Security and Privacy

Are Digital Assistants a Gateway to a Hacker’s Paradise?

Digital assistants have come a long way in a relatively short amount of time. Starting with Apple’s clunky early iteration of Siri in 2011, it’s only taken a few years to get here, with multiple competitors in common use (including Cortana and Google Now) and dozens of new versions to come.


Home8 is Serious D.I.Y. Home Security Done E.A.S.I.L.Y.

If you are looking for a security system that won’t cost an arm and a leg to install and maintain check out the Home8 Security System. It is a complete package in a box that offers your choice of free or inexpensive monitoring for far less than you might expect. It is truly DIY home security done right.


LastPass Warns About Extension Vulnerability

Popular password manager LastPass is warning about a security vulnerability in its browser extension. Based on the wording it appears the vulnerability exists when launching password protected sites via the extension (as opposed to looking up data). LastPass had a reported 7 million users when they were acquired by LogMeIn in 2015.


Protect Yourself and Opt Out of FamilyTreeNow.com Now

I am an amateur genealogist, and as such, I’m used to using sites to try to find missing relatives and other connections. With that said, there is one site out there that calls itself a genealogy site, but it is basically a stalker enabler of the highest order: FamilyTreeNow.com. Try searching your name on there, go on … I’ll wait.


3 Essential Personal Safety Devices for Travelers

If you live in a major city, you know that tourists are easy to spot. There’s something about their clothes, their behavior, the way they try to take in the sights and read the map on their phones all at once, that makes them stand out in a crowd. Unfortunately, there are people out there who try to take advantage of travelers; if someone isn’t careful, they may end up in a scary or dangerous situation. When you travel, it can be hard to hide your tourist side (though Reader’s Digest has a few tips on the subject). However, you…



MAXIMUS Smart Motion Security Light: View and “Boo” at Trespassers

If you’ve got security on your mind, then you probably have motion-activated flood lights installed around the perimeter of your home. How would you like a light that’s not only motion activated, but that also includes a camera and a two-way speaker? If that sounds good, then you need a MAXIMUS Smart Motion Security Light.


ASP Turbo CR 920 Lumens LED Flashlight Review

Whether you’re a police officer, fireman, hiker, camper, prepper, hunter, in the military, or just someone who wants a professional grade flashlight that will brilliantly light up objects as far as 100 feet away or more, you should consider the police-grade ASP Turbo CR 920 Lumens LED Flashlight. It’s a brawny, bright, brute of a light.




Securifi’s Almond 3 WiFi System Combines Whole Home WiFi, Home Automation, Security

Securifi’s Almond 3 Smart Home WiFi System provides expandable wireless coverage for your entire home while also acting as a smart home hub and home security system. The complete system comes with three Almond 3 routers, all of which have touchscreens for simple setup and maintenance and starts at $399.99. It’s an impressive combination of router, home automation, and security. The Almond 3 system sets up a mesh WiFi network throughout your home, meaning that it uses an expandable number of routers to blanket your home with reliable coverage. One Almond 3 will be enough to cover most 1,300 square…


Logitech’s Logi Cam Keeps My Smart Home More Secure

If you’ve been looking for a great home security camera that not only allows you to monitor what’s going on when you are not there but that doesn’t need to be attached to a wall outlet like most on the market, you really need to check out Logitech’s Logi Circle Cam.



TCL Xess Tablet: The 17″ Amazon Alexa Connected Home Hub

We’ve got two TCL 4K Roku-enabled televisions in our house, and I feel like TCL is one of those brands that isn’t yet well-known, but they should be. TCL products are extremely well made, they work exactly as promised, and they are generally well priced.



Facebook Marketplace Debuts As a Bazaar for Bizarre and Illicit Sales

With its latest iOS app update, Facebook has brought their new Marketplace to the masses, allowing users to swap and sell products and services as if it were Craigslist. Just one problem: Facebook’s moderation of these posts is severely lacking. I’ve seen a number of “items” for sale that appear to be illegal, including apparent prostitution posts.






The EZVIZ Mini Indoor WiFi Camera is Huge on Value!

The EZVIZ Mini is an affordable mini camera that streams audio and 720p video over your home’s WiFi network. This tiny HD camera packs a great set of features, including a 130-degree diagonal wide-angle lens, night vision, low 3.5W power consumption, motion sensing ability, and cloud/microSD video storage. The impressive EZVIZ Mini can be purchased for under $70.