🤖 Be Gemini’s editor: Google just pushed out an update to its Gemini AI bot that lets you tweak the answers. Highlight any text in a Gemini response, click the pencil, and you can regenerate it, make it shorter, make it longer or even remove it. Magic!
A travel money mistake way too many people make
I’m going to Japan in March and have looked up flights on a few different sites. Roundtrip prices vary as much as $900 depending on where you look. Oof!
Here’s the twist
One place I checked was my credit card rewards site. I get points and perks, so total no-brainer, right? Not so fast. Do a little digging and you may find that it’s not the bigger, better deal.
Lots of credit card companies offer fancy booking tools as a perk to justify the hefty annual fee, but they’re not always as … perky as you’d think.
The long and short of it: Prices through your credit card company are often higher than booking directly. Airlines and hotels want to drive customers to book through them, so you’re way more likely to snag a deal through their sites.
Nope, it’s not ‘free’
You probably spent a ton of money to get those points in the first place. When you put it that way, it doesn’t seem so free. And if you don’t have enough points to cover the entire trip, you’ll still have to shell out some cash to settle the bill.
Pro tip: I often cash in credit card points for gift cards to places where I’m already shopping or want to buy someone a gift.
Pricing predicament
Your credit card company doesn’t set hotel room or plane ticket prices through their portals. Most don’t even manage the travel booking features at all.
- Expedia is behind the American Express travel site.
- The popular Hopper tool manages Capital One’s offering.
Keep in mind, too, that hotel and flight prices fluctuate, and websites don’t update their pricing at the same time. If you don’t check around, you could wind up paying the older, more expensive rate.
Get your slang game on fleek with these Gen-Z slang words
Emojis are fun, but when you think you’ve seen them all, an update brings a bunch more. Here are all the best new emojis that came along with iOS 16.4.
Feeling a bit confused with all the new Gen Z slang? The words young people throw around don’t always make sense. But don’t worry! I’m here to help you get on fleek with the lingo. (This will make sense to you in a moment).
The risks you take if you never update
When’s the last time you gave your phone a good update? Here’s why you should, even if you don’t want to.
TVs hacked: LG patched four huge vulnerabilities that let hackers spy on what you watch and install unwanted apps that can give them access to everything on your network. Yes, that’s bad. Here’s how to update your TV: Go to Settings > All Settings > Support > Software Update > Check for Updates. Btw, you should check for updates on your TV even if it isn’t manufactured by LG; if hackers hit LG, others are next in line.
How often does the U.S. Geological Survey’s website update with info on recent earthquakes? Is it every … A.) 2.5 minutes, B.) 8 minutes, C.) 20 minutes or D.) 60 minutes?
Stop iPhone apps from asking you to rate and review once and for all
Apple’s iPhone is more than just a smartphone. It’s more than a camera and portable gaming system. The iPhone has become ingrained in pop culture through sleek design and clever marketing. Some might call it a status symbol. And with prices topping out over a thousand dollars, that statement does ring true.
Update now: Apple, Google, Mozilla AND Microsoft just patched zero-day flaws
It’s not often that all the heavy hitters get hit around the same time, but Apple, Microsoft and Google found and patched zero-day flaws in April.
Zero-day vulnerabilities are discovered before security researchers and software developers become aware of them. This round affects some of the biggest tech companies on the planet, so chances are you have a device or software that needs to be updated ASAP.
Bon appetit: GE Appliances’ Cookcam AI recognizes your dish and automatically sets the cooking mode. Surprise, it’s not even an upsell! If you have a GE Profile or Café model equipped with in-oven cameras, it’s a free software update. What’s on the menu? Turkey, cookies, pizza, cakes and brownies for now.
Watch this: Roku’s latest terms of service update slaps a big box right over content — unless you hit “Agree.” If and when you do, you’re saying you won’t sue Roku. The real kicker? Opting out requires mailing a letter. So tricky.
It’ll be here in March: Apple might offer a “virtual card number” in an upcoming iOS update. It will allow you to make online purchases where Apple Pay isn’t an option. The enhanced protection is impressive, generating a fresh security code for each transaction.
What will Apple announce for iOS 17 in June?
You know it’s a big deal when Apple rushes out one update after another. The latest iOS 16.4.1 patch addresses zero-day flaws and other security concerns. Here’s what you need to know and how to get the update.
If we go by the release dates of Apple’s mobile operating system going back to iOS 6, we should see the next one this September. And as is usual, Apple will announce what’s coming at its annual Developers Conference in June.
Privacy tip: How to clear all the places you've been from Apple Maps
Nearly everything you do online is tracked or recorded and used to learn more about you. Most companies claim they need this data to serve you with targeted ads. This is the case whether you’re on your computer or phone.
Tech security tip: Totally normal things that put you in danger
When was the last time you changed your usernames? Do any of them contain any information that makes it easy to identify you? If so, you need to change that. Here are five username mistakes to avoid, along with simple fixes.
Weak signal? How to get better Wi-Fi on your Android
You rely on your phone for a lot. It helps to give your tech a checkup now and then to avoid more severe and costly problems later. Tap or click here for six ways to get started.
What’s more frustrating than lousy Wi-Fi when you’re trying to get something done? Your Android phone loses much of its functionality without a solid network connection. The problem could be coming from several sources, and we’re here to help you narrow them down and get your internet back on track.
All the best new emojis for your iPhone
Apple just released iOS 16.4, and with it comes 21 new emojis. Comparatively sparse to emoji releases of previous years, this expansion does not disappoint.
At last, we have a plain pink heart! Widely recognized as a significant gap on the already vast emoji keyboard, you can now send your loved ones a simple, sweet pink heart. The update also introduces complimentary light blue and gray hearts.
Use Windows? The screenshot tool contains a dangerous flaw - Update now
Taking screenshots on your Windows computer is easy with the built-in snipping tool. But it can also be dangerous due to a new snipping tool bug that could expose your PC to cyberattacks. Luckily, Microsoft just released an out-of-band security update to fix the flaw.
Patch your Windows PC! Here's what the latest update does
Microsoft routinely patches various products and services but usually focuses on the Windows operating system. March’s Patch Tuesday update is no different, and it fixes several flaws that hackers can exploit.
Read on to see what this update entails and how to get it.
AI update: Which jobs are most at risk?
Worried that ChatGPT will take over your job? Listen to this one-minute podcast to find out if you need to watch out.
Keep an eye out - Malware-infected Word docs spreading
Did you know cybercriminals can infect your PC with malware using nothing but a Word doc? The scary part is the doc doesn’t even need to be opened to execute malware. Security researcher Joshua Drake detected this dangerous discovery.