Jeff Bezos took a break from, you know, counting his money to show off New Glenn, one of the largest rockets ever built at 320 feet tall.
Upgrading to a new computer soon? Don't make this big mistake
Do you have any old tech piling up and collecting dust? If so, you may be thinking about donating or selling it. This is a good idea, especially since gadget prices are skyrocketing. Many people are in the market for a gently used smartphone or computer rather than spending big bucks for a brand-new one.
However, there is one critical step that many people forget to take before getting rid of their old devices. They fail to delete sensitive data permanently, and that’s a huge mistake.
We’ll walk you through how to erase your info from any gadget brought to you by our sponsor, Dell. Need help to find the best tech solutions for your small business? See how Dell Technologies’ Advisors can assist you for free.
Never hand over personal information by mistake
People have been selling and donating old tech for years. One security researcher determined how many people remembered to delete their personal information before handing over their old devices. You’ll be surprised at just how many did not erase them properly.
Josh Frantz purchased 85 devices from businesses that sold refurbished, donated and used computers. He spent about $600 on desktop and laptop computers, flash drives, memory cards, hard disk drives and a few cell phones.
Frantz posted what he discovered on his rapid7 blog — and it was pretty shocking!
Of the 85 devices he bought, only two were appropriately wiped. Most of the devices still had tons of information on them.
With help from a script he wrote, Frantz found 214,019 images, 148,903 emails and 3,406 documents. From all that, he could see email addresses, dates of birth, Social Security and credit card numbers. Yikes!
Don’t let this happen to you. Before donating or selling a device, you must ensure everything has been appropriately deleted.
If you don’t wipe your device, information can be found later. All those deleted letters, financial documents and compromising photos lurk on the computer. All it takes is a little know-how to recover them.
When a file is deleted, your operating system removes the link to the file and marks the space free. That file will still exist on your hard drive until it’s overwritten by new information.
Get Temu, the popular shopping app, off your phone now
Seemingly overnight, everyone’s talking about Temu, an online shopping app full of deals that seem too good to be true. You’ll find $17 wireless earbuds, $1 “gold” necklaces and $23 wedding dresses.
No wonder Temu is the most popular shopping app in the U.S., behind only Amazon. But most of us know little about the app’s origins. Like these apps, it’s tied to China.
Trojan horse: If your phone is infected with malware, it’s worth doing a full factory reset. A royal pain in the rear, yes, but it’s the only way to ensure your phone is clear. You also need solid security software for your phone.
Size matters: Jeff Bezos took a break sailing around in his $435 million yacht to show off New Glenn, one of the largest rockets ever built. At 320 feet tall, it’s bigger than the Statue of Liberty! Watch this vid at Bezos’ Blue Origin factory in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
How to get that like-new computer speed back
Your PC is likely full of files and programs you seldom or never use. There are apps you used once or twice before forgetting about them. Then there are registry files, failed downloads and bloatware that sneaks onto your computer without your knowledge. In addition to taking up storage space, all that clutter slows your computer down.
💻 Don’t throw your computer out the Windows: Resetting your PC to its factory-fresh state for better performance (without losing your files) is possible! Open Settings and choose System > Recovery > Reset PC. Just make sure you choose the Keep my files option (you’ve got everything backed up anyway, right?).
💊 CVS recall: Over the past decade, CVS has pulled 133 over-the-counter meds of its own in-store brand off the shelves. From bacteria infestations to moldy factory vents and even incorrect dosing, the recall reasons vary. The top offenders are eye drops, cough medicines and constipation treatments. Check your house for any.
WTH do I do now? Jim in Philly wrote to me because he downloaded an app that totally screwed up his phone — random ads everywhere. Sorry, Jim, but you need to do a full factory reset. It’s a royal pain in the rear, I know, but it’s the only way to ensure your phone is clear from adware and malware. After that, do like I do and get a solid AV software on your phone.