this is the new page where I post the daily pitches. The old page stopped loading for some reason.
Thursday, September 25th
Some of us have great memories of walking through K-Mart, Circuit City, Forever 21, and Radio Shack. Those retailers filed for bankruptcy and closed all of their stores in recent years. But if you’re feeling a bit nostalgic or tired of giving Amazon all of your shopping dollars, you might be interested to know. you can still shop at those closed stores. Yes, you can still shop at K-Mart online. Who’d have known?
Wednesday, September 24th
Remember when cord cutting was a cost-saving decision? Hulu and Disney+ have announced another price increase. If you subscribe to one of those or YouTube along with Netflix you may be shocked to see how much those prices have gone up since many of us canceled cable. I’m looking at what we paid a few years ago and what we’re paying now. And it’s a lot like cable prices. I’ll also look at the best way to save money when it comes to streaming.
Tuesday, September 23rd
Did you get an email or text about receiving a payout from Facebook’s Privacy Settlement? It could be a scam. Facebook settled a class action lawsuit for $725 million for using your data without permission. Those who joined the suit earlier this year are getting notifications saying their money is available. Scammers are taking advantage of it. I’m looking at what the notifications look like, how to tell if its a scam, and how much it should be.
Monday, September 22nd
What you need to know about traveling with tech. If you’re traveling overseas you’re gonna need to plan ahead to keep things charged and use a hairdryer. The plugs you see in Europe, Asia, and other parts fo the world aren’t like the ones we use here. But it’s more than just how many prongs are on your chargers. One false move can blow up a hairdryer, curling iron, or even phone chargers.
Friday, September 19th
Greystones 5: is there anything we can learn from this small Irish town? Can cities, parents, schools, classes or just a friends group do the same thing? Is there a secret to starting an “It Takes a Village” in your community? The folks in Greystones who’ve made it work have some advice.
Thursday, September 18th
Greystones 4: How do kids feel about the voluntary ban on smartphones? The secret seems to be how schools and parents framed the initiative as not taking something away, but giving the kids something. This story looks at how phones and social media can rob kids of their innocence and I talk with the kids who are okay with it.
Wednesday, September 17th
In the town where kids have no phones, parents were the key in its success. They get a chance to share their opinions today. How this pact made it easier for them to make the decision, and the differences they’ve seen in their children since they and their friends left smartphones behind.
Tuesday, September 16th
The children without smartphones. It’s been 2+ years since parents in Greystones, Ireland made the pledge to hold off on giving kids smartphones. What’s been the impact? I’m talking to teachers and a chaplain who say grades and behavior have improved among the kids without phones.
Monday, September 15th
The children without smartphones. I’m kicking off a series of stories today about Greystones, Ireland. A town where parents made a pact to delay giving their children smartphones. In America, about half of all children under the age of 12 have phones. Greystones educators discovered they’re causing a big problem with their children. Today I’m looking at how the initiative got started.
Note: I will have these stories done and uploaded by 1PM every day if you want to air them all this week. There’s also two promos in the Dropbox. One is :05, the other :15. Sorry I didn’t do more or time them better, but they’re there if you want to do something with them.
Friday, September 12th
The App of the Day “Crash Companion”. I’m refreshing this story from last year. If you’ve ever been in a minor fender-bender, you probably know it can take police a very long time to respond. Minor accidents are not a priority in most cities. Crash Companion, is a free smartphone app to help people involved in those accidents, compile all of the information they’ll need for insurance. It’s an especially helpful app for young people and seniors who may be rattled by the accident and not gather the information. I featured this app last summer and am refreshing it as a new piece.
Monday, September 1st
We’re all reminded to change our passwords, but there’s one password you MUST change at least once. The FBI urges everyone to pay attention and change our router passwords. Most people either are not aware of the risks or simply ignore it. I’m looking at why the router is the riskiest entry into our homes and why everyone’s default password can be easily found online.
Friday, August 29th
You probably use Google Chrome as a browser (most people do), but there are other options. A brand new option is Perplexity Comet. It has some features that could make it your default browser, and one of them will blow your mind. I’m taking a close look at Comet and why you may want to switch.
Thursday, August 28th
Kids and their secret codes. Parents can’t understand what the kids are saying these days, and it’s nearly impossible to decipher what they’re texting. Secret codes are meant to KPC (keep parents clueless, and even good kids are using them. I’ve rounded up some of the more worrisome acronyms and emojis that parents should know.
Wednesday, August 27th
Is your TV watching you? Some smart TVs have cameras for video calls but they don’t need a camera to see what you’re doing. I’m looking at how manufacturers are making money from your TV long after you buy it. It’s why you can buy a 50″ TV now for under $200. I’m also explaining how you can turn it off if that’s TMI.
Tuesday, August 26th
It’s one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. Informed Delivery from the Postal Service lets you know what’s supposed to be in your mail each day. You get an email with scanned images of everything being delivered yet a small percentage of people have signed up, or even knows about it. The FBI says you should sign up because criminals are signing people up without their knowledge and then stealing important mail.
