daily story pitches
Click here for scripts You can also get scripts from a “scripts” folder on Dropbox6Tuesday, May
Tuesday, May 13th
A true life-saving app everyone needs on their phone this summer. I’ve looked at this app, “What Three Words” before (a few times in fact) but it’s worth talking about it again. As the weather warms more people will be on the water or hiking in the woods. W3W is an app to help anyone find you anywhere. Imagine being on a boat in the middle of a lake and you need help. What Three Words will lead rescuers, or your friends, directly to you. And if you’re lost deep in the woods, the app directs people to you when there’s no street address or landmark to go by.
Monday, May 12th
There are 5 Fridays in May which means many people will get three paychecks this month. Maybe it’s a psychological thing but some will use the “extra money” (it isn’t, I know) on splurges or extra dinners out. I’m proposing to use some of the money that’ll be left over when the budget is met, on tech upgrades. Looking at a few things you should update if you’ve had them for awhile.
Friday, May 9th
The App of the Day: Meta AI. Does Chat GPT have more competition now? Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, What’s App) introduced its new Meta AI app last week. What does it do that Chat GPT cannot? Why would anyone need another AI app? I’m looking at what this new app can do to help you decide if it’s something you want to use.
Thursday, May 8th
How are the tariffs affecting prices on consumer technology? If you haven’t checked or compared prices of computers, TVs, cameras, and other electronics, you may not realize how prices have changed since tariffs went into effect. I’m looking at what’s more expensive and by how much.
Wednesday, May 7th
A court ruling against Apple is changing how users purchase things in the App Store. This one takes a little explaining but the ruling means Kindle users will FINALLY be able to purchase books in the Kindle app. It also will allow one of the most popular video games in history to return to iPhones and iPads. Fortnite is coming back. So this ruling affects gamers and readers.
Tuesday, May 6th
I’m going to look at a few more tech gift ideas for Mother’s Day. This time looking at some gadgets for the creative moms out there. There are some 8 million sellers on Etsy and 80% of them are women. Mom blogs and Youtube channels by women are booming. I’m looking at a few gadgets for moms who have a creative flair or looking to start a side-hustle.
Monday, May 5th
Hey! Don’t forget that Mother’s Day is this coming Sunday. It kind of slipped up on me this year so I’m looking at a few tech gift ideas for mom. A lot of power for her purse, a comfort mug, and a printer. A printer? yep.
Friday, May 2nd
the app of the day “Signal”. This messaging app has been in the news quite a lot recently. It is the app used when Defense officials accidentally shared sensitive military plans with a reporter, including information about airstrikes in Yemen. Most people don’t know anything about Signal. I’m taking a look at why you might want to use it yourself.
Thursday, May 1st
We’re in May and closer to graduation for high school and college students. Most simply want cash as a gift but there are some really cool tech options. I’m looking at a few graduation tech gift ideas they didn’t know they needed or wanted.
Wednesday, April 30th
Rating the safest browsers. If you’re concerned about privacy which browser should be using? It’s pretty obvious, yet most people still use the browser that tracks them more than others and shares their web activity with third parties. I’m looking at the benefits of the major browser options to show you the difference.
Tuesday, April 29th Google and Cookies. You know those annoying “accept all cookies” popups you see on websites you visit? Google promised to make it easier on users to keep their internet history private with a new tool. But now Google has reversed course and Apple is taking advantage of the about-face. I’m looking at cookies, what they are, what Google isn’t doing, and is Safari really safer than Chrome.
Monday, April 28th
The Facebook scam of a missing police officer. Over the last few days Facebook posts of a missing police officer has spread across the country. The posts look the same: A police officer is missing after an accident. It’s shown up as being a Birmingham, SW Pennsylvania, Chattanooga, and many other cities. And it’s being shared by thousands of people genuinely concerned about the woman. But it’s a scam. Or maybe a hoax. Why is this post being circulated? What’s the end game for the scammers? I’m diving in for some answers.
Friday, April 25th
The app of the day: allergy apps. I’m going to include two apps in this story. Wherever you live, this is the season where allergies are worst. You can get an allergy forecast in most weather apps that shows if its grass or tree pollen, but what if you don’t know what’s giving you itchy eyes and sneezing. I’m looking at two allergy apps that do it all. They can help you learn what’s causing you problems and when it’s going to be worse. They’ll let you know if you should stay inside.
Thursday, April 24th
Congress is investigating 23andMe and the protection of customer data. Even if you never participated in one of those genetic/DNA kits, your most personal information is likely included in data that is available and will be included in the sale of 23andMe to another company. I’m going to look at what happens to the DNA uploaded by customers and why everyone should be concerned about their information, even if they didn’t consent.
Wednesday, April 23rd
THE FBI JUST ISSUED A WARNING THIS MORNING ABOUT CONSUMER TECH SCAMS. IT’S VERY INTERESTING AND I WILL FOCUS ON THAT TODAY. THE NEW NUMBERS SHOW A SURGE IN ACTIVITY OF ABOUT 33% OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR. I’LL LOOK AT THE MOST COMMON SCAMS, WHO’S TARGETED, AND WHAT TO DO
Tuesday, April 22nd
A new way bad guys are breaking into cars. You may have seen a post on social media about how thieves are unlocking someone’s car by cloning their key fob. It isn’t fake. It is possible for criminals to unlock your car immediately after you lock it and walk away. Using a tech device they can get online, they wait until you lock the door with your keyfob and go inside, then unlock it and take whatever they want. I’m showing how this works and what to do to prevent it.
Monday, April 21st
Don’t throw away your old devices. Tuesday is Earth Day with a key focus on e-Waste. Phones, computers, and other devices that wind up in landfills is a growing environmental problem. I’m looking at how many devices wind up in landfills and what you can do with old smartphones if you want to get more life out of old devices.
