Techish

7 of the best high-tech tools for keeping tabs on kids:

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When my son turned eleven, he announced, “I want to stay home alone!” And that was a new phase in parenting. It started with the question, “At what age is it okay to leave the kids home alone?” And it won’t end until I am sitting on an empty nest. In between, there have been (and will be) more questions, worries, unplanned events, proud moments, messes, broken trusts, and parties that any parent ever wants to stop and add up. Modern times, though, bring some slick tools that do more than their intended purpose. No, you can’t turn your microwave into a camera. But some technologies – even those you already have  -- do double duty as robot babysitters for kids who are ready to stay home ... Read more

How to get refunds if your kids go app crazy!

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Kids love tapping away on smartphones games, and most parents these days have that moment of letting your child play with your phone so that you can finish that one SUPER important task. But those precious moments of peace and quiet can come at a big price, especially if the kiddo in question knows their way around the App Store! If you find yourself on the wrong end of an bill for apps or in-app purchases you never wanted to begin with, both Apple and Google make it easy to hit the panic button. iOS Here's how to score a refund for App Store misclicks and pesky unauthorized purchases: Head to Apple's official support page, reportaproblem.apple.com, and sign in using your Apple ID and ... Read more

Sneaky teen texting codes: what they mean, when to worry

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihGOH4OOtTY If your teen has a smartphone, chances are they spend several hours a day on text and social media. If you ever look at what they’re actually doing on there, you’ll likely see a lot of innocent “Snapstreaking,” some funny Buzzfeed videos and a bunch of letters and numbers that look like some kind of modern-day shorthand. You probably use some of these yourself: LOL = laugh(ing) out loud                                 GR8 = great IRL = in real life                                                   TYVM = thank you very much IMHO = in my humble opinion                        BRB = be right back J/K = just kidding                              ... Read more

How to find hidden playgroups in your own neighborhood like a #MomBoss

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When my daughter was a baby, I met most of my mom-friends at playgrounds or Gymboree classes. Nowadays, more moms are finding each other online, even if they’re looking for people to meet up with in real life. But finding out how to join the quirky clique and meet some gal pals in your neighborhood isn’t as easy as just looking out your front door anymore. Where do you start and how do you know that it’s safe? The groups you spot on Craigslist or other sites — how can you be sure that it’s not just some creeper trying to snag sensitive information about you, or worse? We tracked down the experts to find out how to discover and manage the secret moms groups in your neighborhood like a ... Read more

Ransomware: How to protect your digital life right now

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This past week, cybercriminals hijacked hundreds of thousands of computers worldwide. Cybersecurity experts now warn that a new wave of malicious attacks might still be on its way. Here's how to lock down your digital life today: Backup, backup, backup!  Want to know the most fail-safe method of making sure your precious family photos, business documents, tax files, and all of the rest of your digital belongings isn't lost forever to a scammer, hacker, or virus? Make a copy! It sounds insanely simple, and that's because it really is. Both Microsoft and Apple have built-in backup software that makes a carbon copy of your most important files and stores them for you ... Read more

What is ransomware, and should I be worried?

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You've probably seen a lot of stories about "ransomware" in the past few days. That's thanks to a huge, worldwide attack on both everyday computer users as well as huge companies and even public service institutions like the UK's National Health Service. DO I HAVE IT?! Let's get this out of the way first: It could only get onto your computer IF you were still running old versions of Windows, especially Windows XP. If you installed your updates like you ALWAYS should, you're fine. The attack was a computer virus that installed ransomware on computer systems. It's called WannaCry, and that's a fitting name. It seems like everyone is freaking out, and if you're in the dark it's hard to ... Read more

How to end robocalls and telemarketers for good (as heard on WTOP)

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Have you noticed an uptick in those super annoying robocalls, telemarketers, and scams hitting up your smartphone or landline all hours of the day and night? I have, and it’s driving me nuts. Last month, I had a bogus call to lower my electricity bill. A few weeks ago, it was a pause after I said hello, then a woman saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m adjusting my headset,” before launching into a sales pitch of some sort. And then there’s the daily deluge of numbers that look legit — maybe a doctor’s appointment reminder or my daughter’s school calling — only to end up being an obvious scam. “This is George Michael,” says a male caller with a heavy accent, “calling from your online pharmacy with ... Read more

Beating robocalls and telemarketers on your home phone

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Blocking those annoying robocallers on your cell phone is a serious task that I've already tackled, but if you're still getting the constant calls on your home phone it can be just as big of a headache. Here's how to kick those creepy callers for good! I know, it doesn't work well, but still get on the list The first line of defense against pesky telemarketers and scam solicitations is the Do Not Call list. It's managed by the Federal Trade Commission and you can add yourself to the list by registering your phone number on the FTC's website. It's very simple and takes only about a minute. Telemarketers and robocallers who don't follow the rules and call numbers that are on the list ... Read more

ROBOCALL RAGE! Here’s how I finally stopped getting those annoying spam calls!

