Tech Gumbo

Internet Access $$, Metaverse, Meh-taverse, Bard vs. ChatGPT

The Question of the Week- How much should I pay for Internet access?

The Big Stories:

• Meta not moderating content in the Metaverse
• Disney & Microsoft close their Meh-taverse
• Epic Games  & Apple give Metaverse a try
• Researcher leaves Google because Bard is learning from ChatGPT- Google Denies

Avoid Public Charging Ports, Major FBI Cyber Arrest, Garage Door Problems, Spyware on iPhone, Microsoft Patches, TikTok fines Again

News & Updates:

• FBI warns travelers not to use public charging ports in airports
• FBI brought down Dark Web’s Genesis Market, an infamous hackers website
• Garage door company shuts down their Internet portal to your door
• Israeli firm hacks into iPhone to target specific  high profile people
• Microsoft release urgent & critical patch updates
• TikTok fines for children under 13 on their platform

Amazon Return Policy, AI & ChatGPT Updates

The Question of the Week- Is Amazon changing their return policy?

The Big Stories:

• Who is profiting from AI?
• Microsoft & ChatGPT will help fight Cybersecurity
• Italy to block ChatGPT of GDPR concerns
• Clearview AI screapped 30 Billion images from Facebook for the police

50th Anniversary of 1st Cell Call, Dumb Phone Sales Way Up, Teams Improvements, Gmail Problems, Ford Self Driving Cars, EV’s & Cyber Concerns

News & Updates:

• 1^st Cell Phone Call happened 50 Years Ago Involved Trash Talking
• Dumb/Minimal Phones Sales are way up, especially with Gen Z
• Microsoft will double the speed and freshen the look of Teams
• Browser extensions allow for Gmail hacking
• Ford making moves towards Self Driving vehicles
• Electric Vehicles pose Cyber Security Threats

Junk Mail, Amazon Sidewalk, TikTok Ban, Zoom Bombing

The Question of the Week-  How do I unsubscribe from Junk Mail?

The Big Stories:

• Amazon Sidewalk, Why and how you should opt out!
• US Gov’t talks about TikTok Ban, but uses TikTok
• What would a TikTok ban look like?
• US Fed Reserve hit with a Zoom-Porn Bombing

World Backup Day, Gordon Moore died, 4G on the Moon, SpaceX Updates, Tesla Hacked

News & Updates:

• 31Mar was World Backup Day
• Gordon Moore, Co-Founder of Intel and creator of Moore’s Law died
• Space X
  • Smaller Dish available
  • Testing inflight Wi-Fi
  • 100% Availability on US West Coast
  • Created “Global Roaming”
  • Gets a Satellite based Competitor
• Tesla gets BREACHED BY A “White Hat”

Artificial Intelligence, Chat GPT & Bard

The Big Story:

• AI, Chat GPT & Bard
• Bill Gates chimes in
• Microsoft adds ChatGPT to Office Suite
• ChatGPT lied to a human
• Companies banning ChatGPT
• Microsoft CoPilot
• Google’s Bard is Boring

Google Glass Fails Again, iPhone 15 & USB-C, iPhone Charging, Voice Cloning Scams, Spyware on your Smartphone

News & Updates:

• Google Glass gets scraped again
• Apple USB-C on iPhone 15 and Apple only cables
• iPhone charging feature is a wasted effort
• FTC warns AI voice-cloning scams
• Spyware on smartphones

Issue with BYOD, National Cyber Strategy, LastPass Employee Does Not Update

The Question of the Week- 
How worried should I be about my “personal/“home life” data/pictures/internet searches when I enroll in my employer’s “Bring Your Own Device” mobile phone policy?