Friday, April 18th
The app of the day: WhatNot. This app has many followers but still, most people have never heard of it. It’s an app for live video auctions. No matter what you’re interested in you’ll find someone selling it. It’s a digital way to hold yard sales and estate sales. Walk through your house and talk about the items you’d like to sell. Whatnot is still new enough to hop on and be discovered for what you’re selling.
Thursday, April 17th
Why you need a dummy email address. There are over 2.5 billion Gmail users which means it is one of the main sources of contact from scammers, spammers, and hackers. How many times are you asked for an email address when you check out somewhere? How many times do you have to give someone your email address that you never hope to hear from? A dummy email address will keep your primary inbox neat and should limit the number of spam and phishing attempts. I’m explaining and showing how to do it.
Wednesday, April 16th
subscription overload. Most people have no idea how many subscriptions are taking money out of their accounts every month. It’s easier to subscribe than it is to cancel. Streaming services, apps, specialized programs, productivity tools. It all adds up and it’s easy to lose track of what you’re spending. I’m looking at some statistics and how to discover what you’re paying for.
Tuesday, April 15th
Gadgets to get your workspace tidy. I feel it’s safe to say most people would like to keep their workspace nice and tidy. But wires, paper, hard drives, charging cables, and other gadgets barely leave room for a cup of coffee. I’ve rounded up a few things to hide the wires and keep the work desk space clutter free.
Monday, April 14th
Everyone collects something. Most believe their baseball cards, figurines, toys, comic books, etc will some day, be worth a lot of money. You can take them to an expert to find their value but there’s an easier way to get some idea of what you might get for them. And it’s as simple as aiming your camera at them. I’ll explain how to do it.
Friday, April 11th
The App of the Day “Radioooooo”. I’m a sucker for cool music apps that help you find new music. This one helps find old tunes. Radioooooo is a unique app that lets you see, and listen to, songs that were hits on a certain day in any country in the world. A fun app for when you’re tired of hearing the same old playlists on Spotify.
Thursday, April 10th
Which streaming service has the best movies? As more and more people “churn” their subscriptions to save money, they may wonder whether they should keep Netflix, Prime, Hulu, or Disney. I’m looking at which of the services have the most highest rated movies at the moment.
Wednesday, April 9th
using tech to start a side-hustle. As prices on just about everything is going up and many of our viewers are looking for work, I want to take a look at side-hustles anyone can start and the tech to use to get going.
Tuesday, April 8th
As tariff’s begin kicking in, people are rushing to stores to buy new smartphones. There’s fear that the next iPhone will cost A LOT more. The same is true for Android phones. But this may not be the best time for people to purchase new devices (have you seen prices at the grocery store?). I’m looking at the question: Do you really need a new phone or can you make the one you have last longer?
Monday, April 7th
Is Microsoft asking people to ditch their PC’s? Yes. Microsoft is telling all PC users that the time is now to upgrade to Windows 11. The trouble is there are around 260 million PC’s out there that can’t be upgraded. Microsoft says get rid of them and buy a new machine. I’m looking into what this means to PC users. How to find out if your PC can be upgraded and what to do if it can’t.
Friday, April 4th
The App of the Day: One Year. I admit, this might be the silliest (you might say ‘dumbest’) app in the app stores, but it’s actually pretty cool. One Year is a countdown app that simply displays how many days are left in the year. The developers say it was designed to help people understand that every day matters and not waste a chance to make the most of each day.
Thursday, April 3rd
Popular cash app “Zelle” is no longer working and will be pulled from the App Stores. Even though there are over 150 million people who use it. I’m explaining why the company shut down its app and what users can use instead.
Wednesday, April 2nd
A critical update for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users. The latest operating systems for all of those devices include over 60 security patches for flaws that could allow hackers access without the owners knowledge. I’m explaining why Apple is urging people to download and install the updates ASAP.
Tuesday, April 1st
It’s April and you might be thinking of spring cleaning. Or trying NOT to think of it. While we focus on the house and yard, we might also want to spruce up our computers. If your laptop or desktop computer is running slow or otherwise just cluttered, it’s a good time to clean it up. I’m looking at a few things you can do to spring clean your computer and help it last longer.
Monday, March 31st
A major update to Facebook. Because of ads, and auto-generated posts NO ONE wants to see, Facebook’s going OG. The way many of us experienced and used the social network back in the early days. You can add a feed that will display ONLY posts from your friends. But you have to set it up. I’m explaining how it works and how to make the change. It’s a pretty big deal for viewers who spend a ton of time on Facebook.
Friday, March 28th
The ONE thing everyone who works remotely needs on their computers and phones. Ever been out and realize there’s something on your computer at home that you really need? Chrome Remote Desktop has bailed me out time and again and many people don’t know about it. I’m explaining what it is and how to use it.
Thursday, March 27th
iPhone secrets part 2. The iPhone’s accessibility features are designed to give everyone the ability to use the phone. Features to help people who have vision or hearing issues. But anyone may find them interesting and helpful. I’m looking at how to control the phone with just your eyes, help to make it easier to see what you’re texting, and how a couple of taps on the back of the phone can quickly give you access to any app you use frequently.
Wednesday, March 26th
iPhone tricks and secrets part 1. The next two days I’m looking at things you (probably didn’t know an iPhone can do). Shortcuts, Do Not Disturb help, QR Code reader, a quick way to move apps from one screen to another, and something you didn’t know you can do with Spotlight search.
Tuesday, March 25th
The “Toll Fee” scam is worse than we thought. By now you’ve received a text message informing you that you face steep fines for an unpaid toll. It’s a scam of course but many people still get tricked into responding. The FBI issued a consumer alert about these texts and how they get around Apple’s security. One cyber security expert says it isn’t just a scam, it’s a cyber attack. I’m taking a look at what we’ve learned about the phishing scam, who we expect is sending them out, and how they manage to send tens of thousands of these messages every few minutes.
