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Articles by Philip Bates
A Sealed Copy of Pokémon Yellow Just Smashed Through Its Auction Estimate But Might Still Be Worth $1,000s More
30 years on from its creation, Pokémon is bigger than ever. If you’ve attempted to buy one of the TCG Trainer Boxes within the past five years, you can attest to that. The proliferation across industries means Pokémon is the highest-grossing media franchise in history: quite astounding given that it started with two Game Boy titles released in 1996. The anime introduced us all to Ash Ketchum, a boy paired with the stroppy “electric mouse”, Pikachu.
More Missing Episodes of Doctor Who Confirmed to Exist; Announcement Expected Shortly
Film is Fabulous, an organisation run by film collectors and vintage television enthusiasts, has confirmed the existence of several missing episodes of Doctor Who, and further revealed that a detailed announcement about these stories being returned to the BBC! On Facebook, Film is Fabulous wrote: “As mentioned by Sue Malden at our RECOVERED event in May, we are aware of several missing episodes of Doctor Who (Sue stated one [or] two, but there are more than this) in private film collections...
I Use These 7 Tips to Make Sure My Packages Are Delivered Securely
With delivery companies frequently leaving boxes outside houses without ringing a bell, opportunist thieves steal packages from doorsteps. So how do you make sure your parcel deliveries are left in a safe place and not on your doormat? 1 Contact the Courier or Supplier Most delivery companies let you customize delivery preferences if you create an account.
5 Ways Scammers Use Celebrities to Trick You
The general public adores celebrity culture. It’s only natural, then, that scammers use famous faces to trick us into falling for their fraudulent schemes. Here are a few ways they do it and how to spot them. 1 Phishing Scams Phishing scams are rife. While phishing emails apparently from celebrities are comparatively rare (but not unheard of), there are heaps of fake social media accounts attempting to trick people into thinking they’re chatting with genuine people. This is especially the case on X.
Outlook Will No Longer Sign You Out: Here's Why This Is Good For Security
Microsoft Outlook will no longer require you to sign into your account each time you open your browser unless you specifically log out. That might sound bad for your cybersecurity, but it could be a good thing, too. 1 Manually Signing Out Will Make Us More Security-Minded The key here is how this will encourage Outlook users to be more security-conscious. Cybercriminals rely on complacency. Awareness of security practices is the first step to fighting them, so anything that helps is positive.
Why Charging Your Phone Overnight Is Bad
Many folks charge their phones overnight, ready for use again in the morning. However, it feels like charging it while you’re asleep to hit 100 percent is beneficial, but it actually harms your battery and shortens its life. Battery Degradation and Safety Risks Why shouldn’t you charge your phone battery overnight? The main reasons are that doing so can harm your battery’s lifespan and generate too much heat, which can be a safety risk if left unattended.
I Smashed My 2024 Goodreads Challenge: Here's How to Beat Yours in 2025 Original
I love Goodreads. It’s always fun looking back across the year and remembering the best things I’ve read in the past 12 months. Goodreads’ Reading Challenge encourages me further, and in 2024, I smashed my goal. Here’s how. 1 I Set a Realistic Reading Goal At the start of every year, Goodreads asks me to take part in its Reading Challenge, but before I set a goal, I try to factor in what other reading goals I have for the next year.
Why I’ll Never Buy Another Laptop After Owning a Desktop for 10 Years
I hate laptops. I use PCs all the time, and while I’ve tried to get used to laptops, it’s begrudgingly and always ends badly. Desktops are far superior, so I’ll never buy a laptop again—here's why. 1 I Prefer the Layout of a Desktop PC First and foremost, I hate the way laptops look. Their layouts can’t match my desktop setup. The screens are never big enough. I understand that they’re used for mobility, but I can use my smartphone for anything I want to do on the go; otherwise, I could get a tablet.
Don't Fall for Gift Card Scams: Here's How I Spot Them
You get an email saying you've won a free gift card. You might think it’s possible, given that every shop now asks for your email address and enters you into prize drawings. But it’s actually a scam. Here's how I check whether I've really have won a gift card from a well-known brand. Many people don’t check the sender's email address when they receive a message. Or if they do, they don’t know whether it’s genuine or not, so they presume it’s real.