The Big Stories:

• Biden Administration National Cyber Strategy
• National Cyber Security Across Multiple Agencies
• Big Tech Must Be Secure
• SEC Proposes new Cyber Rules
• LastPass Employee Did Not Update PC & Lead to Massive Hack

US Threatens to Ban TikTok again, 13 min for Social Media should be raised, Twitter downed by 1 person, Wi-Fi 7

News & Updates:

• US Threatens to Ban TikTok if Chinese Gov’t Does not Divest
• Surgeon Gen, says min 13 Years Old not enough for Social Media
• A Single Software Engineer Brought Twitter Down
• Wi-Fi 7 Explained

Non-Competes, Work From Home Continues, VW Wouldn’t help, Vehicles Repossess Themselves, Signal Won’t Weaken Security, Aussie Rips out Chinese Security Cameras

The Question of the Week- 
Can you please speak to your thoughts on making non-compete clauses illegal in the work place?

The Big Stories:

• 30% still Work From Home
• VW would not help w/ stolen car and abducted child
• Ford could repossess or remove functionality
• Signal will not weaken security in UK
• Aussie Gov’t rips out 900 Chinese security cameras

iPhone Helps Steal Digital Life, Phones Stolen at Mardi Gras, Defender Stops Cyberattacks, Malware in Torrents, Merck Cyberattack Warlike, Passwords in Browsers

News & Updates:

• iPhone Feature helps steal your Digital Life
• phones stolen at Mardi Gras
• Microsoft Defender helps stop cyberattacks
• Insurers say Cyberattack we Warlike
• Malware in Pirated Torrents
• Malware shows passwords saved in browsers

EV’s & E-Bikes

The Question of the Week- 
I’ve heard you talk about EV’s, my question is, “Is it really worth it to get an EV”?

The Big Stories:

• EV or HEV or PHEV
• EV Tax Credits
• Cheaper Batteries for EV’s, but not cold weather
• Pros & Cons of E-Bikes

SCOTUS Changing the Internet?, AI & Deepfakes weakens MFA, Twitter Changes Rules for 2FA, Facebook adds Blue Badge Fee

News & Updates:

• SCOTUS hears 2 cases that could radically change the Internet
• AI & Deepfakes are weakening MFA/2FA
• Reporter “Broke” into his account using Voice AI
• Twitter Limits 2FA to paying Blue Members
• Using MFA on Twitter for Free
• Facebook & IG Now Charge for Blue Badge

Twitter Updates and ChatGPT/Bing updates

The Question of the Week- 
What’s up with Twitter?

The Big Stories:

Twitter:

• Twitter Blue can do 4000 Characters
• Elon Musk Promotes His Tweets Above Everything!
• Twitter Engineer Fired for Telling Musk the Truth

ChatGPT/Bing:

• Microsoft Releases AI-Powered Bing
• BingChat Argues with a User
• BingChat is Temperamental
• BingChat understands complex emotional question
• Early Stages of Hype Cycle
• 91% Concerned AI will do more harm than good

Win11 Tiny, Apple Security Update, Apple Probed by Justice Dept, Big Tech Subpoenaed, Netflix Password Sharing Crackdown

News & Updates:

• Windows Tiny11 Runs on 2GB RAM
• Apple Releases Emergency Security Update for iOS and MacOS
• US Justice Probes Apple over Antitrust
• Big Tech 5 Subpoenaed to US House of Reps
• Netflix Continues its Rollout of Password Sharing Crackdown

Providing Remote Tech Support & Protecting Yourself From Data Breaches

The Question of the Week- 
Is there an easy way to support my Mom’s computer remotely?

The Big Story:

Data Breaches

• What do thieves actually want
• What to do if your data is stolen
• How to protect yourself
• Passwords &/or Passphrases, make them long and strong
• SEC Creating Financial Rules for Cyber

AI Runs Amok, Celebrity Voices Abused, ChatGPT Fastest Growing App of All Time, Google Reveals Bard, Bard Flops, Cost Google $100B, Bing w/ ChatGPT

News & Updates:

• 4chan members make deepfakes of celebritys using AI
• ChatGPT soars past 100 million users in 2 months
• Google reveals Bard to compete with Microsoft & ChatGPT
• At live presentation, Bard makes error
• Error cost Alphabet $100 Billion in valuation
• Microsoft launches Bing with ChatGPT
• Quora launches a competitor ChatBot

 

Big Tech layoffs and TikTok being banned

The Question of the Week- 
Why are big tech companies laying so many employees?

