FaceApp: How Dangerous Is It?

FaceApp: Should I Delete It?

Updated: December 3, 2019

Screenshot From FaceApp.com

You may have seen the slew of "What would I look like as an old person" photos that have been shared to Social Media recently. You may also have seen warnings in the media that this app is "Bad News." Just how bad is it? Should you delete the app and reset your phone? Or is it really as harmful as much of the media is saying?

What is FaceApp?

FaceApp is a photo app available for Android and iPhone.  It basically allows one to apply filters to photos.  You can do things like swap genders, add makeup, add tattoos, and otherwise enhance all of your selfies. The latest app update added the ability to "age" or "de-age" selfies as well.

FaceApp is not a new app. It has been around since 2017. However, it recently became viral, thanks to its ability to age you in selfies, as well as share side-by-side photos to social media.

What Are the Concerns with FaceApp?

New USPS Scam Arrives in Inboxes, Just in Time for the Holiday Season

New USPS Scam Arrives in Inboxes, Just in Time for the Holiday Season

Do NOT Open The Attached File

Today, I had a couple of USPS delivery notifications land in my inbox. 2 of these notices were legitimate. However, the third was not.  The fake e-mail was so good, I almost thought it was real.. Were I not an "Informed Delivery" user, I might have fallen for it.

Communicating During an Emergency

Communicating During an Emergency:
Alternatives to Phone Calls

I am based on the Florida Gulf Coast. For the past week or so, we have been watching Hurricane Dorian. As the storm gets closer to Florida, the misinformation starts circulating.  And there is a whole lot of misinformation circulating when it comes to communicating with others during an Emergency Event.

Facebook and Twitter are riddled with posts about which app to download so you can still communicate when you have no service.  Cell phones are great, but they are not magic. NO APP will work when you have no service whatsoever. But there are many apps that will function perfectly fine when cell service is down and internet service is up.  You need to have some strategy in mind that does not rely on voice communications and/or working cellular service.  You do need to plan for how you will contact folks when cell lines are overloaded.  In this article, we'll look at what you need to do to prep for this type of situation.

Why Can't I Depend on Cell Service During an Emergency?

Unfortunately, our cell towers are overloaded in many places. Different towers have different carriers, and often, your carrier may not have service on a particular tower. Additionally, different towers have different capacities. During emergencies, certain frequencies may be set aside for Emergency Officials and Governmental communications only, leaving little capacity to serve other callers.  Voice calls are more taxing on the infrastructure than data transmissions, so calls may not go through. Additionally, cell service transmitters are often the first thing to fail in any type of storm.  For this reason, it is better for everyone if you limit voice communications and switch to data communications, whenever possible.  If you must use voice communications, it is preferable to use those that rely on wifi or VOIP, rather than those that utilize the over-taxed cell system.

Do NOT Return That Call

Phishing Calls May Leave International Call Back Numbers:
Do NOT Return that Scam Call

Today, I received an old scam call with a new twist.  The caller ID showed 833-539-8666, and when I let the call go to voicemail, I received the following message:

Attention this is from Social Security Administration to inform you that your social security number is going to be suspended for committing some fraudulent and suspicious activity. Please call 335-309-8666.  Thank you.

So I googled the callback number. The first page of Google results were all in Chinese characters.

Malvertising: Not All Browser-Based Security Warnings are Legit

This is NOT a real Security Warning; It is an Ad!

If this suddenly popped up while you were browsing, would you think it is legit?

Several days in a row, I have had the Bradenton Herald open in another tab, reached by following a link to read an article. By the time I switched over to the tab, I actually had to use the "Back" button to read the article.

Folks, this is just an ad in disguise. DO NOT be fooled and click on the actual link. This is why so many of us surf using ad-blockers. And in fact, my ad-blocker is being re-enabled on this site, as I am sick of scam ads interupting my news reading.

I do not even use McAfee or recommend it to others. I am not sure if clicking the link would actually bring you to a legit security product. More likely, it would lead to malware, the exact opposite of software that protects your PC.