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Have you noticed an uptick in those super annoying robocalls, telemarketers, and scams hitting up your smartphone all hours of the day and night? I have, and it’s driving me nuts. Last month, I had a bogus call to lower my electricity bill. A few weeks ago, it was a pause after I said hello, then a woman saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, I’m adjusting my headset,” before launching into a sales pitch of some sort. And then there’s the daily deluge of numbers that look legit — like my daughter’s school calling, or a media outlet from Manhattan — only to end up being an obvious scam, “This is George Michael,” says a male caller with a heavy accent, “calling from your online pharmacy with your diet ... Read more

Find out now if you’ve been hacked (you probably have)

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Does your computer, Facebook profile, or email account feel a little off lately? Are things not exactly as you left them, with Messenger replies from unknown people, sketchy emails, and maybe even weird purchases on your Amazon account or PayPal? These are all telltale signs that you've been hacked. It's a scary thing knowing someone has breached your own personal digital privacy, and it can be confusing and just plain creepy, too. Here's how to tell if you've been hacked and the very next steps you should take. If you notice any of these things, you should automatically assume the worst: Sent emails that you know you didn't send - Hackers who discover your email password can use your ... Read more

Signs you have Malware/Virus on your gadgets

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As your gadgets store more and more of your personal information — bank details, health records, and work files —  it becomes a bigger and bigger target for hackers looking to score a quick buck. Spyware, malware, and computer viruses are just as big of a problem today as they've ever been, but cybercrooks are better at hiding what they do, and now they're targeting your smartphone too, which means it's time to educate yourself on the warning signs. Hijacked browsing This one is one of the most telltale signs: You're trying to click a link from one site and make it to another and your browser ends up heading in a totally different direction. Sometimes it'll land on an advertisement, while ... Read more

iOS Update: The 3 Big Reasons To Download iOS 10.3

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If you've got an iPhone in your pocket you probably have a new software update waiting for you. That is, unless you already updated, in which case we can skip the pleasantries and get straight to the good stuff. It's iOS 10.3, and it's packed with features that will make your mobile experience just a little bit better. Most of the new changes are things you won't ever see, like behind-the-scenes improvements to how your iPhone or iPad works, making it faster and more secure, but there are still a few really awesome usability improvements that you should know about. Find My AirPods If you're one of the big-time Apple fans that dove head first into the company's vision of a wireless ... Read more

CYBERSECURITY: What’s Alexa really recording? Here’s how to find out and even delete it

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There's been a whole lot of talk lately about the privacy and security implications of having an always-listening speaker like Amazon's Alexa in your home. Sure, it's hearing everything you say — after all, that's how it picks up on its all-important trigger phrase — but what is it doing with that information? Is it being recorded, and if so, who's listening? It has potential to be seriously creepy stuff, but there are some reassuring answers, too. The bad news — if you can consider it bad — is that Alexa definitely is listening to every word it can hear. If it didn't do this, it wouldn't be able to wake up instantly when you say "Hey Alexa," and it would lose its biggest convenience ... Read more

SLOW INTERNET? Tons of errors, nothing working right? It’s not you, it’s Amazon!

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Are you trying to get work done and it's taking FOREVER for any site to load, getting tons of errors where you normally don’t? apps to download, or even trying to catch a break with your streaming TV? Don’t panic! It’s not you, it’s Amazon. A big outage is sweeping across the country right now, and Amazon Web services is to blame. Amazon Web Services is kind of like the backbone of a lot of your favorite websites and apps. You never really hear about it until something bad happens, but Amazon’s cloud storage is what helps lots and lots of websites and services store their content remotely so that people all over the world can access it as fast as possible. A ton of websites use it, ... Read more

YOU ASKED: Here’s a list of fake news sites

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Our story on recognizing fake news sites struck a huge nerve this week, and for good reason. There's a lot of it going around - especially on social media sites like Facebook - where millions of people read and share it without even knowing it. When I dug around on my own Facebook, several friends have indeed shared bogus stories over the past year. Several credible news outlets and a site called Fake News Watch have put together lists of sites "known to be untruthful, ranging from satirical websites to sites trying to pass off lies as truth." Here are the top known fake sites, and below thatlinks to a few of the best lists we've found so far: FAKE/HOAX NEWS SITES: (The top three ... Read more

HOW TO: Spot a Facebook fake trying to scam you

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A few weeks ago, I got a Facebook request from “myself.” Obviously, it wasn’t me and I recognized it right away as a common Facebook cloning scam. The way it works is simple. Cyber-crooks snag a photo of you, usually right from your own profile page, poach any information you’ve made public, then reach out to all your real friends and family. Once anyone you actually know accepts the Fakebook-fakes’ friend-request or engages with them on Messenger, the scammers typically make a play for money, personal info, or even try to infect your computer or phone with malware. When the same thing happened to my mom last year, the scammer (pretending to be my mother) hit up my cousin with a ... Read more