Stop Renting Your Cable Modem, You're Getting Ripped Off

May 11, 2023

Did You Know?

Barbie and Ken, the iconic doll duo, were, as the result of a Mattel marketing promotion, broken up between 2004 and 2011.

Happy Thursday! Yesterday was the main Google I/O keynote, and there’s so much to talk about. Maps is adding a new Immersive View, Bard is dropping the waitlist and adding plugins, and Android devices are getting a tracker network like Apple’s “Find My” network. We also got our first look at an AI-powered Google Search.

Google also revealed new hardware: the Pixel 7A budget phone, the Pixel Tablet, and the foldable Pixel Fold.

– Corbin

When you look at a utility bill, be it your electric bill or your cable internet bill, it sure feels like a lot of extra fees are tacked on there. While you can’t do much about regulatory fees, there is one fee you can erase: the model rental fee. Read More »

Are you still looking for the perfect gift this Mother's Day? From now through May 14th, Samsung is offering a variety of deals to help you show your appreciation for Mom. Whether you're looking for new wireless earbuds, a smartwatch, or a robot vacuum, Samsung has something for every Mom. Browse Deals »

Google is already hard at work making the next version of Android. Android 14 pre-release builds have been available for a few months to those brave enough to try them. Only problem? They were only available to Google Pixel phones. This is finally changing. Read More »

You may have noticed that your laptop battery won’t charge beyond 80%, despite it being plugged in for what feels like an eternity. Don’t worry — your laptop isn’t broken. Smart charging has just temporarily limited your battery to extend its useful lifespan. Read More »

An MMO mouse like the Logitech G600 is great for playing MMOs, but it can also be great for productivity. The extra buttons can be used to make common keybinds, key combinations, and more easily available, making you even more efficient.

The best part? You don’t need to break the bank for a mouse like this—the G600 is available for only $39.

You may be inundated with passwords now, but the future is looking far less reliant on them. As digital security advances, we’ll start seeing a shift from convoluted combinations of letters and numbers to cryptographic passkeys. But even these passkeys need a space to be stored, and current password managers like Keeper Security, now available for 50% off, may be the solution. Read More »

USB thumb drives are a convenient and portable means of storing data. However, how long can flash drives actually keep your data maintained? To answer that question, we need to explore the inner workings and factors that can impact their data retention. Read More »

While Disney+ is supposed to be Disney’s flagship streaming service, Disney actually operates a handful of platforms. Among them, we have Hulu. If you ever wondered whether they should merge, we have (potentially) good news for you, as Disney might finally do it. Read More »

AI technology is changing what we see online and how we interact with the world. From a Midjourney photo of the Pope in a puffer coat to language learning models like ChatGPT, artificial intelligence is working its way into our lives. Read More »

The last non-iPad tablet that I was excited about was the second-gen Nexus 7, released in 2013. Since then, hardware has gotten better, but tablet-optimized apps haven’t. After a short hands-on with the upcoming Google Pixel Tablet at Google I/O 2023, I think this could be the Android tablet to beat. Read More »

Google talked a lot about AI at this week’s Google I/O event, with the company integrating generative AI into Gmail, Google Docs, and other services. The messaging app for Android devices is also getting an AI upgrade. Read More »

Upgrading to a smart thermostat is a great way to save money on your annual energy bill and automate your home. However, choosing the right one for your home isn’t easy. We have the best for your budget and smart home ecosystem. Read More »

AI chatbots—like ChatGPT and Bing Chat—are fun to play with, but are they actually useful? Bing Chat is particularly good at being a trip planner. It can spit out a detailed multi-day itinerary from a simple prompt. Read More »

Many have wondered why Apple has not joined the touchscreen laptop bandwagon. While it seems logical, there are some excellent reasons why it might not be the best idea. Here are six reasons why a touchscreen isn’t the MacBook you might think it is. Read More »

With window cleaning, lawnmowing, pool cleaning, and other types of useful household robots now saturating the marketplace, robotic vacuums seem a bit mundane. ECOVACS hopes to change that perception with the DEEBOT T10 OMNI, its newest, techno-centric combination of a vacuum and mop. Read More »