Here Are 3 Black Friday Scams Already Trying to Catch You Out
Black Friday and Cyber Monday should mean you save money on tech. But instead, scammers are hard at work, trying to part you from your hard-earned cash with these scams. 1 Fake Products That Never Turn Up You find a high-end item being sold on social media or eBay. It’s a rarity, something you know a loved one has been desperate to get for some time. Naturally, you jump at the deal and pay immediately to grab a bargain. And then you wait. And wait. And wait.
Here Are 3 Black Friday Scams Already Trying to Catch You Out
Black Friday and Cyber Monday should mean you save money on tech. But instead, scammers are hard at work, trying to part you from your hard-earned cash with these scams. 1 Fake Products That Never Turn Up You find a high-end item being sold on social media or eBay. It’s a rarity, something you know a loved one has been desperate to get for some time. Naturally, you jump at the deal and pay immediately to grab a bargain. And then you wait. And wait. And wait.
How to Spot Black Friday Scams
Scammers are targeting you right now with fake Black Friday deals. But with almost every online retailer offering discounts before the holidays, how can you spot when something is a scam, and what about when products are real but the offer isn’t as good as it appears? Scammers Ask for Personal Info for Free Gifts Nothing is ever really free. By falling for a simple phishing scam, you may end up handing over your private data to scammers and maybe downloading malware, too.
I Won't Buy These 7 Tech Products on Amazon
It’s tempting to turn straight to Amazon whenever I need something. A book, a Blu-ray, a game. I’ve got Prime, so they’ll be at my door in no time. However, there are some things I won’t get from Amazon, and almost all of them are tech products. 1 Phone Chargers It’d be really convenient to buy replacement phone chargers and cables from Amazon, but I always resist this temptation. I’ve seen far too many news items about fake ones malfunctioning and blowing up.
Is Your iPhone Volume Way Too Low? How to Fix It
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7 Reasons I Avoid Social Media Trends and Challenges
Another day, another social media fad. Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and their ilk are full of social media challenges and trends, but I won’t take part in any of them. And there are so many reasons you should avoid them too. 1 Challenges Can Be Dangerous A cursory glance at news items will tell you how dangerous some of these social media challenges can be. Yes, some purport solely to be fun or even raising money for charity, but the actual consequences of these trends can be serious.
X's Grok AI Uses Your Posts for Training: Here's How to Opt Out Now
Whether you hate the privacy infringements or simply don’t like artificial intelligence, you might not want X using your posts to train Grok, its AI. You might not even be aware that’s what’s happening right now. Here’s what to do. What Is Grok and How Does It Use Your Posts? Grok is a large language model, part of X’s startup, xAI, with the ability to access real-time knowledge on X (formerly Twitter).
X's Grok AI Uses Your Posts for Training: Here's How to Opt Out Now
23andMe 9 hours ago Millions of People's DNA in Doubt as 23andMe Faces Bankruptcy ScienceAlert - Megan Prictor • 9h Since it was founded nearly two decades ago, 23andMe has grown into one of the largest biotechnology companies in the world. Millions of people have … Surfshark 2 days ago Best VPNs of 2024 including ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and CyberGhost gearadical.com - John Brandon • 2d Using a VPN is a smart idea because it protects you from the nefarious bad actors of the world.
Here's How I Get the Best Value From Music Streaming Services
I pay for Spotify Premium every month. Yes, there’s a free version, but for me, spending a comparatively small sum is worth it. Considering all I have access to, it’s great value and helps to support the entertainment industry. Here’s how I make sure I’m getting the best bang for my buck. Not Paying Out for Too Many Streaming Services Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Amazon Music, Tidal: there are so many music streaming platforms now that it can be hard to decide which to go with.
Why It's Time for Apple to Ditch Annual iPhone Launches
Apple launches new iPhones every year, but it's time to stop. While annual launches are good for shareholders, they aren't necessarily good for consumers. Here's why I think Apple should abandon its annual iPhone release schedule. 1 There Aren't Enough Great Leaps Between iPhone Models While Apple devotees still get excited about new iPhone models each year, the general public largely doesn't get as hyped. Why? Right now, iPhones are seen as more of the same, whether that's true or not.
What Is Doxing, and Do You Need to Worry About It?