Monday, March 24th
What to do about 23 and Me and your data. 23 and Me files for bankruptcy leaving over 15 million people wondering “what’s going to happen to my data?”. The family DNA match company could tell you where you’re family is from along with a lot of other genetic information. There’s concern that if the company is sold to someone else where could all of that deep data wind up? i’m going to look at what you need to do to delete your data and whether that will even do any good. BTW, I have submitted interview requests with 23 and Me and a cyber security expert. Don’t know if either of those will pan out.
Friday, March 21st
The app of the day: Goblin Tools. It’s been a long time since I looked at this app and for people with someone in the house who has autism, ADHD, or anyone who is neurodivergent. Goblin Tools is a huge help for those families to teach and lead someone to complete tasks. It uses AI to break down any task into step-by-step directions and guides.
Thursday, March 20th
Avoiding spoilers. We’ve all missed a show or ballgame and avoided people talking about it until we get a chance to watch it ourselves. That’s never been easy and it’s even more difficult with the internet and social media. I’m looking at a couple of tech tools to avoid spoilers.
Wednesday, March 19h
Stolen passwords: Over 2 billion usernames and passwords were stolen in one of the largest data breaches in history. And a second data breach exposed 85 million credentials. I’m taking a look at what happened, who’s affected, and what you need to do.
Tuesday, March 18th
What’s going on with DVDs? There’s no Redbox, Best Buy isn’t selling them. Most people are watching movies ONLY by streaming. So why should you save those DVDs and be on the lookout for more? I’m looking at why DVD could soon make a comeback and the advantages of having your favorite movies on physical discs. And why now is the best time to start collecting.
Monday, March 17th
Top ‘o the mornin’ to ya. Some changes to Amazon Alexa devices. We know these things are always listening to us, and recording snips of audio. Up until now, Amazon has allowed us to keep those recordings on our phone but starting next week they’ll all be uploaded to Amazon servers. What does this mean and what has Alexa heard and recorded in our homes? You might be surprised to hear. Why Amazon has ended the option to keep our recordings private. Or, as I like to say on St. Patrick’s Day, The option has been ‘kilt’.
Friday, March 14th
The App of the Day: Cleanup. Following up on how to clean and tidy up your smartphone, Cleaner searches for duplicate photos and contacts and allows users to quickly delete or merge data to free up space and organize what’s on your phone. It can clear out a ton of space in a matter of minutes. It costs money but is it worth it?
Thursday, March 13th
Spring cleaning a smartphone. When you’re doing the windows, floors, outside space, or mirrors, it’s time to do some cleaning of the one thing you use most. Over time, smartphones get “dirty” in terms of what’s on there and things that have built-up since the last time you did some cleaning. I’m looking at a few things you should do to your phone how these few tips will keep your phone working faster and longer.
Wednesday, March 12th
should iPhone users stop using Siri? We’ve come to depend on Siri to set reminders, calendar events, and answer routine questions. But is it still the best option? Google Gemini is an alternative and it’s really good. Plus, you can summon the AI assistant from the Lock Screen. Android users have known how good Gemini is for quite a while. Im showing how it works and why it’s a better option than Siri.
Tuesday, March 11th
Facebook will start deleting live videos soon. If you went live on FB at any time in the past you’ll no longer have access to it and it will not be saved to your account. On top of that, when you ‘go live’ in the future the video will be deleted soon after. I’m looking at how to save any previous lives and what to do to save them. And why all Facebook users should save everything they’ve uploaded.
Monday, March 10th
Why would you need a travel router? Travel routers are both affordable and can be extremely helpful when you are staying in hotel or rental property. I’m looking at what travel routers are, how they work, and why you may want to toss one in your suitcase.
Friday, March 7th
The app of the day: Vocabulary. We’ve all got a friend with a big vocabulary, dropping words you have to look up in a dictionary. If you’d like to expand your vocabulary you can read more or grab this smartphone app. It gradually adds words to your vocabulary so you can sound like the smartest person in the room.
Thursday, March 6th
NOTE: I have heard from Airbnb and the company changed their policy on ANY cameras placed inside homes. All cameras are now prohibited inside rental properties. I missed the policy change and mention it in the standup close. I’ve edited out the standup and re-uploaded it to Dropbox as 3-7 corrected hidden cameras PKG. If you have the incorrect story on your website, please remove it or edit out the mention of Airbnb. I apologize for missing this.
How to spot hidden cameras in short term rentals. Spring break is just around the corner and many people will rent a house, condo, or hotel room. While Airbnbs allow for security cameras in common areas, it strictly prohibits cameras in bedrooms and bathrooms. That doesn’t stop some people. How do you check rental spaces for hidden cameras? How are they disguised?
Wednesday, March 5th
How often should you turn stuff off? Do you know the last time you shut your phone or computer all the way off? Should you? The NSA recently released information about shutting down devices and how often you should power everything down. The NSA says we should do it at least once a week. I’m looking into why we should do that and a couple other recommendations you may not have thought about.
Tuesday, March 4th
”Take it Down”. First Lady Melania Trump is urging Congress to pass the “Take it Down” law to combat revenge porn. I’m looking at what’s available now for anyone who is a victim of revenge porn, sextortion, or any other situations where someone shares compromising photos. “Take it Down” is a website for victims to anonymously report incidents and have the images removed from the internet.
Monday, March 3rd
March is coming in like a lion for hackers. Multiple PayPal scams are spamming everyone’s email inboxes. At least one woman claims she lost $35,000 to a PayPal scam. I chased a couple of these scams to see how they work and why people fall for them. I also talk to two of the scammers.
Friday, February 28th
The App of the Day: Better Sleep. Daylight Savings Time begins next weekend (except for you folks in Hawaii and Arizona) and it’s followed by National Sleep Week. Millions of people suffer from some sort of sleep disorder and about half of Americans don’t (or can’t) sleep enough. Of the hundreds (or so) sleep apps in the app stores, this one is widely considered the best at helping people catch some zzzzs.
