When switching to Gmail from another email address, many people connected the two addresses using a handy hidden feature. Google allowed us, for many years now, to “check” another email and pull those messages into a Gmail inbox. But that time is coming to an end. If you’ve been using this tool, you’ll need to … Read more
Personal trackers are everywhere, nowadays. People use them to know where their keys are, or to keep tabs on the family pet. Unfortunately, they can be misused to track objects & people without explicit permission, so I want to go over how you would check for and detect unwanted trackers. Just in case! Personal Trackers … Read more
Emails are going out right now, to a lot of people, with info on the Google Play Store Settlement. I’d like to start this post by assuring you that this is a legitimate notice. Please read the message, if you receive it, and know that you may trust in what it says. What in the … Read more
Estate planning involves wills, POAs and beneficiary selections… and also your Google account? Yes, Google has a tool for you to use as you plan for what happens when you are no longer around. Anyone with a Google account can use the Inactive Account Manager. This allows you to designate someone(s) to have access to … Read more
Yes, there has been a recent class action suit against YouTube, and now that it’s wrapping up, you can consider getting involved. The case revolved around your children watching YouTube while Google allegedly collected data about them. Were your kids’ privacy violated? Google has settled the matter to the tune of $30M, and admitted no … Read more
There’s been a lot of news lately about “Google issuing an alert advising 2.5 billion users to change their passwords.” And you didn’t see me blogging about it, because it simply wasn’t true. Around the globe, news media companies chose to be inciteful, not insightful. And I knew this reporting wasn’t quite right, even when … Read more
Many of us wish to avoid AI as much as possible. It just isn’t necessary for what we want to do! And yet it creeps in when we least expect it or want it. For example, when we perform a simple Google search, an “AI Overview” sometimes appears at the top of the search results. … Read more
If you use Gmail or have an Android phone, you might someday see a message that you are low on Google Storage space. Because this often comes as a surprise to some, I thought I should explain it. And give you some tips on what to do: The Basics An Android or Gmail user must … Read more
Google is taking a more visible stand against those who would block their ads on YouTube. Many people are meeting with special notices as they visit YouTube, if Google detects any kind of ad-blocking going on. The battle of YouTube vs. Ad Blockers may evolve further, but I’ll explain what I can, for right now. … Read more
Consumer Reports has developed a new free app called Permission Slip. They made this tool to help the average person understand where their personal data is collected and sold, and take back some control over that information. To use this app, you do have to sign up and hand over your personal info. CR promises … Read more