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Dan

Silhouetted commuters waiting on a train platform, symbolizing the frustration of waiting for missing two-factor authentication codes.
Online Safety

Why Your Two-Factor Codes Never Arrive — and How to Fix It

Have you ever tried to access your bank account then sat and waited for a verification text message which never arrived? You’re not alone. I just dealt with this multiple times this week. And you’re not the problem. Come along as I explain why this happens, how you can avoid Read more…

By Dan, 2 daysJuly 13, 2025 ago
Sepia-toned WWI–style propaganda poster of a human head silhouette; its brain cavity is filled with interlocking gears that mesh into an old-fashioned telegraph machine.
AI

AI Hype vs. Reality: Why Only 8% Will Pay Extra for Smart Features

If the headlines are to be believed, everyone loves artificial intelligence. Yet in a recent study, only 8% of U.S. adults said they’d pay extra to use AI features in a product or service. That’s a tiny number I tried to wrap my head around Sunday morning when AI helped Read more…

By Dan, 1 weekJuly 6, 2025 ago
Close-up of a pencil with an unused eraser, symbolizing omitted citations in Gemini’s AI responses.
AI

Gemini Didn’t Cite a Single Source. Is This Normal?

Many people, including me, have written much lately about Google search. Briefly, they feel Google no longer wants to connect a user to a website other than Google. Through its use of AI Overviews to provide a narrative answer on the search results page, queries can often be satisfied without Read more…

By Dan, 2 weeksJune 29, 2025 ago
Classical-style painting of a determined figure holding a scroll that reads “My Data. My Choice,” symbolizing control over personal data, with a lock around their neck and a GPT logo in the background—representing a privacy assistant protecting user data.
AI

Meet Your New Privacy Assistant. It’s A Prompt Away From Protecting Your Data.

Because I found out a wellness app came with unacceptable data privacy gaps, I set out to make it easier for everyone to understand the risks and protect their data. In an earlier post, I described how I learned that all the information I shared with Noom – the meals Read more…

By Dan, 3 weeksJune 22, 2025 ago
Sunlight breaking through dark clouds, symbolizing how to use AI without fear or confusion.
AI

Don’t Let AI or Me Intimidate You. Here’s How to Actually Use It.

Nothing makes me lose interest faster than a subject matter expert spewing jargon-filled alphabet soup. I get it. They know more than I do about whatever topic. Regardless, their gobbledygook message flies right over my head. And I am guilty of the same sin with AI. I have gushed about Read more…

By Dan, 4 weeksJune 15, 2025 ago
Person standing on a smart scale, symbolizing health data tracking through wellness apps like Noom.
AI

How I’m Taking Back Control of My Noom Data

Caveat tracker: user beware. Even a free wellness app can cost you a lot. “Free” doesn’t mean no strings attached. You may be paying for the app with your data because, for some services, every meal or weigh-in you track could be shared with the people who administer your health Read more…

By Dan, 1 monthJune 8, 2025 ago
AI-generated image of a teenage driver holding a phone behind the wheel, lit by red and blue lights, illustrating distracted driving in Pennsylvania.
Mobile Devices

Distracted Driving Crackdown: How to Get Set for Pa.’s New Hands-Free Law

Starting on June 5, 2025, police in Pennsylvania can pull over a driver seen using a mobile phone. Whether they’re scrolling or texting, reading an email or making a call, thanks to “Paul Miller’s Law,” named in honor of a man killed in 2010 by a distracted driver, a phone-using Read more…

By Dan, 1 monthJune 1, 2025 ago
iPhone

Stop Fumbling for Your Wallet: Set Up Mobile Pay in 60 Seconds Flat

“I love my scanners,” said the vendor at Arts Fest in Harrisburg’s Riverfront Park Saturday morning. “So easy.” Without pulling a credit card or cash out of my wallet, in about 10 seconds I’d paid for a unique candle in a concrete bowl which will double as a planter once Read more…

By Dan, 2 monthsMay 25, 2025 ago
Vintage-style clown pointing at viewer with text: “Don’t Clown Around With Your Digital Privacy.” A privacy-themed parody of Uncle Sam posters.
Online Safety

Don’t Clown Around With Your Data: Take Control in Six Minutes

I met a friend for coffee a few months ago. They mentioned some of my earlier posts about online safety, then said something which has stuck with me like a poppyseed lodged in my gums: I don’t worry about my data. I just assume the bad guys have all my Read more…

By Dan, 2 monthsMay 18, 2025 ago
A freshly planted garden bed created with planning help from AI—showing a practical example of using AI in everyday life at home.
AI

From Newsrooms to Gardens: Where I Found AI This Week

I’ve been spending time thinking about things which don’t relate directly to personal technology and artificial intelligence. Regardless, connected themes pop up in unexpected places like a weed in a freshly mulched garden bed. Yes, I’ve been in the garden lately, too. a lot. Here’s a few top of mind Read more…

By Dan, 2 monthsMay 11, 2025 ago

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