Thursday, February 27th
Who falls for scams? You might picture someone in their 70s or 80s are most vulnerable to scams. But young people, millennials, and even elementary age kids are falling for scams. But they seem to fall for different types of cyber crimes. I’m looking at some statistics and which scams people of all ages are most likely to fall victim.
Wednesday, February 26th
Apple has some very good security measures to protect users from scams. But scammers have figured out a way to get around Apple security. This text scam is surging and either you’ve received it, or you will. I got it the other day. How this scam works, how it cheats the Apple security measures, and what to do when you get it.
Tuesday, February 25th
The FBI urges everyone to backup their computer to protect against an active cyber attack. But how do you do that? And how often? I’m looking at the best and easiest ways to backup your computers.
Monday, February 24th
A warning from the FBI about an active cyber attack that targets computers in homes, businesses, schools, and religious organizations. I’m looking at what you need to know and what the FBI urges everyone to do to protect themselves.
Friday, February 21st
Never before seen YouTube videos. 500 hours of video is uploaded to YouTube every minute of every day. Many get thousands of views but some have never been viewed. In celebration of YouTube’s 20th birthday I’ve found a website that randomly plays never-before-seen videos of every day life. It’s a neat website and a time capsule of life.
Thursday, February 20th
YouTube is 20! The world’s favorite website for videos launched twenty years ago this month. It is the 2nd most visited website in the world (right behind Google Search). You might visit YouTube several times a day but there are some things you probably don’t know about the site. I’m taking a look at how it started as a dating site, and a few more interesting tidbits.
Wednesday, February 19th
It’s time to see what apps have access to your photos, camera, and microphone. So many of us install new apps without giving much consideration into the permissions we’re granting. So a lot of free apps can see and use information they don’t need. I’m looking at how to review those permissions and what to consider.
Tuesday, February 18th
If you have these two popular apps on your phone, experts say you should delete them right away. In recent weeks two Chinese apps bolted to the top of the app stores. RedNote and DeepSeek received millions of downloads after the TikTok ban and the new AI advancements. I’m looking at why they’re suspicious and what to use instead.
Monday, February 17th
The fastest way to free up storage on a smartphone. Most of us have been there; we go to take photos or videos, or to install the latest operating system and there isn’t enough storage space. You can go through photos and apps and decide which to delete but there’s a better, or faster way. I’m showing how to free up a ton of storage in seconds.
Friday, February 14th
The App of the Day: Mapstr. For anyone who travels this app lets you create your own map of where you’ve been and where you’d like to go. Get recommendations, reviews, and ideas for your next trip. It works for both iPhone and Android. It may be the only travel app you need. But is it better than the app you already use? We’ll find out.
Thursday, February 13th
A TV that turns to artwork. You may have heard of, or even seen advertisements for the SAMSUNG Frame TV. Most TVs are just TVs but the Frame is different. One minute it’s showing Netflix or a ballgame and the next it’s a Rembrandt. I’m reviewing the Frame to see when it makes sense to add to a room and any pros and cons for the price.
Wednesday, February 12th
It’s safe to say that your private information is available on the dark web. After multiple breaches, social security numbers, birthdates, and names have been compromised. One of the things the bad guys do is to take that information and open credit cards in their names. I’m looking at the best way to protect your money from these thefts and it’s something you’ve probably never thought about. How to freeze your credit and the pros and cons of doing it.
Tuesday, February 11th
If you have one of these routers your home internet network could be hacked. Netgear just issued an update to repair a huge security flaw which allows hackers to hack into their internet connection. It would give those hackers a way to access and even control any device connected to the WiFi. Netgear says it should be installed immediately. I’m looking at how these security flaws work and a few things anyone with ANY router should update their device.
Monday, February 10th
The company behind one of the most popular (and purchased) router is issuing a urgent security update. A flaw has been discovered in Netgear routers that allows hackers to access your home internet and the devices connected to it. I’m looking at which routers are affected and steps everyone should take to reset their routers, even if they don’t have one from Netgear.
Friday, February 7th
The App of the Day: Apple Invites. Apple introduced this new app last week to create unique e-vites to share. It’s a pretty powerful app and will be a lot of fun and helpful for Apple users. But… how does it compare to last week’s App of the Day “Partiful”? How does it work? Is it free? Is it only for iPhone users? I’m taking a look.
Thursday, February 6th
Safer Internet Day is a global event scheduled for Tuesday that aims to educate families, businesses, teachers, the healthcare industry on how to stay safe online. I’ll be doing a story Monday on new ways scammers are approaching us. Today I thought I’d do something ahead of time for anyone who wants to hold or participate in the online events.
Wednesday, February 5th
Romance scams. Valentines Day is coming up and scammers are doing a full-court press searching for lonely people they can dupe with the promise of love. Even if you’re smart enough to spot these scams, someone you know is vulnerable. I’m looking at how these romance scams generally work, and how to identify a scammer.
Tuesday, February 4th
Can you remove your information from Google search? Google knows more about you that even the government. If someone “Googles You”, they can see tons of your information. But Google has a tool that will search for your listed information and give you the opportunity to remove it from what people find when they Google your name. I’m showing how to do this.
Monday, February 3rd
It’s an electrical appliance we all use every single day. And you’re probably using it wrong. I’m looking at how to get more even cooking when you toss a frozen dinner in the microwave. I thought it was a silly idea until I asked about twenty people who all said they had never heard it matters. There’s a difference in how things cook if you place it in the center or on the edge of the spinning plate.
Friday, January 31st
The App of the Day: Partiful. If you’ve ever tried planning a party or get-together when everyone can be there? You draw up the e-vite and send it out, and half the people respond that they’re out of town or can’t attend for some reason. Partiful is an app that gets input from the people you want to invite to get their feedback on the when, time, place, etc to help make your party epic.
