U.S. power grid vulnerable to cyberattacks
Brian Wallace, a security researcher at the cybersecurity firm Cylance, was on the trail of hackers who had snatched a California university’s housing files when he stumbled into a larger nightmare: Cyberattackers had opened a pathway into the networks running the United States’ power grid. The attack involved Calpine Corp. — a power producer with 82 plants operating in 18 ... READ MORE
What’s up with chip-enabled credit cards?
I just got an unmarked envelope in the mail from my bank —with a South Dakota return address. Public service announcement: The most unassuming letters are the ones you should definitely open! It contained a brand-new debit card with a microchip.The Smart Card Alliance estimates that around 120 million Americans have already received one of these new cards, which is called an... READ MORE
Robot to attend school for cancer patient
A Maryland girl who is undergoing cancer treatment will be able to attend school with the help of a robot. Ten-year-old Peyton Walton of Montgomery County will soon undergo five weeks of treatment at Memorial Sloan Cancer Center in New York, as reported by WRC-TV. During that time, a robot she calls “Peyton’s Awesome Virtual Self,” or PAVS, will attend school for her at... READ MORE
More cars come with safe-driving systems
Fully self-driving cars are a few years into the future. But some of the technology that will make them possible is already here.Automakers are rapidly adding radar- and camera-based systems that can keep a car in its lane, detect pedestrians, and brake automatically to avoid a collision. For now, they work with a driver behind the wheel, but eventually, versions of these systems will... READ MORE
‘Tech neck’ a hazard of the electronic age
When Mom nagged you to “sit up straight,” she likely had no idea how important that advice would become, thanks to our reliance on smartphones and tablets.One study suggests that the average person spends two to four hours every day on electronic devices. That’s thousands of hours every year spent in a position that puts several extra pounds... READ MORE
Beware: Not all online shopping is alike
I’m an avid online shopper, but last year I had an online shopping first: I made several purchases through third-party sellers on Amazon.com and Etsy.com. [Third-party sellers are usually small businesses or individuals operating their own mini-websites within a larger online operation.]You can tell whether an item is being offered by a third-party seller on Amazon by checking the... READ MORE
Facebook features you may not know about
Did you know you can add a pronunciation guide to your name on Facebook? Overlay colorful text on the photos you post? How about mark the end of a relationship without your 500 closest friends getting notified? Many of these tips and tricks aren’t well known, even to veterans of the 1.5 billion-strong people-connector and time-waster website. Facebook is constantly updating its... READ MORE
Many options for alleviating chronic pain
Lenore Beetar of Woodbridge, Va., 89, wasn’t ready to slow down. The former Rockette high-kicked her way to an extremely active life raising her children, interacting with friends, and rarely resting in the same place for very long.But in December 2014, a tumble down the stairs she described as “a beautiful somersault” resulted in a fracture in her neck. The subsequent... READ MORE
New tech gadgets amuse adults and kids
Imagine turning a standard can of beer into a frothy draft beer with a head. Or how about using the charge in your fingers to clean your teeth, or taking a walk with a robot dinosaur?At the CE Week gadget show in New York recently, there were several standouts amid the sea of smartphone chargers and 3-D printers. Some are set to hit stores near you in the not-too-distant future. Here is a... READ MORE
Think you’ve been hacked? Do this now
The entire U.S. federal workforce may be at risk after yet another intrusion from what security experts believe were hackers based in China. The Department of Homeland Security said that data from the Office of Personnel Management — the human resources department for the federal government — and the Interior Department were infiltrated.Two hacking incidents this summer affect a ... READ MORE
Technology 2024
