How to manage your health records online
Doctors and hospitals traditionally have been the gatekeepers of patients’ medical records. That’s changing as a growing number of digital tools place these records at consumers’ fingertips.Patients can now view their medical records, download them to a computer or mobile device, and organize key information such as allergies and drug side effects. They also can use these... READ MORE
Digital fitness monitors promote health
The latest trend in high-tech health puts control in the palm of your hand. It’s called digital fitness monitoring, and it comes in the form of tiny gadgets that you wear or place in your pocket.“If you’re already motivated to exercise or eat differently, the monitor is a great tool to track your progress and help you understand where you need to make changes,” said... READ MORE
Free map apps help drivers and walkers
Many people use smartphone apps to map their drive to dinner or find a less-congested route to work. But did you know that you can use them for public transit, too? You can even access some maps when your Internet connection is down, such as in the subway, or if it’s spotty. Here’s a look at what leading free map apps can do for you, whatever mode of transportation you... READ MORE
New apps aim to help users lose weight
Smartphones and tablets combine an extraordinary amount of portable computing power with Internet connections via cell phone signal and WiFi. Many health entrepreneurs are trying to harness that power to help people get healthier. According to one estimate, the number of health apps for phones may already top 40,000.Now the tough question: Do they actually work? A study published last fall... READ MORE
What happens to online files after you go?
You’ve probably decided who gets the house or that family heirloom up in the attic when you die. But what about your email account and all those photos stored online? Grieving relatives might want access for sentimental reasons, or to settle financial issues. But do you want someone reading your exchanges on an online dating profile, or a spouse going through every email? The... READ MORE
Companies stealthily study customers
Think you’re in control? Think again.OKCupid, an online dating site, recently became the latest company to admit that it has manipulated customer data to see how users of its service would react to one another. The New York-based Internet company’s revelation followed news last July that Facebook let researchers change news feeds to see how it would affect users’ moods.The ... READ MORE
Google plans pill to search for illnesses
Google is working on a cancer-detecting pill in its latest effort to push the boundaries of technology.Still in the experimental stage, the pill is packed with tiny magnetic particles, which can travel through a patient’s bloodstream, search for malignant cells, and report their findings to a sensor on a wearable device.As many as 2,000 of these microscopic “nanoparticles” ... READ MORE
What is ‘social media,’ and is it for you?
There’s a notion common among many young people that older American’s don’t “get” social media. But actually, older adults are now the fastest-growing group of new users of social media in the United States.The growth has been spectacular: In 2013, 43 percent of Americans over 65 used at least one social networking site, compared with 26 percent in 2010 and... READ MORE
D.C. nonprofit offers free tech training
Growing up in an underserved neighborhood of Atlanta, Ga., Meico Whitlock, 30, was always “fascinated by technology.” By volunteering with Byte Back, a D.C. nonprofit that provides computer classes in disadvantaged local communities, he’s now able to help others succeed. He finds Byte Back’s classes “improve the lives of everyday people,” he said. Whitlock originally began... READ MORE
Ways to create better, stronger passwords
With more frequent news that hacker rings are amassing millions of username and password combinations from major retail outlets, it’s a good time to review ways to protect yourself online.If there’s reason to believe your information might have been compromised, change your passwords immediately.One of the best things you can do is to make sure your new passwords are strong.... READ MORE
Technology 2024