Thursday, January 30th
What is DeepSeek? The Chinese AI platform and app made waves this week causing major tech companies in the U.S. to scramble for a response , tanked many tech stocks, and rocketed to the top of both App Stores. What is it? Is it better than Chat GPT? I’m taking a closer look and putting it to the test.
Wednesday, January 29th
A quick sign up that can save you from tax scammers. The IRS encourages everyone to sign up for a unique PIN for filing taxes. But most people don’t know anything about it. Tax scams are picking up now that we’re getting 1099s and other tax forms. This tool can save you come April 15th.
Tuesday, January 28th
You may have woken up yesterday or this morning to find a new look and tool on your iPhone. When users updated to the latest iOS, they found Apple Intelligence was on their phone and turned on by default. Some will find it helpful, many will find it annoying. I’m looking at some of what it does and how to turn it off.
Monday, January 27th
This is the best time of year to buy a TV. Super Bowl sales and new models generally prompt discounts. If you’re buying a TV there’s a lot to consider. 4K, UHD, SUHD, etc. But the biggest consideration (no pun intended) is which size to buy. Believe it or not there’s a rule. Should you get an 80″ TV for your living room? Or is a 50″ good enough? I’m looking at a few questions you should answer before swiping your credit card.
Friday, January 24th
The App of the Day: Feeeed. How many times do you see something online that you want to read later, then forget all about it? How much time do you spend every morning visiting multiple websites to see what’s new? Feeeed is a feed reader app that saves time and prevents missing updates. Favorite YouTube channels, Reddit feeds, blog posts, and anything else you want to see each day. By the way, at the end of today’s story I’ll mention adding your station’s website updates if you want to add a graphic to your website’s feed.
Thursday, January 23rd
This story originally aired last August. Sorry I don’t have something fresh for you today. I’ll be back on track Friday (fingers crossed). I’m looking at the need for every home to have at lease one TV connected to an antenna. Not only is it “free HD TV”, it’s the difference between being completely cut off from severe weather coverage to getting live news when the cable or internet goes out. What you need to know about TV antennas before you buy one, and the scams to watch out for if you buy an antenna online.
Wednesday, January 22nd
New story. There are approximately 1 million blind people in the United States. Yet there are only some 10,000 guide dogs. Guide dogs are difficult to get, they’re expensive, and require a lot of care. What is the solution? A robot guide dog. But it isn’t what you’re picturing. I’m looking at what might be one of the greatest accessibility inventions in a generation. Invented by a blind man who wants to help others.
Tuesday, January 21st
I still have a few days with these stitches on my face. I did this story a good while back and it’s one of the most viewed on my YouTube page. How to get Siri to answer the phone. Most people don’t know that Siri will answer the phone if you can’t put your hands on it. Just say “Hey Siri, answer the phone on speaker”. You can also have Siri hang up a phone call by asking. I’m showing how to set it up.
I have standups shot for fresh stories tomorrow and Friday.
Monday, January 20th
New inventions to protect your home. Have you ever had trouble finding someone’s home address because they don’t have a visible house number? A new invention is available now to make it easy and it turns on automatically if you ever dial 911. Also, a barrier to keep water out of your home or garage, and a new lock box to prevent porch pirates.
Friday, January 16th
The App of the Day: RedNote. I won’t be on camera for this one and there will be no on-camera tease (stitches) but I feel it’s a good idea to do something on Red Note. It seems to be the TikTok alternative of choice (according to my daughter). As TikTok is expected to shut down Sunday, RedNote is the #1 app in the app stores. What’s it all about?
Thursday, January 16th
I’m doing the story on the device and software that turns most any new(ish) car into a self-driving one. It’s called Comma.ai and Open Pilot. It’s fascinating. For $1,000 you can have a self-driving car that does everything a Tesla can do.
Wednesday, January 15th
Have you ever tried looking at your phone without glasses or readers? It’s soooo frustrating when you get a text or message and you don’t have your glasses. A lot of people adjust the font size to the point it covers too much of the screen. I’m looking at another option that most people don’t know exists. Make all text “bold”. This story ran last September. My apologies for needing to rerun it. (See above)
turn any car into a Tesla. Sort of. I’m looking at a device and some software that adds self-driving automation to most any car after 2015. It’s called Comma, and for $1,000 you’ll never have to drive again.
Tuesday, January 14th
What happens when the TikTok ban goes into effect. It’s more and more likely that the TikTok ban in the U.S. will take effect on January 19th. I’m answering some of the questions TikTok users have right now. Will the app disappear from their phones? How long will it still work? What are the best alternatives?
Monday, January 13th
The very best of CES. I saw about 75 booths and did about 40 interviews and demos last week. I’m going to show some of the gadgets that impressed me the most. And a few I can’t wait to be released.
Friday, January 10th
CES Day 5. The big show ends today but the work for some smaller companies is only beginning. I’m looking at one of the reasons startups invest in the show and the story behind the story. They come to Vegas to find investors. Some of those products and one huge success story of an inventor getting $4 million in investments to keep going.
Thursday, January 9th
CES Day 4. How tech has advanced in recent years to change how we interact, play, hear, and drive.
Wednesday, January 8th
CES Day 3. I’m looking at some gadgets for the home. An all-in-one automated beer brewing system that eliminates most of the work of home brewing craft beer, an indoor garden to grow just about anything, and modular gardens to attract and nurture nature.
Tuesday, January 7th
CES Day Two: gadgets that might make you think “how the tech did they think of that?”. A smart BBQ grill that you can control remotely and a smart fork that adds a salty taste by using an electrode. It’s designed to help people who are supposed to be on a low-sodium diet.
Monday, January 6th
CES Day One. I’m looking at how everything at CES this year has some sort of AI built-in. I’m looking at several tech gadgets you might not think would need it.