Doxing is short for “dropping dox,” with “dox” simply being an abbreviation of “documents.” It sounds like a harmless thing to do, but victims of doxing would definitely disagree. Doxing is a malicious attack typically perpetrated by hackers. So what is it and should you be concerned about being doxed? What Is Doxing? Doxing—sometimes spelled ‘doxxing’—is the act of releasing private information publicly, without an individual’s consent.
Your Disney+ Subscription Is Worth the Money: 10 Reasons Why
Disney Plus Disney+ surged in popularity when it was first launched, but some now question whether they should keep the streaming service. Yet there are so many reasons Disney+ is worth subscribing to. From its huge content library to its actual price point, Disney+ is still one of the best streaming platforms. 1 There's So Much Content on Disney+ Disney+ hit the ground running with a huge wealth of content.
Think You Could Never Fall Victim to Cybercrime? Think Again
Most people falsely believe they are not targeted by hackers putting everyone at risk. Scams are not just massive thefts but also involve personal information theft or small losses. Even cybersecurity experts can fall for scams, showcasing the need for everyone to remain vigilant. Anyone can fall victim to scammers. Cybercriminals don’t just focus on big corporations or easy targets. You could be hit by malware. So could your partner, your parents, your siblings, your friends—anyone.
These Are the 7 Reasons Physical Media Is Better Than Streaming
Physical media offers offline viewing without internet connection problems. Ownership of physical copies provides individuality and security. Streaming platforms can change or delete content without your control. Streaming isn't as great as many claim. Yes, streaming services seemed to be the future, but physical media is having a resurgence. We still love films and TV shows on actual discs.
What Is Extortionware and How Does It Differ From Ransomware?
Extortionware is malware used to extort victims, stealing sensitive data for threats. Extortionware includes ransomware, sextortion, doxing, and DDoS attacks. Protect yourself by securing passwords, beware of phishing, use VPNs, and trust only secure sites. Malware comes in many different forms. One particularly concerning example is extortionware, a term that covers numerous types of cyberattack software. But you might be more familiar with ransomware.
Give Your Privacy a Quick Boost by Deleting These 10 Data-Hungry Apps
Several apps will try and gather your data, but you can take back control by deleting them. Platforms like TikTok, Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, & PayPal collect extensive personal information. Inferences made by apps about your behavior can lead to privacy risks. Your data is important—to you but also to corporations. Apps may sell your data and build profiles about you. How do you fight back and reclaim your privacy? You need to delete apps that vacuum up your personal information.
Malicious Social Media Tagging Is Everywhere: This Is How You Stay Safe
Malicious tagging involves hackers setting up fake accounts on social media and luring victims with enticing messages. Do not click on links in tags on social media to avoid downloading malware or theft of personal data. To protect yourself, ignore suspicious tags, warn others, flag fake accounts, limit contacts, and scan devices for malware if you clicked on a malicious link. Have you been tagged by someone on Facebook, X, or another social media service?
I Used ChatGPT to Plan My Vacation, and It Was Horribly Underwhelming
AI can do many things, but can it plan a proper vacation? I recently took a trip to Porto, Portugal, and found that while ChatGPT can bring some positives, they're rapidly outweighed by the negatives. How I Used ChatGPT to Plan My Vacation I’ve never used ChatGPT before, but my friends have—and one of them uses it all the time. On a trip to Porto in Portugal, I was intrigued enough to use ChatGPT to explore the city. None of us had been to Porto, so this was a fresh opportunity.
I Used to Love Duolingo, but It's Fallen So Far in These 5 Ways
I use Duolingo every day to learn French and have done so for over five years now. That’s why it pains me to see how far it’s fallen. The service used to be the go-to app for learning a language, but too many issues have slowly taken away Duolingo’s edge over the competition. Sorry, Duo, but you’re just not good enough anymore. 1. Duolingo Took Away Its Learning Tree This was the big change that turned many users against Duolingo.
AI Tools Are Running Out of Training Data, but There Are 6 Solutions
AI may run out of high-quality data by 2026, but the increasing amount of data added to the internet annually offers potential solutions. AI could be prompted to forget low-quality data, pushing the development of methods to selectively "unlearn" data. Speech recognition technology opens up video and podcast data for AI training, while synthetic data offers a future solution for AI growth. Artificial intelligence needs training data, but that data is limited.