The Big Story:

• TikTok banned from college Wi-Fi networks
• US State want more evidence why they should ban TikTok
• TikTok is Bad, but Google Facebook, Twitter, Amazon are Good?

Lasers Guiding Lightning, FAA Admits Problem, Hackers Attack Riot Games, Mercedes Goes Level 3, iOS 16.3 & Security, 200 Megapixels, Smartphones Not Selling

News & Updates:

• Scientists use lasers to redirect lightning
• The FAA explained the Major Outage
• A hacker stole the Source Code to League of Legends
• Mercedes says new cars will be Level 3 Autonomous
• Apple iOS 16.3 has new security
• Samsung has a phone w/ 200 Megapixels
• Despite all, Smartphone sales were down for 2022

Employee Productivity Tracking

The Question of the Week- 
Can my employer really track everything I’m doing on my work computer?

• What data does productivity trackers record?
• What are Productivity Killers?
• Pros & Cons of Productivity Tracking/Monitoring
• Employee ordered to repay employer after productivity tracked

EV Milestones, EV & Climate Change, Wy. Banning EV’s?, Tesla faking video

News & Updates:

• Global & US EV Sales reach Milestone
• EV/Autonomous Cars & Climate Change
• Wyoming Legislators wants to ban EV Sales
• Tesla video promoting self-driving was faked

La. Porn Law, Sextortion, Robot Lawyer, Windows 12, iPhone 14 Crash Detection

The Question of the Week-  What is going on with the Louisiana “Porn Law”?

News & Updates:

• La. Porn Law requires ID Proof
• FBI report Sextortion Cases
• Robot Lawyer Powered by AI
• Microsoft hints at Win12
• iPhone 14 Crash Detection hits the slopes

ChapGPT & Microsoft & AI

News & Updates:

• Microsoft buys 49% of OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT
• Mircosoft will bring ChatGPT to Bing & Office
• Is ChatGPT a cybersecurity threat?
• ChatGPT- Pro
• Microsoft can clone your voice in seconds

LastPass Hacked, Password Managers, Cyber Security in Space

LastPass Hacked, Password Managers, Cyber Security in Space

The Question of the Week- You guys have been saying Password Managers are a good thing, but Last Pass got hacked, do you still think it is a good thing?

The Big Story:

Password Managers & Cyber Security in Space

Facial Recognition AI Going Too Far, ChatGPT AI update

Facial Recognition AI Going Too Far, ChatGPT AI update

News & Updates:

• Facial Recognition lead to false arrest
• Facial Recognition gets mom escorted out of Radio City Music Hall
• Microsoft Experiments with using ChatGPT to better Bing
• A Princeton student builds an app to detect ChatGBT

ChatGPT and Sports Betting Online

The Question of the Week- What is ChatGPT and why should I care?

ChatGPT: What You Need to Know About OpenAI's Powerful, Potentially Very Problematic Chatbot

The Big Story:

• Sports Wagering Online
• Explosive Growth
• Tapping into College Brands
• The popularity and unmet promises
• What Kansas went thru and is not getting
• Sports gaming included in Entertainment Shows
• The most popular Apps

FCC acts on Robocalling, Apps tracking Kids, TikTok vs US Lawmakers, FTC Suing to Stop Microsoft

News & Updates:

• FCC pulls the plug on telecom company allowing Robocalls
• Most Apps for kids track and sell their data to Google
• Lawmakers try to ban TikTok
• And what if they were Successful?
• States taking aim at TikTok as well
• FTC Sues to Stop Microsoft Acquisition of Activision/Blizzard

SanFran Backtracks on Killer Robots, Mars Copter does 35th, Starlink & Dept of Defense & Data Caps, EU Consent for Social Media, TSA rolling out Facial Recognition

News & Updates:

• San Francisco changing their stance on killer robots
• NASA’s Ingenuity does its 35^th Flight
• Starlink partnering with Defense Department
• Starlink Delaying Data Caps
• European Union will demand Social Media get Explicit Consent on ads
• TSA Expanding Facial Recognition nationwide

Hacking the Metaverse

Guest LSU Cybersecurity Professor Abe Baggili Explains:

• What is the Metaverse and it is not what you think
• Metaverse is just another portal
• Research into the very poor security in the Metaverse

 

Twitter Analysis, Update & Deep Dive

The Question of the Week- Everyone else is talking about Twitter, why aren't you?