Friday, January 3rd
CES Preview. I’ll be in Las Vegas all next week for the biggest tech show in the world. I’ll be doing packages from the show floor for your newscasts. Today, I’m forgoing the usual App of the Day story to look at what to expect this year and some of the coolest things to come out of CES that never made it to the stores.
Thursday, January 2nd
help with those resolutions. I’m looking at several apps that can track and help you keep any resolutions you’ve set for the new year. Apps to help with money, exercise, and lifestyle choices.
Wednesday, January 1st
Happy New Year! I’m looking at resolutions. Tech resolutions. Never before in history has technology been more ingrained in our lives. You might make resolutions to get in better physical or financial shape in 2025 but I’m proposing a few ‘tech resolutions’ to make the new year more healthy, happy, and safe.
Tuesday, December 31st
Happy New Year’s Eve. I’m wrapping up a look at my favorite apps of 2024 with Death Clock. It got a lot of buzz this year by claiming to predict the day you are going to die. Enter in some information and it uses AI to compare your health risks with hundreds of thousands of death records to determine the most likely date you’ll meet your demise. But it isn’t entirely a novelty app. It motivates you to live better to extend your lifespan.
Monday, December 30th
the App of the year: SketchAR. If you’ve ever wished you were a little more artistic, or could draw more than a stick man, this is the app for you. SketchAR uses augmented reality to draw all sorts of things. It’s perfect to entertain children or give you some artistic ability.
Friday, December 27th
The App of the Year: Perplexity. It isn’t only ChatGPT anymore. There are now dozens of generative AI engines and platforms that do everything Chat GPT can do. The best of them all? It just might be Perplexity. And it’s so good, people are using it rather than Google.
Thursday, December 26th
The App of the Year: Trip Tunes. I reviewed 50 smartphone apps in 2024. For the next several days I’m looking at the best of the year. My favorite new(ish) apps of 2024 that made a splash. Today’s App of the Year is “Trip Tunes”, my favorite music app of 2024. This app is a throwback to the old “mix tapes” and “Mix CDs” people made for road trips. It takes where you’re going, what the trip is for, and your “road vibe” to create a mix of songs you may never have heard before.
Wednesday, December 25th
Merry Christmas! Now that the holiday is wrapping up a lot of people will be turning to putting decorations away for next year. Most of us just toss things into storage bins which makes it more difficult when we drag it all back out next season. QR codes are a solution. I’m looking at an inexpensive pack of QR code stickers to better label all of your decorations before putting them away.
Tuesday, December 24th
Recycling Christmas. Now that you’ve got a new iPhone, smartphone, TV, computer, or gaming system, what do you do with the old one? I’m looking at a few options to give your old devices a new life or at least recycle and keep them out of landfills. I’m looking at your best options to recycle Christmas.
Monday, December 23rd
Tech gifts you really need to open before Christmas. “Do Not Open Before Christmas” is generally a good idea. No one wants a ruined surprise. But some tech gifts really should be opened before the 25th to avoid a rush of people activating and downloading devices and software. Giving someone a phone? Activate it first. Video game systems or games? Absolutely open that gift now or they’ll spend most of Christmas Day just trying to get it to work.
Friday, December 20th
The App of the Day FlightRadar24. This is an app that’s been in the news the past couple of weeks. Authorities investigating the mysterious drones flying over the east coast are using this app to determine if one is a drone or a plane. The app has shot up to the top 10 in both App Stores. What is it? And is it something you might find interesting?
Thursday, December 19th
There are several reasons you might scramble for a last minute gift. What about a last second gift? For when someone gives you a present and you have nothing for them, or if you realize you didn’t give someone enough for what they gave you. I’m looking at gifts you can give if you only have a few seconds alone.
Wednesday, December 18th
Since most everyone spends at least sometime on a computer every day, the most practical and helpful gadgets make great gift ideas. Whether you are looking for a gift for someone else or if you want to upgrade your own computer, I’m looking at computer accessories to improve the time you spend at your desk.
Tuesday, December 17th
Tech gift ideas don’t always come in big boxes. Some of the coolest tech fit in Christmas stockings. I’ve rounded up some small tech gift ideas that are just unusual enough to intrigue them. You may want some of these too.
Monday, December 16th
Practical gift ideas for around the home. If you’ve not stepped into the “smart home” trend, this holiday is a good time to start. I’m rounding up a few practical gifts (or things for yourself) to make your home safer and more efficient (and maybe a little more fun)
Friday, December 13th
The App of the Day: Portable North Pole. Children of the 80s, 90s, and the early 2000’s went to the mall to visit Santa. Most kids today don’t have that option. Portable North Pole delivers videos, messages, and live video calls to children from Santa. There are a lot of Santa apps in the app stores but this one is downloaded more than all the others.
Thursday, December 12th
There are millions of tech gadgets introduced every year at CES and through the year. The majority of those gadgets never make it. And many that wind up on store shelves never sell. And many that do wind up in closets and drawers never to be used again. Today, I’ve rounded up some tech gift ideas of the best gadgets I’ve tried through the years. These are gadgets I use almost every day.
Wednesday, December 11th
Tech gift ideas for dads. Dads are historically more geeky than moms when it comes to tech gadgets. I’m digging up some tech gift ideas for dads who have “almost” have everything. A gadget for dads who use their phone to record video of the kids, for dads who grill in the backyard and tailgates, and dads who love music and want to relive their childhood.
Tuesday, December 10th
Tech gift ideas for moms. You might think mom doesn’t like tech gadgets but she may not know about these things. A look at several gadgets for the mom, grandma, and aunt in your life. You may just want to get them for yourself.
Monday, December 9th
Gifts (or things to buy for yourself) to improve Zoom video conferences. We all do our best to look good in a work setting but you’d never believe that about some people. We’ve all seen Zoom meetings where someone looks like they just rolled out of bed or are sitting just feet from the sun. I’m looking at some new devices to up your Zoom or video conferencing game and look like you’re ready for prime time.
