The latest iMessage phishing scam is easy to fall for. Here’s how to avoid it | Digital Trends

January 14, 2025January 13, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

It’s a new year, but bad actors are still at it with an old trick repackaged for iPhone users. Bleeping Computer reports a rise in phishing attacks targeting iPhone users that involves tricking them into disabling built-in protections and clicking on malicious links.

In an increasing number of cases, text messages appear to come from fake delivery agents posing as service messages from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). Two Digital Trends contributors have received such sham messages recently in North America.

I bought a dumb phone for my grandma, but ended up using it myself | Digital Trends

January 14, 2025January 13, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

My grandma is 87 years old, and it goes without saying that she has a hard time around technology. So, when the battery inside her 10-year-old Nokia 110 breathed its last breath recently, I, as the IT guy of the family, decided to get her yet another feature phone instead of a smartphone. Except this time, I decided to go with slightly more advanced features than the last one. After weighing a few options, I chose a feature phone from a lesser-known brand, but one with promising specs, a guarantee of a secure build, and, above all, Wi-Fi.

However, when the phone arrived, I was so thoroughly impressed with the aspects beyond the ones I mentioned above that I ended up snagging that one and made my Nan wait for the second one to arrive. The phone in question is the Blackview N1000, and there are plenty of reasons why you, a most likely non-elderly adult, might be intrigued by this rather unusual phone, just like I was.

Effective SEO Strategies for Today’s Digital Landscape | The Startup Magazine

January 13, 2025January 12, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Key Takeaways

An overview of essential SEO strategies and their impact.
Practical tips for implementing these strategies.
Insights into current trends and future predictions.

In today’s fast-paced digital environment, understanding and implementing effective search engine optimization (SEO) strategies is crucial for businesses looking to reach on search engines successfully. SEO is no longer just a toolkit of techniques; it’s an evolving landscape that demands attentiveness to trends, user behaviors, and technological advancements. As search engines become more competent, so must the strategies deployed to ensure content stands out and garners the attention it deserves in the crowded digital space.

Investing in Real Estate: Is It Right for You? Pros and Cons to Consider | The Startup Magazine

January 13, 2025January 12, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Real estate has long been a favorite investment strategy for building wealth. With the potential for both short-term gains and long-term appreciation, property investment can provide financial rewards. However, like any other investment, it comes with risks and challenges. When considering adding real estate to your investment portfolio, it is important to weigh the pros and cons carefully and determine which move is right for you.

We will examine some of real estate investment’s key advantages and disadvantages, including potential risks and rewards. Ultimately, you will better understand how property investment aligns with your financial goals and risk tolerance.

LA wildfire damages set to cost record $135bn | BBC News

January 10, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Los Angeles wildfires are on track to be among the costliest in US history, with losses already expected to exceed $135bn (£109.7bn).

In a preliminary estimate, private forecaster Accuweather said it expected losses of between $135bn-$150bn as the blazes rip through an area that is home to some of the most expensive property in the US.

The insurance industry is also bracing for a major hit, with analysts from firms such as Morningstar and JP Morgan forecasting insured losses of more than $8bn.

TikTok plea live: Supreme Court hears arguments with TikTok ban looming | BBC News

January 10, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Just as the former solicitor general Noel Francisco, appearing for TikTok and ByteDance, sought to drive home their argument that the sale-or-ban law would burden the platform’s speech – current Solicitor General Elizabeth B Prelogar repeatedly returned to the government’s view that the Chinese state could, at some point, try to access sensitive US user data via the companies.

She stressed that TikTok collects more data than other platforms on an “unprecedented” scale – a claim the company has denied – and warned it represented risks of espionage and blackmail.

Google Daily Listen Generates a Personalized News Podcast | Entrepreneur

January 9, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

Google wants you to press play on an AI-created podcast instead of scrolling for your daily news.

The tech giant can now take what it knows of your interests through your Search and Discover histories and create a 5-minute podcast tailored just for you that summarizes news stories of the day that you might be interested in.

Google began testing the personalized, AI-created podcasts, called “Daily Listen,” through Search Labs, the program that allows users to experience early-stage experiments, reports 9to5Google. The new experiment began rolling out on Wednesday to Android and iOS users in the U.S.

Highest-Paying Jobs for Associate Degree Holders: Report | Entrepreneur

January 9, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

A new report by the online career resources platform Resume Genius found that now is a great time to hold an associate’s degree (or begin the path to get one).

The median salary for an associate degree holder ($62,180) is higher than the U.S. median salary ($48,060) and career opportunities for associate degree holders, or those with a two-year degree, are expected to grow by 6.3% over the next 10 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Using the most recent BLS data, Resume Genius compiled a list, the 2025 High-Pay Associate Degree Jobs Report, that showcases the 10 highest-paying jobs that ask for an associate degree.

Skylight Calendar Review: Is it worth it? | Mashable

January 8, 2025January 7, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

The Skylight Calendar was one of the hottest gifts of the year, and for good reason. If you’re determined to stay more organized in 2025, the Skylight Calendar is a practical (and fun) way to keep track of your calendar, to-do list, grocery list, and chores.

Yes, you could get an Echo Show device, but if you’re not an Amazon Echo household, you might not need all the features that come with an Echo Show. Think of the Skylight Calendar as the Kindle of digital home displays: It gives you everything you need, and nothing extra. There’s no access to browsers, no additional apps, and no smart home control. It’s just a straightforward digital calendar that syncs up with your existing Google, iCloud, Microsoft, Yahoo, or Cozi calendars and gives you organizational tools to stay on top of all your to-do lists.

CES 2025 highlights: 5 new gadgets you can buy already | Mashable

January 8, 2025January 7, 2025 ~ knjohn ~ Leave a comment

As the Mashable team scampers around the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, there’s one question that’s top of mind every time we visit a booth or attend a demo: “That’s cool, but when can I buy it?”

A lot of times, the answer is never. Many gadgets exhibited at the annual tech industry trade show are just concepts and prototypes that don’t make it to market. (That Withings OMNIA smart mirror for at-home health screenings, for instance? Yeah, there’s a good chance it’ll never see the light of day.)

But sometimes the answer to that question is soon — or even now. Below, we’ve rounded up a list of five new products from CES 2025 that consumers can buy or preorder immediately, from an AI-powered planter to a smart bird bath. We’ll update it weekly as more announcements go live, so check back often.