Do NOT fall for this adware scam!

Scam Warning for our LBK Followers

Scam Alert:
Longboat Key Florida

Longboat Key Residents: Beware. The scammers are spoofing the actual PD's number. https://t.co/lDVUjFzoGj

— TechLaurels (@TechLaurels) August 8, 2019

A special warning for all of our followers who live on Longboat Key. The telephone scammers have decided to spoof the ACTUAL phone number for the ACTUAL Longboat Key Police Department, and are calling folks trying to extort money. The Police Department is trying to get the word out. They DO NOT call folks to demand payment, EVER. Part-time residents may fall for this, thinking a piece of mail did not get properly forwarded. DO NOT engage these callers...but do not send them any money either.

Windows Update May Have Enabled Your Firewall

Did Windows Update Cause Your Page Loading to Slow to a Crawl?

Having Internet Issues lately? Did you do the latest Windows Update recently?

I did...and apparently it enabled the Windows Firewall with no apparent way to turn it off. I already run a firewall that is part of my a/v, and dueling firewalls make your internet slow to a crawl.

What worked for me was disabling the firewall portion of my a/v completely for about 15 minutes. Then I re-enabled it from within my a/v program. When I went back to check the state of my Windows Firewall again, it had now shut itself off, deferred to my already installed and active firewall, and I was able to load pages again.

If you are having issues after the latest Windows Update, check to ensure you are not suffering from dueling Firewalls.

YouTube Comes Back to Fire TV

YouTube Returns to Fire TV

Today, Amazon announced the return of a dedicated YouTube App to the Fire TV.  However, they did NOT make this new app easy to find.  TechLaurels went through the steps to find this app and get it activated.  We detailed the steps on our Facebook page. The post is embedded below.

Google Chromecast: Bringing Streaming Media from your Phone or PC to Your TV

Google Chromecast: See it, Stream It

Cast Your Media from Your Phone and PC to Your TV

Today, we have a sponsored post, brought to you by Best Buy, talking about the latest model of the Google Chromecast.  For those unfamiliar with the Chromecast, it is a small dongle designed to turn any HDMI compatible TV into a Smart TV, bringing internet capabilities to your favorite television set.  

Similar to a Roku or Fire TV stick, the Chromecast plugs into an HDMI port on your TV, and allows you to access online content through a "regular" TV.  However, the Chromecast also allows you to stream media from a PC, Tablet, Smartphone, or other mobile device to that television set, a feature the other streaming devices do not have.

Once you have plugged the Chromecast into the HDMI port on your TV, you use your phone, tablet, or computer to cast your favorite TV shows, movies, music, sports, games, and more to the TV you already own. Chromecast works with your iPhone®, iPad®, Android device, Apple® computer, Windows laptop or Chromebook. 

Chromecast is designed to make the most of the apps and entertainment already on your phone. Shows, movies, live TV, YouTube, photos and more are all just a tap away from all of your family’s devices.  Chromecast also lets you use popular apps, like Netflix and Hulu, without having to have an app-capable TV.  And you get all of this for $35.

Computer Glasses Can Minimize Eye Strain

Protect Your Eyes from Harmful Rays with Computer Glasses

Staring at Screens All Day Can Cause Headaches and Eye Strain;
Wearing Computer Glasses Can Alleviate This

Computers have changed a lot over the last few decades.  We went from green screens, to color VGA, and now, we have 4k capable monitors.  And although the visuals improved, one aspect of computing continues to plague us, and that is the issue of eye strain.

Back in the late 80s, I spent a lot of my day staring into computer monitors.  I began having terrible headaches on a daily basis, and I was convinced it was related to my screen time.  A colleague, who was having similar issues,  and I both sought medical help around the same time. Both of us were referred to an Optometrist, and both of us were prescribed reading glasses with a special coating.

Different optometrists told us that the act of focusing on a screen was tiring our eyes.  As our eyes tired, they lost their ability to adjust focus from closer to farther things.  In theory, reading glasses could help prevent this. They would help our pupils learn to better adapt, sort of like exercise for our eyes.  The special coating would reduce glare, helping to protect our eyes from further damage.  We both started wearing our glasses while focusing on a monitor, and we both experienced substantial relief from eye strain and the associated headaches.