It’s no secret that LEGO sets are available for builders of all interests and budgets. However, the sets that appeal to many collectors are the ones that come with hefty price tags. From complex LEGO builds to hard-to-find models, there are plenty of LEGO sets that can give most wallets a workout. Read More »

Spatial audio music—more specifically, Dolby Atmos music—isn’t a gimmick, but not a lot of people have really experienced it out loud. Sonos Era 300 is one option, but now the Soundcore Motion X600 Bluetooth speaker is another spatial audio speaker, and it’s highly impressive and portable. Read More »

Have you ever been in a bind where you needed AA batteries, but all you had were AAA batteries lying around? It can be so challenging to keep your battery supply fully stocked. Believe it or not, you don’t need to go to the store or take batteries out of a different device in this scenario. Read More »

Everyone needs a quality night’s sleep. If you find yourself waking up to excessive sweat that you didn’t expect, then you might be experiencing night sweats. And is that normal? Read More »

When you drop something in your mailbox to be picked up, it’s usually a small package or a letter. Because that’s what the United States Postal Service does—they deliver the post. But in a few days, the USPS wants you to leave nonperishable food by your mailbox, and there’s a good reason why. Read More »

After much build-up, Google finally entered the foldable phone market with the Pixel Fold. It’s a similar story to last year’s Pixel Watch, which was Google’s long-awaited Wear OS device. Will the Pixel Fold have the same first-gen issues? Read More »

Google Photos has, for a long time, allowed for editing photos, often in magic ways thanks to the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning. As Google pivots into the next natural step, generative AI, Google Photos is one of the tools that will get supercharged as a result. Read More »

Google revealed the Pixel Fold last week, following months of leaks and rumors, but there still weren’t many details about the phone. Today at Google I/O, the company revealed more about its first folding phone. Read More »

Google Bard is here to compete with ChatGPT and Bing’s AI chat feature. As of May 10, 2023, Google Bard no longer has a waitlist and is available in over 180 countries around the world, not just the US and UK. Here’s how to get access to Google Bard and use Google’s AI chatbot. Read More »

Google revealed the Pixel Tablet last year, promising it would arrive sometime in 2023 as a competitor against Apple’s iPad lineup and Samsung’s Galaxy Tab series. Today, the company finally revealed more details. Read More »

Apple’s Find My network is one of the strongest selling points for its devices, giving you the ability to find lost items using a worldwide mesh Bluetooth network. Google is finally building its own version of the feature for Android phones and trackers. Read More »

Google’s Pixel smartphones have a loyal following. While flagship models garner media attention and make for fantastic purchases, it’s usually the mid-range “A” series that gets the most sales. Google is yet again seeking to replicate that winning formula with the launch of the Pixel 7a. Read More »

When it comes to Android phones, I always tend to reach for a Pixel. Sure, performance tends to suffer over time, but it’s hard to beat the features Google holds exclusive and the overall quality of the Pixel’s software. All of that stays true with the Google Pixel 7a, but corners were cut. Read More »

Microsoft has been pressing ahead with generative AI features in the Bing search engine, integrated with Bing Chat. Today, Google revealed similar changes going into Google Search. Read More »

Has your Excel, Word, or Outlook app’s ribbon suddenly disappeared? It’s easy to hide it accidentally, and sometimes the tabs disappear too. In either case, you can bring it back in your Office app on your Windows or Mac machine in a few clicks. Here’s how. Read More »

Google Bard first arrived earlier this year as the company’s response to ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and other AI assistants. Today at Google I/O, the company showed off several improvements coming to Bard. Read More »

VPNs are great privacy tools, and connecting to one on your router means that your whole network is protected without any extra steps. However, doing so comes with a number of drawbacks that may make you think twice before setting it up. Read More »

Today’s Google I/O event was mostly about AI features, but there were a few unrelated features revealed as well. For example, Google Maps is getting a new “Immersive View” that takes navigation to the next level. Read More »

Mother’s Day is this weekend, and if you’re still looking for great gifts for the mom(s) in your life, we found some you might want to check out. This week, save big on Apple Watch SE, Google Pixel Watch, and plenty more. Read More »

Don’t want Outlook highlighting all your unread emails? If so, it’s quick and easy to mark all your unread emails as read in Outlook’s desktop, web, iPhone, and Android apps. We’ll show you how to do just that. Read More »