Friday, December 6th
The App of the Day “Pestle”. If you’ve ever run across a recipe on TikTok that you want to try, you may have tried to save it for later. “Pestle” is a smartphone app that allows you to save, not only the video, but a text version of any recipe from TikTok and add the ingredients and shopping list to your phone. Great to have during the holidays when you’re looking for something new.
Thursday, December 5th
UPDATE!:
I’m changing today’s story after the FBI issued a warning urging people to stop sending text messages due to a cybersecurity threat. I’m sure you’ll have something on this from the networks with more information. I’m putting together a story about encrypted texting apps and which ones are the best to use. You’ll be able to use this story as a follow to any national package you have on the warning. It’ll also be good to use tomorrow.
Gifts for zoomers. It seems everyone has to be on Zoom or another live streaming video and more times than not, they appear terrible. Dim lighting, blurry background, or a messy room behind them. I’m looking at a few tech gift ideas for the person on your list who frequently “goes live” for work.
Wednesday, December 4th
Tech gifts their friends will talk about. I’m going to be sprinkling some tech gift ideas over the next couple of weeks and I’m starting by looking at some gifts to make them go…”ooooh”. Some of these may be the ONLY gift you need to give them this year.
Tuesday, December 3rd
Christmas tree tech. Lots of folks are still climbing under the tree to plug in the lights. A $15 gadget allows Alexa or Google to do the work for you. And what do you do if your tree is up and you notice a strand of lights stop working? I’m looking at two gadgets that make it easier to keep the tree shining bright.
Monday, December 2nd
Everyone’s shopping and in the next few days everyone will be getting deliveries. Boxes. Hundreds of boxes maybe. Each year, in the U.S. alone, more than 100 billion corrugated boxes will be used and about 800 million tons of them wind up in landfills. A charity wants not only your boxes but they’re asking you to pack some of the stuff you don’t use and donate them. I’m looking at Give Back Box, an easy way to recycle carboard boxes and give help to people in need.
Friday, November 29th
The App of the Day: Gifster. There are several gift-giving apps in the app stores and this one is the best I’ve tried. Gifster helps families and friends find the exact gifts people want. Make your own wishlist in the app and everyone in the group can see what the items are and even links to the products. Not only that, but once someone purchases a gift for someone, it no longer appears on their list. It’s free but how?
Thursday, November 28th
Check this Alexa setting to keep it from giving away what gifts you’re buying. Amazon made changes to Alexa/Echo devices where they won’t automatically announce what is being delivered. This change was made after families complained Alexa would kill Christmas morning surprises. But there are still a couple of settings and things you can change to keep someone from finding out what you’ve purchased.
Wednesday, November 27th
Billions of dollars will be spent this holiday season by people placing orders on their phones. (remember when people were scared of online shopping? ). There are some common mistakes shoppers make that could cost them a lot more than the price of the items. I’m looking at some things every shopper needs to know before they leave the house to shop.
Tuesday, November 26th
Kids on TikTok search for how to get around screentime restrictions. Parents search for how are kids getting around parental controls. If you are using those screen control tools to keep your kids from staying on an app, game, or websites it may not be working. I’ll look at how kids can get around the limits and what parents can do instead.
Monday, November 25th
Holiday shopping and package theft. Crooks stealing Christmas packages off porches is not only still a problem, it’s a bigger problem. Over 97 billion packages will be vulnerable to theft this holiday season. The first step in protecting your packages is before you place the order. I’m looking at a few things you should do if you want to keep the packages you order.
Friday, November 22nd
The app of the day: Recipe Keeper. If you’re looking for a recipe app to plan holiday meals look no further than this app. I featured it last year and it’s worth looking at again. Not only can you find recipes, you can digitize your favorite family recipes. Got an old index card from your grandmother for a dessert? This app allows you to save it, in her handwriting, and create your own family recipe book you can share.
Thursday, November 21st
Tech for road trips. More than 70 million people will travel by car over the Thanksgiving holiday week and if you’re traveling with kids. you better keep them entertained. I’m looking at a few ideas to keep them off TikTok and enjoy the family road trip.
Wednesday, November 20th
Millions of people use Venmo to quickly pay someone or send cash to a friend or family member. It’s convenient but it also is guilty of oversharing. Why would anyone want someone they don’t know or someone they’re only familiar with, know what they’re spending money on or who they’re paying? President Biden’s Venmo friends and payments were made public. So was incoming VP JD Vance. There are some Venmo settings you may want to change.
Tuesday, November 19th
Roblox and new parental controls. If you don’t have kids you don’t know what a big deal Roblox is with kids. But it has been the vehicle of choice of cyber criminals and sextortionists to reach their targets. It’s also a place where a kid who just wants to play a game overhears or even sees, explicit language and even sexual acts. Roblox just announced new parental controls. What are they and how do they work?
Monday, November 18th
social media shopping. Advertisements, discounts, and deals jump right into your face on social media. It’s hard to avoid them. But if you decide to buy something from one of those ads, be aware that it could be a fake company run by a scammer. Can you tell the difference between a fake shopping website and the real thing? It’s harder than you think.
Friday, November 15th
The app of the day: Bluesky. It’s the #1 app in the app stores. Many people are jumping to this Twitter/X alternative after the election. Alternatives have popped up before but is this one different? I’m looking at the social media app nearly everyone is talking about.
Thursday, November 14th
Meta’s new account recovery tools. When you get locked out of a Facebook or Instagram account it has been nearly impossible to get it back. Every week I hear from viewers asking how to recover their Facebook account. It might be a hacker or simply because you forget your password. Now Meta is rolling out some help by re-launching facial recognition. I’m looking at Meta’s new tools and how it protects your account.
Wednesday, November 13th
This year’s hottest electronics gifts. Google releases its annual “hot 100” list of the most searched-for gifts. This means these gadgets could sell out before Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I’m rounding up a list of tech gifts you may want to buy now if they’re on your list.
