2019 – Page 29

At-Home DNA Kit Company Gave Data to FBI

Home DNA kits that can help you discover your family ancestry are popular now, with two of the most used being kits offered by ancestry.com and 23andme.com. The question is, what do these companies do with that personal data you’re handing them? FamilyTreeDNA sold 1.5 million of these at-home DNA kits and then allowed the FBI to take a look at the data to solve crimes. Is that what these 1.5 million people signed up for when they spit into the tube? FBI Exploits Home DNA Kit Data Don’t get me wrong: I’m here to… Read more

How Does GPS Work?

People use GPS extensively every day, but not many people know how it actually works. How can a smartphone know where you are, to the point you can use it as accurate directions while you drive? Let’s open the hood on GPS and see how it works. Related: It’s Not Just GPS: We Have Six Global Navigation Satellite Systems, and They’re Getting Better How GPS Finds You Let’s say you’re hiking in the woods when you get lost. That’s alright, though: you had the smarts to download the official app for these woods. The app claims to help you find your way, no matter where… Read more

7 Tips to Get the Most Out of Android’s Text-to-Speech Option

The text-to-speech option provided by Android is an extremely useful feature that allows you to interact with your phone via spoken commands. As with any new technology, there is a breaking-in period where you learn to properly use this function. First, you will need to download the Gboard app from the Google Play Store and install it as your default phone keyboard. To make use of text-to-speech, tap anywhere you can add text. Once Gboard has been installed, a mic icon can be seen at the end of the typing field. Tap on the icon to activate text-to-speech. Now the keyboard is ready to listen… Read more

7 Tips to Get the Most Out of Android’s Text-to-Speech Option

The text-to-speech option provided by Android is an extremely useful feature that allows you to interact with your phone via spoken commands. As with any new technology, there is a breaking-in period where you learn to properly use this function. First, you will need to download the Gboard app from the Google Play Store and install it as your default phone keyboard. To make use of text-to-speech, tap anywhere you can add text. Once Gboard has been installed, a mic icon can be seen at the end of the typing field. Tap on the icon to activate text-to-speech. Now the keyboard is ready to listen… Read more

Do You Upgrade Your System Software Right Away?

System upgrades can be exciting, but they can also be frustrating. They can offer you many new goodies, yet they can also take away a feature that was much beloved or change something just enough so that it no longer works. This leads to a question of whether you should upgrade as soon as it’s available or whether you should wait until all the kinks are worked out. Do you upgrade your system software right away? Our Opinion Alex plays it smart and has a machine set aside for immediate updates, yet he typically waits… Read more