AI Tools Are Running Out of Training Data, but There Are 6 Solutions
16 hours ago A copywriter ran the Declaration of Independence through an AI content detector. The result? It's 98.51% AI-generated, despite being written in 1776. But is this mistake a one-off, or reflective of AI content detectors in general? With a lot riding on the authenticity of writing, including exam …
When Does Facebook Messenger Notify Others About Screenshots?
Facebook only notifies people if someone screenshots or screen records disappearing messages. Anyone can screenshot your other messages on Facebook Messenger or even your Facebook profile. Never share anything online that you’d feel uncomfortable with if it were made public. Have you ever wanted to save a message on Facebook Messenger but been nervous about screenshotting it? What if the other person gets a notification to say you took a screengrab? It only happens in rare circumstances.
Switching My Instagram Account to Private Made a World of Difference
Instagram Following an attempted scam, I switched my Instagram to private and found many benefits. Having a private account means you can control who follows you and what they can see. You can also stop bots and AI from scraping your data and trying to scam you. I switched my Instagram account from public to private: it was easy to do and I noticed plenty of ways it has made my experience on the platform better.
Crypto Scammers Are Using This Legendary Broadcaster's Name to Trick You on X
Sir David Attenborough is not endorsing cryptocurrency or investment scams and has spoken out against them. Scams involving celebrity endorsements are common, with fake articles, photos, and fake videos used to deceive. Celebrity scams lure victims to invest in cryptocurrency with fake articles and urgent investment appeals.
Cyber Extortion vs. Ransomware: What's the Difference?
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that encrypts data until a ransom is paid. Cyber extortion comes in many forms, including phishing and romance scams. While ransomware is the type of malware used, cyber extortion is the act of blackmailing victims through different means. Though the two terms are often confused, there is a difference between ransomware and cyber extortion. Nonetheless, the pair are linked—and one can lead to the other. What Is Ransomware?
Here's Why HDMI 2.1 Is So Important For Gaming
HDMI 2.1 offers support for 8K video, 48Gbps bandwidth speed, and reduced interference from other wireless devices. Consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X already utilize what HDMI 2.1 has to offer. Game Mode features deliver lag-free graphics with little to no screen tearing If you’re serious about gaming and want to get a responsive, high-definition experience, you should invest in an HDMI 2.1 cable and compatible display and gaming device.
The 10 Best Ways to Read Comics Online for Free
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5 Ways to Bypass Blocked Sites Without Using Proxies or VPNs
Picture the scene. You're at work or school, and in your downtime, you want to peruse a website. Maybe you want to check your social media feeds or need to watch YouTube for research purposes... but it's blocked. You could use a proxy service or VPN, but proxies might be blocked too, and VPNs require additional effort (and payment in some instances). So how can you open banned sites without a VPN or proxy?
Facebook Messenger
How to Format Text in Messenger: Bold, Italics, and More Facebook Messenger on PC supports formatting, allowing you to bold, underline, and emphasize text. Here's how. 9 Free Chat Apps to Message on Your Phone or Computer Want to send messages from your phone and PC? Use these free chat apps to continue the conversation wherever you go. How to Use Messenger Without Facebook You can't simply use Messenger without a Facebook account.
What Is Personally Identifiable Information (PII)?
Sometimes called "personal data", PII is valuable to you, to companies, and to hackers. But what is it? What does it include? Readers like you help support MUO. When you make a purchase using links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read More. You’ll likely have heard about Personally Identifiable Information, sometimes just called “personal data”, in relation to your security.
Why Do Tinder Matches List Their Instagram Profiles?
Many users of dating services like Tinder and Hinge list their Instagram profiles or, once you’ve matched up with them, suggest taking conversations to Instagram. A lot of profiles say something like “Not on here much, follow on Instagram.” So why do so many Tinder dates suggest moving to Instagram? Is it weird to DM someone you know on Tinder using Instagram? And why is Instagram the app of choice, over, say, Facebook or Snapchat? Why Do Matches Put Their Instagram on Tinder?