Tuesday, November 12th
Times are tough, prices are high, and with Christmas right around the corner you might be looking to pick up some extra money for gifts. I’m looking at legitimate ways to earn some fast money in time for Black Friday to earn gift cards to give your friends and family. I’m looking at if taking surveys for cash really work.
Monday, November 11th
Tech to take care of aging parents and grandparents. Today being Veterans Day I thought I should look at some ways to stay in touch with elderly family members. I won’t mention Veterans Day in the package but it will be in the intro. I’ll look primarily at a device your family members may already have. Amazon Alexa devices and all the things you may not know they can do.
Friday, November 8th
The App of the Day: Elfster. As families get together for Thanksgiving many of them will draw names for Christmas gifts. It can be a little difficult just to make sure people don’t draw their spouses, or kids names. Or someone drawing their own name. Elfster makes it easy to do gifts, Dirty Santa, Secret Santa, or whatever else you call it.
Thursday, November 7th
Most smart TVs ARE spying on you. I get this question from time to time: “is my TV watching me?”. It is in a way. I’m looking at how to spot a camera in your TV and the other way smart TVs spy on you. But there’s something good out of TVs spying on you: it makes them cheaper.
Wednesday, November 6th
I’ll get this story done early today (by 3 ET) if you want to include it in your post-election coverage.
The election is over and there’s one thing every American can agree on: we’re happy those darned campaign robo-texts will finally end. Many of us got 5 or more each day from the Trump and the Harris campaigns. What happens if you respond “stop” to a robo text? What the law says about robo texts?
Tuesday, November 5th
I refreshed this story from earlier this year. What are internet cookies? We’ve all noticed the popups when visiting a website for the first time, asking us to accept or reject cookies begore going forward. What are they and what should we do? What happens if you click no, or yes? I’m looking closer at cookies and what difference does your decision make?
Monday, November 4th
What Facebook knows about you. We all upload and post TMI. Not just to Facebook but on other social media platforms. But most of our viewers use Facebook. I’m looking at how to see everything Facebook knows (and stores) about you.
Friday, November 1st
The App of the Day, Headspace. I mentioned briefly the benefits of using relaxation apps to deal with stress and anxiety. With the upcoming election affecting the mental state of over half of Americans I thought I’d highlight one of the more popular meditation relaxation apps, Headspace. And this app has added practices specifically to reduce stress from the election.
Thursday, October 31st
More than half of Americans say next week’s election is causing them stress and anxiety. Tech can help. So can the elimination of tech. I’m looking at a few things to download or ignore between now and next Tuesday to maintain sanity and avoid stress.
Wednesday, October 30th
Apple Intelligence and Photos. While Apple’s huge update brings AI to many of the tools we use everyday, how it works with photos and videos may be the best features. I’m looking at how to let Apple Intelligence to create music videos of your favorite moments, how to erase unwanted things in the background of photos, and searching for a very specific image.
Tuesday October 29th
Apple Intelligence. It’s available now for some iPhones, Macs, and iPads. You’ve seen the commercials but what does it do and how can you do it? Today and tomorrow I’m looking at some of the coolest features of Apple Intelligence. Today its writing tools , email, how to record a phone call, and why you might want to.
Monday, October 28th
Since it’s almost Halloween, I thought I’d look at a creepy app that claims to be able to predict the date you will die. It isn’t some stupid morbid gimmick. “Death Clock” asks basic questions about your health and lifestyle and compares it to studies of over 53 million people. Once you get your Date of Death, the app shows you how to add sand to your hourglass and push back the date several years. It’s as if the grim reaper is your life coach.
Friday, October 25th
How well do you know all of the people in the neighborhoods your kids will be trick-or-treating? The app of the day is a valuable resource for parents, real estate agents, house seekers, and others. The National Sex Offender Public Website app is a database from federal, state, and tribal lands where sex offenders are required to register. Search for your address and this app maps all of the sex offenders within a 3 mile radius.
Thursday, October 24th
A terrifying scam. Just in time for Halloween and the spooky season scammers are sending a threatening email that includes photos of your house! The emails are similar to what they’ve been doing for the several years. The email claims they’ve recorded you watching porn and demands $2,000 or else they’ll send the videos to your friends. Now those emails include photos of your house and they say they know where you live and can pay you a visit.
Wednesday, October 23rd
Canceling services is getting easier. If you’ve ever tried canceling a subscription you know it can be confusing. Online services (like Amazon) make it difficult to find the ‘cancel’ button. Some services even require you to email or call them on the phone to cancel. The FCC’s new order that goes into effect this week, requires alll online platforms to make it easy for people to unsubscribe or cancel. What you need to know.
Tuesday, October 22nd
Instagram announced several new safety measures to protect kids from sextortion. as I reported a couple of weeks ago, sextortion remains one of the biggest social media threats for you boys. I’m looking at instagrams latest update and what this means for parents.
Monday, October 21st
Getting news from social media. More than half of Americans say they get some of their news from social media. It might be from reputable news organizations but more often than not, the “news” they see comes from someone sharing something they saw on someone else’s page or from non-fact websites. A few weeks out from the next election, I’m looking at why you shouldn’t trust news from social media and how to block it from appearing in your feeds.
Friday, October 18th
How much do you want to wake up on time? This app of the day has a unique way to make sure you get out of bed in the morning. Nuj will keep ringing until you get up and scan a barcode before shutting off the alarm. And if you don’t do it? It’ll cost you money. By the way, I won’t mention the time change in the package for those of you who won’t be adjusting the clocks.
Thursday, October 17th
Goodbye Meta AI. Everyone seems to be sharing a hoax on Facebook and Instagram. It says you should share a very specific post and wording to prevent Meta from sharing your information to help it train the Meta AI engine. It’s even being shared by celebrities. What you should know about the posts and what you can do instead to prevent Meta from using your data.