Category: Tech Made Simple

Study Shows Heat Pumps in EV’s can Improve Drivable Range in Below Freezing Temperatures

Rivian R1T EV pickup

Many EV manufacturers have leaned heavily on energy-gulping resistive heaters to keep the cabin and battery warm in the winter time. But heat pumps, which can cut down on battery range losses in the cold, are becoming more prevalent in EVs, and they could help EV owners in the US who are dealing with the […]

Google’s Gemini AI Smart Home Controls are Rolling Out to Everyone

Google logo on computer screen Gemini on smart phone

Google is bringing smart home controls in Gemini to everyone. The Google Home extension in the Gemini app is adding a few new features, in addition to letting you adjust your smart lighting, thermostat, speakers, and other compatible devices as long as they’re connected to your Google account. As The Verge reports, Google first previewed the […]

Is Amazon Finally Ready to Unveil AI-Enhanced Alexa this month?

Amazon Alexa glowing

Amazon will host an event on Feb. 26 that may include the launch of a revamped Alexa the company has been teasing for more than a year. As PCMag reports, Amazon typically holds an event each fall to launch its latest Echo devices ahead of the holiday shopping season, but this month’s event in New […]

If you use Temu or Shein, Brace for Higher Prices and Shipment Delays

Packages stacked on a front porch

If you use Temu or Shein, brace for higher prices and shipment delays. As PCMag reports, the US Postal Service (USPS) is preparing to place import duties on all inbound packages from China and Hong Kong due to the Trump Administration’s new tariffs on Chinese goods that went into effect this week.  The USPS announced […]

Stop Changing Your (Strong, Unique) Passwords So Much

closeup of hands on smartphone changing password

In the past, experts used to warn people to change your “strong, unique” passwords frequently. However, in recent years, the “techxperts” have changed their tune and call that an outdated way of thinking. As PCMag reports, when the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) issued Digital Identity Guidelines in 2017, they used a lot of science-talk to discuss […]

Meta’s Safety Advisory Council Says Its ‘Prioritizing Political Ideologies’ Over Safety

Mark Zuckerberg Meta CEO waves to audience

Meta’s Safety Advisory Council has claimed that many of Meta’s recent changes risk “prioritizing political ideologies over global safety imperatives” in an official letter. The council added that: “As one of the world’s most influential companies, Meta’s policies set a powerful signal – not just for online behavior, but also for societal norms.” As PCMag reports, […]

DeepSeek Fails Researchers’ Safety Tests: “Failed to Block a Single Prompt”

hands holding smartphone with padlock images for cybersecurity

Chinese AI firm DeepSeek is making headlines with its low-cost and high-performance chatbot, but it may just have an AI safety problem. As PCMag reports, Cisco’s research team used algorithmic jailbreaking techniques to test DeepSeek R1 “against 50 random prompts from the HarmBench dataset,” covering six categories of harmful behaviors including cybercrime, misinformation, illegal activities, and general […]

Google’s Gemini AI smart Home Controls Are Rolling Out Everywhere

Google Nest Hub on kitchen counter

Google is bringing smart home controls in Gemini to everyone. The Google Home extension in the Gemini app is adding a few new features, in addition to letting you adjust your smart lighting, thermostat, speakers, and other compatible devices as long as they’re connected to your Google account. As The Verge reports, Google first previewed the […]

What is DeepSeek, and Why are Tech Giants Running Scared?

A Chinese AI company called DeepSeek is grabbing America’s attention — and sending a shock wave through Wall Street — due to its new tech, which some experts say rivals that of OpenAI’s ChatGPT.  As CBS News reports, DeepSeek is also catching investors off guard because of the low development costs for its AI app, […]

Epic is Expanding its Mobile Game Store by helping Cover Developer iOS fees

Epic Games has added nearly 20 third-party games onto its mobile app store worldwide on Android and in the European Union on iOS and launching its free games program on mobile beginning with Bloons TD 6 and Dungeon of the Endless: Apogee. As The Verge reports, it’s also promising to paysome iOS fees for developers that are part of the […]