Somewhere over the decades, I stopped wearing my computer glasses.  We were told monitors improved to the point emissions and glare were no longer threats.  We began working on larger monitors with better screen resolutions, which made things easier to see. We learned to bump up text size when our eyes were feeling strained.  But then came the Cell Phone Revolution. Along with it came the tendency to make screens smaller and more portable.  We began trading our desktop PCs for laptops.  And a lot of us started experiencing the eye strain of the past again. Only we didn't realize it.

Quick Tip: Bypass Paywall Monthly Article Limits

Quick Tip: Read a News Article
Despite Having "Reached Your Monthly Limit"

Get Around Those Annoying "Subscribe to Continue" Pop-Ups

 

I like to follow the news using an RSS Feed Reader.  I follow a "Top News" RSS feed that contains stories from numerous news sources.  And of course, a lot of the linked headlines come from places like the New York Times and the Washington Post, both sites that limit how many articles you can read without subscribing.  Many friends share news stories on Facebook, and I'd LOVE to be able to click-through without encountering one of those nasty "You've reached your limit of free articles. Click here to choose a subscription plan to continue" pop-ups.

In the old days, I'd cut and paste the link into a different browser, hoping I hadn't exceeded my monthly allotment there as well. If I hit a paywall again, I'd attempt to clear my cookies or use Reader Mode to bypass it, both tricks the paywalls got wise to too soon.

What if I told you I'd discovered an easy way to bypass these paywalls, and you didn't need to use a different browser or clear anything to use it? And it does NOT depend on using some browser extension that may disappear at any time. In fact, this trick involves nothing more than a right-click on a link.

You DO NOT Owe for an Overdue Invoice

Billing Scams are a Common Form of Spear Phishing

Do NOT Click Through or Open the Attached File

It's time to take a look at a few of the e-mail scams that have been filling inboxes recently. Some of these were sent to me personally; others were forwarded to me by some of my customers, who wanted to know if they were legitimate or not.  These e-mails are cut and pasted from the originals. In any case an e-mail contains an inline URL, I have changed that URL so it will NOT "work" if you click on it by mistake.  I have NOT stripped out links completely, so that readers may use the "hover trick" to see that the links, in fact, do NOT lead to where you'd expect. (Remember, you can hover your mouse over ANY link, and a program will show its true destination in either the status bar or in a pop-up tooltip.)

You DO NOT Owe for an Outstanding Invoice from a Company Whose Name You Do Not Recognize

This spear-fishing e-mail claims you owe money, and tells you to click a link to settle your bill.  Clicking on the link will take you to a site where they will trick you into disclosing personal info, and most likely will plant malware on your system while doing so.

Why We are NOT Covering Prime Day This Year

Prime Day is Here

And in Our Opinion, it is Over-Hyped

Tomorrow, July 17 2018, is officially Prime Day.  This year, Amazon decided to start it early, so the deals officially began about an hour ago.  And as soon as the deals began, Amazon's site crashed.  Viewing Prime Day Deals seems to be a hit or miss affair.

Almost every site on the Internet is covering Prime Day.  Techlaurels has decided not to, for a couple of reasons. First of all, there are plenty of sites that ARE covering Prime Day, and most of those sites are inundating our mailboxes with "Prime Day Deals" Newsletters, it's almost verging on spam. And second of all, I just do not think Prime Day is anything that special.

They DO NOT Have Your Password

That Password They Have is Most Likely an Old One;
They STILL Are NOT Watching You Through Your Webcam

Not too long ago, we discussed the latest e-mail scam, in which they claim to be recording you through your webcam.  Well, the scammers have upped their threats, and you may be the recipient of multiple e-mails threatening to release illicit videos if you do not pay a ransom.  And these latest e-mails have a twist: they include your password! But not to worry; they are NOT legit.

