Category: How Does it Work? | Scottie's Tech.Info

No more WiFi, Part 2: Home Powerline Networking and MoCA

So you’ve read all the studies about our Wireless Wonderland, and you’d like to go wired.

You’ve also watched my first video, No More WiFi: How to wire your home for internet.

You’re not big on drilling holes and running cables everywhere, so you decide to use powerline ethernet or ethernet over coax.

Before you go that route, there are a few things you should know about these two home networking solutions.

Not only are they generally more expensive than ethernet cabling, but they’re also usually not as fast or reliable…

The Biggest threat to Privacy: Browser Fingerprints

A lot of people these days are talking about protecting their online privacy.

We have hearings going on, threats of breaking up Facebook and other Big Tech companies, data leaks, and so on.

Many people are going so far as to boycott Google (which is easier said than done).

But so far, no one – except Mozilla – is talking about the biggest threat to online privacy: Browser Fingerprints.

Nokia 2720 Flip + Why KaiOS dumbphones are truly smart

This one’s a double header!

First, I quickly review the new Nokia 2720 Flip 4G dumbphone.

Then, I talk a bit more about exactly why dumbphones that run KaiOS are really NOT smartphones.

Did I mention that the 2720’s HUGE buttons are an absolute joy to use?

Or that it’s the first phone (of any kind) that I’ve had in years that actually fits in my pocket?

Deepfakes: Should you be worried?

Yes, I confess: I was actually the star of the hit 1987 film Predator.

No, not really. But these days, with deepfake software, anyone can make a video or audio clip that shows anyone else doing/saying whatever they want!

There is a lot of angst, anxiety, and worry about deepfakes – but just how dangerous are they?

Obviously, deepfakes have been made for, shall we say, “less than wholesome” purposes such as getting revenge on an ex-lover.

And there certainly is the potential for some chaos.

HTTP/3: The internet is about to get faster for everyone

HTTP is the protocol that makes the internet go.

Recently, several large tech companies announced that version three-ish of that protocol, known as HTTP/3, was ready to rock and being rolled out.

Now, that’s nice, but why do we care?

Well, we care because the internet is about get to get zippier for everyone – for free!

Can EMF exposure ever be GOOD for you?

You all know I’m not a big fan of wireless due to the health risks.

I’ve also said before that resources should be devoted to making these wireless technologies safe – so that we don’t have to just ditch it all!

But then, the question is: Is EMF ever safe?

Better yet, are there examples of EMF / radio frequency energy being used to possibly even HEAL people?

It turns out, there are! And it’s all pretty interesting…

Dumbphone with KaiOS: Hang on, isn’t that a smartphone?

Last week, I published a video entitled 4G Dumbphones: Get one with KaiOS!

In that vid, I talked about why KaiOS is a great OS to have on a 4G dumbphone.

Quite a few people asked various questions, like:

But hang on, isn’t that just a smartphone disguised as a dumbphone? But if it has Google, how is that different from an Android smartphone?

And so on.

So this week, I want to dig into some of the details of KaiOS and why it is NOT your daddy’s smartphone.

4G Dumbphones: Why you should get one with KaiOS

One year ago, I advised against getting a 4G dumbphone with KaiOS. I am officially reversing that recommendation!

After purchasing a Nokia 8110 4G and playing with it for 1 month, I’m actually pretty speechless, and that IS rare.

Despite Google’s investment of $22 million in KaiOS over 1 year ago, Google’s services remain “add-ons”. IOW, KaiOS has NOT become Android Lite.

KaiOS is KaiOS, and there’s some Googley stuff on the phone that you can either use, or not. Better yet, you can block the Google apps from doing much of anything.

Save Money (and your Gizmo) with a new Power Brick

They’re known as power bricks, wall warts, AC Adapters, AC-DC Converters, and probably 10 other names – and they power many of the gizmos you use every day.

But what happens when a gizmo stops working right?

You may think it’s the gizmo itself, but very often it’s the power brick.

It may look complicated, but it’s actually pretty straightforward to get a universal power brick and set it up to breathe new life into your techie toy.

Why most video games these days suck

Back in my day, video games were simple.

You typed in some cheat codes, kicked butt, and you were done.

My favorite, of course, was Wolfenstein 3D. I remember playing Wolfenstein as a wee young man. There was just something about wiping out Digital Nazis that was sooo satisfying.

Then again, perhaps I should have gotten out more…

Anyway, nowadays, things are different.

You’re not allowed to cheat. Everything is an “open world”. And people get so addicted to video games that they ACTUALLY DIE while playing them for days on end!

So, what exactly went wrong?