9 Things to Consider When Buying an Elliptical Cross Trainer
Buying an elliptical cross trainer for home use is a great way of staying fit without having to spend out on a gym membership. But there are a lot of options available to you. All have confusing names and numbers, varying reviews, and terms and conditions. So what questions do you need to ask yourself if you’re buying your own cross trainer? 1. What’s Your Main Aim? Here’s the most important thing you need to ask yourself: why are you buying a cross trainer? Is it to stay fit? Is it to become fitter?
How to Add Contacts to Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger is a great way of keeping in touch with family, friends, and acquaintances. It’s a free app owned by Meta, formerly Facebook Inc., that lets you send private messages to anyone in your contacts. But how can you actually add contacts to Facebook Messenger? Can you add them on Messenger but not on Facebook? And what if they don’t even have Facebook? How Do I Add New Contacts on Messenger?
Common Disney+ Error Codes and How to Fix Them
Keep getting error codes on Disney Plus? Here are some of the most common problems on the platform and how to fix them. There are few things as irritating as when you plan to watch the latest installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or a Star Wars TV show and can’t because Disney+ isn’t working. All streaming services have their faults, and while you might panic when faced with a seemingly nonsensical error code, each one corresponds to a specific problem—and that means they can be fixed too.
The 5 Best ComiXology Alternatives for Comic Book Fans
Readers of digital comic books have taken a number of hits, with the award-winning Madefire shutting down and Amazon significantly changing the interface for the best-known digital comics library, ComiXology. So if you're looking for a new digital comic book company to try out, what alternatives to ComiXology are available? Do you have to pay for all digital comics? Or can you access some legally for free too? 1.
Why You Can't Trust Online Reviews: What Is a Click Farm?
You're shopping online and spot the perfect product. Even better, it has all five-star reviews! You immediately add the item to your shopping basket and checkout. But when the product comes, it's deeply disappointing. So how did it get such glowing feedback? It might be a difference of opinion. You could've received a faulty or inferior quality version to the one other people have got. Or it could be the product of click farming.
Does Instagram Read Your Texts and Direct Messages?
It's easy to believe that Instagram spies on you, especially given the amount of personal information the app requests and users give permissions for. And doubly so because it's owned by Facebook, a company not known for its privacy rights. But is that paranoia talking? Does Instagram actually spy on you? Can Instagram read your messages, for instance? Here's why you might be concerned that the app's reach is greater than it initially seemed when you installed it. Does Instagram Spy on You?
Marvel Unlimited Relaunches: 7 New Features Worth Exploring
The subscription-based comic book service, Marvel Unlimited, has relaunched, with a bevvy of exciting, new features. Marvel Unlimited offers access to digital issues on your PC, laptop, smartphone, and tablet. Marketed as "all-new", what else does the relaunched Marvel Unlimited offer you? Here are the updated features sure to thrill Marvel lovers, whether they're die-hard fans, casual readers, or looking for jumping-on points after enjoying Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. 1.
The Dark Web Isn't Illegal, But You Should Watch Out for These 7 Things
The dark web has a reputation for harboring and facilitating criminal activities such as hacking, drug trafficking, and even terrorism. But it's not as scary as it sounds. The dark web is a subset of the main internet on overlay networks called "darknets" and requires specific software to access. As with the normal internet, you'll find the good and the bad on the dark web. If you want to search for something illegal, the dark web will provide that.
7 Ways to Still Help Small Businesses While Using Amazon
Many people feel conflicted about buying from big companies like Amazon, as they'd prefer to support small businesses. But since Amazon is very convenient and cheap, it's often too tempting to turn down. You don't need to feel bad about using Amazon. There are plenty of ways you can carry on browsing and shopping on the online giant while also supporting smaller businesses. 1. Leave Positive Feedback Yes, Amazon is a massive company that's seemingly got an online shopping monopoly.
Make TikTok Safer for Your Children with Family Pairing
You've probably heard some bad stuff about TikTok. It's a video-sharing social media platform seemingly with good intentions, hijacked by users with questionable motives. That means sexual content and privacy concerns. It's hugely popular, however, so your children will probably want to use TikTok. How can you make the service more secure? What Age is TikTok Appropriate for? Browse TikTok and you might find inappropriate language and suggestive footage, porn stars, and users hurting themselves.
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