When you see the password they include, you will most likely panic, as you will recognize the password as one you have used.  But most likely, it is not a current password. In my case, the e-mail included one of the earliest passwords I used on the Internet, and one I haven't used much in over a decade.

Data Breaches: What Do They Mean For You?

How to Safeguard our Information
in a World of Security Breaches

What Can We Do when Our Data Gets Out?

Yesterday, all of the tech publications were warning of another major data breach.  Another popular Facebook App exposed users' personal data, and this time, over 120 million users were possibly affected.    Who was careless with our data this time? Nametests.com, a site Techlaurels warned users about over a year ago.

In a nutshell, Nametests had this hole where if you knew the right JavaScript commands, you could potentially access any users' personal information.  A website could exploit this, or any individual who knew how to grab and use a "token."  The "good guy" who discovered this used the flaw to set up a data mining program and subsequently reported the bug to Facebook. The security hole was supposedly closed.

And of course Nametests wanted that hole closed as soon as it was discovered. Who is going to buy a candy bar if there is a bowl sitting next to the register that says "Yours for the taking."  Or to borrow from an old cliche, if you're in the business of selling cows, you don't want to be giving the milk away for free.

No Microsoft Refunds, No Camera Hacks: New Scams

The Latest Attempts to Scam You
By Email and by Phone

Microsoft Has NOT Been Ordered to Issue Refunds, No One Has Hacked Your Webcam, and No One is Coming to Arrest You

It has been a while since we've looked at e-mail you should just ignore and voice mail phishing attempts.  A couple of new attempts to separate you from your money have cropped up lately, all involving scare tactics designed to make you act without thinking.  First comes a junk call scam, telling you you're owed a rebate, next comes an e-mail that reports someone is spying on you, and last comes an arrest threat based on a non-existent debt.  Keep reading to find out the details of each, so you'll recognize them and not panic should they come your way.

Fire TV Cube vs the Harmony Hub for TV Voice Control

Amazon Introduces the Fire TV Cube

Combines the Features of an Amazon Echo, Fire TV Stick and Harmony Hub in One Device; Adds Voice Control to Your TV and Components

How Does it Compare to the Harmony Hub?

 

Amazon has announced a new version of their Fire TV, called the Fire TV Cube.  This new device adds voice control to your TV and audio-visual components, much like a Harmony Hub.  But the Fire TV Cube takes things a step further, adding control for other Smart Home devices into the mix.  It's almost like the Amazon Echo, the Fire TV Stick, a Harmony Hub, and a Smart Home Hub all got together and had a baby.

What is the Fire TV Cube?

The Fire TV Cube is a small box, (approximately 3.5 inches square,) that connects to your TV via HDMI, and adds Alexa Voice Control to your TV and associated Entertainment Devices.  With the Fire TV Cube, you can turn the TV on and off, change channels, adjust volume, pause, rewind, change inputs, and much more, all via voice.  Unlike a Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Cube includes a built-in Echo as well as a Voice Remote.  You can issue voice commands through the remote, or hands free.

Blog Update: Taking a Digital Break

The Pleasures of a Digital Vacation,
Prompted by Technology Failing

What Living Without a Phone Can Teach Us

You'll notice we haven't published in a while.  Part of this is due to life interfering, and part was due to taking a digital break.

This digital break originally did not happen by choice.  It all began one morning.  I looked at my cell phone to check the weather, laid it back on the desk, and went about my business.  When I returned to it about an hour later, the phone was stuck in an infinite boot loop.  That means the phone would only boot as far as the google logo before shutting down and rebooting itself.

Undaunted, I rushed to my google drive to ensure I had a current backup. I could see my backup in my Drive folder.  So I tried to boot into recovery mode to no avail. That meant there was NO WAY to factory reset my phone.  When I went to research my woes, I found that this was a known issue. LG, the manufacturer of my Nexus 5x handset, was currently facing a class action suit because this was a known issue caused by a manufacturing defect, and LG had run out of the part needed to repair my phone.