Twitter Update & Deep Dive

• Advertisers leaving
• Analytics & Audience Insight staff decimated
• Musk vs. Apple
• Former Twitter Employees getting new jobs

Alexa just a clock/radio, SanFran robots that can kill, Tax websites selling your info to Facebook, Meta employees hacking user accounts

News & Updates:

• Amazon thought Alexa would be move that a clock radio
• SanFran police can deploy a robot that can kill
• TaxAct, TaxSlayer and H&R Block selling your sensitive data to Facebook
• TikTok Still share more of your personal data
• Meta employees fired for allowing accounts to be hacked

FTX & Binance update, Google loses to States, Apple & US Chips, Taylor Swift & Ticketmaster Fiasco, Amazon Prime Music

News & Updates:

• FTX Billion$$ Missing
• Binance not looking healthy
• 40 States sue Google & Win
• Apple to use US made chips in 2024
• Taylor Swift tour tickets and Ticketmaster troubles
• Amazon to offer Streaming music with Prime

How LSU is winning the Content Arms Race

Guest Cody Worsham, Chief Brand Officer of LSU Athletics talks about:

• How was the LSU Athletics Social Media team created?
• For those interested in content creation, what can they do to get started?
• How does LSU Athletics Social Media team make decisions?
• What is the LSU Athletics Social Media team’s role in supporting N.I.L.?
• LSU Gold for those who want deeper engagement

Smart Phone for Kids & Crypto Currency Crash

The Question of the Week- At what age should I give my child his 1^st smart phone?

The Big Story- Crypto Currency Crash

Also:

• Binance cancels FTX buyout
• FTX Questionable dealings
• SEC & DOJ investigating FTX
• Tom Brady lost big with FTX
• Millennials avoiding crypto currency

Chrome Extension Troubles, Microsoft- losing money on Xbox, Support for Call of Duty, Activision investigations, Win11 Ads, Metaverse, Facebook fires 11,000 employees

News & Updates:

• Chrome (browsers in general) has extension issues
• Microsoft:
  - Loses $200 for every Xbox sold
  - Will continue to support Call of Duty on Playstation
  - Activision purchase triggers investigations
  - Try out Ads on Win11
  - Struggles with Metaverse

• Meta lays of 11,000 employees

Starlink Updates $$$, Digital Driver’s Licenses, Truth Social, Facebook Devalued

News & Updates:

• Starlink for RV
• Starlink for Private Jets
• Starlink may impose Data Caps
• ’s Digital Drivers License
• Truth Social Growing, but in Trouble
• Facebook losing 75% of its value

Tech Gumbo starts 9th Year, iOS 16, Elon Musk & Twitter

The Question of the Week- Should I upgrade to iOS 16?

The Big Story- Twitter is now an Elon Musk company.

• 1^st act is to remove top executives
• Implement changes
• $20/month for the Blue Check
• Well Maybe $8/month for the Blue Check
• Now a privately held company
• Bringing back Vine?
• Do you keep your Twitter account?

The Big Story- Social Media Content Moderation

The Big Story- Social Media Content Moderation

Also:

• TikTok subcontractors traumatized as content moderators
• TikTok and campaign misinformation
• Twitter trying to eliminate campaign misinformation

Is Alexa actually listening, Foldable iPads & iPhones, iPhone Crash Detection False Alarms, Starlink a GPS Alternative & Social Media Status Update

The Question of the Week- Does my Alexa actually listen everything going on in the room?

