Tech/Gear

Millions of Americans are digging into their roots. Genealogy has quietly become one of the fastest-growing hobbies in North America, with the industry now valued at more than $5 billion. From DNA kits to digital family tree builders, people are discovering relatives, tracing migration stories and reconnecting with their past.There is something deeply meaningful about learning where you come from. However, there is another side to this trend that many […]

When firefighters arrive at a major blaze, they often face the same problem. They have to walk into danger without knowing exactly what is inside.Smoke hides everything. Floors may be unstable. Toxic gases can build up quickly. Even experienced crews sometimes enter buildings with limited information about what they are about to face.Now, a new type of robotic vehicle could help change that. Instead of firefighters stepping into the unknown, […]

Identity theft tied to major data broker breaches has cost Americans more than $20 billion over the past decade, according to a 2026 report from the U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee.That figure comes from just four breaches: Equifax (2017), Exactis (2018), National Public Data (2023) and TransUnion (2025). The estimate applies federal identity-theft loss data, including a typical loss of about $200 per victim, across hundreds of millions of exposed […]

Most of us have created far more online accounts than we remember. Shopping sites, travel apps, rewards programs, forums and random services all ask for a quick sign-up. At the time, it feels harmless. Years later, those accounts are still sitting online, tied to your email address.That matters more than you might think. Old accounts increase your digital footprint. They can also expose personal information if a company suffers a […]

Every so often, we receive an email that stops us cold. Not because it is dramatic. Not because it is careless. Because it feels impossible. Sheri M. from Georgia recently wrote to us with this question:GHOST-TAPPING SCAM TARGETS TAP-TO-PAY USERS Sheri, first, we are glad your bank flagged it. That alert tells you fraud monitoring worked. Now let's address the part that feels unreal. How can someone use a debit card that […]

If you've ever searched for a car on CarGurus, your personal information could now be circulating online. A hacking group known as ShinyHunters has published what it claims are 12.4 million records taken from CarGurus, a popular auto shopping platform used by millions of people each month.The leaked data includes names, phone numbers, email addresses, physical addresses and even finance pre-qualification details. While most of the records were already exposed […]

Smart glasses are built to blend in. Most of the time, they look just like a normal pair of glasses. The difference is that some models can quietly take photos or record video without anyone nearby realizing it.As these wearable cameras start showing up in everyday places, more people are wondering when they might be on camera. That concern helped inspire a new Android app called Nearby Glasses, which lets […]

If you have ever tried to opt out of a data broker site, you know the drill. You search. You scroll. You click through layers of legal jargon. Then you wonder if they even want you to find the exit door. Now we know the answer.A U.S. Senate investigation found that several major data brokers placed code on their opt-out pages that blocked search engines from indexing them. In practical […]

When most people hear about cyberattacks tied to geopolitical conflict, it can seem far away. It sounds like something that happens to governments or giant corporations. Yet the latest cyber incident involving a U.S. medical technology company shows how fragile digital systems can be. Even more important, it raises a question you should all ask yourself: Are you protected against trouble, too?A hacker group linked to Iran has claimed responsibility […]