I reached out to Google Support. They offered to accept a return of my 2 year old phone to solve the problem.  Still, that left me without a phone until Google could get a replacement out.  And to top it all off, we were facing a long weekend, and even with expedited shipping, it was doubtful that Google would be able to get a replacement phone to me in time to have it for the Holiday.  No worries--I still had a PC and Internet, as well as a landline, so that meant the weekend should still be okay.

I think we all fail to realize exactly how much we depend on our cell phones to run our daily lives.  Even with a working PC, there were many things I could no longer do until I had a new cell phone in hand.

I have most of my accounts protected by two-factor authentication. That means that you need a code along with your username and password to log in.  In most cases, that code is sent to your cell phone and expires within 15 minutes.  Not having that cell phone to receive the codes meant I couldn't log into a LOT of websites, including my web hosting control panel, my credit card account, my domain name registrar, and Twitter.  Of course, in many cases, two factor authentication can be set to use either your phone or your e-mail address to receive the log in code, but delivery method is usually established when you set up two factor authentication, and of course, you need to be able to log into your account to change the code delivery method. And you can't log into an account to change it without being able to receive a code.

Beyond two factor authentication, there are many other apps and services that are cell phone reliant.  Thankfully, many loyalty cards allow you to use a phone number in place of a physical or digital card. But not all do. Many fast food loyalty  programs depend on a digital card.  And that means you cannot access them without your phone.  Balances and promo codes are just unavailable without the app.  I DID discover that Regal Movies will look up your account with an e-mail address if you do not have your card or the app when purchasing tickets, but you really DO need your phone to redeem credits or take advantage of app-only concession deals.

And Uber? Forget trying to schedule an Uber without having your cell phone. You just cannot do it.    Not being able to take Uber when you live in a public-transportation-challenged area is NOT a good thing.  I had to change some weekend plans when taking an Uber became out of the question.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day: May 17, 2018

 The Seventh Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD) is May 17

 

The purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking and learning about digital access, inclusion, and people with different disabilities.

The third Thursday in May is set aside to celebrate Global Accessibility Awareness Day.  This year, it is being celebrated on Thursday, May 18.  Global Accessibility Awareness Day originally came about when a couple of webmasters had an online discussion.  They realized that few web developers really knew about what they needed to do to ensure web sites and apps were usable by folks with all kinds of disabilities, and compatible with a wide range of Assistive Technologies.  

The original celebration was aimed at backend developers. It challenged them to test their site for accessibility and make at least one improvement.  It directed them to resources they could use to check a site from a person with a disability's point of view.   It tried to ensure developers knew about technologies such as screen readers, alternative input devices, and principles of universal design.

In subsequent years, the effort expanded to encourage greater awareness of assistive technology, as well as how the digital world could do a better job of ensuring things worked for those using adaptive equipment.  Despite the fact there is legislation compelling an accessible digital world,  a lot of barriers remain.  Few developers are well versed in mandates, nor do they know how to comply. GAAD hopes to change this. 

Today, GAAD continues to focus on increasing awareness.  If developers knew more about how physical and cognitive limitations affect usability, and possibly exclude millions of potential users, they'd be more prone to address them. GAAD helps to facilitate this.  Events are planned to spotlight and demonstrate assistive technologies, both online and offline.  

How Can I Participate in Global Accessibility Awareness Day?

Improved Dictation in Windows 10 with the April, 2018 Update

The Latest Windows Update brings
Improved Voice Typing to Windows 10

Talk to Type in Any Text Field

Windows is about to push another major update, beginning on April 30, 2018.  This update will include several new features most of us won't use.  However, there is one new and improved feature that will excite many of us, especially those of us who have come to rely on it when using tablets or smartphones. That new feature is improved dictation.

Windows has had limited dictation abilities for several releases.  Previously, dictation was hidden amongst the accessibility features, and it did not work very well.  One could do limited voice typing within notepad or within a handful of word processing applications, but the recognition engine was bad, and it was clunky to access. You also needed a separate microphone for voice typing to work at all.  The April, 2018 update changes all of that.