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
Google does a whole lot to protect us as we surf the web. They study web activity the world over, analyze traffic and trends, and then use that info to protect us from harmful sites. They call this service “Safe Browsing”, and it comes built into the Chrome browser and other Google products. If you’ve … Read more
The latest class action lawsuit to ding the finances of Big Tech is going to cost Google $23 million. The Google Referrer Header Settlement is upon us, and you may be able to get $7.70 out of it. The suit claims that Google violated users’ privacy as they used Google’s search engine. Google may have … Read more
Much like the plant-ID apps I’ve blogged about, there are plenty of free apps for identifying animals. There’s no need to crowdsource your answer from Facebook. Take a pic or recording and send it up to the experts. You can have an AI or website give you the answer immediately. And for free! Got a … Read more
Google has built in a very useful feature with their email service. In Gmail, you can configure something called “Check Mail from other Accounts”, and then Google will continually pull in the messages sent to another email address you control. You can do this with one or many other email addresses! The Steps Before you … Read more
When using YouTube, please know that many videos allow for Closed Captions & Transcripts. Just click the CC button below the video to turn closed captions on or off. If a YouTube video offers Closed Captions, then it also has a transcript. To see that, look a little further down and to the right of … Read more
Everyday, I see this posted to social media: “I found someone’s phone, anyone know whose it is?” And it rarely works. It can’t hurt to crowdsource the request, but please know that you should first check the found phone for Emergency Info. The following screen may reveal one or more Emergency Contacts. Tap on an … Read more