News & Updates:

• Apple will have foldable iPads & iPhones by 2024
• iPhone crash detection creating false alarms from roller coasters
• U of Texas uses Starlink as GPS alternative
• A status update on the Social Media giants

Lithium Batteries

Lithium Batteries

Also:

• Why are they important
• Is lithium a true replacement for oil?
• When will we run out of Lithium
• What will replace lithium-ion batteries
• GM is starting a new business unit to offer electricity storage and management for homes and businesses

Kanye to buy Parler, NASA’s DART Hit the Target, Netflix password sharing crackdown, Original iPhone sells for $39K

News & Updates:

• Kayne West wants to buy the Social Media platform Parler
• NASA’s DART changed the path of the asteroid
• Netflix will roll out global changes to stop password sharing
• Original iPhone still in factory sealed box sold at auction for $39K

The Question of the Week- Is it finally time to upgrade to Windows 11? & Twitter, BeReal, TikTok, Instagram updates

Also:

• Musk agrees to buy Twitter, again
• BeReal- the new social media darling
• TikTok, Instagram, SnapChat quickly try to copy
• Is Instagram in Trouble?

SCOTUS takes up Section 230, USB-C & The EU, Windows Logo Malware, Chrome ending Ad Blockers, NASA-SpaceX-Hubble, Delivery Drone in Powerlines

News & Updates:

• SCOTUS agrees to hear a case that could change Section 230 & Social Media as we know it
• The EU confirmed USB-C mandate by 2024
• Malware was hidden in old Windows logo
• NASA & SpaceX want to move Hubble to a higher orbit
• Food delivery drone got tangled in powerlines

The Question of the Week: A listener Fact Checks us on farms in the US, & News, Updates & Follow-Ups

The Question of the Week- A listener Fact Checks us on farms in the US

Also, News, Updates & Follow-Ups:

• NASA’s DART hits the target
• EV Charging station are reimbursable
• EV Sales hit record
• Solar Energy prices fall
• Starlink Review
• SanFran surveillance plan
• TikTok Political Ban

Interview with Dr. Abe Baggili from the LSU Department of Computer Science & Cybersecurity Professor

We discuss with Dr. Abe Baggili:

• Cyber Security
• LSU being be designated by the National Security Agency as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations
• The research Dr. Baggili and his students are doing

The Question of the Week- Should I use my cell phone as a key to get into my hotel room? And Twitter Updates

The Question of the Week- Should I use my cell phone as a key to get into my hotel room?

Also, Twitter Updates:

• Twitter Whistleblower’s Testimony has Senators outraged on both sides of the aisle
• Twitter Whistleblower says security holes could cause real people harm
• Twitter Shareholders unfazed by Testimony
• Twitter & Whistleblower had $7Mil settlement w/ NDA, but Congress forced him to talk
• Elon Musk Adds the Whistleblower to his lawsuit to end the deal to buy Twitter
• Bob Iger tells why Disney decided not to buy Twitter

Most Regretted College Majors, NASA’s DART, AT&T Breaks 5G Promise, AI Wins Art Competition, John Deere Self Driving Tractors, Alphabet Exec Leaves Because of Commercial Use of Data

News & Updates:

• The Most Regretted College Majors are Non-STEM
• NASA’s DART looks to redirect a Moonlet
• AT&T will not deliver 5G to older phones as promised
• Artificial Intelligence Art wins a Digital Arts Competition
• John Deere is leading the way in Self Driving Tractors
• Alphabet Executive Leaves Health Unit Because of Commercial Use of Data

Hard Disk Drives vs. Solid-State Drives, iPhone 14 announcement, Unwanted Text Messages, Starlink & T-Mobile, Cell Carriers and Your Location Data

The Question of the Week- Is there really a difference between regular hard drives and solid-state drives?

Also:

• Tips to deal with unwanted text messages
• Apple formally announces iPhone 14 line up
• Starlink & T-Mobile to allow cell phone to use satellites
• How long does your cellular carrier retain your location data

Twitter’s Edit Button, Tesla Sues La., Rhythm Nation Crashed Hard Drives, LastPass Hacked, Voyager 1 Phoning Home Again, USB4-V 2.0

News & Updates:

• Twitter will finally allow you edit Tweets
• Tesla sues Louisiana to sell directly to consumers
• Janet Jackson’s Rhythm Nation could crash hard drives
• LastPass was hacked, but no user data was compromised
• NASA’s Voyager 1 is 15 Billion miles away and talking to Earth again
• USB4- Version 2.0 will deliver up to 80Gbps