Monday, August 25th
Man in the Middle attacks. The next time you log into a public WiFi network in a coffee shop, airport, or hotel you should check twice. One of the oldest scams is still working and stealing billions of dollars from unsuspecting computer users. I’m demonstrating Man-in-the-Middle scams and how simple they are for anyone to set up, tricking people into logging into a network run by cybercriminals.
Friday, August 22nd
The App of the Day: Eleven Reader. One of the coolest AI apps I’ve seen is this app that has famous voices reading your texts, documents, or anything else. You can scan books or articles, or copy and paste something you’ve written and have Maya Angelou, Burt Reynolds, or Sir Lawrence Olivier read it to you. The app uses data from thousands of clips to recreate the voices. How does it do? I dare you to tell the difference.
Thursday, August 21st
Don’t you hate it when your computer gets sloooow? I usually get a few questions from frustrated viewers a few times each month. Before you rush out and spend hundreds of dollars on a replacement, consider a few tweaks that can help. Plus a warning of a scam that victimizes thousands of people every year, primarily older people whose computers have become slow.
Wednesday, August 20th
You may be able to resist cookies on a diet, but you can’t avoid them online. Almost every website you visit asks you to accept their cookies. Most people think you have to accept them for the site to work but you don’t. I’m looking at browser cookies. What they are, what you need to know, and what happens if you say “no.”
Tuesday, August 19th
scrubbing yourself from Google. If you’ve ever Googled your name you were likely shocked at the amount of information about you and your life is accessible to anyone who logs onto the internet. Your name, job history, list of family members, everywhere you used to live, and your phone numbers. It’s all out there. If you’ve ever wanted to scrub your information from Google there’s a new tool to help you do that.
Monday, August 18th
Prime your TV for kickoff. Watching football at home? The right TV settings can make the game look sharper, brighter, and more lifelike. But the “sports” or “vivid” modes many TVs advertise may not be the best choice. And a pro-tip to get the absolute best picture on any TV or. computer monitor. A free tool that you probably don’t know about.
Friday, August 15th
The App of the Day: Nugs. If you love live music but hate big crowds, Nugs is what you want. The app broadcasts live concerts with some of the world’s biggest bands. Tap the app and you’re watching Megadeth, Billy Strings, and Bruce Springsteen wherever they’re playing. Is it worth the subscription?
Thursday, August 14th
That Google search result may lead you to a misleading or scammy site. When most people search Google they click on the top result and stop there. But the top result is often a “sponsored” search result, sponsored by unethical companies who want your money. I discovered a good example recently that is costing travelers ten times more than it should. And many people are falling for it. I’m looking at bad Google search results and why you should automatically trust the first link.
Wednesday, August 13th
Once again, someone is in trouble because of Venmo. Namely, the very public way most people use Venmo, allowing anyone, and I mean anyone, to see what they paid someone for. Whether you’re a starting college quarterback, or a former President, or just someone who reimburses friends for an Uber ride, there are some Venmo settings you might want to change.
Tuesday, August 12th
Starting over with Instagram or TikTok. Ever notice you see the same type content all the time? The aglorithm pushes content to your feed based on what you’ve looked at, watched, clicked, or just when you stopped scrolling. Instagram just introduced an option to reset your algorithm, so does TikTok. I’m explaining how the dreaded algorithms work, and how to quickly give the social networks a refresh.
Monday, August 11th
Instagram’s new location map. Meta introduced this last week and almost everyone hates it. The map can show your friends exactly where you are when you post something. Does it really? How does this work and how to turn it off to protect your privacy.
Friday, August 8th
The App of the Day: Google Maps. It’s the app that gets us around traffic and makes sure we arrive at the right address, but have you ever used it on your feet? Google has added new features to this old app, making it the perfect solution for visiting a new city.
Thursday, August 7th
it is one of the questions I get most: do I need a VPN? They’re essential for some people, but you may not need it. I’m answering some of the FAQs about VPNs and why free versions do more harm than good
Wednesday, August 6th
Can an iPad replace a computer? Apple says its next operating system, IPadOS 26 can make the iPad the only computer you need. No laptop? No desktop? That’s the buzz but is it true? I’m looking at some of the new features that can replace what you do on a computer. But there’s a catch.
Tuesday, August 5th
Remember how exciting it was when we left home for the first time? It probably was a little scary for your parents. As students head off to campus, I’m looking at some gadgets to help keep them safe and give parents some peace of mind. From AirTags to carbon monoxide detectors, to a battery jumpstarter, these are relatively inexpensive safety gadgets for travelers or students headed off on their own.
Monday, August 4th
Gadgets for college students to take to campus. It’s more than backpacks and pens. Today’s students need some tech gadgets to get the school year off to a good start. I’m rounding up some things they’ll need in the dorm or apartment to keep them organized and productive.