your address into a free tracking website like iplocation.net to find out where you live. It even comes with a built-in map:
A lot of people on social media apps will doxx one another. Suppose you comment that you like pineapple on pizza on Twitter. Someone having a bad day might respond by tracking down your IP address, posting your name and address and calling their followers, like “Let’s protest in front of their house.”
Of course, that’s a light-hearted example. Reality can be much grimmer.
And get this: Tracing someone else’s IP address is legal. Authorities only intervene when people use one another’s IP addresses for crimes. All the apps and websites you use collect your IP address and other private data.
So, how does someone find out your IP address?
First, they could try to impersonate you. For instance, a hacker could break into a vulnerable social media account if you aren’t using two-factor authentication. If you reuse passwords, they could break into even more accounts until they reach one with sensitive data. Then, it’s a free-for-all with your private info.
Do the same on Android: Woo, it’s just as simple. Open Chrome and tap the three dots (lower right corner). Scroll to Delete browsing data. Choose the timeframe, tap Delete browsing data in red at the bottom, and it’ll ask you to confirm. Back to scrolling!
Retailers have so many ways to track you
Bet you don’t realize all the ways they get their hands on your data.
🦖 No, thanks, Dad: Alex Volkov, an “AI enthusiast,” gave his six-year-old daughter a $200 AI-powered dinosaur from Magical Toys. He showed her how to make the dinosaur talk using AI. She turned it off. Using the app, parents can view their kid’s chat history and give the toy’s AI topics to talk about. I’d never buy it; AI hallucinates, and just think of all the data being collected.
$6,233
What AT&T charged a man in Texas for using 3GB of data. They chalked up his massive bill to a glitch or human error. Good reminder to always double-check your bill before autopay kicks in!
📊 AI can format data how you want: The trick is knowing what to prompt. There are so many more types of charts than I remember in school. You can also ask ChatGPT, “What type of chart or graph would work more effectively to display this info?”
Mining my own business: I’ve followed this story for years. A British judge just said no to a man’s plan to dig up a landfill in search of his hard drive holding the equivalent of $765 million in bitcoin. Why? First, the landfill legally owns the trash. Second, excavating it could release harmful substances and endanger local residents. Oh, and it’s been over 11 years, so there’s no guarantee the data is even recoverable.
What do you mean, “only 7,203 steps”? If your smartwatch data seems way off, it might be a sizing issue. Most accuracy problems are caused by loose-fitting watches that slip around on your arm. Buy one with straps you can adjust. I like these for Apple Watches.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Living the high life: A ransomware gang swiped data from at least four Stiiizy cannabis shops — driver’s licenses, passports and medical cannabis cards for over 420,000 customers. The stolen info was published after Stiiizy refused to cough up the ransom. The only joint I roll is my ankle.
I bet you’re in this database: A Russian hacker who stole the location data of millions of people from Gravy Analytics is bragging on a hacker forum. Forensics specialists who’ve seen the 1.4 gigabytes of leaked info say it seems like the real thing, not just boasting or threats. I’ll keep you updated.
🖥️ Money grab: Microsoft is ending support for Windows 10 on Oct. 14, and the idea is to sell a ton of new AI-powered computers. They predict 80% of businesses and 70% of consumers will upgrade to Windows 11 in the next two years. Microsoft needs the cash for the $80 billion it’s spending on AI data centers this year.
Intel slipping away: The once-mighty innovator is steadily losing market share in critical areas that keep its profits afloat. One prime example (paywall link): AMD surpassed Intel’s revenue for data center chips — a crazy shift, considering Intel’s revenue was three times AMD’s in 2022. And let’s not forget the booming GPU demand for AI, where Intel is trailing Nvidia by thousands of miles.
🙏 Give me an AI-men: The New York Times did an excellent piece about how religious leaders are using AI to help them deliver their sermons. Take Rabbi Fixler: A chatbot trained on his data can write the sermon, deliver it in his voice and even answer questions aloud during the service. Other leaders are using bots to translate their livestreams into other languages in real time.
👂 Who’s listening? Buried within all the legal mumbo jumbo you said “yes” to when downloading an app, you may have given the app permission to listen using your phone’s microphone and collect data.
Watt? This is shocking: AI data centers are popping up everywhere in the U.S., devouring massive amounts of electricity. Beyond driving up energy bills, they’re putting intense pressure on the grid and disrupting the normal flow of electricity. The consequences include damaged home appliances, blackouts, flickering lights and, in some cases, fires caused by voltage surges.
Free AI test drive: Nothing has changed our lives quite like AI has — and will. That’s why you need to start using AI in your business before it’s too late. Take a free test drive of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure now at Oracle.com/kim. No one does data better than Oracle.
🇨🇳 More ties to China: Yesterday, I told you about the possible TP-Link ban because of its ties to Communist China. Now, drone maker DJI has dodged a U.S. ban … if only temporarily. This Chinese giant has one year to prove its consumer drones aren’t a national security threat or it’ll be grounded. The main worry? Surveillance and data hacks. The U.S. military and several other organizations have already banned DJI drones.
Screenshot upgrade: Windows 11’s Snipping Tool can take data from a screenshot straight to a spreadsheet. Just take a screenshot (hold down the Windows key + Shift + S) and select Copy as table. It’ll preserve the formatting but works best one table at a time. Super sweet.
🧬 Gene-ius: 23andMe is in freefall, and the genetic data of its 15 million customers might soon be up for grabs. Imagine insurers using your DNA to hike premiums or advertisers exploiting it for targeted ads without your consent. The kicker: It’s all legal. U.S. courts treat biological samples as corporate property, meaning companies can indeed sell them. If you haven’t already, delete your 23andMe account ASAP. Steps here.