Ah, the great debate: Blue bubbles vs. green bubbles.
5 classic board games you can play on your phone
Remember family game night? You’d sit around the kitchen table, grab a brightly colored piece of cardboard, pick your favorite piece, and inevitably get way too competitive over how grandma ended up with all the money.
You can bring that board-flipping fun back, using the technology you have sitting in your pocket — your smartphone.
Not every board game has made its way to the digital world, but we’re willing to bet some of your favorites have. The best part? You can play them with friends and family, even from afar.
How to enjoy old-school games in high-tech ways
The Game of Life
The Game of Life was one of the first American board games, invented in 1860 to keep Civil War soldiers entertained. Many Americans grew up with this staple of family game night and now it’s back as an app on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
While gameplay is basically the same as it has always been, the app allows you to move much faster. A game that traditionally could have taken hours can now be played in minutes.
If you don’t know how this game works or simply don’t remember, the objective is to move through the trials and tribulations of life and make it to the end before the other players — and with the most money. You start down the same path as everyone else and make life-changing decisions, so every game is different.
The Game of Life app costs $2.99 on Apple and Android devices.
Facebook slapped with massive antitrust lawsuits to break up social media chokehold
For years, Facebook has been fighting threats of lawsuits, legal challenges and investigations into its practices. It all came to a head this week.
Those legal issues aren’t the only problems Facebook has faced recently, though; Facebook-owned Instagram was accused of illegal facial recognition scans of millions of users earlier this year.
Google is an illegal monopoly
A judge ruled Google illegally built and maintained a monopoly in online search by paying to be the default on smartphones. Plus, a website flaw puts democracy at risk, scammers hit the skies, and why wrapping your keys in tin foil could save you trouble.
🔍 Breaking up Google’s search monopoly: The DOJ has some remedies lined up: Forcing Google to share its data with competitors, restricting those default search browser deals, and even splitting off Chrome or Android. Google says these “solutions” would hurt consumers (their cash cow) and stifle innovation. Google might become like Ask Jeeves by the time this government legal battle is settled.
Billionaire Warren Buffett plays a certain game online for at least eight hours weekly. Is it … A.) Bridge, B.) Chess, C.) Dominoes or D.) Monopoly?
22 fun, smart and interesting podcasts worth checking out
As you face seclusion in your home for the next few weeks, finding enough activities to keep yourself and family busy can be quite a challenge. Thankfully, the internet is jam-packed with a world of ideas.
You can get busy with a well-deserved Netflix binge, play board games like Monopoly and Scrabble, or attempt a complicated puzzle. Tap or click to test your skills at the impossible ten penny puzzle.
You won't believe how much your old toys could be worth
How cool were toys back in the day? Think about all the action figures, games, models and other playthings that filled your toy box, closet and bedroom. These low-tech goodies provided hours of fun and allowed your imagination to soar.
Confirmed: Google is a monopoly
A federal judge has ruled that Alphabet’s Google created an illegal monopoly by controlling almost all online searches. With around 90% market share, this decision could be a game-changer for Big Tech.
🔍 How do you spell monopoly? G-O-O-G-L-E: A federal judge ruled it was illegal for Google to pay $26 billion for other web browsers and phone manufacturers to make it their default search engine (paywall link). How to fix this mess? Make Google’s parent company, Alphabet, sell off Google or invalidate the illegal payoff and let manufacturers select their own search engines.
This is hard-core: The Justice Department just hit Apple with a huge antitrust lawsuit. They say Apple is playing dirty to maintain a monopoly over the smartphone market (and keep its prices high) by smothering the iPhone’s competition. Apple says it’s all about keeping user data safe. Su-u-u-re.
The inventor of the world’s most popular board game, Monopoly, created it in 1904 to demonstrate what? Was it … property ownership, gambling, land overdevelopment or the stock market?
FTC accuses Amazon of acting as a monopoly
The first of the mega lawsuits against Big Tech is underway. What it means for you, in 60 seconds.
Facebook makes it easier to take back your photos
Facebook has evolved dramatically in the span of one year. After declaring the future was “private,” Mark Zuckerberg and co. have worked to adapt the platform for modern privacy sensibilities. In spite of this, there are still some issues attracting regulators’ attention. Tap or click here to see how the platform is still selling user data.