With the holidays upon us, it’s easy to default to giving the tech gifts that retailers tend to push on us this time of year: smart speakers, video doorbells, bluetooth trackers, fitness trackers, and other connected gadgets are all very popular gifts. But before you give one, think twice about what you’re opting that person into…
Your Objections to the Google-Fitbit Merger…
When Google announced its intention to buy Fitbit in April, we had deep concerns. Google, a notoriously data-hungry company with a track record of reneging on its privacy policies, was about to buy one of the most successful wearables company in the world —after Google had repeatedly tried to launch a competing product, only to […]
Kansas Dept of Health Using Cell Phone GPS Tracking to Monitor Coronavirus Compliance…
Comrades, again we note – our voluntary transponder devices (cell phone, FitBit etc) are being used by government officials to monitor our ‘stay-at-home’ coronavirus compliance. It only takes one slight flip of the government switch, or a carefully worded executive order, to turn that innocuous data into a personal penalty (civil fine). If you choose […]
Fitbit to Move Production Out of China…
The fitness tracker and smartwatch maker Fitbit announced it will move manufacturing operations out of China to avoid tariffs as President Donald Trump’s trade war continues to sow uncertainty for many U.S. businesses. “In 2018, in response to the ongoing threat of tariffs, we began exploring potential alternatives to China,” Ron Kisling, the chief financial […]
I Tried Hiding from Silicon Valley in a Pile of Privacy Gadgets by Joel Stein…
As the spy gear piles up on my desk, my 10-year-old son asks me what my mission is. “I’m hiding,” I whisper, pointing in the direction I think is north, which is something I should probably know as a spy. “From Silicon Valley.” It isn’t going to be easy. I use Google, Facebook, Amazon, Lyft, […]
Marathon Runner’s Tracked Data Exposes Phony Time…
Hot tip: If you’re going to cheat while running a marathon, don’t wear a fitness tracking band. A New York food writer found this out the hard way on Tuesday after she was busted for an elaborate run-faking scheme, in which she attempted to use doctored data to back up an illegitimate finish time. In […]
Fitness Tracker Prezzies Could Bump Up Insurance Premiums & Leak Personal Data on the Dark Web…
GADGETS to help you lose weight are being used by private companies to track you and could have terrible consequences in the future, experts have warned. They claim companies’ unprecedented access to smartwatches and fitness band data could eventually bump up your insurance premium, affect your job and even lead to your identity being stolen…